• Dimash Qudaibergen—Anything and Everything. This is the first time that the work of my favorite artist of a particular year is nearly impossible to find and buy. Good luck being able to track down CDs or even downloads. The reason for this strange situation highlights one of the many admirable and impressive qualities of this 30-year-old singer, performer, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and actor from Kazakhstan: he is fiercely independent and will not let himself be controlled by the usual powers in the music industry. Which means, in short, that Dimash (for the most part) has to be heard and viewed via YouTube and other online media (or, if you are able, in concert).

My introduction to Dimash came in early January 2023, when I watched this video of the then 22-year-old singer giving his first performance, of the French song “S.O.S d’un terrien en détresse”, on the popular Chinese show “I Am a Singer”. Like countless others, I was stunned, then transfixed, then ready for more (and, thankfully, there is much more).

Dimash has (depending on the source) a six or seven octave range, can sing in a variety of styles—operatic, popular, traditional, more—and usually does so in the course of a single song (and also sings in over a dozen languages). An exceptional example of this is the ambitious and powerful song “The Story of One Sky,” which Dimash wrote and performed, while also acting in the 12-minute-long video that came out in September 2022.

Although Dimash has had several successful concerts in North America, he is, as far as I can tell, mostly ignored by the American media. Meanwhile, the banal and brain-numbingly boring muzak of Taylor Swift has turned her into a sort of singer/songwriter goddess here in the United States. Neither fact is surprising. That said, those who have never heard Dimash before will, I am certain, be stunned, transfixed, and ready for more.

• The Warning—Error. This trio from Monterrey, Mexico consists of the three Villarreal Vélez sisters: Daniela (guitar, lead and backing vocals, piano), Paulina (drums, lead and backing vocals, piano), and Alejandra (bass guitar, piano, backing vocals). Now in their late teens and early twenties, the trio has been performing together for over a decade and has released three studio albums.

Error was released in 2022, but I include it here because, well, it’s so good and I first heard The Warning a few months ago. My first impression of these dynamic ladies was that they reminded me, in many ways, of Muse; it turns out that they have toured with Muse. Many of the same elements are there in abundance: great musicianship, exceptional hard rock songs that contain elements of metal and punk, fabulous vocals and harmonies, and lots of energy. Their August 2022 concert at “Teatro Metropólitan” is a perfect place to start, as The Warning is a captivating, well-honed live band. Favorites include “Disciple,” “Choke,” and “Money,” and their new single “More”.

But every song by the band is excellent, and many are great; there are clearly many hours of practice and work involved, and interviews reveal just how seriously the sisters take their craft. Lyrically, also, these three ladies are several cuts above, with an intriguing mixture of raw, cryptic, and even existential that belies their youth. A band to watch now and for years to come.

• Van Morrison—Accentuate the Positive. The timeless Irish singer and songwriter, now 78 years young, continues a pace of recording that would put most young artists to shame (he now has 45 studio albums, with several live albums). His 2022 release What’s It Going to Take? was widely blasted by the usual suspects for its strong pushback against government overreach and media-induced hysteria during the height of COVID, but I thought the album (featuring all original songs) was solid.  But there certainly was a dark and even dour aspect to it (how could there now be?) that is nowhere to be found on Morrison’s two 2023 releases, which consist of mostly covers of skiffle songs (Moving On Skiffle) and of rock and roll, R&B, and country favorites (Accentuate the Positive).

The latter is one of my favorites of the year; it is crisp, warm, energetic, and playful. Morrison’s voice is in great form, with a sinewy strength and casual slyness backed up by strong arrangements and adept, in-the-pocket playing. While projects like this can easily veer into nostalgic excess, there is an immediacy and lean focus here that avoids such dangers with ease. Besides, Morrison’s music has always looked back—there’s a reason he refers to “Jelly Roll” on his classic 1970 album Moondance—while pushing forward with creative restlessness, and that loving tension makes for another excellent addition to an already staggeringly great catalog.

• Bruce Soord—Luminescence. This is perhaps the most surprising pop/rock album of the year for me: a set of beautiful, contemplative songs that are sung and played with masterful control and understatement by the leader of the prog-rock group Pineapple Thief.

I’ve enjoyed Soord’s fine work over the years, but this release really grabbed me from the first listen. There is a rather timeless mixture of heaviness and lightness here—both lyrically and musically—that is easy to underestimate. But numerous listens prove that this is a keeper, an album that I’ll be listening to for years to come.

I say more about it in this recent Spirit of Cecilia discussion.

• Greta van Fleet—Starcatcher. The Michigan band’s 2021 The Battle at Garden’s Gate won me over, as their mix of classic rock, prog, folk, and more found its stride, with a number of well-written and attractive tunes.

Starcatcher builds on that success, but eschews a more commercial direction (certainly a temptation, I would think) for a more raw, semi-prog, and expansive course. The musicianship and vocal prowess continue to grow, and that means there are subtleties and layers here that reward multiple listens.

While the Led Zep comparisons will continue, it’s obvious to me that GVF is a band that has absorbed a wide range of influences (band members cite their love of jazz, Motown, world music, etc) and will continue to experiment and expand their musical and lyrical palette. To my ears, there is as much early Rush (and perhaps even early Queen) in the mix as Plant and Page. A strong release with many sonic pleasures contained within.

• Steven Wilson—The Harmony Codex. Speaking of sonic pleasures, this is one of the best-sounding releases of 2023, which comes as no surprise to anyone familiar with the many talents of Wilson, who is almost as famous for his mixing and producing as he is for his writing and playing.

I know that a fair number of Wilson/Porcupine Tree fans have strong (and even harsh) debates over the merits of respective Wilson albums, but I don’t have the time or energy for those squabbles. I simply enjoyed listening to this album many times after it was released, without any expectations or many comparisons.

The 11-minute prog-jazz-electronica-fest “Impossible Tightrope” is a favorite, perhaps because I listen to a fair amount of fusion-y, electronica-tinged jazz, or because I like strange rock-ish music that refuses to go where you expect it to go. This is an aural adventure, and as such, it delivers.

Also recommended:

• Soen—Memorial

• Extreme—Six

• Mystery—Redemption

• Big Wreck—Pages