Best Music Albums of 2022
It's the end of 2022 somehow and things really have normalized quite a bit. Despite war in parts of the world and the looming threat of a new variant of virus to ravage the world, for the most part things have reopened, and the world is flowing again. The musical landscape of society has greatly been affected, there are more reunion tours then ever before around the world and it’s a dream come true in many ways for fans of rock music. The album format, with rumors of going away and becoming irrelevant, seems stronger than ever even though physical purchases by many seems down and so much music is hard to keep up with. But hey, that’s been part of the fun, each person’s opinion varying slightly and becoming more and more precise. I myself have ran away from online media and review sites as a source of information to physical magazines such as Uncut and Mojo, simply because I trust more of what they are saying because the passion seems to still be there.
As per usual, I personally listened in detail to over 200 albums in the genres of rock, alternative, hip hop, electronic, folk, singer-songwriter etc. and have list of what I personally found to be the best ones. My favorite albums of the year may not have been your personal faves, the most successful in terms of sales, or at the tops of the critics’ lists. However, I am making this list because I do think that this music is THAT GOOD and definitely worth talking about. As we are at the beginning of the 2020’s, many of these names will be new, but it is good to look at this concept as an exciting thing as opposed to a detrimental thing. If you don’t see an album or artist you liked a lot and are wondering where I would personally rank it, at the end of the listing countdown you can check about my full list of over 100 albums from last year…
After today I’ll be counting down my 30 favorite albums of the year one at a time.
Honorable Mention (so many great albums this year!):
31.The Soundcarriers – Wilds
32.Joan Shelly – the Spur
33.Jon Spencer – Spencer Get’s It Lit
34.Jenny Hval – Classic Objects
35.Sam Prekop and John McEntire
36.700 Bliss – Nothing to Declare
37.Plosivs – s/t
38.Spiritualized – Everything Was Beautiful
39.Los Bitchos – Let the Festivities Begin!
40. Arcade Fire – WE
#30.Bladee and Ecco2k - Crest
Bladee and Ecco2k are part of a new generation of rappers form Sweden/Scandinavia that are way too in love with auto-tune and the kind of effect in can have. Call it ‘cloud-rap’, ‘chain gang’, or whatever genre you want to - on this record it’s so over the top the somehow hip hop melds into dream pop. The songs themselves move along at a fairly slow pace, and some of them are multi-suites in themselves most notably the nine-minute "5 Star Crest". "White Meadow" is probably some kind of peak in this art, which owes some kind of debt to CloudDead but without that band's sense of sarcasm. The themes of Christianity that pop up through-out the album seem to be completely serious which makes them all the more unique. With songs like "Faust" and "Desire is a Trap" they elevate hip hop up into the clouds onto another plain of existence, and for the most part it's sublime. “The Flag is Raised” makes you feel like you really are flying up above the earth. The producer Whitearmor is the key to all of this working on a musical level.
#29. Hatchie – Giving the World Away
Hatchie cannot quite decide if she wants to be a slick pop star or revel in the sounds of 1980s dream pop like Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine. So… she kinda does both, and on this album the results are mostly great. You sort of have to put different hats on as the album plays, so opener “Lights On” (in my opinion “This Enchanted” is a much better opener and more true to how the album sounds as a whole) and the Madonna homage “Take My Hand” exist among the throwbacks like “Don’t Leave Me in the Rain” and the Tori Amos closer “Til We Run Out of Air”.
She often stuns, as on the magical heaven created on the short “Thinking Of” (the track that really made me love her music) and the pounding dance tracks like “The Rhythm” and “Giving the World Away”. I often like Hatchie, but as more of a guilty pleasure, not something I would suggest people listen to prove I am cool but if I am being honest with myself- there is just something irresistible about her music. “Quicksand” is the biggest song popularity wise evidently on here, it doesn’t really grab me at first but then somehow by the end I am singing along, yeah that reminds me of The Sundays or something; isn’t that the mark of great music, regardless of genre? Let’s see where she goes from here…
#28.Spoon – Lucifer on the Sofa
I love when Spoon feels confident. This album is a return to form for the band in a way, but its kind of subtle. It’s so much fun listening to songs like the demented "The Hardest Cut", a hard rock edge that hasn’t been seen since probably Series of Sneaks or Girls Can Tell or the sprawling sound of "Wild", a song that has the feel of an instant classic and I kind of wish it was twice as long as it is; with a twist it could be an epic U2 song. These tracks really bring back memories of this band at their best, and most of the album follows the great prospects of these two tracks. “The Devil and Mister Jones” references an old movie title and has a very classic feel with a swagger that places them apart from many of their contemporaries. “Held” takes a song from Smog (a 1990’s track from ol’ Bill Callahan) and reworks it to the band’s style, as they do on just about every record they have. “On the Radio” is well….an easy single ready song that could be on the FM radio if that kind of thing still worked these days.
