Top 128 Albums of 2023

13 December 2023 / by Met Radio

Across a wide array of genres and styles, this year’s top artists at CJRU really delivered. Whether it was Pierre Kwenders’ project ‘José Louis and The Paradox of Love,’ who was also the winner of the Slaight Music Prize, or Tiktok sensation Luna Li’s album ‘Duality,’ Canadian Indie artists continue to shape the music industry and local radios across Canada. Here’s our top 128 for 2022.

	128 Suuns The Witness ( Secret City )
	127 The Frightnrs Always ( Daptone )
	126 Gentle Heat Sheer ( Flesh and Bone)
	125 Robin Hatch T.O.N.T.O. ( Robin Records )
	124 Maia Friedman Under the New Light ( Last Gang )
	123 Ellevator The Words You Spoke Still Move Me ( Arts & Crafts )
	122 Jesse Northey Onion Knight ( Victory Pool )
	121 Enumclaw Save The Baby ( Luminelle )
	120 Deerhoof Actually, You Can ( Joyful Noise )
	119 Léonie Gray Who? ( Self-Released )
	118 Thanya Iyer rest EP ( Topshelf )
	117 Cola Deep In View ( Next Door / Fire Talk )
	116 Ghostkeeper Multidimensional Culture ( Victory Pool )
	115 Leyla McCalla Breaking The Thermometer ( Anti- )
	114 Preoccupations Arrangements ( Flemish Eye )
	113 Kyla Charter Edible Flowers ( Self-Released )
	112 Jasmyn In The Wild ( Royal Mountain )
	111 Foreign Air Why Don’t You Feel The Way I Do? ( Nettwerk )
	110 The Wombats Fix Yourself, Not The World ( AWAL )
	109 Munya Voyage To Mars ( Luminelle )
	108 Sadurn Radiator ( Run For Cover )
	107 Rex Orange County WHO CARES? ( RCA ) Rex Orange County’s WHO CARES? proves that the Indie genre never goes out of style. With soothing instrumentals, soft vocals, and an overall quieter sound, WHO CARES? explores heartache, pure love, and—most importantly—self-acceptance. Read the rest of Anastazja Marut’s review here.
	106 PUP THE UNRAVELING OF PUPTHEBAND ( Little Dipper )
	105 Jean-Michel Blais aubades ( Arts & Crafts )
	104 Dilettante Dilettante ( Self-Released)
	103 Praises In This Year: Hierophant ( Hand Drawn Dracula )
	102 Tragedy Ann Heirlooms ( Self-Released )
	101 yoo doo right A Murmur, Boundless To The East ( Mothland )
	100 Mntclr Mntclr ( Self-Released )
	99 Spoon Lucifer On the Sofa ( Matador )
	98 Sloan Steady ( Yep Roc)
	97 Tallies Wound Up Tight ( Kanine )
	96 The Weather Station How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars ( Next Door )
	95 TV Priest My Other People ( Sub Pop )
	94 Chynna Lewis What Are Friends For? ( Self-Released )
	93 Art d’Ecco After the Head Rush ( Paper Bag )
	92 Tops Empty Seats ( Musique TOPS )
	91 Vieux Farka Touré and Khruangbin Ali ( Dead Oceans )
	90 Evan J Cartwright bit by bit ( Idée Fixe )
	89 Field Guide Make Peace With That ( Birthday Cake )
	88 Fake Shark Time For the Future ( Light Organ )
	87 Wet Leg Wet Leg ( Domino ) The album essentially feels like the diary of a twenty-something; It features songs detailing teeth-pulling house parties, unwanted advances, spiralling down social media rabbit holes and ultimately feeling like you’ve taken the wrong path in life. While the lyrical content can get repetitive, the existential subject matter is paired with thrilling indie rock instrumentals and tongue-in-cheek lyrics that allow the entries to feel like anthems. The album shifts from tracks of self-doubt and anxiety to rebellious break-up tunes, forgetting politeness and hitting exes where it hurts. Read the rest of Ava Wagner’s review here.
	86 Ghostly Kisses Heaven, Wait ( Coyote / Akira )
	85 Bells Larsen Good Grief ( Next Door )
	84 Anna Westin LEV ( AnalogueTrash )
	83 Lisa Leblanc Chiac Disco ( Bonsound )
	82 Bruno Capinan Tara Rara ( Self-Released )
	81 Pierre Kwenders José Louis & The Paradox Of Love ( Arts & Crafts )
	80 Orlando Weeks Hop Up ( Play It Again Sam )
	79 Hot Garbage RIDE ( Mothland )
