The On Repeat & Friends Best Of 2023: Part 3
The Honorable Mentions list
Good Morning!
Today we’re taking a quick look at the records just outside of our top 10 lists
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By any measure, 2023 was a banner year for music. I’m mindful that I’ve written that multiple times in recent weeks, but it bears repeating. Below is my list of records that just missed taking a top spot, followed by Jami, Sam, and Steve’s picks.
I’ve framed mine as a lightning round because I came up with it by employing the totally objective, data-driven method of scribbling the first ones that came to mind on a sheet of teletype paper. Other options considered were alphabetical order and by date of release. Some of these were on my Best Of (so far) list last June. Others briefly made the cut, only to be bumped last minute as part of my endless tweaking.
In any other year, these likely would’ve been locks for a spot on the list-2023 was just that good.
Honorable Mention (lightning round version):
Tanukichan-Gizmo: Gizmo is a record that makes for an easy escape. It’s easy to get lost in the hypnotic grooves and textured sound, especially on tracks like “Thin Air” featuring 2022 On Repeat AOTY candidates Enumclaw. (Bandcamp link)
Ratboys- The Window: Your favorite band’s favorite band jumped out of their comfort zone, decamped to Seattle, and took everything to the next level. Best played loud in one’s car. (Bandcamp link)
Bully- Lucky For You: The lyrics are emotional, the sound volatile. All sung with a voice that sounds like it subsists on Marlboros and cynicism. It is the voice of someone who’s seen some things. (Bandcamp link)
Blues Lawyer- All In Good Time: What I wrote initially: It’s easy to sail full steam ahead into an iceberg of reductive writing when describing a band like this— “Indie” and “jangly” make for easy copy. But Blues Lawyer does evoke a very specific vein of 90s pop. (Bandcamp link)
En Attendant Ana- Principia: Pitch perfect pop. Saint Ettiene for the mordern age. The band’s Julliet made my list when it came out. Here we are again. Should the band make a record next year, the odds are pretty good it’ll be on my list. Watch this space. (Bandcamp link)
Overmono- Good Lies: The world can always use more electronic music. Grab your good headphones, turn this up, and enjoy the trip to space. (Bandcamp link)
Current Affairs- Off The Tongue: Urgent New Wave and post-punk from Glasgow. (Bandcamp link)
Local Drags- Mess of Everything: There is a specific brand of power pop that can only come from Flyover Country. Dave Pirner knew it, and so does Lanny Durbin. You know it when you hear it. And you’ll hear it when you play Mess of Everything. (Bandcamp link)
Die Spitz-Teeth: Elevator Pitch: Die Spitz are Gen Z’s L7. Fast, furious, and zero F’s to give. This record rips. (Bandcamp link)
Justin Nuñez- Música del Corazón: More magic from The City Different and Mama Manana Records. After years of playing barroom troubador to buzzed crowds looking to hear familiar covers, Nunez pulls back the curtain to share the songs he wants to play— the ones that tell his own story. (Bandcamp link)
Kerala Dust- Violet Drive: A record equally at home on a packed dancefloor in a dimly lit club or at a Moroccan bazaar. This record has a propulsive, hypnotic quality that will keep you coming back for more while you try to figure out who/what it sounds like. (Bandcamp Link)
Jami’s List:
boygenius - The Record: Don’t get me wrong, this is a gorgeous album that’ll end up on a LOT of “Best of” lists. I just found myself listening to it less often than the ones who made my list of favorites from the year. I have a lot of nostalgia picks because I’m a nostalgic Gen X’er.
Danger Mouse & Jemini the Gifted One - Born Again: This choice is also technically cheating because it was made in 2004, but we’ve had to wait until this year for its release. It doesn’t have the same fireball chemistry as 2003’s Ghetto Pop Life, but it’s nice to hear from this duo again after all these years.
Nas - Magic 2 & 3: Two albums in the same year, but that’s no surprise coming from Nas, a genius at creating multi-album themes.
Bombay Bicycle Club - My Big Day: This might be the band’s most adventurous album. It goes beyond indie pop and incorporates some new sounds thanks to collaborations with Chaka Khan and Damon Albarn. It’s a super fun listen!
Dolly Parton - Rockstar: Is it the best album of 2023? Absolutely not. Is it even close? Still no. Is Dolly Parton an American treasure, and should we support literally anything she does while she’s still on this planet? Big yes.
Sam’s List:
Yo La Tengo - This Stupid World
ANOHI & The Johnsons - My Back Was a Bridge For You to Cross
André 3000 - New Blue Sun
Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter - SAVED!
Lankum - False Lankum
Julie Byrne - The Greater Wings
Pale Jay - Bewilderment
Wednesday - Rat Saw God
Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist - Voir Dire
Queens of the Stone Age - In Times New Roman…
Steve’s List:
The Go! Team - Get Up Sequences Pt. 2: The Go! Team Go!ng for broke in all the best ways.
Voice of Bacerot - RETAS: Muslim, female political thrash metal trio from Indonesia.
Haken-Fauna: Progressive metal at its creative, adventuresome best.
Paramore - Re: This is Why: Super fun rerecording of This is Why, with famous guests on each track. Even better than the original.
Sparklehorse - Bird Machine: The album Mark Linkous was working on at the time of his tragic death in 2010. Lovingly mixed and completed by his brother Matt and Matt’s wife Melissa Moore.
Bombay Bicycle Club - My Big Day: In a couple of months, this might make my top 5. Sonic joy.
Maria BC - Spike Field: Just discovered them: hauntingly delicate and harrowing.
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Weathervanes: Isbell is one of our great songwriters. This album only solidifies that fact.
Should one (or some) of these have made our Top 10s? Are any of them in yours? Share your thoughts below! There’s also still time to vote in our Reader’s Choice Poll!
P.S. Stay tuned for the On Repeat list of 2023’s best EPs!
Thanks for being here,
Kevin—
“Honorable mention” - emphasis on “honorable.” All of these picks have great tracks on them. For me, these albums just weren’t as cohesive as the ones who made the top 10...but don’t let that stop you from enjoying the beauty in a lot of these songs.
my '23 tops: https://futureradiation.substack.com/p/2023-favorite-songs-albums