Albums:
Pavement - Brighten The Corners
(immediate impact songs like "stereo"..combined with growers like "we are underused"..malkmus should ditch the band though - or at least not allow anyone else's songs on "pavement" records....)
Michael Head - The Magical World of The Strands
(no one will argue it's head at his peak...but still head and shoulders above the all the pretenders to the brit singer/songwriter beat (as in 'mersey' throne..more waterpisol than pacific street..)
Yummy Fur - Kinky Cinema
(this might be considered a re-issue - i.e. songs from early singles...but there's enough unreleased for me to consider it "new" in '97 - but it's not really - it's straight 1981 - fire engines/fall/etc...dischord)...
Kreidler - Weekend
(kreidler finally broke it open for me this year...as much pop as experimental - they helped bridge the gap)
Kante - Zwischen Den Orton
(if only for the opener 'tourisme'...krautrock that namechecks everything but the girl and the beach boys...)
Tindersticks - Curtains
(don' t think i actually ever listened to this all the way through - but it seems good when i hear it for a bit...)
Green Pajamas - Strung Behind The Sun
(with the lack of an olivia tremor control pop album this year - this filled the blank...i.e beatles meets syd meets the servants?)
Bitter Springs - From the Parish of Arthritis
(more a collection of a bunch of singles with some new stuff thrown in - straight 1987 british indie pop..nothing really groundbreaking - but i couldn't help but be impressed..)
almost: Stereolab - Dots And Loops
(stereolab - always make my list - probably a really good album if i gave it a proper listen - which i haven't - so why is it on my list....)
Cornershop - When I Was Born For The 7th Time
(some of it genuinely bothered me - some (asha/on the road again) are fucking mind-blowing)
Edwyn Collins - I'm Not Following You
Turn On - Turn On
Magoo - The Soateramic Sounds Of..
Jonathan Fire*Eater - Wolf Songs For Lambs
Mouse On Mars - Autoditacker
The Sea And Cake - The Fawn
Built To Spill - Perfect From Now On

late-breaking:
kid loco - 'a grand love story' -
just got it this weekend - so it wouldn't be right to put it on my list...but i've been listening non-stop since i got it....and shit, right about now i'd say it'd make my top ten easy...of course in a week i'll put it in the pile never to be listened to again.....

10 Singles:

Belle and Sebastian - Dog On Wheels ep
Belle and Sebastian - Lazy Line Painter Jane ep
Belle and Sebastian - 3,6,9 Seconds of Light ep
Pavement - Stereo
Electric Sound Of Joy - Total Turn/Our Flag 7"
Male Nurse - Magic Circle In The Sky 7"
(with the superior b-side 'what does woman want')
Plush - No Education
(with 'soaring and boring' b-side)
Nick Cave - Into My Arms ep
Bitter Springs - It's Business
Tindersticks - Rented Room (swing version)
also - heard the high llamas re-mix of mouse on mars 'twift' and it's incredible..don't own it yet

Re-Issues:

Velvet Underground - Loaded (double cd)
Broadcast - Work and Non Work
Apartments - The Evening Visits
Byrds - remaining back catalog reissues (that was '97 wasn't it)
Jazzateers - Who Shot The President
5th Dimension - Up Up & Away
The Scene Is Now - The Oily Years
Bryan MacLean - Ifyoubelievein
Beach Boys - Pet Sounds box
simon and garfunkel box
haven't heard: zombies box

important misc.:

Pale Fountains - rarities, etc
Pavement - KCRW Feb. 97
belle and sebastian - september bbc session
high llamas - cold and bouncy - pre-release
Pavement - Live in Columbus
Pavement - Killing Moon (bbc)
Richard Davies - Crystal Clear (demo)
arab strap peel session
a couple of songs on the last yo la tengo album
mogwai - two albums, one single...
gorkys - a couple of singles, and a pretty good album
a revived interest in quality sixties pop after being slightly put off in the preceding years by the increasing
commercialization of that genre (lounge beer commercials/combustible edison, etc)...i'm over it now and back into it full steam - and finding new stuff every fucking day it seems - and wanting to find more

Not Released in '97 - but essential this year:

belle and sebastian - tigermilk, if you're feeling sinister
Cpt. Beefheart - misc.
Can - misc.
Faust - misc.
Memphis Goons - Teenage BBQ (96)
Strapping Fieldhands - Wattle & Daub (96)
Thinking Fellars Union Local 282 - misc.
Sharon Stoned - Conflict Of Interest (96)
Sneaky Feelings - Sentimental Education - finally got the cd re-issue!
Triffids - Son Of Dungeon Tape - one of the most important additions to my collection this year
Astrud Gilberto - Beginnings (track from 1969)
Freed Unit - Field Reports From Out There (this came out in '96 right?)

brightest hopes for '98:

electric sound of joy
male nurse
about 35 german bands
RIP:
Epic Soundtracks
laura nyro

Eric Mason. 1997.