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Matt Barr writesCHIRP Radio’s Best of 2023: Matt Barr
Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2023. Our next list is from DJ and Assistant Music Director Matt Barr.
For me, this was a down year for music; not in quality, but in quantity. I didn't listen to half as many records as I did last year, largely because some housing issues physically interfered with my usual listening habits. My list of “2023 albums to check out” is long; still, I managed to find a lot of good albums, an I've submitted them as an unranked list. As usual, some of my favorites are sentimental. The Boo Radleys and Teenage Fanclub are far from their 90s heydays, but they're here due to my decades-long love for those bands (Yo La Tengo, Slowdive and The Dead Milkmen, weren't far behind). I enjoy reading everyone's lists and hope you do as well. See you again in 2024!
Eight by The Boo Radleys (Booster)
Favorite tracks: “How Was I to Know” “A Shadow Darker than the Rest”
You Can Do It All by Cusp (self-released)
Favorite tracks: “Dead Things Talk” “Inside Out”
True Entertainment by Dutch Uncles (Memphis Industries)
Favorite tracks: “Damascenes” “Tropigala (2 to 5)”
Principia by En Attendant Ana (Trouble in Mind)
Favorite tracks: “Wonder” “Principia”
Cartwheel by Hotline TNT (Third Man)
Favorite tracks: “I Thought You’d Change” “BMX” “Stump”
All Channels Clear by Ibex Clone (Goner)
Favorite tracks: “There is no Light” “Nothing Ever Changes”
Fantasy by M83 (Mute)
Favorite tracks: “Laura” “Oceans Niagara”
Continue as a Guest by The New Pornographers (Merge)
Favorite tracks: “Really Really Light” “Cat and Mouse with the Light” “Bottle Episodes”
Nothing Lasts Forever by Teenage Fanclub (Merge)
Favorite tracks: “I Will Love You” “Back to the Light”
Away from the Castle by Video Age (Winspear)
Favorite tracks: “Away from the Castle” “Better than Ever” “Just Think”
Honorable Mentions
Civic – Taken by Force
Deeper – Careful!
Sufjan Stevens – Javelin
Slowdive – everything is alive
Drop Nineteens – Hard Light
I saw on another DJ's list that Medicine released a new album this year, which I did not know about. But I did manage to snag a vinyl copy of their Her Highness (1995) reissue, which has a different mix, sequence and unreleased tracks. I'll also shout out the Boo Radleys 30th anniversary reissue of Giant Steps (1993). It's not different than the original, but it's one of my favorite albums of all time so I happily bought it again.
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