Jump to: Songs | 75-51 | 50-26 | 25-1

I apologize in advance because I went sicko mode this year. But looking down at the list of albums & songs this year, how could I not. 2023, just like nearly every year, delivered an incredible amount of excellent music, with hundreds of albums not getting the national coverage they deserve. So I had to go to the extreme and talk about 100 albums.

The year started off cold. There were a number of albums from both big-name veterans and personal favorites that disappointed. New releases from Miley Cyrus and Metallica were dead on impact. Damon Albarn went 0-2 with a disappointing Gorillaz album and a disappointing Blur album. The Dirty Nil, a band I’ve previously called the best band in music, released one of the worst albums of the year. It was a dire start which, thankfully, was a red herring for the rest of the year. Because when things started to tick up, they really ticked up.

I really wanted to write about so many more albums than what’s already here. My final tally was 346 new releases, with another 100 still on my list. I also manipulated the list a bit, which originally included Bad Bunny and Peter Gabriel towards the bottom – but do they really need more coverage? I am already sacrificing tons of under-the-bubble groups. You know whether or not you like Bad Bunny & Peter Gabriel.

From experimental bedroom pop, to French indie, to a dozen hardcore albums, bluegrass, new wave, indie veterans, bubblegum pop, religious black metal and a handful of the loudest noise records ever produced – it’s all here.

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#100. HEALTH – RAT WARS

One of the very last albums I listened to (somehow I missed the release) sneaks in at the bottom. Ever since I saw HEALTH for the first time in 2019, they’ve been one of my favorite bands. They’re still chasing the highs of their best album, but this industrial-heavy album comes damn close. This is heavy, pounding music, always offset by the distant, high vocals. There is more of a sweaty club vibe on this one which really aids the slower tracks. Rarely does a band capture the 80’s industrial intensity as consistently and successfully as HEALTH does.

RIYL: Nine Inch Nails, Author & Punisher, getting into a fight at the sex club

#99. Slaughter Beach, Dog – Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling

The trajectory into slightly Americana-based indie is simply not what I would’ve predicted for Jake Ewald. When Modern Baseball split – the pop-punk group beloved by all, even me who does not like pop-punk – Ewald ramped up his side project. Now a decade later, he’s doing folksy indie, and this album is his best SB,D work yet. These are songs with rich characters and storied histories, with love and tenderness inserted each time. While these songs are not upbeat, there is a consistent engaging quality to them, one that nags at the listener. This is Ewald’s best songwriting to date! 

RIYL: Real Estate, Grizzly Bear, finding your old ripped CBGB’s shirts a decade later

#98. The Beaches – Blame My Ex

I dropped the ball on this one. In advance of Boston Calling, I received a dozen interview requests from the Beaches’ PR person. I passed, not having the time or knowledge of the group. Well now they’re big! And rightfully so. The band’s sophomore album is a spunky, catchy indie-punk record filled with snarl. These songs are built around melodies, but they come straight from the heart. The amount of energy and earnestness across this record is apparent immediately, especially on the aptly-named opener “Blame Brett.” They have hooks for days.

RIYL: Beach Bunny, Clairo, knowing your break-up will end in a defamatory radio hit

#97. Suzie True – Sentimental Scum

This is the first of a handful of blisteringly fun, feminine indie-punk records on this list. Suzie True does fast and heavy songs, loud enough to be punk and catchy enough to be indie, all wrapped up in compact records. The overly girly imagery of the group matches with the old-school punk riffs in just the right way to piss off some old gatekeepers. Listen closely for what I believe is an uncredited Sean Bonnette on vocals (from AJJ – more on them later). Fast, fun, angsty, loud – perfect for 2023. 

RIYL: Teenage Halloween, Oceanator, reading your old diary

#96. Speedy Ortiz – Rabbit Rabbit

Rabbit Rabbit. It’s what Sadie Depuis tweets on the first day of every month. A new start, a new beginning. The first Speedy Ortiz album in five years (following an excellent Sadie solo release) is kind of more of the same, kind of not. A great indie-punk album, it’s got some of the fiery energy of old Ortiz tunes, with a lot of maturity and patience thrown in. This is maybe the most well-rounded Speedy album yet, and they’ve always had a handle on complete packages. I was not anticipating another Speedy Ortiz release, so this was a delightful surprise.

