Hello, my beautiful readers! In this final issue of 2023 and with the Grammys rapidly approaching, I wanted to share my own personal Album(s) of the Year. Every year, one artist is honored with the Grammy Award for the Album of the Year, a coveted prize celebrating the “best” album that was released that year. Allow me to adopt the role of the all-knowing power behind the award for a few hundred words and highlight some records that probably won’t see a win this year, but definitely deserve one. Let’s get into it.
Firstly, “Big Picture” by Fenne Lily, released this April, served me very well this year as mellow, catchy background noise for homework, neighborhood walks and other lowkey activities. As someone who prides herself very highly on spotting Lily at the Silver Lake Erewhon last year, I feel qualified to recommend any and all of her discography, and this album is no exception. Lily combines her smooth, satisfying vocals with some seriously lovely guitar throughout each track to create an incredible listening experience.
Next, it is necessary that I gush about “To Learn,” the latest release in May from Leith Ross. I saw Ross play a few of their unreleased singles from this record at a small show in the fall of freshman year, so it is safe to say that I was ecstatic for this release. The album exceeded my sky-high expectations; every single track feels like a devastating yet sweet punch to the gut in the best way possible. Ross has this talent for merging truly heartbreaking lyricism with angelic instrumentals, which really shines through on the entire record.
Finally, this column would not be complete without mentioning “Mind Palace Music,” the debut album from @ (that’s the artist’s name). This album feels like a warm embrace for my brain – the lush production and soft vocals blend on each track to create a genuinely transcendent piece of art. If you have been looking for an experience to soothe you to sleep, you have come to the right place.
Happy Early Grammys Season to all who celebrate! I hope you add some of these recommendations into your rotation – I promise they will not disappoint.
