THE TOP 100 SONGS OF 2017: PART TWO (#61--80)...

The second part of the year's finest tracks:












61. Gummy (Brockhampton): samples Veronica Petrucci's "Star Against the Night" to indeed make them stars of hip/hop in 2017.






62. Rooftops (The Bats): when a band returns from a long hiatus with a great song like this, it’s well worth it.






63. Dis Generation (A Tribe Called Quest): a call to arms that needs to be heeded.






64. What You Want (They.): head-bopping hip/hop with guitars?! What!?






65. Moontalk (Laurel Halo): everything comes up roses here, for once Halo connects with a solid pop concept.






66. Dancing With Our Hands Tied (Taylor Swift): as the rumour mill works over time trying to figure out which ex this is about, one can groove for days with its steady, winnable beats.
http://mp3monkey.net/mp3/taylor_swift_dancing_with_our_hands_tied.html









67. Moonlight (Care): in the throes of a meltdown, beauty is found in the desperate pleas of a lover.






68. Enter Entirely (Cloud Nothings): no theatrics, just plain straight up rock and roll crunchiness.






69. Dum Surfer (King Krule): sounds like some cool, post-apocalyptic stuff.






70. Losing All Sense (Grizzly Bear): while their current album may not have reached their usual heights, this track is etched firmly up there.







71. Other Lives (Hazel English): fantasizing about living someone else’s life never sounded so groovy.






72. Chrome (Like Ooh) (Rapsody): the track most reminding me of those Lauryn Hill comparisons.






73. Preservation (Nadia Reid): essentially a break-up track, Reid gets solemn and introspective.






74. Sign Of The Times (Harry Styles): according to Styles, the track is inspired by a mother dying shortly after childbirth. A grim realization but lyrically, this is darkness delivered with a touch of inevitability that affects us all.






75. U Were Always Pt. 2 (Wiley feat. Skepta and Belly): SWV's "Fine Time" is sampled to clever effect here in this man versus woman battle for the ages.






76. Seeds (Camille): a decade has passed since French chanteuse Camille has graced this list and she’s back with her uniformly brilliance, pairing angelic vocals with pre-programmed beats to perfection.






77. All Around You (Sturgill Simpson): much has been made about the political nature of the music video for All Around You but I’m still stuck on the sheer soulfulness of the composition.






78. Chainsmoking (Jacob Banks): Banks comes from the old school of soul music but here he adds enough contemporary trappings to positively burn through this track.






79. Thinking Of A Place (The War On Drugs): sometimes Adam Granduciel's voice just hits that sweet spot between recollection and hopefulness.






80. Smoke ‘Em Out (CocoRosie feat. Anohni): don’t be fooled by the sweet delivery: Smoke ‘Em Out is one of many anti-Trump songs that have dominated music this year.

THE TOP 100 SONGS OF 2017: PART ONE (#81--100)...

A great year for singles and songs overall. By the time I got to the top 60, I was stumped as to which to make it...that's always a good sign. Part one features a lot of first-timers but it's great to see so many artists challenging themselves.

Here goes part one:













81. Sue Me (Bjork): undeniably a reference to her ex, Matthew Barney, who sued Björk for custody of their daughter Isadora in 2015. Björk sings that she will not “let our daughter get cut in half,” before critiquing male entitlement. All this while surfing over a stunning dancehall beat.







82. Turtleneck (The National): casting off the dad rock to get a bit political for once, the pro-choice track from their latest album could become anthemic.







83. Watch (Billie Eilish): in a year when both Lorde and Lana Del Rey capitalized on the damaged goods market, a third female served notice that in the years to come she will be their equal. Eilish is still a minor but she’s serving major talent already as evident on this track.






84. Miss Me (Leikeli47): sampling The Honey Drippers' "Impeach the President" in this climate is statement enough for any strong black female artist.






85. The News (Train): the band’s never had such a sense of pop urgency.






86. What Love Is (Matt Martians): the latest Odd Future member to step out solo, Martians tackles that age-old issue of what women want.






87. The Isle Of Arran (Loyle Carner): samples 60s track 'The Lord Will Make A Way' by S.C.I Youth Choir - explores masculinity and fatherhood, along with Loyle Carner's own childhood memories. Dads, time to pay more attention.






88. One In Rotation + Wide Awake (Little Simz feat.SiR): unlike hacks like Lady Leshurr, Simbi Ajikawo, aka Little Simz, takes a more chill way of gathering her groove and the former could take notes.






