I'm a curse to my friends, to be condemned

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

#14 : Common Sense - J Hus

This was a bumper year for J Hus, who reached the Top 10 thanks to an irresistible blend of grime and Afrobeats. As Common Sense proves, it’s not just his infectious take on African sounds that have propelled the London rapper into the big league – it’s also his witty, inventive and refreshingly self-deprecating lyrics.

Our third visit with J Hus - I enjoyed the first but merely admired the second, but at least I'm not expecting to hate this one.

Yeah, it's certainly not a hate, but it's not quite a like either. There's a load of variety here and some amusing lyrics - he doesn't take himself too seriously and there's certainly intelligence involved. It's not aimed at me and there's loads of it that went over my head, but it at least kept me interested.

Wikipedia tells us this is his debut album and he uses quite a few guest artists - most of whom I've never heard of, but even I have heard of Burna Boy. Critically, people were very nice about it, particularly the way that he blends the various genres and it made quite a year-end lists. Commercially, it did well here getting to #6, but that was it globally apart from #64 in The Netherlands. 

discogs.com tells us you can pick up a decent CD version for a fiver, but if you want the vinyl option it's going to set you back £25-£30. This is an interesting album from someone who obviously knows and loves his music - the fact that it's not for me isn't the important thing here.

#13 : Flower Boy - Tyler, The Creator

The enfant terrible of hip-hop returned this year with a surprisingly gentle record, on which mellifluous melodies and gently piping synths – along with the dulcet tones of Frank Ocean, Kali Uchis and Anna of the North – softened Tyler’s abrasive flow. Whether or not this was in fact the rapper’s coming out album (something its lyrics hinted at), it was undoubtedly a lovelier one than anybody expected.

Our fourth visit with Tyler (which surprises me) and I've not hated any of it, but also struggled to understand the appeal - it's hard to imagine anything is going to be different here.

Hmmm - I think this is slightly more likeable than I remember the others being but there's no danger of me saying I actually like it. I'm also no clearer why it's so popular - but sometimes we just have to accept that I'm not an expert in understanding everything (no - say it ain't so!). Conversely, I also don't understand why Theresa May specifically took against him and banned him from entering this country for four years around this time - yes, some of this is offensive, but it's relatively mild in comparison with other stuff.

Wikipedia has loads on the album (460 milliPeppers) and it tells us it's his fifth album and has an alternative title that Theresa May wouldn't have liked - Scum Fuck Flower Boy. J Hus might have managed a few guest artists, but Tyler definitely has more pulling power with  Frank Ocean, ASAP Rocky, Anna Of The North, Lil Wayne, Kali Uchis, Steve Lacy, Estelle, Jaden Smith, Rex Orange County, Pharell WIlliams and errr, quite obviously, Corinne Bailey Rae all being involved - which is an interesting mix of new and old artists. I didn't bother reading most of the rest of it though - life's too short, I'm afraid. Critically, it was well received with a lot of people liking his more sensitive side and it made a load of year-end lists (sorry, but it wouldn't have made mine). Commercially, it did well here getting to #9 and it made the top ten in a load of other countries, but didn't hit #1 anywhere, with #2 in Canada and the US being the best placings.

discogs.com tells us you will have to spend £15 to get a decent CD copy, but if you want the limited edition gatefold translucent bumble bee yellow vinyl version then it's going to set you back £100. I'd love to see that, but I'm afraid I won't be buying it - I can understand it will have its fans, but I wouldn't number myself amongst them. 

#12 : Visions Of A Life - Wolf Alice

Nobody has disrupted the “death of indie” narrative quite like Wolf Alice. The London foursome released an accomplished debut in 2015; now their second album proves their ability to fashion thrillingly modern music from the sonic customs of shoegaze and noisy 80s alt-rock was no fluke. Frontwoman Ellie Rowsell skips between sotto voce spoken word and a feral screech, while the band’s tinkering with the indie-rock formula means there’s never a dull moment.

Our fourth visit with Wolf Alice and the results have generally been quite variable - never hateful, but rarely obviously loveable. And I have absolutely no reason to suspect things will change here.

Actually, I think I can go as far as describing this one as "mostly at least likeable". It hung together pretty well as an album whilst still having enough variety across the patch and I particularly liked "Don't Delete The Kisses". I also think multiple listens would really help it settle in there - obviously, I'll never manage it, but I can at least dream.

Wikipedia has more text than I was expecting, which contains less information that you'd believe - the only fact of interest is that the album cover "features a photo of lead vocalist Ellie Rowsell's aunt, Helen, playing the classic game of 'dance round the horse's skull in your Sunday best'". Critically, it was very well received with Q declaring it #22 on their decade-end list - it also won the Mercury Music Prize, which is a slightly more enduring award. Commercially, it got to #2 here (and I would have much preferred to listen to it rather than Shania Twain) but apart from that it only really did anything in Ireland where it got to #13. 

discogs.com tells us you're going to have to spend a tenner to get hold of a CD copy of this but if you fancy a signed limited edition vinyl copy then it'll set you back £300! I'm fine without that, but I thought this was a decent album, even if I don't feel I'm any closer to understanding Wolf Alice.

I can appreciate that a proper level of skill was required to make all these albums, but there was only ever going to be one winner - well done, Wolf Alice.

#17-15 - Two very fine albums and one not even an album