2023 has been another bumper year for albums on the independent scene. I've had to make some hard decisions to cull the list to just 30 and fear I've probably forgotten a few that could have made it. The order is entirely subjective etc etc. But all albums on this list are worth exploring if any of my short reviews piques your interest. I've included a Spotify playlist with a tune from each album to play whilst you browse through my ramblings. I've included links to purchase the albums where I found them and twitter handles (where they still exist) to engage with the artists and keep tabs on their future releases and gigs. Thanks to all the artists featured here for keeping me entertained and making the new music scene fresh and lively.
A few vinyls from my album list that have already arrived Down Under
#30 Lulu - Hey Calamity
Dave Thomas from South Australia has been very prolific in 2023 and released two albums this year in quick succession following from his debut in 2022. Urbania came out in October following Lulu's release in April 2023. A mixture of Shoegaze and Dreampop with a nod to the early records of The Cure which deserves the attention of your best headphones. A couple of songs feature the vocals of Emily Thomas including one of my highlights Soft Illusion.
Favourite songs: Soft Illusion & Saving Grace
Jake Davey's second album You Are What You're Spoonfed offers the listener plenty of wonderful songs that build up and capture your heart. Just listen to the totally underated music on Like Dynamite and Grind Our Bones for that laidback Seventies groove.
Favourite songs: Like Dynamite & Grind Our Bones
#28 As The Crow Flies - Kevin Robertson
Kevin Robertson has followed up his excellent 2022 album Teaspoon of Time with another fine collection of melodic jangly pop with Magic Spells Abound. If you like the Cosmic Rough Riders this is in a similar vein. Kevin is also a member of Aberdeen band The Vapour Trails who have three albums in their catalogue.
Favourite songs: Sunset & As The Crow Flies
Twitter: @KevinRo17521365
Bandcamp: https://kevinrobertson.bandcamp.com/album/magic-spells-abound
#27 Twenty-First Century Times - Joe Astley
Released in January 2023 the debut album from Joe Astley collects four of his best singles released over the last few years alongside new material full of social commentary on the state of the nation. There’s a doff of the flat cap to Springsteen, Dylan, Shane MacGowan and Billy Joel. The sublime Anthem For The North is still the centrepiece and even gets a reprise here.
Favourite songs: Anthem For The North & The Battle of Wigan Lane
Twitter: @JAstleyOfficial
#26 Get On The End Of It! - Laurie Wright
A loud raucous rock n roll debut album from London’s premier busking mod punk. This is one huge redemptive riot of an LP from one of the new music scene’s brightest stars who almost burnt out but survived and used that to fuel his fire. If you’ve not heard of him then Laurie Wright is an artist you should discover today.
Favourite songs: Butter Side Up Boy & Wings Of Gold And Platinum
#25 Between The Lies - MantraRay
This second album has another great selection of indie rock and pop tunes on it. Topics include war, family, love, heartbreak and holidays in the Sun. Their self production has improved in leaps and bounds and I’ve written up a track by track review which can be found here
oldindiekid.blogspot.com mantraray-between-lies-album-review
Favourite songs: My Broken Heart & Just Like The Sun
#24 Woke Up - Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson’s Wake Up is in his own words “10th Generation, bargain basement, white man blues” with funky electro noodling. This is ten top examples of the new crossover genre Big Beat Blues with a mixture of poignant and humorous self deprecating lyrics. Cheer up Andy! Might never happen.
Favourite songs: Big Bad Dose Of You & 44 More
#23 Mode - Mode
From Adelaide, South Australia comes this five piece power pop Britpop band who self-released their debut album on vinyl in March. Mode mix the sounds of the Sixties and the Nineties with a New Wave influence and create some perfect pop music. If you enjoy their labelmates Cigarillo then you should check out Mode who also share singer-songwriter and guitarist Marc Garnett. This album isn't available on Spotify so head to bandcamp to hear and purchase it.
Favourite songs: Hold On To Yesterday & Rundle Mall
#22 The Long Way - Leigh Thomas
An awesome album of thunderous Aussie rock. Big anthems, sing along choruses, great lyrics and melodic hooks to snare your interest. The Leigh Thomas debut album contains 3 previous singles and seven spanking new tracks including the bombastic Underground and my favourite the eco-warrior album closer Kids of Tomorrow. The Long Way album is a full face blast of classic contemporary guitar music from a talented singer songwriter and purveyor of total tunes.
Favourite songs: Kids Of Tomorrow & Higher Low
#21 Don'ts And Dos - The Radio Field
Lars from Subtafuge formed a side project in Dussledorf during the lockdown which morphed into a fully fledged band playing breezey jangle pop. This is their debut album and its bloody great.
