This idea of keeping up has grown ever more ridiculous as the year has progressed. But I can be very stubborn, so I’m sticking to my guns and continuing this series with more genre-specific groups of albums released (mostly) in the first quarter of 2023. The playlist has been updated so you can follow along as you read here or below.
Don’t forget to catch up with Part 1 and Part 2!
Hip Hop, R&B, and Reggae
No reggae in the first quarter…but that’s what I call this category!
Kelela - Raven In the cool blue electronic settings constructed by her raft of collaborators, including Yo Van Lenz, LSDXOXO, and Kaytranada, Kelela weaves a warm spell with her airy voice, more the flesh in the machine rather than the ghost. While it’s been a long wait - six years - since Take Me Apart, her debut, nothing about Raven feels labored. While finely crafted, it also has a lightness to it, as if she’s just taking her place at the forefront of R&B without even trying.
Kali Uchis - Red Moon In Venus This Colombian singer and songwriter has such a gift for melody that your mind will be putting songs on repeat during your first listen to her third album. Spanning all forms of love, from the sacred to the profane, and textures from Motown to quiet storm to the cutting edge, everything about Red Moon feels timeless. Her lyrics are often wry and conversational but locked right to the rhythm and melody, making the songs yet more indelible. Just two examples: “I wish you roses while you can still smell…” (from I Wish You Roses) or “I hate your phone, throw it away…” (from All Mine). While first album was in English and her second in Spanish, this one includes both, as if she’s more comfortable being all of who she is for whatever audience is listening. Make sure that includes you.
Sam Gendel - Cookup The last time I laid eyes on Gendel, a reed player and producer of multifarious interests, he was sitting crosslegged on a cliff in Malibu jamming with Very Nice Person, the most excellent band formed by Mike D.’s kids Skyler and Davis. When I caught up with Mike later on, he said Gendel hadn’t even mentioned this album, an often captivating, if a bit fractured, take on 90s R&B. Seems about par for the course for someone as humble as Gendel. While some of the tracks - Crazy In Love, most notably - seem less baked than others, this witty collection makes a strong case that songs by Whitney Houston, SWV, and others are fertile ground for creative interpretation.
Lil Yachty - Let’s Start Here In the 21st century, when someone from the world of hip hop and R&B starts talking about making “rock music,” the results are often cringeworthy, revealing their provincial taste more than anything else. But something about that title - Let’s Start Here, so open and honest - and the knee-jerk pushback Yachty was getting for even presuming to make an album like this, made me want to listen. And I’m glad I did. Even if the album is about 20 minutes too long and mostly sounds like psych-funk rather than psych-rock, the seeming sincerity of the title is found in the music as well. If he continues in this vein, I might only suggest Yachty choose his collaborators more carefully. Working with artists at the caliber of Jonathan Wilson and Boogarins could take it to a whole other level. One place Yachty rarely stumbles is with the artwork and the AI group portrait on the cover is haunting and beautifully executed.
Jae Skeese & Conway The Machine - Pain Provided Profit This EP was my introduction to Jae Skeese and I’m glad to have made his acquaintance as he more than holds his own with Buffalo’s finest. “All gas, no flatulence,” as he raps on Immaculate Reception, perfectly enmeshed with the grimy beats.
Rock, Folk, Etc.
UNI and The Urchins - Simulator I would have been more than happy for Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp-Muhl to just keep making GOASTT albums, but the former had other ideas. And while I have tried, as great a musician and songwriter as Lennon is, he could not make me like Les Claypool, with whom he has now made two albums. But Kemp-Muhl was not going to be kept on the shelf and started up UNI in fairly short measure, releasing their first single of kicky glam-psych-garage rock in 2017. While their sound has changed somewhat since then, along with personnel (most notably swapping in Jack James for Nico Fuzz as lead vocalist), touchstones like Bowie, New York Dolls, and Sci-Fi have remained. After so many singles - most of them great - I began to wonder if that was just going to be their medium of choice. But now that we have this lush and colorful long-player, I’m so glad it didn’t. Combining sweeping strings, chunky synths, and electronic rhythms for a blend of futuristic and classic is the perfect framework for their cult-movie songwriting. The sonics also work a treat in covers of Hole’s Doll Parts and the old hymn, Amazing Grace. Being bold enough to tackle the former and reimagine the latter is pretty much a proof of concept. When he gets done with Claypool, it might be Lennon who’s asked to hang fire while Kemp-Muhl does more of her thing with UNI and The Urchins.
