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100 Best Albums of 2023: 25-1

Jump to: Songs | 100-76 | 75-51 | 50-26

I hope you’ve been doing a drumroll for four days, because it’s time: here’s my 25 perfectly ordered, objectively correct favorite albums of 2023. This has been a year of pleasant surprises, massive disappointments, and huge handful of wonderful discoveries. There are a couple big name artists on this list, and probably few surprises, but this final edition is mostly under-the-radar albums that I found myself returning over and over again. Happy new year’s folks, and here’s to another great year of music in 2024.

#25. Fucked Up – One Day

This album is suspiciously basic. Fucked Up have made careers out of universe-spanning, deeply complex and dense conceptual albums. Their last release was actually a four-disc, four-song “album” that was part of their ongoing Year of the ____ series. This album is back to basics hardcore, something they haven’t done in over a decade. It also proves that they can still put out one of the most brutal and blisteringly-intense albums of the year even with their ambition reined in 1000%. This album isn’t as good as, say, Dose Your Dreams or David Comes to Life, but its placement is a testament to how unbelievably good those heady, lengthy albums really are. The run this band has been on is unprecedented.

RIYL: Converge, Titus Andronicus, feeling angry every moment you’re awake

#24. Throat Locust – Dragged Through Glass

I’ve been going back and forth on the inclusion of this one, as it is just a 3-track demo EP. But if we’re calling it an EP, then it’s eligible for the list. There’s also little to say other than “it’s good ass death metal.” This is very standard death metal, with immaculate production and a confidence of a band that’s been doing it for decades. And they’re named after my favorite TAD song to boot. Metalheads, get this on your radar now. You heard it here first!

RIYL: Cannibal Corpse, Bolt Thrower, you know, death metal

#23. boygenius – the record

The first boygenius EP was near perfection, taking three of the brightest and best indie talents and tossing them all together. The full-length, initially a surprise but now a wildly popular release, only builds on it. There’s more diversity in the songs here, as some songs like “Satanist” and “$20” are closer to rock than you’d expect. Others, like “Not Strong Enough,” sound exactly like you’d expect a Julian Baker/Phoebe Bridgers/Lucy Dacus song to sound like. Soft, sensitive and sad. What makes boygenius work so well is that they clearly came together as friends first and musicians second. The interplay between the members is more natural than most supergroups. This could still be a one-off, but I hope we get more from the Traveling She’llburys. 

RIYL: Big Thief, Snail Mail, either being or loving a sad girl

#22. Noname – Sundial

For some reason Noname seems to have dropped off the radar. This came out in August but I only noticed in November. The reason could be, of course, her utter refusal to play by the rules of the industry. The rap icon has always worn her heart on her sleeve, unabashedly political and earnest in a way even the “political” musicians shy away from. In one key song here, she connects the dots on how superstars contribute to the country’s insultingly overinflated defense budget, namechecking Kendrick and Beyonce (and herself) for playing Coachella. On top of the refreshingly honest politics, there’s just great rhythms and raps here. These songs are quick, full and fun. It’s a short but intense rap record from someone choosing to stand alone.

RIYL: Flatbush Zombies, Clipping., getting nauseated at whatever the hell “hologram Tupac” was

#21. Black Country, New Road – Live At Bush Hall

Under normal circumstances, I would never consider a live album for a year end list, as they are collections of previous material, usually at least somewhat the artist’s best. But Black Country are never ones for normal circumstances. After dropping their first two albums in quick succession, their singer dipped. Rather than break up or hold tryouts for a replacement, they brought in a handful of guest singers and recorded a live album of entirely new material. And because this is Black Country, these songs are everything from smooth and jazzy to manic and unpredictable. The band loves to stretch themselves in every direction, ostensibly under the “alternative” banner but touching many different points. The use of multiple singers and a live setting lends a particular vibrancy to these tracks. On the DL, I didn’t care for their second album – and this one is a marked improvement! There’s something for everyone here.

RIYL: black midi, the Hold Steady, going to a classy party you’re dreading but having a surprisingly good time

#20. feeble little horse – Girl with Fish

This is the exact byproduct when you take 90’s fuzzed out alternative and channel it through today’s DIY bedroom movement. At only 26 minutes, this album looks slight. But jump in and you get a number of intricately-layered, crunchy and introspective alternative songs. They may be brief, but they are not underdeveloped. There is a painful earnestness to the vocals and lyrics of this record, which can often get buried (intentionally?) under the ceaseless distorted guitars. If you’re a sucker for 90’s grunge-adjacent sad rock, like me, then grab this one right away.

RIYL: Pavement, Hotline TNT, reading your old journal entries

#19. Young Fathers – Heavy Heavy

The British funk scene is strong right now, all things considered, and the biggest standout of 2023 was Young Fathers. The group has always embraced their funky ways, but “Heavy Heavy” is a downright party. It’s a short album, and the tracks don’t stick around too long, which only adds to the ambiance. Songs come and go, occasionally feeling incomplete, like wandering through a party listening to parts of conversations. But one thing is for sure: it’s impossible to not have fun listening to this.

