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owenwoolford
Jul 17, 202319 min read

100 Exceptional Albums of 2023 (Part 1)

Updated: Nov 26, 2023

My personal picks for the first half of 2023... so far - #100-51

 

It's that time of the year when half-yearly countdowns are emerging from every branch of the music journalism community, and if there's one thing in common with these rankings, it's that they achieve strong viewer numbers. That makes sense: even if I would like to presume that each of you study my album analysis word for word, I recognize that the main function of music blogs is to act as an intermediary for enthusiasts to discover fresh material. Luckily, ranking albums is fun, and therefore I have decided to indulge in both of our desires and produce a comprehensive list of both albums and EPs for the first six months of 2023, ending June 30th. Enjoy!


My ranking and ratings are irrelevant, these are all worthwhile listens.


I have created a playlist for each of the 'standout tracks' - my favorite off the album. This could help with getting an idea of each album while you are reading: playlist


--- 2023 Albums (100-51st) ---


#100: Desire Marea - On The Romance of Being

Genre: Art Rock

Standout Track: Mfula

Rating: C+


Desire Marea bridges cultural rifts by featuring South African jazz alongside Western rock star showmanship, granted by a 13-piece band that performs luscious orchestral arrangements. With the ceaseless genre blending, language swapping, and wandering vocal performances, On The Romance of Being is undefinable, even at the cost of its cohesion.



 

#99: Enforced - War Remains

Genre: Thrash Metal

Standout Track: Avarice

Rating: C+


Likened to the legacy of illustrious metal acts such as Judas Priest, War Remains is pulse-stopping, full-bore carnage that carries both the bluntness of forthright riffs and the razor-sharp blades of labyrinthine guitar solos. Though occasionally lost in the wreckage of its own destruction, War Remains will attract both the old and young with its modern reinterpretation of classic thrash.



 

#98: Monika Roscher Bigband - Witchy Activities and The Maple Death

Genre: Avant-prog

Standout Track: 8 Prinzessinnen

Rating: C+


Witchy Activities and The Maple Death is best described as prog-rock performed by a bigband. Replace the power chords with trombone quartets and the guitar solos with blustering saxophones and you've got yourself an inimitable style that boils down to the jazz equivalent of Black Midi's Hellfire. Add the Björk inspired vocals on top, and Witchy Activities and The Maple Death sounds like a bygone ritual of occultists concocting a morbid potion of prog-jazz wizardry.



 

#97: Bandit - Siege of Self

Genre: Grindcore

Standout Track: Siege of Self

Rating: C+


Untreated, unpasteurized filth: Siege of Self is as disgusting as grindcore gets, palatable only through paranoid, erratic riffage. It's a miracle that just three virtuosic bandmates can output ferocity so ear-splitting, and illustrates the potential Bandit has if they exclude the rhythmic deathcore and embrace lawlessness at its full capacity.



 

#96: Mol$ & Cartier God - Wave God

Genre: Hypnagogic Pop

Standout Track: Drip Shoppe

Rating: C+


There is no cloud producer more prolific than Jane Remover - aka C0ncernn, aka Leroy, aka Dltzk. At only 19 years old, Jane Remover captures the spirit of a new generation through lo-fi beats and nostalgic production that doesn't evoke music of the 20th century but instead of the internet era. While singer Cartier God's resemblance to Bladeee is uncanny, that doesn't stop Wave God from achieving similar success by immersing the listener in a pool of vaporwave schmaltz.



 

#95: Navy Blue - Ways of Knowing

Genre: Conscious Hip-hop

Standout Track: Kill Switch

Rating: C+


A source of relief for a jaded soul, Ways of Knowing is an escape from the colorless lifecycle of routine. Sink into your bed, close your eyes, and observe the burden of urgency lift from your body. The cover features a smiling father holding his son, and the lyrics reflect this through stirring poetry that prioritizes family and home above all else. While not daring, and limited to a one-dimensional tone, Ways of Knowing is bursting with warmth: an ember in an icy landscape.



