YEAR END DJ PICKS
POSTED:: December 18, 2023
FILED UNDER:: General
The greatest DJs in the world have put together their best ofs – just for you. The list is in no particular order so scroll through and check ’em out!
Tom Crawford – Station Manager and Host of Rock Ride and Radio Drill Time
National
Nick Dunston Skultura Tripticks Tapes
Phillip Jeck & Chris Watson Oxmardyke Touch
Rocket 808 House of Jackpots 12XU
Fever Ray Radical Romantics Mute/Rabid
Natural Information Society Since Time Is Gravity Eremite
Yo La Tengo The Stupid World Matador
Dorothy Moskowitz & Under An Endless Sky Tompkins Square
The United States of Alchemy
Actress LXXXVII Ninja Tune
Laura Ortman SMOKE RINGS SHIMMER ENDLESS BLUR Thedustdevilflash/Bandcamp
Local
Buffalo Nichols The Fatalist
Jinksie S/T
Piles 5:53
Astral Hands Lords Of Data
Lauryl Sulfate & Her Ladies of Leisure The Afterparty
Buzz – Buzz’s Garage – Monday -6 – 9PM
RELEASES:
Vidro – Live at Kafé 44 – self released
C.O.F.F.I.N – Australia Stops – Goner
Fu Manchu – Fu30 Pt.3 – At The Dojo
Zack Static Sect – I’m Movin’ On EP – Kingdome Records
Mudhoney – Plastic Eternity – Sub Pop
Chinese Junk – Fly Spray – Big Neck
The Bomboras – Songs From Beyond! – MuSick Recordings
SHOWS:
Mudhoney at X-Ray Arcade
Sparks at the Pabst Theater
Snooper at the Beet Street festival
World In Action at the Bay View Bash
Grass Cutter Andy – 5 & Dime Show – (Alternating) Thursday 9AM – Noon
1.) Silver Apples & Makoto Kawabata “Mirage” (Important Records)
2.) John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy-“Evenings At The Village Gate” (Impulse)
3.) Loscil//Lawrence English -“Colours Of Air” (Kranky)
4.) Colleen -“Le Jour Et La Nuit Du Réel” (Thrill Jockey)
5.) Various Artists -“Ngoma: The Soul Of The Congo” (Planet Ilunga)
Reissues:
1.) Pharoah Sanders “Pharoah” (Luaka Bop)
2.) De La Soul “De La Soul Is Dead” (Chrysalis)
3.) De La Soul “Buhloone Mind State” (Chrysalis)
4.) Annexus Quam “Osmose” (OHR)
5.) Gravediggaz -“6 Feet Deep” (MNRK Recordings)
DJ Maggie Iken – Pound Cake Punk (Alternating) Thursday- 6-9AM
Co-Host Local/Live – Tuesday 6 -7PM
Releases (chronological order):–
– Sial – Sangkar (La Vida Es Un Mus Discos)
– GEL – Only Constant (Convulse Records)
– Delicious Monsters – Freedom Plastic Realistic? (Delicious Monsters/Tetryon Tapes)
– World I Hate – Years of Lead (WAR Records)
– SHINee – HARD (SM Entertainment)
– Klassik – SummerSkool (Klass Act Productions)
– Banshimoku – Idenshi reberu no NO! ! ! (Yamaha Entertainment)
– The Hives – The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons (Disques Hives)
– Beauty Steps – Show Me Where (Beauty Steps)
– KEY – Good & Great (SM Entertainment)
Performances (chronological order):
January 3 – TREASURE – Japan Arena Tour 2022-2023~HELLO, Saitama Super Arena (Saitama, Japan)
March 25 – Black Lines, Din Sky/Nullsleep/The Demix – Black Lines, Din Sky EP Release, Quarters Rock ‘N’ Roll Palace
April 2 – OnlyOneOf – Grand America Tour, Park West (Chicago, IL)
May 1 – Skinny Puppy/Lead Into Gold – When Nothing is True… Anything is Possible – Final Tour, The Fillmore (Minneapolis, MN)
July 15 – World I Hate/Cross Me//Pains/Chain of Command/Force – World I Hate Album Release, Cactus Club
Grant – Happy Monday- (alternating) 6 – 9AM
• Sufjan Stevens – “Javelin”
• Yo La Tengo – “This Stupid World”
• PJ Harvey – “I Inside the Old Year Dying”
• The Hold Steady – “The Price of Progress”
• Jenny Lewis – “Joy’All”
• boygenius – “the record”
• Everything But the Girl – “Fuse”
• ANOHNI and the Johnsons – “My Back was a Bridge for You to Cross”
• Feeble Little Horse – “Girl With Fish”
• Ryuichi Sakamoto – “12”
2023 “Top Shows” list (again in no particular order)
