Bad Copy

Well, 2023 was a year. There were some great times, there were some awful times. Let’s skip the small talk and get right to business: My Top 6 Records of 2023. Don’t ask why it’s a top 6; I don’t know either.

6. Buggin – Concrete Cowboys

Chicago hardcore band, Buggin, put out this album in early June this past year and it’s tuff. Hardcore isn’t always my jam, but this band is so much fun. Their live performance videos are captivating and energetic. Concrete Cowboys hits hard and delivers sass that slaps you in the face. Bonus: the video for “Snack Run” is a fun tribute to bodegas.

5. Blondshell – Blondshell

This album is the debut from Blondshell and it rules. You can tell that she was heavily influenced by Hole, PJ Harvey, and the Smashing Pumpkins as she has stated in a few interviews. This album is grunge-pop deliciousness. I first heard “Sepsis” on a KEXP live in studio session and was immediately hooked. That song was one of my most listened to in 2023, and I’m still not sick of it. It’s moody, sad, edgy, punchy, tongue-in-cheek, bitter, and sweet all at the same time.

4. Chappell Roan – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess 

Chappell Roan absolutely delivered with this debut album. On her American tour this year, she had local drag performers for every one of her shows. As a huge fan of drag myself, I think this is just so cool and punk. Drag is punk. Did you know RuPaul was in a punk band prior to fame? But I digress. “Casual” is by far my favorite song on this album with it’s lyrics spitting sharp towards an ex-lover who claimed they were casual while displaying actions that would suggest they were anything but. This song helped tremendously while getting through a break-up, but it still hits when it comes up in rotation.

3. Olivia Rodrigo – Guts 

I don’t care if you judge me for this. I don’t care if you say this isn’t punk. Olivia Rodrigo is fine tuning a girly-pop meets riot grrrl sound and I am here for it. This sophomore album is fantastic. It’s bratty. It’s reminiscent of Blondie, Cyndi Lauper, and the Josie & the Pussycats Soundtrack (I will stan this forever). Guts is full of catchy melodies, biting lyrics, and is full of attitude. Get over yourself and listen to it. You’ll thank me later.

2. Mannequin Pussy – I Got Heaven (singles) 

Okay, this one is cheating a little bit. Mannequin Pussy released three singles off of their upcoming album, I Got Heaven, which will be released in 2024. I’m positive the full album will be on my top list for next year. The first single, “I Got Heaven,” is the perfect blend of soft and hard. It’s punching and melancholy. The first verse starts with a growling prose and then softens up slightly to pose some hard-hitting questions, such as “and what if Jesus himself ate my fucking snatch?” The chorus is soft and impossible not to sing along with. It’s just perfection. The other two singles, “I Don’t Know You” and “Sometimes” are both fantastic in their own right. I’m very excited for this album to be released in it’s entirety.

1.  Bully – Lucky For You 

This album is not only my favorite of 2023, but is easily in my top 5 records of all time now. It’s perfect. This album captures every emotion, from rage to grief to joy. Alicia’s unique, raspy vocals are the perfect compliment to her guitar style. Alicia Bognanno turned Bully into a solo project back in 2020, and Bully has never sounded better. “How Will I Know” encompasses how it feels to long for and question your future. “All This Noise” screams into the void about how the world lacks empathy. “Hard to Love” displays self doubt in a way that’s somehow still confident. 10/10.