Chris Riemenschneider's top 10 national albums of 2023

There's no respite from the chaos of the world like putting on an album and listening to it in full. The records I most favored in 2023 offered distinct ways of tuning everything out.

Some offered escapism via hauntingly elegant and daydream-y soundscapes (Mitski, Lana Del Rey). Some offered loud, heavy and/or angsty catharsis (Minnesota native Alicia Bognanno's band Bully, Olivia Rodrigo, Noname). And some just delivered feel-good, problem-shrugging fun (Winnipeg newcomer Boy Golden, tribute albums to Doug Sahm and Bob Dylan). I'm honestly not sure how people get by without records.

1. Mitski, "The Land Is Hospitable and So Are We"

2. Son Volt, "Day of the Doug"

3. Bully, "Lucky for You"

4. Boy Golden, "For Jimmy"

5. Lana Del Rey, "Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd"

6. Cat Power, "Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert"

7. Olivia Rodrigo, "Guts"

8. Noname, "Sundial"

9. Deer Tick, "Emotional Contracts"

10. Durand Jones, "Wait Till I Get Over"

See also: Riemenschneider's best Minnesota albums of 2023.

Jon Bream's top albums

1. Olivia Rodrigo, "Guts." What an extraordinarily impressive sophomore effort on which she's matured but still remains truly 20 years old in a Swiftian and Eilish-ish way, filled with confusion and self-awareness, lovestruck ballads and angry power-punk, all spiked with a keen sense of humor.

2. Lana Del Rey, "Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd." In her best and most potent album, the languid Los Angeles chanteuse ruminates about God, death, family and repairing broken pottery, among other topics.

3. Paul Simon, "Seven Psalms." In a hauntingly understated seven-song suite, one of America's greatest songwriters of all time meditates on life, mortality and God.

4. Jelly Roll, "Whitsitt Chapel." He makes the surprisingly graceful transition from prolific indie rapper to repentant criminal as country-gospel singer.

5. Bettye LaVette, "LaVette." This inspired veteran song stylist interprets 11 selections from the obscure catalog of Randall Bramblett as if he penned these tales of woe for her.

6. Zach Bryan, "Zach Bryan." With 16 tunes this time (after 34 last year), he's established himself as a hyper-prolific songwriter of remarkably high quality, with a little vocal help from Kacey Musgraves, the Lumineers and the War & Treaty.

7. Stephen Sanchez, "Angel Face." At age 20, the Orbison-esque new prince of retro pop fashions a cinematic concept LP about a tumultuous love triangle between a singer who scores a 1958 hit and his Jayne Mansfield-like gal and her previous beau.

8. Abraham Alexander, "Sea/Sons." Raised in Greece by Nigerian immigrants and orphaned as a teenager in Texas, the Fort Worth acoustic soul man's organic, bluesy vibe is as alluring as his back story is daunting.

9. Megan Moroney, "Lucky." This Georgia newcomer is as mainstream country as Dolly Parton with a refined mix of clever, witty, playful, fun, sentimental, Southern and sadness.

10. Brent Faiyaz, "Larger Than Life." Other critics turned me onto this L.A. singer/rapper's quirky nouveau neo-soul collection, which suggests a modern-day cross between Missy Elliott and Timbaland.