Better late than never, but in no particular order: here are the records from 2023 that really stuck with me.

Why Would I Watch – Hot Mulligan

The last song on this record is probably the best, but the whole thing is a fun ride. You do leave thinking “man, is this guy ok? Is he still drinking?”

Toxic Positivity – The Used

Another wonderful record from John Feldman and The Used. Tracks like “Dancing with a Brick Wall”, and “I Hate Everybody” are real standouts.

This is Why – Paramore

To be honest, this might be my least favorite of the last there Paramore records, but I still get “C’est comma Ça” stuck in my head from time to time.

ONE MORE TIME… – blink–182

This was a really great return from blink. I liked the Matt Skiba era better than most, I think. However, Turpentine might be my all-time favorite blink song. The whole record is great, and in the intervening two years they released a Deluxe version that is also great.

The Maine – The Maine

The Maine continue an incredible run of records following American Candy. Dos #2 is a fun opening track, but several others really hit as well. This band just keeps getting better

So Much (for) Stardust – Fall Out Boy

I had written about this album when it came out, and I think that that holds up. Its a good album. It feels much more like the latter half of Fall Out Boys run prior to their disbanding, than their radio-ready singles from ~5 years ago.

The Fear of Fear – Spiritbox

I know I said these aren’t in any particular order, but this is probably my favorite release of 2023. Theres something to be said for a really tight, concise E.P., and more bands ougt to say it. No bloat; just the best 4-6 tracks. I think it really helps w/ cohesion and continuing a theme throughout the release. This was the first thing by Spiritbox I had listened to, and believe me, they’ve become a mainstay of the last several years.