There was nary a second in 2023 the place music followers have been left wanting for long-form greatness. At each flip, a document harnessed the ache, harm, love, pleasure and all the things in between felt all 12 months lengthy. Perhaps it was loss (Sufjan Stevens’ ‘Javelin’, Depeche Mode’s ‘Memento Mori’), reckless abandon (Militarie Gun’s ‘Life Under The Gun’, Grrrl Gang’s ‘Spunky!’) or inquisitive experimentation (Amaarae’s ‘Fountain Baby’). These 50 information – as chosen by NME’s world staff of writers – encapsulated the total human expertise and are value treasuring and holding tightly.
Thomas Smith, Commissioning Editor (Music)
Contributors: Alex Rigotti, Anagricel Duran, Andrew Trendell, Andy Brown, Ben Jolley, Emma Wilkes, Hannah Mylrea, Hollie Geraghty, Jenessa Williams, Jordan Bassett, Karen Gwee, Kyann-Sian Williams, Liberty Dunworth, Mia Hughes, Rhian Daly, Sophie Williams, Surej Singh, Thomas Smith, Will Richards and Ziwei Puah.
50. Lil Yachty – ‘Let’s Start Here’
Where do you stand on 2023’s most divisive document? The rap famous person took an about-turn on ‘Let’s Start Here’, embracing psych-rock for a rebirth that was solely gazumped by André 3000’s flute-heavy journey. Lil Yachty bought there first, although, on this mesmerising journey down the artistic rabbit gap. TS
49. Depeche Mode – ‘Memento Mori’
The synth-goths’ finest album this aspect of the millennium was already underway earlier than the tragic demise of founding member Andy Fletcher, however this jet-black meditation on mortality took on a fair darker hue within the context of that horrible information. Though its Latin title interprets to “keep in mind you will need to die”, the shell-shocked duo’s assortment of stadium-sized electro anthems provided catharsis and artistic uplift in equal measure. JB
48. Grrrl Gang – ‘Spunky!’
Listening to Grrrl Gang’s debut album felt like an instantaneous ticket to the type of basement present the place sweat rolls down the partitions. With an brisk, youthful scrappiness, guts to spill, and truckloads of character (to not point out some improbable one-liners), the Indonesian punk trio have been unafraid to embrace their riot grrrl influences, and had a hell of a time doing it. EW
47. Ive – ‘I’ve Ive’
After introducing themselves as contenders for Ok-pop’s crown in 2022, the group solidified their excellence with their debut album, ‘I’ve Ive’ in April. The document confirmed off Ive’s full spectrum of strengths, occurring an exciting journey from the bratty, brash pop of ‘Kitsch’ to the tender resilience of ‘Heroine’ and the upbeat rush of ‘Not Your Girl’. It totally justified the thrill round them, shining from starting to finish with recent concepts and immaculate power. RD
46. Karol G – ‘Mañana Será Bonito’
Colombian singer Karol G continued to pave the best way as a history-maker together with her fourth studio album, which earned the Number One spot on the Billboard 200 chart upon its launch. She swung massive by bringing in legends akin to Romeo Santos, Shakira and Sean Paul to characteristic on a couple of tracks, making a heavyweight reggaeton LP sure to resist the take a look at of time. AD
45. Olivia Dean – ‘Messy’
Brimming with hope and promise, Olivia Dean’s elegant debut reshaped the early ‘00s neo soul-inspired sounds of her earlier materials into one thing newly exhilarating. ‘Messy’ addressed Dean’s household historical past and her personal romantic failings – these subjects led to a artistic revitalisation, not solely in her forthright lyrics but in addition in a extra rhythmic sonic palette. It felt like watching an ascendant star lean right into a bolder, braver model of herself. SW
44. CMAT – ‘Crazymad, For Me’
CMAT possesses an uncanny expertise for making songs that sound as very similar to nation ballads as they’re chaotic voice notice exchanges with buddies. Described as an “summary break-up album”, the Irish artist’s second document captured the ache and denial of heartbreak in a manner that was each fantastically impactful and completely wacky, whether or not she was making foolish popular culture references or hollering gut-wrenching lyrics like “Good sufficient to know you / Was all I wanted to be”. HG
43. The Rolling Stones – ‘Hackney Diamonds’
61 years, 24 albums and one member down (RIP Charlie Watts), you’d have been forgiven for pondering the world’s biggest rock’n’roll band had come to the tip of their journey. You’d have been incorrect, after all. This long-gestating new document from The Rolling Stones arrived courtesy of producer Andrew Watt, who not too long ago coaxed rowdy albums out of Iggy Pop and Ozzy Osbourne, and helped the Dartford rockers knock up a few of their finest tunes for the reason that ‘70s. Cameos from Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder and Elton John didn’t harm, both. AF
