Favorite Music of 2023 – Gregs Guitar Lessons

If you’re in the position to, try the music on Spotify, but please please please….

BUY THE MUSIC ON BANDCAMP.COM!

Ideally, on the first Friday of a month, in which the artists get 100% of their sales.
Another great option is your local record store…like my personal favorite…Andy’s Records.

As always, here are the previous lists:
2022, 2021,2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 , 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010

Playlists
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There is WAY more music in the playlists than posted on here.
Go exploring!

My Favorite Songs of 2023

My Favorite Records of 2023

Everything I listened to (on Spotify)

Favorite Records of 2023
(In no particular order)

Allen Epley – Everything
If you know me, I’m sure you’re shocked by seeing Al on this list. One of my all time favorite musicians, and certainly someone who has had a massive influence on my playing, writing, and listening habits. This is the first release under his name, as a solo artist. Space Country. Instead his space-rock trio of The Life and Times, or the heavy, mathy outfit Shiner. Slow, lush, ethereal songs with layers of reverb drenched guitars and Mike Burns’ lap steel. We got a preview of some of these tunes when he played my makeshift 40th bday party in 2022, and we listened to that live recording a few hundred times. Such a good record.

Theo Katzman – Be The Wheel
You know Vulfpeck? I joke, saying they’re like Dream Theater, if Dream Theater focused on cool songs, grooves, and feels. As Vulf has grown more popular, the solo projects of each member of the band have also picked up more traction. The latest from their multi instrumentalist, Theo Katzman, is just PERFECT. Just vibey, groovy, little rock tunes. Killer grooves. Perfect melodies with perfect delivery. I love this record so much.

Runnner – like dying stars, we’re reaching out
Runnner has landed on this list 3 different years now. Noah’s latest record is his most fleshed out and ambitious one yet. His brand of indie rock lives somewhere between Death Cab and Pinegrove, but is a little more ambitious when he’s arranging the instrumentation. His clever turns of phrase, and unique vocal approach really just get me. I’m looking forward to the Runnner crew picking up baton from Pinegrove, and garnering as massive of a fanbase.

City & Colour – The Love Still Held Me Near
Dallas green has been on these lists since I had first seen him in 03/04. His most recent record is one of his best albums in years. And his others are were terrific. This lives somewhere between indie, folk, and blues rock. The songs are just perfect. Heartfelt. Heavy. He has one of the most lovely male singing voices I’ve ever heard, and it is definitely the the focus of the record. Just a perfect record of meloncholy longing.

boygenius – the record
I bet NO ONE will have this on their year end list. Probably flying too far under the radar. This definitely has felt like the year of boygenius. A great PR campaign. A massive tour. Performing on SNL. And, most importantly, a phenomenal full length record (and companion ep). Phoebe, Lucy, and Julien really have created the first super group I feel rivals their individual outputs. Catherine Marks was the perfect producer for this, capturing the attitude and mood that you’d associate with each one of their solo songs, while still creating a cohesive record.

Spotlights – Alchemy For The Dead
I’ve dug Spotlights for a long time. Normally, I’d describe them as a trio performing brooding, downtuned, doomy shoegaze. And this record still brings that, but I feel like this is the most realized version of their music. The vocals are more forward. Their melodies are genuine hooks. It truly feels like a band taking a big step towards reaching a wider audience, and I’m here for it. They’re a great band, and good humans. The singers/guitarist Mario also recorded/produced the album, and is sounds SO good.

Slow Pulp – Yard
This was this year’s surprise. Just a random Spotify recommendation. I listened to the 4 song pre-release like I needed it to live. Broadview is just a perfect indie folk tune. Slugs has a perfect pop rock chorus hook. The production. The vibes. It was exactly what I needed, when I needed it. By the time the full album came out, I was hooked. I couldn’t believe they flew under my radar til this point. I was so disappointed I missed out on the ascension of this band. It won’t be long before they blow up. They’re opening up for the last leg of the Death Cab/Postal Service tour in 2024.

Marvelous 3 – IV
Butch Walker may be my most favorite musician on earth. He made his name with the success of a late 90s hit single “Freak of the Week“. He’s since had a massive successful songwriting career for other artists, and a wonderful catalog of his own solo stuff. Marvelous 3 has unexpectedly returned with a killer power pop rock record. In the grand scheme of things, it still feels like a Butch solo release, but it has the snark and lyricism that feels more at home under the M3 brand. The opening song is as good of a pop rock tune as I heard this year. What a fun record.

Teenage Wrist – Still Love
You know I love Teenage Wrist. This record was one of my most anticipated of the year, and it absolutely delivered. It still has those deep 90s alt rock roots, but it really shows their versatility. Slow acoustic songs. Deep down tuned songs. Still Love, and Sunshine are incredible tunes. A pair of my favorites of the year. They are just one of my favorite alt rock bands going right now.