 

#94: Hypno5e - Sheol

Genre: Metalcore

Standout Track: Slow Steams of Darkness Pt. II

Rating: C+


With many tracks exceeding 10 minutes in length, the scale of Sheol is difficult to reconcile. Hypno5e claims they have "forged the term cinematic metal", which is an accurate depiction of their talent, if a slight overstatement. Interwoven with metalcore breakdowns and atonal djent riffing without neglecting lengthy clean passages, each song's structure is irregular and inaccessible; Sheol's admissions fee is steep, but it's worth the price.



 

#93: Foo Fighters - But Here We Are

Genre: Hard Rock

Standout Track: Rest

Rating: C+


Expectations are painful to live up to, especially when your fanbase is in the dozens of millions. Fortunately, But Here We Are isn't the debacle it could have been, highlighting Foo Fighter's songwriting expertise three decades into their career. Dipping their toes into the bleary world of shoegaze, Grohl embraces vulnerability, both in the earnest lyrics and in the tender guitar tones. Decades from now, But Here We Are will be the definitive Foo Fighters album, superseding their already extensive legacy.



 

#92: Joanna Sternberg - I've Got Me

Genre: Indie Folk

Standout Track: Drifting On A Cloud

Rating: C+


Joanna Sternberg certainly knows how to tick the boxes of major publications: by balancing mature storytelling with playful harmonies, her sophomore release I've Got Me received a flurry of attention upon debut. Comically, Joanna Sternberg shares the most kinship with Joanna Newsom, like a lesser doppelganger. While Sternberg's childlike vocal inflections won't be for everyone's tastes, I've Got Me brings compassion to tales of deep heartache, subverting listener expectations with her benevolent approach.



 

#91: Benefits - Nails

Genre: Spoken Word

Standout Track: Shit Britain

Rating: C+


It must really suck to be British. UK artist Benefits's newest project Nails is a fierce commentary on the socio-economic crises that plague modern-day Britain, protesting the inefficiency of its infrastructure and tradition. Choosing to give the album a chance, it assaulted my ears right off the bat with the brutality of the initial tracks - I laughed out loud on first listen. Don't be put off yet, however, as Nails has surprising depth and range: dabbling in trip-hop, post-punk, and dark ambience. The lyrical message is explicit, but the instrumentals hold enough nuance to maintain engagement.



 

#90: Tha God Fahim & Oh No - Berserko

Genre: Conscious Hip-Hop

Standout Track: I Show I Prove

Rating: C+


Tha God Fahim or the 'Dump Gawd' has dropped over nine albums this year, but Berserko stands above them all in excellence, though it still doesn't try to be exceptional. Instead, Tha God Fahim's witty bars and Disrupt's production is best ingested as a modest meal, filled with small sweet treats. For those who are fans of Mach-Hommy, Berseko may quench your thirst for an artist with similar charisma. In the future, I wish that Tha God Fahim would curb his output and direct his work ethic on quality, but Berserko will have to do for now.



 

#89: Alice Yongyu Gao - Let's Hope Heteros Fail, Learn, and Retire

Genre: Hyperpop

Standout Track: .Sex

Rating: C+


With a title as eye-catching as Let's Hope Heteros Fail, Learn, and Retire, Alice Yongyu Gao had an expectation to live up to in just under 20 minutes of freaky hyperpop. Gao wears her influences on a sleeve - a lengthy one at that - drawing inspiration from luminaries such as CharliXCX and SOPHIE. In some cases, I can barely distinguish her flow and inflection from a track off of How I'm Feeling Now, but often Gao deconstructs the song into a grotesque mess of lunacy and eroticism: to varied effect.



 

#88: Killer Mike - Michael

Genre: Conscious Hip Hop

Standout Track: Don't Let The Devil

Rating: C+


Even with my conflicting assessment of Michael's merit, I am glad that Killer Mike ditched the political rambling of Run The Jewels for an intimate glimpse into his clashing identity. This juxtaposition is evident in the cover, where the halo illuminates his devil horns; it also appears in the music, where pronounced gospel samples meet Killer Mike's arrogance and adrenaline-kicking trap beats. Michael may never achieve the prestige of R.A.P Music; nevertheless, it continues Killer Mike's flawless discography.



