2017 marked the return of Canada and one band in particular. That band was Wolf Parade, close to my most beloved band of all time. When they went on hiatus seven years ago I was pretty sad. Three albums and a slew of amazing live shows just didn't seem enough. But they were back and after an EP in 2016 they released a new album in 2017. 'Cry Cry Cry' would turn out to be my favourite album of the year. I can't say it was technically the best as the albums by Fleet Foxes and Kevin Morby were perhaps better but it was MY favourite and I just loved it. The boys were back and how! But Canada was back too. Some artists with a long time between drinks came back with stellar efforts. Feist, Do Make Say Think and Broken Social Scene in particular. Arcade Fire also returned but their album was a major disappointment. Not so Destroyer who delivered the goods yet again.

Ty Segall released yet another album and it was wonderful, whilst Father John Misty and The War on Drugs just pushed the envelope a little further. In the hip-hop field Vince Staples and Kendrick Lamar really stood out from the pack. Locally The Smith Street Band released my favourite Australian album. Gang of Youths got all the hype but it was the boys from Melbourne that truly delivered.

1. Cry Cry Cry-Wolf Parade

2. Crack-Up-Fleet Foxes

3. City Music-Kevin Morby

4. Ty Segall-Ty Segall

5. A Deeper Understanding-The War On Drugs

6. Pure Comedy-Father John Misty

7. Stubborn Persistent Illusions-Do Make Say Think

8. Big Fish Theory-Vince Staples

9. Half-Light-Rostam

10. DAMN.-Kendrick Lamar

11. Ken-Destroyer

12. Luciferian Towers-Godspeed You! Black Emperor

13. Painted Ruins-Grizzly Bear

14. More Scared of You Than You are of Me-The Smith Street Band

15. Dirty Projectors-Dirty Projectors

16. Hot Thoughts-Spoon

17. Hug Of Thunder-Broken Social Scene

18. Capacity-Big Thief

19. The Wild-The Rural Alberta Advantage

20. Love Is Love-Woods

21. Pleasure-Feist

22. Infinite Worlds-Vagabon

23. Hang-Foxygen

24. Light Information-Chad VanGaalen

25. Sleep Well Beast-The National

26. A Crow Looked at Me-Mount Eerie

27. TFCF-Liars

28. Poor David's Almanack-David Rawlings

29. Rocket- (Sandy) Alex G

30. Life Without Sound-Cloud Nothings

31. Popular Manipulations-The Districts

32. Memory of a Cut Off Head-OCS

33. Coils-Ramona Falls

34. Orc-Oh Sees

35. Times Infinity Volume Two-The Dears

36. We All Want the Same Things-Craig Finn

37. Whiteout Conditions-The New Pornographers

38. Moh Lhean-Why?

39. Bad Posture-John Andrews & the Yawns

40. Out in the Storm-Waxahatchee

41. Go Farther In Lightness-Gang of Youths

42. Rock n Roll Consciousness-Thurston Moore

43. In Mind-Real Estate

44. Hatteras Night, A Good Luck Charm-Will Johnson

45. No Shape-Perfume Genius

46. The Tourist-Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

47. Everything Now-Arcade Fire

48. Last Place-Grandaddy

49. Hard Love-Strand of Oaks

50. World Eater-Blanck Mass