New Jersey music's 17 best albums of 2017

De beste albums van artiesten uit New Jersey, volgens de grootste krant van New Jersey.

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/index.ssf/2017/12/new_jerseys_17_best_albums_of_2017.html

Playlist op Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/user/bobbyolivier/playlist/2D2T2oG8SY9J4Z7C6Vy3jT


17. Lunch Ladies, "Down on Sunset Strip"

Let’s kick this list off with a new band, everyone meet Lunch Ladies, a dreamy pop-rock group from Asbury Park led by Cynthia Rittenbach’s ethereal, Lana Del Rey-nodding vocals plus piles of shimmery guitar work. The four-piece’s debut LP “Down On Sunset Strip is destined for your future lazy summer playlists.

The must-hear song: "Love Is Overrated"


16. Cranston Dean, "High Beams"

Multi-instrumentalist Cranston Dean and his killer blend of rock, blues, funk and folk may be my favorite local discovery this year — he and his band’s new record “High Beams” is a great, loose stroll through bright piano, smart guitars and fun brass behind Dean’s gravelly vocal delivery. Cool stuff from the Jersey Shore talent.

The must-hear song: "Cross on the Highway"  


15. Nicole Atkins, "Goodnight Rhonda Lee"

Jersey Shore wailer Nicole Atkins returned this summer with a new crop of retro-tinged tunes reminding of Janis Joplin and Carole King on her buoyant LP “Goodnight, Rhonda Lee.” Now a decade removed from her debut on Columbia Records, Atkins still nails that timeless sweet spot.

The must-hear song: "A Little Crazy"


14. Fire Is Motion, "Still, I Try"

Never heard of Fire Is Motion? Well, now you have and you’ll be happy you did — this folk-leaning indie group from Union emerged late in 2017 with the debut EP “Still, I Try” and had a list of music blogs buzzing about singer-songwriter Adrian Amador, who leads the band and its rotating cast of supporting members. The tunes are affecting and clean, definitely worth a try if you’ve latched onto similar Jersey folk-rock acts like Pinegrove or Hodera.

The must-hear song: "Smile, It Makes It Easier"


13. The Vansaders, "No Matter What"

If you love fast, riffy and ridiculously catchy punk-rock songs that occasionally reference bars in Asbury Park, direct your attention to The Vansaders and their latest, searing EP “No Matter What.” It’s 15 minutes of pure, chest-pounding delight.

The must-hear song: "Roll the Dice"


12. Can't Swim, "Fail You Again"

Over the last two years Can’t Swim, a moody group from Keansburg — yes, Keansburg! — has become a fixture in the post-hardcore touring circles, largely due to its undeniable debut LP “Fail You Again,” which has solidified the five-piece as a group that not only can write a catchy riff or breakdown, but can cut those raging moments with some genuinely sweet lyrics. Headbangers with heart? We’ll take it.

The must-hear song: "Stranger"


11. Real Estate, "In Mind"

The breezy indie-rockers from Ridgewood remained true to form on their latest LP “In Mind”: frontman Martin Courtney's calming delivery, the clean and traipsing guitar work and light-treading rhythm sections are all familiar. But the addition of new lead guitarist Julian Lynch gave the band an experimental edge, warping sounds to separate the album from the band’s past, hipster-pool-party vibe.

The must-hear song: "Darling"


10. Ted Leo, "The Hanged Man"

And you all thought Ted Leo was just gonna disappear into the sweaty punk-rock either. Not so, as the lord of all pharmacists returned with “The Hanged Man,” his first album in seven years which steers away from his “Tyranny” heyday, but continues the Bloomfield native’s obsession with strong, soaring hooks and fun guitar play. Rock on, Ted!

The must-hear song: "Used to Believe"


9. Deal Casino, "Deal Casino"

Over the last three years Deal Casino has built itself from a fledgling pop-rock group into one of the must-see acts in the Asbury Park scene, with gaggles of fans packing in to hear the latest tunes off “Deal Casino,” the four-piece’s first LP. There’s a lot to like here; singer Joe Parella has morphed into a compelling frontman and Jozii Cowell’s mix of guitar effects and warping keys has expanded DC’s sound for the better.  

The must-hear song: "Human Cannonball"


8. The Front Bottoms, "Going Grey"

In case you’ve lost track, The Front Bottoms are huge now — see the wild show they just played in Philly — and like many popular rock bands took to ‘80s synth and retro vibes on “Going Grey,” an album that likely won’t be regarded as the group’s punchiest or affecting work, but still turns in a list of bubbling choruses and quirky lines from frontman Brian Sella.

