Dan's exhaustive, comprehensive, definitely correct 2023 Albums of the Year list
Pitchfork, shmitchfork. This is the list.
Am I out of touch? No, it’s the new music that is wrong.
I’ve definitely not been as wowed by new music as I’ve been in past years. Much like my movie taste, I’m more interested at this point in finding old stuff I missed out on than catching up with year-of releases, which is why I think I’ll be making a separate post of my favorite “new to me” finds of the year.
That said, I still liked enough stuff this year to put together my annual overly self-important album of the year list. And let me tell you: this list is 100% accurate. It’s the only good list. I am always right. I will challenge Stereogum to a fight if they disagree.
Here’s what I came up with.
25. Ruston Kelly - The Weakness
Shoutout Kacey Musgraves’ ex for the most hilarious album cover of the year. It looks like some alt art for a OneRepublic CD that you can only buy at Aeropostale. But the music is pretty good, as he gets the emo country shtick working.
24. Wednesday — Rat Saw God
I definitely don't like this record as much as others, and might even prefer Twin Plagues, but I kind of realized my insistence that I didn’t like it to the degree everyone else did was clouding the fact that I still liked it, if that makes sense. If it doesn’t, just listen to Turkey Vultures.
23. The Lost Days, Tony Molina — In The Store
I usually don’t like albums of short songs. But I liked this one. Nice.
22. Lilts — Waiting Around
Putting EPs on these lists always feels like cheating. But if John Ross has a project, it’s probably going to be one of my favorite things of the year in some capacity. Now let’s get another new Wild Pink in 2024.
21. Black Country, New Road — Live at Bush Hall
Live albums are ALSO weird to put on lists, but since this is mostly unreleased music I think it counts. It’s just a very fun time; it almost feels like listening to a Broadway cast recording at times.
20. Joanna Sternberg — I’ve Got Me
The voice is definitely an acquired taste, but once I was able to calibrate to it, this record was just a breeze. I went grocery shopping listening to it the other day and walked up and down the canned goods section a couple of times to finish listening.
19. Shame — Food for Worms
British post-rock band makes British post-rock album that American late-20s man likes. More at 10.
18. Mikaela Davis — And Southern Star
This succeeded in ways that Margo Price-types have never quite done for me. With some George Harrison-y flourishes spliced in as well, it’s a sweet listen.
17. Militarie Gun — Life Under The Gun
A late add to the list. I mean this in the best way possible: this is an album that consistently sounds like a needle drop from an early-2000s comedy, transitioning from, like, a parking lot to a skatepark or house party.
16. Lana Del Rey — Did you know that there is a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
Probably one of my least favorite Lana releases of late, but it’s still Lana Del Rey so it’s still great and still listable.
15. Ratboys — The Window
It’s very cool to see these guys just continue to gradually get bigger just by virtue of being rad. It’s only a matter of time before the dam breaks.
14. Cory Hanson — Western Cum
Guitar solos. Catchy lyrics. The funniest album name/art combo of the year. Good job, Cory.
13. crushed — extra life
You’re allowed to rip off Slowdive, as a treat.
12. Quinn Cicala — Gold (4 songs)
I don’t really remember how I stumbled across this dude with 883 monthly listeners— probably some auto-shuffle or something. But I’m one of the 883, and these are four great songs with seeds of Pinegrove.
11. Lil Yachty — Let’s Start Here.
I’ve had no opinion on Lil Yachty until this year. And if you think this “change of musical direction” was calculated and intentional, more power to you. I personally think it resulted in some bangers and a really fun album to cruise on the highway to.
10. Ice Spice — Like..?
Yes, I tried her Dunkin drink. Yes, it was unbelievably disgusting.
9. Miya Folick — Coackroach
I incorrectly listed what I thought was a Miya Folick EP last year on this same list. Turns out, the full album came out in 2023. So guess what, Miya? You get to be on two straight Dan lists.
8. Indigo De Souza — All of This Will End
Sometimes, there are moments of clarity with these records. It took her Tiny Desk for this album to lock in with me like my 2021 AOTY Any Shape You Take did. An unnamed friend claimed Younger & Dumber was one of the best songs he ever heard upon release and I laughed at him, and while it’s still hyperbole it’s maybe closer to true than false.
7. Zach Bryan — Zach Bryan
I’ve written about this one already. Just a very good album by a megastar, and it’s easy to eschew these on rankings when you are a Cool Hip Guy like myself. But I won’t.
6. Cartwheel — Hotline TNT
It’s okay if an album all sounds exactly the same when it all sounds great.
5. softscars — yeule
I didn’t really expect this record to sound like it sounds like. But it’s just awesome synthpop track after awesome synthpop track. The Grimes comparisons are inevitable, so keep her away from cybertrucks.
4. Bully — Lucky For You
She just keeps getting better. This is another record that feels of two decades ago, in a good way.
3. Superviolet — Infinite Spring
I saw Sidekicks at an Oakland house show almost a decade ago. Wish I saw Superviolet instead. Steve Ciolek’s last band never was my cup of tea, but this is just a beautiful album, even if I keep thinking the cover is Heatmiser.
2. Caroline Polachek — Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
We’re getting chalky the rest of the way. Just a pitch-perfect pop album with no skips. I still walk around and hum “Bunny is a rider” to myself at random points of the day. And shoutout Dido.
1. Sufjan Stevens — Javelin
I thought this man was washed. After his last three projects, I threw him in the bin like he was Tom Brady throwing a pick-six against the Tennessee Titans in the Wild Card Round. No way the guy who made 100 good songs was going to make good songs again. But he proved me wrong.
In all seriousness, this is absolutely wrecking stuff before even learning about the context.
Now, can we get a Chanukah record, Suf?