The Weekly Coos

It’s past that time of year when publications feel like December is a month filled with nothingness, and end-of-year lists appear like Christmas ornaments at your local store in August. But sometimes gems appear, and they round out what made 2023 a powerful and wonderful year for music. This year didn’t see that much, but as it goes: here’s my list for 2023.

25. THE ACES – I’VE LOVED YOU FOR SO LONG

“The Aces don’t forget who they are and what makes them so distinct beyond treading genre lines of Synth-Pop. Throughout their career, they have been tackling varying dimensions of pop, whether internal or external, as they establish a base without gender being a tag and becoming something unique on their own. They’ve built a base with intricate sonic layering, bolstering the contextual identity of the production, allowing them to separate from some of its simplistic percussion and string patterns, which becomes slightly less apparent on their new album, I’ve Loved You For So Long.”  Link to Review

24. SKYZOO & THE OTHER PEOPLE – THE MIND OF A SAINT

“Like Black Trash: The Autobiography of Kirk Jones, Skyzoo keeps the narrative in constant motion, keeping the aesthetic realized from production to the verses, and never breaking character, keeping the swagger intact. The Mind Of A Saint is effusive and personal, at times expressing that sly coldness that comes with one’s own comfortability flexing this kind of success at the expense of the common folk and their addictions. It’s raw and honest, making you zero in on the nuances of his bars, and it starts to hit you in the middle as Skyzoo brings Franklin Saint to life, and keeping it real – the tracks, “Straight Drop,” “100 To One,” and “Bodies!” It doesn’t stop there as it continues toward a strong ending. Unfortunately, not all tracks are dense, as some allusions to interactions in the show can leave you with questions; it’s a positive that it’s significant enough to possibly influence one to watch it as it did with me.” Link to Review

23. ANIMAL COLLECTIVE – ISN’T IT NOW?

“Isn’t It Now? delivers balanced musical sensitivities between orchestrations without walking down the road mostly traveled on occasion. Much of it comes in the first half, where the quality is at an all-time peak; it gives the writing and vocals the free range to work around their creative avenues. It becomes a resounding comfort as you sit back, unwind, and let them paint these beautiful paintings within the moment. Some of it is oblique and interpersonal with its allusions to certain moods and feelings, and others are modestly more direct, like “Magicians In Baltimore,” where they focus on actualizing this sense of home is where the heart is. In it – like “Soul Catcher” – the creativity flows through with these unique conceptions and reference points to bridge meaning.” Link to Review

22. JEEZY – I MIGHT FORGIVE… BUT I DON’T FORGET

“Unlike previous albums, Jeezy’s coming with high ferocity in a double album with no features (take that J.Cole). At 29 tracks and 87 minutes, Jeezy offers a more focused project that sees more reflections than flexes, further allowing us to get deep inside Jeezy’s person and mind to understand the trials and tribulations up to this point and the rewards from the positives. It isn’t perfect, especially with its slight bloatedness coming from tracks that modestly parallel, making the length feel overcooked. Unfortunately, it can be so with double albums, yet one inherent plus is the construction, “one for the fans, and one for me,” with the latter having the most significant impact.” Link to Review

21. JESSY LANZA – LOVE HALLUCINATION

“Continuing the course of techno-pop and electronica, Jessy Lanza showcases a hold of her style in essence through these whimsical vocal performances and lovely productions on her latest album, Love Hallucination. When speaking on her sound, it’s hard not to find yourself captivated by the melancholic bliss guiding you from beginning to end. Its central fuse is its percussion acting like it’s open to the world, becoming expressive while retaining this charming timidness, where the softspoken vocals weave complex yet relaxing depth. It almost leaves you calmed as some songs begin to sync and feel slightly homogenized between synths, and you get lost in a zone. ” Link to Review

