Top 20 albums of 2023

So it was a tough year. I think a lot of people have said this and I’ll add to the noise on it. And the damage of the year continues into the next a little bit - it does sadden me that I will have to announce that I am unable to continue releasing music for a little bit because of financial reasons. If I want to campaign these songs and get them out into the world in a meaningful way that could increase my chances of them being heard, I’ll need to hold off since that takes money to accomplish. My last song, "Orion”, got so very little listens while “Yellow” was making headway with almost 1000. So my goal of releasing a song a month for a year will have to be held off until I start again. My hope is to start releasing in the summer when life is more consistent; it could happen sooner, it could happen later. I’ll just have to see how things are. I’ll continue making music in the background as always. I really do want to put these songs out and I can’t tell you how bummed I am that I have to wait longer. I just want to give my best shot at this and this is part of it.

With that said, I do have a list of albums for you to listen to and a list for my top 50 songs is to soon follow in a different post. The year started out a little rocky with releases but started to fill out by the end and this year had some great albums when things started actually picking up. Some honorable mentions first tho. This will included albums I discovered too late to be part of best of 2022 list, albums that I listened to in 2023 that don’t qualify but I liked, and ones that didn’t make the list but felt like I should mention: Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon / Pool Kids - Pool Kids / Gang of Youths - angel in realtime. / Arm’s Length - Never Before Seen, Never Again Found / Lizzy McAlpine - five seconds flat / JID - The Forever Story / Red Hot Chili Peppers - Unlimited Love / The Wonder Years - The Hum Goes on Forever / Michigander - It Will Never Be The Same / Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You / The Linda Lindas - Growing Up / Gregory Alan Isakov - This Empty Northern Hemisphere / Point Taken - Here / Various artists - Barbie the Album (Best Weekend Ever Edition) / Crown Lands - Fearless / My Kid Brother - Happy.Mad.Weird.Sad / The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream / Eric B. & Rakim - Don’t Sweat the Technique / Arlie - BREAK THE CURSE / Vines - Birthday Party / Noah Kahan - Stick Season

20. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - The Silver Cord

From the lists I’ve seen so far, a lot of people preferred their other album to this one from this year. I thought Petrodragonic Apocolypse was alright but didn’t really click for me. However, this one feels super unique and captured my attention. There isn’t another album that I’ve heard like this one, which is what I love about King Gizzard in their genre bouncing journey. It chases the 70’s Sci-fi sound and has fun with the idea of making music within that context. I will say that I listened to the shorter version of the album. There are the “regular” versions of songs and the “extended” versions I didn’t get around to trying since they are substantially longer. I do think the regular versions could’ve been longer but none but one felt like it warranted a prog like “extended” length. Regardless, I enjoyed this album a lot and have a great time when listening to it. It’s a journey through space that you’ll never forget you’re on. (Fav songs: Set, Theia, Chang’e)

19. Sam Smith - Gloria

It feels really weird that Sam Smith ranked on my list, no offense to Sam. There were some artists that I was really anticipating their releases and their music didn’t make this list and Sam’s music quality has been inconsistent to me. Don’t get me wrong though, I think this album got slept on. There’s some really good pop songs on here and only two songs that I dislike (Gimme, Who We Love). In all honesty, this album would have placed higher if it weren’t for those two downers. But everything else feels like Sam reinventing themselves and solidifying themselves as a pop artist. They were still making some hits in the past 2 albums but nothing felt like it was really leaving impact. It felt like the songs from their first album were still carrying their success. But Gloria goes to prove that wrong. “Unholy” made records and the other songs here prove that Sam wants to make music. This album is why I still follow this artist. (Fav songs: I’m Not Here to Make Friends, Lose You, Love Me More)

