We don’t know what’s going to define a year in music before it happens. As 2016 started, did we know Kanye West would reinvent the album cycle with one of the sloppiest, most bonkers and most entertaining rollouts in recent memory? Did we know Beyonce’s album would also be a gorgeous Terrence Malick-inspired film that debuted on HBO? What about Frank Ocean, who dropped not one but two albums? Or Chance the Rapper, whose “Coloring Book” and verse on “Ultralight Beam” snagged him seven Grammy nominations?
Just as we had no clue what the year would bring then, we have no clue what’s going to happen now. As a slew of lists like this one will tell you about upcoming releases from Drake, Katy Perry and Arcade Fire, our roundup of our most anticipated music of 2017 is a little different. Here, you’ll find we’ve mostly scrapped including the blockbuster albums you know about already in favor of music from Chicago acts. While we’re not sure if Chance the Rapper is going to drop his debut studio album in 2017, we do know these mostly local acts have big things coming this year.
Qari, “Space Jam” (out now)
Show: Friday, Jan. 20, at Lincoln Hall
Former Hurt Everybody rapper Qari surprise-dropped his project over the weekend. It lives up to the hype, as the project, a collaboration with producer Mulatto, features some vivid, introspective and hazy tunes.
Dally Auston, “Roses” (Jan. 20)
Savemoney member Dally Auston jumped back into the spotlight with his 2016 track “These Days.” I’ve heard an early version of his forthcoming project, and I remember why he was one of my favorite Savemoney affiliates during their 2012-2013 comeup.
Joan of Arc, “He’s Got The Whole This Land Is Your Land In His Hands” (Jan. 20)
Show: Saturday, Jan. 21, at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel
Joan of Arc’s Tim Kinsella (yes, the older brother of Mike Kinsella and the Cap’n Jazz frontman) has continually shifted, evolved and reimagined his long-running art-rock project while keeping its boundary-pushing vision and creative ambition intact. That doesn’t change on “He’s Got The Whole This Land Is Your Land In His Hands,” the Chicago mainstay’s first album in five years.
Rich Jones, “Vegas” (Jan. 20)
Show: Friday, Jan. 20, at Lincoln Hall
RedEye premiered a fantastic track from this local rap community mainstay last year in “Everything,” and it’s still stuck in our heads. Few people have done more for Chicago hip-hop at the very grassroots than Jones, who still hosts a monthly showcase at Tonic Room. “Vegas” is an EP and it’s billed as an “electro-pop” release, an interesting depature from the rapper’s tried and true sound.
Kehlani, “SweetSexySavage” (Jan. 27)
Show: Sunday, May 7, at Concord Music Hall
Kehlani had a very memorable Lollapalooza set last year, and her song with Chance the Rapper, 2015’s “The Way,” is still on rotation.
Priests, “Nothing Feels Natural” (Jan. 27)
Show: Thursday, Feb. 9, at Beat Kitchen
The title track from the debut record of this Washington, D.C.-based punk band is one of my favorite songs of the year. While that sounds silly because it’s January, just listen.
Sampha, “Process” (Feb. 3)
Show: Monday, Feb. 6, at Metro
An artist who’s popped up on every “musical acts poised to break out” list is finally going to do it with his long-hyped album “Process.” If his recent Jimmy Fallon performance won’t do the trick, this will.
Meat Wave, “The Incessant” (Feb. 17)
Show: Saturday, Feb. 25, at The Empty Bottle
We already included Meat Wave in our “artists to watch in 2017” list and wrote that had “The Incessant” come out in 2016, it’d crack our top list. Now that the tracklist is out, I’ll add that you’re going to put “Tomasaki” and “No Light” on repeat forever.
The Orwells, “Terrible Human Beings” (Feb. 17)
Show: Thursday, March 16, at Metro
This swaggering Chicago garage rock band has some serious barnburners on “Terrible Human Beings.” No-frills rock ‘n’ roll isn’t going anywhere in 2017.
NE-HI, “Offers” (Feb. 24)
Show: Friday, Feb. 24, at The Empty Bottle
Once my most-anticipated record for 2017, hearing an advanced copy of it confirms my already-high expectations. The first song on the album is a classic.
Vagabon, “Infinite Worlds” (Feb. 24)
Show: Friday, March 31, at Schubas
Pitchfork recently called Vagabon, the intimate songwriting project from Laetitia Tamko, an “indie rock game changer” and they couldn’t be more right.
KAMI, “Just Like The Movies” (February)
Joey Purp, Kami’s Leather Corduroys partner, describes this mixtape with “It’s like if the ’80s had Wi-Fi,” and that’s a more apt musical description than anything I’ve ever written.
Ravyn Lenae, TBA (February)
Show: Wednesday, Feb. 8, and Thursday, Feb. 9, at Metro
We know Ravyn Lenae, the 18-year-old singer and Zero Fatigue member, is finalizing a short project to be released sometime in February. Hopefully she’ll drop it before the two sold-out shows at Metro next month, where she’ll open up for Noname.
