Favorite Albums of 2023, Part 3…
68. Entoto Band, Entoto Band
Paying tribute to Ethiopia’s 60s jazz scene and then blending that music with funk, soul and even Cuban influences, this Addis Ababa-based trio offers up a lively, playful debut album of expansive compositions fortified by sax, guitar, synths, percussion, and Helen Mengestu’s potent vocals. Highlights: “Tezalegn Yetentu,” “Aifalkn Gehrnete,” “Aykedashim Libe”
69. Speedy Ortiz, Rabbit, Rabbit
The Northampton, Massachusetts-based band’s 4th album features a dynamic mixture of hooky power pop and 90s-loving guitar-driven indie rock, with Sadie Dupuis’s melodically adventurous vocals and rich lyrics running the show. Highlights: “Ranch Vs. Ranch,” “You S02,” “Ghostwriter”
70. Danny Brown, Quaranta
With a voice that comes off as particularly swaggering even in the hip hop world, the Detroit rapper subverts expectations on his 6th LP with a vulnerable, down-to-earth, largely confessional album about the trials and tribulations of his relatively extensive time in the rap game. Highlights: “Jenn’s Terrific Vacation,” “Celibate,” “Bass Jam”
71. Bully, Lucky For You
Turning tragedy and personal turmoil into anthemic power, Alicia Bognanno’s hook-laden, guitar-driven (indie) rock that would be hard not to sing along to. Her 4th album is that rare rock record that doesn’t lean toward any particular subgenre but still doesn’t feel like just generic radio rock. Highlights: “Hard To Love,” “How Will I know,” “All That Noise”
72. King Tuff, Smalltown Stardust
Kyle Thomas sets aside the garage rock and offers a particularly laid back, nostalgic, sun-soaked version of his psychedelic sound, on a record dedicated to his formative years in Vermont. This is clearly the unabashedly joyful, open-hearted, spiritually inclined album Thomas has been itching to make for a while. Highlights: “Love Letters To Plants,” “Portrait of God,” “Rock River”
73. Miya Folick, Roach
From moving confessionals to anthems of liberation, this LA-based singer/songwriter’s sophomore album tracks her journey out of toxic relationship patterns towards wisdom and self-empowerment, her vocals soaring with emotion over synth-kissed indie rock. Highlights: “Mommy,” “So Clear,” “Drugs or People”
74. Ben Harper, Wide Open Light
In the 4th decade of his career, having graduated the jam band scene long ago, the Californian singer/songwriter is now an elder statesman of calm, gentle blues-folk music with a penchant for writing perfect love songs. This wise, reflective, seventeenth album is as good a summation of his gifts as any. Highlights: “Masterpiece,” “Yard Sale,” “One More Change”
75. Elle King, Come Get Your Wife
She still knows how to belt out an anthemic pop chorus at the right moment, but otherwise the up-till-now-blues-based singer dives headlong into country music with her third album. King fully owns this new focus, with as much passion and cleverness as she’s done everything else. Highlights: “Out Yonder,” “Worth A Shot,” “Bonafide”
76. Lael Neale, Star Eaters Delight
Lo-fi indie rock on Sub Pop from a singer/songwriter recently returned from LA to her native Virginia, Lael Neale’s 3rd album uses mostly guitars and an ancient synthesizer to work its unpredictable magic. Standing apart from any scene or subgenre, the record gives the impression that each song was written with its own approach; most of those will leave you wanting more. Highlights: “I Am The River,” “In Verona,” “No Holds Barred”
77. Paris, Texas, Mid Air
While they use primarily rock instrumentation, the duo of Louis Pastel and Felix are fully a rap duo — from Compton, no less — and their debut album doesn’t sound like a compromise, the way some hybird “rock/rap” acts do. This is a sound that’s at home in both worlds. Highlights: “Lana Del Rey,” “Panic!!!,” “…We Fall”
78. Iris DeMent, Workin’ On A World
Delivering her most political material in almost 3 decades, the Kansas City native’s 7th record is an unabashedly social justice country album, expressly progressive at at every opportunity. As a songwriter, DeMent wears her Dylan influence proudly here; as a singer, she’s one of a kind. Highlights: “Workin’ On A World,” “Nothin’ For The Dead,” “Let Me Be Your Jesus”
79. Black Country New Road, Live At Bush Hall
A record of live performances rather than an album, this is still the band’s third LP of all-new material, written for re-scheduled shows after their frontman’s departure. Half the band are woodwind players now and a clearer, less chaotic but still eccentric sound emerges. Highlights: “Dancers,” “The Boy,” “The Wrong Trousers”
