Real Goblin

It’s finally here! The season of rushed year-end lists is upon us. For those who don’t know, in the 4th quarter of every year, music publication websites and bloggers everywhere rush to be the first to upload their “best of” lists for the given year. Are you an artist releasing music in November/December? Go to hell! We’ve gotta get this list out ASAP! I guess they rectify this by putting late December releases on the following year’s list (after all the hype surrounding it has been long dead). I don’t know.

If I can dismount my high horse for a moment, I’ll say that my list (whenever this comes out) is later than the rest only because I am just one man. I don’t have a huge team to arbitrarily throw a bunch of suggestions together in a seemingly thoughtless order. I’m sorry that I’m being so harsh. I love lists. I love making them and I love reading them. So let’s get into it, shall we? The inaugural Real Goblin Top 50 starts now.

50. One Wayne G – Mac DeMarco

199 tracks. Nearly 9 hours of music. Mac DeMarco’s One Wayne G is a cavalcade of songs spanning different eras of his career. It’s fascinating to see the way his tastes change as you listen through the overwhelming number of songs here. Each one is titled simply by the date of their creation. One Wayne G is an atypical release to say the least. But it deserves credit nonetheless. Because of its absurd length, the album becomes a unique exploration experience. It turns the engaged listener into a sleuth who’s been tasked with tracing the demos to the albums they most resemble but didn’t quite make the cut on. From short, bouncy instrumentals, to standard Mac DeMarco fare, to the emotional and moody ambient songs, One Wayne G is unexpected, incredible, and deserving of a spot in any year end list.

Favorite Songs: “20200229 2”, “20200819 She Get The Gold Star”

49. Wishes to Fulfill – Another Michael

Fans of smooth indie folk were eating good this year. By the time fall rolled around, it was getting a little ridiculous. Maybe I’m in an internet bubble of my own creation, but indie folk is bordering on oversaturated thanks in large part to its popularity on Tik Tok. Thankfully, Another Michael sets itself apart. Wishes to Fulfill is like a cool glass of water from the New York City tap: refreshing. I had the good fortune of seeing Another Michael live this year when they opened for Toledo in Pittsburgh. Many of the songs they performed (excellently, by the way) appear on Wishes to Fulfill. The album is lighthearted and breezy, with lyricism that achieves a natural, casual, conversational effect. The band’s love for music is baked into the sugary confection that is this tracklist.

Favorite Songs: “Water Pressure”, “Angel”

48. the record – Boygenius

While the long awaited full length LP from indie supergroup boygenius sounds more like a compilation than a coherent blend of sounds, it’s a solid compilation nonetheless. Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers have a great chemistry both as musicians and as people. And the album is a testament to their friendship if nothing else. It’s clear that the three indie powerhouses truly enjoy playing together. Though everyone gets their own time in the spotlight on the record, it’s Julien Baker who really shines in several tracks where she takes the wheel. Her frustrated, fiery delivery shines on cuts like “Satanist”. But personally, I wish the whole record had sounded like the opening track.

Favorite Songs: “Emily I’m Sorry”, “Cool About It”

47. The Loveliest Time – Carly Rae Jepsen

I don’t know if it says more about Jepsen or the state of pop music as a whole, but her B-sides are consistently better and more interesting than a lot of mainstream pop releases. The Loveliest Time is no exception. On the B-side of 2022’s The Loneliest Time, we hear pop queen Carly Rae Jepsen expanding the boundaries of her pop sound. The Loveliest Time, as the name would suggest, is the cheerier reflection of her last album. Perhaps most impressive is how many of these tunes have you asking “THIS is Carly Rae Jepsen?” Never underestimate CRJ. Rae-cists rise up!

Favorite Songs: “Kollage”, “Psychedelic Switch”

46. This Stupid World – Yo La Tengo

Yo La Tengo is one of those rare cases where a 35 plus year old band is still releasing music to rival their most iconic work. The band has dipped their toes into a wide assortment of genres over the years. On This Stupid World, the instrumentation (especially in the guitar work) straddles between haphazard and calculated. The album oozes a feeling of existential indifference. It feels like a big cosmic shrug of the shoulders (in a good way) and yet somehow it urges the listener to push on. We do what we can with what we have where we are. Yo La Tengo persists, and so should we.

Favorite Songs: “Fallout”, “Apology Letter”

45. Blanket – Kevin Abstract

Blanket is the first solo release from Brockhampton’s Kevin Abstract following the beloved, genre bending rap groups split. And Blanket doesn’t sound quite how I thought it would. Kevin’s new project goes in a more Alex G direction than fans would have likely expected. He embraces a fuzzier, guitar led sound. And to this sound, Abstract brings his penchant for bending and not breaking the sounds of the genre he’s working within. The album’s dark tones in the first leg give way to sugary indie rock as we move down the tracklist. The closing song even recruits the likes of Kara Jackson and MJ Lenderman. It’s unclear if this is a genre that Kevin Abstract plans to stick to, but I for one welcome this new direction.