RIYL: Sudan Archives, Four Tet, making friends with everyone at the party (i don’t know what this one is like)

#18. Boris/Uniform – Brand New Disease

The collaborative album from Boris and Uniform brings exactly what you would expect and, perhaps more importantly, a lot of things you wouldn’t. Japanese noise institution Boris have frequently left their comfort zone, releasing straightforward rock or even jazzier albums. But NY noise upstarts Uniform – who have graced my lists before – generally stay in one noisy, angry lane. This album is bookended by harsh, bitter and grinding songs that you wouldn’t want to play at a party. But in the album’s middle is some more meandering, introspective tunes. Frankly, I wasn’t expecting it. The whole end result is a well-rounded album that doesn’t feel constrained to the walls of noise music, but takes time to revel in them gleefully nonetheless.

RIYL: The Body, Melt Banana, thinking about an interaction that made you angry and getting angry about it again

#17. Genesis Owusu – STRUGGLER

Oh man I love this one. I had the lucky opportunity to cover Genesis twice this year and let me say, this man puts on one of the most thrilling live shows you’ll ever see. The tracks on STRUGGLER are very funky, very synthy, very jazzy and still shaped around conventional rock songs. Everything feels very simple, and yet it is a mindmeld of genre fusion. And it is done completely effortlessly. For a man with very little experience under his belt, Owusu has supreme confidence in the power of his tunes. That this is also a concept album – about still finding reasons to love and cherish in the midst of an apocalypse – only adds to the strength. I have said it before: get this man on your radar.

RIYL: Talking Heads, Parliament, dancing as the bombs fall

#16. The Hirs Collective – We’re Still Here

The metal band that made their name doing albums full of 90-100 songs that are all <1:30 made a bold decision: do something a little more normal. The album clocks in at 31 minutes, less than half the length of some of their bolder works, but features their strongest production and most well-written songs to date. The band ropes in elements of grindcore and black metal into a ceaseless aural pounding. As always, they’re joined by huge name guests, like Melt Banana, Shirley Manson and Soul Glo, among others. How hard does this band go? They did a two-month tour behind the album and didn’t take a single night off.

RIYL: G.L.O.S.S., The Locust, slamdancing until you get so sweaty that your mohawk collapses

#15. 100 Gecs – 10,000 gecs

Listening to the first 100 gecs album was a humbling experience, because it was the first time I felt too old for an album. I didn’t entirely “get” it, and thought it was wildly hit-and-miss. For whatever reason though, their sophomore album clicked. From ska songs about frogs to genuine nu-metal, this album revels in everything that is uncool, thus making it cool again. These two kids have firm control over the zeitgeist, bringing old influences into brand-new hyperpop madness. Find me an album released this year more unique than this.

RIYL: Fire-Toolz, Machine Girl, every song on every machine at an arcade playing at the same time

#14. Oozing Wound – We Cater to Cowards

Oozing Wound have long been one of my favorite metal bands, with a distinct blend of rough thrash and tongue-in-cheek, pessimistic vocals. Well, this album is different, as the band takes more of a grunge approach. The tracks are slower and even rougher, with less of a focus on vocals/lyrics. And I’m a massive grunge-head, so I think I like this one *even more* than their previous albums. The new direction blindsided me, but once I adjusted I welcomed it wholeheartedly.

RIYL: Soundgarden, TAD, committing vehicular manslaughter

#13. JPEGMAFIA/Danny Brown – Scaring the Hoes

Peggy and Danny have always been masters of the same thing – rap that exists on the fringe of the mainstream, balancing the precision of radio sweetness with the ambition of pure avant-garde, and both men have allowed their solo work to swing in both directions. On their collaborative album, they simply both do what they do best: wild raps with huge beats, over the top comedy and intensely catchy rhythms. There’s a certain sense of derangement here, comedically apocalyptic. It’s fun as hell. It was only a matter of time before these two linked up, and it produced some of the finest work of both men. Check out the bonus EP they put out, which is just as great as the album. 

RIYL: Run the Jewels, Denzel Curry, the Alfred Molina scene from Boogie Nights

#12. Pile – All Fiction

I’m all in on bands messing around with genres and experimenting, but sometimes you just need some good old-fashioned rock, too. Pile does get sympathy points for being a Boston group, but their newest earns a high spot solely on songwriting. This album is full of dense and conceptual alt-rock, often lingering towards post-hardcore rather than indie. The band favors complexity over melody, which makes for a general lack of earworms, but a tremendous amount of curiosity. This is a rare mix that demands immediate replays – and not because the songs are stuck in your head. Tremendously original stuff.

