#needed to get it out of my head badly. hooray for comeback!

[dogtoling]

Happy New Years from Tentacle Freezer Festival! (Not to be confused with FrostyFest, which is also a mid-winter "music festival", but not really.)

They might be a little cold once they get out of the searing stage lights.

[obtusemedia]

Top 25 Songs of 2017: The Honorable Mentions

Some years, there’s an embarrassing amount of good-to-great albums/songs but not a lot of absolute 10/10 stunners. 2017 fits snugly in that category.

Although no single song or album this year reached a 10-out-of-10 perfect level, there were so many great 9s and 8s that I had to expand my year-end song and album lists, just to avoid the guilt of leaving off some songs I really enjoyed. In fact, even with 15 honorable mentions instead of 10 this year, there were still a few casualties (sorry, Harry Styles, Chastity Belt and Spoon).

Regardless, here’s the 15 that made the cut of barely missing the cut — if that statement made any sense. Let’s just jump in.

“Turn to Rage” by Bleached

California’s best bubblegum punk band released a new EP, Can You Deal?, this spring. It’s pretty solid, but what I found interesting was that Deal dove head-first into both sides of their sound. One single, “Flipside” was pure mid-90s sugary pop. It honestly could’ve been the theme to a Nickelodeon teen sitcom (and I mean that as a compliment).

“Turn to Rage” is the opposite. If “Flipside” is straight bubblegum, “Turn to Rage” is Bleached focusing on their punk side. It’s all aggressive guitars, abrupt tempo changes built for mosh pits, and snarky lyrics. There’s definitely some elements of Bleached’s original sound in here — they didn’t completely get rid of the vocal harmonies, and the song’s still catchy in a Weezer-esque sort of way — but there’s also more of an angry edge.

Luckly, Bleached managed to still maintain their sunburnt Los Angeles style, their greatest asset. “Turn to Rage” just shows the up-and-coming band has some range beyond adding heavy guitars to Go-Gos pastiches.

“Told You So” by Miguel

Miguel has been one of the most charismatic, sensual R&B singers on the planet for a while now. Instant classics like “Adorn,” “Coffee” and “Do You...” are bright, impeccably produced-and-performed ‘80s throwbacks that haven’t aged a day.

So, what’s his newest electro-funk single about? Love? Sex? ...how about nuclear war? 

Yes, “Told You So,” the supremely groovy standout from Miguel’s newest album, aptly titled War and Leisure, is meant to be told from the perspective of a war-hungry dictator (the video makes it a lot more obvious). Kind of makes lyrics like “Every pleasure you taste has its price, baby” and “I don’t want to control you/I want to set you free/just come with me” sound a lot more sinister in that context, no?

Yet, it also totally works as a bedroom jam. It’s kind of like how U2′s “With or Without You” can be both about God or a relationship. “Told You So” is just a more deadly version of that formula, and Miguel pulls it off with flying colors. The production here is about as good of a Prince ripoff as we’re going to hear in this century, and the L.A. singer’s forceful, sultry delivery really sells the message. 

Miguel just wanted to show that blowing away your enemies with the click of a button can be just as tempting as any physical desire, and his point is certainly proven.

“tonite” by LCD Soundsystem

A lot of veteran indie rockers had comeback albums in 2017. A lot of them didn’t really work. Fortunately, James Murphy had a trick up his sleeve to avoid this fate: middle-aged ramblings over a techno beat! Hooray!

Real talk though, if I’m going to listen to a 47-year-old complain about random things, I’d choose James Murphy nine times out of ten. Not only does everyone’s favorite Steve Bannon lookalike set his gripes to a laser-focused "Blue Monday” techno beat, but he gets in some interesting quotes. He discusses the looming threat of old age ( “I promise you this, you’re getting older...and there’s nothing I can do/nothing anyone can do about this”), worries about his generation becoming obsolete (“Oh I’m a reminder/the hobbled veteran of the disc-shop inquisition”) and even reminds himself of his tortured youth (”So you will be badgered and taunted and told that/you're missing a party that you'll never get over/you hate the idea that you're wasting your youth/that you stood in the background oh until you got older”).

Of course, in the best line, he deflates the whole thing by quipping, “Good gracious, I sound like my mom!” “tonite” is a snide, highly danceable song that Murphy could write in his sleep, but just because it’s a 2005-era throwback doesn’t mean it can’t still hit a nerve.

“Love” by Lana Del Rey

After a dismal 2015 (Honeymoon still has to be one of the most sudden dips in quality from an artist I’ve witnessed), Lana had a bit of a return to form in 2017, starting with the gorgeous, dreamy lead single, “Love.”

Lana’s always had a retro style, but she goes full ‘60s here, employing a Phil Spector Wall of Sound production technique and even ripping off the groove from a classic Beach Boys song (which she references during the bridge and closing). 