More laid-back songs like “Satellite” and “My Babe” satisfy a certain type of fanbase that may not always be my cup of tea (I tend to like the more unnerving, challenging songs Spoon does) but I have to admit that they are still very GOOD songs. In many ways, Spoon is the closest thing Indie rock has to a “classic” rock band in the 2020’s. The issues I have had with every record since Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (2007) is that they seemed very single focused, less albums that launching pads for the 3 or 4 good songs they could come up with. This album feels like a unified effort all the way through, and the title track “Lucifer on the Sofa” shows, Spoon may be ready to sprawl out and do longer more challenging songs next time around. Whatever the future holds, this album represents a nice blend of everything the group does well over an easy ten tracks, and it marks a special place in their discography.
#27. Anais Mitchell – s/t
I was not super familiar with Anias Mitchell when I was recommended this album, she has a history of collaborations with other groups such as Big Red Machine (Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes) and also Bonny Light Horseman as well as a sort of theatrical background with her production of Hadestown in the late 2000's. Her self-titled solo debut comes off as a fairly sparse production, but catchy and heartfelt, so it works well. "Little Big Girl" chirps a lesson that is borderline humorous and also poignant, it's often hard to tell when Mitchell is joking or not which adds to the charm. "Brooklyn Bridge" is the album's lead track and a good test to see if you would like her type of writing; personally, I find it enjoyable and emotional and as long as the melodies captivate. "Now you Know" and "On Your Way" are the best songs here and they really do have the ability to put life in a new perspective.
If it sounds like an album you would enjoy, go for it though many people reading will pass on this review of it. But there is always a place in my listening ears for this type of mellow folk music, it sooths the soul and has healing powers if you let it in. If it sounds like it comes off as if Rickie Lee Jones or Jane Siberry collaborated with a songwriter like Regina Spektor or Jewel- that’s about right. It’s a little naïve sounding, sure- but that's part of her charm. Anais emits intimate sounds in every note she sings, while sometimes pompous like Broadway and sometimes laid back and almost jazz.
#26. The Beths – Experts in a Dying Field
Old fashioned rock n roll is very rare in this day and age, and with this album The Beths fill a void by simply playing music that is basic rock n roll – 2 guitars, bass, drums. I’m very glad it exits and it’s a breath of fresh air, whether is power pop (“Best Left”, “Expert in a Dying Field” whose chorus will stay in your head for days ), melodic Tom Petty style mid-tempo songs (“Knees Deep”, “A Passing Train”), or more punky and super friendly tunes (“Silence is Golden”, “I Told You I was Afraid”). There also plenty of good ballads that walk the line between mainstream pop or with a The Beatles influence (“Your Side”, accurately named closer “2AM”). The band also has some brilliant lead guitar tracks, where the riffs seem to jump out of nowhere to shock you. It’s possible they could have left off a track or two and had a stronger record, or perhaps increased the length of some of these tunes. The albums best song, “When You Know You Know” sums it all up sounding like a left over from the originators of indie pop, New Zealand’s The Bats. With this album, The Beth’s bring joyful, hopeful music back to the forefront of 2022.
#25. Black Midi - Hellfire
The third album by the band is the most uniform sounding one they have done yet. There is less 'oh lets see what happens on the next track' and more of a style all their own. They took the best parts of their debut and Cavalcade and made something that it doesn't really sound like they should make yet. Young aspirations of an album by an experienced King Crimson, trying to make jazz fusion though it took Miles Davis 40 years of playing to get there. Ambition often pays off though, and certain tracks work on a level they didn't before- " Welcome to Hell" has an intimacy that serves as the most accessible track and "Eat Men Eat" is sort of perfect in hashing out their thrashing rhythms. "Sugar/Tzu" and brief opener "Hellfire" are definitely at the forefront to alienate those not already converted to their strange cult.
On certain longer tracks the band also shows a certain mastery of their fusion of all genres. "Still" is a new version of music, a sort of amalgam of everything that has come before but less a wild animal and more tamed beast. "27 Questions" leaves everything open to interpretation, constantly shifting and morphing into another song after song, with classical music aspirations. As always, singer Geordie Greep's lyrics are an acquired taste to say the least, and if his mad ramblings remind one of Primus by way of Wire, well there is nothing wrong with that in my book. At least he sings more this time around
The album is divided neatly into two halves, eight full length tracks and really suit each other. This band has little in common with the more accessible music of the day; their parents are Rolo Tomassi and The Residents. Every member is amazing at their instruments, but drummer Morgan Simpson really impresses this time as percussion master and composer. It's not perfect, but its beautifully imperfect. If Hellfire proves anything, it's that this band is CAPABLE of anything....give them time and eventually they will win you over.
