1. Kara Jackson - Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? (September): This record stopped me in my tracks the first time I heard it. It hit me the way first hearing Judee Sill’s debut album hit me. There’s just so much going on here. There’s a simplicity to Jackson’s melodies, but she is daring in how she structures her songs. Her lyrics are expressive in so many ways. Cutting, funny, wise, witty, direct, poetic – but no matter what mode she’s in, it’s always authentic. And her voice. She sings near the bottom of her range, and it has such a warm, resonant tone, but when she goes up higher, it’s sublime to hear the rise. Her phrasing is as creative as her compositions. To top it all off, her fellow Chicagoan collaborators - Sen Morimoto, Kaina Castillo, and Nnamdi Ogbannaya - assist in perfect production, knowing when Jackson’s voice and guitar are enough, or strings or other embellishments are needed. An instant classic.
2. Sparks - The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte (Island): Since Ron and Russell Mael teamed with Franz Ferdinand on the 2015 FFS project, they have moved away from albums that fit around one musical style exclusively. On this, their 26th studio album, Sparks hopscotch from electronics-based tracks to orch-pop to melancholy melodic material, and much more. This is not only their best post-FFS album yet, the mix of styles and the high quality of the songs makes it the band’s best since 2002's Lil’ Beethoven. From the grandeur of “We Go Dancing” (positing Kim Jong Un as the world’s best DJ) and “Take Me for a Ride” (a husband-and-wife hostage fantasy) to the electro-pop of the title track (about a girl crying in her latte) to the glam rock adjacent banger “Nothing Is As Good As They Say It Is” (about a 22-hour old baby wanting to go back to the womb), these two 70+ year old brothers don’t rest on their laurels.
3. The Clientele - I Am Not There Anymore (Merge): I’ve always enjoyed the stately indie-pop of The Clientele, but nothing prepared me for this. They spent part of the six years between albums soaking in ‘70s Miles Davis and various forms of electronic music, and then found a way to subtly integrate these new inspirations into their trademark sound. The album has its fair share of tight, intelligent adult pop songs. It also has tracks where the band stretches out and lets songs slowly cohere, and others where they play around with additional instruments beyond guitars, bass, and drums. The result is their most affecting album yet.
4. Allison Russell - The Returner (Fantasy): Russell’s solo debut already showed that she was not going to be confined to any specific definition of Americana. This follow up is the work of a confident artist, with a broad array of musical influences and interests, who is able to deftly incorporate them to suit whatever a song needs. Blues, country, soul, gospel, and folk are all part of her vocabulary, such that she effortless toggles between and melds them. I especially like how many songs have strong R & B vibes. Her voice, melodies, and lyrics allow the varying styles of the songs to cohere into another excellent album.
5. Jamila Woods - Water Made Us (Jagjaguwar): Woods’s third album is yet another brilliant slice of modern R & B. On this effort, Woods loosely chronicles the progression of a romantic relationship until it ends and what happens afterwards. She does so with knowing lyrics that fit well with the music that could loosely be called neo-soul, but incorporates a wider array of approaches than her prior albums. And Woods remains such a captivating singer, with interesting phrasing, and a heavy dose of empathy in anything she sings.
6. CHAI - CHAI (Sub Pop): This is the first CHAI album that doesn’t make major changes from its predecessor. Here, the quartet burrows deeper into electronic pop informed by hazy R & B and citypop. These are friendly, affirmative songs that go perfectly with the lyrics of personal and/or feminist empowerment. This is primarily a collection of relaxed, catchy bangers, with a few more rocking songs to provide balance. These four women just really have a special ability to meld a variety of influences into a distinctive musical identity that transcends their inspirations.
7. Corinne Bailey Rae - Black Rainbows (Black Rainbows/Thirty Tigers): A visit to Chicago artist Theaster Gates’s Stony Island Arts Bank hit Rae like a lightning bolt. Various objects in the museum, which is devoted to various eras and moments in the African-American experience, inspired Rae to write the songs on this album. Moreover, she went well beyond the singer-songwriter fare she’s associated with, rocking out with bursts of abrasive guitars (from her punk band past), delving into arty, melodic pieces, and working in some experimental R & B, and more. At times challenging, at times accessible, and always intriguing.
