2023: Top Albums Part 1

+ 2023: 💯 Favorite Songs playlist

It’s time to revel in the melodies that have defined my year. It’s never easy to navigate the vast sea of music, but I’m leaving this year with an incredible batch of music that I’m excited to continue exploring for years to come.

Usually around September each year I really start thinking about my favorite albums list. I check out what I purchased, what stuck with me and what albums I may have overlooked along the way. And then once December hits, I always struggle to narrow it all down. I’ve also never written about it in this way because I’m usually too busy listening.

A quick reminder that I do not consider myself much of a writer, nor am I a music critic. But I do listen to a lot of new music and am a bit of a vinyl nerd. I choose to sort this A-Z rather than numbered. It’s way too hard for me to number these records past my top 5 and as Steven Hyden puts it: “Art isn’t a competition. I can’t really distinguish between my 13th favorite album and my 15th favorite.” I feel the same way!

If you look at my 2023: 💯 Favorite songs playlist below, I could make a strong case for the first 10 songs or so being my absolute favorite - beyond that, who knows. It’s all great. There are songs from each of the albums I listed below in this playlist:

I also went with artists’ first names alphabetically because I thought it looked better on the final list, in case there are any gripes as to why I did it that way. Let’s get into my 2023 Top Albums list A through L:

Annie Hart - The Weight Of A Wave 🌊

The latest solo album from Au Revoir Simone’s Annie Hart is an intimate indie pop record that is full of earworms. It’s a charming album that I spoke with Annie about a few months ago on Carefully Curated (listen to the episode in full on Spotify). I also learned about the DIY aspects to Annie’s work that made me appreciate this record even more. I picked up an autographed copy of the album on black vinyl via Annie’s Bandcamp page limited to 500 copies.

Favorite Moment:
The beginning of “Boy You Got Me Good” as the fast drums & synths spiral in.

Favorite Tracks:

• Boy You Got Me Good

• Stop Staring At You

• I Never Do

Blonde Redhead - Sit Down for Dinner 🍽️

I was shocked when Blonde Redhead returned this year with their gorgeous 10th album, and their first since 2014. It stands as a testament to Blonde Redhead's enduring musical legacy—meticulously crafted, charged with emotion, and a brilliant addition to their illustrious catalog. Their dream pop vibes remain unmatched & they sound better than ever on this yogurt white color vinyl that I picked up from Criminal Records in Atlanta, GA.

Favorite Moment:
When all of the instruments except the light synths drop out at 01:46 during “Not For Me”

Favorite Tracks:

• Snowman

• Not For Me

• Melody Experiment

Bully - Lucky For You 🍀

This one rocks, rips and rules. This album explores themes of grief, loss & learning to love yourself, to name a few. And with that, Alicia Bognanno has made her best record yet. I’ve had it on repeat since it was released back in June. This was produced by J.T. Daly, who’s work in the band Paper Route I’ve always enjoyed. This is the “Loser” edition on blue curacao color vinyl from Sub Pop. I picked up the autographed copy from Grimeys in Nashville, TN.

Favorite Moment:
The open hi-hat sound during the chorus of “Hard To Love”

Favorite Tracks:

• Days Move Slow

• Hard To Love

• How Will I Know

Cannons - Heartbeat Highway 💓

Cannons have described their music as baby making music, so I guess that make this the quintessential baby making album of 2023. I would also file it under the late night drive album of the year. This dreamy voyage captures the essence of nocturnal escapades, led by Michelle Joy’s hypnotic vocals. Cannons’ thumping yet ethereal arrangements provide the ideal soundtrack for a trip down the synth-pop highway. The end of the record features a dreamy cover of one of my favorite Thin Lizzy songs. I won’t spoil which one it is. It sounds amazing on this metallic gold vinyl, exclusive to their online store.

Favorite moment:
Each time the background vocal of “I feel my heart exploding” hits during the chorus of Crush

Favorite Tracks:

• Heartbeat Highway

• Crush

• Desire

Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You 🚃

We were teased the last few years with incredible singles that would land on Caroline’s second solo album. And it lived up to the hype! It became one of the best reviewed albums of 2023 and I think it will be a standout for years to come. It all starts with a 30 second “primal howl” and beyond that, you’re on an island where nothing will ever be the same again. You’ll be rewarded on re-listens when you notice each song referencing other songs on the album. This vinyl was delayed all year but was worth the wait. This is the copper color vinyl that was signed by Caroline at Amoeba Records in Los Angeles, CA. 

Favorite Moment:
The outro of “I Believe” where the “Bunny Is A Rider” whistle kicks in at 3:41

Favorite Tracks:

• Pretty In Possible

• I Believe

• Smoke

Everything But The Girl - Fuse 💃

This marks Tracey & Ben’s triumphant return after nearly 24 years. It’s a modern take on their sound, and much like Blonde Redhead, they still sound timeless after all these years. It's a fusion of nostalgia and contemporary brilliance, and was the comeback I didn’t know I needed. This is the forest green color vinyl signed by the band at Rough Trade UK.

