Top 25 Songs of 2023

[JohnErle]

I've gotten caught up with everyone's picks, not counting the honourable mentions, and while nothing blew me away, Deeper, Sampha, Grian Chatten, and Genesis Owusa were all interesting enough to be worth another listen.

[numbersix]

SONG #21

I'll need the next few songs from Surf and Leetsu, and Ron will be joining us tomorrow.


John

Shinyribs - Simply Belong To You




Leetsu

Water From Your Eyes: Barley

Their bored quirkiness is fascinating




Transformers

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: Supercell

Metal Gizz is back and they're better than ever. Their understanding of what makes metal tick is astounding for a band that only dabbles with the genre. The riffs are meaty, the transitions between tempos are seamless and the long instrumental sections are every bit as lively and mesmerizing as they are on their jazzier or trippier cuts. All hail Melbourne's unlikely metal kings.




Six

Young Fathers: Shoot Me Down

Critics have been raving about these boys’ latest effort. While I’m not as effusive, I did love this almost ecstatic tune, which reminds me of Animal Collective at their most celebratory.




Surf

FACS: When You Say'

[numbersix]

Boys, welcome Ron B to the mix


SONG #20


John

Louis Michot: Le Cas de Marguerite

It might be a tad longer than it needs to be, but I'm pretty sure Leestu will like this guitar sound.




Leetsu

Mandy, Indiana: Pinking Shears

Some interesting sounds and rhythms in this song




Transformers

Travis Scott: My Eyes

Not every swing on Travis Scott's latest LP "Utopia" connected, but the ones that did were grand slams that are among the strongest material in his catalog. Chief among those hits is "My Eyes"-which is a tremendous showcase for Scott's unheralded versatility as it melds his sparse, spacey tendencies with his more explosive, grandiose rapping to make this unique behemoth of a song that effortlessly flips moods halfway through.




Six

Swans: Paradise is Mine

After a very brief hiatus and lineup change, Michael Gira’s long-lasting post-punk/industrial/doom-blues band is back, with another collection of apocalyptic blues. Paradise is Mine is far from the longest song on the record (one is over 40 mins), but don’t let its length turn you off. It’s meant to be hypnotic, mesmeric.




Surf

Young Fathers: Rice




Ron

Maisie Peters: You're Just A Boy (And Im Kinda The Man)

[numbersix]

Catching up on 21 and 20


John: The Shinyribs song sounds like where music goes to die. The Louis Michot track had a very West African sound to the guitar, which I liked.

Leetsu: I heard a lot about Water from Your Eyes last year, and I did enjoy the weird glitchiness of this song, though perhaps not enough to explore their back catalogue. I enjoyed the Mandy Indiana album, and it shares some DNA with Gilla Band (whose guitarist produced this record). None of the tracks made my Top 30, but I like the overall mood and challenging sound.

Tranny: Another one of the million King Gizzard songs out there, and again it sounds like they know the references well though can't transcend them. They are the Ti West of guitar music. The Travis Scott song was okay.

Surf: I liked that Young Fathers tune, and again the Animal Collective influence is evident. Really enjoyed FACS, particularly the driving beat. One to explore more, I guess.

Ron: Welcome! I don't know what to say about your track besides this is a good way to define the kind of music I dislike!

[JohnErle]

I liked the vaguely tropical rhythms of Young Fathers. That was easily my favourite song so far, but there was nothing else the past few rounds that I'm likely to listen to again.

[numbersix]

SONG #19

John

Big Thief: Vampire Empire

Every time I start to get into this band, I see a photo of them or watch a video and I'm reminded that they look like a bunch of ridiculous, insufferable hipsters. That's why I'm ranking this lower than it probably deserves, but it's their own fault for going out in public looking like that.




Leetsu

Momma: Sunday

A big ‘90s style rock sound




Transformers

Queens of the Stone Age: Obscenery

A divorce, cancer battle and several other awful events in the life of Josh Homme brought Queens of the Stone Age back to their roots as a down-and-dirty hard rock band on their 8th record "In Times New Roman...". "Obscenery" marks the album's opening track and it does an exceptional job of setting the tone. Behind a slow, crunchy riff and some simple yet impactful drum beats, Homme lays all his cards down on the table and declares himself an empty husk of a man that is equally happy with appeasing the masses or letting them all rot. It's a refreshingly raw, cynical track that is perfectly on-brand for Homme and probably the only way he knows how to heal from tremendous pain.




Six

Cumgirl8: Cicciolina

The sleazy post-feminist girl gang have started their career well with this mildly funky electro-punk track, about the Italian porn actress who became a respected and influential politician who offered both Sadam Hussain and Osama Bin Laden sexual pleasure in exchange for peace. Pity they didn’t respond.




Surf

Purling Hiss: Yer All In My Dreams




Ron

Holy Holy, Kwame: Messed Up

[numbersix]

SONG #18

John

Margo Price: Strays

"Everybody told us
We were wasting our time
But I don't want to die a waitress
With you cooking on a line"

Sounding like 1970s Springsteen is hardly a new idea, but I think the Boss would approve of these working class lyrics.




