ILM's Top 77 Albums of 2017

https://i.imgur.com/oN1ZHZh.jpg

57(tie) MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA " A Black Mile to the Surface" (228 points, 8 votes)
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Wow, I didn't know there was a new Sakomoto last year!

oh, a record i voted for!

Ryuichi Sakamoto didn't make my ballot but super props to ILM for voting it into the 77

manchester orchestra placing brings brand new’s science fiction, which makes me sad for all sorts of reasons

https://i.imgur.com/V3ybTnF.jpg

56 DUA LIPA "Dua Lipa" (228 points, 10 votes)
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Genesis and a few other tracks on this were good but didn't really understand the love it got

"Be The One" towers over the rest of the LP. She has an unusual voice though, which helps her stands out from the crowd.

I thought this would be a lot higher. Packed with great songs, yous two haven't even mentioned the best ones

packed with great songs is right. i'm particularly in love with "begging" rn

Sakamoto the second of mine to show, wasn't actually expecting it to make it in!

Is async a good entry point to Sakamoto or is there someplace else I should start?

https://i.imgur.com/sa6XcBD.jpg

55 KING KRULE "The OOZ" (231 points, 7 votes, 1 first place vote)
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i'll use my one 'too low' on this

Really surprised Dua Lipa isn't higher. After initially dismissing the album back in June I went back to it towards the end of the year and found myself listening to it at least once a day for a while. She has a great voice and although she tackles lots of different styles, the whole album hangs together so well. Along with the two songs that placed in the tracks poll, Be The One, Begging, Genesis and Thinking 'Bout You are my favourites. There's some good bonus tracks on there too. She deserves the success she's getting.

there were some good moments on this but I'm still not really sure what to make of it as a whole, the woozy atmosphere all blends together after a while. Dum Surfer is great though, probably just need to spend more time with it

this album is about four years long and has maybe a good track or two. guess I'll show some Lewisham solidarity and say he has promise

If it's Lewisham solidarity you're after fuck the tedious King Krule record and listen to this instead.

i actually hate this record

His vocals are my main problem with this album.

Yay, Manchester Orchestra! Great album.

I don't get King Krule, though the video for Dum Surfer is creepy.

Lol Matt that's great. His Lewisham shirt! <3

I can't get into KK at all

knew Manchester Orchestra would make it, voted for it, fantastic album, their best yet (by far) that I've heard.

I love The OOZ, got a real Rain Dogs underbelly of society vibe. And maybe it's a little long, but, you know, it's a vibe.

would've voted for manchester arkestra had i voted. despite reading about music all day, MO were one of those bands that were wildly popular that i had never even heard of. really great rock record, kinda reminds me of 'bombast rock' like imagine dragons or something actually done well

now that i think about it, this might've been a #1 contender

it's too spacious, lush, and dynamic to be comparable to someone like ID imo. it's mixed like a Steven Wilson record or something.

I'm guessing that Manchester Orchestra album is equal parts Radiohead and Dragonforce?

Sure, in that it sounds nothing like either of them.

the lead singer of MO's voice reminds me of the guy from Fleet Foxes

it's too spacious, lush, and dynamic to be comparable to someone like ID imo

i'm thinking specific of that last song, with its incredible pounding buildup. reminds me of bands that have a tomtom for the singer to play. but yeah it's really just tangential

async is a beautiful record and was high on my list. I think it is a great entry point into the music of Ryuchi Sakamoto. The washes of ambient background sounds and heavy treatment of traditional instruments give it a really lovely beamed from outer space quality

xp the Visible Cloaks album is abstract and hard to get a handle on but is also rewarding I think. Not sure about the comparison to OPN's music, it seems much lighter to me, although I guess its use of brittle electronic tones is in some ways similar. I think the comment about it being "music for breatharians" describes it perfectly

MO album wasnt for me. I just dont like emo rock

also i managed to catch MO on tour and they played every single song i hoped they would. it was amazing

I'm guessing that Manchester Orchestra album is equal parts Radiohead and Dragonforce?

― Matt DC, Tuesday, January 30, 2018 8:35 AM (five minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

lmao i would listen to this theoretical band but no

i kinda get the "emo" label for MO but i kinda don't. to me, emo generally has strong lineage to punk styles. but MO seems to come more from "modern rock" than punk

King Krule in the studio pic.twitter.com/vsLVpBw7CB

— Bryan Tiller (@cuIerito) January 7, 2018

lmao

MO album is definitely not what you would normally think of when you say "Emo." They have a lot of similarities to Brand New, but they have spacious soundscapes straight outta mid-00's indie. Echoes of things like Brightblack or Shearwater.

Moon and Antarctica era MM definitely came to mind for me.

I was thinking Shearwater the whole time, but that could just be a cover connection

https://is2-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Music117/v4/3d/b0/fb/3db0fb7f-35b2-be9a-ea4b-d1fbbf449c04/UMG_cvrart_00888072031364_01_RGB72_1800x1800_17CRGIM03389.jpg/268x0w.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3d/Shearwater_rook.jpg/220px-Shearwater_rook.jpg

for those willing to give MO a chance, listen to the 3 song stretch the alien, the sunshine, and the grocery

https://i.imgur.com/pwitiuq.jpg

54 WEDNESDAY CAMPANELLA "SUPERMAN" (234 points, 7 votes, 2 first place votes)
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I've never even heard of this!

i've never heard of this but the first twenty seconds have been magnificent

2 #1s!

found this in the noms or 'pls vote' thread and loved it
thought i voted for it but apparently not!

Maybe Dua Lipa would have gotten a higher slot if I voted this year.

holy shit yes

Dunno if I need a whole album of this Wednesday Campanella stuff, but it's perfect for a quick mood booster.