But remaking “Don’t Worry Baby” for 2017 with a thicker bassline goes beyond just playing with a vintage formula. “Love” is legitimately soothing and calming with Lana’s silky alto vocals, and in a tumultuous year like this one, it was nice to have some reassurance that hey, everything’s going to be alright. You’re young, you’re beautiful, and things are going to work out. Perhaps what Lana inherited from the Boomers more than anything else is a sense of optimism that’s badly needed right now.

“Minnesota” by The Courtneys

This song might be called “Minnesota,” but it sounds oh-so-California. And The Courtneys aren’t even from either state: they’re Canadian!

It’s honestly a bit odd how a song named after a famously frigid state written by a band from a famously frigid country (although Vancouver isn’t quite the Arctic tundra) managed to create a fuzzy indie-rock gem that sounds so sunny and surf-ready. Lead singer Jen Twynn Payne’s slacker vocals and the raw, crunchy guitar riffs from Courtney Garvin (the band’s only Courtney, surprisingly) make “Minnesota” feel like a hidden track on the Fast Times at Ridgemont High soundtrack. Jeff Spicoli would absolutely approve.

“Everything Now” by Arcade Fire

Yes, I’m well aware that Arcade Fire’s days as a critical darling are just about over. I’ll agree with most people that Everything Now, Arcade Fire’s 2017 album, was a major disappointment that’s stained the band’s previously-flawless discography.

But “Everything Now,” that album’s title track? It’s a banger.

I’m sorry, but if mixing ABBA with Rusted Root while throwing in gratuitous jabs at late-capitalist consumerism is wrong, then I don’t want to ever be right. This song has an unstoppable disco grove, a catchy chant-along chorus, and lead singer Win Butler’s Bono-isms still perfectly toe that line between self-righteous and actually meaningful (at least, on this song). It might not be hip to defend Arcade Fire 13 years after Funeral, but I have enough goodwill left to enjoy “Everything Now.”

Oh, and the second single, “Creature Comfort,” is also great. Fight me, Pitchfork.

“I Dare You” by The xx

With their new album, I See You, The xx ditched the minimalist sound that made them famous at the turn of the decade for expansive synthpop that sounded a lot more like in-house DJ Jamie xx’s 2015 solo masterpiece, In Colour. And it totally worked! 

“I Dare You” might be the most pop-friendly track on the whole album, with its soaring chorus, pulsing backbeat and playfully lovestruck lyrics. It’s the kind of simple track you’ll love instantly, with enough depth and subtle touches to make it an enjoyable listen many times over. 

Also, Millie Bobby Brown’s in the video, so bonus points for that. Too bad she didn’t lift any vans with her mind this time.

“Silver” by Waxahatchee

Katie Cruchfield’s southern-fried indie rock is at its best when it has a raw emotion to grab onto, and “Silver” features just that. The driving track perfectly captures the feeling of falling out of love with someone. 

“The kiss on my lips/ starts to feel unfamiliar/the part in your eyes/my skin all turns silver,” Crutchfield drolly sings, perfectly describing the growing distance between her and her former lover. It’s not bitter, it’s not angry; It’s just a bit melancholy and disappointing. And sometimes, that’s all breakups are, something that Crutchfield encapsulates in her wordless chorus and wistful closing guitar solo. 

“Silver” is a realistic look at the unglamorous side of breakups, and a frank artist like Waxahatchee was the perfect person to deliver it.

“Lemon” by N.E.R.D. and Rihanna

Yeah, yeah, N.E.R.D. is back and all...but HOLD UP. WHO KNEW RIHANNA HAD THAT FLOW IN HER POCKET?! 

Okay, I guess we sort of knew thanks to her collab with Kendrick, but she was half-singing on that one. It was Fetty Wap rapping. This RiRi doing straight hip-hop, over an absolutely killer Pharrell beat to boot (he’s totally forgiven for “Happy” now).

Honestly, I wish the lyrics themselves were a bit more memorable (although Pharrell gets in a nice line about “Eli face,” which...lol) but I’ll be damned if “Lemon” isn’t an absolute banger regardless. 

Please make a rap album, Rihanna. It’ll be incredible.

“Carin at the Liquor Store” by The National

The National’s newest album, Sleep Well Beast, mainly deals with the struggles of maintaining a middle-aged marriage. Total rock-n-roll, I know. Still, if any band can pull off an entire album about somber marital strife, it’s these guys. 

“Carin at the Liquor Store,” located near the end of the record, serves as a nostalgic reminder of lead singer Matt Berninger’s romance with his wife (who yes, is really named Carin, and co-wrote chunks of the album’s lyrics) in their happier days. The verses detail their blossoming, awkward beginnings, while Berninger takes a dejected look at their present situation in the chorus.

It’s a very bittersweet song, bolstered by what’s arguably the best piano melody of the year. It feels utterly timeless, like a very melancholy Billy Joel tune. 

