2023

[Thenop]

Ah yes, it's that time again. Because I listen to a lot of music - old & new - this is when I try to make sense of the year. I usually fail because I forget things I heard (maybe not that good after all?), but what I do remember I will continue playing.
Again apologies in advance for the long list, I overdo things like this (I am aware, don't call for help, it won't work).

So here goes in completely random order (except for the number one album)

And that number one album is different, very different: London Brew. And ode to Miles Davis' Bitches Brew brought into the modern age. I mentioned this one before, so just go and listen and if it's not for you, than so be it!
https://londonbrew.bandcamp.com/album/london-brew

Bluesrock - Gov't Mule - Peace..Like a River, recorded during the same sessions as Heavy Load blues it's a classic Mule album. Strong compositions, well balanced and you can hear how much the guys enjoyed themselves. Top effort!
https://govtmule.bandcamp.com/album/peace-like-a-river

But wait, over here in our little country we have DeWolff - Love , Death and In Between released early this year has made a lasting impression. Feast yourself on the epic "Rosita" clocking in at 16:30, it is fantastic:
https://dewolff.bandcamp.com/album/love-death-in-between

If you like your music dark and melancholic, try everyone's favourites sad willows: Katatonia. They say beauty is in decay, if that's true for music then "Sky Void of Stars" is yours for the taking:
https://katatonia.bandcamp.com/album/sky-void-of-stars

This years winner for the "Is it Led Zeppelin or is it not?" contest is Westing - Future (more like Past):
https://westingband.bandcamp.com/album/future

I get it, sometimes you just don't want to wake up from a lovely nightmare, that's kind of what Blut Aus Nord sounds like, try it if you want to hold on to that feeling the entire day:
https://blutausnord.bandcamp.com/album/disharmonium-nahab

What used to be Metal might not be more now, what remains is fantastic music, really something! Baroness - Stone:
https://baroness.bandcamp.com/album/stone

There is no category to describe David Eugene Edwards and his ever ongoing trip towards the apocalypse, this time it's acoustic and it hits hard, but it is oh so gorgeous!
https://davideugeneedwards.bandcamp.com/album/hyacinth

The album everyone expected to be good, it exceeded expectations: Queens of the Stone Age, maybe the best live band currently around:
https://qotsa.bandcamp.com/album/in-times-new-roman

My personal heroes do it again, like they do it every year. This time it's lovely songs suited for all: Motorpsycho's Yay!
https://motorpsycho.bandcamp.com/album/yay

Guaranteed to have a good time - the most fun album this year: Arjen Lucassen's Supersonic Revolution, and ode to the Golden Age of music, the early '70s - a must hear!
https://supersonicrevolution.bandcamp.com/album/golden-age-of-music

Last but not least, a recent release, the new Spidergawd - IIV. That first single is just pure gold and might very well my song of the year. It has been stuck in my head for a month now. So now I need you to hear it as well, and watch the video, because that is great 
https://spidergawdnorway.bandcamp.com/album/spidergawd-vii

One more thing: the archival release of the year goes to John Coltrane, such a fantastic find & release. That music can still surprise you after being archived for 62 years, that's what it is all about!

That's it, roll on next year: The Smile will issue their new album, I am soooo looking forward to that.

[Nickslikk2112]

Archival release of the year?

Easy!

Camel - AIR BORN: THE MCA & DECCA YEARS 1973-1984 

I'll have a think about new stuff...

[pxr5]

These are mine for 2023:

1. Riverside - ID.Entity
2. Squid - O Monolith
3. Galahad - The Long Goodbye
4. Frost* - Island Live
5. Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
6. Mystery - Redemption
7. Haken - Fauna
8. The Tangent - Pyramids, Stars & Other Stories: The Tangent Live Recordings 2004-2017
9. Ozric Tentacles - Lotus Unfolding
10. Black Country, New Road - Live At Bush Hall
11. Transatlantic - The Final Flight: Live at l'Olympia
12. This Winter Machine - The Clockwork Man
13. The Flower Kings - Look At You Now
14. Zopp - Dominion
15. Seven Impale - Summit
16. Comedy of Errors - Threnody For A Dead Queen
17. The Chronicles Of Father Robin - The Songs & Tales Of Airoea: Book 1
18. Katatonia - Sky Void Of Stars
19. The Emerald Dawn - In Time
20. Pendragon - North Star EP
21. Pallas - The Messenger
22. Motorpsycho - Yay

[captainkurtz]

Can't do a top 10, really.  But the best records I've heard this year:

Peter Gabriel - I/O
Queens of the Stone Age - In Times New Roman (gig of the year for me, as well)
Noel Gallagher - Council Skies
Feist - Multitudes
PJ Harvey - I inside the old year dying
Metallica - 72 Seasons

Enjoyed quite a few more, but not so much that they'd challenge the above...Alison Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Blur, Steven Wilson (although I hated the spoken word bits and there's something difficult to put my finger on that runs me up the wrong way about him...)

I haven't got the patience for new bands...I tend to listen most to music I've known for decades...

[pxr5]

Over at Progressive Archives a member has created a new way of generating a top list based on any PA members scores (it used to be PA collaborators only. This is now in 3 lists Prog on PA, Prog not on PA and non-Prog. The results for 2023:

https://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=132511&PN=1

[pxr5]

I've changed my number 1 album from 2023. It's now Nine Skies - The Lightmaker This is a stunning album. It's labelled as Neo Prog at PA but it's much more than that. I've probably played it a dozen times these last few weeks and it's so complex it just keeps getting better and better. Each track is unique, mainly due to varying the vocalist each time. I'm poor at reviewing anything, but here is a suitable appraisal from Lazland.org

https://lazland.org/album-reviews-2023/nine-skies-the-lightmaker

[Thenop]

I usually skip anything labeled neo prog fearing I will run into the 1500th version of Enchant, Arena or IQ, but I'll give it a go.