VIDEO OF THE WEEK: 'THE FALL: BIG NEW PRINZ'
Another one of my musical heroes shuffled off this mortal coil earlier this week when the utterly unique Mark E Smith passed away at 60 after many years of ill health. As the uncompromising ringleader of Manchester's discordant art-rock legends The Fall, Smith - and his revolving door of musicians - produced a body of work that spanned over 40 albums. Barely troubling the charts, Smith's musical journey birthed itself out of punk and outlived post-punk, new wave, new romanticism, acid house, hip-hop, grunge and britpop. He was still releasing records right up to his death and was a massive influence on countless other bands. Ploughing his own furrow and truly not giving a fuck, Smith was one of British music's total mavericks. Ta-ra Smithy - here's hoping that wherever you've ended up, they sell Boddington's and Embassy No. 1's......
Sunday 28 January 2018
Wednesday 17 January 2018
2017: THE YEAR IN MUSIC!!!
(Including the legendary No Static Top 50!)
Well, here we are again. Another 12 months has passed us by and it was another quite startling year for music of all shapes, sizes and colours. To be honest, even though I thoroughly enjoy this listening to everything lark, it was quite a task to keep up with all the incredible music released and to keep an ear to the ground for the albums that were stupendous enough to make the hallowed No Static At All Top 50. It wasn't easy, folks. Records that earlier in the year I felt were shoo-ins for the final run down, have - at year's end - not even made it to the finish line. Conversely, there are albums that are nestling high up in the chart that upon release didn't quite do it for me but which have burrowed deep into my ear canals ever since. That is, of course, the beauty and wonder of music in all its guises and I wouldn't have it any other way. (Apart from Ed Sheeran of course, but you knew that already....)
So, now that 2017 has been consigned to history, where do we stand?
The Americana/Alt-Country side of things was very strong as usual with tremendous releases from Jason Isbell and his 400 Unit, Alynnda Segarra and her Hurray For The Riff-Raff project, Ian Felice, Duke Garwood, John Murry, Hiss Golden Messenger and David Rawlings. There was also some lovely jangle filled country rock from GospelBeach and The Clientele as well as some down-home choogle-infused Southern rock from Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach. Sufjan Stevens returned with an interesting collaboration with The National's Bryce Dessner on the Planetarium project, and Iron & Wine - aka the magnificently bearded Sam Beam - released his finest album in years with the haunting 'Beast Epic'. Special mention here though to the albums in this particular genre that just missed out on my final list:
Ryan Adam's 'Prisoner' which continued his recent purple patch in some style; 'Pure Comedy' from the divisive Father John Misty; the heart-breaking 'A Crow Looked At Me' by Mount Eerie; beguiling alt-folk from Big Thief with 'Capacity'; Mac DeMarco's excellent 'This Old Dog' and yet another superb release from the stalwart Steve Earle with 'So You Wanna Be An Outlaw'.
Moving on to the heavier side of things and the biggest surprise of the year for me was the return to the frontline for early 90's funk-rock heroes Living Colour, who released the thunderous 'Shame' and toured the UK at the end of the year in some style. There were also hefty comebacks from Ice-T and his Body Count compadres, parent-scaring panto rocker Marylin Manson, chrome-domed Smashing Pumpkins nabob - and walking ego - Billy Corgan and shouty, sweary post-punkers At The Drive-In. Royal Blood followed up their globe-straddling debut album with more of the same on 'How Did We Get So Dark' and there was yet more spliff-heavy anthems from former Black Crowes fulcrum Chris Robinson and his similarly refreshed Brotherhood. There were sterling debut releases from Bristolian punkers Idles, Londoners Snapped Ankles and the new project from former Reef axe-man Kenwyn House who teamed up with vocalist Leah Rasmussen to form Goldray and who came across like Led Zeppelin fronted by Kate Bush. No bad thing. And Nashville post-grungers Bully followed up their ace debut album with an even better second collection. The best rock-related release to not make my Top 50 though was the latest EP from Trent Reznor and his current Nine Inch Nails iteration.
After spending most of the last decade focusing on movie soundtracks - and winning an Oscar in the process for his work on The Social Network - Reznor enjoyed a bit of a banner year under the NIN moniker. As well as nabbing a pivotal appearance in the Twin Peaks return - check out the mind-boggling Episode 8 for proof - the 'Add Violence' EP was released in the Autumn and promptly reminded me of Reznor's brilliance. 5 solid tracks of beat-laden industrial rock, with the cranium-rattling 'Less Than' standing out. It's marvellous to have him back.
Meanwhile, over on the dancefloor, there were extraordinary electronica and beats-infused releases from all corners of the globe. A fair few have made my final list, but titfers aloft for Moby and his second album with his Void Pacific Choir; the return of Caribou head honcho Dan Snaith under his Daphni guise; former Mo Wax lynchpin James Lavelle's latest UNKLE project; the third and best album from one half of Fuck Buttons - Andrew John Power - who trades as Blanck Mass; Swedish studio whizz Sir Was and London's very own The XX, who returned after a five year break with a third album - 'I See You' - that moved away from their gossamer-thin indie stylings of before to embrace full-blown dance wonderment - including a magical Hall & Oates sample on the fabulous single On Hold.
A quick mention here also to some excellent sounds from right in the heart of South East London as bedroom trance specialists Benomaly and Future Nostalgic continued their journey of musical discovery with some really rather splendid tunes. The UK grime scene had a huge year - after Skepta's Mercury Prize win of 2016 - with Stormzy bagging a number one album and returning heroes Dizzee Rascal and Wiley also achieving huge success. The more laid-back classic urban sound of Sampha won this year's Mercury, whilst previous winner Benjamin Clementine confounded everyone - including your faithful scribe - with his alarming sophomore effort 'I Tell A Fly'. Bizarre is the word. Hip-Hop was well represented also with superb albums from Run The Jewels, Eminem, Shabazz Palaces and the monumental 'DAMN' from Kendrick Lamar who almost, but not quite, surpassed his masterpiece from three years ago, 'To Pimp A Butterfly'. Lamar also turned up on the third full-length opus from the extraordinary talent that is Stephen Bruner - otherwise known as Thundercat. His album 'Drunk', released in the spring, was a sprawling 23-track odyssey through jazz, funk, prog, soul and gospel and was home to the finest collaboration of the year as The Cat found himself in the company of easy-listening legends Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins on the glorious Show You The Way. Sublime.
Elsewhere across the musical spectrum, there was a groovesome glut of African blues with Tinariwen, Tamikrest, Songhoy Blues, Orchestra Baobab and Amadou & Mariam all producing sterling efforts. London's Dohl Foundation and the French-Cuban twin sisters known as Ibeyi also returned with excellent new records. Their was rousing North-East English folk music from Richard Dawson; astoundingly lively prog-funk from Progger; discordant synth-laden freakiness from Mount Kimbie; esoteric Canadian indie from the returning Broken Social Scene; pleasingly ramshackle indie from Jen Cloher; wildly exciting jazz-tinged folktronica from James Holden & The Animal Spirits and the annual state-of-the-nation address from our very own Sleaford Mods, who released the brilliant 'English Tapas' - so named after a pub meal consisting of "half a scotch egg, a cup of chips and a bit of pickle" - and cemented their status as one of the UK's most interesting bands. There was also thoroughly enjoyable releases from No Static At All faves The Flaming Lips, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Strand Of Oaks, Liars, The Black Angels, Grizzly Bear, The Shins and Baltimore's gnarly folk-rockers Arbouretum. I was also spoilt for choice somewhat as Australian psych-rock nutters King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard released four - yes, four - albums of varying quality with the second batch of tunes - entitled 'Murder Of The Universe' - being the pick of the bunch whilst Ripley Johnson took time out from his day job with Wooden Shjips to regale the faithful with two albums of electronic drone rock and space-age soundscapes under his Moon Duo umbrella. Thrilling stuff all.
The big boys were in fine fettle too as the new strata of heritage acts continued to up their game to keep pace with all the whippersnappers at their heels. Morrissey and Paul Weller both produced solid albums, The Charlatans latest was sturdy but unsurprising, The Killers and Kasabian continued their arena-straddling trajectories, and Alt-J and Gorillaz pushed the boundaries with some splendid work. Slipping out unnoticed toward the end of the year were albums by my two favourite Neil's: Mr Finn and Mr Young. Both the former's 'Out Of Silence' and the latter's 'The Visitor' were excellent reminders of their songwriting prowess and are thoroughly recommended. U2 returned with the long-awaited - in some circles - sequel to the wince-inducing farrago that was 2014's 'Songs Of Innocence'. December's 'Songs Of Experience' was a better album - although that wasn't a difficult task to master - but my general feeling was that they were trying too hard. Once Bono and the boys realise that their days of being the biggest band in the world are long gone, then perhaps they might relax and write another classic. Their jaunt around the globe in the summer performing 1987's still magnificent 'The Joshua Tree' album in full, only solidifies that argument for me. The most interesting development in the mainstream musical arena though was 'The Battle Of The Gallaghers'. The warring Oasis brothers found themselves eyeing up a chart scrummage at the end of November when Liam's 'As You Were' and Noel's 'Who Built The Moon' hit the shelves. Both hit the top spot but to these ears, Liam won the fight as his collection of sparky rockers and - but of course - Beatles influenced ballads worked better than his big bro's more challenging and experimental songs. It's possible I may change my mind on that one though....
One of the most pleasing aspects of 2017's musical bounty though was the huge preponderance of female singer/songwriters and the superb records that these interesting and intelligent women wrote and released. In a year which has seen a monstrous explosion of stories filtering through into the public domain from the film and music industries about hideous men doing horrific things, it seems only right that so many talented women have seen their work push past the usual meat and potatoes bloke rock and grab high placings in the end of year listings. A lot of these richly talented women make my final 50, but the following sadly missed out: Julie Byrne, Margo Price and Joan Shelley all released spectral acoustic based modern country records whilst Laura Marling, Aimee Mann and Karen Elson all added some soulful, jazzy textures to their usual folk-based stylings. There was some rollicking and spiky indie from all-girl groups The Big Moon and Girl Ray and huge returns to form from Goldfrapp, Bjork and Feist. Ex-Gossip frontwoman Beth Ditto came closest to
breaking my final list though with the remarkably funky 'Fake Sugar', which featured one of the singles of the year in lead track Fire. Tremendous.