8. Margo Price - Strays (Loma Vista): Price made her mark as a singer of country music that harkened back to more traditional sounds, but has evolved into an artist who uses country as a foundation, but can move in different directions. This album has a bit of everything, from the bravura rock of “Been to the Mountain” to the poppy “Radio” (joined by Sharon Van Etten) to the searing portrait of a drug addict on “Lydia”, Price has become a formidable writer and performer.
9. underscores - Wallsocket (Mom + Pop): April Harper Grey is the woman behind underscores, using hyperpop as a foundation for insanely creative pop music. Wallsocket is her second LP. It’s a self-styled concept album about citizens of a fictional town in Michigan. There’s no storyline, but the album is a series of vignettes about specific characters. This is set to an array of electronic instruments, with bursts of loud guitars, and punk and psychedelia and dubstep and other genres thread in and out of the songs. Moreover, she knows how to craft a hook, and on the centerpiece track “Locals (Girls Like Us)”, she weaves together varying song elements with maximum dexterity, crafting one of the best songs of the year.
10. Deerhoof - Miracle-Level (Joyful Noise): I’ve always enjoyed Deerhoof whenever I heard their music, but never took the time to explore it. When I got a notice through Bandcamp about this (then upcoming) album, I listened to the preview tracks, and was blown away. This is the band’s twelfth album, but the first with all the lyrics in Japanese. The music is still arty post-punk, with more accessibility than I had encountered in the past. The music exists somewhere within the boundaries of Shudder To Think and Bjork and The Fall and Sonic Youth, among others. At times clangorous yet not entirely abrasive, sometimes lovely, and always pushing forward, this album was bracing and I couldn’t stop playing it after I got it.
11. Mitski - The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We (Dead Oceans): After two albums that had some ‘80s synth-poppy vibes going on, Mitski shifts gears to more acoustic instrumentation. In so doing, she shows that her song structures and melodies sound good in different musical settings. Now, let me say that anyone who calls this a country record, just because some instruments associated with country are used, is flat out wrong. It’s a Mitski record, which means its warm, personal yet universal, and chock full of memorable, affecting songs.
12. Kali Uchis - Red Moon in Venus (Geffen): For the most part, this is a chill collection of modern pop tunes saturated in contemporary and classic R & B. The production gives this a modern sound, but Uchis’s mastery of the various strains of R & B and pop she likes leads to a timeless sound. For someone as popular as she is, she should be much bigger.
13. The Lemon Twigs - Everything Harmony (Captured Tracks): The fourth time is the charm for Brian and Michael D’Addario. The sons of a ‘70s pop-rock singer, the Twigs’ music has always had retro charms for fans of AM Gold and power pop, but not enough killer songs. That’s not a problem here, as you can hear bits of the Beach Boys and Big Star and Nilsson and Emitt Rhodes, stitched together in a way that fits the brothers’ personalities. These aren’t just exercises in nostalgia, but heartfelt songs that just evoke a classic period of music.
14. Guvna B - The Village is on Fire (Allo Mate): I had never heard of Guvna B until I walked into the Fopp record store in London. It was a pick of the week in late May, and I took a flyer on it. The Guvna (a/k/a Isaac Charles Bortey Borquaye) is an acclaimed Christian hip hop artist. This album was inspired by Guvna getting mugged (his bleeding face is on the album cover), and the album is a trenchant look at social conditions in London. Guvna B has a distinctive flow, is a talented lyricist, and raps over modern grime rhythm tracks. This was a great discovery.
15. Sparkle*Jets U.K. - Best of Friends (Big Stir): It had been 22 years since this Orange County power pop band had put out an album, but it was worth the wait. The band reconvened with an inspired idea – paying tribute to all the great power pop music that was out during their heyday in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s. You might not know The Shazam, The Negro Problem, Candypants, The Sugarplastic, Cockeyed Ghost, and other bands covered on here, but they had tons of great songs, and with two ace singers in powerhouse Susan West and the versatile Michael Simmons, the ‘jets can handle all of them. Taking a terrific band, recording proven, top notch material yields an excellent album.
16. Julie Byrne - The Greater Wings (Ghostly International): This record is quite the achievement, with Byrne persevering after the death of her partner and producer Eric Littmann. Her classic folky singer-songwriter material is enveloped in warm production, often augmented by swooping strings. On some songs, Byrne puts the guitar and piano aside, to float in electronic soundscapes. Throughout, her singing is clear and heartfelt.
