DECEMBER 16 ― As a steadfast physical media collector (I still buy CDs and cassettes of new albums I love), it’s taken until around the middle of 2023 for me to finally succumb to a premium account of a music streaming platform, and that’s mostly because lately just too many of the albums I’ve loved have taken forever to be released on physical media that isn’t vinyl.
With a premium account comes more time spent listening to music online, which brings me to the kind of musical bounty that makes up my list of favourite albums this year.
From modern power pop to indie punk/hardcore and beyond, these are the albums that I can’t get enough of this year, and will probably still be listening to even next year.
Militarie Gun ― Life Under The Gun
Made my list last year with the combo release of their two EPs, this bunch of hardcore kids fancying themselves playing in a 90s alternative rock band have simply outdone themselves with this, their full-length debut album.
Spearheaded by lead single (and my pick as one of the three best songs of the year) Do It Faster, this is a hardcore record for kids who don’t necessarily like hardcore, full of catchy anthemic hooks, and made to be played in the car with the window down and the volume up.
And yes, the CD has been stuck in my CD player ever since it was first released in June this year.
Maura Weaver ― I Was Due For A Heartbreak
I’ve been a fan of Maura Weaver ever since her early days in pop punk bands like Mixtapes and Direct Hit, but this solo debut from her is truly something else.
A beautiful, magical even, left turn into the world of jangly power pop has resulted in a collection of touching and unforgettable songs that, in a more just world, would’ve been radio staples.
The opening one-two punch of Ease On The Eyes and Crush On You Pt. II will make a fan out of anyone lucky enough to discover this gem.
Squint ― Feel It All Wash Away
Just like the Militarie Gun combo of their two EPs last year, this combo of the first two EPs from this so far little-known hardcore band from St. Louis is just so good and holds so much promise that I’m pretty confident that they will also make my list next year once their debut album is released then.
Playing like a more upbeat and energetic Drug Church or Militarie Gun, their trump card is an absolutely furious vocalist, who sing-shouts some surprisingly catchy vocal melodies that makes even a pop geek like me unable to resist them.
Olivia Rodrigo ― Guts
It’s not every day that I can connect this effortlessly with a mainstream pop album, but this sophomore album from Olivia Rodrigo is just too good to ignore.
Doubling down on the alternative rock approach of her debut album’s hits like Brutal and Good 4 U, the supremely talented Ms Rodrigo delivers the even better Bad Idea Right? and the sneakily brilliant Vampires among the album’s many other bangers like Pretty Isn’t Pretty and Get Him Back!.
A huge improvement over Sour, this is top-tier album of the year stuff.
Liquid Mike ― Liquid Mike
A band and album that really came out of nowhere, Liquid Mike would’ve made 90s geek rock/power pop bands like Weezer, Ridel High and Size 14 proud with this unbelievably awesome debut album.
Eleven songs in just 18 minutes, all of them melodic, energetic and catchy as heck, it’s hard to even pick highlights because all the songs are just so damn good, but if you don’t believe me, just cue this album up and go straight away to album opener BLC and Built 4 Nothing Good, and watch that stupid grin form on your face as you bop your head to them.
White Reaper ― Asking For A Ride
Is this album better than their last one You Deserve Love? I don’t think so, but what White Reaper has done with their fourth full-length album is throw in a totally unexpected element into their power pop recipe, which is thrash metal riffs.
Being a teenage metalhead, of course thrash metal was, and still is, something I’d return to time and time again, and with Asking For A Ride, I can simply indulge in both my power pop and thrash metal fandom, at the same time!
Just listen to album opener Asking For A Ride and tell me if the riffs aren’t worthy of old school bands like Exodus and even new school ones like Evile and Bonded By Blood.
The Whiffs ― Scratch ‘n’ Sniff
We’re living in some sort of golden age of power pop right now, as this album and the next two will prove.
Kansas City’s finest The Whiffs peddle the sort of classic late 70s and early 80s power pop that those Rhino power pop compilations made their specialty during the 90s.
I was already a huge fan of their 2019 album Another Whiff, but this new one is even better, sounding like a glorious combination of The Nerves, Nick Lowe, The Records and even a bit of The Exploding Hearts.
If modern power pop is your thing, this is definitely one of its must-hear records.
Uni Boys ― Buy This Now!
Another big proof that we’re living in some sort of golden age of power pop right now.
Mining almost the same territory as The Whiffs in terms of sound and influence, this new album, recorded and produced by the dudes from The Lemon Twigs, is probably not as immediate as their excellent album last year, Do It All Next Week, but that’s probably more down to the super clean production here rather than due to weak songs, as the clean sound just takes away some of the rough gritty charm that made the last album so fetching.
Still, one listen to songs like I Don’t Believe In Love and Two Years will make any power pop fan weak at the knees and bring memories of 70s classics from the likes of Bram Tchaikovsky and Pointed Sticks.
The Lemon Twigs ― Everything Harmony
As much as I love The Lemon Twigs, I don’t think they’ve ever made an all-killer-no-filler album yet, even if their albums have always had at least three or four killer songs in them.
With this, their fourth album, I think they’ve finally done it. Stacked top to bottom with jangly power pop goodness and baroque pop balladry, Everything Harmony delivers exactly what its title promises.
Achingly pretty at times, songs like In My Head and What You Were Doing really have no business being this great.
Island Of Love ― Island Of Love
I’ve always been a huge fan of British band The Cribs, and anyone who’s ever talked music with me will also have witnessed how enthusiastic I can be when talking about US band Prince Daddy And The Hyena, so when a new band arrives and sound like the love child of these two bands, how can I resist?
Sounding every bit like what The Cribs would’ve come up with if they listened to a lot of Fifth Wave Emo bands like the aforementioned Prince Daddy, Mom Jeans and Origami Angel, this 11-track album is an addictive listen from start to finish, with song after catchy song armed with hooky riffs and singalong melodies, the highlights being the opening one-two punch of album opener Big Whale and Fed Rock.
* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