 

#87: El Michels Affair & Black Thought - Glorious Game

Genre: Jazz Rap

Standout Track: The Weather

Rating: C+


After last year's collaborative project Cheat Codes - my hip-hop album of the year - Black Thought's solo career took off into the stars. While Black Thought has a storied history with The Roots that is worthy of legend status, for many listeners who aren't hip-hop aficionados, Cheat Codes was their first exposure to his name. Glorious Game follows in the footsteps of Cheat Codes in style, but with a patient and roaming structure that is best suited for passive listening. Black Thought is one of the greatest lyricists of all time, he just needs to find a producer that appropriately matches his genius.



 

#86: Model/Actriz - Dogsbody

Genre: Noise Rock

Standout Track: Mosquito

Rating: B-


It's exceedingly rare that a debut is as complete as Dogsbody, and if it weren't for my own biases it would probably fall within the top 20 of this list. Frontman Cole Haden maintains the tension through his unpredictability, where reality comes secondary to his own grotesque fantasies. My gripes mainly stem from its derivativity, as I cannot disassociate Nine Inch Nails or Daughters from the album's soundscape.



 

#85: Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!

Genre: Disco

Standout Track: Begin Again

Rating: B-


That! Feels Good! is the Renaissance (Beyonce) of 2023, as both are explorations of dance where the instrumentals make me sway and the lyrics make me blush. Jessie Ware has single-handedly started a disco revolution - as escapism is on the rise - by achieving popstar status. Hopefully, in the wake of the pandemic, she can also spark a revitalization in community and celebration, and do away with the division that has cursed our world with pleasure and passion.



 

#84: Felicita - Spalarkle

Genre: Hyperpop

Standout Track: Spalarkle (Alys)

Rating: B-


PCMusic defined a decade of innovation within the music industry, becoming increasingly divisive across online communities for their caustic production and autotuned vocals. With their reign coming to an end in 2023, it's worth acknowledging one of their obscure members: Felicita, whose new project, Spalarkle, is an eclectic mix of ambience and electro-industrial bursts. The tracks with features are the most fascinating, as Caroline Polachek, YoungQueenz, and even Kero Kero Bonito deliver unexpected but thrilling performances.



 

#83: Smokedope2016 - Bando

Genre: Cloud Rap

Standout Track: Airstreaks

Rating: B-


Many teenage high schoolers aspire to become a successful SoundCloud rapper, but most lack the delivery or production talent to make their dreams a reality. In this aspect, Smokedope2016 has hit the lottery, proving his worth above the mediocre masses. Bando is the archetypal cloud rap mixtape, and for agnostics could be enough to convert their pre-conceived assumptions of amateur rappers into faith.



 

#82: Arnaut Pavle - Transyslvanian Glare

Genre: Black Metal

Standout Track: Call From The Void

Rating: B-


If there's any genre that has the deepest rabbit holes, it would be black metal: mystique is integral to its character. There are hundreds of albums just like Transylvanian Glare, patiently waiting to be unearthed by metal buffs and spread by word of mouth. Transylvanian Glare hits every Halloween cliché, embracing the appearance of a gelid winter night: the woods are alive with creatures of every myth and bats fly towards a frostbitten moon.



 

#81: To The Grave - Director's Cuts

Genre: Deathcore

Standout Track: Red Dot Sight

Rating: B-


Continuing the horror theme, Director's Cuts is as ugly and bestial as metal gets. While I loathe deathcore, and Director's Cuts doesn't remedy that, Dane Evan's voice is the best in the genre: able to morph into a demonic pig at will. It's a shame that the instrumentals tend to drown the vocals in the mix, as they are the selling point that keeps me returning time after time again. Fun fact - despite the bloody cover and predatory aggression, To The Grave is an all vegan band.



 

#80: KayCyy - TW2052

Genre: RnB

Standout Track: Okay!

Rating: B-


What if Playboi Carti and The Weeknd shared a brother? That's the first thought that came to my mind upon hearing upcoming hip-hop/RnB artist KayCyy, whose collaborative debut has infinite replay value. If anything, KayCyy's obstacles could be solved by simply writing more, as the album is too flash in the pan to provide complete satisfaction. The real prodigy, however, is producer Gesaffelstein, whose drumless beat on Okay! is intoxicating in its simplicity. With an ear for catchy melodies, a one-of-a-kind voice, and extraordinary production, the enigmatic duo has a bright future.



