The Best Albums of 2017

On to day 2 of my best of 2017 lists. Today we will focus on my top 5 albums of the year. My list has many different genres, but the main theme is rap/hip hop. It was a decent year for music, not as good as movies, but still pretty good. For example, Beck's new album is not on my list, Khalid's "Teenage Dream" was close, but not quite there, I love Big K.R.I.T., but his new record didn't make my list. I did not have as much trouble pairing my list down, but it still took awhile. Anyway, here we go.

At number 5 I have "Humanz" by the Gorillaz. First off, I was shocked that other publications left this record off their best of lists. "Humanz" was a long time coming, and I thought it was totally worth the wait. Damon Albarn has created something truly special with the Gorillaz. There will never be another band like this. Anyone that tries to do what he did will be called imitators. Albarn was way ahead of the curve as far as creativeness comes. With "Humanz", he took those creative juices and let them flow. It was like there was never a break from their last record. The record is so good and it flows perfectly. The guest list is second to none. You have people ranging from Vince Staples to Grace Jones to Danny Brown, and of course, De La Soul. The Gorillaz have taken on this EDM/rock/rap genre to a whole new level, and "Humanz" is a prime example of that. From start to finish this record is awesome. I love "Charger" featuring Grace Jones and their collaboration with Danny Brown, but the best song is "Moments", featuring De La Soul. That is the perfect Gorillaz song. "Humanz" is a delight.

At number 4, speaking of Vince Stales, I have his newest record, "Big Fish Theory". I was hesitant at first with this record. I was lukewarm on his early stuff, but after hearing him on "Humanz", I decided to give "Big Fish Theory" a shot. Boy am I glad I did. Staples is doing something unique as well. He blends electronic beats with politically conscious lyrics, all the while making it fun. Staples rapping is awesome on this record. He truly knocks his vocals out of the park. He seamlessly moves from party music to straight forward rap to conscious rap. With this record I feel like he has started to hit his stride. He has found his niche as a rapper. "Big Fish Theory" is fun, but also a much needed album in our current political climate. If he continues on this path, I do not see why he won't be as big as Chance the Rapper in the next year or two.

At number 3, going completely away from rap and electronic and cartoon bands, I have the return of LCD Soundsystem with their new record, "American Dream". As you all know by now I am a big, big fan of this group. I love how they blend pop, punk, funk, electronic and rock all into one. I love how they can do a slower song, then follow it up with a 3 minute punk song, then blend electronic with rock and play a 7 minute epic tune. James Murphy is one of a kind. While he may come off a bit pretentious, the dude can sing and write music. "American Dream" has all of this and so much more. From start to finish this album is a homerun. They are the modern day Talking Heads. In fact, thee first time I listened to this record, I was with my father and he asked if it was the Talking Heads. LCD Soundsystem has that same sound, just modernized. This record, another one that we all had to wait for, was totally worth it. You could tell they spent a ton of time in the studio trying to perfect the record. I believe they achieved that goal. "American Dream" also has some great songs about how rough our country is nowadays. We need more and more artists to address the current problems in our country. LCD Soundsysten does that on this record. "American Dream" is awesome and worth the wait. It is nice to have them back.

At number 2, and I had a very rough time with which one of these 2 albums I was going to put at 1, I chose Kendrick Lamar's "DAMN". "DAMN" is amazing. It is basically 1B compared to the record I will talk about next. Kendrick Lamar is the best solo rapper out there right now, and "DAMN" more than proves this. On his other records he can be more of a poet, channeling his inner Tupac, and a bit more obtuse, which I like, but on "DAMN", he makes a straight forward rap album, but with how exceptional he is, he makes it so much better than anything Drake or anyone else of that ilk, can do. This record bumps from start to finish. "DNA" has to be the song of the year. The beat and the intro to that song are amazing. He then tackles so many different themes throughout the 11 songs on the record. He calls out Fox News, Geraldo Rivera and the "president" all within 1 song. The track featuring U2, a band that I do not like at all, is awesome. If you can make me like U2, that is an accomplishment in and of itself. Even a song like "Humble", the chart topping hit from this record, is the bomb. Usually chart toppers get stale after a few listens,  but not "Humble". Kendrick Lamar continues to amaze me, and I cannot wait to hear his next record. Until then, I have "DAMN" to listen to.

And finally for my number one. There is no record better in 2017 than Lorde's "Melodrama". What a piece of art this record is. Lorde shines so bright on this album. She bounces from many different genres, sometime in the same song, so effortlessly. She is one of the best pop singers on the planet, but she can also do ballads as good as Adele, and she is light years ahead of someone like Taylor Swift when it comes to straight forward pop music. From the opener, "Green Light" to songs like "Writer in the Dark" and "Homemade Dynamite" and "Liability", she takes on many different genres. I know she is well known, but I am shocked that she isn't on the same level as some other pop stars. I don't hear her songs on the radio as much as Taylor Swift or Ed Sheerhan or anyone else who doesn't have 1/10 her talent. Lorde rules. I am so psyched that I get to see her live in March. It is also pretty dope that Run the Jewels is opening for her. "Melodrama" is a masterpiece. Lorde achieved legendary status on this record to me. If she never makes another album, I will be happy with what we got from her. I hope she makes more music, I'm sure she will, but she totally crushed it on "Melodrama". It is the best record of the year. I have no doubt about that now.

