It is often argued that there should not be quarrels in matters of taste.¹ But this is, in my opinion, too negative of a way to talk about taste. Because being confronted with different tastes – whether one quarrels about them or not – can open vista’s on beautiful, important, and tasteful things that one up until that moment had never considered but which subsequently bring a lot of joy, happiness or poignancy in one’s life.² And this is the spirit in which I compiled this list; so the reader can enjoy new music which would otherwise never have crossed their path! As it is a rather cumbersome task to keep up with all the music that is released. And I would have never managed to do this myself if it weren’t for the efforts of the editors at the unsurpassed music website Allmusic.com.³ Their monthly recommendations were my guide in determining which music I wanted to try out, and I can recommend this section to everyone. Finally a side note pertaining to this list: These are the best albums out of the one’s that I have managed to hear in the last twelve months, and it is entirely possible that I did miss a lot of beautiful music.

There are a few trends that can be discerned with the music of 2023 and specifically with these albums. Electronic instruments are, in the first place, well represented, even in genres where it would be less expected. In addition, there is the saxophone which regularly plays a – pun intended – a prominent role. On albums like ‘Continue as a Guest’, ‘Trade Secrets’ and ‘Blómi’, for example. It is amusing to consider such details that characterize the music of our time and which will, in the years to come, eventually date it. There are also a number of themes that are shared by almost all these albums, of which the pre-eminent is an atmosphere of reflection and nostalgia. What this tells us about last year, I will leave to the reader!

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15. Wild Nothing – Hold

The warm sound of the opening song ‘Headlights On’ masks the dire thoughts about which Jack Tatum sings: his self-doubt and remorse. He mentioned in an interview that this song was ‘cathartic’ and this qualifier more or less seems to apply to the entire album.⁴ Surrounded by the bare minimum of fellow musicians, including guest appearances by Molly Burch, Hatchie and others, Wild Nothing’s frontman asks the hard questions about life, love, and parenthood, and the answers that he finds can be both challenging as well as less serious.⁵ This is not uncommon for an album from last year, but the music that accompanies this exercise of questions and answers elevates this album above many of its competitors. ‘Hold’ as a whole is, well, extraordinary interesting – every song has something special like a fascinating electronic background tune, a subtle echo effect, or a warm melody in which one can wrap oneself and forget the outside world for a while. Part of this effect is due to effective references to the music of the eighties.⁶ And this is something that we will encounter time and again on this list!

14. Buck Meek – Haunted Mountain

One of my favorite albums of 2022 was ‘Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You’ by Big Thief.⁷ So it won’t come as a surprise that the third solo project by Buck Meek, background singer and guitarist for this band, grabbed my attention.⁸ That said, his efforts differ somewhat from the usual style of Big Thief’s chief songwriter, Adrianne Lenker. They lean more towards country than indiepop or rock ‘n roll.⁹ But the intimate portrayals of personal lives – fictionalized or otherwise – that characterize the songs of Big Thief, are also present here.¹⁰ And every song of the eleven present on this record does contain a story that should be told. Because people may recognize themselves in them, or the other way around: because they might learn something about the lives of others. Like with the beautiful ‘Lullabies’, an elegant tune that pontificates on being born, growing up, and an ocean of sadness in between. But however poignant the subjects of these songs can be, ‘Haunted Mountain’ maintains throughout its runtime always the vibe of a warm blanket, whether there are gentle acoustic chords being played or an electric guitar is being shredded.

13. Lana del Rey – Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel under Ocean Boulevard?

More than any album since the monumental 2019 effort that was ‘Norman Fucking Rockwell’, this new Lana del Rey record presents a full narrative that starts with the first song and ends with the last.¹¹ Where she normally excels in presenting an eclectic mix of ideas – that is to say, albums that are tied together by their themes, rather than a narrative – with ‘Did you know…’ we get a throughline that grabs the listener with the first notes and then doesn’t let go: What does it mean to be Lana del Rey? And this holds true for both her professional life, like with the epic ‘A&W’, and her private life, as the cheekily titled ‘The Grants’ shows. This narrative culminates in the drawn out ‘Taco Truck x VB’, a song on which the artist appears to gleefully and sardonically subvert the clichés and mythmaking surrounding her oeuvre. But most songs on this record are also triumphs of virtuous artistry on their own, even if we disregard the qualities of the album as a whole. Especially the title track and ‘Kintsugi’ are equal parts moving, delightful, and impressive. ‘Norman Fucking Rockwell’ was followed by coda’s through its successors ‘Chemtrails over the Country Club’ and ‘Blue Bannisters’, on which we could revel in the ideas and experiments that did not make the former album.¹² And this new album also whets the appetite for everything that had to be left off. We can only hope that Lana will be as favorable to us in the future.

