Here is my personal roundup of the top 25 album releases of 2023. This list is a reflection of my musical journey over the past year, focusing on the albums that resonated with me the most, regardless of their status in the wider music world. Phil Aston
Please watch the video for the full run down
(My Top 50+ Box Sets and Reissues Videos will follow soon)
My Top 25 Albums from 2023
- Riverside : ID.Entity
- SOEN : Memorial
- Steven Wilson : The Harmony Codex
- Tempt : Tempt
- Nitrate : Feel The Heat
- Metallica : 72 Seasons
- Gov’t Mule : Peace…Like a River
- Within Temptation : Bleed Out
- Ian Hunter : Defiance Part 1
- When Rivers Meet : Aces Are High
- Rob Gould : Nursery Cryme
- Stray : About Time
- Suzi Quatro : Face to Face
- Vintage Trouble : Heavy Hymnal
- Matt Wilde : Hello World
- Steve Hackett : Foxtrot at 50
- Sendelica : One Man’s Man
- Hawkwind : The Future Never Waits
- Uriah Heep : Chaos and Colour
- DBA : Celestial Songs
- Paul Rodgers : Midnight Rose
- The Rolling Stones : Hackney Diamonds
- Jethro Tull : Rok Flote
- KK’s Priest : The Sinner Rides Again
- Winger : Seven
Bubbling under Baiana : Baiana
Nice to see some unjustly ignored bands getting attention. For what it’s worth, my Top 5 for 2023…
5) Hugo’s Voyage “Inception”(the album Journey should have made)
4) Moon Safari “Himlabakken Vol 2”(on which Scandi harmony kings go a little Styx)
3) Pattern Seeking Animals “Spooky Action at a Distance”(if Spock’s Beard did Kansas)
2) Mystery “Redemption”(one of the best produced and consistently great progressive rock bands does not disappoint with epic walls of melodic majesty)
1) Lava “X”(unfairly dismissed as ‘the Norwegian Toto’ this is classic West Coast Rock with ear worm melodies to die for)
…and Rick Miller’s latest deserves an honourable mention.