#24. Raum - Daughter
Raum is the project of Liz Harris of Grouper and Jefre Cantu-Ledesma of Tarental, a mix of what both artists do best: setting up a music soundscape and then moving around inside of it. This makes for long, droning songs that come off as contemplative and beautiful. The slightest interruptions creates a heavenly effect in “Sunlight Crying”, and some times the effect can take you to another world like the twenty minute “Passage”, which actually earns most of its length. The judgement or criteria of ambient music is still like other rock music: how entertaining is it? To listen to a song that could go on forever, we look at how long does it last- is it long enough or does it overstay its welcome? What kind of effect does it have on us, as tunes such as “Daughter” and "Lullaby” are guided more by the titles of the songs which are important in ambient music as they would be in classical music. Though “Revolving Door” is probably the weak spot of the record and could have been left of entirely, most of this drifts along brilliantly. The songs on Daughter evoke a feeling inside us not by having rallying choruses or melodic tunes to sing, but by simply creating an atmosphere with which to improvise in. Raum makes a fun world that I plan to revisit often on Daughter.
#23. Fontaines D.C. – Skinty Fia
If Fontaines DC are an acquired taste, I totally understand that. It took me a while to get into the band and the somewhat monotone vocals of Grian Chatten, which seem to be a perfect mix of Liam Gallagher and Damon Albarn if both were extremally hungover, didn't help. Eventually it all works well and with their multitude of influences a nice compromise of listenability is met. The band really taps into some dark stuff, and in a multitude of styles like on the anguished opener "N ár gCroíthe go Deo" or the dirge "Bloomsday" with its never ending cry for help. So much of the record has this depressed, anguished vibe to it.
Most impressively, the band taps into some real powerful stuff with the trance vibes on "Skinty Fia" which threaten to drown the listener in its atmosphere. Some songs even point to a more popular future, "Roman Holiday" with a calm, relaxed feeling experiencing the movie it references and "Jackie Down the Line", an interesting tale with the most accessible melody of the group so far. But just when you think they are playing nice, the closing dissonant "Nabokov" slams you back to reality of atonal guitars and whiny vocals. Again...this will not be everyone's thing, and I'm a little surprised it grew on me so much. The band is growing by leaps and bounds each album and I am very ready for the next one, though this still sounds like Brit-Pop of the 90s to me, which is fine in my book!
#22. Billy Woods - Aethiopes
I'm probably not equipped to talk about all the thoughtful, elegant poetry of Billy Woods on this album. The album starts with the somewhat jazzy warm-up of “Asylum”, and then goes on each song building up speed until its worn-out climax. The lyrics are very much a mix of how his people live in the modern day compared how they used to be treated, and how the world will always find ways to keep you trapped in place (see the amazing “Christine”). It’s deep rooted, meaningful stuff that takes multiple listens to interpret (the reggae influenced “Versailles”. But I do love the music to Aethiopes and the way some songs are like 3 or 4 ideas in one (“Harrlum”) . The excellent standout “NyNex” has a pulsating sort of wood-banging rhythm to it, it continuously sounds as if it is going to fall apart while it is going.
For all of the guest stars on the record (heavy hip hop hitters like El-P, Despot, Elucid, Quelle Chris, etc) it all flows very well though it has the feel of a collage, though an expertly put together one like Frank Zappa' s Were Only in it for the Money (from 1969) updated to Hip Hop in 2022. Songs like “Heavy Water” and “Chirstine” hit hard, but the arrangements recall old school jazz more than the harder more electronic beats of modern rap; it gives the album an ‘earthy’ feel. Billy Woods is such a prolific guy (he had another album this year Church that plays as a more gritty version of this one, also great) and his other projects Armand Hammer with Euclid proves there is not much difference between monikers. Any record involving or led by Woods is going to be thought provoking, honest, and worth your time.