12. The Kills – God Games

That music can sweep you off of your feet, does not have to be a bad thing. And this is once again illustrated by The Kills. Their newest record overwhelms the listener with a magnificent mix of instruments and arrangements, as a result of which even the love songs might be described as apocalyptic.¹³ But it is overwhelming in the best sense of the word. And if one surrenders, when you allow yourself to be submerged in the sound, then you feel for a fleeting moment and in every fiber of your body how great it is to simply be alive. Luckily, the album also provides the perfect excuse to withdraw from the routine of everyday life and enjoy this music: ‘Be right back, I am going to heaven’.

11. Ladytron – Time’s Arrow

The same atmosphere of loss and a desire for earlier or, in any case, better times which can be found on many of the albums on this list, also appears to have Ladytron in its grasp. And the best songs on ‘Time’s Arrow’ breathe nostalgia.¹⁴ It is these highlights that have towed this album to such a prominent position on this list. Because the sophisticated arrangements and impressive melodies of the first three songs, ‘City of Angels’, ‘Faces’ and ‘Misery Remember me’, constitute an opening salvo which is capable to convince any listener to open themselves up for the less accessible music later on the record. And that’s all for the better, because when you finally fall in love with songs like ‘The Dreamers’ and ‘Sargasso Sea’, there will unfold an entire novel and unexpected musical landscape in front of your eyes – erm, ears!

10. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Council Skies

The pre-eminent songwriter of the legendary nineties band Oasis – which curiously enough lasted until 2009 – is back with another great album.¹⁵ On ‘Who Built the Moon’ from 2017 he explored the psychedelic influences on his music, where his earlier discography only hinted at this aspect. And despite this new album seemingly returning the more well-trodden pop and rock ‘n roll that most people would expect from Noel Gallagher, one can still discern interesting detours outside of these genres and surprising production choices.¹⁶ This is at least partly the reason that the record sounds like a veritable triumph, especially on songs like ‘Easy Now’ and the title track. Notwithstanding the bravado, though, it is apparent that just under the surface a certain reflective sadness can be found, which is especially apparent on more melancholic songs like ‘Dead to the World’ and ‘Trying To Find a World That’s Been and Gone Pt. 1’. The frontman of the High Flying Birds does not leave us in despair, thankfully, but assures us on the closing track, ‘We’re Gonna Get There in the End’, that everything will eventually be alright.

9. Teenage Fanclub – Nothing Lasts Forever

When I was listening to this album – or, to be more honest, relistening for the umpteenth time – a passerby said: ,,Wait, are those The Beatles?” Not really, though remarkably that legendary pop group from Liverpool could have appeared in a list with the best music of 2023, thanks to their new single ‘Now and Then’!¹⁷ But the songs on ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ do manage to attain the same universal appeal. This is music that can be enjoyed by hip young people as well as your elderly aunt. Because the music of Teenage Fanclub is expertly crafted as well as undeniably catchy and might remind one of the best work by bands like America, the Plain White T’s and – indeed – The Beatles. But despite these infectious melodies, and just as with Noel Gallagher and Ladytron, themes like reflection and nostalgia pervade the record.¹⁸ This is most evident on tracks like ‘Foreign Land’, ‘Tired of Being Alone’, ‘Middle of My Mind’ and ‘Self-Sedation’. Though I suspect that even the saddest songs on this album might move any dance floor out there.

8. Olivia Rodrigo – GUTS

The prophesized death of a genre is often premature. Even pastiches of the sounds of the European Middle Ages can be heard on streaming services these days, thanks to the popularity of the bardcore genre.¹⁹ And Olivia Rodrigo shows that punkpop has not yet gone into the not so gentle night.²⁰ Whereas many other artists found their inspiration last year for a large part in the eighties and used its musical vocabulary to express their nostalgia, Olivia Rodrigo returns to the nineties and expresses sardonically her dissatisfaction and misapprehension with the world, the people around her, and her own choices.²¹ And there is probably no-one who consciously lived through 2023 who is not capable of doing the same! Listeners might also recognize themselves in the more specific subjects that GUTS focusses on. Such as the difficult relationship between exes, the expectations of other people when your are young and the world supposedly lies at your feet, and the discovery that the adults before you created a disturbed society where – in one way or the other – you do have to try to fit in.

