Staff Picks of 2023 So Far
Away We Go
The Culture Clash Newsletter has become a semi-annual affair, but as we work on retooling a regular drop to your inbox, we're proud to launch our Culture Clash Blog, where members of our crew will share what's buzzing in our ears!
For our first post, Michael has compiled some of our crew's favorite albums from the first half of 2023...
Compiled by Michael Miller
Hello music lovers! Welcome to the Culture Clash blog. Since we are past the midpoint of the year, it is only appropriate to highlight our favorite albums of the year so far. I have asked each Culture Clash employee to name two of their favorite albums of 2023 and tell me why they have stuck out. Enjoy and click each link for more of our picks!
TIM’S PICKS
De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead
It's a dope year already for golden era hip hop reissues, and revisiting the De La catalog for the first time in decades has been truly rewarding. IT'S SATURDAY!
LIES - LIES
I've likely seen Mike Kinsella (Owen, American Football) live more times than any other musician, and his cousin Nate's lush and percussive style mixes with Mike's plaintive tone so well, it's almost like they're family!
LIZZIE’S PICKS
Janelle Monae - The Age Of Pleasure
Janelle strikes again with the grooves and sentiments we need for the moment we find ourselves in. What I love about this record is that it's at once more of the same sexy, empowering content we've come to expect from Janelle, while also representing their personal growth into an even more expansive, authentic version of herself, which in turn gives us as the listeners further permission to be more ourselves.
Boygenius - The Record
This pick could not be more basic and predictable, and I'm not sorry!!! Satisfying three-part harmonies, friendship love songs, and queer joy abound on the long-awaited first full length from this sapphic indie supergroup, but perhaps what I love most is the perfectly constructed track "Not Strong Enough," which has become my entire personality.
TORCH’S PICKS
Paramore - This Is Why
The band has been together almost 20 years now and it shows on 'This Is Why'. The song structure and writing is so tight on this album, every song is an ear worm. Taylor York's guitar work has matured so much, on this album it feels akin to Stephen Malkmus to me.
Kali Uchis - Red Moon in Venus
New love, sex, jealousy, heartbreak: it's all here. The music ranges from feeling like an old school soul ballad to a contemporary dance song. Kali Uchis' range really shows here, as well as her ability to seamlessly sing Spanglish without missing a beat.
CYD’S PICKS
Angel Olsen - Forever Means
Angel Olsen's vocals are like molasses with bits of prickly pine needles intentionally sprinkled throughout, in a way that tracks and traps. I want to be in her smokey jazz club that is also somehow a forest. This EP sounds like how I want to feel about unfettered romanticism, and its brevity makes these mini-narratives that much more lethally sweet.
Gia Margaret - Romantic Piano
Gia Margaret used to sing more, and her first album is evident of some solid lyrical talent. Having changed her sound due to illness and injury, Gia picks up where her last album left off, giving in to instrumentals (plus some light vocalizations that remind me of The Books). In 'Romantic Piano,' her sounds blend classical and ambient components, and her work continues to emit a complex yet seemingly effortless overall mood.
DAMIEN’S PICKS
100 Gecs - 10,000 Gecs
I'm a sucker for wank music, however this isn't wank music because I like it a lot. My favorite tracks are "Dumbest Girl Alive" and "Doritos and Fritos".
JPEGMAFIA / Danny Brown - SCARING THE HOES
This collaboration was prophesied in the Old Testament.
JOHN’S PICKS
Bell Witch - Shadow Part 1: The Clandestine Gate
The first in a three-part cycle, funeral doom greats, Bell Witch, return with their most experimental piece yet. This thing takes you to some weird places in its 83-minute single track. Riffs appear and disappear as they meld into slightly different variations, just as the theme of the album lyrically resonates with life's test of endurance through repetitive activities in our day-to-day lives.
Protomartyr - Growth in the Desert
Detroit post-punkers Protomartyr are back, adding in some drone-y and shoegaze-y moments into their signature sound. Lyrically, Joe Casey is searching for happiness in a time of grief. The album aims to be a sunbeam landing on an open field during a cloudy day.
MICHAEL’S PICKS
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
Polachek's latest album features soaring vocals, lush production, and a wide array of different songs. Fittingly, the opening track welcomes the listener to her island, lending a hand as we discover new sounds and sonic territories alongside her.
Model/Actriz - Dogsbody
The debut album from the noise-rock band, Model/Actriz, highlights the charismatic, steamy vocals from frontman Cole Haden, as well as the thumping and punchy instrumentals that take this album to euphoric territories.
RJ’S PICKS
Alex G - We're All Going To The World's Fair (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Not only was it one of my favorite movies I saw this year, but this album is full of ambient, echoing tracks by Alex G. It's perfect for long car rides in the midwest, the soundtrack to staying up way too late and overall it has a very nostalgic feeling to it.
Daughter - Stereo Mind Game
They took a break from making music for a while and I haven't listened to them since probably middle school, but this was a really well put together album that reminded me why I got into their music in the first place. it has some really beautiful harmonies and chords. I've got almost every song on some sort of playlist.
JULY SALES
And here's your obligatory reminder that we're running these sales through the entire month of July! Our legendary BOGOHO sale includes pre-spun CDs, tapes, 7"s, LPs, and even rarities!
BOGO HALF OFF ALL PRE-SPUN MUSIC
B2G1 FREE REDISCOVERED GEMS*
*crates of LPs from our recent inventory process