Some Awe's Best of 2023

In Alphebetical Order

ANOHNI and the Johnsons - My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross
Baby Rose - Through and Through
Bastards Of Soul - Give It Right Back
Beth Malcolm - Kissed and Cried
Black Oak Arkansas - The Devil's Jukebox
Black Pumas - Chronicles of a Diamond
Buddy & Julie Miller - In The Throes
Brad - In The Moment That You're Born
Chris Stapleton – Higher
Christine and the Queens - PARANOÏA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE
Corinne Bailey Rae - Black Rainbows
Dylan LeBlanc – Coyote
Feist – Multitudes
Fiona Grond – Poesias
Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
Hiss Golden Messenger - Jump for Joy
Holly & The Reivers - Three Galleys Irreversible Entanglements - Protect Your Light
Israel Nash – Ozarker
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Weathervanes
John Francis Flynn - Look Over the Wall, See the Sky
Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter - SuperBlue; The Iridescent Spree
Lana Del Rey - Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
Lauren Watkins - Introducing The Heartbreak
Lisa O'Neill - All of This Is Chance
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real - Sticks and Stones
Matthew Halsall - An Ever Changing View
Meg Baird – Furling
Nashville Ambient Ensemble - Light and Space
Molina, Talbot, Lofgren & Young - All Roads Lead Home
Neil Young - Chrome Dreams
Nguyên Lê - Silk and Sand
Nils Lofgren – Mountains
Nils Petter Molvær - Certainty of Tides
Nitin Sawhney – Identity
Olivia Dean – Messy
Paul Simon - Seven Psalms
Piers Faccini - Songs I Love Volume II
Rita Wilson - Rita Wilson Now & Forever Duets
Rival Sons – Lightbringer
Robin Trower, Sari Schorr - Joyful Sky
Róisín Murphy - Hit Parade
Rufus Wainwright – Folkocracy
St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Angels in Science Fiction
Sufjan Stevens – Javelin
The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds
The Soul Motivators - Do It Together
William Prince - Stand in the Joy
Willie Nelson - Bluegrass

Some Observations

These days I listen to as much music as ever, but reviews have lessened and lessened: I tend to devote my writing time to other interests. 

Favourite albums of the year are: Róisín Murphy - Hit Parade for its original and often eccentric interpretations which make it such a joy to listen to, and The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds for its signature, unoriginal sound which make it such a joy to listen to.

These two and the following are albums I returned to again and again: ANOHNI and the Johnsons - My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross  (gorgeous); Buddy & Julie Miller - In The Throes (a return to form); Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Weathervanes (storytelling songwriting);  John Francis Flynn - Look Over the Wall, See the Sky (sublime, distinctive 'folk'); Matthew Halsall - An Ever Changing View (this should be my third favourite); Paul Simon - Seven Psalms (this should be my fourth favourite); William Prince - Stand in the Joy (great songs / great vocal)