18. The Front Bottoms - You Are Who You Hang Out With

I think what feels funny about this album is that I don’t feel like The Front Bottoms really nailed it here. I feel like they could’ve done better but I also haven’t really heard a lot from them to really compare it to. I stumbled upon this album since I was trying to get all my songs from my old computer hearted on Spotify (didn’t even finish doing that lol). I remembered The Front Bottoms and really liked the songs I did have by them. I gave them a follow and pretty soon there was an album to listen to. However, whenever I go back and listen to it, I enjoy the songs here. I think what happened is that this album isn’t what I expected. They’ve changed a lot, especially when the songs I listened from them are over a decade old. At the same time, I think that’s what I like about it. What I appreciate the most is that they didn’t try to push the envelope on making their music have the feeling that it once was. A lot of bands from the 2000’s will try to pull their former sound into their new sound with varying levels of success but they just let it be. It’s a fun and light hearted record that doesn’t take itself too seriously. They at least made the music they wanted and allowed it to happen in the form that they found it. Give this album a listen and just take it as it is. (Fav songs: Punching Bag, Paris, Not Joking)

17. Spanish Love Songs - No Joy

The funniest thing is that my spouse loves to make fun that Spanish Love Songs lead singer sings the same way for every single song. It’s really apparent when you pay attention to it. But that’s also kinda the pull to their music. Anyways, Spanish Love Songs comes out with follow up to the incredible “Brave Faces Everyone". While they fall a little short, they still manage to capture me on most the songs here. They experiment some and continue to make gut-wrenching lyrics. I do think this one needs time to ruminate; a quick listen doesn’t quite allow it to sink its teeth into you. It works best when you grow attached to each song individually (looks up the lyrics and all) and then put them together again. Then the project feels a lot more complete. What this album does signify to me is that there’s a lot left for this band and I’m really interested in what’s next for the band and how this album will place in their career in the future. I’m usually not a fan of saying I’m excited for next time cause I should be excited for this time but the hinting in this album does do that for me. (Fav songs: Haunted, Clean-up Crew, Here You Are)

16. Susto - My Entire Life

While Susto comes right out of the gate with “Rock On”, the rest of the album is less in your face and asks the listener to pay attention rather than demand it. This southern rock band is one I found in 2022 from Spotify’s discover weekly. I listened to their 2021 release “Time in the Sun” and fell in love with what sounded like southern Jack Johnson. In a way, I can still hear the interoperation but Susto has a bit more to them than just that descriptor. They are self described as “acid country & artisanal rock.” What I feel they achieve the most is that they make music that feels like being in Carolinas, their home being in Charleston. There’s a sunshine prevalent in their music, a local comfort, and a sense of community that all comes together to make an organic experience. Susto isn’t flashy but they make good songs and I’m excited to listen more from them and they have a decent backlog to check out. (Fav songs: My Entire Life, Mt. Caroline, Rooster)

15. Citizen - Calling the Dogs

Citizen also had the challenge of creating an album to follow up their last amazing album, “Life in Your Glass House". That album has the #1 spot on my list in 2021 so there was a lot of expectations on this album. “Calling the Dogs” does something that I was hoping they would do and that was not even try to attempt to create something like its predecessor. It keeps its identity and follows a branching route hinted at in the last record. While it’s not as a monumental album, it does a great job of making high energy short rock songs. Almost like bubble gum rock. It feels like these type of songs were just the songs that were coming out of the band when making this album and they made them instead of fighting it. They’re all memorable, catchy, and fun rock songs to listen to. There’s a driving energy to this album that’s infectious to listen to and they don’t waste a song slot while at it. (Fav songs: Can’t Take it Slow, When I Let You Down, Takes One to Know One)

14. Hannah Wyatt - hummingbird

This is one my classmates from school and I adored her first album and she came out sneaky with this release early in the year. “hummingbird” is a dark, Americana folk album that takes you into the forest during the early night. It almost feels like going back in time and living off the land. It’s a period piece almost. There’s a somber mystery that runs through this album. The violin and acoustic guitar are the backbone of this album and compliment each other terrifically. Hannah is amazing at making a folk album that is one that catches the itch I’m wanting from the genre since singer/songwriter get lumped into folk sometimes. While it’s little lower on my list, it is one of the fuller experiences here. Give her a listen and hopefully she can find her crowd for her endless talent. (Fav songs: Cincinnati, high-water, yakima two-step)

