Listing To Starboard...Fifty Favorite LP's 2017

FIFTY FAVORITE LP's: 2017

If nothing else, The Year That Was certainly reflected the world at large, ranging from systemic unease to pure distress, and everything in between. These were the LP's that saw us through, that said something about where we're at, if not how we got there, and what the hell do we do next... For the so inclined, here's a playlist with a cut off of each LP, otherwise, check the links below... Happy listening, and we'll see you out on the trail next year!

50) ANGEL OLSEN: Phases

49) KING WOMAN: Created In The Image Of Suffering

48) BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE: Hug Of Thunder

47) MARK LANEGAN: Gargoyle

46) THE NATIONAL: Sleep Well Beast

45) HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF: The Navigator

44) METZ: Strange Peace

43) SHANNON LAY: Living Water

42) SLEAFORD MODS: English Tapas

41) LAS ROBERTAS: Waves Of The New

40) COURTNEY BARNETT/KURT VILE: Lotta Sea Lice

39) MEKLIT: When The People Move The Music Moves Too

38) HAUNTED SUMMER: Spirit Guides

37) WOODS: Love Is Love

36) CHELSEA WOLFE: Hiss Spun

35) COURTNEYS: II

34) BOSS HOG: Brood X

33) LOMELDA: Thx

32) MAKTHAVERSKAN: III

31) SAY SUE ME: Say Sue Me

30) BJORK: Utopia

29) BIG THIEF: Capacity

28) DOWNTOWN BOYS: Cost Of Living

27) PRIESTS: Nothing Feels Natural

26) JAY SOM: Everybody Works

25) ZOLA JESUS: Okovi

24) VAGABON: Infinite Worlds

23) ALEX G: Rocket

22) GOLD CLASS: Drum

21) GREAT GRANDPA: Plastic Cough

20) JEN CLOHER: Jen Cloher

19) DIET CIG: Swear I'm Good At This

18) SPOON: Hot Thoughts

17) JAPANESE BREAKFAST: Soft Sounds From Another Planet

16) DREAM SYNDICATE: How Did I Find Myself Here

15) PROTOMARTYR: Relatives In Descent

14) GIRLPOOL: Powerplant

13) GRANDADDY: The Last Place

12) AFGHAN WHIGS: In Spades

11) JENS LEKMAN: Life Will See You Now

10) CAYETANA: New Kind Of Normal

9) TWO INCH ASTRONAUT: Can You Please Not Help?

8) STEF CHURA: Messes

7) LOS CAMPESINOS!: Sick Scenes

6) PALEHOUND: A Place I'll Always Go

5) WAXAHATCHEE: Out In The Storm

4) CLOUD NOTHINGS: Life Without Sound

3) PEAKING LIGHTS: Fifth State Of Consciousness

2) CHASTITY BELT: I Used To Spend So Much Time Alone

1) RADIATOR HOSPITAL: Play The Songs You Like

Getting To The Church On Time: Waxahatchee in LA

WAXAHATCHEE

CAYETANA

SNAIL MAIL

REGENT THEATER, LA

29 JULY, 2017

Saturday night marked the return of Waxahatchee to LA, fresh off the release of new LP Out In The Storm, and metaphorically, the title came rudely to life, as the band weathered a blown transmission in their van, and were rescued by tour mates Snail Mail and Cayetana. While the sound may have been a little rough around the edges, and the start a little late, the adrenaline high carried the day, and all three bands more than made their mark. Riding high off of last year's Habit, Baltimore's Snail Mail opened the night with a winning set that turned many a head in the downtown theater. Cayetana filled in the middle, with the Philly trio building their set on new LP, New Kind Of Normal, a May release on their very own Plum Records, culminating in a savage "Bus Ticket", one of the year's best songs. Waxahatchee took the stage, tired but triumphant, and gave their all. Reprising the opening gambit from the Ivy Tripp tour, they opened with Katie Crutchfield front and center, and an almost hymn-like intro, in this case the new "Recite:Remorse", before bashing away. Old favorites were sprinkled in, and the new songs took on a presence even more fiery than the record. The current quintet is indeed, peak Waxahatchee, built up sonically for bigger shows, with twin sister Allison Crutchfield again on board, having finished up touring duties for her solo debut earlier this year. After a grueling day, the stage must have felt like the best kind of welcome home.

SNAIL MAIL

CAYETANA

WAXAHATCHEE

 

For further Waxahatchee related reading:
This Is Our Music...
Once A Creek, Now A River...
Coast To Coast...
Hardly Strictly '14
In LA, '15, pt I
In LA '15, pt II

Allison Crutchfield Takes A Bow...

ALLISON CRUTCHFIELD and The FIZZ

RADIATOR HOSPITAL

OVLOV

BOOTLEG THEATER, LA

14 OCTOBER, 2016

In the continuing adventures of the Crutchfield sisters, Friday night at the Bootleg Theater in LA saw Allison take center stage with The Fizz, bringing to life cuts from her solo debut EP, Lean Into It, and previewing songs from next year's full-length. Just a month ago, she was in town as part of the P.S. Elliot reunion, then hit the road with The Fizz opening up for the Julie Ruin. As if that wasn't enough, misfortune struck in the form of a van break-in, claiming hardware from drummer Catherine Elicson, and all of Allison's clothing. Bloodied, but unbowed, they made it to LA for a headlining show.

The night was the working definition of a stacked bill, with Connecticut-based Steve Hartlett leading off with a few Stove songs, then shifting gears into Ovlov material.

Sam Cook-Parrott brought Radiator Hospital to life in solo form, providing a well-received set of mostly new songs, sprinkled with some crowd favorites, and a peek at his most recent project "The Afterglows", before going on to hold down the bass in Crutchfield's trio.

Taken as a whole, the night was an already sepia Polaroid of where these artists are at, steps before they unveil their next offering.

Ovlov

Radiator Hospital

Allison Crutchfield and The Fizz

The Return of P.S. Eliot

P.S. Eliot 

Upset

Miserable

The Echo, Echo Park, LA

09 September, 2016

Celebrating the new release of the band's history, 2007-2011, (via Don Giovanni Records), the revival of PS Eliot is a welcome surprise. Given the Crutchfield sisters' penchant for moving forward, it was totally unexpected, but with most of their current fan base likely having never seen the band, it easily escaped the usual reunion show webs of nostalgia. At one point, Katie Crutchfield stated that their only LA appearance was a house show in Long Beach, and marveled at the packed Echo. Along with sister Allison, Will Granger, and Katherine Simonetti, the quartet was sharp and focused tearing through their catalog with a visible glee, and little rust evident in this tour kickoff. 

Doing the opening honors was SF doom merchants Miserable, led by Kristina Esfandiari, (see also: King Woman), making a rare LA appearance. With a stark, intense set, they raised an admirable bar for the evening. Local favorites Upset filled in the middle without missing a beat, their buzz saw pop providing liftoff, and the bonus was getting to hear a clutch of new songs, which hopefully will be out next year. 

P.S. Eliot 

Upset

Miserable