Favorite albums of 2023

Another year, another great batch of mostly under-the-radar releases! Thirty (a record!) albums made the list this year:


THE TOMS

Sunday Nite Fever

Fantastic, cut-above power pop along the lines of the Cars and XTC, and yet this is original and fresh.




THUMPASAURUS

Hard

Quirky, funny, and FUNKY as hell.




THOSE PRETTY WRONGS (featuring Jody Stephens, drummer for Big Star)

Holiday Camp

If you've been missing the short-lived but amazing Big Star for almost 50 years...well this is pretty great. Very Big Star-ish. Jody sings with an earnest, bit warbly but lovable voice. The songs are peppy (hey Jody's the drummer after all), but the lyrics can run pretty deep, like this one about a guy who puts up with a lot of crap so he won't be lonely (not so sure that's a winning strategy).




TEENAGE FANCLUB

Nothing Lasts Forever

One thing I love about these guys is that they totally embrace their age and don't waste time on rockstar poses or phony pumped up anthems. Instead, they stay true to their melodic muse, layer vocal harmonies over rhythmically strummed chords, and create beautiful tunes like this:




STEPHEN WILSON

The Harmony Codex

Mr. Wilson continues his growth as a solo artist, trying on subtle new styles while keeping one foot firmly in prog ground: Blips and beeps, ethereal sounscapes, challenging polyrhyms. This is haunting and beautiful:




SPARKS

The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte

Sparks are absolutely unique. That they've kept this up for over 50 years now is just incredible. And they don't show any sings of slowing down. This video is so funny you'll want to cry:




SEMISONIC

Little Bit Of Sun

Heaven-sent power pop! I didn't see this coming...it's been 22 years since their last amazing album, All About Chemistry. A hearty welcome back, Dan Wilson! This is perfect music that will add sunshine no matter what the weather:




ROBERT FORSTER (of the Go-Betweens)

The Candle And The Flame

Robert's lyrics are just on another level. A true poet:




THE POLYPHONIC SPREE

Salvage Enterprise

Ten years after their last full album (Yes, It's True), Tim DeLaughter and gang are back with a toned down, more stately, but very beautiful and inspirational album from start to finish. If you need some spiritual encouragement, sit with this for a while:




PETER GABRIEL

I/O (Bright-Side Mix)

Interesting ploy: They released two mixes: a Dark-Side Mix, which to my ears indeed feels muted, and my preferred Bright-Side Mix. Or as @AncientAudiophone commented, "This bright mix puts the text in front and the dark mix puts the melody and feelings in front. Both are brilliant." Even on my car stereo, this is three-dimensonal sound with fine aural details. Some of these songs are classic PG: Funky cool. And some, Gabriel gets quiet, deep and wise, as on "So Much."

The body stiffens, tires and aches
In its wrinkled, blotchy skin
With each decade, more camouflage
For the wild-eyed child within
Now close your eyes for a moment
Look down and look above
All the warmth inside of you
Comes from those you love





OSEES (formerly Thee Oh Sees)

Intercepted Message

Dark weird cool funky new wave keyboard rock! Yeah!!




ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK (OMD)

Bauhaus Staircase

I can't believe these guys are saying this will be their last album! They're totally on their game, with buckets of hooks and that classic OMD sound. And this is one of the most beautiful songs in their catalog:




NOVELTY ISLAND

Wallsend Weekend Television

Basically a solo project by Tom McConnell, a Liverpudlian who wears his hometown's Beatles influences proudly, along with a big helping of ELO. I love this sunny pop:




THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS

Continue As A Guest

A darker-shaded, pensive album, and yet A.C. Newman can do no wrong. These songs grow on you and leave a strong impression. The addition of a saxaphone on several tracks adds a new dimension and emotional weight:




MUDHONEY

Plastic Eternity

One of the (or just THE) original grunge bands trudges on in convincing fashion! Whether Mark Arm is singing about his little doggie, or something cosmically heavy, it's great:




METALLICA

72 Seasons

Well damn, this album is way better than I'd hoped for. Kicks ass! Although they could sue themselves for plagiarism for this first track, lifting from "Master of Puppets," I don't mind, because this is what we've wanted all along since the 80's right?!?




