Top 50 Albums of 2023: Part 1
14 Albums I loved this year
Thanks to those of you who shared, liked or commented on the introductory post. I’m glad some long-time friends and followers are on board for my re-entry into this world, and those of you who are checking in for the first time - welcome!
Below, you will find 14 albums from this year that I found to be a cut above many other great records from 2023. I’ll let you know ahead of time that just like many other years, I found myself in different phases of listening and had specific taste preference moments. For many months I was trying really hard to focus on the exciting pop, dance and regional music coming out of many African countries. In the last couple of months I played big catchup with some Classical releases. Some popular music genres will not be very present this year. There were amazing pop records this year (Jessie Ware, Carly Rae, Olivia Rodrigo, SZA) that didn’t make the cut. There were great metal and hardcore albums this year that I loved but just missed. I had very few hip hop records I truly loved (honestly, I was telling some buddies that as far as albums go- this might be the single worst year I can recall). I even have less “techno/house” and Spanish-language records on this year’s list compared to the last half dozen. There is a lot of variety and I realize that a lot of it won’t be to your personal taste, and that’s ok! I like variety and it just worked out the way it did.
My wife asked the other night after the first post “Are there any MAINSTREAM albums on the list?” And well…it depends on what you consider that to be. There is definitely at least 1 that is certified Gold and a lot that are on other year-end publications, but I don’t consider the list on the whole to be particularly obscure. Truthfully, I always have one foot in and out of mainstream pop culture so half the time things that I don’t know are popular are and things that I think are popular, are not. There is nothing that is obscure for obscure’s sake - I found these records without having to dig TOO Hard, ya know?
I can say that with absolute certainty that every record that I’m going to write about over the next few posts deserve their place on this list or any other best of the year list that exists. Revisiting some of these records for the first time in months has been a real joy.
Anyway, let’s start…
Aaron Dooley
The International Disassociation Of: (Centripetal Force)
Spiritual Jazz with pedal steel
It is a little bit funny to start off with this album. First, it was the final one to be included after spending a few days listening to it. Second, for those who barely know me and want to have a little fun, it’s probably the EXACT type of music you would expect me to listen to. It is a beautiful, emotive, funky “spiritual” jazz album with some killer pedal steel licks from Cooper Dickerson. It’s unique enough in combining two of my favorite things that I can’t help but love it.
ANOHNI and the Johnsons
My Back was a Bridge for You to Cross (Secretly Canadian)
Emotional 70’s-style soul
23 years on from her first album, ANOHNI has released a true classic. I like the debut record, I loved I am a Bird Now and was so-so on Hercules and the Love Affair, but the last few records have left me wanting more. This is that “more”. Viewed sort of as 50-year response to Gaye’s What’s Goin On?, this is a deeply powerful record. The iconic cover image of Marsha P. Johnson, the lack of electronic beats in lieu of powerful, traditional soul instrumentation and the lyrical content morphing from the hopelessness of the last record to one of hope, acceptance and love…This is a record to listen to closely, over and over and really feel in your bones.
Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily
Love in Exile (Verve)
Long, meditative minimal synth & piano tracks with stunning vocals.
This record is so exciting to me. In 7 tracks over 75 minutes, this trio create a near-perfect blend of traditional Pakistani vocal music, chamber jazz and new age music. Aftab is relatively new but in a few short years has become someone you cannot miss. Iyer continues his hot streak of the last half-dozen years where he has continued to push the boundaries of jazz and blur genre lines. Ismaily’s synthscapes hold each track together, gentle as your breath. A masterpiece.
Bill Orcutt
Jump On It (Palilalia)
Master of the electric guitar stripped down to beautiful acoustic pieces
Bill Orcutt has put out so much complicated, noisy experimental music over the last 30 years that of course it would be this stripped down finger-picked acoustic set that would absolutely floor me. I love Orcutt, but not everything he releases. His ideas behind everything are always at least intriguing, commonly fascinating and often incredible. I also love acoustic finger-picked guitar music and the way that Bill is able to still be himself in this style, rather than copying a Fahey or Basho style is truly inspiring. This is pretty music, but it’s not simple.
Bonnie “Prince” Billy
Keeping Secrets will Destroy You (Drag City)
Will Oldham gets intimate and produces another folk classic
At some point, I should probably do the work and find out if Will Oldham, in all of his many guises, is my favorite musician of all time. It’s not as though every record he puts out is an absolute classic to me, but every few years (at least) he DOES put out something that floors me. His 2003 record Master and Everyone is probably in my top 10 favorite records ever and perhaps the single record I’ve listened to more than any other. He’s very prolific and you know an Oldham record when you hear it, but when it clicks, it REALLY clicks. This record finds itself on the spectrum of being a more inward looking, quiet record - my absolute favorite from him. Will sounds like he is singing in the chair across the room for you. It’s serene, it’s beautiful, it feels timeless.
Bounaly
Dimanche à Bamako (Sahel Sounds)
Desert guitar freakouts and long repeating verses from Mali
Gosh this record rips. There have been a lot of really great Tishoumeran records over the last handful of years finding their way overseas and this one might be the craziest I’ve heard. It is so lively, such a psychedelic, acid-washed freakout. This is a record to play LOUD and maybe wait until the sun is shining and you can dance or drink or both. One of the most fun records of the year and for the last few weekends when I’ve been the only one in the office, it has been played at full volume.
