Welcome to the New Year.
I’m finishing up some music I missed from last year and checking stuff I otherwise would not have listened to, going to try and compile my top albums of last year. I wanted to update here as well as it has been a couple months.
Some of my first impressions from today’s listening (artist – album (genre) rating)
ANOHNI and the Johnsons – My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross (Soul, Singer-Songwriter) 7.5/10
Intriguing record – felt like I missed something or wasn’t paying attention enough to the concept, but the vocals had a great presence throughout and kept me interested for the whole album. I want to revisit and absorb the record a bit more.
Kelela – Raven (Electronic R’n’B) 6/10
It’s good – I like it – but it wasn’t fully clicking with me. The album felt a bit sluggish at some points, but I can’t deny the vocal talent and the lush instrumentation present. May warm up to it on another listen.
Jessie Ware – That! Feels Good! (Neo-Disco) 7/10
Fun solid dance record – a bit on the forgettable side with some of these tunes, but for the most part is energetic and fun.
Blur – The Ballad of Darren (Alt Rock) 6/10
It’s alright. Ironically as you listen the songs begin to blur – the strong start yields into samey passages – but regardless it has some nice instrumentation and delivery.
100 gecs – 10000 gecs (Ska, Hyperpop) 8.5/10
Their debut was wild and unhinged – this is certainly more accessible but still not for everyone. Incorporates more ska and guitar to the hyperpop sound, very fun and dumb.
Kara Jackson – Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? (Singer-Songwriter, Alt-Country, Folk) 9.5/10
Heard some comparisons to the late Daniel Johnston – those vibes are certainly there, but I think Jackson has her own personality and unique voice. Intriguing poetry and interesting experimental delivery really drew me in – a very special folk record in my opinion.
Frog – Grog (Slacker Rock, Alt-Country) 9/10
I heard one of their earlier records and thought it was pretty alright – but this is an improvement on all fronts, infusing more country and slacker rock influence than before, which really gives it a nice variety and a good edge to the music. Very nice.
Luke Combs – Growin’ Up / Gettin’ Old (Country) 7/10 (both)
Technically Growin’ Up was 2022 but it is a companion album to Gettin’ Old from 2023, so I might as well listen to both. To put it simply, I like this guy at first glance – great country voice, great presence, great guitar and backing instrumentation, and some choice songs like Outrunnin’ Your Memory that I like. Compositionally its nothing new – for the most part it sticks with the usual radio country structure, and lyrically it has a lot of stereotypical country music subjects and shoutouts to country greats (George Strait, etc) – however, the delivery of it by Combs and the band makes it feel more genuine, more enjoyable. The first record has a pretty solid album flow, helped by the variety of moods throughout the tracks as well as the length being 41 minutes; the second is a bit longer at an hour and four minutes, but is no less positive and fun (I use the word fun too often) and has some more intriguing songs and narratives than the first part such as Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old and Back 40 Back. Overall, good stuff.
Thanks for reading. Here’s to a good year, as best as we can make it.
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