Album Of The Year 2023
Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2023 7:13 pm
by more heat than light
It's that time of the year again! Here's my top five and some brief thoughts.
5: Mitski - The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
4: Yves Tumor - Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
3: Creeper - Sanguivore
2: Sufjan Stevens - Javelin
1: The Armed - Perfect Saviors
5: Mitski - The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
Mitski's fascinating pivot away from incoming pop stardom looked like burning out before it even started. Last year's release 'Laurel Hell' was a mess of an album, seemingly alienating all but her most ardent of fans. Thankfully this second shot at going all 'serious musician' is a resounding success.
It's a graceful, spacious record. Her airy vocal lights up these songs which build slowly and playfully, like cinematic sagas in miniature. 'Heaven' is a beautiful acoustic country pop song which climaxes with an orchestral flourish. The outstanding highlight 'Star' is almost ambient, gradually building and ascending into ether. It's utterly captivating stuff. Perhaps the most telling song here is 'When Memories Snow', a crashing epic which conjures up vivid imagery like very few songs do. Inexplicably, it's all over in 1 minute and 44 seconds.
It's a graceful, spacious record. Her airy vocal lights up these songs which build slowly and playfully, like cinematic sagas in miniature. 'Heaven' is a beautiful acoustic country pop song which climaxes with an orchestral flourish. The outstanding highlight 'Star' is almost ambient, gradually building and ascending into ether. It's utterly captivating stuff. Perhaps the most telling song here is 'When Memories Snow', a crashing epic which conjures up vivid imagery like very few songs do. Inexplicably, it's all over in 1 minute and 44 seconds.
4: Yves Tumor - Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
Sean Lee Bowie, the brainchild behind experimental outfit Yves Tumor, is an oddity. Not content with picking that as an album title, they then had the audacity to fill it with more twists and turns that your average Shyalaman movie.
Opening with a thrilling bass riff which leads 'God Is A Circle', the album just continues to intrigue and surprise. There are shades of Smashing Pumpkins on 'Meteora Blues'. And 'Echolalia' closes with synths that wouldn't be out of place on a Portishead record. It's incredible that despite all these constant shifts in tone, the album hangs together as well as it does. It's an oddity, sure, but sometimes that's what the music world needs.
Opening with a thrilling bass riff which leads 'God Is A Circle', the album just continues to intrigue and surprise. There are shades of Smashing Pumpkins on 'Meteora Blues'. And 'Echolalia' closes with synths that wouldn't be out of place on a Portishead record. It's incredible that despite all these constant shifts in tone, the album hangs together as well as it does. It's an oddity, sure, but sometimes that's what the music world needs.
3: Creeper - Sanguivore
Creeper last hit my Album Of The Year list in 2020, when I was blown away by the theatrical nature of their album 'Sex, Death and the Infinite Void'. Well, turns out they were just getting started, as for this year's record they've dialled up the theatre levels tenfold. Sanguivore is a vampire album, and this plays out like those classic movies from the 80's like The Lost Boys or Near Dark.
Musically we're digging into territory explored previously by Jim Steinman and Meatloaf, notably the opener 'Further Than Forever' which is basically a goth Bat Out Of Hell. From here the story goes in familiar directions, but the songs are fresh and exciting throughout. 'Cry To Heaven' is Sisters Of Mercy given a modern makeover. 'The Ballad Of Spook and Mercy' even employs some Nick Cave tricks, right down to the graphic shots of violence.
It's not going to appeal to everyone, it's all a bit camp and silly, but it's so much fun that it's difficult to care. A fantastically realised blood-soaked treat.
Musically we're digging into territory explored previously by Jim Steinman and Meatloaf, notably the opener 'Further Than Forever' which is basically a goth Bat Out Of Hell. From here the story goes in familiar directions, but the songs are fresh and exciting throughout. 'Cry To Heaven' is Sisters Of Mercy given a modern makeover. 'The Ballad Of Spook and Mercy' even employs some Nick Cave tricks, right down to the graphic shots of violence.
