Lifelines in 2017
I don’t have anything new to say about 2017. If you are reading this page, you probably care deeply about music and community. This is not a list of the “best” music of 2017–I don’t think any of the artists on this list think about music in those terms. It’s not a list of music I think you’ve missed or overlooked–but if you find something new here, I’m happy for that. It is a collection of music that kept me moving forward in 2017 and music I feel deeply grateful to have heard again and again. With much gratitude to the artists and everyone behind the scenes of these albums, here is work that made a difference to me this year.
Hiss Golden Messenger, Hallelujah Anyhow. “I’ve never been afraid of the darkness / It’s just a different kind of light…” This album gave me lots of hope.
Adia Victoria: Baby Blues. An EP dedicated to the memory of Those Darlins singer Jessi Zazu, these are not covers, they are true re-interpretations. I spun these three songs for a month straight. (Here is our interview about the record.)
Becca Mancari, Good Woman. This album is beautiful and open. The lyrics are spare and Mancari draws on so many genres and styles here that I cannot wait to hear what she does next. (We got to talk about the record a few months back.)
The Ghost of Paul Revere, Monarch. It’s always satisfying when you see a band take a leap forward, and that’s what these gents from Maine have done with their latest album. (Griffin Sherry chatted with us while out at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass this year; The Ghosts are playing Brighton Music Hall on 12/29.)
Max García Conover, Motorhome. It’s the attention to detail in these songs that gets me every time, those telling specifics that set you down in a place and keep you there.
Hurray for The Riff Raff, The Navigator. Alynda Segarra is making some of the most important music in America today. This album has been on many year-end lists, deservedly so, and will be a marker for many years to come.
Ryan Montbleau, I Was Just Leaving. Vulnerable and open, stripped down and simple, this is a truly beautiful record that also really moves.
Super Doppler, Moonlight Anthems. This band can flat out play and this album helped keep a feeling of summer around as the days got darker and colder. (We chatted with guitarist Michael Adkins when they played at Great Scott.)
Chastity Brown, Silhouette of Sirens. There is just so much emotion in these songs. Brown’s voice is one of a kind and the album is beautifully restrained. (She is playing Brighton Music Hall on January 19.)
Ben Cosgrove, Salt. Cosgrove is a mesmerizing piano player and his compositions in response to landscape make you look at the world more attentively. (We talked with Ben about Salt and tried to keep up with him.)
Joel Thetford, The Outer Bank. Rooted in Texas songwriting, Thetford can tell a story; when he and Clara Junken sing together, it’s pretty damn special. (We got to talk with Joel when the EP was released.)
Valerie June, The Order of Time. June says that she “receives” songs, and that is evident on this album, full of songs that helped me listen more closely. (Valerie took time to chat with us about the album before it was released.)
Finally, here is a TEDx talk that was just published, from Maine-based musicians Kafari and Jake Hoffman. It’s called: “Bones and the Banjo: Confronting Cultural Appropriation.” This talk and performance is everything I want music and its community to be: honest, challenging, joyful, and open. Thanks to Kafari and Jake for this beautiful work.