Project Description
The 5 Best Australian Albums of 2017
I think it’s common knowledge at this point that the Australian music scene is one of the most diverse and consistently prolific in the world (we’re looking at you King Gizz). It is these qualities that are allowing increased recognition of the Australian music scene worldwide, with more and more Australian acts being included on or higher up the bill at many international festivals. 2017 has been a significant year for many Australian artists, with a number of artists releasing magnificent debuts, or perfecting their sound with later records. This list compiles what I consider to be the five best Australian albums of 2017.
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.
1. Gang of Youths – Go Farther In Lightness
.
.
There’s not much more that can be said about this album that I literally haven’t written about before. Gang of Youths’ sophomore release has been acclaimed as one of the best releases of the year, period. From a five-star rating from Rolling Stone to their tear-jerking live performance, to cleaning out the ARIA Awards (8 nominations, 4 wins), 2017 ensured Gang of Youths cemented their status as one of Australia’s great acts, with sold-out shows throughout Australia, the US, the UK and Europe. Go Farther In Lightness is an album that captures the astronomic rise of a band that pulls at your heartstrings and pervades hope in a hopeless situation and rising through adversity.
Notable Tracks:
Fear and Trembling
Let Me Down Easy
The Deepest Sighs, The Frankest Shadows
Say Yes To Life
.
.
2. Polish Club – Alright Already
.
.
2017 has indeed been a breakout year for Sydney indie-rock two-piece Polish Club. With the release of their incredible March debut Alright Already, Polish Club set the bar very high. Their 50’s rockabilly feel, mixed with soulful, Motown-esque vocals and genre-blending sound made their debut release a must-have for any Australian music fan. Fast-forward six months and they dropped a six-track EP, Okie Dokie, and embarking are on a second national tour in the same year. A husky, passionate voice, fast-paced guitars and, raucously infectious drums, sang to pop-driven lyrics, Polish Club deliver a sound that blurs the line between pop and garage rock a fusion you wouldn’t expect to work as well as it does. With two masterful releases this year, Alright Already and Okie Dokie, the duo are poised to become icons of Australian rock.
Notable Tracks:
Divided
How To Be Alone
Beat Up
Why Should I?
.
.
3. The Smith Street Band – More Scared of You Than You Are of Me
.
.
Melbourne punk-rock legends The Smith Street Band released their fourth studio album More Scared of You Than You Are of Me, to universal acclaim. If I’m honest, this was the album that made me truly appreciate the music, message and character of The Smith Street Band. But, the whole album, exudes an overwhelming sense that you aren’t alone through your trials and tribulations, much like Gang of Youths’ new release. Sometimes there are albums that are released that strike a chord on a personal level, with this album being no exception. The relatability and emotive force of Wil Wagner’s lyrics is incredible; he has an innate sense of being able to turn his experiences into tracks that resonate universally while also offering hope and comfort. This was cemented for me at Maitland Groovin the Moo this year, where Smith Street delivered one of the best sets of the festival, and a speech about mental health awareness and support from Wil Wagner was met with cheers and applause louder than any other that day.
Notable Tracks:
Birthdays
Shine
Passionia
Run Into The World
.
.
4. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Flying Microtonal Banana
.
.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are, as an entity, an enigma. As of the time of writing, the 8-piece from Melbourne have released two new singles from their upcoming fifth album of 2017. Five studio albums in one year, in the contemporary music scene, is unheard of. 2017 began for King Gizz with the February release of their ninth studio album, Flying Microtonal Banana, an album that represents the ingenuity, creativity and prolificity of Australia’s most adventurous and bold group. As the first release in a year of King Gizz delivering five studio albums, and one of their more ‘accessible’ albums, Flying Microtonal Banana is a must have in any Australian music fan’s collection.
Notable Tracks:
Sleep Drifter
Nuclear Fusion
Rattlesnake
Anoxia
.
.
.
5. Winston Surfshirt – Sponge Cake
.
.
The debut album from Sydney’s five-piece Winston Surfshirt was originally completed in 2015, before signing to a new label and completely overhauling the record. The result is the gooey, irresistible and complex Sponge Cake. The fusion of soft electro, alternative hip-hop, soul and jazz makes for a debut record that doesn’t sound like a debut. The refined and polished ambience of the album, coupled with Winston’s incomparable falsetto, a dedicated horns section and rhythmic brilliance blend together in a 5-piece melting pot to deliver a triumph of an album.
Notable Tracks:
Be About You
Ali D
Same Same
The Moments
.
.
Honourable Mention:
.
Middle Kids – Middle Kids
.
Sydney three-piece, Middle Kids delivered their debut release, a self-titled extended play containing six of the best songs this year. For a band whose debut release was February this year, Middle Kids have already established themselves as household names in the Australian music scene, with over 10 million views on Edge of Town (which was wonderfully covered by Paul Dempsey for Triple J’s ‘Like a Version’). If you enjoy nostalgia-infused guitar riffs and slides, powerful yet silken vocals, and masterful lyricism, you’re sure to enjoy one of Australia’s finest up-and-coming groups. I seriously cannot recommend this EP highly enough, it truly is a masterclass of indie rock.
Notable Tracks:
It’s a six-track EP, listen to it all!
.
.
