Maybe I missed all the good stuff, but 2023 wasn’t exactly a banner year in music. I’ve started digging into more edge spanish language music like Montañera, Mint Field and Mabe Frotti, but outside of that, there’s nothing terribly new or different in my feeds. Alas, the show must go on, and there’s some great things to melt the earwax, have no fear.

Best LPs of 2023

Unwed Sailor / Mute the Charm

Instrumental avant rock , and they make songs that move through space and time using tricks like call and response and tension and release — and without lyrics, it’s very work/focus friendly.

Standout songs: “Let Me Be Away”, “London Fog” and “Cold Gold”

Band info: https://unwedsailor.bandcamp.com/

Boygenius / the record

I hate to be so center indie, but despite the fact it was the most anticipated record of the year, these cats are so compelling together. We saw the three of them at a show before they were a band, and they’re so different and each has their strengths and song moments.

Standout songs: “Not Strong Enough”, “Satanist” and “Anti-Curse”

Band info: Just walk by any hipster bar, you’ll hear it on repeat

The New Pornographers / Continue as Guest

I guess I have a thing for indie super groups — but it’s been some years since they made something so good. They’ve been a band for 25 years but finally a chance to see them live this year. I adore Dan Bejar and Neko Case’s other music, and I really appreciate that they bring just the right amount of their talent to find a unique sound that brings everyone’s talents.

Standout songs: “Cat and Mouse With the Light”, “Marie and the Undersea” and “Really Really Light”

Band info: You’ll hear them by your second beer

Meursault / Muersault

It’s always a great musical year when Muersault puts out an album, and this one is as concept and meandering as they get. Folk? Rock? Show tunes? You tell me. I do think it’s meant to be taken as an album start to finish, but I find I figure out how I feel about the tracks in my own meandering order.

Standout songs: “Wolf”, “Laugh Track” and “Teacher, I Was Wrong”

Band info: https://iammeursault.bandcamp.com/album/meursault

Wednesday / Raw Saw God

Some good old college rock in the modern age with a tinge of shoegaze. Wednesday is an Asheville-based outfit that includes the very-busy MJ Lenderman on bass and a singer who seems to be in her own timezone which makes the music distinctly unrushed.

Standout songs: “Chosen to Deserve”, “Quarry” and “Turkey Vultures”

Band info: https://www.wednesday.band/ https://livesessions.npr.org/videos/wednesday-full-set-recorded-live-for-the-indie-rock-hit-parade

Earworms — or some of the greatest songs of 2023

Vagabon / Carpenter

Sometimes a little center pop song just sneaks in and sets up camp. Vagabon has consistently great music and brings me a style I don’t usually like.

Anna B. Savage / The Ghost

Part spoken, part vocal, hyper percussion over slow piano and guitar, it all just doesn’t make sense, but then maybe we’re thinking about things too much.

The Japanese House / Boyhood

Smooth, produced, poppy mostly electronica and a little vocal edge.

altopalo / frenemy

The band altopalo has one foot in pop but almost never is that the whole story — too much strange and whimsey, too many times it’s hard to tell what’s actually going on, in the best way possible. Frenemy is much more subdued and, well, normal, yet holds the tension so well.

Georgia and Patrick Watson / Les Alizés

The francophone Georgio is no stranger to rapping over traditional background piano and guitar, but Patrick Watson is a step up to something that really elevates the song.

Best concerts of 2023

We go to Duluth for Homegrown music festival and fell in love with Ponyfolk, a nordic-inspired folk / avant rock / who knows band. You might too.

The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie — performed their 20 year old respective albums, and we had great seats to a show I never thought I’d get to see. Big show, and entirely worth it.

Spotify playlist

Spotify is like democracy — the worst form of music listening, followed by every other form of music listening. Alas, that’s my discovery and listening platform, except the occasional stack of MP3s of bands that aren’t on Spotify. Either way, have a listen to the 300+ songs that make up what I’ve been listening to in 2024.

[…(2024 best of contenders)]