10 Favorite 2023 Albums
A way too detailed list of 10 rock records I enjoyed the most over the past year
It is time to reflect on the past 12 months as we begin a new year. For those who love music, a year can be marked by the records we spun regularly during that time. Hearing them later can bring us right back to moments gone by, but in today’s world there is an endless flood of music, so cutting through all that noise is a challenge.
While many aren’t willing to let new music into their lives, seeking it puts a smile on my face, especially when an artist puts out a record that I want to hear over and over again. That said, this year didn’t start that strong for me. There were a couple of early releases like Wig Wam’s Out of the Dark and Steel Panther’s On The Prowl that kept me going until Eclipse’s Meglomanium broke cover.
I had assumed the release from Sweden’s most steady hard rock outfit would retain the top spot, but the back half of the year brought some strong releases and a couple of surprises. I thought I might have trouble finding 10 favorite records this year, but instead, it was a challenge to thin the herd again, with the most movement occurring in the middle slots, which were shuffled a few times.
Of course, I am old-fashioned, this list only includes full records of new material. There are no EPs, reissues, re-records, or singles included, just full albums of primarily fresh material. That said, it is worth noting that Lost Hearts released four of my favorite tunes of the year, so if they had a full record, it would have easily made the list. Instead, the following records are my 10 favorites from 2023, including those non-single hidden gems that dug their hooks in…
10. Nitrate: Feel The Heat
Traditionally the keyboard-forward AOR that Nitrate peddles doesn’t grab my attention, but with the injection of Art Nation’s Alexander Strandell on vocals for Feel The Heat, something changed. While they aren’t paving new ground, it didn’t take much for the album’s hooks to dig in as they flowed out from the sort of post-Hysteria production perfection that is so glistening it could be AI-generated. Yet, the authenticity of the tall Swede’s soaring vocals proved the perfect foil for the UK rockers to deliver a record that evokes the feel of a modern version of the first two H.e.a.t records with an XL Erik Gronwall belting out the tunes, particularly on cuts like Haven’t Got Time For A Heartbreak.
Hidden Gem: Strike Like A Hurricane
9. The Winery Dogs: III
As much as I would have loved to see John Sykes return to performing, the fact that he faded away and left Mike Portnoy and Billy Sheehan looking for the perfect piece gave the world something amazing. Richie Kotzen was that piece, and his vocals are as impressive as his guitar majesty. After a too-long hiatus, the three virtuosos came together for the Winery Dogs’ obviously named third record, III. It picked right up where they left off reining in their virtuosity in just enough to let the songs speak just a little louder, as illustrated on tracks like Breakthrough and The Vengeance. With a production that is punchy and spacious without overpowering the performances, III is consistent from top to bottom, and I hope it isn’t the band’s last creation since Portnoy has returned to his prog-rock mothership.
Hidden Gem: Pharaoh
8. The Defiants: Drive
The world of music is filled with artists who don’t get their just due, and one that stands out among that crowd is Paul Laine. A gifted singer and producer, his knack for crafting catchy melodic tunes is simply elite. Joined with fellow Danger Danger alums guitarist Rob Marcello and bassist Bruno Ravel in The Defiants, the group is more than just a DD retread. Instead, they are an elite melodic rock strike force, which delivered another potent salvo of songs on Drive. While it doesn’t quite reach the peaks offered by the band’s prior outing, this record is swimming in hooks on tunes like 19 Summertime and Hey Life, which are presented with the sheen of production that would have cost a million back in the ’80s, where this record would have been massive.
Hidden Gem: Love Doesn’t Live Here Anymore
7. Extreme: Six
Absence certainly made the hearts of rock fans grow fonder for Extreme. Having waited 15 years since releasing the underrated Saudes De Rock back in 2008, Extreme burst back onto the radar of casual fans with its sixth album, which belies the creativity under its cover with the simple title Six. Dave Grohl might think Extreme sucks (see below), but as the band sings on Mask, “I’ll take the blame for all my sins but I won’t take the hate for what you imagine…” And this record is a statement that Extreme is far from that too-cool-for-the-room opinion. Leading off with a trio of potent rockers, led by Rise and the solo heard ’round the world, Six lures the casual fans in and then hits them the real Extreme, which is about the variety that ranges from the jangly romp of Other Side of the Rainbow to the electronica-infused Thicker Than Blood. While Nuno Bettencourt’s King Kong-sized talent casts a large shadow, this collection of varied tunes shows that Extreme’s real animal attraction is the sum of its parts. From the tight rhythm section to the locked-in harmonies to the creative songwriting, Six is the sum of its four parts.
Hidden Gem: X-Out
6. Tempt: Self-Titled
While Tempt didn’t take as long as Extreme to put out a new record, it has been seven years and a few singles since the band’s debut back in 2016. During that time the band honed its craft and delivered an infectious collection of tunes that combine the lush layers of Hysteria-era Leppard with the rhythm section-driven flavor of early ’90s funk rockers King of the Hill and a splash of modern pop rock a la 5 Seconds of Summer. Benefitting from a punchy production, courtesy of Chris Lord Alge, that lets all the instruments breathe and the songs shine above all else, this self-titled record delivers hook after hook backed by stellar performances and brilliantly tasty guitar work from Billy Squier’s godson Harrison Marcello. If there were justice in the world, this sophomore record that deftly shrugs off the slump would sell sold millions.
