Albums

The Window - Ratboys

Whatever the current wave of slacker rock mixed with county is (Slacker Country? Can we call it that?) long may it continue! Chicago’s Ratboys have delivered the most emotionally potent album of the nascent scene/genre, with a longing, windswept record filled with epics both in emotional punch (the title track) and scope (the nine minute long “Black Earth, WI”). For nostalgianauts seeking grunge-pop pleasure that reminds them of 1996, look no further than the perfect jam “It’s Alive!”

Enola Gay - asia menor

Math rock probably shouldn’t be ramshackle. Those time signatures fall apart easily with all the fractures and fractions in them. Yet Chile’s asia menor have a debut that is ready to burst at the seams frantic energy, letting the guitars jitter and the vocals blow out into brilliant odes to anxiety.

Beyond the Sphere [GRSCL31] - Noosa Sound System

Grey Scale has slowly built a nearly flawless collection of dub techno this year, and I just wanted to shout them out. Any of their releases from 2023 are pleasure principle electronic, slowly melting into headphones and delivering an enveloping groove.

Blight Year - Anti-God Hand

A recent, very dumb, twitter post was going around about the “objective” “facts” of “good” and “bad” “art.” One of the key portions was that bad art made you feel weird. Well call all of the metal I’ve loved this year bad, because the underlying feeling has been bizarre. Anti-God Hand joins Victory Over the Sun, Hoplites and the rest of the nutters currently pushing metal’s boundaries in excellence and experimentation.

The Last Remaining Light - Far Caspian

Layering is a tricky thing. From cakes to the geologic forces of the world, it’s easy to go wrong; either too thin or precariously thick. The UK’s Far Caspian has no such issues. With a deft hand and a crafty ear, The Last Remaining Light is a chiming, delightful rock album that might have the finest dynamic sense of push and pull I’ve heard all year.

Through the Window - Prewn

Angel Olsen rules, but what if she was a bit more ragged, rickety and ready to use a pool cue in a bar fight? Prewn has the answer with a dusty, golden folk-rock record that seems to shamble out of a half forgotten jukebox.

Seen (EP Version) - Guinevere Laurent

A little electronic nugget that knocked me on my ass. The opening one two punch of The Books-ish “Running” flowing flawlessly into the expansive, The Field influenced “To Alleviate” cured my wounds, brought my wife back from the dead and taught my children to do math.

Teghnojoyg (2023) - Babe, Terror

Another one of those “the fuck is this?” paired with “do I like this?” For the first question, I have no answer, but for the second it’s a firm HELL YEAH. Jazz influenced classical music with an electronic and improvisational bent. Get on its wavelength and there are few easier albums to get lost in then this labyrinth.

Passing Through - Carol

How in the world are these demos?
A beautiful + rip your bodice in guilt and lust sort of album, Carol’s Passing Through is allegedly all from under produced mixes from the studio. Bullshit. This is a craftsman’s folk album, with Carol’s impeccable sense of melody and psychedelic dabs from spiraling guitar work–this is the finished, immaculate, final product.