As a kid raised on the golden age of Nickelodeon (aka the 90s), I thought it was great to see All That alumni Kenan Thompson graduate to the show's mature older brother in Saturday Night Live. But when I realized that Kenan has now become the longest tenured cast member in the show's history (at 21 seasons and counting) I started to think about Kenan's actual merit as a performer. And he's fine. Not all that memorable but you can definitely do a lot worse. He's perfectly acceptable. And thus, our middle tier of 2023 albums has been given his namesake as a tribute to his perfectly passable but not necessarily exceptional career. Awww here it goes...
#97. Heimdal by Enslaved
Norwegian metal veterans, Enslaved, have found a number of different ways to keep their formula fresh over the past 30 years. Case and point - the second song, "Congelia", has some enticing Children of Bodom style synth hits that piqued my interest early here. Unfortunately though, it's followed by an acoustic number that drags that excitement to a grinding halt and the album never fully recovers. But the 8 minute title track "Heimdal", is a choice closer. Although when your track list is this short, you can't have this many songs that fail to register much of a lasting impression. And as deep as their discography is, you really wouldn't miss much by sitting this one out.
#96. Rat Saw God by Wednesday
Listening to Wednesday, I don't think I appreciated how much I enjoyed MJ Lenderman's solo outing last year. It seemed a bit simple at the time but by comparison, "Rat Saw God" feels like a directionless collage of meandering Pavement sound beds running on a loop until the vocalist runs out of words to say. There's just way too little structure for me. I get subverting conventional songwriting expectations but this doesn't feel like it was thought out thoroughly enough for that to validate the choices made here. "Bull Believer" didn't really need to be eight and a half minutes long, did it? And as much as I do appreciate the random flourishes of steel guitar, it really just makes me miss MJ Lenderman's solo work all the more. It's a tease. I'm gonna go sooth myself with "TLC Cagematch" right now actually.
#95. One Day by Fucked Up
After the highly experimental "Dose Your Dreams" (which is saying something, considering how nontraditional Fucked Up has been for pretty much the entirety of their 15 odd year career) I was pretty disappointed to find the Canadian art punks reverting to the mean of safer power pop rock tracks like 2014's "Glass Boys" with their new record "One Day". Even the intended single, "I Think I Might Be Weird" feels a little too contrived to successfully convey the saccharine pop attitude they're so clearly trying to evoke. Pretty underwhelming to see this group's ambition muted into such a tepid release. But I'm sure they'll bounce back from this, wont they?
#94. Everything I Lack by Elliott Green
Despite it's bright spots, the debut record from Elliot Green feels a bit lacking in complexity as the entire album almost exclusively features just a single instrument (usually guitar or piano) to accompany the bevy of sullen breakup ballads. And while the lyricism can be endearing on occasion, it's not nearly enough to carry this entire record on it's own. Tracks like "Goodness" and "Boxer" benefit greatly from the much needed instrumental expansion. Hopefully we'll see more of that on Elliott's next release and less of the ambient noise of radio broadcast feedback and film projectors. "Referee" was pretty stellar though. Maybe Elliott can use this as an audition tape to join a band in search of a front-person. Like a musical cover letter or something, I don't know...
#93. In Times New Roman... by Queens of the Stone Age
Most fans of Queens of the Stone Age (or Hommebres, as I've decided to call them) look back at 2017's "Villains" as the desert rocker's low point. But this latest release definitely wears that badge of dishonor for me. Although it's delivered with their trademark razor-sharp precision, the songs themselves feel pretty half assed. Particularly once you hit the halfway point at "Made to Parade". At least "Villains" had the stand out single "Feet Don't Fail Me Now", whereas this record doesn't really have a highlight to speak of. It's kind of a retread on their 1970's inspired goth glam sound from "Era Vulgaris". Only this leans way more towards Rob Zombie terrain than T-Rex or Thin Lizzy. And not even good Rob Zombie. Bad, goofy, hard rock circus, freak show Rob Zombie.