• Hot Chip (Turner Hall)
• Devo (Amager Bio, Copenhagen)
• Jenny Lewis (Summerfest)
• The War on Drugs (Summerfest)
• Liz Phair (Chicago Theater)
DJ Sonia – Friday Blues Drive – 3 – 6PM
- Hudspeth & Taylor, Ridin’ The Blinds (Hudtone Records)
- Taj Mahal, Savoy (Stony Plain Records)
- John Primer, Live at Rosa’s: Teardrops for Magic Slim (Blues House)
- Larry Taylor and the Taylor Family with the Soul Blues Healers, Generations of Blues: West Side Legacy (Nola Blue Records)
- Walter Wolfman Washington, Feel so At Home (TipitinasRecordClub.com)
Jon Blick – Overnight Sensations – Thursday – Midnight – 3AM
Top 10 Albums in no particular order
Diet Lite – Into The Pudding
Samantha Fish And Jesse Dayton – Death Wish Blues
Margaret Glaspy -Echo The Diamond
Cable Ties – All Her Plans
Dusk – Glass Pastures
Derek Pritzl & The Gamble – Great Disaster
Ressurectionists – Now That we Are All Ghosts
Robbie Fulks – Bluegrass Vacation
Sparks – The Girl is Crying In Her Latte
Nick Shoulders – All Bad
Top 10 Shows of 2023
2/4 Convert – Mittenfest
4/14 Spidori, Credentials, Ressurectionists – Promises
6/29 MYSO Steel Drums – Summerfest
7/6 The War On Drugs – Summerfest
8/5 Baked Shrimp – Mile of Music
9/13 Ladybird, Derek Pritzl – Third Space Brewing
9/16 The Trusty Knife, Olivia Jean – Bay View Bash
9/22 Trolley, Tim Schweiger & The Middlemen – Circle A
10/7 Snooper – Beet Street
12/2 Chapped Lips, Shoobie, Diet Lite – Bremen Cafe
Paul Cebar – Way Back Home – Wednesday -9 to Noon
Rami & The Reliables-Drug Cocktail
Jalen Ngonda- Come Around and Love Me
Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos
Kelly Aiglon – Female Focus – (Alternating) Sunday – 10:30 – Midnight
Top 5 National Albums
1. Nation of Language – Strange Disciple
2. Paul Cherry / Kate Bollinger – Los Angeles Story
3. Joey Valance & Brea – Punk Tactics
4. Rose of the West – No Things Permanent
5. Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
Top 5 Local Albums
1. Vincent Van Great – Ladies Please
2. Immortal Girlfriend – Moment
3. Sex Scenes – Fed Up
4. Lauryl Sulfate & Her Ladies of Leisure – The Afterparty
5. El Sebas – Dímelo
Top 5 Shows
1. Julia Jacklin at Turner Hall
2. Nation of Language at Turner Hall
3. Lil Yachty at the Sylvee
4. Kate Bollinger at Backroom at Colectivo
5. Japanese Breakfast at Summerfest
Tom Wanderer – The Tom Wanderer Experience – Thursday – 3-6PM
PJ Harvey – I Inside The Old Year Dying
Honolulu High – Plays The Secret Names
Les Rallizes Denudes – Citta ’93
High Rise – Dispersion (expanded reissue)
The Who – Live at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium, 1971
Grant Steskal – Mish -Mosh Radio – Friday– 3-6AM
Albums:
Ask – Altin Gun
Garden Party – Rose City Band
Chimborazo – Son Rompe Pera
Pointe – Hooveriii
Fresh as a head of lettuce – Babe Rainbow
Shows:
Altin Gun- Turner Hall
Circles Around The Sun- Turner Hall
Dead & Co- Wrigley Field, Chicago
Billy Strings- Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI
Cabeza De Chivo – cactus club
Dennis Clark – Substitute DJ
Top 5 national releases
1. Marvelous 3 – IV
2. Lydia Loveless – Nothing’s Gonna Stand in My Way Again
3. The New Pornographers – Continue as a Guest
4. Spanish Love Songs – No Joy
5. Death By Unga Bunga – Camouflage (single)
Top 5 local releases
1. Wildered – Emezov
2. Overhand – Do You Remember? / Far (single)
3. Bad Crime – Demo
4. Terry Alan Hackbarth – Afraid of the Dark / I Heard That Song Before (single)
5. Hayward Williams – Might As Well Turn It Up
Top 5 shows
1. Sparks @ Pabst Theater (July)
2. The Lemon Twigs @ Cactus Club (October)
3. The New Pornographers @ Turner Hall (May)
