[Music] Albums of the Year 2023

[South Stand Bonfire]

The lack of engagement on this thread as well as there lists themselves really do show how much the love of the LP has diminished.

FWIW my favourite this year have been:

Lana Del Rey - Did you know
Jim (of Crazy P) - Love makes magic
Overmono - Good lies

Tbh I’m struggling beyond that.

Pre covid I would regularly pop into somewhere like HMV and buy a vinyl album for say £15. My logic was that as I still had most of my vinyl from the 80s for bands I liked then , (Bowie, Kraftwerk, OMD, JM Jarre etc), I would buy a vinyl of bands I knew but wasn’t really into at that time (Kate Bush, Elton John, Pink Floyd etc) to expand my limited collection . I found post COVID though that the price of vinyl rocketed and albums were now £20-30 in vinyl format. I’ve therefore gone back to CDs for the moment as I do like to have the physical product.

 

[chickens]

The two records that have stood out to me this year are:

Jenny from Thebes - The Mountain Goats

One More Grain - One More Grain

Honourable mention to Overmono - Good Lies

The Mountain Goats are a long term love, and you have to be able to get past a slightly nasal delivery, and a traditional band format, but the songs are awesome.

One More Grain is a different beast, and definitely not going to be for everyone. Humming along is probably not an option. It’s still a record that I’ve had a deep emotional connection with.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

The lack of engagement on this thread as well as there lists themselves really do show how much the love of the LP has diminished.

FWIW my favourite this year have been:

Lana Del Rey - Did you know
Jim (of Crazy P) - Love makes magic
Overmono - Good lies

Tbh I’m struggling beyond that.

Because it's largely pointless. There must have been 10,000 albums released this year. I took a look at the list in the OP and knew about 3 of the albums. Music taste is very subjective, I think most people have learnt posting 'this song is amazing!' is largely a waste of time based on the fact most other people will find it mediocre.

 

[Machiavelli]

The lack of engagement on this thread as well as there lists themselves really do show how much the love of the LP has diminished.

FWIW my favourite this year have been:

Lana Del Rey - Did you know
Jim (of Crazy P) - Love makes magic
Overmono - Good lies

Tbh I’m struggling beyond that.

I don't just think it's albums, the live thread is much quieter than it was in previous years too.
We really miss a couple of posters -- Buzzer and Spring Hall Convert -- who were brilliant on sharing their musical knowledge.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Right, here's my top 5. Young Fathers is my number 1. The others all joint 2nd.

Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy
Lost Under Heaven - Something is Announced by your Life!
David Holmes - Blind on a Galloping Horse
Nation of Language - Strange Disciple
Sextile - Push

A few notes:
I bought the LUH album direct from the band......and the main main Elery Roberts signed the customs declaration. I have a (kind of) signed copy; I have finally found another Brexit bonus to go with Rough Trade moving their european operation to my doorstep.
Sault released 5 albums in one go late in 2022. I didnt buy them then, but when they re-released them last year I was all over the vinyl. listening aside, I could, and do, just look at these records. They are a thing of beauty and I so hope they tour so I can look at them a bit more.

 

[Marxo]

These are my recommendations:

Alice Phoebe Lou - Shelter

En Attendant Ana - Principia

Moon Safari - Himlabacken Vol. 2

L’ Rain - I Killed Your Dog

Rufus Wainwright - Folkocracy

 

[CorgiRegisteredFriend]

I don't just think it's albums, the live thread is much quieter than it was in previous years too.
We really miss a couple of posters -- Buzzer and Spring Hall Convert -- who were brilliant on sharing their musical knowledge.

I would agree. Last time I saw Spring Hall Convert he was promoting Porridge Radio at West Hill. He did say it was his last promotion for a while and I do believe he got married but this was a few years back now. He was great at introducing me to new music and I enjoyed his radio show massively.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I would agree. Last time I saw Spring Hall Convert he was promoting Porridge Radio at West Hill. He did say it was his last promotion for a while and I do believe he got married but this was a few years back now. He was great at introducing me to new music and I enjoyed his radio show massively.

Last I heard he’d moved to Newhaven. Marriage and Newhaven and his silence suggest he’s moved on from his Brighton music days. Shame.

Agree, he got me into quite a few new bands.

 

[Dibdab]

David Holmes - Blind on a Galloping Horse

Blimey Holmes having a new album completely passed me by. Will have to have a look at that .

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Blimey Holmes having a new album completely passed me by. Will have to have a look at that .

I was a big fan of his back in the day....saw him DJ quite a few times when I was an aspiring hipster in Hoxton. He either brought the party or tested your patience with his autocratic sets . I remember seeing him in 93 Ft East either the night before or the night after we beat Colchester 4-1. Then he went off to Hollywood.....

 

[Pogue Mahone]

My albums of the year:

Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy
Hak Baker - Worlds End FM
Algiers - Shook
The Murder Capital - Gigi’s Recovery
Barry Can’t Swim - When Will We Land?

Also, special mentions for Yves Tumor, Jungle, Jim Bob, Casisdead, Grian Chatten.

 

[Dibdab]

I was a big fan of his back in the day....saw him DJ quite a few times when I was an aspiring hipster in Hoxton. He either brought the party or tested your patience with his autocratic sets . I remember seeing him in 93 Ft East either the night before or the night after we beat Colchester 4-1. Then he went off to Hollywood.....

Loved his eclectic DJ sets and introduced me to a lot of bands/genres. Was a big fan of The Holy Pictures which I think was his last studio album?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Loved his eclectic DJ sets and introduced me to a lot of bands/genres. Was a big fan of The Holy Pictures which I think was his last studio album?

Eclectic is the word. You never knew what you would get and one set would vary considerably to the next. Sometimes good, sometimes awful.

I lost touch with his releases after the Free Association band he got together. I see Holy Pictures is after this; I’ll check it out and report back.

 

[Wozza]

Young Fathers a winner for me, Shame and Murder Capital Albums also very good. Really enjoyed the new Olivia Rodrigo and Paramore albums as well.

Tickets for their Royal Albert Hall gig on sale - standing tickets still available as I type... (£55)

Young Fathers | We're sorry, but there are no tickets available for Young Fathers

www.gigsandtours.com

Edit: And.... gone.

 

[CheeseRolls]

My 2023 picks

Tracey Denim - Bar Italia (see also The Twits)
Today My Friend you Drunk the Venom - The Drin
Mike Balls Boutique - Goldie Lookin Chain
The Reset - Macy Gray
I DES - King Creosote

 

[The Clamp]

Been enjoying “With A Hammer”.

Yaeji’s 2023 release.


From Wikipedia;

Kathy Yaeji Lee (Korean: 이예지; RR: I Ye-ji;, born August 6, 1993),[1] known professionally as Yaeji, is an American singer, DJ, and producer based in Brooklyn, New York City. Her style blends elements of house music and hip hop with mellow, quiet vocals sung in both English and Korean.[2]