By Henry Lipput
Another year, another year-end list. Twelve albums are featured in my round-up of favorites from 2023. Once again there are the bands and artists I've enjoyed for a while as well as new faces and voices and two collaborations. I've reviewed many of these albums last year so I've edited them for this post and wrote new text for the entries I either didn't get to in 2023 or missed until recently. Part Two of the Pure Pop blog will include my favorite EPs, singles, a live one, compilations, and a reissue.
For each album I've included a link to where you can buy the music (as well as a song from each album) and, as aways, I encourage you to support indie music by purchasing a download, a CD, or a record.
The Boo Radleys – Eight (BooSTR Records)
In 2022, following a
gap of 24 years, The Boo Radleys released Keep On With Falling, an album I
liked a lot. Their new album, Eight, is not only a giant step in the band’s
regeneration, it continues their brilliant sonic journey. It’s also
where the new album fits in Boo Radleys discography and makes it clear there’s
a throughline in the history of a band that before last year had not released
an album since 1998 and where the band is now. Favorite song: “Seeker”
On Reckless
Thoughts Maia Sharp builds on the relationships she’s made with the many
musicians and songwriters she’s known over the years since her debut in 1995.
Sharp’s production on Reckless Thoughts is a low-key affair highlighting each
song’s melody with subtle arrangements that wash over you like a warm bath and
then come back to revisit you. The literate lyrics for each song are polished
to a gem-like finish. Favorite song: “Fallen Angel”
Bill Pritchard – Pritchard Sings Poems by Patrick Woodcock (Tapete Records)
You may think after having written both words and music for wonderful songs on 2016’s Mother Town Hall and 2019’s Midland Lullabies that Bill Pritchard would have little incentive to collaborate with the Canadian poet Patrick Woodcock. But it turns out this is a genius move. Pritchard has lost none of his ability to create brilliant melodies and his vocals and simple arrangements make you stop what you’re doing and listen to Woodcock’s words. Favorite song: “The Lowering"
The Cleaners From Venus – K7 (Bandcamp)
Since the 1970s, Martin Newell, has released music under many monikers including The Stray Trolleys, The Brotherhood of Lizards, The Cleaners From Venus, and his own name in the 90s when he gave us the wonderful The Greatest Living Englishman and The Off-White Album. For the last few years Newell has released an album’s worth of material each year as the one-man band that is The Cleaners From Venus. His latest, K7, is once again filled with tunes that jangle (he’s known as the Jangling Man) and lyrics that recall the working-class vignettes of Ray Davies. There’s also the gorgeous “Postcard to Heaven” about the loss of a friend and “The Beautiful Stoned” where he cranks up the jangle. Favorite song: “Postcard to Heaven”
The Lost Days – In The Store (Speakeasy Studios SF)
I’ve been a fan of Tony Molina’s work since his great Kill The Lights album in 2018. A master of short, extremely melodic songs recorded in a very lo-fi DIY way, all of his labels (In The Store is the fourth since Kill The Lights) release his full-size records (about 15 minutes of playing time) that are to be played at 45 RPM for “maximum sound quality.” On In The Store Molina is joined by Sarah Rose Janko of Dawn Riding who provides a wonderful take on his lyrics. The duo is joined by Nick Bassett on drums and keyboards (he also supplied the basement in which the album was recorded) and Jasper Leach on piano and Hammond organ. Favorite song: “For Today”
Robert Forster – The Candle and the Flame (Tapete Records)
Robert Forster had three years’ worth of songs he had written for a new album before his wife and musical partner Karin Baumler was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. While Baumler underwent chemotherapy, Forster set out to quickly record songs at a local studio in Brisbane. The sessions turned into an extended family affair with their son Louis taking part along with Adele Pickvance, a long-time friend and bass player on the last three Go-Betweens albums (and the Adele of Adele and the Chandeliers). The result is a literate and heartfelt album. Favorite song: “Tender Years
Steve Stoeckel – The Power Of And (Big Stir Records)
What do you get when you put a musical mix of styles in a blender and hit the puree button? If you’re lucky (and it turns out we definitely are this time) you’ll end up with The Power Of And the debut solo album from Steve Stoeckel. The Power Of And alternates between the Rockpile rockabilly of “Laura Lynn” to the wonderful acoustic treats of “Heather Gray,” “Birds” (a lovely melody as good as anything on a McCartney album), and “Strange Cameo” with its “I’ll Follow The Sun” vibe. Favorite song: “Birds”
On tiny injuries Berk hits the ground rocking and then opens up to include heart-felt and heartbreaking ballads and, with the addition of horns, she’s building on her musical palette. Berk plays the quiet, acoustic card when she needs to and she and her band know how to bring the loud guitars. Berk has a songwriter’s gift for collecting the important parts of overheard conversations between lovers and friends especially the ones that signal the end of relationships. Favorite song: “sunday driving”
SUPER 8 – HOOPLA (The Beautiful Music)
HOOPLA is a cornucopia of musical delights. Written and performed by the super-talented one-man band Paul Ryan, also known as Trip, he’s been releasing high-quality tuneage since 2018 (including the amazing hat trick of three albums of all new material that year). The new album not only continues his streak of presenting technicolor melodies (the title of his first 2018 album) but the time he’s spent since then, tinkering in his shed, has given his songs more textures, sounds, and arrangements. Favorite song: “Out of my Head”
The New Fools – seashells (Bandcamp)
On seashells, The New Fools adds trumpet and saxophone to the mix and the result is a rousing blast of sound. It’s their first “full-length” album (being more than the eight songs of previous ones) and their best yet. The band shares duties on creating lyrics and tunes for seashells. For example, bassist Dave Seabright was asked to write a theme song for the band which could be used to open shows. The resulting instrumental “Mr. Grimsdale” opens the album with a burst of sound. It’s both an overture and a statement of intent. Favorite song: “Nice One Pete”