17. Carly Rae Jepsen - The Loveliest Time (School Boy/Interscope): Basically, every album Jepsen makes is a quasi-double album, because she follows it up with a disc of songs left over from the sessions for that album. And, for whatever reason, I tend to find these leftovers to be even better than the swell predecessor albums. This companion to The Loneliest Time is another testament to Jepsen’s unerring ability to craft pop music that takes various influences, most predominantly ‘80s pop, and make excellent contemporary songs. It still boggles my mind that she’s only had one big hit with all the hooky creations she has.
18. Elephonic - Elephonic (Get Hip): This Milwaukee band is fronted by Mike Jarvis (ex-Blow Pops and The Lackloves), working with some fellow Brewton music vets and two string players. Jarvis hasn’t lost a thing as a songwriter, specializing in melodic pop nuggets mined from the best of the ‘60s and ‘70s (and sometimes the ‘50s, as he sometimes evinces a Buddy Holly vibe). The band is excellent, the strings add so much, and Jarvis also sings as well as ever. There’s a driving dramatic rock tune (“Rapid Transit”), a song with a Latin flavor (“Durango Town”), and joyful pop tunes like “Freedom Bells”.
19. Romy - Mid Air (Young): The first solo LP from this member of The xx is my favorite of the many pop records steeped in dance music that came out this year, and there were many good ones. Romy melds the power of different dance pop tropes with songs about yearning, love, and loss (usually of a lover) with palpable emotion in her performances. Romy’s songs are so catchy and her knowledge of various types of dance music allows the music to be consistent, but with a variety of sounds.
20. Gina Birch - I Play My Bass Loud (Third Man): The bass player for the legendary post-punk band The Raincoats takes a break from her visual arts career to make her first solo album at the age of 67. Teaming up with producer Youth of Killing Joke, this is the work of a wise and witty woman who has no f’s left to give. She has a raspy voice, somewhat like Marianne Faithfull, and the music moves from dub and reggae to crunchy rock to arty stuff not too far away from her former band. Having experienced so much, she doles out plenty of wisdom in her lyrics.
21. Miss Grit - Follow the Cyborg (Mute): The first album from Margaret Sohn, this is some sort of loose conceptual effort, as least as far as the lyrics go, dealing with artificial intelligence that takes control away from the humans that created it. That’s interesting unto itself, but what is really impressive is Sohn’s facility with electronic instrumentation, creating tracks with all sorts of texture that support her surprisingly catchy creations. There are some roots in ‘80s synth pop on some songs, but this has an arty edge that fits the overall coolness of this project.
22. Everything But The Girl - Fuse (Buzzin’ Fly): It is so satisfying to have Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt back making music together, as nice as their solo work is. This, to an extent, picks up where the duo left off decades ago, smart electro-pop songs, some that could transform into acoustic songs more in line with the group’s early years, and others that have dance-floor potential. Thorn’s years as a memoirist and column writer have made her an even better lyricist. Let’s hope there’s a follow up, and, dare I say it, a tour?
23. The New Pornographers - Continue As a Guest (Merge): After some forays into Krautrock and more electronic types of music (always subtly applied), Carl Newman and company get back to basics on another collection of well-written songs. This album is a grower and probably doesn’t have a single, flat out killer cut, but the band sounds inspired and I found myself wanting to listen to it again and again.
24. Protomartyr - Formal Growth in the Desert (Domino): Protomartyr falls into that rare echelon of bands that have such a singular sound that they don’t need to change things up much, because no one else is doing quite what they do. I suppose one could say every Protomartyr record sounds the same, and I suppose one could respond this is a feature, not a bug. What I find is that on every release, they play with fervor and commitment and find subtle new things within their sound that it sounds fresh and exciting.
25. SCREAM - DC Special (Dischord): This record is tinged with sadness, as Scream drummer Kent Stax died shortly before its release this fall. Reunion releases can be hit or miss, but this DC punk band, who hadn’t put out a full album in 30 years, not only showed that they still got it, this is arguably their best album ever. It also has the most variety, with a bit of the hardcore punk they made their name with, plenty of passionate mid-tempo punk rock tunes, a few anthems, some reggae, and acoustic stuff. With plenty of guests from the DC scene (Brian Baker, Ian McKaye, Joe Lally, Dave Grohl), this album ends up being a celebration of that scene, and showing it still can make an impact.
