KEXP Staff, Volunteers & Interns Top 10 Albums of 2017, Part 1

Throughout the month of December, KEXP has been counting down our top albums. From Top 10 lists from our DJs to the Top 90.3 of 2017 voted by listeners, we've chronicled a wide array of some of this year's most thrilling released. Now we're turning the mic over to our behind the scenes staff, volunteers, and interns who help keep the station running. Here are their favorite albums of 2017. How do their lists line-up with yours? (And stay tuned for Part 2, launching tomorrow.) <style type="text/css">table.tableizer-table { font-size: 12px; border: 1px solid #CCC; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; } .tableizer-table td { padding: 4px; margin: 3px; border: 1px solid #CCC; } .tableizer-table th { background-color: #104E8B; color: #FFF; font-weight: bold; } </style>

Aarin Wright	DJ Assistant for El Sonido
Ibeyi	Ash	XL Recordings
Nick Hakim	Green Twins	ATO Records
Gabriel Garzón-Montano	Jardín	STONES THROW
Cuco	Songs4u	Self Released
ÌFÉ	Iiii+Iiii	Discos Ifá
Tei Shi	Crawl Space	Interscope Records
Chicano Batman	Freedom is Free	ATO Records
Nitty Scott	Creature!	Indigenous Digital
Juanes	Mis Planes Son Amarte	NATIONAL OWN
Bomba Estéreo	Ayo	Sony Music Latin

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Alaia D'Alessandro	Video Producer
Downtown Boys	Cost Of Living	Sub Pop
Perfume Genius	No Shape	Matador Records
doNormaal	Third Daughter	self-released
Stas THEE Boss	S'women	self-released
Valerie June	The Order of Time	Concord Music
Sweeping Exits	Glitter & Blood	self-released
Emma Lee Toyoda	Sewn Me Anew	Make Fart Records
Gorillaz	Humanz	Parlophone
Parlophone	Las Cafeteras	Tastes Like LA
Hurray for the Riff Raff	The Navigator	ATO Records

 

The xx // photo by Amber Knecht

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Amanda Lynn	Poly-Volunteer (Front Desk, Hospitality, Tabling, Events, Phones, Mailing)
Slowdive	Slowdive	Dead Oceans
ODESZA	A Moment Apart	Counter
Portugal the Man	Woodstock	Atlantic
The xx	I See You	Young Turks
The Black Angels	Death Song	Partisan Records
The Courtneys	The Courtneys II	Flying Nun
Rainer Maria	Rainer Maria	Polyvinyl
Pickwick	LoveJoys	self-released
Alvvays	Antisocialites	Polyvinyl
Beck	Colors	Capitol

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Ann Allen	Lead DJ Assistant/DJ Assistant for the Afternoon Show
Sylvan Esso	What Now	Loma Vista
Kendrick Lamar	Damn	TDE/Aftermath/Interscope
Bonobo	Migration	Ninja Tune
Chastity Belt	I Used To Spend So Much Time Alone	Hardly Art
Beck	Colors	Capitol
Slowdive	Slowdive	Dead Oceans
Pond	The Weather	Marathon Artists
Mogwai	Every Country's Sun	Temporary Residence
Thundercat	Drunk	Brainfeeder
Ryan Adams	Prisoner	Pax AM

 

 

METZ // photo by Brady Harvey

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Ari Rosenschein	Development Communications Manager
Bell Witch	Mirror Reaper	Profound Lore Records
Briana Marela	Call It Love	Jagjaguwar Records
Godspeed You! Black Emperor	Luciferian Towers	Constellation Records
Aimee Mann	Mental Illness	SuperEgo Records
Boris	Dear	Southern Lord Records
Ryan Adams	Prisoner	Pax-Am Records
METZ	Strange Peace	Sub Pop Records
The Body & Full of Hell	Ascending a Mountain of Heavy Light	Thrill Jockey
Wolves In The Throne Room	Thrice Woven	Artemisia Records
Amenra Mass	VI	Neurot Recordings