Once again though, and very sadly, 2017 saw many musical heroes depart this world for that great gig in the sky. So, with a heavy heart, it's a final RIP from No Static At All to the following:
Chris Cornell
Chester Bennington
Tom Petty
Walter Becker
Chuck Berry
Greg Allman
Malcolm Young
Johnny Hallyday
David Cassidy
Chuck Moseley
Charles Bradley
Grant Hart
Holger Czukay
Glen Campbell
Kevin Garcia
Al Jarreau
David Axelrod
Jaki Leibezeit
Gordon Downie
Fats Domino
To the very best of the year then, and first it's time for the best reissues and compilations of 2017. A massive market these days, as record companies try everything in their power to regain some control from the streaming sites by re-releasing classic albums with as many bells and whistles added on as possible. I'm not complaining, mind. I love this stuff.
25: Super Furry Animals: Radiator 20
24: Eagles: Hotel California 40th Anniversary Deluxe
23: Various Artists: Running The Voodoo Down - Explorations In Psychrockfunksouljazz 1967-80
22: Gene Clark: The Lost Studio Sessions
21: Underworld: Beaucoup Fish Deluxe
20: Stone Temple Pilots: Core 25
19: Can: Singles
18: Verve: Urban Hymns 20th Anniversary Deluxe
17: Curve: Doppleganger/Cuckoo Deluxe
16: Lal & Mike Waterson: Bright Phoebus
15: Acetone: 1992-2001
14: Various Artists: Space, Energy And Light - Experimental, Electronic & Acoustic Soundscapes 61-88
13: Elliott Smith: Either/Or Expanded Edition
12: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: Lovely Creatures - The Best Of 3CD/DVD Edition
11: Bark Psychosis: Hex
10: Husker Du: Savage Young Du
9: Prince: Purple Rain 3CD Deluxe
8: The Beatles: Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Super Deluxe Edition
7: Lift To Experience: The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads
6: David Bowie: A New Career In A New Town
5: Radiohead: OKNOTOK
4: The Smiths: The Queen Is Dead Deluxe
3: Neil Young: Hitchhiker
2: Buffalo Tom: Let Me Come Over 25th Anniversary Edition
1: R.E.M. : Automatic For The People 25th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition
And so to the No Static At All Top 50 Albums Of The Year. As I said at the top of this piece, it's been a quite astounding year for new albums and this was a very difficult list to put together, but after weeks of deliberation, here it is. If you've bought or at least heard some of these albums, then you'll understand why I rate them so highly. If you haven't then you need to rectify that oversight immediately....
BUBBLING UNDER:
Widowspeak: 'Expect The Best'
Beck: 'Colours'
Future Islands: 'The Far Field'
Real Estate: 'In Mind'
Robert Cray & Hi-Rhythm: 'RC&HR'
Roger Waters: 'Is This The Life We Really Want?'
Mogwai: 'Every Country's Sun'
The Feelies: 'In Between'
The Jesus And Mary Chain: 'Damage And Joy'
Foo Fighters: 'Concrete And Gold'
50: TORI AMOS: 'NATIVE INVADER'
Epic return to form from the flame-haired queen of kook. Full of cloud-busting balladry and spiritually aware storytelling, this was her best album in 20 years with opening track Reindeer King a spine-tingling career peak.
Key Track: Reindeer King
49: PETER PERRETT: 'HOW THE WEST WAS WON'
Remarkable return from death's door from legendary The Only Ones front-man and life-long heroin addict. Backed by his two sons on guitars and bass, this was a real family affair, with Perrett's hilarious and nostalgia-tinged songs constantly declaring his love for his long-suffering wife.
Key Track: Living In My Head
48: OH SEES: 'ORC'
19th exploration into the psychedelic underworld from John Dwyer and company, who suggested that this blazing foray into the garage-rock outer realm would be the last Oh Sees record. A storming way to bow out.
Key Track: Nite Expo
47: ELBOW: 'LITTLE FICTIONS'
More emotionally uplifting paeans to life, love, the universe and everything from the Mancunian masters. Focusing on Guy Garvey's recent marriage and fatherhood, this collection was bursting with electronica-tinged grooves and string-laden anthems.
Key Track: Magnificent She Says
46: PROPHETS OF RAGE: 'PROPHETS OF RAGE'
Incendiary debut album from the Rage Against The Machine/Public Enemy/Cypress Hill super-group who unleashed a blazing barrage of anti-Trump invective backed by coruscating rock and hefty, in your face hip-hop.
Key Track: Hands Up
45: ST. VINCENT: 'MASSEDUCTION'
Fifth album from New Yorker Annie Clark, and a real shift from the commercially successful art-rock of before. Charting the breakdown of a recent relationship, this was bleak and nihilistic in places but with enough fizzy synth-pop to lighten the mood.
Key Track: New York
44: ROBERT PLANT: 'CARRY FIRE'
Not far off his 70th birthday, Lord Percy Of Zep-Land moved even further away from his original remit, with another excellent collection of folk-tinged spirituals and trancey North African grooves.
Key Track: Carry Fire
43: PORTICO QUARTET: 'ART IN THE AGE OF AUTOMATION'
Glorious set from the London modern jazz maestros, this time fusing their classic prog-infused jazz textures with swooning strings and dulcet piano motifs. The perfect soundtrack to a dystopian science fiction epic.
Key Track: Rushing
42: AFGHAN WHIGS: 'IN SPADES'
Splendid new set of soulful, grungey rockers from Greg Dulli and company, who have hit a rich vein of form since their reactivation 5 years ago. Easily comparable to their 1993 masterpiece 'Gentlemen', this had me punching the air in delight on first listen.
Key Track: Demon In Profile
41: THURSTON MOORE: 'ROCK N ROLL CONSCIOUSNESS'
Rail-thin former Sonic Youth nabob Moore turned his hand this year to open-ended hypnotic ragas and droney, psych-tinged ramalam with startling effect - the 12 minute long Exalted in particular was a thing of feedback-drenched wonder.
Key Track: Exalted
40: MASTODON: 'EMPEROR OF SAND'
Extraordinarily accomplished eighth studio album from the Atlanta metal behemoths that continued their experiments into the outer reaches of hard rock in stratospheric style. A monumental slab of frenzied riffing and thunderous tunes, this concept album based on the death from cancer of guitarist Bill Kelliher's mother was both brutal and beguiling all at once.
Key Track: Steambreather
39: THE WATERBOYS: 'OUT OF ALL THIS BLUE'
Legendary songwriter and instigator of 'The Big Music', Mike Scott, returned to the fray with this sprawling double album of unabashed love letters to his new wife. After a whirlwind romance and unexpected fatherhood, Scott throws everything - including the kitchen sink - into this project and delivers a soulful, rocky, bluesy, jazzy stew of happy-go-lucky numbers that ends up being one of the most purely enjoyable works he's ever put his hands to.
Key Track: The Connemara Fox
38: MARK KOZELEK/JIM WHITE/BEN BOYE: 'MK/JW/BB'
One of four astonishing projects that the ever prolific Kozelek involved himself with this year, this experimental double album saw him team up with Dirty Three drummer White and jack-of-all-trades keyboard wizard Boye. The results were very special indeed, pairing Kozelek's stream of consciousness songwriting with Zappa-esque free-form noodling and way out there left-of-centre time signatures.
Key Track: Blood Test
37: THE HORRORS: 'V'
As the title suggests, this was the fifth album from the former pantomime goths from Southend-On-Sea. Reverting back to the successful formula of their classic third opus 'Skying', this saw the increasingly song-savvy quintet broaden their synth-pop horizons even more, incorporating driving rhythms and club-friendly beats into the mix. Extra marks for the quite staggering Something To Remember Me By, which was one of the songs of the year.
Key Track: Something To Remember Me By
36: DESPERATE JOURNALIST: 'GROW UP'
Sophomore set from the London-based post-punk band that unashamedly borrows from their influences - Joy Division and The Smiths mainly - but in such an endearing manner that you can't help but smile and nod along to the tunes. And what tunes they are. Brimming with vim and brio, with lead vocalist Jo Bevan's lyrics emphatically raising the bar.
Key Track: Lacking In Your Love
35: THE MAGPIE SALUTE: 'THE MAGPIE SALUTE'
Whilst his brother Chris was toning things down and going all Grateful Dead with his latest CRB opus, the other half of Southern rock's answer to Oasis - The Black Crowes - was turning things up to 11 with this rollicking set of classic covers. Rich Robinson was on stellar form here, ably backed by erstwhile Crowes axe-meister Marc Ford, as well as an 8-piece band. Recorded live in front of a suitably excited audience, this grandstanding set of tremendously thrilling jams was an absolute treat.
Key Track: War Drums
34: THE DREAM SYNDICATE: 'HOW DID I FIND MYSELF HERE?'
In a year of some wonderfully surprising comebacks, this was one of the sweetest. In the early 80's, the smart money wasn't on R.E.M. or The Replacements to break out of the US indie scene, but on Steve Wynn and his Dream Syndicate hombres. 1982's debut album 'The Days Of Wine And Roses' is still just as compelling now as it was then. It never quite happened for the band, but that just makes this return - 30 years after their last album - all the more wondrous. Draped in Byrdsian jangle and Velvets style atmosphere, this was just fabulous stuff.
Key Track: Glide
33: SPIRAL STAIRS: 'DORIS & THE DAGGERS'
Absolutely glorious second solo effort from former Pavement guitarist Spiral Stairs - Scott Kannenberg to his folks. Fusing the discordant, arty indie textures that made his name in the early 90s with a lush, janglesome backbone, these wonderful songs were crying out to be blared from car stereos the world over. As it was, my front room in South East London was the best it got...
Key Track: Angel Eyes
32: LITTLE CUB: 'STILL LIFE'
Stemming from just round the corner from No Static Towers in Forest Hill, this whey-faced trio's debut album was a sparky, vibe-infused confection that harked back to Bloc Party at their peak as well as the wry, homespun kitchen-sink songwriting of classic English bands like Squeeze and Madness and, most especially, Pet Shop Boys. Smart, funny and engaging, this lot are ones to watch.
Key Track: Closing Time
31: BNQT: 'VOLUME 1'
Terrific collaboration between Eric Pulido from Midlake, Jason Lytle from Grandaddy, Ben Bridwell from Band Of Horses, Fran Healey from Travis and Alex Kapranos from Franz Ferdinand. Splicing together all of those disparate talents could have seen this album ending up as an unwieldy dog's breakfast, but the results were superb. Chugging indie, woozy Americana and foot-stomping rock were all present and correct, with each individual vocalist singing two songs apiece. Volume 2 soon please, chaps!
