2017 The Albums: Top 10

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It is that time of the year again, our favorite time actually, as well look back on the year in music and let you know our choices for the 10 best albums of the year.

See Our Picks for 2017's Honorable Album Mentions  

In the year we lost voices like Chris Cornell, Tom Petty, Chester Benington, Gord Downie, we were still recovering from last year with the losses of Prince and David Bowie.  

2017 came on right away with great music as artists like The xx, Joey Bada$$, Loyle Carner, and one of the first of many solid releases from King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, saturated it with great sounds. Some of the heavy hitters and Officially A Yuppie favorites released solid albums that didn't make the cut like U2, Bjork, Noel Gallagher, Depeche Mode, Mastodon, Lorde, Ride, Royal Blood, and Lana Del Rey among others. There were some major disappointments from heavy hitters like Gorillaz, At the Drive-In, Snoop Dogg, and TLC among others. 

Yet, then there was Kendrick Lamar, whose album, DAMN., we put in a League of its Own, as it was the most important record of the year.  

Kendrick Lamar's DAMN. Named Our 2017 'League of Their Own' Winner

While looking behind, 10 albums stood out for us and in our third and final list, we present the best of the year. These records not only made an impact to our ears but also have a welcomed longevity where we will be listening to them for years to come.

Here are our picks for the 10 Best Albums of the Year: 

10. Liam Gallagher - As You Were

9. Logic - Everybody

8. SZA - ctrl

7. JAY-Z - 4:44

6. Ryan Adams - Prisoner

5. Power Trip - Nightmare Logic

4. Thundercat - Drunk

3. St. Vincent - MASSEDUCATION

2. Future Islands - The Far Field

1. The Afghan Whigs - In Spades

Now in Long Form, With Explanations:

10. Liam Gallagher - As You Were

Generally it is Noel Gallagher in one of our Top 10 lists, but 2017 belonged to his younger brother and the voice of Oasis and Beady Eye. The anticipated solo debut from the former Oasis frontman is finally here and does not disappoint. The underrated Beady Eye released two solid records but now, on his own, the younger and more caustic Gallagher brother can bust out and prove his chops. With some of his best ballads, he brings forth a whole new dimension to a man you thought you knew.

 9. Logic - Everybody

Logic has developed a cult following thanks to Millennials but the Maryland rapper showcases his best work on his third studio album – Everybody. From the beats to the autobiographical lyrics to the in-your-face look at society, Logic proves he is just as much of a wordsmith as his contemporaries and not just some sensation for the young kids. With appearances by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Killer Mike, No I.D. and more, Logic is showing off he is for everybody.

8. SZA - ctrl

Our 2017 "Best New Artist" didn't pull any punches. Arriving with one of the best debuts in recent memory, the rapper blends R&B, soul, funk, into her autobiographical LP. Featuring Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Isaiah Rashad, among others, she pulls her influences from Tupac to the Fugees to Odd Future to give the new school a taste of the old in an artistic manner. If this is her first step towards stardom, we are strapped in for the ride forever. 

SZA Named 2017's Best New Artist

7. JAY-Z - 4:44

On his 13^th studio album, Jay-Z returns with what his best work since 2003’s The Black Album as well as his most personal record to date. What has plagued Jay Z for over a decade, including on Watch the Throne, is that he has nothing to talk about. He has seen and done it all and has Beyonce to call his wife to prove it. Yet, on 4:44, he opens up about his mistakes, setbacks, personal problems, and trying to sustain a legacy outside of being Queen Bey’s husband. 4:44 is easily one of the year’s best and one of his best records of his illustrious career. The minimal production from No I.D. is also a gem because HOVA is forcing the listener to pay attention to what he has to say and what needs to be said. This isn’t a record to blast in the car but one to indulge in on a good pair of headphones and shut the world away.  

