So here it is the much coveted “JanglePopHub Oscars” bringing you our Top 30 Albums of 2023 (all tracks are detailed in our YouTube playlist and individually below)

Please note:

• The selections are jangle-pop and jangle-pop adjacent albums (there is a clue in the name of our blog as to why this may be). Therefore the people who mailed me last year because an Albanian techno act was ‘overlooked’ may hopefully garner a more specific understanding this year.

• Not for us “in no particular order”. These selection are strictly in order of preference. ‘Brutal’ is our middle name ! However, if you are in our top 30 then you should consider your act somewhat special!

• I do not necessarily need to know that you think number 13 should be number 17, or that number 2 should be swapped with number 4. Please spare me the mails this year !

• We do not include albums released on our Subjangle label. It would be like choosing the favourite among your kids !!!

• I am however, extremely interested in any jangle-pop/jangle-pop adjacent albums you feel should be in there. Please use the comments sections to discuss.

01 – Whitney’s Playland –  Sunset Sea Breeze (Meritorio Records / Paisley Shirt Records)

“…While the premise might seem simple, its damn hard to make an untouchable indie pop record. It’s easy to fall into emulation, and fall even further into simply retreading the same pop ruts over and over again. Whitney’s Playland come as close as any these days to making jangle and strum feel like a timeless art. While they certainly bring a few bands to mind like Yo La Tengo, Heavenly, or The Sundays, what really ties the band to those touchstones is the feelings they evoke. Gauzy, but not gluey, carefree, but not frivolous, the band comes on like a perfect breeze on a summer’s day…” – Read full review at Raven Sings The Blues.

02 – Small Crush –  Penelope (Asian Man Records)

Small Crush’s upcoming sophomore release, Penelope, instantly bops heads with its fluttering drums and shimmery guitar. Twinkly tones line each track, crafting a sound reminiscent of twee influences and shoegaze ambiance. I’ll admit that I don’t spend much time in this genre these days but it instantly strung up some familiar sounds. Think Mazzy Star’s dreamy allure, The Moldy Peaches’ whimsy, and Belle & Sebastian’s charm seamlessly woven together and sped up just a bit to get you bouncing…Read full review at The Indy Review

03 – The Sprouts –  Eat Your Greens (Tenth Court )

For this Eat Your Greens album seems to cherry pick the best that Melbourne jangle has to offer and re-engineer with more definitive Sprout-isms . It’s most potent tracks are best represented by lead single I Hear Music, Doorbell, Hammer and I Want To Be An Idiot.

All offer the traditional dolewave vibe offered by fellow Melbourne acts such as The Stroppies and House Deposit and augmented such an aesthetic with off kilter, twanging tinny riffs and a slight coastal slacker that are more uniquely The Sprouts…read full review at Janglepophub.

04 – The Smashing Times –  This Sporting Life (Perennialdeath)

“…When I’m asked about my music preferences, I’ve learned that “underground pop” tends to bewilder most folks. It’s far easier for people to grasp when I mention genres like punk or indie rock. In all honesty, their perception wil likely be skewed still, but they have an idea.

Going forward, I’ll probably just send a link of the new The Smashing Times record when I have to explain what underground pop is. “Listen to this first, and if you have any question, know where to find me.” Said record, called This Sporting Life, embodies everything I love about underground pop. I don’t believe Artifical Intelligence will ever produce something this creative, authentic and beautifully imperfect…” Read full review at Add To Wantlist.

05 – Lewsberg –  Out and About (12XU )

“…It remains beautiful to follow Lewsberg’s development record after record. On the third album In Your Hands (2021), the Rotterdam-based guitar band opted for a quieter version of its signature sound (Velvet Underground, The Feelies) and bassist Shalita Dietrich sang two songs for the first time. “She should definitely do that more often,” concluded musicweb.co.uk. And she does. On this follow-up album, Dietrich not only sings four songs, she also wrote two. And she may do that more often, because Without A Doubt and Canines are among the strongest songs on the again rather subdued Out And About…” – Read full review at Muziekweb

06 – Holiday Ghosts –  Absolute Reality (FatCat Records)

“…Homely immediacies strike through for Holiday Ghosts on their latest record, Absolute Reality. Something about that guitar, how clean it sounds, how close it feels. Absolute Reality is planted right in the room. It does not feel as though it is coming from speakers usually connected to a vinyl player constantly running LCD Soundsystem studio sessions and 7” singles adapted to football chants.

