ThisIsTheMusic

2023 has seen the release of some fantastic albums and I believe that we have been truly spoilt with the amount of quality releases throughout the year!

I’ve compiled a list of my 10 favourite albums of the year, covering 1st January to 1st December 2023. Have a read below and hopefully you mind find an artist that you’ve not come across before. As always continue to support the independent scene, share their music and catch them at a gig if you can and maybe buy some merch too!

The Shed Project – Our Fear Is Their Power

Full of emotion, swagger and groove, The Shed Project’s second album, captures the mood of “Broken Britain” and sees the Bolton 5-piece come out fighting with resonating lyrics and saying it exactly as it is. There’s plenty of tender moments and the musicianship on display throughout just oozes class.

The Heavy North – Delta Shakedown

Mixing soul, funk and psychedelia with the bands trademark garage blues sound, Delta Shakedown is an album full of quality and sees the Liverpool 6-piece deliver an album that will stand the test of time.

The Reytons – What’s Rock and Roll?

Breathtaking second album, full of sizzling guitar riffs and full of anthemic songs telling stories about Broken Britain, social media, love, and relationships backed with sharp relatable lyrics, that ensures every song is one that you want to singalong to at the top of your voice. And to think their success is all done without any major backing.

George Hennessy – If You Can’t Find What You are Looking For Please Ask….

For 44 minutes and 18 seconds you will be transported back to the heart of 90s Britpop. The anthemic choruses of Oasis, through to the powerful psychedelic sound of the early Verve. This album is full of infections rocknroll tunes, with a Liam Gallagher -esque snarling vocal performance. What’s not to love?

Gallahers Green – Dare To Dream

Drawing on life experiences, serving in the RAF, and the bands love of rock music, comes a powerful, intense and emotional album. There’s plenty of anthems, uplifting melodies and thought provoking lyrics throughout from a band who have well and truly dared to dream.

Box Of Trash – Candlewood 230

Genre bending concept album, that explores alien invasions, abduction and time-travelling adventures, whilst waking up and realising that it was all a dream. Built around glam rock guitars, melodic vocals, thunderous drums and groovy bass-lines, this is album you cannot ignore.

Come At The King – Overgrown

Full of powerful, stadium filing anthems Overgrown is a really exciting debut album. It’s rammed full of great guitar riffs and emotive vocals that are packed with bags full of energy. It wears it’s influences on its sleeve Led Zeppelin and Oasis immediately spring to mind; this is a band and an album you simply need to get in your radar.

Apollo Junction – Here We Are

Combining their trademark synth pop sound with a punchy rock soundscape, Here We Are is a truly powerful album, with soul-searching lyrics about challenge faced of being in a band and holding onto those dreams. The instruments shimmer throughout giving the album a real magic feeling.

Laurie Wright – Get On The End Of It

Anthemic head-bopping and explosive rocknroll that packs a punch from start to finish, with monster choruses throughout. There’s no denying that Laurie Wright has crafted an album of infections rocknroll tunes.

The Kynd – Timelines

With their first album in over 20 years, The Kynd have made a welcome return with an album that’s full of swagger, emotion and love. Timelines is full of great songwriting, sublime melodies and a melodic vocal that draws inclination from 60s beat pop, 70s rock and 80s new wave.

The Utopiates – The Sun Also Rises

An album full of groove, swagger and feel-good tunes, influenced by the 90s rave/baggy scene. The songs are full of hope and positivity, combined with tight rhythms, killer hooks and catchy melodies and shows why they are one of the most sought after bands around.

The Lucettas – Stop Boxing On The Platform

An album full of undeniable catchy indie rock tunes, that will leave you mesmerised by the quality of the song writing, musicianship and vocal harmonies on display.

Foreign Mornings – 4AM

Self produced and home recorded (in guitars players Reece’s front room) the Irish alternative rockers have well and truly embraced the DIY ethos of the indie scene. Combining loud guitars crashing drums and gentle emotive melodies, the album tells stories of heartbreak, happiness and struggle, from your teenager years through to your early twenties.

Mark Sharp and The Bicycle Thieves – Unmask The Circus

Huge slice of indie pop, full of upbeat songs, telling tales love, happiness and delivered with pure emotion. The musicianship is on a different level, from the punchy guitar riffs catchy beats and piano strokes, the level of detail is outstanding.

Andrew Cushin – Waiting For The Rain

Emotive, stadium ready songs that pack a punch, Andrew Cushin has delivered an album engaging, with plenty of variety of throughout, whilst flowing and cements his status as one of the country’s best songwriters.

ThisIsTheMusic Socials

The ThisIsTheMusic album of the year playlist can be found on Spotify here.

For everything ThisIsTheMusic you can find me across social media here https://linktr.ee/ThisIsTheMusic_

Check out the ThisIsTheMusic New Music 2023 Playlist on Spotify

The Rise of The Indie Artists show is on Future Hits Radio every Thursday from 7pm. All previous shows are available here.