6. Ryan Adams - Prisoner

Ryan Adams has always been an artist who wears his heart on his sleeve and on his latest record, his lets it beat in full force. Taking inspiration from his recent divorce, his struggle to find himself and the solace of being alone, Adams creates his best record in years. Touching on almost all of the different sub genres of rock and roll he has written and recorded in, Prisoner is him coming undone and back together again.

5. Power Trip - Nightmare Logic

Take the early thrash sound and production of Slayer, mix it with the technical metal of Megadeath and give it a storyline like early Protest the Hero and you have Power Trip’s fantastic new album. Nightmare Logic is a whiplash of force, power, and brutality rolled into one. More than just one of the best albums of the year, it is without a doubt, the best metal album this century. 

4. Thundercat - Drunk

If Key and Peele wrote songs for Prince it would sound like Thundercat's Drunk. The jazz, funk, psych bassist's third album is a concept record about getting drunk and figuring out life. While the record takes the listener on a musical journey and trip through some very strange places, it is an experience. The music gives the listener a visual idea of what they can play in their head when listening to it. Thundercat and the rest of the Brainfeeder label are the only artists pushing music in new directions and with the help of the label's master Flying Lotus as well as Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, Pharrell, and others, Drunk is a trip and one you want to go back to.

Listen To Our Essential St. Vincent Playlist on Spotify

3. St. Vincent - MASSEDUCATION

In 2017, we named St. Vincent an icon simply because of her shape-shifting, never stop, never cease creating attitude. The androgynous singer and songwriter is more than just a musician, she has become a cultural phenom much like David Bowie and Bjork before her. MASSEDUCATION is what you make of it -- a tongue in cheek look at society, a heartbreak record, a recovery album, it raises questions and also makes you want more. It is essential art for this day and age and we should be thrilled we are living in a world where St. Vincent has the paintbrush.

St. Vincent is 2017's Officially A Icon  

2. Future Islands - The Far Field

On their fifth record, Baltimore experimental outfit Future Islands delivers their thunderous best. The Far Field is a record about obsession, love, passion, and captivation. It is a record that also captures the rawness and intensity of their live shows and even gets applause from heavy hitters like Debbie Harry from Blondie who appears on the album to led her voice.  

1. The Afghan Whigs - In Spades

In their second record since reuniting in 2012, the Afghan Whigs prove they are without a doubt America’s most underrated rock and roll band. On their latest record, In Spades, a contender for Album of the Year, the Whigs show off their funk, rock, goth rock, R&B, and alternative swagger like never before. Like a fine wine not only do they get better with age, singer Greg Dulli is writing some of the best work of his career – and this is a career that spans over 30 years. As the band tour behind the record and seem to be in good spirits, be thankful we are living in a time when they are consistently giving us brilliant music.  

Listen to Our Essential Afghan Whigs Playlist on Spotify

Depeche Mode Release Bowie Cover of 'Heroes'

On their current "Spirit World Tour," Depeche Mode have been covering David Bowie's "Heroes," last month they released a video version of the track they recorded in New York City near the Highline. Take a look.

Depeche Mode on 'Kimmel'

Watch Depeche Mode perform "Cover Me" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Depeche Mode Release David Bowie Cover

Depeche Mode celebrated the 40th anniversary of David Bowie's "Heroes," a song they have been frequently doing on their current tour, and now officially released a version of it. Take a look.

Playlist

Our June playlist is here, so take a listen to our 26-song random musical musings for the month.

Playlist

Here is May's playlist of 27 random musical musings. Take a listen!

Depeche Mode Cover Bowie at Tour Kick-Off

On Friday night, Depeche Mode kicked off their "Spirit Word Tour" in Stockholm, Sweden, they performed a cover of David Bowie's classic "Heroes." Take a look at fan shot footage of the performance.

Listen to Our Essential Depeche Mode Playlist on Spotify

Depeche Mode on 'Corden'

Watch Depeche Mode perform "Where's the Revolution" on The Late Late Show Starring James Corden. 

