By now you’ve probably seen our lists of favorite albums – here‘s Niek’s and there‘s mine – but 2023 also gave us lots of short format releases that were wantlist worthy. Below you can listen to the Top 50 singles and EPs that I enjoyed the most last year (note: individual songs are excluded). I would have liked to purchase some more physically, but that’s quite an expensive challenge with retail prices where 15 euros (16 USD) for a 7″ single and 40 euros (43 USD) or more for a six-track 12″ EP are no exceptions. Anyway, luckily there are other ways to hear them. Looking over the playlist, I guess that this music is a bit faster and wilder than that of my AOTY list – what is too exhausting for a full-length, works well for just a few songs. In my world you could have a fun dance party with this, including a few moments of rest in between to recover.
Here we go. In alphabetical order, so chance determined that the first track refers to a false start. 😉 Links point to Discogs or Bandcamp (the headings), and to previously posted reviews (in the body text) – add to your wantlist (or collection) what you like!
The Babalooneys || Winternationals / False Start
[Surf Rock, Canada || Hi-Tide Recordings] Two thrilling tunes with original guitar melodies and cool sax passages, that go very well with old drag race film footage.
Alex Blum and the Roadside Quartet || Last Night at the Movies
[Alt-Country, US || Dig Bee Records] Six vibrant and nostalgic tracks, with an upbeat rhythm section, wonderful magnetic vocals and imaginative lyrics, appropriately accompanied by atmospheric videos.
The Brakes || Dice God / Brand New Daddy
[Roots Rock, Australia || Legless Records] Rock ‘n’ roll with one foot firmly on the gas, a great ten minute road trip to the next pub.
T.R. Burge || Selling You
[Indie Folk, UK || Self-Released] After all kinds of wanderings, the British singer-songwriter ended up in rural Sweden during winter, where he recorded these five optimistic acoustic tracks. Subdued, melancholic and atmospheric.
The Capellas || Take Your Chance With...
[Rhythm & Blues, UK || Sweet Grooves Records] Hip-shaking guitars, funky drumming, perfumed vocals, catchy choruses, and a vintage girl group feel, what’s not to like?
Thee Cha Cha Chas || Our Love / Rock ‘n’ Roll Till I’m Dead
[Rhythm & Beat, Australia || Folc Records] The lyrics seem darker than you would expect based on the cheerful cover art – “I’ll be laying here in my grave // Waiting for the next wave to arrive” – but the invigorating sound and handclaps make it clear that it’s a party after all.
Wild Billy Childish & CTMF || Traces Of You
[Garage Soul, UK || Spinout Nuggets] A new 45 with a 60s girl group sound, featuring two recordings of one beautiful song. You didn’t expect Billy Childish to be missing from a list of mine, did you?
Dazy || OTHERBODY
[Noise Pop, US || Lame-O Records] This is a collection of eight varied leftovers(!) from James Goodson’s making of last year’s OUTOFBODY LP, delicious snacks that taste so good they would draw streams of consumers in a just world.
Dead Chic || The Venus Ballroom
[Heavy Soul, France || Upton Park] The eclectic rock four-piece show that they also have a theatrical and exuberant side – the awesome gritty lead vocals are now enriched by a brass section, the use of electronics, and influences from different (hard to pin down) genres.
The Drowns || Just the Way She Goes / 1979 Trans Am
[Pop Punk, US || Pirates Press Records] A catchy and uplifting pop-punk anthem with sing-along lyrics and handclaps, and a glam rock stomper with gritty vocals and irresistible guitar licks.
Lee Cleaveland & The Lefthand Band || Live From Western Sound Studios
[Garage Rock, US || Self-Released] The one armed guitar player and his Lefthand Band perform four songs from their Tech Support LP live on stage, adding fun and enthusiasm.
DollSquad || Tiki Lifestyle b/w Cave Gurl
[Garage Rock, Australia || Go-Go Bone! Rekkidz] The catchy Cramps-esque A-side Tiki Lifestyle should have been one of last summer’s biggest hits, B-side Cave Gurl (2010) has stood the test of time gloriously.
Faz Waltz || Rave A-Comin’ / Jackal Hop
[Rock ‘n’ Roll, Italy || Self-Released] The power trio makes a glorious return with a raucous floorfiller featuring a piano that’s shooting great balls of fire, and a gritty sax-driven rhythm & blues stomper: “Everybody’s having fun, dance, dance!”
Frankie || Als Sneeuw Voor De Zon
[Psych, The Netherlands || Soundflat Records] An irresistible debut single that works as a time machine that takes us back to the psychedelic 60s and puts Nederbeat on the map again.
