Congrats on making it through 2023 and inching one year closer to the grave. 2023 was another year in which the ever-growing and developing genre of punk grew and developed just a little bit more. Several punk rock veterans proved why they’re still more relevant than ever, while a good variety of young bucks helped fuel the flame of the greatest fuckin’ music genre this world’s ever seen.
My hope is that this isn’t the thousandth “end of the year Top 10” list that comes across your screen. Try not to get too offended by this either if we’re in disagreement; these are merely my favorites from the whole year. Check them out below and see what you think (or check out the playlist at the bottom for my picks of the best songs from the best records).
No. 10: Borrowed Sparks – Let A Little Light In
Hopefully Borrowed Sparks’ name and likeness have become a bit familiar around here. We were lucky enough to debut both the record’s first single “Run ’til You’re Dust” over the Summer, and the full-length itself before its October release date. All I can say is this thing is fuckin’ immaculate; I love every part of Mike Bay’s songwriting and I’m proud that something this rad is coming from right out of my backyard here in Nashville.
Let A Little Light In is the exact opposite of a sophomore slump. Equal parts Gaslight Anthem, Tom Petty, and Bruce Springsteen, Mike Bay has perfected the Americana-punk sound that many Dying Scene readers and writers have fallen in love with.
No. 9: The Bouncing Souls – Ten Stories High
Being that the Souls very well may be my favorite band of all time, there was no way Ten Stories High was being left off of my top 10 list, even if I don’t rank it up there with How I Spent My Summer Vacation and The Gold Record. This record didn’t stray too far from the signature Souls sound, but just enough to make it unique and fresh. I feared that they may take the same experimental direction as Green Day’s new material, of which I am not fond of in the least.
But my fears were quickly put to rest, the title track opens the record and may be my favorite from the whole thing. Other tracks like “True Believer Radio” and “Vin and Casey” (ft. Kevin Seconds) would have fit in perfectly with their early catalog.
No. 8: Decent Criminal – There’s More To It Than Climbing
Thankfully, I was reacquainted with Decent Criminal’s music as I was preparing for an interview with founding members and brothers Tristan and Hunter Martinez. My last encounter with the band was in 2017 while they were on the road with Dwarves and the Queers in support of their debut record Bloom, an incredible display of Southern California skate punk. But the band’s sound has evolved enormously, a perfect example being There’s More To It Than Climbing.
The record has been described by both brothers as a journey, each track being able to stand alone, but also guiding to the next. “Blind” and “Driving” both stuck out as what I remembered as Decent Criminal. But outside of those two, many other genres and sounds were explored that reminded me of influences such as Bradley Nowell (and even some Long Beach Dub All Stars), making this an extremely intriguing record to keep coming back to.
No. 7: The Gaslight Anthem – History Books
In a scenario much like that with the Bouncing Souls, my second favorite band of all time also happened to release a full-length this year. Although this record came as a reemergence from an extensive hiatus, it has the sound and feel of still being well within their prime.
For me, this record is a return to the “Gaslight Anthem sound”, a quality that seemed a bit lacking with Get Hurt. “Positive Charge” and “History Books” were two brand new tracks that really got me in the mood to catch these guys at the historic Ryman Auditorium back on Mother’s Day. And the fact that The Boss is featured on “History Books” sold me on the record immediately.
No. 6: Daikaiju – Phase 3
I hope I’ve made it blatantly obvious by this point how much I admire, applaud, idolize, adore, fuckin’ cherish these dudes. Daikaiju is a national treasure, comprised of the most masterful performing I’ve ever witnessed. I’m trying to consider live performance more for this year’s list and, in including Phase 3 at the number 6 spot, the record itself only tells half the story…
Secret-man, the band’s fearless leader, is the very definition of a shredder. It’s one thing to play fast and flawlessly, but Secret-man’s soloing has occurred while crowd surfing, on the shoulders of fans, and even while their instruments are set ablaze. I still hold strong in saying these dudes are my favorite live show on Earth, and Phase 3 presented a whole new catalog of tunes for their cult-like following to lose their minds to.
No. 5: Northcote – Wholeheart
This was undoubtedly my most anticipated 2023 full-length. I’ve adored Northcote ever since an intimate Dave Hause performance at the Bluebird Cafe in which Matt Goud was summoned up on stage and proceeded to serenade the fuck out of me with a couple of tracks from Hope is Made of Steel. It was an absolute treat for me to be able to pick Goud’s brain about the meaning and process behind Wholeheart.
Done in true DIY fashion, a quality that made me even more of a fan of this thing, this record is more of a raw, stripped-down release than those previous. Inspired by Indian devotional music and a renewed spirituality through nature, I truly appreciated how meaningful and sincere Goud approached this release.
No. 4: Rancid – Tomorrow Never Comes
Tomorrow Never Comes was the main release I was referencing with the statement “punk rock veterans proving why they’re still more relevant than ever”. This has become my favorite Rancid full-length in recent years, even topping ’09’s Let the Dominoes Fall.
