I can’t believe we are through with another year. And what a year it was, It saw me complete my goal of reviewing my massive Jeff Scott Soto Series with over 80 posts and 18 months of work. I was crazy to do it, but I loved every minute of it. I also started two more rather large and incredible series with Bon Jovi and Def Leppard which should take me through most of 2024. These might be the last two really Series I do as they are the last of my large band collections I have in my possession. All the other artist I have aren’t in such abundance like these were.
With the Soto, Def Leppard and Bon Jovi Series, I actually didn’t spend much time with new releases and if I’m being honest, this was a pretty piss poor year for rock albums that I grabbed me interest during the year. So, we are going to go through what I call the Top Albums of 2023, but I missed so much this isn’t a definitive list. This is only what I listened to in the year so take it with a grain of salt. Of course there will be some honorable mentions, a worst of album and maybe a best of re-issue/box set. I am not doing a Rock only list this year as I want to highlight anything I listened to this year that I thought was great. Sit back, grab a cup of coffee if it is morning, or a beer if it is any other time of day…and enjoy!!
MY FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2023:
#10 – The Rolling Stones – ‘Hackney Diamonds’
Is this the best Rolling Stones album, no, not at all. But let’s be honest, how cool is it we got another Stones album. I think it is really cool. Producer, Andrew Watt, was on board to bring the band back to life. He made it modern, but still a Stones album. I liked his work with Ozzy and I like it here. You Still get Mick and Keith and the boys sounding like who they are so don’t fret. There is a bar room blues feel to it, but it also feels relevant for today. They have Lady Gaga on board and even Sir Paul McCartney. I found it it to be a fantastic listen and one of my favorites for the year. Way to go boys. I like “Angry”, “Sweet Sounds of Heaven”, “Bite My Head Off” and so many more. Check it out!!
James Blunt – Who We Used to Be – (Atlantic Records / Warner Music)
Duran Duran – Danse Macabre – (Tape Modern / BMG Rights Mgmt)
Dokken – Heaven Comes Down – (Silver Lining Music)
Motley Crue – Shout at the Devil (40th Anniversary) – (BMG Rights Mgmt)
Mark Tremonti – Mark Tremonti Christmas Classics New & Old – (Mark Tremonti Music)
Black Pumas – Chronicles of a Diamond – (ATO Records)
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – The Silver Cord – (KGLW)
Kiss – Destroyer (45th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition) – (Universal Music / UMG): KISS!!! Man, I can’t wait for this to arrive. I hope it makes it today. Kiss is releasing a 45th Anniversary of one of their biggest albums. It is remastered and there are a ton of demos and unreleased tracks and it is about time the band did a Box Set like this. Now, they need to go back and do them all with this special treatment. They’d get my money!! 
The Darkness – Motorheart – (Cooking Vinyl): The Darkness is upon us and that makes for a much brighter day for me! I love these guys. Their love of that old glam rock sound makes for a wonderful listen. They bring that style to today’s market and for that we are lucky. I loved their last album ‘Easter is Cancelled’ and if this is half as good as that one, this will be awesome then!!
A Country Super-Group consisting of Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris and Amanda Shires. I have not been digging Country lately, but the women on country rock. I found this to be enjoyable and was really digging the songs “The Highwomen”, a rework of the the Jimmy Webb classic “The Highwayman” as well as “Redesigning Women” and “Crowded Table”. Check them out.
2 Loud 2 Old Music 