Grandmas House || Who Am I
[Punk Rock, UK || Brace Yourself Records] Nice to see that more and more fans are climbing up against this thick wall of sound to growl along to the dark lyrics, and these four new songs certainly don’t disappoint.
The Hallrunners || Clumsy Boys
[Power Pop, UK || Half A Cow Records] Going back to school hasn’t sounded this entertaining since the Ramones’ Rock ‘N’ Roll High School.
Hex Smokers || Permanent Vacation
[Garage Rock, US || Self-Released] A most charming and infectious single that’s not averse to surf rock, power pop and spaghetti westerns, including a successful tribute to a great hero.
Ichi-Bons || Ich-I-Bon #1
[Garage Rock, Canada || Hi-Tide Recordings] Four instrumental-with-a-few-screams tunes somewhere between rockabilly and surf rock, danceable and electrifying.
The Ific || Wrong Way / Flakin’ Out
[Garage Rock, US || No Count Records] A melodic and fuzzy debut single featuring a catchy party banger with a sing-along chorus and cool guitar riffs, and a slightly less heavy tune with a surprising break and strong lyrics.
Alex Kasznel & the Board of Directors || Landlocked
[Indie Rock, US || Air Quotes Records] One of my favorite discoveries of 2023. They have also released an EP and LP, but these two songs were the first introduction – sung poetry that gave me goosebumps.
Zack Keim || Better Days / Maggie
[Indie Pop, US || Action Weekend] Better Days, the sunkissed A-side of this 45 – earworm alert – was the highlight of my summer holiday playlist, B-side Maggie is more subdued but just as melancholic and seductive.
The Killing Floors || Too Far Gone b/w You Know It Ain’t Right
[Garage Rock, US || Outro Records] Five loud minutes with gritty vocals, a swinging organ, tight guitars, and a good dose of fuzz, everything you need to dance wildly.
Leatherman || Telephone / Tryin’ 2 4get
[Punk Rock, Australia || Legless Records] A hard-hitting debut 7″ that brings back the excitement when I first heard Sheer Mag, two thundering songs that waste zero seconds.
The Lemon Drop Gang || Johnny Is A Jerk EP
[Garage Pop, US || Rum Bar Records] Two energetic, catchy and danceable hits, just the way I love them.
Loser Lemon || Souls on Fire b/w Lovers Avenue
[Psychedelic soul, US || Sundog Sound / Tasty Wax Records] Gael Jacobo transports us to a summer day in 70s LA with two sweet soul tunes in which a grooving rhythm section and classy vocals reinforce each other.
The Low Spirits || Outta Sight b/w Evil Eye
[Garage Rock, US || Outro Records] Another awesome 45 featuring two original fuzz and farfisa driven stompers that revive the 60s.
Brad Marino || Ramones and Stones
[Punk Rock, US || Self-Released] A very cool original tribute with a lot of name dropping – rocking, convincing and memorable – plus a successful cover of Rydells’ Dame Darcy. [Update: the two-track digital single from May 2023 was expanded into a five-song EP in January 2024, released on 7″ vinyl by Ghost Highway.]
Mediocre || To Know You’re Screwed
[Indie Rock, US || Dangerbird Records] The title song immediately felt like an all-time hit with words of wisdom to scream along to. The five stars of the cover art are not even exaggerated, the other four tunes here are also quite good.
The Mocks || Do Me Good / Sticks and Stones
[Garage Beat, The Netherlands || Wap Shoo Wap Records] Every few months the stylish trio releases two new songs in which they explore a different corner of the 60s. Here we hear their more freaky and psychedelic side, and that is just as appealing as their previous work.
The Patina Turners || Shorebreak
[Surf Rock, US || Rumble Road Records] Refreshing tunes with original melodies – instrumentals, but song titles like Blue Crab Boogie and Bikini Moms reflect what this is all about.
Pedico || Winter Dance Party
[Teen Beat, US || Self-Released] Eight straightforward homages to early rock ‘n’ roll, the Phil Spector 60s sound and youth sentiment, reflected in choruses like “I’ve been walking down an empty street // With Ronnie Spector on repeat.”
The Photocopies || Amateur Dramatics
[Indie Pop, US || Self-Released] Sean Turner releases so many songs under The Photocopies moniker, that it’s difficult to keep track of it all. It’s worth the effort though, because they almost always contain catchy melodies and memorable lyrics. These are five pieces of evidence.
The Playground Bullies || Don’t Worry, She Gets Fed by Strange Men
[Garage Rock, Canada || Burner Phone Records] Max Foreign Keen re-recorded some of his songs, and I love the lo-fi outcome: the new versions are as raw as irresistible. Gritty vocals, strong hooks and poetic lyrics? Check!
The Prize || First Sight
[Power Pop, Australia || Anti Fade Records / Drunken Sailor Records] Their energetic live performance convinced me how good and fun this Melbourne five-piece actually is, and this 7″ gives a pretty good idea of that.