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Brady Harvey	DJ Assistant for Atticus / Photographer
Slowdive	Slowdive	Dead Oceans
Grandaddy	Last Place	Columbia
LCD Soundsystem	American Dream	DFA Records/Columbia
Thundercat	Drunk	Brainfeeder
Ride	Weather Diaries	Wichita Recordings
Charlotte Gainsbourg	Rest	Because Music
Curtis Harding	Face Your Fear	ANTI-
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard	Flying Microtonal Banana	ATO Records
Nick Hakim	Green Twins	ATO Records
Shitkid	Fish	PNKSLM Recordings

 

 

Fleet Foxes // photo by Dave Lichterman

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Brian Hill	Music and Business Support
Fleet Foxes	Crack-Up	Nonesuch
LCD Soundsystem	American Dream	DFA / Columbia
Migos	Culture	300 Entertainment
Kendrick Lamar	DAMN.	TDE
Oneohtrix Point Never	"Good Time" OST	WARP
Mount Kimbie	Love What Survives	WARP
King Krule	The Ooz	True Panther
Spirit Award	Neverending	Union Zero
St. Vincent	MASSEDUCTION	Loma Vista
Toro Y Moi	Boo Boo	Carpark

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Brittany Ward	DJ Assistant for Street Sounds
Kendrick Lamar	DAMN.	Top Dawg Entertainment
SZA	Ctrl	Top Dawg Entertainment
Syd	Fin	Columbia Records
Childish Gambino	"Awaken, My Love!"	Glassnote Records
Khalid	American Teen	Right Hand Music Group
Porter Ray	Watercolor	Sub Pop
Mount Eerie	A Crow Looked At Me	P.W. Elverum & Sun
DoNormaal	Third Daughter	Self-Released
Aminé	Good For You	Republic Records
Taylar Elizza Beth	Fresh Cut Flowers EP	Self-Released

 

Downtown Boys // photo by Rachel White

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Caroline Anne	Guest Services Coordinator
Mogwai	Every Country's Sun	Rock Action Records -Temporary Residence LTD
Strand of Oaks	Hard Love	Creation Records
Downtown Boys	Cost of Living	Sub Pop
Mammut	Kinder Versions	Bella Union
The Gods Themselves	Be My Animal	Music for the Manmade
Father John Misty	Pure Comedy	Sub Pop
alt-j	Relaxer	Infectious Music
SassyBlack	New Black Swing	self-released
Chris Stapleton	From A Room: Volume 2	Mercury - Nashville
Dropkick Murphys	11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory	Born and Bred records

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Charina Pitzel	Photographer, DJ Assistant for the Afternoon Show, and Art Exhibit Producer
Bonobo	Migration	Ninja Tune
Broken Social Scene	Hug of Thunder	Arts & Crafts
Curtis Harding	Face Your Fear	Anti-
Daughter	Music from "Before The Storm"	4AD
Gord Downie	Introduce Yerself	Arts & Crafts
Grizzly Bear	Painted Ruins	RCA
Mikko Joensuu	Amen III	Svart
Mogwai	Every Country's Sun	Temporary Residence Limited
Slowdive	Slowdive	Dead Oceans
Wolf Parade	Cry Cry Cry	Sub Pop

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard // photo by Amber Knecht

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Colby Whitton	Music Underwriting & Business Support Intern
Washed Out	Mister Mellow	Stones Throw Records
Ariel Pink	Dedicated to Bobby Jameson	Mexican Summer
Thundercat	Drunk	Brainfeeder
Feist	Pleasure	Interscope Records
John Maus	Screen Memories	Ribbon Music
LCD Soundsystem	American Dream	DFA/Columbia Records
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard/ Mild High Club	Sketches of Brunswick East	ATO Records
King Krule	The Ooz	True Panther Sounds
Mac Demarco	This Old Dog	Captured Tracks
Homeshake	Fresh Air	Sinderlyn

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David Schilling	Events Intern
Gorillaz	Humanz	Parlophone
Mista Savona	Havana Meets Kingston	VP Records
Thievery Corporation	Temple of I & I	ESL Music
Benjamin Booker	Witness	ATO Records & Rough Trade Records
Curtis	Harding Face Your Fears	Anti- Records
Downtown Boys	Cost of Living	Sub Pop
Charly Bliss	Guppy Barsuk	Records
Sampha	Process	Young Turks
The xx	I See You	Young Turks
Future Islands	The Far Field	4AD

