The year in (Wil’s favorite) music: 2023
It’s 2024! Last year, I finished making and premiering a documentary, worked, and helped my kid become a kindergartener (who bikes to school).
I could say something snarky about the many albums I listened to, about how they didn’t grab me like ones from other years, but I think I was more challenged by what I heard and perhaps more open to a few things outside my comfy zone.
Life's twists and turns get twistier and turnier for my buddies and me, who try our best to get together to swap mixtapes of our favorite songs and lists of our favorite albums each year. We kept it simple this time, posting up in Astoria, Oregon, during a remarkable freeze to share the annual crop of music we vibed with most from 2023.
The Mix
Listen to wk23: the losers win, a mixtape featuring 90 minutes of songs I enjoyed from 2023. (As always, please listen responsibly — with crossfade set to 12 in your Spotify settings.)
The List
Of all my favorite releases from 2023, these (clickable) albums were my most appreciated:
10. PJ Harvey — I Inside the Old Year Dying
Yep, a PJ Harvey record made my top 10 albums in 2023. This thing is so haunting and beautiful. There are typos, songs with about the same name, and the album art features… a stick. But the record is neither overcooked nor boring. It makes catharsis accessible. I first heard it in the summer in California and somehow felt all the seasons happen simultaneously.
9. Yo La Tengo — This Stupid World
This record sounds like Yo La Tengo, but the context surrounding it —namely, this stupid world — gave this particular collection of songs lift and relevance among a sea of contemporary artists that are… different. When I found myself driving at night, I often listened to this album, comforted that familiar terrain could bring solace even in new packages.
8. Nick Shoulders — All Bad
A highlight of my year was seeing Nick Shoulders and his incredibly tight band (the Okay Crawdad) play at Pickathon’s iconic Lucky Barn, especially when his dad asked during a Q&A: “When are you gonna get your shit out of my garage?” The record that followed was inventive, fun, serious, and “Won’t Fence Us In” was perfect for the credits of my film. (TYSM Nick!)
7. A. Savage — Several Songs About Fire
Parquet Courts are just one of those bands whose records I run to when they drop. While the quality varies (let the boys explore!), I generally find compelling nuggets in each tracklist. In this sophomore album from their frontman, his unique voice and songwriting are revealed in a more hushed and drawn-out manner. Would Lou Reed appreciate this? I feel he might.
6. Brandee Younger — Brand New Life
More polished than my usual favorites, Brand New Life convinced me early of its tremendous value. I couldn’t quite tell why this jazz harp album felt so friendly, and then, at her Portland Old Church show, Brandee explained it as a tribute to the unreal Dorothy Ashby, and it all clicked. I go to shows but never get to see musicianship like her band’s (Allan Mednard on drums 🤯).
5. Quasi — Breaking the Balls of History
It’s never too late to get into Quasi. That’s my story, anyway. I’ve probably only been listening to this band for a decade — what could life have been like if I had earlier? I’m now sure to celebrate any new release from endearing songster Sam Coomes & drum goddess Janet Weiss. Their songs speak to me. Finishing my movie was a feat. Sometimes, the losers win.
4. Shannon Lay — Covers Vol. 1
The first thing I did when I heard this record was listen to it a second time. The next thing I did was to google Shannon’s birthday to figure out if we were the same person. These annual recaps are focused on new music, but covers are a bridge to incredible songs and influences from the past, and this batch reimagined so so much of what I love. I had it on repeat all year.
3. Kassa Overall — ANIMALS
How many drummers can you recognize when you hear them featured on a track? ANIMALS is not an easy album to listen to, but Kassa Overall balances chaos with peace (the lava is calm!), making sure not to smooth out the rich texture of the many talented artists he convenes. It’s a record that shows what happens when percussion (or even tempo) takes center stage.
2. Slowdive — everything is alive
Sometimes, well, increasingly often, I need records that I can play in the background and opt-in/out of as life unfolds. This was the best soundtrack to my 2023 — moody, energizing, contemplative — and the first release from Slowdive that I paid close attention to. While my ears obviously have homework to do, I’m happy to stay steeped in this one for a nice long while.
1. Kara Jackson — Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?
Kara Jackson’s debut album is the most intriguing collection of new songs I listened to in 2023. They never left me comfortable — Were the lyrics childish or honest? Is the music scattered or layered? — but I returned repeatedly and grew to love its inflections. These aren’t amateurish diary entries but ornate arrangements from a voice that dares to offer realness.