RIYL: Pissed Jeans, Big Ups, knowing that you have better music taste than someone else

#11. Mandy, Indiana – i’ve seen a way

There seems to be a growing trend in music to blend genres beyond the normal definitions. Now this has always happened, of course, but there are always new avenues to explore. Mandy, Indiana – hailing from Europe – are a moody but fun group that tosses elements of dark synth and noise rock into indie. The final concoction is one of the best debut albums of the year, and one of the most eclectic albums in general. Recorded in a cave, you’ve got noisy guitars, foreboding synths and lyrics all in French. And yet it’s groovy. I can’t figure it out, maybe you can. I found them on indie radio, but I also didn’t bat an eye when one of their songs was remixed by Clipping. It’s all over the place, in serenely unpredictable chaos. 

RIYL: Sonic Youth, Savages, the general feeling of confusion

#10. Jeff Rosenstock – HELLMODE

My favorite musician, so it’s almost guaranteed he’d rank highly here. Rosenstock made his name doing immature, lonely and inebriated ska-punk songs, so with each passing year, he finds his muses further and further away. This is his prettiest record, with a number of songs softer and/or poppier than fans are used to. This is maturity, and while his lifelong themes of jealousy, loneliness and occasional fun are still present, they’re now more nuanced and diluted. But it’s also still distinctly punk – 90-second bruiser “Head” is one of the wildest songs he’s ever done. Rosenstock may have changed a lot over the years, but he’ll never be different. Perfect sound, whatever.

RIYL: Against Me!, PUP, hangovers

#9. Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want to Turn Into You

This one got super hyped, and for good reason. Polachek took her decent previous albums and elevated every single good element, giving us an unexpected classic on impact. Polachek has been pivotal in the mainstream development of hyperpop, and this may be the first album to successfully dilute hyperpop to a broader audience while still keeping it interesting. Really, it’s just a fantastic pop album, one that bangs start to finish. It’s all bangers, all songs that are fun and wildly unique. It rocks. Chances are, you know that already.

RIYL: SOPHIE, FKA Twigs, basement raves

#8. Margo Price – Strays

With a release date of January 13th, this is the earliest entry on the list, and it sat at #1 for quite a while. Of course, a country album was always going to be a longshot to be the chart-topper here at PGMR, but I do love a good one when I hear it. Price fine-tuned every track on this album so they are all distinct and memorable songs, and most of them are bangers; there’s no getting bogged down in repetitive weepers here. Throw in some guest spots from decidedly non-country artists (Lucius, Sharon Van Etten, and Mike Campbell, guitarist for Tom Petty), and you’ve got an absolutely delightful stew of songs that really sneak up on you. The album doesn’t feel memorable at first, until you realize your feet have been tapping the whole time, and you toss it on repeat.

RIYL: Nikki Lane, Jason Isbell, havin’ a cold one on a hot night

#7. Jessie Ware – That! Feels Good!

With an album title like this, you kinda know what you’re getting into. Jessie Ware’s fifth album doesn’t reinvent the wheel, because it doesn’t need to. It’s the biggest party of the year, an album chock-full of disco-pop bangers crafted solely to make you, well, feel good. If you gave these songs to a different artist, you could very well end up with overly-produced plastic slop. But with Ware, we’re gifted by her outstanding vocals and healthy touches of soul music. These songs feel startlingly original and earnest within the confines of a genre that often disavows that. It’s simply the most fun album released all year.

RIYL: Lady Gaga, Rina Sawayama, playing that funky music, white boy

#6. Bully – Lucky For You

After the year opened with a string of disappointing albums from artists I adore, I was delighted that Alicia Bognanno released her best album yet. This compact album follows in the ways of her previous three albums, of indie rock heavily influenced by grunge and, more specifically, grunge-adjacent 90’s icons like Dino Jr. and Pavement. These songs, largely inspired by the passing of Bognanno’s dog, are despondent and jealous, and her snarl has never sounded better. Crisp production matches her best songwriting yet. A late-album pinch hit by Soccer Mommy is great, but it’s not needed – the whole album is already a distorted, melodic and depressive home run. It’s gonna make you feel like shit, but it’s so catchy that you won’t even care.

RIYL: Screaming Females, Hole, obsessively checking your ex’s social media to see that yes, they’re still doing better than you 

#5. Kelela – Raven

Something about me, possibly evident from this list, is that I always tend towards the bangers. Nine times out of ten, I’ll choose the louder and faster songs, whether that’s hardcore or bubblegum pop. Well, this is that tenth time. The R&B singer’s sophomore album is so minimalist and so fluid that it serves as one long 62 minute song cut into fifteen tracks. The album rarely moves at anything louder than a whisper, resulting in something that’s both calming and haunting at the same time, somehow. And even though there is fundamentally very little going on here, it grabs you from the opening moments and doesn’t let go. The album never wavers or falters, staying remarkably consistent across all fifteen songs. It is smooth and addictive, with positive lyrics about inclusivity within the dance music scene. It’s soft and feel-good, admittedly a nice antidote to many albums on this list.

