Top Ten Albums of 2017

So here it is. The big one. Any self-respecting music fan has their own list of favourite albums, and also have the need to share it with the world. I can't even begin to tell you how much I had to draft and redraft and reconsider the albums on this list. But I think that's sign that we've had a strong year for music, which is good considering how the rest of the year went/.

Even though I've mentioned it earlier in the month, I feel it's important to point out this is just my personal list of favourites. Naturally, there will be albums that are better than others that are low down on this list. This isn't a list of your favourites or the objectively best record, it's a list of albums that meant something to me. Ironically that means I might have some trouble articulating what I thought about them, but I'll give it my best shot.

Honourable Mentions

CTRL - SZA

What If Nothing - Walk The Moon

Shapeshifter - Knuckle Puck

All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell - PVRIS

Lust for Life - Lana Del Rey

Broken Machines - Nothing But Thieves

Damn - Kendrick Lamar

Eternity, In Your Arms - Creeper

SweetSexySavage - Kehlani 

Saturation I-III - Brockhampton

10: Last Young Renegade - All Time Low

It strikes me that All Time Low are not all that good at making albums. Nevertheless, it's their charm that have been able to carry them through this far. However, I'm left wondering if that charm is still there on "Last Young Renegade". Don't get me wrong, I like the album. It has a more serious tone than any previous efforts, which is somewhat perpendicular to they're known them for. But they've gone too far in that direction

The best parts of All Time Low in my opinion is in their use guitars. So, the fact that they've thrown most of it away for this album doesn't make sense. As a result, we have songs like the unnecessarily left-field "Dirty Laughter" or "Afterglow" which too weak to be an album closer. Maybe some of this can be attributed to the label change, or just a maturity in age. In the end, it comes off as a concept album project abandoned.

So why do is it here. It's just a grower. I don't know why, but it became more and more appealing with every listen, like a parasite. It's not a terrible record, but it's not very strong, is it? Nevertheless, I seem to keep coming back to it, and I can't deny the facts.

9: Red, Green or In-between - WSTR

This was one of many unexpected surprises this year. WSTR came out of nowhere with this immersive, true pop-punk debut and I love it instantly. On one hand, the sound and vocal styles mean if you had told me this was the new Neck Deep Album, I would have believed you, no problem. On top of that, it can't say it's doing anything all that unique. However, they are no denying still one of the most fun albums I’ve listened to this year. It brings that carefree element back to the genre and it just satisfying all round.

8: Gang Signs and Prayers - Stormzy

Grime is in its golden age. Hooray, I suppose. It's hard not be cynical having been so close to it all my life, making it next to impossible for me to not roll my eyes when Kano and Skepta play bigger venues and get their albums on the charts. Still every cloud: the time of ‘Grime Caviar’ means that critics are giving these artists the acclaim they deserve. No-one is that truer of than Stormzy. My inner hipster almost stopped me from listening to Gang Signs and Prayer. In addition to this, it took me a while to decide if it was. Knowing Grime and Hip-Hop the way I do, I had to strip my knowledge right back and rebuild it. But there’s no denying that #GSAP hits it on every level, even as the album goes through many beats, something that could easily go wrong.  

Authentic, genuine moments, from the crazy titch interlude to the intro on bad boys or his mom's voicemail prayer on 100 bags or the squad goals feel from Shut Up. But I think these moments once again tie into the feel and themes of the albums. It seems while making this album, Mr Omari knew he was destined for greatness. Here, he saw on the horizon his great dawning into the world. So, during his great lyrical and musical achievement of an album, he slipped in homages and tributes to his ‘Day Ones’, subliminally bringing their name to the world and providing them with a special Stormzy “thank you”, an ambitious project, as with the album. But if that is the case I say, “mission accomplished, Stormz job well done”

7: Lovely Little Lonely - The Maine

There's a lot to like about Lovely Little Lonely. You can really take your pick from John's classy vocals, the smooth thematic, the jumpy and fun track listing that has you mesmerised throughout. But if you ask me, this is an album where The Maine have basically perfected the art of world-building in the course of an album. This is mainly down to the flawless song writing that the band have adopted which is seen in the Synthy and smooth tones of songs like "How Do You Feel" or "Taxi with its darker feel, plus you got to love the run-on effect of the interlude title tracks. Either way, the album is a wonderful example of an authentic immersive experience like all good albums should be. Take for intense the More ethereal tone on the second half, and yet there not afraid to stick a few guitar solos in. The Maine have really refined what they do as it's kind of record you love more as you listen it's simply the best era of The Maine.

