This week, we're continuing to look back at some of our favourite albums of the year, week-by-week and genre-by-genre. 2023 was a year filled with incredible alternative releases. This is by no means a comprehensive list, rather a handful of albums that we have on repeat right now and want to make sure you don't miss out on hearing!
TALK – “Lord of the Flies & Birds & Bees”
Canadian rocker TALK finally unleashed his debut album Lord of the Flies & Birds & Bees. This impressive body of work is bursting at the seams with larger-than-life anthems and out-of-this-world songwriting. Executive produced by Justin Tranter (Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Halsey), the ambitious collection shoots for the stars—and stadiums—with inspirations from Meatloaf, Broadway, and ‘80s and ‘90s rock. Lord of the Flies & Birds & Bees album features the Platinum single “Run Away to Mars,” viral hit “A Little Bit Happy,” and special bonus track "La Ziguezon" only on the Canadian Edition CD.
d4vd – “Petals to Thorns”
Petals To Thorns is an introduction and journey into d4vd’s identity as an artist that’s unable to be boxed into a specific genre. Just one year after beginning to make music on BandLab in his sister’s closet in Houston, d4vd has delivered masterful nine-track project with familiar hits including RIAA platinum “Romantic Homicide,” a grungy, guitar-driven breakup anthem, and RIAA gold “Here With Me,” a slow-building beachy ballad, and new tracks showcasing his inimitable sound. The EP establishes d4vd as one of the most exciting new artists and one who is most definitely here to stay.
Stephen Sanchez – “Angel Face”
Multi-platinum artist Stephen Sanchez is re-imagining the sounds of 50s & 60s love songs with his new album Angel Face. The record tells the tale of “The Troubadour Sanchez,” a fictional musician who rose to fame with his 1958 hit “Until I Found You,” went through a tumultuous romance with his newfound love Evangeline, and met an untimely end in 1964. However, his long lost debut has been unearthed 59 years later and released in 2023 as Angel Face.
boygenius – “the record”
2023 has been the year of boygenius. The indie supergroup comprised of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus have captured the hearts of fans and critics alike with their long awaited debut album, the record. This genre-defining body of work is a celebration of friendship and a masterclass in songwriting. Most recently, boygenius picked up six GRAMMY nominations for the record, including the major categories of Album Of The Year and Record Of The Year, with an additional nomination for the album in the category of Best Engineered Album, Non Classical.
