Top 7 albums of 2017

Sam Farley
5 min readDec 29, 2017
Kung Fu Kenny

Because 7 is as arbitrary a number as any and I happen to like it.

Being a pretentious guy I’m writing this with the assumption that you’re absolutely dying to know which albums I think are the best this year.

Before we get in to the meat of this it’s time for some honourable mentions and apologies.

Apologies-

  1. Liam Gallagher your solo debut was alright, a couple of bangers and some filler. However being a solid effort doesn’t constitute enough to get into this company, so you’ll have to make do with being in tons of other lists instead.
  2. LCD Soundsystem, I tried, I really did but American Dream just didn’t get close to Sound Of Silver or This Is Happening for me.

Honourable Mentions-

Bicep, Run The Jewels, The National you all deserve to be there or thereabouts. In Common Sense J Hus dropped one of the most thrillingly vibrant British albums in years but narrowly misses out, as does Playboi Carti’s self-titled debut which despite mixed reviews is absolutely superb.

The Top 7-

7. Godfather-Wiley

It’s been out since the start of January and the fact that it’s managed to be included in an end of year list is a demonstration of it’s quality. Jagged beats and inspired production, coupled with great lyrics and well picked features show that there’s plenty of life in the old dog yet.

6. I See You-The xx

I loved this album when it was released and it’s only continued to improve as the year has gone on. This album, much like their mind-blowing Glastonbury performance, shows that their sound has developed with inspiration from Jamie xx’s solo material. The xx are quite unlike anybody else on the musical landscape and are arguably one of the most important British bands of the last twenty years.

5. Visions Of A Life-Wolf Alice

Wolf Alice’s debut My Love Is Cool was a decent record but I didn’t really connect with it in a way that many others did. This sophomore effort is on another level and shows that they’ve worked hard on their sound. This is the album that will propel them to the big leagues.

4. Game Over-Dave

Yeah, it’s an EP and not technically an album, but it’s my list so you can do one. I lauded Godfather because of it’s production but with Game Over it’s really the lyrics that come to the fore. It’s a smart, conscious EP which covers everything from politics to a break up with a uniquely personal and thoughtful angle.

3. Cigarettes After Sex-Cigarettes After Sex

With some albums and songs you remember exactly where you were when you first heard them. I remember being a kid and hearing Don’t Look Back In Anger for the first time, whilst travelling in the boot of a friends car on the way to the swimming pool. The first time I heard Cigarettes After Sex was on a couple of months ago when I heard them doing a session for Annie Mac as I was driving to football practice.

When I was trying to find out more about them I found this quote on the ever-reliable Wikipedia and it’s so apt that I’m going to nick it and say that their sound is “elemental, hazy and romantic, but with a noir edge underneath Gonzalez’s androgynous voice.”

2. Slowdive-Slowdive

When I wrote a list mid-way through the year I had this as my number 1 record. I’m still as in love with it now as I was then but DAMN. has grown on me even more since. With that in mind I’m just going to copy and paste what I wrote before because I think it sums up this album perfectly.

“When I listened to the album I had no idea who Slowdive were, assuming incorrectly they were a new band. I was wrong, they formed in 1989, reforming in 2014 after a 19 year hiatus. Shoegaze isn’t the easiest or most popular of genres but this album is perfect. It’s moody, atmospheric, emotive and would sound perfect as the sound track to a late night drive. You need to do yourself a favour and give this album a chance. Put on those headphones, hit play and just melt away into it’s dreamy pop, you won’t regret it.”

  1. DAMN.-Kendrick Lamar

Wow, what a surprise. Let’s be honest, this album is topping the majority of end of year lists but with good reason. It’s Kendrick’s most cohesive work yet and given the political landscape of the USA it sounds more essential than ever.

This is the third Kendrick album that I’d classify as a true classic, which at least in my opinion puts his ahead of legends such as Dr Dre, Eminem, Jay-Z & Nas who I’d argue only have two each. I’d possibly to go as far as to say it’s the hip-hop album of the decade although My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy would possibly beg to differ.

It’s hard to know where to start with DAMN. but LOVE, HUMBLE, DNA & BLOOD are all standouts amongst an album of perfectly constructed hip-hop.

DAMN. sounds at home in the car, when you’re pre-drinking before a night out, sat at your desk working. It’s an album for all moods and moments. It’s politically and socially charged lyrics can wash over you or inspire you depending on your mood when it’s playing. This is the sound of greatness.

I’m sure you probably disagree, so get at me on Twitter and lets have a conversation.

--

--

Sam Farley

Writer. This blog is a place for some passion projects.