So Good, So Far » 2017

So Good, So Far 2017

November snuck up on us quickly, yikes. Whether you love it or hate it, the holiday season is upon us; music can help to quell the madness during this time of year. Earlier in the summer I posted a list of my favorite music, so far so good, the fist half of my heavy rotation. As the year progressed I continued to investigate and digest the music that was released. So, without further ado, my recommendations for the best music released during the back-end of 2017.

* Sylvan Esso | What Now (April 28)... It has a beautiful warmth, both familiar and odd, like the mantra Holden Caulfield was trying to usurp. There's an almost folk-like feel to the music, in that it calms me and causes my mind to think. The intangible hum, or buzz, seems to never fully leave you. It deserves to be given a true listen. The entire album is magical, it transports me to a place I can't quite describe. The opening track, "Sound", and the final offering, "Rewind", are my preferred escape routes. This is perhaps my favorite record of the year.  

Benjamin Booker | Witness (June 2)... Booker was an honorable mention back in June, not anymore. After repeated listening there was no way I could not give credit where credit is due. "Motivation", personally hit home with me; his intention are both sad and encouraging; instructions that can be understood tend to produce better results. Another song that stings is, "The Slow Drag Under". In a world so full of everything, I too feel the weight of isolation, reminding me that I want to make it.

* Arcade Fire | Everything Now  (July 28)... The state of our current, modern and western world are captured in the sonic landscapes, creatively married to lyrics that wring out gravity. Real stories unwinding and then wound back up, hurled in the direction of anyone who's actually capable of listening—our part to play in their genius. Arcade Fire has mined both spirit and depth, and instead of hoarding those mined resources, they've decided to share. I simultaneously applaud and thank them. Few artists are as unique and daring, finding ways to move us. "Creature Comfort", "Peter Pan" & "Put Your Money On Me", resonate with me strongly. This too is one of my favorite records.

* David Rawlings | Poor David's Almanac (Aug. 11)... Songwriting, songwriting, songwriting; they care and it's vivid. Very few are able to capture the brilliance, skill and simplicity that he and Gillian are able to harness. Having seen them this fall in Golden Gate Park was as powerful as anything I've seen or heard in quite some time. Masters of their craft, timeless and full of love, we're lucky to have passionate artists who do it on their terms. This album will stand the test of time and is one of my three favorites of 2017.

LCD Soundsystem | American Dream (Sept. 1)... Reunions almost always occur, so it was only fitting that LCD Soundsystem would come back too. I won't lie, there was part of me that didn't want them to fall into that cliché, they were always their own beast and I wanted them to stand alone. The flip-side however, is that their returned gave us more danceable tracks, set against the poetic reality of Murphy's world. They epitomize diversity and singularity, if that's possible? They scream New York City, yet are consumable to all. The second track, "other voices", sounds almost too much like their past ("Advantages"), but still works in a juxtaposed manner, pitting melancholy against the upbeat. The very next track, "i used to", reminds me of 80's synth-pop, influenced by the UK but made fresh through their mechanisms. I'm glad they're back.

Wu-Tang Clan | The Saga Continues (Oct. 13)... No one does what the Wu does, no one. Little Wanda actually snugs to this album, a rarity since hip hop tends to alarm her, so that's gotta mean something. The Saga is a deep album full of grime and contemporary commentary. It continues a legacy that some could argue, created the culture we live in. It's beats, interludes and MC'n is next level shit. Tracks 6, 8, 9, 11 & 18 are beyond on point. The Wu-Tang is forever. 

Honorable Mention: Low Roar | Once In a Long, Long While & The Barr Brothers | Queens of the Breakers

Those with an * are my personal picks for album of the year. Enjoy the holidays with some solid sounds. Coming in December, is my annual list of best live performances, The BESTY's...Gobble Gobble, Happy Thanksgiving!

eightychoices.

Motivation

Best New Music | Current Mood 

Benjamin Booker | "Motivation" | Witness

It's the same problems that I had before
I know things have been hurried
Since I came through your door
It's the same questions that I had before
Can I just make it easy?
Can I run anymore?

Maybe all I need is a little motivation

eightychoices.

Witness

BEST NEW MUSIC...

Benjamin Booker | "Witness" | Witness

Do you need another reason to get up...

eightychoices.