RIYL: The Fugees, FKA Twigs, sitting inside and watching the rain

#4. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation

Yeah, yeah, more Gizz. I’m fully initiated into the cult of Gizz. This album is about as ridiculous as the title implies, and they aren’t doing any favors to the naysaying crowd that for some reason thinks this band is to be taken seriously. This album – their second true metal album after Infest the Rat’s Nest – covers an extremely familiar Gizz topic: the apocalypse. In this one, the world is destroyed, and the survivors begin to praise a new god, in the form of a Gila Monster. Unlike their first metal album, which mind you was also about the apocalypse, this one is dense and slow. They’ve ditched the thrash influences that permeated both their previous metal album and some of the psych albums in favor of an old school hard rock album. It sounds similar to last year’s good-not-great album Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms and Lava, in that everything feels very dense and murky. There’s a full production to this. It’s the opposite of Rat’s Nest, which wasn’t even recorded with the full band. It isn’t exactly the newest ground they’re treading in this one, but there isn’t another Gizz album like it, either.

RIYL: Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, cool little lizards

#3. Model/Actriz – Dogsbody

Bands often come out of the gate hot, but this is one hell of a debut album. This band occupies the same sort of paranoid noise hellspace that Daughters vacated (because there is no jail that Alexis Marshall is worthy of being buried under). These are songs that have a certain paranoia to them, but one drawn through patient melodies. It’s not really post-hardcore, but it’s even less anything else. It’s extremely noisy and crazy while remaining even-tempoed, like the anxiety of realizing you’re bombing at an important job interview. This music is straight up stressful. Fun for the whole family!

RIYL: Daughters, black midi, accidentally perjuring yourself in a court of law

#2. Liturgy – 93696

If you’ve ever seen movies like Come and See or Ikiru or even Requiem For A Dream then you’ve probably described them as “absolutely incredible and I never wanna watch it again.” Well that same logic applies here. Liturgy, a paradoxically religious black metal band, have dropped some classic albums during their run; but the last couple have been weak, and I didn’t think they had the juice left. Well, 93696 proves otherwise, taking everything they’ve done in their career from heady and complex metal to maximalist harsh noise, and throwing it all into one 82-minute long album. It’s too much for one listen – it is two discs – as it is just too heavy, too daunting. I haven’t relistened to this one yet, and I may never. But my brain, which often forgets songs and albums the second they end, remembers this one start to finish. Thank you for reading this list, this is the single heaviest album on it.

RIYL: Deafheaven, Thou, suffering from religious trauma

#1. Wednesday – Rat Saw God

Instant classic. You may have seen my songs list, where this band took up three spots – and the guitarist took another with a solo track. This album is proving as a worthy breakthrough for the North Carolina group, which defies all classifications while remaining grounded in a grim reality. The band was already making waves in the indie underworld for their blending of country, americana and grunge into something resembling early Wilco, Drive-by Truckers, or – strictly contextually – Neil Young. Songs like “Chosen to Deserve” have a lot of country flair, while “Bull Believer” is straight grunge, the heaviest song the band has recorded to date. Lyrically, singer Karly Hartzman explores all of the lonely alleyways of America; these are songs of teenage alcoholism, domestic disturbances, loveless marriages and days spent just passing the time. There’s a specific type of American loneliness that runs rampant on this album, something that isn’t necessarily sad but just exists. It’s more flyover state, but all Americans feel it. Ten years from now, we’ll be holding this in the same regard that we hold Sonic Youth in now. 

RIYL: Neko Case, Drive-By Truckers, visiting your hometown and realizing all your childhood friends are in jail 

Thank you for reading this or, at least, thank you for scrolling to the bottom. As always, there were tons of other records I wanted to write about but didn’t have the space. Just to highlight a couple, those are: Dryad – The Abyssal Pain, an awe-inspiring metal album that blends tons of subgenres into one; The Armed – Perfect Saviors, a once-pop-metal band turned indie in an album that’s suspiciously conventional; Purling Hiss – Drag on Girard, one that initially made the list but didn’t stick in my brain enough – think a rougher Dino Jr.; The Croaks – Croakus Pokus, a wickedly fun local band that mixes all types of folk from folk-punk to straight medieval music; Death Valley Girls – Islands in the Sky, a punk group I absolutely adore that is reluctantly growing up and moving towards indie – maybe their weakest album, and still almost made the cut.

My wrists hurt. See you next year!

35 Songs I Loved This Year

Jump to: Fav albums 100-76 | 75-51 | 50-26 | 25-1

Hello and welcome to another edition of excessively long year-end coverage courtesy of me, someone who has had too much time on their hands lately. 2023 was a great year for music, yet again. My Spotify playlist where I dump all new songs I like is up to 563 (!!) tunes as of the time of writing. And while a condensed version of songs I loved is at 77 entries, I decided to cap it at 35 for my own sanity. I have a lot of album posts coming up.

