Top 10 Albums 2023

10. Desolation’s Flower – Ragana

Starting off with not so much a bang as a cataclysm, metal-duo Ragana delivers an album that feels like it exists in the moments after a lightning strike. And with ozone still in the air, the thunderous wall of distortion from Coley’s guitar slowly but persistently rumbles, seemingly splitting the earth around it. The vocals on this album can be described uniquely, as relentlessly vicious, yet never ugly nor disingenuous. Each snarling scream comes from the soul, sharing pain and longing that is primal and fresh. What few moments of calm exist on Desolation’s Flower seem to only serve further brutality, a sort of hopelessness that exemplifies what is to “live in the light of the burning world.” This album is not for the faint of heart, but captures perfectly a feeling of faintness in an unforgiveable world.

9. Girl With Fish – feeble little horse

You’d be forgiven for having mixed emotions about Girl With Fish. For every ounce of playful energy and sweet melodies, there is an equal part of weirdness and fuzzed distortion, with the album landing somewhere between indie rock, noise pop, shoegaze, and bedroom pop. The resulting concoction is an unbelievably fun oddball, never taking itself too seriously, but always demanding your undivided attention. Though less than thirty minutes long, the density of sounds and effects makes every listen a joyous adventure of discovery, always revealing little details among the chaos. Whether it’s the wiggling guitar riff of “Paces”, or the cute refrain asking “do you want to be in my pocket?”, the levity of Girl With Fish almost makes you forget that it absolutely rocks.

8. Oh Me Oh My – Lonnie Holly

Musically, what you’ll find on Oh Me Oh My is an adventurous palette; there are moments of bold experimentation, of grooving rhythms, and some of real beauty. Supported by a dazzling cast including Moor Mother, Michael Stipe, and Bon Iver, Lonnie Holley delivers one gripping song after another. What hides behind the exciting music, however, is a harrowing reconciliation of Lonnie’s experiences and relationships growing up in Jim Crow-era Alabama. At 73, not only has he gained perspective on how the violence he suffered as a child shaped him, but he also understands the generational pain of his mother and of his grandmother, a pain that continues to live on with him late in life. Oh Me Oh My can be a rather difficult listen, but it holds some of the most powerful reflections of the year.

7. My Back Was A Bridge For You to Cross – ANOHNI & The Johnsons

On the cover of My Back Was A Bridge For You to Cross is an intimate portrait of the late drag queen and LGBTQ activist, Marsha P. Johnson. So significant is Marsha to ANOHNI, that she is the very namesake of her band. On this record, ANOHNI channels her inspiration’s work with a heavy collection of tracks that demand a better world for the LGBTQ community. On songs like “It Must Change” or “Scapegoat”, there is no question of ANOHNI’s restlessness for justice, painting a damning portrait of the treatment she and many others have faced, and continue to face. On closing tracks “Why Am I Alive Now?” and “You Be Free”, a deeper conflict becomes apparent, with ANOHNI simultaneously questioning why she must bare witness to such a hopeless moment of history, yet wanting to respect and honor the sacrifice of Marsha and those who came before her by living a fulfilled life. Through soulful singing reminiscent of Nina Simone and the epic emotional swells of guitar solos, ANOHNI pays tribute that is easy to feel moved by.

6. This Stupid World – Yo La Tengo

Alright, you got me, Yo La Tengo is probably my all-time favorite band. But believe me when I say this album is well deserving of its place here. The truth is the almost 40-year rock band has a near-mythical status in the indie scene for good reason, not just releasing some of the most iconic indie rock albums of the 90s, but continuing to stay full of vibrant energy late into their career. Yo La Tengo’s greatest strengths have always been on frantic, noise-laden rippers, or soft, sweet singer-songwriter cuts. This Stupid World, much like their greatest classic albums, sits somewhere in between, playing off of this stylistic whiplash for which they’ve become so well known. For longtime fans of the band, this might not sound too surprising, but it would be understandable to hear the wild messy guitars on “Sinatra Breakdown” or “Fallout”, and be confused how the same band is responsible for “Aselestine”, one of the sweetest and heartwarming acoustic cuts of the year. It would be reasonable to scratch your head hearing the fuzzy jam about doing yo-yo tricks in line with “Miles Away”, the gorgeous and enigmatic ode to having an existential crisis. But, as they often have, Yo La Tengo bridges the gap effortlessly.

5. Rat Saw God – Wednesday

There is no rock album this year as visceral or exciting as the fantastic indie-country-shoegaze fusion of Rat Saw God. Alternative country crossovers are nothing new, but they sure as hell never sounded this explosive. From the opening moments of “Hot Rotten Grass Smell”, it becomes clear that Wednesday is ready to let everything out. Be it climactic peaks of fuzzed guitar, shrieked vocals from Karly Hatzman, or slow building drum crescendos, every song is the work of a band that is giving it their all. The amazing performances of the album serve as the backdrop to a wild, unfiltered monument to the sometimes-ugly life in a small town. Kids drinking Benadryl until they get their stomachs pumped, watching the cops’ drug bust like it’s a drive-in movie, Narcan revival in a Planet Fitness parking lot. This tapestry of decadence decorates the world of Rat Saw God, but it is stitched together by the small comforts found in the mundane. Little familiarities like the sound of a lawn mower cutting grass, or a busy Panera can serve as a break from the ugliness. With Karly’s personal and direct lyrical style, she can even make a gas station TV seem like a glimmer of hope.

