Looped, chopped up, and hodgepodged, Bombay Bicycle Club returned this year with their sample-heavy record, “My Big Day”. Steadman & Co. continue to cover lots of sonic ground, playing with acoustic driven indie rock with “Turn The World On” and “Onward”, hip-hop grooves on opener “Just A Little More Time”, and 80’s disco pop on “Tekken 2” featuring Chaka Khan??? Alongside their musical expansion, “My Big Day” is ... read more

So… who had this on their 2023 bingo cards? Not me. Rivaling Andre 3000’s new age flute album, Lil Yachty’s “Let’s Start Here.” is probably the biggest left-turn in music this year. And it’s GREAT. The opening moments of this psych-rock odyssey feel like an ascension to the stars. “the BLACK seminole.” is a multi-section homage to the legends of the genre, topped with Yachty’s signature auto-crooning - and sounds more like a 21st ... read more

In the words of Isaiah Keiler, “This sounds like VeggieTales for sinners”. And I don’t know if I can say he’s wrong. Sugary and abrasive, glitched out and glossy in parts, the sophomore release from hyperpop duo 100 gecs is often a walking contradiction. At any given moment, it might be pulling from pop punk, then PC music, then Primus, then your favorite animated kids show from the 90’s. But no matter what it sounds like, it’s 100% gec and unnecessarily ... read more

In my 2019 end of year write-ups, I wrote “The Japanese House is going places, and this is just the beginning.” 4 years later, the electro-pop project from Amber Bain is yet again coming in 7th place on my list. What’d I say? While Bain’s always worn her heart on her sleeve in her songs, “In The End It Always Does” sounds a little more human than its predecessor. The upright pianos, soft acoustic work, and string quartets that paint the sonic landscape of ... read more

Buck Meek’s brand of sweet and sincere indie folk soothes the soul every time I hear it. “Haunted Mountain” is no exception. Swooning slide guitar work, Meek’s yodel-esque vocal delivery, and simple but easygoing storytelling make this collection of songs feel like a summertime soundtrack. Images of nature and childhood experiences conjure up familiar feelings of home and youth, while filling in a picture of who Meek is. Lyrics like the “tiny crystal ball” ... read more

Up until November, I was woefully unaware of Petey’s music. Like most people, my introduction to Petey was through his online sketch videos, shorts, and reels. Little did I know, this guy is an absolute hit machine. “USA” is chock-full of bombastic, hard-hitting, and captivating pop, punk, electronic tracks that sound like a conjoining of The Districts, PUP, and The 1975, while remaining fully its own thing. Dwelling on his childhood, his own mortality, and his future life and ... read more

While being a child of the ’00’s, Paramore has managed to evade me for the longest time. I’ve been familiar with their hits, but never have had the perfect entry point into the band’s work. Then last year’s single “This Is Why” came along. Cool without trying too hard, influenced by the post-punk that’s defined the decade so far, and too groovy for its own good, my attention had been peaked. The record of the same name that followed then sealed ... read more

GOD OF THE SUN, I’M TAKING YOU DOWN FROM THE INSIDE! I don’t think an album can get much more fun than this year’s release from Brooklyn band Geese. From honky tonk pianos, twangy guitars that will overdrive in a moment’s notice, and the most unhinged vocals of the whole year, “3D Country” is all over the place. “2122”, the hard rock opening to the whole thing, is like a volt of lightning into your veins. “I See Myself”, along with a ... read more

2018’s “Sex & Food” was my introduction to the lofi funk-rock of Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Ever since then, UMO has quickly become one of my favorite bands, if not my favorite. I’ve been waiting five years for their fifth record, and in 2023, we got “V”. The double album sounds like a slice of paradise on an overcast day. While sounding equally hazy and crunched, every song still maintains a sense of serenity. Each song drifting right into the next one, ... read more

Andy Shauf’s “Norm” is the perfect balance of story and song. From a musical perspective, this new record from the Canadian singer-songwriter is lush, gentle, and truly beautiful. Soft acoustic strums, woodwind flutters, simple and fuzzy synth lines, and the most gentle singing voice you’ve heard all year make for such a pleasant listen. It never feels dull, but is so soothing. With it being a winter release from early this year, I’ve found myself turning to the ... read more