4. Mike Viola @ Cactus Club (October)
5. Trolley @ Circle A (September)
Erik Void – Everything That Rises Must Converge – Saturday- 12 AM – 3 AM
Midwife & Vyva Melinkolya – Orbweaving
Eloise Chamber – Departure
The True Faith – Go To Ground
Styrofoam & The Go Find – Present the Empathy Exams
Emma Anderson – Pearlies
Pia Fraus – Evening Colours
Medicine – Her Highness (premiere mélange)
House of Harm – Playground
Lowfish – Grey With Breaks
Slowdive – everything is alive
DJ Ascot – Jing Jong Triple Play – Friday 6 -9AM
Soaked Oats: Working Title
The Homesick: s/t
Sen Morimoto: Diagnosis
Video Dave: ArticulatedTexTiles
Population II: Electron libres du Quebec
Local
Lauryl Sulfate & LOL: The Afterparty
MilBillies: Capitol B
Ductawf: Chrome Heart
Large Print: In the Dark (2022)
SHOOBIE: We All Come From The Same pit (2022)
Shows
Surprise Chef/Alanna Royale @ Empty Bottle
Suuns/Lorelle Meets the Obsolete @ Lodge Room
Y La Bamba/Daniel Villareal @ Empty Bottle
Deerhoof/Serengeti @ Lincoln hall
Milwaukee Psychfest
Get Moses – Non-Pop! Radio – Tuesday – 9 – Midnight
Albums:
• Masego – Masego
• Dinner Party (Terrace Martin, Robert Gasper) – Enigmatic Society
• Andre 3000 – New Blue Sun
• Aesop Rock – Integrated Tech Solutions
• Jungle – Volcano
Shows:
• Jungle at The Sylvee
• Fred Again.. at Lollapalooza
• Red Hot Chili Peppers at Lollapalooza
• Kia Rap Princess at Summerfest
• Flume at North Coast Music Festival
DJ Haven – Wave Tank – Wednesdays (Alternate)- 6 -9AM
Albums I enjoyed listening to in 2023 listed in no particular order:
Overmono / Good Lies
In Aeternam Vale / Filthy EP
Caroline Polachek / Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
Oklou / Galore
Kumo 99 / Body N.Will
Sky H1 / Azure
Bullion / Heaven is Over
Gel Set / Tone Invasion
Kite / V EP
Modeselektor / Extended
Grace Ives / Janky Star
entire Ryuichi Sakamoto discography
the non-country non-folk Taylor Swift albums 😉
Rich Mars – City Rock Showgram – Wednesday 6-9PM
Top 5 albums
Waco Brothers “The Men That God Forgot”
Crocodiles “Upside Down in Heaven”
The Kills “God Games” – (Just a coincidence they’re all topical in same way)
Bar Italia “The Twits”
Axis: Nova “Blinded By Oblivion”
Honorable mention albums
Quasi “Breaking the Balls of History”
The Reds, Pinks & Purples “The Town That Cursed Your Name”
Blur “The Ballad of Darren”
Concerts
Drive-By Truckers at the Pabst
Joan Jett at Harley 120th
Nick Cave at the Riverside
Bob Mould at Backyard BBQ
John Komp – The Truth About De-Evolution – Monday 3 – 6AM
Top 10 Albums
• Lonnie Holley – Oh Me Oh My (Jagjaguwar)
• Anohni and The Johnsons – My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross (Secretly Canadian)
• Elkhorn – On The Whole Universe In All Direction (Centripetal Force)
• Creation Rebel – Hostile Environment (On-U Sound)
• John Cale – Mercy (Double Six Records)
• The Lemon Twigs – Everything Harmony (Captured Tracks)
• Joanna Sternberg – I’ve Got Me (Fat Possum)
• Bonnie “Prince” Billy – Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You (Drag City)
• jaimie branch – Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) (International Anthem)
• Yo La Tengo – This Stupid World (Matador)
Top 10 Shows
• Big Ears 2023: John Zorn’s 70th birthday at Big Ears, multiple amazing shows with different combos including the largest Cobra ensemble ever!), Lonnie Holley, Rich Ruth, Moor Mother, Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba, Xylouris White, Christian McBride, Marc Ribot and Los Cubanos Postizos, Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet, Mourning [A] BLKstar, Sun Ra Arkestra, Makaya McCraven, Terry Allen, Josephine Foster, Etran de L’Air, and so much more.