 

#79: Home Is Where - The Whaler

Genre: Folk Punk

Standout Track: Floral Organs

Rating: B-


The Whaler is a folk punk/emo concept album about downward spirals. Despite this, the album becomes steadily more joyous: this is not due to internal well-being, but instead from becoming anesthetized to the pain. While folk punk is always a novel experience, certain tracks are in poor taste to me, such as Everyday Feels Like 9/11 and 9/12 - titles that could have used reexamination.



 

#78: Lil Yachty - Let's Start Here

Genre: Psychedelic Rock

Standout Track: sHouLd i B?

Rating: B-


There's a current trend of rappers leaving the hip-hop sphere to try their hand at other genres, and Let's Start Here is the exemplar of this strategy. While Lil Yachty had a promising career in the trap scene, his ratings were at all-time lows with Lil Boat 3, desperately clinging to the glory of the Lil Boat brand. Let's Start Here is his career reborn into psychedelic rock, and even if bands such as Yves Tumor are superior in proficiency, Lil Yachty has brazenly paraded himself in front of a skeptical audience and passed with flying colors: he has my respect.



 

#77: Zulu - A New Tomorrow

Genre: Powerviolence

Standout Track: Fakin' Tha Funk (You Get Did)

Rating: B-


Punk, powerviolence, metalcore: all genres that are looking different as much as they are sounding different; a rise of women, people of color, and queer pride in genres historically associated with white, male aggression has appeared. It's not surprising, then, that innovation has followed, and Zulu's A New Tomorrow is a concept album that epitomizes this transformation. By mixing unremitting onslaught with RnB and reggae samples, Zulu challenges the paradigm that most metal artists blindly follow.



 

#76: Nitepunk - Human

Genre: Breakbeat

Standout Track: Nephilim's Drama

Rating: B-


Dubstep has an odd stigma behind it that I have never understood. Maybe it's because most people still associate their edgy teen years with producers such as Skrillex and Knife Party, even when their prime was over a decade ago... Or maybe it's because there aren't any real instruments: a rationalization popular amongst boomers. Either way, Human is a multifaceted journey through hardcore breaks, hybrid trap, and danceable sampling to reach a stature equivalent to the most venerated EDM albums of the decade.



 

#75: MARO - Hortelã

Genre: Singer/Songwriter

Standout Track: Há-de Sarar

Rating: B-


2023 is the year for foreign artists, in this case Portuguese singer-songwriter MARO. I don't understand a lick of Portuguese, but that hardly matters when the guitar and her voice blend like milk and honey into a sensual medley of gentleness and empathy. Hortelã is an improvement over MARO's previous projects in every direction and deserves the approval of Western audiences - even if she doesn't need it.



 

#74: Sigur Rós - ÁTTA

Genre: Modern Classical

Standout Track: Skel

Rating: B-


Call it commercial, call it inordinate, call it uninspired, but it's impossible to deny the emotional weight of ÁTTA. ÁTTA might be a tried and true formula, but no one is worthier than Sigur Rós to keep the concept refreshing. The album cover depicts a rainbow engulfed in flames, which conjures an impression of beauty, but one that is far beyond our control. The listener is helpless against the flood of violins that threaten to sweep them off their feet and into the heavens: ÁTTA feels like an evangelical awakening.



 

#73: Durand Jones - Wait Till I Get Over

Genre: Soul

Standout Track: That Feeling

Rating: B-


Despite being allured by critical acclaim across the board, Durand Jones remains underappreciated by casual listeners. However, those who take the bait will be welcomed with open arms and a draught filled to the brim with Southern charm. Jones's singing is awe-inspiring, comparable to immortal voices such as singer-songwriter Rod Stewart. The crowning moments of Wait Till I Get Over are sensational to an almost feverish emotional pitch, but the slower passages feel hollow.