So Pretty, “Suck It Up” (February)
Chicago punks So Pretty were nice enough to reveal the title of their forthcoming record “Suck It Up,” which is out sometime next month via Bernice Records and Tapes. This feminist, riot grrrl-inspired band is already a vital part of Chicago’s DIY scene.
Nnamdi Ogbonnaya, “Drool” (March 3)
Nnamdi Ogbonnaya is in so many Chicago bands and so involved in the city’s music community that he’s basically the scene’s MVP. While you might see the uber-prolific artist play in rock-oriented bands like Monobody and Nervous Passenger, his forthcoming solo album is a rap project—and a great one to boot.
DEHD, TBA (March)
Show: Thursday, March 9, at The Empty Bottle
DEHD were my first show of 2017 with a seriously great free showcase at Cole’s. They debuted a slew of excellent new material there, and now they’ve confirmed that it’s going to be on a tape they’ll put out in March.
Jlin, “Black Origami” (March)
Gary, Ind., footwork hero Jlin (aka Jerrilynn Patton) will drop a two-track EP, “Dark Lotus,” before she drops her next full-length, “Black Origami.” The Pitchfork Fest alum has been tinkering and improving on this Chicago-born music genre for a while, and we can’t wait to hear what’s next.
Lili K, “Planet of Flowers” (Spring)
Chicago soul singer Lili K will follow up “Ruby” with “Planet of Flowers.” To hear her describe it, we’re getting pretty stoked to hear it as she says, “My band and I have grown immensely since recording ‘Ruby,’ and we’ve never been as excited as we are now about our music.”
St. Vincent, TBA (Spring)
Even though Annie Clark isn’t a Chicagoan, it’s St. Vincent, so of course we’re excited about a new album. In an interview with Guitar World magazine, she called the release “a real sea change” for her sound and the “deepest, boldest work [she’s] ever done.” Sounds good!
Turnspit, TBA (Spring)
Show: Saturday, March 4, at Reggie’s Rock Club
Scrappy Chicago punks Turnspit added a new bassist last year and look to turn some heads with a new album.
Bunny, TBA (TBD)
Show: Thursday, March 9, at The Empty Bottle
Bunny is currently recording at Minbal studio with The Hecks and Public House Recording’s Dave Vettraino. Whether that’s an EP or a full album, we’re not sure, but the Jessica Viscius-led band was one of our favorite discoveries of 2016.
Cam O’bi, “Grown Ass Kid” (TBD)
When Chance the Rapper’s “Coloring Book” dropped, a song called “Grown Ass Kid” that featured writer Eryn Allen Kane leaked with it. It turns out that’s not a Chance the Rapper song, but it’s by Cam O’bi, the Los Angeles producer who frequently collaborates with Chicago artists, most recently Noname. He’s currently in the studio at Chicago’s Classick Studios working on the project.
Campdogzz, TBA (TBD)
Campdogzz played one of the best opening act slots I’ve seen in a very long time. “The Well,” which was featured in the Netflix show “Easy,” showed promise, but it’s their live show that really brings it. In an interview, they revealed their 2017 goals are to finish a record.
Clearance, TBA (TBD)
Clearance is such a consistently great Chicago indie rock band, and I couldn’t be more stoked a new album is on the way. It was recorded at Minbal with The Hecks’ Dave Vettraino.
Deeper, TBA (TBD)
I recently saw Deeper headline The Empty Bottle, and based on that show, whenever this new record comes out will be a great thing for Chicago’s indie rock community.
HAIM, TBA (TBD)
It’ll probably sound like Fleetwood Mac and will probably come out in the summer.
Joey Purp, TBA (TBD)
To kick off the year, Joey Purp tweeted, “New project 2017.”
Knox Fortune, TBA (TBD)
Purp also tweeted, “Knox Fortune album 2017.”
Melkbelly, TBA (TBD)
There is a new Melkbelly record finished, but I’m not sure when it’s out, what it sounds like or what it’s called. This Chicago band rules, though, and I’m sure it’s great.
Pet Symmetry, TBA (TBD)
About a month ago, Chicago’s Pet Symmetry posted an Instagram showing the CDs containing the masters for their forthcoming second album. A separate post shows they recorded at New Jersey’s Gradwell House Recording.
PWR BTTM, TBA (TBD)
They aren’t from Chicago, but PWR BTTM is one of my favorite bands. In December, the Polyvinyl-signed act tweeted they were finished with a forthcoming album.
Ratboys, TBA (TBD)
Show: Saturday, Feb. 3, at Subterranean Downstairs
Saturday night marked Ratboys’ last night in the studio tracking their new album. We love Ratboys!
Smino, “Zero Fatigue Project” (TBD)
Smino and producer Monte Booker are one of the best combos in music. 2017 will be a great year for Smino.
Towkio, TBA (TBD)
Towkio has been long at work on the follow-up to his 2015 breakout “.Wav Theory,” spending time recording with Rick Rubin at the music legend’s Shangri La studios.
Vic Mensa, TBA (TBD)
Mensa scrapped his long-awaited album “Traffic” in favor of a more personal and political release. We’re excited to see what that entails. The wait will be worth it.
@joshhterry | jterry@redeyechicago.com
