Best Albums of 2017 – Part 1

2017 had a lot of great albums released, so in no specific order, here are my top favorites from this year.

Creeper – Eternity, In Your Arms

I listen to E,IYA several times a week. Creeper has the same level of talent as the great British punk bands of the 70’s; the sound of the album kind of hearkens back to that era of music as well. “Black Rain” is my top favorite track, but “Down Below” is another great one, as is “Misery.” Creeper has an album that appeals to young and mature audiences. E,IYA also stood out to me because although it was Creeper’s first album release, it has a very mature, developed, and well thought out sound. Vocalist Will Ghould has an extremely recognizable voice and is very charismatic. Keyboardist Hannah Greenwood is their secret weapon, though, providing insane harmonies with Ghould and even getting her own song, “Crickets,” on the album. I highly recommend getting Eternity, In Your Arms.

Blacktop Mojo – Burn The Ships

If you know Blacktop Mojo, it’s probably because their cover of “Dream On” has over 2.5 million views on YouTube the last time I checked. If you didn’t know they released their second album Burn The Ships in March, now you do and you need to get it. Blacktop Mojo takes influences from a lot of the great, classic rock bands and mixes those with that unique southern rock sound. On top of all of that, there’s this extra special sound in there that can only be described as Blacktop Mojo’s signature. “Dream On” is on the album, but there are lots of great original songs on it as well, like “Where the Wind Blows,” “Prodigal,” and “8000 Lines.” Vocalist Matt James is brilliant and the rest of the band is equally as talented. Listen to one song on Burn The Ships and you’ll be hooked.

Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown – Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown

Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown’s self-titled release has some of the best guitar that I have ever heard, so it’s no surprise that these guys have already shared a stage with some of the biggest names in rock. The music has some of that classic Nashville rock sound to it, with a little bit of blues in there as well. Besides the great guitar, the vocals actually blew me away. This band is bursting at the seam with talent and seems to have their sound down pat. “Jealous Me,” Ramblin’ Bones,” and “Aftershock” are highly recommended, but the songs on this album are really all top notch.

Trivium – The Sin And The Sentence

Trivium blew my mind with The Sin And The Sentence. This was new drummer Alex Bent’s first album with the band and it’s elevated this album from a good to one of the top metal albums out there right now. The songs on this album are amazing and there’s a great variety, from “Betrayer” to “The Heart From Your Hate.” I also really like “The Sin And The Sentence (intro version).” This is one of the best albums I’ve ever heard. I’ve even had people who usually don’t like metal love this album. Trivium is at the top of their game with The Sin And The Sentence.

Tarja – From Spirits and Ghosts (Score for a Dark Christmas)

Yes, this is a Christmas album, but it still makes my list. Tarja is an amazing singer, with a beautiful high soprano; she never gets pitchy or screechy. She reinterpreted several of my favorite Christmas carols in a way I’ve never heard before. This album is not light or fluffy; it’s dark and full of spirit. I would listen to this album all year just because it’s so good. Every single track shows off Tarja’s impressive talent for singing; this is the only album I’ll be playing this Christmas season.

There were a lot of other great albums in multiple genres that came out this year, but these are the ones I find myself playing and recommending to others again and again. 2018 is sure to be another great year for music and I’m super excited to see the albums that are released next year!

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Post by Karen Shalev

What were your favorite albums of 2017? Comment below.