20. BOYGENIUS – THE RECORD

“At 12 tracks, and 43 minutes, the record flows with a crisp and smooth pace that your first few listens will feel insightful and rewarding. This sentiment goes tenfold for fans that get these artists’ styles, especially as you hear about their growth since their self-titled debut in 2018. It doesn’t matter who you are when approaching the music because it speaks for itself in quality and through poignant and resounding poeticism. Whereas they construct these narratives with clear prose, the way it bridges together allows it to have these defining moments within the vocal performances, especially in the choruses, which balances the performers on the production and lets them feel enriched as they deliver it to you. But as you sit there, reflecting through all of it, you see the brilliance within the music as Boygenius produces a fantastic debut.” Link to Review

19. TAINY – DATA

“Tainy was one of the first significant producers I started to follow within Reggaeton. Since then, he has had a consistent pouring of production and has easily transitioned through eras with evergrowing musical ambitions that have shown us Tainy can do more than we know, which is precisely so on his album Data. We hear him shifting away from what his usual artists aim form – though sometimes sonically overlapping with past beats – and has them fine-tune and work with the artistic direction he goes with here. Tainy is finally letting the chains loose and producing something more experimental, elevating the predominant Latin sounds to new heights. He’s taking what one thinks about when they hear Reggaeton and shifts the conventions, whether through a beat switch or his direction of the music, like how he opens on a low note before hitting you with a wave of fantastic synths, drum patterns, and remarkable performances.” Link to Review

18. BLINK-182 – ONE MORE TIME…

“I’m guilty of succumbing to the nostalgia and instantly hyping myself up to get disappointed with the outcome; that was the case with last year’s Swedish House Mafia album, where sometimes you miss something formidable, and then you’re left picking up the pieces. That continues with the new Blink-182 album, One More Time…, which does more than remind us of the three talented goofballs who contributed to redefining pop-punk for the 2000s era and establishing themselves as a powerhouse – granted, it came to an end when Tom DeLonge left, came back made Neighborhoods and left again; they didn’t change their identity much since, but Tom’s return made this comeback have a broader appeal to nostalgic sensitivities. Fortunately, they return without missing a beat, delivering something that will have people of varying generations reminiscing and losing themselves to the music, even when it’s of teetering quality.” Link to Review

17. LARRY JUNE & THE ALCHEMIST – THE GREAT ESCAPE

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Within Rap music, we have artists with the viscosity to deliver many projects throughout a 12-month span. There’s Curren$y, Boldly James, Papoose, Termanology, and G Perico, to name a few, but on the opposite end of the LA coast where G Perico hails from, there’s Larry June from the Bay area of California. Entrenched within soulful vibes, it becomes a guiding principle that boasts the production’s eventual turns as we get hints of refined melancholic sounds, which places a board for June to deliver visceral lyricism akin to his world. That’s what we get with the resoundingly beautiful The Great Escape, an album collaboration with famed Hip-Hop producer The Alchemist. Considering the hype behind both artists, it’s safe to say that the album delivers and then some; it keeps a smooth vocal cadence throughout, immersing the listener within the transparent sounds that push the writing to the front. ” Link to Review

16. THE FRONT BOTTOMS – YOU ARE WHO YOU HANG OUT WITH

“The Front Bottoms have a constant tangent of songwriting that travels varying avenues that feel more grounded than most rock and pop songs that value love and relationships as this emotionally gripping fairytale-like compound that needs to get expressed in various ways. Best described as a blend of folk rock, indie pop, and alternative rock, The Front Bottoms have kept their presence afloat with songwriting and tracklist construction; throughout the years of listening, ever rarely did I feel an album’s transition felt stagnated, despite not every song gliding seamlessly through the air with greatness. Their newest album, You Are Who You Hang With, brings introspection through unique narratives that focus more on being and understanding instead of lamenting over oversaturated themes like love or partying. Here, The Front Bottoms are letting themselves feel as free as ever, weaving together genres and creating this outlandishly grand venture that feels slightly philosophical without intention but packs a punch when it’s all said and done.” Link to Review

