My Favourite Records of 2023
Below you will find an unsolicited and borderline arbitrary list of my top 10 favourite records that were released in 2023.
But first, a few disclaimers.
Yes, you can (and perhaps should) spell “favourite” that way.
Yes it is 2024 now, but I tend to live slightly in the past, and also take a while to collate all that the last year brought.
This list is entirely subjective and limited to my own tiny experience of music that was released last year. It doesn’t attempt to speak at all objectively (and I am not sure than one can in this area) or comprehensively. If you came across some music that was released last year that just blew your socks off, I would love to hear about it! Please share it with me without hesitation.
I have used the word “records” deliberately (as opposed to “albums”) as I wanted the freedom to include a couple of EP’s.
The fact I enjoyed an artist’s record is in no way an endorsement of their beliefs, worldviews, or chosen lifestyles. I enjoy music broadly and have large appetite for disagreement and tension in the arts. I know that isn’t true of everyone, especially in the community of faith, but though I would definitely disagree with lots of what many of these artists would say and do (as they would of me), I have enjoyed their art as an act of common grace which has helped me in the last year to be a more faithful and joyful follower of Christ. I hate that this disclaimer is necessary, but I do know from experience that it is.
Alright, on to the music! 2023 was a year of bangers, as I believe the kids would say.
10. Dizzy by Dizzy
I first saw this brilliant Canadian band in the pouring rain at an outdoor venue in downtown Austin. They were opening for Lisa Loeb, and they stunned me with the fullness of their sound and the depths of their melodies. I was just there to see if my teenaged crush still had it (she did), but I left as a committed fan of Dizzy and have been following them ever since.
My favorite song on the record is the opener called Birthmark. Weird video, to be fair, but such a good song. I just love Katie Munshaw’s voice.
9. Higher by Chris Stapleton
When I first heard Chris Stapleton, the thought I had was … “It’s like Chris Cornell singing country.” I still think that. His voice is so rich and his melodic lines are so complex, yet he never feels like he is reaching for anything. Every note seems to come from the middle of his soul, and his soul sounds beautiful.
I am very thankful that Higher is a return to country grit as some of his previous work has sounded way too “James Bond theme-song dramatic string arrangementy” for my liking.
My favourite song on the record is called Trust.
8. Revive by Austin Stone Worship
Major conflict of interest alert. I know. I work at The Austin Stone. But, I get to see the brilliant people who work to write, record, release, and perform these songs and it makes me love the records even more. The song-writing process is fun to see as our talented teams regularly take time to study Scripture together and then write songs collectively shaped by those Scriptures.
My favorite song on the record is probably Won it All which features the unmistakable vocals of the one and only Jimmy McNeal.
7. Cuts and Bruises by Inhaler
There will be something of a theme for the next three artists. All of them are children of famous creatives of some sort. The lead singer of Inhaler is Elijah Hewson, son of Paul Hewson, who sometimes goes as Bono from a little band called U2. It must be interesting and challenging to be a son of Bono who is also a singer, especially as the parallels are obvious. I am no geneticist, but from my casual observation of this one instance, it is my finding that font man bravado, arena filling vocals, and downright rockstarriness are definitely in the DNA. To be fair, Inhaler works quite hard to not just be U2 part II. There isn’t a chorus delay lead guitar part to be heard anywhere on this record, and they do their best to stay away from earnest epics. But, the melodies come from Elijah’s childhood house, and that is no bad thing at all. I saw them when they opened for Pearl Jam and they were excellent, but there were moments if you closed your eyes, you might have thought Bono had entered the room.
Cuts and Bruises is an excellent record. It is a regular driving companion for me.
My favourite song is These Are the Days. While the band seems to draw their sonic inspiration more from bands like Keane and The Killers, tell me you don’t hear early U2 in the bass line to this great song.
6. Where the Winter Was by Skye Peterson
Skye is the daughter of Andrew Peterson, who happens to be one of my favourite song writers and thinkers on collisions of faith and creativity. He also wrote my son and I’s favorite fantasy book series, The Wingfeather Saga. I feared therefore that Skye might be overshadowed by the legacy of her dad but my fears were unfounded. She doesn’t hide in his shadow, but rather has found her own place in the Tennessee sun.
This record is excellent and thoughtful in a way that belies her youth. She sounds a lot like Phoebe Bridges, but uncluttered by all the hubris. She sounds like Phoebe Bridges found faith, and a great band to back her. The playing is just so simple and good, and it allows the depth of the song-writing to take its rightful place in center stage.
