Half of 2017
This is what the cool kids do, right? List only contains a fraction of what I heard due to not being able to add artists right now and because no one wants to see a bunch of 2.5s from artists no one has heard of. |
| 1 |  | Mount Eerie
A Crow Looked At Me
[Grief-core] Generic choice for a 5 because I feel bad a dude's wife died? Probably. Do I really care? Nah. The emotional capacity of this record is overwhelming and I'm always welcoming to an album that can move me without feeling emotionally manipulative of weak af (Looking at you, Skeleton Tree). ~5.0 |
| 2 |  | BROCKHAMPTON
Saturation
[Hip Hop] It's a rare sighting to see a hip hop collective, especially one with so many involved members, being able to work together to push an album of this caliber. Everyone else on this site has sang more than enough praise for this record, so I won't expand on this. ~4.5 |
| 3 |  | Clap! Clap!
A Thousand Skies
[UK Bass] A tasteful, fun, and well-composed mixture of house, bass music, and third world beats and sounds. Cristiano is more or less the only musician out there that understands how to use tribal sounds instead of lazily slapping them on as a gimmick because it "sounds cool". ~4.5 |
| 4 |  | Flotation Toy Warning
The Machine That Made Us
[Chamber Pop] 14 years later and Flotation Toy Warning still sound magical. As this record sheds away the heavy 'psych pop in space' sound of their debut in favor of a more direct approach to the chamber pop sound, you can sense that the years have hit the members of the band. This is in no way a detraction, of course, as this is easily the most beautifully composed and well-aged release we will be seeing this year from anyone. Potential 5. ~4.5 |
| 5 |  | Vince Staples
Big Fish Theory
[Hip Hop] More 90s house/hip hop hybrids please. ~4.5 |
| 6 |  | Ulver
The Assassination of Julius Caesar
[Synthpop] Edging into industrial and house territory, Ulver's full pop embracement has some of the smoothest, best composed melodies of the year. Disturbing lack of assassinations. ~4.5 |
| 7 |  | A7PHA
A7PHA
[Hip Hop] Another Doseone project only this time on dark, noisy ~ a b s t r a c t ~ beats. If you like his work, you will inevitably like this record. ~4.0 |
| 8 |  | Artificial Brain
Infrared Horizon
[Tech Death Metal] It riffs. ~4.0 |
| 9 |  | Jam Baxter
Mansion 38
[Hip Hop] British hip hop over weird, bouncy synths. Jam knows how to keep things interesting with a style of hip hop that is often creatively bankrupt and filled with too many people who have their heads too far up their asses. ~4.0 |
| 10 |  | Bleachers
Gone Now
[Synthpop] Not as immediate as Strange Desire, and definitely not as accessible. After the front half of the album gets the definite chart seeking cuts out of the way, the album immediately nose dives into an odd realm of auto tune, piano boy band-esque ballads, and choppy sampling that borders an experimental tag if not for the obvious pop structure it carries. Given time to digest, however, it becomes clear to me that Gone Now is Jack's best work. Emotionally heavy and clever in its use of leitmotifs, it reflects an album that exists on a more personal level. ~4.0 |
| 11 |  | Can't Swim
Fail You Again
[Alt Rock/Pop Punk] I reviewed this. ~4.0 |
| 12 |  | Chief Keef
Thot Breaker
[Hip Hop] Sach's review is prolly the best description for this record. Not a fan of Keef, but this record is top shelf. ~4.0 |
| 13 |  | DR. MiNT
Voices in the Void
[Avant Garde Jazz] Noisy jazz that screeches with guitars and beep boops. ~4.0 |
| 14 |  | Future
HNDRXX
[Hip Hop] I enjoy the variety on this album, it seems to have a desire of separating itself from the image that Future usually associates himself with. Could probably benefit from a few cut tracks, though. ~4.0 |
| 15 |  | Calvin Harris
Funk Wav Bounces, Vol. 1
[Nu Disco] While it suffers in variety and two really bad stinkers, it makes up for it with some of the best jams you're getting out of a record this year. This album sounds like a redemption record for Calvin after he helped make the pop industry a cesspit in the early 2010s. ~4.0 |
| 16 |  | Heretoir
The Circle
[Blackgaze] Award for most approved goes to this band. ~4.0 |
| 17 |  | Hideous Divinity
Adveniens
[Tech Death] Don't expect good descriptions out of me for metal records. ~4.0 |
| 18 |  | The Human Experience
Broken Open
[Electronic/Trip Hop] A dreamy record about loooove. ~4.0 |
| 19 |  | Information Flash
Ego Murda Sound
[Outsider House] I remember this being good. ~4.0 |
| 20 |  | IshDARR
Four the Better
[Hip Hop] IshDARR jumps the jazz rap bandwagon because everyone and their grandma is doing it. Thankfully, IshDARR knows how to write actual good songs and jams instead of looking like a blatant bandwagoner. ~4.0 |
| 21 |  | IT IT
Formal Odors
[Art Pop] I reviewed this! ~4.0 |
| 22 |  | Jay Som
Everybody Works
[Indie Pop] Despite the name, this is not a hip hop project. Well composed indie pop backed by a good vocalist with a bit of wit. ~4.0 |
| 23 |  | The Mountain Goats
Goths
[Chamber Pop] While the middle half does have some less-than-interesting cuts, the book ends carry some of the best songs this year. ~4.0 |
| 24 |  | Remo Drive
Greatest Hits
[Emo-Pop] Most likely to win 'best debut of the year'. Some of the sharpest pop rock out there. ~4.0 |
| 25 |  | Sampha
Process
[Alt RnB] Smooooooth as butter, moves around the realm of minimalistic and james blake-esque composition. It's great. ~4.0 |
| 26 |  | Stevens / Dessner / Muhly / McAlister
Planetarium
[Art Pop] Sufjan Stevens takes you on a journey through the galaxy. ~4.0 |
| 27 |  | Zack Villere
Little World
[Art Pop/Alt RnB] I reviewed this! ~4.0 |
| 28 |  | Why?