	78 Wild Rivers Sidelines ( Nettwerk )
	77 PRIORS NEWNEWNEW EP ( Brain Gum Records )
	76 T. Gowdy Miracles ( Constellation )
	75 Monako In Shapes I-III ( [PIAS] Recordings )
	74 Steven Lambke Volcano Volcano ( You’ve Changed )
	73 Cedric Noel Hang Time ( Forward Music Group / Joyful Noise )
	72 Clever Hopes Artefact ( Self-Released )
	71 Le Couleur Concorde Deluxe ( Lisbon Lux )
	70 OMBIIGIZI Sewn Back Together ( Arts & Crafts )
	69 fanclubwallet You Have Got To Be Kidding Me ( AWAL )
	68 Simbiyez Wilson Warrior ( Surkeus Records )
	67 Les Louanges Crash ( Bonsound )
	66 Nature Walk Dinner Music ( Self-Released )
	65 Pillow Queens Leave the Light On ( Royal Mountain )
	64 Alice Phoebe Lou Child’s Play ( Self-Released )
	63 Beach House Once Twice Melody ( Sub Pop )
	62 Pitted So Pitted ( Self-Released )
	61 Samantha Savage Smith Fake Nice ( Saved By Vinyl )
	60 JOYFULTALK Familiar Science ( Constellation )
	59 The Flatliners New Ruin ( Dine Alone )
	58 The Archaics And I Look To You? ( Self-Released )
	57 Dana Gavanski When It Comes ( Flemish Eye )
	56 Elaquent Long Drives To Nowhere ( Urbnet )
	55 TOVI I Keep Floating Away ( Self-Released )
	54 Ghost Woman Ghost Woman ( Victory Pool )
	53 Heaven for Real Sweet Rose Green Winter Desk Top ( Mint )
	52 Mauvey The Florist ( 604 )
	51 The Wilderness of Manitoba Farewell To Cathedral ( Popguru Sound & Vision )
	50 Abby Sage The Florist ( Self-Released )
	49 Yves Jarvis The Zug ( Flemish Eye )
	48 Status/Non-Status Surely Travel ( You’ve Changed )
	47 Dream Ethics Dream Selections ( Self-Released )
	46 Ruby Singh Vox.Infold ( Self-Released )
	45 Yaya Bey Remember Your North Star ( Big Dada )
	44 Bad Waitress No Taste ( Royal Mountain )
	43 Good Fortune Good Fortune ( Self-Released )
	42 Homeshake Under The Weather ( Dine Alone )
	41 Apollo Ghosts Pink Tiger ( You’ve Changed )
	40 Sister Ray Communion ( Royal Mountain )
	39 Sonia Aimy Reconnect ( Slammin Media )
	38 Heaven for Real Energy Bar ( Mint )
	37 Fake Palms Lemons ( Hand Drawn Dracula )
	36 Alex G God Save The Animals ( Domino )
	35 Ada Lea one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden ( Next Door Total )
	34 Tess Parks And Those Who Were Seen Dancing ( Hand Drawn Dracula )
	33 Shad TAO ( Secret City )
	32 Blume Waves Of Love ( Self-Released )
	31 Matthew Barber No Singing Or Dancing ( Outside Music )
	30 Men I Trust Untourable Album ( Self-Released )
	29 No Frills Downward Dog ( Self-Released )
	28 Broken Social Scene Old Dead Young (B-Sides & Rarities) ( Arts & Crafts )
	27 Zoon A Sterling Murmuration ( Paper Bag )
	26 Bonobo Fragments ( Ninja Tune )
	25 Aquakultre Don’t Trip ( Forward Music Group )
	24 Luna Li Duality ( In Real Life )
	23 Angel Olsen Big Time ( Jagjaguwar )
	22 Rip Pop Mutant FLUXUS POP ( Simone )
	21 Altameda Born Losers ( Pheromone )
	20 Haviah Mighty Stock Exchange ( Mighty Gang Inc. )
	19 Goodbye Honolulu Goodbye Honolulu ( Self-Released )
	18 Wine Lips Mushroom Death Sex Bummer Party ( Stomp Records )
	17 Jane Inc. Faster Than I Can Take ( Telephone Explosion )
	16 Metric Formentera ( Thirty Tigers )
	15 Basement Revolver Embody ( Sonic Unyon )
	14 Deanna Petcoff To Hell With You, I Love You ( Royal Mountain )
	13 Basia Bulat The Garden ( Secret City )
	12 Katie Tupper Towards The End ( Arts & Crafts )
	11 Eliza Niemi Staying Mellow Blows ( Vain Mina )
	10 Marci Marci ( Arbutus )
	9 Zoon Big Pharma (EP) ( Paper Bag )
	8 Alvvays Blue Rev ( Polyvinyl )
	7 The Sadies Colder Streams ( Dine Alone )
	6 Kiwi Jr. Chopper ( Sub Pop )
	5 Georgia Harmer Stay in Touch ( Arts & Crafts )
	4 Big Thief Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You ( 4AD )
	3 Fjord Mustang Solitaire ( Self-Released )
	2 Julie Doiron I Thought of You ( You’ve Changed )
	1 JayWood Slingshot ( Captured Tracks )