Favourite songs: Other One (featuring Phantom Handshakes) & Love
#20 The Only Light In This Tunnel Is The Oncoming Train - Afflecks Palace
Hazy jangle Pop introduced by a buzzing bee. Eighteen months after the excellent debut album, this second album from Afflecks Palace deals up another big batch of baggy tunes that I have personally road tested on the dance floor.
Favourite songs: Wide Eyes On The Night Bus & I’m So Glad You’re On Ecstasy
#19 Unmask The Circus - Mark Sharp & The Bicycle Thieves
Hailing from the musical hotbed of West Lothian, Mark Sharp and The Bicycle Thieves released their wonderful debut album Unmask The Circus in August 2023 and it is a strong collection of great hooky indie pop and rock songs.
Favourite songs: All That Northern Soul & Sink Or Swim
Twitter: @MarkSharpMusic
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/marksharpmusic
#18 Counting To Three - Portable Radio
Manchester’s Portable Radio mix the Pop sensibilities of Supergrass with the harmonies of The Beach Boys in a joyful blast of pop hedonism drunk on Chipper Juice.
Favourite songs: I Feel Like A Dog & Good News
#17 Here We Are - Apollo Junction
The Leeds band’s third album contains ten prime cuts of well produced 80s influenced indie rock anthems. There are moments which sound like The Joshua Tree with synths and everything is turned up to eleven. Each song has that lighters in the air, sing along, feel good factor.
Favourite songs: History & By The River
#16 Pictures Of You: A Compilation of Covers of Songs by the Cure - Various Artists
With 45 cover versions of one of my favourite artists I couldn't lose on this mental health charity indie compilation. I've picked out three favourites from artists I know but the whole album is brilliant.
Favourite songs: In Your House by dunkie, The Kiss by Pocket Lint, Just Like The Cure by Sean Buckley
#15 False Starts, Open Endings - Katie MF
Katie MF is a London based artist with a punk ethos and a bucketful of talent. The opening song Lucky MF tells the story of her near death accident that nearly finished her off and her reactions to this traumatic experience. Katie brings infectious humour and anger as her songs take on the Tories, the patriarchy, sexism, and an errent piece of metal trying to take her fucking head off.
Favourite songs: Lucky MF & Confidence Crisis
#14 Quasars and Fluff - Blokeacola
Blokeacola’s double album is well worth exploring. Inspired by the Beatles White album there are a variety of styles on this latest opus. His brilliant lyrics are always a pleasure to listen to and there is a strong Beck influence on many of the acoustic songs that adorn Quasars and Fluff. The difficulty here was picking highlights as each song you hear quickly becomes a new favourite. Not yet on Spotify so head to Bandcamp if you want a copy on CD on a digital download.
Favourite songs: Carrion & Troublesome Lie
Twitter: @blokeacolazero
Bandcamp: https://blokeacola.bandcamp.com/album/quasars-and-fluff
#13 Fires In The Night - 3 Little Wolves 🐺🐺🐺
It’s been a real pleasure seeing how 3 Little Wolves have grown from their first official release in 2021 until the release of their debut album two years later. They have been busy in the transfer market and tinkering with formations but they keep improving. Really excited for their next album but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Fires In The Night contains about seven singles and many of them re-recorded to beef up the original sound with extra layers of guitar and keyboard.
Favourite songs: Darkside & My House
#12 Night and Day - Dub Shepherds
A French based reggae outfit I recently discovered via the Keep Yourself Nice podcast. They play dub reggae and it feels like a lost Seventies classic with great songwriting and chilled Island grooves.
Favourite songs: Rebel Souls & Ain’t Coming Back
#11 HOOPLA - Super 8
Paul ‘Trip’ Ryan mostly records under the Super 8 name but he always has a few side projects on the go. Hoopla is a brilliant album a couple of years in the making and filled with twelve gorgeous indie songs. The influences include The Beatles, The Smiths, Teenage Fanclub, The La’s and Shack to name a few. I’ve played half of the songs here on my Daftpom podcasts and love this album.
Favourite songs: Our Town & Moments In Time
The album was released in February 2023 on Bandcamp and has since appeared as a series of EPs on streaming sites with a full extra b-sides thrown in. Another top collection of songs with headphone ear popping production from one of the new music scenes most thought provoking songwriters. The topics covered on Joe’s sixth album of the decade include calling for the youth to rebel, blocking internet trolls, Stranger Things, Tory incompetence and corruption, alongside more personal songs. This is a more guitar oriented album than the previous About The Soul thanks to collaborator and axeman Jim Sanger.
