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Shawn Campbell writesCHIRP Radio’s Best of 2023: Shawn Campbell
Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2023. Our next list is from Founder and General Manager Shawn Campbell.
That! Feels Good! by Jessie Ware (EMI)
A wide-ranging record with an appropriate name. I had this one on a lot in 2023 and it never failed to get me moving. A little bit of disco, a little bit of house, a little bit of soul.
Natural Disaster by Bethany Cosentino (Concord)
I didn't hear this record until late this year when the Best Coast frontwoman lamented that her debut solo record hadn't gotten much traction. She was 100% correct! This is a grown-up Cosentino in a kind of Millennial Sheryl Crow mode -- and I don't mean that as faint praise. The album is warm and welcoming with thoughtful lyrics and hooks galore.
Gravy by BJ the Chicago Kid (Reach the World / RCA / Song)
Another late entry, this album came out in November, and I couldn't stop playing it. This is a full-on R&B/soul record, warm and old school in the vein of pal Anderson Paak's Silk Sonic project.
What's the Diff by The Diff (Cheap Kiss)
Is this a reissue of a 1979 record from a little-known east coast power pop band, or...something else? All I'm saying is that this is an album full of undeniable songs perfect for the arcade, the roller rink, or the mall.
Be Gay Have Fun! by PINKSQUEEZE (self-released)
My second selection to have an (earned!) exclamation mark in the title. The queer femme Chicago four-piece are having plenty of fun on their debut album from their introductory statement, 'Hey Friends (Welcome to the Pinksqueeze Party)' onward. Catchy, joyful, heartfelt and a little bit ramshackle in the best way.
I/O by Peter Gabriel (Real World / EMI / Republic)
When you're aware that a record has been in the works for 27 years, it's hard to know what you're going to get. Something overworked and overthought? Or something that's the purest distillation of the artist's work? Peter Gabriel's tenth solo record turned out to be...another timeless Peter Gabriel album, one that could easily sit next to Melt or So or Up and you'd never know so much time had passed.
Vs. the Worm by Ovef Ow (Whats For Breakfast? / Oort Cloud)
A little bit of surf rock, a little bit of post punk, a little bit of new wave and a lot of personality makes the full-length debut from this Chicago band one that rewards multiple listens, always revealing something new.
Father's Day by Gerald Dowd (self-released)
While Dowd's reputation for years was as a stellar, versatile drummer with the likes of Robbie Fulks and seemingly dozens of other bands, his 2014 solo debut showed him to be a skilled songwriter and guitarist in his own right, and this year's Father's Day offers up another set of warm, personal songs with nods to classic country crooners and The Band's Americana, while still feeling contemporary.
Saint of Second Chances by Nathan Graham (Pravda)
It was great to get a record this year from this longtime Chicago fixture, who's played local clubs and backed up other artists for years. Graham's voice is rich and warm, and his songwriting chops are strong, moving from soulful numbers to rockers where he has a chance to display his impressive guitar skills.
Strays by Margo Price (Loma Vista)
Another songwriter who might've previously been tagged solely as a country artist, Price expands her sound on her fourth album, including a super catchy duet with Sharon Van Etten on what might be my favorite single of the year (how could it not be?), "Radio."
Next entry: CHIRP Radio’s Top 10 Albums of 2023
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