Hearing Aid’s Favorite Albums of 2023
Heavy Heavy – Young Fathers
Awarded Scottish Album of the Year (SAYA), Young Fathers’ 4th album does not disappoint. Every song on HEAVY HEAVY offers a form of creative resistance that immerses and compels you to move with them. The album is so full of momentum, it’s great to run to! – Ami Matthew, Hearing Aid Assistant
ROACH – Miya Folick
Folick’s sophomore record displays a tonal progression as she branches out into darker electronic genres. ROACH is a moody project that explores topics typical of Folick’s work — personal insecurity and desires for self-betterment, relational anxiety, vivid tales of family — but in a blunter, perhaps less academic and more experimental way. Folick’s work does not suffer from this change, however; it simply shows the many facets of an artist deeply underrated for her fascinating lyricism and unique, soaring voice. – Abena Oppon, Column Writer/Head of Fresher Writers
everything is alive – Slowdive
Thirty years after the quintessential shoegazers’ sophomore classic Souvlaki, Slowdive has cemented their comeback and solidified their status as essential listening of dream pop with everything is alive. This album is more than stylistic callback and self-pastiche: everything is alive is enough to evidence a style in motion, evolution and maturity. This is a whimsical post-COVID record, teeming with grief, experience, and middle-aged melancholy, as much as it is an edgy left turn similar to Slowdive’s techno-experimental Pygmalion. But do not be dismayed by the fusion of genres and avant-garde production: this is still a Slowdive album through and through, so plug your headphones in, turn down the lights, and it had better be 04.00am because you’re listening wrong if it isn’t! – Aiden Monks, Staff Writer
The Record– Boygenius
The Record is a magnificent successor to the boys’ 2019 EP boygenius, solidifying this trio’s status as a genuine supergroup. The distinct personalities and poetic abilities of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker shine through to provide a potent combination of sadness, honesty, and a hint of wrath. Tracks like ‘True Blue’ and ‘Cool About It’, aptly capture the highs and lows of falling in and out of love, laying bare the composers' souls in the process. This album demands no skips. I was able to appreciate this album’s full beauty when I had the opportunity to watch it performed live in Gunnersbury Park this summer, etching it indelibly into my mind, and my Spotify Wrapped for the year. – Alex Hargreaves, Staff Writer
Wake of the Flood, 50th Anniversary Re-release– The Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead’s sixth studio album, Wake of the Flood, came out in 1973. This year marks the 50th anniversary, and in commemoration they’ve released The Angels Share which is more than two hours of outtakes, demos, and studio conversations. Some tracks on the album include takes of ‘Stella Blue’, many editions of Bobby Weir’s ‘Weather Report Suite’, and early recordings of ‘Phil’s Song’ that would later be released on Grateful Dead From the Mars Hotel as ‘Unbroken Chain’. Wake of the Flood was a milestone in Grateful Dead history, with the LP serving as a home base for their massive accumulation of fans at the time. The Angels Share gives us a behind the scenes look at the making of the album and its experimental nature, placing the listener in the studio to ride along with the Grateful Dead and friends as a bystander to their magic process. – Ella Bernard, Staff Writer
My 21st Century Blues – RAYE
Now that she is finally free from the turmoil of big label politics, RAYE's debut album is a triumphant and agonising 15-track compendium fearlessly tackling the gory innards of her consciousness. Her honesty, vulnerability, and natural ability to capture the graphic details of her mind on paper make this far from a ‘safe’ debut, but she has proven herself to be one of the strongest and most daring female songwriters the UK has to offer. This confidence, along with excellent production and a voice that is nothing short of spectacular, makes for a truly stellar debut. – Ellie Crosbie, Staff Writer
Let’s Start Here– Lil Yachty
The delight of any album reviewer is to be surprised, and in Lil Yachty’s Let’s Start Here, rock and rap make an unexpected alliance. The rapper, who has called his brand “bubblegum trap” in the past, brings a cool, hard-edged swagger to his reinterpretation of 70s psychedelic rock. His album explores secret desires and irrational thoughts about fame and love, while taking us back to a decade when rock stars also went insane. – Enya Xiang, Staff Writer
But Here We Are– Foo Fighters
Released only a year after the heartbreaking, shocking death of the band’s longtime drummer, Taylor Hawkins, But Here We Are gracefully deals with grief in a way that is never callous nor melancholy, but solemnly true to the Foo Fighters’ core. The album is reflective, inspired, and a testament to the lasting legacy of Hawkins and the Foo’s status as rock icons nearing their 30th year on the scene. This is an album with a purpose and a heart — and may be the most meaningful album Foo Fighters have produced in years. – Grace Roberts, Staff Writer