#21. Julia Reidy – World in World
Julia Reidy is a promising new guitar voice that thrives on alternate tunings and strange found sounds, with no percussion. She uses these platforms to create elegant, mostly wordless songs such as “Poised” and “Loom” which kind of sound like aliens picking at your brain. The epic drone noise of “Wall and Clearings” is a substantial addition to the cannon of noise music. It is impressive she somehow is creating a new direction every couple of measures or how she uses cascading noise effects that fade in and out, making it an ever-shifting world of new possibilities. “Slipstream” finds a new use for guitar picking- its not about speed it’s about precision and the glory of wondering about. These are not songs to be listened to in any normal fashion, this is someone that reaches for the heavens and quite often making it up there. A high compliment I can pay her is she sounds like a more atonal Jessica Bailiff or John Fahey/ Roy Montgomery. Music for people who want to be adventurous and experiment.
#20. The Comet Is Coming – Hyper Dimensional Expansion Beam
The super dark and twisted instrumental music of CIC is kind of like a new sort of progressive rock, like Ozric Tentacles in the 90’s. On their third album, the group mixes dance music beats seamlessly with the already superb electronic drums of Max Hallett; Hallett aka Betamax is a serious contender for drummer of the last decade, up there with Bill Bruford or Martin Atkins for mixing rhythmic noise and pushing this type of music forward. The space primitivism of “Pyramids” and “Techinicolour” set new standards for types of futuristic intellectual Dance Music. Opener “Code” can be off putting at first, but once you allow it to drag you into the chaos of Saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings it really makes an impression on your soul
This combo trio of Sax-Keyboards-drums marks a new take on rock n roll, or maybe its jazz, or dance music…..its hard to tell anymore. The lines have been blurred, what once was separate genres have all come together. In a much more organic way than Hutchings other group Sons of Kemet (more “earthy” jazz than this groups “cosmic” jazz) Nothing is simple in this world – “Atomic Wave Dance” has a great beat and the saxophone is content to play circles around it, making it always entertaining while the keyboard makes spooky noises in the background; “Mystik” channels up some ancient energy for an amazing album closer. Sometimes its too abstract, the odd AOR background of “The Hammer” and the meandering of “Frequency of Feeling Expansion” are really not my thing, but for the most part this stuff remains an intriguing listen, always offering something different by fusing many elements together.
#19. Duster – Together
Duster take their easy sounding moderately paced music and make every moment count. This means the bass parts are fluid and elongated, the guitar work is present but also barley there. As far as influences go, it’s a mix of bands like Low, Slint, Codeine (“Time Glitch”, “Familiar Fields”) and joins them with the electronic pulses of techno music (the translucent “Escalator”) and detached songwriting of a group like Eels (see a new kind of singer/songwriter in “Retrograde”). “N” is a whole world unto itself, like a man who has been pulled into a vortex to another realm but is ok with it. “Sleepyhead” and “New Directions” are songs by a man bored of this world, yet the music is anything but boring.
An angrier type of music is made on the glorious “Making Room”, while the closing tracks might be the best ones- “ Feel No Joy” with its twisting melody and “Sad Boys” with its epic detachment. The band’s last album, 2019’s Duster touched on this possibility of a merging of styles but never really grabbed me, as it felt very distant. However, Together coalesces into something greater, it feels welcoming and warm where the last one felt too stranded on a deserted island. Maybe it’s all a trap!?!?!? If it is I guess it got me. Duster create a world of their own on this album that reaches back to The Beatles and touches on everything that has happened sense. It is definitely a slow, introverted sound, but it has the possibility to reach further.
#18. Belle and Sebastian – A Bit of Previous
Every fan of Belle and Sebastian has a different favorite era of the band, whether it’s the classic chugging folk-pop era (Tigermilk, Boy With the Arab Strap and If You’re Feeling Sinister) or the lush production era (The Life Pursuit and DCW) or the more soundtrack heavy era. But in reality, Stuart Murdoch’s songwriting is all about creating delicate, classical sounding pop music no matter If it’s the mid 1990’s or the soon to be mid 2020’s. Few artists are more melodic, and few hit home quite as often. As it stands, this album (11th?) is their most consistent since Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2003) and one of their best overall. Maybe it was the time off during covid, or just a new group of players now in the band, but whatever it was the band was able to master all types of their style: the slick pop of “Prophets On Hold”, the silly but enjoyable “Young and Stupid”, the almost synth pop of the cascading “A World Without You” sung by Sarah Martin, or the song that really holds up to their past successes like “Unnecessary Drama” with its formidable harmonica track that sounds like an oncoming train. The closing duo of tracks, “Sea of Sorrow” and “Working Boy in NYC” give the album a complete feel, a sort of ‘everything is going to be ok’ for those of us who need to hear it. Very glad to hear the band in top form again, it reminds me why I feel in love with their music in the first place. It’s hopeful, meaningful music that everyone can enjoy.
