Jess Williamson followed her 2022 collaboration with Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield as Plains with her great fifth solo album, Time Ain’t Accidental, in June. As 2023 draws to a close, we’ve been asking artists about their favorite music of the year, and she made us a list of her ten favorite albums, including releases by Kara Jackson, Jenny Lewis, André 3000, and more. Read her list, complete with her commentary, below.
JESS WILLIAMSON’S FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2023
Below is a list of 10 of my favorite albums that came out this year in no particular order. It was very hard to narrow down but here it goes.
North Americans – Long Cool World
North Americans was my most listened to artist on my Sp*tify Wrapped this year (sorry) because they’re in heavy rotation as my morning music and I adore this new record. I’ve been a fan of North Americans since I heard about them through Meg Duffy who played guitar on an earlier record of theirs, Going Steady. I loved that record and ordered it on online on vinyl. When I received the LP in the mail, it turns out I was buying it direct from Patrick McDermott who is part of the band and also runs the label. He recognized my name on the order and threw in a Hayden Pedigo record, Greetings from Amarillo, that they’d also released. He included a note saying he knew we were both Texans and he thought I’d like it. I was touched by this extremely genuine gesture of DIY connection, and he was absolutely correct about me liking Hayden’s record, which brings me to my next favorite album of 2023….
Hayden Pedigo – The Happiest Times I ever Ignored
I ended up getting in touch with Hayden not long after becoming a fan of his music. We chatted over email about him helping me put together a show in Amarillo, but he ended up getting busy with the political campaign he was part of and it didn’t end up working out. Over the next couple years, we became buddies through the internet, and I watched from afar as his star began to rise. One day he hit me up asking how I liked working with Mexican Summer because they wanted to sign him! It was really cool for me to experience our paths joining in this way – two Texans, picked out of relative obscurity by the same Brooklyn based indie label. I love his album that came out this year, The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored. It’s another one of my regular morning records. One of the things that I admire about Hayden is the way he can very charmingly put himself out there and end up in some pretty amazing places. He went on tour this year opening for one of my heroes, Jenny Lewis, which takes us further down my top ten albums path…
Jenny Lewis – Joy’All
I have been a fan of Jenny Lewis since the Rilo Kiley days, and her album Joy’All is one of my favorites of 2023. Her songs are so catchy and funny and positive. I admire her and her career a lot. Our albums actually came out on the same day, June 9th! I just about died when on release day she tweeted at me and said she liked my album and she referred to us as the “6/9 J’s”!!!! THE SIX NINE J’S?! Are you kidding me. Thank you Jenny Lewis. You’re the queen.
Kara Jackson – Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?
This album reminds me of two of my favorite songwriters, Fiona Apple and Leonard Cohen. It’s all too rare for new music to contribute something “new” these days, and Kara made a brave and deeply original debut album. I have had the honor of playing a couple of shows with Kara and singing with her. Being in her presence and seeing her perform gives you the feeling that you’re witnessing the birth of a huge star. I also got to meet her parents and they’re extremely sweet and so proud of her that it made me cry.
André 3000 – New Blue Sun
One time my mom sat next to André 3000 at the bar of the Italian restaurant by her office after work. They were both solo and ending up chatting, having dinner together, and watching the Grammys on the bar TV. He told her he could play every instrument. She asked if he could play the harp and she said he seemed genuinely bummed when he had to admit that no, that was one instrument he couldn’t play. She had no idea who he was, but the bartender knew, and was smart enough to get a photo of them together. It’s an amazing photo. I had heard murmurings about the André 3000 flute album from a few music industry people and was so excited when it finally came out. I adore this record. It is another one of my morning ones, up there with Hayden and North Americans. Something very interesting happened. When this album came out, Mary Lattimore posted a photo of him at the harp and mentioned that she gave him a harp lesson (!!). WAS THIS BECAUSE OF MY MOM??! I like to think so. Which brings me to my next album…
Mary Lattimore – Goodbye, Hotel Arkada
Everything Mary Lattimore makes is so beautiful to me. It touches a part of my soul nothing else can. One time I came home from a European tour super jet lagged, falling asleep at 8pm and waking up at 4am with no alarm for a week. It was amazing to be awake in those secret hours. I would listen to Mary Lattimore and light incense and candles and just sit there soaking up the stillness and beauty. This is my favorite way to hear her music and I’m always so excited when she puts out new work. I love this album.