Favorite Songs: “Madonna”, “What Should I Do?”

44. Me Chama De Gato Que Eu Sou Sua – Ana Frango Elétrico

Brazilian musician Ana Frango Elétrico’s latest album opens with “Electric Fish”, a spunky track with a bassline that goes hard as hell. It sets the standard for the rest of the album. And it’s maybe about semen, and that’s cool too. Ana Frango’s voice glides along groovy, glamorous and funky melodies with ease. She dabbles in orchestral arrangements, blending them seamlessly with signature sounds of funk, pop, jazz, and electronic music. You don’t have to speak Portuguese to hear the talent on display here. It’s quirky, it’s exciting, it’s danceable, it’s good music.

Favorite Songs: “Electric Fish”, “Insista em Mim”

43. Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) – Yves Tumor

Techno beats are woven with power pop, punk and rock melodies to create an energetic album that’s wholly unique. And what is Yves Tumor if not unique. On the modestly named Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds), the artist confidently adventures through a dozen sonic realms, each one different from the last while retaining a through line of musical atmosphere. The project builds to a well earned, climatic conclusion. The closing track, “Ebony Eye”, sounds like if Yves Tumor was asked to make an intro song for the NFL. I refuse to elaborate on that.

Favorite Songs: “Ebony Eye”, “Lovely Sewer”

42. Rat Saw God – Wednesday

Rat Saw God is dirty indie rock that sings with the unaffected honesty of a child forced to grow up too quick. You know the way a kid will just say something out of pocket about their home life? The album feels like a grimy coming of age tale about growing up in a middle of nowhere town in the US. Like on “Quarry”, where lead singer Karly Hartzman sings about a dozen small slices of life. The peak of which is hiding in the tall grass and watching the cops pull cocaine and guns out of the walls of a house. “A front for a front for a mob thing”, as Hartzman describes. Wednesday also benefits from a strong lineup of musicians, including MJ Lenderman on guitar. It can be messy and unorthodox at times, it only adds to its beatnik charm.

Favorite Songs: “Chosen to Deserve”, “Hot Rotten Grass Smell”

41. False Lankum – Lankum

Lankum’s pseudo self-titled project feels like its out of another era. It’s dark and brooding folk that sounds like it belongs in a Robert Eggers film. The opening track is a reinterpretation of a classic folk tune that’s been passed down through the ages. Despite being traditional in many aspects, Lankum’s version is unlike any previous incarnations, which can also describe the majority of what Lankum brings to the table here. The band creates haunting soundscapes that feel like a monster emerging slowly from a dense fog. Not everything on False Lankum is strictly grim, but for one reason or another, even the calm acoustic cuts have a lingering sense of unease about them.

Favorite Songs: “Go Dig My Grave”, “Netta Perseus”

40. Zach Bryan – Zach Bryan

Zach Bryan doesn’t care what the critics think. He describes his self-titled album as simply “poems and songs” that were more for him than anyone else. It’s a nice sentiment. Even when it’s long-winded, it still feels joyously like the musings of a man with a love for country music and an affinity for connecting to the genre’s roots. Despite being closer to “radio friendly” than alternative, Bryan still emulates the kind of sorrow and self-reflection that the genre originated in (with a modern twist). On one particularly self-aware line, Bryan sings ““Do you ever get tired of singin’ songs/Like all your pain is just another fuckin’ singalong?”, which speaks to the experience of being a musician in the internet era. But don’t let that deceive you. It’s clear that Zach Bryan loves what he does, and the album is at its best in these moments of raw, earnest musicianship.

Favorite Songs: “Fear and Friday’s”, “Ticking”

Further Reading: Country Music Is Changing (Again)

39. Flyte – Flyte

Flyte’s self-titled album is the wiser, older sibling to the band’s previous project This Is Really Going To Hurt. Where TIRGTH was a deeply honest, frustrated and resentful breakup album, the follow-up is a new beginning. Flyte is the warm sound of new love. Inspired by vocalist Will Taylor’s real life relationship, the tracks here feel like a weighted blanket – soothing, but a little constricting at times. On “Tough Love” (which features the great Laura Marling), Taylor sings “I’ve been trying to hurt you/ I’ve been holding you tight/I’ve been learning to love you/am I doing it right?”. In a year of heavy hitting indie folk, Flyte stands out with an introspective and warm project that holds its own.