Holiday Ghosts have manoeuvred themselves through the door, clambered through a window or something, they are in the walls with this music. It sounds so crisp, so clear and so punctual, as though a live performance were right there, piercing the eardrums with a wonderful sense of place…” – Read full review at Cult Following.

07 – Tough Age –  Waiting Here (Bobo Integral)

“…The latest album from indie pop mainstays Tough Age celebrates 10 years of the band’s upbeat, straightforward brand of pop rock. Known for their peppy tempos and unfussy guitar riffs, Tough Age deliver more of what their fanbase craves: a reason to get out of your seat and jump around to some joyous, raucous rock songs…” – Read full review at Exclaim!

08 – The No Color Twins –  Back and Forth (Bureau Platiruma)

“…Initially, the most iconic sound of the release can be heard in the opening double salvo of Cocooning Ways and Man Living On Heaven Hill, as well as the superlative standout of Better Trust In Yourself. All beautifully subtle guitar-pop in the same manner as the most precious and introspective of the Grant McLellan back catalog, such tracks just have that slight quirky edge that the best of German jangly indie-pop always manages to course through their aesthetic…read the full review at Janglepophub.

09 – The Soap Opera –  Back On Tracks (Howlin Banana Records)

“…It has been over six years since Ready To Hatch, so it is a more than welcome return for the Rennes quartet, The Soap Opera. Back On Tracks is wonderfully restrained melodic excellence. Songs are built on unexpected arrangements, always containing far more than you expect.

Take for instance, Golden Springs S.A.S which is essentially gentle Jangle Pop, but adds in a splendid Baroque Pop arrangement and at times threatens to become 60s Easy Listening. The Clouds Are Laughing vocally is almost Barber Shop quartet, yet instrumentally it is dream like…” – Read the full review at I Don’t Hear A Single.

10 – Wicketkeeper –  Zambroni (Self released)

“…Once I pressed play, I can’t stop playing it. It’s Zambroni, the second album by Wicketkeeper (London/Margate, UK). The trio (Simon and Alex Morley, and Ryan Oxley) recorded it remotely from their respective homes, learning on the fly.

If anything, the record shows that having no idea how stuff works is a perfect starting point to create something special, something that stands out. Zambroni has a rough around the edges charm, and sees Wicketkeeper combining slacker vibes with sweet hushed vocals (think Teenage Fanclub) and excellent guitar work that is crunchy, creative and addictive…” – Read full review at Add To Wantlist

11 – Soft Covers –  Soft Serve (Little Lunch Records / Hidden Bay Records)

“…Soft Serve is the debut full-length album by the Melbourne-based jangle pop rockers, Soft Covers. The album is a fun collection of straightforward garage pop musings painted by energetic drumming, rhythmic guitars, back-n-forth lead vocal duties, and sprinkled with sonic surprises. These include warm synthesizers, handclaps, backwards guitar loops, and ice cream truck organ notes…” – read full review at Start-track.com.

12 – En Attendant Ana –  Principia (Trouble In Mind Records)

It’s always a great feeling when a band hits its stride — and that is the feeling you’ll get when you spin En Attendant Ana’s third LP. Principia makes good on the promise of the Parisian quintet’s earlier work while expanding and enhancing their overall sound, centered on Margaux Bouchaudo’s terrific vocals…” – Read the full review at Aquarium Drunkard.

13 – Blues Lawyer –  All In Good Time (Dark Entries Records)

US indie outfit Blues Lawyer hail from Oakland and are now onto their third album. As the band’s bonds between drummer Elyse Schrock and guitarist Rob I. Miller, who share vocal duties, became greater after using B.L. as a side project, they have added another guitarist Ellen Matthews and bassist Alejandra Alcala.

Songwriting and their general resonance is slicker, increasingly poppy and radio friendly, particularly with the tracks Late Bloomer and Elusive Eden that like most of the songs here explore the concepts of time affecting the lives we lead and how we measure relationships in terms of our age-related goals. The lo-fi jangly pop sensibility also stretches into their amusingly charming and amateurishly sweet promo videos…read full review at Narc Magazine

14 – The Ballet –  Daddy Issues (Fika Recordings / Tenure Tracks )

A typically playful title, Daddy Issues is a deliberate double-meaning, a reflection on both the attempt to replace father figures in romantic liaisons and also the issues of the so-called, “daddies” of the queer scene, older gay men who are often lumped into somewhat stereotypical roles.

