The Top 25 Albums of 2023
2023 was a year of outstanding releases, beginning in January and running all the way up to December. Picking the best was difficult and there were countless records that had to be left out, but as the dust settles, I think the 25 below provide a clear picture of the level of quality we received this year.
So, take a look below, perhaps you’ll agree with some, perhaps you won’t. The main thing to remember is that this list is 100% correct and any deviation away from it is wrong.
Go ahead, take a gander and give your ears a musical buffet they won’t soon forget.
25. Grade 2 — Grade 2
With their 4th excellent album, English punks Grade 2 manage to assert themselves as one of the key torch bearers of the Oi Punk style. Their brash and direct approach to songwriting allows the songs to continuously sound both refreshing as well as energetic.
The band is certainly not reinventing the genre or sound, but rather embracing all of its best elements as they pay homage and carry it forward in 2023. Every track is effortlessly catchy and the album as a whole has this uncanny ability to instantly provide a boost throughout your day.
Recommended Tracks: Under the Streetlight / Midnight Ferry / Judgement Day
24. Bombay Bicycle Club — My Big Day
London’s own Bombay Bicycle Club are back it again with their particular brand of chilled-out, slightly dreamy indie rock. At this stage of their career, they’ve proven themselves as one of the best in the game.
With a number of guest vocals in tow, My Big Day traverses in and out of soothing and catchy tunes that manage to make you feel relaxed and at ease without fading into the background.
Recommended Tracks: My Big Day / Diving / Onward
23. March — Get In
So many bands have tried to recreate the magic of the late 90s/early 00s melodic punk sound, but almost all have failed to do it properly, lacking the drive of innovation. Luckily, the Dutch foursome known as March, have been able to perfectly tune into that style without sounding like a mere carbon copy.
March manages to pay homage to bands like Strung Out or Pennywise while still sounding fresh and original. Fleur’s vocals are incredibly passionate, fierce, and accompanied by stellar musicianship featuring searing guitar solos and creatively energetic drum patterns. If you’re wondering if punk is dead, March makes the answer quite clear — it isn’t.
Recommended Tracks: Second To Destroy / All on Red / Heart Undressed
22. Slaughter Beach, Dog — Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling
It was no easy task, but Slaughter Beach, Dog has managed to slightly fill the hole left by the absence of The Weakerthans. Originally a solo project from Jake Ewald of Modern Baseball, SBD has turned into a full-fledged band with Ewald as the leader, creating songs built around his soulful, joyous, and crestfallen lyrics.
It’s rare to find such profoundly emotional and pensive songwriting without coming across as a little cheesy, but SBD pulls it off. The stories woven through the songs are so vivid and lived that you can’t help but feel like you’re personally experiencing them. It’s calm and relaxing when you need it, but it can also hold your attention.
Recommended Tracks: Float Away / Summer Windows / My Sister in Jesus Christ
21. Beyond the Lamplight — Don’t Forget To Leave It All Behind
Featuring the lead singers of Larry and His Flask, Beyond the Lamplight’s debut brings that same level of rambunctious, barn-burner energy of Larry. Their rock meets bluegrass meets folk style works just as well now as it ever has, but now comes with a bit more of a weathered delivery.
When the band is in full-gear mode, banjos blaring and drums thumping, the album is at its best, featuring some genuinely terrific guitar work. Yet, even when slowed down on ballad-esque tracks, the songs are full of lyrical depth and help even out the album’s pace. If you enjoyed Larry and His Flask, you’ll love this.
Recommended Tracks: Leave It To Us / The Hill You Choose To Die On / Midnight Sun
20. Danger Mouse & Jemini the Gifted One — Born Again
No, your ears do not deceive you, this album does sound like the bling & Golden age era of hip-hop. This is no mere accident as the album was originally recorded nearly 2 decades ago, but shelved until now. Although it’s stylistically similar to other early 2000 hip-hop releases, Born Again still manages to carve its own path.
