WPTS Radio’s Top 40 Albums of 2017

The Big K. R. I. T.’s third studio album is huge, taking up two discs, 22 tracks in total. This album is full of chill rap vibes, southern influence and great features including the likes of TI, Jill Scott, and Cee Lo Green. Some of my favorite tracks include Mixed Messages, Get Up 2 Come Down, and Big Bank. Disc one is a bit better than disc two, but if you’re looking for new rap artists to listen to K. R. I. T. is your guy. – Chet Rengers

Tulalah brought their mellifluous, full sound way beyond the emotional range of their first album—I didn’t even think that was possible till they did it. I feel so immersed listening to this album, but it never gets stagnant like their first album did. They struck a perfect balance with this one. (Even inspired me to pick up my trombone again, which means a lot to me on a personal level). – Samuel Taylor

“A Deeper Understanding” masterfully stays true to The War on Drugs’ usual ambient sound, while somehow providing a new take on it. With songs averaging about 6 minutes, this album is filled with over an hour of good tunes. These songs address sadness, longing, and pain, but the album is far from depressing. The War on Drugs once again managed to build up a beautiful wall of sound, in what I think may be their best album yet. – Julia Coakley

Ever since their debut album in 2013, I’ve been waiting for a Hundred Waters album that I can really sink my teeth into—loop it over and over again, any place, any time—since I couldn’t for the previous ones due to some glaring flaws. Communicating is that album I’ve been waiting for. No lulls or boring spots, no awkward failed attempts at trying to make something you can dance to, just a pure dose of that Hundred Waters sound. – Samuel Taylor

The brilliant Mike Hadreas’ fourth album under the Perfume Genius moniker is an art-pop masterpiece, filled with countless moments of musical bliss. The opening track, ‘Otherside’, provides the mission statement for the album, with a massive, shimmering wall of sound slapping you in the face, 70 seconds into the album. The tracklist following has equal parts beautiful choruses and intriguing pop experimentation; both borderline ambient, Talk Talk-esque songs, and rich, orchestral pop earworms. No Shape is tied together perfectly by Mike’s amazing vocals and honest lyrics, like any other Perfume Genius release. – Spencer Smith

You may have never heard of Natalie Hemby before. That’s because Puxico is her first studio album, but that does not mean she is a newcomer to the music scene. She has written songs for Lee Ann Womack, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, and Little Big Town. Her album, Puxico (named after her hometown), is much better what mainstream country is becoming. Her songs are all extremely well written and very heartfelt. My favorite song on the album is Cairo, IL, a very deep song about a ghost town. – Chet Rengers

Cloud Nothing’s first record since 2014’s Here and Nowhere Else, Life WIthout Sound saw Dylan Baldi lessen the degree of experimentation found on their previous couple records and deliver nothing less than an excellent indie rock record. The renewed focus on pop structures and earworm melodies results in some of Cloud Nothings catchiest tunes to date like “Modern Act” and “Internal World”. While this breed of indie rock isn’t going to shock anyone in 2017, Cloud Nothings does it better than just about everybody. – Ryan Hartman

Chicano Batman has quietly been a staff favorite at WPTS for several years now, and this record makes it very obvious why they deserve that recognition. Freedom is Free was a perfect album to soundtrack the summer of 2017, whether I was at the beach, the park, or my own backyard. Songs like the title track and “Angel Child” are such a joy to listen to with their funky basslines and tasteful harmonies. Although it may not suit this time of year, I still highly recommend giving this a chance. – Ryan Hartman

Cherry Glazerr’s manic mix of indie rock and glitter-girl noise-pop always had a lot of appeal on paper, but lineup strife prior to their last release, 2014’s Haxel Princess, made it seem like all that appeal was going to stay strictly on paper. It’s nice being wrong sometimes, Apocalipstick is a bona fide winner, an album that’s inseparable from my summer 2017, and one that probably deserves more recognition than it’s going to get in the year-end listicle parade. – John Wright

Big Thief’s second studio album, “Capacity,” is filled with bangers. Lead vocalist Adrienne Lenker sings softly in front of an electric guitar, creating a conflicting sound that could be taken as rock or a lullaby. The lyrics often tell captivating stories, such as on the hit tracks “Shark Smile” and “Mythological Beauty.” There is no sound quite like Big Thief, and if you were a fan of their first album, you will almost definitely like their second, which feels like a part two to the Big Thief story. – Julia Coakley