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – Weathervanes
If you asked me who the greatest modern songwriters are, I’m probably going to say Butch Walker, Dave Bazan, and Jason Isbell. He is just one of the most gifted lyricists writing music today, and he may be an even better guitarist. The band is dialed in on this record. There is a little more heat to it. The leads are angrier. The attitude in the songs is palpable. But the lyrics, and the stories within them are just perfect. We are lucky to have Isbell, and it’s been fun to watch him turn into more of a household name. Getting an HBO doc, and a role in a Scorsese film just solidifies it.

Daisy Jones & The Six – Aurora
Ok. Hear me out. The show was good. The songs are great. I am absolutely fascinated by the task of writing songs for fictional tv/movies. The sheer difficulty of having to write a fictional hit song, that still has to be an original song in our world. Songwriting producer extraordinaire, Blake Mills, assembled an all star group of writers to create an actual hit record for a fictional band. And they did it. Great 70s vibes for someone who wants another Fleetwood Mac record.

Gregory Alan Isakov – Appaloosa Bones
One of the most consistent songwriters in the game. This album is just a perfect fall drive. Peeping leaves, and some coffee warming your soul after the first cool day of the season. Soft, atmospheric acoustic guitars set a perfect bed for his thoughtful lyrical delivery. I’ve heard his music described as songs for farmers, and I can see it. Despite being from Colorado, this has a real midwest feel.

Student’s Records

Ailani Pedroza – Limbo
I’ve said it before. Ailani may be the most singularly gifted and talented students I’ve ever had. She has a knack for writing perfect creative pop tunes that support her PERFECT voice. She recorded it at home, but we mixed it in the studio. There are some perfect songs on this album, and it was written/recorded after school. If you dig the grammy nominated boygenius record…you’ll LOVE this.

Steady Ahead – Moment
Long time guitar students in this band. I consider this record to be the middle album of a trilogy. It’s been an incredibly fun process of helping them learn the ropes from early demos in 2018…to the point of writing fun, smart pop rock grunge songs. If you enjoyed the vibe of 90s distorted guitars, this is the record for you.

Other Great Records That Could Be Listed Above

Baroness – Stone
Baroness is one of the best damned bands out there. This most recent album has them helming the production / recording end on their own. It is absolutely a musicians record. There are some incredible riffs, blistering solos, and just really creative songwriting. Damned great.

Lydia Loveless – Nothing’s Gonna Stand In My Way Again
Perhaps her most complete release, cementing her as one of the best songwriters in the game. Just a perfect sense of melancholy indie folk, with the lightest country twinge.

Grace Potter – Mother Road
If The Rolling Stones released a record with one of the most incredible female vocalists I’ve heard, being produced by one of the greatest producers of all time. That’s this record. It’s SO damned good. Fires on every cylinder.

Ratboys – The Window
Just a perfect indie rock record. Chris Walla just has the magic touch, and I’m at the point to where if he’s worked on it, I’m listening to it. The songs are GREAT. The production is perfect. The band is tight. It’s just so damn good.

Pile – All Fiction
Pile is on a heater. Every damned record is just a banger. Consistently awesome. They have such a unique fingerprint in the heavy, artsy, indie scene, and they are so good at it.

Shame – Food For Worms
A high energy British post punk band, back with another banger. You can almost feel the sweaty shirtless attitude dripping off of your headphones. Their set at Thalia Hall was straight fire. Shout out to my friend Kyle & his kids for including me at that show.

Foo Fighters – But Here We Are
I wasn’t sure we’d get this record at all, but it’s a solid Foo Fighters album. The songs are sad & heavy given the loss of Taylor Hawkins, but it is a really strong release from Grohl & Co.

Codeseven – Go Let In
C7 is back with their brand of heavy space-rock. Massive production, great songs, incredible music videos.

Heavenward – Pyrophonics
Former member of Teenage Wrist has released his first full length record. Big 90s grunge vibes with an attempt to dial in some rock radio friendly singles. This was a fun jam if you like Hum, Failure, Pumpkins.

Queens of the Stone Age – In Times New Roman
Just another great rock record from QOTSA. It feels like they’ve landed on the sound that they want. Just vibey riff rock, dripping with attitude, and snarky vocals. Classic rock infused with desert rock. If you follow the band, and all of the things Josh Homme has dealt with over the last couple years, you can understand why it was an important record for him.

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Longass Title
I don’t know how they do it. You’d expect that they’d run out of things to say. Run out of riffs. But they just keep chugging along, releasing some wonderful heavy, psychedelic, alt rock jams.

Nickle Creek – Celebrants
A folk band’s concept record, produced by one of my all time record makers, Eric Valentine. The songwriting is as equally interesting as the production and mix. Fascinating.

Thrice – The Artist In The Ambulance Revisited
I wasn’t sure where to put this. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Thrice. The 2003 release was very important to me. So, the fact that they remade this record as through the lens of being 40 year old, I think it’s a fun & fascinating experiment.

Songs of the Year