Despite being recorded 19 years ago, this is a surprisingly fresh sounding release that manages to easily combine Jemini’s lyrical flow with Danger Mouse’s production. In a relatively weak year for hip-hop, Born Again shines as a beacon of hope that there is still good hip-hop being released.
Recommended Tracks: Me / Walk the Walk / World Music
19. Not Scientists — Staring At The Sun
With flanger turned up to 100, France-based band Not Scientists manage to beautifully combine 80s new wave sensibilities with indie punk grit on their fourth album. Staring At The Sun is unrelentingly catchy and undeniably passes the chilled-out vibe check.
Vocally, the record contains just the right amount of snark to maintain the level of edge needed to maintain its energetic momentum. The album’s catchiness is approached subtly allowing the 40 minute runtime to pass by quickly without much notice. This is a sneaky great record that somehow manages to work in almost any situation you put it in.
Recommended Tracks: Rattlesnake / Push / Staring At The Sun
18. Faintest Idea — The Road to Sedition
If there was still any question left, the UK’s Faintest Idea has made it clear that ska-punk hasn’t gone anywhere. Not only are they keeping it afloat, but with their combination of energy, political/personal lyricism, and mind-blowing musicality, they’ve managed to take the genre in some exciting new directions.
Faintest Idea’s skilled horn section and acute political lyricism may remind you of a combination of Streetlight Manifesto and Good Riddance. Still, it’s the band’s lyrical flow that helps set them apart. This is undeniably a ska record at its core, but the vocals often borrow some hip-hop subtleties to further keep the record energized and on constant rotation.
Recommended Tracks: Mutually Assured Confusion / Nose Dive / Not Coming Back
17. The Dirty Nil — Free Rein to Passions
With an amp turned up to 11 and a little over-the-top guitar work, The Dirty Nil’s fourth album continues to cement the band as THE rock band for the current generation. Borrowing plentifully from 80s rock and metal, singer/guitarist Luke Bentham, when not singing his heart out, always seems to be eagerly awaiting to bust out another solo to further a song’s grandiose.
While the songs on the record are primarily semi-biographical and often personal, that doesn’t mean the band takes themselves too seriously, clearly understanding their audience and general desire to party.
Although the album’s heavier parts take center stage (like the huge opener “Celebration”), plenty of slowed-down ballads exist to even things out. I don’t know if they’re putting the PUNK in rock or the ROCK in punk, but whatever they’re doing, they’re doing it right and it’s incredibly apparent they’re having a blast doing it.
Recommended Tracks: Free Rein to Passions / Celebration / Undefeated
16. Light Beams — Wild Life
It’s quite rare when a band can fully capture the energy and excitement that you find in a live performance and bring it into an album, but that’s precisely what Light Beams have done with Wild Life. The band’s unconventional jazz punk style places percussion and bass guitar at the very center, tasked with carrying the melody, while Justin Moyer’s lead vocals provide the lead and direction.
Without forcing it in your face, the record still begs for you to dance and sing along on every call and repeat that is offered. The juxtaposition between what comes across as improv-like fun is combined with songs about protests, and the end product creates a beautifully unusual experience.
Recommended Tracks: Gimme Phenomena / Friendly / Blood Moon (2022)
15. The Atom Age — The Atom Age
The best way to describe this album? A hyped-up version of 60s garage rock, similar to what Rocket From The Crypt or The Cramps have done. Taking advantage of the record’s short runtime, the band consistently keeps their foot on the pedal, delivering rapid, high-intensity memories around every turn, always keeping you on the edge of your seat.
Like a shot of adrenaline straight to the heart, the album leaps out at you with its beautifully unpolished sonic approach with vocals nearly peaking from distortion, and all the instruments competing for your attention. I know that may sound like a mess, but The Atom Age blend it perfectly into their signature sound and end the whole album leaving you wanting more.
Recommended Tracks: High Class Motherfuckers / Honeybees / Who’s Interfering
14. Rancid — Tomorrow Never Comes
The punk legends known as Rancid have returned with their long-awaited 10th album and surprise surprise — it’s very Rancid-like. Basically, if you’re looking for something career defining from the band, this isn’t it, but at the same time, does it really need to be? It’s catchy, several of the songs contain interesting storytelling, and there’s plenty of group vocals to keep it charged up.
