2023 Best Albums (#20-#11)

 2023 Top Twenty Stoner Rock Albums (#20-11)

The first half of my top 20 heavy rock albums list for 2023. One song from each album, beginning with album #20 and finishing with album #11. 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.

#20: "Wave Cannon" by The Machine

This trio from the Netherlands never disappoints

#19: "Mask Off!" by Gorilla Pulp

Italy's Gorilla Pulp consistently delivers hard rock with some of the best guitar riffs around

#18: "Remedy" by Gozu

Boston's Gozu delivers another great album, with as heavy a guitar sound as you'll find

#17: "Drifting In The Endless Void" by Dozer

Swedish stoner rock heavyweights Dozer have been at it for nearly a quarter-century, and show no signs of slowing down

#16: "Return Of The Asteroid" by Wolfnaut

Norway's Wolfnaut used to be called Wolfgang.  They've been around for a while, and are getting better with time

#15: "Boogie To Baja" by Stöner

If Brant Bjork and Nick Oliveri are involved, you know it's worth your while.  Also, this is probably the album cover of the year

#14: "Land Of Sleeper" by Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs

This British band with the ridiculous name really knows how to rock.  Heavy and very unique songwriting throughout this album

#13: "Never Turn Your Back On A Friend" by Various Artists

This reimagining of Budgie's 1973 classic album also features 3 additional bonus Budgie cover tunes.  Every artist featured shows true love for the track they chose to cover.  One of the best tribute albums ever done, but if you're not familiar with the original songs, prepare for a truly different kind of experience.

#12: "Chaos And The Art Of Motorcycle Madness" by The Death Wheelers

This instrumental band from Vancouver has really turned a corner in terms of their songwriting.  I've been a huge fan of all their albums, but this one is their best yet.

#11: "Divination" by Formula 400

This second album from San Diego's Formula 400 is simple, dirty, kick-ass hard rock that's great for getting you all fired up.  Meant to be played loud when you've got some open highway in front of you

Stay tuned tomorrow for my top ten albums of 2023

 AMALGAM

STÖNER: Boogie To Baja

The band's description of this EP is as follows:

“During the recording of TOTALLY, we were having a blast and the music just kept rollin’ out so we decided to also put together a tasty EP.
Guests Mario Lalli on STÖNER Theme and Greg Hetson of Circle Jerks and Bad Religion on our version of the Motorhead/Pink Fairies classic City Kids makes this EP extra sweet.
Jump in and let’s BOOGIE TO BAJA!"

As I've said before, when Brant Bjork puts out music, I buy it, and have yet to be disappointed.

(by the way, the cover art above is by Stevie Gee.  Instant album art hall of fame material)

Stöner are:

Brant Bjork

Nick Olivieri

Ryan Gut

L'IRA DEL BACCANO: Cosmic Evoked Potentials

The full album is finally out, and it's their most approachable and also most impressive album yet.  

Grade: A+

(artwork by Fabio Listrani, another all-time great album cover)

L'ira Del Baccano are:

Alessandro “Drughito” Santori - guitar
Roberto Malerba - guitar/synth
Sandro “fred” Salvi - drums
Ivan Contini Bacchisio - bass

SANDRIDER: Enveletration

Another album I've been waiting for is out, and my luck continues; again, an album I feel is the band's most approachable.  From now on if I want to turn someone on to Sandrider, I'll have them start with this album, then go back to the first and go in order go in order.  Another A+

(artwork by Jesse Roberts)

Sandrider are:

Jon Weisnewski: Guitar & Vocals

 Jesse Roberts: Bass & Vocals 

Nat Damm: Drums 

Here's where the amalgamation comes in...

Transitioning from new music to a two-fer of some top-notch heavy psych from 2022:

-because I care!

Brant Bjork puts out music, and I buy it.   Not once have I been disappointed with an album that Brant Bjork played on.

Continuing the tradition:.....

This album sneaks up on you, and sets in deeper with successive listens.  It's also given me a new appreciation for Nick Oliveri.  

Some won't notice it, but he's masterful on this album.  Here's one that I liked at first, but seems more and more perfect every time I hear it.

My analysis:  

You may, upon first listen, dismiss this as good but not great, but if you give it a second chance I know you'll give it a third and a fourth and then you'll be hooked.  My favorite Brant Bjork album since "Black Flower Power". 

