2017 was a great year for new music. Yes, I say that (almost) every year. Standout albums include those by: St. Vincent, Mavis Staples, Rhiannon Giddens, Kendrick Lamar, Big Thief and Frank Ocean. Each has something featured on this year’s playlist. Sharon Jones posthumously made this year’s playlist with “Matter of Time” – a remarkable song from her last album with the Dap-Kings, “Soul of a Woman.”
This year has repeat appearances by Jeff Tweedy and Mavis Staples. Tweedy features on Staples’ song “Ain’t no doubt about it” and on “Via Chicago” – from his incredible album “Together at Last.” Mavis Staples also features on Arcade Fire’s “I Give You Power” – a powerful song, for a tumultuous time. I will add Billy Bragg’s “Full English Brexit” as a song to pause and charily reflect on… juxtapose it with Benjamin Booker’s haunting cry “Believe.”
I’ve continued to honor “house rules” that no artist should have more than one song on any year’s playlist. Featuring on someone else’s song counts as a “guest appearance” – not as having two of your own songs included. That said, while I included St. Vincent’s “Los Ageless” on this year’s playlist, up until the very last minute her song “New York” was also included. Both are formidable songs from an astonishing new album by Annie Clark. St. Vincent is the act that almost got me to amend Tunes’ “one song only” rule.
Robert Plant’s “The May queen” made this year’s playlist… as a casual salute to Led Zeppelin and days past. Plant’s look-back song reference: “if there’s a bustle in your hedgerow, don’t be alarmed now, it’s just a spring clean for the May queen.” And it makes me wonder….
The real ghost of “Zeppelin-past” however, sprang to life – wails and all – in Greta Van Fleet’s single: “Highway tune.” It’s too good to simply be trumpeted-up as a tribute ditty… Led Zep and the 1970s are creeping back into music’s biosphere. Last year, SOAK’s version of “Immigrant Song” made the Tunes playlist. Go back and re-listen to it. Ah-ah, ah!
Stephin Merritt (The Magnetic Fields) released ”50 Song Memoir” … writing a song to commemorate each of the 50 years he has celebrated life. “You can never go back to New York” made this year’s playlist. A five-disc set of 50 songs is quite an extraordinary way to celebrate a milestone birthday. For those interested in more from Merritt, The Magnetic Fields’ 1999 release “69 Love Songs” stands out for its depth, scope and accomplishment.
The songbook suffered important losses in 2017, including: Tom Petty, Walter Becker, Gregg Allman, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Charles Bradley, Johnny Hallyday, J. Geils, Maggie Roche, and Lonnie Brooks.
I’ve tried (again) to keep a reasonably broad mix of new music on this year’s Tunes. There is hopefully a little something for everyone. In breadth, the musicians run from: Tyler, The Creator and N.E.R.D, to Caetano Veloso, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Sufjan Stevens and Deer Tick. Bob Dylan’s rendition of “Once upon a time” is incredible. So are Chris Thile and Brad Mehldau in their delivery of Elliott Smith’s “Independence Day.”
As an assemblage of unadulterated fun… there are tracks this year by: Them Vibes, Portugal. The Man, King Garbage, Stone Foundation, Cornershop, Thundercat, Systema Solar, and N.E.R.D (no-one ever really dies) to help keep the fun-loving groove on. Voilà! Voilà!
For simple beauty… be sure to listen to the pieces included by: Antoine Dufour, Akira Kosemura, and Agnes Obel. Also, highly recommended: Brian Eno’s stunning work “Reflection.” It’s perfect accompaniment to winter’s chill. It’s a piece of music I find myself returning to repeatedly. “Reflection” didn’t make the playlist because of its length; coming in at a little over one hour of inspired music. Don’t miss it.
As mentioned at the start of this note… we will again run a 2018 Tunes (so far) playlist on Spotify so you can see what cycles on and off as new music is released throughout 2018. Heckle back with any great new music we miss. You can reach us at: tunes4ourtimes@gmail.com.
There is always great new music being made... you just have to look for it, stop, and listen. Happy listening…
“We all do ‘do, re, mi’… you’ve got to find the other notes yourself.” Louis Armstrong