Thales' Top 10 albums of 2023
My Top 10 Albums of 2023
2023 in music
Welcome to the end of 2023. This was the year that I decided to fully commit to music and make its consumption not only a hobby but a career. For that, I consumed plenty of music this AND from this year, 80 albums total from this year. I decided to go through them and rank my top 10, just like I did last year except no longer on Twitter.
2023 was a pretty mild year for me in music, there are a few albums I can truly say were mind blowing and thankfully they all made the list, but last year for example I have soo many favourite albums that it was really hard for me to do my top 10 back then, this year I was mostly confused about the last 3 albums (from 10 to 8th places).
That being said, the list I did make in 2022 doesn't reflect at all what my favourite albums from 2022 are at the current moment, for example. Here's the comparison of the two lists.
The list I did at the end of 2022
Me revisiting the list now, late 2023.
My goal with this, is to point out that opinions change overtime, mainly when it comes to art. You consume more art that makes you rethink what you used to think about art back then, You get to relisten to said albums under different perspectives, seeing if it survives the test of time, and when it comes to lists, you just listen to better stuff that you hadn't listened to before. Even listening to 80 albums this year there are a lot of albums I'm still to hear, for example the Ratboys album, the DJ Sabrina album, and those may be better than some of the ones I have in my list
All of that is to say, opinions are all subject to change, and in a year I may not even like some of these albums, but at this current point in time, here's my 10 favourite albums of 2023:
(Also, I had a criteria that live albums are only ok if it features +50% new and exclusive music, sorry Clairo, you're welcome Black Country, New Road)
10. Guts - Olivia Rodrigo
Genre: Pop Rock, Singer-Songwriter
Given SOUR's instant success, Olivia had a really tough task ahead of her - She absolutely nailed the entirety of the piece. The sound of Guts is one of comical rage, instead of being mad at the subject, she approaches it ironically, for example in the songs "bad idea right?" and "get him back!", and I think that ironic approach fits her lyricism so well. Though there are certainly times where the subject matter is treated seriously, like with lead single "vampire" and "lacy". Rodrigo also doubles down on the sounds of GUTS, bringing even more rock anthems and even better ballads, with lyrics that make a lot more sense than those in SOUR. It's clear that Olivia is looking to improve herself in her craft and the result shows continuously throughout the album.
Favourite tracks: vampire, get him back, love is embarrassing, pretty isn't pretty, teenage dream
9. the record - boygenius
Genre: Indie Folk, Singer-Songwriter, Indie Rock
Anyone who knows my music taste could've easily guessed that the boygenius would've been in here. Featuring Lucy Dacus, who has one of my favourite records of all time in 2019's "Historian", Phoebe Bridgers, one of the best singer-songwriters of this decade, and Julien Baker, another phenomenal guitarist, lyricist and singer, boygenius had everything to ready to be a complete success, and the 2018 self titled EP indicated that way too. "the record" is a treat to the ears, from the indie rock takes in "$20", "Not Strong Enough" and my favourite track "Satanist", to the emotional bangers in "Emily, I'm Sorry", "True Blue" and "Cool About It". The synergy of the trio is great and it's impossible for me not to put them in the top 10, even if at the bottom of the list (of the best!).
Favourite Songs: True Blue, Cool About It, Not Strong Enough, Satanist
8. Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? - McKinley Dixon
Genre: Jazz Rap, Conscious Hip Hop
Filled to the brim with a passion for Jazz and the african-american musical culture, McKinley Dixon and collaborators capture such a joyful sound and songs that make you want to dance, sing along and go on a run run run to. Dixon's ability to drop bars super tightly and energetically on the most amazing of hooks is enviable and the storytelling that runs throughout the album is just made majestically. The instrumentals are all tight and joyful and you can truly tell that this project was made with all the love in the world.
Favourite Songs: Sun I Rise, Run Run Run, Live! From the Kitchen Table and Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?
7. olhar pra trás - terraplana
Genre: Shoegaze, Dream Pop
Brazilian Shoegaze is alive and going harder than ever, olhar pra trás is the debut album from band from my hometown Curitiba, terraplana, which is heavily inspired by mbv's body of work, with tons of stacked guitars, soft female vocals and atmospheric, almost undecipherable drum passages. Even within that you have plenty of variety in pace, from the slower more atmospheric "conversas" to my favourite song in here, "memórias", which goes into a harder hitting drum groove and some more energetic guitars.
Favourite Tracks: conversas, memórias, cais, me encontrar
6. Scaring The Hoes - JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown
Genre: Experimental Hip Hop, Hardcore Hip Hop
The deadliest duo in all of experimental hip hop, both have voices that many people get annoyed by, but I personally love. To the ring, JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown!
Nothing from JPEGs discography has really caught my attention so far really, but his skills as a producer are absolutely undeniable (even if the Danny's voice mixing allegations are real), he's so creative and the way he uses samples is out of this world. I've personally never felt overly attracted by hardcore hip hop (was never able to finish a Death Grips album) but this is just pure fun and excitement from beginning to end. The bars from both Peggy and Danny go so hard and the synergy they have just Makes Sense. Highlight to Danny Brown which also released Quaranta, a great album that almost made the list
Favourite Tracks: Lean Beef Patty, SCARING THE HOES, Garbage Pale Kids and Kingdom Hearts Key.