Favorite Songs: “Speech Bubble”, “Defender”

38. Haunted Mountain – Buck Meek

Haunted Mountain feels like taking the scenic route. It’s not worried about getting anywhere in a hurry, and is happy to just enjoy the ride. Big Thief’s own Buck Meek is a hopeless romantic. His latest solo album is a folk/Americana journey through tales of love and loss. And even when the peaks turn to valleys, Meek’s perspective is refreshingly optimistic. He writes and sings most often about his wife and the experience of sharing your life with another person. And with it, all of the ups, downs, lefts and rights. To Buck Meek, it’s all just part of the journey. Enjoy the ride. In his own words on “Cyclades”, “there’s too many stories to remember/too many stories to tell”.

Favorite Songs: “Didn’t Know You Then”, “Haunted Mountain”

37. Weathervanes – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Jason Isbell writes some of his finest, most touching songs on Weathervanes. It’s no breezy country listen. Isbell is not shy about approaching heavier topics. He writes the way a woodcarver might whittle away at a delicate piece of soft wood, or the way an artist’s shaky hand adds the finer details to a broad canvas the size of the wall. As a songsmith, Isbell’s name should be up there with the great Americana singer songwriters of the 70s and 80s. Some of the darker cuts emulate Springsteen’s Nebraska, while the latter half of the album feels comparatively lighter. A lot of younger artists are beginning to dip their toes into a similar sound, as it seems like a new era of Mumford and Sons esque folk pop is upon us. But Isbell is no bandwagon fan. His musical experience speaks for itself.

Favorite Songs: “Cast Iron Skillet”, “Strawberry Woman”

36. Girl with fish – Feeble Little Horse

Feeble Little Horse’s Girl with fish is just a solid little rock album. Every few years or so, boomers will declare rock and roll as “dead”. But like any music genre, these things evolve with time. Feeble Little Horse blends pop and shoegaze into their most recent album, which gets progressively more left-field as it goes on. Not even half an hour in length, Girl with fish says what it needs to say and gets out of the way. Rock was never dead to begin with. But if it was, Feeble Little Horse breathed new life into it.

Favorite Songs: “Tin Man”, “Pocket”

35. Multitudes – Feist

Multitudes, the most recent album by the prolific Leslie Feist, really does live up to its name. It’s an album that demonstrates the many sides of the longtime indie artist. This won’t come as any real surprise to longtime fans. Her work as a part of Broken Social Scene is enough to demonstrate her versatility. Multitudes‘ first track borrows a page from Tune-Yards’ book, with a bold opening percussive/vocal arrangement. The album moves in and out like a tide, following up the louder, chaotic cuts with songs like “The Redwing”, which displays the depth of raw songwriting talent Leslie Feist has at her disposal. But the album truly peaks with “Borrow Trouble”, a triumphant ballad with one of the best saxophone solos I’ve heard all year (and for some reason, I’ve heard many). Multitudes feels like a celebration of ones place in a vast universe, no matter now miniscule it may be.

Favorite Songs: “Borrow Trouble”, “In Lightning”

34. Volcano – Jungle

Jungle has really had a breakout year. While they’ve had moderate success in their dance-pop releases previously, they’ve really exploded onto the scene in 2023. This is probably due to a handful of factors, from Tik Tok to their continued commitment to excellently styled and choreographed music videos. If I was ranking albums based on their music videos, Jungle would be at the top. But credit where credit is due, Jungle isn’t unworthy of their success by any stretch of the imagination. The band’s newest project is hit after hit, with more catchy dance grooves than should be legal. 

Favorite Songs: “Back On 74”, “Candle Flame”

33. Yards – Slow Pulp

Slow Pulp is one of the best discoveries I made this year. The Chicago indie group’s newest album feels surprisingly weighty. The bands primary songwriter Emily Massey went full Bon Iver to write this. She isolated herself in a cabin with a laptop and a guitar. The subsequent album was born of the rustic, raw, demos she produced in her self-imposed exile. The lyricism is reflective of the time Massey spent alone with her own thoughts. The album is nearly biographical for the lead singer, who often writes about the experience of being a musician, a friend, and a person. The resulting album feels wholly authentic and sweet.

Favorite Songs: “Broadview”, “Slugs”

32. Wisecrack – Hayley Blais

Hayley Blais’ knack for songwriting has been evident from the start. Her 2018 EP Let Yourself Go was a highlight for me when it was released. And she’s clearly only grown since then. On her most recent release, she really puts the wise in Wisecrack. She wades into deeper waters and explores themes of mortality, love, and self actualization. Even at Wisecrack’s most self-denigrative, it remains hopeful. Blais’ voice is angelic across the beautiful instrumentals, which are all excellently tailored to suit her exact style. And if you walk past a store and you see fifty artists that sound just like you fighting over complicated instrumentals, YOU GO IN. Yes you do. You go in.

Favorite Songs: “Matchmaker”, “Survivor’s Guilt”

31. Heaven knows – Pinkpantheress

PinkPantheress has blessed us with her debut album. And it’s everything fans had hoped for. She delivers in spades on the promise of well produced, unique pop bangers. Each and every song is unique and fun. The tracklist contains homerun after homerun, and concludes with the grand slam that is the unbelievably catchy “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2”. PinkPantheress’ voice has a dreamy, weightless quality to it. And she uses it perfectly on Heaven knows. 

