The U & U's 117 Best Songs of 2017 | Set 4 of 5: 50-26

50 : Washer : Your Guess Is As Bad As Mine : All Aboard (2017)



49 : The I.L.Y’s : I Love You Man : Bodyguard (2017)

The U & U Show 511 | King Gizzardly Wizardry

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King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard : The Castle In The Air

Polygondwanaland (2017)  |  BandCamp

Vuelveteloca : Terror

Pantera (2015)  |  BandCamp

The U & U Show 510 | New Sharon, Curtis & Way Yes!

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Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings : Matter Of Time

Soul Of A Woman (2017)  |  BandCamp

 

Curtis Harding : Wednesday Morning Atonement

Face Your Fear (2017)  |  Official Site

The U & U Show 501 | Summer Break Complete

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Protomartyr : A Private Understanding

Relatives In Descent (2017)  |  BandCamp

 

Thee Oh Sees (Oh Sees) : Animated Violence

Orc (2017)  |  Official Site

U & U Show 362 | Lots of Folk Folks

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Nathaniel Rateliff : Still Trying : Falling Faster Than You Can Run (2013)

-       3^rd full length.

-       I got so hung up on Nathaniel’s other project, The Night Sweats, when this album was released I completely missed one of the best folk albums of 2013.

-       Surprise highlight of my recent SF trip.

Official Site

Anand Wilder & Maxwell Kardon : Wedding Day : Break Line the Musical (2014)

-       Lead single from a star-studded folk musical from members of Yeasayer.

-       The musical also features members of Suckers, Man Man, Kishi Bashi, Vampire Weekend, and Dragon of Zynth.

-       Coming out on Secretly Canadian Records.

Official Site

U & U Show 361 | Landlady, Mimicking Birds & Perth Pysch

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Black Mekon : Black Mekon Must Die : Stolen Bible 2 (2013)

-          Debut album.

-          Raw, fuzzed out, harsh, blues rock.

-          RIYL: Seasick Steve or John Spencer.

Official Site

Landlady : Dying Day : Upright Behavior (2014)

-          Debut album

-          Brooklyn band getting a lot of buzz as they run up to their album release.

-          Incredible vocals that remind me of those of Maps & Atlases.

-          Like Brian Jonestown Massacre or a mellower Velvet Underground

BandCamp

The U & U Show 360 | Surprise! New Night Beds & Savages

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Night Beds : Hide From It (2014)

-          Latest single, but no mention of a new full length.

-          Released one of the most gorgeous albums of 2013, Country Sleep.

-          Led by Winston Yellen.

Official Site

Yellerkin : Vines : Yellerkin EP (2014)

-          Debut EP

-          This single was released in 2013.

-          RIYL Yeasayer.

Soundcloud

Landlady : The Globe : Upright Behavior (2014)

-       Debut album

-       Brooklyn band getting a lot of buzz as they run up to their album release.

-       Incredible vocals that remind me of those of Maps & Atlases.

-       Like Brian Jonestown Massacre or a mellower Velvet Underground

BandCamp

Curtis Harding : Surf : Soul Power (2014)

-          Debut full length, Soul Power.

-          Incredibly promising soul singer that’s readying one of the albums I’m most excited for.

-          Played with Cee-Lo and, currently, with members of the Black Lips in a band called Night Sun (also readying a debut EP)

Facebook

Megafaun : Get Right : Megafaun (2011)

-       4^th album.

-       Psych folk band.

-       Megafaun and Bon Iver were the two bands that formed after DeYarmond Edison split up.

-       This past Friday night featured a reunion of sorts as Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon played bass for Megafaun.

Facebook

Ought : Waiting : More Than Any Other Day (2014)

-       Debut LP

-       2 EPs out as well.

-       Montreal by way of the States post-punk rock band.

-       Name your own price for all their music on their bandcamp.

BandCamp

Wooden Wand : Dambuilding : Farmer’s Corner (2014)

-       James Jackson Toth project's forthcoming album.

-       His last album, Blood Oaths of the New Blues, was a Best of the U & U 2013.

-       His track ‘No Bed For Beatle Wand/Days This Long’ was my favorite song of 2013.

MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine

Amen Dunes : Lonely Richard : Love (2014)

-          3^rd full length.

