These are just some lists of culture I encountered this year that I really liked and am happy to recommend to you. It’s not even all from 2017, necessarily. Back in the day, I used to create massive, well-considered lists. It was quite a joy for me. Ha! I guess I didn’t have enough to do!
Any strong recommendations from your 2017?
MUSIC
NEW MUSIC
– Susso, Keira – Oh please, please, please listen to this record. I love it so much. (Even it is from 2016.)
– Four Tet, New Energy
– Juana Molina, Halo
– Thurston Moore, Rock n Roll Consciousness
– Jlin, Black Origami
– Slowdive
– St. Vincent, Masseduction
– Binker & Moses, Journey To The Mountain Of Forever
– Milk Music, Mystic 100s
– Fleet Foxes, Crack-Up
– Kelly Lee Owens
REISSUES
– Geraldine Fibbers, Lost Somewhere Between the Earth and My Home
– Neil Young, Hitchhiker (Not exactly a REissue, but…)
– Bowie, A New Career in a New Town (Box)
– Hüsker Dü, Savage Young Dü
– Even A Tree Can Shed Tears: Japanese Folk & Rock 1969-1973 (LITA)
– Hiroshi Yoshimura, Music for Nine Post Cards
– Midori Takada, Through the Looking Glass and Lunar Cruise
BOOKS
(Actually, I did less reading this year than any year in recent memory. Wait, that might not be true. It may just be that I finished fewer books. I started a lot, and put down a lot. And two of the ones I did read were very long. Anyway – it sure felt like less reading.)
– You Deserve Nothing by Alexander Maksik – Über page-turner. I read this in two days and told everyone around me about it.
– Dune by Frank Herbert – Yes, I just read this for the first time. Y’know how it says it’s a masterpiece? It’s not wrong. This was really fulfilling.
– Shakey: Neil Young’s Biography by Jimmy McDonough – A great pleasure.
MOVIES(Film, if you insist.)
– Coco – It’s my favorite Pixar film. It really is. And I’ve seen Monsters, Inc. like 300 times. (I’m not much of an Up guy, sorry. And Inside Out is conceptually incredible, but some of that movie is boooo-ring.)
– Baby Driver – Waaaay better than I thought it would be.
– Atomic Blonde – I can’t wait to watch this 30 more times.
– T2 Trainspotting – So dark. They didn’t just try to relive past glories. Great performances. I really didn’t know what was going to happen next. Really great.
– My Friend Dahmer – I certainly wouldn’t recommend this to everyone, but it’s a really well made movie. If you don’t mind the tension, it’s definitely worth your time.
– Long Strange Trip – It’s the Grateful Dead documentary on Amazon. It actually made a huge difference in my year, but that’s a story for another time.
PENS – A bonus category!
– Uni-Ball Signo UM-151 Gel Pen .38mm
– Pilot Hi-Tec-C Maica Gel Pen .4mm