Album Recommendations - January 2023
2022 was a year of good music, but honestly, I didn’t hear much of it. Last year I stuck to reliable favorites, so in an attempt to broaden my musical repertoire, I decided to challenge myself to listen to a new album every day of 2023. I started off strong in January after collecting recommendations from friends, browsing music websites for “best of” lists, and listening to music I’ve always been curious about. Here are my five favorite albums from January.
I Don't Remember Now / I Don't Want to Talk About It
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I Don't Remember Now / I Don't Want to Talk About It 〰️
Album: I Don’t Remember Now / I Don’t Want to Talk About It
Artist: John Bender
Release year: 1980
Length: 41 minutes
Why you should listen: John Bender is the quintessential underground ‘80s artist- mysterious but with a huge cult following. I Don’t Remember Now / I Don’t Want to Talk About It is a collection of tracks named after the sides of the cassettes he recorded his music onto. His songs range in sound from video game loading screen music, to unsettling, buzzy tracks featuring chanting vocals and anxiety-inducing drums. I imagine this is what a little green alien would make if you sat him in front of a DAW and showed him the basics. The album’s brilliance lies in the fact that anyone could have made this- but no one else did. Fans of LCD Soundsystem, Bon Iver and Grimes will appreciate this album.
Skullcrusher
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Skullcrusher 〰️
Album: Skullcrusher
Artist: Skullcrusher
Release Year: 2020
Length: 12 minutes
Why you should listen: If you’ve never heard of Skullcrusher before, I think it would be a fun surprise if you stopped reading this, started her EP, and then came back. Not what you were expecting, I’m sure. Skullcrusher’s voice stuns as she asks intimate questions on Places/Plans (“Do you think that I’m going places? Does it matter if I'm a really good friend?”) and Trace (“If I get up, will it be worse? If I stay here, what is that worth?”) If you’re looking to be transported someplace beautiful in a short amount of time, this EP will do just that.
Turn On The Bright Lights
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Turn On The Bright Lights 〰️
Album: Turn On The Bright Lights
Artist: Interpol
Release Year: 2002
Length: 49 minutes
Why you should listen: Interpol is awesome if you love sad rock music with sexy guitars and an interesting vocalist. Make sure you’re paying attention to the lyrics, which are often a little weird (see the opening line of Obstacle 1: “I wish I could eat the salt off of your lost faded lips.”) Although Interpol was born in Manhattan, it feels like they should be a British rock band that plays underneath bridges in the pouring rain. You’ll hear what I mean if you give this album a chance.
Old Ghost
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Old Ghost 〰️
Album: Old Ghost
Artist: Renata Zeiguer
Release Year: 2018
Length: 34 minutes
Why you should listen: This album was such an incredible find that I feel obligated to pass it onto you, dear reader. Layered over the silkiest tremolo guitars, Renata’s warbly, songbird voice floats to the most beautiful places throughout this album. The songwriting is captivating- in Follow Me Down, she teases you several times into thinking the chorus is about to drop before pulling back, building a maddening sense of anticipation. Fans of Indigo De Souza, Mamalarky and Alice Phoebe Lou will adore this album.
Madvillainy
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Madvillainy 〰️
Album: Madvillainy
Artist: MF DOOM, Madlib
Release Year: 2004
Length: 46 minutes
Why you should listen: This album is so good, it’s evil. Between Madlib’s genius sampling and DOOM’s raspy vocals, the listener is transported to a fictional world where you can’t help but root for the villain. There’s so much going on that the album plays out like a movie, which is best consumed in one sitting. If you enjoy concept albums, then you’ll love this one.
Those were my favorite albums, but I listened to a lot of other good music in January. Interested in seeing my favorite songs? Check out the playlist below!
