Sufjan Stevens - A Running Start
As the year wraps up we've been reflecting on all the music that made it a joyful one and we're proud to present our lovingly curated list of the songs that brought us everything we needed in 2023.
It's been a big year for The Wild Honey Pie as we've continued to uplift artists of all sizes. While our platform has evolved from our editorial roots into a creative agency, we will always shine a light on the music we love. This year we produced intimate Dinner Parties with musical guests Sabrina Song, Zella Day, Flock of Dimes, Adam Melchor, Jake Scott, Shannon Lay, Mamalarky and Salt Cathedral. We also launched our Pizza Party series in the Hudson Valley, New York where we brought Rubblebucket, Twin Shadow, Adam Melchor, Frankie Cosmos, Fruit Bats, Liz Cooper, Salt Cathedral and Toledo for live performances and unlimited Paulie Gee's Pizza. We brought back Buzzsessions in a in a new form, Family Meal, where we record our favorite bands as they record studio quality versions of their songs, with a dash of the culinary arts mixed in. We featured touching performances by Al Olender, Bartees Strange, Declan McKenna and Chris LaRocaa this year. Our passion for music discovery ran strong through everything we brought to life this year and we feel so lucky to have a front row seat to the musical delights our favorite artists shared this year.
To listen our Top 100 Songs of 2023 list all you need to do is enter your email here.
JR JR - Clean Up
Indie favorites JR JR, formerly known as Dale Earnhardt JR JR, have returned to the scene with new music after their self-titled LP back in 2015. The new single, “Clean Up” offers a look at the mind of someone coming to terms with their addictions and indulgences. The duo uses a throbbing bass line, simple plucked guitar and harmonies to illustrate the conflict that happens when one willfully chooses something that is bad for them. “Clean Up” brings JR JR to a more provocative realm, and one that we are excited to see more of in the upcoming album.
— Nick Arcos on January 7, 2018
Henry Jamison - The Wilds
Henry Jamison is a storyteller at heart. It may be in his blood — his father, a classical composer, and his mother, an English professor — but Jamison is a writer and artist in his own right, evidenced by his debut album The Wilds (released October 27th). Beyond writing, recording and arranging the album all on his own, Jamison has a special ability to bring each track to life. Take his song, “The Wilds”: it’s instrumentally rich without being overbearing, letting Jamison’s narrative whisk you away. “The Wilds” sounds like an old-time American love story - unassuming and familiar, but nevertheless, still surprising.
— Natasha Cucullo on January 7, 2018
Moses Sumney - Plastic
Los Angeles genre-bending artist Moses Sumney released his gorgeous and ethereal debut album Aromanticism into the world this September. Sumney has made a big impression on artists like Solange and Sufjan Stevens for good reason. His infusion of soul and folk come together on this album in a way that leaves us begging for more. A prime example of this heavenly blend is found on the third song of the album, “Plastic.” A previous version of the song can be heard on the first season of Issa Rae’s HBO series, Insecure. This new version serves as one of the more simplistic songs on the album, featuring just a fingerpicked electric guitar, a synth and Sumney’s captivating voice. The hook of the song repeats the line “my wings are made of plastic,” each time sung in a slightly different way than it was before, continuing to imbue the phrase with new meaning. This song of vulnerability, self-awareness and secret-spilling is the kind that you can leave on repeat and get lost in for hours.
— Dara Bankole on October 22, 2017