The Navigator’s folky American roots soundscapes were certainly outside of my comfort zone when I first heard this album in the spring, and they probably still are, which makes it all the more impressive that I liked this album as much as I did. One could do much worse if you’re attempting to diversify your musical intake, either in terms of genre or perspective. – John Wright

2017 began with Surf Curse reuniting for what can probably be considered their first proper release and it reminded fans exactly why they fell in love with Surf Curse in the first place. The album is packed with memorable jams like “Christine F”, “Doom Generation”, and “All is Lost” that are equally perfect for relaxing headphone listens and screaming the lyrics with your friends. Any and all fans of indie pop need to give this band a listen. – Ryan Hartman

This is the type of album that makes you cry, but also gives you comfort and reminds you that you’re not alone. The theme of this album is softness and it pairs well with this guitar driven pop. Soft Spots is catchy, but not in a way that’s overdone or overused. Overall I just love this album and the emotions it evokes. Check out “Full Screen” if you wanna laugh, and “Drive Me Home” and “J Station” if you wanna cry. – Elyssa Pollio

Lots of people had a very bad 2017, Jaden Smith was not one of those people. After becoming an on-and-off internet laughingstock since the birth of his new-age Twitter pop-philosopher gimmick in the early 2010s, all the memes we saw and all the hard work we didn’t see finally paid off in the form of two very different works of art that had the shared characteristic of being better than they had any right to be. Much like Smith’s turn in the Ezra Koenig-penned Netflix anime series Neo Yokio, SYRE was an album I approached with the expectation of memes and nothing else and ended up coming away impressed with Smith’s range and apparent artistic vision. With a collaboration with fellow hip-hop young guns BROCKHAMPTON looming, who’s to say 2018 won’t be just as bright for the son of the Fresh Prince? – John Wright

Following up 2014’s “pom pom” is “Dedicated to Bobby Jameson.” Rather than the kaleidoscope of ideas from his previous release, Ariel Pink instead goes for a more focused sound. With dreamy-gothy songs like “Feels Like Heaven” or the weirder tracks such as “Bubblegum Dreams” we get to hear a slightly scaled back Pink. While not as sweeping in style as some of his other works, “Dedicated…” still has a lot of the charm and fun as any of Pink’s other albums. – Thomas Troyan

Local pop savant Jack Stauber is an avatar of rhythm. Chaotic vocal harmonies, lo-fi synth instrumentals, and eclectic samples drive one of the year’s most likeable releases. Playful and disorienting, Jack jumps from high energy romps to slow and sweet grooves with abandon. “Pop Food” wants to dance and is curious if you can keep up. – Jon Engel

Thundercat’s latest project sees the producer/bassist/singer deliver on the promise he has shown in the past. Drunk is a weird funky, trippy, jazzy record that is at once nostalgic and original. With an impressive roster of features that adds to the album without ever stealing the show, the project is full of silky smooth vocals and production. The end result is a sexy and strange adventure. – Calder Buisch

King Gizzard spent 2017 pumping out music relentlessly, finishing five full-length albums in total. Although I find picking a favorite Gizz record very similar to picking a favorite child, Flying Microtonal Banana is the one that stuck with me the most this year. Yes, this album features the krautrock meme-fest “Rattlesnake” that quickly became one of the most beloved tracks in their discography, but there are plenty of other bangers to be found throughout, from the groovy “Nuclear Fusion” to the driving power of “Doom City.” – Ryan Hartman

Open Mike Eagle’s newest, and quite possibly best, album is an ode to Chicago’s Robert Taylor Homes. Taking on a superhero alter ego of “Iron Hood,” Mike delivers an album full of melancholic remembrance of the now torn-down buildings, reflecting on our relations to physical spaces in our lives, and how they are a part of what he is today. – Thomas Troyan

When a band is as prolific as Thee Oh Sees/Oh Sees/OCS, sometimes it is difficult to realize and fully celebrate when a truly special record comes along. Orc is absolutely a landmark in John Dwyer’s catalog and features some of the best rock of 2017. Bone-crushingly heavy, interesting, and rhythmic, this is a must-listen for any psych rock fan. Start with “Nite Expo” or “The Static God.” – Ryan Hartman

LCD Soundsystem’s grand return from retirement was one the most polarizing records of 2017 at WPTS and beyond. Some of us loved it, while others wished James Murphy would’ve left the legacy of LCD Soundsystem untarnished. Regardless, this was one the year’s most anticipated indie releases and it made a splash that makes it worthy of inclusion on this list. – Ryan Hartman

