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Top albums of 2023 - Is it the Music or is it me?
Is it you? Is it me? Is it the music? 2023 was a year in which I don’t feel like I listened to less music and yet, not a lot of 2023 music was enough to push away other types listening. Definitely more time spent in the past than the present. A serious 90’s re-evaluation. A early year obsession. The undeniable greatness of my favorite band in a live setting. But there remain enough for a list and jaunt through them. I still love new music but new whole albums, well, it's becoming a lost art.
2023 on paper is a standard collection of old favs and new loves. There is no present theme, save for a reminder that you're old favourites might still be making the best music of their lives, the words matter sometimes as much as the music, and nothing excites me more than undefinable genre bending music.
Forgive the brevity of writeups. This second concussion has taken my screen time, but it will never take my soul.
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1. Geese - 3D country
This is the only album of 2023 that made me proclaim wow! on my first listen. Subsequent listens yielded infinite rewards. There's a jamminess here, for sure, but it's psych and it's new age and it's New York and it always keeps you guessing , even when it has you groovin. The vocals are a chameleon,, sometimes they sound like a deranged lounge singer, sound like Ween, but then blasts pure energy. Have no idea how the world is sleeping on this one. If you can't find a track you don't like in the first four, then it's not for you. Maybe start on track 2 if not prepared for sonic onslaught early on.
Key Tracks: Cowboy Nudes, 3D Country, I See Myself, 2122
2. Yo La Tengo - This Stupid World - All timers crush another amazing one. Spiritual sibling to 2006’s You are Not Afraid, this dominated my listening at the beginning of 2023 and very little was presented that could push it out. Noisy, pretty, and unmistakably themselves, this kind of 30 year plus consistency deserves its own reward.
Key Tracks: Tonight's Episode, Sintara Drive Breakdown, Alsestine,
3. William Tyler and the Impossible Truth - Secret Stratosphere - Space country alert. Do you like expansive delay drenched trips into an alt country soundscape? Super talented songwriter that brings in super talented Nashville musicians to back him up? Jams? Step inside. Soul balm.
Key Tracks: Our Lady of the Desert, HIghway Anxiety, Whole New Dude
4. Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy - Dizzying. Brave, aggressive and right back to form. Challenging and unique, I put this on when I wanted to feel what creativity and energy felt like.
Key Tracks: Rice, I Saw, Tell Somebody
5. Ben Folds - What Matters Most - This album made me laugh, cry and restate my love for this genius musician, arranger and storyteller. Please for me, just listen to Exhausting Lover and marvel in the content, humour, cleverness and chorus of the year (especially in you are a jamband fan like me). Then if you ever loved BF5, give the record a chance.
Key Tracks: Exhausting Lover. Winslow Gardens, Paddleboat
6. Fenne Lily - Big Picture - Based on the strength of what I consider to be one of the best songs of the year, a little more exploration found a moody record made by a young woman who is still living her best mistakes. This year had a ton of talented women on my chart but this one I reached for the most. Stay for sonics.
Key Tracks: Lights Light Up, Henry, Superglued
7. Sufjan Stevens - Javelin - So sad, so pretty, so Sufjan. What I value about him is that he has an ability to make sadness sound beautiful. The story behind this one is another heartbreaking one for him and I’m sure I’ll return to it over the winter for a lush, nuanced musical bath.
Key Tracks: So You Are Tired, Will Anyone love me again, A Running Start
8. Wilco - Cousins - I almost wrote this one off until an evening at a friend’s listening to this on vinyl unlocked the sonic pleasures unlocked by producer Kate Le Bon. Been an easy constant companion since. Add to that, my deep dive into the Super Deluxe Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, really reminded me of who this band can be, and made me look harder past Tweedy's calcifying song writing style and enjoy the production and song choices. They are still very good.
Key Tracks: Infinite Surprise, PIttsburgh, Levee
9. Goose - Live at the Salt Shed - I'm not cheating. Someday this will get a physical release and until then, this little cheater is my love letter to where this band is right now. The first part of of 2023 was the last part of the first great era of the next great jamband if they can survive the hype. Not the show of the year but this is a perfect snapshot of where they are.
