Five records, four TV shows, my three most anticipated records, two messages to people who won't read this, and one great new record

I don’t care what anyone else does, I think February is the perfect time to look back at the previous year of music. This year, I’m awarding Record of the Year to five records. (I’m not ranking them. They are in order here alphabetically.) They all win.

RECORD OF THE YEAR

Del Paxton - Auto LocatorJosaleigh Pollett - In the Garden, By the WeedsNick Webber - All the Nothing I KnowPalette Knife - New Game+Scarlet Street - Scarlet Street

And hey, here’s my songs of the year playlist.You can listen on SPOTIFY and/or APPLE MUSIC.Click shuffle, press play, find something to love. This is a list of the bands on it:

OTHER GREAT RECORDS OF 2023:

Big School - Don’t Cry, I’ll Be Right Backboygenius - the recordBroken Record - Nothing Moves Me Cal Rifkin - Better Luck Next Year EPThe Carolyn - Harmful History EPChris Farren - Doom SingerCinema Stare - The Things I Don’t NeedDead Bars - Sinkhole EPEquipment - Alt. AccountEquipment - Miracle EPFull Blown Meltdown - MollifyGladie - Purple Year EPGreg Mendez - S/THome is Where - the whalerJeff Rosenstock - HELLMODEJess Williamson - Time Ain’t AccidentalKerosene Heights - Southeast of SomewhereLakes - Elysian SkiesLiquid Mike - S/TMagazine Beach - Constant SpringtimeMilitarie Gun - Life Under the GunOK Cool - fawnOlivia Rodrigo - GUTSOrson Wilds - This Burning House (We All Fell Asleep In)Pacing - Real Poetry…Paramore - This is Whyphoneswithchords - phoneswithBenRatboys - The Windowsaturdays at your place - always cloudy epShit Present - What Still Gets MeShort Fictions - Oblivion Will Own Me and Death Alone Will Love Me (Void Filler)Sincere Engineer - Cheap GrillsSinging Lungs - Coming AroundSquare Loop - The Longest Distance Between Two PointsStress Fractures - Stress FracturesSuperviolet - Infinite Springsweetmess - everything’s fine epTalking Kind - It Did Bring Me Downthank you, i’m sorry - Growing in Strange PlacesThanks! I Hate It - Lovers LaneTiny Voices - Make Up Your PlaceThe Tubs - Dead Meat

Here’s what I listened to in 2023:

I EXPECT BIG THINGS IN 2024 FROM:

A Place For OwlsCharly BlissThe Dreaded LaramieScarlet Street

I cannot wait to hear new music from these three. I think world domination is possible for all of them. I would enjoy it very much if these were the four biggest bands in the world.

MOVING IMAGES ON THE TELEVISION SCREEN:

The best television programs of the year were Fargo, The Bear, Beef, and How To With John Wilson.

I also enjoyed Last Week Tonight, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Pokémon Concierge, Silo, Succession, and What We Do in the Shadows.

Non-2023 television programs: I rewatched the first two seasons of Twin Peaks and then watched The Return for the first time. I found the end frustrating, there was too much of one-note Dougie, but the highs (“Part 8,” good lord!!!) are so high and I enjoyed it overall. I love this show very much.

I also watched Andor and it was wonderful. I am mostly burned out on Star Wars stuff, but this show was truly great and has stuck with me. The jailbreak, all the great soliloquies, that finale. I can’t wait for season 2.

TO THE PERSON WHO HIT MY CAR WHILE IT WAS PARKED OUTSIDE MY APARTMENT (AND DID 8K WORTH OF DAMAGE) AND THEN RAN AWAY LIKE A STUPID LITTLE LOSER:

You are a bad person.

TO THE COPS WHO CAN’T FIND THE GUY BECAUSE MY NEIGHBOR ONLY GOT HALF THE LICENSE PLATE:

You are useless.

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If you want to get a head start on 2024, the first record I’ve fallen in love with this year is from Norwegian band Flight Mode. It’s the early 90’s, it’s the 2020’s, it’s nostalgic, it’s cinematic, it’s got hooks, it’s got riffs. Fans of Straylight Run and early Death Cab will find a lot to love here.

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What’s your favorite song on my list?

What’s your favorite song that isn’t on this list?