7. Susanne Sundfør – Blómi

The album Blómi by Susanne Sundfør might appeal to a market that is exceedingly niche, that being linguists. Because on this record the artist works with Old-Norse and there is even a track that is based on a Minoan text that was translated by her father, a linguist himself.²²  These ‘linguistic’ songs, as we could call them, are musically very intricate in an impressive and interesting way. The album as a whole was partly inspired by the birth of the daughter of Suzanne Sundfør and this ensures that in addition to such intellectual exercises one can also find a lot of warmth on the record.²³ This results in listeners being brought in by the domestic songs that are easy on the ears, who then stay for the linguistics and musical experiments.

6. Lindsay Lou – Queen of Time

As Taylor Swift has definitively become the greatest pop idol on earth, there is perhaps a vacancy for someone who might take over the position of the queen of country music. And at the moment there is maybe nobody better fit for that crown than Lindsay Lou. Accompanied by guest artists like Billy Strings and Jerry Douglas, she has crafted a record which combines the best that country music has to offer with influences from outside of that genre.²⁴ This is also an album that offers the listener a musical refuge against the storms which disrupt human lives. And that is no coincidence, because the artist recorded this album when she suffered a lot in her private life. Amongst other references, one can hear her recently deceased grandmother, who offers well-meaning advice.²⁵ And the poignancy of hearing a loving voice of someone who is no longer with us, will cause any listener to have a lump in their throat. But independent of any context or themes, this is just a rad record. One can dance, laugh and go nuts through songs like ‘Shame’ and ‘Queen of Time’ in ways very few albums of the last year allowed for. So, long live the queen?

5. Hannah Georgas – I’d Be Lying if I Said I Didn’t Care

Hannah Georgas’ newest album introduces itself as an oasis in a rugged and deserted landscape. A sanctuary where life is good, but where one is also entirely on their own. In such circumstances one would have unprecedented opportunities for – or simply nothing better to do than – contemplating life. And Hannah Georgas’ meditations on exclusion, being self-conscious, and the every present possibility that one is ground up by the indifferent cogs of society give more than enough room for such reflections.²⁶ A highlight in this regard is the caustic track ‘Money Makes You Cool’. But one can also find kindness in this musical sanctuary, like the glowing ‘Home’. All in all, there is heart in this record, which is infectious and accompanied by effortless musicianship. This fifth album therefore delivers again a triumph for Hannah Georgas – and we would lie if we said we didn’t care!

4. Complete Mountain Almanac – Complete Mountain Almanac

This is one of those albums that people throughout their lives will experience differently at different moments. The combination of the background of its recording with its nuanced lyrics, elaborate music and ephemeral arrangements all but guarantee this.²⁷ As with ‘Queen of Time’ by Lindsay Lou, this record is inspired – however morbid that word may sound in this context – by personal suffering. The album started out as a collaboration between Rebekka Karijord and Jessica Dessner. But it had to be postponed when the latter was confronted with cancer. During her recovery Jessica Dessner was keen to continue with the project. Because the structure of the year played an important part in how she experienced her life during this period and this can also be gleaned from the eventual record.²⁸ Like the course of a year, the music here waxes and wanes. From the thoughtfulness of January, through the delicate days of May which are marred by regret, and to the jagged fringes of the year’s end in December. And if we are being honest, has anyone ever ended a year satisfied – especially a year that was plagued by such suffering?

3. New Pornographers – Continue as a Guest

Some albums have been on concept versions of this list since the beginning of 2023. When the new year dawned and I had listened to so much more excellent music, I started to wonder: were these early albums as good as I remember? Naturally, the answer is often in the affirmative. Just so with this tour du force by New Pornographers, where they package meditations on the rougher and lonelier dimensions of living in the modern world with infectious tunes.²⁹ And even the darkest reflections on this albums can be said to be somewhat mischievous.³⁰ A wonderful example in this regard is ‘Cat and Mouse with the Light’, which sketches desire through nautical metaphors and the vernacular of the financial markets. But every song here is excellent in its own way. As a consequence, we have here one of those albums where the listener has a new favorite song anytime they put this record on. And that makes it practically irresistible to spin it again.

2. Corvair – Bound to Be

This albums gives us pop music as it was meant to be, with a spectrum that covers both the rough sounds of rock ’n roll and mellower balladry.³¹ And this broad musical range is not unexpected, as Corvair consists of two married musical veterans who, after having primarily played in separate bands for years, teamed up and have now released their second album.³² The often dark themes and stoic view on live that can be found on this record are partly inspired by the winters in the state of Oregon in the northwestern United States of America.³³ Oregon is also the location of many narrative computer games, like Life is Strange (2015) and Lake (2021), and the state has now produced an album that would seamlessly fit the soundtracks of such games. And as these games are dark and beautiful in equal parts, one can also find on ‘Bound to Be’ many sun rays that pierce the looming clouds.