9. Goose - Live at the Salt Shed - I'm not cheating. Someday this will get a physical release and until then, this little cheater is my love letter to where this band is right now. The first part of of 2023 was the last part of the first great era of the next great jamband if they can survive the hype. Not the show of the year but this is a perfect snapshot of where they are.
Key Tracks: Hungersite, All I Need, Madhuvan
10. Bakar - Halo - The Heart loves what the heart loves. It’s the lazy delivery and sparse instrumentations. Chill but vibrant. And yes, I know some of this is old but it's an album now. Reminds me of summer.
Key tracks: Hell N Back, Alive, OneinOneOut
11. King Gizzard - The Silver Cord - Krautrock with a side of vegemite. I definitely would recommend the longer versions for full effect. Also three night stand at the Salt Shed 2023 live release (if you have nugs dot net) is a monster snapshot of where these dudes are right now, which is always at the top of my listening pile. Key Tracks: Theia, The Silver Cord
12. Jason Isbell - Weathervanes - Steady, solid, reliable, Isbell comtinues to flush out his sound. The storytelling is still top notch and the last track, Miles, would be my vote for direction I’d like to see him go for at least one album. Key tracks: Middle of the Morning, Miles, Death Wish
13. Boygenius - The Record - Universal favorite for easiest to love around here. All member all stars, write killer tunes to have on at all occasions. Favorite members ranked in order. Ducas, Bridgers, Baker. Discuss. Key Tracks: Not Strong Enough, Cool About it
14. Andy Shauf - Norm - The ultimate soft singing storyteller is back with another yarn. The story this time is about Norm or about all the ways people view Norm. How he gets such warm production values I will always marvel at. Key Tracks: Telephone, Catch Your Eye
15. This is the Kit - Careful of Your Keepers - Moody, textured, definitely a mood. This was two of my music friend's favorite of the year. To steal from Brooklyn Vegan, empathetic lyrics with sinewy, proggy folk. About sums it up. Key tracks: Inside Outside, More Change, Stuck in a Room
16. Kara Jackson - Why Does the Earth Give Us People To Love? When I heard pawnshop for the first time, I didn't know anything about Kara Jackson. But soon after hearing her voice, her lyrics and getting serious Joni Mitchell vibes, I dug in. A literal Poet Laureate, this is an impressive record. It's bold, it's a lyrics and music album and really grew on me kEy Tracks: pawnshop, nofun/party, lily
17. Rose City Band- Garden Party - Choogle. I love the word. I love the sound. I love the way Rose City throws it down. Key Tracks: Porch Boogie, Chasing Rainbows, Slow Burn
18. The South Hill Experiment - Moonshots - The song Chameleons just hard jacked itself into my 90's electronica brain. But there's much more. Not every song this album hits but it surely is made with great care. Solid grooves, trippy effects, couple of bangers. Key Tracks: Chameleons, DREAMS! , Gabo's Last Stand
19. The Lemon Twigs - Everything Harmony - Everyone needs a little soft rock in their life. The Lemon Twigs have been less formulatic in the past, but they lean into their soft rocker sides perfectly. Key Tracks, Corner of My Eye, Any Time of Day, When Winter Comes Around
20. Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You - I was reading reviews recently of this album and someone made a Beck comparision, and it's not perfect but it gives you sense for the experimentation. Some trip hop beats, some chances taken. Key Tracks: Bunny is a Rider, Welcome to My Island , Sunset
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Also did good stuff this year : Scott McMicken and the EVEREXPANDING, Whitney, Ruston Kelly, Daniel Danoto, Tallest Man on Earth, Unknown Mortal Orchestra , Wood Brothers, McKinley Dixon, Buck Meek, Jenny Lewis, Sabrina the teenage dj, the New Pornographers, Fruit Bats, the Hold Steady, Florry
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