 Stoner are:

Brant Bjork: Guitar, Vocals

Nick Oliveri: Bass, Vocals

Ryan Güt: Drums

Leather Lung are a Massachusetts band I "discovered" and told you about back in 2019.  At first, I liked a few tunes on their "Lonesome, On'ry and Evil" album, but before long had every tune on it favorited on my music player.  Since then they've added a second guitar player, and have given us about 17 minutes of new music, which is very worthy.  Here are two of 3 great songs (the other 3 tracks are an intro, outro, and a dramatization of a phone call describing Leather Lung as "Woodstock Meets Mad Max")

  

.

The song I left out is equally good, and contains the classic line "The thing about moderation is I never give it much consideration".

Leather Lung are:

Mike (Vocals)

Zach (Guitar, Vocals)

Jesse (Bass, Vocals)

Ben (Drums)

Greg (Guitar)

Back next weekend with more underground goodness.

-ULTRA

 EVENTS ON THE HORIZON

Soon to be released......

May 6th: STÖNER: Totally

May 25th: GEEZER: Stoned Blues Machine

May 27: BLACK LUNG: Dark Waves

Black Lung's "Ancients" was in my top albums list for 2019, Geezer's "Groovy" was in my 2020 top albums list, and Stöner's "Stoners Rule" was in my 2021 top albums list.  I guess these bands have albums on the horizon of the recent past as well as the horizon of the near future.

I love each of these three bands, and expect I'll be considering each of them for my top few albums at the end of the year.  

I guess April showers bring May albums

-ULTRA

2021 Top Twenty Stoner Rock Albums (#20-11)

Each tune is one I've never posted or included in a playlist.  
Since these are the best albums of the year, they're deep enough that I don't need to 
re-post in order to make a classic playlist:

          

#20: "Coffin Face" by Table Scraps

Monster Magnet introduced me to this great band by covering one of their songs, "Motorcycle (Straight To Hell)".  Now Table Scraps has a new album, and it's got lots of great catchy tracks.  The song I've included here has a real Baby Woodrose feel.

#19: "Paralyzed" by Paralyzed

Great debut album that sneaks up on you and gets better with each listen.  Really strong vocals and guitar.    

#18:  "Devil's Bridge" by Dope Smoker

Dope Smoker sticks with their formula and manages to get better at it with each release.  Excessive volume will help you to understand what this is all about.
   

#17:  "Stoners Rule" by Stöner 

Brant Bjork keeps on making timeless stoner rock.  Another must-have album from one of rock's most legendary musicians

#16: "The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy" by Rob Zombie

Rob Zombie has carved out his own niche in rock music, and has surpassed everything he did with White Zombie.  This incarnation of the band is elite, and the new album is longer than the last one

         

#15: "Memento Mori, Motherfucker" by Stone Cadaver 

          
Brutal heavy rock music, mixed to perfection.  Great album.

#14:  "Ultra" by Kadabra        

Great sound and great songwriting.  Don't know if they're sick of being compared to Asteroid, but they will definitely appeal to a similar audience

        

#13:  "False Dawn" by Spacelord

Spacelord only puts out great albums with great replayability

#12:  "Fractal Altar" by Snail

Snail takes their time between releases, but when they put out new music, it's a guarantee that you'll get a few songs that are among the year's best, and Fractal Altar is no exception

#11:  "Volume III" by Pseudo Mind Hive

I always leave albums under 30 minutes off my best albums lists, but Volume III really feels longer than that, in a good way.  All four tracks are must-owns for true fans of heavy psychedelic rock; a real masterpiece that deserves recognition

#10 through #1 on New Year's Eve!
ULTRA  

 

COMING SOON.....

Brant Bjork & Nick Oliveri

Half of Kyuss teams up with Ryan Gut, drum player on a couple of Brant Bjork albums, to bring us what promises to be a must-own stoner rock classic.  There is only one studio song released so far, and it's called "Nothin'":

And we've all heard the stories of Josh Homme and friends putting on impromptu jams in the middle of the desert.  Here's Stöner playing live in the Mojave desert, some thirty years later and sounding great.

In the band's own words, "Stöner keep it casual and wear the name as only those who helped create the sound could".

Stöner are:

Nick Oliveri: Bass, Backup Vocals

Ryan Gut: Drums

Brant Bjork: Guitar, Vocals

By the way, all 7 tracks from "Live In The Mojave Desert / Volume 4" are available from Heavy Psych Sounds, and it remains to be seen if the studio album will be as good.

-Brought to you by ULTRA