Nathaniel Clark – A&E Editor

nuc5002@psu.edu

Credit: Marcel Dzama / Dead Oceans

With the end-of-year lists finished, it is time to look toward the future. While it is going to be difficult to surpass the banner musical year that was 2022, it appears that 2023 might be able to beat the competition. With countless records still to be announced, here are some records you should keep your eyes on in 2023. 

Paramore – “This Is Why”

After a six-year hiatus, pop-punk stalwarts Paramore are returning to their roots with “This Is Why.” Going with a sound closer to their 2007 smash-hit “Riot!,” Hailey Williams and company are showing their artistic growth in spades. With the dynamic builds on display with the title track or the abrasive chantings of “WAR” on “The News,” it seems like the band is priming to release one of the hardest comebacks of 2023. 

Tennis – “Pollen”

Even though they have been around since 2010, husband-wife indie-pop duo Tennis finally came into their own artistically with their 2020 record “Swimmer.” With their upcoming sixth album, “Pollen,” it seems that the band aims to continue this growth. Aiming for a more massive sound, band member Alaina Moore has explained that this is their biggest album to date. While the songs are radio-ready, their production choices are off-kilter and do not follow the standard pop structures. Can Tennis stop “Swimmer?” We shall see on February 10. 

Caroline Polachek – “Desire, I Want to Turn Into You”

On Valentine’s Day, hyperpop icon Caroline Polachek will finally release the follow-up to her modern classic “Pang.” Acting as her first album-length partnership with producer Danny L. Harle, “Desire” has been workshopped since the start of the pandemic with the two musicians working in London and Barcelona for a majority of the recordings. With album singles first released in July of 2021, Polachek fans have been confused about when the record would finally arrive. In December 2022, the day finally came, and the arrival was set. With streaming versions in mid-February and physical copies in April, music fans are ready to have another Polachek album in their midst. 

Gorillaz – “Cracker Island”

Virtual band Gorillaz is making its album-length return on February 24 with “Cracker Island.” Originally rumored to be a sequel to “Song Machine,” the bulk of this record was recorded in Los Angeles. As such, this project is building up to be one of the band’s largest to date. With features from the likes of Stevie Nicks, Thundercat, Tame Impala, Bad Bunny, and Beck, the album looks to satirize the modern hellscape that L.A. has become. With song titles such as “The Tired Influencer,” it is a treat to see this virtual band return to their sociopolitical commentary which they first started on “Demon Days.”

shame – “Food for Worms”

Described as “the Lamborghini of shame records” by frontman Charlie Steen, “Food for Worms” is aiming to be the band at their most surreal. With a cover done by Canadian artist Marcel Dzama, it will be interesting to see how the band can live up to their promise of an “ode to friendship.” Due to the hype of their last record, will “Food for Worms” make shame a household name in the modern post-punk spectrum? Only time will tell. 

Lana Del Rey – “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd.”

Coming into 2023 with the wordiest title of the year thus far is Lana Del Rey with her ninth studio album. Set to release on March 24, Lana has enlisted the help of musical heavyweights like Jack Antonoff, John Batiste, Father John Misty, and more to craft her first record in two years. From what we know, this new album will likely detail Lana’s most recent break-up, evident by the single promotion billboard placed in her ex-boyfriend’s hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Nonetheless, a new album from the sepia-tinged singer is always a treat. 

boygenius – “the record”

This record is a long time coming. For the uninformed, boygenius is the collaborative effort of singer-songwriters Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker. Originally coming together in 2018 for an EP, the group was believed to have separated. During this interim, the musicians worked with their fellow bandmates, popping in as backing vocals for various tracks. Around 2021, speculation began to grow at the possibility of a reunion. This speculation became ravenous fury in mid-January when “the record” was first leaked and then formally announced. With 12 tracks, music fans are impatiently waiting to hear the collaboration between some of the greatest modern songwriters once again.

And those are some albums that you should anticipate in the first half of 2023. With more records announced almost every day, it is always exciting to see which of your favorite artists is going to drop next.