The Fashionably Late Top 66 of 2017: Oh Sees/OCS

It’s been a hell of a year. 2017 was exhausting, stressful, and at times just plain terrifying. But for all the mess that’s happened over the past 12 months, and there’s certainly been so much, there’s also been a lot of good going on in the world. From a musical standpoint, for instance, 2017 was rather exceptional. There were so many glorious new sounds to take in.

I’ve put together my list of favorites from the year that was, a touch fashionably late as always. Once again, I’ve decided to eschew a ranking system and instead give you an alphabetical look at the records I fell for this year. There’s some names here that will come as no surprise to anyone, and perhaps a few that might surprise you. These are simply my favorites from 2017, the albums I went back to again and again, the albums that I swooned over. So, without further exposition, here’s my list. I think you’ll find you can get your kicks from any and all of the 66 records I’ve chosen, and I truly hope you’ll find some treasures to cherish, as I cherish each and every record here. Many, many thanks to the artists who put out this fantastic music, their sounds helped make 2017 bearable.

Who: Oh Sees/OCS

What: Orc/Memory of A Cut Off Head

When: August 2017/November 2017

Where: Castle Face Records

Why: Whether he's orchestrating seriously weird, freakout psych kerfuffles or pairing with Brigid Dawson to create kooky, wiry space folk, John Dwyer doesn't disappoint. Orc came first, unleashing searing wave after wave of galactic psych squalls. Then came Memory of A Cut Off Head, confounding in its own ways. Both records illustrate the Dwyer magic touch, and both are highly recommended.

[posted 2.18.18]