80. Snõõper, Super Snõõper
This Nashville duo’s debut manages to change quite a bit over the course of its modest 23 minutes, opening up with straight-up classic punk and morphing into something stranger, more angular and even psychedelic as it goes. Punchy and promising! Highlights: “Defect,” “Town Topic,” “Powerball”
81. Shame, Food For Worms
More melodic and more personal than previous efforts, Shame sheds some of the tropes of the post-punk revival on their third record, as vocalist Charlie Steen gets in touch with his actual singing voice. The larger scope and sound make them seem less the product of their scene, and more like a singular entity. Highlights: “Six Pack,” “Alibis,” “The Fall of Paul”
82. Michael Franti and Spearhead, Big Big Love
Returning from last year’s foray into a sleeker, shorter version of his heart-centered campfire gospel of peace and love, Franti returns to his homebase: A free-wheeling, generous helping of unassailably good-natured anthems designed to lift the spirits of anybody who’s open to it. Highlights: “Vibe Check (My Kinda Party),” “Big Big Love,” “Out in the Sun”
83. Sparklehorse, Bird Machine
Mark Linkous’s posthumous album was finished by friends, family and collaborators 13 years after his death and shows as broad a range of his musical inclinations from raw, direct noisy guitar rock to sweet, intimately-voiced indie folk. Highlights: “Falling Down,” “Hello Lord,” “Daddy’s Gone”
84. Sampha, Lahai
The album cover represents the vibe pretty well here. Sophisticated, emotive neo-soul from London, Sampha’s second full-length album deftly weaves elegant melodies and ambitious rhythms together in service to an atmospheric and often transcendent whole, with a host of talented collaborators. Highlights: “Stereo Color Cloud,” “Evidence,” “Suspended”
85. Rónán Ó Snodaigh, The Beautiful Road
Once again removing himself from the lush “traditional” arrangements of not-exactly-traditional Irish band, the Kíla frontman continues to focus his solo efforts on gentle, intimate, folk music, singing predominantly in the Irish language and embodying the softer side of that cultural renaissance. Highlights: “Sin Sin,” “Nil En Escapa Orm,” “Calling All Angels”
86. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, PetroDragonic Apocalypse…
Using the thrash metal stylings of 2019’s Infest The Rats’ Nest as a springboard into a much more melodic, complex, and rhythmically robust prog-thrash sound, the metal version of the prolific Australian psych rockers has finally won me over. Highlights: “Dragon,” “Witchcraft,” “Gila Monster”
87. Slowthai, Ugly
Allegations against him makle it hard to be jazzed about this album anymore, but the Barbadian-British rapper gear-shift toward exploring his punk roots and greater self-reflection made this the best work of his career; I’m including it just in case he’s innocent? Highlights: “Sooner,” “Never Again,” “Fuck It Puppet”
88. Slowdive, Everything Is Alive
The shoegaze pioneers’ second album post-reunion is all about the atmosphere, just as Slowdive have always been, but with a shift into synthier, clearer soundscapes, they’re still growing and exploring. Highlights: “Kisses,” “Prayer Remembered,” “Alife”
89. James Yorkston, Nina Persson and the Second Hand Orchestra, The Great White Sea Eagle
Scottish singer/songwriter Yorkston’s secondcollaboration with Sweden’s Second Hand Orchestra draws in the complimentary voice of Cardigans singer Nina Persson, for a stately, elegant folk album with thoughtful, evocative lyrics, and lots of gentle, comforting touches. Highlights: “The Heavy Lyric Police,” “A Sweetness In You,” “Hold Out For Love”
90. The Hives, The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons
Loud, rollicking revivalist rock and roll with enough lyrical wit to keep your attention for a full album, the Swedish band plows through its 6th album with their usual vim and vigor, pounding guitars and anthemic choruses turned all the way up to 10 almost the whole way through. Highlights: “Smoke & Mirrors,” “Rigor Mortis Radio,” “The Bomb”
91. The Bug Club, Rare Birds: Hour of Song
By turns raucous, jaunty and hilariously absurd, this sprawling fourth album from a still young and increasingly confident multi-vocalist Welsh indie rock band features frequent, delightful spoken interludes that retain their charm on repeat listens, and boasts a bevy of delightful songs too. Highlights: “Marriage,” “Blues Magician,” “Samuel Was Beautiful Tonight”
