My Top Picks for 2023

i andEggs.1

THAT.i

Beat maker and multi-instrumentalist THAT.i who has created music under different names for other artists, TV, and film finally put out some hip hop and hip hop jazz instrumentals for himself.

While this stuff will conjure up thoughts of J Dilla and Madlib you will also hear subtle nuances from his influences which range from Weather Report to Brazilian Samba. This is a chillin' instrumental record that is more about vibe than anything else. Looking forward to i andEggs.2 more

Silver

Say She She

Brooklyn based but made up of international members, Say She She (so onomatopoeic  of a Chic tune) kicks ass with sexy retro(early 80s) disco funk tunes. Unlike their previous effort this album does not opt for slick production in order to fit in with the pop paradigm. Instead, this record was recorded as a band playing live and vibing  together, giving it an authentic funky sound. The vocal arrangements of the three lead vocalists are phenomenal and at times remind me of a modern take on the 5th Dimension.  

Lucky for You

Bully 

I keep wanting to peg this as a 90s grunge throwback but, every time I do something in the production, the sound of the vocals, or something else, keeps me from doing so. While this is obviously influenced by “that sound” it’s still its own 2023 thing. Great rock rhythm section textures. 

Space Heavy

King Krule

I have a little fantasy: I want to see King Krule as a contestant on The Voice. If that didn’t initiate an LOL, you haven’t heard his music. His singing gives images of Joe Strummer on qualudes. His tracks are made up of multiple sounds, but mainly guitar driven, with jazzy harmonies deliberately thrown in and out of tune, creating a deep vibe. It’s like he took everything you are not supposed to do in music and put it together onto this really cool enigmatic concoction that makes me want to listen over and over.

I will admit, the first time I heard him, I didn’t quite know what to think, but now I would even like to steal some of his production techniques. I give credit to anybody who can take things 100% and unapologetically  into their own direction like he does. He has his own sound and it is phenomenal (once you adjust to it). He’s the kind of artist I would like to meet to see where he is coming from musically. 

Incorruptible Saints

Sleep Sinatra & Televangel

Hip hop MC from Lincoln, Nebraska? Collaborating with a producer from Portland Oregon? We’ve come a long way from the Bronx.  The recognition of Lincoln’s hip-hop scene may be off of most hip hop fan’s radars, but that doesn’t undermine MCs like Adrian Madlock, who records as Sleep Sinatra teaming up with Ian Taggert, a producer from Portland, Oregon, who calls himself Televangel when he makes beats, this record grabs me everytime it comes on and may be my favorite hip hop record of 23.Great rhymes over creative tracks, do you need anything else? 

Cave World

Viagra Boys

Those of you who know me are aware that punk is not my favorite genre. Oh sure, I love the Clash (the only band that matters) and a few others but in general, while I appreciate the raw energy, that nuance quickly wears thin upon listening to this genre for any length of time. So for an album classified as punk to make my top of the year list, it must be special.

Viagra boys, "Cave World" is the third studio release from the Swedish post-punk group Viagra Boys. Crafted amidst the constraints of the COVID-19 lockdowns, the album draws inspiration from this dark period, notably addressing themes such as vaccine hesitancy in the face of the pandemic. The creative process was also influenced by reflections on the Paleolithic era, with a particular focus on our ancestors, as well as incorporating elements related to conspiracy theories. Recorded during the winter of 2021–22, the production occurred during a hiatus from touring in support of their preceding album, Welfare Jazz. 

This record is not only rewarding in terms of innovative musicality and satire but it is also humorous in many spots, making it NOT pretentious and self indulgent, as many socially conscious efforts can be. 

Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?

Kara Jackson

This album by the 23-year-old Chicago native guitarist and former National Youth Poet Laureate Kara Jackson is like looking straight into the soul of the artist. She brings ‘wearing your heart on your sleeve” to new levels. But don’t take that as a negative, this record will grab you by YOUR soul with it’s unique brand of introspective folk music. 

Man From Waco

Charley Crockett

Charley was born in San Benito, Texas, and was brought up by a single mother along with an older brother and sister. Growing up in a trailer park in Los Fresnos, Texas, he has familial ties to the famous frontiersman, Davy Crockett (no lie). Charley spent many summers of his youth with his uncle in the French Quarter of New Orleans (you can hear it in the music). At the age of 17, after completing high school, he chose to teach himself guitar, which received as a gift from his mother. It was purchased at a pawn shop.

Isn’t this the profile we want from Americana artists? The only thing that would make this more perfect is if he had an eye patch and a peg leg. But all joking aside, the music on this record just works. It’s beautifully performed, honest, and just the right amount of raw. This is the kind of record that could be found as the sole country record in a non-country fan’s collection.

Black Classical Music

Yussef Dayes

I know Yussef Dayes from his outstanding work on Tom Misch’s 2020 release “What Kinda Music.” This is his  inaugural solo album.  He is an English drummer and record producer that is part of the cutting edge,  South London Jazz scene. This record features guest contributions from artists such as Shabaka Hutchings, Tom Misch, Chronixx, Masego, Jahaan Sweet, Leon Thomas, and others, it also includes a posthumous appearance by Barbara Hicks. It goes in many directions that feature Yussefs unique drumming style but it is NOT one of those records made to highlight instrumental, technical prowess. It is a musical record that pays tribute to the many styles that can fit under the umbrella of “Black Classical Music.”

Girl in the Half Pearl

Liv.e

All I could say is if Sun Ra and Roberta Flack had a child together their music would sound like this. In a day where R&B is blurred with mainstream pop, heavily relying on cliche autotuned melodies (using the term loosely), this record is refreshing. I can’t say that I have ever heard anything that sounds like this. It is soulful, psychedelic, contains elements of hip hop and is not predictable in any way. We need more stuff like this.