The Quad-City Times columnist lists his favorite books of 2023

It’s better than any practice or competitive game because it’s one day that allows us to focus on the future, not the past. The blueprint in any game is about answering the question of “what’s next?”

As a musician, I love that question. I’m dying to find a new artist or album to settle on. And so I listen, and listen, and listen some more.

That constant search for the horizon keeps me from playing nostalgia music – although I love that, too.

This year, I heard more new songs than the picks in the NFL Draft (259) and NBA Draft (60) combined. If I exceed the MLB Draft threshold (614) in a year, check my sanity.

While research is great, I know reflection is also important. I also know that unlike sports, music is not a competition.

Therefore, a disclaimer before I enter this column: The goal of the “Best Of …” music list is not the highest, but the order.

I sincerely hope that you can take something from this list that you haven’t heard of, and get the same fulfillment that I have. If you like it, I hope you can share a record with me in return.

Music is all about the exchange of ideas and understanding. Through each of these columns, I hope you can get to know me better, and vice versa.

As much as I loved it when my favorite basketball team selected a future All-Pro in 2015, discovering new music feels even better.

My favorite songs are 2023.

I heard records from almost every state in the United States this year. My favorite song from Iowa is Miss Christine’s “Bittersweet,” and my favorite record from Illinois is Harrison Gordon’s “The Yuppies Are Winning.”

The emo rocker from the college town of Bloomington-Normal is not limited to this record. As a musician, communication is not always enough. Luckily, Gordon knows how to write guitar riffs and pick up guitar hooks.

He manages to squeeze in insults between Dragon Ball Z and Super Smash Bros. reference on the headbanger “Kirby Down B.” And as a testament to the greatness of Gordon’s music, there is also the voice-sarcastic “I’m happy,” which easily exceeds its one-minute duration.

I’ve listened to a lot of emo records this year, and this is my favorite.

Growing up, there was a mud pit down the street from my house where I passed broken bottles and wrapped Gushers to build a sandpit with my friends. “Rat Saw God” is like walking home after all. My hands are dirty. My hair is sweaty and frizzy. And I’m so thankful that I’ll see my friends again tomorrow.

Name of the country view. Call it bubblegrunge. Either way, “Rat Saw God” is the work of the new wave of country rock. There are times when the music is different on “Bull Believer” and “Quarry.” But it’s also full of sincerity, a measure of the chemistry between guitarist MJ Lenderman and vocalist Karly Hartzman. The year is Wednesday, and they deserve it.

Petey is not just a flash in the pan. He’s not a model or a TikTok artist, either. The Detroit-born singer-turned-indie-rocker has a huge social media following for his crazy story. And on “USA,” he turns that sense of humor on its head to deliver crushing lyrics.

Like seeing Adam Sandler in “Punch Drunk Love” or Will Ferrell in “Everything Must Go.” Hearing your usual comfort amidst the chaos makes every line that much harder. Petey has already made my list of favorite artists with first singles like “D’T Tell The Boys” and “Little Habits,” but “USA” is his album. most perfect.

“Live Like This,” “I’m Waiting” and “Family of Six” are my personal favorites on the playlist.

For 18 years growing up in a small town, I thought that if I lived in a big city, everything would be fine. I am sorry to tell you that is not the case.

“Walking through the city, is it really ugly?” sings Pynch frontman Spencer Enock on “The City (Part 2),” a key track on the British band’s popular debut record, “Howl in a Concrete Moon.”

Basically, Pynch has elements of The Cure, LCD Soundsystem and The Post Office, with a mix of indie rock and dance music.

Don’t pay attention to the lyrics, and “Ue i A Concrete Moon” sounds like a promise of a bright city sky. But look beneath the glitz and glam of strummed guitars and pulsing electronics, and you’ll take a deep breath. It’s an incredibly personal record, and on every song, you can hear Enock getting closer and closer to figuring it all out.

I vividly remember sitting down when I was about 8 years old and my father told me, “Stop being proud.” He reminded me that in an effort to turn my nose up at your elementary conspiracies, I became myself.

I remember thinking about my choices after that wake-up call, thinking about everything I said and doing it in two buckets of “good” and “bad.” And I’ve been proud of that award ever since.

At its heart, “Everything I Don’t Have” is a record about trying to be good. Through his precise writing and quoting, Seattle songwriter Elliott Green creates an entire world within this record. In fact, Green’s delicate singing is right up there with modern masters like David Bazan, Andy Hull and Julien Baker.

Green’s poetry is amplified by his sharp vocals, guitar riffs and vocal epiphanies. This album means more to me than I can explain in this column. In my heart, I am still trying my best to do well.

The important thing is, I am not only a musician, but also a writer!

One of the most satisfying stories I’ve written this year came in November, when I spoke to friends and family of Polyrhythms founder Nate Lawrence.

Lawrence passed away unexpectedly in August, and the organization has done an inspiring job of carrying it on. Their special holiday Third Day Jazz Series is this Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities, located at 3707 Eastern Ave. in Davenport.

The show is headlined by the Polyrhythms Trio, with special guests Manuel Lopez III and James Culver. It starts at 5pm, and admission is $15.

Finally, I’ll give you a look back at Kacey Musgraves’ visit to Daytrotter Studios. My favorite genre this year is the country, a musical corner that I have long neglected.

What I quickly learned is that Musgraves is one of the most talented writers the genre has to offer. That ability comes to him Daytrotter rendition of “Fine,” a rhythmic ballad made perfect by his soaring guitar.

As I dove headfirst into the country, the records listed above and more this year, I’m sure I’ll find something new in 2024. .I hope you do too.