Key Track: Restart
30: FINK: 'RESURGAM'
Cornish born but currently Berlin-based Fin Greenall has been releasing records under the Fink moniker for 15 years now. A multi-talented singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer and DJ, somehow his stupendous albums have flown under the radar and missed the boat time and time again. A travesty, obviously. His commercial time may have been and gone - a track used on The Walking Dead soundtrack may have been it for him - but his songs just keep getting better and better. This collection is no different. A more relaxed and sombre affair than usual, 'Resurgam' was still bursting with luxuriant bass-heavy beats and cerebellum-caressing vibes.
Key Track: Cracks Appear
29: DEPECHE MODE: 'SPIRIT'
The Basildon synth-rock heroes delivered their freshest and most vital album in some time with a hefty slab of doom-laden electronica that married the more blues-influenced sound of 2014's 'Delta Machine' with the high watermark commercial sheen of 1990's 'Violator'. Dave Gahan was in superb voice throughout as Martin Gore's lyrics focused mainly on the political apathy of the masses and the general 'we're all going to hell in a handcart' feeling permeating the globe at the moment. Visceral stuff.
Key Track: So Much Love
28: GRANDADDY: 'LAST PLACE'
The return to the musical coal-face of Jason Lytle and his Grandaddy cohorts was always going to be something rather special, and this first album in 11 years didn't disappoint. A cracked, woozy and gloriously ramshackle batch of modern-day country folk, this was just lovely. Tragedy was to follow though when, whilst touring the album in the spring, fellow founder member Kevin Garcia passed away suddenly. The album he and Lytle have left behind is a beautiful tribute to him.
Key Track: The Boat Is In The Barn
27: THE WEATHER STATION: 'THE WEATHER STATION'
Former child actor Tamara Lindeman swapped the screen for the guitar over a decade ago and has been making easy-on-the-ear folk music ever since. This fourth album though shifted her style into a stellar new phase, coming across like Joni Mitchell fronting Buffalo Springfield. Folk-rock in excelsis then, and dripping with deft and thought-provoking lyrics. One to watch.
Key Track: Thirty
26: MICHAEL HEAD & THE RED ELASTIC BAND: 'ADIOS SENOR PUSSYCAT'
Now, this was a real treat. Head has been knocking on the door of fame and fortune for close on 40 years now, with his previous bands - The Pale Fountains, The Strands and especially Shack - producing utterly wonderful jangle-drenched records heavily in thrall to The Byrds, Love and Nick Drake. However, due to all kinds of problems, disasters and personal issues - most pertinently, heroin - success has eluded him. An absolute travesty, as the Liverpudlian is one of this sceptred isle's greatest ever songwriters. This new album - his first in 12 years - was another case in point. Shot through with chiming jangle, lush orchestration and swooning strings, this was joyous fare.
Key Track: Josephine
25: THE MOONLANDINGZ: 'INTERPLANETARY CLASS CLASSICS'
A supergroup of sorts, made up of members from The Fat White Family and Eccentronic Research Council - ask your hipster mate - this one-off opus was a flailing, thrashing monster of a record full to bursting with glam-rock, electronica, scuzzy indie and barnstorming tunes about death, the dole, scatalogical activities and castration. Grubby, yes, but bloody hilarious too.
Key Track: Black Hanz
24: ARCADE FIRE: 'EVERYTHING NOW'
The Canadian art-rock collective returned after a four-year hiatus with an album that, if not quite scaling the heights of 'Funeral' and 'The Suburbs' - but hey, what does? - still managed to show most of their fellow arena-sized compatriots how to do it. Embracing their inner pop fan - the title track was a blatant homage to Abba - this was their bouncy, breezy dance record. Not all of it worked - the distressing cod-reggae of Chemistry was a howler - but at times this was as much fun as they've ever had.
Key Track: Put Your Money On Me
23: GHOSTPOET: 'DARK DAYS + CANAPES'
Fourth album of dark, dank and doomy electro-rap from Londoner Obaro Ejimiwe. Inspired as much by early 90's trip-hop heroes Portishead and Massive Attack - indeed, the latter's Daddy G appears here - this collection of grimy, downbeat tales of city life also touched on 80's goth and Talk Talk style prog. And the tunes were as catchy as man-flu. Hugely impressive.
Key Track: Freak Show
22: SPOON: 'HOT THOUGHTS'
Britt Daniel and his ever-evolving company of sidemen returned to the fray in the spring with yet another fabulous bunch of songs - their ninth - which consolidated their place at the top table of funky, jerky and groovesome indie rock. How this lot aren't bigger than they are is one of life's little mysteries. Produced by Flaming Lips/Mercury Rev helmsman Dave Fridmann, this was confident songwriting and concise, focused musicianship. And the title track just ROCKS.
Key Track: Hot Thoughts
21: SLOWDIVE: 'SLOWDIVE'
As much as the whole 'shoegazing' genre of the early 90's was derided by the time of Slowdive's original split in 1995, the recent reformations of bands like Ride, Lush, Swervedriver and even My Bloody Valentine, and the resurgence of the ethereal, feedback-drenched sound of those bands in current combos Beach House, Cheatahs and Nothing has brought the whole scene full circle. Slowdive's comeback started three years ago with some live dates and festival appearances, and this fourth album cemented their return with all the effects-laden dreaminess you would expect, but with a more streamlined songwriting aesthetic that raised it above their previous work. Gorgeous through and through.
Key Track: Star Roving
20: NADIA REID: 'PRESERVATION'
Absolutely stunning second album from the New Zealand songsmith, pushing forward from her delicate folk textures of before into a more expansive, hook-laden collection that brings to mind peak-period Fleetwood Mac with Suzanne Vega on vocals. A record borne from heartbreak - standout track Richard is difficult listening, especially if you ARE Richard - but with enough pop smarts and lyrical nous to raise it above the usual navel-gazing. Very, very special indeed.
Key Track: Right On Time
19: CIGARETTES AFTER SEX: 'CIGARETTES AFTER SEX'
If you can get past the truly quite awful band name, this debut album by Texas born but Brooklyn based Greg Gonzales and his black-clad sidemen delivered in spades. A dreamy and drifting delight, these songs embraced the listener and were sweet balm for fans of Mazzy Star and The Cure. Sensual, soothing and sublime, it was like taking a bath in hot chocolate.
Key Track: K
18: KURT VILE & COURTNEY BARNETT: 'LOTTA SEA LICE'
Free-wheeling collaboration between America's finest slacker troubadour and Australia's most genial indie chick. Borne from constantly bumping into each other at festivals, this laid-back hook-up featured a raft of co-written new tunes - the breezy, chiming jangle of Over Everything being particularly delightful - as well as some excellent covers. A joy from first to last.
Key Track: Over Everything
17: QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE: 'VILLAINS'
After a few years away, Josh Homme and company returned with an absolute belter. Drafting in uber-producer Mark Ronson may have seemed like a curve-ball at first, but the results were ace. Fusing the classic Queens rock edge with booty-shaking funk grooves and Bowie-esque pomp, this was crammed with glammy stomp and swagger and a perfect companion piece to last years Iggy Pop hook-up.
Key Track: The Evil Has Landed
16: JANE WEAVER: 'MODERN KOSMOLOGY'
Plying her trade for nigh-on two decades, it was only with 2014's 'The Silver Globe' that Liverpool's Weaver broke through to the wider consciousness. A heady stew of psych-folk and Krautrock grooves, that album paved the way for this more expansive successor. Once again blending the pastoral English folk sound with driving Euro-synth pop, this was hypnotic stuff.
Key Track: Did You See Butterflies?
15: MARK LANEGAN BAND: 'GARGOYLE'
The Grizzled Grunge Godfather continued his recent purple patch with another doomy collection of gravel-voiced proto-blues spirituals that married the plaid-clad sound of his early 90's heyday with pulsing electronica and 80's style gothic melodrama. It was no stretch to imagine tracks like Nocturne and Beehive filling the dancefloors of student discos back in the day - complete with dry ice and spilt pints of snakebite and black...
Key Track: Beehive
14: FEVER RAY: 'PLUNGE'
Astonishing second solo set from one half of mysterious Swedish techno-boffins The Knife - Karin Dreijer Andersson - who's first album under the Fever Ray moniker was my favourite album of 2009. This time round, Andersson moves away from the dark, brooding electronica of that first record to embrace her pop-loving party side. She's also madly in love, as some of the lyrics reflect - in graphic detail. Bouncy, buzzy but with a sharp, don't-fuck-with-me edge, this was one of the most excitingly original releases of the year.
Key Track: To The Moon And Back
13: SUN KIL MOON: 'COMMON AS LIGHT AND LOVE ARE RED VALLEYS OF BLOOD'
Mark Kozelek's first release of the year - back in January - was this remarkable double album that comes in at a mighty 130 minutes. If you're new to the Kozelek ouvre, this is probably not the best place to start. More rambling and disorientating than before, and embracing synthesisers in a way he's never done, this was undoubtedly a tough listen. Fifteen-minute long songs, throwaway lyrics, grouchy old man digs at young people, politicians and pretty much everybody else - on paper, this may have been an album too far. Even for a mega-fan like me. But repeated listens opened up the songs to reveal the pearls within. Butch Lullaby and I Love You Forever And Beyond Eternity are life-enriching tributes to loved ones past and present and are up there with his best, while Philadelphia Cop is just hilarious. He really is The World's Greatest Living Songwriter.
Key Track: Philadelphia Cop
12: ENDLESS BOOGIE: 'VIBE KILLER'
Fantastically groovesome fourth slab of gnarly, blues-infused psychedelic riffage from Paul 'Top Dollar' Major's cabal of rock and roll soldiers of fortune. Aided and abetted by the stellar six-string talents of right-hand hombre Jesper Eklow, this album continued their experiments in sound by pairing their default setting of lengthy, loose-limbed jams - the magnificicently bonzo High Drag, Hard Doin' - with some more relaxed fare such as the spoken-word Kerouac-on-acid of Back In 74. About as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.
Key Track: High Drag, Hard Doin'
11: PHOEBE BRIDGERS: 'STRANGER IN THE ALPS'
Wonderfully accomplished opening gambit from 23-yr old Californian native Bridgers. Pretty much the perfect debut album, insofar that it straddles that difficult chasm between sixth-form poetry style songwriting and the more mature soul-searching style of her influences with deftness and aplomb. Honest and heart-breaking, and shot through with real emotional heft, it reminds me of Suzanne Vega's debut. No higher praise. Musically solid - aside from the expected acoustic folkiness, there are rockier moments and ethereal dream-pop - and remarkably astute lyrically, this was the biggest surprise of the year. Extra kudos too for covering a Mark Kozelek song.
