2017 SHORTLIST

Two thousand and seventeen, one more shared first place for two... Marika Hackman and Scandal.

1982, eight years after the Carnation Revolution in Portugal, there wasn't much radio playing in my house. The hipe was on the big TV - Grundig Super Color,  brought by my father on Christmas of '81. At that time the foreign music videos were scarce on portuguese TV: Olivia Newton John, Duran Duran, Kim Wilde, Human League, Donna Summer, ABBA and a few more.

Plus, Portugal was on the verge of something new, a musical scene was finally on but performed by portuguese bands. To be fair, nothing really amazing happened with our local bands but at least we found ourselves - bands like Heróis do Mar, António Variações, Xutos e Pontapés and Madredeus! helped us find a "modern" identity.

Maybe this explain why a song like "Goodbye to You" from Scandal was never broadcast in the Portuguese television in those days. On the other hand, Columbia Records never stopped believing that Portugal was a Spanish province with marginal impact on sales of Vinyls. Also very strange is the fact that this particular EP from Scandal never had the success it should have had at least in Europe.

Once more, the funny part is that I reached the song for the first time on youtube (again) this year, and I can say now: "Goodbye To You" is a underrated masterpiece from the 80's, Patty Smyth a typical American voice, slightly hoarse but unusualy powerful and sweet. And the music video is like a wikipedia of the 80's ...so damn cool.

By knowing my benchmark for the perfect record: "Surfer Rosa" by Pixies and "Pod" by The Breeders, I sometimes imagine what would have been Patty Smyth's career with another kind of band supporting her and her music worked by Steve Albini!

This also helps what can be said about Marika Hackman, her promissing career and the new album. I wonder if her next creative work could be produced by Steve Albini?! ;) ... ok very subjective! Still, "Im Not Your Man", is my choice for best album of the year! all the songs on this album are so beautiful and subtle. Some of her songs have a tiny little bit of a grunge mood in it and that's super cool!

2018, Marika Hackman will be playing live in Portugal on 06/01/2018 supporting alt-J, I bet there are few portuguese fans out there right now but i'm sure this will gonna change soon.

BEST ALBUM
01.(Ex aequo)  Marika Hackman - I'm Not Your Man  /  Scandal - Goodbye To You EP (1982)
03. Melkbelly - Nothing Valley (2017)
04. Sneaks - It's a Myth (2017)
05. Stacian - Person L (2017)
06. Death In Vegas - Transmission (2016)
07. Pale Honey - Devotion (2017)
08. Big Thief - Capacity (2017)
09. The Organ - Grab that Gun (2004)
10. Chelsea Wolfe - Hiss Spun (2017)
11. The Weather Station - The Weather Station (2017)
12. Nadine Shah - Holiday Destination (2017)
13. Wolf Alice - Visions of a Life (2017)
14. Twin Peaks: Limited Event Series Soundtrack by Angelo Badalamenti & VA. (2017)
15. Psycho Tropical Berlin - La Femme (2016)
16. Deerhoof - Mountain Moves (2017)
17. Aldous Harding - Party (2017)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
01. (Ex aequo) Marika Hackman - Good Intentions / Scandal - Goodbye To You  (1982)
03. Marika Hackman - Round We Go
04. Pale Honey - Why Do I Always Feel This Way
05. Melkbelly - Off the Lot
06. Sneaks - Look Like That
07. Stacian - Volx
08. The Breeders - Wait in the Car
09. U.S. Girls - Mad As Hell
10. Marika Hackman - Boyfriend
11. Buke and Gase - Seam Esteem
12. Aldous Harding - Horizon
13. The Weather Station - Thirty
14. Scandal - Win Some, Lose Some (1982)
15. Marika Hackman - Time's Been Reckless
16. Death In Vegas - You Disco I Freak (2016)
17. Weekend Wolves - You
18. Big Thief - Shark Smile
19. The Organ - I Am Not Surprised (2004)
20. Wolf Alice - Beautifully Unconventional
21. Mourning Sound - Grizzly Bear
22. Chelsea Wolfe - Vex
23. Deerhoof - Slow Motion Detonation (ft. Juana Molina)
24. La Femme - Saisis la corde (2015)
25. Chromatics - Shadow
26. Sleigh Bells - Rainmaker
28. Nadine Shah - 2016
29. Death In Vegas - Consequences of Love (2016)
30. Oddnesse - Somewhere Somehow
31. Stacian - Telephony
32. Wolf Alice - Don't Delete the Kisses
33. Black Marble - Frisk
34. Woods - Love Is Love

BEST MUSIC VIDEO
Nowadays music video directors often forget the essence of a music video, I mean, it should be about the music and the artists who plays it, isn't that right?  Besides that, I do like a fierce editing music video with good lighting that enhances the song and the band... cool, and so the best music video of two thousand and seventeen goes to Wolf Alice - "Yuk Foo" ...punk lives!