Every year we ask our talented contributors to send us their thoughts on the past twelve months. These surveys appear untouched, and the only instruction was to answer the question however they see fit. –Dakota Arsenault, Music Editor
How long have you been with LiL and what do you do?
6.5 years of relaying the plight of the old at concerts.
What was the most underrated album of 2017?
The Horrors, V
What was your favourite Canadian album of 2017?
Feist, Pleasure
What were your three favourite songs of 2017?
- Slowdive, “Star Roving”
- Lorde, “Green Light”
- Ryan Adams, “Shiver and Shake”
How many concerts did you go to in 2017?
52
What were your favourite concerts of the year?
1. Kendrick Lamar/Travis Scott/D.R.A.M. @ Air Canada Centre, July 25
- Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds @ Massey Hall, May 31
- PJ Harvey @ Massey Hall, April 13
- The xx/Kelela @ Echo Beach, May 22
- Jain @ Osheaga Festival (Montreal), August 5
What festival had the best lineup?
Primavera Sound, Barcelona
What was the biggest musical disappointment?
LCD Soundsystem, American Dream
Who did you see live for the first time that really impressed you?
The xx
Who were you disappointed to miss seeing live this year?
Slowdive @ Massey Hall. Saw them at the Danforth Music Hall in May but this was the perfect combo, although I was at a fabulous wedding in Ireland…..
This year the Horseshoe Tavern celebrated its 70th Birthday, Do you have a fond memory from the club?
My dear friend David’s wedding reception was held there.
What else?
2017 for me was the first “meh” year for music, specifically albums. It is the first year in as long as I can remember that nothing blew me away. The year started strong but many personal highly anticipated albums just left me disappointed. I don’t get to listen to everything but I did acquire 100 new CDs released this year. I have a small list of discs to acquire that I Missed but I’m always looking to add to that list.
So here are my top 50 albums of the year. The top 12 is pretty interchangeable depending on my mood.
50. Kesha, Rainbow (RCA)
49. Liam Gallagher, As You Were (Warner)
48. Mary J. Blige, Strength Of A Woman (Capitol)
47. Everything Everything, A Fever Dream (RCA)
46. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Who Built the Moon? (Sour Mash)
45. Arca, Arca (Mute)
44. Jamiroquai, Automaton (Virgin)
43. Rag ‘N Bone Man, Human (the deluxe version) (Warner)
42. Temples, Volcano (Fat Possum)
41. Mastodon, Emperor of Sand (Reprise)
40. Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, On the Echoing Green (Mexican Summer)
39. Laura Marling, Semper Femina (Kobalt)
38. Valerie June, The Order of Time (Concord)
37. Joey Bada$$, All Amerikkkan Bada$$ (Polydor)
36. Grandaddy, Last Place (Columbia)
35. The Jesus & Mary Chain, Damage and Joy (Artificial Plastic)
34. Zola Jesus, Okovi (Sacred Bones)
33. Miguel, War & Leisure (RCA)
32. Kamasi Washington, Harmony of Difference (Young Turks)
31. Mount Eerie, A Crow Looked at Me (P.W. Elverum & Sun)
30. The National, Sleep Well Beast (4AD)
29. Algiers, The Underside of Power (Matador)
28. The Shins, Heartworms (Columbia)
27. Run the Jewels, RTJ3 (Mass Appeal)
26. Goldfrapp, Silver Eye (Mute)
25. Queens of the Stone Age, Villains (Matador)
24. Grizzly Bear, Painted Ruins (RCA)
23. Clark, Death Peak (Warp)
22. Khalid, American Teen (RCA)
21. Jane Weaver, Modern Kosmology (Fire)
20. Japandroids, Near to the Wild Heart of Life (Arts & Crafts)
19. Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Luciferian Towers (Constellation)
18. Lorde, Melodrama (Universal)
17. Vince Staples, Big Fish Theory (Def jam)
16. Feist, Pleasure (Universal)
15. London Grammar, Truth Is a Beautiful Thing (Ministry of Sound)
14. Mark Lanegan, Gargoyle (Play It Again Sam)
13. Perfume Genius, No Shape (Matador)
12. St. Vincent, MASSeduction (Loma Vista)
11. Elbow, Little Fictions (Polydor)
10. Sampha, Process (Young Turks)
9. The Horrors, V (Wolf Tone)
8. The War on Drugs, A Deeper Understanding (Atlantic)
7. Kelela, Take Me Apart (Warp)
6. Mogwai, Every Country’s Sun (Rock Action)
5. Moses Sumney, Aromanticism (Jagjaguwar)
4. Kendrick Lamar, Damn. (Aftermath)
3. Ryan Adams, Prisoner (Pax AM)
2. Slowdive, Slowdive (Dead Oceans)
1. The xx, I See You (Young Turks)