Key Track: Scott Street
10: FOUR TET: 'NEW ENERGY'
In a superb year for electronica in all its many forms, the latest beats-drenched missive from Londoner Keiran Hebden was an absolute blinder. Harking back to his pre-folktronica days as a red-eyed club DJ, this ninth Four Tet album - not including the myriad of live sets and mix-tapes - piled together a whole smorgasbord of styles and genres to create an intoxicating brew of festival-friendly anthems and late-night last-bus-home chicken rhythms, as well as the classic Four Tet chill-out brain balm and Eastern-influenced fugues that made his name a decade ago. Special mention to the track SW9 9SL - the postcode for Brixton Academy, fact fans. Glorious stuff.
Key Track: Two Thousand And Seventeen
9: THE NATIONAL: 'SLEEP WELL BEAST'
Finally breaking through commercially after years of knocking on the door, this first UK Number 1 album for the Cincinnati quintet saw lead vocalist Matt Berninger, along with twin twins The Dessners and The Devendorfs, create an intense but elegant record that raised their already pretty high bar even higher. Dripping with atmosphere and understated power, Berninger charted the travails of married life with brutal honesty - made even more intriguing as the lyrics were co-written by his wife, Carin. Embracing synth-led soundscapes on the title track, as well as Pixies-style discordia on Turtleneck, this could well be their masterpiece. (NB: Check out this masterful performance of the stupendous The System Only Dreams In Perfect Darkness. Halfway through the coruscating guitar solo, there's a look passed between Berninger and Aaron Dessner that says "Yeah, we know this sounds phenomenal - we wrote the bloody thing!" Outstanding.
Key Track: Guilty Party
8: FLEET FOXES: 'CRACK-UP'
It's been close to a decade since that first dizzying rush of the Fleet Foxes debut album, and a full 6 since the more tightly-wound 'Helplessness Blues'. Since then, lead Fox Robin Pecknold has taken a course at Columbia University and the band have also parted ways with their drummer J Tillman - who has since re-invented himself as Father John Misty. More pertinently though, the sweeping acoustic folk sound combined with soaring three-part harmonies has been flogged to death by far lesser bands since that still exceptional first Foxes record. Would Pecknold and company still be relevant? The answer, in the form of this utterly ravishing third opus, is a resounding yes. All the classic FF traits are there of course - they're hardly going to embrace dubstep - but there's room also for a more progressive rock bent among the crystal-clear guitar fills and, oh yes, those spectral harmony vocals. There's an element of pretentiousness for sure - radio play for the track I Am All That I Need/Arroyo Seco/Thumbprint Scar was minimal I would imagine - but when such scope and barrier-breaking is backed up by songs as breathtaking as these, who cares?
Key Track: Third Of May/Odaigahara
7: RIDE: 'WEATHER DIARIES'
The reformation of Oxford's early 90's indie kings Ride a few years back was one of life's great pleasures for yours truly. They were one of my fave bands back in the day - their debut album 'Nowhere' and masterful follow-up 'Going Blank Again' remain timeless artefacts of the whole shoegaze scene. After originally splitting in 94 following a couple of lacklustre albums and the inevitable personal differences, lead singer Mark Gardener embarked on a fitful solo career whilst bassist Steve Queralt and drummer Loz Colbert faded from view. Only co-singer and principal songwriter Andy Bell kept himself in the limelight by firstly forming Britpop also-rans Hurricane #1 and then braving the choppy waters of the Oasis war-machine as bassist before their acrimonious split. He then continued to back Liam Gallagher up in the ill-fated Beady Eye. (As a side note, Bell wrote some fantastic songs during this period: Step Into My World for Hurricane and Keep The Dream Alive for Oasis being just two). But, two decades is a long old time in popular music, so hatchets have been buried and grudges shaken off. The comeback gigs in 2015 were an absolute triumph - special mention here for the 'Nowhere' gig at Brixton Academy which was JOYOUS - and now we have this brand new album. And what a record it is. Adroitly combining the classic wall of guitars sound of their heyday with a more modern, electronic take on the indie ethos, the quartet have upgraded their modus operandi in tremendous fashion. Opening track Lannoy Point is a distant cousin to the evergreen Leave Them All Behind, whilst the title track and Home Is A Feeling could easily have nestled in snugly within Nowhere's tracklisting. But it's the Smiths-ian rush of Charm Assault and the jangle-filled glory of Cali that show the way forward for this very special of English combos.
Key Track: Cali
6: PUMAROSA: 'THE WITCH'
Last year, during my look back at 2016's finest musical moments, I raved about a track called Honey by London-based newbies Pumarosa which I garlanded with praise, calling it the best non-album track I'd heard that year. Splendidly, they've backed up that early promise with this quite startling debut offering, which has remained in my Top Ten since it's release in the spring. Some going, considering the huge records released since. Led by multi-talented singer/songwriter Isabel Munoz-Newsome - she also designs all the band's artwork as well as being in charge of stage direction at their gigs - the band have put together a suite of songs that connect immediately, splicing together jagged indie rock with sinewy, bass-led dance grooves so adeptly you would think they've been doing this for years. Honey still thrills - especially it's "Oh you stupid son of a bitch!" refrain - while Lion's Den and My Gruesome Loving Friend are fantastic examples of catchy, chorus-heavy indie-pop at it's best. But it's the hypnotic throb of Priestess that steals the show, coming across like a pow-wow between the slinky baggy of Happy Mondays and the cerebral art-funk of Foals. Lyrically, Munoz-Newsome focuses on strong female archetypes and the anger that the majority of women feel in the modern world, but in a way that doesn't hector or bash you over the head. This is strong, literate stuff and all the more compelling for it.
Key Track: Priestess
5: BICEP: 'BICEP'
A quite remarkable year for electronica was capped by this stupendous debut from Belfast-born but London-based Matt McBriar and Andy Ferguson who stepped away from DJ-ing duties to record this batch of pulsing love-letters to the history of dance music. Featuring all the food groups of classic electronic music - house, techno, jungle, Italian disco and electro-pop - as well as some progressive psychedelic textures, this was as good as it got in 2017 when it came to going out and throwing some shapes. Magnificently produced by the duo and featuring vocals from Silkie Carlo, Amy Spencer and Rosie Lowe, this was sharp, focused and succinct - right down to the one-word song titles. The kind of dance record you didn't think people made anymore, if this was played in full at every club in the land on a Saturday night, dance music would rule the world.
Key Track: Spring
4: SUN KIL MOON/JESU: '30 SECONDS TO THE DECLINE OF PLANET EARTH'
Mark Kozelek hits the chart again - do you sense a pattern here? - with far and away the best project he was involved in during 2017. And even though his first collaboration with Jesu - aka British experimental musician Justin Broadrick - made Number 3 in last year's No Static Top 50, this is a better album in almost every way. Once again focusing his lyrical worldview on recent day-to-day activities in his life and projecting his words in a stream-of-consciousness style that older Red House Painters fans have found frustrating - Kozelek himself has stated that he "just doesn't have the interest" in singing like he used to - the songs here are long and rambling but never uninteresting. Musically too, Broadrick is on fire here - incorporating industrial ticks and beats with synth-led textures to perfectly compliment Kozelek's guitar playing. As for the songs, where to start? Bombs in particular is an absolute masterpiece and one of the finest he's ever written. A 13-minute long diary entry that touches on world terrorism, lack of ticket sales in Europe, train journeys to Brighton, the 27 club, Polish delicacies, hotel room masturbation, the difficulty of avoiding bikes in Holland and a sarcastic interaction with a cop during a stroll in Arizona. Hilariously, the studio engineer cuts in toward the end with a comment on how long the song is. If not for that, it may have trundled on magnificently for another 13 minutes. It's superb but just the tip of the iceberg on this extraordinary entry into Kozelek's bulging canon of brilliance. The Greatest Conversation Ever In The History Of The Universe - phenomenal title alert - describes a visit by Kozelek and his girlfriend to Laurie Anderson's New York apartment not long after her husband Lou Reed's death. He talks about a photograph he spots of Reed with Muhammad Ali and imagines what they may have talked about. It's warm, human and emotional in equal measure. On the flip side, He's Bad is an excoriating dissection of the cult of Michael Jackson, admitting - like we all do - that although he respects Jackson's music, he's glad the man is dead. As the chorus suggests: "He's bad, and he's dead and I'm glad - and to me, it ain't that fucking sad". Outrageously wonderful. To these ears though, it's the astonishingly beautiful Twenty Something that knocks this album out of the park. A stunning ballad about a leather-clad, authority-baiting dude called Johnny Saint-Lethal who Kozelek meets at one of his gigs, it drifts into an acoustic-led reverie about the perils of encroaching old age and the nostalgic remembrance of youth and how most of us don't appreciate it at the time. The recording at the climax of an audience being directed by Kozelek to sing their best wishes to Mr. Saint-Lethal is just spine-tingling. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the man is a marvel.
Key Track: Twenty Something
3: THE WAR ON DRUGS: 'A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING'
An incredibly close-run thing when it came to this year's Top 3 with barely a hair's breadth separating the troika of outstanding acts at the apex of 2017's finest. Stalling in third place is the fourth album from Philadelphia native Adam Granduciel and his War On Drugs project. Granduciel's third opus - the stunning 'Lost In A Dream' - was by some considerable distance my favourite album of 2014, and it just shows the strength of this year's list that this even better album didn't repeat the trick. Signing to a major label in the wake of 'Dream's' stratospheric success hasn't blunted Granduciel's widescreen Americana and lush, atmospheric drivetime rock. In fact, it's only made it more appealing and rewarding. Once again layering Krautrock-style motorik rhythms alongside sprawling guitar workouts and dreamy synths, this album was possibly the most pristeen-sounding in 2017. Apparently, the pressure of following up such a landmark record almost drove Granduciel to breakdown territory - indeed, the track Pain is as autobiographical as it gets - but the meticulous hours that went into it's gestation are more than worth it. Up All Night and Holding On are masterful journeys into the rock and roll heartland, and there are nods to Springsteen, Tom Petty and Creedence throughout. There's even a shameless homage to, of all people, Dire Straits on Nothing To Find. Thinking Of A Place and the monumental Strangest Thing expand Granduciel's remit even further, embracing power ballad territory in seriously impressive fashion. And if you're not punching the air in delight during Pain's skyscraping guitar solo or during the utter splendour of the key-change halfway through In Chains, then you're missing a soul quite frankly.
