TOP ALBUMS I DIDN’T HAVE TIME TO GET AROUND TO BEFORE THE YEAR ENDED CAUSE I’M A BUSY PERSON AND GOT THINGS TO DO, FUCK OFF, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT – YES, THE WHOLE THING IS THE TITLE, INCLUDING THIS SENTENCE CONFIRMING THAT THE WHOLE THING IS THE TITLE.

(Tumbleweed Dealer‘s main man Seb Painchaud usually visits us once a year to share his eclectic year-end list, but he’s back now because turns out that list wasn’t complete. Buckle up for a wild ride.)

Wouldn’t be fair to me to call this one SHIT I SLEPT ON ‘cause I was honest about the fact I wasn’t done going through all my 2022 releases on my phone when I made my AOTY list (here), which seems like only a few days ago, but that’s just how time works now I guess.

Let’s keep blurbs short and the music flowing, I got tons of 2023 shit to get back to, and I feel my not-so-unique blend of outdated TV references, vulgar imagery, and constant swearing are wearing thin.

 

 

BILLY WOODS– Church

How the fuck does an artist end up on my top albums list AND on the albums I missed list IN THE SAME YEAR. This might just be the better of the two albums he made last year too…

 

 

KLONNS – Crow

Wanna get the shit beat the fuck outta yah for 6 minutes? Then here you go.

 

 

INVALIDS – Permanence

We can stop twinkly, tappity-tap, midwesty math rock after this, they’ve just about mastered it beyond any necessity to attempt anything in the genre ever again, by anyone, ever.

 

 

SHIRT – I Turned Myself Into Myself

I came for the badass bangin’ beat of the first track, but stayed ’cause of the understated, ambient atmosphere created by the second one. In a year where hip hop had all the best releases, this one just keeps surprising you.

 

 

OKOTOBE BEAVER – Super Champon

Now this one I slept on. Despite how much I loved their previous one, this one didn’t hit hard on the first listen. It’s just when I saw them play living on KEXP that I revisited it and fell in love. Weird, angry, angular, angry, angry shit right here.

 

 

APOLLO BROWN & PHILMORE GREENE – Cost Of Livin

Fuckin’ told yah it was a great year for hip hop.

 

 

HEDVIG MOLLESTAD – Maternity Beat

It ain’t on Bandcamp, here is a random song off YouTube:

 

 

FUCKED – Volume

They cranked up the blackened on their grindcore for amazing results.

 

 

MERYL STREEK – 796

Catchy post-punk with scathing spoken-word social commentary in a thick Irish accent in lieu of singing.

 

 

KERATIN – Only Eye

Best skramz I’ve heard in ages.

 

 

WOUND MAN – Human Outline Live Session

It’s not like LIVE live, just kinda studio live, and it’s just caved-in head and shoulders above any other form of musical violence released all year.

 

 

SWAMPBORN – Beyond Ratio

Black metal mixed with death and doom with accordion, sax, violin, and all kinds of weird-ass shit sprinkled on top, yet it all kinda works together.

 

 

FLESHWATER – We’re Not Here To Be Loved

The members have some kind of parental lineage with Slipknot or something, don’t know, don’t remember, don’t care, ain’t looking it up ‘cause it doesn’t matter. This is a shoegazy love letter to the ’90s and never pretends its anything else.

 

 

BACKXWASH – His Happiness Shall Come First Even Though We Are Suffering

I keep saying it’s a great fucking year for hip hop but this has nothing to do with that, this is on another level altogether. This is an emotionally exhausting yet rewarding listen the likes of which you never forget. Took me a few tries throughout the year before it finally clicked, so keep giving it a chance until it does, then you will understand what I mean.