Favorite Songs: “Mosquito”, “Capable of Love”, “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2”

30. Everything Harmony – The Lemon Twigs

Everything Harmony feels like a time capsule. The Lemon Twigs have toiled in this 60s and 70s sound for some time now. Some would call this derivative. But The Lemon Twigs aren’t trying to pull the wool over your eyes. They know what they like and they do it well. If that makes you angry, listen again to the first track and tell me it isn’t a beautiful tune. And then listen to the rest of the album while you’re at it. There is a careful attention to detail across Everything Harmony, as if it’s been painstakingly handcrafted for authenticity. It feels as though the band has gone back in time to study the bands of the mid 20th century. The Lemon Twigs manage to capture the kind of simple and sweet songwriting that’s present in the classic songs of the era they’re so connected to.

Favorite Songs: “In My Head”, “Ghost Run Free”

29. Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) – Jaimie Branch

Imagine how I felt when I discovered the trumpeter and mastermind behind this brilliant, sweeping jazz record passed away in 2022. Jaimie Branch was just 39 years old when she died last year after breaking new ground with her bold experimental musical stylings. Branch was the queen of genreless music, jazz being the best way to describe what she does. On Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)), she demonstrates all that she was capable of and more. The album is beautiful and strange, so full of potential to create and experiment further. It takes on a new meaning given the tragic context surrounding it. Rest in peace, Jaime Branch.

Favorite Songs: “the mountain”, “baba louie”

28. GUTS – Olivia Rodrigo

Olivia Rodrigo returned this year with a sophomore album that exceeded her debut. While I enjoyed SOUR, GUTS was streets ahead of it for me. The energy Rodrigo brings to these tracks is youthful, angry, passionate, and powerful. The lyricism on the softer ballads was striking, but it’s the spunkier, personality laden cuts that were standouts for me. Olivia Rodrigo continues to make interesting and clever musical choices that set her above a lot of modern pop artists.

Favorite Songs: “pretty isn’t pretty”, “all-american bitch”, “teenage dream”

27. No Highs – Tim Hecker

SEVERELY underappreciated composer Tim Hecker has been at it for quite a while now. He has amassed an impressive catalogue at this point, and a new ambient album would have to work overtime to compete with some of Hecker’s best work. And yet, here we are. No Highs is a hypnotic collection of music as bleak as the album cover suggests. At times, No Highs captures the same staggering hopelessness of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road or the dull, infinite winter of Glukhovsky’s Metro 2033. The synthetic swells are occasionally punctuated by powerful droning bass that hit with the force of a truck, like on “In Your Mind”. Hecker also recruits the musical talents of Colin Stetson, who lends his brilliant saxophone flair to the album. No Highs absorbs its listener, smothers them, and spits them out on the other side. It’s as matter of fact as the cruel natural world around us, and that suffocating feeling is captured perfectly.

Favorite Songs: “In Your Mind”, “Anxiety”

26. Space Heavy – King Krule

King Krule creates an immersive atmosphere on Space Heavy. The album sounds like what I imagine walking through Baltimore feels like. It sounds like a gray sky, a headache, and a sore throat. All of this is done intentionally, as is reflected in the lyricism. Archie Marshall is in familiar territory here. The sounds of Space Heavy are more grounded in rock. Gone is the electronic dabbling he’s done in past projects. The album wanders from track to track, stumbling down bleak avenues and delivering on the promise of melancholy that King Krule is known for. For my money, this is the quintessential King Krule album.

Favorite Songs: “Seaforth”, “Wednesday Overcast”

25. Cut Worms – Cut Worms

Cut Worms’ merry little self titled album put a smile on my face from the first track. “Don’t Fade Out” is the kind of song I want to play on a summer evening with the windows down. And the rest of the album delivers on the promise of that same feeling. But the lyrics tell a different story. Cut Worms sings with a smile, but croons about the state of life in America. Hatred, vitriol, and everyday misery are blended with personal struggles. The instrumentation is feels like classic Americana with its swinging riffs, its twists and turns into bouncy musical interludes. It’s a deceptive album that demands at least two listens (but deserves many, many more).

Favorite Songs: “Don’t Fade Out”, “Take it and Smile”

24. When We Were That What Wept For the Sea – Colin Stetson

In an alternate universe, Colin Stetson penned When We Were That What Wept For the Sea for the newest avant garde A24 thriller. Stetson is known for his “circular breathing”, which allows him to play the saxophone in a way few others can. He maintains a constant, mesmerizing drone that impresses as much as it engrosses. The album brings to mind Homer’s Odyssey – a sea faring journey; a test of wills. The infinite sea and the beauty, danger, and emotion that it carries. With the tragic context of the album dedication to Stetson’s father, who recently passed unexpectedly, the album gains a real world weight. The tracks vary in tone. Some feel urgent, others relaxed and contemplative. Stetson is a clear master of his craft, and pours his heart and soul into each song.