MADNESS

Theatre Of The Absurd Presents C'est La Vie

This unexpected release by the 80's ska masters is very welcome! And a concept album no less!




IGGY POP

Every Loser

Seventy-five years is NOTHING to this motherfucker! For a guy who hinted that he might just retire and fade off into the sunset a while back, well this album is the EXACT OPPOSITE:




THE HIVES

The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons

Those wacky Swedish neo-punks sure know how to bring the energy! Yeeeeaaah




GAZ COOMBES (of Supergrass)

Turn The Car Around

I will always miss Supergrass, who put out a string of amazing albums from 1995 to the mid-2000's, but Gaz, the primary songwriter and singer of that band soldiers on as a solo artist. This is as good as anything he's done yet:




FLYYING COLOURS

You Never Know

Another very good neo-shoegaze band, this one from Australia. For those rainy, dark winter days, staying home and reading a book about existentialism. Those churning ringing guitars will keep you warm.




DAS KOOLIES (Super Furry Animals minus Gruff Rhys)

DK.01

Das Koolies is four-fifths of the Super Furry Animals, minus lead singer Gruff Rhys. Gruff has a good and interesting singing voice and personality, so it was a big loss, but SFA-1 soldiers on as DK.01. Hooray! Love the boops, blips, synth washes, crazy rhythms and beats.




THE CORAL

Sea Of Mirrors

Twelve albums in 21 years, these winsome folksy (and slightly psychedelic) rockers haven't lost their knack for catchy melodies and hooks. I put them on when I need to relax or take a nice stroll through a park trail with headphones on.




BLUR

The Ballad Of Darren

It's been eight years since their last album (which had some great moments), which was another 12 years after Think Tank (which felt like a band running out of gas). But The Ballad of Darren is great. The band sounds revitalized and spunky. I guess momentum is overrated?




BLONDE REDHEAD

Sit Down For Dinner

This music is spellbinding if you give it your attention. Kazu Makino's voice has deepened slightly with age, which gives her an even more expressive range. I had to wait nine years for this new album, but it was worth the patience.




ANTON BARBEAU

Morgenmusik/Nachtschlager

Anton continues his career on Bandcamp with consistently good artistic results. Sure he's an acquired taste, but I love his psychedelic subtly humorous music.




ASH

Race The Night

Ash can still bash you over the head with power rockers (see below), but they can also toss off a Bic lighter-worthy duet ballad, too.




THE BACKLASH

Rise

This is VERY good shoegaze (with a hint of Oasis but I won't hold that against them), slow building but with fast tempos, and a driving wash of reverb and echoed guitars creating an enveloping drone. They're from Italy, which is unexpected, because I would've bet they were English; London or Manchester. Picture yourself in a dimly lit rock club, dancing, lost a sweaty haze to this:.




BEN FOLDS

What Matters Most

Best Ben Folds album in a long while, maybe even my second favorite (after Rockin' The Suburbs) since he went solo. This video is clever and fun, and vintage super-catchy Folds.
Favorite lyrics:
Don't know what came over me,
As I awkwardly dropped my room key.
I said I think that's yours...
and three hours later I was bangin' this verse out.




BLINKER THE STAR

Animal Math

My other favorite Bandcamp-based artist (who needs label distribution?), Jordon Zadorozny continues on his singular aural path as Blinker The Star. Songs are dreamy, catchy, and flow in and out of major/minor keys creating a nonstop sense of unease to accompany your dancing under twinkle lights.




HONORABLE MENTION:

THE ROLLING STONES

Hackney Diamonds

Very good and enjoyable. I may even play it several times eventually. Rock on, guys! I won't be angry.