-          Significantly more approachable track from the usually more spacey, jammy, ambient dark rock band.

Facebook

Lushes : Feastin : What Am I Doing (2012)

-          2014 re-release of their debut full length.

-          Brooklyn based guitar and drums band.

-          Post-rock with lots of looping.

BandCamp

1, 2, 3 : When the Levee Broke At The County Fair : Big Weather (2014)

-       2nd full length. Double LP

-       Raucous Pittsburgh indie rock band.

Official Site 

tUnE-yArDs : Real Thing : Nicki Nack (2014)

-       3^rd album’s first single.

-       Led by the extremely and uniquely talented Merrill Garbus.

Official Site

Tobacco : Father Sister Berzerker : Ultima II Massage (2014)

-       First single from forthcoming album.

-       Side project of leader of Black Moth Super Rainbow, Tom Vec

-       Very odd brand of electronic, psych and rock.

Official Site

Savages : Fuckers : Fuckers/Dream Baby Dream 12" (2014)

-       Debut full length… Long awaited to say the very least.

-       One of the most buzzed about bands at CMJ 2012.

-       All female post-punk rock from the UK

-       Seriously intense crowd-capturing CMJ 2012 and SXSW 2013 performances.

Official Site

The Dirty Banks : Table Tennis (2014)

-       Forthcoming EP.

-       Debut EP was out in 2013.

-       Bouncy, catchy, psych pop. Reminds me a bit of Modest Mouse and the Pixies (pre-Indie Cindy)

BandCamp

Pink Mountaintops : Ambulance City : Get Back (2014)

-       4^th album.

-       A more garage-leaning outfit from Black Mountain’s Stephen McBean.

Official Site

The U & U Show 358 | New Jack White & So Much More

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Jack White : Lazaretto : Lazaretto (2014)

-       2nd solo album out June 9

-       Bringing more of the older, more aggressive style White Stripes' fans were used to.

-       Hi solo debut, 2012's Blunberbuss was a much slower, folkier album.

Official Site : Amazon : HypeMachine

Curtis Harding : Cast Away : Keep On Shining 7” (2014)

-          B-side from first single for his debut full length, Soul Power.

-          Incredibly promising soul singer that’s readying one of the albums I’m most excited for.

-          Played with Cee-Lo and, currently, with members of the Black Lips in a band called Night Sun (also readying a debut EP)

Facebook

The U & U Show 349 | SXSW Preview Show #2

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Sun Kil Moon : Richard Ramirez Died Today Of Natural Causes : Benji (2014)

-          6^th LP

-          First Sun Kil Moon proper album since 2012’s superb LP, Among the Leaves.

-          Led by the most wonderfully sleepy vocals of Mark Kozelek.

-          SXSW 2014

Official Site

The Hold Steady : I Hope This Whole Thing Didn't Frighten You : Teeth Dreams (2014)

-          6^th full length, Teeth Dreams, is out March 25. First since 2010.

-          The Rags EP of covers was out ealier this year.

-          One of the greatest live bands I’ve ever seen.

-          SXSW 2014

Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine

The U & U Show 347 | Winston's Back & Curtis Arrives

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Night Beds : Head For the Hills (2014)

-          2^nd album. 1^st single.

-          Released one of the most gorgeous albums of 2013, Country Sleep.

-          Led by Winston Yellen.

Official Site

Curtis Harding : Next Time (single) (2014)

-          Only the 2^nd of two singles (and one was a VU cover)

-          Incredibly promising soul singer that’s readying one of the albums I’m most excited for.

-          Played with Cee-Lo and, currently, with members of the Black Lips in a band called Night Sun (also readying a debut EP)

Facebook

The U & U Show 342 | Last Batch Before The Recaps

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Sufjan Stevens : Sister Winter : Songs For Christmas (2001-2006)

-          Possibly my #1 favorite Christmas song ever.

-          This gives him an even 10 Christmas albums full of classics and originals.

-          I don't listen to any other holiday music anymore.

Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine

The War On Drugs : Red Eyes : Lost In The Dream (2014)

-          Latest single from their forthcoming 3^rd full length.

-          Kurt Vile’s former outfit is still providing long time Vile fans sounds more in the vein of his older, soaring, drone- heavy work.

Official Site