15. THE BLAZE – JUNGLE

“Like their first album, Dancehall, it doesn’t take long before the production puts you in a zone without shifting toward something more obtuse beyond a consistent breadth developing through the percussion and synths. You get this quick whiff instantly as Jungle opens to a track resembling something from an early 2010s Bon Iver or STRFCKR album; however, its production shifts the parallel further from it. The vocals are airy and coated behind this screen of atmospheric electronic textures, which creates a nuanced take on pop and French House, almost taking it as a guiding principle and establishing sounds that accentuate with cadence. Whether it’s on the opening track “Lullaby” or the subsequent “Dreamer” and “Lonely,” it separates itself from the production, becoming its own thing where the landscape shifts between being more percussion or synth-focused. While it establishes its core direction, one can easily get lost in its vibe, but as you swim through the ten-track album, it’s like exploring new avenues of rich sounds.” Link to Review

14. FOO FIGHTERS – BUT HERE WE ARE

“For many, the notion of loss is difficult to tackle when facing it head-on. Foo Fighters know this, and through the meticulous crafting created since the passing of their drummer Taylor Hawkins, and lead singer, Dave Grohl’s mother, nothing will stop them. It transfixes you with how they come together and tightens the familial bond as the music gets crafted. Despite the darker subject matter and instrumental subtexts, the Foo Fighter’s new album, But Here We Are, grips you with the sheer emotional force of the vocals detailing these stressors, these emotions that linger after the passing of a loved one. Its title comes off as defeated like they don’t want to be around the drum set since the reminder of Hawkins will be everlasting. ” Link To Review

13. KILLER MIKE – MICHAEL

“Aptly titled Michael, the album contains music pertinent to Killer Mike’s upbringing, the visualizations of the truth – where he takes note and relays the bias-racial divide – and flexing without regressing to the means of typicality. It’s awe-inducing – keeping me on my toes. There aren’t genuine moments where I found myself detached from the music, though minor inconsistencies have left me yearning for a tighter album, like its pacing, which begins to teeter slightly after the mid-way point. Yet, as I kept it looping, there weren’t moments I disliked, despite being a little flawed. Michael sees Killer Mike triumphantly returning as he rounds the bases with some illustrative music that you can overlook the minor missteps.” Link To Review

12. CAROLINE POLACHEK – DESIRE, I WANT TO TURN INTO YOU

“From “Welcome To My World” to “Sunset,” there is a burgeoning desire to let it all loose as Polachek builds upon pop traditionalism like the Trip-Hop controlled “Pretty Is Possible” and the summery “Sunset,” which incorporates more Spanish, Italian, and Romani melodies. Polachek, along with co-producers Danny L. Harle, Sega Bodega, Dan Nigro, Jim-E Stack, and Ariel Rechtshaid, keeps it consistent with steady tones to keep its themes focused on its impact when a track closes. Harle and Polacheck produce a bulk of the album collectively; however, what others bring, is this vibrant sense of direction, no matter what gets set up at the base.” Link To Review

11. BLONDSHELL – BLONDSHELL

“Much of the album’s greatness comes from a consistent balance between vocal performances and production, especially when the leading artist is more of the singer-songwriter as someone else produces. Though Sabrina Teitelbaum’s input into the composition is here and pivotal, producer Yves Rothman brings it to life, allowing us to hear these multi-dimensional songs carrying viscerally raw emotions. Whether it’s dreary and dark like “Salad,” where Teitelbaum sings about contemplating murderous revenge on a friend’s abusive partner, or somberly speaking on sobriety and relapse on “Sober Together,” the way these tracks’ production contrast each other shows depth between styles. Though these have their own sense of being and flow, keeping in tow a consistency of sound, the more rockified pivots with “Veronica Mars,” “Sepsis,” and “Joiner” boast the angst within, letting feel entrenched with her emotions, allowing us to feel the kinetic synergy between the two as you fall in love with captivating aesthetic and melodies that are occasionally more deadpan than vibrant, but fits her true sense of self.” Link To Review

