Staff Picks: Favorite Albums of August 2023
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Summer may be coming to an end, but the race to the best album of the year is just heating up. August brought with it a prodigious array of top notch releases, so Consequence is back with our August Staff Picks. Once again, our writers and editors are here to share the records from this month that turned into our obsessions. Here, in alphabetical order, are what we think are the 14 best albums from August 2023.
Becca Mancari — Left Hand
Our former CoSign continues the journey they began on 2020’s The Greatest Part with their third LP, Left Hand (which they broke down for us track by track). The maturity comes from turning the focus on personal trauma outward, looking at the people in their orbit and beyond for a sense of community. Whether its platonic love (“Don’t Even Worry,” featuring Brittany Howard), romantic love (“Mexican Queen”), or self love (“Over and Over”), Mancari spends 12 lovely songs reflecting on the sort of acceptance that makes us feel at home — both internally and externally. There’s not always a bright light shining the way, but with the electro-psych touches they bring to these indie folk tales, there’s always a beacon of hope. — Ben Kaye
Computerwife — Computerwife
With her self-titled debut, Computerwife is helping revitalize the world of low-fi indie rock. Following in the path of recent favorites of the scene like Weatherday, the songs of Computerwife embrace melody, experimentation, and imperfections, resulting in a project with enough personality to power a small suburban town. With near-perfect songs like “Lexapro,” “Vacation,” and “I Get Better Everyday,” it seems like it’ll only be a matter of time before Computerwife boasts one of the most robust cult followings in underground indie rock. — Jonah Krueger
Foley — Crowd Pleaser
Enchanting melodies abound in New Zealand pop duo Foley’s debut LP, Crowd Pleaser. Quite honestly, it’s an aptly named record; from the most recent single, “What Got Into You,” to the playful “Tongue” and flighty “Smooth It Over,” Foley are approaching playful pop head-on without ever feeling obvious. The album is jam-packed with catchy hooks, which makes it that much more refreshing that these two never feel like they’re resting on their laurels throughout Crowd Pleaser. Start with “Killing Me Babe” and try not to catch yourself humming it later in the day. — Mary Siroky
Genesis Owusu — Struggler
Who knew existentialism could be so much fun? Genesis Owusu’s (our August CoSign!) sophomore effort, Struggler, might take philosophical influence from Albert Camus and Franz Kafka, but the sound of the record is anything but dreadful. Featuring elements from hip-hop, punk rock, funk, and more, Owusu takes the story of a cockroach attempting to avoid the boot of God and injects it with humor, personality, and — somehow — sexiness. Undoubtedly in the consideration for best concept record of the past few years, Struggler offers an experience like no other album from 2023. — J. Krueger
Jungle — Volcano
Jungle have released four albums now. Their first three — which, to be fair, are all enjoyable, effortless groovy albums — seem to be spun from the same web, but Jungle have never quite sounded like they do on Volcano. There’s a push and pull of ego, always a significant part of the band’s approach; the vocals, for the most part, are pitched up, distorted, and treated with a kind of freedom that Jungle wears very well. They expand their production toolkit, leaning into the frenetic grooves of house music more than ever.
But at the center of these songs, often buried beneath giddy vocals or mesmerizing loops, is a kind of openness that the group has sought after for nearly decade. The irresistible mid-album cut “Back on 74” is an example of their surprisingly emotional songwriting, now more developed and engaging than ever. — Paolo Ragusa
Margaret Glaspy — Echo the Diamond
Just when there was risk of Margaret Glaspy becoming one of modern New York City’s most underappreciated guitar-based artists, she comes out with a nearly undeniable record. Crisp yet raw in both production (her own alongside her partner, Julian Lage) and lyrics, Glaspy has found the perfect presentation for her particular voice. Just listen to that final wail on “Get Back” or the poignantly playful wit of “Female Brain” and you can hear all of Glaspy’s wonderful gifts. Echo the Diamond shines with blues, gritty NYC rock, and stirring Americana, facets that reflect the artist behind them on one glowing, stunning LP. — B. Kaye
Mick Jenkins — The Patience
In our recent edition of Crate Digging with Mick Jenkins, the Chicago rapper put his strategy for The Patience simply: “I just want to rap,” he told us. This playful, back-to-basics approach characterizes his fourth studio album perfectly — Jenkins is untouchable throughout, letting go of the need to dwell on his hardships in favor of embracing that which makes him unique. Though there’s a wariness that Jenkins tends to depict, like on the manic “Pasta,” there’s also a lot of love, evident in the lush, punchy beats and the energized collaborations with Vic Mensa, J.I.D., and Freddie Gibbs. It’s by far his most enjoyable, flex-heavy record, with Jenkins always eager to display his clever and eclectic flow whenever possible. — P. Ragusa
Noname — Sundial
After teasing new music for a while, Noname made her highly anticipated comeback with Sundial, a complex and introspective record that provides an honest observation of her surroundings. The rapper touches on themes of injustice, capitalism, and the over-commodification of art, as well as the struggles of Black womanhood from a self-reflective standpoint. In “Namesake,” one of the strongest tracks from the album, Noname critiques Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, and Beyoncé for some of their questionable choices and endorsements for monetary gain — but she also reflects on some of her own decisions, rapping, “Coachella stage got sanitized/ I said I wouldn’t perform for them/ But somehow I still fell in line.” With contributions from Common, Jay Electronica, billy woods, Ayoni, and more, Noname’s quick wit on Sundial serves as a reminder that facing our truth is most important. — Sun Noor