26. Laufey - Bewitched (AWAL): I must have heard about this 25-year-old Icelandic-Chinese jazz singer from one of the British music websites I follow online. Her basic sound is ‘50s-style vocal jazz (two parts Chet Baker, one part Ella Fitzgerald), and I don’t know if her vocals can match those of her inspirations, but she sings the style credibly. More than that, she can write original songs in that style, and while the music and melodies are rooted in tradition, she’s a modern lyricist who comes from the world of Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and other contemporaries. This is a fresh take on a classic approach, done very well.
27. Palehound - Eye on the Bat (Polyvinyl): This is a band that has continued to improve and hone their approach, and the fourth Palehound album finds frontperson Ellen Kempner really on top of their game. This is a mix of crunchy, melodic guitar numbers that would have worked just as well during the ‘90s alt-rock era, with a few change of pace tunes. Extremely listenable and enjoyable.
28. RAYE - My 21st Century Blues (Human Re): Over in England, the saga of RAYE (a/k/a Rachel Agatha Keen) was all over the papers. She was signed to a major label, and was constantly at loggerheads over the material they wanted her to do. Eventually, she was released from her contract, and then went about showing that betting on herself was the right move. This is modern pop music, with R & B and jazz undercurrents. RAYE has amazing pipes, that sometimes merit comparison to Amy Winehouse, and the lyrics take on some serious issues.
29. Sampha - Lahai (Young): The long awaited second album from Sampha showed him moving forward, with more use of electronics and a variety of rhythms. There isn’t one killer cut on the record, but Sampha’s excellent singing and the variety of sounds made this a very diverting, intriguing listen.
30. Kelela - Raven (Warp): I’ve been a big fan of Kelela’s electro R & B. This album still fits within that categorization, with the sounds more ambient than on prior efforts. Kelela sounds terrific and there are some fine songs on here, but this isn’t as sonically varied as her prior albums. I still liked it, because Kelela is great, just not as much.
31. Teleman - Good Time/Hard Time (Moshi Moshi): Teleman’s music has always been accessible, but one wouldn’t call it happy music. Having endured the pandemic, the band wanted to do something more jolly. This sands down the quirks just a little bit, but band’s personality still comes through, and a little fun never hurt anyone.
32. Cherise - Calling (Kartel): A very impressive debut album from this British R & B singer. The sound here is pretty classic ‘60s/’70s soul, but Cherise is also comfortable with songs that have more of a modern sound. If anything, this almost sounds like a survey of soul music, and she has the skill to pull off sounds from every era.
33. Gerald Dowd - Father’s Day (self-released): Best known as a drummer for everyone from Robbie Fulks to Frisbie, Dowd’s second solo album is another swell collection of country and country-adjacent tunes Dowd’s songs have a relaxed, lived-in vibe, and he is quick with a clever couplet, but he can go from wisecracks to wise observations with ease. The centerpiece of the album is a wonderful duet with Nora O’Connor that sounds like a lost mid-‘70s classic. More, please.
34. Debby Friday - GOOD LUCK (Sub Pop): The debut album from this Canadian artist who blends various forms of electronic music from synth pop to industrial to hip hop in an intense, compelling combination. It’s not just the blend of music though; indeed, this wouldn’t work without Friday’s commanding presence as a vocalist. There are a lot of directions Friday can go from here, and I’m exciting to hear what’s next. In the meantime, she can revel in winning Canada’s Polaris award as best Canuck LP of 2023.
35. Rhoda Dakar - Version Girl (Sunday Best): The former lead singer of The Bodysnatchers, who moved on to the second edition of The Specials, is still a wonderful singer. She had a band and wanted to make a record, but the pandemic made rehearsing a challenge. The solution? Pick out some covers, and have everyone work them out individually before coming together to make the record. Everything from Patsy Cline to The Kinks to David Bowie to The Smiths get reggae-fied, and the mix of material is really nice.
36. Ron Sexsmith - The Vivian Line (Cooking Vinyl): You could pretty much set your watch by Ron Sexsmith’s albums. His songs are economical, have appealing melodies, simple but catchy refrains, all in the service of tender, observational lyrics, sung in his sweet, sensitive voice. This album stands out among his more recent releases as just having slightly better songs than usual. Really, every Sexsmith album is worth owning.