#17. Cate Le Bon - Pompeii
Cate Le Bon is an artist always in search of new sounds, and she seems to have settle on an album that comes through the filter of 'alien' on Pompeii. Each song is a twist on the conventional pop song, and buried under the spacey sound effects are some real gems and catchy tunes. "Harbour" is a great example, listen to how to everything is off kilter and skewed as it sort of gallops along. “Moderation” too is on one hand a single made for FM radio, but each verse seems a little uninterested, the chorus is a little longer than it should be. Maybe it is an old fashioned album made from a distant point of view, a sort of vision of the future form the past.
Le Bon is a true artist, that does not conform to the fashions of any time. From everything I have heard from her in the past, especially Mug Museum (2013), she just seems to have little interest in what goes on around her. That can alienate a lot of people, and for those people even her best songs will not hold much interest. But once you meet her on her own terms, there is a beauty to long twisted yellow brick roads such as “Running Away”, the Talking Heads shuffle of “Running Away”, or slow-motion Elton John on quaaludes songs like “Wheel”. I’m thankful her and her lovely band created this music for us; it will help me find beauty on those rainy days.
#16. The Black Angels – Wilderness of Mirrors
Some bands don’t have to be innovators to be considered essential to today's music, and the Austin, TX based Black Angels are such a band. The groups chosen genre is Psychedelic rock, and they constantly find new ways to reinvent the genre. Songs like “History of the Future” and “Suffocation” are the more laid-back ballads, songs like the male/female dual vocals back n forth of “Firefly” and “El Jardin” cover the more ethereal part, songs like “Empires Falling” and “A Walk on the Outside” are harder edge rock n roll version of their art. Still, the far out concepts of “Icon” and the strange taciturn structure of title track ”Wilderness of Mirrors” show why this band is essential to the music of our time. Maybe it is a couple of songs too long, but there are so many great songs on the record that give different gifts upon multiple listens and it is definitely their best record since Directions to a Ghost from (2008).
The term that album is named after comes from a T.S. Elliot poem where he says, “In a wilderness of mirrors / what will the spider do, suspend its operations / will the weevil delay?” The term has also been used by the FBI for espionage tactics, and the life that a double agent may lead while in the field. It seems like an apt concept for the album, as sounds bounce off one another and echo into the distance. In all, The Black Angels exemplify this so much better than other bands of their kind by backing it up with great songs.
#15. Plains – I Walked with You a Ways
An aptly named band that succeeds in what they are trying to do, maybe even more perfectly than the two artists had imagined. When Waxahachie and Jess Williamson decided to join forces, did they know they would make a nearly perfect folk-country record? There are several factors at play: they match each other in warm tones and harmonies (“line of sight”, “Hurricane” ), they are actually pretty different songwriters, where Williamson writes slow ballads that leave room to breathe: the story telling adventures present in “Abilene”, the breathtaking pauses in “Summer Sun”, the brutal shuffle of “I Walked With You A Ways”. An entire album of these slower albums might have been a bit much, but she is complimented by….
Waxahachie writes flawless, Patsy Cline influenced country ditties like “Last Two On Earth”, the lead track “Problem With It” that should be some kind of instant classic radiates calm, or the powerful “No Record of Wrongs”. It reminds me of when Neko Case, Laura Marling, and KD Lang joined forces years ago, even though that entry was more folk and this album is pure country music bliss at times. These two women represent the pinnacle of country music in 2022, and I hope it get enough notice.
#14. Lupe Fiasco – Drill Music in Zion
Lupe Fiasco returns after four years since his amazing and complex two hour release Dragos Wave (2018), with an album that does feel like an aftermath to that overwhelming experience. The thoughtful and provocative lyrics are on full display again, in fact some songs are little else than poetry readings he created – “Kiosk” a thoughtful rumination on mall kiosks (seriously) and “Ms. Mural” the third song in his trilogy of songs with the word ‘mural’ in the title that plays as kind of a younger cousin to the other two opuses. ”On Faux Nem” is a somewhat grizzly affair, rambling about the violence that exists in black society while musically he interrupts himself to keep changing the subject to make himself sound more delicate. The best songs are title track “Drill Music in Zion” and “Naomi” blend all these things by existing on an intellectual level unreachable by the other rappers around him. He is very aware of himself stating, “Wow that’s the most interesting diatribe I have heard in a while!”. Ego has its place in hip-hop, I suppose.