 

#72: Portrayal of Guilt - Devil Music

Genre: Black Metal

Standout Track: Devil Music

Rating: B-


After appraising the title and album cover, the implication is clear: this album is going to be terrifying. Portrayal of Guilt excels at handing the listener exactly what they want... but not entirely, leaving them disoriented as seemingly random left turns and musical jump-scares appear as transitions. Not one to deliver on consistency, the entire second half is an orchestral version of the first, adding a new dimension to an already convoluted ordeal.



 

#71: Brandee Younger - Brand New Life

Genre: Jazz

Standout Track: Brand New Life

Rating: B-


Brandee Younger immediately sets herself apart from other contemporary jazz releases with the inclusion of the harp, which she plays masterfully and allows for arpeggios and harmonies that would otherwise be unattainable. The featured vocalists rarely overpower the harp's presence, instead developing a conversation between the two. While the adventures into the experimental hip-hop side of the album are listenable and at times have interesting turntable elements, ultimately the jazzier songs are where the album shines in its indulgence.



 

#70: MSPAINT - Post-American

Genre: Synth Punk

Standout Track: Hardwired

Rating: B-


Post-American stands apart from other punk releases with its bizarre lack of guitar, instead adopting heavy bass and synth progressions to fill the gap with throbbing riffs as if Death Grips decided to convert into a punk outfit. The tracklist drags the listener along its coarse soundscape, tearing through flesh and bone in its visceral slaughter of conventional punk norms. If only MSPAINT went the extra mile in its inventiveness, as the sound they have patented has the potential for so much more.



 

#69: PJ Harvey - I Inside The Old Year Dying

Genre: Singer/Songwriter

Standout Track: All Souls

Rating: B-


A slow-burn of skeletal, enduring pieces adapted from her published book Orpham, I Inside The Old Year Dying is PJ Harvey's return to the limelight with a placid attitude contrasted to her protest-driven 2011 album Let England Shake. I Inside The Old Year Dying is purposefully inaccessible, where only devoted listeners will be able to derive full appreciation of her poetry - certainly not me. Either way, understanding is not mandatory for gratification, and I'd rather remain ignorant.



 

#68: Frost Children - Speed Run

Genre: Electropop

Standout Track: SERPENT

Rating: B


A teaser of what is to come, Speed Run is a safe but well-executed electropop/hyperpop record that is more agreeable to a mainstream audience than 100 Gecs, for example. That being said, it's still hyperpop, and mixing electro-beats with perfectly produced sidechaining (the snare sounds incredible) means there's still substantial endorphin rushes following the hardcore breaks. Speed Run fulfills the deepest desires of hyperpop enthusiasts, but its sterile production and risk-averse approach hinders its quality.



 

#67: Kesha - Gag Order

Genre: Art Pop

Standout Track: Living In My Head

Rating: B


In the fallout of a decade-long legal battle against her sexual abuser and former producer Dr. Luke, Kesha releases the synthesis of her repressed emotions in the form of calculated retribution that presents her tragic story with striking clarity. Keeping minimalist production and a commercial audience in mind, Kesha is still able to reveal her individuality through expressive song structure and poignant lyrics. At times, the descriptions are so explicit it's uncomfortable, but that's why Gag Order is so memorable.



 

#66: McKinley Dixon - Beloved! Paradise! Jazz?!

Genre: Conscious Hip Hop

Standout Track: Beloved! Paradise! Jazz?!

Rating: B


At under 30 minutes but covering the musical ground of a contemporary Swans album, Beloved! Paradise! Jazz?! is wall-to-wall hip-hop enchantment. Minimalism is not a word used to describe McKinley Dixon's production, which is dense and vibrant, swerving suddenly from Mezzanine Trippin's abrasive swagger to Run Run Run's cheerful piano chords - even when the lyrics recount a playground shootout. Given the fleeting runtime, missteps stand out sorely but don't ruin an otherwise polished experience.



 

#65: Taichu - Rawr

Genre: Neoperreo

Standout Track: Payday

Rating: B


While at face level it's uncomplicated to dismiss Taichu as feeding off of the triumph of Rosalía's reggaeton-pop fusion, the truth is that neoperreo - and artists such as Taichu - laid the groundwork for Rosalía, not the other way around. Argentinian/Chilean trap has always existed, Rosalía just colonized it expertly for a Western audience. From the gritty features to the pulsing moombahton beats, Rawr has everything Latin-American trap subculture has to offer for a wider audience.



