Top 10 Albums of 2023

[CooterBrown 18001]

Here are my picks for 2023:

Jenny Lewis - Joy'All: I think Lewis is one of the best American songwriters working today.  This is just a fantastic album from start to finish with just enough sadness to make the happiness bearable.
Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy:  I don't even know how to categorize Young Fathers.  I'd only known them from a one off collaboration with Massive Attack years ago.  Initially, it's a difficult listen but I find myself coming back to this album often.
Night Drive - Position II:  One of the best local bands no one has heard of. If you think you'd like a modern take on 80s new wave, check it out. 
Model/Actriz - Dogsbody:  Probably the best modern industrial band working today.  They're really breathing fresh air into the genre.
Kruder Di Gioia - "_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ":  Collaboration between Peter Kruder of Kruder & Dorfmeister and jazz pianist Roberto Di Gioia.  If you want a chill soundtrack to get high to, this is for you.
Bully - Lucky For You:  90s grunge for Millenials. It's good stuff.  I'm glad there's some guitar rock out there doing well. 
Cherry Glazerr - I Don't Want You Anymore:  Zoomer garage rock that's actually good. Solid album.
Royal Blood - Back to the Water Below:  The best rock band that has never quite had the level of success they deserve.  Just banger after banger.
Lead Into Gold - The Eternal Present:  If Model/Actriz is modern industrial, this is a throwback to the 90s by ex-Ministry bassist, Paul Barker.  
The Black Delta Movement - Recovery Effects:  A really good psychedelic band with surf guitar and 60s flower child leanings.  If you like Brian Jones Town Massacre, you'll dig this

[4th&Five 41506]

Isbell

Deer Tick

Susto

Gregory Alan Isakov

Gaslight Anthem

Turnpike Troubadours 

[usmc0331horn 953]

Blondshell

Wednesday

Lana

Jess Williamson

Boygenius

[stc 1460]

1. QOTSA- In Times New Roman. A return to form after their last album that was somewhat disappointing. Took a few listens to sink in but it's very good. 

2. Night Beats- Rajan. Back to their roots with some excellent psych rock. 

3. Death Valley Girls- Islands in the Sky. Garage rock/psych. 

4. Nude Party- Ride On. A little more mellow but still has the same 60's psych/garage sound happening. 

5. Rodeo Boys- Home Movies. 90's throwback guitar rock. 

6. Dropper- Don't Talk to Me. Power pop/rock 

7. Crosses- Good Night, God Bless, I Love U, Delete. Deftones' dark wave cousin. 

8. Ghost Woman- Hindsight is 50/50. Brooding psych rock. Heavier and darker than their previous releases. 

9. Oh Sees-Intercepted Message. Catchy synth punk. 

10. Yasawa Group- Enter the Chrysalis. Shiny indie guitar pop.  

[G650 14229]

Don't think I've heard enough albums from this year to come up with a top ten, but the new Revivalists is very strong.

[C-Man 27183]

Not sure where to dump this but Variety has chosen the "Worst 20 Songs of 2023"

https://variety.com/lists/worst-songs-2023/vultures-kanye-west-and-ty-dolla-sign-featuring-bump-j/

[Deej 76750]

I'm giving honorable mention to Hackney Diamonds because it's a great effort by a bunch of 80 year olds. 

[G650 14229]

1 hour ago, C-Man said:

Not sure where to dump this but Variety has chosen the "Worst 20 Songs of 2023"

https://variety.com/lists/worst-songs-2023/vultures-kanye-west-and-ty-dolla-sign-featuring-bump-j/

Man, they are right in the Fall Out Boy thing. My son likes that song, but I just can't listen to them with everything completely out of fucking order. The point of the original is it's chronological

[GenXer 2850]

On 12/20/2023 at 8:25 AM, CooterBrown said:

Here are my picks for 2023:

Jenny Lewis - Joy'All: I think Lewis is one of the best American songwriters working today.  This is just a fantastic album from start to finish with just enough sadness to make the happiness bearable.
Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy:  I don't even know how to categorize Young Fathers.  I'd only known them from a one off collaboration with Massive Attack years ago.  Initially, it's a difficult listen but I find myself coming back to this album often.
Night Drive - Position II:  One of the best local bands no one has heard of. If you think you'd like a modern take on 80s new wave, check it out. 
Model/Actriz - Dogsbody:  Probably the best modern industrial band working today.  They're really breathing fresh air into the genre.
Kruder Di Gioia - "_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ":  Collaboration between Peter Kruder of Kruder & Dorfmeister and jazz pianist Roberto Di Gioia.  If you want a chill soundtrack to get high to, this is for you.
Bully - Lucky For You:  90s grunge for Millenials. It's good stuff.  I'm glad there's some guitar rock out there doing well. 
Cherry Glazerr - I Don't Want You Anymore:  Zoomer garage rock that's actually good. Solid album.
Royal Blood - Back to the Water Below:  The best rock band that has never quite had the level of success they deserve.  Just banger after banger.
Lead Into Gold - The Eternal Present:  If Model/Actriz is modern industrial, this is a throwback to the 90s by ex-Ministry bassist, Paul Barker.  
The Black Delta Movement - Recovery Effects:  A really good psychedelic band with surf guitar and 60s flower child leanings.  If you like Brian Jones Town Massacre, you'll dig this

Never heard Black delta Movement before but I’m hooked now. 

[Hank Kingsley 20903]

A few months ago I was listening to XMU and "I Saw" by Young Fathers came on. My 6 year old immediately loved it and asked to add it to his playlist. Great song and still listens to it a lot. Need to check out the rest of the album. 

[Al_4_ISU 12447]

Turnpike Troubadours "A Cat in the Rain" - Evan Felker's comeback is everything I wanted it to be.

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit "Weathervanes" - Comeback album of the year.  The king is back.

Olivia Rodrigo "GUTS" - If the Blue Album had been made by a sexy 20 something instead of an emotionally crippled Gen X incel, it would sound like this.

Joe Stamm Band "Wild Man"/"Fort Smith EP" - Midwest dude who is absolutely killing the country rock/heartland rock worship at the altar of Chris Knight thing.

Dave Hause "Drive It Like It's Stolen" - Philly punk/folk/pop dude keeps cranking out stupid catchy stuff

Cory Hanson "Western Cum" - Ridiculous name, ridiculous riffs.  Windows down on the highway shit.

Foo Fighters "But Here We Are" - Staggering tribute to Taylor Hawkins.  Dave Grohl on drums.  As vital as they've felt in over a decade.

Lydia Loveless "Nothing's Gonna Stand In My Way Again" - One of the most underrated songwriters of the past decade makes her most fun record in close to a decade

Queens of the Stone Age "In Times New Roman" - As noted above, a serious return to form

Wednesday "Rat Saw God" - If the Hold Steady were from the South and fronted by a woman, they'd sound like this.  Indie darlings, and deservedly so.

Kyle Nix & the 38's "After the Flood Vol. 1" - Turnpike fiddle player drops legitimately excellent divorce album after showing some promise, but coming up a little short on his pandemic debut.  This legit rips.

[DougO 5243]

The Answer - Sundowners

 

 

 

[HoustonHorn 1062]

Javelin by Sufjan Stevens should be on any list. I didn't actually listen to it until 2024, but GD it's fucking good.