While the last six songs form a proper follow up to Drogas Wave and Tetsou and Youth futuristic jazz-rap (replete with much saxophone work in the background!) it has to be said that Lupe really does have a problem beginning an album. This happens on Drogas Wave well, the first couple songs not being nearly as lyrically interesting or versatile as what comes afterwards and may turn off some listeners; the exception is “Autoboto” which is obviously meant to be a lead single and comes off better than the other first four. It’s just kind of a maddening frustration, because I know some people wont dig deep on this record and find its amazing qualities. So I encourage anyone reading this, never write Lupe off. When he tries to appeal to the general population in his career, he can be a bit clumsy and awkward, but when he is himself and manages to merge great music with awe-inspiring lyrics he is the best rapper on the planet. His complex form fusion of rock, jazz, and hip hop is a wonder to behold.
#13. Cass McCombs - Heartmind
Cass McCombs has finally made his best album with this one, one that encapsulates everything he does well in one place. The singer-songwriter has always had moments of genius, but here it seems so refined like as many artists don't hit their peak until much later into their caerrer. The more abstact meditations and rhythmles wonderings of "Heartmind" are new for him but he does pretty well in this vein. See also the Carribean shuffle of "Krakatau" and the haphazrd quality of opener "Music is Blue" which also stands one of this most interesting songs.
But mainly there are 4 (out of only 8 total) songs that form the core of what make the album great: "Unpourd Warrior" is a poetic tune with counter point from Will Oldham, proving Mccombs to be one of the great wordsmiths of his age, talking about authors of famous literature, "A Blue Blue Band" is unique to only him, a long winding tale that is easy to fall in love to; "Belong to Heaven" is a heavenly little ditty that seems to just flow out of him, one of the better songs of the year. "Karakoe" is similar, very bouncy and lightweight in tone even though the words tell a sadder story. With half of this record, McCombs matches anything he has ever done, and points to a future of an album that is coherent and beautiful to match this one, or even more so.
#12. Aldous Harding – Warm Chris
Aldous Harding has always had a gift for making songs as delicate as they can be, as if a sudden jolt would break her concentration and ruin the flow. Her last album was one of my favorites of hers, Designer (2019), but on this new album she finds a more stable way to communicate, a true confidence and hardness that was not that was not there before. Piano ballads " Shell be Coming Around the Mountain" and the tribute to paintings "Staring at Henry Moore" are both great examples of her previous traits.
However, the new schizophrenic approach to songwriting on here is is a wonder to behold and marks a new chapter of her journey. Her low, Nico influenced voice comes through in lead single "Fever" which again is full of verve and attitude with a childish wink. On the other vocal approach there is a delicate, high out there bizarre chirping a la Joanna Newsom that takes control on "Lawn", a great example of controlled chaos, a song that worms its way into your brain. "Tick Tock" also seems to be sung by a hummingbird, where as opener "Ennui" forms quite the puzzle and is a grower but a great track. There is a passion to these songs that is undeniable, as out-there and frazzled as they can appear at first. "Leathery Whip" sums up both vocals, feuding with each other for control of Harding's warped perspective, and coming across as both adorable and sort of frightening.
Then there is the best song on the record, "Passion Babe" which has a sort of song structure that keeps changing and changing, tricking you into thinking you know it before repeating the glorious chorus over and over at the end. Aldous Harding shows us that even limited instrumentation made with real heart can have endless applications.
#11. Wet Leg – s/t
Wet Leg are the years blast of fun. Critics dig them and audiences can't stop listening, its the rare case of super accessible while also being somewhat meaningful. "Piece of Shit" sums it all up in a very immature way with lyrics that have plenty of pathos but also sound like they are coming from someone in middle school; it's beautifully created by lead singer Rhian Teasdale. There is a quality and a aged feeling to certain tracks though, like "Convincing" sung by Hester Chambers, that seems both world-weary and well done, and of course "Chaise Lounge" which somehow has grabbed the world's attention by having a vocal approach of well....talking in a confused state. Never before have statements like "Excuse Me? What??" been so hilarious.
The band can't escape comparisons to others that have come before, the influence of The Strokes is there but it honestly reminds me more of Kim Deal's songs form the 1990's, specifically The Amps. "Wet Dream" is one of the catchiest songs of the year, but its impossible to imagine with out the Breeders "Cannonball" or Amp's "Tipp City". "I Don't Wanna Go Out" recalls the best of Pavement, groovy guitar lines with a catchy melody. "Supermarket" grabs a drum fill from Ringo Starr, and the detachment form 4 Non Blondes. Despite all the obvious comparisons, the album is a strong one, it is relistenable and has plenty of charm and meaning despite its slick package and messy vocals. Everything has a very self aware quality, like a character in a movie breaking the fourth wall- see the decision to scream in "Oh No", Teasdale explains she is going to do it before it actually happens. More than just an easy listen, there is plenty of easter eggs on this album for people who have a strong history of rock n roll history. Who knows where they will go from here, but if closer "Too Late Now" teaches us anything, they will be relaxing quite a bit before making another decision.