Favorite moment:
When the “No One Knows We’re Dancing” synths shimmer in post-chorus at 01:14

Favorite Tracks:

• Caution To The Wind

• Time And Time Again

• No One Knows We're Dancing

The Gaslight Anthem - History Books

This record showed up at my door a week before its release date which rarely happens. And I immediately thought it was a perfect fall record, and not only because there is a song called “Autumn”. It’s much more mellow record than I anticipated, but a welcome surprise. For this being their first album in nearly a decade, they haven’t missed a step. It also features an appearance from another musician from New Jersey: Bruce Springsteen! Maybe you’ve heard of him. This is the half yellow half black vinyl from Rough Trade that matches the album art perfectly.

Favorite Moment:
When the guitar solo roars in at 2:42 on “I Live In The Room Above Her”

Favorite Tracks:

• Positive Charge

• Michigan 1975

• Autumn

Golden Apples - Bananasugarfire 🍌🔥

It’s possibly my favorite album title of 2023. It’s a lovely slice of fuzzy, hazy & gazy guitar rock from the Philadelphia rockers. It’s catchy and hooky with great songwriting - you can’t ask for anything better. The first time I heard “Waiting For A Cloud” it became an instant favorite. I picked up this vinyl direct from Lame-O Records.

Favorite Moment:
The real smooth transition between “Waiting For A Cloud” & “Sugarfire”

Favorite Tracks:

• Waiting For A Cloud

• Sugarfire

• Krill

Heavenward - Pyrophonics ✂️

I’ve been enjoying Kamtin Mohager’s music for well over a decade now. Whether it’s with The Chain Gang of 1974 or his latest project Heavenward (and formerly Teenage Wrist), it’s a guaranteed hit with my ears. I spoke with Kamtin on my show about a year ago right before he went in the studio to record Pyrophonics:

It follows the impressive “Staircase Music” EP from 2022. It’s a loud but welcome addition to his impressive discography & I can’t wait to hear what comes next. This is the white with foam green splatter color vinyl, exclusive to the Heavenward webstore.

Favorite Moment:
At 2:13 - “are we dreaming now?” into the final chorus of “Choke”

Favorite Tracks:

• Choke

• Gasoline

• Pneumatic (Fly)

Hotline TNT - Cartwheel 🌀

Here’s a record about heartbreak that’s loaded with hooks. In the 2023 musical landscape where shoegaze legends like Slowdive and Blonde Redhead continue to age gracefully, Cartwheel emerges as a contemporary and nostalgic force, mixing power pop, grunge and shoegaze rather nicely. I picked up the Conch Street splatter color vinyl from Going Underground Records.

Favorite Moment:
The second you press play on “I Thought You’d Change” and it’s loud guitars and drums crash into your ears

Favorite Tracks:

• I Thought You'd Change

• Protocol

• Stump

Jenny Lewis - Joy’all ⭐

As a longtime fan since the Rilo Kiley days, witnessing Jenny’s musical journey has been nothing short of captivating. She has a knack for crafting albums that resonate with a timeless quality and her fifth studio album is no exception. Adding a little bit more country and a little less rock’n’roll, Nashville sounds good on Jenny. This record was another “on repeat” album last summer. I couldn’t resist picking up this autographed green vinyl from Vinyl Tap in Nashville, TN.

Favorite Moment:
”It’s time I get away, get away” during the chorus of “Psychos”

Favorite Tracks:

• Psychos

• Balcony

• Joy'all

Liquid Mike - S/T 🎸

It’s Liquid Mike’s world and we’re living in it. This 18 minute album rocks. Seriously - go throw it on right now and once you’re running out of feeling, you’ll want to play it all over again. Especially if you’re into the 90s rock sounds of Superdrag or Harvey Danger to name a few. They’re another band that might be huge in another time, but they’re huge for me right now and I’m sharing their music in hopes they will be for you too. They’ve already announced another album out in February 2024 which will surely be on my list next year. This is the white vinyl from Kitschy Spirit limited to 100 copies.

Favorite Moment:
Channeling that Superdrag feeling at 1:24 on “American Record”

Favorite Tracks:

• BLC

• American Record

• Wedding In Drain County

Stay tuned for the rest of this list later this week! I’ll also include a playlist with my favorite tracks from each of these albums.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading. Let me know what you think so that I’ll be encouraged to keep doing this beyond the new year. I’d also love to know your favorite songs and moments from these albums, or if there’s one you haven’t heard that you enjoyed! Let me know in the comments.

That’s all I got!
-Patrick