4. Desire, I Want To Turn Into You – Caroline Polacheck

The latest album from Caroline Polacheck is an easy one to enjoy. With infectious melodies and memorable instrumentation throughout, it is simply the best pop album of the year. And frankly, I am selling it short, because her vocal performances across Desire, I Want To Turn Into You are incredibly powerful and impressive, where singing along is likely not an option for most. And production choices like the flamenco inspired guitars of “Sunset”, or the cute whistling on “Bunny Is A Rider” bring a unique character to the album that set it head and shoulders above others in its field. I found myself going back to this album time and again this year, so much so that it was my most played in 2023. Desire seemingly has a magic to it that never fades away, no matter how familiar you become with it. Perhaps it is that the album is the perfect balance of emotional and playful, or possibly that it flows so seamlessly from beginning to end. Each time the album begins and “Welcome To My Island” starts to play, I cease to care for the reason why, because it is really just that good.

3. Javelin – Sufjan Stevens

At this point, my love for Sufjan is well documented, and I am in no minority for saying that he is a defining artist of his generation as an indie singer-songwriter. He has released a number of albums now considered classic in the genre, which have been praised over and over again. So it may be a big claim to say that Javelin is one of his best to date, but I am probably not in a minority there, either. There isn’t much musical innovation from Sufjan on this project, but rather a distillation of his past work; hints of electronics from Age of Adz, lush arrangements from Illinois, or the personal songwriting of Carrie & Lowell can all be found in this album’s fingerprint. And like the best of his work, Sufjan shows a unique talent for making his emotions not just felt by the listener, but made to feel epic and transcendent. Shortly after the release of the album, Sufjan revealed that it paid tribute to his late partner, and the deeply affecting tracks of Javelin became even more impactful. In this case, however, where Sufjan would often opt for beautiful metaphors, he instead sings plainly, asking “will anybody ever love me for good reasons?” or demanding truth, saying “no more fighting, no more talking shit.” As heartbreaking as some sections may be, Javelin is absolutely gorgeous, and yet another testament to Sufjan’s status as a modern songwriting great.

2. Hit Parade – Róisín Murphy

I had to have a bit of a laugh at the irony when I first heard the repeated opening line on Hit Parade: “Tell me what not to do.” Just a week prior to the album’s release, after a long and highly anticipated lead-up, online comments from Róisín Murphy became public, railing against the concept of puberty blockers and describing trans youth as “mixed up kids”. This alienated her large queer fanbase, and caused many critics to either curb their praise or avoid discussing the album altogether. I strongly disagree with Róisín’s comments, they are certainly unfounded and misguided, and her poor non-attempt at an apology did not help either. But I do not think Róisín is evil for her comments, nor do I think that every artist we listen to must be completely aligned with our personal convictions, as much as we may wish they were. Sadly, her comments are at great odds with her music, which above all, is joyous, bombastic, and celebratory of the unique weirdness found in the world and within us all. And thanks to the impeccable and eclectic production of DJ Koze, and Róisín’s off-the-wall performances, I think Hit Parade is not just one of the best albums of 2023, but likely the best dance album of the decade so far. No other album this year caused me so many moments of wonder, created such fantastical and hilarious musical landscapes, or brought such gloriously infectious rhythms to my ears. Truthfully, I can only describe Hit Parade as a delightful triumph, both because and in spite of Róisín Murphy.

1. Maps – Billy Woods & Kenny Segal

With Maps, the collaborative album from rapper Billy Woods and producer Kenny Segal, it can be difficult to know where to begin. But if I were to begin at the beginning, I’d say Maps is a story of travel, starting and ending in Billy’s New York City apartment, detailing the unnatural, sometimes mundane experience of life on tour. Ordering airplane cocktails, taking an expensive Uber to his own show, slowly becoming more familiar with being away than being at home, we get little glimpses into Billy’s gradual alienation from normalcy. This understanding and thematic immersion is possible through Billy’s unbelievable lyricism, which is sometimes as tongue twisting as it is heady, enough to have you reaching for your dictionary, but sufficiently tangible that you can almost smell the meals he carefully describes. His words are bolstered by a chill, nearly spoken delivery, not usually marking the beat as much as flowing through it, perfectly matched for the laid back jazz rap production brought by Kenny Segal throughout. The intermingled guitar lines and saxophone with Billy’s deep, oratory voice sounds effortlessly cool. Clearly, Billy understands he is coolest when he is not trying to be, sounding most intriguing as he lists the ingredients of his braised pork belly or walks out of a party alone to smoke a joint in his cardigan. The narrative strength of the album keeps me coming back; no matter how many times I hear Billy return home, I can’t help but smile when he says “the cat miss me most, purring loud on my lap.” It’s the little lines like this one that make Maps feel real, personal, and alive, an album you can unravel for a whole year and still keep finding gold every time.