Soundtrack4Life: The Best Albums of 2017 - Honourable Mentions Part 1

I mentioned I was going to do a post highlighting a few of the Albums released in 2017 that are deserving of an Honourable Mention even though they didn't make my list of Top 20 Albums for the Year (You can find all of the links to that list at this link).

As I mentioned when I was putting that list together these are my personal choices and so they may not be the choices you would make. 

Like most of my listening throughout last year this group of albums are very diverse musically from each other. They are in no particular order of merit.

There are links below to a few tracks from each album where available.

Crooked Calypso - Paul Heaton + Jacqui Abbott

Virgin EMI Records

Released July 2017

Tracks To Listen To:

I Gotta Praise.

He Wants To.

If I May.

She Got The Garden.

The Fat Man.

Third Album from Paul + Jacqui and continues on from their first two with great pop tunes (this time with a bit of a funky/soul sound in places) alongside the sometimes humourous lyrics from Mr Heaton.

Velvet Magic - Devil's Witches

Cursed Tounge Records (Vinyl)

Forbidden Place Records (CD)

Golden Dawn Recordings (Cassette)

Released June 2017

Listen To The Album In Full Here.

I wanted to take a moment to point out this one because it's by a friend of mine in Glasgow. James Abilene plays pretty much everything on it as well as writing the songs. Much to his surprise the album really hit a nerve among the community who thrive on this Doom Metal, Stoner Rock and Psychedelia. The Album was a real success selling out Vinyl stocks and the Cassette release in a very fast time. The Vinyl has been reprinted a couple of times and I believe is getting repressed again. The CD stock also sold out. The album would also end up on Best of Lists in various Countries as it spread its wings to South America, USA and around Europe.

I wanted to apologise to James as well because I did promise him at some point last year I would try and get an interview with him for Soundtrack4Life but I failed miserably to get my act together to do it. I hope James this makes up for that just a little. I am so proud of you fella. 😀

Check out Devil's Witches at:

Bandcamp.

Facebook.

Kicking Up The Dust - Cast

Cast Recordings

Released April 2017

Tracks To Listen To:

Do That.

Paper Chains.

We have had to wait six years for a brand new Studio Album from Cast but the wait was worth it I think. The band still sound so brilliant. Kicking Up The Dust was their Sixth album (the first four were released between 1995-2001). Troubled Times (released in 2011) was a magnificent return for the band and this latest one further cements the case for Cast being considered as one of the finest bands to come out of Liverpool.

Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie - Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie

Atlantic/Warner Music

Released June 2017

Listen To Select Tracks Here.

The album was pretty much a Fleetwood Mac record only without any input from Stevie Nicks! Songs on the album were written by Buckingham (5 songs) and McVie (2 songs), with them co-writing Feel About You, Red Sun and Too Far Gone. The project was quiet a success with the album Debuting on the Chart in the USA at #17 and in the UK at #5. It was the best chart placing they both have had outside of Fleetwood Mac. It's a great pop record I think and it was great seeing Lindsey and Christine writing together again (it's been a long time since Tango of the Night!)

I have a few more albums that I believe are worthy of an Honourable Mention and I'll try and tackle them next time around.