Albums of the Year – 2017

Transplants – Take Cover EP

Kind of reminiscent of the Tim Timebomb covers series from back in 2013, but more polished than those tracks. I love the variety of styles here, but would have liked more tracks

Standout track: Nothing but a heartache

Transplants @ the Warfield

Old Firm Casuals – Wartime Rock n Roll

Another solid EP from the Old Firm Casuals. They are always very consistent stylistically, but I love the Rose Tattoo-inspired slide guitar on the first track.

Standout track: Hell’s a lot better

2016-01-30 Old Firm Casuals @ The Night Light

Mayfield – Victim of Circumstance

This album sounds really great. This is surprisingly not drum-heavy, given that it’s a drummer’s project. After watching the launch show, I wasn’t sure about the singer, but she sounds really good on the record. I’m a big fan of the sax player too. Looking forward to more from these guys.

Standout track: My Apartment

Rancid – Troublemaker

Rancid have become very consistent over the last 4 or 5 albums, varying their style a little between albums. In that regard Troublemaker isn’t groundbreaking, but solid as always.

Standout track: Telegraph Avenue

2015-09-17 Rancid @ Terminal 5, NY

Andy Allo – One Step Closer EP

I’m never quite sure what I’m going to get from Andy Allo. This EP is sad, but still beautiful. This is probably more heartfelt than a lot of her earlier work, but I have no idea if she’ll stick to this sound (probably not, given her recent chritmas EP)

Standout track: 1000 Days

Andy Allo @ hotel Utah @andyallo

Special Mention: Prince – Purple Rain Deluxe

This is border-line since it’s a re-release, but I’ll consider the second disc (“From The Vault & Previously Unreleased”) as new since it contains the first release of these tracks.

I was probably most looking forward to the studio version of Our Destiny/Roadhouse Garden, but found it underwhelming compared to the 1984 Birthday Show version. The 12 minute “Hallway speech” version of Computer Blue is so good. I can understand that it wouldn’t fit on an album, but I’d say it’s better than the album version. We Can Fuck is perfect 80’s prince – funky, synthy, sexy and obscene. I’m very glad it was released, even though I’m sure prince would be very unhappy with it coming out.

Standout track: We can fuck

Purple Rain era Prince at Casa Loma

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