Unfortunately, music exploration took a backseat in 2023. Maybe due to other interests creeping in, or the fact that I hit another wall with regards to how much words my brain cared to hear. Like the Trump news overflow of years past, I felt like I had little patience for listening to bullshit. This sadly affected my music consumption and pushed me more towards instrumental and hip-hop beats. Luckily, there were a handful of gems that broke through my mental blockage.
15. Bahamas – Bootcut
I give credit to Afie for trying a dedicated genre album, but the country vibes just were not for me. The first few times I threw this on, I turned it off and told myself that I needed to be in the right mood. After a few more tries, I found that no mood could make me really enjoy this album. Unfortunately, this is relegated to background music only. That is a shame.
14. Slowdive – Everything Is Alive
Conversely, Slowdive has a formula that continues to work well. This is their fifth studio album and my favorite. This is the point of my write-up where more instrumental and mood-dependent music starts. This album has the typical Slowdive haunting melancholy guitar noise that really does it for me.
13. Israel Nash – Ozarker
Another fifth album from an artist. This is another great album by him. It has all the trappings of his typical sound. I read a review that described this album as "vaulting harmonies with brazenly windswept sound". That is more accurate than I can try to describe. If this was so good, then why is it 13th on the list? Good question. This is the album I could see being ranked higher when I look back. Onward with the list.
12. Raze Regal & White Denim - self-titled
This was another album that took a little getting used to. I’m always going to give kudos to artists who tweak the formula and push themselves. After a handful of listens, this finally clicked for me. Credit to Melse for pushing it one last time.
11. Poolside – Blame It All On Love
Ahh, back to easy beats and calming vocals. What are you singing about? I really don’t care, because this album makes me feel like relaxing with a drink in my hand. Maybe a drink while Poolside? Sorry.
10. Ric Wavy – For Your Soul
8 songs. 15 total minutes. Not labeled as an EP, whatever. Boy, are they an enjoyable 15 minutes. I have heard that before. Instrumental feel-good hip-hop-inspired beats that are perfect for cooking dinner or doing some work in the office.
9. Sharks Deli – Cloud City Ultra
8 songs. 16 total minutes. Like a Ric Wavy album with a little more “urban” edge to it. The same notes apply.
8. Boy & Bear - self-titled
Lots of fifth studio album releases on this list. Unfortunately, I didn’t go back to this album a ton. I knew it was a good album that was as catchy and poppy as ever, but I feel like it got lost in the shuffle a bit for me. Enough to snag the seventh spot though. So that’s saying something.
7. Andrew Bird – Outside Problems
This is an instrumental follow-up to the prior year’s Inside Problems record. This kept that same vibe but just removed the words. No words you say??
6. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – V
Hey, V stands for 5. This happens to be UMO’s fifth album. We had some Australian action with Boy & Bear, and now we are moving southeast to New Zealand. I feel like this album is more accessible, poppier, and catchier than what they have recently put out. The last couple of UMO albums felt like they had some B-side crud that they needed to unload. Or they were just trying to push themselves in a different direction, and I am just an ungrateful fan.
5. Nas – Magic 2 & 3
I feel like for the last three years, I put the obligatory Nas album(s) on the list. Still making great music with Hit-Boy. One of my favorite rappers of all time. In a time where “pussy rap” clogs the airwaves and soccer moms blast lyrics to songs about how wet one’s vagina can be; Nas brings it back to what hip-hop was and should be. Using your brain to write insightful verses along with a DJ that doesn’t use a Casio keyboard and autotune gives me hope that the music genre I love can survive.
4. Moses Yoofee Trio – Ocean
Hip-hop acid jazz has all of my tastes rolled into one. And you guessed it - no vocals to ruin those sweet, sweet tunes. Technically an EP of only 23 minutes, the theme of my music consumption is “get in and get out”.
3. The Arcs - Electrophonic Chronic
This album was a staple in and around our trip to Mexico in early 2023. That connection propelled it higher for me than both Ironfish and Melse in their rankings. Besides the nostalgic aspect, this album is pretty much perfection in my opinion. My top three were very close - and this having one or two skips - puts it in the third spot in the rankings.
2. CVC – Get Real
I’m breaking with the pattern of brethren and placing this album second. This felt like a shoo-in for the top spot for a long time. The 70s vibe, brilliant guitar riffs, and laidback song themes would be more than enough to take the crown in most years.
1. Gaz Coombes – Turn The Car Around
Until I ran into this jewel of an album. My god, this is perfect. What if Thom Yorke wasn’t so odd and decided to make an album that you didn’t need to be on drugs to enjoy? This is my first run-in with Mr. Coombes. I found out that he fronted the 90s English band Supergrass. Apparently, he’s a big deal in England. This album is artful without being pretentious. Poppy and catchy without sounding watered down or vapid. Introspective without being overly whiny or emotional. The best part is, it's shrouded in Pink Floyd-scented guitar rock that grounds the sound and brings this bitch in for a landing. Straight through your ear holes and deep into that mush of a brain. And for 38 minutes, he makes the vocals that I tried hard to dodge in 2023; so worth it.
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