Spiritual Cramp‘s self-titled debut album is a blast, recalling the early-’00s heyday of The Hives and The Strokes, and is already showing up on a few end-of-the-year lists, including Citizen’s Nick Hamm, who called it “unbelievably locked in rock music of the garage n’ punk variety,” adding, “It’s almost intimidating like…how does a band set out to do something or do a sound and just do it that well?” If you haven’t checked Spiritual Cramp out yet, listen below.
We asked Spiritual Cramp frontman Mike Bingham to tell us about his favorite records of 2023, and his list includes, yes, Citizen, as well as Home Front, Hotline TNT, Beach Fossils, and more. Read his list and commentary below.
Spiritual Cramp will be on a short UK tour with Militarie Gun starting this weekend, and those two bands will also tour North America in 2024, with Pool Kids on the bill, too.
SPIRITUAL CRAMP’S MIKE BINGHAM – TOP 10 RECORDS OF 2023
Beach Fossils – Bunny LP (Bayonet Records)
This is a band who’s been around for a long time and continues to create incredible albums. It’s no shock to me they continue to get bigger with every release – even this far into their career. Catchy and inviting. As smooth as a glass of chilled natural wine on a hot August day in Brooklyn.
Home Front – Games of Power LP (La Vida Us En Mus)
Nobody wants to admit Second Empire Justice is the best Blitz album, but I do. This music pulls from all the places I like it to be pulled from. Driving 16th notes and extremely catchy hooks with space to breathe. A record that is as harrowing and emotional as it is aggressive and a punch to the face. Fast paced with moments of rest. My favorite album of the year.
Hotline TNT – Cartwheel LP (Third Man)
Man I’m tired of shoegaze. That shit is so boring to me. I don’t wanna hear your art if your parents make more than 100k a year. The whole genre gives a snake eating its tail who just graduated from a private liberal arts college vibes. Sell your pedal board and hit the finance department like your father before you. This album takes all my hate for this washed up genre and makes me think maybe I just misunderstood it. It’s incredible. Hooks galore, but tasteful. Beautiful warm and slick production. Love to see this band win. Is this even shoe-gaze?
The Enforcers – The Enforcers EP (Longshot Records)
Violence Football Rock and Roll. Canada’s sharpest export. None of that hipster Oi here. Real deal punk rock and roll with soul. Straight to the point. Catchy tracks with all the fat trimmed. Highly recommend.
Bethany Cosentino – Natural Disaster LP (Concord Music Group)
Sheryl Crow worship. Giant production. Kick you in the ass with cowboy boots and key your cheating-ass boyfriend’s car. Twangy and confident while exuding a strong sense of self esteem. Incredible record! Catchy!
Rifle – Under Two Flags EP (Standard Process)
P.U.N.K. from England. This band is one of the only bands I’ve seen in recent memory who look as cool as my band and we are cool as fuck. This band will be really big if they choose to lift a thumb and do a little work. Reminds me Black Flag. The Misfits.
Citizen – Calling The Dogs LP (Run for Cover)
This album smokes a lot out there right now. Angular and catchy punk music with hard panned guitars. Incredible songwriting and Rob Schnapf producing gives this band their best album to date. Truly impressive.
Urban Sprawl – Summer Promo 2023 EP (Self Release)
Punk hardcore in the vein of Look Back and Laugh. Bands like Dead and Gone or Born Against if they had a splash of d-beat. This band dumps live and they look cool as fuck. San Francisco forever.
Split System – “Alone Again” 7″ (Goner Records)
Incredible single. For fans of the 2010’s Australian post-punk. Angular and punk but pretty and thoughtful. Cool and not overzealous. It feels like this band doesn’t have to try hard to do what they’re doing. It feels effortless. I look forward to their LP.
Destruct – Cries The Mocking Mother Nature LP (Grave Mistake)
This LP is nonstop front to back. It explodes and doesn’t stop till it finishes. Inspired by bands like GAUZE and Deathside. American D-Beat is so fun to me. Hella people singing about atomic bombs. Putting gross egg whites in your hair. It’s like if the bad guys from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mad a genre. All jokes aside, this album rules and you should buy a copy.
Honorable mentions:
Viagra Boys – Live in concert
Iggy Pop – Live in concert
Sam Cooke – Singles 2xLP
Memo PST – Demo tape
DIIV – “Soul Net” single
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