Jimmy “Explosive Diarrhea” B’s Favorite Music in 2023

By Jimmy “Explosive Diarrhea” B

2023 was a great year for music. It seemed like everything I purchased was above average, and I could have chosen thirty albums for this list. In fact, my initial list was more than thirty. I whittled it down to what you see below.

Jamie Branch. 

In 2023, I purchased two albums featuring Jamie Branch. Unbeknownst to me, Branch died in 2022 at the young age of 39. She was a huge talent, and it is this rather than her death that prompted me to place two of her projects on this list. Branch was one of the only trumpet players that I can listen to without covering my ears. The shrillness of the trumpet is something I have little tolerance for, but Branch’s music is so interesting that I am able to forget that someone is blowing a trumpet; I get lost in the groove.

Jamie Branch, Fly or Die (World War) (International Anthem, 2032).

Pink Dolphins, Anteloper (International Anthem, 2022).

Grupo Um. 

I was on one of the obscure online record seller websites, and I saw an interesting story about Grupo Um’s first album, Starting Point. The album was released in 2023 on Far Out Recordings, but it was recorded much earlier. The album was recorded in 1975 when Brazil’s government was in the hands of a military dictatorship. The story printed on the Far Out Recordings website (https://www.faroutrecordings.com/products/grupo-um-starting-point) hints that the band could not find a record label willing to release an avant garde jazz record during a time of social conservatism. This story is interesting, but the band is fucking great; the story just adds a little flavor.

Irreversible Entanglements, Protect the Light (International Anthem, 2032). 

I have been aware of IE for a few years, and have enjoyed all of their releases, but Protect the Light is my favorite. IE plays jazz, but they definitely have a non-traditional style. They include some latin/Brazillian rhythms; perhaps even a hint of hip hop; and their lyrics are political. 

Jethro Tull, The Zealot Gene (Inside Out Music, 2022). 

I won’t say very much about this album by a band who has made some of the greatest, and perhaps some of the worst, records in rock history. But, I will yell, Tull is back!

Mike Oldfield, Tubular Bells (‎EMI Import, 2023). 

I don’t live under a rock, so of course I had heard of this album, but I assumed it was some cheeseball thing that Grateful Dead fans listened to. I saw it on sale, so I grabbed a copy. I am really glad I did. The album can be rambling, and some of the spoken word parts are a little irritating, but I found myself fascinated by this musical journey. 

Old Spirt. 

Old Spirit is a solo project by Jason Hartman, a member of the Vanishing Kids and guitar player for Jex Thoth. Jason released two heavy metal albums under this name, both of which I purchased this year. These records are fascinating. Hartman does not hide his influences. I hear Celtic Frost, Mercyful Fate, and David Bowie. I love the variety on these albums. Additionally, I knew Jason could play guitar and bass, and I assumed he could probably drum a bit, but I had no idea he could sing so well. I really dig the variety on these records. I hope there is more to come.

Old Spirit, Burning in Heaven (Bright as Night Records, 2023).

Old Spirit, Old Spirit (Bright as Night Records, 2022).

Ozric Tentacles, Lotus Unfolding (KSCOPE, 2023). 

I had assumed it was over for OT when the members started releasing solo material. Fortunately, I was incorrect.

OXN, CRYM (Universal Import, 2023). 

Well, fuck me, I have no idea where to start with this one. This album leaves me speechless. It is Celtic music for sure, but it is also very, very dark. A lot of Celtic music, the Chieftains for example, has dreariness to it. The Chieftains music is dark, but you get a sense of some kind of happiness that has either just passed or perhaps it is on the way. OXN is different; OXN’s CRYM is absolutely soul crushing.

Raven, All Hell’s Breaking Loose‎ (Silver Lining Music, 2023). 

I have been a Raven fan since I was 14 or 15 years old, well, there was that time they released a hair metal album, but other than that I have been a fan. For those that do not know Raven’s history, they were one of the first NWOBHM bands. They were even on Neat records at one time—if you know what that is, you are a dinosaur. Anyhow, they called their version of metal “athletic rock,” which is kind of silly, but it makes sense. These guys are all over the place, both in terms of their stage presence and their music. There are a lot of fast changes in their music. Raven are talented dudes. I got to see the Gallagher brothers play at a festival in California a few years ago. My hope is that I will get to see them again some time. All Hell’s Breaking Loose is a great record.

S.G. Goodman, Teeth Marks (Verve Forecast, 2022). 

I won’t say very much about this album since I plan to review it at some point. I will say two things now. First, S.G. Goodman is a fantastic songwriter. Second, she has joined a very small club of bands and musicians who have made me weep.

Seven Impale. 

I am quite fond of progressive rock and metal. I can be quite snobby about both. I am particularly fond of European prog bands. For some reason, a lot of great modern progressive rock comes from Norway, and any metal fan knows that Norway is ground zero for metal. From my setup, you probably assumed Seven Impale are Norwegian; they are indeed Norse. 

Progressive metal has been around for a long time. We know the bands: Fates Warning, Savatage, Dream Theater, etc. Seven Impale sounds nothing like those bands. They have more in common with Eloy or Van Der Graaf Generator than they do those prog metal bands. Add equal parts late 1970s prog rock and metal and you are getting close to what Seven Impale sound like.

Seven Impale, Summit (Karisma Records, 2023).

Seven Impale, Contrapasso (Karisma Records, 2016).

Seven Impale, City of the Sun (Karisma Records, 2014).

PAKT, PAKT (Moonjune Records, 2021). 

Do you hate the Transiberian Orchestra as much as I do? Of course you do, you are a person with good taste. If I had realized before I bought this album that one of the members, Alex Skolnick, of Testament fame, was involved with that Christ-myth related abortion, I would have skipped it, but I would have deprived myself of a jazz treat. This is a great record of avant garde jazz, and I highly recommend it.

Octafish, |:Start30Stop:| (Starpatrol, 2023). 

This band is weird, and I have no idea how to describe them. Here are some key words: jazzy, discordant, metal, prog, groovy. 

Honorable Mentions:

Illegal Crowns, Unclosing (Out of Your Head Records, 2023).

Unleased, Dawn of the Nine (Nuclear Blast, 2015).

London Brew, London Brew (Concord Jazz, 2023).

Visitor 2035, Visitor 2035 (MIG, 2023).