Top 5 Miscellaneous songs of 2017

Top 5 Miscellaneous songs of 2017

5. Lo Tom - Another Mistake

Another Mistake by Lo Tom

[Barsuk Records, 2017]

David Bazan from Pedro the Lion + members of Pedro the Lion, Starflyer 59, Velour 100 and His Name Is Alive (and countless other bands of that scene) made a surprisingly low-key supergroup album. I wish I could have seen one of the handful of shows Lo Tom played. Instead, I have this song with its BRILLIANT ending.

(buy at Barsuk Records)



4. The Builders and the Butchers - Never Tell

Never Tell by The Builders and the Butchers

[Badman Recording Co, 2017]

I had a conversation with a friend about the new Builders and the Butchers album. He said he liked it fine, but it was a lot like the other Builders and the Butchers records. I said "yeah, they kinda only have one song." He replied, "No, they have TWO songs-- one about fire, and one about rain." Well, that's kinda true, but they're so fun to listen to (and watch live). This one is about fire, and it may be my favorite Builders song. It's certainly representative of their body of work.

(buy this record at Badman Recordings)


3. His Name Shall Breathe - The Kick to Come

 

The Kick to Come by His Name Shall Breathe
[self-released, 2017]

Tim Martin is a master of songcraft. This song has all the punk rock brotherhood and world-weary suffering that you would expect from him. An instant classic.

(buy the 3-song EP on Bandcamp).


2. Radiohead - Lift

  Lift by Radiohead
[Recorded 1996ish. Released by XL Recordings, 2017]

This year marks 20 years of Radiohead's landmark 1997 album OK Computer. As a gift to fans, an expanded edition was released with lots of B-Sides and 4 extra completely unreleased tracks from the sessions. Word on the street is that these songs were too good, and Radiohead wanted them for a future album. They've circulated as live recordings and snippets for years now, but the studio versions have been heretofore missing in fan circles. With every new album (all the way through A Moon Shaped Pool), the rumors circulated as to whether "Lift" would be on the new album. Radiohead teased its release for years, sporadically playing the song live. Well, here we have it. Better late than never, right?

Looks like this is going out of print (or there already), but Amazon still has copies .


1. Mac MacCaughan - Happy New Year (Prince Can't Die Again)

Happy New Year (Prince Can't Die Again)
[leaked 12/26/16, album released January 2017]

This one grew on me all year--partly because it was so prophetic about what the next year would bring. Released on a politically-themed compilation album put out by Quasi in the run-up to the inaguration, and backed by Sam and Janet, this is appropriately vitriolic, pessimistic, hopeful, and cathartic. Just what we need in the era of Alternative Facts. Certainly not a timeless song, but we'll be able to listen to this in 10 years and remember exactly what it was like to be alive in 2017. Assuming the human race is still here 10 years from now.

(Download for pay-what-you-want with an all-star cast compilation from Thee Quasi.)