Higher – Chris Stapleton
When I listened to this album for the first time, I was taken aback by every single song. Country and soul can capture nostalgia and longing better than any other genre, and Chris Stapleton’s gritty voice personifies these emotions so completely, that they can’t help but find a way into your heart. In a year full of great albums, Higher stands out for its poetry and its heart stopping melodies. I have to include some honourable mentions: Morgan Wallen’s One Thing At a Time which perfectly blends country and pop, and Jungkook’s GOLDEN; he is a truly a global popstar on the rise. – Ilene Krall, Hearing Aid Co Editor-in-Chief
Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) – Noah Kahan
Every song on Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) takes the listener on a journey through love, loss and understanding. Noah Kahan finds ways to speak about difficulties and love in ways that many artists can only aspire to. It is as if he is allowing us into his vulnerable thoughts and emotions, letting the listener to engage with and relate to his experiences. It is clear, through his lyrics and passion, how much emotion he puts into his songs, which to me completely separates this album from any other- he truly captures every emotion he discusses. – Kaitlyn Shaw, Fresher Writer
Zach Bryan – Zach Bryan
Through simple lyrics and melodies, Zach Bryan allows the sentimentality and rawness of his voice to shine. Although his self-titled album is inspired by classic country ballads, Bryan manages to create a refreshing spin on the genre while maintaining an intimacy that gives his songs the personal effect of a letter. A truly comforting listen, it is perfect for the last month of autumn fading into winter. – Lola Jones, Fresher Writer
Girl with Fish – feeble little horse
A shoegaze adjacent album that refuses to be easy listening, Pittsburgh band feeble little horse’s sophomore album is a 2023 standout. Full of distorted guitar and overbearing synths, there is a musical heaviness to Girl with Fish that fights against Lydia Slocum’s airy vocals. Vague yet devastating lyrics create a hazy dreamscape where desire, depression, and emotional disconnect converge. Stand out tracks include ‘Freak’, ‘Steamroller’, and ‘Heavy Water’. – Mia Romanoff, Hearing Aid Co Editor-in-Chief
SCARING THE HOES – JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown
A fun and carefree album made by two giants in the canon of experimental hip-hop, SCARING THE HOES is an inventive take on how far plunderphonics can go when the right minds collaborate. A referential tour de force, Peggy and Danny bring bits and pieces from all corners of the internet here, filling in gaps in each other’s knowledge and capability with fads and trends from their respective generations; there’s truly something here for every kind of hip-hop fan. – Miles Silverstein, Staff Writer
Good Riddance– Gracie Abrams
Achingly introspective and painfully self-aware, Gracie Abrams’ debut album Good Riddance is a masterclass in honest and compelling songwriting. Aaron Dessner’s stripped back production allows Abrams’ vocals to shine through, as well her lyricism, which is the driving force of her music. The record delves into Abrams’ anxiety and how this affects her relationships, as well as her experience growing up and moving out. A perfect album for any university student experiencing any form of homesickness, especially ‘Difficult’, a song about the precariousness of being a young adult, and forging your own identity. – Niamh Hauge, Fresher Writer
Blondshell– Blondshell
Blondshell’s self-titled first album encompasses the complexities of what it is to be a woman in her early twenties. With stand out signals such as ‘Olympus’ and ‘Kiss City’, this album is a wonderful entrance to the music scene. As a listener you are transported through the trials and tribulations of love, relationships, addiction and misogyny, and how all of these themes of adult life can intermingle. This alt-rock album is filled with love, rage, and longing that makes a raw and open attempt at communicating with the listener. – Oona Wolseley, Staff Writer
Jazz is for Ordinary People– berloiz
Little is known about berlioz, but the DJ’s jazz-house debut release is certainly one to remember. Only fifteen minutes in length, the EP is the definition of quality over quantity. berlioz combines instruments from across the world, creating musicla perfection. While the jazz purist may scoff at the EP’s electronic house additions, berlioz has created a sound that expertly encapsulates the evolution of the genre into the twenty-first century. Hopefully 2024 will give us a larger insight into the mysterious DJ and, perhaps, a full length album. – Tom Wilson, Staff Writer