TOP 10 OF 2023

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10. OVERMONO – GOOD LIES

“Overmono’s debut album Good Lies is full of rich textures, encapsulating breakbeats and some fluid songwriting as they continue to showcase the range and potency of their music. Like most dance/electronic music, there’s usually a bridge between tones, allowing sonorous self-reflections to exist within a zone of dance fever. The synchronistic connectivity the two have comes from this notion of dancing your problems away, and it does so without being so black and white. There’s depth and nuance within the productions that you’re inhabiting a new sphere of music where vibes are there to get you elevated, but at the same time, intaking these rich layers of sounds that make the whole electronic genre more than just something to dance to.” Link To Review

9. AVALON EMERSON – & THE CHARM

“Going into & the Charm, I knew little, having only heard Avalon Emerson’s DJ-Kicks album, but as I kept digging and exploring the caverns of these nine songs, there wasn’t a moment I was bored. It’s captivatingly consistent in vibe and tone, circumventing genre exploration for a direct flow. It’s nontangential, but that isn’t to say it lacks depth. There is a lot moving with greatness, from the lyrics to the performance; it opens the door for it to become realized with a sense of personable relativity. I couldn’t recommend this more than the score I give. It was a significant surprise for me, one where I didn’t want to press pause, so there is no denying this is staying in my rotation.” Link To Review

8. DANNY BROWN – QUARANTA

“Throughout Quaranta, Danny Brown brings some nuance to it. It’s a well-rounded flow of greatness that seems to continue feeling like a given for Danny Brown’s solo work in album form. I was a major fan of the album, though it may not be one return to because of the subject matter, but that isn’t a detriment as it just means the album is more centered on a mood and can’t just be something played casually like “Detroit vs Everybody.” Give Quaranta a shot; it has some juice that delivers while letting you hear his identity beautifully.” Link To Review

7. RAYE – MY 21ST CENTURY BLUES

“Raye is a reminder that music is starting to transcend beyond getting defined by a monochromatic-core genre. We’ll still see artists releasing genre-specific albums, but Raye delivers an impactful review that is off in varying lanes on her debut, My 21st Century Blues. It goes through various avenues of styles, and often, you’ll get caught by surprise. One minute you’ll hear Raye rap – the next, she’s delivering a stellar dance-pop – then some trip-hop or house, it’s a treasure trove of limitless possibilities, and it gets boasted by a poignant personal narrative she takes us through. She sets up this intimate setting – we hear her get up on an old club stage, speaking to an audience before embarking on a significant musical journey that makes us dance, feel, and witness harmonious brilliance in effect. Creating this visual allows the shifting sounds to come with a positive punch, further making you love how fantastic this album is from front to back.” Link To Review

6. PARIS TEXAS – MID AIR

“When I first wrote about Paris Texas (Louis Pastell & Felix), the LA Hip-Hop duo, I was left in awe by their aesthetic and approach to rapping, building, and boasting a successful hybrid between Rap and Punk-Rock music. It buoyed this unique aesthetic that has become reminiscent of individual methods reflective of some others – think JPEGMAFIA, Gorillaz, or Rage Against The Machine – you get something special with their debut album Mid Air. It’s an album with focus, steering towards more of an alternative approach, elevating the range between the organic instrumental synergy with the strings and drums and ones that bring hardened elements that bolsters the manic energy ferociously. Burgeoning through fantastic songwriting and a keen ear when co-producing tracks with other producers, my fondness for Mid Air exceeds expectations, especially when songs don’t blare with similar notes heard on their mixtape Boy Anonymous.” Link To Review