Moh Lhean
[Indie Pop] I Reviewed this! ~4.0 |
| 29 |  | Billy Woods
Known Unknowns
[Hip Hop] More dark, thick hip hop from Billy Woods. Candidate for "Aesop Rock needs to stop appearing on albums" award. ~4.0 |
| 30 |  | Allie X
CollXtion II
[Electropop] Darker and heavier than Coll I while still being on the sweeter side of pop music. Some real headscratchers on this record unfortunately drag it down, but the highlights are strong contenders for best of the year. ~3.5 |
| 31 |  | Creeper
Eternity, In Your Arms
[Pop Punk] For fans of AFI, My Chemical Romance, and all the like-wise lot. ~3.5 |
| 32 |  | Different Sleep
Forget It
[Downtempo] Feel good electronic music that has a bit of cheese, but in the good way. ~3.5 |
| 33 |  | Flobots
Noenemies
[Hip Hop] I'll probably be alone on this, but this is actually... good? It seems that everyone giving up on the band and them losing their label and budget forced them to actually readjust their priorities and write an album that doesn't rely on the gimmick of "political hip hop with a violin". Album would benefit a bit from not playing the "vague game" that a lot of political albums find themselves flubbing with, but the composition here benefits. ~3.5 |
| 34 |  | Jason Isbell
The Nashville Sound
[Alt Country] Isbell is on autopilot for most of this record, but the instances where he takes control of the wheel again brings some absolute class tracks. ~3.5 |
| 35 |  | Lowly
Heba
[Art Pop] Flat synth heavy pop music that rocks. ~3.5 |
| 36 |  | Major Lazer
Know No Better
[Cultural Appropriation] After how disastrous Peace is the Mission/Music is the Weapon was, it seems that Diplo and gang decided to shift their sound back to where it was in the Free The Universe/Apocalypse Soon era in the sense that there's more of a focus on finding a balance between straight forward pop and festival ready cuts with the weird one-note drops that I love a lot. A welcomed improvement, and hopefully we never have to see these guys release another Lean On ever again. Award for "least awful Sean Paul feature" for the year. Pitbull please come back. ~3.5 |
| 37 |  | MisterWives
Connect the Dots
[Indie Pop] Massive step down from their debut and some questionable lyrics that edge hypocrisy. It still has great cuts, but the No Doubt/watered down reggae worship was a way better sound for the group. ~3.5 |
| 38 |  | Paramore
After Laughter
[New Wave] Falls flat for the most part, but it has some really great moments. ~3.5 |
| 39 |  | Peter Silberman
Impermanence
[Slowcore] It's nice, sad, and comforting - but I feel like Silberman could've done A LOT more to give this record variety because it feels lacking as a whole product. I'd stick with Attic of the Universe as his definitive solo project. ~3.5 |
| 40 |  | Harry Styles
Harry Styles
[Rock] An unexpected, but welcome surprise. There was some satire music site a few years ago that wrote an article in the perspective of NSync's Joey Fatone saying that Harry Styles would be the only one with any talent and a career anyone would give a fuck about and they were disturbingly accurate. ~3.5 |
| 41 |  | Young Thug
BEAUTIFUL THUGGER GIRLS
[Rap with a guitar] Way too long and it hurts the album in the long run. First few tracks are really good. ~3.5 |
| 42 |  | Neil Cicierega
Mouth Moods
[Mashup] The novelty of almost every track on this record dies within a few minutes, which is unfortunate as his previous record was far superior and way funnier. Glad that Bustin' got an official release. ~3.0 |
| 43 |  | Passepied
&DNA
[J-Pop] These guys haven't been able to make anything really interesting since Enshutsu-ka shutsuen. ~3.0 |
| 44 |  | Suiyoubi no Campanella
SUPERMAN
[Hip Hop] really wanted to like this one, but it was way too basic. has some good cuts. ~3.0 |
| 45 |  | Amnesia Scanner
TRUTH
[Post Industrial] Way too boring. ~2.5 |
| 46 |  | David Bowie
No Plan
[Art Rock] No Plan is a great song, the other two new selections sound like Bowie neglected them for a reason. ~2.5 |
| 47 |  | Aaron Carter
Love
[Pop] A comeback no one saw coming, and one that no one will care for. The best moments mimic Justin Bieber and Zayn and its only unique aspects are little future bass movements that aren't interesting at all. ~2.5 |
| 48 |  | Gorillaz
Humanz