Tomorrow Never Comes captures that street punk sound the band helped defined three decades ago and does it with unrelenting joy. Despite most of the band members closing in on 60, there’s a surprising amount of youthful energy spread throughout the album and you can really tell that the 4 were just having a lot of fun making this one. Don’t try to compare it to their other releases, because as a standalone, it’s apparently clear that Rancid still has it.
Recommended Tracks: Tomorrow Never Comes / New American / Magnificent Rogue
13. Citizen — Calling All Dogs
Fourteen years in, Citizen is still improving with each release and Calling the Dogs has become their new high mark of excellence. It’s hard to naildown the exact sound of the album as it pretty effortlessly combines alt rock, post-hardcore, and shoegaze (effectively the fourth wave of emo). One thing is for certain, even if a lot of the tracks are mid-tempo, there’s always seems to be this underlying energy where you expect a song to go into an energetic frenzy at any moment.
The lack of only one overarching genre style particularly sets this album apart and helps keep it so consistently listenable. You’ll find heavier ‘punk’ elements on “Dogs” or “Takes One To Know One”, plenty of more mellowed-out style like with the distorted acoustic guitar on “Needs”. The record reaches its peak on “Hyper Trophy”, one of the best songs released this year, and a song so insanely catchy that I find myself wanting to just listen to it on repeat.
Recommended Tracks: Hyper Trophy / When I Let You Down / Takes One to Know One
12. AJJ — Disposable Everything
Disposable Everything features a little bit of everything that has made AJJ such a dynamic and unique band over the years. There’s a heavy variety of instrumentation, giving most of the songs that psychedelic folk sound that the band adopted over the past few albums, but there are also nods to the past with some more stripped-down tracks like “Dissonance” or the title track.
Lyrically despondent and overly misanthropic, Bonnette quite clearly outlines the hypocrisy of the Western world and how so much has become disposable. The lyrics aren’t always entirely in your face, and there are elements of fancy wordplay, but it’s not subtle overall. In juxtaposition to the downtrodden lyrics, much of the music is actually quite beautiful. The most explicit example comes from the 180-degree melodic change at the end of “A Thought of You”.
Recommended Tracks: Dissonance / Disposable Everything / Death Machine
11. Nation of Language — Strange Disciple
Decidedly the most mellow record in this countdown, I’ve been quietly falling in love with Nation of Language’s sound over the years and with their third and most recent album, I can confidently say that it’s more than just infatuation.
Musically minimalistic, Nation of Language mostly relies on synthesizers, drum machines, and subtle doses of guitar and bass to round out their song structure and melody. What carries it all and is the focal point is Ian and his compelling vocal delivery.
Drawing heavily from different 80s new wave bands before them, Nation of Language creates a type of dreamy, atmospheric aesthetic that’s so easy to get lost in. The main factor that separates them from their contemporaries is Ian’s vocals. Even when it’s at its dreamiest, Ian’s transitions from melodically soothing vocals to impassioned choruses dripping with emotional fervor always fill me with excitement. I don’t often get so emotionally attached to such low-tempo music, but Nation of Language is just built differently.
Recommended Tracks: Sole Obsession / Weak In Your Light / Stumbling Still
10. Spiritual Cramp — Spiritual Cramp
Considering how finely crafted the tunes are on this record, it’s more than a little surprising that this is Spiritual Cramp’s debut release. It’s been a while since I’ve heard an album that carries itself with such a level of cocksure confidence that this one does — that type of swagger that transfers to the listener and gives a little boost to the self-esteem.
Borrowing from several different styles (but mostly post-hardcore), this album sounds incredibly modern yet seeped in the past. You can hear some elements of The Clash or The Police in the sprinklings of dub thrown here and there. Bingham’s talk-singing also brings up some Talking Heads comparisons.
