The Fashionably Late Top 66 of 2017: Japanese Breakfast

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: Japanese Breakfast

What: Soft Sounds from Another Planet

When: July 2017

Where: Dead Oceans

Why: An utterly mesmerizing record from start to finish, Soft Sounds from Another Planet is a treasure. Michelle Zauner's sophomore effort is a smashing success, a sonic changeling that nails every genre it touches. Each song feels captivating and intimate, from the honeyed molasses drone of the gorgeous opener "Diving Woman" to the firecracker vintage disco pop of "Machinist" to the defiant girl group-influenced swells in "Boyish" (and that's just a small sampling of what Zauner's got in store). A gorgeous, engrossing listen.

[posted 2.11.18]