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Albums of 2023


Miguel Sanchez

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Me and a fellow Pie and Bover have started a new Whatsapp Channel where every Friday we review a bunch of new album releases and then score them out of ten. 

We usually pick a bunch a mix of mainstream stuff as well as some totally random or unknown stuff to us.

If you like discovering new albums or new music in general, would appreciate any follows for our channel.

(It's not a whatsapp group don't worry, it's more like a blog style feed on whatsapp)

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCUdDb1iUxfts040d07

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2 hours ago, George Parr said:

I thought it was a bit drab tbh. Not a touch on the last couple of records.

Still plan to catch them in Glasgow next year.

I thought it was a great evolution of their sound. But that's the beautiful thing about music, everyone hears it differently.

New one from Knuckle Puck, Losing What We Love is excellent. So is the new one from awakebutstillinbed, chaos takes the wheel and I am a passenger. Very good week for emo.

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Quite enjoyed a DJ  Shadow’s latest, Action Adventure. It’s a bit patchy, but he seems to be trying some new stuff that doesn’t always come off.  Top tracks for me are Time and Space and You Played Me, with the latter being one of the successful experiments with new directions. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Will Johnson will run away with my album of the year, but I completely missed the new Beirut record and will check that out when I get home.  
 

Quite enjoying the new one from the Blips.  Nothing life changing, but solid punk rock.  

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Still to pull together a list of my top 10 for this year but fairly certain Suicide and Sunshine by Trophy Eyes will be my number one album. Can't get enough of it.

Biggest disappointment so far for me is probably The Menzingers, usually one of my favourite bands but I'm not feeling it as much as their other albums. May be a grower however. Will caveat it by saying that Ultraviolet is a belter of a song. 

Won't be included in my list due to not being a full album (the band themselves have called it a mixtape) but also very much enjoyed The Brightest Days by Origami Angel.

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  • 2 weeks later...

My top 10 for the year:

  1. Boygenius - The Record
  2. The Hold Steady - The Price Of Progress
  3. Deer Tick - Emotional Contracts
  4. Geese - 3D Country
  5. The Murlocs - Calm Ya Farm
  6. Slime City - Slime City Death Club
  7. Ratboys - The Window
  8. Bdrmm - I Don’t Know
  9. OSees - Intercepted Message
  10. Fews - Glass City

Honourable mentions for the J Mahon, Nation Of Language and Wednesday albums too. 

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On 15/12/2023 at 08:19, GrahamJags said:

My top 10 for the year:

  1. Boygenius - The Record
  2. The Hold Steady - The Price Of Progress
  3. Deer Tick - Emotional Contracts
  4. Geese - 3D Country
  5. The Murlocs - Calm Ya Farm
  6. Slime City - Slime City Death Club
  7. Ratboys - The Window
  8. Bdrmm - I Don’t Know
  9. OSees - Intercepted Message
  10. Fews - Glass City

Honourable mentions for the J Mahon, Nation Of Language and Wednesday albums too. 

Some class choices here.

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Five albums I've quite enjoyed this year:

  1. Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
  2. Young Fathers - Heavy, Heavy
  3. billy woods & Kenny Segal - Maps
  4. Joanna Sternberg - I've Got Me
  5. boygenius - the record

Reckon Olivia Rodrigo's "vampire" has probably been my most played 2023 song on Spotify. A 100% certified fresh banger!

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My top 10 Albums of the Year

(1) - The National - Laugh Track
(2) - Sufjan Stevens - Javelin
(3) - The National - First Two Pages of Frankenstein
(4) - Bdrmm - I Don't know
(5) - Daughter - Stereo Mind Games
(6) - Penguin Cafe - Rain Before Seven...
(7) - Hamish Hawke - Angel Numbers
(8) - Baxter Jury - I thought I was Better than You
(9) - Cloth - Secret Measure
(10) - Steve Mason - Brothers and Sisters  

Special memtion to Rozi Plain, Young Fathers, Hak Baker who just missed out. 

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My albums of the year for the mailing group I belong to.  Not all of this will make sense  but in short, a great year.

1. No Ordinary Crown - Will Johnson:  My connection with this fella is tenuous. At my first ever SxSW, towards  the end of the week, a bunch of postcarders told me I absolutely had to see this guy in a venue that turned out to be half way towards Houston.  It took hours to get there and this was with a bunch of gents who had had a lot more to drink than I had, so I ended up missing at least three shows, which if you know me irks me in Austin.   So we get there and it’s standing room only with a massive queue for the bar.  I didn’t really enjoy it, although it’s still the only SxSW I’ve seen with a pedal guitar up front.  

Anyway I gave him nary a thought until I read his novel, which is great, and this record, which is even better.  I forgive you Will.  Also has one of the most beautiful covers I’ve ever seen.  Best track: Sinker, Sinking.  

2. Cut Worms - Cut Worms: Cut Worms doing what Cut Worms does best.  Doo-woo inspired hook central.  Best song: I’ll Never Make It

3. Sigo Regando - Belako: Basque County punk/chillout.  Overtly political, catchy as hell punk.  Really fun live, and her slightly dodgy English lyrics are quite endearing. Best song: Dump
  
4. Again - The Blips.  Friend of postcard and erstwhile Glory Fire Eric Wallace’s new band with two parts Heartbreakers and one part Ramones. The singer’s voice is… an acquired taste, but I think it’s a splendid pop punk record.  Best song: Glass People

5.  Oh Me Oh My - Lonnie Holley. This guy has quite the story, and his record is a mix of soul, rock, trip hop, and reflects on the Birmingham prison system.  Features Michael Stype and Sharon Van Etten. Best track - Mount Meigs. 

6. Till You Return - Teenage Halloween More punk pop power hits from these crazy kids.  Seem to have added a second singer, to no great benefit, but fun as heck.  Best played loud.  Best tune: Supertrans

7. Charm of Yesterday Convenience of Tomorrow - Barbara Manning Eclectic album by Postcard’s most famous member. Two word review: Culloden Moor.  Best track: So Much Wine 

8. The Boy and the Heron - Joe Hisaishi - I’m a sucker for Ghibli soundtracks. Evocative, childlike and memorable.  Best track: The Curse of the Grey Heron

9. Bird Machine - Sparklehorse Others have reviewed this more eloquently than I can. I’m not super familiar with his work, but this just lovely.  Best track: Daddy’s Gone

10. Black Cuillin - Duncan Chisholm This was released in December 22 - after I submitted my list of that year (see Felice Brothers this year). A bit annoying.  If it’s banned, please replace with #11.  

Neo traditional Celtic fiddle music. Championed by Mark Radcliffe in the UK. Best track: Black Cuillin 

11. Laugh Track - The National - The National doing what they do best/worst depending on your point of view.  A step up from their last few albums which have rather bored me. Best tune: Space Invaders

Discovery  of the year - The Changing of the Guard - Starflyer 59. 

Gigs of the year: Duncan Chisholm @ Highview House; Barbara Manning @ Highview House; (this was the year I became a music promoter) Lee Bains @ Broadcast

 

 

 

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