Sam Burton – Dear Departed
Sam Burton’s music doesn’t fit neatly into any boxes, and it feels like it’s from another time. This album was recorded with Jonathan Wilson out at his studio in Topanga. From conversations I’ve had with Sam I know the sessions were magical, and that feeling comes through when you hear this record. Sam sent me some of the songs over the years as they were coming together and I have been blown away by this body of work from its earliest stages to the final album. He is an incredible songwriter, and his lyrics and voice are peerless and mysterious. It gives me a feeling I can’t quite describe but the visual I have always gotten from this record is a lot of lit candles in a luxurious dark room late at night.
Anna St. Louis – In The Air
I’ve been a fan of Anna’s music since her earliest releases, and I love how this new album takes the sound that she had already been cultivating and dresses it up a little bit without losing the intimacy and tenderness that makes her music so special. It’s an amazing album from top to bottom, great for long drives, dinner, having people over. It’s one of those records that always makes sense to put on, trust me. Fun fact: I sang back up vocals on one of the songs on this record, “Morning.”
Esther Rose – Safe to Run
I started to fall under Esther’s spell when I first heard the title track, which features Alynda from Hurray for the Riff Raff, and watched the music video. After that I was hooked, and when the whole album came out it was the only thing I could listen to for like three straight days. These songs are vulnerable, funny, and catchy as hell.
John Andrews and the Yawns – Love for the Underdog
There is an amazing story about John Andrews finding a copy of this album before it was released for sale on Ebay. He bought his own album and met up with the person in Union Square in New York to buy it. It’s a mystery to this day how this person acquired the album, and you can hear the whole story on the Impossible Way of Life Podcast. I love this record and it’s another one that is always a good idea to put on. Goes great with Sunday afternoon, cleaning the house, making dinner, having friends over. Really a perfect album.
—
After a Texas show this month and two London dates in January, Jess heads out on a North American tour in February and March, including an NYC show at Bowery Ballroom on February 24. See all dates below, and get tickets here.
JESS WILLIAMSON: 2023-2024 TOUR DATES
Dec 15, 2023 The Paramount Theatre Austin, TX
Jan 16, 2024 The Lexington London, United Kingdom The Line of Best Fit’s Five Day Forecast
Jan 17, 2024 Moth Club London, England
Feb 22, 2024 Music Hall at World Cafe Live Philadelphia, PA
Feb 23, 2024 The Atlantis Washington, DC
Feb 24, 2024 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
Feb 26, 2024 The Sinclair Boston, MA
Feb 28, 2024 Horseshoe Tavern Toronto, ON
Feb 29, 2024 The Magic Bag Detroit, MI
Mar 1, 2024 Old Town School of Folk Music Chicago, IL
Mar 2, 2024 The Parkway Theater Minneapolis, MN
Mar 5, 2024 The Filling Station Bozeman, MT
Mar 7, 2024 The District Bar Spokane, WA
Mar 8, 2024 Tractor Tavern Seattle, WA
Mar 9, 2024 Doug Fir Lounge Portland, OR
Mar 11, 2024 The New Parish Oakland, CA
Mar 12, 2024 Felton Music Hall Felton, CA
Mar 13, 2024 SOhO Music Club Santa Barbara, CA
Mar 14, 2024 Belly Up Tavern San Diego, CA
Mar 16, 2024 Troubadour Los Angeles, CA