RIYL: Hop Along, Charly Bliss, getting too old for street punk shows

#95. Deerhoof – Miracle-Level

I will not claim to be remotely knowledgeable about the experimental group Deerhoof or their approximately 100 albums. But I know fun experimental indie when I hear it, and that’s exactly what they provide on Miracle-Level. It’s unpredictable stuff, often manic, but without the abrasive unpleasantness of a lot of experimental rock stuff. This is their first album to be sung entirely in Japanese, further removing it from any curious normie audiences. But it’s a celebratory album, a joy in a scary world.

RIYL: Xiu Xiu, Battles, getting hypnotized 

#94. Chris Farren – Doom Singer

Chris Farren the person is a hysterical and respectful guy I’ve always loved, especially as a lifelong friend of Jeff Rosenstock (more on him later). Chris Farren the musician has never really done it for me, his brand of smooth pop-punk/indie has chronically been a bit soft for my taste. So imagine my surprise when his newest – which doesn’t really deviate from the formula! – grabbed me. It’s a high-energy and just fun indie-punk record. Farren’s voice is always smooth and his production clean, resulting in a brisk listen and a nice antidote to much of the depressive music on this list. It’s fun!

RIYL: Chumped, Lemuria, living in Brooklyn baby

#93. Wilco – Cousin

Wilco might be considered one of the premier dad bands, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t still have the juice. Wilco’s 13th album sees them hand off the production reins for once, to test themselves. We’re in a creative boom for Wilco, too – following last year’s excellent country double-album Cruel Country, we’re now getting the most experimental Wilco album in over a decade. Now it’s nothing like Yankee Hotel of course, but these songs pack a lot of little punches. There are a lot of intricate details here, aided by Cate le Bon on production. Wilco could easily be producing “another Wilco album” but they’re still finding ways to stay fresh, instead. 

RIYL: Arcade Fire, Spoon, being the cool uncle

#92. Body Void – Atrocity Machine

Finally music that really answers the question, what would body horror sound like? In a list filled with abrasive and off-putting metal, this is one of the most intense records. It also purposely refuses alignment with any specific metal subgenre, incorporating elements of doom metal, black metal and industrial. While the songs are lengthy, they’re also completely unpredictable. There’s something for nearly all metal fans in here (except power metal, thankfully). Add in body horror lyrical concepts and you’ve got yourself one of the wildest metal releases of 2023. 

RIYL: Full of Hell, Primitive Man, scaring your neighbors

#91. Joanna Sternberg – I’ve Got Me

Folk music should always be honest and vulnerable. Sternberg’s sophomore album, written during COVID, as they pulled away from substances and from a manipulative music industry, is chock full of it. This is a painful record, with heartfelt grief sessions peppered in frequently. But don’t think it’s a sob session, because many of these songs are fun, too. Complex emotions with layered lyrics and uppity acoustic guitar make for a well-rounded folk record. There’s never any certainty to what the next song holds. And what’s more like life than that?

RIYL: Julie Byrne, Cassandra Jenkins, having a breakthrough at therapy

#90. Agriculture – Agriculture

One of the last albums I listened to in prep for this list, this one left me blindsided. I’ve never heard something like this. This is black metal, but with roots tied in experimental music. It is beyond heavy and extreme, with raging guitars and screamed vocals, all meshing together in lieu of a sense of melody. Sometimes. Other times, it’s got steel guitar and harmonies. It’s totally unpredictable and thrilling, something wholly new even in the black metal world. I mean, the band is called Agriculture. Black metal bands are normally named like Sancti Stigmata or Festering Gushes or something. Anyways, this is sick as hell.

RIYL: Vile Creature, Mizmor, black metal that pisses off Nazis 

#89. Capra – Errors

You’ll notice a trend on this list – boundary-pushing hardcore. There were a great number of hardcore albums this year that pushed out of genre barriers, usually in the form of sheer intensity. Capra is a little more standard, but they’re still very unique. Errors is a fiercely intense hardcore punk record, one that comes with some variations and some scant outside influences. It sounds closer to Gouge Away, with songs that balance volume and heaviness with leveled tempos and mature rhythms. And all of this comes with rough, rough vocals that give the group a lot of credibility. 