#92. Freak of Nature by Heart Attack Man
With 2019's "Fake Blood", Heart Attack Man forcefully announced themselves as a trusted new voice in the emo/punk community. Their trademark cynicism paired with infectious power pop hooks made them one of the most preeminent acts in the scene. And while the title track, which also serves as the record's lead single, may lead you to believe that "Freak of Nature" is more of the same - the rest of the record severely lacks that same bratty tone and in your face attitude. Heart Attack Man's brand of pop-punk has shifted from Sum-41 to Simple Plan, or to be honest - all of the auto-tune and sing-talk verses give the occasional hint of Machine Gun Kelly. Yikes. And with cringey lyrics like "I wanna speak to the manager of planet Earth" and pretty much the entirety of "Clown School", you really don't wanna hear these lines delivered that clearly. Other than "C4", there's no more aggression to be found and very suddenly it feels like the once rising star of Heart Attack Man is already beginning to fade.
#91. PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
After some less than stellar detours into acid pop and even rap, KGLW have gone back into making instrumentally dense and profoundly complex prog-metal. And while I was hoping for some more "Infest the Rat's Nest" levels of intensity, this is really more experimental and jammy than I would have liked. There's no doubting how talented this group is as musicians, especially after a face melter like "Flamethrower", but then the song keeps going. And going. And before you know it the runtime is doubled. There are so many points where unnecessary musical segues or unbearably repetitive vocals ruin an otherwise spectacular song. And I know the vocalist isn't supposed to be center stage on a prog-metal record and I should probably just be happy he's decided not to rap anymore but it's hard not to be distracted by just how grating this vocal performance is in it's delivery, content, and placement in each song.
#90. 6 by Graveyard
Graveyard returns with their 6th full length, aptly titled "6", that takes their sound further into the realm of smoke-filled bar rock ballads and blues standards. I was really hoping to get some more energy from these guys but unfortunately it sounds like they probably peaked over a decade ago with the back to back releases "Hisingen Blues" and "Lights Out". But this a competent effort, even if it's not always the most compelling thing in the world. And even on a record that's full of slower paced tunes, "Rampant Fields" stands out as the stellar blues-rock closer.
#89. Struggler by Genesis Owusu
Following up his breakout 2021 record "Smiling With No Teeth", Genesis Owusu has returned with a new collection of his unmistakable brand of grungy, neo-soul hip hop. "Struggler" comes out of the gate strong with "Leaving The Light" but honestly, I'd be fine if I only ever revisited the first two tracks of this record. After that, things are much, much slower and thus lack the urgency of his previous work. He had a way of making such complex and nontraditional arrangements incredibly catchy and there's none of that to be found in the synthy R&B tracks that make up the back half of this album. There's definitely a much more focused and singular tone throughout "Struggler" but personally, I see that as more of a fault than an improvement. His ability to successfully tackle such a diverse spectrum of varying sounds was what stood out to me most and that seems to have been scrubbed away here. Bummer.
#88. Fantasy by M83
You gotta feel for an artist like M83, spending over a decade now in the shadow of their magnum opus "Hurry Up, We're Dreaming" without a formidable follow-up. But this might be their best effort in the wake of their 2011 electronic dreamscape masterpiece. Bringing in a vast, expansive collection of sonic textures in a Toto meets Tangerine Dream stylistic voyage - although a bit drawn out, the record is certainly distinct. And once the album climaxes on the title track, the rest of the songs just kind of linger in the aftermath with very little engaging moments to speak of. But it's not terrible by any means. Just kind of average-to below average. Would probably make for a stellar video game soundtrack. Or something to throw on in the background of your next D&D session. I think...That's something people do, right? I'll ask Max...
#87. Why Would I Watch by Hot Mulligan
While 2020's "you'll be fine" wasn't perfect, that thing had hooks for fucking days. It had all the markings of a launching pad for a band about to explode into the stratosphere of pop punk immortality. But listening to "Why Would I Watch", it feels like we're already on the descent with Hot Mulligan and that maybe they've already hit their peak. There are hardly any hooks or leads to speak of here and even less enthusiasm or innovation in the songs' compositions. I mean, "Betty" is a heartwarming little pet ballad and "Cock Party 2" is okay. But most of this LP is just way too forgettable for a group poised to make a leap to becoming genre mainstays. Hopefully they bring a little more to the table next time around before they end up Mom Jeans-ing themselves out of the counter-culture zeitgeist.