89. Incantation (Wolf Parade): no one does feverish obsession better than Spence Krug.






90. Face (Brockhampton): the crew slows the tempo down and chastise fuck boys while propping their own fuck boy worthiness.






91. Half A Million (The Shins): one for the fans, who will surely howl in delight along every time Mercer yells that brilliant line, “I take the drugs, but the drugs won’t take”.






92. Peace Or Power (Deacon The Villain): Deacon plays hide and seek with Death, grooves with it but gets away for now.







93. Strange Or Be Forgotten (Temples): so many indie bands try this type of sunny, psych/pop and fail or, like Tame Impala, forget the formula. Temples effortlessly glide here juxtaposing trippy rhythms with sonic warmness.






94. Build You Up (Kamaiyah): sometimes you need an inspiring 90s jam. I dare you not getting your body jerking to this.






95. Sometimes You Just Drive (Michael Chapman): inspired by the winter 2015 flooding of Carlisle, the track finds Chapman praying to God to make the rain stop before it comes through his door. What a prayer!






96. October (Blackfield): emo but not quite emo, October straddles the line but somehow work while piano and guitars wafer in and out of its lyrical earnestness.






97. On + Off (Maggie Rogers): “I’m coming up slowly”, croons Rogers and she’s not joking. The track features some slinky, electronic hi/claps and sonic textures that coalesce with her vocals like the finest of breezes.






98. Fireproof (Mitski): they say music cover choices can make for strange bedfellows but Mitski takes One Direction’s bland original and gives it the wounded depth it lacked.






99. Play Money (The New Pornographers): it’s been a while since we’ve heard from the crew but here they strum along as if they never went on hiatus. Play Money pipes in at just the right cues and sonically delivers sheer bliss.






100. Don’t Leave (Snakehips & MØ): pop music is full of singers confessing that they’re less than perfect but it’s the soaring vocals of MØ that forces one to sing along—as if to confess too.

2017: Top 10 Most Overrated Albums...

For the second year in a row, grief has topped the list. Also of note, this is Swans' record fourth appearance on the list. Here goes:







1. Mount Eerie A Crow Looked At Me: sounds, literally, like death…not good. (METACRITIC RATING 9.3/10)






2. Arca Arca: I’m always at a loss why critics fall so hard for Arca but maybe it’s the Spanish eh. (METACRITIC RATING 8.7/10)






3. Brand New Science Fiction: not sure what all the fuss is about. (METACRITIC RATING 8.8/10)






4. Swans Deliquescence: repeat offender, this time with a live album. (METACRITIC RATING N/A)







5. Father John Misty Pure Comedy: depressing to sit through in a single setting. (METACRITIC RATING 8.5/10)






6. Converge The Dusk In Us: typical that the metal bands continue to get free passes. (METACRITIC RATING 9.0/10)






7. Slowdive Slowdive: a mostly instrumental, hazy affair, but nothing transcendal. (METACRITIC RATING 8.2/10)






8. Laurel Halo Dust: Moontalk works but it’s the one cohesive gem surrounded by mis-hits and ambition. (METACRITIC RATING 8.4/10)






9. The XX I See You: starts strong then mid-way it crashes into a yawn-fest. (METACRITIC RATING 8.5/10)






10. The National Sleep Well Beast: the band always sound worn but too often this gives way to dad-rock weariness. (METACRITIC RATING 8.5/10)

2017: Top 10 Most Disappointing Albums...

With a heavy heart, here's the list:








1. Bjork Utopia: it’s what every Bjork fan feared: she’s created this fantastic world and tunnelled so far ahead that she’s left us behind.






2. Shabazz Palaces Quazarz: The Jealous Machines: maybe they knew all the fascinating stuff was on the sister release but why bother with this disc then?






3. Arcade Fire Everything Now: trying to subvert their usual sound into a coat of many colours has shrunk not only their uniqueness but also the message.






4. Vince Staples Big Fish Theory: starts out fair enough and then rap laziness takes over.






5. Tyler, The Creator Flower Boy: a few genuine gems but not as consistent as his previous album.






6. Susanne Sundfor Music For People In Trouble: this really threw me because I’m still replaying her excellent Fade Away in my head like every day.






7. Chelsea Wolfe Hiss Spun: all darkness and no delicious evil fun.






8. Grizzly Bear Painted Ruins: usually dependable but peters out rather tamely.






9. Lupe Fiasco Drogas Light: feels like a huge letdown after his previous album.






10. Big Boi Boomiverse: I’m convinced he can’t make bad music no matter how hard he tries but throwing in so many different voices—that are lesser talents—and it’s a mix bag result.