Liam Sullivan's Ideas and Reflections
Hot songs spinning in my ears over the past month.
Courtney Barnett – “Nameless, Faceless”
Femi Kuti – “One People One World”
Jorge Elbrecht – “Here Lies (Feat. Tamaryn)”
Orquesta Akokan– “Mambo Rapidito”
Khruangbin – “Maria También”
Hollie Cook – “Stay Alive”
Previous Mixtapes:
Open up 2018 with a danceable track from London’s Django Django, “In Your Beat.”
What new music are you looking forward to in 2018?
Here are 20 of my favorite songs of 2017. For previous year-end lists of previous years check out my lists for 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009.
In no particular order
“Blue Mountain Road” by Florist
“Memories are Now” by Jesca Hoop
“You Would Have to Lose Your Mind” by Barr Brothers
“Cherry Blossom: by ALA.NI
“Drinkee” by Sofi Tukker
“Every Day’s the Weekend” by Alex Lahey
“Witness” by Benjamin Booker (feat. Mavis Staples)
“I Give You Power” by Arcade Fire (feat. Mavis Staples)
“Quiet” by Milck
“Work” by Charlotte Day Wilson
“Familiar” by Agnes Obel
“Cryin’ in the Streets” by Zeshan B
“Venus Fly” by Grimes (feat. Janelle Monae) – technically this song is from 2015, but the video of this most important collaboration came out this year bringing due attention to the song.
“Hot to Trot” by Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas
“Modafinil Blues” by Matthew Dear
“The Underside of Power” by Algiers
“A Wall” by Downtown Boys
“Future Politics” by Austra
“Learning to Lose” by Margo Price (feat. Willie Nelson)
“Straight Boy” by Shamir
The seasonally appropriate final song of the week for 2017 is “It’s Xmas (and Everyone is Miserable” by The Dirty Sidewalks. Hey, part of a healthy holiday season is acknowledging your feelings, even the dark ones.
Merry Christmas to all, even if you’re miserable.
On a chilly day one can warm up with the Afrobeat sounds of Ikebe Shakedown, the 70s funk revival septet from New York. “Brushfire” should get you dancing.
The sweet voice of Margo Price is paired with the wizened voice of Willie Nelson on the tearjerking country ballad “Learning to Lose.”
Sofi Tukker is a New York City based dance pop duo consisting of Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern. You may have heard it before because apparently it’s being used in commercials, but since I don’t have tv I’ve come to it with no preconceptions. Anyhow, a song about friendship is ideal for Thanksgiving weekend, and it also has some nice beats.
The Nunnery of Minneapolis makes loops of vocal sound live to create the mesmerizing “Powerwalk.” And that’s about all I can tell you about The Nunnery because they seem vague about their identity online.
On November 18, 2016, Sharon Jones died leaving behind a musical legacy and broken hearts everywhere. A year later, the final Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings album Soul of a Woman will be released on November 17, 2017. The first single, a peace anthem called “Matter of Time” reminds us of what we lost and what we’ll always have from Miss Sharon Jones’ musical gift.
“All Rolled Up” is an atmospheric, electronic track from an Australian trio with a name that defies Google, F Ingers. It’s on their new album Awkwardly Blissing Out.