Listen to Our Essential Depeche Mode Playlist on Spotify! 

Corden's band leader, comedian Reggie Watts, clearly geeked out on set with the British icons on his show and posted some behind the scenes snaps on Instagram.

A post shared by Reggie Watts (@reggiewatts) on Apr 24, 2017 at 7:10pm PDT

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

A post shared by Reggie Watts (@reggiewatts) on Apr 25, 2017 at 12:54am PDT

QUICK SPINS

Depeche Mode – Spirit

Over 30 years and 14 albums together, Depeche Mode are still going strong with their brooding dark synths, themes, and message. Their new album, Spirit, takes all of the musical elements they have been working on since 2005’s Playing the Angel and gives it a political twist. Exposing the themes of Brexit, the Trump campaign, and the instability of the EU, Depeche Mode tells their fanbase how to rise up should they need a lesson. When not singing about the social issues of the world, the band of course look inward with introspective tunes about their lives and well-being.  While it is not too adventurous in sonic cannon it makes up for itself in the motifs they are playing on.

FINAL GRADE: A

Spoon – Hot Thoughts

In what could be one of their best albums, Spoon return with their ninth album and exceed all expectations. Hot Thoughts is one of their most musically provoking and catchy albums. The Austin band has seemed to shed a skin where they do not hold back.

FINAL GRAE: A

Conor Oberst – Salutations

The electric version of last year’s quiet Ruminations is the same record but totally different. The passion, feeling and lyrics are all equal to last year’s album but the music is Oberst showing off that his is much more than an acoustic folk hero.

FINAL GRADE: B+

Sleaford Mods – English Tapas

The diabolical duo come out swinging on their latest and like Slaves did last year with Take Control, Sleaford Mods pick up the anger and intensity with English Tapas.

FINAL GRADE: B+

Raekwon – The Wild

Part super hero storyline, part typical Raekwon record. The Chef returns with his latest solo venture that hears him sharpening his storytelling skills like his Wu-Tang brothers Ghostface Killah and Inspectah Deck have done and bringing a fury only he can.

FINAL GRADE: B

Wire – Silver / Lead

The post-punk legends return with their 16^th studio album and while many would expect it to be a typical Wire record, they change their pace. The band outwit their critics and longtime fans to bring a modern twist to their sound and style but keep the blueprint of what they have done in the forefront.

FINAL GRADE: B+

British Sea Power – Let the Dancers Inherit the Party

In one of their most complete records and best in over a decade, British Sea Power proves they can still write catchy tunes. The band have been in a free fall musical state since 2008 trying to stay with the times but with their latest, they seem to not attempt to keep up with the pack but stick to the music that made them a popular naughties band.

FINAL GRADE: B

Grandaddy – Last Place

In their first album in 11 years, Grandaddy return with nothing too crazy but a nice reintroduction to fans and audiences who may have forgotten about them along the way.

FINAL GRADE: B

The Shins – Heart Worms

The Shines made a new record that sounds like a Shins record. It is not bad, just another Shins record.

FINAL GRADE: B-

Circa Waves – Different Creatures

The second album from the English rockers picks up where they acclaimed debut left off and gives fans a few more tunes to add to the arsenal.

FINAL GRADE: B-

Laura Marling – Sempre Femina

What could be one of the most ultimate girl power records of the year comes from Laura Marling. The British singer-songwriter’s sixth record is her most political, socially aware and evocative to date.

FINAL GRADE: B-

The Jesus and Mary Chain – Damage and Joy

For their first record in 19 years, the Scottish indie heroes return with a record of basic beats, their infamous rhythms, and lyrics about modern pop culture. It sort of sounds like a Jesus and Mary Chain but doesn’t feel like one. After 19 years, one would expect more from the icons.

