Meanwhile, with her sophomore effort,Guts,Olivia Rodrigoproved that lightning can strike twice.
The upcomingGrammysare sure to be female-dominated, given that eight of the nine most-nominated artists are women.
Oh, and one tender dude who poured his heart out, and swept us up into something sublime.
Mitski, ‘The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We’.Dead Oceans/ Amazon
Here are the 10 best albums of 2023.
Her vision is so potent that it transcends genre.
Immersive yet fleeting,The Age of Pleasuredemands repeat listens.
Amaarae, ‘Fountain Baby’.Interscope/ Amazon
The result is an endless party where everyone is invited and anything goes.Maura Johnston
7.
Victoria Monet, ‘Jaguar II’
RCA Records/ Instagram
Victoria Monet likes to take her time.
Allaire Nuss
5.
Janelle Monáe, ‘The Age of Pleasure’.Atlantic/ Amazon
Olivia Rodrigo, ‘Guts’
Geffen/ Amazon
Sophomore slump?Olivia Rodrigodoesn’t know her.
Long may Rodrigo reign.Emlyn Travis
3.
ButThe Recordis a marvel, a testament that good things are worth the wait.Allaire Nuss
2.
Victoria Monét, ‘Jaguar II’.RCA Records/ Instagram
Jessie Ware, ‘That!
Feels Good!isnt so much an invitation as a command: Get!
On the dance floor!Lester Fabian Brathwaite
1.
Lana Del Rey, ‘Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd’.Interscope/ Amazon
Across its 10 tracks, Stevens asks to be cast out, set on fire, and sacrificed.
“Will anybody ever love me?”
he wonders, ashamed of his failures.
Jamila Woods, ‘Water Made Us’.Jagjaguwar/ Amazon
Later, he imagines harming someone close.
Yet for all its anguish,Javelin’s songs often culminate in moments of profound beauty.
Its pain is real, but so is the hope and gratitude that pain engenders.
Olivia Rodrigo, ‘Guts’.Geffen/ Amazon
Boygenius, ‘The Record’.Interscope / Amazon
Jessie Ware, ‘That! Feels Good!'.EMI Records/Amazon
Sufjan Stevens, ‘Javelin’.Asthmatic Kitty/Amazon