Two Boyfriends is a song heavily routed in gay culture, a somewhat tongue-in-cheek reflection on non-monogamy and promiscuity, reflected in the lyrics, “it started with a hook-up, and then another few, the problem was I liked him enough to see it through”…read full review at For The Rabbits.

15 – U.S. Highball –  No Thievery, Just Cool (Lame-O Records)

“…U.S. Highball clearly know how to stock an album full of melodic twists and turns. As previously noted in our preview of the record last summer, No Thievery, Just Cool has some strong singles contenders with “Irresponsible Holiday” and “Paris 2019.” But why stop there? The record is a veritable sea of highlights, with nifty offerings like “Picnic at Doughnut Groyne” and “Out of Time…” – Read review at Poprock Record

16 – Appleseeds –  æblefrø (Too Good To Be True)

“…As you listen to each simple, ever-so-jangly number — most barely two minutes — you can’t help but create a column of “Kasper songs” and “Ditte songs” depending on the singer. Both have the same throaty, desultory delivery. Here is Kasper on “Hungry Mouth,” with Ditte’s backing Ahhh’s!…” – read the full review at Zerovu Blog

17 – Hero No Hero –  Pacific Standard Time (Self released)

Fans of C86/indie/jangle/twee pop bands: please meet Southern California-based Hero No Hero. It is a relatively new project of prolific singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Gretchen DeVault (The Icicles, Voluptuous Panic, The Blue Herons, The Francine Odysseys) and composer/jazz-saxophonist-turned-indie-guitarist Ken Aki (Falconet, Starry Eyed Cadet), founded to pay tribute to the aforementioned indie music of the late 80’s and early 90’s. They succeed in this with flying colors…” – Read full review at Add To Wantlist.

18 – Darksoft –  Beigeification (Look Up Records)

…Released on January 13th via Darksoft’s own label Look Up Records, Beigeification was produced and recorded entirely by him, mixed by Brian Fisher (Hibou, Éclo, Eastern Souvenirs), and mastered by Stefan Mac (Cold War Kids, No Vacation, Sea Lemon). He describes the album as “a postmodern dose of beigey moods and pastel phrases to match the disillusionment of our age.” For the album cover, he decided to use only a single beige color…read full review at Eclectic Music Lover.

19 – Bobby Sutliff –  Bob Sings and Plays (Career Records)

Thank goodness his family and long-time friend Sanchez released them to the world, as this is jangle-pop in every sense of the term and a sound that will certainly appeal to those whose love for the genre centers around the 1960s.

…Of course, The Byrds-like / Byrdsian are the terms of the laziest of journalists, as very few bands can reach such jangly heights. However, in tracks best represented by Come On Home, It All Fades Away, and The Man That Wrote Home Sweet Home, Bobby Sutliff manages to replicate the crystalline, smooth tones of his heroes guitar riffs better than just about any other act I have heard to date…read the full review at Janglepophub.

20 – Diners –  Domino (Bar/None Records)

…It’s the rare artist that puts forth their best album nearly a dozen years in. Working alongside producer Mo Troper, Diners’ project leader Blue Broderick delivers her best album yet on her Bar None Records debut, DOMINO. Ten songs of nostalgia-laced bubblegum pop rush by in under thirty minutes.

Chock full of hook-filled choruses, scruffy harmonies, fuzzed-out guitar solos, and perfectly executed bridges, it’s impossible not to instantly fall in love with DOMINO’s charms…read full review at No Ripchord.

21 – Smug Brothers –  In The Book Of Bad Ideas (Anyway Records)

“…Smug Brothers kick up a jangly, tuneful racket, with brash power chords and sweetly rueful lyrics, battering drums and liquid flourishes of guitar.  The band hails from Columbus, Ohio, where such artistic endeavors are something of a specialty. You can hear more than a hint of Guided by Voices in the bashed out romanticism of “Let Me Know When It’s Yes,” but also all the pillars of raucous but yearning power pop, Big Star, the Replacements, Teenage Fanclub and the Posies…” – read full review at Dusted Magazine 

22 – The Planes –  Dark Matter Recycling Co (Totally Real Records / Safe Suburban Homes)

“Dark Matter Recycling Co.” is this outfit’s 6th full-length album release and proudly showcases its ability to allure its audience with these moving, dynamic and intricate ensembles.

