2023 Top 40 Albums: #21-30
Moving into the Top 30 albums of 2023 now. The list continues below.
30: The Enigma Division - The Enigma Division
(Progressive Metal)
Ambitious, sweeping, cinematic Sci-Fi Prog Metal. The Enigma Division delivers an incredible package in a big way on their debut album. The compositions on this album bounce from mystical and atmospheric ambience to aggressive chugging to blending both; all the while, at every moment, it maintains intricate technicalities throughout multiple levels of the soundscape.
I admit, despite my strong initial review, I still slept too much on this one this year. Coming back to it for the purpose of these rankings has revealed just how good it really is. And, as a fan of long-form music, I love the ambition found in each and every track — there are only eight tracks, and they total just over an hour of music, with the epic closer falling just nine seconds short of the twenty-minute mark. Prog Metal fans will love this one; fans of Synthwave and its adjacent genres may also find a lot to enjoy here.
29: The Revivalists - Pour It Out Into the Night
(Alternative Rock | Roots Rock)
NOLA-based Roots Rock sensation The Revivalists have crafted an album that really feels alive with Pour It Out Into the Night. It’s incredibly deep and aware, but it’s also filled with absolute bops, pulling the sounds of New Orleans and the South effortlessly into their sound. The album closes with its title track, which ties a perfect bow onto the whole experience and leaves you with the message that you can’t change the past; honor the dead and get to work on improving the future.
As I said in my initial review, this album is a party, even when it’s mournful. I’m so very happy to have discovered this band this year, and even happier to have them represented here. There’s nothing niche about this album; everybody should be able to enjoy it. I advise jamming to “The Long Con”, below, while sharpening your guillotine blade.
28: Within Temptation - Bleed Out
(Symphonic Metal)
Within Temptation is a perennial favorite for me. The blend of Symphonic Metal that they’ve evolved, toeing the line into Rock here and there and frequently tinged with Gothic undertones, is like nectar for me. Most of all, they really know how to craft compelling melodies and hooks, and that skill is on full display in Bleed Out. Their newest album lacks the raw cohesion of 2019’s Resist, and the genre blending utilized here toned down significantly from that same predecessor. However, despite these weaknesses, and the fact that the approach utilized in releasing these songs makes it feel as much a compilation album as anything else, Bleed Out is full of dead-on bangers.
And despite the approach, there is still a coherent throughline advocating in freedom from tyranny. The title track, included below, addresses the deaths of young women in Iran, Pakistan, and other Arabic nations as they fight for freedom from oppressive zealotry. The cover art for the album (and for the EP of the same name) also addresses this topic, as it’s a very personal one for vocalist Sharon den Adel. And the other songs on the album are just as meaningful. This is a relatively low placement for Within Temptation, but rest assured that the albums on this list earned their place here.
Looking at you, Kamelot.
27: Periphery - Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre
(Progressive Metal | Metalcore)
Periphery checks a lot of boxes. They’re a blend of Prog Metal and Metalcore; Djent is utilized in many tracks on the album; both harsh and clean vocals are in play; and the album is incredibly technical. There are moments of pure melodic bliss, such as on “Dying Star”, as well as walls of harsh aggression, such as the entirety of “Everything is Fine!” (a track which I consider to be the album’s one weakness, personally). “Atropos”, below, is one of the tracks which blends both sides effectively.
Periphery V is a great album. If you like metal, whether you enjoy harsh vox or not, you’ll find something to enjoy on this one.
26: Boygenius - The Record
(Indie Rock)
Anybody who listened to the Boygenius EP a few years back, when this collaboration was first revealed, knew that something truly incredible was going to come out of it sooner or later. The Record really just feels like a promise (finally) kept, in that regard. The trio of Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, and Phoebe Bridgers is impeccable. All three are strong vocalists, lyricists, and instrumentalists, with each already haveing found some solid success individually.
The Record is comprised of a blend of emotionally honest and raw tracks like “True Blue” and “Revolution 0”, fun jams like “Satanist”, and songs that blend both, like “Not Strong Enough”. And throughout the album, the trio rotates, with each of them taking turns leading songs. “True Blue” (below), for example, features Dacus’ soothing alto at the fore in one of the most genuine love songs I’ve ever heard; and the best part is that it also embraces non-romantic readings, allowing for genuine, raw expressions of affection between platonic friends. This emotionality is one of the album’s biggest strengths, and it surfaces in nearly every track.
