The Year So Far: 2017's Top 5 Albums
A happy group of Fleet Foxes
If the first half of 2017 In Pop Culture has been most notable for its unusually high number of quality movies, which it has, the high amount of quality music can't be far behind. Indeed, this year has been a dream for cinephiles and tuneheads alike. For me, the exciting releases haven't just been limited to the full-length albums, either. Shout out to Coldplay, The Killers, and Young The Giant for releasing some unexpected singles/B-sides in the last couple months. That being said, here are my midyear mini-power rankings of the albums of 2017 (and keep in mind, there's plenty of great already-released tunes I have yet to come around to):
5. I See You, The Xx
The xx is back for the first time in 5 years, and true to form, I See You is a dark whisper-funk of an album. As always, the British indie pop group's chemistry and emotion is palpable and gentle. What sets this work ahead of prior releases is their ability to be more expansive and creative without sacrificing their signature sound.
4. Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1, Calvin Harris and various artists
This album turned me into a Calvin Harris fan; I never had much love or appreciation for the Scottish DJ's prior work, which mostly consisted of catchy but tiresome radio hits. The set of releases from Funk Wav, however, are contemporary radio at its finest. Groovy, multifaceted, addicting, and just plain good. There's not much lyrical content to write home about on this album, but if all you're looking for is an easy listen from start to finish, Funk Wav (which features spots from Ariana Grande, Frank Ocean, Katy Perry, Migos, John Legend and more) has no weak spots.
3. Melodrama, Lorde
For breaking her radio silence after 4 years, Lorde's 2nd album release seemed surprisingly muted. Perhaps that's fitting, though. Her sophomore effort is notably more withdrawn and introspective than her smash success of a debut album. While Melodrama may lack the radio-ready hits of Pure Heroine, it shows a deeper, more anguished, more self-aware, and frankly, more mature side of the artist. Lorde is here to stay.
2. Crack-Up, Fleet Foxes
I'll admit, I initially felt a little letdown by Crack-Up. It wasn't that I didn't think it was that great. Rather, it was that after a nearly 6-year hiatus, I think I was hoping for something earthshaking. Upon a 2nd and 3rd listen to the album, however, I remembered that Fleet Foxes were never the band to shake the earth. They're just a group of incredibly talented musicians with a delightful ear for harmony. Crack-Up arguably provides more complexity and lyrical profundity than any prior work, and it is a good indicator that the band can well survive a long break and the loss of one of their key members to a surprisingly successful solo career.
1. DAMN., Kendrick Lamar