1. Dragon inn 3 – Trade Secrets

The existence of a music lover who burdens themselves with the duty to compile a yearly list with their favorite music, is made easier when there is one album that stands with head, shoulders, and trade secrets above the rest. The undisputed number one of 2023 is the second record by super group Dragon Inn 3.³⁴ And it is a masterpiece of musical landscapes, nostalgic atmospheres, and lyrics that in a humorous, emotional and sardonic manner move the listener. Who would not joyfully commence with a car ride to Alaska when they hear ‘I’ll Be Right Over’? And does not everyone share the sentiment expressed on ‘This Party Sucks’ at some point in their lives? Else, there is always the possibility to sample the underlying and understated horror of dark science-fiction and corpocratic panorama’s.³⁵ But where many masterpieces present a hefty challenge – being worthy of every minute and every drop of sweat one pours into it to, but needing such an effort nonetheless – one can listen to this record endlessly and effortlessly, without one moment of boredom. And I reckon that I will do so for a very long time to come!

In the age of streaming services, however, albums are not the only avenue through which people encounter new music. Next week, we will therefore shine some well-deserved light on the ten best songs of 2023.

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References

1. George Stigler & Gary Becker, “De Gustibus Non Est Disputandum”, The American Economic Review 1977, 67 (2), p. 76.
2. Nicholas Cook, Music: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021), p. 29-30. But, be careful! Music can connect people as well as drive them apart, see: Ibidem, p. 114-115, 132-133.
3. Allmusic Editors, “New Releases: Editor’s Choice”, Allmusic (retrieved 11 January 2024).
4. James Rettig, “Wild Nothing – Headlights On (Feat. Hatchie)”, Stereogum 16 Augustus 2023 (retrieved 6 January 2024).
5. Ibidem.
6. Matt Collar, “Hold Album Review”, AllMusic (retrieved 6 January 2024).
7. Marcy Donelson, “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 8 January 2024).
8. Marcy Donelson, “Buck Meek Biography”, Allmusic (retrieved 8 January 2024).
9. Marcy Donelson, “Haunted Mountain Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 8 January 2024).
10. Stephen Deusner, “Albuns: Haunted Mountain, Buck Meek”, Pitchfork 22 augustus 2023 (retrieved 8 January 2024).
11. Fred Thomas, “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 8 January 2024).
12. Ibidem; Fred Thomas, “Chemtrails over the Country Club Review”. Allmusic (retrieved 8 January 2024); Fred Thomas, “Blue Bannisters Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 8 January 2024).
13. Heather Phares, “God Games Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 8 January 2024).
14. Heather Phares, “Time’s Arrow Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 10 January 2024).
15. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, “Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds Biography”, Allmusic (retrieved 8 January 2024).
16. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, “Council Skies Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 8 January 2024).
17. Peter van der Ploeg, “Nieuw Beatles-Nummer Is Melancholiek Liefdesliedje”, NRC Handelsblad 3 november 2023, Cultuur & Media, p. 5.
18. Matt Collar, “Nothing Lasts Forever Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 10 January 2024).
19. Hannah Rogers, “The Lowdown Bardcore”, The Times 25 Juni 2020, News, p. 3.
20. Heather Phares, “GUTS Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 10 January 2024).
21. Ibidem.
22. Timothy Monger, “Blómi Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 10 January 2024).
23. Ibidem.
24. Marcy Donelson, “Queen of Time Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 10 January 2024).
25. Ibidem; Garret Woodward, “Lindsay Lou Is Poised to Be the Next Bluegrass Queen”, Rolling Stone 8 december, 2023 (retrieved 10 January 2024).
26. Marcy Donelson, “I’d Be Lying if I Said I Didn’t Care Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 10 January 2024).
27. Timothy Monger, “Complete Mountain Almanac Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 10 January 2024).
28. Ray Finlayson, “Album Review: Complete Mountain Almanac – Complete Mountain Almanac”, Beats Per Minute 9 February 2023 (retrieved 10 January 2024).
29. Ian Cohen, “Albums: Continue as a Guest, New Pornographers”, Pitchfork 5 april 2023 (retrieved 10 January 2024).
30. Timothy Monger, “Continue as a Guest Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 10 January 2024).
31. Timothy Monger, “Bound to Be Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 10 January 2024).
32. Fred Thomas, “Corvair Biography”, Allmusic (retrieved 10 January 2024).
33. Mischa Pearlman, “Corvair Share a Dadaist Collage of Odd Road Trip Details with New Single ‘Shady Town’”, Flood Magazine 17 mei 2023 (retrieved 10 January 2024).
34. Timothy Monger, “Dragon Inn 3 Biography”, Allmusic (retrieved 10 January 2024).
35. Timothy Monger, “Trade Secrets Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 10 January 2024).