2023 Album of the Year

*This list is curated by co-editor Greg Jones

10) Cat Clyde – Down Rounder
-If you’re a fan of traditional country music, you probably already know Cat Clyde’s name. We’ve featured Clyde’s writing before, so when this full length album came out this year it caught our attention. Several of the songs have that classic early country flavor that resonates. The opener “Everywhere I Go” and “Hawk in the Tree” have particularly strong echoes to that classic sound. Several of the songs on the album have a timeless to them, with lyrical themes that transcend time and space. This is certainly an album that should receive wide consideration and reception due to the quality from start to finish.

9) Adam Melchor – Fruitland
-It’s hard to find a new way to say what I’ve been saying about Melchor’s music for years now; he’s got a gift for catchy melodies and fantastic lyrics. Even though he has a wonderful niche following, I still think he’s one of the most underrated songwriters in the industry. This new EP speaks to our current historical reality with clarity. The social commentary provided by these songs goes far beyond what we might call “indie pop.” This is next level analysis packaged in hook-laden music. Melchor deserves to be in the company with his contemporaries like Jeremy Messersmith and historically with folks like Paul Simon and Neil Young. “BIGTIMEGOODTIME” and “Serotonin” are my must listen tracks, but the whole EP is great.

8) Tyler Childers – Rustin in the Rain
-Say what you will about Tyler Childers as an artist or performer, but the man certainly knows how to kick up some dust. This album had an interesting reception among Childers’ faithful. Do yourself a favor and stay out of the comments section and just listen to the quality from this outstanding country songwriter. Of course the performances all include heartfelt emotional pleas and expressive lines that feel like they were written in the deepest of mines and the darkest of bars. The cover of Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night” made it to my end of year list, so obviously that’s a must listen. While “In Your Love” was the single from the album (to great acclaim), I actually prefer the closer “Space and Time” as a shut-down-the-bar kind of love tune. The whole dang album is absolutely electric and well worth your time.

7) Billie Marten – Drop Cherries
-The first time I heard Billie Marten she was a literal child doing a cover on one of the BBC YouTube channels. From that time on, I’ve casually watched her career unfold. Billie Marten is an incredibly talented songwriter. When you listen to this album, I highly recommend that you carve out some time and space to enjoy it in a more meditative state. There are cinematic moments, beautiful melodies, and of course Marten’s outstanding voice. But the album is crafted with contemplation in mind; this isn’t background music. It’s the focus. Some of the songs are rooted in folk, others more like indie pop, but no matter the genre the style all serves to highlight Marten’s thoughtful lyrical messages. “I can’t get my head around you” is a Joni Mitchell-esque mid-20th century folk anthem that has the chops to be a legit hit single. The title track and closer “Drop Cherries” has a charm to it that is indicative of Billie Marten’s intimate style; while it’s not a radio hit, it’s sure to make our folk-loving followers swoon.

6) Milk Carton Kids – I Only See The Moon
-The first time I heard Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale sing with their folk duo harmonies was in the very early days of this website. Artists like this are part of why I even felt the importance of writing about music; more people should know about amazing, breathtaking art like this. Having watched the Milk Carton Kids age alongside us, this album shows a maturing sound from an admittedly already mature duo. The clever lyricism and exquisite acoustic folk still defines their sound. This is also one of the best full albums I heard all year. It’s really hard to pick a “favorite.” This is more of the type of album that you should put on and just let it run. The folk instrumentation feels old timey in some places but then crosses into a more contemporary bluegrass flavor in other section; call it what you will, this is exceptional intelligent folk music by two of the best in the business right now.

5) The Collection – How to Survive an Ending
-From the very first optimistic chord of this album, listeners are in for an absolute treat. If you’ve been following my music coverage for any length of time, you know how much I love this type of rich harmony based type of poppy music. The Collection are one of my favorite finds of 2023. This album was one that just kept getting plays. I’m never not in the mood to listen to “Rose Colored Glasses” and the vibrant harmonies. The closer “Love at the End of the World” made my song of the year list, so of course it’s one of my favorites as well. The piano work, fantastic lead vocal, and impressive harmonies define the sound of this band. This the type of album that I honestly think should be charting in the top 40. Honestly, in another era this music absolutely would top the charts. I get shades of Needtobreathe, Green River Ordinance, and even one of my longtime favorites Ben Rector in this sound. This is a gem of an album.