Favorite Songs: “The Lighthouse I”, “The Lighthouse V”

23. Cartwheel – Hotline TNT

Hotline TNT’s sweeping, shoegaze dreamscape snuck up on me this year. Having never heard of the band, I listened to track one, anticipating a quick sample before setting aside time to dig deeper some other time. But before I knew it, I was fully consumed by the buzzing guitar riffs that saturate these 12 songs. Most tracks have a short runtime. They know what they have to say and they say it, before moving on quickly to the next musical idea. “Out of Town” is a perfect example of this. And “I Thought You’d Change” has one of the better riffs I’ve heard this year. Somehow, Cartwheel sounds very natural and unbothered. It just makes sense.

Favorite Songs: “Out of Town”, “I Thought You’d Change”, “I Know You”

22. The Window – Ratboys

I’ve heard a lot of indie rock this year. It makes up most of my music consumption, to tell you the truth. Some good, some bad, some boring. But Ratboys? Ratboys get it. No part of a Ratboys’ song feels like an afterthought. It sounds effortless and calculated at once, from the instrumentation to the lyricism.  The title track demonstrates some heart-wrenching storytelling from lead vocalist Julia Steiner, who describes her grandfather’s inability to be with his dying wife due to COVID restrictions mid pandemic. This album has been described as a potential breakthrough project for Ratboys in the sense that they’ve really nailed their sound here. I’d certainly have to agree with that sentiment.

Favorite Songs: “Morning Zoo”, “It’s Alive!”

21. Heavy Heavy – Young Fathers

Heavy Heavy feels like walking into a surprise party that isn’t for you. It’s like walking down the street and having a flash mob break out around you, and Young Fathers are inviting you into the heart of it only to say something out of pocket and act like it’s no big deal. While they have expanded on their sound, the band remains committed to writing in a style that ranges between cynical and inquisitive. The instrumentation is globe trotting in its inspiration. While this is a slightly surprising release, the Scottish three piece have probably created their finest, most cohesive work yet on Heavy Heavy. 

Favorite Songs: “I Saw”, “Holy Moly”

20. Let’s Start Here. – Lil Yachty

One of the most surprising releases of 2023 was Lil Yachty’s genre-shift into Let’s Start Here. Nearly an hour of well-crafted psych rock and pop are neatly contained on Lil Yachty’s 5th studio album. Yachty is just 25 years old, which may surprise those who have followed the many hard, handbrake turns of his career. This latest one is extremely admirable. Not only is it nice to see established artists taking risks, but it’s even nicer to see them paying off. Lil Yachty isn’t just here to wear the clothes of psych rock for a while, he really makes it his own. “the BLACK seminole.”, “the ride-”, “running out of time”, and “drive ME crazy!”, are all some of the best songs of the year. Wherever Lil Yachty goes next, I’ll be there.

Favorite Songs: “drive ME crazy!”, “running out of time”

19. Norm – Andy Shauf

Andy Shauf has the ability to make the poetic mundane and the mundane poetic. I feel like he is consistently underappreciated as a songwriter. On the opening track, “Wasted On You”, Shauf sings from God’s perspective. He simplifies Christianity down to its bones. Laid out and dissected in Shauf’s simple way (which is sort of Joe Pera esque), it all sounds so foolish. And conversely, on “Halloween Store”, Shauf dedicates a verse to the thought process behind remembering to lock the house. Despite the song’s simplicity, it’s one of the best I’ve heard this year. Shauf is no stranger to this kind of songwriting. His album entitled The Party is a collection of songs detailing the various interactions of party goers. There is nothing inherently wild occurring at this party, but Shauf is still able to draw a dozen interesting stories, describing these small, everyday interactions in a way that’s strangely hypnotic and alluring. On Norm, Shauf dives a little deeper. Listeners may miss the more cryptic elements on a first playthrough. But Norm ebbs and flows into lyrical themes that make later listens just as engaging as the first impression. 

Favorite Songs: “Wasted On You”,  “Halloween Store”

18. SCARING THE HOES – JPEGMAFIA, Danny Brown

The hoes are QUAKING in their boots right now. This year’s collaboration between JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown is an all-timer. This is right up there with Silk Sonic in terms of artist collaborations on the exact same wavelength. SCARING THE HOES begins with the line “first off, fuck Elon Musk”. The two slightly oddball artists have no issue making outside the box music. They embrace it on this project, which feels like a compilation of songs they just needed to get out of their system in the best possible way. Danny Brown gets to drop lines that hit like slaps to the face, and JPEGMAFIA gets to flex his production skills. It’s the perfect recipe for a good time. 

