Posted at 7:00 am.
Did you know there is a tunnel under Ocean Blvd, Lana Del Rey?
“Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd?” is my favorite album of the year. The one that I return to again and again, that I never tire of, that I still find new moments that delight and excite me with every listen. Lana Del Rey has created her cult album here, one of those that we will certainly talk about for a long time when we refer to her work. The artist outdoes himself and makes us excited for what comes next. This disc is a masterpiece.
Indie pop
Did you know there is a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard?
Lana Del Rey
Interscope, Polydor
Javelin throw, Sufjan Stevens
IMAGE PROVIDED BY THE ARTIST
Sufjan Stevens
The album that touched me the most. I can't help but be moved while listening to it, I can't help but listen to it again and again. Sufjan Stevens has a dizzying talent for combining words and music to evoke raw, often heartbreaking emotions. With the album Javelin we are led into a process of mourning, into a deep reflection on the desire to be loved, into songs of love and farewell. On this album, largely self-made, the singer-songwriter offers a more sophisticated but sometimes grandiose approach, where his creative ingenuity knows no bounds.
Indie folk
spear
Sufjan Stevens
Asthmatic cat
The people we love, Philippe Brach
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
Philippe Brach
The announcement of a new work by Philippe Brach was always good news for me. Because you never know where to expect, Philippe Brach has the gift of always making me long for the next musical creature he brought into the world. Rarely disappointed, this time I was more than happy to meet the beast. An album that has the great quality of not referring to its predecessors, but still represents a logical continuation of the discussion with Philippe Brach. He offers us a series of exploded and well-executed songs where we give the listener the space to fully absorb the words (less common) and the melodies (more complex).
People
The people we love
Philippe Brach
Fawn house
Our roots run deep, Dominique Fils-Aimé
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
Dominique Fils-Aime
With the album “Our Roots Run Deep”, Dominique Fils-Aimé began the new stage of his creative journey in style after an ambitious and remarkable cycle. Having made her previous trio of records a sonic evolution where styles differ while maintaining the same roots, here we find an album that makes us rediscover the singer-songwriter. Soul and jazz, which she masters so well, coexist this time in a more reduced space, where the artist sings as if reciting mantras, in an incantatory echo that immediately captivated me.
Jazz/Soul
Our roots run deep
Dominique Fils-Aime
Ensoul Records
Seasons, Apple
PHOTO LAWRENCE FAFARD, PROVIDED BY THE ARTIST
Apple
The best musical surprise at the end of the year. It arrived late, but Fries Mini Album easily fits into my list. For several reasons, but primarily because as I reflected on this list (which can't easily be narrowed down to just five choices), I realized that I've already listened to “Seasons” more times than many other records released during the year, although it was released on December 1st. Folk and orchestral demands go hand in hand when they come together under the direction of Claire Pommet, who with Flavien Berger and Aaron Dessner (no less) has created a completely captivating record of less than 20 minutes that references autumn and winter. This is not a record with commercial ambitions, but rather a perfectly produced object with exceptional creative standards that I enjoy listening to again and again.
People
Seasons
Apple
Be good music
My other five songs from 2023
Let me go, Daniel Caesar
Emily I'm sorry, Boygenius
Crawl Back, Half Moon Run
Final scene, Matt Holubowski
Swimmer, Helena Deland