Key Track: Strangest Thing
2: ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER: 'FRENCH PRESS EP'
ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER: 'TALK TIGHT EP'
Ok, bit of a cheat with this one. Not strictly an album, but two EP's featuring thirteen tracks which, by anyone's standards, is a pretty hefty haul of tunes. However, if you've read any of this here blog over the last twelve months, you'll know that I'm so enamoured with this band that it was just impossible to leave them out of this list. So, with apologies to the more pedantic factions out there, here they are - and at Number 2 to boot! I've waxed lyrical about this lot more than once this year, but they really are tremendously special. Five chums from Melbourne, Australia who've been plying their trade for a number of years before finally releasing some music. And what music it is. A bright, breezy and playful mash-up of all that is good and holy when it comes to chugging jangle, there are nods to The Smiths, Orange Juice, The Lemonheads, The Feelies and the more uptempo 'Loaded' era Velvet Underground, as well as fellow Antipodean luminaries The Go-Betweens and The Clean. However, there's a real freshness and vigour about them that manages to meld all those influences together and make a sound all their own. Featuring three principal singer/songwriters - akin to my other jangle heroes Teenage Fanclub - every song has a wondrous call-and-response feel as each vocalist - Fran Keaney, Tom Russo and Joe White - share mic duties. Ably supported by Tom's brother Joe on bass and drummer Marcel Tussie, the band lock themselves into a shuffling groove on a regular basis and never look back. Across these two collections, there is nary a duff note and the songs are spectacularly strong. Clean Slate, Wide Eyes, Julie's Place and Sick Bug are terrifically exciting indie, full to the brim with catchy choruses and life-enriching guitar fills. Heard You're Moving is utterly glorious, as is French Press itself. But, 9 months on, it's still Fountain Of Good Fortune that - if it wasn't for what's contained within my Number One choice - would be my song of the year. A sublime mix of acoustic-led lovliness that builds and builds to a "Woo-hoo" laden coda that still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. If they're able to keep this strike-rate up - 100% at the moment - then this lot really could become my favourite band in the world. Yes, that good.
Key Track: Fountain Of Good Fortune
1: LCD SOUNDSYSTEM: 'AMERICAN DREAM'
And so to the top spot, and it's an album that - upon hearing of it's imminent release - I really hoped would be good, but I wasn't expecting this. When LCD head honcho James Murphy split the band 5 years ago after touring 2009's 'This Is Happening' into the ground, the word from the man himself was that that was it. No more music under the LCD name, no more gigs, no more anything. The documentary/concert film 'Just Play The Hits' - which covered the final LCD gig at Madison Square Garden and the emotional fallout that followed - was, in parts, harrowing viewing. Especially the scenes of Murphy padding around his New York apartment and breaking down in tears whilst he hugged his dog. It seemed he was a broken man after a decade of continued success and acclaim at the top table of dance music, and the right and proper thing to do was to just give it all up and try something different. However, in the interim, Murphy seems to have tired of being hidden away, like a forgotten relic of the Noughties, without an outlet for the songs building up inside of him. The solution, then? Reactivate the band - with all the original members - shout down the naysayers who screamed "Sell-Out!" and "No fair!" and release a fourth album that - as good as the previous three were - knocks them all into a cocked hat. This record is magisterial from first note to last. Ten songs that run the gamut from feedback-drenched indie-rock on Emotional Haircut, via the pulsing, driving beats-frenzy of Call The Police, to the elegiac, dreamlike memento mori of the closing Black Screen. In between, there are the usual nods to the arty 70's rock of his hometown in I Used To and Change Yr Mind as well as anthemic balladry in Oh Baby and the title track. Head and shoulders above everything though is the quite staggering How Do You Sleep? A brutal, vicious and downright nasty open letter to a former friend/acquaintance/lover, the track starts with a plethora of tribal drums that halfway through melds into a synth riff so astonishingly vital that it's impossible not to jump up out of your chair and start waving your hands in the air like you just don't care. Once the beat kicks in toward the third act, all bets are off. All the while, Murphy recalls the breakdown of this relationship with an honesty and clarity that makes a mockery of the criticisms levelled at him an the past as a snarky, unemotional know-it-all. In fact, this album is totally drenched in emotion, from the focus in his lyrics of his own mortality to the recent deaths of friends, loved ones and collaborators. David Bowie, especially, is all over this album in spirit. It was, apparently, Bowie who urged Murphy to have another crack at the coalface and if true, then the late, great Dame deserves untold thanks. Black Screen itself is a beautiful musical tribute to him, and - along with the "Call the cops, call the preachers - for the Leonard's and the Lou's" line in Call The Police - this is also a heartfelt musical love letter from Murphy to those who have meant the most to him. As he said in a recent interview: "We're hitting a very difficult age for the people that invented the music that is most important to me. And unfortunately, they're not being replaced". Very true, but with this astoundingly funky, punky, rock-infused dance party, Murphy has put himself right up there with those very same heroes he hoped to emulate. Job done, sir. Job done.
Key Track: How Do You Sleep?
That's your lot, then. A veritable treasure trove of tremendous tunes and a monumental mountain of magnificent music. Here's to 2018 and the wonders that await!
(Including the legendary No Static Top 50!)
Well, here we are again. Another 12 months has passed us by and it was another quite startling year for music of all shapes, sizes and colours. To be honest, even though I thoroughly enjoy this listening to everything lark, it was quite a task to keep up with all the incredible music released and to keep an ear to the ground for the albums that were stupendous enough to make the hallowed No Static At All Top 50. It wasn't easy, folks. Records that earlier in the year I felt were shoo-ins for the final run down, have - at year's end - not even made it to the finish line. Conversely, there are albums that are nestling high up in the chart that upon release didn't quite do it for me but which have burrowed deep into my ear canals ever since. That is, of course, the beauty and wonder of music in all its guises and I wouldn't have it any other way. (Apart from Ed Sheeran of course, but you knew that already....)
So, now that 2017 has been consigned to history, where do we stand?
The Americana/Alt-Country side of things was very strong as usual with tremendous releases from Jason Isbell and his 400 Unit, Alynnda Segarra and her Hurray For The Riff-Raff project, Ian Felice, Duke Garwood, John Murry, Hiss Golden Messenger and David Rawlings. There was also some lovely jangle filled country rock from GospelBeach and The Clientele as well as some down-home choogle-infused Southern rock from Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach. Sufjan Stevens returned with an interesting collaboration with The National's Bryce Dessner on the Planetarium project, and Iron & Wine - aka the magnificently bearded Sam Beam - released his finest album in years with the haunting 'Beast Epic'. Special mention here though to the albums in this particular genre that just missed out on my final list:
Moving on to the heavier side of things and the biggest surprise of the year for me was the return to the frontline for early 90's funk-rock heroes Living Colour, who released the thunderous 'Shame' and toured the UK at the end of the year in some style. There were also hefty comebacks from Ice-T and his Body Count compadres, parent-scaring panto rocker Marylin Manson, chrome-domed Smashing Pumpkins nabob - and walking ego - Billy Corgan and shouty, sweary post-punkers At The Drive-In. Royal Blood followed up their globe-straddling debut album with more of the same on 'How Did We Get So Dark' and there was yet more spliff-heavy anthems from former Black Crowes fulcrum Chris Robinson and his similarly refreshed Brotherhood. There were sterling debut releases from Bristolian punkers Idles, Londoners Snapped Ankles and the new project from former Reef axe-man Kenwyn House who teamed up with vocalist Leah Rasmussen to form Goldray and who came across like Led Zeppelin fronted by Kate Bush. No bad thing. And Nashville post-grungers Bully followed up their ace debut album with an even better second collection. The best rock-related release to not make my Top 50 though was the latest EP from Trent Reznor and his current Nine Inch Nails iteration.
Meanwhile, over on the dancefloor, there were extraordinary electronica and beats-infused releases from all corners of the globe. A fair few have made my final list, but titfers aloft for Moby and his second album with his Void Pacific Choir; the return of Caribou head honcho Dan Snaith under his Daphni guise; former Mo Wax lynchpin James Lavelle's latest UNKLE project; the third and best album from one half of Fuck Buttons - Andrew John Power - who trades as Blanck Mass; Swedish studio whizz Sir Was and London's very own The XX, who returned after a five year break with a third album - 'I See You' - that moved away from their gossamer-thin indie stylings of before to embrace full-blown dance wonderment - including a magical Hall & Oates sample on the fabulous single On Hold.
Elsewhere across the musical spectrum, there was a groovesome glut of African blues with Tinariwen, Tamikrest, Songhoy Blues, Orchestra Baobab and Amadou & Mariam all producing sterling efforts. London's Dohl Foundation and the French-Cuban twin sisters known as Ibeyi also returned with excellent new records. Their was rousing North-East English folk music from Richard Dawson; astoundingly lively prog-funk from Progger; discordant synth-laden freakiness from Mount Kimbie; esoteric Canadian indie from the returning Broken Social Scene; pleasingly ramshackle indie from Jen Cloher; wildly exciting jazz-tinged folktronica from James Holden & The Animal Spirits and the annual state-of-the-nation address from our very own Sleaford Mods, who released the brilliant 'English Tapas' - so named after a pub meal consisting of "half a scotch egg, a cup of chips and a bit of pickle" - and cemented their status as one of the UK's most interesting bands. There was also thoroughly enjoyable releases from No Static At All faves The Flaming Lips, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Strand Of Oaks, Liars, The Black Angels, Grizzly Bear, The Shins and Baltimore's gnarly folk-rockers Arbouretum. I was also spoilt for choice somewhat as Australian psych-rock nutters King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard released four - yes, four - albums of varying quality with the second batch of tunes - entitled 'Murder Of The Universe' - being the pick of the bunch whilst Ripley Johnson took time out from his day job with Wooden Shjips to regale the faithful with two albums of electronic drone rock and space-age soundscapes under his Moon Duo umbrella. Thrilling stuff all.