#86. Cerebral Circus by Initiate
Echoing high energy acts like Comeback Kid or The Warriors before them, Initiate brings a high octane vibrancy to the current hardcore resurgence we find ourselves within. But like Comeback Kid, most of the song's adrenaline bursts are momentary and don't leave much of a lasting impression. Which I was fine with, until the sing-y chorus on "The Surface" hit. Then the record completely lost me. When the last song "Transparencey" started, I swear to God I thought they were about to cover The Cranberrys' "Zombie". But to be honest, that would have been a much better end-cap to the record than the dreadful voice-over that drops in over the power chords instead. Actually, dump those last three tracks entirely and I think I could rate this as one of the better hardcore revival albums of the year. But as it currently stands, I can't fully recommend this album as anything more than average.
#85. Pollen by Tennis
The indie power couple known as Tennis felt like they finally hit a breakthrough on 2020's "Swimmer", as their sound matured into a sultry fusion of bedroom pop dressed in 1970's disco glamour. But their follow up, "Pollen", just can't quite recreate that same genuine sense of heartfelt emotion. The songs here get so redundant that it almost feels like you're listening to multiple attempts at recreating the same song over and over again. But the record boasts some truly immaculate production and the stand-out track "Glorietta" is fine enough. You just can't shake the feeling that this doesn't live up to the promise that their last record exhibited. Hopefully they can continue to grow and "Swimmer" wasn't just a career outlier.
#84. Make Them Beg for Death by Dying Fetus
Over the past 20 years, Dying Fetus has been whooping varying degrees of ass through their punishing brand of death metal. And while their specific style makes their songs start to run together in my opinion, there are the occasional stand outs like "Feast of Ashes" that distinguish themselves as something to behold. But mostly, it's too much of the same for my tastes and the brutal delivery gets a little too clunky and rhythmically bungelsome. Like a drunken college bro in the stands of a football game who's out of sync with the rest of the stadium chanting the riff from "Seven Nation Army". But for their 9th record, this is a good enough continuation of what you've come to expect from Dying Fetus.
#83. Formentera II by Metric
Just a year after their splashy 2022 synthwave epic, Metric has returned with a direct follow-up sequel album "Formentera II". However, this feels much more loose and dancy than it's grandiose predecessor. Which would be fine if the song lengths didn't remain so extensive. The tracks are a little simplistic to fill out the 4-5 minute runtimes but there are momentary flashes of what makes this group so fun. Like the heartfelt ballad "Who Would You Be For Me" or the signature single "Days of Oblivion". But even those standouts could probably be trimmed down a bit.
#82. Lahai by Sampha
Among the number of up and coming artists I was anxiously anticipating taking the world by storm with their long gestating follow up records dropping this year (see Genesis Owusu, Jane Remover, Heart Attack Man, or Sincere Engineer for more...), Sampha may be the most gifted talent of the bunch. His sensational voice and stunningly soulful delivery on his debut record "Process" left such an impression on me that the longer he took to craft his follow up, the more my expectations grew. Which of course lead to a letdown as this record hardly seems worth the 6 year wait. It feels way too complacent, going almost entirely without percussion after the first two songs end and asking far too much of his voice to carry the listener's interest. Not even Frank Ocean could succeed with this kind of minimal musical support. "Spirit 2.0" is probably the highlight but it's nowhere near the highs of "Blood On Me" or "(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano". Hopefully his next outing doesn't have the same lengthy turnaround time and sounds a little more thoroughly developed.
#81. Magic 2 by Nas
To be honest, I think I missed the first "Magic" release. But this sequel was pretty solid. Hit-Boy is carrying the bulk of the load here with his production but he's good enough on his own to warrant a listen. Even if Nas is starting to sound his age a little bit with his insistence on Godfather references and dropping bars like "my scrotum is golden". "Motion" fucking slaps by the way. But honestly, I think you could probably condense down both the "King's Disease" and "Magic" trilogy into two flawless albums instead of two trilogies with varying degrees of success. And I feel great for Nas getting a late run in his career like this but I'm also starting to wonder if it's inflated his ego a little disproportionately to how good these records actually are, specifically his contributions to them...I'm much more interested to hear what Hit-Boy puts out next than whatever Nas does.