42. Geese – ‘3D Country’
Though this was simply the second album from Brooklyn five-piece Geese, ‘3D Country’ performed with a sound way more expansive than most bands at this stage of their profession. Overwhelming instrumentals and half-wailed vocals from singer Cameron Winter meant that ‘3D Country’ courted all-out chaos on this rambling, proggy epic. AB
41. Benefits – ‘Nails’
In the midst of the Tory mission to Make Britain Grey Again, what are you able to do? When punk proves futile and there aren’t any solutions, all you’re left with is noise, bile, and a glimmer of empathy. This towering debut from Teesside’s Benefits proved a monument to standing up for your self when nobody else will. As Kingsley Hall barked on ‘Flag’: “Privilege gained’t prevent / Eton gained’t prevent / People who communicate Latin is not going to prevent.” AT
40. James Blake – ‘Playing Robots Into Heaven’
A decade earlier than he was in studios producing for Travis Scott and Beyoncé, James Blake was making a number of the most revolutionary digital music of his technology. On the London-born post-dubstep pioneer’s sixth album, he went again to his membership roots to ship a document that was constantly creative and hard-hitting – even in its quieter moments. BJ
39. Holly Humberstone – ‘Paint My Bedroom Black’
Grantham-born singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone’s candid debut was full of all the things that she does finest: diaristic confessions on friendships, crushes and heartbreaks; softly-sung lyrics; brooding melodies for followers to flee inside. But her first album was additionally greater than that, serving as a hopeful portrait of an artist outgrowing the 20-year-old who first broke out throughout lockdown, as an alternative waiting for a future that would take her – and her sound – wherever. HG
38. Agust D – ‘D Day’
“Future’s gonna be OK,” Agust D – aka BTS rapper Suga – declared within the opening line of ‘D-Day’. The fiery album wrapped up his trilogy of solo releases with extra sharp, thought-provoking societal observations and reflections on his personal life, however with room for a brand new sense of peace, acceptance and hope. That it was all set to hard-hitting hip-hop and featured starry collabs with BTS’ J-Hope, late Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and extra solely made ‘D-Day’ extra spectacular. RD
37. Paris Texas – ‘Mid Air’
The electrifying debut from Californian duo Paris Texas combined up its vibe with each observe: punk, rap, rock and pop would all characteristic. Whether it was the lyrical wit of ‘tenTHIRTYseven’, scuzzy aggression of ‘Bullet Man’, or poignancy of ‘…We Fall’, ‘Mid Air’ was inconceivable to foretell – and even more durable to cease listening to. AB
36. Corinne Bailey Rae – ‘Black Rainbows’
Low-key opener ‘A Spell, A Prayer’ acted as an incantation that elevated listeners to the singer-songwriter’s new religious airplane: wonky nu-jazz, woozy alt-pop and loud-as-fuck grunge guitars. No, don’t regulate your units – we’re pondering of the identical Corinne Bailey Rae, she of tasteful neo-soul that was as soon as massive within the ‘burbs. Inspired by a go to to Chicago’s Stony Island Arts Bank centre of Black tradition, Rae exploded expectations with this thrilling, genre-busting revelation. JB
35. Hak Baker – World’s End FM’
With ‘World’s End FM’, east London’s Hak Baker might have restored your religion in modern protest music. An interaction between indie and scruffy-edged pop, the LP involved itself with a central theme of perseverance within the face of countless turmoil. Whether condemning music trade leeches, or decrying working-class appropriation, the document exuded an infectious and topical power – and, arguably, was unfairly snubbed from this 12 months’s Mercury Prize nominations. SW
34. Wednesday – ‘Rat Saw God’
This 12 months noticed Wednesday change into the most popular band within the indie-rock underground, and for good cause. ‘Rat Saw God’ was an album on which they solidified their potential, making a really nice assortment that would solely be theirs. They mixed dirtbag nation with slacker rock and crushing shoegaze, and advised tales of suburban Americana that have been each desperately unhappy and darkly humorous. It was gnarly, scuzzy and stuffed with coronary heart. MH