The must-hear song: "Vacationtown"


7. Modern Chemistry, "Everything in Gold"

Modern Chemistry has established itself as a tastemaking band in the New Brunswick scene and the alt-rock group’s debut LP — after several worthy EPs — is easily the basement headbangers’ most interesting work so far, blending ambience and cool, left-of-center hooks with Joe Zorzi’s stormy, soaring lead vocal.

The must-hear song: "Wallpaper"


6. Little Steven, "Soulfire"

Sure, it’s a little disappointing that there was no new Springsteen album in 2017  — though he’s had one finished for some time now, he says — but famed E Streeter Steven Van Zandt dropped his first solo record since 1999 and man-oh-man is it a lot of fun. Little Steven is notorious for having given his best tracks to other artists over the years, but this time he saved some goodies for himself: big anthemic rock hooks, Motown vibes and exciting horn sections give “Soulfire” its strength.

The must-hear song: "Soulfire"  


5. Hodera, "First Things First"

If you make it through the first four minutes of Hodera’s arresting new LP without raising a single goosebump, you may want to check your pulse. The blooming Montclair four-piece’s sophomore album is a devastating mix of college rock, folk and even a little post-hardcore and prog-rock tossed in. Of all the albums on this list, “First Things First” may be the record I’ve come back to most often.

The must-hear song: "Out Of Sync"


4. Robert Randolph and The Family Band, "Got Soul"

Robert Randolph, the virtuosic pedal steel guitar player, and his Family Band don’t get enough credit for their terrific blend of blues, rock and soul. The irresistible new project “Got Soul” sizzles with funky fun and further proves that his spot in Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Guitar Players” is well-earned.

The must-hear song: "She Got Soul"


3. Bleachers, "Gone Now"

The real triumphs for Jack Antonoff came in his production work for pop superstars Lorde, Taylor Swift and Pink this year, but his own album, leading the electro-rock group Bleachers was fun, too. As a cohesive album, the vagaries of apologizing for absence and coming home are perhaps a little lost, but in terms of utterly addictive pop-rock singles, “Gone Now” had some true, arena-worthy knockouts.

The must-hear song: "Don't Take the Money"


2. Halsey, "Hopeless Fountain Kingdom"

Someday the pop annals will notch 2016 — not 2017 — as the year much of the listening public caught on to the stormy pop singer Halsey, when she was featured on The Chainsmokers’ hit “Closer,” which was the No. 1 song in the U.S. from Labor Day through Thanksgiving of last year.

But this year was the first time the Warren County native felt like a well-rounded artist and not just a bratty flash in the pop pan. Her sophomore LP “Hopeless Fountain Kingdom,” released in June, was an introspective, heartsick collection of tunes that were deeply, histrionically dark in moments and triumph and tough-as-nails in others. A successful accompanying tour this fall bolstered Halsey, 23 and born Ashley Frangipane, as a sustaining force on pop’s fringes.

The must-hear song: "Bad at Love"


1. SZA, "CTRL"

Forget about the New Jersey music bubble — the debut LP from Maplewood R&B ingenue SZA (pronounced “Sizzah,” born Solana Rowe) is one of the strongest albums released anywhere in 2017. I wrote earlier this year that the 27-year-old’s project was vulnerable, impeccably paced and marked the most exciting album any New Jersey woman had released since Hill's "Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" nearly 20 years ago. A few months later I stand by the decree: it’s a sincerely breathtaking mash of R&B, hip-hop and indie-rock.

If you don’t believe me, see the year-end lists of your preferred publication: Time, New York Daily News and Vice’s Noisey all named “CTRL” the best album of 2017. You’ll see SZA at the Grammys next month, too; she’s nominated for five awards, including Best New Artist.

The must-hear song: "Prom"

Het enige wat ik hiervan ken is Nicole Atkins, dat album heb ik deels beluisterd via de site van NPR en/of spotify maar die viel me niet mee in vergelijking met eerdere albums van haar.

Hm grappig, Lunch Ladies blijkt al in m'n 2017 spotify lijst te staan met hun single "You're Not There". Ik luisterde 'm net en wilde 'm in die lijst zetten toen spotify zei 'die staat er al in'. Enigzins vergeten na die tijd, erg lekker nummer.