#80. Census Designated by Jane Remover
Jane Remover (formerly dltzk) showed incredible promise with the 2 LPs they released in 2021, pioneering the bedroom pop /glitch-rock sound that melded droning shoegaze guitar with crunchy digitized affectations and showing an incredible capacity for growth in just the 9 months between those two records. Which probably got my hopes up a little too high for their next album, as this seems to be treading water in the same stylistic distortion pool we last heard them wading through. Don't get me wrong, the sound is still incredibly cool and distinct, it's just the bloated arrangements that need refined here. Most of these tracks are twice as long as they need to be and the vocals aren't nearly dynamic enough to carry these songs the way their constructed. It's not bad, just kind of a disappointment given the promise displayed previously. I was hoping for more of a progression here.
#79. Transylvanian Glare by Arnaut Pavle
This was a fairly average black metal record from a group out of Finland. Nothing groundbreaking but nothing to be ashamed of either. Covers some familiar terrain with expected outcomes. I do have to give them some bonus points though for touting song names like "On a Shrine of Rats" and "Baptized in Jesus' Piss". Well done. They kinda feel like an opening band you had no expectations for and then end up liking their performance enough to buy their album. But then listening to it on the ride home you start to realize that away from seeing the intensity live - they've got a lack of depth.
#78. Should've Learned by Now by Lucero
I should probably be ashamed to still be following up with Lucero at this point in their careers but I don't know, something about the way "That Much Further West" hit me when it was released will always give me reason to check in on how this band is doing. Regardless of how many missteps they've had in recent years. And the most embarrassing thing about their latest record is probably the fact that I listened to it 3 times through before it even really registered with me. They've kinda devolved into generic bar rock and Ben Nichols' voice is absolutely shot but then it finally dawned on me why I couldn't quite place my finger on how this record landed with me. I didn't hate it. It was the first Lucero record in who knows how long that didn't leave me fuming at their lost potential. And so I guess that's something.
#77. SUNAMI by SUNAMI
After their promising 2020 demo, it already feels like Sunami is straining to extend themselves past their shelf life with this 8 track "full length" that's about the same length as an episode of I Think You Should Leave. Also obviously strained is their vocalist, who really fails to match the intended intensity this group needs in order for them to thrive. And while they're billed as a beatdown hardcore outfit, you can hear traces of frustrated metalcore musicians within the pounding percussion and the pick squealing guitarist. Maybe the members had already mentally moved onto new things while recording because the group disbanded almost instantaneously once this record finally dropped. It's a decent effort but definitely a disappointment considering this debut has been 3 years in the making. It feels like you're rummaging through the story board drawings of a movie that never went into production when this should have been a blockbuster origin story launching a lucrative new franchise.
#76. Disposable Everything by AJJ
I had no idea how much people hated "Good Luck Everybody". Probably because I thought it was their best album since "Knife Man". So I guess it makes sense that "Disposable Everything" is being hailed as a return to form for AJJ and I feel like it's a letdown coming off the heels of their last record. On my first listen through, "Death Machine" was the first song I actually connected with. It's a solid single among some intermediate efforts that don't pack a lot beyond some blazing guitar solos. But if you're seeking out an AJJ record, you're likely looking for the trademark candid lyrical offerings and the title track "Disposable Everything" feels like the only thing that comes close to the introspective meditations this band rose to prominence with. But "In The Valley" was a pretty little closer. And was "White Ghosts" about cum? Am I reading that wrong? It definitely seems like a song about cum.
#75. The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons by The Hives
One of the lone survivors of the garage rock revival of the early aughts, The Hives have returned after more than a decade of silence with one of the best singles in their storied careers with "Bogus Operandi". But the rest of the album peters out pretty significantly after those first two tracks. Songs like "Countdown to Shutdown" and "The Bomb" feel insultingly simplistic, but the last two tracks on the album (namely "What Did I Ever Do To You") progress The Hives' sound into interesting new territory and leave you going out on a promising high note rather than feeling like this might just be a one-off return with some reheated leftover b-sides from previous efforts. The Hives may not be the most prolific group out there, but they've still got some gas left in the tank and their manic high energy delivery always makes for an entertaining time. Here's hoping they don't wait so long next time to release something new.
