Music is amazing. It can move a person, make them happy or angry, and inspire them to do great things – both the good and the bad variety – while existing as mere sound waves.¹ And this should not be surprising, as those sound waves are the work of artists who, in every phase of the creative process, use their experience, their imagination, and other inspirations to fashion this art. They write the lyrics and the music, contemplate the most fitting arrangements, and play, sing and mix the tracks that will eventually reach our ears. And sometimes, sometimes they manage to create songs that are instant classics. As is the case, at least in my opinion, with these ten songs from 2023.

Let me start with divulging a secret: the previous blog, that chronicled my favorite albums from the previous year, was also meant to consist of ten entries. But, in the end, I failed this resolution. This time, I managed to be more strict and confine myself to the number ten. Two cautions are necessary at this point, though. Firstly, some of these songs are on this list in part because of the circumstances in which they came into my life and that are peculiar to me. Because, and perhaps contrary to popular belief, I do have an existence outside of your pc’s, phones, and tablets! Furthermore, a few of these ten songs were sourced from my favorite albums. But this is maybe merely good news for those who don’t feel like listening to an entire album…

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10. The Coral – That’s Where She Belongs

Many of the albums that I discussed last week turned to the eighties for inspiration. By contrast this song  might have come straight from the late sixties or early seventies. And this is not surprising, as the accompanying album, Sea of Mirrors, was written as the imagined soundtrack for a fictitious spaghetti western from that period.² And this song is a highlight of the album, a slice of sunlight with a frayed edge. Because it chronicles that exquisite feeling of daydreaming about a lover who you have to miss for a while. Though both the lyrics as well as the production of the track, especially the percussion towards the end, sow seeds of doubt: will the lovers be reunited?

9. The Lemon Twigs – Every Day Is the Worst Day of My Life

Where The Coral turned to previous decades for their concept album about a fictitious spaghetti western, The Lemon Twigs have built a large part of their style on the cerebral song writing that was all the rage in the seventies.³ Such is also the case with their recent album Everything Harmony. And this commitment leads to tracks that arguably surpass the music that inspired them, like with ‘In My Head’, but especially ‘Every Day Is the Worst Day of My Life’.⁴ Not only does this song sound like a forgotten treasure from the past, but it will also appeal to everyone – because who of us have not thought that life could not get any worse, until this turned out to be very much the case on the next day? And all this with lyrics that merely consist of one sentence!

8. Acda en De Munnik – Morgen Wordt Fantastisch

The days of Acda and De Munnik may be as terrible as those of the Lemon Twigs, but at least they expect better times – because tomorrow will be fantastic. What is also fantastic is the return of this musical duo, which is known in the Netherlands for nineties hits like ‘Niet of Nooit Geweest’, ‘Het Regent Zonnestralen’ and – as part of supergroup De Poema’s – ‘Zij Maakt het Verschil’.’⁵ And that same effortless musicianship with a hint of melancholia can be found on this new triumph of a song. Seldom has there been music that so succinctly captured the feeling of being trapped in the moment that you realize your live is being ravaged by yet another misfortune, as this song does in its second verse. As such, we can only hope that the expectations for a better tomorrow, about which the duo sings against their better judgement, come true!

7. Lana del Rey – Kintsugi

Has Did You Know that There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd only made my list of favorite albums from 2023 because it contained this song? No! Maybe? Certainly not! Or perhaps? In any case, this is by far the best song on the album. It touches on the personal themes concerning the life of the artist, which are also explored elsewhere on the record.⁶ The title is a nod to a Japanese ceramic technique which is attested from the 17^th century CE onwards and that was used to repair broken wares in a way that marked the previous fractures with metals like gold.⁷ Lana del Rey uses this technique as a metaphor for the idea that even after encountering great adversity, one can still rebuild their live better.⁸ And this message, together with the delicate music, will give any listener a proverbial lump in their throat.

 6. Olivia Rodrigo – bad idea right?

Those of us who are fortunate enough to have reached the midst of our twenties alive, will forever remember those awkward circumstances of our first courtships and ditto relationships. As such, the appeal of this magnificent song by Olivia Rodrigo about ill-advised choices regarding one’s ex might be practically universal.⁹ What elevates this song above similar tracks is the musical inventiveness on display. From the punk-rock verses to the wry humor in the transitions to the chorus, which itself is imminently catchy – this song will not bore the listener for one moment. It will make itself at home in your head and you will find yourself nodding or singing along with it on the most unexpected of moments. But I would implore you to keep paying attention, because not every place or time is suited to the belt out some of the more risqué lyrics of this song!

