By Magen Lacy a.k.a. DJ Meegan the Vegan
Ever discover an up and coming band and just fall in love with them? They only have one album out and twelve songs just doesn’t cut it so you wait and wait for the release of their second LP. If this sounds anything like you than 2017 was the cure to your problem. Here are my top 5 sophomore albums of 2017 where my favorite artists grew, developed their sound and did not disappoint.
1) Sylvan Esso: What Now
This album is the perfect example of artists changing and developing their sound instead of just putting out an extension of their earlier material. It is such an impressive work that has great attention to detail and powerful meaning behind each and every song.
tracks that get a gold star: “Signal,” “Slack Jaw,” “The Glow”
2) Misterwives: Connect the Dots
Ever get fired up about what’s going on in the world and just want to fix it all? Give this album a listen. This is such an empowering album that I encourage every millennial and generation Z member to listen to. Misterwives went from angsty teenage alternative to finding a way to keep the same playful and upbeat sound while still addressing the stuff that actually matters, like societal structures, ambition, materialism, and the concept of unity.
tracks that get a gold star: “Out of Tune Piano,” “Only Human,” “Band Camp”
3) Odesza: A Moment Apart
This is such a beautiful album that is so important to this genre of EDM because it shows the ability to tell a story. Before this, Odesza was mostly known for remixes and features. This album really created a reputation for them as an artist that can produce and create a cohesive work. I definitely recommend listening to it from start to finish.
tracks that get a gold star: “Line Of Sight,” “Across The Room,” “Show Me”
4) Hippo Campus: Landmark
This album really put Hippo Campus on the map. They gained so much momentum in 2017, and this is such a relatable album with a wide range of emotion in it. It was by far one of my most listened to of the year.
tracks that get a gold star: “Buttercup,” “Epitaph,” “Poems”
5) Lorde: Melodrama
This one was long-awaited by Lorde fans. Since her hit album, Pure Heroine, came out in 2013 when she was only 16, her music has shown great improvement in storytelling, artistic style and maturity.