AMNPLIFY – AA
The 5 Best Australian Albums of 2017
I think it’s common knowledge at this point that the Australian music scene is one of the most diverse and consistently prolific in the world (we’re looking at you King Gizz). It is these qualities that are allowing increased recognition of the Australian music scene worldwide, with more and more Australian acts being included on or higher up the bill at many international festivals. 2017 has been a significant year for many Australian artists, with a number of artists releasing magnificent debuts, or perfecting their sound with later records. This list compiles what I consider to be the five best Australian albums of 2017.
.
.
1. Gang of Youths – Go Farther In Lightness
.
.
There’s not much more that can be said about this album that I literally haven’t written about before. Gang of Youths’ sophomore release has been acclaimed as one of the best releases of the year, period. From a five-star rating from Rolling Stone to their tear-jerking live performance, to cleaning out the ARIA Awards (8 nominations, 4 wins), 2017 ensured Gang of Youths cemented their status as one of Australia’s great acts, with sold-out shows throughout Australia, the US, the UK and Europe. Go Farther In Lightness is an album that captures the astronomic rise of a band that pulls at your heartstrings and pervades hope in a hopeless situation and rising through adversity.
Notable Tracks:
Fear and Trembling
Let Me Down Easy
The Deepest Sighs, The Frankest Shadows
Say Yes To Life
.
.
2. Polish Club – Alright Already
.
.
2017 has indeed been a breakout year for Sydney indie-rock two-piece Polish Club. With the release of their incredible March debut Alright Already, Polish Club set the bar very high. Their 50’s rockabilly feel, mixed with soulful, Motown-esque vocals and genre-blending sound made their debut release a must-have for any Australian music fan. Fast-forward six months and they dropped a six-track EP, Okie Dokie, and embarking are on a second national tour in the same year. A husky, passionate voice, fast-paced guitars and, raucously infectious drums, sang to pop-driven lyrics, Polish Club deliver a sound that blurs the line between pop and garage rock a fusion you wouldn’t expect to work as well as it does. With two masterful releases this year, Alright Already and Okie Dokie, the duo are poised to become icons of Australian rock.
Notable Tracks:
Divided
How To Be Alone
Beat Up
Why Should I?
.
.
3. The Smith Street Band – More Scared of You Than You Are of Me
.
.
Melbourne punk-rock legends The Smith Street Band released their fourth studio album More Scared of You Than You Are of Me, to universal acclaim. If I’m honest, this was the album that made me truly appreciate the music, message and character of The Smith Street Band. But, the whole album, exudes an overwhelming sense that you aren’t alone through your trials and tribulations, much like Gang of Youths’ new release. Sometimes there are albums that are released that strike a chord on a personal level, with this album being no exception. The relatability and emotive force of Wil Wagner’s lyrics is incredible; he has an innate sense of being able to turn his experiences into tracks that resonate universally while also offering hope and comfort. This was cemented for me at Maitland Groovin the Moo this year, where Smith Street delivered one of the best sets of the festival, and a speech about mental health awareness and support from Wil Wagner was met with cheers and applause louder than any other that day.
Notable Tracks:
Birthdays
Shine
Passionia
Run Into The World
.
.
4. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Flying Microtonal Banana
.
.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are, as an entity, an enigma. As of the time of writing, the 8-piece from Melbourne have released two new singles from their upcoming fifth album of 2017. Five studio albums in one year, in the contemporary music scene, is unheard of. 2017 began for King Gizz with the February release of their ninth studio album, Flying Microtonal Banana, an album that represents the ingenuity, creativity and prolificity of Australia’s most adventurous and bold group. As the first release in a year of King Gizz delivering five studio albums, and one of their more ‘accessible’ albums, Flying Microtonal Banana is a must have in any Australian music fan’s collection.
Notable Tracks:
Sleep Drifter
Nuclear Fusion
Rattlesnake
Anoxia
.
.
.
5. Winston Surfshirt – Sponge Cake
.
.
The debut album from Sydney’s five-piece Winston Surfshirt was originally completed in 2015, before signing to a new label and completely overhauling the record. The result is the gooey, irresistible and complex Sponge Cake. The fusion of soft electro, alternative hip-hop, soul and jazz makes for a debut record that doesn’t sound like a debut. The refined and polished ambience of the album, coupled with Winston’s incomparable falsetto, a dedicated horns section and rhythmic brilliance blend together in a 5-piece melting pot to deliver a triumph of an album.
Notable Tracks:
Be About You
Ali D
Same Same
The Moments
.
.
Honourable Mention:
.
Middle Kids – Middle Kids
.
Sydney three-piece, Middle Kids delivered their debut release, a self-titled extended play containing six of the best songs this year. For a band whose debut release was February this year, Middle Kids have already established themselves as household names in the Australian music scene, with over 10 million views on Edge of Town (which was wonderfully covered by Paul Dempsey for Triple J’s ‘Like a Version’). If you enjoy nostalgia-infused guitar riffs and slides, powerful yet silken vocals, and masterful lyricism, you’re sure to enjoy one of Australia’s finest up-and-coming groups. I seriously cannot recommend this EP highly enough, it truly is a masterclass of indie rock.
Notable Tracks:
It’s a six-track EP, listen to it all!
.
.
AMNPLIFY – AA
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