Leetsu

Yo La Tengo: Sinatra Drive Breakdown




Transformers

Kali Uchis: Moonlight

The soul portion of Colombian American artist Kali Uchis' musical cornucopia is often her most compelling and "Moonlight" is only the latest of her incredible creations in this space. Her sultry vocals float over the lush, vaguely psychedelic instrumental and the hook is a vibrant ray of sunshine that powers this sweet little love song to towering heights.




Six

Yves Tumor: Meteora Blues

Yves is increasingly emerging from their shell, and with this record they’re embracing even more genres and influences, with this song referencing Ziggy Stardust as well as 90s grunge.




Surf

Delivery: Baader Meinhof




Ron

Radio Free Alice: Look What You've Done

[numbersix]

20 and 19

John: Love that Big Thief song. It's crazy how popular they are. Maybe it's the ridiculous clothes. Margo Price did little for me.

Leetsu: Momma failed to rock my world. The Yo La Tengo song was a bit of a surprise, it was a hell of a Sonic Youth impersonation

Tranny: Nice to hear some QOTSA, even if it wasn't a patch on their early 00s material. As for the Kali Uchi song, I needed a cold shower after listening to it. Good stuff!

Surf: Neither really stuck with me, which is a bit of a shocker!

Ron: The Holy Holy track was very euphoric, but not my thing. The Radio Free Alice song was a decent lo-fi indie tune.

[numbersix]

SONG #17


John

Margo Cilker - Keep It On A Burner

Back to back Margos!




Leetsu

Legss: Fester




Transformers

Dying Wish: Symptoms of Survival

By bringing together forceful heaviness and melancholic melodies, Portland, Oregon outfit Dying Wish has found to a way to honor the bands that paved the way for them on the metalcore scene while also blazing their own trail forward.




Six

Yard Act: The Trench Coat Museum

If you’ve been around for long enough, you tend to claim nothing new is happening in art, it’s all just carbon copies of what went before, as if your youth is the most innovative era of all time. I try not to lapse into that mentality, but I can certainly say I’ve never heard a song all about trench coats. Famous blue raincoats, yes. Yard Act’s transitionary single may be silly and a little in-jokey, but it’s nevertheless fun and its epic peaks and troughs make it dance-floor friendly.




Surf

Squid: The Blades




Ron

Tame Impala, Thundercat: No More Lies

[Leestu]

#22

Kylie Fox was decent...not really my style but it kicked in nicely at the end

The Sampha song is smooth but a bit dull

I checked the Caroline Polachek album out too. I didn't mind her last album but this one was just too much pop and not enough art for my tastes. I mean I appreciatde that there is art in the creation, and it is not all standard song structures, production decisions etc. However it is all to serve the pop songs at the core that are doing nothing for me. I heard this particular song a bit throughout the year and it never grew on me with familiarity

A nice surprise to see Pardoner. A different song of theirs just missed out on my top 25. This was fun but like most short songs not substantial enough to be a favourite


#21

Shinyribs was the sort of smooth I like. Funky and soulful. A bit too retro to go further down the path with but I enjoyed this

Loved this King Gizz album and Transformers nailed why. Every song is good and a couple made my 100 but none this high

I really liked the last Young Fathers album in 2018 and need to get around to this one. The couple of songs I have heard from it have been very promising and this is one is no different

I love the FACS song...didn't make my top 25 but is on my 2023 faves playlist


#20

Wow! I didn't know about the Water From Your Eyes and Gilla Band like. Thanks Six

Yep, loved the guitar sound of Louis Michot and I could have listened longer. I recently listened looked into the history of Cajun and Creole music and listened to a chronological sampler playlist. Very interesting

The Travis Scott song was okay - preferred the rapping section to the autotune section

The Swans song is excellent...probably should have made my top songs but I didn't add it to my playlist and promptly forgot about it until now

Rice is one of the Young Fathers songs I heard. Really like this one

The Maisie Peters song is a generic punchline spoilered in the title so no need to listen


#19

The Big Thief song is really good...it wasn't far out of my top 100

I love QOTSA but was disappointed with the singles from this album...this was better

This is the first I've heard of Cumgirl8...I liked the elctroclash sound but I'm not sold on the song yet

Yeah I like the 90s sound of Hurling Piss...remind me of so many bands of that time (Dinosaur Jr., Husker Du, Teenage Fanclub etc)…Shining Gilded Boulevard was their standout song for me

I like early Holy Holy - saw them live a couple of years ago and they were really good - better than I expectedbut I am not keen on this stadium dance direction they have taken


#18

I agree with the Sonic Youth influence to Sinatra Drive Breakdown - it's what I love about it

I have listened to a Margo Price album but Springsteen Nashville style is not for me

The Kali Uchis song was okay, mainly due to the lushness and the "vaguely psychedelic instrumental"