5. Me chama de gato que eu sou sua - Ana Frango Elétrico
Genre: MPB, Jazz-Funk, Baroque Pop
After an electric sophomore from Ana Frango Elétrico, the non-binary Brazilian artist takes a few years to come back, and what we come back to is one of the most exciting, creative, sensitive and genius bodies of work that may even be on par with "Little Electric Chicken Heart", bringing new elements from Brazilian culture like a rap feature on "Dela", some other Bossa Nova style guitars and some Brazilian funk sprinkled on top. That with the very personal themes of the album, diving into Ana as a Non-binary person, love, all with a certain looseness that so many artists try to replicate but only Ana can truly master.
Favourite Tracks: Electric Fish, Boy Of Stranger Things, Insista Em Mim, Dr. Sabe Tudo
4. The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We - Mitski
Genre: Singer-Songwriter, Indie Folk
When this album was announced I knew it was gonna end up in here. Not only for the first single, "Bug Like An Angel", neither for the TikTok hit that was "My Love Mine All Mine", it was honestly just a feeling I had, and I was so right. After coming from an album that didn't really connect with me in Laurel Hell, Mitski decided to go back to an element that made her music popular to the general public: the cowboy theme! Aside from the really cool thematic of the album, Mitski hits again on the songwriting, bringing some waltz-y energy to some songs that I really appreciate, and the whole album kinda feels like it has an epicness to it, and the lyrics are the best from her since Bury Me At Makeout Creek.
Favourite Tracks: Bug Like An Angel, Buffalo Replaced, My Love Mine All Mine and The Frost
3. Live At Bush Hall - Black Country, New Road
Genre: Progressive Pop, Art Rock
To recover from the loss of your lead singer and songwriter is no easy task. Let alone release something within a year that's on par with what you had before. Splitting the songwriting within 3 members of the band was a genius recovery move and resulted in a varied array of songs. From the creative Tyler, whose compositions do get similar to those of Isaac, but perhaps with even more of an easy hook, we have also the emotional and vocal driven compositions from May Karshaw, who wrote easily one of my favourite BCNR songs in Turbines/Pigs, her voice sound a lot like Björk too! And Lewis Evans, who comes with a very unique composition style, sounding a lot like musical theatre at times. The whole band is on their peak performance here, Charlie does an amazing job on the atmospheric drums and the transitions between those and the breakdowns, Luke Mark took on the solo guitar role perfectly, and along with Georgia, Lewis and May, the harmonic section is really well represented and dynamic.
Favourite Tracks: I Won't Always Love You, Across The Pond Friend, Turbines/Pigs, Dancers
2. Javelin - Sulfjan Stevens
Genre: Indie Folk, Singer-Songwriter
Until 2023 I had no idea who Sulfjan Stevens was. I had never heard anything from him and I was like "I'm probably not gonna like his stuff", it was described to me as mellow, lyrically focused and for a long time I had a real hard time connecting to these types of albums. Not only were the people that described Sulfjan Stevens to me wrong, but also I was completely caught off guard by what he displays in Javelin, and in his general body of work like Illinois.
Stevens is a staple name in the singer-songwriter genre, he brought the genre beyond "guitar/piano and vocals". The way the songs are produced makes them feel so full and they are composed so interestingly. Stevens is specially keen on odd time signatures and in a genre that isn't focused on having a beat, these time signatures feel normal and welcoming. His compositions feel dynamic and the layers that come with the body of work just work out phenomenally.
On Javelin, the singer is able to display his whole ability and make anyone cry and feel like they're in a small wooden house in the middle of a farm, somewhere calm and deeply sorrowful. Javelin is filled with grief and with a Sulfjan that is looking back at his own life, you're hearing an entire life story, along with some reflections about where he is now and where his loved ones are, who he lost and who he still has. It's a beautifully crafted body of work that will make you emotional even when you don't mean to.
Favourite Tracks: A Running Start, Will Anybody Ever Love Me, My Red Little Fox, Shit Talk
1. This Is Why - Paramore
Genre: Post-Punk Revival
Unlike Javelin, I knew I instantly knew I was gonna love this album from the moment the first single was released back in September of 2022. I'm gonna be honest, I'm not the most unbiased person when it comes to Paramore. I've been a fan of them since I can remember and I've watched them evolve their sound in ways I would've never expected from the punk emo kids that wrote songs like "Pressure", "crushcrushcrush" and "Misery Business". They're all grown up and that's what this album is here to showcase.
After the end of the tour for their 5th album "After Laughter" ended, the trio went on a hiatus, with Hayley Williams releasing two solo projects produced mostly by Taylor York and Zac Farro continuing his own project with halfnoise, releasing two albums and going on tours to promote them. After 6 years that felt like eternity for any Paramore fan, we were graced with This Is Why
It is a near perfect body of work, starting from the energetic bangers, filled with social critics, sick drum and guitar parts and creative vocals from Hayley and the crew. It's able to highlight each member at their best and their synergy. The album has so much depth as well, with songs like Big Man, Little Dignity bringing flutes and a more calm atmosphere, Thick Skull bringing a vibe that, if production was any different, would fit perfectly on a shoegaze album, as well as the die hard bangers in You First, Figure 8, Running Out Of Time... The band is showing that their peak is still here and they still got a lot more fuel for the future, even releasing a remix album in October, featuring a lot of my favourite artists, including Wet Leg making a cover of C'est Comme Ça", which works absolutely perfectly in their style.
Favourite Tracks: Running Out Of Time, You First, Figure 8, Thick Skull
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