Top 5 Post-Punk Albums of 2023 to Smash your Neighbors’ Mailboxes To
Year-End Top 5
So you’re feeling overwhelmed with the sheer volume of new music that came out this year—aren’t we all? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with the best of the post-punk genre from 2023. Grab your favorite pair of Doc Martens, a baseball bat and a pack of American Spirits and tune in to SLUG’s top 5 post-punk albums of 2023.
Yves Tumor
Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
Warp Records
Street: 03.17
Yves Tumor = My Bloody Valentine + Eartheater
Yves Tumor gets even more experimental on their most recent release, Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds). They combine thrashing guitars with 808 drums and electronica elements for a truly out-of-this-world listening experience. The culmination of shoegaze and electronic influences are on full display on the tracks “Purified By the Fire” and “God Is a Circle.” A perfect harmony of noise, biting lyrics and mixing that is thick on reverb makes this the perfect album for gray, cloudy days and brooding while looking out a coffee shop window.
Shame
Food For Worms
Dead Oceans
Street: 02.24
Shame = The Fall + Squid
Shame’s most recent release, Food For Worms, calls back to the kind of older rock you’d find in your dad’s vinyl collection. The cover art of a jester rising out of the water and stretching their arms to a starry night sky perfectly encapsulates the bittersweet, wistful nature of the music. Vocalist Charlie Steen gives a gravelly, heart-wrenching performance, pouring his soul into each song. The album peaks at the track “Burning By Design,” which mixes passionate lyrics, rapid drums and classic, punky guitar to produce a song that just makes you want to burn everything to the ground. It’s the perfect listen for a day of emotional rage.
Squid
O Monolith
Warp Records
Street: 6.09
Squid = The Fall + New Order
Spiraling, screeching guitars and warped computer bleeps and bloops are a staple of the UK-based band Squid’s newest album, O Monolith. After their highly praised debut album Bright Green Field, many fans held their breath in anticipation of the band’s next release. Squid did not disappoint, combining a wide variety of sounds and instruments into their DIY sound, including strings, woodwinds and more. No track encapsulates this better than ”Devils Den,” which spirals into chaos before violently rubber-banding the listener back into a sense of security with the slower paced melody of “Siphon Song.” You simply can’t skip this release.
MSPAINT
Post-American
Convulse Records
Street: 03.10
MSPAINT = ???
For those looking for something more hardcore, the debut album from Mississippi-based band MSPAINT is a match made in heaven. Drawing from hip hop, DIY and synth-punk, the band has created an album unlike any other. The exclusion of guitar from the band’s instrumentals lends to more creative, bass and synth-centered compositions that turn the punk formula on its head. The project oozes absurdism with angsty instrumentals and strangely positive lyrics, such as the track “Delete It”, where vocalist Deedee screams “I, I, I, I just wanna feel it, not delete it / Something realer and distinguished.” MSPAINT is the perfect medley of sound to unite old-school punks and young rebels alike.
Geese
3D Country
Partisan Records
Street: 06.23
Geese = Grateful Dead + The Clash
While lots of post-punk artists lean more towards electronica to expand their sound, Geese calls back to tie-dyed tees and open roads in their sophomore album, 3D Country. Goofy vocals and a proggier guitar creates a feeling that can only be described as a distillation of summer vacation into a bottle. The band isn’t afraid to pull out all the stops for a jammier listening experience by incorporating banjos, bongos and cheeky lyrics into the mix. Chances are if you showed this album to your hippie aunt, it would become her favorite album of the year.
Read more Year-End Top 5 Reviews from past years here:
Top 5 Experimental Albums for Shedding Your Human Skin
Editor’s Picks: 10 Post-Punk Albums From the 2010s that You’ll Love into 2020