The big boys were in fine fettle too as the new strata of heritage acts continued to up their game to keep pace with all the whippersnappers at their heels. Morrissey and Paul Weller both produced solid albums, The Charlatans latest was sturdy but unsurprising, The Killers and Kasabian continued their arena-straddling trajectories, and Alt-J and Gorillaz pushed the boundaries with some splendid work. Slipping out unnoticed toward the end of the year were albums by my two favourite Neil's: Mr Finn and Mr Young. Both the former's 'Out Of Silence' and the latter's 'The Visitor' were excellent reminders of their songwriting prowess and are thoroughly recommended. U2 returned with the long-awaited - in some circles - sequel to the wince-inducing farrago that was 2014's 'Songs Of Innocence'. December's 'Songs Of Experience' was a better album - although that wasn't a difficult task to master - but my general feeling was that they were trying too hard. Once Bono and the boys realise that their days of being the biggest band in the world are long gone, then perhaps they might relax and write another classic. Their jaunt around the globe in the summer performing 1987's still magnificent 'The Joshua Tree' album in full, only solidifies that argument for me. The most interesting development in the mainstream musical arena though was 'The Battle Of The Gallaghers'. The warring Oasis brothers found themselves eyeing up a chart scrummage at the end of November when Liam's 'As You Were' and Noel's 'Who Built The Moon' hit the shelves. Both hit the top spot but to these ears, Liam won the fight as his collection of sparky rockers and - but of course - Beatles influenced ballads worked better than his big bro's more challenging and experimental songs. It's possible I may change my mind on that one though....
One of the most pleasing aspects of 2017's musical bounty though was the huge preponderance of female singer/songwriters and the superb records that these interesting and intelligent women wrote and released. In a year which has seen a monstrous explosion of stories filtering through into the public domain from the film and music industries about hideous men doing horrific things, it seems only right that so many talented women have seen their work push past the usual meat and potatoes bloke rock and grab high placings in the end of year listings. A lot of these richly talented women make my final 50, but the following sadly missed out: Julie Byrne, Margo Price and Joan Shelley all released spectral acoustic based modern country records whilst Laura Marling, Aimee Mann and Karen Elson all added some soulful, jazzy textures to their usual folk-based stylings. There was some rollicking and spiky indie from all-girl groups The Big Moon and Girl Ray and huge returns to form from Goldfrapp, Bjork and Feist. Ex-Gossip frontwoman Beth Ditto came closest to
Once again though, and very sadly, 2017 saw many musical heroes depart this world for that great gig in the sky. So, with a heavy heart, it's a final RIP from No Static At All to the following:
Chris Cornell
Chester Bennington
Tom Petty
Walter Becker
Chuck Berry
Greg Allman
Malcolm Young
Johnny Hallyday
David CassidyChuck Moseley
Charles Bradley
Grant Hart
Holger Czukay
Glen Campbell
Kevin Garcia
Al Jarreau
David Axelrod
Jaki Leibezeit
Gordon Downie
Fats Domino
To the very best of the year then, and first it's time for the best reissues and compilations of 2017. A massive market these days, as record companies try everything in their power to regain some control from the streaming sites by re-releasing classic albums with as many bells and whistles added on as possible. I'm not complaining, mind. I love this stuff.
25: Super Furry Animals: Radiator 20
24: Eagles: Hotel California 40th Anniversary Deluxe
23: Various Artists: Running The Voodoo Down - Explorations In Psychrockfunksouljazz 1967-80
22: Gene Clark: The Lost Studio Sessions
21: Underworld: Beaucoup Fish Deluxe
20: Stone Temple Pilots: Core 25
19: Can: Singles
18: Verve: Urban Hymns 20th Anniversary Deluxe
17: Curve: Doppleganger/Cuckoo Deluxe
16: Lal & Mike Waterson: Bright Phoebus
15: Acetone: 1992-2001
14: Various Artists: Space, Energy And Light - Experimental, Electronic & Acoustic Soundscapes 61-88
13: Elliott Smith: Either/Or Expanded Edition
12: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: Lovely Creatures - The Best Of 3CD/DVD Edition
11: Bark Psychosis: Hex
10: Husker Du: Savage Young Du
9: Prince: Purple Rain 3CD Deluxe
8: The Beatles: Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Super Deluxe Edition
7: Lift To Experience: The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads
6: David Bowie: A New Career In A New Town
5: Radiohead: OKNOTOK
4: The Smiths: The Queen Is Dead Deluxe
3: Neil Young: Hitchhiker
2: Buffalo Tom: Let Me Come Over 25th Anniversary Edition
1: R.E.M. : Automatic For The People 25th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition
And so to the No Static At All Top 50 Albums Of The Year. As I said at the top of this piece, it's been a quite astounding year for new albums and this was a very difficult list to put together, but after weeks of deliberation, here it is. If you've bought or at least heard some of these albums, then you'll understand why I rate them so highly. If you haven't then you need to rectify that oversight immediately....
BUBBLING UNDER:
Widowspeak: 'Expect The Best'
Beck: 'Colours'
Future Islands: 'The Far Field'
Real Estate: 'In Mind'
Robert Cray & Hi-Rhythm: 'RC&HR'
Roger Waters: 'Is This The Life We Really Want?'
Mogwai: 'Every Country's Sun'
The Feelies: 'In Between'
The Jesus And Mary Chain: 'Damage And Joy'
Foo Fighters: 'Concrete And Gold'
50: TORI AMOS: 'NATIVE INVADER'
Epic return to form from the flame-haired queen of kook. Full of cloud-busting balladry and spiritually aware storytelling, this was her best album in 20 years with opening track Reindeer King a spine-tingling career peak.
Key Track: Reindeer King
49: PETER PERRETT: 'HOW THE WEST WAS WON'
Remarkable return from death's door from legendary The Only Ones front-man and life-long heroin addict. Backed by his two sons on guitars and bass, this was a real family affair, with Perrett's hilarious and nostalgia-tinged songs constantly declaring his love for his long-suffering wife.
Key Track: Living In My Head
48: OH SEES: 'ORC'
19th exploration into the psychedelic underworld from John Dwyer and company, who suggested that this blazing foray into the garage-rock outer realm would be the last Oh Sees record. A storming way to bow out.
Key Track: Nite Expo
47: ELBOW: 'LITTLE FICTIONS'
More emotionally uplifting paeans to life, love, the universe and everything from the Mancunian masters. Focusing on Guy Garvey's recent marriage and fatherhood, this collection was bursting with electronica-tinged grooves and string-laden anthems.
Key Track: Magnificent She Says
46: PROPHETS OF RAGE: 'PROPHETS OF RAGE'
Incendiary debut album from the Rage Against The Machine/Public Enemy/Cypress Hill super-group who unleashed a blazing barrage of anti-Trump invective backed by coruscating rock and hefty, in your face hip-hop.
Key Track: Hands Up
45: ST. VINCENT: 'MASSEDUCTION'
Key Track: New York
44: ROBERT PLANT: 'CARRY FIRE'
Not far off his 70th birthday, Lord Percy Of Zep-Land moved even further away from his original remit, with another excellent collection of folk-tinged spirituals and trancey North African grooves.
Key Track: Carry Fire
43: PORTICO QUARTET: 'ART IN THE AGE OF AUTOMATION'
Glorious set from the London modern jazz maestros, this time fusing their classic prog-infused jazz textures with swooning strings and dulcet piano motifs. The perfect soundtrack to a dystopian science fiction epic.
Key Track: Rushing
42: AFGHAN WHIGS: 'IN SPADES'
Splendid new set of soulful, grungey rockers from Greg Dulli and company, who have hit a rich vein of form since their reactivation 5 years ago. Easily comparable to their 1993 masterpiece 'Gentlemen', this had me punching the air in delight on first listen.
Key Track: Demon In Profile
41: THURSTON MOORE: 'ROCK N ROLL CONSCIOUSNESS'
Rail-thin former Sonic Youth nabob Moore turned his hand this year to open-ended hypnotic ragas and droney, psych-tinged ramalam with startling effect - the 12 minute long Exalted in particular was a thing of feedback-drenched wonder.
Key Track: Exalted
40: MASTODON: 'EMPEROR OF SAND'
Key Track: Steambreather
39: THE WATERBOYS: 'OUT OF ALL THIS BLUE'
Legendary songwriter and instigator of 'The Big Music', Mike Scott, returned to the fray with this sprawling double album of unabashed love letters to his new wife. After a whirlwind romance and unexpected fatherhood, Scott throws everything - including the kitchen sink - into this project and delivers a soulful, rocky, bluesy, jazzy stew of happy-go-lucky numbers that ends up being one of the most purely enjoyable works he's ever put his hands to.
Key Track: The Connemara Fox
38: MARK KOZELEK/JIM WHITE/BEN BOYE: 'MK/JW/BB'
One of four astonishing projects that the ever prolific Kozelek involved himself with this year, this experimental double album saw him team up with Dirty Three drummer White and jack-of-all-trades keyboard wizard Boye. The results were very special indeed, pairing Kozelek's stream of consciousness songwriting with Zappa-esque free-form noodling and way out there left-of-centre time signatures.
Key Track: Blood Test
37: THE HORRORS: 'V'
As the title suggests, this was the fifth album from the former pantomime goths from Southend-On-Sea. Reverting back to the successful formula of their classic third opus 'Skying', this saw the increasingly song-savvy quintet broaden their synth-pop horizons even more, incorporating driving rhythms and club-friendly beats into the mix. Extra marks for the quite staggering Something To Remember Me By, which was one of the songs of the year.
Key Track: Something To Remember Me By
36: DESPERATE JOURNALIST: 'GROW UP'
Sophomore set from the London-based post-punk band that unashamedly borrows from their influences - Joy Division and The Smiths mainly - but in such an endearing manner that you can't help but smile and nod along to the tunes. And what tunes they are. Brimming with vim and brio, with lead vocalist Jo Bevan's lyrics emphatically raising the bar.
Key Track: Lacking In Your Love
35: THE MAGPIE SALUTE: 'THE MAGPIE SALUTE'
Whilst his brother Chris was toning things down and going all Grateful Dead with his latest CRB opus, the other half of Southern rock's answer to Oasis - The Black Crowes - was turning things up to 11 with this rollicking set of classic covers. Rich Robinson was on stellar form here, ably backed by erstwhile Crowes axe-meister Marc Ford, as well as an 8-piece band. Recorded live in front of a suitably excited audience, this grandstanding set of tremendously thrilling jams was an absolute treat.
Key Track: War Drums
34: THE DREAM SYNDICATE: 'HOW DID I FIND MYSELF HERE?'
Key Track: Glide
33: SPIRAL STAIRS: 'DORIS & THE DAGGERS'
Absolutely glorious second solo effort from former Pavement guitarist Spiral Stairs - Scott Kannenberg to his folks. Fusing the discordant, arty indie textures that made his name in the early 90s with a lush, janglesome backbone, these wonderful songs were crying out to be blared from car stereos the world over. As it was, my front room in South East London was the best it got...
Key Track: Angel Eyes
32: LITTLE CUB: 'STILL LIFE'
Stemming from just round the corner from No Static Towers in Forest Hill, this whey-faced trio's debut album was a sparky, vibe-infused confection that harked back to Bloc Party at their peak as well as the wry, homespun kitchen-sink songwriting of classic English bands like Squeeze and Madness and, most especially, Pet Shop Boys. Smart, funny and engaging, this lot are ones to watch.