These are 35 songs, from 30 artists, that I really enjoyed. I didn’t put a great deal of thought into these since there were so many to choose from, and I’ve left this list alphabetical. Also, I should note, much of the new music I discovered this year was thanks to the Sirius indie station I listened to on my commutes, so both my songs and albums lists are heavily indie-skewed this year.

100 Gecs – “Frog on the Floor”

I mean how else could this start? One of Gen Z’s most shining bands is out here reflecting their generation in shedding away any sort of musical norms. Is this a pop band dropping a ska song in the middle of the album? Yes. Is this just a song about a frog? Yes. Is it catchy as hell? Yes. I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t one of my most-played songs this year, despite really sounding like a children’s song. Hell it’s basically made by children. 

KEY FROG PUN: I heard he was telling croaks at the party.

Arlo Parks – “Devotion”

The sophomore Arlo Parks album was excellent, but it did see the alt-R&B singer move away from jazzy indie in favor of more rote pop beats. So it makes this song – which starts off as a sultry coital anthem before doing a hard reset into straight rock – all the more out of place. Catch a Deftones namedrop early as a hint of what’s to come. Loud and catchy R&B rock; it’s simple, yet unique.

KEY NAMEDROP: Shaking to Deftones, glitter in my bones

Big Thief – “Vampire Empire”

Even in a year where indie titans Big Thief have only released two songs, they make the list. The Best Band In Music is known primarily for disastrously sad songs, so this seemingly genuine love ode feels extra suspicious. But whether there’s a flipside to this one or not, it’s one of the band’s most inventive tracks yet, with some of Adrienne Lenker’s best-ever vocals. 

KEY LYRIC: I wanted to be your woman, I wanted to be your man / I wanted to be the one that you could understand

Bully – “Days Move Slow” & “Lose You”

There’s a few instances on this list where I couldn’t narrow it down to one song per artist, and they always relate anyways (except one instance). Alicia Bognanno’s grunge-flavored indie has always been filled with a certain sense of ennui, but on her best-yet album, it comes with a purpose. The album is dedicated to Alicia’s late dog, Mezzi, and these two tracks about the impermanence of life – and the impermanence of grief – represent some genuine and complex emotion. Some assistance from Soccer Mommy bolsters the latter track, but they’re equally great.

KEY GOOD BOY: RIP Mezzi, the best boy

Cherry Glazerr – “Ready For You”

Cherry Glazerr have always been an indie group of the guns-a-blazing type, edging closer to straight rock than anything else. The second single off their new album is their best track yet, with heavy melodies and Clementine Creevy’s best-ever vocals. Her powerful vocal rhythm dominates this song and adds a hefty layer of confidence into the lyrics. Although the lyrics are actually quite vulnerable, they sound vaguely threatening under the guitars and vocals. Side note: catch this band live if you have the opportunity.

KEY I’M THE JOKER: Wish I could meet you with my eyes / I’m sick inside my twisted mind

Clark D – “It’s a Stickup!”

I didn’t listen to much rap this year, just wasn’t in the mood really! But this song by local rapper Clark D fell into my lap at the end of the year and hot damn is it one of the most fun tracks of 2023. An absolutely manic and tongue-in-cheek track with the highest possible energy. It’s a banger to the max, and doesn’t even stretch to 2:30. Add in a wild verse from kei and you’ve got a monster song. He cleaned up at the Boston Music Awards and proved that this song translates very, very well to a live setting.

KEY SCREAM IT: BITCH YOU GETTIN’ ROBBED

Death Cab For Cutie – “An Arrow in the Wall”

It’s been 15 years since I said “hey I really like this new Death Cab song,” and naturally this is the one that sounds the least like Death Cab. The Postal Service tour must have had a positive effect on Ben Gibbard’s primary indie group, as they trade in their guitars for a gloomy, minimalist beat. There’s a sense of foreboding in this that is totally foreign to DCFC, and it’s a welcome change.

KEY LYRIC: This machine was built to be broken

Faye Webster – “But Not Kiss”

Faye Webster exists in the same tragic indie-folk sad girl scene as, say, Phoebe Bridgers, but she’s always had a comical innocence to her music. That’s stripped away on this cold, baroque tune centered on a pounding, two-chord piano line and a simple but powerful “yeah yeah” in the chorus. It’s simple, but good luck getting it out of your head.

KEY LYRIC: I want to sleep in your arms………..but not kiss

feeble little horse – “Steamroller”

I’ve obviously been listening to mainly indie here this year, but there aren’t many indie bands like this anymore. These young upstarts are channeling the likes of Dino Jr. and Pixies in the way they layer their stuff under fountains of distortion. Underneath all the peels is a paranoid and apologetic tune about personal space, but it’s okay if you never make it that deep. Just enjoy the experience.