Regardless of similarities to others, Spiritual Cramp definitively have their own style and it’s so well constructed that it’s hard not to love it. Mostly mid-tempo, but with several moments of powerful energy. This is a very very well-crafted album.
Recommended Tracks: Can I Borrow Your Lighter? / Talkin’ On The Internet / Herberts On Holiday
9. Worriers — Trust Your Gut
What a year it’s been for the Worriers, releasing not one but two albums (this being the second)! While both albums are excellent, I do prefer this one over the more stripped-down Warm Blanket. Trust Your Gut is certainly nowhere near as quick-tempoed as earlier Worriers releases (in fact, it’s only barely on the edge of still considered punk), but the magic that makes this band so remarkable is still there in full force.
The brainchild of Lauren Denitzio, Worriers has a rotating list of band members. Among many talented musicians, Trust Your Gut features the gifted Franz Nicolay playing keys. No surprise, his influence comes across on many of the songs, which means this album has a much stronger piano and synth (particularly the title track) focus and gives the album a very distinct sound from previous Worriers records.
As always, it’s Lauren’s vocals and lyrics which are what truly makes the album astounding. From the soft and nostalgic “Cloudy and 55” to dancey “Losing The Thread”, the songs are always delivered so powerfully and sincerely that they hit like a ton of bricks. Lauren has a simply fantastic talent for tackling all the minutiae that go into relationships and heartbreak.
If you’re not in the right place emotionally/mentally, Trust Your Gut can be a little hard to get through or may serve as being very therapeutic. One thing is for certain, Lauren never minces words and always puts everything into each song.
Recommended Tracks: Trust Your Gut / Anything Else / Charming
8. Teenage Halloween — Till You Return
While I wasn’t originally sold on their debut, Teenage Halloween’s sophomore release makes it undeniably clear that this band has all the tools necessary to be one of the most dominant punk bands going forward.
Covering a wide range of socio-political issues (mostly connected to gender and queer identity), Till You Return comes across as an anthem for the youth. Luke’s extremely raspy vocal delivery is pure bliss to my ears, reminding me of some of the early 00s melodic punk (just listen to the vocal strain on “Doctor”). Musically, they’re much more modern, making full use of a lead guitar that truly leads every song, even during the verses and choruses (similar to bands like PUP).
There’s an explosive amount of energy throughout this record making it hard not to feel awash with that addictive hopefulness of youth. If you don’t love raspy, 10-packs-of-cigarettes-a-day vocals, bassist Tricia provides leads on a couple of tracks to give a more traditional pop-punk sound, but at the end of the day, it’s Luke’s exceptional delivery that makes this record memorable.
Recommended Tracks: Takeaway / Sights Down / Doctor
7. The Hives — The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons
If you don’t like The Hives, you don’t like having fun. That’s just a scientific fact. It’s been a long 11 years since the band has graced us with a new record, but they’re finally back and I’m happy to say that all that ’60s rock n’ roll energy that made their earlier releases such classics is still here in full force. They have yet to lose a step.
Opening up the album with the tremendous “Bogus Operandi” (possibly the best song The Hives have recorded), The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons makes it immediately clear that the band still fully grasps their role and how to make stellar music. There are several tracks like “Trapdoor Solution” or “Smoke & Mirrors” that play around with the fun energy the band seems to so easily cultivate, capably diversifying their style. At the end of the day, this is still a Hives record, and one that should be able to put a big smile on your face with every listen.
Recommended Tracks: Bogus Operandi / Countdown to Shutdown / The Bomb
6. Chris Farren — Doom Singer
The man, the myth, the legend — Chris Farren has been hanging around the scene for years now, beginning with Fake Problems and moving on to his solo material (and even teaming up with Jeff Rosenstock for Antarctigo Vespucci). On his most recent release, Doom Singer, he somehow manages to take everything he’s poured into his years making music and build a record that is the most quintessentially Farren yet.
