From: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org (ecto-digest) To: ecto-digest@smoe.org Subject: ecto-digest V16 #2160 Reply-To: ecto@smoe.org Sender: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk ecto-digest Wednesday, December 20 2017 Volume 16 : Number 2160 To unsubscribe: e-mail ecto-digest-request@smoe.org and put the word unsubscribe in the message body. Today's Subjects: ----------------- Best of 2017 [JoAnn Whetsell ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2017 03:55:10 +0000 From: JoAnn Whetsell Subject: Best of 2017 Here's my list, mostly in no particular order. St. Vincent - Masseduction Even better than her last, self-titled album! I LOVE this. Lorde - Melodrama I still haven't listened to her first album in its entirety, but I've loved this from the initial single releases to the album, start to finish. Definitely one of my top 2 of the year (with St. Vincent's album). Rhiannon Giddens - Freedom Highway So glad to see another ectophile mention this. Really good folk/Americana music exploring African-American experiences. Chastity Brown - Silhouette of Sirens Excellent album from this soul-folk singer. I got to see her live this year, and she gave her all, even though it was a small crowd. We got to chat about natural hair for a bit afterwards. Camille - Oui A short album, but that just makes it easier to play it over and over. The more I listen to this, the more I love it. Jesca Hoop - Memories Are Now I didn't really care for The House That Jack Built, so it's especially nice to have new music from Jesca that I really enjoy. The Lone Bellow - Walk Into a Storm Another great album from this folk trio. Austra - Future Politics Another strong album from this electronica group. Spent much of the winter listening to this. Judith Owen - Somebody's Child Pop jazz. To me, her very best album to date. Given the high quality of her previous work, that's saying a lot! Also enjoyed: Daughter - Music from Before the Storm Goldfrapp - Silver Eye Juana Molina- Halo Sarah Slean - Metaphysics Thea Gilmore - The Counterweight Promising albums that need more attention: Adna - Closure Aimee Mann - Mental Illness Bjork - Utopia (So far I like the singles, but when I try to listen to it as an album, it just feels like too much.) Cara Dillon and Sam Lakeman - Wanderer Charlotte Gainsbourg - Rest Karine Polwart and Pippa Murphy - A Pocket of Wind Resistance Laura Marling - Semper Femina (I like much of this, and yet it doesn't quite jell (gel?) for me) Lizz Wright - Grace Martha Tilston - Nomad Sara Tavares - Fitxadu The Waifs - Ironbark JoAnn ------------------------------ End of ecto-digest V16 #2160 ****************************