The Vinyl Collector’s Guide to the Best Records of 2023
Available now in paperback, Kindle, and PDF! 100 must-hear albums handpicked from a year of eclectic sounds.
The Wax Museum is back after a nice holiday break; I hope you had one for the books. And speaking of books, I just made one! Hot off the presses, I am proud to introduce The Vinyl Collector’s Guide to the Best Records of 2023!
Each week, we spotlight new records that demand your ears' and turntables’ attention. The Vinyl Collector’s Guide to the Best Records of 2023 distills a year's worth of these discoveries into an essential collection.
But this is more than just a list; it’s a guide for the passionate vinyl sicko. You’ll find a beautiful vinyl variant of each album splashed on every page, as well as carefully curated links to expand your collection, from mainstream retailers to Discogs, the hub for buying, selling, and trading vinyl.
100 albums, 100 pages, with each page featuring a link to stream the album, a review from yours truly, and a “For Fans Of” section where you can find similar sounding jams. Some albums also feature snippets from passionate music writers from all corners of the Internet, including some of Substack’s finest like
, , , and .You can get the book on PDF and Kindle for $5, or paperback for $7.77. Paid subscribers get the PDF and e-book file for free. A subscription starts at just $3.33 a month, so it’s a no-brainer.
Additionally, supporters are entered into a monthly vinyl giveaway; February’s giveaway is a signed vinyl from a band near the top of the best records list.
If you need more convincing, you can sample five pages below. I chose five albums that I feel didn’t get enough love on the Best Of lists and are very much worth discovering.
And finally, the full playlist of our 100 Best Albums can be found at the end of this newsletter. The AOTY leaderboard has been wiped clean and ready for 2024; follow along to stay on top of the best releases of the year!
#17: Blush - Supercrush
Get Vinyl: Blue/Black/White Smash | Transparent Purple | Discogs
Supercrush, the inaugural album by Singapore's quartet Blush, offers a fresh and invigorating twist on '90s shoegaze, reminiscent of genre pioneers like Lush and Slowdive.
It’s a shame such a captivating album has flown under the radar, with some tracks unjustly sitting below 5,000 Spotify plays. We’ve stumbled upon a hidden treasure filled with swirling guitars and velvety vocals that oscillate between the loud and the soft.
Supercrush is an essential listen for those in search of a musical journey that's both dreamlike and dynamic. Anticipation is high for what Blush will unveil next.
For Fans Of: Alvvays, Ringo Deathstarr, My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr.
#36: Algiers - Shook
Get Vinyl: Gold | Black | Discogs
Atlanta hip hop hybrid band Algiers made an Atlanta concept album and put together a who’s who of contemporary artists like Zack de la Rocha (Rage Against the Machine), Samuel T. Herring (Future Islands), billy woods, Big Rube (The Dungeon Family) and Jae Matthews (Boy Harsher) to name a few.
The expansive album demands your attention and keeps you on your toes; breakneck speed bangers like “Irreversible Damage” and “Bite Back” rub shoulders with chopped and screwed beats, spoken vignettes, and ambient instrumental segues. Shoutout to Matt Tong of Bloc Party on drums, hammering away behind the urgent, thought-provoking political lyrics.
For Fans Of: Young Fathers, Savages, Run the Jewels, Black Pumas
#51: Mapache - Swinging Stars
Get Vinyl: Black | Discogs (colored variant)
Mapache's fourth album in as many years is their most magnetic yet, a whirlwind of stellar songwriting and tasty picking by Los Angeles high school friends Sam Blasucci and Clay Finch.
Swinging Stars takes listeners through all sorts of folk-rock terrain: opening track “Sentir” is entirely in Spanish, which leads into “French Kiss,” featuring arresting guitar solos and delightful piano riffs, followed by lead single “What a Summer,” a pastoral jam that marries Neil Young with Fleet Foxes.
Later in the album, the juxtaposition of old-country vibes in "Encinal Cannon" and the passionate grandeur of "Ghosts" (with it’s Beatles’ “Don’t Let Me Down” riff) showcases Mapache's versatility and innovative approach to the genre.
This is the sound of two old friends pushing boundaries, and I’m excited to see how they continue to evolve upon their psychedelic folk sound.
For Fans Of: Cut Worms, Jeff Tweedy, Pacific Range, Fleet Foxes
#56: Maple Glider - I Get Into Trouble
Get Vinyl: Hot Pink | Discogs (colored variant)
Melbourne’s Tori Zietsch, recording as Maple Glider, returns with her sophomore album, I Get Into Trouble, a riveting exploration into the depths of her past and the corridors of her psyche.
Drawing from her tumultuous history marked by religious confines and personal battles, Zietsch crafts a liberation narrative, painting stark vignettes of religious trauma juxtaposed with sexuality, like in the catchiest song on the album “Dinah.”
Zietsch’s unique ability to transform pain into clarity with novelistic detail lifts this album above similar indie folk. Dive in and emerge emancipated alongside Maple Glider.
For Fans Of: Molly Burch, Squirrel Flower, Helena Deland, Julie Byrne
#80: Silver Moth - Black Bay
Get Vinyl: Clear | Black | Discogs (colored variants)
Black Bay, the debut album from Silver Moth, is a mesmerizing musical journey born from the collaboration of seven artists who converged for the first time on a remote isle in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. This ensemble, which includes Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai, formed during lockdown and spontaneously composed and recorded the entire album in just four days, a testament to the group's remarkable synergy.
Each track evolves from gentle beginnings into rich, layered crescendos that blend guitars and synths in perfect harmony. The hauntingly beautiful vocals of songwriters Evi Vine and Elizabeth Elektra rise to meet the intensity of the music, creating refreshing post-rock soundscapes.
For Fans Of: Mogwai, Daughter, Slowdive, Deafheaven
Appreciate the shoutout, Jared! I'm listening to the Blush album now which definitely flew under my radar. I might be buying another record...
Thanks for the shout! Absolutely love Mapache and the new one was juuuuust on the outside looking in for my year end.