It’s that time of the year again! After writing about 100 albums in 2022, the bar was way too high in 2023. So I didn’t, and ended up not publishing it at all. So let’s not do that anymore. Here’s my top five, plus 95 of my other favorites in no particular order.
Bolachas Now Playing, a new music Spotify playlist, updated every Wednesday.
Almost a decade after the last The Black Swans release, frontman Jerry David DeCicca keeps putting out great solo albums. Which are not strictly solo, if you look at the cast of musicians enlisted here, a list that includes the legendary Augie Meyers (of the Texas Tornados and the Sir Douglas Quintet). The result is an instrumentally rich set of Americana songs that are probably your best introduction to DeCicca’s work as a songwriter.
This week, we have new tracks by Kacy & Clayton & Marlon Williams, The Weather Station, Sharon Van Etten, Steady Holiday, Jane Weaver, Ohmme, SUUNS & Jerusalem In My Heart, Viagra Boys, Woods, Jeremy Ivey, Cordovas, Langhorne Slim, Family Jordan, James Ellis and the Jealous Guys, The Slim Kings, Elvis Perkins, Kevin Morby, Julia Jacklin, Desure, Le Ren, Julie Byrne, The Orchestra of Cardboard, Tomberlin, Pearl Charles, Holy Motors, and Jennifer Castle.