Although I’ve never been a massive fan of The National, “Carin” hits me right in the gut — odd, considering I’m probably not nearly old enough to relate. It still provokes something, though.

“Los Ageless” by St. Vincent

Avant-pop genius Annie Clark has done it again, even as she leans more and more into the pop world with every release. Honestly, I’m okay with that, especially if her version of “pop” is super-slick ‘80s new wave with Jack Antonoff on production duties.

Although on the surface, “Los Ageless” seems like a typical I-hate-L.A. song, with its references to the empty sheen of the Sunset Strip, plastic surgery, and weirdly nice weather, the song seems to take on a darker undertone than that. Based on the chorus and the chaotic bridge, and Clark’s repeated desperation to “keep on running,” it actually seems to be more about a mental breakdown.

Is it post break-up? Perhaps, as that’s what the chorus seems to indicate (“How can anybody have you and and lose you/and not lose their minds too?), but Clark keeps the details vague. In a way, the whole song feels like American Psycho (bear with me here): A shiny pop veneer is used to cover an insane underbelly. 

Based on how depressing the rest of St. Vincent’s album, MASSEDUCTION, is, “Los Ageless” fits in quite nicely, while still being an absolute blast on a musical level.

“Sixteen” by Diet Cig

Bubblegum punk is blossoming in New York as well as Seattle and L.A., if Diet Cig are any indication. Although their new album, Swear I’m Good at This, doesn’t have any barnburning masterpieces on the level of their 2015 single “Harvard,” “Sixteen” is a worthy successor.

Lead singer Alex Luciano’s angsty lyrics are crammed with details about an adolescent relationship and subsequent breakup, one being the odd scenario of trying to have sex with someone who has the same name as you (fairly believable, since “Alex” is super-common for guys or gals or anybody). 

She even spends a whole verse getting frustrated at the supermarket about having to still host a barbecue with all of their mutual friends post-breakup. It’s these mundane, unique vignettes that really make “Sixteen” feel lived-in and honest.

Of course, it helps that the song has a massive (and brilliantly simple) proto-punk groove to give it some oomph. Having heard it live, I can promise that “Sixteen” absolutely gets the crowd riled up, and with a perfect combination of angsty lyrics and angsty guitar riffs, why wouldn’t anybody get hyped?

“Over Everything” by Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile

As much as it feels like a bit of a waste of Courtney Barnett’s precise, pointed songwriting talents to make an entire album of sprawling stoner jams with Kurt Vile ... damnit, “Over Everything” is too charming to not like.

I normally hate super-relaxing music (don’t you dare play Jack Johnson when I’m in the room), but these two seem to have a great, witty back-and-forth chemistry that really makes “Over Everything” likable despite my personal biases. It feels like Kurt and Courtney (lol) have been lifelong friends who can playfully throw jabs at each other and perfectly harmonize whenever it suits them.

Sure, it goes on for about two minutes too long (I blame you, Kurt), but the good mood is so infectious, that I can’t complain too much. It’s the audio equivalent of slowly cruising down an empty street on a sunny September day.

Besides, Melbourne’s finest is coming out with a new solo album soon, so we’re all good on that front.

“Big Fish” by Vince Staples feat. Juicy J

Vince Staples is not a flossy rapper, so it’s a bit odd to hear him on a song like “Big Fish,” which features a DJ Mustard-style beat and Juicy J on the hook talking about being “up late night balling.” This could easily be mistaken for a French Montana song or something.

However, Staples’ verses are something different entirely. The first verse is all about his chaotic youth in North Long Beach (he even calls back to his 2015 classic “Norf Norf”), while the second verse is about how he’s having difficulties adjusting to a more comfortable life since he’s reached rap stardom.

It honestly sounds like Vince hijacked someone else’s song, and it’s a very interesting juxtaposition. Much like the rest of his 2017 album, Big Fish Theory, Staples mixes party-ready electronic and trap beats with some thought-provoking, downtrodden bars. Although the record sounds better when listened to all the way through, “Big Fish” is as solid a single as you’ll find on it.

“Slip Away” by Perfume Genius

Although I’ve never loved his full-length albums, Perfume Genius’ Mike Hadreas always come through with at least a couple stand-out singles every few years, and “Slip Away” is a nice change of pace for the Tacoma indie singer-songwriter.

While his past record, Too Bright, was harsh and angry, “Slip Away” is painfully romantic. Hadreas’ swooning vocals beg his lover to escape the dark world surrounding them to go somewhere where they can be alone. This emotive sentiment is matched by some of Perfume Genius’ most bombastic, fleshed-out production to date. It’s like if Kate Bush had an EDM drop (I realize that sounds awful, but trust me, it works really well). 

All of Hadreas’ works are dripping with passion, but his best songs are when the music matches him, which is why “Slip Away” is so powerful.