#74. Only Constant by GEL
This surprisingly groovy blend of bouncy/aggressive hardcore is a solid debut effort, even if it gets a tad redundant after the opening track. But you'll be rewarded if you stick it out to the end because the record closes with it's two strongest songs in "Snake Skin" and "Composure". The final song specifically leaves an impression the rest of the songs, while hard hitting and exhilarating, seem to lack. Maybe it's because it's the only song on the album that's longer than 2 minutes? I don't know. Regardless, this band sounds like it'd be a hell of a good live show.
#73. Five Easy Hot Dogs by Mac DeMarco
Finally emerging with some new material after his 2019 misfire "Here Comes the Cowboy", Mac DeMarco delivers this instrumental midi road trip as if he's scoring his own misadventures through America like a bedroom pop Steve Zissou. And while it feels like another deliberate attempt to alienate himself further from mainstream accessibility, it's still a pretty enjoyable piece of easy listening stoner synth. But I do miss the musical accompaniment and harmonies his voice added to his compositions. And I'm not about to comb through the 199 track "One Wayne G" he dumped on us just to hear some new Mac tracks so I guess this will have to do until he formulates something a little easier to digest. Hey, maybe that's why this is called "Five Easy Hot Dogs"? Because it's supposed to be empty junk food to tide you over until the next real meal?
#72. Gigi's Recovery by The Murder Capital
Another slice of gothic Dublin post-punk (not entirely unlike fellow countrymen Fontaines D.C.), The Murder Capital imbues some electronic embellishments into the familiar formula resulting in occasionally stellar progressions for the sub-genre. Namely "The Stars Will Leave Their Stage" and the breakbeat boasting "A Thousand Lives" harness the modernized evolution incredibly successfully. But the record really runs out of gas after it's high mark in the aforementioned "Thousand Lives" and the eight and a half minute slog through "Belonging" and "The Lie Becomes the Self" drags on considerably. But the bright spots leave plenty to be optimistic about for this young group's future.
#71. We Buy Diabetic Test Strips by Armand Hammer
Because Billy Woods hasn't put out enough music in the past two years, he's returned with his Armand Hammer partner in crime ELUCID for what feels like a sonic house party collecting some of the most illustrious talents in underground hip hop. Technically it's hosted by ELUCID and Woods but mostly this album just mingles through the crowded field of guests with momentary interactions like a game of beer pong with JPEGMAFIA, sharing a joint on the back porch with the guy from Soul Glo or taking some shots with El-P. It doesn't do a whole lot to build on what we already know about Woods or Elucid but after hearing "Woke Up And Asked Siri How I'm Gonna Die", I feel like we need a JPEGMAFIA + Danny Brown + Armand Hammer underground hip hop Avengers crossover event immediately. Bring on Armand the Hoes.
#70. Zach Bryan by Zach Bryan
Anybody that's followed our podcast over the last year knows that I've been pining for someone to bring back the country our grandparents grew up with, so when I heard the hype around Zach Bryan as the man destined make country music great again, I was pretty disappointed when I found myself 9 tracks deep into his album with nary a fiddle nor steel guitar anywhere to be found. But I was pushed back in to give it another go thanks to the headlines proclaiming the album as the first rock release to hit the Billboard 200 in over a year and let me tell you folks - this definitely isn't rock. And it doesn't really sound like country either. At least not the George Jones, Townes Van Zandt country I've been looking for. This is more in the vein of Bob Dylan or Bright Eyes, but performed by the drunk redneck loner at your high school bonfire party. We'll call it bro-folk. But it's not bad. Definitely better than that Oliver Anthony douchebag.
#69. Raven by Kelela
I didn't listen to Kelela's critically acclaimed debut record in 2017, so her 2023 sophomore effort is my first exposure to the R&B songstress. And it was fine. The title track, "Raven", epitomizes the entire album experience incredibly effectively and the string of stand out tracks from "Happy Ending" to "On the Run" along with the back to back succession of "Closure" and "Contact" make the record feel incredibly front loaded. Things really start to wain in the back half which amounts this feeling like a decent outing to me. Understated and effective, even if not always remarkable. But it's rare for me to find any R&B record that leaves an impression, so maybe this just isn't my thing and I'm undervaluing this a tad. But nevertheless, it was enjoyable.