#10. Beach House – Once Twice Melody
If any one deserved to make a true double album it was Beach House. They have been doing what they do so well - layered, ethereal melodic dream pop - for about 15 years now, and while this album is more of the same much like any true double album it perfects what the artist does and shows off all sides of the band. Originally conceived as 4 separate EPs of four or five songs, on vinyl the album plays the same way. Its all so lush and gorgeous, but there may be a common link between them, beside just the fact that whole thing is so consistent.
Side 1 is basically Beach House as usual, with the title track welcoming the listener and "Superstar" and "Through Me" using the electronic drums and layered synth to put us into a nice coma. Side 2 is a bit more experimental with longer songs that could last an eternitiy and retain their glory- "Over and Over" in particular, "Runaway" pushing the singing of Victoria Legrand into robotic territory while "ESP" harks back to the sounds popularized by bands like Beachwood Sparks. The is also a kind of blend of styles in "New Romance", which recalls the more lo-fi approach of an album like Devotion (2008) which was my first BH album; it's a nice throwback to where they began.
Side 3 harks back to the world of madrigals, and has my favorite song of the album, the lovely "Sunset" which is basically a new sort of church hymnal. "Another Go Around" touches some kind of deep emotional level that shows how the band can really get deep in our souls and make it look easy, Side 4 contains the albums most obvious single, "Hurts to Love" another impeccable dream pop track. It may be the most inconsistent of the 4 sides but it is all summed up pretty well on closer "Modern Love Stories", a compelling symphonic track that again points in new directions.
Beach House should be commended for just how much diversity they get out of their style. They were influenced obviously by many bands of the 80's and 90's that loved blissful simplistic rock music, but how many of those bands lasted this long and made albums as good as this?
#09. Nas – King’s Disease III
Nas seems to be on some sort of roll or creative renaissance, and who know how long it will last or where it will take him; 4 amazing albums in the last 2 1/2 years??!??. Working with producer Hit-Boy, he has created another album that has blended all he has done before with new sounds and new soundscapes to play with. Song's like "Legit" and "Beef" jump out of the gate with pure energy, where as more introspective tracks like "Michael and Quincy" or "Once a Man, Twice a Child" give us plenty to think about aging gracefully (lyric- "one day I might need my diaper changed" while later taking about watching stars in the sky burnout). Even better, "WTF SMH" is one half of a killer rap track and one half a rant about how hard it is being an influential icon and how hard it is to navigate in that world.
"Get Light" and "Thun" are more on the side of party songs, though even they have an older feel, an introspective quality. No one can talk about what a legend in his own mind he is like Nas, like in "Hood2Hood" or "First Time" comparing now to then but also speaking to us as people who love to listen and overanalyze music. The album is neatly divided by the "Serious Interlude" in he middle, perhaps unnecessary but without it there would be no break in the string of amazing tracks. In the end, Nas seems to have found a great collaborator in producers that are channeling everything he knows and has learned over the years into these King's Diseases albums, and this triad of records might go down as the best work he ever did; take the best 10-12 songs off of this album and it rivals Illmatic. Turn it up loud, drive down the highway and enjoy.
#08. Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band – Dear Scott
An album that plays like a gust of cold fresh air, the feeling of yesterday washing over you. Created by ex singer-songwriter from the 1980’s rock group The Pale Fountains (who I am largely unfamiliar with, but not for long!). Sometimes the nostalgic look at the past can create amazing music for the present, and these guys make one of the best folk records of the year by doing just that. Opener “Kismet” recalls a fond memory from your family’s kitchen table, “Freedom” floats across the valley like an old Simon and Garfunkel tune, the traditional standard is re-worked as a powerful folk rock shuffle in “Pretty Child” (used most famously in my mind for the soundtrack for 1955 horror classic movie Night of the Hunter). “Broken Beauty” is a love song for the ages, the meaningful words of the chorus, “People try to put you down/ they don’t win.” Best of all, the blissful ba-ba-bas enhance the glory of “The Next Day”, one of the prettiest songs I have ever heard with a melody that finds its way to your heart. At times the album sounds like Christmas music, and that’s a major part of its charm.