FINAL GRADE: B-

Alexis Taylor - Listen With(out) Piano

The new album from the Hot Chip frontman is a reworking of last year’s somber and quiet, Piano. Now, the record has a little more flair and can be played with Piano or separately. It is as if he is adding stereo to his mono record.

FINAL GRADE: B-

Brian Jonestown Massacre – Don’t Get Lost

The 14^th album from the noise-pop vets is a continuation of the sound that has made them indie darlings for over 20 years.

FINAL GRADE: B-

Craig Finn – We All Want the Same Things

The Hold Steady frontman goes solo for the third time and brings with him his master storytelling. The record, unlike his previous, is much more quiet and somber but still leaves the listener in awe of his lyrics.

FINAL GRADE: B-

Goldfrapp – Silver Eye

The electronic songstress returns with her latest offering of dance ready hits that strike the heart as well as the feet.

FINAL GRADE: B-

Dave Hause – Bury Me in Philly

The punk singer-songwriter returns with his third solo record and delivers an album chock full of personal stories, tragedy, triumph and the never-say-die spirit that has made him an East Coast icon for decades.

FINAL GRADE: B-

VINTAGE CLIP: Depeche Mode on 'Letterman' in 2001

Watch Depeche Mode perform "Dream On" on The Late Show with David Letterman in 2001.

Listen to Our Essential Depeche Mode Playlist on Spotify! 

Depeche Mode on 'Fallon'

Watch Depeche Mode perform "Where is the Revolution?" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Quick News

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Black Sabbath may have played their final concert in their hometown of Birmingham, England, over the weekend but guitarist Tony Iommi says the band is far from done. Speaking to Planet Rock, the guitarist said: "“It’s just the touring for me. It’s time to stop roaming the world and be at home for a bit. When you’re touring you’ve got to go out for six, eight, 12 months or whatever, and you’ve got a schedule that you have to do. Now, if I want to do some TV for a month, I can do that.” He added that the band could release new music, saying: “I don’t think we’ve ruled anything out, apart from me not wanting to tour any more. Who knows? We may do something. We haven’t spoken about it. We haven’t talked about anything, really – but I’m sure something can happen somewhere.”

Vince Staples has confirmed that his new album is coming "very soon" and while details were sparse, the L.A. rapper did release a new single on Friday called "Bagbok" on Friday.

Speaking on his Beats 1 show, Elton John praised George Michael, who passed away on Christmas. The "Rocket Man" singer said of Michael: "I wanted to do a little tribute to him on the show because not only was he a good friend, but he was probably one of the most brilliant songwriters this country’s ever produced, and certainly one of the best vocalists ever -- One of the best in the world.” He added: "It was an amazing friendship based on music to start with, and I remember sitting in the car just off of Hyde Park listening to a cassette of ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go Go’ and I said, ‘George, that’s the nearest record I’ve heard to a Motown record for years and years.’ It was such a great record, and he and I became great friends. I just want to remember him for his wonderful music and his kindness, which people are commenting on.”

Dave Gahan has revealed what happened to him a year ago after he found out his idol, David Bowie, passed away. The Depeche Mode frontman told Rolling Stone: "I had seen the news but it wasn’t until my wife told me he had died that I just broke down in tears. My daughter came out and they were both hugging me. It really affected me. I felt a huge gap. One of the things I was most regrettable about was that I had never really gone up to him at any time I’d seen him in passing and said, ‘You know, David, I bump into you every once in a while, but I’ve never told you how much your music has meant to me and continues to mean to me.'” He added: "I had found somebody in him that I could understand, where I felt I was part of his world, when I felt alienated. And I think that’s why Depeche Mode appeals to a lot of people. Somehow it’s comforting, like, ‘You’re not alone.’ You’re not, of course. None of us are. But music is the thing that crosses all boundaries and brings odd people together.”