[Art Pop] Now that i've taken a long time to digest this, I think the ultimate flaw of the record is that Damon just doesn't feel confident with this record. Every track leading up to The Non Conformist Oath are incredibly solid, atmospheric, and create a tangible concept. After that though, things fall apart quickly. Features don't work, songs feel too short, and the only track that sounds like its following a concept was the one everyone hated on release (Hallelujah Money). I'd say that the best evidence that Albarn lost his mojo with writing this record comes from Sleeping Powder, a song that he shoved out in a day that accidentally sounds better than most of the album; and the SUPER DELUXE edition coming soon that features 1-2 alternative edits of every single track. It all reflects someone who is trying to offer ways to create a better, more definitive version of his album. I also reviewed this. ~2.5 |
| 49 |  | Infected Mushroom
Return to the Sauce
[Psytrance] Morons will award this record for returning to the group's psytrance roots. Same morons won't realize that this album sounds nothing like their earliest work, nothing like their more atmospheric and experimental stuff, nothing like their rock-ish hybrids, and nothing like their interesting spin on mainstream club bangers. Super barebones, uninteresting, and relies way too much on parlor tricks and cool editing techniques to give it a personality. I'd take another big room track from them over this any day. I also reviewed this. ~2.5 |
| 50 |  | Kendrick Lamar
DAMN.
[Hip Hop] It just isn't that good. Good Kid Maad City is just a better "banger" album. ~2.5 |
| 51 |  | Surf Curse
Nothing Yet
[Surf Rock] Band would benefit if they charted off into emo/post hardcore territory. Too one note and boring, but theres always this feeling that the band has the potential to make an amazing record. ~2.5 |
| 52 |  | Wear Your Wounds
WYW
[Post rock?] Yawn. ~2.5 |
| 53 |  | Dishwalla
Juniper Road
[Alternative] Every member who made this band a good band is gone, all that Dishwalla remains as is a name. Completely bland and offensively lame alt rock. ~2.0 |
| 54 |  | P.O.S
Chill, Dummy
[Hip Hop] Really bad, cheesy hip hop. ~2.0 |
| 55 |  | Katy Perry
Witness
[Pop] stock beats and a horrible persona + promotional campaign. will admit theres like, 3 good songs on here. ~2.0 |
| 56 |  | Starset
Vessels
[Alt Rock] Inception Horn: The Album ~2.0 |
| 57 |  | Paul White
Accelerator
[Hip Hop] Not good. ~2.0 |
| 58 |  | The Chainsmokers
Memories...Do Not Open
[Electropop] I reviewed this! ~1.5 |
| 59 |  | Bones
Disgrace
[Hip Hop] Mixtape was a disgrace. ~1.5 |
| 60 |  | Captain, We're Sinking
The King of No Man
[Punk Rock] Holy shit what happened. ~1.5 |
| 61 |  | Father John Misty
Pure Comedy
[Chamber Pop] How long until people realize this guy has NEVER been good? ~1.5 |
| 62 |  | Linkin Park
One More Light
[Electropop] While many hate this album because it's linkin park going full pop music, and said people like to pretend the band was good before this happened, the reality is if this album was actually good as a pop album then it would be alright that the band sold out. It's not good though. It sounds exactly like Linkin Park making a pop album. ~1.5 |
| 63 |  | Lupe Fiasco
DROGAS Light
[Hip Hop] Tries to be woke, tries to have bangers, can't do either. ~1.5 |
| 64 |  | Northlane
Mesmer
[Djent] This band sucks. ~1.5 |
| 65 |  | Bebe Rexha
All Your Fault
[Pop] I reviewed this! ~1.5 |
| 66 |  | SOHN
Rennen
[Alt RnB] How do I write songs? ~1,0 |
| 67 |  | Suicide Silence
Suicide Silence
[Nu Metal] Lol. ~1.0 |
| 68 |  | Front Porch Step
I Never Loved Before I Found You
[Folk] This dude is a shitbag and this album is a horrible, horrible attempt at saying sorry. ~0.5 |
| 69 |  | Joan Of Arc
He's Got the Whole This Land is Your Land in His Hands
[Experimental Rock] Horrible songwriting with the worst lyrics I've ever seen. ~0.5 |
| 70 |  | Signor Benedick the Moor
toybox
[experimental hip hop bs] Placeholder for his newer, SURPRISE album that the database won't let me add. CYBR.pnk is one of the worst albums I have ever heard and is the definitive worst of the year. I have no idea how El Negro and this album were made by the same person. ~0.5
Peek the monstrosity here: http://sbthemoor.bandcamp.com/album/cybr-pnk |
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