• Lonnie Holley & Friends (Big Ears pop-up show at UT-Knoxville Gallery with Lee Bains, Christopher Paul Stelling, and Kevin Morby on guitars. Shahzad Ismaily on bass. Jim White on drums. Cochemea on flute and sax. Dave Eggar on cello. Erin Rae on vocals with Lee Bains. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqhSEZeuSp3/)
• Sparks at The Pabst Theater
• The Lemon Twigs w/Joanna Sternberg at Cactus Club
• Yo La Tengo at Turner Hall
• Jimmy Flemion of The Frogs at X-Ray Arcade
• Heavy Elk (Jeffrey Alexander and Elkhorn one-off show) at Acme Records
• Ceramic Dog with The Bad Plus at High Noon Saloon
• The Breeders with Horsegirl at Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame (playing the full Last Splash LP, getting rained out right before Riding on 9 but deftly regrouping indoors for an acoustic version to close out the show)
• Nick Cave solo at The Riverside
Top 5 Locals
• Jinksy
• Video Sex Priest
• Spidora
• Combustor
• Dairyland’s Finest String Band at Strummerfest
Mark Krueger – Planet Prog – Sunday 9 – 10:30PM
1) Avkrvst, “The Approbation”……Norway
2) Arkitekture, “Rationalis Impetus”……South Korea
3) Seven Impale, “Summit”…..Norway
4) Van Der Graaf Generator, “The Bath Forum Concert”…..UK
5) Zopp, “Dominion”,….. UK
6) Ring Van Mobius, “Commissioned Works Part 2…(Six drops of Poison)…….Norway
7) Eloy ‘Echoes from the Past”…..Germany
8) Mystery,”Redemption”…..Canada
9) Rain, “Radio Silence”…..UK
10)Riverside, “ID. Entity……Poland
John Radtke (a.k.a creamcityrocker)
Sub / Various Shows
Benzin – Live im SO 36 (Billo Tonträger Records)
PACKS – Crispy Crunchy Nothing (Fire Talk)
Cat Clyde – Down Rounder (SecondPrize Records)
Kurt Vile – Back To Moon Beach (Verve)
Son Volt – Day Of The Doug (Transmit Sound)
Dub Specialist – Studio One Space-Age Dub Special (Soul Jazz)
Singles
Abby Jeanne – Know Better (Eraserhood Sound)
Al Green – Perfect Day (Fat Possum)
The Beths – Watching The Credits (Carpark)
Comps/Re-issues
VA – Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos (Stax/Craft Recordings)
Kilkenny Cats – Hands Down [Expanded] (Propeller Sound Recordings)
Dennis Brown – Let Me Love You: The Joe Gibbs 7″ Singles Collection (Doctor Bird)
Gregory Isaacs – In Person [Expanded] (Doctor Bird)
Joe Gibbs & The Professionals – 100 Years Of Dub (Doctor Bird)
VA – Rocking On The G.G. Beat 1970-1971 (Doctor Bird)
Best Song Discovered on WMSE in 2023
“Cush” by Abacush – Faux Eyes Show 03-20-2023
Craig Mertes – The Shape of Rock – Tues. 6 – 9AM
Local
1. Resurrectionists / Now That We Are All Ghosts / Seismic Wave Entertainment (https://resurrectionistsmke.bandcamp.com/album/now-that-we-are-all-ghosts)
2. Delicious Monsters / Freedom Plastic Realistic? / Self Release (https://deliciousmonsters.bandcamp.com/album/freedom-plastic-realistic)
3. Genau / Flowers / Self Release (https://genaumke.bandcamp.com/album/flowers)
4. Scam Likely / Getting Worse / Self Release (https://scamlikelytheband.bandcamp.com/album/getting-worse)
5. Rose of the West / No Things Permanent / Communicating Vessels (https://roseofthewest.bandcamp.com/album/no-things-permanent-3)
National
1. Maple Stave / Arguments / Self Release (https://maplestave.bandcamp.com/album/arguments)
2. Donny McCaslin / I Want More / Edition Records (https://donnymccaslin.bandcamp.com/album/i-want-more)
3. Djunah / Femme Furens / Self Release (https://djunah.bandcamp.com/album/femina-furens)
4. Screaming Females / Desire Pathway / Don Giovanni Records (https://screamingfemales.bandcamp.com/album/desire-pathway)
5. Black Pumas / Chronicles of a Diamond / ATO (https://blackpumas.bandcamp.com/album/chronicles-of-a-diamond)
Cal Roach – Midnight Radio – Tuesday -7 – 9PM
top five Milwaukee shows (chronological):
Yo La Tengo @ Turner Hall 3/25