Quick News

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Depeche Mode have released the tracklisting for their forthcoming album, Spirit. Singer Dave Gahan said in a press release of the record: "We are exceptionally proud of Spirit, and we look forward to sharing it with everyone. With James Ford and the rest of the production team, we've made an album that I believe is truly powerful, both in its sound and its message." Take a look at the tracklisting, below:
Going Backwards             
Where's the Revolution                               
The Worst Crime                            
Scum                   
You Move                          
Cover Me                          
Eternal                               
Poison Heart      
So Much Love                   
Poorman            
No More (This is the Last Time)                                 
Fail   

H.R. from Bad Brains is in need of serious PMA. The hardcore legend has to undergo brain surgery after suffering trigeminal neuralgia, a rare a neurobiological disorder. Our thoughts are with him for a successful operation.

Incubus guitarist Mike Einzinger took to Twitter to announce that new details of an upcoming album from the SoCal band are coming "soon." L.A. radio station KROQ has heard some of the music, saying it is "mid-tempo rock," and the record could arrive in April. 

Peter Hook took to Facebook to announce that he is releasing live records of his band The Light performing the music of Joy Division and New Order in May. Take a look: 

Quick News

Next month, Depeche Mode will release their brand new album, Spirit. Take a look at the cover, above. 

BET has greenlit a biopic series on the life of Nas. The show will be titled, Street Dreams, based off his song from Illmatic, and the pilot will begin shooting later this year. According to Deadline, the show will take place in the early 90s and focus on his life before his debut arrived. 

A biopic on John Lennon and Yoko Ono is currently in the works. Ono will produce the film which, according to The Hollywood Reporter, "will focus on ripe and relevant themes of love, courage and activism in the U.S.” No title nor release has been announced.

Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood has signed on to score the yet-to-be-titled Paul Thomas Anderson film the director is currently crafting. The movie will star Daniel Day-Lewis and is expected to arrive later this year. It is the fourth time Greenwood has done the music for Anderson -- famously for 2007's brilliant score of the equally great film, There Will Be Blood, 2012's The Master, and 2014's Inherent Vice.

What's Coming in 2017?

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The new year is here and with it comes new music. 

Run the Jewels, who were supposed to dominate January, surprise released their RTJ3 record causing nearly everyone to change their Top 10 lists, thanks guys. That being said, their is other fresh music on the horizon. 

Take a look at what is projected to arrive in 2017: 

January

Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes – Modern Ruin

Austra – Future Politics

Cloud Nothings – Life Without Sound

Steel Panther – Lower the Bar

AFI – AFI (The Blood Album)