Yves Tumour is always interesting, and sometimes fascinating. This was good but Heaven Surrounds Us Like a Hood was the song that got a few plays from me last year

How do you come across these obscure Aussie bands like Delivery that I haven't heard of before? I wonder if I'll now come across them again soon? A bit too light to love but catchy and fun

The Radio Free Alice song was new to me. A solid song, no complaints


#17

Margo Cilker didn't do much more for me than the other Margo

While never choosing to I'll happily listen to music like Dying Wish. A thumbs up from me

I love Yard Act...got to see them live last year...this song is so good

This Squid song (and another one) made my list but not my top 100...a grower of song that I like more every time I listen to it

Tame Impala have built up a lot of goodwill with me but I don't like this Tame Impala song much at all

FYI I may fluke a weekday here or there but I'll probably only be able to comment on the weekends

[numbersix]

SONG #16


John

Blur: The Narcissist




Leetsu

HEALTH: Demigods




Transformers

Knocked Loose: Everything is Quiet Now

This is definitely the most misleading title of any song that appears on my list since there is absolutely nothing quiet about this until it reaches its atmospheric outro. This is just plain vicious metalcore that eviscerates everything in its path with its sheer overwhelming force and openly basks in the glory of all the destruction its left behind in its wake.




Six

Stuck: The Punisher

One of the most interesting post-punk records of the year came from this Chicago gangs, who are still flying the flag for classics like Gang of 4 and DEVO. This opened the record and is full of verve, with its angular guitars and shifting rhythms, and I’m a sucker for that dissonant sax sound.




Surf

Pile: Loops




Ron

Lotte Gallagher: Adam

[numbersix]

Listened to #17 and #16

John: Yep, the Margos just didn't do it for me. I managed to miss out on Blur's return last year, but this song was good. It strangely sounded very 90s but nothing like what Blur put out in the 90s.

Leetsu: Really liked Leggs. It seems post-rock is making a comeback, which makes me feel very old as I was there at its peak, but I'll take it over a New Romantics revival. Will be investigating these guys more. As for HEALTH, I skipped their latest album as they're getting too invested in this weird emo-metal sound. I much prefered the abrasive noise from their first two albums, or the Depeche Mode influence on their third. This song wasn't bad, though, and I always like the contrast between the soft vocals and heavy sound, but not enough to want to explore more.

Tranny: Two joyous pieces of metal, thankfully not too long. Didn't like the first. The second was actually very impressive on a structural level, and I was engaged, though the vocals repelled me.

Surf: Really like that Squid song, and the album in its totality, depsite the somewhat muted response from the press. Got a different song of theirs coming up tomorrow. And the Pile song once again reminded me that I must dig into their back catalogue, as it was excellent.

Ron B: Quite liked the Thundercat/Lame Impala song, particularly the drum beat. The Lotte Gallagher song isn't normally my thing, but it was pleasant and catchy.

[JohnErle]

I didn't realize Yard Act had any new music out, but the first listen of the new single was quite promising. One of the reasons I fell in love with Sparks was their tendency to write about weirdly specific, esoteric topics, so a song about the history of the trench coat is right up my alley, and I'll take silly over morose, angry, or pretentious any day.

I figured Sinatra Drive Breakdown would appear among Leestu's picks, which made it easier to bump that track to my honourable mentions. Lotte Gallagher was a solid piece of pop music, but I have no desire to ever hear it again, and nothing else the past few rounds had any real appeal to me.

[numbersix]

SONG #15


John

Ray LaMontagne: It Takes Me Back

The music is equal parts Gram Parsons and The Grateful Dead, but the voice is unmistakably Ray LaMontagne.

And what a brilliant way to do a lyric video for a nostalgic song about the life of a touring musician.




Leetsu

Gurriers: Nausea




Transformers

Horrendous: Chrysopoeia (The Archaeology of Dawn)

Most of you probably won't make it through this 7+ minute scorcher of a track, so I'll keep it real brief: the blending of melodic death metal, thrash and prog elements here is super exciting and the guitar leads just plain rule.




Six

Squid: Undergrowth

Squid’s sophomore album didn’t quite get the raves of their debut, which I was a little baffled about. Perhaps it’s because it’s a more moted affair, leaning into mood and grooves rather than the splashes of frenzy that littered their debut. Undergrowth perfectly captures the strengths of their new song, with its mellow atmosphere that still manages to capture one’s imagination.




Surf

Deathcrash: Empty Heavy




Ron

Shad Rock (?): Be Well

Okay, I’m defeated by this. Could not find any track that came close, or artist that matched, not on Tidal or Bandcamp or Youtube. I found a Shad, but no track called Be Well in their catalogue. Ron, send me more info and I’ll post.

EDIT

It's

Shag Rock: Be Well

[JohnErle]

Based on the band names and song titles alone I knew there was basically no chance of me liking most of this round's picks, but I gave them about a minute each in case they surprised me. They did not.

Ron's pick was a decent palate cleanser at the end of the round, but it's another song where hearing it once was enough for me.