 

CHARMS // photo by Brady Harvey 

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Dusty Henry	Digital Content Producer (local albums)
Darto	Human Giving	Aago Records
CHARMS	Human Error	Killroom Records
DoNormaal	Third Daughter	self-released
Chastity Belt	I Used To Spend So Much Time Alone	Hardly Art
Lushloss	Asking/Bearing	Hush Hush Records
Great Grandpa	Plastic Cough	Double Double Whammy
Posse	Horse Blanket	Self-Released
AJ Suede	Gotham Fortress	Blackhouse Records
D. Tiffany	Blue Dream	Pacific Rhythm
Naomi Punk	Yellow	Captured Tracks

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Dusty Henry	(non-local albums)
Jay Som	Everybody Works	Polyvinyl Records
Father John Misty	Pure Comedy	Sub Pop
Kendrick Lamar	DAMN.	Top Dawg Entertainment
Thundercat	Drunk	Brainfeeder
Slowdive	Slowdive	Dead Oceans
Vince Staples	Big Fish Theory	Def Jam Recordings
LCD Soundsystem	American Dream	DFA Records/Columbia
O+S	You Were Once The Sun, Now You're The Moon	Saddle Creek
Yves Tumor	Experiencing the Deposit of Faith	self-released
Broken Social Scene	Hug of Thunder	Arts & Crafts

 

 

Slowdive // photo by Charina Pitzel

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Emily Harrop	Production Intern for the Morning Show and Front Desk Volunteer
Slowdive	Slowdive	Dead Oceans
The National	Sleep Well Beast	4AD
The Black Angels	Death Song	Partisan Records
Sylvan Esso	What Now	Loma Vista Recordings
LCD Soundsystem	American Dream	DFA Records/Columbia
Austra	Future Politics	Domino
Alvvays	Antisocialites	Polyvinyl Record Co.
Perfume Genius	No Shape	Matador Records
Offa Rex	The Queen of Hearts	Nonesuch Records Inc.
Algiers	The Underside of Power	Matador Records

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Greta Rose Heller	Board Operator of KEXP and DJ Assistant for the Midday Show
Kendrick Lamar	DAMN.	Aftermath Records/ Interscope Records
Alice Coltrane	World Spirituality Classics 1: The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane	Turiyasangitananda Luaka Bop
DoNormaal	Third Daughter	self-released
Moses Sumney	Aromanticism	Jagjaguwar
Ibeyi	Ash XL	Recordings
TOPS	Sugar at the Gate	Arbutus Records
Widowspeak	Expect the Best	Captured Tracks
Kamasi Washington	Truth	Young Turks
Curtis Harding	Face your Fear	Anti-
Stas Thee Boss	S'women	self-released

 

 

ALVVAYS // photo by Morgen Schuler

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Jacob Webb	Licensing & Podcasting Coordinator
Kendrick Lamar	DAMN.	Aftermath/Interscope/TDE
Slowdive	Slowdive	Dead Oceans
Japanese Breakfast	Soft Sounds From Another Planet	Dead Oceans
Lorde	Melodrama	Universal
Mount Kimbie	Love What Survives	Warp
Jay Som	Everybody Works	Polyvinyl
Alvvays	Antisocialites	Polyvinyl
Alex Lahey	I Love You Like A Brother	Dead Oceans
Charlotte Gainsbourg	Rest	Because Music
Feist	Pleasure	Polydor

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Jasper Jones	Traffic Intern
Ibeyi	Ash	XL Recordings
Kendrick Lamar	DAMN.	TDE
Waxahatchee	Out in the Storm	Merge Records
Khalid	American Teen	Right Hand Music Group
King Krule	The Ooz	True Panther Sounds
FKJ	French Kiwi Juice	Roche Musique
Girlpool	Powerplant	Anti-
SZA	Ctrl	TDE
Sabrina Claudio	About Time	SC Entertainment
Alt-J	Relaxer	Infectious Music