Japandroids – Near to the Wild Heart of Life

Foxygen – Hang

Bonobo – Migration

Bash & Pop – Anything Could Happen

The xx – I See You

Major Lazer – Music is the Weapon

Sepultura –  Machine Messiah 

February

The Mezingers – After the Party

Marilyn Manson – Say10

Tinariwen – Elwan

Surfer Blood – Snowdonia

Los Campesinos! – Sick Scenes

Power Trip – Nightmare Logic

Save Ferris – New Sound EP

Elbow – Little Fictions

Thievery Corporation – The Temple of I & I

Ryan Adams – Prisoner

Big Sean – I Decided

Lupe Fiasco – DROGAS Light

March

Nelly Furtado – Ride 

Tennis – Yours Conditionally

The Magnetic Fields – 50 Song Memoir

Craig Finn – We All Want The Same Things

Other Artists Expected to be Releasing Albums in 2017

Depeche Mode – Spirit

U2 – Songs of Experience

Living Colour – Shade

Paloma Faith – The Architect

The Shins – I Gleek on Your Grave

GZA – Dark Matter

Glassjaw

Brand New

Erik B & Rakim

Liam Gallagher

Gorillaz

Spiritualized

The National

Arcade Fire

Tears for Fears

Danzig

The Roots

The Black Kids

Stone Roses

Afghan Whigs

Nas

Jay Z

Phife Dawg

Justin Timberlake

The Lemon Twigs

Wu-Tang Clan

Ride

Portugal. The Man

Leon Else

Dej Loaf

Pete Rock & CL Smooth

Lady Leshurr

Joey Bada$$

The Jesus and Mary Chain

At the Drive-In

Bjork

Ed O'Brein

Pearl Jam

Modest Mouse

Broken Social Scene

Schoolboy Q

Chic

Phoenix

Grizzly Bear

Neutral Milk Hotel

LCD Soundsystem

Fleet Foxes

Mastodon

Spoon

St. Vincent

Slowdive

Lana Del Rey

Queens of the Stone Age

Foo Fighters

Quasimoto

Bruce Springsteen

Slonk Donkerson

Beck

Haim

Syd

Internal Bleeding

Quick News

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The nominees for the 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have been announced. They include:
Bad Brains
The Cars
Chaka Khan
Chic
Depeche Mode
Electric Light Orchestra
J. Geils Band
Jane’s Addiction
Janet Jackson
Joan Baez
Joe Tex
Journey
Kraftwerk
MC5
Pearl Jam
Steppenwolf
Tupac Shakur
Yes
The Zombies
The winners will be picked in December and the ceremony will take place in April at Brooklyn's Barclays Center.

The Roots have confirmed they are working on their 17th album, End Game, which will arrive next year.

The Black Kids have confirmed they will release their first album in a decade next year.

In a tweet to fans, Grizzly Bear have confirmed they are almost finished on their new album. 

Album 90 percent done. Last update until you hear it

— Grizzly Bear (@grizzlybear) October 18, 2016

Band of Horses have announced 2 concerts to benefit the victims of Hurricane Matthew. The band will play 2 concerts in their hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, this week.

Quick News

Depeche Mode has announced that their new album, Spirit, will arrive next spring.

For the first time in over a decade, The Rolling Stones will release a new album. The record, Blue and Lonesome, is a collection of blues covers and will arrive in December. Take a look at the cover, below:

The Rolling Stones return to the blues with Blue & Lonesome, their first studio album in over a decade #RollingStones #BlueAndLonesome pic.twitter.com/e1eDM5TOfo

— The Rolling Stones (@RollingStones) October 6, 2016

Roger Waters has confirmed he is working on a new record with Radiohead producer Nigel Goodrich. The record is expected to arrive next year.

Celebrating the release of Be Here Now's 20th anniversary, Noel Gallagher is saying that Oasis should have waited longer to make their third album. He said in a video for the band's VEVO channel: "I only say this now, looking back on it after 20 years.... we should never have made that record then," he admits. "'Cause we came off the back of that American tour which was, again, the third tour in a row that we never completed. And I came back to the airport and the fucking world's press was there and instead of going, 'Right, we should just go our separate ways for a year or two,' we decided like idiots to go straight into the studio. That maybe wasn't the best idea, you know what I mean? 'Cause 'Morning Glory' hadn't really run its course then. It was probably still Number One in England it was definitely still Top Five in the States. And yet, there we were, going into the studio, effectively trying to to make another album to kill it, which was ridiculous."

Great Soundtracks: 'The Wedding Singer'

Before Adam Sandler made shit films, he once wrote and directed very funny, clever features that had audiences riveted. One of those gems was 1998's The Wedding Singer. The film, which was about a wedding singer who falls madly in love with an unattainable woman in the 1980s was a slice of the decade. While the film was a nostalgia trip, the music helped bring it all to life.

In a soundtrack that featured New Order, David Bowie, Culture Club, The Smiths, The Police, Sugarhill Gang, Elvis Costello, and many more. It became a fan favorite and even inspired a second volume of music which came out later that year. The second volume featured Depeche Mode, Madonna, The Cars, Spandau Ballet, and others. Both of the soundtracks made the decade of glam and new wave come alive again for a whole new generation.

Rising Artist Exclusive: Salt Ashes

“I’m shitting my pants,” British singer / songwriter Salt Ashes admitted on a late May afternoon in New York about the upcoming release of her debut album.

