Music to look forward in 2017

A bit later than last year, but a tradition is a tradition. Here are our new year's music wishes! A quick top ten of summary of the music releases/events we're looking forward the most in this 2017.

Stellular's about to land,
the voice is back

1. The year begins with Rose Elinor Dougall’s new album ‘Stellular’, arriving next week. What can we say? It’s been too long without her and I’m pretty anxious to hear it. Please tour Spain, please tour Spain, please tour Spain… Exactly the same can be said with masters The Bats, who will release ‘The Deep Set’ in January 27th. A terrific way to start 2017, musically speaking (no politics in this post or we’ll all get depressed).

2. Two sophomore albums from two mesmerizing bands that you SHOULD see live if you have the chance. After the mighty ‘Land’, Novella returns to action with ‘Change of State’, scheduled for mid-February, with the first tunes setting the bar as high as expected. And Desperate Journalist will follow with ‘Grow Up’, arriving in late March, a record that should confirm them as one of the bands to follow devotedly.

3. Two of the Blog’s most anticipated and awaited albums of 2017 doesn’t have a release date yet, which make us even more impatient to get some update on them. We’re referring, of course to "our" music genius from Boise and most beloved sure-fire, Jeremy Jensen, aka The Very Most. He announced a few days ago details on new music are about to come, yay! The other is a debuting name that has all the numbers to release one of this blogger’s record of the year; Filthy Friends, or the supergroup (usually not my cup of tea) lead by Corin Tucker and Peter Buck, alongside plus Scott McCaughey, Kurt Bloch and Bill Rieflin. Judging from the first glimpses you can hear at the Internet (Todos los Santos’ Festival and first tune ‘Despierta’) expectations couldn’t be higher...

Filthy Friends, let's talk (again) about the passion...

4. Not enough? There’s not a lot of announcements right now, but you can always trust labels like Flying Nun, Shelflife, Jigsaw Records, Slumberland, Matinée, Test Pattern, WWNBB, February Records, Kanine, Fishrider, Merge, Sub Pop, HHBTM, to just name a few. Sure they have prepared a wonderful year of music for us.

Delightful pop stings granted...  

5. In what regards to national releases, 2017 is the year of several personal favourites returning to action. First take, a trio of infallible bands: Me and the Bees, When Nalda Became Punk and Los Punsetes.

6. Want more? Here’s a second take, courtesy of the great label El Genio Equivocado: Cosmen Adelaida, Ghost Transmission and Grushenka. Add the usual wise ears of the folks running labels like Discos de Kirlian, Pretty Olivia or La Castanya (Beach Beach is also back right?) and the year couldn’t look brighter. And yes, I know there’s some band from Granada set to return too...

7. Time for live music now. Our first VIDA! And with my beloved Real Estate presenting new album? All we have heard about the Festival’s vibes are excellent, so we are really excited about going down to Vilanova i la Geltrú!

8. And another Primavera Sound Festival ahead, this time with all the line-up unveiled and several mandatory gigs, as usual: Angel Olsen, Mitski, Julia Jacklin, Hamilton Leithauser, Magnetic Fields (new album)… and, finally (space for the drums rattling, it’s a “big finally") Teenage Fanclub! The wait is over...

22 years after, new waves of sound await us... 

9. What else? Here’s a potpourri of names (concerts, albums, wishes) that come to our minds at the moment of writing this lines. For sure, another Minifestival is scheduled for March, with Cristina Quesada & Andreas Johnson playing in Barcelona (another "big finally"!), plus our dear Linda Guilala, Luke Haines and Neleonard. Will Lisa Hannigan and beloved Beth Orton tour here? Albums from The Luxembourg Signal, Hospitality, The Feelies, Alvvays, Tim Darcy, The Shins, and... Slowdive (is that for real?) should/could arrive. And let us dream about Michael Stipe taking back the mic...

The end of the world is coming soon (and we know it),
so please come back before it's too late <3

10. And, of course (yes, saved for the very last, to keep “the tension”) this is the year of The National’s comeback... Just in time to strike back at the "fake empire" about to arise in Washington D.C...

Granted, many more records, songs, gigs and amazing moments related with music are awaiting us, so let’s 2017 officially (musically speaking) begin!