Culture

Some of the music choices presented here were not actually released in 2023 as I am usually a time traveler when it comes to music. While it was hard to choose only 10 albums/artists and songs, this is some of the music that I happened to listen to often in 2023 and which personally resonated the most. It is presented in no particular order. I hope you can enjoy it along with me!

Jake Xerxes Fussell – Good & Green Again (2022)

This artist and album are veritable treasures. I share the bittersweet song Love Farewell here as it moves me the most. Stemming from traditional folk songs Come Philanders and Philander’s March, it is a beautiful and heartbreaking ode to love and loss. It drives me to actual tears every time I hear it, whether sitting in my living room or the couple of times I’ve been lucky enough to see him perform (at Nelsonville Music Festival, for example, and he is coming to Stuart’s Opera House in April!). I had been following Fussell’s music fondly for some years, but this album really transported me in a different way–perhaps because many of the songs harken from and preserve traditional folk tunes while still presenting them in a new, unique light with sparse but masterful instrumentation.

The Beths – Expert in a Dying Field (2022)

From New Zealand, The Beths have been playing music as a band since 2014, but I was a little late to the game. Still, better late than never! I was introduced to their music by none other than the amazing, brilliant Mark Hellenberg (shout-out to WOUB’s former music director and former host of Crossing Boundaries and Audiosyncrasies!) in 2023 via this album. The song here shares the same title and is representative of what I experience as an upbeat, energetic vibe throughout. At first, the songs on this record simply feel fun with driving rhythm, poppy melodies, and catchy harmonies, but upon closer listening to songs like Expert In a Dying Field and When You Know You Know, it is apparent that Liz Stokes’ lyrics are clever, complex, and lead to deeper thought.

Nina Simone – You’ve Got to Learn (Recorded Live at the 1966 Newport Jazz Festival; Released in 2023)

Nina Simone is one of my all-time favorite artists any day of any year. The soul embedded in and evoked by her music transcends words. While all of the songs on this album are familiar to Simone fans, it was a special treat to enjoy this live recording released on what would have been her 90th birthday this year. The title track You’ve Got to Learn is my favorite off of the album, but renditions of the unfortunately ever-relevant Mississippi Goddamn and the celebratory Music for Lovers follow closely behind.

Marina Allen – Candlepower (2021)

While this album is not Allen’s newest release (see her 2022 release Centrifics— wow, the song Superreality – and work with the band Sylvie), it was still one I listened to on repeat this past year. (A thank you to singer-songwriter/musician Adam Torres for introducing me to her.) Her voice reminds me of something rooted in the past as do some of her arrangements—think ’60s and ’70s (my safe place!)–but her melodies and harmonies do not feel contrived nor do her lyrics. They are original, inspiring, and interesting at every turn–the kind of songs I wish I could write. In the exciting musical development of Oh Louise, Allen sings “maybe some of your beauty will get on me” and this is how I feel when I listen to her magic. Songs like Sleeper Train (“Oh, how I long to belong to me”) and Original Goodness (“Maybe between worlds I could show you all my layers”) are simultaneously lulling and restless, and satiate my hunger for introspection.

Drugdealer – Raw Honey (2019)

Drugdealer is the project/band of Michael Collins who often features and collaborates with other artists on his songs, which I find refreshing. The song featured here is Honey and features another one of my favorite artists Weyes Blood; it recognizes some of our most important needs: “I know that you want to be seen and to be heard / Oh, to be loved, it’s not a crime…” While this song is my personal pick from this album, others like Wild Motion (featuring Dougie Poole), Lonely (featuring Harley & the Hummingbirds), and Lost In My Dream (Collins himself singing) are strong contenders and the harmonies/melodies and instrumentation often channel The Beatles or their solo careers of the ’70s, however blasphemous that may sound.

The Roches – The Roches (1979)

I’m a little embarrassed that I’ve gone my whole life until this year without being familiar with The Roches, especially when I’m usually better versed in “older” music versus newer releases… but again, better late than never at all. This entire album is delightful and I could listen to it over and over again, especially songs like Hammond Song shared here. An impeccable trio of harmonies, often amusing but meaningful lyrics… it is so honest in its presentation. Who could ask for more? Other favorite songs off this album are The Troubles, Damned Old Dog, and The Train, but this is an album where songs should absolutely not be skipped. (As luck would have it, I found their album on vinyl just today before writing this!)

Labi Siffre – Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying (1971)

I was sitting at West End Ciderhouse—one of my favorite local haunts—when I heard a sweet, clear voice singing a ballad on the speakers overhead. I looked up the lyrics and found it was another artist from the past that I was unfamiliar with: Labi Siffre. While his sound and style are very derivative of the time (as they should be), this is what I find so enticing. I listened to this for much of the Spring and Summer this year, and it felt like the perfect soundtrack in many instances. Easy listening perhaps, but freeing in its simplicity—both sad and hopeful.

S.G. Goodman – Teeth Marks (2022)

Hailing from Hickman, KY, Goodman is a rare bird and a force to be reckoned with. Her passion and genuineness come through in her recordings as well as her live presence, which I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing at Nelsonville Music Festival and Stuart’s Opera House. (She is also hilarious, outspoken, and authentic in her stage banter!) Goodman does not hold back with her powerful voice and moving lyrics, which is exemplified in songs like All My Love Is Coming Back To Me (featured here), Heart Swell, If You Were Someone I Loved (relating to the opioid crisis), and Keeper of the Time. Her music is the kind that continues to grow for me the more I listen to it. A heart swell, if I may so myself.

Esther Rose – Safe To Run (2023)

I have found a lot of pleasure in listening to this Esther Rose album—an actual 2023 release!—along with her whole catalogue this past year. Her crystalline voice, subtle country sound, and intriguing lyrics have charmed me on many a song, both old and new, but here I feature Spider, where Rose sings “Spider, you’re making such a pretty web / And you’ve got such a sweet gentleness / When you spin me up in your cocoon,” which is very similar to how her music makes me feel. She also sings, “Spider, you’ve got so many other cares / Don’t I look so small to you from way down there?” which is just the reminder I need to put things in perspective on a routine basis. Other songs like Full Value get stuck in my head in the best of ways. She provides mesmerizing melodies and relatable lyrics that provide a catharsis I didn’t even know I needed.

The G.T.O.s – Permanent Damage (1969)

I will end this list on a more humorous note with the only album by The GTOs’ (Girls Together Outrageously). Produced by Frank Zappa, this record was introduced to me earlier this year by the dear and talented musician Brad Swiniarski who also consistently reminds me of the importance of levity. This album is overflowing with just that and the song I feature here (Circular Circulation also known as Do Me In Once & I’ll be Sad, Do Me In Twice & I’ll Know Better) is a good example of the freedom that comes with silliness. I have spent a lot of time this past year listening to the playful (and sometimes lightheartedly lewd) banter interspersed with song that makes up this one-of-a-kind audio artifact. While it may not be everybody’s cup of tea, I think it is worth at least one listen (or one or two or many!).