Favourite songs: Hopper (ft Skylu) & Revolution By Hashtag
Twitter: @JoeAdhemar
Bandcamp: https://joeadhemar.bandcamp.com/album/the-synesthete
#9 Four Sides Of The Circle - The Mariners
Nottingham’s finest 60s throwbacks The Mariners have been very prolific this year. As well as releasing a Christmas CD they released their third album and a double one at that. The recurring theme’s are the passing of time, memories of the past and the changing of the seasons. There are too many songs to do it justice in this short review. But give it a listen and let The Mariners guide you on a journey once around the sun and up the garden path for a pot of tea and some lawn maintenance. Marvellous stuff!
Favourite songs: Autumn Will Come Soon & Bathley Street
#8 Our Fear Is Their Power - The Shed Project
The Shed Project second album is a brilliant album commenting on the state of the world. Themes tackled include government corruption, the decline of Britains cities, the scourge of addiction and industry charlatans (not Tim Burgess & friends).
Favourite songs: Naughty & Ghost Town
#7 Your Cuckoo - Teenage Waitress
Southampton’s Daniel Ash is a talented songwriter and has created a fantastic second album with many songs reminiscing on youth and relationships. Great use of sound effects as alarm clocks, car indicators, crashing waves, seagulls and jangling keys all add to the ambience.
Favourite songs: Grey Sky & Back Seat
#6 Little Pictures Without Sound - SENSES
The debut album by SENSES has been a long time coming. The band have been playing together since they teenagers but life mishaps kept getting in the way of releasing their debut album. Senses dusted off the decade-old recordings during the lockdown and decided to finish what they started. Little Pictures Without Sound was finally released on 42 Records in April 2023 to widespread acclaim. But when the music’s this good it’s worth waiting for.
Favourite songs: Drop Your Arms & Let Me In
#5 Standard Patter - Fire Up The Sun
ArrCee & MC Burnoot are baldy white Scottish rappers who just don’t give a fuck. They ain’t in it for the money because they realise there isn’t any but it keeps them off the streets. After a number of EPs they have expanded to a debut album with ten quality well produced tunes, social commentary and very dry dark humour. There are guest spots for MC Bongo and Lewca as collaborators in the madness. I’ve been listening to this album regularly since its release in May 2023. Are you listening? Cause you fuckin should be!
Favourite songs: Life Logistics & Last Orders
#4 Boombap for Boomers - Lewca
Fire Up The Sun return the favour by appearing on Lewca’s album to rip the piss out of him on the first track. Lewca and S.O.A.P. (DJ Son Of A Pitch) return with a blinding album of tunes in a variety of genres that refuse to be pigeonholed. Lewca’s lyrics are humorous and poignant and really resonate with me as a Forty-Nothing Dad. Guest spots for OrangeG, Fayabraz, Mick Swagger and Dancehall Legend Elephant Man! I reviewed the album in more detail on my blog article below…
oldindiekid.blogspot.com/lewca-boombap-for-boomers-album-review
Favourite songs: Roundabout & Monday Morning
#3 Delta Shakedown - The Heavy North
Blues n Soul n Rock n Roll is what we’ve come to expect from Merseyside’s Twelve Legged Groove Machine and this second album delivers in spades. You’ll be forgiven for mistaking the title song Delta Shakedown as a lost classic by The Doors. Next come the three singles that preceded the album each catchier than the last. When they slow the tempo they demonstrate their musical maturity and you are left in no doubt that you listening to a classic rock band at the heading for the peak of their powers.
Favourite songs: Delta Shakedown & Where Are You Now?
#2 Something About This Place - Thrillhouse
This is the long awaited Thrillhouse debut album - four years after the Brighton band started releasing dance tinged indie singles. For the album they have taken a different direction with guitars to the fore and a country rock tinge that nods at The War On Drugs, Bruce Springsteen and Dire Straits. The meloncholy songwriting is brilliant and reminisces about childhood memories, growing up and the passing of time. They used Kickstarter to fund their album's physical release on CD and Vinyl. Not sure if any copies remain but you can ask them if you missed out. They talk themselves down but they should be bigged up because Something About This Place is a triumph and a timeless record I can see myself enjoying for years.
Favourite song: So Far From Where I Started From & Butch Reilly
#1 Demons - Brownbear
What else could it be? An absolute classic album from the band from Ayeshire. This second album arrived five years after 2018's debut album What Is Home? Hopefully we won't have to wait half a decade for the follow up. Ten quality songs largely dealing with the ups and downs of relationships that pulls at your heartstrings, makes you want to dance, cry and sing along. This is all killer no filler territory and picking favourites from this album is very hard. There are no wrong answers! The music is influenced by acoustic indie, pop, northern soul, reggae and rock. There are less than 10 copies remaining on red vinyl if you hurry you might nab one for your record collection.
Favourite songs: Unity & Telling Stories
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