33. Laufey – ‘Bewitched’
Laufey pulled off a refined conjuring trick on her sumptuously detailed second album. The document’s songs, which elevated her trendy jazz sound with components of pop and bossa nova, all felt easy regardless of being so tightly constructed – it made for a triumph of introspection and restraint. If 2022’s ‘Everything I Know About Love’ was the introduction to this prodigious expertise, ‘Bewitched’ provided proof that she’s arrived. SW
32. The National – ‘Laugh Track’
2023 was a artistic rebirth for a band caught in a rut. Despite assembly larger audiences throughout the pandemic by their work with Taylor Swift, frontman Matt Berninger advised NME that The National have been struggling to attach with one another amidst his author’s block. They launched two albums, the delicate ‘First Two Pages Of Frankenstein’ to interrupt the ice, after which September’s ‘Laugh Track’, a gnarlier, brighter companion document that was quickly accomplished as soon as their mojo had been reignited. Had they mixed the 2 collections, their inserting might have been a lot, a lot increased. TS
31. Kaytraminé – ‘Kaytraminé’
In a sweaty summer time dripping with seasonal bops, nobody introduced the warmth fairly like producer-rapper duo Aminé and Kaytranada. From Pharrell-assisted dance banger ‘4EVA’ to the sleek, lazy river vibes of R&B chillaxer ‘Rebuke’, there was no higher album to crack open a chilly one to or, when you have been feeling extra energetic, soundtrack a sticky evening out within the golf equipment. AF
30. Le Sserafim – ‘Unforgiven’
For a bunch whose title unscrambles to kind the phrase “I’m Fearless”, Ok-pop rookies Le Sserafim actually put their cash the place their mouth is on this bold debut. ‘Flash Forward’ nailed sugary pop as readily as ‘Impurities’ did glacial R&B, whereas the touching ballad ‘FEARNOT’ discovered power in shades of twinkling emo-rock. It was the triple menace of ‘UNFORGIVEN’, ‘ANTIFRAGILE’ and ‘Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s Wife’ which actually coined their signature type although – rebellious, bassy anthems that put the empowerment within the occasion. JW
29. PinkPantheress – ‘Heaven Knows’
Who else would reinterpret Shakespeare’s King Lear on a pop document in 2023? Her dedication to her imaginative and prescient is spectacular and pays dividends on debut ‘Heaven Knows’. The means to put in writing hooks goes unmatched – see the insanely catchy ‘Nice To Meet You’ – and there’s loads of sonic experimentation that challenges the PinkPantheress sound while extending it into thrilling new territory. The Grammys must be kicking themselves for snubbing this star. AR
28. Water From Your Eyes – ‘Everyone’s Crushed’
Has there been a extra joyful success story this 12 months than that of Water From Your Eyes? The duo launched 4 albums earlier than they hit their breakthrough second with ‘Everyone’s Crushed’: a document of invigorating pop songs, given higher heft because of a much-talked about pageant run over the summer time. Here, they made music to replicate their very own core idiosyncrasies, and have been embraced with open arms by a complete new viewers. SW
27. Killer Mike – ‘Michael’
Race, inequality and masculinity: Killer Mike tackled all of it on this sprawling opus. Yet the Run The Jewels rapper’s first solo document in over a decade was additionally an intimate affair (the clue’s within the title!), as Michael Render shared his sincere, unvarnished worldview. Hooky, heart-breaking and, generally, humorous too. JB
26. Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist – ‘Voir Dire’
‘Voir Dire’ had a curious starting. Producer The Alchemist claimed in 2021 that the pair had launched a ‘secret’ album on YouTube below an undiscovered pseudonym. Cryptic clues finally led to this, a pointy fusion of each of their most interesting expertise when it was formally launched in August 2023: ‘Vin Skully’ and ‘Heat Check’ have been delightfully slinky and flashy. TS
25. Loraine James – ‘Gentle Confrontation’
Listening to Loraine James is an act of reverence, and ‘Gentle Confrontation’ is astonishing in its means to seize compassion. It was equal elements lush, layered, and fragmented, however listening to James interpret vulnerability in so many artistic methods – from incorporating private style influences to the voices of her household – made for an thrilling, tender hear from the underground membership scene. AR
24. Yaeji – ‘With A Hammer’