For her fifth solo album, St. Vincent is joined by new producers Jack Antonoff and Lars Stalfors, delivering a twisting and turning pop rock epic. Here, a sense of foreboding permeates saccharine love ballads and cascading techno ragers both. “MASSEDUCTION” roars and smolders with punch, humor, and bittersweet sentimentality; a welcome addition to an impressive canon. – Jon Engel

If hip hop is going to continue its dominance of the modern music landscape it’s going to have to push its boundaries and continue to evolve as an art form. Vince Staples’ Big Fish Theory reminds us that this duty to evolve isn’t just on the rappers themselves but also on the production end of things, as Staples recruits a veritable who’s who of house and techno producers (Flume! SOPHIE! GTA!) to lend Big Fish Theory a sleek, bass-driven, glitchy sound all its own that’s almost totally divorced from the jazz and funk sample-heavy production of earlier-era hip-hop. This experimental production bolsters Staples’ own respectable talents as an MC, as does Big Fish Theory’s feature list, including A$AP Rocky, Damon Albarn (presumably getting Vince back for his track on HUMANZ,) and an unforgivably slept-on Kendrick Lamar verse on “Yeah Right.” – John Wright

Amy O was not on my radar at the beginning of this year, but Elastic turned out to be my favorite record of the year. Her music has everything I love about contemporaries like Frankie Cosmos and Adult Mom but with more driven instrumentation and loads of harmonies. Elastic is infectious throughout and I can’t recommend it enough. Try “Lavender Night”, “History Walking”, and “Sunday Meal.” – Ryan Hartman

Radiator Hospital hadn’t released a full album for what felt like a decade, but in reality it was only three years. I have so much emotion attached to Radiator Hospital which is why when I heard this album was coming out, I was beyond excited. Radiator Hospital is one of those bands that has a song for every feeling you could feel thus the album title, Play The Songs You Like. It’s a punk album that you can dance and cry to. I recommend listening to “Out of Mind”, “People at the Show”, “Absolutely Positive” and “Love Story”. – Elyssa Pollio

METZ delivered with one of the meanest, rawest punk records of the year. Produced by noise rock legend Steve Albini, Strange Peace is an almost non-stop barrage penetrating drums and distorted guitar licks and feedback. The album is able to deliver on the aggression and anger of classic punk but while being original and progressive. – Calder Buisch

An honest look at loss. Hauntingly beautiful, Phil Elverum gives a look into his life after the death of his wife. An honest look at loss, focusing on the random details of death, rather than an attempt at romanticizing it. This album encapsulates the feelings death and grief that come from losing a person you love. – Thomas Troyan

Bringing back their beautiful instrumentation and mesmerizing lyrics they’ve managed recapture what made their last album great. Fleet Foxes return with an album full of multi-part masterpieces that never feel their length. It’s a delight to hear they haven’t lost their touch in the six year gap from their last album. – Thomas Troyan

Bedroom Pop is one of those genres that mean different things to different people. To me, Jay Som’s “Everybody Works” is exemplary of a phenomenal Bedroom Pop album. This is because the album itself floats across genres and rather than just sounding like bedroom pop, it FEELS like it. With sounds reminiscent of Pinstripe Sunny’s “Bossa Loser”, to funky sounds also channeled in The Internet’s “Ego Death”, Jay Som’s sounds are anything but stagnant. Yet what keeps the album from being a fragmented collection of songs is her consistent vocals. They perfectly deliver the intimate message of each song while reminding you all the while that these few minutes of entertainment were brought to you by the one and only, Jay Som. – Anthony Oro

Run the Jewels three dropped on Christmas Eve of 2016, but it still makes this list. This album is fantastic, with some of RTJ’s best songs to date like Legend Has it, and Call Tickertron. The whole album is excellent though, and many of the songs are socially aware and talk about the typical themes that are important to RTJ and their listeners. If you are a rap or hip-hop fan and haven’t listened to this album you best open the Spotify app and plug in your earphones. – Chet Rengers

Discovering Crumb was akin to finding money in pants you haven’t worn in a while. Much like a crumpled and washed up bill, my initial hopes were low; I was invited to see what sounded like a thrash metal band in somebody’s basement. However when the time came to listen to Crumb, I discovered what I thought to be an old receipt was in fact a one hundred dollar bill. An amalgam of cloud-like and gritty synths, sick bass lines, sparkly riffs, and clever timing — Crumb’s Locket is one of the best releases of 2017. In a mere four tracks, Crumb takes their most perfected elements from jazz, rock, and pop and create a variety of emotions with the wonderful catalyst that is the voice of Lila Ramani. Apart from wonderful composition, the lyricism that overlies each of these emotion filled melodies is honest, sweet, and succinct. It would take longer to explain why Locket is so wonderful than it would to listen to the 4 tracks. If you’re reading this, I plead that you listen to Crumb. – Anthony Oro

