The Top Reissues and EPs of 2023

The Top Ten Reissues and Reimaginings of 2023

1. Bob Dylan- Fragments: Time Out of Mind Sessions (1996-1997); The Bootleg Series, Vol. 17

2. Jessye Norman- The Unreleased Masters

3. Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus and Max Roach- Hot House: The Complete Jazz at Massey Hall Recordings

4. Milford Graves- Children of the Forest

5. Fred Davis- Cleveland Blues

6. Bob Weir- Ace: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition

7. Reba McEntire- Not That Fancy

8. RP Boo- Legacy, Volume 2

9. William Basinski- The Clocktower at the Beach

10. Cat Power- Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert

The Top Ten EPs of 2023

1. Julian Lage- The Layers

2. Theo Croker- By the Way

3. Noah Preminger and Kim Cass- The Dank

4. Truth Cult- Walk the Feel

5. Midwestern- Cartoon Network

6. Big Boss Vette- Resilience

7. $uicideboy$- Yinyang Tapes: Spring Season 1989-1990

8. Mozzy- Kollect Kall

9. Ilhan Ersahin, Dave Harrington and Kenny Wollesen- Your Head You Know

10. Marquis Hill- Rituals + Routines

Album Review: Milford Graves- Children of the Forest

Pat Metheny’s transcendently beautiful album Dream Box will be among my most-played releases of 2023. But when I’m in need of visceral catharsis, I go all in on improvised cacophony. Children of the Forest, a new collection of previously unreleased 1976 sessions, is 54 minutes of raw power. Drummer Milford Graves is joined by multi-instrumentalists Arthur Doyle and Hugh Glover in the scathing barrage. Milford’s praise of Doyle in the accompanying notes reflects the intent of the sessions: “something happened there that was beyond the immediate intellectual control of the people who was doing it.” The transcendently harsh Children of the Forest is essential noise.