Wall of Sound presents: “2017 YEAR IN REVIEW” – by Wall of Sound Writer James ‘Plugga’ Birkin
Compiling the annual ‘Year In Review’ list was no easy task. I was stoked to include 7 Australian artists in my Top 20 and to be honest a few unlucky ones on the periphery that I’ll probably kick myself later not to have included. Personally a very challenging year for myself. Sometimes life reaches these fork in the road moments and therefore I’ve found a lot of solace in listening to music and lyrics. Sometimes dark, sometimes inspirational. It’s that similar energy from music that has inspired the ever expanding group of writers and photographers at Wall of Sound, to the point where the once little webzine is now firmly entrenched amongst the biggest promoters, artists and managers in Australia as a “go to” website to promote their brands. Congrats to Editor-In-Chief, Paul ‘Browny’ Brown who continues to grow the website to what he envisioned just two short years ago, and I raise a beer to all staff and readers to the New Year and beyond. Killer content, done our way…
Top 20 Albums of 2017
1. EMINEM – Revival
2. THE BRONX – V
3. CAVALERA CONSPIRACY – Psychosis
4. POWER TRIP – Nightmare Logic
5. BARE BONES – Bad Habits
6. SCALPHUNTER – Lies
7. LO! – Vestigial
8. GET THE SHOT – Infinite Punishment
9. NE OBLIVISCARIS – Urn
10. MASTODON – Emperor of Sand
11. 360 – Vintage Modern
12. CLOWNS – Lucid Again
13. TRIVIUM – The Sin and The Sentence
14. FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES – Modern Ruin
15. KENDRICK LAMAR – Damn
16. BODY COUNT – Bloodlust
17. ROYAL BLOOD – How Did We Get So Dark?
18. MEMORIAM – For the Fallen
19. PAPA ROACH – Crooked Teeth
20. MUNICIPAL WASTE – Slime & Punishment
Top 10 Songs of 2017
1. MASTODON – ‘Jaguar God’
2. KENDRICK LAMAR – ‘Humble’
3. MAKE THEM SUFFER – ‘Vortex’
4. CLOWNS – ‘Not Coping’
5. THE BRONX – ‘Stranger Danger’
6. 360 – ‘Tiny Angel’
7. POWER TRIP – ‘Executioner’s Tax’
8. BARE BONES – ‘Thick As Thieves’
9. STONE SOUR – ‘Whiplash Pants’
10. CAVALERA CONSPIRACY – ‘Insane’
Top 5 Music Videos of 2017
1. POWER TRIP – ‘Executioner’s Tax’
2. IRON REAGAN – ‘Bleed the Fifth’
3. KENDRICK LAMAR – ‘Humble’
4. TAYLOR SWIFT – ‘Look What You Made Me Do’
5. LO! – ‘Locust Christ’
Top 5 Gigs of 2017
1. PENNYWISE/THE BRONX November 3rd @ Fremantle Metropolis (Review & Gallery Here) 📷: Den Rad
2. MAX & IGOR CAVALERA – RETURN TO ROOTS 26th September @ Astor Theatre (Review & Gallery Here) 📷: Den Rad
3. GUNS ‘N ROSES 21st February @ Domain Stadium
4. FRENZAL RHOMB 16th June @ Capitol (Review & Gallery Here) 📷: Kim Anderson
5. CLOWNS/NIGHT BIRDS 4th June @ Boston Nightclub (Review & Gallery Here) 📷: Kim Anderson
What Are You Most Looking Forward To In 2018?
Some big tours that may make it to Perth including Metallica and Pearl Jam.
Who Is The Next Big Australian Band?
Pagan. A debut album is on the cards in 2018. Will be huge!
Favourite Wall of Sound Photo from 2017?
The Smith Street Band 9th June @ Metropolis, Perth
Photo by Jerika Faithfull
James ‘Plugga’ Birkin
Writer (Perth)
Recent contributions
Gig Rewind – Sepultura
Grinspoon Gig Review
Top 7 Bands That Changed Their Style And We Really Wish They Didn’t
Cool stuff Plugga! Good to see The Bronx featuring on here a bit (something we seem to all agree on :)). Clowns killed it this year too. (At the Bronx/Pennywise gig in Melbourne the Clowns singer got to the mic on stage following BroHymn, but sound got cut just as he got it. Pity.
Anyhoo. Great to see you back writing about music. Obviously something your passionate about. Sounds like you had a bit of a bummer of a year otherwise – 2017 has been a bit like that (and I know a few people that will be happy to see the end of it ;)). Lucky we have the music (and now the brilliant central website) to get us through.
Cheers to all the WOS writers. This is not my ‘go to’ site, (replacing Dying Scene as my fav music website).
Oh, and BTW, that ‘Rewind’ article about the Sepultura gig was about article of the year. Great idea/concept – hope it becomes a feature. 🙂
Rock on in 2018! \m/ \M/