As 2022 comes to an end in a few hours’ time, so too does the She’s So Vinyl reflection on the year in music just gone. It’s been great fun to look back on the last twelve months and the absolutely incredible amount of sensational music crammed into them, but now it’s time for something arguably more exciting. Let’s set our gazes forward and take a look at some of the very exciting releases set for 2023!
If 2023 is even half as good as 2022, it’ll still be up there with the best years for music in recent times. With some great records announced already, let’s end the year with a whistlestop tour of those drops I’m most eagerly anticipating. A couple major returns, a debut I can’t wait for, and a mystery for the future are within – make sure to note these down for your 2023!
Italia 90 – ‘Living Human Treasure’
South London-via-Brighton post-punks Italia 90 are a band bristling with barely-contained feverish energy ready to spill over into long-awaited debut ‘Living Human Treasure’, released January 20. Having released three self-titled EPs before the turn of the decade that are full of oblique-yet-aggressive polemics melding influences from all corners of the 70s-to-80s punk and post-punk movements, ‘Living Human Treasure’ sounds set to be a complete coalescence of their sound into their most focused set of tracks yet. I, for one, can’t wait.
The Murder Capital – ‘Gigi’s Recovery’
Set for release on the same day as ‘Living Human Treasure’, there aren’t any words that can adequately describe my excitement for The Murder Capital’s return to releasing music with sophomore record ‘Gigi’s Recovery’. Their debut ‘When I Have Fears’ instantly became my favourite album of all time (at that point) upon its release in 2019, yet four years later the Irish five-piece seem to have stepped it up to a whole new level with a refreshed and righteous new sound – especially with third single ‘Ethel’, their best offering to this date.
Young Fathers – ‘Heavy Heavy’
An even longer wait between releases was to be had for Scottish heavyweights Young Fathers. Merely a month shy of five years since last effort ‘Cocoa Sugar’, the Leith-based trio return on February 3 with ‘Heavy Heavy’. While they had some reacquainting to do with the recording process after this hiatus, none of what made me and many others fall in love with the group has been lost over time – the reflective and universal beauty of their music is still present, especially on ‘Tell Somebody’; understated yet irresistible grooves remain on ‘Geronimo’; and their adeptness at producing an all-out hip-shaking banger never left by the sounds of ‘I Saw’. This is most certainly not one to be missed.
Black Country, New Road – TBA…
They released my top album of the year and now all time in 2022, but what does 2023 have in store for the now six-piece Black Country, New Road? Having shared vocal duties around the remaining members in songs workshopped in live performances over the year, their capabilities to tug at heartstrings with affecting melodies and moving lyrics have clearly not been diluted – the Lewis Evans-fronted ‘Across The Pond Friend’ was a particular favourite of mine in the few times I caught them in concert this year. Rumour has it, however, that these songs will not make it onto the third BCNR record – if this is the case, then should this release come in 2023, it certainly will be one of the most anticipated and interesting listens of the year.
Make sure you have these albums earmarked for listening when they release – I’m more than sure you won’t regret it! More importantly, have a happy and healthy new year – thank you very much for reading the (sporadic) content I’ve been able to produce for you this latter half of 2022, and I’ll see you in 2023 for more reviews and records for you to enjoy!
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