KEY RELATABLE PARANOIA: I’m the only one who sees me naked

Genesis Owusu – “Leaving the Light”

This list isn’t ordered at all (hopefully you’ve figured that out by now), but if it was, this would be #1. This absolute banger is my favorite song of the year, as it stands. It isn’t a particularly unique or wheel re-inventing song, but it is a paranoid dancehall banger. Owusu’s album STRUGGLER, which will be found on my albums list, is an album that is about a paradoxical concept – humans surviving an apocalypse. The song’s lyrics are simultaneously paranoid and prideful, and the music is blood-pumping synthy funk. It’s extremely easy to overlook the fact that the song is intended to be violent and depressing! The biggest party of the year is, in fact, the apocalypse.

KEY EARNED BOAST: Crush me with your holy hell, I feel no damage

The Hives – “The Bomb”

God bless the Hives. Their first album in 11 years sees the dance-punk legends stretching out a bit, crafting some songs that aren’t quite as high-energy as before. Logical – they’re in their mid-40’s now, even if Pelle Almqvist did split himself open and soldier on recently. But the Hives blueprint still works. “The Bomb” is a barely-two-minute track with a BPM of 1000 and the most ridiculous lyrics of the year. There isn’t a point to songs like this, it’s just extremely high-energy, goofy fun. And if the Hives can still do it this well, then they’re never going to lose it.

KEY PELLE ALMQVIST: What do you wanna do? Get down! What don’t you wanna do? Get up! What don’t you wanna not don’t do? Not get down! What don’t you wanna not don’t wanna not do? Not get up! 

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit – “Deathwish”

I’m a big fan of everything Isbell has done, but there’s something specific that permeates all of my favorite tracks of his – vocal melodies. This song, the first track off his country band’s “Weathervanes” album, starts immediately with a lengthy but simple and effective vocal rhythm. It’s something that runs through the course of the whole song, very repetitive but never tiring. Isbell’s songs are often lyrically despondent, but not necessarily sad songs – this one feels downtrodden immediately, which only adds to the effectiveness. This is downright hopelessness.

KEY EXTREMELY RELATABLE OPENING LINE TO YOUR ALBUM: Have you ever loved a woman with a deathwish? 

Jenny Lewis – “Psychos”

I love dirtbag Jenny Lewis. Twenty years ago, she was singing youthful and introspective indie ballads about love and loneliness. Now, she recognizes that her era has passed, and is singing offhand country-folk songs like this one with vaguely problematic lyrics like a cool aunt. To be clear, the lyrics of this song are not good, but the 11pm-on-a-weeknight-in-a-bar vibe of this song is excellent. And, her voice has improved significantly since the Rilo Kiley days. I hate to say it, but she’s a lot cooler now than before. 

KEY RELATABLE NONSENSE: This shit is crazy town

Jungle – “Back on ‘74”

I get that I have a broader spectrum of music than most people, but one of my hardest beliefs around music is that I can’t trust anyone who doesn’t like funk. The band’s latest hit, their biggest in both America and their native UK, is a smooth and sultry vocal song ripped out of the 70’s. The nostalgic lyrics touch on past innocence and lost opportunities, but it’s more than acceptable to shut the thoughts out and just enjoy the fluid melodies. This is a banger, after all. I believe this song has gotten big on The Tik Tok website, so here’s to a whole new generation getting into soul music. Oh, and if you’re only going to watch one video on this list, make it this one.

KEY CRY-DANCE: Never gonna cry anymore, where did it all go?

JW Francis – “Swooning”

Some of the artists on this list are ones I’m extremely knowledgeable on. This is not one of them. I know absolutely nothing about this guy, but I do know that this is one of the most well-constructed songs of the year. At its core, it is a simple indie song about struggling to find the words to tell someone you’ve fallen for them deeply. But there is a lot going on – a rumbling guitar rhythm backs a sweet synth, there’s a guitar freakout, there’s a riff that mimics a butterfly, and there’s a late-song octave change. For people who like to analyze individual elements of songs, this one is a goldmine. Really fun stuff.

KEY LYRIC THAT REFLECTS THE MUSIC: Oh my, I’m swooning / I think we hit the right chord, new tuning

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – “Gila Monster”

The second proper Gizz metal album is unlike the first, which was loose thrash. This album is dense, slow and heavy. But much like “Infest the Rat’s Nest,” it centers on an apocalypse and the animals that take over afterwards. In this one, we’re praising the new king, a Gila Monster, whose adorable face graces the album cover. This one is raw and catchy, bolstered by Ambrose taking over for vocals at the bridge and pumping things into a new gear. 

KEY SCREAMABLE CHORUS: Gila! Gila! Gila!    Gila! Monster!