Sing Me a Song

There were a lot of great records released this year. That creativity spawned numerous songs worthy of making the multitude of lists that laud the best of the best. My personal picks for favorite songs of 2014 are below. They are...

Low Roar | 'Nobody Loves Me Like You'


The Barr Brothers | 'Love Ain't Enough'


Spoon | 'Inside Out'


Sturgill Simpson | 'Turtles On the Way Down'


Jack White | 'High Ball Stepper' (Live | Open'er Festival 2014)


Benjamin Booker | 'Kids Never Grow Old'


Thanks for checking in. Next up will be a list of oat sodas and barley pops.

eightychoices.

So Good So Far 2K14

Philip Johnson | Glass House

What if we lived in a glass house? Well, a lot more of what we do on the daily would be witnessed. So, what if we all shared our music? We'd probably get turned onto a lot more tunes. This is my attempt at sharing. I thought that this year's output of music was great. I realize the industry as a whole will remain stagnate through the never-ending era of digital information, but that doesn't translate into a lack of artistry. For a look at my first round of sound click here. Below are the second set of choices for 2014—So Far So Good.

Spoon | They Want My Soul
They Want My Soul is a wonderfully crafted album from one of America's best, an most unheralded, bands. I really enjoyed this entire effort. "I Just Don't Understand" and "Outlier" are two tracks that haven't been worn out yet. Spoon is back and for further evidence listen to "Inside Out."



Benjamin Booker | Benjamin Booker
His debut album is a self-titled diamond in the rough. This Floridian, who calls New Orleans home, has a firm grasp on shaking roots music to its passionate core. The pace ebbs and flows while he's racing around, the emotion remains full speed. The entire record is a punch to the gut. There are too many outstanding tracks, that I truly love, to name them all. Just cop this record ASAP. If you can't rock out to this...



The Barr Brothers | Sleeping Operator
Sleeping Operator is possibly my favorite album of the year. These two brothers know how to create true art. Their music is Beautiful. I actually feel something while listening to this record. "Love Ain't Enough," mixes its lyrics like a painter into the color of instruments. "Valhallas" is a tale of romance, the west, and the chances that are out there. "Half Crazy" drips in a totally different direction, smearing the edges with slide guitar. The final painting, "Please Let Me Let It Go," washes out the stains, feeling more like a religious ritual than a musical experience. This record is so good.



Clear Plastic Masks | Being There
Right from the start they come for you. "In Case You Forgot" sprints out of the gate, a not so subtle reminder to brace your self. "Outcast" follows and makes me want to dance like Rodney Dangerfield in Caddy Shack. Next is "Baby Come On," a cool, dreamy psychedelic number that cries out, let me come home...one more time. The vocals capably drift to the softer side in "Aliens." A ripping organ-driven instrumental track, "Dos Cobras," is primed for a night on tour. This album is smoking.



Low Roar | 0
Whether it be the soft drumming, or the electric hum of a Casio, Ryan Karazija's truthful lyrics pierce through the swirling ambient warmth. The first couple of tracks get us ready for the heart-felt, "Nobody Loves Me Like You," one of my favorite songs of the year. It's as if he has captured the sounds of the instruments and made them understand their role. His ability to haunt through beautiful lyricism is at the forefront of each melodic landscape. "I'll Keep Coming" feels like a marching army, the listener is confronted by its relentlessness. This record is a journey, reminding me to embrace what I've experienced and to appreciate what I have not. His move from California to Iceland surely played a role.



If I were forced to narrow it down to a top-ten, with a few honorable mentions, my baker's dozen would be: Jack White, Lazaretto | Sturgill Simpson, Metamodern Sounds in Country Music | Ikebe Shakedown, Stone By Stone | Spoon, They Want My Soul | Benjamin Booker, self titled | The Barr Brothers, Sleeping Operator | Clear Plastic Masks, Being There | Low Roar, 0 | Marco Benevento, Swift | Wilco, Alpha Mike Foxtrot
Honorable Mentions: The Apache Relay, self titled | Beck, Morning Phase | Prince, Art Official Age          Sorry Lykke Li, Ryan Adams, Shovels & Rope, Steve Gunn, and Strands of Oak.

The Besty's are coming—my annual list of the best live music from throughout the year. Enjoy the rest of your calendar year. Happy Holidays.

eightychoices.