Tropical Fuck Storm - Submersive Behavior Speaking of bold cover choices, taking on Hendrix’s 1983 (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) was a doozy of a decision for this band of colorful characters. But they had good reason to go for it, expressing the need for corrective action after the Hendrix estate put out an atrocious cover of Angel by that other former member of One Direction. While nothing will ever equal Hendrix’s questing creation, their version is not only fully credible, but reveals the solid structure of his conception. Major kudos to TFS for kicking the universe back onto its axis. They also blow the roof off with a cover of Ann, a deep cut from the debut by The Stooges. The three originals in between do nothing to dampen the mood of true belief in the power and freedom of rock & roll.
Yo La Tengo - This Stupid World Who’d a thunk that 25 years after I Can Feel The Heart Beating As One - my favorite album by them - Hoboken’s indie-rock heroes would nearly hit those heights again? Such is the majesty of rock and the mystery of roll! Hypnotic rhythms, fuzzed out guitars, serpentine melodies - it’s all here and in more sustained fashion than their other 21st century releases. You could even start here if you’ve somehow managed to remain unfamiliar.
Bobbie Lovesong - On The Wind Madelyn Strutz’s alias might have a whiff of 70s kitsch, but this dreamy pop-psyche-folk is smarter than that, with a richly imaginative production for songs that breeze by, but not without leaving a lingering scent of heightened emotions. The immersive atmosphere is deepened by slightly loopy covers of jazz standards Fly Me To The Moon and Misty - and not so standards, namely Chick Corea’s Desert Air and Charles Mingus’ Reincarnation Of A Lovebird. The latter chugs along for six-plus blissful minutes of avant garde acid-drenched Muzak…music supervisors, take note!
Hotspit - Memory Of A Mirror Image This debut EP by yet another band from Richmond, VA vaults them far above the pack, with a strikingly assured and dynamic indie rock sound to limn the passionate songs and sweet voice of Avery Fogarty. Definitely a band to watch - and apparently they honed their sound on stage, so I’m keeping up with their tour dates.
King Tuff - Smalltown Stardust I’ve been aware of this indie rock project of Kyle Thomas’ for years, maybe even listened a time or two - but it didn’t stick. But when I saw Tchotchke, who made one of the brightest debuts of 2022, were opening for him, I gave it another try. And, whaddya know, it’s great. Tuneful, heartfelt, great sound. I wish I had caught one of the shows!
Pearla - Oh, Glistening Onion, The Nighttime Is Coming While I always pay attention to what Spacebomb is putting out, I admit to forgetting about Pearla (Nicole Rodriguez) in the three years since her debut EP. Those years were “contemplative” according to her bio, and the songs are certainly well-crafted and deeply felt. The production, with arrangements by the great Trey Pollard, surrounds them with deft touches, giving each just what it seems to need, whether strings, flute, or pedal steel. As the title hints, Pearla’s view of the world is a little quirky, but the songs are refreshingly free of overt eccentricity. Let’s hope it’s not another three years before we hear more.
Jenny O. - Spectra While she may be a classicist, with a masterful grasp on rock songwriting, Jenny isn’t stuck in one place. On her fourth album she expands on her earth-mother side with mantra-like choruses on You Are Loved Eternally and The Natural World, while continually showing her skill at crafting an indelible chorus. One standout is Advice At A Dinner Party, which is almost all chorus: “I spend my days here/Working on my concept/Trying to have a good time, turning pages/And what I’ve found is - nothing lasts forever/I’m getting better as I age.” Working again with producer Kevin Ratterman, she takes as much advantage of his vintage synths as his microphones and amps, giving Spectra a sleeker sound. Jenny has for too long been a best-kept secret in the wider world that lavishes praise on far less talented artists. There Is A Club hints that she might be frustrated by that status, as when she sings, “I know for sure/I’m almost certain/There is a club/I am not in it.” She’s definitely in MY club, however, and I recommend you apply for membership STAT. The only requirement is one listen to this excellent album.
