Nine Circles

I know I’m far from the only person on our staff capable of writing an end-of-year Rainbows in the Dark post, but I guess I called “dibs” first? So here we are. As you may recall, I made a point to keep my 2017 metal recap strictly metal. So now that 2018’s here, we’ll take a look back at 2017-in-Non-Metal, and keep it strictly non-metal. And don’t worry, this one will be a much shorter read than the metal list. (That’s not to suggest that these aren’t as good, or are less worth of extended written rants; it’s to suggest that at this point, I’m just kinda tired of writing about music from 2017.)

One stipulation: again — despite what the title may imply — I’m not suggesting these are the Best of 2017. I can’t make that call. These are just some albums I enjoyed from outside the metal spectrum. Okay. That’s it. Let’s get started… 

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Ryan Adams — Prisoner

Not quite at the level of 2014’s self-titled effort — at times, some of the songs feel a bit retread-y — but still a great listen.

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Anathema — The Optimist

A beautiful, thoroughly engaging continuation of the concept from A Fine Day to Exit. Best Anathema album since that one? I think it might be.

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Julie Byrne — Not Even Happiness

Pretty much the perfect rainy day album. Not Even Happiness is full of lovely, wistful folk songwriting that pulls you in more and more with each listen.

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Cut Copy — Haiku From Zero

Nowhere near the acid trip that 2013’s Free Your Mind was, but still full of unbearably catchy, endlessly danceable tunes. (“Counting Down,” “Airborne,” etc.)

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Drab Majesty — The Demonstration

If Ulver was my favorite album of the year, then this thing was right behind it in the two-spot. Drab Majesty’s got a tremendous, expansive goth / shoegaze sound that you’ll want to come back to again and again. (Look no further than “Dot in the Sky” to see what I mean.)

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Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds — Who Built the Moon?

I don’t think Noel’s had this much fun making music — or given so few shits — in…ever?

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Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings — Soul of a Woman

Soul of a Woman is a final demonstration of Ms. Jones’ incredible talent, and a reminder of how devastating her death last year remains.

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Kesha — Rainbow

There’s so much more to this album than just “Praying.” Don’t get me wrong — “Praying” is pretty great, but so is just about everything else on Rainbow.

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Kendrick Lamar — DAMN.

There are so few people even approaching this dude’s level. Three knockout albums in a row from Kendrick.

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Lorde — Melodrama

Melodrama is bigger, bolder and louder than Pure Heroine, and an enormous step forward for Lorde. If you liked the first album, you need to hear this one.

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Migos — Culture

Pure trap mastery.

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Miguel — War & Leisure

This album is pure sex. Also, “Wolf” has a section of lyric that goes ‘hide your kids, hide your wife’ so now all I can think of is Antoine Dodson, and that makes me immeasurably happy.

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Phaserland — Cosmic Boundaries

I didn’t hear a better retro-/synthwave album this year. Fans of those genres, keep an eye on this Detroit project if you haven’t been already.

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Sampha — Process

“Blood on Me” alone would have earned Process a spot on this list. That there are nine others to get lost in only strengthens its case.

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Slowdive — Slowdive

There is no possible way to overstate how tremendous a return this is. Twenty-two years since Pygmalion and it’s like the band never left. Welcome back, Slowdive.

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Syd — Fin

This doesn’t quite top Syd’s most recent group outing — The Internet’s 2015 gem Ego Death, but it’s still pretty stellar.

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Ulver — The Assassination of Julius Caesar

My favorite album of the year, across all genres.

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The War on Drugs — A Deeper Understanding

Adam Granduciel’s in some kind of groove. His last two albums now have been stone cold classics. Another hour of dreamy, airy, get-lost-in rock.

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Steven Wilson — To The Bone

Take his existing prog template, add in a little embrace of his pop sensibilities, and voilà! Steven Wilson gives us his best solo record to date.

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The xx — I See You

Giving producer Jamie more of a voice — okay, “letting him use samples” — was just what the former Mercury Prize winners needed. On I See You, the xx sound like a band rejuvenated, but never once lose their dreamy side.

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That’ll do us! In general, 2017 wasn’t quite as bad for music as it was for literally-everything-else-on-Earth. Here’s hoping 2018’s a better one!

Keep it (maybe-occasionally-NOT) heavy,
Dan