Hidden Gem: Camouflage
5. The Bites: Squeeze
At the outset, 2023 didn’t appear a strong year for new releases, but six months in the tide turned, though there weren’t as many sleazy rock standouts, which dominated my 2022 list. One bright spot came in the form of The Bites’ debut, Squeeze. Imagine Silvertide and Faster Pussycat had a one-night stand behind the Rainbow Bar & Grill, and the sound of that love child is oozing out of this record. The production is clean enough but still captures the live vibe, which is where this band surely excels. From the gutter glam of Pretty Boys and Heather Leather to the anthemic Knockin’ On Your Door and Wild Animal, this record makes you tap your foot and reach for another Jack & Coke before you head back out on the Sunset Strip to meet that girl “hugging the curves of a torn-up Zeppelin shirt.”
Hidden Gem: Bad Bad
4. The Struts: Pretty Vicious
Born of The Struts’ frontman Luke Spiller’s dive into the deep end of rock stardom by which he enjoyed the sex, drugs, and rock ’n roll a bit too much, Pretty Vicious is the latest stellar installment from a band that blends ’70s glam with hard rock and pop and seals the deal with clever lyrics — “A sex so good, make the neighbors smoke a cigarette.” From the Chris Issac vibes of the title track Pretty Vicious to the anthemic melancholy of Hands On Me, Pretty Vicious is a ride through the highs and lows of the rock ’n roll lifestyle. Despite the pitfalls, it makes the listener want to make Bad Decisions over and over again on the road to be Somebody Someday. Only the lush production masks how authentic the songs are, but that bleeds out on the live stage.
Hidden Gem: Do What You Want
3. Temple Balls: Avalanche
The band’s name might have spawned from a book about Hanoi Rocks, but the muscular swagger of Finland’s Temple Balls strikes a balance between the punch of the early work from fellow countrymen Santa Cruz and the infectious songwriting of neighboring Sweden’s H.e.a.t. With the latter band’s multitalented maestro Jona Tee twisting the knobs behind the production console, the band delivers a worthy follow-up to 2021’s Pyromide with Avalanche, which buries the listener with mountainous riffs, massive hooks, and the gritty wail of vocalist Arde Teronen. The muscular production sets the foundation for soaring choruses on tunes like All Night Long and No Reason, but front to back the band’s fourth record offers no reason to skip a song, which kept it in regular rotation from the moment it dropped from the icy mountains.
Hidden Gem: Dead Weight
2. Eclipse: Meglomanium
A model of consistency, Eclipse delivers platter after platter blending AOR sensibilities with metallic delivery and hooks big enough to land a Megalodon. Its run of recent releases is among the pinnacle of the modern hard rock genre, and Meglomanium might lower that average score ever so slightly but it still maintains a standard of quality that many bands could only hope to attain. Mixed, mastered, produced, and primarily written by the genius Erik Martensson, the band’s 10th record stretches its format a bit with borderline power pop in the form of Got It — “I don't wanna stop, I don't wanna go Got it!” — and more traditional metal in Children of the Night — “Cross my heart and hope I'm never gonna die.” However, the Eclipse sound remains intact with the Crusner brothers laying down the bottom end and Magnus Henriksson layering in virtuosity on lead guitar, while that signature Mass Production Production puts the choruses out front without losing the punch. There is no explaining why Eclipse isn’t one of the most popular bands on the planet, “’Cause I don’t get it at all.”
Hidden Gem: Children of the Night
1. Marvelous 3: IV
An unexpected gift appeared in late 2023, as one of my favorite bands reunited and not only performed live again but delivered their first new album in 23 years! Such a revelation is wrought with peril, as the expectations are so great. However, Butch Walker, Jayce Fincher, and Douglas Mitchel delivered.
While it doesn’t ascend to the perfection of Ready Sex Go, the passively titled IV walks the line between a Butch solo record and the classic, clever power pop that Marvelous 3 perfected in the ’90s. From in-the-pocket new classics like My Old School Metal Heart to an on-point cover of the Producers’ She Sheila, the record takes the listener on a ride that reflects on a life of rock ’n roll well lived, but it is the hidden gem, that hits in the feels — “Urn full of ashes in the center console” — in a way that Mr. Walker only can, masking its emotional baggage with upbeat hooks.
This one was a grower, once its hooks landed, I just couldn’t get enough of it. With any luck, IV won’t be the band’s last effort, but the band’s fourth album holds its own in the band’s catalog of underground classics.
Hidden Gem: Jackie and Tina
And, there you have it, the list you didn’t know you needed to close out the year. The new year that carries big anticipation, as some of my favorite bands should have records released in 2024. With any luck, there will be another strong slate of records to make this list a challenge, but until then, if you don’t agree with my list, I’d love to hear your favorites in the comments, as it’s always fun to discover more great music.
Honorable Mentions: Art Nation: Inception, Jason Bieler And The Baron Von Bielski Orchestra: Postcards From The Asylum, Cassidy Paris: New Sensation, Crowne: Operation Phoenix, Dirty Honey: Can’t Find The Brakes, Heaven’s Edge: Get It Right, Hell In The Club: F.U.B.A.R., Jelusik: Follow The Blind Man, Mammoth WVH: Mammoth II, Metallica: 72 Seasons, Midnite City: In At The Deep End, Steel Panther: On The Prowl, Sevendust: Truth Killer, Station: And Time Goes On, Stardust: Kingdom Of Illusion, Wig Wam: Out Of The Dark, Winger: Seven