5. JAYDA G – GUY

“Guy is magnificent. It’s leveled with a sense of triumph as Jayda G constructs with her co-producers; this extraordinary and entrenching journey into what she compartmentalized while watching and reading her father’s diary entries. It left me looping it constantly without being dissuaded from continuing through to the end. The stuff that didn’t work for me is so minimal that I can’t really take a lot of markings from what I feel, and I feel this is one of the three best albums of the year so far! With a sonic construct built around the lyrics, you get more focused on what Jayda G wants to say instead of how she wants you to groove, and despite having some equilibrium between the two, I found myself contemplating more than dancing.” Link To Review

4. JULIE BYRNE – THE GREATER WINGS

“Predominately written by Byrne, except for “Flare,” where she got collaborations from songwriter Em Fontaine; she writes about her grief after losing Eric Littman mid-production of The Greater Wings. I noted it in the opening paragraph, but it isn’t all low and sad, as she’s looking back on the positives and how his presence won’t ever leave her. Byrne writes through different paths that help us understand the lingering sadness, but the clarity of the next day where she can continue knowing everything they shared never got forgotten. This notion is heard beautifully in “Portrait Of A Clear Day” and “Moonless” – where the former speaks more about acceptance, the latter has us visiting this tender moment they shared in a hotel. It’s an encompassing mood, like writing as if she wants to feel the sun on her skin on “Summer Glass” – a sense she got from listening to the arrangements of the synths. Acceptance runs deep within this album, and it ends with a triumphant mark where she sings about his essence staying with her and this understanding that their connected story speaks more prevalent than theirs, individually. It honestly left me teary-eyed.” Link To Review

3. ROMY – MID AIR

“I won’t front; I love Mid Air by Romy, but it’s because it’s more than just a dance/electronica/pop album; it balances two contrasting ideas and grounds them between different aesthetics while still keeping depth in its writing and vocal performances as the latter becomes an angelic motif throughout. I’m fond of electronic music of all varieties, and albums fluctuate in style, as not all get personal or in-depth with the writing and performances; some are subtle and nuanced since the sonic molds surrounding them are the energy one relishes at the nightclub. Mid Air is more of what I had mainly steered towards; the singer-songwriters who do it both because they have much to say and use this medium to get it across since, after all, it has the space to expand the mold of your sound while staying tangential. That isn’t to say I dislike more straightforward DJs, but there is something to these artists who add definition and more direct personality. Jayda G did so with her album Guy this year, and Mid Air does so with more potency and memorability; Romy’s singles set that mentality, and it delivers.” Link To Review

2. SOFIA KOURTESIS – MADRES

“Madres is that one album this year, within its genre, to keep me engaged and surprised at every corner. It isn’t some perfect album where all its tangibles get delivered at this high degree of conscientious fortitude, where you get left guided by the vocally emotional and sonically tonal dimensions that offer something more than its surface. It has some instrumental tracks that sway from internalized vocals that make sense of what one should feel, and instead, opening up the floor for an entrenching time that leaves you juggling these fleeting moments with more attention. Listening to these instrumentals offered this distinguishable break that helps you bridge between soundscapes, like that of “Cecilia,” which smooths over some lavish synths and drum patterns—reminiscent of classic house music—before hitting you with something more lucid and commandeering.” Link To Review

1. DAUGHTER – STEREO MIND GAMES

“It’s been seven years since the last time Indie Folk/Rock UK trio Daughter released an album, and that absence has been felt; exponentially so, as I went through listening to Stereo Mind Game. They have returned, bringing visceral orchestrations and vocal performances centered on atmospheric tendencies without diluting the lyrical depth driving its poignancy. Thematically focused on directional emotions deriving from moments you reflect on loved ones you miss or separation of self when balancing who you are, for example, taking you on a smooth and respective retrospective journey of enriching sounds. In some ways, the album covers niche grounds where it blends aspects of alternative rock, shoegaze, and dream pop into a lyrically heavy concoction while leaving out catchy pop conventions so you’re engaged through other avenues. It delivers these profound moments where you can stop but keep it playing on repeat as you get entrenched within the confines of its fantastic production and relatable songwriting that will have you returning again and again through that connectivity.” Link To Review