Probably Nancy || Probably Nancy
[Punk, Germany || Self-Released] Displeasures captured into very strong songs, with heavy guitar riffs, growling vocals and fierce lyrics.
The Questions || Yoake No Tori
[Garage Punk, Japan || TQ Bunko] Last May I was happy that this three rowdy scorchers in 60s girl group style were released, only now did I discover that this was actually a teaser for the Best Answers LP that was shared via streaming services a few months later. Cool stuff.
Radio Free Alice || Radio Free Alice
[New Wave / Post-Punk, Australia || Double Drummer] Another promising band from Naarm/Melbourne, whose self-titled debut EP is everything you’d hope for. Original dynamic guitar melodies and unique, versatile vocals, conveyed with eagerness and self-confidence.
Råttanson || Trebled Region
[Power Pop, Sweden || Self-Released] Five remarkably strong songs with two punchy guitars, a solid bass, pounding drums, snotty vocals and infectious choruses guarantee a cheerful listen.
The Sensation Seekers || It’s Clappin’ Time
[Mod Soul, UK || Spinout Nuggets] Four organ-driven instrumentals, four new dance floor classics that we will continue to enjoy when 2023 is over.
Shadow Pattern || By Day By Night
[Garage Psych, US || Self-Released] These four rich and compelling tracks are wonderfully structured, with exciting twists, surprising hooks, original guitar riffs and hazy, angelic vocals.
Space Cadet || Suede Originals
[Garage Rock, US || Miserable Neigbor Records] Four short, energetic earworms full of sing-along choruses: “Wooo-hooo, what’s the matter with you?!”
Spit City || Let Me Know
[Punk Rock, US || Self-Released] Still loud and distorted, but less dark and more uplifting than their previous work. Their best game yet.
Televisionaires & Les Greene || Televisionaires & Les Greene
[Rock ‘n’ Roll, US || Nu-Tone] The danceable sound of the Lake brothers’ band forms the ideal base for Les Greene’s soulful throat, a golden combination for a good time.
The Mal Thursday Quintet || Kitten with a Whip EP
[Garage Rock, US || Chunk Archives Recordings] When I wrote about it, this was just a double A-side, which now has been expanded into a six-track EP, featuring successful covers and awesome original theme songs to 60s movies that didn’t originally have a theme song.
Sugar Tradition || More Sugar
[Garage Punk, US || Feel It Records] Six great, groovy songs recorded live, and you feel it. Raw and fuzzed-out, raucous and infectious.
Billy Tibbals || Stay Teenage
[Power Pop, US || Silver Arrow Records] Rock ‘n’ roll prodigy Billy Tibbals arguably wrote the best song of the year – Hollywood Baby is a hit for the ages – but actually everything on this six-track EP (produced by The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson) is spot on.
The T-Makers || The Way I Feel
[Rock ‘n’ Roll, Spain || Cero En Conducta Records] The Mallorcan band chooses the right influences from the rich rock ‘n’ roll history, to do their own unique thing with it, which led to these four sympathetic, brightening songs that make it difficult to sit still.
Tramhaus || The Goat
[Post-Punk, The Netherlands || Subroutine Records] The Rotterdam live sensation knows how to write irresistible melodies time and time again, which they convey with a combination of charisma and nonchalance. The Goat and Beep Beep are both as mesmerizing, exciting and cool as can be.
Vista Blue || Bandcamp Friday Is Here!
[Punk Rock, US || Self-Released] Bandcamp still is our number one resource for discovering music and posting embedded content (hopefully the recent buyout by Songtradr doesn’t throw a spanner in the works), and as Vista Blue fans we couldn’t and wouldn’t ignore this smoking tribute to the days when the platform is even more generous to artists than usual.
The Wind-up Birds || Pop.Thinking
[Post-Punk, UK || Sturdy Records] Idea-stuffed, haunting and urgent poetry reading with stirring tempo changes, gripping harmony choruses, pulsing rhythms, mean guitar riffs and omnipresent swinging keyboard melodies. We were proud to premiere the video for opening track E-shaped Stories, probably the best music video of the year.
From 46 of these 50 singles/EPs you’ll find a track in this Spotify playlist.
Niek will announce his favorites next week, so stay tuned! (Update: you’ll find it here.)
Thanks Dennis!
Awesome list and plenty for me to investigate!
Cheers,
Ross
My pleasure, Ross. Enjoy!
Wow, Thank you so much for including our band Alex Blum and the Roadside on your list. That is amazing.
Thank you Dennis. If you’d like hard copies of any or all of our music please let me know and I’ll send it free of charge.
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Lota here to investigate! Thanks for shining the light