13. Gregory Alan Isakov - Appaloosa Bones

My spouse and I really fell in love with Gregory this year, even though it was just one song that we liked, “Big Black Car”. She told me about the new songs and that there was an album coming out later. We waited with anticipation and, much like Susto’s release, it didn’t stand out right off the bat. It felt underwhelming, especially since Gregory doesn’t release music often. But after I put him in my playlist of recent releases, it started to click and I fell in love with the album. When it was time to take the album off and I pick the songs I like so I can remember them for year end lists, I ended up wanting to pick majority of the songs to add. These are songs to live with and they grow with you the more you listen to them. Gregory made some beautiful music this year and, while it’s pretty on the outside, it is so much lovely on the inside. (Fav songs: Sweet Heat Lightning, The Fall, Mistakes)

12. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are

Every time I talk about the Foos with friends, we almost always state how we aren’t Foo album people and that we just grab the singles. And each time, about half the albums end up being our exceptions of full ones we listen to. In conclusion from those talks, I think what we mean is the Foos mostly make a collection of songs instead of an album and that their non-singles don’t really do much unless the album as a whole works. “But Here We Are” is probably their most cohesive album thematically. We all know about the struggles that Dave Grohl had to endure lately. And while I don’t think this is as lyrically nuanced that I would have hoped, that was never their thing. Dave still wrote some songs that say what they are wanting to say and still conveys the full meaning without having a complex vocabulary. This felt like one of the first Foo albums that it felt like the world was silently anticipating so there was a lot of pressure on this album. I believe the band delivered on making something that still felt like the Foos (even sounding the most Foo as of recently, calling back to early 2000’s sound) and speaking about the band’s sorrows. (Fav songs: Show Me How, Under You, The Teacher)

11. The Maine - The Maine

I actually missed this one when it came out and it was ARTV’s YouTube short that notified me that there was another album out. I honestly thought I was following the band on Spotify. Guess I wasn’t but I am now. Anyways, the comments on the short were all talking up the album as a return for the band and how they have gotten back to making good music. I hadn’t listened to them since 2017 since the previous albums didn’t get much praise. In this album, The Maine prove that they are masters of pop rock and really deliver on it. It is true that they sound like a boy band most of the time but the music is fun and upbeat that who really cares that they sound like One Direction. And I’ll address the elephant in the room for those who know the album. Yeah, “cars & caution signs” should have been the closer and “spiraling” is the worst song on the album and doesn’t really feel like a closer. But it’s not that bad to me. The album goes by quickly and having fun with the album way overtrumps this concern. (Fav songs: I think about you all the time, leave in five, the mood i’m in / jsyk)

10. Ed Sheeran - Autumn Variations

Ed put out two albums this year and the first (“-”) was just alright. There were some decent songs but the promo made it seem like it was an album that was hard to write and subtract was gonna be the “sad” album. It didn’t really deliver on that. Then he surprised released Autumn Variations and didn’t do any PR on it. Just said that he wanted to put these songs out and didn’t want to do the whole music label release stuff. To this day, I still think his first album is his best and there hasn’t really been anything close. This album breaks that for me. It doesn't dethrone “+” but it does feel like a call back to a more authentic Ed. I’m not sure if the two albums were written at the same time or not but these songs feel like the ones he wanted to put out more. I can feel that these are the ones that really speak to him and I hope future Ed can continue along this path of making music that feels this honest. Maybe he can experiment again with hip hop (like hist first single of 2023) but right now, he can be cozy in this album. (Fav songs: Plastic Bag, England, Page)