Milwaukee Metal Fest @ The Rave 5/26-27
Janet Jackson @ AmFam Amphitheater 5/28
Spidora @ Circle-A Café 7/20
Nick Cave @ The Riverside 9/27
top five local albums (unranked):
Astral Hand, LORDS OF DATA
Buffalo Nichols, THE FATALIST
Bug Moment, THE FLYING TOAD CIRCUS
Gauss, WHALE FALL
Rat Bath, CALL ME A MONSTER
top five nonlocal albums (unranked):
Jaimie Branch, FLY OR DIE FLY OR DIE FLY OR DIE ((WORLD WAR))
Chuquimamani-Condori, DJ E
Enscelados, TRAGEDY OF CEPHEIS
Meshell Ndegeocello, THE OMNICHORD REAL BOOK
Video Dave X Controller 7, ARTICULATEDTEXTILES
Shopkeeper Ken – 5 and Dime – (Alternate) Thursday 9-Noon
Astrid – Always Digging The Same Hole
BCMC – Foreign Smokes
jaimie branch – Fly Or Die Fly Or Die Fly Or Die ((World War))
Lau Nau – Aphrilis
The Necks – Travel
Bill Orcutt – Jump On It
Powers / Pulice / Rolin – Prism
Tapani Rinne & Juha Maki Patola – Open
Daniel Villarreal – Lados B
Yo La Tengo – This Stupid World
John – Blues Hideout – Sat. 9 – Noon
1) Playing For The Mat At The Door: Field Recordings From The Collection Of Mack McCormick, 1958-1971
2) Buffalo Nichols – “The Fatalist”
3) Nat Myers – “Yellow Peril”
4)Christone “Kingfish” Ingram – “Live In London”
5) GA-20- “Live In Loveland”
6) The Teskey Brothers – “The Winding Way”
7) Witch – “Zango”
8) Parchman Prison Prayers – “Some Mississippi Sunday Morning.
9) Gov’t Mule – “Peace…Like A River”
10) Leon III – “Something Is Trying To Change My Mind”
Matt – Rock City Showgram – (Alternating) Wednesdays 6 – 9PM
Top Full Lengths
Teenage Wrist – Still Love
The Menzingers – Some of It Was True
Heavenward – Pyrophonics
+++ (Crosses) – Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete.
Militarie Gun – Life Under the Gun
Top EP’s / Splits / Singles
The Darien Gap – Haunted Lots (EP)
Balance and Composure – Too Quick to Forgive
Better Lovers – God Made Me an Animal
Nothing & Full of Hell – When No Bird’s Sang (Split)
The Hope Conspiracy – Confusion / Chaos / Misery
Top Local
Seasaw – Projecting
Dramatic Lovers – The Hiatus EP
Snag / Coma Regalia – MMXXIII (Split)
Soup Moat – Self Titled EP
Immortal Girlfriend – Moment {Single}
Top Shows
Sunny Day Real Estate w/ The Appleseed Cast @ Pabst Theater {Milwaukee – 4.21.23}
Cloakroom w/ Centaur, Djunah & Sweet Cobra @ Loose Cobra {Tolono, IL – 7.8.23}
The Menzingers @ Majestic Theater {Madison, WI – 8.16.23}
Braid & Hopesfall @ Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark {Birmingham, AL – 9.22.23}
The Lawrence Arms @ The Metro {Chicago, IL / 12.8.23}
Mickey – Promethian Sound – Monday – 3 to 6AM
PACKS – Crispy Crunchy Nothing
Young Fathers – Heavy Heavy
Salami Rose Joe Louis – Akousmatikous
Sababa 5
@ – Mind Palace Music
Robert Szocik, Alternating Currents – Sunday – 6 to 9PM
Rest in Peace Peter Brötzmann //// Rest in Peace Mars Williams
A few music releases (7)
Aya Metwalli & Calamita, Al Saher
Kawashima / Mochizuki / Henritzi, Chinmoku Wa Ishikure Ni Yadoru Bouryoku
Vasco Trilla , A Constellation of Anomaly
Isaiah Collier, Parallel Universe
Peter Brötzmann, Heather Leigh and Fred Lonberg-Holm, Naked Nudes
Zoh Amba, Chris Corsano & Bill Orcutt, The Flower School
Pascal Niggenkemper, blòc
A few live shows (7 is…)
Sparks @ The Riverside
Near Miss Trio featuring Rob Magill, Gerrit Hatcher and Bill Harris @ The Sugar Maple
The Magic Number with Roscoe Mitchell, Joe McPhee, Mat Gustafsson, Nate Wooley, Ken Vandermark and Jason Adasiewicz @ The Constellation
Bob Mould @ The Backyard BBQ – Humboldt Park
Zoh Amba & Chris Corsano @ The Sugar Maple
Black Duck w/ Book of Johns at ACME Records
Zappa Fest XXV with Gozortenplat, The MirrorMen and Dr. Chow’s Love Medicine @ Best Place at Historic Pabst Brewery
Reference: Love “7 and 7 Is” (1967)
Mr. Dr. Dave – Sunday Morning Jazz – 6 to 8AM
