Music Reviews

So, the year is coming to an end, and as per usual, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite music of this year. I’ve gotta say the year started of really strong, but somewhere down the line the quality just sort of became all over the place. Don’t get me wrong, there were some AMAZING records this year (as you’ll see in a minute), but overall, this year has honestly almost been more dissapointing than it was rewarding. Even still, here’s some of my favorite music of this year, so I hope you enjoy.

10.) Paramore – This Is Why (strong 8/10)

I’ve been kinda struggling what to put at this place honestly, as many records have been competing for it, but after a while of thinking it through, it just had to be this one. Yeah, with each listen this record more and more slowly becomes what’s probably my favorite Paramore album. I just can’t get enough of it – every song is like a combination of their whole discography up to this point, the lyrics are really relatable and depressing, the sound super danceable, the guitars so clean and Hayley Williams is just as charming as ever as a vocalist. No yeah, this album is what it’s about, bangers front to back, just a great and versatile rock record, enough said.

9.) Black Country, New Road – Live at Bush Hall (strong 8/10)

I’m honestly just an absolute super fan of this band at this point. This probably barely wouldn’t have made the top 10 if it wasn’t for the fact that I’ve seen them perform this album live this year and it has been one of the most enchanting experiences I’ve had the pleasure of whitnessing this year. After the departure of the former lead vocalist Isaac Wood, I’ve been really worried about the future of this band, but my worries couldn’t have been more pointless, as Tyler Hyde and the gang make up for it masterfully on this project. There are just so many great highlights and melodies on this, I could go on for hours about some of the songs on here, but there are a few duds too. Those are maybe like one or two songs which I find not as memorable as the others, but honestly besides that, this is basically a flawless live album from the band. Can’t wait for they do next honestly and I wish them the best moving forward.

8.) Model/Actriz – Dogsbody (strong 8/10)

Yeah the first half of this album is basically a 10. Some of the songs in the second half start to get a bit repetetive, but this album is still just something to behold. I’ll be completely frank, it took me a while to really get completely adjusted to the lyrics and the way they’re sung, but I’ve really gained a big apprecation for what this project is ultimately about. The themes of sexuality, one find themselves and the struggles of young adulthood are fully on display here with really intense and vivid imagery that can sometimes honestly be a little too much. But when you’re in the mood for it yeah, this album does it all – danceable grooves, drone instrumentation, really out there lyrics and delivery, completely frantic songs, just an absolute ride front to back and I love every second of it.

7.) Slowthai – UGLY (strong 8/10)

So I’ll be the first one to admit that this one shrunk on me just the tiniest bit, especially some of the moments in the second half HOWEVER I still stand by the fact, that this album is Slowthai’s magnum opus (at least so far). The opener and the follow-up song are some of his best yet and a great majority of the songs on here have been in my constant rotation the entire year. The themes of self-loathing, constant intoxication etc. are brough to live with Slowthai’s excentric perfromances throughout this entire project. Besides like one or two so-so songs, this album’s just constant action, all killer no filler. Easy placement on this list for me, love what he did here.

6.) Sampha – Lahai (light 9/10)

I mean wow, what a gorgeous record. From front to back, this record sounds exactly like how the album cover looks – smooth, beautiful, ethereal, peaceful and totally breath-taking. Sampha’s voice is like the cure for the soul, the way this man sings is beyond gorgeous. Then you combine it with the really introspective and thought-provoking lyrical themes and the stunningly beautiful production all throughout this project and you get this album. Honestly if it wasn’t for the second half once again in my opinion being just the tiniest bit weaker than the first, this album probably would’ve ranked even higher, but as it’s still just a literal journey. I can’t recommend this record enough, some other-worldly stuff right here.

5.) Sprain – The Lamb as Effigy (light 9/10)

This album is an enigma. I really don’t understand it all, but I just love the hell out of it. The first song is like the combination of all your favorite Anthony Fantano-isms and from there you have one really dynamic all over the place song, one song that’s basically just an ambient drone with a string outro, than a 24 MINUTE SONG just thrown in after that, than two 10 minute-ish long songs with the word „Nude“ in their title, than a short 4 minute songs, which is the most heavy and abrasive on the album, and than ANOTHER 20 MINUTE SONG. And yet it makes just perfect sense when you listen to it. Granted it DOES require A LOT of patience, like really a lot, but it rewards you immensely for it, an absolutely stellar experimental noise rock record that just keeps on giving everytime i hear it.

4.) JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown – SCARING THE HOES (decent 9/10)

I mean what can I say about this album that hasn’t been said already. If it wasn’t for Danny being just a little bit overshadowed by JPEGMAFIA this easily could just be a 10. Like have you heard the songs on here? It’s just bangers back to back and it doesn’t stop for even a second. It’s kinda unreal how two dudes can just make this, the production is like so good it’s unreal. Really I don’t have much to say about this record because it just speaks for itself, a total ride from front to back, if you haven’t somehow heard this yet just do yourself a favor and go listen because you’re really missing out.

3.) Sufjan Stevens – Javelin (decent-strong 9/10)

This one somehow grew on me even more. Like it’s just such a powerful and moving record. It’s the perfect Sufjan Stevens album too, like you have your piano ballads, you have your weird experimental electronic parts, you have your gorgeous, and I mean GORGEOUS, string outros, you have your typical guitar-driven songs and all of that delivered into this hauntingly beautifully package that is this album. With the context of everything surrounding this album, this only enhances the already over-whelming emotional impact it has. Yeah this album is really something else and a great return to from for Sufjan, definitely one of his best records which is saying A TON.

2.) Liturgy – 93696 (strong 9/10) (small profanity warning for this one)

Holy. Shit. Like, okay, I kinda wrote this album off as not being as good as Liturgy’s previous one when I first heard it. But like… This is easily one of the best black-metal records I’ve ever heard in my entire life. Unreal volume. The way everything is orchestrated. It feels like something out of some sacred book, like I’m really struggling to explain the grandiosity of this album. It’s just overbearing in every sense of the word. The 4 big 8+ minutes long tracks are all fantastic, all the angel interludes are a really nice change of pace between everything and all of the other shorter songs and little weird interludes only enhance everything. Besides a few like minor gripes with little passages here and there, this thing is just, basically perfect.

Except there is just one album that came out this year that I think is even better than that… Before we get to that one though, I’d like to show you some honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the list, but are stilla amazing records that are worth being mentioned here.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Lil Yachty – LET’S START HERE

boygenius – the record

yeule – softscars

Jane Remover – Census Designated

underscores – Wallsocket

Swans – The Beggar

Of course those aren’t all the albums I’d like to have on this list (like the new King Krule record, or the 100 Gecs record earlier this year just to add a few), but this will have to do. Now without further ado, and to the surprise of nobody, my number one album of the year is…

1.) Parannoul – After The Night (Live) (10/10)

If you’ve read my review for this album (which I strongly recommend) you already know how I feel about Parannoul. They placed number 3 on my year-end list two years ago and now, two years later, they’ve finally made it. At least that’s how I see it – this album is just perfect for me. And don’t even get me started on the last 40+ minutes long song… That’s easily one of the best musical experiences I’ve ever heard. Yeah I could go on for hours about how comforting the sound of this album is, how perfect are the song choices for the live set, how the last song is the best thing to ever be made, but I think you get the picture. For a live album, this thing is pure magic. Front to back, like when you really let yourself get immersed in this, it makes you feel just so many beautiful things. It feels super nostalgic and powerful, I really think Parannoul achieved something truly special here. I ADORE this thing.

And yeah, that was my 2023 best albums of the year list – let me know what were yours in the comments bellow and I wish you all a happy 2024!