A change of course, a strange discord resolved

Continuing my trip up The Guardian's 50 best albums of 2017.

#20 : Process - Sampha

After years spent lending his vocals to tracks by Kanye, Drake and Frank Ocean, this year’s Mercury winner created a stunning debut. A collection of heart-rending ballads and sublime electronica, Process puts Sampha’s velvety voice front and centre, the beauty of its tone belying the album’s heavy themes, including the fallout from the death of his mother.

Our second visit with Sampha and last time I liked his voice, but the whole thing didn't click with me, so here's hoping for better this time. I'm actually quite surprised I've not listened to it before because I used to always check out the Mercury Prize winners, but I'm pretty certain I somehow swerved this.

Yeah, I liked this. It's got quite a bit of variety from piano soul to skittery EDM with Sampha's voice working well across all of it. I'm not entirely sure I got the "album's heavy themes" (it's always possible I wasn't paying quite as much attention as I should have been) but it's a well composed album with obviously a load of thought having gone in to it - it's possibly not as immediate as it could be but it certainly feels like multiple listens would provide more insight (particularly if I paid attention to it).

Wikipedia tells us this is his debut album and was produced by Rodaidh McDonald, who also produced The XX's offering which we have previously met but yet also are still to meet. Somewhat bizarrely, the album was recorded in seven studios located in London and one located on the small Norwegian island of Giske - as you do, I guess. Critically, it was very well received (I suspect this is probably a safe bet for the rest of this list) and made quite a few year-end lists. Commercially, it did best here getting to #7 (somewhat surprisingly both on its debut and as a result of the bump it got from Mercury Prize win) but it did better globally than I expected making the top forty in several countries, with #28 in Australia and Belgium being the best elsewhere but it also managed a very decent #51 in the US.

discogs.com tells us you can pick up a decent CD version for four quid, but there is a signed CD version available if you want it - it's listed at £7,777, but there's also a "Make Offer" button, so I suspect the seller might be willing accept slightly less. Overall though I liked this, it's got an interesting and different sound to it. 

#19 : Semper Femina - Laura Marling

The Brit’s sixth album is a gorgeous collection of lightly folky fare - more pop friendly than her recent records, but as characteristically poised and lush. The title, based on a poem by Virgil, roughly translates as “always woman”, and the record pairs lyrics about femininity, friendship and sexuality with heady, sensual production.

I recently had to endure Stormzy's album and complained that it resulted in me missing out on this which was a relatively high new entry - but the gods have smiled on me and I get to check it out on our third visit with Ms Marling.

Yeah, I liked this as well. It's straightforward, but also intricate and guitar-based, whilst not being overly tied to her guitar based roots (although I'm not sure I'd go as far as The Guardian and describe it as "pop friendly" ). It also has very understandable lyrics, whilst also being nicely cryptic - you know what she's said, but you're not sure you know what she means. As always, Joni Mitchell is a definite comparison, but some reason Lou Reed also sprang to mind quite frequently - it's got a nicely retro, without being dated, feel to it. It's also definitely another one which would benefit from multiple listens - and you can quite see people having deep and meaningful discussions about the lyrics.

Wikipedia confirms it's her sixth album but gives us a bit more detail on the album title, telling us it is "an expression from a longer line of Latin poetry, which roughly translates to "woman is ever a fickle and changeable thing"" - I feel The Guardian were dumbing things down unnecessarily there, which isn't something they often get accused of. Padding things out from her entry, I see she's just had her second child - congratulations to the lass! Critically, this album was very well received indeed, making 23 year-end lists which means she overtakes Four Tet as the most lauded so far. Commercially, it did best here getting to #5, but it also got to #9 in Ireland and #19 in Australia. 

discogs.com tells us you've got all sorts of different versions available here - you can go for the basic CD for a tenner, a special edition double CD for twenty quid, the vinyl album for forty quid or the deluxe double vinyl album for anything from £80-£120! I appreciate this kind of music isn't for everyone, but I like it and I think this is, at first listen at least, a very fine example of it which I'm almost tempted to revisit - high praise indeed!

#18 : Gang Signs & Prayer - Stormzy

Effervescent grime meets an unexpected digression into R&B and gospel on Stormzy’s debut. While songs like Cigarettes & Cush showcase an impressive British spin on rap/R&B fusion, the grime-centric tracks lift the record into another league. With infectious production by the likes of Sir Spyro, songs such as Bad Boys and Big for Your Boots rival the master lyricist’s beloved previous singles.

The third one on the list we've previously met and it's fair to say that, whilst this is an impressive album, it's not for me - 'nuff said.

So three impressive albums, but Stormzy ain't ever gonna win it if I'm the judge - I feel multiple listens could make either of the others my favourite, but on first listen I think it has to go to Laura because I really feel I could grow to love that album if I made the effort to listen to it as much as I suspect it deserves.

#23-21 - Three accomplished albums