Top Five Jazz Releases of 2023:
Quartet San Francisco & Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band – “Raymond Scott Reimagined”
Mimi Fox Organ Trio – “One for Wes”
Oscar Peterson Trio – “Con Alma: Live in Lugano, 1964”
Julian Lage – “The Layers EP”
Jason Kao Hwang Critical Response – “Book of Stories”
Best Concert of 2023:
Charles Lloyd (saxes and flute) with drummer Eric Harland and Indian tabla master Zakir Hussain October 11 at the Bradley Symphony Center. 85 year old Charles was very good, of course, but Hussain was AMAZING and clearly drew a large part of the knowledgeable and appreciative audience to their Milwaukee stop.
DJ Eric Von Munz – Vinyl Variety Show – Thursday – Noon – 3PM
National Top Five
-Gee Tee “Goodnight Neanderthal” (Goner Records)
-C.O.F.F.I.N “Australia Stops” (Goner Records)
-Snooper “Super Snooper” (Third Man Records)
-Death Valley Girls “Islands In The Sky” (Suicide Squeeze)
-Axis:Sova “Blinded By Oblivion” (God?)
Local Six Pack and two bonus shots
-Astral Hand “Lords Of Data” (Romanus Records)
-World In Action S/T EP (self released)
-Diet Lite “Into The Pudding” (not sure what label)
-Jinxie S/T EP (self released)
-Chinese Telephones “Outta My Hands” 7” EP (also not sure what label)
-High Gallows “Eulogies” (again, no idea what label)
Bonus shots-
Both by Green Bay’s Masters of Mayhem:
Boris The Sprinkler – “Bits O’Boris” (Beer City Skateboards and Records)
“Group Sex” (Hey Suburbia/Radiation)
Bits O’Boris slams together a slew of rare tracks from compilations/split singles released over the decades and the entire thing plays like you are witnessing the band live in your living room!
Group Sex is a note for note homage to the Circle Jerks’ punk classic and somehow clocks in as FASTER than the original.
DJ Andy Turner – Zero Hour – Friday – Noon to 3PM
Top 10 albums
1. Various Artists – Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos (Stax/Craft Recordings)
2. Tyler Keith and the Apostles – Hell to Pay (Black & Wyatt)
3. Thee Headcoats – Irregularis (The Great Hiatus) (Damaged Goods)
4. Pat Todd and the Rank Outsiders – Sons of the City Ditch (Dog Meat)
5. Yo La Tengo – This Stupid World (Matador)
6. Jinksie – S/T (Self-Released)
7. Movie Movie – Storyboards (Topsy Turvy)
8. The Baseball Project – Grand Salami Time! (Omnivore)
9. Dex Romweber – Good Thing Goin’ (Propeller Sound Recordings)
10. Dan Montgomery – Cast-Iron Songs & Torch Ballads (Fantastic Yes)
Top 5 shows
1. Hoodoo Gurus at Shank Hall, May 13
2. Mudhoney and Hooveriii at X-Ray Arcade, Oct. 19
3. Tyler Keith & the Revelations, Jeremy and the Drip Edges, and Spidora at Circle A, July 20
4. The Exotics at The Tonic Tavern, Aug. 20
5. Greg Cartwright & the Good Nights/Sugar Stems at Cactus Club, Nov. 11
DJ Mike – Kitchen Sink – Wednesday 3 to 6AM
Madres- Sofia Kourtesis
The NID Tapes: Electronic Music From India 1969-1972
The Parts I Dread- Pictoria Vark
Extra Life- Crushed
Jerusalem- Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru
Universal Harmonies- Chandra Labs
Shook- Algiers
De Kabul A Bamako- Sowal Diabi
An Ashtray Heart- Captain Beefheart
Fake No More- La Cherga
DJ Pete Rhode – Messy Radio – Friday – 9 to Midnight
Blues
4Horses Live at La Poussiere
Part OneJoel Astley Seattle to Greaseland
Nat Myers Yellow Peril
Ed Snodderly Chimney Smoke
Jan Gillies Visions
Little G Weevil If I May…
Country
Js Country Js Country
Robbie Fulks Bluegrass Vacation
Folk
C. Daniel Boling New Old Friends (feat. Tom Paxton)
Malcolm Holcombe Bits & Pieces
Rachael Sage The Other Side
Steven Gellman All You Need
Antonio Andrade My Reward
Jazz
Raquel Bitton C’EST MAGNIFIQUE
The Hot Toddies Jazz Band The Hot Toddies Jazz Band
Hannah Gill Everybody Loves A Lover
Tina Hartt Absence of You
