The rumored “experimental” album turns up from my favorite band but any worries they’d gone all “Kid A” were soon dispelled after hearing lead single The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness. Yes, the album is a little quirkier, there’s some electronic drum loops (terrifying), guitar solos (!) and the title track which is very odd but this album has everything a fan of the band could want. It’s just enough experimentation to keep them relevant and exciting, but it still delivers the killer lines, the beautiful composition and Matt’s vocals which will always melt me. The album was co-written with his wife and its about being in a marriage for a long time, it’s probably the most personal album they’ve done and that’s what makes it brilliant, it’s not experimental, its beautifully honest.

Im not sure how a 21 year old producer from Guernsey gets established artists like A$AP Rocky, Damon Albarn & Jamie Lidell to appear on his debut album, not to mention up n coming stars like Christine & the Queens, NAO and Charli XCX. But young Alex Crossan did just that for this remarkable hip hop, neo-soul, electro album. It’s totally different from anything I heard this year and there’s some absolute killer tracks.

The king of concept albums, Stephen Merritt, is back on form. What better way to celebrate turning 50 than to write 1 song for every year of his existence, chronicling his birth and upbringing thru to starting bands, owning cats, sharing flats and finding and losing loves. What I love about this album is its ambition, no one else in this world could have done this, and what’s even better they pull it off with the same wit, intelligence, love and charm that you’d expect from the best of The Magnetic Fields. An absolute epic achievement from one of the best songwriters of our generation.

If we were ranking albums and bands who had wrote more accomplished music in 2017 then you would probably have an argument that this should be usurped by most of the previous 5 bands. But if we’re going on how much I’ve listened to an album and enjoyed it this year (which we are) this deservedly is number 5. Its bonkers, its catchy, there’s barely any duff tracks, they’re from Sheffield / Outer Space and are pure unadulterated filth and I love it.

It’s from here on in where I could roll a dice and whatever it lands on could be my favorite album of the year. There’s not a lot that separates this top 6 and this album from TWOD is a stormer. I always fret when a band I love signs to a major label, and after the success of Lost in a Dream (one of my fave albums of the past 10 years) I was a little worried he could follow it up. I needn’t worry, it picks up where LiaD ends and doesnt let you go til the ironically named closer You Don’t Have to Go.

The 2nd of 4 debut albums in my top 10 this year which should give everyone hope for the future of music. Loyle Carner is hard not to love, like a more laid back version of The Streets, Loyle’s lyrics focus on family and growing up, the music ranges from soul to jazz, gospel to indie but its his vocals that are smooth, witty and mature above his years that makes this record brilliant.

If I did this list in June there’s a high chance this would be number one. It’s an incredible 3rd album which has rightly cemented them as superstars. In I See You they’ve given Jamiexx a little more creative freedom and that’s merged the best of both of his solo dance stuff with the classic XX sound.

Dreamy debut from these guys (yes that’s a guy singing), perfect for early mornings, late nights or generally feeling hungover.

Never has the title of an album summed up what it contains so eloquently. In Hug of Thunder BSS follow up the bombastic Forgiveness Rock Record with a much more gentler record. Band leader Kevin Drew takes more of a back seat to the softer vocals of the females in the group (Amy Millan, Feist, Emily Haines and Lisa Lobsinger all feature) but what remains is still very much a Broken Social Scene record.

Everything Everything’s fourth full length was written as a companion piece to the excellent Get to Heaven (2015). I’ve loved every album they’ve done and this may be my favorite, but it didn’t really hit until I saw them live this year. I’ve said it before but they really are one of the best live bands around. His voice is unbelievable to witness and he doesn’t miss a note / beat, which if you’ve heard what he sounds like on record is quite an achievement. I’ve been listening to the album a lot more since I saw it live, there’s some absolute bangers, but my favorite is the title track A Fever Dream, built around a haunting piano loop, its one of their least verbose tracks which builds into this massive rave-up with a refrain which will be stuck in your head for weeks. Live, it’s totally euphoric and it felt like I was in a 90′s rave. Watch the video below, listen to the album and try and see them live. You wont regret it.