 

#64: Queens of The Stone Age - In Times New Roman

Genre: Hard Rock

Standout Track: Negative Space

Rating: B


From a cancer diagnosis to a divorce, frontman Josh Hommes's personal life has suffered through the worst of his extensive career. Conversely, his music has remained stuck in the past, which nobody complains about when it's this thrilling. On their 8th studio album, In Times New Roman, Queens of The Stone Age channels their dad-rock tendencies into a raw and indignant tracklist that has little moments of reprieve. To put it into perspective, In Times New Roman is more exhausting than some grindcore albums, for better or for worse.



 

#63: Depeche Mode - Memento Mori

Genre: Synthpop

Standout Track: Never Let Me Go

Rating: B


Brooding, scheming, calculating its course in the aphotic depths of the deepest waters lies Memento Mori, the return of heralded 80s icon Depeche Mode. With modern technology and concepts at their fingertips, their soundscapes are murkier and more haunting than ever before, especially with the monitory title 'Remember you must die'. Unfortunately, their legacy is still dominated by Violator, and nothing this late in their career will ever challenge that reality.



 

#62: Spirit Possession - Of The Sign...

Genre: Black Metal

Standout Track: Inhale The Hovering Keys

Rating: B


This album is very capable of making me feel villainous. Flipping tables, smashing bottles, punching walls: Of The Sign... has the classic thrash energy of pioneers such as Bathory appropriated for a contemporary release. Straightforward and never unreliable, Spirit Possession is exactly what traditional metal should be: grooves first, creativity last.



 

#61: Feist - Multitudes

Genre: Singer/Songwriter

Standout Track: I Took All of My Rings Off

Rating: B


Feist has been composing music for over two decades, and her years of youthful spirit are over. Hence, Multitudes is down to earth and mature, soothing her audience with the wisdom and comfort of a loving mother. Her voice takes center stage, and the instrumentals are built around it to accentuate every harmony, every dissonance, and every voice crack. When Feist embraces other genres - such as electropop - it's as natural as a simple modulation, barely noticeable by idle listeners.



 

#60: Godcaster - Godcaster

Genre: Art Punk

Standout Track: Death's Head Eyed Hawkmoth

Rating: B


Nothing about Godcaster's self-titled album makes any sense, from the long-winded song titles to the volatile tempo that accelerates without warning. I would like to say I understand their purpose, and that there is a method to the madness, but I digress I don't know the answer. What I do know, however, is that every band member is heavily proficient in their instrument, playing each song with supernatural technicality and coordination. Their celestial pseudonym and cosmological lyrical content only amplify their inhuman nature, as if they are communicating in a language us mortals are unable to translate.



 

#59: The Canyon Observer - Figura

Genre: Avant-garde Metal

Standout Track: Koža

Rating: B


An album that seized the attention of every online music nerd community, Figura asks the question 'what if?' and doesn't back down. I don't have to appreciate every gimmick Figura attempts, but I do love its existence. Undoubtedly, there is little the ordinary listener stands to gain from listening to Figura unless you want your natural instincts to be crushed under the seemingly arbitrary genre-substituting, and the lack of any critical reception means that information about the anonymous band is scarce and untrustworthy: Figura is a release meant for nobody, and its success is merely incidental.



 

#58: Tisakorean - Let Me Update My Status

Genre: Crunk

Standout Track: uHhH HuH.Mp3

Rating: B


A crunk album in 2023? And probably the premium choice for the forgotten genre! Originating from Memphis, Tennessee, crunk gained periodic popularity through the Three 6 Mafia, who are often referred to as the founding fathers of trap and coinciding subgenres such as tread and crunk. Since then, the closest relative would be 2010s Flockaveli, but without specified guidance on defining crunk, there hasn't been a reawakening until now. Let Me Update My Status is the authentic crunk experience, taking playful jingles and expanding them into a full-length mixtape filled with slapstick humor.