RIYL: Ithaca, Gouge Away, slamdancing in a 100-degree church basement 

#88. Cattle Decapitation – Terrasite

Cattle Decap has been a band for a very long time and I’ve always considered them one of many interchangeable, not particularly interesting death metal-adjacent groups. But when I heard a single on the radio, it caught my attention. These are some of the most well-written metal jams of the year, all crafted with a graceful touch and ceaseless brutality. Not to mention, the production is immaculate. This goes beyond death metal into deathgrind territory, but the nomenclature doesn’t matter. What does matter is riffs, headbangers, and songs called “Scourge of the Offspring,” and this one delivers on all fronts.

RIYL: Cannibal Corpse, Aborted, earplugs

#87. Alex Lahey – The Answer is Always Yes

There’s a couple albums on this list that blend indie and punk, which is Lahey’s specialty. These songs are a little too energized to be indie, but a little too patient to be punk. Really, this album – more so than similar ones on the list – are the advancement of the more memorable emo bands of the mid-10’s. These songs are emotional, but often affirming, and mix rhythmic melodies with just enough oomph to be bangers. There were a few great emo-punk albums on this list – this one should not get lost in the shuffle. This is a special collection of songs that are both fun and deeply personal.

RIYL: Camp Cope, Swearin’, smiling through the pain

#86. Squitch – Tumbledown Mountain

RIP Squitch long live Squitch. The final offering from one of the best local indie bands is a delightful and emotional journey. Despite the opening track “Not The End,” this is definitively the final album, and the band is going out on top with their best record. The guitar-based songs here are both catchy and complex, drawing on strong vocals, dense production and heart-on-sleeve emotions. It might be the end, but there’s still time to get Squitch on your radars.

RIYL: Puppy Problems, Real Estate, a little cry in a comfy bed

#85. Worriers – Trust Your Gut & Warm Blanket

Similar to Squitch, Worriers have always occupied a space in indie that hints at punk edges but never truly explores them. While classified as punk, Worriers – mostly the solo project of Lauren Denitzio – craft intricate and vulnerable singer-songwriter tunes. Much of the lyrical material here is derived from small interactions, misunderstandings, and hurt feelings, and not any grand, vague scopes, which helps give these songs a raw earnesty. It was a busy year for Denitzio, releasing two great albums. “Gut” is a bit edgier than the very low-key “Blanket,” but they play off of each other very well.

RIYL: The Menzingers, the Gaslight Anthem, sneaking liquor into a poetry reading

#84. Be Your Own Pet – Mommy

One of my favorite bands, and it’s a marvel they reunited. They split up in 2008 as quietly as they had lived, a garage punk that was always bubbling a little too under the radar to make an impact. But they’re back – at the request of Jack White! – and they haven’t missed a beat. I was concerned that they would be too mature these days, and while these songs don’t necessarily have the same unfiltered chaotic energy of the band’s debut, there is still a healthy amount of inappropriate and loud stuff. I mean, look at the title and cover, not to mention lead single “Worship the Whip.” This borders on the ledge between indie and punk, but it’s meant purely for the latter’s crowd. Long live Be Your Own Pet.

RIYL: Ty Segall, Heavens to Betsy, crashing a wedding for fun

#83. Russkaja – Turbo Polka Party

This is easily the biggest guilty pleasure on this list. It’s the only one that I’ll reckon isn’t “good” but it is fun. A Russian group that blends polka and ska into punk and metal, something that’s loud and laughable. There’s a healthy mix of genuine cultural appreciation via traditional Russian music, and tongue-in-cheek songs about the somewhat ridiculous mix of genres. This is the type of thing I would’ve loved in high school. The band mixes a lot of “uncool” genres, and to double down on that, there’s a genuine cover of “Last Christmas” towards the end (and the album came out in February).

RIYL: Alestorm, Korpiklaani, Weird Al if he had an attitude

#82. Orbit Culture – Descent & The Forgotten

Many of the acts on this list are artists who experiment around and toss genre templates out the window. But in order to appreciate music like this, there has to be a base love of the bands that can do basic templates well. Orbit Culture, a death metal group out of Sweden, play standard death metal songs, they just do them ridiculously well. These songs are heavy and brutal, direct, and all the while insanely catchy. Descent is a proper studio album, while The Forgotten is a follow-up EP with a couple of longer songs. There isn’t a bad track across the two releases, a serious breakout year for the band. If you like your music to be a quick punch to the brain – these guys are for you.