Favorite Rock Albums of 2014

Loved these albums the most in 2014, in some particular order:

Dum Dum Girls
Too True

Shoegaze meets goth in 2014, with luscious results. Every track on this album is a treat.



The New Pornographers
Brill Bruisers

Sixteen years on and this Canadian supergroup (still featuring Neko Case!) keeps putting out amazing pop hits. The title track here starts with a relentless hook and never lets up. (Different song, favorite album lyric: "They say we can't make this stuff up. But what else can we make?")



The Earth
Keltic Voodoo Boogaloo

My favorite album of 2014. Welsh band featuring rock guitar, big bass sound, tasteful electronic keyboards, and wonderfully soulful vocals. Every song's a winner. Here are my two favorites, one creepy and one lighter:





Bob Mould
Beauty & Ruin

Ex-Hüsker Dü and Sugar frontman Bob Mould releases another strong album, and this one rocks mightily. Bonus points on this video for the humorous two-minute intro featuring Colin Meloy (Decemberists), filmed in my hometown of Portland.



Aaron Freeman
Freeman

Nice how Aaron's last name forms the title of his second solo album. Now in recovery (from alcohol excess) and freeing himself of his Ween legacy, this album covers much stylistic ground and features both rave-up rockers and delicately personal songs, sometimes in one song.



Monster Magnet
Milking the Stars: A Re-Imagining of Last Patrol

Heavy and psychedelic, this "reimagining" of last year's good album "Last Patrol" makes it even better. Great music to get lost in. And this is one heavy, bad-ass video to accompany the release (featuring Fugazi's Ian MacKaye as The Scientist!)...



Peter Murphy
Lion

Another great album by a veteran artist. His voice is strong and the music is powerful. Murphy has written some of the best goth music, then and now.



Reverend Horton Heat
Rev

Another veteran act, rockabilly genre. Great album, uptempo and lots of fun.



Chrissie Hynde
Stockholm

Hard to believe this is the Pretenders frontwoman's first solo album, as she's been in the game for about 35 years now. I liked this as much as any Pretenders proper album of the last 30 years.



Beverly
Careers

Debut album, and it rocks. This is the kind of music that showed up just under the radar in the late 80's and early 90's that I was really digging. Keep it up! Looking forward to more from this band.



The Feeling
Boy Cried Wolf

What a wonderful band. Powerful but vulnerable, cinematic music. Just the way I like it.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Can't wait to get Together

I love this band: Easily one of my favorites of the last decade, Canada's New Pornographers features some major musical talent. Among them: Carl Newman (formerly of Zumpano and creator of several very good solo albums), vocalist extraordinaire Neko Case, and Destroyer's Dan Bejar (rhymes with 'ledger' as they explained in a concert I attended a while back). But more importantly, they write great, beautiful, catchy tunes. Here's a sample of their work, from the debut album Mass Romantic. I like the way they combine such a serious topic with such light, bouncy melody/harmonies.



I sometimes lose faith that modern rock bands can actually write hooks and complete songs like they used to (read pre-2000's). Take for example Caribou's latest, Swim, which just bleeps along amiably but doesn't really amount to anything, song-wise (despite the warm AMG review).

But the New Pornographers (unfortunate name, that - still awkward to tell friends about them) just keep cranking out one memorable song after another. And it's not just great "power pop," either, as there's real emotional weight to a lot of their songs. For example, check out "Challengers," from the album of the same title.

The NP's are one of the few bands that when I hear they have a new release out, I just order it retail, no questions asked - my way of saying, "I really respect this band and want to support them."

Here's one of Bejar's songs with a trippy video, to give you a sample of what he adds to the band:



And so, just out today, the new album: Together. (Allmusic review.) Here's the Amazon listing, only $7.99 plus shipping! Judging by the song samples, I'm not going to be disappointed.

Love that album art, too...it's got a magical, hard-to-define quality about it. Click image to enlarge:



Can't wait for it to arrive and play it in the Corolla for full Car-Surround Sound!