Taking cues from 50–60s pop groups, Doom Singer is unbelievably catchy, making use of large, sweeping choruses (“Cosmic Leash” particularly stands out) and hooky verses. It’s truly remarkable how this album is able to contain so much within it. Every songs sounds so fresh, enduring and unique. Farren has always been a great songwriter, but on Doom Singer he teamed up with Frankie Impastato and it seems to have really refined all of the excellent qualities he had previously shown.
Doom Singer is terrific right from the first listen, yet still seems to improve the more often you hear it. It’s hauntingly nihilistic, yet also surprisingly optimistic. Songs about love and loss are brought to life through huge melodies — Doom Singer is undeniably a great work of art and I think it’s Farren’s crowning achievement so far.
Recommended Tracks: Cosmic Leash / All We Ever / First Place
5. Mustard Plug — Where Did All My Friends Go?
The long-running boys in yellow are back with their first album in 9 years, and luckily for us all, they didn’t lose one step in their absence. Where Did All My Friends Go? is yet another achievement to be placed on the band’s impressive ska-punk mantle.
As one of the last standing 90s ska-punk bands, Mustard Plug continues to play a vital role in bridging the gap between older two-tone ska and the later third wave and this album continues that tradition. Featuring a bevy of diverse and fun (sounding) songs, Mustard Plug’s newest album focuses primarily on loneliness, broken friendships, and the general difficulties of getting older. That perfect marriage of careless playfulness in the music and down-to-earth topics makes the album so unfaltering.
Once again, returning to the Blasting Room (where they’ve usually gone to record), the album sounds superb and uses several different instruments to really give the album an extensive and dynamic sound. If there was still any question left, this record (the best ska-punk album of the year) certifies Mustard Plug as one of the all-time bests of the genre.
Recommended Tracks: Distraction / Now Or Never / Fortress
4. Jeff Rosenstock — HELLMODE
As predictable as a sunrise, Rosenstock once again turns out another classic record. It’s almost unbelievable that someone as prolific as Jeff can continue to write so much new material and have it consistently excellent. Sure, this album bears noticeable familiarities with previous albums, but there’s a striking amount of variation spread throughout, ensuring you’ll never get bored.
His down-to-Earth, relatability with lyrics has always been the key to Rosenstock. Jeff rarely minces words and gets directly to the point with what he wants to say, which you can tell from the album’s opening line, “Will you still love me after I’ve fucked up?”.
The album itself is a journey through Jeff’s musical styles and current mental state. Transitioning from the classic JR opener to the frantic BTMI!-esque “HEAD”, then the upbeat and catchy “LIKED U BETTER” to the heartfelt slow-to-fast “DOUBT”.
“FUTURE IS DUMB” follows next and tackles some of the difficulties of aging in classic JR fashion while “HEALMODE” provides a soft spot on the record with its more simplistic acoustic structure. Closing with the 7-minute long “3 SUMMERS” perfectly bookends an excellent album.
Recommended Tracks: FUTURE IS DUMB / LIKED U BETTER / DOUBT
3. The Brokedowns — Maximum Khaki
I’ll say what we all know. The Brokedowns are the perfect punk band. They epitomize everything I love about the genre. As a midwest, working-class band, they rarely play shows outside their local Chicago area and generally seem to have a fairly nonchalant attitude towards themselves and their approach to music. This method gives the band a very relatable perspective and shuts out any notion of rockstar attitudes.
Maximum Khaki continues The Brokedown’s unsullied results of turning out excellent records. There are so many things to gush about regarding this album, like the in-your-face gruff vocals that always grab your attention and are backed up by plenty of joyous group singing. Then there’s just the general production of the album. Packed full of gritty, dirty, bass-focused songs with lightly distorted guitars and perfectly timed drumming with just the right amount of fills.
Perhaps the most remarkable is how many hooks are spread throughout the album, and that they’re so often non-repeating hooks. For example, the band will just throw in some insanely good vocal or guitar hook and then poof — the song is done or they just avoid repeating it. At times, this is almost frustrating, but it’s also what makes the record so repeatable.