My favorite song is Suburbs. Tell me I am wrong on the Phoebe Bridges thing.
5. Good Riddance by Gracie Abrams
The last of our offspring of famous creatives, Gracie is the daughter of J.J. Abrams, who is apparently quite good at film making.
I know I might get some flack for this one. The songs are predictable pop with simple 1/4/5 major chord structures. The lyrics are predictably sad about break-up tropes, alebit with some brilliant turns of phrase. But gosh, she is so good at it all, and the guiding and helping hand of Aaron Desner is apparent on this record. He brings a depth and sonic texture that makes the simplicity of the sentiments irresistible. I first saw Gracie when she was opening for Olivia Rodrigo. The impact of that influence is still apparent, though I would say that Gracie had bypassed her former headliner by creating a sophomore album that showed immense growth.
My favorite song is Full Machine. For some reason I really love the lyric …
I'm codependent
But tryin' hard not to be
I'm better when you're next to me
4. Izililo by We Will Worship
Again, I my have a slight conflict of interest here, as these are friends from my homeland, but I really do think that this is a special work. So much of worship music moves to resolution too quickly, wrapping any sort of disquiet or discontent in neatly wrapped theological bows. Izililo (a cry/lament) refuses to keep it so tidy. It deals with lament, anguish, repentance, doubt, hurt, and lots of hope. A lot like the Psalms really.
When I first heard the record, I actually had to pull my car over to the side of the road to have a little cry when I heard the transition from Tannie Anneke’s Prayer to We the Forgiven. Whatever you may think of representative repentance and the theological precision displayed in this moment, it is deeply moving, and humble, and hopeful.
For my American friends, I encourage you to take the chance on some worship music from another place and in some other tongues. You may just find yourself enjoying the language of heaven as you listen.
3. Songs of Surrender by U2
I wanted to ignore this record. It felt like a marketing ploy to sell more copies of Bono’s book, and it may well have been. But two things happened that made me spend a lot of time with this record. Firstly, Bono’s book was excellent! It added so much texture and depth to their song-writing and it made me fall in love with some of these old tunes recorded in a new way. Secondly, I saw U2 live at The Sphere in Las Vegas and it was one of the most profound musical experiences of my life. And not because of the screen … because of the songs.
Sitting with these stripped down but not underbaked versions of these old songs has actually been sort of magical this year. My favourite reworking is probably Every Breaking Wave although the half time version of The Fly adds another beautiful dimension to that brilliant song.
2. The Valley of Vision by Manchester Orchestra
I have been a fan of this Atlanta based band for some time and their album A Black Mile to the Surface is one of my favourite records of all time. So I was very excited when I heard that this record was coming and that the concept was based off of the collection of Puritan Prayers by the same name. I wasn’t disappointed, although I must admit that I do wish that they had built a full album and not just an EP, as fine as these six songs are. I had the privilege of seeing them live last summer, and they have turned into a genuine live music force and they manage to somehow manifest these songs with even more power live.
My favourite song on the record is called The Way.
1. I/O by Peter Gabriel
When Gabriel first started his monthly releases of all of the songs on this album, I didn’t get it. I didn’t really understand what I was hearing. And so I had pretty low expectations when I went to see him tour the material live. I assumed he would play one or two songs off the new record and then would resort to the hits, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. He played every song off the new album in what can only be described as a 3 hour art installation. It was spell binding. Each song had a carefully crafted associated work of art that he took time to explain. Here he was, at 73, taking huge creative risks, when he could have just been phoning it in, playing Sledgehammer, and going home to count his money.
Since seeing it live, I have fallen in love with this record. It has some cheesy moments, though he has never been afraid of those, to be fair. But it is deep, moving, haunting, prophetic, and absolutely beautiful. He released three full versions of the record, with mixes showing the tension of dark/bright and in/out. Did I mention he is 73?
My favourite song is Love Can Heal which features a haunting collision of male and female voices, something Gabriel has done previously so brilliantly in Blood of Eden and Don’t Give Up. But I would also recommend that you check out Four Kinds of Horses, This is Home, Playing for Time, and And Still.
There is a lyric in the song So Much that has meant a lot to me. It deals with aging and it has rung in my head in this season of aging parents.
The body stiffens, tires and aches
In its wrinkled, blotchy skin
With each decade, more camouflage
For the wild eyed child within
Now close your eyes for a moment
Look down and look above
All the warmth inside of you
Comes from those you love
If you’re still reading … well done! What did you think of the list? What great musical finds did you make in 2023?
Here’s to another year of brilliant music.
Press on.
