It was very tough picking between #1 and #5 but I ended up going with the crunchiness of Slothrust. Great song!
My SW said I was a Hypnotist - “Your concentration is absolute friend. You like to play albums all the way through, from the opening track to the final note.” That’s absolutely true. I’m unabashedly an album guy, probably always will be.
My top artists in 2023 were:
(1) Arlo Parks (mistake - I left her album playing on repeat overnight by mistake)
(2) Meg Baird (one of my top 30 albums of the year)
(3) Will Johnson (in my top 10 this year)
(4) The Cure (prepping for their concert in June)
(5) Gaz Coombes (another top album this year)
All in all, kinda accurate, but also not really. Interesting though.
It's great, for sure! I'm really glad you like it (crunchiness - love the word! 🫶🥠)
Wow, I didn't know there was such type. Sounds perfect 👌 Have you always been one? For me, the patience for meticulously listening to the whole album is evolving significantly. Today, I certainly have more space for this type of experiencing music, than a few years ago.
Love your list! About 3 of these artist I have never heard before (2,3,5). Amazing about The Cure concert - you must be crazy excited! 🤩
If you could choose these top 5 artists yourself, who would you pick?
Actually The Cure concert was in June this year, but I spent much of the first quarter enjoying their music (right after buying the tickets). It was an amazing show. I’ve seen them 6 or 7 times and they’ve never disappointed. I thought this could possibly be the last time I see them so I paid extra and bought front row tickets. It felt a little extravagant, but I haven’t been to any shows since 2016 (not many concerts in Bermuda) and felt like treating myself. Was definitely worth it and the best seats I’ve ever had (or ever will have) at a show.
I came up in the age of albums, buying vinyl, cassettes and CDs that felt like they were designed to be consumed as a whole. I always enjoyed sitting down and listening to an album all the way through. It was almost ritualistic: unwrapping the album, pulling out the liner notes, putting the record/casette/CD in the player and sitting down and given it a full listen.
I loved making mixtapes as a kid as I was always the musical selector in my friend group. As a teen I’d show up to parties with my 30-casette briefcase of mixtapes and my trusty boombox. In later years, into my early 20s I’d bring my CD binders, a couple portable CD players and a little mixing board and be the DJ for the night (or stick on a mix CD if I wanted a break). So there’s definitely a place for individual songs, but I’ve always been an album guy.
For my top 5 of 2023 I’m gonna keep you guessing until my Album of the Year posts come out later this month.
Of course it was! 🤦♀️ My brain is going in strange ways today... Front row experience must have been magical ✨ I totally understand the need for it to be unique. It must have cured your concert hunger beautifully.
Same thing with mine! Very focused on the beginning of the year - not really the last half at all. But hey, thank you for listening to my music at all - it means so much to me.
Many of my friends noticed the same thing! Nevertheless, it's nice to have such summary, although it's a bit off. Sure, your pieces are an important factor in my week when it comes to de-stressing ✨
My SW said I was an “alchemist.” For the most part, I think mine got it right except for...my most played song. It says it’s “Save It For Later” by The English Beat, which, ok, but I know there’s tracks I listened to a LOT more than that.
Don't even get me started on that... I'm also surprised with my alleged top. So tell me, what 5 top songs would you pick if you could choose them right now?
I haven't heard any of them - nice, I'm gettin on to them 🎧 Yes, I meant the list of favorites from this year, but hey, thanks to this, I will have more new music to check out
It was very tough picking between #1 and #5 but I ended up going with the crunchiness of Slothrust. Great song!
My SW said I was a Hypnotist - “Your concentration is absolute friend. You like to play albums all the way through, from the opening track to the final note.” That’s absolutely true. I’m unabashedly an album guy, probably always will be.
My top artists in 2023 were:
(1) Arlo Parks (mistake - I left her album playing on repeat overnight by mistake)
(2) Meg Baird (one of my top 30 albums of the year)
(3) Will Johnson (in my top 10 this year)
(4) The Cure (prepping for their concert in June)
(5) Gaz Coombes (another top album this year)
All in all, kinda accurate, but also not really. Interesting though.