37. Rhiannon Giddens - You’re the One (Nonesuch): A lot of the hype was how this was the closest that Giddens had come to making a (relatively) contemporary record, rather than her usual forays into traditional American music. And I suppose that’s true, though she dabbled in R & B on her excellent Freedom Highway LP from 2017. The end product here is not as consistent as Giddens’ other albums, as some songs just don’t work as well. That being said, I hope she continues to make forays in this direction, because the best songs here are wonderful.
38. Yusuf/Cat Stevens - King of a Land (Cat-O-Log/BMG): That Yusuf/Cat can still pen lovely, living acoustic numbers isn’t a surprise. The fact that a couple songs rock out, and quite credibly, is certainly unexpected. It’s been years since Yusuf’s post-conversion statements caused controversy, and he’s mellowed and backed away from the radicalism. And it’s reflected in these songs that preach for universal love. He’s still driving the peace train, y’know?
39. Jorja Smith - falling or flying (FAMM): Usually the second LP is a little early to record a “transition album,” but given the various EPs and tracks she’s released, maybe now’s the time for Smith. Working with some hot producers, Smith tries on a wider array of R & B sounds, resulting in an album that’s a bit less cohesive, and could probably stand to have two or three tracks excised. Despite that, Smith is so good that hearing her try new things makes for a pretty good listening experience.
40. Feist - Multitudes (Interscope): This is the sound of an artist following up a difficult one with more inviting sounds that evoke her best known work. This retrenchment is not borne of commercial considerations, so much as a return to simplicity. There’s not one killer cut here, but this has that classic Feist sound, and that’s a good place to be.
41. Hannah Jadagu - Aperture (Sub Pop)
42. Shamir - Homo Anxietatem (Kill Rock Stars)
43. Thomas Walsh - The Rest Is History (Curation)
44. Dominique Fils-Aimé - Our Roots Run Deep (Ensoul)
45. Joy Oladokun - Proof of Life (Amigo/Verve Forecast)
46. VV Brown - Am I British Yet? (YOYO)
47. Claud - Supermodels (Saddest Factory)
48. Uni Boys - Buy This Now! (Curation)
49. Gaz Coombes - Turn the Car Around (self-released)
50. Margaret Glaspy - Echo the Diamond (ATO)
51. Natalie Merchant - Keep Your Courage (Nonesuch)
52. Belle and Sebastian - Late Developers (Matador)
53. Chris Stamey - The Great Escape (Modern)
54. CIVIC - Taken By Force (ATO)
55. Onipa - Off the Grid (Real World)
56. Yeule - Softscars (Ninja Tune)
57. Yves Tumor - Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) (Warp)
58. Photon Band - Pure Photonic Matter, Vol. 2 (Darla)
59. Liv.e - Girl in the Half Pearl (In Real Life)
60. Graham Parker & The Goldtops - Last Chance to Learn the Twist (Big Stir)
61. Doug Paisley - Say What You Like (Outside)
62. The WAEVE - The WAEVE (Transgressive)
63. Yaeji - With a Hammer (XL)
64. MarÃa José Llergo - ULTRABELLEZA (Sony Music Entertainment España)
65. Bobby Sutliff - Bob Sings and Plays (Career)
66. Squirrel Flower - Tomorrow’s Flower (Polyvinyl)
67. Madness - Theatre of the Absurd Presents C'est la Vie (BMG)
68. Boygenius - The Record (Interscope)
69. The Hives - The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons (Disque Hives)
70. Dolph Chaney - MUG (Big Stir)
71. Bully - Lucky for You (Sub Pop)
72. Sen Morimoto - Diagnosis (Sooper/City Slang)
73. Tirzah - trip9love...??? (Domino)
74. Cécile McLorin Salvant - Mélusine (Nonesuch)
75. Death Valley Girls - Islands in the Sky (Suicide Squeeze)
76. Sweeping Promises - Good Living Is Coming for You (Feel It)
77. Fatoumata Diawara - London Ko (3ème bureau)
78. Ratboys - The Window (Topshelf)
79. Cusp - You Can Do it All (self-released)
80. Shana Cleveland - Manzanita (Hardly Art)
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