92. Whitehorse, I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying
Married Canadian duo Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet’s 8th record has heart, charm, an excellent sense of humor, and several powerful pandemic songs. It’s a country album with equal parts rock and folk influence, on which husband and wife sing and play and they both bring a lot to the table. Highlights: “Division 5,” “6 Feet Away,” “Bet The Farm”
93. The Veils, …and out of the Void Came Love
The New Zealand band’s 6th album is about as cinematic as an album can be without coming off melodramatic and, while the orchestral strings help, it’s mostly down to Finn Andrews’ reflective, poetic lyrics and earnest vocals, which maintain their intensity throughout this epic. Highlights: “Undertow,” “Bullfighter (Hand of God),” “The Day I Meet My Murderer”
94. This Is The Kit, Careful Of Your Keepers
Simply but artfully structured, smooth-rolling alt-folk from Paris with an interesting take on structure and repetition, Kate Stables’s latest feels like cozying up with a close friend to unravel the day’s events. It’s warm, and gentle, but never lazy; it’s easy-going comfort is earned by thoughtful reflection. Highlights: “Inside Outside,” “More Change,” “Stuck in a Room”
95. The Murlocs, Calm Ya Farm
Ambrose Kenny-Smith and company have found their groove, on a breezy, classic-sounding blues-rock album, which functions as an easy-going but also vibrant counterpoint to the thrash metal his other band King Gizzard is putting out right now. Highlights: “Common Sense Civilian,” “Superstitious Insights,” “Undone and Unashamed”
96. Homeboy Sandman, Rich
Outside-the-box beats — generally minimalistic and of an older vintage — accentuate the Brooklyn underground rapper’s sense of humor, playfulness, and general oddball demeanor on his eleventh studio album. Who else raps about Trader Joe’s not having enough gluten-free cereal?! “Bop,” “Then We Broke Up,” “Loner”
97. Protomartyr, Formal Growth in the Desert
The Detroit post-punk band’s lyrics are as incisive as ever on their 6th album, and their music is even punchier, its intensity bolstered by a more elegant sense of songcraft and by continued innovations in their sound (on this album it’s a steel pedal.) Passionate, urgent, and empowered. Highlights: “Fun In Hi Skool,” “For Tomorrow,” “Polacrilex Kid”
98. Paul Simon, Seven Psalms
Released as one album-length, seven-part song with its opening section “The Lord” recurring and reiterating its vision throughout, the legendary songwriter weaves ruminations on mortality and faith on an acoustic suite rendered with vocals and acoustic guitar. Highlights: “The Lord,” “The Sacred Harp,” “My Professional Opinion”
99. Kassa Overall, Animals
Equal parts composer, rapper/singer, producer, and drummer, the Seattle-born, NYC-based artist’s third album pops and sparkles from post-bop to boom-bap, inhabiting a lively intersection between jazz and experimental hip hop. Highlights: “So Happy,” ‘The Lava Is Calm,” “The Scene Was Made”
100. Altin Gün, Aşk
Turning Turkish folk songs from the mid-late 20th century into psychedelic dance music, the mostly Amsterdam-based quintet’s 4th album is as slick as their last couple albums, but strips away some of the synths to return to the vital psych rock at the band’s core. Highlights: “Badi Sabah Olmadan,” “Kalik Gidelim,” “Leylim Ley”
Bonus: 101. Gabriel Da Rosa, É O Que A Casa Oferece
This LA-based Brazilian musician’s debut album as a singer/songwriter (he’s traditionally a DJ) is a short, sweet, breezy bossa nova album with a light, romantic touch. Pleasant and uplifting, I always want to hear it again when it’s done — Don’t ask me how 2023 gave us 100 albums I felt comfortable ranking higher than this one. What a year! Highlights: “Cachaça,” “Jasmim Parte 2,” “Bandida”
I’m always tempted to include more than 100. The ten albums above this one are excellent albums, too — One of these was Pitchfork’s favorite album released in 2023 — that I can’t quite believe I didn’t have room for here.
So if you do still have the bandwidth for more music after digesting everything on this list already, why not go ahead and check out the new albums by The Go! Team, The Chemical Brothers, Caroline Polachek, Dropkick Murphys, Allah-Las, En Attendant Ana, Steve Mason, Metallica, El Michaels Affair & Black Thought, and the other albums Guided By Voices released this year too! And now, here’s the master list of my top 100 favorites!