Key Track: Closing Time
31: BNQT: 'VOLUME 1'
Terrific collaboration between Eric Pulido from Midlake, Jason Lytle from Grandaddy, Ben Bridwell from Band Of Horses, Fran Healey from Travis and Alex Kapranos from Franz Ferdinand. Splicing together all of those disparate talents could have seen this album ending up as an unwieldy dog's breakfast, but the results were superb. Chugging indie, woozy Americana and foot-stomping rock were all present and correct, with each individual vocalist singing two songs apiece. Volume 2 soon please, chaps!
Key Track: Restart
30: FINK: 'RESURGAM'
Key Track: Cracks Appear
29: DEPECHE MODE: 'SPIRIT'
The Basildon synth-rock heroes delivered their freshest and most vital album in some time with a hefty slab of doom-laden electronica that married the more blues-influenced sound of 2014's 'Delta Machine' with the high watermark commercial sheen of 1990's 'Violator'. Dave Gahan was in superb voice throughout as Martin Gore's lyrics focused mainly on the political apathy of the masses and the general 'we're all going to hell in a handcart' feeling permeating the globe at the moment. Visceral stuff.
Key Track: So Much Love
28: GRANDADDY: 'LAST PLACE'
The return to the musical coal-face of Jason Lytle and his Grandaddy cohorts was always going to be something rather special, and this first album in 11 years didn't disappoint. A cracked, woozy and gloriously ramshackle batch of modern-day country folk, this was just lovely. Tragedy was to follow though when, whilst touring the album in the spring, fellow founder member Kevin Garcia passed away suddenly. The album he and Lytle have left behind is a beautiful tribute to him.
Key Track: The Boat Is In The Barn
27: THE WEATHER STATION: 'THE WEATHER STATION'
Former child actor Tamara Lindeman swapped the screen for the guitar over a decade ago and has been making easy-on-the-ear folk music ever since. This fourth album though shifted her style into a stellar new phase, coming across like Joni Mitchell fronting Buffalo Springfield. Folk-rock in excelsis then, and dripping with deft and thought-provoking lyrics. One to watch.
Key Track: Thirty
26: MICHAEL HEAD & THE RED ELASTIC BAND: 'ADIOS SENOR PUSSYCAT'
Key Track: Josephine
25: THE MOONLANDINGZ: 'INTERPLANETARY CLASS CLASSICS'
A supergroup of sorts, made up of members from The Fat White Family and Eccentronic Research Council - ask your hipster mate - this one-off opus was a flailing, thrashing monster of a record full to bursting with glam-rock, electronica, scuzzy indie and barnstorming tunes about death, the dole, scatalogical activities and castration. Grubby, yes, but bloody hilarious too.
Key Track: Black Hanz
24: ARCADE FIRE: 'EVERYTHING NOW'
The Canadian art-rock collective returned after a four-year hiatus with an album that, if not quite scaling the heights of 'Funeral' and 'The Suburbs' - but hey, what does? - still managed to show most of their fellow arena-sized compatriots how to do it. Embracing their inner pop fan - the title track was a blatant homage to Abba - this was their bouncy, breezy dance record. Not all of it worked - the distressing cod-reggae of Chemistry was a howler - but at times this was as much fun as they've ever had.
Key Track: Put Your Money On Me
23: GHOSTPOET: 'DARK DAYS + CANAPES'
Fourth album of dark, dank and doomy electro-rap from Londoner Obaro Ejimiwe. Inspired as much by early 90's trip-hop heroes Portishead and Massive Attack - indeed, the latter's Daddy G appears here - this collection of grimy, downbeat tales of city life also touched on 80's goth and Talk Talk style prog. And the tunes were as catchy as man-flu. Hugely impressive.
Key Track: Freak Show
22: SPOON: 'HOT THOUGHTS'
Britt Daniel and his ever-evolving company of sidemen returned to the fray in the spring with yet another fabulous bunch of songs - their ninth - which consolidated their place at the top table of funky, jerky and groovesome indie rock. How this lot aren't bigger than they are is one of life's little mysteries. Produced by Flaming Lips/Mercury Rev helmsman Dave Fridmann, this was confident songwriting and concise, focused musicianship. And the title track just ROCKS.
Key Track: Hot Thoughts
21: SLOWDIVE: 'SLOWDIVE'
Key Track: Star Roving
20: NADIA REID: 'PRESERVATION'
Absolutely stunning second album from the New Zealand songsmith, pushing forward from her delicate folk textures of before into a more expansive, hook-laden collection that brings to mind peak-period Fleetwood Mac with Suzanne Vega on vocals. A record borne from heartbreak - standout track Richard is difficult listening, especially if you ARE Richard - but with enough pop smarts and lyrical nous to raise it above the usual navel-gazing. Very, very special indeed.
Key Track: Right On Time
19: CIGARETTES AFTER SEX: 'CIGARETTES AFTER SEX'
If you can get past the truly quite awful band name, this debut album by Texas born but Brooklyn based Greg Gonzales and his black-clad sidemen delivered in spades. A dreamy and drifting delight, these songs embraced the listener and were sweet balm for fans of Mazzy Star and The Cure. Sensual, soothing and sublime, it was like taking a bath in hot chocolate.
Key Track: K
18: KURT VILE & COURTNEY BARNETT: 'LOTTA SEA LICE'
Key Track: Over Everything
17: QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE: 'VILLAINS'
After a few years away, Josh Homme and company returned with an absolute belter. Drafting in uber-producer Mark Ronson may have seemed like a curve-ball at first, but the results were ace. Fusing the classic Queens rock edge with booty-shaking funk grooves and Bowie-esque pomp, this was crammed with glammy stomp and swagger and a perfect companion piece to last years Iggy Pop hook-up.
Key Track: The Evil Has Landed
16: JANE WEAVER: 'MODERN KOSMOLOGY'
Plying her trade for nigh-on two decades, it was only with 2014's 'The Silver Globe' that Liverpool's Weaver broke through to the wider consciousness. A heady stew of psych-folk and Krautrock grooves, that album paved the way for this more expansive successor. Once again blending the pastoral English folk sound with driving Euro-synth pop, this was hypnotic stuff.
Key Track: Did You See Butterflies?
15: MARK LANEGAN BAND: 'GARGOYLE'
Key Track: Beehive
14: FEVER RAY: 'PLUNGE'
Astonishing second solo set from one half of mysterious Swedish techno-boffins The Knife - Karin Dreijer Andersson - who's first album under the Fever Ray moniker was my favourite album of 2009. This time round, Andersson moves away from the dark, brooding electronica of that first record to embrace her pop-loving party side. She's also madly in love, as some of the lyrics reflect - in graphic detail. Bouncy, buzzy but with a sharp, don't-fuck-with-me edge, this was one of the most excitingly original releases of the year.
Key Track: To The Moon And Back
13: SUN KIL MOON: 'COMMON AS LIGHT AND LOVE ARE RED VALLEYS OF BLOOD'
Mark Kozelek's first release of the year - back in January - was this remarkable double album that comes in at a mighty 130 minutes. If you're new to the Kozelek ouvre, this is probably not the best place to start. More rambling and disorientating than before, and embracing synthesisers in a way he's never done, this was undoubtedly a tough listen. Fifteen-minute long songs, throwaway lyrics, grouchy old man digs at young people, politicians and pretty much everybody else - on paper, this may have been an album too far. Even for a mega-fan like me. But repeated listens opened up the songs to reveal the pearls within. Butch Lullaby and I Love You Forever And Beyond Eternity are life-enriching tributes to loved ones past and present and are up there with his best, while Philadelphia Cop is just hilarious. He really is The World's Greatest Living Songwriter.
Key Track: Philadelphia Cop
12: ENDLESS BOOGIE: 'VIBE KILLER'
Key Track: High Drag, Hard Doin'
11: PHOEBE BRIDGERS: 'STRANGER IN THE ALPS'
Wonderfully accomplished opening gambit from 23-yr old Californian native Bridgers. Pretty much the perfect debut album, insofar that it straddles that difficult chasm between sixth-form poetry style songwriting and the more mature soul-searching style of her influences with deftness and aplomb. Honest and heart-breaking, and shot through with real emotional heft, it reminds me of Suzanne Vega's debut. No higher praise. Musically solid - aside from the expected acoustic folkiness, there are rockier moments and ethereal dream-pop - and remarkably astute lyrically, this was the biggest surprise of the year. Extra kudos too for covering a Mark Kozelek song.
Key Track: Scott Street
10: FOUR TET: 'NEW ENERGY'
Key Track: Two Thousand And Seventeen
9: THE NATIONAL: 'SLEEP WELL BEAST'
Finally breaking through commercially after years of knocking on the door, this first UK Number 1 album for the Cincinnati quintet saw lead vocalist Matt Berninger, along with twin twins The Dessners and The Devendorfs, create an intense but elegant record that raised their already pretty high bar even higher. Dripping with atmosphere and understated power, Berninger charted the travails of married life with brutal honesty - made even more intriguing as the lyrics were co-written by his wife, Carin. Embracing synth-led soundscapes on the title track, as well as Pixies-style discordia on Turtleneck, this could well be their masterpiece. (NB: Check out this masterful performance of the stupendous The System Only Dreams In Perfect Darkness. Halfway through the coruscating guitar solo, there's a look passed between Berninger and Aaron Dessner that says "Yeah, we know this sounds phenomenal - we wrote the bloody thing!" Outstanding.
Key Track: Guilty Party
8: FLEET FOXES: 'CRACK-UP'
It's been close to a decade since that first dizzying rush of the Fleet Foxes debut album, and a full 6 since the more tightly-wound 'Helplessness Blues'. Since then, lead Fox Robin Pecknold has taken a course at Columbia University and the band have also parted ways with their drummer J Tillman - who has since re-invented himself as Father John Misty. More pertinently though, the sweeping acoustic folk sound combined with soaring three-part harmonies has been flogged to death by far lesser bands since that still exceptional first Foxes record. Would Pecknold and company still be relevant? The answer, in the form of this utterly ravishing third opus, is a resounding yes. All the classic FF traits are there of course - they're hardly going to embrace dubstep - but there's room also for a more progressive rock bent among the crystal-clear guitar fills and, oh yes, those spectral harmony vocals. There's an element of pretentiousness for sure - radio play for the track I Am All That I Need/Arroyo Seco/Thumbprint Scar was minimal I would imagine - but when such scope and barrier-breaking is backed up by songs as breathtaking as these, who cares?
