With a few days left in the year, I figured it was my turn to add my two cents to the “best records of the year” like so many of the blogs I follow. Where I differ from these posts, though, is that I don’t always listen to brand new music all the time and often uncover stuff that came out decades before I was even born, choosing to spend my time with it instead. Therefore, I’m breaking this post down into three parts: my 6 favorite new releases for 2017, my 6 favorite NOT new releases I jammed the most in 2017, and the 6 songs I blasted the most — both new and old — in 2017.

All three sets are in no particular order.

This is Part 2/3

— TOP 6 OLD RELEASES OF 2017 —

The Misfits – Static Age
Release Date: (February 27, 1996 — originally recorded in 1978)
My Favorite Tracks: Hybrid Moments; Bullet; She

The Misfits are one of my favorite bands — maybe my #1 favorite band. So many great tracks across their career, and yes I’m even referring to post-Danzig era. I feel like if I were to include a “top not-new records” list every year, Static Age would be on my list every year. It’s basically a Misfits’ greatest hits record from start to finish including the super groovy Return of the Fly, the pure-evil scorcher Bullet and the macabre sing-along favorite Last Caress. If you didn’t listen to any other Misfits for the rest of your life, your days will be better just having experienced this music. I seriously listen to something from this album every. Single. Day.

David Bowie – David Bowie
Release Date: (June 1, 1967)
My Favorite Tracks: Uncle Arthur; Love You Till Tuesday; Please Mr. Gravedigger

A few months ago I went through a phase where if it wasn’t David Bowie, I didn’t want to hear it. Chances are, if you’re not a fan of Bowie or are only a casual fan, you’ve probably never heard anything from this, his self-titled and first proper release. It’s really not even the kind of Bowie I prefer — I’m more of a Hunky Dory or Rise and Fall… kind of guy. But as I revisited his discography, I found myself continually coming back to this record, fascinated by his folky singer-songwriter attempt.

Cannibal Corpse – Tomb of the Mutilated
Release Date: (September 22, 1992)
My Favorite Tracks: Hammer Smashed Face; I Cum Blood; Split Wide Open

Back in November when I caught Exhumed in concert, I had to admit to myself and everyone else that while I’m a fan of extreme metal in general, the Death Metal genre has never really done much for me (Exhumed changed my mind that night). With that said, extreme metalheads will probably scoff at my affection for what is likely the most cliche Death Metal selection I could’ve chosen, but this was and still is the Death Metal record I’ve gotten the most into. Sure the artwork, song titles and lyrics are horrific beyond measure, but I mean, that’s Death Metal for you. Hammer Smashed Face could easily be a Death Metal 101 lesson and for good reason. If you don’t like that track, you’re not going to like anything else.

The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico
Release Date: (March 12, 1967)
My Favorite Tracks: I’m Waiting for the Man; Femme Fatale; Sunday Morning

A couple of years ago I decided I had an enormous man crush on Lou Reed. Looking past his faults and crazy drug-laced history, there’s something about Lou that I always thought was just super cool. I only hate that I didn’t appreciate him until later in mine (and his) life. Either way, tracks from this first Velvet record stick with me, flowing in and out of my head throughout most days. In addition to the above listed tracks, Venus in Furs, Run Run Run, All Tomorrow’s Parties and I’ll Be Your Mirror haunt my existence and I’m not mad about it. Lou may not have been crazy about Nico joining the band, but she definitely brought something to this record that it would’ve been sorely missing without her or if someone else had taken her place.

Epic Ditch – EP
Release Date: (March 21, 2011)
My Favorite Tracks: Hope and Change; Rock ‘n’ Roll Ain’t Gonna Save You Now; I Want to Destroy

Punk fucking rock, y’all. John Davis and Nick Slack, already made famous here from yesterday’s blurb, join forces with famed producer Nick Raskulinecz to send out a scorching six tracks on this EP that comes in at around 14 minutes TRT. I found myself putting tracks from this record on several Spotify playlists in the last year from general punk playlists to collections of songs that make me want to lift heavy, fight hard or simply push through difficult bullshit in my personal life.

Superdrag – Head Trip in Every Key
Release Date: (March 24, 1998)
My Favorite Tracks: Bankrupt Vibration; Annetichrist; Shuck & Jive

Much to the record label’s disappointment, Head Trip… wasn’t a commercial success like the guys’ 1996 predecessor Regretfully Yours, but the musicianship, songwriting, production quality and overall aesthetic of this record went leagues above it. If MTV wasn’t crazy about John Davis’ (yes, him again) decision to change the lyrics of Sucked Out to “Who Sucked Out the Feeling? Music Television!” the entire industry couldn’t be happy about his lyrics in Bankrupt Vibration — And your alternative station is such a bankrupt vibration; it’s a fucking illusion of an alternative nation; modern rock is a snow job; a popularity blowjob; come on down to the big show to celebrate what you don’t know. Those lyrics were eventually changed before the track made the record, of course, but it doesn’t change the fact that John Davis and the guys were the epitome of rock and roll.

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This is just me, though. Got any OLD releases you really dug this year? Tell me about them!