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – “Set”

I couldn’t keep these together. The second Gizz album of 2023, “The Silver Cord,” is an electronics one, cashing in their Kraftwerk tickets. Like “Gila” this one is just fun as hell. And like “Gila,” it kicks into high gear off a bridge where Ambrose loses his mind. There’s five different things going on at once musically, which doesn’t even address the cryptic lyrics about ancient Egypt. Everything here is manic. I didn’t think I would like electronic Gizz this much, but I was wrong.

KEY NONSENSE: Eighty years of conflict, crocodile dog birth, Lucifer inverted, slender usurper, piece of work

Lifeguard – “Alarm”

My, where did this one come from? One of the most rousing rock songs of the year comes out of these upstarts, literal children who are channeling the best days of Pixies and Bikini Kill. The song is intensity above all, but it remains extremely catchy too. It’s an absolute bruiser, and it makes the band sound both as youthful as they are, and far more experienced than it. Although I’ve heard this one on indie rock radio, I’d hesitantly call it punk.

KEY VAGUE BUT SCREAMABLE CHORUS: Switch! Switch! Trip or take me!

Lil Uzi Vert – “Nakamura”

Almost no one has a better entrance theme in the world of professional wrestling than Shinsuke Nakamura, so much so that he had to add Japanese lyrics to it to try and quell American audiences from singing it throughout his matches. It was also begging to be sampled. Well Uzi was of course the man to do it. That wildly memorable violin line serves as the foundation of this song, with Uzi rapping over it. This was an easy slam-dunk for any artist, and a shoo-in for this list.

KEY GO WATCH IT RIGHT NOW: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn from NXT Takeover: Dallas

Little Dragon – “Slugs of Love”

There isn’t much to say about this one other than it’s just one of the most fun bangers of the year. There’s a sax hit just seconds into the song that lets you know it’s gonna be a fun one. The music is fast and funky, the vocals are upbeat, and the lyrics are chaotically funny and sexual. Try getting this one out of your head.

KEY NO THANKS: Have a feast at the table / slugs of love 

M83 – “Amnesia”

Easily one of my favorite songs of the year; I absolutely did not think that Anthony Gonzalez had songs like this one left him. The slow synth build-up feels ominous, building to one of the biggest cinematic choruses you’ll ever hear. It’s Kaela Sinclair’s short but powerful lines during the chorus that really make this one stand out. The song sounds like a late night drive through a crowded but sleepy city on a warm night. It’s got a fullness to it that feels free and warm, even with a touch of dread thrown in. It might be the best song of 2023.

KEY PHRASE I’VE BEEN SHOUTING IN MY CAR: Four minutes with you

Mandy, Indiana – “Pinking Shears”

One of the best new bands of 2023 is also one of the most confounding. Quite possibly the shortest song on this list, this Mandy, Indiana track mixes mechanical percussion, heavy synths and buried vocals into one burst of sound that is very catchy while still dense and wholly unique. Oh, and it’s all in French. The end result isn’t really classifiable, and it sounded out of place on indie rock radio. It isn’t quite my favorite song of the year, but it might be the new one I’ve listened to the most times.

PHRASE CLÉ: Je suis fatiguée, tu sais parce que je suis fatiguée

MJ Lenderman – “Rudolph”

It wasn’t enough for the band Wednesday to drop an all-timer album on us, the guitarist had to drop this excellent solo track too. A crisis of faith plagues the speaker, professing his love to someone from within the walls of a seminary. Throw in some self-doubt, Rudolph the Reindeer and a Pixar reference, and you get a rollicking spellbinder. As with his other solo songs, this is an americana-grunge tune, with rough guitar and loose vocals.

KEY LYRIC: I wouldn’t be in the seminary if I could be with you. 

Model/Actriz – “Donkey Show”

The opening track from my favorite debut album of 2023 is a manic mess. The group starts hauntingly soft, with just a little synth line that sounds like a bug crawling around, until the rest of the band kicks in heavily. The song wastes no time in getting intense – singer Cole Haden sounds like a man who has just realized he is in deep trouble. On the first few listens of this song, I thought “wow this is heavy.” After a few more, I thought, “this is also….groovy.” It’s not like anything I’ve heard before. The song sounds comparable to “City Song” by Daughters, but it swaps out 50% of the paranoia in favor of funk. You can absolutely dance to this, but it might only happen in the nightclub from Blade. 

KEY TROUBLING VAGUENESS: All night, me and my wretched device

The New Pornographers – “Really Really Light”

There’s hardly anything new about the pornographers, who admittedly wear out the formula a bit on their ninth album. But the opening track is an absolute delight of breezy indie. The lyrics are both poetic and empty, singing about nothingness. The fading guitar lick that runs the song sounds like wind entering your car windows on an empty Midwestern highway. There’s a certain listlessness to this song, like everything about it exists only to kill time, but it’s a pleasant feeling. A distinct balance that only a band this deep into the game can pull off. 