If all that wasn’t enough, the band’s perspective on lyrics is their real calling card. They’ve got this fantastic tenacity for humorous lyrics that never come across as being flat-out jokes. There are meaningful insights and subjects snuck into every song, but the band’s innate humor manages to seep out at nearly every instant.
Maximum Khaki is an exceptionally excellent album, much like the rest of the band’s discography. If you’ve yet to give this band a chance, check out this record and then listen to everything else they’ve released. You’ll thank me later.
Recommended Tracks: Osama Van Halen / Khaki Majesty / UK82 Pt. 2: The Olds Are Not Alright
2. Screaming Females — Desire Pathway
Desire Pathway has become somewhat of a bittersweet release with the recent announcement of the band’s breakup. Screaming Females has been one of the best and most consistent bands of the past 18 years and their breakup should be a massive hit to music lovers everywhere.
The album itself is a mesmerizing display of the band’s unique creative output and a record I can easily listen to on repeat for hours. Released back in February, I have countless memories of walking through snowy winter forests as Marissa’s intensely passionate vocals and exceptionally gifted guitar skills manage to teleport me away from time and space.
The record begins auspiciously with the slightly reserved “Brass Bell” which eventually divulges into full mania within the closing seconds as the volume swells. Immediately following is the fierce “Desert Train” which piles up an immense amount of energy through its runtime. Tracks like “Mourning Dove” and “Ornament” bring some delicious catchiness, while “So Low” slows things down for a bit and allows Marissa to be a bit contemplative.
Desire Pathway is the complete package. Amazing, instantly recognizable vocals, superb musicianship (Marissa maintains her status as one of the world’s best guitarists), compelling lyrics, and unrelentingly strong songwriting. Screaming Females continues to be a band dripping with raw talent.
If you haven’t yet, go this out. It sounds like nothing else that was released this year, and it’s almost criminal that the world will be deprived of future Screaming Females records.
Recommended Tracks: Desert Train / Mourning Dove / Brass Bell
1. Frenzal Rhomb — The Cup of Pestilence
As the greatest Australian band (and honestly one of the greatest bands ever), whenever Frenzal Rhomb releases a new album, it’s almost always guaranteed to be one of the year’s best and for 2023, it is.
Returning to the Blasting Room for the third time, The Cup of Pestilence’s production draws similarities to the last 2 Frenzal albums. Wide and dynamic, the studio is perfect at capturing all of the band’s musical and vocal intricacies and delivering them in crisp sound without ever coming across as overproduced.
Lindsay’s guitar playing remains that of a maestro without flaws, seamlessly integrating classic solos with edge-of-your-seat guitar riffs. Gordy’s precision behind the kit is nothing short of genius, always surprising me with how many ways he can squeeze in a fill or maintain breakneck speed without sounding repetitive. I think he truly may be the best drummer in the punk scene. Newcomer Dal perfectly fits in on his first Frenzal album and upholds the melodies brilliantly while throwing in some great riffs (check out “Dog Tranquilser”).
Bringing it all together is Jay and his signature nasally, snarky vocals. Jay always sounds great, but on The Cup of Pestilence, his delivery is particularly excellent, possibly his best work yet.
The Cup of Pestilence again shows off the band’s ability to play at lightning speed without sacrificing melody. The melodic instincts are awe-inspiring, as they manage to stuff a hook into every second of this record; there are simply no moments missed.
If you’ve ever thought to yourself — there’s no new subject matter to sing about, Frenzal Rhomb comes in to deliver tunes about making Gravox, vegan friends who’ve completely reversed their diet, a tontine agreement mixed with fascism, and some general neighbor problems like thinking they’re going to kill you.
It’s hard to pick specific songs to recommend as The Cup of Pestilence is best appreciated by listening front-to-back and then immediately listening to it again. In fact, I think I listened to The Cup of Pestilence more than any other release this year. This is an album that never gets old.
Recommended Tracks: I Think My Neighbour Is Planning To Kill Me / Instant Coffee / Gone to the Dogs