Favorite Songs: “God Loves You”, “Lean Beef Patty”

17. Live at Bush Hall – Black Country, New Road

For a short, scary time, it seemed that BNCR’s future was in jeopardy. Following the release of their impressive and dynamic album Ants From Up There, the band’s frontman announced he’d be stepping away to deal with some mental health issues. And tragic as that is, the show must go on. On “Up Song”, the first track played at a live debut of new music, the band reassures fans: “Look at what we did together/BCNR friends forever”. Centered around a sort of whimsical theater production, the band invited fans to join them in a live celebration of their new era. Live From Bush Hall has a spirited, do it yourself energy to it. It’s clear that Black Country, New Road are good friends with good chemistry. And that bond is reflected on their newest collection of songs, quirky and outlandish as it may be.

Favorite Songs: “Up Song”, “Dancers”

16. HELLMODE – Jeff Rosenstock

Punk veteran Jeff Rosenstock is an interesting figure. His near complete rejection of music industry standard practices is commendable. Earlier this year, he spoke out about the massive cut that concert venues take on merch and ticket sales. In a world where touring is the only way to make decent money as a musician, you’d think a new pop punk styled project from Rosenstock would have a lot of angst to it. And while it retains those angrier sounds, it’s surprisingly uplifting in its messaging. “HEALMODE”, for example, is an unexpectedly tender acoustic love ballad. Many of HELLMODE‘s songs are about Rosenstock’s relationship to anxiety and mental health. Mixed with frustration are themes of self improvement. All in all, HELLMODE is the ideal pop punk record for the 2020s. It feels modern, relevant, and is every bit as catchy as an album like this should be.

Favorite Songs: “HEAD”, “LIKED YOU BETTER”

15. 10,000 gecs – 100 gecs

100 gecs are in a realm of their own creation. Having waited out the hyperpop explosion that they contributed to (and perhaps largely inspired), the band is back to build on their last project with another collection of unpredictable jams. The tight 10 tracks are the perfect gecs experience. “Frog On The Floor” is exactly the kind of thing I want to hear from this band. A song about a little frog guy? Perfect. “Doritos & Fritos” is probably what my mom hears every time she turns on the radio and hears something that wasn’t made in 1986. Their lyrical themes are so steeped in irony that they almost come full circle and feel completely sincere. Bring on the gecs. 

Favorite Songs: “Frog On The Floor”, “757”

14. Desire, I Want to Turn Into You – Caroline Polachek

Caroline Polachek’s second studio album features a bagpipe solo. That alone is worthy of recognition. But on top of that is an entire record that revels in bold experimentation and clever choices. These frequent musical surprises subvert expectations, keeping the listener on their toes at every turn. Polachek has such an impressive mastery of her own voice. It’s clear here, and even clearer in live performances. Desire, I Want to Turn Into You reaches through a portal and offers a hand to the listener with a proposition to take them into Caroline Polachek’s world. Her evolution as an artist is certainly going to be one to watch.

Favorite Songs: “Welcome To My Island”, “Bunny Is A Rider”, “Blood And Butter”

13. We Buy Diabetic Test Strips – Armand Hammer

It has been one hell of a year for billy woods. The man just doesn’t quit. He has been active in the underground/abstract hip hop scene since 2003. Maps, his collaborative album with Kenny Segal from earlier this year has also been one of my favorites of 2023. And here he is again as part of the Armand Hammer project with We Buy Diabetic Test Strips. Elucid is also quite prolific. He’s been busy since 2007, releasing music through multiple projects of his own. And these guys have their finger on the pulse more now than ever. There is a variety of soundscapes across this album, from the near-relaxing ambient to the harsh and heavy. The themes are grim and the atmosphere is bleak. The experimental elements, the features, and the dense and often profound lyricism make subsequent listens more and more rewarding each time. 

Favorite Songs: “I Keep A Mirror In My Pocket”, “The Gods Must Be Crazy”

12. This Is Why – Paramore

Few bands escaped the black hole of early 2000s rock for the modern day. And don’t get me wrong. I loved that era. But making the transition into the 2020s seemed to be harder for some than others. Paramore are an exception. As a follow up to the pop focused After Laughter, the band has returned with a sound that feels like a marriage of the old and the new. This Is Why is an excellent, punchy rock album. Hayley Williams sounds as good as ever, and her songwriting, as well as the instrumentation provided by guitarist Taylor York and drummer Zac Farro are sharp and clever. Each song will have you asking yourself “how do they do it?” The band is in complete sync and it shows.