It's not going to appeal to everyone, it's all a bit camp and silly, but it's so much fun that it's difficult to care. A fantastically realised blood-soaked treat.
2: Sufjan Stevens - Javelin
Sufjan Stevens' tribute to his late partner Evans Richardson is a beautiful and touching return to form after 2020's misfiring The Ascension. A study on grief doesn't sound like the basis for such an exquisite collection of songs, but for Stevens it seems to work, after all, his last great record 'Carrie & Lowell' was recorded after the death of his mother.
Every one of these songs feels deeply personal, but never depressing. Even something as lyrically sad as 'Will Anybody Ever Love Me' bristles with optimism and hope. Opener 'Goodbye Evergreen' has blasts of dense instrumentation peppering the otherwise acoustic track. And 'My Little Red Fox' has a pretty choir of vocals at the end which is just heavenly.
The album climaxes with the incredible 8 minute epic 'gooseberry fool Talk', Stevens intoning 'I don't want to fight at all' like a mantra over and over. Except that's not the end, and there's a final cover of 'Theres a World' by Neil Young. Rather than being some important statement, I like to think of this as a song that he and Richardson simply enjoyed together. The album ends with Sufjan's ghostly vocals paying tribute to his memory.
Every one of these songs feels deeply personal, but never depressing. Even something as lyrically sad as 'Will Anybody Ever Love Me' bristles with optimism and hope. Opener 'Goodbye Evergreen' has blasts of dense instrumentation peppering the otherwise acoustic track. And 'My Little Red Fox' has a pretty choir of vocals at the end which is just heavenly.
The album climaxes with the incredible 8 minute epic 'gooseberry fool Talk', Stevens intoning 'I don't want to fight at all' like a mantra over and over. Except that's not the end, and there's a final cover of 'Theres a World' by Neil Young. Rather than being some important statement, I like to think of this as a song that he and Richardson simply enjoyed together. The album ends with Sufjan's ghostly vocals paying tribute to his memory.
1: The Armed - Perfect Saviors
There's a moment in every band's career where they hit the sweet spot. Some bands start in the mainstream and move towards more experimental territory. Others, like Michigan's The Armed, move the other way. 2021's Ultrapop received widespread critical acclaim, but whilst impressive, I found the record to be too abrasive for my tastes. This, however, is total gold.
It's an interesting dilemma for musicians, and already there are criticisms from many deriding Perfect Saviors for selling out. Yes, there are tunes here. But oh my word what tunes they are. 'Everythings Glitter' is an absolute glam rock stomper, as if The Killers suddenly decided to go hardcore. 'Patient Mind' is a genuine fists in the air anthem. More surprising still is 'Liar 2', which is playful disco, albeit with a killer buzzsaw solo to round it off.
They certainly haven't lost their knack for noise either. Lead single 'Sport Of Form' contains ten seconds of absolute carnage in the middle of an otherwise relatively sedate tune. And the colossal highlight 'Modern Vanity' is more brutal still, screaming choruses with one of the most exciting outros in years. If this is selling out, then why on earth does it sound so thrillingly vital?
It's an interesting dilemma for musicians, and already there are criticisms from many deriding Perfect Saviors for selling out. Yes, there are tunes here. But oh my word what tunes they are. 'Everythings Glitter' is an absolute glam rock stomper, as if The Killers suddenly decided to go hardcore. 'Patient Mind' is a genuine fists in the air anthem. More surprising still is 'Liar 2', which is playful disco, albeit with a killer buzzsaw solo to round it off.
They certainly haven't lost their knack for noise either. Lead single 'Sport Of Form' contains ten seconds of absolute carnage in the middle of an otherwise relatively sedate tune. And the colossal highlight 'Modern Vanity' is more brutal still, screaming choruses with one of the most exciting outros in years. If this is selling out, then why on earth does it sound so thrillingly vital?