The Brighton, England-based artist as been turning heads across the UK thanks to features on BBC, The Guardian, and Clash, since the beginning of the year and now she is ready for her close-up this side of the pond.

Salt Ashes, born Veiga Sanchez, will release her self-titled debut in July and while she is still an unknown to America, she is someone that can easily find her footing once DJs get a hold of her music to play it on dancefloors. Throwing back to the 80s synth era and 90s club scene, she is a breath of fresh air for electronic pop.

“Everyone’s debut album is their whole life put into this disc,” she said. “It is my whole life, especially the last five years, out there for the whole world to hear. So, yeah, of course I am shitting myself. I am excited but shitting myself. It is nerve-wracking.”

The singer, who is in her early 20s, takes her name from a carving that was etched into the side of a canoe on the Brighton pier. It is frequent visits to the beach and pier where she grew up that she uses as a muse for her music. 

“When you stare into the sea you feel really little,” she told me as we spoke in the Meatpacking District. “I don’t go to the beach to sunbath. I go when it is cold and I am wrapped in a blanket and it grounds me.”

Her music is about love, loss, heartbreak, finding and losing yourself. Drawing influences from Depeche Mode, Giorgio Moroder, Martha Graham, Mary Ellen Mark, she plucks from their work to help assemble her own.

She, like all writers, pluck from her own experience. “In order for me to write a story, I need to connect with it in some way,” she said.

Salt Ashes also finds a unique way to tell a story that many of us in the Big Apple have crafted in our heads, but she has done with song – people watching.

“I really like sitting by myself and just watching people, listening to conversations and creating stories on what I think they are doing, what is going on in their head,” she declared. That creative impulse is featured on her single, “Raided,” which has the vibe of 90s house music.  The song was crafted from observations she made when attending an underground club in Berlin during a night out with friends.

In an era when music seems to be the most manufactured than ever before, the singer blends her own unique skills and sound to make something all her own. “I am just not interesting in being a certain way or looking a certain way because someone wants me to,” she said. “As long as you are happy on the inside, fuck everything else.”

She admits that getting used to being the center of attention is new to her and is adjusting to her time as the limelight beckons.  Salt Ashes admits to taking things one day at a time and not looking too far ahead for what is in store.

“All you can ever do is strive to be yourself,” she said. “I am what I am and that is what you are really going to get – which I hope is enough.”

Quick News

Speaking to Robcast, Depeche Mode's Martin Gore has confirmed that the band will head back into the studio in April to record their new album which will most likely arrive in a year from now. He said: "We are in a good place to get started."

Diplo has become a minority state holder in MLS expansion club Arizona United. The producer and DJ said in a statement: "I’ve been really fortunate to travel all over the world and experience different cultures through music. Wherever I am, Jamaica, Spain, England, China, etc., soccer is a social constant. I wanted to figure out a way to get involved with the game and team sports so when Arizona United presented itself, I immediately jumped at the opportunity. I see soccer the same way I see music, as a connective tissue linking the world’s cultures.”

Following Trent Reznor and Mick Jagger, Bono has eulogized David Bowie in the latest issue of Rolling Stone. The U2 frontman wrote that the late British icon was "my kind of rock star." He added: "I'd like to consider myself David's friend, but I'm more of a fan. He came and visited us when we were mixing Achtung Baby — and, of course, he had introduced us to Berlin and to Hansa Studios."

The new Rihanna album ANTI has officially been released. Take a look at the tracklisting below and it does feature a cover of Tame Impala's  "New Person, Same Old Mistakes."
01 Consideration [ft. SZA]
02 James Joint
03 Kiss it Better
04 Work
05 Desperado
06 Woo
07 Needed Me
08 Yeah, I Said It
09 Same Ol' Mistakes
10 Never Ending
11 Love On the Brain
12 Higher
13 Close to You