Turn up the volume: Worcester Magazine's favorite New England albums of 2023
There was something in the air in 2023 that drove both musicians and music lovers to nostalgia. The Rolling Stones, for example, put out what’s easily their best album since their heyday, “Hackney Diamonds,” and technology let us hear John Lennon one last time with the “final” Beatles release with the elegant “Now and Then.” Dolly Parton tried her hand at a rock album, “Rockstar,” giving us the excellent song, “World on Fire,” and even Talking Heads got back together for a hot minute. The Prince estate hasn’t been shy about pushing out songs from the Purple One’s “vault,” but the 2023 release of the massive box set “Diamonds and Pearls” brought a lot of the his legacy to the fore, and the single “All A Share Together Now” felt fresh and immediate.
Likewise, hip-hop giants De La Soul finally released their early catalog to streaming services, letting a whole new generation understand why they're so beloved, even as the world said goodbye to founding member David Jude Jolicoeur, known widely as Trugoy the Dove, who died this year at 54, along with such greats as David Crosby, Tony Bennet, Jimmy Buffet, Harry Belafonte, Steve Harwell of Smash Mouth, Shane McGowan and Sinéad O'Connor, as well as the beloved creator of GBH's "A Celtic Sojourn," Brian O'Donovan.
It was a year in which some of the brightest lights in the music world reminded us why they were so important. That happened a bit on the local level, too. Greg Hawkes of the Cars joined Edde Japan for a couple of songs on the band’s recent album, “Pop Fiction,” Joe D'Angelo of one of Worcester’s most legendary bands, Mad Angel, joined with a number of other music scene vets to form the High Lowdowns, and Joe Cocker sideman Cliff Goodwin brought some of the region’s most venerated musicians with him to England to record his new album at Abbey Road.
There were many new voices that made themselves heard this year, too, but it was definitely a year for the region’s music veterans to show what they were made of. These, then, were our favorite New England albums of 2023 …
“We Are Robin,” “Til There's Nothing Left 2” and “From the Mind Springs a Painting,” by Death Over Simplicity: There are very few artists who put as much hustle into their work as Worcester’s Death Over Simplicity. Over the space of a year, he dropped three mixtapes, all of which were radically different from one another. “We Are Robin” looked at each character who has taken the mantle of the DC comic character Robin, and found some real emotional resonance. The beat tape “Til There’s Nothing Left 2” showcased DoS’ skills as a producer with a bit of flair, and the most recent EP, “From the Mind Springs a Painting,” shows the artist at his finest, bending culture and sound into something extremely compelling.
“NEXT,” by Nicole Sutka: Backed by some of the region’s most accomplished musicians — including Duncan Arsenault, Simon Adamsson, Mike Lynch and Brooks Milgate, as well Roger Lavallee, who engineered and mixed the album — it's amazing how Nicole Sutka’s vocals and flute manage to remain entirely center-stage this album. She remains throughout the focal point of a jazz-fusion soundscape that’s at times dark and menacing, other times gentle and moving. From the spare and ethereal opener “Soldier” to the extremely engaging closer “Vida,” this album demonstrates just how talented a musician Sutka really is.
"Pop Fiction," by Eddie Japan: The centerpiece of this album by the band Eddie Japan is “Time Machine” an amazingly catchy blast of pop rock that features Greg Hawkes of the Cars on synth, never mind the rest of the extremely talented band firing on all cylinders. The song’s also kind of the emotional heart of the album, in a strange way. Whereas songs such as “Summer Hair” and “The Dandy of Suburbia” make excellent use of David Santos and Emily Drohan’s gorgeous vocals in the album’s portrait of a suburban lothario and his downfall. Despite its upbeat tone, the song brings together the album’s strands of lust and regret with aplomb, escalating the album’s impact and propelling it even further. It’s just fantastic work, all around.
"Read the Room," by Gracie Day: Singer-songwriter Gracie Day’s “Read the Room” is an exquisite portrait of savoring ephemeral moments of joy. Day’s voice is is smoky and nuanced, and her storytelling throughout is immaculate. Each verse leads seamlessly to the next, likewise each song, and the result is an emotional journey that unfolds gradually but deliberately. There are also a lot of great musicians playing on this album, including Joel Rines, LaVallee, Arsenault and Brooks, but Day has a way of making the album feel personal and intimate, as though she were singing to the listener alone.
