If you’re still with me, ARE YOU?:) here’s my take on some of the Esquire‘s top 10 albums of 2017 (courtesy of critic Ben Ratliffe). I did this last year, too, in an attempt to stay hip.
But first R.I.P. to Cranberries singer Dolores O’Riordan. I hadn’t taken much notice of them back in the day, but then my summer after college sweetheart put her song “Linger” on a post break up cd (or was it still a cassette?) and I became a fan. Today on WSLR 96.5 Sarasota), Mr. Boombastic (the d.j.) played three songs of her ethereal voice. I appreciated hearing these. Speaking of the s.a.c.s., always have a fantasy I’ll see him in Atlanta airport (Monday will be there around 1130-noon, Delta), but actually he may be in D.C. at this point.
But back to Esquire’s Top 10, Jlin ‘Black Oragami’ and Kendrick Lamar are two of the stronger worth a mention. Tyler the Creator was eqaully skilled in the r&b category, especially the song “Boredom” featuring Rex Orange County and Anna of the North.
Jlin is a techno genre and of course you know K.L. and Tyler the Creator are r&b.
I enjoyed Ryuichi Sakamato for ambient massage type music.
The only two of the 10 that I almost had to shut down the preview of were Protomartyr (holy heavy metal flashback, yuck) and Jay Som.
The best of the ten was another r&b bass player, Thundercat. Such a fun surprise because two of my favorite singers of all-time! (Loggins and McDonald) were on a track “Show You the Way”. And songs like “Lava Lamp” were so peaceful, yet original and complex.