5. Depeche Mode – Ghosts Again

The sheer continuing existence of Depeche Mode might be called a miracle, as the exit of a number of previous band members and the recent passing of founding member Andy Fletcher has left Dave Gahan and Martin Gore with just the two of them. As such, it is not surprising that their newest album, Memento Mori, focuses on mortality and death.¹⁰ The themes of this record, however, were already conceived prior to the death of Flether. And if we are being fair, the state of the world has continuously given cause for the exploration of such themes as long as Depeche Mode exists.¹¹ And this makes the record as a whole into both a personal and a universal meditation on the finite nature of our existence. Hit single ‘Ghosts Again’ manages to capture this meditation in a very accessible manner. It is therefore a song that you may easily chant along with, before you inevitably start to contemplate what the lyrics mean to you in your situation.

 4. Hannah Georgas – Home

Some songs sound like they have always existed and were merely excavated by the artist, instead of written by mortal humans.¹² Hannah Georgas’ single ‘Home’ is arguably one of those songs. The warm atmosphere will feel immediately familiar to the listener and already on the first spin one gets the impression that one could sing along – even though the track is brand new and unique. All the while the lyrics, if one manages to see through the cozy arrangement to evaluate them in earnest, talk about the experience of loss!¹³ All these qualities make ‘Home’ such a highlight, not only with regard to Hannah Georgas’ album I’d Be Lying if I Said I Didn’t Care but also considering all the music that came out in 2023.

3. Post Malone – Chemical

A piano starts playing a feverish tune, a pulsing base line begins to accompany it, and a while later the percussion comes in. These first few bars alone would have made ‘Chemical’ into a classic. But the rest of the song, with a haunted Post Malone who sings about addiction and heartbreak as the instruments in the background rise and wane with the expressed emotions, is a veritable triumph. A song which is more energetic and open than one might expect from Post Malone, even within the context of Austin, arguably his most poppy and vulnerable album to date.¹⁴

 2. Joshua Hyslop – Pieces

For years now, Joshua Hyslop has provided us, mostly through digital channels, with gems within the genre that one might broadly describe as Indiefolk.¹⁵ His new track ‘Pieces’ continues the tradition of commendable efforts like ‘Something More’ and ‘Behind the Light’, as it manages to both move and inspire the listener. And ‘Pieces’ accomplishes these two tasks sublimely. Whereas the music hints at melancholy and reflection, the lyrics teach us that there is power in vulnerability and being open to others.¹⁶ It is a song that encourages a search for what is important to you as a person, regardless of the convictions of your surroundings or the world at large. And this is an encouragement all of us might use at some point in our lives!

1. Dragon Inn 3 – I’ll Be Right Over

It is my opinion that the musical year 2023 belongs firmly to Dragon Inn 3 and their majestic album Trade Secrets. And even if the track ‘I’ll Be Right Over’ would be the only music they had released, I would still hold this conviction. One can already talk endlessly about the perfect pop song and ‘I’ll Be Right Over’ shows us that this discussion will never be over – because every year might present a new candidate for this coveted title. Like the rest of the album, this song accomplishes with a minimal time span and in a very efficient manner undisputed musical brilliance. And besides it offers us intriguing lyrics, melodies that one can easily chant along with, and a sophisticated production.¹⁷ This is one of those songs one can listen to on repeat without ever getting tired of it. And I suspect that we will continue to discover new aspects that make this song so appealing in the years to come.

But that is enough about the recent past, for now! Next week we will return once again to the wonders of antiquity.

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References

1. Nicholas Cook, Music: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021), p. 29.
2. Tim Sendra, “Sea of Mirrors Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 14 January 2024).
3. Neil Z. Yeung, “The Lemon Twigs Biography”, Allmusic (retrieved 14 January 2024).
4. Fred Thomas, “Everything Harmony Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 14 January 2024).
5. Philip Huff, “Acda en De Munnik Biography”, Allmusic (retrieved 14 January 2024).
6. Fred Thomas, “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 14 January 2024).
7. Stephanie Hammill, “Kintsugi”, The Journal of Australian Ceramics 2016, 55 (3), p. 70.
8. Sam Prance, “Lana Del Rey Explains the Emotional Meaning Behind Her Kintsugi Lyrics”, Popbuzz 24 maart 2023 (retrieved 14 January 2024).
9. Heather Phares, “GUTS Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 10 January 2024).
10. Neil Z. Yeung, “Depeche Mode Biography”, Allmusic (retrieved 14 January 2024).
11. Neil Z. Yeung, “Memento Mori Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 14 January 2024).
12. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, “Dig Out Your Soul Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 14 January 2024).
13. Marcy Donelson, “I’d Be Lying if I Said I Didn’t Care Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 10 January 2024).
14. Neil Z. Yeung, “Austin Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 14 January 2024).
15. James Christopher Monger, “Joshua Hyslop Biography” Allmusic (retrieved 14 January 2024).
16. Jason Currell, “Canadian Singer-Songwriter Joshua Hyslop Returns With Heartfelt New Single ‘Pieces’”, Nettwerk 5 mei 2023 (retrieved 14 January 2024).
17. Timothy Monger, “Trade Secrets Review”, Allmusic (retrieved 10 January 2024).