Yaeji’s long-awaited debut album discovered the Korean-American artist at her most bold. While ‘With A Hammer’ was undoubtedly fuelled by rage, the document’s sonic contrasts – veering between digital frenzies and moments of calm – proved there are various alternative ways to channel such feelings. BJ
23. Lana Del Rey – ‘Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd’
‘…Ocean Blvd’, which starred Father John Misty and Tommy Genesis, may need been Lana Del Rey’s most collaborative album thus far nevertheless it additionally felt like her most private. Over 16 tracks that flew by hushed experimentalism, intricate people and arresting instrumentals, she explored the concept of household – the one we have been born into, would possibly conceive sooner or later, or would possibly discover in a associate. A document of nice depth, it additional confirmed Del Rey’s place as a grasp of her craft. RD
22. Blondshell – ‘Blondshell’
Blondshell’s self-titled album distilled her most private and intense feelings right into a triumphant alt-rock smasher. From the sensual rawness seen on ‘Kiss City’ (“Just look me within the eye after I’m about to complete / I feel my kink is whenever you inform me that you just suppose I’m fairly”) to the fierce ‘Salad’ (“Look what you probably did, you made a killer of a pacifist”), every tune spotlighted a particular rising expertise. AD
21. Sleep Token – ‘Take Me Back To Eden’
After discovering their footing over latest years, on ‘Take Me Back To Eden’ Sleep Token established themselves as arguably crucial metallic band of 2023. On paper, the album’s genre-defying, experimental method might have been contrived, but with tracks like ‘The Summoning’ and ‘Granite’, the tip end result was one refined sufficient to ascertain the band as area headliners and a breath of recent air for in the present day’s rock scene. LD
20. Jessie Ware – ‘That! Feels Good’
“I feel I lastly know the artist I’m meant to be now,” Jessie Ware advised NME forward of the discharge of her ‘70s disco-inspired fifth album. Across 10 shimmering tracks, the singer embraced her sensuality and indulged in extra, oozing with a new-found inventive confidence that simply felt so rattling good. She stated it finest herself on the slinky, seductive title observe: “Pleasure is a proper.” HM
19. Militarie Gun – ‘Life Under The Gun’
On their debut full-length, Militarie Gun’s method to hardcore mirrored the style’s mainstream growth. As frontman Ian Shelton spat and snarled his manner by these tracks, the band behind him was enjoying massive, hooky, polished rock that regarded extra in direction of the airwaves than the basement. It performed not as a money seize, however as an try to put in writing a timeless, plain document unbeholden to punk snobbery. Mission completed. MH
18. Genesis Owusu – ‘Struggler’
On Genesis Owusu’s second album, his star was glowing ever brighter. An idea album centering round a personality referred to as The Roach, Owusu’s output was an assured thrill, weaving rippling basslines, bursts of disco and funky riffs right into a vibrant patchwork. In each its story and sound, ‘Struggler’ was brimming with vibrant concepts. EW
17. Yves Tumor – ‘Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)’
Yves Tumor’s transformation right into a glam rock star grew to become full this 12 months on their fifth album. It swung for the fences with unashamedly large melodies, however managed to not sacrifice their inherent urge for experimentation. ‘Meteora Blues’ had large ‘90s alt-rock guitars, however ‘In Spite Of War’ lent itself nearer to twenty first century indie. It’s virtually no shock, then, to study that Tumor’s start surname is Bowie – they each seem to have the identical iconic look and stressed nature. WR
16. Foo Fighters – ‘But Here We Are’
Given that Foo Fighters’ origins have been born out of Dave Grohl’s grief for Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, it added one other bleak layer to the tragic demise of drummer Taylor Hawkins in March 2022. ‘But Here We Are’, their first album since his passing, exceeded expectations: from the serene ‘Show Me How’, a beautiful duet with Grohl’s daughter Violet, to the emotionally susceptible ‘Hearing Voices’, the document introduced followers nearer to the band than ever earlier than. LD
15. JPEGMafia and Danny Brown – ‘Scaring The Hoes’
US alt-rap titans JPEGMafia and Danny Brown teamed up in March for this explosive collaborative album which was a chaotic playground the place each of their respective crafts have been showcased, revered and pushed. Produced by JPEGMafia in its entirety, there was scarcely a uninteresting second. TS