Key Track: Third Of May/Odaigahara
7: RIDE: 'WEATHER DIARIES'
The reformation of Oxford's early 90's indie kings Ride a few years back was one of life's great pleasures for yours truly. They were one of my fave bands back in the day - their debut album 'Nowhere' and masterful follow-up 'Going Blank Again' remain timeless artefacts of the whole shoegaze scene. After originally splitting in 94 following a couple of lacklustre albums and the inevitable personal differences, lead singer Mark Gardener embarked on a fitful solo career whilst bassist Steve Queralt and drummer Loz Colbert faded from view. Only co-singer and principal songwriter Andy Bell kept himself in the limelight by firstly forming Britpop also-rans Hurricane #1 and then braving the choppy waters of the Oasis war-machine as bassist before their acrimonious split. He then continued to back Liam Gallagher up in the ill-fated Beady Eye. (As a side note, Bell wrote some fantastic songs during this period: Step Into My World for Hurricane and Keep The Dream Alive for Oasis being just two). But, two decades is a long old time in popular music, so hatchets have been buried and grudges shaken off. The comeback gigs in 2015 were an absolute triumph - special mention here for the 'Nowhere' gig at Brixton Academy which was JOYOUS - and now we have this brand new album. And what a record it is. Adroitly combining the classic wall of guitars sound of their heyday with a more modern, electronic take on the indie ethos, the quartet have upgraded their modus operandi in tremendous fashion. Opening track Lannoy Point is a distant cousin to the evergreen Leave Them All Behind, whilst the title track and Home Is A Feeling could easily have nestled in snugly within Nowhere's tracklisting. But it's the Smiths-ian rush of Charm Assault and the jangle-filled glory of Cali that show the way forward for this very special of English combos.
Key Track: Cali
6: PUMAROSA: 'THE WITCH'
Last year, during my look back at 2016's finest musical moments, I raved about a track called Honey by London-based newbies Pumarosa which I garlanded with praise, calling it the best non-album track I'd heard that year. Splendidly, they've backed up that early promise with this quite startling debut offering, which has remained in my Top Ten since it's release in the spring. Some going, considering the huge records released since. Led by multi-talented singer/songwriter Isabel Munoz-Newsome - she also designs all the band's artwork as well as being in charge of stage direction at their gigs - the band have put together a suite of songs that connect immediately, splicing together jagged indie rock with sinewy, bass-led dance grooves so adeptly you would think they've been doing this for years. Honey still thrills - especially it's "Oh you stupid son of a bitch!" refrain - while Lion's Den and My Gruesome Loving Friend are fantastic examples of catchy, chorus-heavy indie-pop at it's best. But it's the hypnotic throb of Priestess that steals the show, coming across like a pow-wow between the slinky baggy of Happy Mondays and the cerebral art-funk of Foals. Lyrically, Munoz-Newsome focuses on strong female archetypes and the anger that the majority of women feel in the modern world, but in a way that doesn't hector or bash you over the head. This is strong, literate stuff and all the more compelling for it.
Key Track: Priestess
5: BICEP: 'BICEP'
A quite remarkable year for electronica was capped by this stupendous debut from Belfast-born but London-based Matt McBriar and Andy Ferguson who stepped away from DJ-ing duties to record this batch of pulsing love-letters to the history of dance music. Featuring all the food groups of classic electronic music - house, techno, jungle, Italian disco and electro-pop - as well as some progressive psychedelic textures, this was as good as it got in 2017 when it came to going out and throwing some shapes. Magnificently produced by the duo and featuring vocals from Silkie Carlo, Amy Spencer and Rosie Lowe, this was sharp, focused and succinct - right down to the one-word song titles. The kind of dance record you didn't think people made anymore, if this was played in full at every club in the land on a Saturday night, dance music would rule the world.
Key Track: Spring
4: SUN KIL MOON/JESU: '30 SECONDS TO THE DECLINE OF PLANET EARTH'
Key Track: Twenty Something
3: THE WAR ON DRUGS: 'A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING'
An incredibly close-run thing when it came to this year's Top 3 with barely a hair's breadth separating the troika of outstanding acts at the apex of 2017's finest. Stalling in third place is the fourth album from Philadelphia native Adam Granduciel and his War On Drugs project. Granduciel's third opus - the stunning 'Lost In A Dream' - was by some considerable distance my favourite album of 2014, and it just shows the strength of this year's list that this even better album didn't repeat the trick. Signing to a major label in the wake of 'Dream's' stratospheric success hasn't blunted Granduciel's widescreen Americana and lush, atmospheric drivetime rock. In fact, it's only made it more appealing and rewarding. Once again layering Krautrock-style motorik rhythms alongside sprawling guitar workouts and dreamy synths, this album was possibly the most pristeen-sounding in 2017. Apparently, the pressure of following up such a landmark record almost drove Granduciel to breakdown territory - indeed, the track Pain is as autobiographical as it gets - but the meticulous hours that went into it's gestation are more than worth it. Up All Night and Holding On are masterful journeys into the rock and roll heartland, and there are nods to Springsteen, Tom Petty and Creedence throughout. There's even a shameless homage to, of all people, Dire Straits on Nothing To Find. Thinking Of A Place and the monumental Strangest Thing expand Granduciel's remit even further, embracing power ballad territory in seriously impressive fashion. And if you're not punching the air in delight during Pain's skyscraping guitar solo or during the utter splendour of the key-change halfway through In Chains, then you're missing a soul quite frankly.
Key Track: Strangest Thing
2: ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER: 'FRENCH PRESS EP'
ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER: 'TALK TIGHT EP'
Ok, bit of a cheat with this one. Not strictly an album, but two EP's featuring thirteen tracks which, by anyone's standards, is a pretty hefty haul of tunes. However, if you've read any of this here blog over the last twelve months, you'll know that I'm so enamoured with this band that it was just impossible to leave them out of this list. So, with apologies to the more pedantic factions out there, here they are - and at Number 2 to boot! I've waxed lyrical about this lot more than once this year, but they really are tremendously special. Five chums from Melbourne, Australia who've been plying their trade for a number of years before finally releasing some music. And what music it is. A bright, breezy and playful mash-up of all that is good and holy when it comes to chugging jangle, there are nods to The Smiths, Orange Juice, The Lemonheads, The Feelies and the more uptempo 'Loaded' era Velvet Underground, as well as fellow Antipodean luminaries The Go-Betweens and The Clean. However, there's a real freshness and vigour about them that manages to meld all those influences together and make a sound all their own. Featuring three principal singer/songwriters - akin to my other jangle heroes Teenage Fanclub - every song has a wondrous call-and-response feel as each vocalist - Fran Keaney, Tom Russo and Joe White - share mic duties. Ably supported by Tom's brother Joe on bass and drummer Marcel Tussie, the band lock themselves into a shuffling groove on a regular basis and never look back. Across these two collections, there is nary a duff note and the songs are spectacularly strong. Clean Slate, Wide Eyes, Julie's Place and Sick Bug are terrifically exciting indie, full to the brim with catchy choruses and life-enriching guitar fills. Heard You're Moving is utterly glorious, as is French Press itself. But, 9 months on, it's still Fountain Of Good Fortune that - if it wasn't for what's contained within my Number One choice - would be my song of the year. A sublime mix of acoustic-led lovliness that builds and builds to a "Woo-hoo" laden coda that still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. If they're able to keep this strike-rate up - 100% at the moment - then this lot really could become my favourite band in the world. Yes, that good.
Key Track: Fountain Of Good Fortune
1: LCD SOUNDSYSTEM: 'AMERICAN DREAM'
And so to the top spot, and it's an album that - upon hearing of it's imminent release - I really hoped would be good, but I wasn't expecting this. When LCD head honcho James Murphy split the band 5 years ago after touring 2009's 'This Is Happening' into the ground, the word from the man himself was that that was it. No more music under the LCD name, no more gigs, no more anything. The documentary/concert film 'Just Play The Hits' - which covered the final LCD gig at Madison Square Garden and the emotional fallout that followed - was, in parts, harrowing viewing. Especially the scenes of Murphy padding around his New York apartment and breaking down in tears whilst he hugged his dog. It seemed he was a broken man after a decade of continued success and acclaim at the top table of dance music, and the right and proper thing to do was to just give it all up and try something different. However, in the interim, Murphy seems to have tired of being hidden away, like a forgotten relic of the Noughties, without an outlet for the songs building up inside of him. The solution, then? Reactivate the band - with all the original members - shout down the naysayers who screamed "Sell-Out!" and "No fair!" and release a fourth album that - as good as the previous three were - knocks them all into a cocked hat. This record is magisterial from first note to last. Ten songs that run the gamut from feedback-drenched indie-rock on Emotional Haircut, via the pulsing, driving beats-frenzy of Call The Police, to the elegiac, dreamlike memento mori of the closing Black Screen. In between, there are the usual nods to the arty 70's rock of his hometown in I Used To and Change Yr Mind as well as anthemic balladry in Oh Baby and the title track. Head and shoulders above everything though is the quite staggering How Do You Sleep? A brutal, vicious and downright nasty open letter to a former friend/acquaintance/lover, the track starts with a plethora of tribal drums that halfway through melds into a synth riff so astonishingly vital that it's impossible not to jump up out of your chair and start waving your hands in the air like you just don't care. Once the beat kicks in toward the third act, all bets are off. All the while, Murphy recalls the breakdown of this relationship with an honesty and clarity that makes a mockery of the criticisms levelled at him an the past as a snarky, unemotional know-it-all. In fact, this album is totally drenched in emotion, from the focus in his lyrics of his own mortality to the recent deaths of friends, loved ones and collaborators. David Bowie, especially, is all over this album in spirit. It was, apparently, Bowie who urged Murphy to have another crack at the coalface and if true, then the late, great Dame deserves untold thanks. Black Screen itself is a beautiful musical tribute to him, and - along with the "Call the cops, call the preachers - for the Leonard's and the Lou's" line in Call The Police - this is also a heartfelt musical love letter from Murphy to those who have meant the most to him. As he said in a recent interview: "We're hitting a very difficult age for the people that invented the music that is most important to me. And unfortunately, they're not being replaced". Very true, but with this astoundingly funky, punky, rock-infused dance party, Murphy has put himself right up there with those very same heroes he hoped to emulate. Job done, sir. Job done.
Key Track: How Do You Sleep?
That's your lot, then. A veritable treasure trove of tremendous tunes and a monumental mountain of magnificent music. Here's to 2018 and the wonders that await!
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