This is my fourth post of 2017. How sad is that? I only written about one live show this year, and that was for Corey Feldman! This year just got away from me in ways I can’t explain. That’s not to say I didn’t come across some good stuff though. Somewhere between work meetings, visiting my hometown for the first time in years, celebrating my 40th in Mexico, planning a trip to Vietnam, and moving, I found time to listen to some albums, attend quite a few shows, see a few movies, and watch a little tv.
As I’ve said before, this blog no longer focuses on album reviews or news or anything of that sort. The sole purpose of ILSUDH2 is to share my ‘live’ music experiences. I do my best to recap the shows I go to, but I just don’t have the time or energy to do much else these days. That being said, I still consume pop culture the same way I always have (in an obsessive, compulsive manner), so I felt it would be selfish not to share what I have learned along the way. For that reason, I will try to continue these seasonal reviews. For the sake of my (and your) time and sanity, I will follow the rule of ‘less talk, more rock’. The lists that follow will contain very little commentary. They also won’t include mp3s anymore. To preview the music, please follow the various links and this Spotify playlist. I listened to (and watched) a lot of crap so you didn’t have to. Now it’s your turn to put some time in. Luckily for you, these lists contain only the best stuff the season had to offer.
ALBUMS.
this year started out a little slow, but summer delivered
Alvvays – Antisocialites
(Polyvinyl)
Brand New – Science Fiction
(Procrastinate! Music Traitors)
Broken Social Scene – Hug of Thunder
(Arts & Crafts)
Clams Casino – Instrumental Mixtape 4
(self-released)
EMA – Exile in the Outer Ring
(City Slang)
Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton – Choir of the Mind
(Last Gang)
Kesha – Rainbow
(Kemosabe)
Lana Del Rey – Lust for Life
(Interscope)
LCD Soundsystem – american dream
(DFA)
Manchester Orchestra – A Black Mile to the Surface
(Loma Vista)
The National – Sleep Well Beast
(4AD)
Open Mike Eagle – Brick Body Kids Still Daydream
(Mello Music Group)
Tyler, the Creator – Flower Boy
(Columbia)
Vince Staples – Big Fish Theory
(Def Jam)
The War on Drugs – A Deeper Understanding
(Atlantic)
Zola Jesus – Okovi
(Sacred Bones)
METAL ALBUMS.
the heavier stuff
Cormorant – Diaspora
(self-released)
Der Weg einer Freiheit – Finisterre
(Season of Mist)
Myrkur – Mareridt
(Relapse)
SHOWS.
from the Buffalo Rose to Los Angeles, and back to Red Rocks
Honorable Mention: Corey Feldman & The Angels
(Buffalo Rose)
#5. Kendrick Lamar
(Pepsi Center)
#4. Sturgill Simpson
(Red Rocks)
#3. Father John Misty
(Red Rocks)
#2. Guns N’ Roses
(Sports Authority Field)
#1. FYF
(Exposition Park)
FILMS.
intense, funny, sad, scary, and downright terrifying
#5. Dunkirk
(Christopher Nolan)
#4. Wind River
(Taylor Sheridan)
#3. The Big Sick
(Michael Showalter)
#2. IT
(Andy Muschietti)
#1. mother!
(Darren Aronofsky)
TV.
winter came this summer, along with billionaires, killers, and lots of cocaine
#5. Mr. Mercedes, Season 1
(Audience)
#4. Preacher, Season 2
(AMC)
#3. Narcos, Season 3
(Netflix)
#2. The Defiant Ones
(HBO)
#1. Games of Thrones, Season 7
(HBO)
Summer 2017