14. 100 Gecs – ‘10,000 Gecs’
Emotional depth wasn’t the power – or the purpose – of 100 Gecs’ second album, however when you purchased into the hilarity of ska songs about unhappy frogs at events and grotesque dental procedures, it was within the operating for 2023’s wildest listening expertise. It averted novelty by the sheer excellence of its pop melodies; Laura Les and Dylan Brady have been having amusing, whereas remaining lethal severe in regards to the high quality. WR
13. Romy – ‘Mid Air’
After greater than a decade as lead vocalist of The xx, Romy Madley Croft stepped out of the shadows and into the sunshine together with her euphoric debut album. Showcasing a brand new, vibrant aspect to her artistry, the 11-track document soared because of life-affirming pop-house bangers like ‘Enjoy Your Life’, ‘Strong’ and ‘Loveher’. BJ
12. Queens of The Stone Age – ‘In Times New Roman…’
A half-decade of turmoil (a messy and highly-publicised divorce from the Distillers’ Brody Dalle; a most cancers prognosis; the lack of buddies together with Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins and former bandmate Mark Lanegan), left Josh Homme ambivalent about making one other document. Yet the veteran rocker discovered himself, as he put it to NME, “strolling deeper into the darkness”. The end result was QOTSA’s most bludgeoning sonic assault but – and that’s saying one thing. JB
11. Sufjan Stevens – ‘Javelin’
Amidst a severe well being episode, and the lack of his associate in April, Sufjan turned to “full singer-songwriter mode” for the primary time since 2015’s ‘Carrie & Lowell’. A group of intimate indie-folk, layered vocals and plush instrumental preparations accompanied Stevens’ devastating lyrics: one other triumph from the prolific cult hero. HM
10. Blur – ‘The Ballad of Darren’
When Britpop heroes Blur introduced their reunion in late 2022, ‘The Ballad Of Darren’ was barely a kernel of an concept; Damon Albarn later credited the upcoming Wembley Stadium reveals within the diary – initially booked to have fun ‘Modern Life Is Rubbish’’s thirtieth anniversary – as artistic momentum to get the entire band again within the studio. Following disparate recording periods (2015’s ‘The Magic Whip’) and an absent Graham Coxon (2003’s ‘Think Tank’), ‘The Ballad Of Darren’ would show their finest album for the reason that ‘90s, a reckoning of misplaced relationships and middle-aged malaise. TS
9. Mitski – ‘The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We’
Mitski writes about heartbreak like nobody else, however on her previous few albums she’s coated it in shiny synths and upside-down pop songs. Not right here. Acoustic guitar, slide guitar and strings reigned on Mitski’s seventh album, giving it a mournful nation really feel. When the instrumentation was wealthy it was like she was constructing a complete universe, and when it was sparse, it was like devastating desolation. Mitski’s beautiful voice was the centrepiece, smokey and plaintive as her melodies jerked in surprising instructions like on marionette strings. By now, there’s little denying that she’s probably the greatest songwriters of this technology. MH
8. Amaarae – ‘Fountain Baby’
A document that redefined the boundaries of alt-Afropop. Ghanaian-American Amaarae demonstrated her means to craft an expensive sound all of the whereas steering the album with direct storytelling. Her second album drew from a myriad of worldwide influences – together with the awe-inspiring Arabic scales and the brash, rebellious nature of punk rock – and these various components, paired with Amaarae’s signature syrupy register, made for a memorable expertise. KSW
7. Sofia Kourtesis – ‘Madres’
The debut album from Peru-born, Berlin-based DJ and producer Sofia Kourtesis was devoted to neurosurgeon Dr Peter Vajkoczy, who saved her mom’s life after a 2021 most cancers prognosis. “He actually makes me courageous and makes me take extra dangers,” Kourtesis advised NME, and this gratitude and power shone by on an album bursting with pleasure and therapeutic. Kourtesis’ beats are full of sunshine and jubilation: “Come on, let’s transfer ahead,” she sang on spotlight ‘Si Te Portas Bonito’, certainly one of numerous moments of emotional breakthrough on this particular album. WR
6. Caroline Polachek – ‘Desire, I Want To Turn Into You’