RIYL: Suffocation, Machine Head, throwing your voice out trying to growl along

#81. The Mountain Goats – Jenny From Thebes

After releasing approximately 1001 records that didn’t really have themes, John Darnielle et co. have begun to do conceptual albums. And this album takes on the toughest concept yet – a full album about Jenny, a character who has existed on the fringes of Darnielle’s lyrics dating back to 2003. Whether you’re invested in the intricacies of Darnielle’s lyrics or you just appreciate their gleefully depressive music, then you’ll love this back-to-basics album. This one sounds like it came out in 2004, in Goats lore. The songs are lean and simple, yet super catchy and always tinged with paranoia, American loneliness, and outright depression. The indie-folk legends never left, but in a way, they’re back.

RIYL: Neutral Milk Hotel, the Decembrists, crying in a hotel room alone

#80. Ragana – Desolation’s Flower

Black metal for the sake of black metal can be excellent on its own. But black metal with a message can be powerful. Ragana have always held this to be true, and their new record is downright stunning. A queer duo, Ragana bring antifascist politics to a genre that is historically, well, fascist. This record is visceral, complex and angry, with lengthy and relentless metal songs. But the band puts on the brakes frequently, knowing the power of somber bridges and interludes. In fact, a lot of this album rests, and it makes the metal songs all the more powerful. Think this is the only queer black metal album on the list? Think again.

RIYL: Mount Eerie, Thou, the film “The VVitch” 

#79. Year of the Knife – No Love Lost

Grindcore albums shouldn’t be long. This one is 9 songs and 20 minutes, a blissfully short blast of sonic warfare. I know little about this band, only discovering this one on a metal station shortly before I began writing these entries – but on this mini-album, the group is joined by insane heavy-hitters like Full of Hell and Sangusiugabogg, two bands who both narrowly missed this same list. This is super intense, super abrasive and super quick stuff. Not for the faint of heart, but also not the same song 9 times over. There’s care put into separating these songs, even the ones that are under a minute. Brutal, brutal things are afoot.

RIYL: Nails, The Locust, getting 13 songs into your 15 minute set

#78. Dreamwell – In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You

Hardcore often gets more interesting when bands don’t stick to a rote one-two-one-two formula. Dreamwell, a group from my neck of the woods, don’t so much follow a new path as they do take the hardcore formula and set it on fire. They are a deeply original and thrilling group, channeling the best days of Fucked Up (more on them later). The band explores so many territories that it no longer feels like hardcore, but Keziah Staska’s consistent growled vocals always bring things back home. 

RIYL: Converge, Deafheaven, trying to get your friends into metal

#77. Squirrel Flower – Tomorrow’s Fire

Another local artist, at least formerly so. Squirrel Flower has always made great guitar-based bedroom indie, but this is her finest work yet. Ella Williams is always one to keep things honest, and this record is emotions on full display. It’s still the indie rock that fans expect, but things are a little bit darker, a little bit heavier. Many tracks move away from the folksy influences and into a heavier rock atmosphere. And some don’t – diversity is a strength here. But everything here is unexpectedly grimier than before. Straightforward, but dense and cathartic, it’s a great set of old-school indie rock tunes.

RIYL: Indigo de Souza, Cat Power, pretending you’re Gen X

#76. Palehound – Eye On The Bat

Normally, indie groups that come out of the gate with high-energy, fun tunes eventually settle down into midtempo stuff. But Palehound is only getting more fun. The rest of the album never quite hits the high of the raucous title track, but the whole journey is a blast. El Kempner is always one to wear their heart on their sleeve, and does so here. These songs are earnest and emotional, mostly chronicling the unsteady nature of the last couple years. And yet, it’s an absolute blast to listen to. 

RIYL: Adult Mom, Jay Som, early-00’s goofy indie bands with names like “Structural Integrity in Istanbul”

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Thank you for reading! My hope is that you, dear reader, find at least something you’ll like and may have missed. Check back tomorrow for entries 75-51. What can you expect? Some new wave legends, a bit of bubblegum pop, back-to-back folk albums, back-to-back moody rap, and a pop singer getting more honest than ever before.