Music: Best Albums Of 2023

[plank]

New album from Wilco coming

"Cousin" 9/29/23

 

[Aladyyn]

Best thing I've heard in years

Absolutely 0 reason this album has to be 66 minutes. In fact there's absolutely 0 reason this guy should have put out 2 albums already instead of just using his best material to make one 45 minute great album (which he definitely has in him). This project has been disappointing so far.

 

[plank]

Anna St. Louis "In The Air" 6/9/23

 

[Qurpiz]

Absolutely 0 reason this album has to be 66 minutes. In fact there's absolutely 0 reason this guy should have put out 2 albums already instead of just using his best material to make one 45 minute great album (which he definitely has in him). This project has been disappointing so far.

Not really disagreeing with you, I do like the atmospheric, instrumental songs, but yes, it could be tightened up a bit.

 

[Aladyyn]

for the record here are 2023 black metal/black adjacent albums I've liked more than Blackbraid II if anyone is interested in exploring the genre

Thy Darkened Shade - Liber Lvcifer II: Mahapralaya
Vampyric Winter - My Last Vampyric Winter Among These Ruins
Mourning Forest - L'immonde fanaison (also suffers from lack of editing, but these guys released their previous album like 15 years ago and not last year at least)
Dryad - The Abyssal Plain
Oak Pantheon - The Absence
Inherits the Void - The Impending Fall of the Stars
Zustand Null - Beyond the Limit of Sanity
Sodalicja - Benediction, part I
Stikkersvin - ...og de levede ulykkeligt og alt for laenge
...and Oceans - As in Gardens, so in Tombs
Bizarrekult - Den tapte kringen
Skratte - Akt II: Des Wolfes Klagen
Narrative - Servants of the Prophets, Martyrs of Men
Häxanu - Totenpass
Moontooth - Uroczysko
Frozen Dawn - The Decline of the Enlightened Gods
Terrestrial Hospice - Caviary to the General
Nemesis Sopor - Firmament
Duthaig - Hiraeth
Asphagor - Pyrogenesis
Shores of Null - The Loss of Beauty
Xalpen - The Curse of Kwányep
Blaze of Sorrow - Vulpus Fati
Outlaw - Reaching Beyond Assiah
Aara - Triade III: Nyx
Anareta - Fear Not
Sól Án Varma - Sól Án Varma (also needs a similar level of editing)
Venusberg Cardinal - Atlas of Dungeons
Atavistia - Cosmic Warfare
Decipher - Arcane Paths of Resurrection
Non Est Deus - Legacy
Profeci - Ubóstwo
Kostnatění - Úpal
Thantifaxath - Hive Mind Narcosis
Abused Majesty - Proxima Inferni
Nethermost Caverns - Ancient Spells Within a Stalagnate Crypt
Somniate - We Have Proved Death

Blackbraid certainly beats like all of these in terms of commercial success but there's such an absurd amount of quality music being made in the genre that it pays off to raise your standards imo

 

[Thucydides]

 

[plank]

Israel Nash - Ozarker 10/20/23

 

[frisco]

Rick Springfield-Automatic
This is a pop-rock opus. Masterful production and hooks galore. 20 songs. Sonically, the album sees Springfield returning to his first love of guitar-based power pop and keyboards, while lyrically featuring his favored subjects of love, sex and death, all written and produced by Springfield. I'd say he does about 98% of the instrumentation on the album.

It's been 55 years since Springfield started playing music professionally in hot combat zones in Viet Nam. He's most remembered for the 1981-1985 time period but has put out quality material consistently since then.


My Best-Carey

 

[GKJ]

rabbit rabbit

 

[MVP of West Hollywd]

I'm a big fan of Zach Bryan's new album

 

[plank]

The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds 10/20/23

 

[Roo Returns]

The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds 10/20/23

Even the Rolling Stones can't escape a video with CGI and Fan Service.

 

[The Marquis]

Two albums for me finally ending up on some list. Listened to a lot of new music but haven’t loved much. That said.

Nation of Language - Strange Disciple

So damn good! Too Much, Enough is a mega hit in 1983.

Lies - Lies

Mike Kinsella of American Football and Owen with Nate Kinsella of Birthmark and Joan of Arc doing an electronic thing.

My two faves this year so far

 

[The Marquis]

Ended up stumbling across an incredible album last night. Debut album by Zaho De Sagazan called La Symphonie Des Éclairs. Quite impressive. French indie but in the French Chanson style, done electronic with hints of Björk. Has the occasional 80’s new wave undertone here and there. Everything is subtle and minimalist, even when it’s more robust.

 

[The Marquis]

'boygenius' has appeared in my youtube suggestions lately. Here is a new video on the subject which sums up my thoughts:



Also the new We Are Scientists is very good

I watched that top video. Got a huge laugh out of “if you’re still dumb enough to enjoy things, good for you”

Lmfao. That dude summed up 90% of western society with a single statement. I’m super f***ing dumb. Super dumb. I enjoy loads of things.

I got around to a second listen of the boygenius record and aside from the first two tracks and one extremely shit track near the end, I really like it.

Listened to the new Christine and the Queens as well and frankly, I’m not sure it should be mentioned here, but it sure is a piece of some sort of art. Feels like a single 2 hour long opera written by Zola Jesus. I think it’s good, but I’m not sure how often I’m going to want to listen to it, it’s a challenge to get through.

Not a super year for music so far, but there are some worthwhile listens out there. Women are dominating the creative side of music though.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I'm always about a decade late on new music, but right now, I'd go with this (link to the whole album):

Still #1, but I think this one gets #2 for the year so far (this will not be permanent, haven't heard that much).

The Intrinsic Nature of Shipp

 

[WeThreeKings]

The Beaches - Blame it on my ex

Really good album, canadian all-female group.

 

[Say Hey Kid]

​

Best rock album in the last four decades.

 

[Saturated Fats]

​

Best rock album in the last four decades.

I mean, this is already an absurd statement - but BOGIE! The album isn't even out yet!

 

[pegcity]

The Beaches - Blame it on my ex

Really good album, canadian all-female group.

Blame Brett is probably my favourite song this year.

On a related note, Glorious Sons - Glory is probably my favourite album.

 

[Mikeaveli]

Not technically a new album but this is the best thing I've heard in quite a while.

Someone used AI de-mixing technology to isolate tracks in the original Beach Boys Smile session tapes and re-mix the tracks in stereo.

They also sang new vocal parts and used AI to make their own voice sound like the various Beach Boys members, and it works perfectly. The previously barren verses on Do You Like Worms are now incredible.

It doesn't match my own ideal Smile sequencing (You're Welcome instead of Gee leading into Heroes and Villains is sacrilegious, also where is Good Vibrations?) but I will still come back to this often. Outstanding effort by the person who made this.

 

[plank]

Here we go, the annual countdown of my favorite albums of the year.

18. David Lowery - Vending Machine
17. The Pink Stones - You Know Who
16. Lucinda Williams - Stories From A Rock N Roll Heart
15. Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives - Altitude
14. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Weathervanes
13. Neil Young - Chrome Dreams
12. Son Volt - Day Of The Doug
11. The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds

10. Joy Oladokun - Proof of Life

 

[plank]

9. Rose City Band - Garden Party

 

[plank]

8. Israel Nash - Ozarker

 

[plank]

7. Anna St. Louis - In the Air