BrokenTeeth
추락은 천천히 (How to Sink Slowly) (Poclanos)
Another gorgeous Shoegaze-revival record out of South Korea
The many different 90’s revivals in music we have been going through over the last handful of years has been really cool on the whole. Numero Group’s consistent reissues of slowcore classics and forgotten midwestern emo, the constant stream of slacker rock bands that are churning out catchy tunes and the slight variations on post-rock and shoegaze from South Korea, Brazil and more has battled it out with a revived post-punk scene from the UK and made guitar music exciting again. BrokenTeeth is not an act I know anything about, but on this release they focus on the more serene, pretty side of the shoegaze spectrum (think more “Sometimes” rather than “Only Shallow”). A mixture of wall-bursting instrumental tracks and dreamy vocal tracks, this is a sound that just really touches that nostalgic nerve perfectly for me.
Buck 65, doseone & Jel
North American Adonis (Handsmade Records)
A rap album 25 years in the making and the biggest surprise of the year
I found out this record existed about 2 weeks ago, as well as 2 other Buck 65 records that came out this year that are also very good. Yes, in 2023. In my world, Buck 65 has long disappeared (though I reference him here and there). I know he is a daily commute radio DJ up North with CBC, but I’m in Oregon, man. Regardless, imagine my surprise seeing that this record, with doseone and jel (ANTICONNNNNNN) not only came out, but is tremendous? Honestly, this might be my favorite record that any of these guys has ever put out and a lot of their early records are very important to a young Andy! I’ve listened to this like 20 times in the last 2 weeks. It’s dense, it’s silly, it’s dated and it’s UPDATED and what’s more - Buck and dose sound hungry and reinvigorated. If you were an old school fan of the style, this is essential. Oh and it’s so awesome to hear Jel beats again.
Colter Wall
Little Songs (La Honda)
Minimal, pleasant country
Ignoring all the “authenticity” talks that surround Colter Wall (who gives a shit??), I’ve always been one of the low guys on his output in my circles. I like him in theory and the style of music that he was making - but it just never thrilled me. The debut EP was cool and dark and unreal to be made at the age he was, his s/t debut was good, and then the last two records left me cold. This one though? I don’t know why, but to have him drop the murder ballads and cold Earth imagery for more pleasant, simple Western tracks, it makes it easily his most listenable album for me. For many, this might be his weakest record and his voice morphing into a slightly higher register combined with the more pleasant subject matter might seem “safe” - but that is exactly what I love - old cowboy music.
Daniel Donato
Reflector (Retrace)
The purveyor of “Cosmic Country” kicks up the jams
I checked out Donato when he first started making waves a handful of years ago and didn’t care for it that much. Even after establishing himself as a can’t miss live act, his last album didn’t rate very highly with me, but Reflector is an example of a young artist coming into their own. Here, Donato translates his raucous live show into an album that should sit well with jam band fans, Dead fans, southern rock fans and progressive country fans. Some of my favorite instrumental passages of the year are featured on this record and the singing is pretty good too! Great for dancing around the house after work, letting yourself get loose and opening the windows. This is truly one of the most fun records I heard all year.
DJ Stokie
My Journey Continues (Universal Music South Africa)
An Amapiano trip of bliss
If you have to make me choose, I would probably say the most exciting music on the planet over the last 5 years is coming out of South Africa. They are constantly reconfiguring the entire dance music scene, year after year and for almost a decade now the Amapiano scene has steadily rose into one of the most popular styles of dance music on the planet. The genre has been my summer obsession for the last few years and 2023 brought about some of the best albums and mixes the genre has seen (at least that I know of). For those unfamiliar, it’s basically a form of South African house music that is built upon a steady rhythm (for hours) and blends loungey, jazzy piano samples (or playing), and r&b style vocals. It is a daunting genre to listen to because many albums and mixtapes go upwards of 2 or 3 hours with the same basic beat. I love it and this might be the single best document of one producer’s sound.
Haralabos (Harry) Stafylakis
Calibrating Friction (New Amsterdam)
Wild blend of prog rock, metal and classical
I tend to dislike most fusions between heavy metal and classical music, but this…this rocks. This is the work of a modern composer who GETS it. Harry doesn’t really lean one way or the other on this release, instead really blending the two seamlessly. This isn’t heavy metal with a string section. This isn’t outsider art modern classical with some dissonant guitars. This is a complicated, intricate, fully composed, LOUD collection of music that really fits in both worlds easily. Your first listen to this should be with your best set of headphones to get the full experience.
Harold Lopez-Nussa
Timba a la Americana (Blue Note)
Cuban/French jazz fusion with harmonica
I almost avoided this album based on album cover alone. I really, truly, strongly dislike this album cover. It REEKS of bad 90s jazz and seems below Blue Note, but I am so thankful I didn’t ignore this record - because it may be my single favorite JAZZ record of the year. 10 original pieces of music from the Cuban pianist commemorating his move to France and the adventure that awaits him. Adding harmonica virtuoso Gregoire Moret to the mix gives each of these funky Cuban jazz workouts this air of Stevie Wonder. This is toe-tapping, desk-drumming, thigh-slapping jazz of the highest order.
Hayden Pedigo
The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored (Mexican Summer)
Pastoral, gentle finger-picked acoustic guitar
This is not a solo guitar record, but Hayden’s guitar playing is front and center and so beautiful that it sounds like an angelic voice coming over the speaker. There are shades of pedal steel, synths and electric bass in the background - but those just round the record out. I really really liked Hayden’s previous album (you know the one, with the painting of the Black Metal-facepaint donning skinny guy in front of a semi-truck), but this is loads better. It is no secret that I am a huge early Windham Hill records fan and this is about as close as I’ve heard someone get to a classic Will Ackerman or Alex de Grassi record. Utterly beautiful and likely to be the record on this list I will listen to the most over the course of the rest of my life.
Thanks for clicking the link, reading in your e-mail (sorry it’s clipped) and interacting. I hope this has shown you some new music to check out, or allowed you to give me virtual high-fives if you also loved these. I’ll be back when I can.