2017 Cum Laude Albums part II

Hope you liked the first half (not ranked).  Again, these are not rank ordered.

Lorde   Melodrama

Much has already been said about this 21 year old New Zealander. It's a pretty damn good album.


  









Mothica   Heavy Heart


Originally from Oklahoma City, currently based out of Brooklyn NY.  







Mozart's Sister  Field of Love

According to Wikipedia:   Cecile Believe (formerly known as Mozart's Sister) is a solo project of Caila Thompson-Hannant from Montréal, Québec. It was established in 2011.


 








The Octopus Project   Memory Mirror

I spent a lot of time this year going through the very large list of artists playing SXSW.  One the things I learned is that there are a lot of terrific bands based in Austin.  This is one of them.










Otoboke Beaver  Love is Short

And now for something completely different.  From Japan.






Paramore  After Laughter

I first encountered this band in 2009 as the warm up for No Doubt.  I have enjoyed them ever since.  From Los Angeles.










Phoebe Bridgers    Stranger in the Alps


Also from Los Angeles. She is showing up on many "hip" end of year 2017 lists.







Rebecca Loebe  Blink

Ditto my comment on Austin, TX.









The Wrecks  We Are The Wrecks

From Los Angeles,  I really like this EP.  Expect to hear more from them.



 








XETAS  The Tower


Another band from Austin.







Zola Jesus  Okovi

Been following this super talented 28 year old singer from Phoenix for a while.  So good.









Maria Roate  As I Go

"Christian" genre singers rarely get my attention (most of it is syrupy crap).  But I really like this album. A lot.  Nashville, by the way.








Lights  Skin and Earth

One of the first shows I ever took Athena to was Lights, at the Varsity Theater.  Toronto based.









PVRIS  All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell

I am surprised that this Massachusetts based band is not better known.

 

2017 Cum Laude Albums, part I

Here we go folks!   I have identified 87 albums that were released in 2017 and that I purchased and am giving my seal of approval to.  I am sorting them into Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Summa Cum Laude.  Time permitting, I will put a list of top songs. 

The usual disclaimers:  These are my rankings, based on my preferences.  YMMV.  Also, I don't care if most are female fronted.  There are few male fronted bands.  Can you find them?

The Cum Laude Album list is not rank ordered.


CUM LAUDE



Alice Jemima  - Alice Jemima

Without a doubt, I love female singers from the UK.  This year that will be quite evident.














Anna Tivel   Small Believer

From the great city of Portland, OR.  Love so many of the artists based there.








Annie Sumi   In The Unknown

Toronto is of course another favorite City.







 


Ariela Jacobs   Dare You to Run

Well, did you think I was going to ignore Australia?

 







The Big Moon    Love in the 4th Dimension

Enjoy this band from London.









Diane Barbarash River - Songs From the Poetry of Allison Grayhurst

Singer-songwriter from Vancouver.   Album inspired by the poet from Toronto.







The Dig   Bloodshot Tokyo

A cool band from New York City.




 







Duke York  Sincerely


This Seattle Based Band has been on the edge of my radar for years.  Made my list this year.



 






Epica   The Solace System

One of the very great symphonic metal bands from the Netherlands.  And near and dear since I saw them back in the day at Station 4  ( who remembers that place?).
Fantastic EP.












Feist Pleasure

This Calgary based singer came on to many people's radar via an Apple Commercial a decade ago.  But there is more to her than an Apple song.








Gabrielle Aplin  Avalon

At 25, she has become a mainstay on my list, as she continue to generate great music.  She does have that UK thing going.









Halsey   Hopeless Fountain Kingdom

It's unlikely we've heard the last from this New Jersey singer.  At 23, she is already headlining in large arenas.
 







Izzie Walsh  The Curse

Another UK singer.   I have understated how much I like her music.






Jordan Collins   Compartmentalize

From Spokane.  Quite under-rated.










MORE TO COME

Top Ten for 2016 (Summa Cum Laude)

But first, a couple of shout outs.

David Bowie Lazarus



Leonard Cohen Steer Your Way



#10 Sweven Brooke Waggoner




#9 Flowers In My Head Jessica Rotter




#8 Beautiful Lies Birdy



#7 Boomerang She is We



#6 I Remember Her Ingrid Michaelson



#5 Running With the Wolves Aurora


#4 Bird Set Free Sia



#3 Murder Song Aurora



#2 The Sun Keep Rising Lissie



#1 The Trapper and the Furrier Regina Spektor

2016 top songs, Magna Cum Laude

These are really good. Not ranked otherwise.


