Let the Year End Madness Begin (On Friday)!
Fun at the Flamingosis show, while the top EPs drop Friday!
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I hope all of my stateside readers enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday last week! I ran up to Denver early to take in one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, period. Longtime subscribers know Flamingosis is one of my absolute favorites, so I was already pretty stoked to see him at Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom. Here’s where things get really tasty, though.
When it came time for the New Jersey-based producer to record his last album, Daymaker (my 2021 AOTY), Flamingosis went beyond his usual board wizardry and headed to Denver to work with a full band. The stunning results give his signature funky dance grooves a natural, organic sound. About a year and a half later, these two shows at Cervantes were the first and only time Flamingosis was bringing a band to his live show, and there was no question I had to be there.
Not only was the headlining set with “The Bodega Groove Collective” everything you wanted and more, but this show had the most unique opening act format I’ve ever seen. The three openers consisted of members sitting in on the headlining show, starting with a guitarist and keyboards. The next band added a drummer (Jeff Franca of Thievery Corporation, no less) before Nitecap consisted of all of these players while adding members of Lettuce and SunSquabi.1
One for the books while the wooks were (mostly) minimal, and thanks to Flamingosis for providing one of those shows that remind you just how powerful live music is.
This Friday, we’ll kick off the year-end festivities with my favorite EPs of 2023 before moving into the 50 “best” albums leading into the holidays. By “best,” I mean the ones I’ve enjoyed the most. Things usually end up pretty different from the usual lists, so I encourage you to look back at some of the past lists before things are rollin’:
Top 10 Albums 2022 - top five includes Weyes Blood, patchnotes, billy woods, Brothertiger, and Alvvays.
Top 10 Albums 2021 - top five include Flamingosis, as mentioned above, Lake Haze, Helado Negro, Telethon, and Turnstile (who have obviously blown up from that record!).
Top 10 Albums 2020 - top five include Circles Around the Sun, Choir Boy, George Clanton & Nick Hexum, Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes, and Fleet Foxes.
Share some of your favorite records of 2023! Let me know in the comments!
Lettuce shreds, but I was unfamiliar with SunSquabi before the weekend, and I’m glad I changed that. If instrumental jams outta Boulder are your thing, definitely ride that train.
Me, last year at this time: ‘Man, this year was great. I hope we’re not in for a letdown.’
Me, this last couple of weeks: ‘How am I ever gonna narrow this list down?!’
Best Of season is the best season. Looking forward to seeing your picks!