#68. Praise a Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (or simply, Hot Between Worlds) by Yves Tumor
Yves Tumor returns with some heavy ass TV on the Radio vibes and the occasional ill-advised attempt at a Prince impersonation (see "Operator") for this mixed bag of psychedelic art pop. The end of "Heaven Surrounds Us Like a Hood" is probably the standout here but overall, I found myself wanting to like this record more than I actually did. It's a suitable follow up to "Heaven to a Tortured Mind" but it doesn't really push the sound into enough interesting new territory to justify abandoning the pop accessibility as much as it does. I don't have much more to say about it but I feel like I need another sentence or two here at the end so that the title of the album doesn't look longer than the actual review does. And these are those two sentences. Thank you for time. Godspeed. And good luck.
#67. BRAND NEW SOUL by Angel Du$t
This felt like a spiritual sibling to The Armed's foray into aggressively weird psych rock, Perfect Saviours. But Angel Du$t came away with a much more successful transition. Instead of industrial Red Hot Chili Peppers, this sounds more like Rusted Root or Blind Melon trying to write a punk record. Which is kinda cool. Sometimes. "Waste of Space" was neat. But mostly, like The Armed, the vocals struggle to match the smooth soft-rock aesthetic. Kudos for trying to push your sound rather than settling on something familiar. But I'd be lying if I said this didn't feel like a step backwards after 2021's "Yak..."
#66. Stereo Mind Game by Daughter
Admittedly slow but undeniably moving, this is a serviceable selection of post-rock dream pop. And "Dandelion" is a solid enough track to warrant listening to this full album on it's own. The rest is pleasantly agreeable millennial elevator music. Like something you'd hear in the background of an episode of New Girl. But if you take the time to let the lyrics get their emotional hooks into you, you'll definitely understand the appeal, even if the packaging is a tad familiar.
#65. Javelin by Sufjan Stevens
I know Sufjan Stevens is a fairly renowned indie singer/songwriter but to be completely honest, I'm not sure I'd pass the Pepsi challenge if I were blindfolded and asked to differentiate between Stevens' music and Bon Iver's. Sorry. But I like Bon Iver, so it's not really intended as a slight. I just don't really know Stevens that well. But the first three tracks here are pretty remarkable. Particularly the electronic flourishes ingrained in the opener "Goodbye Evergreen". After the introductory three tracks, the excitement dips though. And the whisper singing technique comes off pretty cheesy. But the drums on "Shit Talk" were cool.
#64. War Remains by Enforced
Richmond, Virginia's thrash metal kings offer up a delicious mix of relentlessly pounding thrash and head bobbing breakdowns. Think Vektor meets Motorhead. And while the formula gets a little redundant about 4 tracks in, they carve out their own lane and fill it to the fucking brim with everything in arm's reach. Sure I'd love for them to reach a little further and expand on that sound but what they do offer is executed incredibly effectively. It's just a little limited.
#63. That! Feels Good! by Jessie Ware
I'm at a loss as to why this is getting so much overwhelming praise thrown it's way. Most of it sounds like the nondescript dance music being piped into a Forever 21, only slightly more horny. Actually it's probably on the same level as Forever 21's clothing in terms of quality as well. It's cute, cheap, convenient, and will probably only get 3-5 wears before it's tossed out. "Pearls" and "Freak Me Now" stood out on my first listen but on a replay, I found them increasingly cringey. Same with the standout track "Shake the Bottle". But overall it's still a brief and harmless dance record made really proficiently. Well produced and fairly fun. But it's not earth-shattering either.
#62. Bad News by Blu and Real Bad Man
Blu might be one of the most frustratingly inconsistent MCs of the modern era. Like a millennial Nas. But lucky for him, Real Bad Man does most of the heavy lifting here with some spectacular old school beats on tracks like "The Golden Rule" or "All Praise Due". But lyrically, the front half of the record is pretty bland. On "Aladdin", when we finally get some decent bars, we find ourselves with the worst beat and hook on the album. But from there on out the collaboration finally clicks, hitting it's peak with the last two tracks on the record. "More Bad News" specifically feels like the promise of both artists is finally realized and almost single-handily saves this project from feeling like a miss.