Holly Miranda - Virtual Funeral This wide-ranging collection gathers singles from the last free years, including a heartbreaking cover of Bonnie Raitt’s Nick Of Time and the galvanic Water Is Life, with Kyp Malone from TV On The Radio. Several of these songs were included on my playlist, The Eye Knee Experience, named after the label Miranda started with her frequent collaborator, Amb. Parsley. And the songs are so good I put the playlist on my Top 25 for 2021! Time hasn’t dimmed the pleasures to be found here and her sequencing works a treat, with the addition of the newer Book Of Hearts - one of her finest songs - leveling up the quality even further. The title of the collection says most of what needs to be said about the pandemic years, but the songs transcend their time while paying tribute to the resilience of the musicians who make our days worth living.
Mui Zyu - Rotten Bun For An Eggless Century Formerly in the indie-rock trio Dama Scout, this is Eva Liu’s debut full-length and works as a coming out party for an artist who employs sophisticated, almost theatrical, songwriting and lush, modern production to explore issues of identity. A Hong Kong British artist, coming to terms with her Chinese heritage led her to folklore, which enriches the lyrical content with stunning imagery, as in Ghost With a Peach Skin. For an album that reflects years of personal struggle, it all goes down very easily, transmitting its strength almost by osmosis.
Ulrika Spacek - Compact Trauma It’s been five years since this most-English of modern postpunk bands gifted us with an album (2017’s appropriately named Modern English Decoration), but they didn’t take the time off to revolutionize their sound. There has been evolution, however, with keyboards taking a more prominent role and their trebly guitar weave that much more precise. Minimalism of the type familiar from Talking Heads’ Fear Of Music (or Palm’s Rock Island) seems to be more of an interest, with riffs revealing further depths a dozen repetitions in. The melodies and vocals soar over it all, not unlike Graham Lewis’ tunes for Wire, and the lyrics are similarly oblique. But I think we can all relate to this, from the title track: “The illusion of health is clearly veneer/Completely naive/If everyone goes/Pack it up wholesome../Compact trauma?/Or full blown disaster?/I'll be back in an hour (Or so I think).”
Rozi Plane - Prize A compatriot of This Is The Kit and Rachel Dadd, Plain’s circular campfire folk shares some of their hypnotic quality. Her reflective tunes provide the comforts of old but also feel resolutely modern. As she sings in Standing Up: “Standing up in the full blue of newness/The future the past/Introduce you to each other.” Prize may be Plain’s most complete statement yet, so make sure to introduce yourself soon.
Shalom - Sublimation “I'm waiting for the day that I can finally walk away from all this bullshit/Sitting in my room practicing how to be cool but I can't do it/I tried hard enough with my roommate and she's mean for a nurse but anyway/It wasn't enough and my life is weighing heavy on my chest.” These plainspoken, lyrics open Happenstance, a terrific track with an indelible chorus and a danceable celebration at the core of its painful revelations (“My need to evaporate and receive validation at the same time/Is just happenstance”), so personal and so universal. With tough rhythms often anchoring the tightly constructed songs, Shalom and her main collaborator, Ryan Hemsworth (who’s worked with Mitski, for one), are free to add a wealth of hooky details with guitars and synths. The variety in the sounds is matched by the broad emotional palette, offering anger, consolation, inspiration, and joy in a heartfelt debut that promises even more in the future.
Okay, thus ends the “quarterly” experiment. Any releases from this year will be fair game for the reviews to come. If you want a more time-bound view of the year in music, make sure to subscribe to the Discover Music With AnEarful podcast!
From the archives:
Record Roundup: 22 For 22 (Part 1)
Record Roundup: 22 For 22 (Part 2)
Fantastic stuff, several of which are totally new to me and I look forward to checking out! Thanks!
Thanks for another great article. I loved “Red Moon in Venus” and agree 100% with your review. It’s timeless, sultry, sensual and soulful. What particularly impressed me is how consistent and coherent the album is considering what you very well point out about the bilingualism and different moods.