best of
KTC’s Best Albums & Songs of 2017
Here at Killing The Cabinet, we have three extraordinarily unique individuals with completely diverse musical tastes and opinions, coming together each year to highlight the artists, albums, and songs that have made a personal impact on our lives throughout the year. This is what separates KTC from the copiousness of music blogs out there today – a team of highly in-tune music enthusiasts with specific style preferences that are so contrasting, yet at the same time complimentary to one another. When a song or album comes along that we are all equally passionate about, a vibrant energy takes life amongst us and evolves into a bookmark of sorts for that specific period of time. Looking back on the past 7 years of KTC existence, these songs and albums have been the soundtrack to some of the most significant moments in our lives.
Here’s what stood out for us in 2017 and will provide us with all of the feels as we reminisce in the future, looking back on this year of remarkable highs, devastating lows and everything in between. Cheers to another 365 days of new music!
Aurora‘s Picks:
Albums –
Zola Blood Infinite Games
Crooked Colours Vera
SZA CTRL
Thievery Corporation The Temple of I and I
Nothing But Thieves Broken Machine
Honorable Mentions –
Kendrick Lamar D.A.M.N
Logic Everybody
SOHN Rennen
Amir Obé None of the Clocks Work EP
Vince Staples Big Fish Theory
Songs –
“Wish You Well” Amir Obe
“Enceladus” STS9
“Three Rings” Grizzly Bear
“Flow” Crooked Colours
“Die For You” Perfume Genius
“The Doomed” A Perfect Circle
“Ti Amo” Phoenix
“Don’t Call Me” TOKiMONSTA ft Yuna
“Sign of the Times” Harry Styles
“Caroline” Amine
Honorable Mentions –
“Amnesia” Slenderbodies
“We Go” Buku
“Doing It For the Money” Foster the People
“Feel it Still” Remix Lido / Portugal the Man
“Sugar for the Pill” Slowdive
Charissa‘s Picks:
We may be sick of hearing how eye-opening, gut wrenching, and indescribable this year has been and so I won’t let this be my way of infiltrating a Best of list with an opinionated narrative of sorrow (also, I got engaged this year, so I can’t completely be an anti-2017’er). However, I do want to say that musically, this year feels much different than the past few. We have been very lucky these past few years with killer albums and tracks that have bounced us around our day in happy bubbles of delirious melodies and fantastic instrumentation. This year was different. Maybe its that all of the hatred and animosity made us scrutinize music a little more than usual and to overlook a minor flaw in vocals deemed impossible. Maybe all of the emotional love that generally floods from artists to its listeners was tainted in the brooding animosity constantly stalking us. Whatever the case…my top songs are all simmering in one distinct category besides “Fior Di Latte” (which made me even question putting it up there). These 9 songs initially struck me because of their deep themes and lyrics. Typically lyrics are my final reason to hold a track dear to me (unless they really suck). Yet, listening to “Alaska” or “The Maze,” I’m there…I’m connected…I want to shed tears of joy and/or sorrow. The melodies are of course top notch, but it isn’t the reason why I love them so much. You may say… really? “Don’t Kill My Vibe”? But yeah, really, it’s the attitude. The ferocious statement that is circumventing the poppy beats, brings such a passion that transfers easily to the listener. No, there probably isn’t a tear streaking my cheek, but there is definite finger wagging and one probably doesn’t have to think too deeply about someone very specific they can dedicate it to. That passion that I swoon over and have always found in the music itself has slipped heavily into the lyrics for me this year. I even swapped a snazzy pseudo-love song with sweet beats for “Only Songs” because that Wild Reeds tune has a gnarly theme of growing up with music being the only way to get through hardships. Hell yeah that belongs on a 2017 Best of list.Albums –
The Wild Reeds The World We Built
RAC ego
Manchester Orchestra A Black Mile to the Surface
Cold War Kids LA Divine
Mø When I Was Young EP
Honorable Mention –
The Kooks The Best of…So Far
Songs –
Honorable Mentions –
“Sign of the Times” Harry Styles
“Sign of the Times” Harry Styles