Produced by Brett Gurewitz, I was ecstatic to hear a full-length that was, not mimicking the past, but embracing the developed Rancid sound in a record that’s about as close to perfection as you can get. It’s loud, it’s fast, it’s short and to the point; this record is what punk rock should strive to be.
No. 3: Plasma Canvas – Dusk
Up until just before the release of Dusk, I would have called myself a casual fan of Plasma Canvas. But when I received an early link for the record prior to interviewing Adrienne Rae Ash, man was I blown the fuck away for so many different reasons (my first paragraph of that write-up even featured a spoiler that this would rank well at the end of the year).
Ash’s goal for the release was a cyclical record, one that ends right where it begins. This was very much achieved with “Hymn”, the piano-led banger of a lead track, and “Empyrean”, the closing track to a record I listen to almost daily. The band’s debut release as a four-piece brought about a whole new sound featuring Ash’s unmatched vocals and songwriting, creating what I’ll call a “Plasma Canvas sandwich”: soft and melodic bread on each end with a fusion of punk rock mayhem ingredients in between.
No. 2: Samiam – Stowaway
If it weren’t for Jay Stone, I may have entirely forgotten that this came out in 2023 (it’s been a long year, alright). In all honesty, up until Fest 20, I hadn’t given these dudes a fair shot, and little did I know I was missing out big-fuckin’-time. But luckily I’ve come around just in time for Samiam’s first release in over a decade.
Thanks in large part to the four Samiam live shows I’ve seen dating back to just before this release, I was well-prepared to rank Stowaway in the top spot this year. “Lights Out Little Hustler” and “Crystallized” were two live tracks that left me awestruck and questioning what kind of punk-rock-lowlife I’ve been by not getting on board with these guys sooner. But it took a truly special release, at least in my eyes, to dethrone Stowaway from its rightful place atop my 2023 list…
But first… a few honorable mentions. 2023 had way too many releases (365 days worth to be exact) to not show some love to some of my other favorites from the past year.
An interview with the Brokedowns way back in January presented me the perfect chance to really dive into what Chicago’s funniest band had to offer. Maximum Khaki, the band’s first full-length in 5 years, quickly gave me the dose of fast, humorous, raw punk explosiveness that I was craving. Maximum Khaki is the very epitome of punk rock done the right way.
If we’re going off of technicality here, the much-anticipated Wes Hoffman and Friends debut isn’t “officially” released yet. But my vinyl copy showed up at the door a couple of weeks ago, and since we make the rules around here, this eclectic piece of pop-punk shreddery is getting an honorable mention (until next year when it very well may crack the official top 10 list).
I picked a pretty damn good year to attend my first Lucero live show. Should’ve Learned By Now added another handful of catchy tracks to what I’d call the strongest catalog in the game, with this batch being more rock-forward than what some fans may have expected; and I absolutely loved it.
An intimate live show at Music City’s greatest punk bar earlier this year turned me onto these dudes, and I’ve fallen in love. J. Navarro and the Traitors‘ new record All of Us, or None emerged as my favorite ska record of the year, displaying the very same two-tone ska-punk that drew me as a fan of the Pietasters.
Jason Cruz has proven that he can do no wrong. Jason Cruz and Howl‘s Wolves gave me an entirely new appreciation for the musicianship of Cruz and the rest of Strung Out. I’ll even go out on a limb and say that Cruz’s voice may be the most malleable in all of punk.
Thanks for making it this far. Now, for the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Nasty Nate’s pick for 2023 record of the year is…
No. 1: Codefendants – This is Crime Wave
This is Crime Wave appealed to me for so many special reasons.
It’s equal parts punk rock and hip hop, something that, on paper, seems extremely difficult to execute successfully. All expectations were exceeded, with nothing seeming forced on this record. These songs are about as raw and natural as possible (revealed by both King and Cechi in our interview. My number one New Year’s resolution is to have that posted ASAP).
The emotion is insane. Tracks like “Coda-Fendants” and “Disaster Scenes” gave me chills and nearly brought me to tears. Vulnerability and honesty are at the forefront of every song on this release.
Not only was I opened to an entirely new genre in hip-hop, but my appreciation for the songwriting of Sam King, Ceschi Ramos, Fat Mike, Stacey Dee, and many others grew immensely. Hearing the D.O.C.’s triumphant return after 20 years quiet, paired Onry Ozzborne’s contributions, were far more than I needed to justify dipping my toes into what I’ve been missing in the realm of hip hop.
But most convincing of all was seeing all of these qualities portrayed ten-fold on the live stage by the King-Ceschi duo, backed by Zeta. I can confidently say the Codefendants’ show was the most powerful I’ve seen in the last ten years.
So there you have it, Nasty Nate’s favorite new tunes of 2023. Check out the sick playlist down below with all of my favorite songs of all of my favorite records this year. If we’re in disagreement and you think I’ve got it all wrong, make sure you talk all kinds of shit down in the comments. As always, thanks for checking out the site, Cheers!