KEY BOREDOM: We sit around and talk about the weather / My heart just like a feather / really, really light

Orbit Culture – “Vultures Of North” & “Descent”

Sometimes you just need some good death metal. Orbit Culture’s newest album is a victory lap and a breakthrough, with a bunch of great songs that do a lot with a little. These two songs feature rhythms that are, quite frankly, very simple! But they’re super fun and incredibly catchy while still being heavy and brooding. The growled vocals are top notch and the production is stellar. The metalheads probably have this band on radar already, but here’s a note in case you don’t.

KEY BROODING: The descent into madness is all I see, and it’s all I’ve seen

Palehound – “Eye on the Bat”

How much fun can one song be? Local legends Palehound hit an absolute home run (pun intended) on their latest album’s title track. The song kicks off with a fun and complex acoustic guitar line, with bright and cheery vocals and one quick slide guitar hit thrown in too. Although the song is ostensibly about how grueling a tour can be, the lyrics cherry-pick some nostalgic moments too. This feels like a song we’ll still be listening to in a decade. Spin it a couple times:

KEY SAME: Black Sabbath as the sun goes down ‘cause I like heavy metal / We’re the only people for miles around and we’re headbanging to Paranoid.

The Rolling Stones & Lady Gaga – “Sweet Sounds of Heaven”

I’m not gonna sit here and pretend that the new Stones album is anything really worth listening to, but you’re doing yourself a disservice if you skip this one. This 7+ minute track is possibly the best Stones song since…the 80’s? Gaga brings the best out of the Stones, who face down mortality on this apocalyptic track. Her background vocals provide a moving aura that earnestly feels akin to “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” There is also a vulnerability here that we don’t see from Mick much, though it’s still wrapped in ego too. 

KEY LYRIC: No, I’m not goin’ to Hell, in some dusty motel / And I’m not goin’ down in the dirt.

Sleep Token – “The Summoning”

One of the first new songs I heard in 2023 ended up being one of the best, a heady and highly conceptual song that acts as metal, but dissuades any real classification. A simple and pounding riff comes and goes as huge choruses rise and fall, as the song meanders between radio rock and straight metal. The whole thing has this aura that there’s a great bridge coming, but where it ends up going is unpredictable – an extended ambient segment followed by a poppy, jazzy coda. The song messes around with genres and expectations, with supreme confidence.

KEY RADICAL TONAL SHIFT: Oh, and my love, did I mistake you for a sign from God?

Slowdive – “Alife”

This is aural Xanax. We should be so thankful that Slowdive reunited back in ~2015 because the niche they left behind had been imitated by countless bands, but never perfected. While many of their shoegaze contemporaries like My Bloody Valentine and Ride often searched for bliss and clarity in sheer volume, Slowdive did it in minimalism. “Alife” recaptures the stunning and cathartic aura of their original 90’s work. Everything is so slight that it feels improvised, but it’s all so polished that it could’ve only been done by perfectionists.

KEY LYRIC: Two lives are hard lives with you. 

Slow Pulp – “Cramps”

Slow Pulp is an indie-pop group that would usually not get mistaken for doing anything heavy or edgy, but the first single off their newest album is just that. The song, which yes is about period cramps, comes complete with fuzzy guitar and full-to-the-brim vocals. It’s an extremely fun song, reminiscent of a more 90’s indie pedalboard sound, and helps the band expand their sound some. It’s a simple song, but I spun it a whole bunch this year.

KEY I AM NEVER JEALOUS OF PEOPLE WITH PERIODS: I play out the same scene, bleeding on my new sheets / I wanna bake out on the concrete

Wednesday – “Bull Believer,” “Chosen to Deserve,” “Quarry”

One of these things is not like the others! I couldn’t help but include three songs by the Band of the Year in here. For those unfamiliar, Wednesday deliver a brand of americana-infused indie with a healthy amount of heavy guitar, in a total package that feels similar to Neil Young on paper, though not in practice. “Chosen to Deserve” and “Quarry” are country-fried indie tunes that tell tales of American loneliness; the former is a first-person tale of two bored people forcing a relationship, the latter is a walk down a poor street deep in the suburbs. “Bull Believer,” meanwhile, is a 8+ minute dose of heavy grunge that culminates in minutes of screaming. You simply won’t believe it’s from the same album. 

KEY STORYTELLING TIME: Somebody called the cops on Mandy and her boyfriend / When they busted in they found that her house was a front for a mob thing / Pulled guns and cocaine from the drywall wrapped in newspaper / We gathered in the tall grass and watched unblinking as they cuffed ’em and hauled ’em away

There were of course many, many other songs I wanted to write about for this list. Real quick, here’s five that just missed the cut: 26Fix – “Stonekiller” (electronic/indie), Full Body 2 – “wonder limit” (shoegaze/hyperpop), The Kills – “New York” (guitar indie), Nation of Language – “Sole Obsession” (electronic/indie/new wave), Slaughter to Prevail – “Viking” (deathcore)

Check back in tomorrow when I start my official countdown of *cough* my 100 favorite albums of 2023!