Listening Habits: Summer 2017

The time has finally come for our much needed summer break, but before we take our leave, let's have another listen to some of the best new albums and re-releases of the last couple of months:

At the top of our list of recommended albums for the period May - July 2017 we have the sophomore LP by Algiers, "The Underside of Power", a powerful protest statement for these dark times that manages to make its point without losing its tunefulness. The Atlanta - London - NYC four-piece rages against the powers that be with the fury of punk, adds uplifting melodies from soul and gospel, shakes the walls with hip hop beats and channels the spirit of the blues to produce one of the strongest collections of songs we've listened to this year.

Among the best albums of this season you'll also find the latest outstanding releases by several of our 80's - '90s indie rock icons who are here once again to show you how it's done, including Thurston Moore's "Rock N Roll Consciousness", one of his strongest solo efforts, Mark Lanegan's "Gargoyle" and "In Spades", the eighth album by The Afghan Whigs. '90s cult shoegazers Slowdive are also here with their first album in 22 years and so is Boss Hog, the blues-punk outfit featuring Christina Martinez and Jon Spencer, with "Brood X", another couple of additions to the long list of this year's excellent comebacks.

Add to the above the rightly acclaimed "DAMN." by Kendrick Lamar, great records by The New Pornographers and The Black Angels, as well as promising releases by up-and-coming new acts Priests, Cherry Glazerr and Girlpool, and our Summer 2017 playlist is shaping up pretty nicely:

Top 15 Albums

1.   The Underside Of Power - ALGIERS
2.   Rock N Roll Consciousness - THURSTON MOORE
3.   Gargoyle - MARK LANEGAN
4.   In Spades - THE AFGHAN WHIGS
5.   Whiteout Conditions - THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS
6.   Death Song - THE BLACK ANGELS
7.   Slowdive - SLOWDIVE
8.   Damn. - KENDRICK LAMAR
9.   Brood X - BOSS HOG
10. Nothing Feels Natural - PRIESTS
11. Apocalipstick - CHERRY GLAZERR
12. Powerplant - GIRLPOOL
13. Occult Architecture Vol. 2 - MOON DUO
14. OK Computer / OKNOTOK 1997 2017 - RADIOHEAD
15. The Great Annihilator / Drainland - SWANS 

Top 15 Tracks 

 

1.   The Underside Of Power - ALGIERS
2.   Aphrodite - THURSTON MOORE
3.   Death’s Head Tattoo - MARK LANEGAN
4.   Demon in Profile - THE AFGHAN WHIGS
5.   DNA. - KENDRICK LAMAR
6.   High Ticket Attractions  - THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS
7.   Hunt Me Down - THE BLACK ANGELS
8.   Sugar for the Pill - SLOWDIVE
9.   Formula X - BOSS HOG
10. Pink White House - PRIESTS
11. Told You I’d Be with the Guys - CHERRY GLAZERR
12. It Gets More Blue - GIRLPOOL
13. Sevens - MOON DUO
14. Celebrity Lifestyle - SWANS
15. Lift - RADIOHEAD

Algiers - Cleveland