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Lists are arbitrary and burdensome, but why not join the fun everyone else is having? We gathered our lists, separate lists for all of us, then combined them into one that had 50 albums. What you get here are the four writers/contributors of ATH, giving you their meaningless opinions on what we thought was the jam in 2017. It’s alphabetical, and we put the initials next to it so you could track down your enemy!
For the 8 or so people who read this blog on the regular, you’ll likely be aware of my affection for all things Oceanic, primarily New Zealand and Australia. So, with year end lists in mind, I thought I’d offer up my personal takes on the best tunes to come out of the area in 2017. There’s no particular order, just my sixteen favorites of the year.
There’s even a fun little playlist at the bottom for you to enjoy!
We’ve previously discussed how excited we are for Last Leaves debut full length; I’m hoping it fills the void the Locksmiths left when they called it a day on that project. Better news, especially for vinyl heads is that the band’s labels, Matinee/Lost and Lonesome are releasing a very limited 7″ with the below gem being the star. The front end of this song has a jangling shuffle to it, but as the track progresses, it takes on a melodic groove that rides to the end. This is going to be a super limited release, so just be forewarned that it’s going to go real quick!
Sometimes you can’t explain the hit cycle and why some of the more deserving bands don’t end up on the hype machine. For me, I’m personally putting some hype onto Last Leaves (a predominantly Lucksmiths super group). They’ve just released this stand alone single via Matinee Recordings, adding to the earlier hit from Matinee Idols Comp; it’s a fuzzy bit of beautiful guitar pop. Vocals have this gentleness, calm and warm, and layers of guitars work on top of each other, only barely fighting against another to create enough tension to seduce listeners. This song will featured on the group’s Other Towns Than Ours, which is slated to arrive early this fall. You can also see a video accompanying this new tune right HERE.
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Yes! Today you indipoppers will rejoice in the 20th Anniversary of Matinee Recordings…and with that, they’re also bringing you a brand new compilation…including some new tunes from our favorites like The Electric Pop Group. Plus, the comp also features a gem of a tune from Last Leaves, the new group formed by ex-Lucksmiths Marty Donald. Swinging guitar licks, steady beats and soaring harmonies are sure to abound when the Matinee Idols comp is released into the world on June 23rd. I’d write about the songs, but the label has tossed up a sample (including the two tracks I just mentioned), so stream and adore.
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