Bowmanville Bowmanville
Local
Buffalo Nichols The Fatalist
Sweet Sheiks Lost Dog Blues
The Incorruptibles Highway Hypnosis
Bootleg Bessie Bootleg Bessie
Motel Breakfast Live from Lincoln Hall (Live from Lincoln Hall)
Blacksmith Rose Texas Tea
The MilBillies Capital B
Rock
Van Morrison Moving On Skiffle
Josie Cotton Day of the Gun
Izaak Opatz Extra Medium
Kovacs Child of Sin
Deer Tick Emotional Contracts
Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors Strangers No More
Charlie Diamond A New Poet In Town
Chris Bullinger How to Bleed
Elisapie Inuktitut
Michael Vincent Electric Fox
Steakhouse Amer Rouge
Adam Lytle This Is the Fire
DADDY LONG LEGS Street Sermons
Haymakers Waconda Flyer
The Mike Jacoby Electric Trio The Long Haul
Bruce Humphries and the Rockabilly Rebels Live it Up!
World
Kimi Djabaté Dindin
Razteria Tocar las Estrellas
DJ Christreater
Here’s my top 5 plus one
Misha Panfilov: “In Focus” and “Atlantico”
Tonu Naisso “Shapes and Colours”
JJ Whitefield “Ethio Meditations / Drama Al Dente”
Conway The Machine “Won’t He Do it”
EL Michels Affair & Black Thought “Glorious Game”
Honorable Mention: Black Star “No Fear of TIme” made available on Bandcamp
DJ Russ – Friday Morning Shrapnel – 3 to 6AM
Overkill-Scorched
Obituary-Dying of Everything
Angelus Apatrida- Aftermath
Metal Church-Congregation of Annihilation
Gamma Bomb-Bats
Cirith Ungol-Dark Parade
The Night Eternal-Fatale
Frozen Soul-Glacial Domination
Jag Panzer-The Hallowed
Enforced-War Remains
DJ Dave – One Man’s Trash – Thursday 3 to 6AM
LOCAL RELEASE
Dusk – Glass Pastures
Graham Hunt – Emergency Contact (Single)
Apollo Vermouth – Forever Back There
Scam Likely – Getting Worse
*Honorary Local* Abbey Jeanne – One Take Live in NYC
NATIONAL RELEASE
Yo La Tengo – This Stupid World
A Savage. – Several Songs About Fire
Calvin Johnson – Gallows Wine
William Tyler & The Impossible Truth – Secret Stratosphere
American Analog Set – For Forever
CONCERT
Greg Cartwright & the Goodnight’s at Cactus Club (November, 2023)
Lou Barlow – Ursa (July, 2023)
Buffalo Daughter – X-Ray Arcade (May, 2023)
Nick Lowe/Elvis Costello – BMO Harris Pavilion/Summerfest (June, 2023)
The Figgs/Sex Scenes – Promises (August, 2023)
Dr. Sushi – Free Jazz BBQ – Tuesday – 9AM to Noon
Here are my Top 5 albums of 2023
1. London Brew – London Brew
2. Peter Brötzmann/Majid Bekkas/Hamid Drake- Catching Ghosts
3. Steve Lehman & Orchestre National de Jazz – Ex Machina
4. Jaimie Branch – Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((World War))
5. Hiromi- Sonicwonderland
Here are my Top 5 Jazz/Blues/Avant Garde Concerts from 2023
1. Ambrose Akinmusire & The Honey From a Winter’s Stone Ensemble (Minneapolis)
2. Jazz at Lincoln Center featuring Naseer Shamma on oud (Milwaukee)
3. Shemekia Copeland (Milwaukee)
4. Charles Lloyd (Milwaukee)
5. Andy Summers (Champaign/Urbana)
DJ Damien – The Truth About De-Evolution – Monday Midnight to 3AM
Califone | Villagers
The Lemon Twigs | Everything Harmony
The Necks | Travel
Wye Oak | Every Day Like The Last
The Waeve | The Waeve
Spoon (Adrian Sherwood remix) | Lucifer On The Moon
Wilco | Cousin
ichard Hawley | Now & Then
Troostite | Etitsoort
Blur | The Ballad of Darren
Yo La Tengo | This Stupid World
Account Manager / Sub DJ – Mitch DeSantis
Top Five National/International: (Song, Artist, Album Name)
1. Sand on the Beach
a. Fidlar
b. That’s Life EP
2. Star Treatment
a. Loviet
b. The Nighttime Is All In The Timing
3. Blood Rushes
a. CIVIC
b. Taken By Force
4. Consciousness Equals Energy
a. Giobia
b. Acid Disorder
5. Weird Goodbyes (feat. Bon Iver)
a. The National
b. Laugh Track
6. Bonus Pick – The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte, Sparks, The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte.
