The beginning of January always serves as the hangover for the previous year when it comes to the music scene. The biz groggily wakes up, lets out an inarticulate groan, and pulls the covers back over its head. So it takes a few weeks for the 2018 albums to get rolling. In the meantime, much excellence remains to be found from 2017. Don’t let them get lost in the shiny new toyness of 2018.
Let’s round ’em up.
Like The Donnas and The Strokes rockin’ your socks off
Francis And The Lights – Just For Us
Like Peter Gabriel performing minimalist R&B
Once And Future Band – Once And Future Band
Like a less day-glo, more prog-rock, jazzier Jellyfish
Like Paul Simon and Elliott Smith having a late night musical conversation of sadness with Rufus Wainwright
1 2 3 o' clock 4 o' clock Rock 
Knew that I would like the Ethan Gruska songs based on your description, which was very on-point!