#61. Some Of It Was True by The Menzingers
Bursting off of the starting line with the anthemtic and bombastic 1-2 punch of "Hope is a Dangerous Little Thing" and "There's No Place in This World For Me"; this feels like a rejuvenated Menzingers, at their sharpest and most engaging since "Rented World". And despite the album art and Springsteen-ian vocal twang begging for comparisons to The Boss's "Nebraska" - the formula starts to lose it's charm once you hit the redundant midsection duo of "Ultraviolet" and "Take it to Heart". Suddenly both the guitar riffs and lyrics start to lose their potency and the 3-4 minute songs feel interminable. Like a slow air leak from a balloon that you could of swore you saw bouncing off of the ceiling a minute ago. Now it's wrinkled and deflated on the ground, in the corner of the room bouncing occasionally off of the heat vent when the central air kicks on.
#60. The Beggar by Swans
This recent incarnation of Swans has been nothing if not interesting. Well for the most part. There's been a slight trend of diminishing returns in the wake of 2012's "The Seer". But as they set out to lay this iteration of Swans to rest, "The Begger" carries the ominous atmosphere of a ritualistic, tribal burial. It's a 2 hour audio funeral of droning mechanical redundancies oozing with the stench of death and the freedom it also entails. Which all sounds very poetic and nice but it's also got some insanely repetitive portions and tracks that are way too long. Both of which are epitomized perfectly in the 44 minute title track "The Beggar" - a "song" that feels like the noise rock equivalent to the atomic bomb episode of the Twin Peaks revival. It sounds like an industrial fire burning a factory to the ground and then watching the ashes being haunted by the tormented souls of the floor workers who burned alive inside. There's spoken word, hymnal humming, a screeching strings section, backwards vocals, and then a random kid singing "nick nack paddywack, give a dog a bone". And just like the Twin Peaks revival, most people will either say this is the work of a legendary genius or a convoluted mess of rambling, pretentious incoherence. I find myself somewhere in between, appreciating the intention while acknowledging the impractical and unattractive surface level qualities. It's not a masterpiece but it's definitely interesting to see someone pushing the boundaries of what a traditional album experience can be.
#59. Time Aint Accidental by Jess Williamson
Like Waxahatchee or Angel Olsen before her, Jess Williamson is the latest indie pop songstress to don a country ballad costume, she just does so a little less convincingly. The songs aren't bad though, they're executed quite well actually. But right out of the gate with that first track, her accent felt so phony that I couldn't really shake the sour taste it left in my mouth. The clunky combination of a basic drum machine underneath a cartoonish country accent just felt so disingenuous, especially because whatever accent she may actually have is tamped way down throughout the rest of the record. But the songs themselves are solid, it's just the unnecessary gift-wrap they're delivered in that keeps this from fully flourishing. The outstanding tandem of "Hunter" and "Chasing Spirits" is proof enough that there's real potential here. It just needs to shed the caricturized presentation.
#58. Faith is a Rock by MIKE, Wiki, and The Alchemist
One of many hip hop collaborative records released this year, "Faith Is A Rock" is one of the more consistent of the bunch. Almost to a fault really. There's not a lot of distinction between tracks until Wiki takes the steering wheel on "Be Realistic". Alchemist brings the heat on "Thug Anthem" but a lot of his other tracks establish a fairly limited beat that never progresses past the lyrical dump of whichever MC is up at bat. And the signature monotone delivery of MIKE also feels a little out of place when thrown into somebody else's domain. At least outside of "Bledsoe". That one rips. Overall though, this averages out to - well, average.
#57. Life Under the Gun by Militarie Gun
There's plenty to like about Militarie Gun's bombastic debut. It's incredibly simplistic; with every song under 3 minutes, essentially one riff per song, and a monotone yell over the top of things making this seem more 'hardcore' than it really is. It's like they see themselves as Minor Threat when they're really closer to Sum-41. Not there's anything wrong with walking the line between hardcore and pop punk, I just feel like this feels caught somewhere in between really achieving success in either category. I want to like it but there's just so little here for me to connect with. I've listened through a few times now and while I can appreciate it for what it is, it's just not all the way there for me. It's like they haven't fully bought into writing power pop tracks, even though that's mostly what they're playing. Maybe if the singer had a little more variance in his delivery? "Big Disappointment" is definitely my favorite cut though.