25: Killer Mike - Michael
(Hip-Hop)
Killer Mike is the GOAT, IMO, as far as Hip-hop goes. The dude is brilliant, and he tells it like it is; he makes absolutely no bones about his perspective and gives exactly zero fucks if you disagree — because he’s lived it: growing up in a big Southern city with a huge population of trapped, economically stagnant black people. That story — his story — is the focal point for Michael. He touches on multiple points of his life over the course of the album, occasionally waxing political, as he is wont to do (though not nearly as much as he does in his Run the Jewels albums with El-P).
Michael is raw and real, and contains some of the best, most genuine verses of the year. I mean, he made us wait a whole damned decade since his last solo effort. Thankfully, it doesn’t disappoint.
24: Gracie Abrams - Good Riddance
(Whisperpop)
Gracie Abrams is one of the leading acts of the whisperpop movement, right up there with Billie Eilish.
At least, she is now.
Good Riddance makes a strong argument for her as a contender in the Pop genre at-large. No matter your feelings on the vocal style which Eilish has popularized over the last several years, Abrams has successfully harnessed the emotional intensity which the style excels at, and has paired it with some exceptional pop hooks. Given that this is her debut album, I find it incredibly impressive.
Now, you can caveat this with whataboutisms all day long. I won’t entertain those here because to do so would be a huge disservice to the excellent body of work which comprises Good Riddance. The album is full of self-growth bops, and I highly recommend it for anybody who enjoys pop or pop-adjacent music.
23: Trophy Eyes - Suicide and Sunshine
(Emo | Punk Rock | Pop Punk)
Trophy Eyes’ Suicide and Sunshine is the Australian band’s fourth full-length outing and easily one of the best recommendations I got all year. Raw Emo vibes in a Pop-Punk/Punk Rock shell. These are some of the hardest-hitting songs of the year in terms of raw emotion; the whole album needs a trigger warning regarding suicide and dealing with friends suffering from suicide ideation. Trophy Eyes pulls no punches in their lyricism. Nothing is glossed over or prettied up.
Though, as their Spotify bio (still) states, these are “sad songs disguised as happy songs”, as “Blue Eyed Boy” (below) illustrates. The song deals with the speaker pleading with a friend to let him in because he’s afraid his friend is going to commit suicide — and the song is an amazing bop with intensely catchy hooks, especially in the dense wall of synth which starts the song off and wraps up each refrain. The whole album is killer, though.
22: Kylie Minogue - Tension
(Dance | Pop | Electropop | Synth-Pop | Disco)
Now, if you want raw, electric energy, Tension is the album you’re looking for. And the title gives away the motif — this lively, eternally upbeat album is filled to the brim with songs that capture the concept of sexual tension, luxuriating in the lead-up and the fantasizing. Though, that said, title track “Tension” (below) feels a lot more intimate than I’ve just implied. It’s downright steamy.
I had a hard time selecting a single song for this one. My personal favorite is probably “Hold On to Now”, but I wanted to use a music video for this one (not a lyric video, which is all she did for “Hold On to Now”), and opener “Padam Padam” was also an option. The whole album is incredible, though. I highly recommend giving this one a listen when you need something with energy…and a bit of spice.
21: Malinda - It’s All True
(Indie Pop | Folk Pop)
Malinda is one of those TikTok musicians I’ve been watching for some time, waiting for that first album to drop. Much like Brye last year, Malinda’s debut effort (not counting her debut EP from like five years ago) is absolutely worth the wait. Malinda leans heavily into her Irish heritage and infuses them into her music to make this gorgeous, modern Folk Pop which stands apart from pretty much everything else you expect from modern Pop music. It’s immediately apparent, as well, from the first notes of opener and title track “It’s All True” (below).
I also have to mention that Malinda has written and starred in a visual album for this project, as well. Yes. An album-length music video. I have not watched it yet, but it’s on my to-do list. This album should be a must-listen for anybody who enjoys Indie Pop or unique singer-songwriters.
That’s half the list done! Come back tomorrow for the next ten!
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AOTY | #2-10 | #11-20 | #21-30 | #31-40 | Honorable Mentions