The top 30 albums of 2023: Part 2, 10 - 2

The albums in the top 10 did not have to compete as hard as the songs below it. These are the albums that, in general, I played the most or that made a great impression but are not suitable to play often, like Rancid on number 10.

My overall impression is that 2023 was a really great year in music. It is typical though that a lot of albums in here stem from the first months of the year. Usually they get sort of snowed under. Not this year, not because the second half was weaker, no the quality is enormous. These albums remained on my radar with ease. The number two only got rooted because of a tremendous surprise, released in October. That album follows tomorrow. The ten albums here really deserve this spot.

 

10. Tomorrow Never Comes. Rancid

It seems not applicable listening to Tomorrow Never Comes. The title and opening song has already been presented on this blog. If anything it is the blueprint for the whole album. What a surge of energy, what a strong melody and what fun.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/06/tomorrow-never-comes-rancid.html

 

9. I Am The River, The River Is Me. Jen Cloher

Back in 2017 I already concluded Jen Cloher is the better artist (than Courtney Barnett). She is so much more original and I Am The River, The River Is Me is the proof of point. Music is not a competition. It is there to be enjoyed by those who like it. From the smallest of songs, 'Protest Song' to the more present songs, each one gets the treatment it needs to step forward and shine. It makes for a varied and consistently good album. Oh, yes, did I tell you I Am The River, The River Is Me is totally impressive?

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/03/i-am-river-river-is-me-jen-cloher.html

8. The Signal Light. Justine and the Unclean

It is also with a lot of pleasure and enthusiasm that I can write on The Signal Light. The album is good folks. Most likely even better than just good. Time will tell, but the start is truly of headshakin' nature. Justine and The Unclean is rocking on the album and not just a little. The songs are huge in sound and depth.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/06/the-signal-light-justine-and-unclean.html

 

7. Yay!. Motorpsycho

Yay! truly is different, with a step back to songs that are inspired by songs from the mid 60s and early 70s. The acoustic guitar is the first instrument of choice and Traffic like percussion added. The result is an album filled with psychedelic pop songs and folk songs like they used to be made a long time ago. Harmony singing with influences from the first incarnation of Bee Gees, The Who and CSN. Just some names as I could mention many others.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/06/yay-motorpsycho.html

 

6. the record. boygenius

The strange thing is, that nearly all reviews on this blog were from the hand of Erwin Zijleman and not mine. I have, hardly, found my way into the music of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. Erwin is a fan for years, not me and yet, there's only one word for the record: Great!, including the exclamation mark.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-record-boygenius.html

 

 

5. We Were Girls Together. POM

POM impressed with a string of singles and an EP in the past two years and now impresses with its debut album. We Were Girls Together rings a loud bell for the band. Listening to it is a joy, singing along an irresistible option, dancing to the music mandatory. This band knows how to write, to arrange and record a great song.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/11/we-were-girls-together-pom.html

 

4. Every Loser. Iggy Pop

The extra points are scored in making this album sound new and fresh. The sound is not retro, so the album is not as well. This is not about recreating what used to be. It is all about releasing the best punk album of 2023. Not all of this album is punk rock musically, the feel and rawness of it is and that's what matters here. We are only in the first days of the year but the mission may have succeeded already. The first album to be jotted down for the favourites of the year. Every Loser is the real deal.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/01/every-loser-iggy-pop.html

3. Love, Death & In Between. DeWolff

Love, Death & In Between over time may well prove to be the album in which the whole DeWolff's musical adventures since 2006 culminate. Everything learned in the studio and on the road comes together here. On record the band may never have sounded this good, so varied and at ease with its musical accomplishments. Where warmth has one out over wanting to score individually. This is a band more than ever before as well. A band that is able to write better songs still, assuring growth. The trip here is phenomenal. It's time to enter the larger venues, here and abroad. The songs and playing deserve it.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/02/love-death-in-between-dewolff.html

2. Aces Eights And Heartbreaks. The Shang Hi Los

The single 'Takes One To Know One' is the absolute top where this sort of music is concerned. Everything I have heard over the past years coming from the principal songwriters Jen D'Angora and Dan Kopka is surpassed by this song. These local heros on the Boston scene have a whole career, perhaps two, behind them before I was introduced to this Boston scene by Rum Bar Records (and since Red On Red Records). A whole world of rock and roll opened itself to me.

http://wonomagazine.blogspot.com/2023/01/aces-eights-and-heartbreaks-shang-hi-los.html

More to come soon,

Wout de Natris