Ratboys — The Window
Ratboys have been favorites of the indie rock scene for years now, so their latest album being good isn’t all that surprising. What is surprising, though, is just how flipping great it really is — the Chicago rockers might have just gone and dropped the best project of their career. With 11 of the catchiest, most irresistible indie rock tunes of the year, Ratboys show off just how skilled they’ve become at the art of songwriting. Leaning heavily on the power of a great refrain (of which, the album has at least six), The Window stays with you long after “Bad Reaction” closes the album out. Just be careful: Once these songs are in your head, they’re bound to stay there for weeks on end. — J. Krueger
Snõõper — Super Snõõper
Snõõper has yet to take their foot off the gas, and on their latest album, Super Snõõper, they’re staying far away from the breaks. Packing 14 songs into a concise 22 minutes, the songs of Super Snõõper whisk by at a breakneck pace, never giving you enough time to get comfortable with their jittery riffs and absurdist lyrics — and that’s part of the magic. Especially with static breakdowns and brief noisy interludes, the album comes across like you’ve taken a portable CD player without skip protection out on a trail run. Nothing ever feels quite right, from the tempos to the timbres, but because of that, everything is in exactly the right place. — J. Krueger
The Armed — Perfect Saviors
Hardcore collective The Armed have once again stepped forward into the new. This time, they take aim at a more accessible, big budget rock-centered transformation, trading snarls, screams, and otherwise aggressive tendencies for sweeping, crystalline guitar and synth jams. It’s still not quite a “mainstream”-sounding record, but it is as full of an experiment and statement piece as their previous effort, 2021’s ULTRAPOP. With member Tony Wolski serving as the band’s primary vocalist and producer this time around, Perfect Saviors rings out with precision and controlled chaos; the nostalgic disruptions in “Burning Mind” are nearly hypnotic, the jazz-oriented drums from Mark Guiliana on the stunning closer “Public Grieving,” and Julien Baker’s unmistakeable touches of harmony throughout the album are all in service of The Armed’s ever-expanding, fully-realized vision. — P. Ragusa
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross — Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Original Score)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is one of the summer’s most charming pleasures, its fresh animated take on the classic characters packed with great action and solid character work. Serving as a delightful companion to the story of four turtle brothers who just want to be normal is the music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. While Reznor and Ross are of course known for their industrial sound, tonally their score for Mutant Mayhem has more similarities to their Oscar-winning work for Soul than you’d expect, dreamy interludes that punctuate the harder moments of chaos caused by the villainous Superfly (Ice Cube).
If nothing else, check the soundtrack out for the track titles: “Conveniently Placed Pizza Van” is a nice wink to a moment of the film, and the one-two punch of “What’s the Worst That Could Happen?” and “(The Worst That Could Happen)” is giggle-inducing. — Liz Shannon Miller
Victoria Monét — JAGUAR II
Long sought-after as an incredible pop songwriter (“thank u, next,” anyone?), Victoria Monét has proven herself as an R&B star in her own right. Initially envisioned as the second installment in a trilogy of EPs, JAGUAR II has instead been shared as a full-length project — and thank goodness for that. This record is delicious. It’s indulgent and horribly smooth, with just a few well-placed features to accompany Monét throughout. She’s fully in the spotlight on this album; she’s the one in control.
Single “On My Mama” rightfully took off, but don’t sleep on the back half of this project. “Hollywood” featuring Earth, Wind & Fire and Hazel Monét is a glittering and optimistic track, and “How Does It Make You Feel” is a whole daydream. JAGUAR II has its playful moments, too, and it feels like the proper introduction to Monét as a three-dimensional artist that she very much deserves. She has writing credits on every song on the project — as she reminds us in the song of the same name, she’s the one. — M. Siroky
Zach Bryan — Zach Bryan
Just a year after his American Heartbreak breakthrough, Zach Bryan returned this month with a self-titled record — announced just two weeks before its release, no less. Who needs a big to-do rollout when you’ve got “poems and songs” like these? At times sounding like a classic Americana record and others like if Beirut went country, every track is filled with magic — and with the whole thing produced by Bryan himself, you know with whom that magic truly sits. And that’s even with all the incredible guest spots: Everyone’s going to talk about that Kacey Musgraves duet (with good reason!), but let’s not ignore the best song The Lumineers have been a part of in years (“Spotless”) and the one that should give The War and Treaty an overdue wider awareness (“Hey Driver”).
Of course, it’s Bryan’s inexcusably breathtaking songwriting that remains the true wonder here. I challenge anyone to find a better lyrical couplet this year than, “He said the sun’s gonna rise tomorrow/ Somewhere on the east side of sorrow.” Keep in mind this guy is just 27 years old — we’re in for a hell of a career. — B. Kaye
Staff Picks: Favorite Albums of August 2023
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