Pedro the Lion was a name I wasn’t familiar with until this year. Singer/songwriter David Bazan started putting out music under the moniker in the late 90’s, took a break, and returned back in 2019 - beginning a 5-part series of albums with each one dedicated to a city he lived in as a kid. Havasu, his second entry, is a triumph in storytelling and pulls you into the eyes of a 12-year-old being uprooted from his home. Bazan finds a way to make first experiences with love, music, and ... read more

From the opening moments of “Intro”, it’s evident that Black Country, New Road has done something different this time around. The off-kilter post-punk of For the first time has been replaced with a theatrical, sweeter sounding art rock. Former frontman Isaac Wood wears his heart on his sleeve, delivering his most powerful, pain-staking performances yet, while the instrumentation is less harsh, yet just as heavy. Musical motifs carry throughout the track list, with ... read more

Big Thief has been drifting from the indie rock sound of their first two records over the past couple of years, and Dragon New Warm Mountain separates itself even further. Vast and grand in its scale, the double-album covers plenty of musical ground with elements of folk, bluegrass, and lofi, while staying true to what makes them Big Thief. The 7-song run from “Change” through “Little Things” showcases the band at its best, with “Simulation Swarm”, ... read more

One of the best groups in folk right now has returned with another warm and welcoming record that sounds timeless. Simple, but powerful writing is aided by the intricate guitar work from Josh Kaufman and eclectic voices of Anaïs Mitchell and Eric D. Johnson. While not changing much from their self-titled, Rolling Golden Holy is a testament to the talent of Bonny Light Horseman.

“Love is learned over time ‘til you’re an expert in a dying field”. What do you do with all you know after a relationship comes to pass? New Zealand rockers ask this question and many more on their follow-up to 2020’s Jump Rope Gazers. The Beths have been on my radar for several years now, but this album has truly made me a fan. Witty lyricism from frontwoman Elizabeth Stokes and her airy voice paired with some of the catchiest guitar riffs of the year makes for ... read more

It’s Spoon. Confident, crunchy, and dry, the band’s 10th release is a solid selection of straightforward rock songs that just flow into one another. Reaching electric highs with “The Hardest Cut” and “Wild”, while embracing softer sounds on “Astral Jacket” and the title-track, Lucifer on the Sofa is another great addition to Spoon’s discography.

Something this heavy and abrasive shouldn’t groove this much. The Boys have come forth with their most immediate batch of songs yet, while translating the divisiveness of our political climate and conspiracy theories to the Stone Age. Scratchy guitars, fuzzed synths, and distorted vocals power through the whole record and don’t let up till it’s done. It’s a wild world out there, and Cave World is it’s post-punk soundtrack.

UK art rock band Everything Everything sounds glitched and granular on Raw Data Feel, having used AI programming to help with lyrical content, song titles, and the album art. Tracks such as opener “Teletype” and lead single “Bad Friday” lean into the technological feel, while the humanity of the band still shines through on “Jennifer” and “Leviathan”. Hook-centric and immersive, Raw Data Feel is worth a listen.

The Smile has been attracting attention ever since their debut via a stream from the Glastonbury music festival in 2021, and rightfully so. The group, consisting of Radiohead frontman and lead guitarist Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, as well as Tom Skinner, drummer of the UK jazz outfit Sons of Kemet, plays to each of their strengths here - bringing hypnotic synth passages, crunchy and delay-drenched electrics, tight drum grooves, and a haunting vocal delivery from Thom to the table. This is ... read more

Peach Pit sounds relaxed and in their element on their follow-up to 2020’s You and Your Friends. It’s light and breezy, laying back a little and leaning in with more personal writing this time around. While Peach Pit’s brand of indie pop is still in full force, they opt for acoustic over distorted guitars and the whole thing sounds as if they aren’t having to try as hard, and they’re benefiting from it.