Rachel Curtis            We Are Fish



Oathbreaker               10:56/Second Son of R



Wilde Belle                Coyotes



Wilde Belle Throw Down Your Guns



Broods                        Freak Of Nature




Brooke Waggoner Fink



Joseph                         White Flag



Joseph                        SOS



Ingrid Michaelson    Can't Drink You Gone



High as A Kite        Someone Who'll Get It



High as a Kite My Name is Liar



Sia                             Unstoppable



Lissie                        Heros



Lissie                       Daughters

2016 top songs, Cum Laude

OK, these are not ranked.  But I will post a more "elite" set after this.
Oh, and as always, this list represents what I liked.  So there are surely better songs, so be it.

What are your favorites from this list?

Delain                        Suckerpunch



The Coathangers     Squeeki Tiki



Stitched up Heart        Monster




Sonia Rao                    Minneapolis



Mother Feather           Living Breathing



Mother Feather           Mother Feather




Tove Lo                      Don't Talk About It



The Glass Child         The Year I Disappeared



The Glass Child         Save Me



Garbage                       Amends



Gabrielle Aplin          Night Bus



BlondFire                  True Confessions



Against the Currentt    Running With The Wild Things



The Raign                  When It's Over



Lake Street Dive        Call Off Your Dogs



Broods                      Free



Broods                     Heartlines



The Pretty Reckless  Walls Closing In/Hangman



The Pretty Reckless  Take Me Down



Tonight Alive           Oxygen



Tonight Alive           Human Interaction



Tonight Alive           We Are



Adia Victoria           Dead Eyes



She Is We               War



Birdy                        Wild Horses



Jessica Rotter           Lost Found



Epica                        Universal Death Squad/Universal Love Squad
These are two songs, sort of




Joseph                      Canyon



Sia                             Move Your Body



Sia                            Cheap Thrills


Regina Spektor          Bleeding Heart



Lissie                       Wild Wild West



Aurora                  Conquerer



Aurora                   Winter Bird



Aurora                   I Went Too Far



Aurora                  Warrior

2016 Summa Cum Laude Part II ( top 10)

10) Birdy Beautiful Lies

A familiar face on my list. Yet ridiculously young. <3







9)  Jessica Rotter   Plains

Not sure how I happened on this LA based singer song-writer. But I am very glad that I did.








8)  Epica   The Holographic Principle

I have loved this epic metal band from the Netherlands for some time. This may well be their best album. And it is truly an album, not just a collection of songs.





 
7)   Joseph   I'm Alone, You're Not 

This sister act from Oregon is beyond awesome. And not new to my list.





Not the album version, but what the heck.


6)  Ingrid Michaelson     It Doesn't Have to Make Sense


God I love her! What more to say. She never disappoints.





Don't cry. OK?


5)  Regina Spektor    Remember Us To Life


A Russian Jew raised in New York City. What could be more American?







4)  High As a Kite  Camp Echo

If I didn't already love Norway after this Summer. Well, here is another reason. Oh, saw them at 7th Street Entry this year. Another reason.







3)  Sia    This is Acting


Sia, OMG. She just keep getting more and more wonderful. I don't know what else to say. Get her music!


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2)  Lissie   My Wild West

From Illinois, I have been a fan for a bit. But I believe she took it to another level with this album. It's very special.







1)  Aurora  All My Demons Greeting Me As My Friend    

 
Norway was a theme for me this year. I spent a week there. Then I saw two acts live in Minneapolis that are from Norway. They both made my top 5.
Aurora is from Bergen, a beautiful and amazing city where Athena and I spent 3 nights.







There you go. I don't know if I am up to a top songs list this year. Maybe a short one?

2016 Summa Cum Laude Albums, Part I (11-20)

Sorry for the delay. Things happen.

20) Lucy Dacus   No Burden
 Singer songwriter from Virginia.






19) Wilde Belle  Dreamland

Sibling duo from Chicago. Expect more great stuff from them.




18) The Raign When It's Over


Rachel Rabin is her name and she is from London. The Raign is her stage name.






17) Lauren Aquilina Isn't It Strange
 Love the UK,  don't I?   Ms Aquilina has been on my list before.  Most likely will be again.










16) Lake Street Dive Side Pony
 From Boston.  Founding member Mike Olson is from Minneapolis -  explains the name.









15) Broods Conscious

Great Duo from New Zealand. 



 



14) The Pretty Reckless Who Are You Selling For
 This LA band keeps getting better.







13) Tonight Alive Limitless
 Australia is awesome.







12) Adia Victoria Beyond The Bloodhounds

From South Carolina and currently based in Nashville. Great album.







11) She Is We War

Seattle area denizen Rachel Taylor is the person behind this act. Was originally part of the duo He is We. I find this album to be addicting.