We posted the first half of Fighting Boredom’s review of 2017, the photographer’s view, yesterday. Today it’s Adrian Bloxham’s turn, the writer. You get exactly the same as the last page with his top ten albums and comments and then top ten gigs and recomendations. There is some overlap but we don’t feel the same about everything which is what makes Fighting Boredom what it is.
Again, all of the albums here have clips of music with them and all of them are either on Spotify or Bandcamp to listen to, so dive in!
Albums of the Year 2017
10 – Colossloth – Heathen Needles
Completely off the wall static and noise layers with oddly soothing musical moments creating landscapes of sound.
9 –
– Exile In The Outer Ring
A terrifying, suffocating and a totally beautiful creation.
8 – Japandroids – Near To The Wild Heart Of Life
Stories with massive chorus’s, great big guitars and drums, the occasional keyboard and songs to die for.
7 –
An epic double album of massive guitar riffs and perfect rock’roll songs.
6 – Noamm – Black waves
The rhythm of the robotic dance of celebration after the last human has perished and gone into the dark cold void.
5 – Black Mekon – One In The Hate
Primordial distorted Rock’n’Roll from the black hearts of demons dressed in sharp suits and superhero masks.
4 – Godflesh – Post Self
What you would expect from Godflesh but stripped back and even more focused than usual.
3 – Charles Dexter Ward and the Imagineers – The Search For Franks Brains
If you ordered insane whiskey addled, grit gargling vocals backed by Satan’s own house band of Demons then you’ve come to the right place. Psychedelic time traveling madness distilled and served straight.
2 – Idles – Brutalism
Just like the title, brutal, short, focused scathing music, very very clever.
1 – Oxbow – Thin Black Duke
This is where Fighting Boredom agree, both of us chose this as our number one album of the year. You start listening to it and two hours later it’s still on, mesmerising and brilliant. As Martin said, just go and buy it.
Live Shows of the Year
1 – Oxbow Choir – Supersonic Festival – Birmingham
2 – Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds – Birmingham
3 – Swans – Transformer Festival – Manchester
4 – Melt banana – Supersonic Festival – Birmingham
5 – Redd Kross – Birmingham
6 – Charles Dexter Ward and the Imagineers – Album Launch Show – Coventry
7 – Black Mekon – Birmingham
8 – Rainbow Grave – Birmingham
9 – Resurrection Men – Album Launch Show – Coventry
10 – Crazyhead – Leicester
Other Great Stuff from 2017
St Vincent
Zonal
JK Flesh
Bass Agenda Recordings
The Dead Albatross Music Awards
Scattering Ashes
Lusterlit
The Soapgirls
The Coathangers
All words by Adrian Bloxham, live pictures by Martin Ward.