Favorite Songs: “Running Out Of Time”, “Crave”

11. Wallsocket – underscores

Wallsocket is the kind of album to have the listener jumping around the room in one moment, and slumping against the wall with their jaw open the next. This ambitious hyperpop/rock/experimental concept album from April Harper Grey takes you on a figurative journey around the town of Wallsocket, Michigan, which is a microcosm of freaks apparently. Songs like “Locals (Girls Like Us)” are energetic and fun. But just a few down the tracklist is “Johnny Johnny Johnny”, a deeply upsetting tale about a young girl in the internet age. And to wrap it all up, a beautiful folk ballad. The album is full of hyperpop-isms, a saturated crowd that underscores manages to stand out in. April Harper Grey takes all manner of risks on Wallsocket. She throws so much at the wall, and yet miraculously, it sticks. Grey is no rookie, but even still I get the sense that she has many more tricks up her sleeve.

Favorite Songs: “Cops and Robbers”, “Seventyseven dog years”

10. Why Does The Earth Give Us People to Love? – Kara Jackson

Kara Jackson has a haunting quality to her voice. Her vocals often sit comfortably in a lower register and she knows how to use it to her advantage. The songs on Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? are striking in how unsettling they are. They are not gentle or sweet. They force you into an uncomfortable state of mind. And her lyricism is completely arresting, which makes sense given that she was the U.S. National Youth Poet Laureate in 2019. Jackson’s songwriting goes in all directions, and yet each one feels as relevant as the next. On “therapy”, she writes about the way men treat women as surrogate mothers. And “rat” is the story of a singer’s desire for success in the music industry and escaping the pain of one’s past. Few artists can pull off these kinds of thematic leaps. But Kara Jackson does so effortlessly.

Favorite Songs: “no fun/party”, “curtains”

9. That! Feels Good! – Jessie Ware

Jessie Ware dives headfirst into disco influence on That! Feels Good!, an album unashamed about its themes of female pleasure. It made me feel like I needed to listen to it standing up. It made me want to buy a bottle of champagne and smoke one of those long cigarettes. The melodies are strong and catchy. Ware’s voice is so well suited to this style of music that she may as well have invented it. And she does get a little inventive here and there, blending electronic elements into her disco instrumentation in a way that makes for an excellent and infectious record. 

Favorite Songs: “Pearls”, “Hello Love”, “These Lips”

8. The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We – Mitski

Mitski has always had a strange, suffocated, relationship with the process of making music. Perhaps it was a frustration with the industry as a whole. But on The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We, she sounds liberated, as if she’s finally making music on her own terms. The soundscape Mitski creates on TLIIASAW is gorgeous. It’s the sonic equivalent of a wide angle lens sweeping over the American west at dawn. This sound is best captured in “I’m Your Man”, which also has some of the most compelling writing on the whole project. Which in this case is really saying something, because Mitski did not let up on any of these songs. The string sections, the tasteful country twang, and the horns are a recipe for success under Mitski’s guidance. While rumors of her retirement were apparently exaggerated, I’m glad she’s still making music either way.

Favorite Songs: “I’m Your Man”, “My Love Mine All Mine”

7. Henry St. – The Tallest Man On Earth

The Tallest Man on Earth, Kristian Matsson (5’7”) gained popularity in his early work with a stripped back acoustic sound – usually just his voice and a guitar. Though Matsson had previously dipped his toes into the expansion of his sound, Henry St. marked the first time Matsson would record with a full band. And yet it sounds as though the band has been playing together all along. Matsson’s thoughtful lyrics are elevated by the lush instrumental breaks that fill out these songs. Henry St. is a pleasant walk through a quiet neighborhood. The use of horns, piano, and strings all elevate this project to another, blissful level.

Favorite Songs: “Slowly Rivers Turn”, “New Religion”, “In Your Garden Still”

6. Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd? – Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey is dialed in on her newest album, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd?. She’s the Josh Allen of music. When he’s playing, he’s playing. Lana Del Rey has been toying with this sound for years. A sermon acts as an interlude on Lana Del Rey’s Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd?. It highlights some of the more religious themes in Lana’s songwriting, which are especially prevalent on her most recent project. Lana draws attention to the idyllic Christian life as a contrast to her own. She croons over gentle melodies, backed by piano, guitar, and some of Jack Antonoff’s best production to date. On “Sweet”, I picture Lana Del Rey leaning on a piano and wistfully singing to an empty theater. Or “Kintsugi”, she rambles and drifts from hazy anecdote to hazy anecdote. But the crux of the song is the Japanese practice of repairing broken things and highlighting the imperfections in the process. Lana wishes she too could embrace her own flaws with the same grace. Brimming with interesting choices at every level, DYKTTATUOB is Lana’s best album.

