2023 Top Twenty Stoner Rock Albums (#10-1)
The second half of my top 20 heavy rock albums list for 2023. One song from each album, beginning with album #10 and finishing with album #1. I understand I'm sure to be missing some great albums that came out this year, but am just sharing my favorite purchases of the year.
Artist/Album/Track info is displayed for the first 10 seconds of each tune.
#10: "Cosmic Evoked Potentials" by L'Ira Del Baccano
Italian instrumental band with real technical precision. Excellent songwriting here. I've been listening to this since it came out in March
#9: "Fuzzrider" by Fuzzrider
Greek guitarist and vocalist Jim Lord has returned with a new band and 8 great tracks with his distinctive sound
#8: "Medicine" by Goat
The mysterious Swedish band has put out another album. Of course it's really nothing like their others, and of course it's another masterpiece. This one's got a real trippy, hippy vibe. Goat can do no wrong in my book.
#7: "Superskull" by Black Rainbows
Italian stoner rock legends return with one of their most aggressive and catchy albums yet. Also, another candidate for album cover of the year.
#6: "Enveletration" by Sandrider
This unique Seattle trio has their own style, which includes elements of punk, metal and stoner. This is their best album to date, and one of the best albums of the year. Every tune is great. They also recently put out one of the best EPs of the year, also worth your while.
#5: "Sons Of Froglord" by Froglord
This British rock band with the weird face masks really knows how to write great tunes. I love every one of these eleven tracks. I refer to their sound as "groovy doom".
#4: "Low Desert Surf Club" by Fire Down Below
The third album from this Belgian band is truly special. They've really nailed that classic "desert" fuzz sound. Obviously one of my favorite few albums of the year, and Cocaine Hippo is one of my favorite songs of the year.
Even though their first album came out in 2015, I just found this Japanese band this year, and what a great surprise this album was. Each song has a different atmosphere, and each one is polished and perfect. I'll be listening to this for years to come.
#2: "Margarita Witch Cult" by Margarita Witch Cult
This British band caught my attention with an EP last year. Even though the quality of the recording was rough, I listened to those two tunes countless times because the songwriting was so good. This new album has nine new tunes that have all been stuck in my head since the album was released, in April.
#1: "The Old Ways Remain" by Blood Ceremony
Not just album of the year, this is one of the very best albums I've ever bought in my life. The musicianship and songwriting here stack up with any rock album of any era. The song I chose for this playlist is not typical of the album, but none of the songs is. Each is its own masterpiece, and every note of every tune has wormed its way into the inner recesses of my brain.
Notable Omission:
"In Times New Roman" by Queens of the Stone Age deserves to be in my top 10. Few individuals have helped to shape the genre we call Stoner Rock like Josh Homme has, and this is as perfect an album as he's ever been involved with. Yet, I am still unwilling to take any of these other albums off my list. I'd like to spread the word on relatively lesser-known albums as the year closes. I'm pretty confident this new Queens of the Stone Age album has already reached a pretty vast audience.
Best EPs:
"Kiss The Boot" by Glitter Wizard
"Aviary/Baleen" by Sandrider
"Parable Of The Taxidermist's Dilemma" by Mississippi Bones
"Fu30, Pt. 3" by Fu Manchu
"Lady Cadaver" by Tumble
Stay safe out there, and Happy New Year!
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