6: Skin and Earth - Lights

I'll admit that until about a month ago, this album was much lower down. I've always loved Lights, particularly her 2014 release "Little Machines". But I initially couldn't get into "Skin and Earth”. Interestingly, the record was released symbiotically with a comic series of the same written by Ms Poxleitner herself. I think this was part of the reason I felt a little withdrawn because I could not get away from assessing it as concept album to a series I couldn't even read.

this led me to the conclusion that it wasn't a very strong album and so I put it on the backburner. But something undeniable drew me back to it, song by song, and I discovered the magic behind it. 

Lights is just so fucking at putting songs together and making every element work. One of my favourite things about this record is that the best songs aren't even the singles Every moment has a different flavour, but all come across just as infectious as the others. This probably has something to do with each song referring to a different comic book chapter. It's clear that approaching the music through this character has unlocked a new magic in Lights and let her write in an untapped way. Tunes like "Fight Club" and "Kicks" and "Morphine" are what help pull the listener into the world Lights has created and convinced you that this woman is truly at the top of her game.

5: Wired - Mallory Knox

Here we have maybe my favourite surprise album of the year. Mallory Knox, who have been putting out a steady but solid run of rock music over the years. On Wired, they seem to have outdone themselves. One the face of it, it's one of those punchy, demand-your-attention, uncompromising new rock record that never fail to find appeal. But it's more than that. Pretty much every song, is well written and well performed. There are also more intimate themes that overall make for an entertaining and convincing effort from the five-piece. It’s not easy to make a record of catchy rock songs, all of which could be singles. But Mallory Knox have done this, and in the process, solidified a bid for them to become a real rock force to be reckoned with.

4: The Peace and The Panic - Neck Deep

Whenever Neck Deep release an album, you can expect it to be one of my favourites of the year. The modern kings of pop-punk took a left turn after their near perfect 2015 sophomore effort, “Life Not Out to Get You”. While I'm no advisory to a changeup, something about this at first listen didn’t feel right. It still had the fun and ambitious elements that make the band so appealing, but there were some tracks that simply were weaker than others and it takes you out from the listening experience. Overall, the identity and theme on “The peace and the panic” is convincing and after a few chances to listen, I find appeal in what they were attempting to do. Overall, the more mediocre tracks feel disappointing as you just know that can do better, but even then, it’s an interestingly dense new rock album

3: hopeless fountain kingdom - Halsey

 “Will King Midas put his hands on me again?”

The first line from this album (not including the prologue, it is a prologue after all). In this one line, is somehow captured the artistry, lyrical prowess, thematic and appeal of the record. HFK provided a pleasant surprise. While “Badlands” and 2015 Halsey gave cool catchy hooks, there was an off-putting, quasi-cool persona she insisted on shrouding it in. Now, having found real mainstream success, you’d assume Halsey’s sophomore would be an out-and-out pop album. Well yes and no. The singer somehow shows more vulnerability, and this grown is reflected in her song writing. It’s undeniable how every track tackles pop music through Avant-guard methods. There are point, though, where she still seems too concerned with being sexy and cool. Nontheless, it surprised me, but I have no problem admitting how much I like it. In my eyes, it’s the best concept album of the year

2: Tremendous Sea of Love - Passion Pit

Of all the music that has saturated my ears this year, this was the one completely blew me. What’s so awe-inspiring is that record is neither a grasping reinvention nor a back-to-basics but rather another tremendously personal sonic journal of an artist eager to show the world even more of his real self. Away. Just the name "Tremendous Sea of Love" is encompassing of what the album feels like. It’s so refreshing to see Michael Angelakos own personal growth and journey be the main influence for this astounding Return to form. There’s something about it that is beautifully understated, it’s these elements that make for a honest album, while still being a quintessentially passion pit album, that also make it basically perfect

1: After Laughter - Paramore

It's in the title. It's in the first line of the first song. It's in the last lyric of the last song. After Laughter is an album born in pain. But it’s more than that. It’s an autobiography, but it’s also a sound change done right. The tension of Paramore's intense hooks and heart-wrenching lyrics bursts into vivid colours of audio-visual pleasure like I haven’t seen in a long time, paired with despair of which the album is born. But instead of being out-and-out depressing, After Laughter strikes the right balance of everything to pull a listener in. There’s sage balladry and string-laden reflections with highlife guitars and iridescent countermelodies atmosphere and sugar-laced bops despondent synth-pop and the vocals of a woman wading through weariness.

On top of that, this album was better received critically than probably any other Paramore album. And I think I know why that is. After Laughter is the perfect balance of what the music world wants: pop and catchy to be accessible and marketable, but also left-field and avant-garde enough to be praised for its differences. With this definition in mind, if After Laughter isn’t The Album of Year, I don’t know what is.