2017 was an absolute fucking mess, but out of that mess came some of the most beautiful, heartfelt and raw albums I’ve ever heard. Rather than listing all the albums I enjoyed this year, I wanted to highlight those in particular that touched me, and that I found myself clinging to in my most vulnerable and emotional states.
Lorde – Meledrama
It took me a while to warm up to this one. I enjoyed Lorde’s debut album, but didn’t completely fall in love with it as a whole body of work, more, I had a few favourite songs here and there. This one, after about my 3rd or so listen, I fell completely for. Something just clicked in me and I felt such a strong connection to every Song. It’s an amazing alternative-pop album that explores feelings of hopelessness, loneliness and heartbreak in the most interesting and beautiful way. I’ve heard a few people argue that it feels like she was maybe held back a little from being ‘too experimental’, which I would have loved to hear, but I think it still breaks pop boundaries and offers some incredible moments. My personal favourite being in ‘The Lourve’, where the instruments, her voice, the sounds morph and flow and beat to literally sound like a ‘megaphone to (her) chest’. We’re dancing to a musical interpretation of the (then) state of Lorde’s heart.
I’m sure there’s people that are sick of hearing everyone, myself included, rave about this album, but I promise you it isn’t a result of it being over-hyped. It’s genuinely a really well crafted pop album, and I can only hope it ages well and continues to offer a connection and comfort to people going through periods of hopelessness, loneliness and heartbreak.
London Grammar – Truth Is A Beautiful Thing
When ‘Rooting For You’ came out, I didn’t find myself immediately clinging to new material London Grammar were releasing like I had with their first album. ‘If You Wait’ was such an important, personal work of art to me. Each song had some kind of significance in my teenage years, so the follow up, to me, would have to be just as groundbreaking, if not more, and something I could connect with. ‘Oh Woman, Oh Man’ came out, and I was still waiting for at least one song that truly spoke to me, and while I enjoyed the tune (it actually ended up being one of my favourites down the line), I was a little disappointed that I wasn’t emotionally attached to it. Then, when on a whim I shuffled the album, ‘Everyone Else’ came on.
From there my heart sang. I was so moved by this one song that I kept listening, and ‘Bones of Ribbon’ came on, and I cried, then ‘Non Believer’ and I finally caved and got the album. ‘If You Wait’ reflected my lost, anxious, heartbroken teenage years. ‘Truth Is A Beautiful Thing’ has been such an incredibly beautiful album I connect with the strange transition to ‘adulthood’, as well as anxiety and heartbreak and all the emotions in the first album. While the band didn’t have an insane sound change, this album builds on their last and is just as amazing. It’s definitely more polished, slightly more ‘dance-y’, but still raw, emotional and vulnerable. I hope this is a record I keep coming back to in the future.
Tei Shi – Crawl Space
I was so excited for this album, being a fan of Tei Shi’s since ‘Basiccally’ came out. Both of her first EP’s I adored; she had this very simplistic, minimal style where she let her vocals do most of the work . ‘Crawl Space’, however, allowed Tei Shi to expand and create more refined, pop album with a variety of textures. I’ve made an entire post about her, so I’ll keep this fairly short.
‘Crawl Space’ doesn’t have the same kind of hopeless, lost vibe of ‘Melodrama’, but I think if you enjoyed Lorde’s album, you’ll definitely have a soft spot for this one too. It explores heartbreak, growing up, and self discovery. It’s hard for me to pick out favourites, because I adore the entire album, but I especially have a soft spot for ‘Keep Running’, ‘Say You Do’ and ‘Sleepy’.
Daughter – Music From Before the Storm
I really wasn’t expecting a new ‘Daughter’ album this year, after ‘Not To Disappear’ came out just last year, but with ‘Music From Before the Storm’, I’m yet to be disappointed by them. While it is a soundtrack to a video game, it’s still a really amazing, whole, cohesive stand alone piece. You don’t necessarily need to have the game as reference, the songs are still relatable, though most lack lyrics.
I haven’t played the original ‘Life Is Strange’ game, but I have been watching live streams of ‘Before The Storm’ and a part of me wish I hadn’t spoiled the story, that I had’ve experienced it first hand. It’s such a beautiful, heartbreaking and angsty story about a young teenage girl, Chloe, coming to terms with her father’s death, rebelling against everyone like her mother, her mum’s new (asshole) boyfriend and her teachers, and finding a new connection, a new love in a girl called Rachel.
Daughter nailed the soundtrack, composing beautiful songs that are both whole as stand alone tracks, and compliment the emotions and story of the video game. There’s heart wrenching, angsty, loud, crashing songs, depicting Chloe’s rebellious nature and downward spirals, and playful, uplifting tracks that show the lighter side of Chloe, as she dances and smiles with Rachel.
My absolute favourite song is probably the most ‘inspirational’, I mean, it’s literally called ‘Hope’. It builds with steady guitar and a drum beat, with strings and soft vocals singing in the background before Elena gently states, ‘and once again you’ll be reborn’ and the song comes to a climax, all the instruments crashing and flowing and merging in the most beautiful way. I’ve cried a few times listening to this one. I’ve cried a few times listening to this soundtrack.