It's great, for sure! I'm really glad you like it (crunchiness - love the word! 🫶🥠)
Wow, I didn't know there was such type. Sounds perfect 👌 Have you always been one? For me, the patience for meticulously listening to the whole album is evolving significantly. Today, I certainly have more space for this type of experiencing music, than a few years ago.
Love your list! About 3 of these artist I have never heard before (2,3,5). Amazing about The Cure concert - you must be crazy excited! 🤩
If you could choose these top 5 artists yourself, who would you pick?
Actually The Cure concert was in June this year, but I spent much of the first quarter enjoying their music (right after buying the tickets). It was an amazing show. I’ve seen them 6 or 7 times and they’ve never disappointed. I thought this could possibly be the last time I see them so I paid extra and bought front row tickets. It felt a little extravagant, but I haven’t been to any shows since 2016 (not many concerts in Bermuda) and felt like treating myself. Was definitely worth it and the best seats I’ve ever had (or ever will have) at a show.
I came up in the age of albums, buying vinyl, cassettes and CDs that felt like they were designed to be consumed as a whole. I always enjoyed sitting down and listening to an album all the way through. It was almost ritualistic: unwrapping the album, pulling out the liner notes, putting the record/casette/CD in the player and sitting down and given it a full listen.
I loved making mixtapes as a kid as I was always the musical selector in my friend group. As a teen I’d show up to parties with my 30-casette briefcase of mixtapes and my trusty boombox. In later years, into my early 20s I’d bring my CD binders, a couple portable CD players and a little mixing board and be the DJ for the night (or stick on a mix CD if I wanted a break). So there’s definitely a place for individual songs, but I’ve always been an album guy.
For my top 5 of 2023 I’m gonna keep you guessing until my Album of the Year posts come out later this month.
Of course it was! 🤦♀️ My brain is going in strange ways today... Front row experience must have been magical ✨ I totally understand the need for it to be unique. It must have cured your concert hunger beautifully.
Thanks for sharing all of this, Mark.
Ahh, sure! Can’t wait🔥
Are you going to do your wins for 2023? I found your 2022 list very inspirational!
Hey Jared, thanks for reminding me about this! I'm thrilled you liked the 2022 summary 🫶 And yup, I will definitely share some of my 2023 wins soon.
Are you going to share your wins too?
Same thing with mine! Very focused on the beginning of the year - not really the last half at all. But hey, thank you for listening to my music at all - it means so much to me.
Many of my friends noticed the same thing! Nevertheless, it's nice to have such summary, although it's a bit off. Sure, your pieces are an important factor in my week when it comes to de-stressing ✨
My SW said I was an “alchemist.” For the most part, I think mine got it right except for...my most played song. It says it’s “Save It For Later” by The English Beat, which, ok, but I know there’s tracks I listened to a LOT more than that.
Don't even get me started on that... I'm also surprised with my alleged top. So tell me, what 5 top songs would you pick if you could choose them right now?
My top 5 as of this second would be:
Superdrag- 'True Believer'
Yo La Tengo- 'Tom Courtenay'
Buzzcocks- 'Something's Gone Wrong Again'
The Treasures of Mexico- 'Days With A Y In'
The Fall- 'Hit The North Part. 1'
Or did you mean for the entire year?
I haven't heard any of them - nice, I'm gettin on to them 🎧 Yes, I meant the list of favorites from this year, but hey, thanks to this, I will have more new music to check out
I'm sure I'm missing a few here, but off the top of my head, these would be my top 5 that were released in 2023:
The New Pornographers- 'Really, Really Light'
The Chemical Brothers ft./ Beck- 'Skipping Like A Stone'
Sweeping Promises- 'Connoisseur of Salt'
Reactor- 'Current Affairs'
Yo La Tengo- 'Fallout'