Top Five Local: (Song, Artist, Album Name)
1. Bad Larry
a. Diet Lite
b. Into the Pudding
2. Honky-tonk Mama
a. Ladybird
b. Ladybird EP
3. Radianna
a. Chinese Telephones
b. Outta My Hands EP
4. WR-4R (Will Rap 4 Rent)
a. Emmit James
b. Undeniably Ground-Breakingly Excellent
5. Marginal Man
a. Hosts
b. Wade Low
6. Bonus Pick – Reverie, Okay Omen, So It Goes…
Top Five Live Shows of 2023:
I am having difficulty specifically ranking this one. The following were highlights throughout this past year: Bob Mould at WMSE’s Backyard BBQ, Ty Segal at Turner Hall Ballroom, Diet Lite at Brady Street Festival, Emmitt James at Var Gallery, Garden Home, Holy Shit!, or Snag at X-Ray Arcade, any of Milwaukee Record’s Halftime Series performers at Cactus Club; it’s the best way to watch the Packers in the city damn it.
I’ve had enough listing of this. There is a wicked amount of talent that comes thru, lives, and thrives in this city.
OPE! One last one: Olivia Jean’s two song set before a thunderous downpour at Bay View Bash. That was my favorite show of 2023. Honestly, some real rock and roll shit. I’ll never forget it!
Zorro – Alternating Currents (alternating) Sunday – 6 -9PM / Urband Fantasy (1 Wednesday a month) 9AM -Noon
“A” Trio – The Binding Third (Al Maslakh)
Emily Rach Beisel – Particle Of Organs (Amalgam)
Nava Dunkelman, Gabby Fluke-Mogul – Likht (Relative Pitch)
MAW (Meadows, Ackerly, – Live Recordings (Notice)
Joe McPhee, Mette Rasmussen, Dennis Tyfus – Oblique Strategies (Black Truffle)
Aya Metwalli & Calamita – Al Saher (Zehra)
Matana Roberts – Coin Coin Chapter Five: In The Garden… (Constellation)
Youmna Saba – Wishah وِشاح (Touch)
Akira Sakata, Entasis – Live in Europe 2022 (Trost)
Tender Crust – Convexity (Full Spectrum)
Sid – Squid Inc – Wednesday – 12:30 – 3PM
Albums –
Astral Hands – Lords of Data
Vincent Van Great – Ladies Please
Death Valley Girls – Islands in The Sky
DVTR – Bonjour
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation
Shows –
The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles Pink Robots
Fontaines D.C. – The Rave
The Chats, Cosmic Psychos, Schizophonics and Gymshorts – The Rave
Frank Turner, Scam Likely – Riverside
The Heavy Heavy – SXSW
Dan & Chris -NY Dolls etc radio programme -9 pm first Fridays for Messe Radio
Albums
Sparks – the Girl is Crying in her Latte
Juliana Hatfield – sings ELO
Kevin Kinney – Think About It
Angel – Once Upon a Time
Lucinda Williams – Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart
Willie Nelson – Wonderful Time
Iggy Pop – Free
Heartbreakers – the Found 1977 Master Tapes
Social Distortion – Light, Heat, Trash
Lavish Waste – Juice Demon