Favorite Songs: “Paris, Texas”, “Kintsugi”

5. Maps – billy woods and Kenny Segal

Kenny Segal’s consistently interesting and unique production elevates this project above billy woods’ other fantastic release from later in 2023 for me. Despite a 17 song tracklist, Segal and woods find a way to make each and every song distinct while also flowing effortlessly from one to the next. “Soft Landing” has its airy guitar, “Blue Smoke” makes use of an upright bass, and “Year Zero” leans on a darker, synthetic sound. But no matter the beat, you can be absolutely certain that billy woods is not going to mince words. Each line is poetic, honest, and hard hitting. Maps is a phenomenal display from the veteran pair of Segal and woods, who show no signs of slowing down despite their long careers.

Favorite Songs: “Bad Dreams Are Only Dreams”, “Soft Landing”, “Blue Smoke”

4. STRUGGLER – Genesis Owusu

Genesis Owusu’s genre bending STRUGGLER is an entirely unique project. This record is difficult to describe with a singular word. It’s electronic, it’s R&B, it’s hip hop, it’s pop. It’s all of those and none of them. The first track’s driving bass line sets the tone for this pseudo concept album, which tells an unexpected story about a post-apocalyptic world. Our protagonist, known as The Roach, spends the album’s runtime battling philosophical forces much greater than himself. Generally, when asked about an album’s influences, artists will rattle off names like Bowie, the Beatles, etc. Genesis Owusu’s greatest influences for STRUGGLER are the works of Franz Kafka, playwright Samuel Beckett, and the renowned manga series Beserk. Owusu is unlike any other working artist today. His work is consistently creative and he’s only just begun.

Favorite Songs: “Tied Up!”, “That’s Life (A Swamp)”, “Leaving The Light”

3. Javelin – Sufjan Stevens

I was already fairly confident that Sufjan Steven’s newest album was going to take an emotional toll on me. But when the artist dedicated this project to his partner, who tragically passed earlier this year, I knew this album would be infinitely more devastating. “Goodbye Evergreen” sets a familiar tone for Sufjan, who excels in capturing the feeling of longing. But the opening track also contains a loud, crunchy, electronic breakdown (a reoccurring theme across these ten tracks). It’s been a while since Stevens’ last solo project, the equally devastating Carrie and Lowell. But where that was subtler in its instrumentation, Javelin does not hold back. When Sufjan wants to express loss, he fires on all cylinders. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Javelin keeps its chin up, even on tracks like “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?”, which is every bit as effecting as it sounds. A choir of voices frequently accompanies Sufjan’s own on Javelin. Sometimes sweet, sometimes forlorn, but always beautiful and to the benefit of the project. Sufjan Stevens is one of the greatest artists of our generation.

Rest in peace Evan Richardson.

Favorite Songs: “A Running Start”, “Genuflecting Ghost”, “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?”

2. Oh Me Oh My – Lonnie Holley

Lonnie Holley’s dense, emotionally stirring, Oh Me Oh My plays out like a hazy series of vignettes. It’s part short-fiction, part memoir, and part social critique. Holley, a longtime artist throughout a variety of mediums, has lead an incredible life and has stories to show for it. Born in 1950, Holley grew up in the American south. Some of his stories are more metaphorical, but sometimes he reflects on his youth. Like on “Mount Meigs”, where he details his upbringing in the “Mount Meigs Alabama Industrial School for Negro Children”. Oh Me Oh My flows between intense, avant garde jazz, spoken word poetry, and soul. The project features a star-studded lineup of collaborators, from the poet Moor Mother to the likes of Bon Iver and Sharon Van Etten. Holley’s depth of experience is certainly evident on this album, which plays out like flipping through a haphazard, chaotic, beautiful scrapbook.

Favorite Songs: “Testing”, “Mount Meigs”, “Future Children”

1. 3D Country – Geese

I can’t recall the last time I’ve been so immediately enraptured by an album as I was by 3D Country. Geese’s second album completely blew me away. With a killer intro track and an excellent run of tight, catchy, surprising songs, 3D Country is phenomenal. Going in blind is the best option. With no preconceived notions of how the album would sound, I was free to let the album surprise me again and again. The layered instrumentation and the frequent zany musical breakdowns were electrifying. Vocalist Cameron Winter’s staggered, almost drunken vocal delivery elevates the project into the stratosphere. His artistic choices on the microphone have me at the edge of my seat every single time. The soulful backing choir feels like the Hannibal Buress to the band’s Eric Andre; the Andy Richter to their Conan O’Brien. Vocally and instrumentally, the band displays an impressive range. I was genuinely entertained in a way that I haven’t been by an album in a long, long time.

Favorite Songs: “3D Country”, “Cowboy Nudes”, “Tomorrow’s Crusades”

And that’s that. Thank you so much for reading. This took me a long time. I’m just one man. I listen to a lot of music. I think next year I’ll keep it to 40. Maybe even 30. But this year actually was shockingly good for music overall. I found so many fantastic, talented, new artists this year. I hope you got something out of this list. I did this for myself more than anything else. But thanks. And happy holidays. Merry Christmas. Gubb loves you all.