"Lay Your Darkness Down," by Mark Erelli: Mark Erelli is one of New England’s most talented songwriters, and this album certainly demonstrates why. Whether it’s the heartfelt opening number “Break in the Clouds” or the title song, sung with acclaimed singer-songwriter and Stoughton native Lori McKenna, a stirring portrait of finding beauty and hope in the aftermath of destruction, Erelli’s songs are gorgeously wrought and emotionally engaging. “Towns can be rebuilt,” he sings in the latter song, “but some holes just can’t be filled/and hope is in the heart of the beholder/So I’ll remember you I guess/at your kindest, at your best/and pray you shed the weight upon your shoulders.” It’s a gentle and beautiful moment, and it has a way of slipping past the listener’s defenses.
"Broken Rainbows," by Brandie Blaze: New England has no shortage of fantastic rappers, but few of them hit as hard or as savagely as Brandie Blaze. Blaze is an extraordinarily talented rapper, gifted with immense lyrical skills and absolutely no fear of expletives. Songs such as “Die Mad” are absolutely ferocious, but it’s on songs such as “Black Roses” where she really unleashes a torrent of rage and emotion, and the effect is absolutely blistering.
"Double It Up," by Cliff Goodwin: Cliff Goodwin has had a storied musical career, from his time in Worcester’s famed American Standard Band to his work with the likes of Joe Cocker and Robert Palmer. Here, he works with equally impressive collaborators — including Mitch Chakour, Deric Dyer, Wolf Ginandes and Marty Richards, among others. Taking musicians this talented, bringing them to London’s Abbey Road, where the Beatles recorded their albums, and having them play some brilliant deep-cut rhythm and blues songs? That’s a surefire recipe for success, and Goodwin and company hit it out of the park.
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"The Signal Light," by Justine and the Unclean: The untimely death of rocker Justine Covault, the lead singer of Justine and the Unclean, was traumatic news for the entire Boston music scene, and this final album, “The Signal Light,” is a testament to just how much talent was lost. The album is a bracing and fearless examination of depression, addiction and loss, and it does all that while absolutely rocking. Songs such as “Picking a Fight” and “Scorpion Bowl to Go” have a punk-rock ferocity to them, all while maintaining a sense of depth. It’s a fantastic album, and a testament to a musician who is already much missed.
"Ghost Parade," by Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys: Walter Sickert and their merry band of musical madness put out fantastic music year after year, and we are consistently here for it. “Ghost Parade,” and particularly its breakout song, “Keep My Head,” are a good example of why: The album is unpredictable, catchy at times, discordant at others. It takes musical risks and still manages to maintain a sense of soulfulness. "Ghost Parade” is an odd, almost otherworldly musical journey, one which has equal measures of bite and a sense of fun.
"Further On: The Songs of Billy Conway," by Various Artists: Billy Conway, perhaps best known as the drummer for the beloved Boston band Morphine, died in December 2022, leaving behind numerous unrecorded and unreleased songs. Fortunately, he also left behind a number of fiercely devoted friend who happen to be among the region’s most talented musicians. Artists such as Chris Smither, Jeffrey Foucault, Kris Delmhorst, Jeremy Moses Curtis, Jabe Beyer and Conway’s longtime partner, Laurie Sargent. It’s these friends who created “Further On,” and that’s a real blessing, because this is an excellent album by any standard: Exquisitely wrought and deeply emotional. It’s an intimate testament to a musician whose absence is clearly sorely missed.
“amor fati,” by Sapling: In May, the Worcester art-rock trio released what a friend of the band dubbed the “feel-weird album of the year” with “amor fati,” a witches’ brew of crunchy guitar, tempo changes and darkly comic lyrics about the everyday absurdity of a world going mad. Guitarist Amber Tortorelli and bassist Rainy Maple Sugar Candy Stanford trade vocals, with Stanford shouting loud and clear on the mic and Tortorelli alternately roaring and purring depending on the moment. Yes, the things we’re afraid of are real, but Sapling says lean into your fear, and true to the name of the record, fall in love with your fate.
"Midlife Chrysler," by Jeremy Moses Curtis: Curtis, who was also one of the artists behind the Billy Conway tribute, “Further On,” truly shines as a songwriter on “Midlife Chrysler," a wistful and elegantly written exploration of aging and a life in music on the road. For instance, the song “Layover” is a moody, melancholy of waking up on an airplane: “Came to on a crosswind/stared out across the wing/If this bird could fly forever/it'd be all right with me.” A lot of this album is a portrait of isolation, but when the world intrudes, as it does in “Robbery,” it’s like a punch to the stomach: “The news was endless you couldn't unsee it/We watched the country break on our little TV's/The blues was back but was it ever really gone?” No, no it really wasn’t, and Curtis taps into that emotional resevoir with aplomb.
