Top 10 albums of 2017

Chastity Belt - I Used to Spend So Much Time Alone

Listening to this album felt a bit like reading my own diary. I heard echoes of my own self-doubt in "Stuck"; I reflected on the pressure of being in my early 20s while listening to "Different Now." But more than a diary, this album has been a balm for me. It's been a reminder that even though growing up and taking on responsibility can be scary, no one ever really has it all figured out. The chorus from the song "5am" has been my mantra for the past couple months: "What makes you bitter makes you old."

Kamasi Washington - Harmony of Difference

Tender, vulnerable, reflective. I listened to this album with the words of Audre Lorde ringing in the back of my head: "It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences."

Willow - The 1st

I've been a fan of Willow Smith's music since the release of her first album, ARDIPITHECUS, but this one just gave me another reason to adore her. This album is the most texturally and instrumentally diverse I've heard from Willow. It glides seamlessly from electric guitar, to a full string section, to solo piano. Even though she's still only 17, this album seems much more grown-up than her first release, as she explores teenage crushes, draining relationships, and the meaning of human existence. She is as smart and insightful as ever on these tracks, unapologetically carving out her own voice.

St. Vincent - MASSEDUCTION

This album hits hard. Even just looking at St. Vincent's Twitter feed, it's easy to tell that Annie Clark isn't afraid of being in the public eye.

King Krule - The OOZ

The first word that comes to mind when I think of this album is spooky (although maybe this judgment is biased by the fact that King Krule played at the Fine Line this Halloween). Whispered vocals creep up from behind you, group chants and pounding drums ring in your ears. It's an emotional ride from beginning to end, teetering between comfort and insanity.

Sylvan Esso - What Now

This album is enchantingly tactile. Listening to it feels a bit like watching a 3D movie — like you could just reach out and pluck one of the synth lines out of the air or see the bass making waves in the ground.

Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah - Ruler Rebel

Ruler Rebel is the first release in the Centennial Trilogy, a collection of three albums that celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first jazz record ever recorded. However, instead of just looking to the past with this album, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah continues to push musical boundaries by fusing house beats with jazz trumpet and electronic manipulation. While the album celebrates jazz's past, it unquestionably situates itself in the present.

Alvvays - Antisocialites

Alvvays made us wait three years for the follow-up to their debut album, but Antisocialites was well-worth the wait. Antisocialites retains the softness and dreaminess of their first album with songs like "Dreams Tonite" and "In Undertow," but packs a punch in its heavy guitar riffs and confident lyrics.

HAIM - Something to Tell You

With this album, the Haim sisters deliver another knockout. Its songs are sprinkled with twinkling synth lines, their signature vocal harmonies, and pounding, Phil-Collins-esque drums. The album shines because of its pacing; each song ebbs and flows, building to a climax and then bringing you down gently, giving you time to take it all in.

Sidewalk Chalk - An Orchid Is Born

I decided to see Sidewalk Chalk this summer on a whim when they came to the Cedar, and I'm so glad I made it to that show. Soon after leaving the concert, this album was on repeat as I walked to class, as I rode the bus, and made dinner. This album is a thoughtful soundtrack to 2017. It responds to police violence against black youth, preaches empathy and understanding, and provides hope. It shows that even in tumultuous environments, there is still space to grow and to bloom.

Top 10 local songs of 2017

Lizzo - "Truth Hurts"

Nooky Jones - "Hello"

Hippo Campus - "Way It Goes"

Cory Wong ft. Antwaun Stanley and Rebekah Bartels - "Pleasin'"

Thomas Abban - "Echo"

Humbird - "August"

The Scouting Report - "Undecided"

Dessa - "Good Grief"

PHO - "Sour Town"

Mayyadda - "BlackGirlMagic"

The Current Hosts' and Staffers' Top 89 of 2017

Brett Baldwin • Bill DeVille • Jay Gabler • Jade • Cecilia Johnson • Lindsay Kimball • Mary Lucia • Jim McGuinn • Sean McPherson • Shelley Miller • Mike Novitzki • Brian Oake • Anna Reed • Jill Riley • Nate Ryan • Derrick Stevens • Andrea Swensson • Luke Taylor • Mark Wheat • Mac Wilson • Jesse Wiza