The Fashionably Late Top 66 of 2017: Julien Baker

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: Julien Baker

What: Turn Out The Lights

When: October 2017

Where: Matador Records

Why: I'd be lying if I said Julien Baker hadn't ever brought me to tears. Turn Out The Lights is the kind of record that can really cause some waterworks. I don't know that there's a voice around that truly expresses sadness as beautifully as does Baker's, and on this collection of 11 instantly relatable tearjerkers she reaches a truly transcendent level. In all seriousness, Julien Baker is a national treasure.

[posted 2.11.18]