#56. Wait Til I Get Over by Durand Jones
"Wait Til I Get Over" finds modern soul throwback, Durand Jones, leaving his backing band (The Indications) back in Bloomington, Indiana while he returns to his Louisiana roots with this spirited debut. He's always had an incredible voice but without the trappings of performing in a nostalgia act and being able to integrate more contemporary fixtures into his music, his talent really shines through as he pivots from a poor man's Charles Bradley to a suitable Anderson Paak substitute. Well, except for that painfully out of place rap verse on his rendition of "Someday We'll All Be Free". Could definitely do without that. But the standout tracks like "See It Through", "Lord Have Mercy On Me" and "That Feeling" more than makeup for that misstep. And his solo work is considerably more engaging than his work with the Indications.
#55. Pyrophonics by Heavenward
Teenage Wrists's Kamtim Mohanger delivers a fairly agreeable collection of mid-90s alt rock coated in a shoegaze glisten with his debut record as Heavenward. It's like Third Eye Blind enlisted the Get Up Kids' James Dewees to help them write a My Blood Valentine inspired album. There are moments where some predictable lyricism ("I Wanna Feel") and unwieldy effects pedals ("Tangerine") veer the project off course but for the most part, this record really works. The standouts "Gasoline" and "Supernova" more than make up for the middling Silversun Pickups feeling that pops in from time to time. A nice debut and I'm excited to see where this project goes.
#54. The Window by Ratboys
It feels like Ratboys are really concentrated on making this record a breakthrough into mainstream success but intended singles "Crossed That Line" and "It's Alive" just come off a little too forced. And I love Julia Steiner's vocals too much to drown them out in as much distortion as the opening of this record does. I found myself enjoying the less constrained, free flowing midsection of the album with tracks like "No Way", "The Window", and "Black Earth, WI" serving as the highlights. Which was surprising, because I really didn't think an eight and a half minute Ratboys song was something I'd ever want. But I loved it. Also, is there any 8+ minute song that doesn't boast a raging guitar solo? I don't have a problem with it, I'm just curious.
#53. 2 by 2hollis
Although it's their sophomore effort, personally this was my first exposure to 2hollis and I found this record to be a fairly passable grab bag of familiar house and electropop elements. The songs themselves do get a little repetitive at times but the album as a whole is still arranged really effectively. There aren't a lot of standout moments but the trade off is that it's incredibly consistent the whole way through, which I feel like is more of a focal point in this style of music. And you can definitely feel good putting this on and have it play through your house party without the need to skip anything. I liked it.
View the Rest of the 2023 Year in Tiers Here:
#Enslaved #Wednesday #FuckedUp #ElliotGreen #QueensoftheStoneAge #HeartAttackMan #KingGizzardandtheLizardWizard #Graveyard #TheHives #GEL #MacDemarco #TheMurderCapital #GenesisOwusu #M83 #HotMulligan #Initiate #Tennis #ArnautPavle #lucero #SUNAMI #AJJ #armandhammer #DyingFetus #Metric #Sampha #JPEGMAFIA #BillyWoods #ELUCID #ZachBryan #Kelela #YvesTumor #AngelDust #Daughter #SufjanStevens #Enforced #JessieWare #BadNews #Nas #JaneRemover #Blu #TheMenzingers #Swans #JessWilliamson #MIKE #TheAlchemist #MilitarieGun #DurandJones #Heavenward #Ratboys #2hollis #Dance #house #EDM #BlackMetal #Metal #punk #indie #Country #folk #powerpop #GarageRock #altcountry #alt #alternative #emo #DeathMetal #GlitchRock #shoegaze #HyperPop #BedroomPop #Hardcore #posthardcore #poppunk #prog #postpunk #DreamPop #Soul #postemo #electronica #expirimental #ProgMetal #bluesrock #NeoSoul #HipHop #Rap #synthwave #electronic #vaporwave #synth
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