 

#57: Tinariwen - Amatssou

Genre: Desert Blues

Standout Track: Jayche Atarak

Rating: B


Hailing from the arid plains of North Africa, this Malian band has traveled thousands of miles to grace my ears. With the chanting calls of over five vocalists, Amatssou invites the listener to join their ceremonial journey through flowing sand dunes and rich oases, like an ancient expedition in search of long-lost treasure. The lyrics speak of martyrs, great warriors, but above all unity, placing community as the fundamental value of their tribe.



 

#56: Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy

Genre: Art Pop

Standout Track: Geronimo

Rating: B


For the past 3 years, Young Fathers have been devising and delaying their masterful 4th studio album, Heavy Heavy. With the album fermenting for that long, you'd expect the final product to be at least 45 minutes in length: instead, Heavy Heavy barely reaches 30. Thankfully, Young Fathers is able to cram enough gospel, hip-hop, and psychedelic rock into the tracklist that it more than compensates for the lackluster runtime. Many tracks on Heavy Heavy sound straight out of a Disney movie, where their theatrical inclinations are exhibited through colorful delivery and memorable choruses.



 

#55: Black Country, New Road - Live At Bush Hall

Genre: Art Rock

Standout Track: Turbines/Pigs

Rating: B


Isaac Wood's departure from Black Country, New Road in 2022 was as inconvenient as it was necessary, leaving the band without a lead singer mere days before the release of their fabled sophomore album, Ants From Up There, which in under a year has already become a contemporary art-rock staple. Rationally, there was uncertainty and skepticism from even loyal fans concerning their live release, Live At Bush Hall; to everyone's relief, they were misguided. Switching sporadically between three lead vocalists, Live At Bush Hall dispels any cynical rumors surrounding the band's fate, as swirling klezmer melodies from the saxophones and violins meet impassioned vocal performances that end in tears.



 

#54: Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Weathervanes

Genre: Country

Standout Track: Vestavia Hills

Rating: B


Ditching his longstanding partnership with producer Dave Cobb to pursue a highly personalized and self-produced project, Weathervanes is a liberating exploration of a rural lifestyle complete with passionate romantic detours. Unlike Isbell's previous collaborations with The 400 Unit, which can seem comatose, Weathervanes's songs are alive with bittersweet folk lullabies, slow-burn rock jams with riveting guitar solos... and above all Isbell's commanding voice with a Southern lilt that transports the listener straight to the beer-guzzling, truck-loving farmlands of Alabama.



 

#53: King Krule - Space Heavy

Genre: Neo-Psychedelia

Standout Track: Seaforth

Rating: B


The Ooz is my favorite album of 2017: there's something arresting about Archy Marshall's toneless, claustrophobic delivery that penetrates any emotional boundary to seize and hold hostage my vulnerable spirit. Nothing compares to the oppressive weight of King Krule's instrumentals, always smothered in a smoky haze of dolefulness and dejection. Space Heavy continues to progress this style, never straying far from his familiar charisma while incorporating fresh ideas for hungry listeners to devour with satisfaction.



 

#52: Paramore - This Is Why

Genre: Pop Punk

Standout Track: Running Out of Time

Rating: B


Over two decades into their career, Paramore is still relevant and advancing their monumental discography to new heights with This Is Why. Despite their age, Paramore embraces boyish enthusiasm through effervescent grooves paired with emo angst. Written with the intention of being performed in front of a live audience, This Is Why is a record you listen to once and never forget a single hook, displaying Paramore's talent at appealing to a broad audience without losing their musical lifeforce.



 

#51: The Lemon Twigs - Everything Harmony

Genre: Pop Rock

Standout Track: Corner Of My Eye

Rating: B


From the title to the cover to the music itself, Everything Harmony flaunts its retro identity with vibrant pop rock ballads that hark back to the hippie age of the 60s and 70s, bouncing along with its vintage Woodstock sound and multilayered compositions that value clever songwriting over shock-factor. While critics may dismiss Everything Harmony as a pastiche, I believe that is a simple-minded appraisal, ignorant of the prowess required to compose an experience simultaneously nostalgic and progressive.



*This is not an objective ranking


Due to the length of the article, I have broken it into two parts. Stay tuned for the other half soon.

 

Thank you for reading!




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