A record rejoicing in this compelling energy, distinct tonality, brash intensive peaks, angular strikes and shifting time signatures. The vocal notes are positioned so they bring this striking effect to the tracks, gliding through such mammoth soundscapes with this delicate touch…” – Read full review at Circuit Sweet

23 – The Hepburns –  Only The Hours (Lavender Sweep)

“…So much of the charm of this new album from The Hepburns comes down to how deftly they blend styles and a set of clear influences. That said, there’s something special and unique about the way they’ve patched this all together. Only the Hours will sit nicely on the shelf next to recent releases from The Orchids and The Chesterfields, but The Hepburns differentiate themselves with their easily elegant arrangements here. The record enters a rare space thanks to the smart production here, and the care shown to how the melodies and vocal-lines can best be served…” – Read full review from A Pessimist Is never Never Disappointed.

24 – Dropkick –  Wireless Revolution (Sound Asleep Records / Rock Indiana Records)

“…You know exactly what to expect from a Dropkick album and that’s the beauty of what they do. You are never ever disappointed, every offering is spot on, beautifully sung and produced with a vocal ex with an added excellence and lots and lots of Jangle…” – Read full review at I Don’t Hear A Single

25 – The Small Intestines –  Hide In Time (Meritorio Records)

“…The Small Intestines! They are a new project from Melbourne featuring members of Chook Race. To be honest, I almost pressed the order now button before hearing a second of it based solely on the Chook Race link and the “for fans of early Go-Betweens, The Bats and Felt” mention in the press release. Of course, I did listen to the record before ordering it, but it only took me one song to become fully enchanted…”read the full review at Add to Wantlist.

26 – The Treasures of Mexico –  Burn The Jets (Spinout Nuggets)

There’s a nostalgia burning deep within the sound on the new album from The Treasures Of Mexico, a harking back to the subtle yet affecting jangle-pop of late 80’s indie, the pastel shades of the album cover, kaleidoscopic and engulfing, perfectly encapsulating what we find inside as the band craft a sound to drift off into, the promise of something reassuring lying just beyond…” – Read the full review at Louder Than War.

27 – Babaganouj –  Jumbo Pets (Coolin By Sound)

“…Brisbane’s Babaganouj emerged from half a decade away last November with What Planet Do You Come From?, which was their first single since February 2017’s Clarity Restored EP. Band member Hatchie has been somewhat busy between releases but they have since announced details of a new album titled Jumbo Pets…” – See full review at Records I Like.

28 – The Sunday League –  Grass Yodel (Self released)

“…No pun intended, but The Sunday League knows how to play. I am just loving the songwriting and instrumentation on this thing. Janglepophub calls The Sunday League “one of the most underrated acts of the decade.” That case can convincingly be argued when you consider The Sunday League currently has fewer than 100 monthly listener on Spotify, while major players like Wilco, The Mountain Goats, The Shins, The Decemberists, and Spoon all have around or over one million or much higher even. Listening to Grass Yodel, it’s hard to fathom the difference because The Sunday League is operating at a similar level”….read full review at Add To Wantlist.

29 – Th Da Freak –  Indie Rock (Howlin Banana Records / Les Disques Du Paradis / Flippin’ Freaks)

“…’Of course, you could expect some plain and simple indie tunes from an album that’s called Indie Rock, but that’s not the case this time. Don’t let this album title fool you because TH Da Freak paid attention while assembling these songs. There are hints of indie sound in the forms of indie rock and indie pop, but these are not the only genres you will stumble upon on this ear-appealing sonic journey.

Quite the contrary, the artist reveals a comprehensive collection of the finest properties borrowed from genres like garage rock, surf rock, psych-rock, psych-pop, power pop, dream pop, noise pop, shoegaze, alternative, and lo-fi. Still, you’ll be surprised how TH Da Freak combined all these elements while assembling the numbers that will end up on his latest material…” – Read the full review at Thoughts Words Action

30 – Eyelids –  A Colossal Waste of Light (Jealous Butcher Records)

Eyelids first step into the remote recordings that have peppered the post-pandemic musical landscape sees them release a fourth album that merely cements their reputation as an erstwhile jangle-pop / indie-pop super group with band members joined together from acts such as Camper Van Beethoven, R.E.M. (Peter Buck produces the album and plays the 12-string on a couple of tracks), Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, and Guided By Voices unsurprisingly making special things happen…” – read full review at Janglepophub