4) Dan Croll – Fools
-You might not recognize Dan Croll’s name (I didn’t, I’m sorry to say), but I almost guarantee you’ve heard his work. Dan Croll is one of the “movers and shakers” in the music industry with a trans-Atlantic reach on several well-known albums. But my focus here is not on his CV; I want you to listen to Fools. It’s an absolutely fantastic album with plenty of pop rock energy and excellent lyrical charm. Literally every song on the album has a groove that will keep it memorable for you. There’s a sense of the music being alive; it has a genuine heartbeat to it. You’ll hear, especially on the second track “Talk to You.” I am not a songwriter, but if I was, I would strive to write music like “Sunshine.” It’s just an excellent song with everything I love in music; the vocal harmonies are great, the lyrics are relatable and moving. This is such a phenomenal album. I know our little website is just a drop in the ocean, but I truly hope more folks see this and start listening to Croll’s music. He’s outstanding.

3) Andrea von Kampen – Sister Moon
-Followers of my music coverage will not be at all surprised to see Andrea von Kampen’s name on this list. Her songwriting absolutely speaks to my soul. There’s no other way to put it. I love the vocal, the melodic structures, and the thoughtful lyricism of every song. This is contemporary folk music done at the absolute highest level. This was an interesting album to follow through the year, too, because each song of the EP was released as a single building toward the collection. I like all four of the tracks, but “Juniper” is on my song of the year list. Sometimes I think maybe AVK was born in the wrong era and was meant to be a part of the folk revival of the 1960s, but to be honest I’m super glad she’s here with us now. The underrated complexity of the melodies and song construction keeps impressing me like the first time I heard her music. This album is just another example of AVK’s exceptional artistry.

2) Noah Gundersen – If This Is the End
-If you had told me when this album released that it would be #2 on my end of year list, I would have said “no way!” However, astute observers of my musical curation know that I’ve been a massive Gundersen supporter for over a decade… so what gives? Well, as Noah Gundersen’s artistry has evolved over the past few albums, so too has my curation maturity. In short, this album grew on me. I realized that what I didn’t like about some of his music was the way he was working out his own tension and uncertainty; If This Is the End is Gundersen’s “arrival” album. This is who he is, authentically. The opener is so emotional for longtime fans of Gundersen with a gorgeous melody and that gruff almost-spoken vocal style conveying a message that cuts to the quick. The balance between 80s-tastic production on some tracks with stripped down timeless folk on others make it the kind of album that begs for a range of responses. If you put this one on and listen all the way through, you’ll definitely be moved to nostalgic joy, sincere sadness, and (at least for me) a glimmer of hope. It’s a masterpiece.

1) Jeffrey Martin – Thank God We Left the Garden
-I knew this was going to be my album of the year the day I heard “There Is a Treasure.” Jeffrey Martin is an extraordinarily gifted songwriter and folk artist. This album builds on his legacy, creating something that is both consistent with his past writing yet somehow shows development and maturity. The two tracks getting early press from the album were “Red Station Wagon,” a song with a heavy emotional message and “There Is a Treasure,” one of the most incredible songs I’ve ever heard. The rest of the album is outstanding as well. Followers of Martin have heard “Garden” and “Paper Crown” in various places online, but the balance of the album is new to our ears. It’s such a wonderful album from start to finish with confessional, intelligent lines that are sure to capture the attention of wide range of listeners. I’ve always been a fan of Martin’s ability to dance with the intersection of the sacred and the profane; this album tackles that point brilliantly. I plan to continue listening to this album for many, many more years.

Honorable mention: Aleksi Campagne – For the Giving, Levee Wolf – Rayko, Caleb J Murphy – Sleeperland, Gillian Grogan – Neither Lost Nor Found, Hannah Wyatt – hummingbird, De-Esser – Tame, The Arcadian Wild – Welcome, Blackwood Station – Self Titled, Kim Churchill – Dawn Sounds