The expansive ‘Desire, I Want To Turn Into You’ noticed Caroline Polachek blast open her sonic world. Following on from ‘Pang’’s avant-pop, right here the revolutionary artist fearlessly performed with style, instrumentation and association. Throughout the document you heard Spanish guitar and bagpipes; trip-hop and UK storage; even Grimes and Dido, who seem on the identical observe. But regardless of the far-reaching sonics, on ‘Desire…’ she managed to mould these disparate sounds into one thing that’s distinctly distinctive. HM
5. Paramore – ‘This Is Why’
Bringing their love of British indie to the fore, ‘This Is Why’ noticed US stalwarts Paramore hone in on the spiky, claustrophobic feelings of attempting to be one of the best human, bandmate, lover and social advocate you possibly can with out dropping your self within the course of. With a unusual pop-rock flourish, the danceable moments went arduous (‘Running Out Of Time’, ‘C’est Comme Ça’), however so did the extra intimate ones, with epic Pixies-on-piano nearer ‘Thick Skull’ making thrilling use of the subtleties and power of Hayley Williams’ vocals. With all three members clearly pulling in the identical route, the group’s collective future has by no means regarded brighter. JW
4. Troye Sivan – ‘Something To Give Each Other’
Beneath the numerous, many moments of ecstasy on ‘Something To Give Each Other’ – the recent, dripping lust that outlined ‘Honey’! The perfectly-timed Bag Raiders pattern on ‘Got Me Started’! – there was additionally a deep sense of grace. Between a breakup and acclimating to his adopted house of Melbourne, Troye Sivan has had a tough few years: he put all of it into this career-best effort, which noticed him abandon remorse and hole out any emotions of disgrace.
These songs lower to the core of why pop music is usually a guiding mild throughout heartache. The prospects of want and a brighter, sexier future intensified in tandem with the BPMs (‘Rush’, ‘Silly’); an act of assertion that cemented Sivan as a newly emergent icon. SW
3. Young Fathers – ‘Heavy Heavy’
With their fourth album ‘Heavy Heavy’, Scottish trio Young Fathers affirmed their artistic energy. It’s a document so joyously executed, so steeped in humanity and creativity, that placing your finger on why a single tune or second is so affecting feels fruitless. ‘I Saw’ is likely one of the 12 months’s most interesting rock belters, each direct and explorative; ‘Rice’, in the meantime, touched on the plundering of Africa’s pure assets.
“It’s a mark of the band’s robust songwriting nous that such politicised lyrics are subtly imbued throughout a mission that also manages to be equal elements anthemic and infectious,” NME’s five-star assessment swooned. Masterful work. TS
2. Olivia Rodrigo – ‘Guts’
No one does enjoyable, unabashed theatre child maximalism like Olivia Rodrigo. These 12 biting and infrequently feverish songs have been full of admissions that others would discover too embarrassing to share with a buddy, not to mention broadcast to a worldwide viewers of hundreds of thousands. “Every man I like is homosexual!,” the 20-year-old cried on ‘Ballad Of A Homeschooled Girl’, her exaggerated matter-of-factness underscoring the album’s primary takeaway: ‘Guts’ was born from recent ache.
Here, Rodrigo usually puzzled if she’s ever going to determine life out now that she’s entered younger maturity. This outlook was wrought by adrenaline-pumping guitar passes and the occasional screamed vocal; she righteously selected to take pleasure in her personal depth, and celebrated herself for doing so. SW
1. Boygenius – ‘The Record’
Few bands dominated 2023 like Boygenius did. Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker may need been the main focus of intense fandom earlier than, however this 12 months noticed them attain new ranges of cult worship, largely because of ‘The Record’, their long-awaited debut album.
Although the album coated the bottom of relationships of many alternative kinds, at its core it centred on the friendship between three of this technology’s most incisive songwriters – each lyrically and the performances captured on it. It took what would possibly appear to be mundane anecdotes about driving within the incorrect route together with your mates and turned them into touching odes to connection and what it means to actually be recognized by somebody (‘Leonard Cohen’). It requested questions on how far friendship might go – even by satanism? – and located power in getting susceptible on certainly one of many highlights, ‘Not Strong Enough’. That tune may need positioned Boygenius as “at all times an angel, by no means a god”, however ‘The Record’ deservingly vaulted them a lot nearer to musical deity standing. RD