9. blink-182 - ONE MORE TIME…

blink came out and made of the best reunion records. It’s everything you’d expect a blink record to be as they pull from all the sounds of the career, there’s a song for every blink fan. The punk, to the pop punk, and with the short humorous songs. The more impressive thing is that they did it without it feeling like you already heard it or as a cheap version of their already existing sound. They really went all out and made sure they delivered on their reunion. Everyone seems to be playing at their best and I am pretty impressed with their musicianship here. I will say that I do think they bloated up the track list by having 17 songs and, while none of those songs are bad, they could have cut 2 or three songs (tracks 14-16 come to mind). But that’s the only thing keeping this record back. Give blink a listen, even if you are just here for the reunion since I’m sure it’ll get you to go listen back. (Fav songs: ONE MORE TIME…, MORE THAN YOU KNOW, CHILDHOOD)

8. Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors - Strangers No More

The title of this album comes from the love of music. Drew Holcomb was feeling very holed up after covid lockdown and that feeling was so overwhelming that he went on tour before releasing another record. They did come out with a record in 2019 so there were songs that didn’t much live attention but I think Drew wanted to make songs inspired by coming back to the road. There’s a few songs that were recorded and released during covid that make the track listing but it’s overall a new bunch. What I love most is that I feel the intention behind every song here. There’s not one that feels like it’s phoning it in or doesn’t work. It’s been a while since the band put out a record that is this complete. There’s no dull moment and they are slowly becoming more and more renown within their genre. Each record increases their clout as they continue to chase great songs and this album is another great step forward. (Fav songs: Find Your People, Fly, That’s on You, That’s on Me)

7. Movements - RUCKUS!

Movements is known for being an entry point within the post hardcore genre, making gut punching lyrics with a little softer of a hard rock. Lots of use of space and ambience to pull everything together. And their sophomore album was more of the same but with less hardcore in it. This is more like a straight up rock record. Even with two lead singles, it was a little weird to digest that they were going to change up their sound this much. It’s not even that dramatic of a genre change but it wasn’t something I was expecting them to do. But they nail it. There’s a pounding kick drum as a heart beat with crunching guitars throughout this record. And while the lyrics are toned down just a little bit, they aren’t worse because of it. They fit this style of music better and they still are pretty good. I think they were struggling to find the next direction to go given the singles released in between releases but this was a great direction and gets me excited to what Movements can do and how they will break their barriers. (Fav songs: Tightrope, Lead Pipe, Fail You)

6. Genesis Owusu - STRUGGLER

Hip-hop/rap and country are two genres that I’m slowly attempting to find my tastes in since the mainstream of either really don’t interest me that much. The trap beats all sound just as the same as another bro country song that’s about beer, Brad, and breasts. Both genres feel redundant so squeezing the bad stuff feels like energy better spent listening to genres that better suit me. But I still like the core idea of either genre and crave the creativity from them. Genesis Owes is a rapper who has broken into my interests with his first record “Smiling With No Teeth”. While that record didn’t blow me away, I was really intrigued by his sound and liked the way he was making music. I could tell that his next steps were going to be in my interest. I wasn’t prepared for the musical fest that he had waiting on “STRUGGLER". It’s rap, it’s rock, and it’s R&B. I’m not sure what else to call it other than a modern funk album but take the disco out. The bass lines in these songs are incredible and that doesn’t even take away from how central of a role the electric guitar plays. And then he raps on top of them too. It’s really an incredible album that has a great vibe to it and he explores his central theme well too. (Fav songs: Tied Up!, Leaving the Light, Survivor)

5. Benny Sings - Young Hearts

I found Benny Sings by one song “Here It Goes”. It was on my year end list of songs for 2021 and I followed him because of it. He was dropping songs at the end of 2022 but I wasn’t expecting an album, I honestly thought he was just a single and EP person but then “Young Hearts” came out and I fell in love. It’s a bedroom pop and easy to listen to but Benny Sings proves that he’s worth listening to with his comforting sound. His sound is so simply done that it really does sound so effortless. But the craftsmanship comes from within and the songwriting on the record is what holds it together as nothing is over the top. He has a way to create songs that have a sense of magic to them that only a songwriter could create even though they have the same tools as you. It’s a charming cute album that goes on repeat and is easy to loop. (Fav songs: Pyjamas, Take Your Time, The Only One)