“Lodestone,” by Singer Mali: One of the common themes in this year’s Favorite Albums list seems to be existential fear about the future of the world, and Singer Mali mixes that sense of subconscious dread with an appreciation for the beauty that still exists among the disasters on “Lodestone.” Off-balance rhythms, orchestral swells and dissonant piano provide the backdrop for the star of the show, Mali’s voice, which she can and does use for anything and everything. Sometimes it’s a vulnerable whisper, sometimes it’s an operatic wail, sometimes it’s layered over itself in an ancient choir, and throughout the album, it will give you chills.
“Final Girl,” by the Jacklights: Boston punks The Jacklights barely get out alive on the four-song project named after the classic slasher movie archetype. Each track is full of vivid New England autumn imagery, setting the scene in the darkness of autumn nights as singer-guitarist Nilagia McCoy’s narrators find themselves stranded on back roads and forced to escape from relationships that have since become haunted houses. The proverbial “final girl” doesn’t have to be flashy or glamorous, but she’s tough and she always wins, and McCoy and her bandmates bring the same down-to-earth fire to their own horror movie.
"High Lowdowns," by the High Lowdowns: If there’s any theme in this year’s favorite albums, it’s probably what happens when extremely talented musicians go back to the basics. The High Lowdowns’ eponymous release is definitely a case of that. The band — comprising Gregg Levins, Julia Levins, Scott Kenyon Joe D'Angelo — is expertly made, and near-flawlessly executed. The result is a bluesy rock album that seems ripped from another era, and yet is extremely easy to just sink into. Between the hook-laden guitar lines and the way the vocal harmonies curl, this is a hard album not to love.
"'Til June," by Prateek: Boston singer-songwriter Prateek blends strands of blues and country music together to create a vibe which is indelibly his own. Some songs, such as “The Gang’s All Gone” and “No Fun,” present contrasting pictures — one of drowning one’s sorrows in alcohol, the other examining sobriety — that help the album tie a larger story, one of isolation and loneliness, that hits its apex with the song, “Wrong.” “Some say it’s preference, some might even say it’s racist/But you’ll always be ugly in a crowd of white faces.” Prateek takes a song that is profoundly personal and particular to himself, and puts it in a context in the album where the listener can’t help but relate to that sense alienation. It’s flawlessly written, and expertly done.
“Where Neon Meets The Rain,” by the Looking Glass War: According to lead singer Glenn DiBenedetto, neon meets the rain in cities at night, and that’s where you immediately find yourself when you hear the quartet’s debut EP. The restless conversation between Pete Zeigler’s guitar and Mike Ackley’s bass lasts through all four songs and feels like running footsteps on wet pavement, lit by streetlights and bar signs. The Looking Glass War wanted to make sure their first release was a cohesive statement, and cohesive it is — the band’s fusion of early ‘80s new wave simplicity and operatic vocals feels like it came into being already fully formed.
"Eclipse of the Dual Moons," by High Command: Worcester’s metal stalwarts High Command have a talent for capturing the genre’s epic storytelling potential, and “Eclipse of the Dual Moons” does sit with style. The album switches up ominous, thundering chords for lightning-quick instrumentation with seeming ease, with songs such as “Imposing Hammers or Cold Sorcery” and “Immortal Savagery” not only having an electrifying, head-banging appeal, they also combine to tell the story of a supernatural, swords and sorcery type of battle, which somehow manages to convey something very real about the brutal nature of war. But if you’re just here to rock, don’t worry: High Command has you covered on that front.
'"The Ugly Truth," by PennySTEMS: We’re not going to front: There’s a deeply uncomfortable undertow to this album, but it’s an extremely rewarding experience if you can push that unease aside and look directly at the brutal, deeply personal portrait Worcester musician Penelope Alizarin Conley presents here. “We wait for a miracle,” sings Conley, on the album’s penultimate song, “Of All the Mortal Sins,” “but it’s a vicious circle.” In a lot of ways, this album is something of a scream, an expression of personal anguish, and in a deeply real way, Conley dares the listener throughout to not look away. And you certainly shouldn’t, because underneath that agony is something very worth exploring.
“the pop album,” by Dalton Moon: Everyone romanticizes a past they didn’t experience to some extent, and if duo Dalton Moon and Hayden Blomster had a time machine, they’d probably go back to the ‘60s to experience the peak of their greatest musical inspiration: The Beatles. Childhood friends Moon and Blomster spent their last year of high school attending classes through Zoom during COVID-19 lockdowns and working on “the pop album,” as much a tribute to McCartney and Lennon as an ode to the Hollywood teenage experience they might have had if not for the pandemic. Two years and many mixing sessions in Blomster’s basement later, the duo put their hearts on their sleeves with this hook-filled love letter to retro guitar pop and high school crushes.
Visit WorcesterMag.com or Telegram.com to hear a playlist of favorite songs from regional artists, popular and critical favorites and tributes to musicians who passed in 2023.