Best of 2017 & 2016

It’s that time again.  I may do a few edits if I come up with more ideas, but here’s my first cut for the albums I enjoyed most this year, in no particular order:

The Feelies – In Between
Juana Molina – Halo
EMA – Exile on the Outer Ring
Destroyer – Ken
Girlpool – Powerplant
Lee Ranaldo – Electric Trim
Bob Dylan – Trouble No More
Arto Lindsay – Cuidad Madame
Charlotte Gainsbourg – Rest
Mary Halvorson – Paimon

My big live show was Radiohead.

And here’s the list for 2016:

Another year gone by!  We lost a lot of talented folks as 2016 progressed, starting with David Bowie, then Prince, and Leonard Cohen, among many others.  As always though there’s plenty of good music coming out, and here’s what I liked best (at least as it stands today!).  No particular order.

Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Denial
Steve Lehman – Sélébéyone
David Bowie – Blackstar
Parquet Courts – Human Performance
Murray / Allen / Carrington – s/t
Drive-By Truckers – American Band
Miranda Lambert – The Weight of these Wings
Beyoncé – Lemonade
Wussy – Forever Sounds
Heron Oblivion – s/t

Most memorable live shows were a jazz series at the Old Church this fall – Steve Lehman Trio, Rudresh Mahanthappa Quintet, and Dave Douglas