On their debut, Priests delivers an original and compelling punk project perfect for the climate of 2017. Nothing Feels Natural’s is album powered both by rage and beauty. Throughout the album the DC punk band delivers scathing, satirical lyrics and commentary over energetic punk songs that defy any formula and flawlessly draw from an array of different styles. Nothing Feels Natural solidifies Priests as a band to watch in Punk. – Calder Buisch

Alex G’s second major label release finds the Philadelphia lo-fi artist embracing a more diverse sonic palette than ever before. Alt-country stompers like ‘Proud’ and ‘Bobby’ sit juxtaposed with some of the noisiest and abstract tracks in his discography, namely ‘Horse’ and ‘Brick’. Fresh off of the well-publicized work with Frank Ocean in 2016, Rocket sees Alex G in a very collaborative and ambitious setting; and as always, not sounding like anything else. – Spencer Smith

Empowering and fun, “CTRL” was surely the impetus for many ended toxic relationships during 2017. SZA calls out unfaithful lovers and their mistreatment on tracks such as “Love Galore” and “Broken Clocks” in addition to preaching independence and self worth on tracks such as “Doves in the Wind” and “Pretty Little Birds”. Featuring artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Isaiah Rashad, SZA capitalizes on her intriguing, ethereal, vibey tone with “CTRL” and eases listeners through forty nine minutes of romantic reflections and wavy production (that I’ve found blends perfectly into any mixtape or mood, FYI). – Dustin Butoryak

I had a conversation with a friend where he said that he found this album to be “corny” at times. That’s a criticism I can understand, Archie Marshall’s overwhelming Britishness and commitment to playing the antisocial loner in his lyrics can certainly seem a little “corny,” but I’d swap that term for another one; “earnest.” For better or for worse, the OOZ is an unfiltered, unironic, and unflinchingly earnest album by a musician whom I only discovered this year but has rapidly grown in my esteem. Also, it’s Tyler the Creator’s favorite album of 2017, so there’s that. – John Wright

“DAMN.” is easily of the most intricate and iconic albums of our generation. An innovative and consistently engaging artist, Kendrick explores a wide variety of juxtaposed themes on “DAMN.” including love vs. lust, wickedness vs. weakness, beginnings vs. endings (try listening to the album backwards), pride vs. humility, and many more. In addition to his lyrical/poetic accomplishments, each track is a stand alone banger that could easily get stadiums full of people dancing. In the unlikely event that you haven’t given it a listen yet, “Sit down, be humble” and check this album out. – Dustin Butoryak

Since In Undertow’s release, I have been elated for Antisocialites. Alvvays has been known since their debut for crafting melancholy indie pop songs. Antisocialites continued this trend, with lyrics like “I will land on my feet, but I probably won’t leave the house for awhile and it feels like forever since you held me like I was a human being” put against melodic surfy pop. Check out this record if you want to forget about life. Highlights include “Your Type”, “Hey”, and “Dreams Tonight”. – Elyssa Pollio

Built out of pulsing percussion and a voice full of heart, Lorde’s second album (another Jack Antonoff coproduction) is a nuanced and mature model for the new generation of pop stars. The twenty-one-year-old tackles themes of fame, desperation, memory, and most of all, self-loathing, and captures them brilliantly. Dark, complex, and shockingly intimate, “Melodrama” is a portrait of the soul in shades of black and blue, carried out with wit and grace. – Jon Engel

The second installment of the SATURATION series, shows off of the boyband’s strongest qualities, their teamwork. This is the album that made BROCKHAMPTON click for me with tracks like GUMMY, QUEER, or JUNKY that manage to showcase their members’ abilities and how they manage to work so well. The SATURATION trilogy is one of the best things musically to come from 2017, and this second installment is its highlight. – Thomas Troyan

Tyler’s fourth studio album Flower Boy is a bit different then his other three albums. This album is much less aggressive, and has more of an R&B vibe than a rap vibe. My favorite song and the favorite song of many is hands down, See You Again, that features Kali Uchis with a fantastic chorus. The album as has several other strong features including Frank Ocean, Jaden Smith, and Lil Wayne. If you listened to this album and weren’t a Tyler fan before you soon will be. – Chet Rengers