- Lonnie Holley — Oh Me Oh My
- PJ Harvey — I Inside The Old Year Dying
- Black Pumas — Chronicles Of A Diamond
- Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit — Weathervanes
- Osees — Intercepted Message
- The New Pornographers — Continue As A Guest
- Sunny War — Anarchist Gospel
- Young Fathers — Heavy Heavy
- Geese — 3D Country
- Being Dead — When Horses Would Run
- Model/Actriz — Dogsbody
- Allison Russell — The Returner
- Billy Woods & Kenny Segal — Maps
- Feist — Multitudes
- Wednesday — Rat Saw God
- Indian Ocean — Tu Hai
- Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway — City of Gold
- Aesop Rock — Integrated Tech Solutions
- Mon Laferte — Autopoetica
- Ghost of Vroom — Ghost of Vroom 3
- Sufjan Stevens — Javelin
- Nickel Creek — Celebrants
- Tinariwen — Amatssou
- Animal Collective — Isn’t It Now?
- Belle & Sebastian — Late Developers
- Tianna Esperanza — Terror
- Grian Chatten — Chaos For The Fly
- Boygenius — The Record
- Frankie And The Witch Fingers — Data Doom
- Cabezadenego, Mbé & Leyblack — Mimosa
- Zulu — A new Tomorrow
- Armand Hammer — We Buy Diabetes Test Strips
- Fever Ray — Radical Romantics
- Angie McMahon — Light, Dark, Light Again
- Rhiannon Giddens — You’re The One
- WITCH — Zango
- Skating Polly — Chaos County Line
- Buddy and Julie Miller — In The Throes
- Guided By Voices — La La Land
- The National — Laugh Track
- Noname — Sundial
- Béla Fleck — As We Speak
- Janelle Monae — The Age of Pleasure
- CMAT — Crazymad, For Me
- Neil Gaiman & FourPlay String Quartet — Signs of Life
- Algiers — Shook
- Teenage Fanclub — Nothing Lasts Forever
- The Cat Empire — Where The Angels Fall
- Lil Yachty — Let’s Start Here.
- Lori McKenna — 1988
- Bonnie Prince Billy — Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You
- Marina Herlop — Nekkuja
- André 3000 — New Blue Sun
- Peter Gabriel — i/o
- 100 gecs — 10,000 gecs
- Buck Meek — Haunted Mountain
- Chouk Bwa and the Ångströmers — Somanti
- Jamila Woods — Water Made Us
- Beirut — Hadsel
- Kara Jackson — Why Does The Earth Give Us People To Love?
- Joanna Sternberg — I’ve Got Me
- The National — First Two Pages of Frankenstein
- Squid — O Monolith
- Jeff Rosenstock — Hellmode
- Grouplove — I Want It All Right Now
- Lol Tolhurst x Budgie x Jacknife Lee — Los Angeles
- Gord Downie & Bob Rock — Lustre Parfait
- Entoto Band — Entoto Band
- Speedy Ortiz — Rabbit, Rabbit
- Danny Brown — Quaranta
- Bully — Lucky For You
- King Tuff — Smalltown Stardust
- Miya Folick — Roach
- Ben Harper — Wide Open Light
- Elle King — Come Get Your Wife
- Lael Neale — Star Eaters Delight
- Paris, Texas — Mid Air
- Iris DeMent — Workin’ On A World
- Black Country, New Road — Live At Bush Hall
- Snõõper — Super Snõõper
- Michael Franti & Spearhead — Big Big Love
- Sparklehorse — Bird Machine
- Sampha — Lahai
- Rónán Ó Snodaigh — The Beautiful Road
- King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard — PetroDragonic Apocalypse
- Slowthai — Ugly
- Shame — Food For Worms
- Slowdive — Everything Is Alive
- James Yorkston, Nina Persson and the Second Hand Orchestra — The Great White Sea Eagle
- The Hives — The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons
- The Bug Club — Rare Birds: Hour of Song
- Whitehorse — I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying
- The Veils — …and out of the Void Came Love
- This Is The Kit — Careful of your Keepers
- The Murlocs — Calm Ya Farm
- Homeboy Sandman — Rich
- Protomartyr — Formal Growth in the Desert
- Paul Simon — Seven Psalms
- Kassa Overall — Animals
- Altın Gün — Aşk
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