4. Waterparks - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Waterparks has a very interesting career so far… with an equally interesting fan base. There’s lots of opinions about the band but I usually try to stay away from all the noise to keep my mind at ease. They have, also, slowly become a band I keep up with but don’t wait for their releases. Something about their music stopped clicking and it felt like ego was getting in the way. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY changed that. It truly felt like Waterparks entered with an album ready to say the things they wanted to say and make the music to have the urgency to accompany it. It’s a record that represents what I wanted the band to do again. Except they surpassed the expectations. There’s rap, pop punk, hard rock, ballads, and pop rock. Waterparks wanted to get everything they could that’s under their umbrella and show that that they have it in them still. The added track added on the digital release that does kinda ruin the ending a little but I’ll ignore that because the music is just that good. (Fav songs: BRAINWASHED, CLOSER, FUNERAL GREY)

3. Zach Bryan - Zach Bryan

This was probably the biggest surprise of the year. I hadn’t even heard much of this guy before this year. I got some exposure when the song with Kacey Musgraves came out but I wasn’t sold until the song with Bon Iver was released on a follow up EP. By then, I had seen his album everywhere and being pushed on Spotify a lot. So I thought I would give it a listen. Zach created an album that is music at its core. These songs feel so alive and have so much heart in them. He made these songs without concern for if his numbers would go up and without any PR. And it completely changed the game for country music and, maybe, music overall. And these songs aren’t flashy. There’s not much hook to it and the he opens the album with a spoken word over some guitar. This isn’t even a country album in the modern sense but one that goes back to the more traditional country. It was just about writing songs and telling stories. Good songwriters making music that feels like it came from within. Zach has got my attention. (Fav songs: Hey Driver, Smaller Acts, Jake’s Piano - Long Island)

2. Teenage Wrist - Still Love

These top 3 had a huge battle for the number one spot, especially these top two. I’ll say that maybe “objectively” this album is what I consider the top one. But I have more of an emotional connection with the winning album and my gut told me that it didn’t belong in second. So I welcome you to the best rock album of the year. I first heard Teenage Wrist when listening to Spotify’s discover weekly. That one song (“Stella”) got me to listen to their last album (Earth is a Black Hole) the year after it got released. It got me to follow them and that ended up paying off really well. The band decided to go in the direction of a really solid post grunge sound in a year when I was really craving it. But none hit the spot quite like this one. The keen songwriting and fuzzy amps make for an exceptional album that’s enhanced by collaborations that only add to the project. I can’t explain how much I enjoyed listening to this album and how each song has stuck inside my memory. Give them a listen and give Teenage Wrist the audience they deserve. (Fav songs: Diorama, Sunshine, Still Love)

1. Glen Hansard - All That Was East is West of Me Now

Glen is one of my all time favorite songwriters. His lyrics are raw, ability to coordinate the song with the emotion, and passionate singing make for a folk artist at the core. He has also been experimenting with his sound for the past two albums, one being self produced with more horns and his other being a collaboration of friends live in studio. This was a callback to his career, even calling back to his days with The Frames on “The Feast of St. John”. It was a return to the form in which a lot of people had fallen in love with without retreading the same ground. He continues to write meaningful and beautiful songs that are precisely written. I always look forward to a Glen Hansard release but this one is the type that I live for. The album went under a lot of radars, especially for a veteran act. But my favorite album of the year has already woven itself into my soul. It’s a fine addition to my collection and will be placed along the other high achievements from this artist. (Fav songs: Sure as the Rain, There’s No Mountain, Down on Our Knees.)