That is it for my top 5 records of the year. Come back tomorrow for my top 5 TV shows of the year.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He was struggling about what to do with Taylor Swift's new record. He has never heard it, never will hear it, but thought she deserved a mention. There, we mentioned her.

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Ty Listens to "Humanz"

The Gorillaz finally released their newest record last Friday, April 28th. This has been a much anticipated album by many, myself included, and it does not disappoint. It feels so good to hear Damon Albarn's voice again hidden behind his cartoon counterparts.

I've been on the Gorillaz bandwagon since they released their first record back in 2001. I've always bought their new records the day they came out, and "Humanz" was no different. I woke up on Friday, got myself prepared for the day, and when I had a moment to sit down, I got on iTunes and bought and downloaded the record immediately. I then listened to it immediately. I waited until today to review it because I wanted an entire weekend to let myself really get a thorough listen. The wait seemed like forever, so I needed at least three days to really access my feelings on this record. I needed the time to really let the new music sink in.

I loved, as I have already said that the record does not disappoint, what I heard. It is classic Gorillaz music. It is very synth-y, with elements of hip hop, pop, rock and roll, electronic and, to round it all out, some great R&B. I'm not a big fan of interludes on albums, but for "Humanz", the interludes feel needed. This is as close to a concept album, a title given to records that I have stated on this site that I loathe, as it gets nowadays. The interludes are your segues from song to song. They're perfect.

Then, the songs are just tremendous. First off, their is a guest on every song on this record, but that is what the Gorillaz do. They're notorious for their guest lists on all of their records. It is needed since this is a band created by Albarn and a friend of his, so he needs the help from other artists. The names that pepper this record are phenomenal. We get people like Mavis Staples, Grace Jones, Popcaan, Vince Staples, De La Soul, Danny Brown, Anthony Hamilton and Pusha T, to name a few. That is quite the guest list if you ask me. Then, to hear them with the Gorillaz, it was icing on the cake.

The first track of the record, "Ascension" features Vince Staples, and it is a great rap song. It is 99 percent Vince Staples vocals, with the Gorillaz doing the instruments, and it works tremendously. Staples is a great, young rapper, and he is on fire right now. This was a great way to start off the record. The song is bouncy, fun and very dance worthy. Staples is great, as are the Gorillaz. Then, 2 songs later, we get the song "Saturnz Barz" featuring Popcaan. I hadn't heard much from Popcaan, but this song is a great, almost disco type pop/electronic song. Again, it is very dance worthy and this song makes me want to go out and find some more Popcaan to listen to. The very next song, "Momentz" features one of Gorillaz main collaborators, De La Soul, and it is just as great as "Feel Good Inc", or "Superfast Jellyfish". De La Soul and Damon Albarn clearly have a great partnership, and any time Gorillaz releases a record, I want to first hear the song that will feature them. "Momentz" is awesome. It is a wonderful rap song, and it is great for working out. I expected greatness from both De La Soul and Gorillaz, and they, of course, delivered. When I did not think it could get much better, we get "Submission". This song features Keela, and one of my new favorite rappers, even though he's been around forever, I just recently discovered him, Danny Brown. This song is incredible, and it all comes to a glorious end with Danny Brown rapping for 90 seconds straight. Keela and the Gorillaz carry the song, and then Danny Brown comes in and finishes it off with an absolute bang. This was, after one listen, my favorite song.

But, as I dug deeper and listened more and more, I think my favorite track is "Let Me Out". This song has Pusha T just crushing it as the emcee, great vocals from the Gorillaz, and then we get the great Mavis Staples singing the chorus, as well as adding her own verses. This is the perfect Gorillaz song. It blends all their styles into one 4 minute masterpiece. This song is flat out stupendous. To get someone like Mavis Staples is a feat in and of itself, and her singing on this song is a true delight.

The rest of the record I really enjoy as well. I love the hard rocking "Charger" featuring Grace Jones. I enjoy the very odd "Sex Murder Party". "Hallelujah Money" featuring Benjamin Clementine is so sad and depressing, but it is a great song. And the final track, for those of you that did not buy the deluxe edition, "We've Got the Power" featuring Jhenny Beth is a great ending. 

"Humanz" is like a great meal. It starts out wonderful, you digest the first half, you want more, the middle of the record is great, and then the dessert that is the last 1/3 of the record that kind of slows down a bit and lets you stew in the great music. I am a fan of Gorillaz, and in my mind, they can do no wrong. The 6 year wait seemed like 60, but the work they did, and the people they got to be on this record, was worth the wait. "Humanz" is a great record, and it makes me that much more excited to see them in September in Kansas City. The Gorillaz are great, and "Humanz" is too. I highly recommend this record.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. With the Gorillaz having released new music, how long before Timmy and the Lords of the Underworld get back in the game.

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