A large compliment I can pay the band is Michael Head recalls the 1960’s psychedelic of Love’s Forever Changes (1967), using acoustic instruments, horns, and alternate percussion to make everything seem pleasant and hopeful- see the amazing “American Kid” or the complex lyrics of “Grace and Edie”. The little charms are present for patient listeners too, like the upbeat ending of the two-part “Gino and Rico” or the instrumental that closes the record that takes us into the upper atmosphere, “Shrils Ghost”. Michael Head and Co. really make a record that seems to exist outside of time, and these are the kind of records that seem to stand out in later years.
#07. Denzel Curry – Melt My Eyes See Your Future
It’s crazy to think about how Denzel Curry has come as an artist. He started off pretty big on the Trap-rap scene (climaxing with the album Imperial), moving into music that uses a kind of bizarre vocal themed carnival element (Taboo and the EP Unlocked) and into a very streamlined sound of quick, hard-hitting tracks (Zuu). Now he is incorporating everything that came before and mixing it with more earthy, jazz- rap complete with a backing band that is like a miniature version of The Roots. It’s more of a ‘transformation’ on this record, than a surprise as those of us who have been following his career knew he would eventually make his masterpiece- and here it is. His ability to mix fast, clever raps with music atmospheres to match makes this a can’t miss experience.
“Melt Session #1” sets the tone for what is to come, showing us all just how much the rapper has grown up while maintaining his glorious mystique (same is true for jazzy closer “the Ills”). He channels Wyclef Jean on “Worst Come to Worst” propelling his form of Hip-Hop into the future, “Mental” showing off a song in touch with reality that incorporates music that is more like Be-bop; some songs are very short but use the vocal pitch-shifting into a very accessible form on “X-Wing” and “Troubles”, the latter with the master of that format guest star T-Pain; creating a new kind of fast-forward hip-hop with the contradicting Zen influence of “Zatoichi”. In all, Curry makes up one of the few true innovators of rap in the last ten years, and it’s so much fun as always to listen to.
#06. Bill Callahan - Ytilaer
Since going by his own full name, Bill Callahan (aka Smog) has had quite the career. With each release in the 1990s, Smog matured more and more and it made his career form lo-fi guitar innovator to balladeer singer-songwriter type all the more fascinating to watch for the first decade. Since then hes kinda….stopped at the singer-songwriter part. He occasionally veers to country music, or folk music, or blues, or even sort of all of them combined (see the pivotal “Last One at the Party” which comes last on the album ). But at the end, he is still the same guy who gives us the kind of sardonic, silly songs over and over. What matters is well, how good they are, and on this album (which is REALITY spelled backwards) he gives us perhaps his best yet.
Callahan has a unique world view and I think that’s what makes songs such as “Bowevil” and “Coyotes” so particularly interesting. The balance of character detail and melody is what makes him such a conundrum, and so hard to pin down - “Drainface” and “Everyway” could only be created from his warped perspective. Callahan is not always good to listen to when you are driving down some rainy interstate in the dark as I experienced recently, but for a laid-back day at home cleaning the house he is perfect. I will be honest, after the last couple of releases basically since the last good thing I heard from him the album Dream River (2013) I was ready to write off Bill C as a perhaps somewhat bitter old man with not much left to say, as much as I enjoy myself some 90’s Smog. But I am so glad I didn’t and gave this album a whirl. See that’s the trick, Callahan knows he is an elder statesman now with not much left to say…that’s why hearing him sing about how he has not much left to say is so fascinating.
#05. Danger Mouse and Black Thought – Cheat Codes
There is something truly transcendent about this album, something that has taken in years of preparation and work. At least that's how I feel about it, so it was of no surprise when I heard Danger Mouse and Black Thought (lead man from The Roots) have been teasing of teaming up on something for about 10 years now. If only every project could be this well thought out and planned, with a seamless list of guest starts that only elevate and don't distract including Raekwon on the moody piano chords of “The Darkest Part”, the late great final appearance of MF Doom on the abstract “Belize” with the beautiful “away from youuuu” repeated over and over, the great duo Run the Jewels on the futuristic “ Strangers” which makes for one of the years great hard hitting tracks where each mc takes turn delivering their tirade. Above all, there is something absolutely transcendent about “Aquamarine” which uses the producing talent of Sault (a.k.a. Inlfo) and the soulful chorus of Michael Kiwanuka and the amazing thoughtful raps of Black Thought to create the best song of 2022.
Cheat Codes is a true album through and through, opening with the graceful ”Sometimes” and the oddly percussive “Cheat Codes” and ending with the poetic “Violas and Lupitas”. This album has a real flow to it, especially in the middle of the record with the tracks already mentioned but also the retro soul of “Because”, the pondering “Close to Famous” which uses strange little voices to create the atmosphere of great musicians that know they should be more famous then they are. Unfortunately in our world, being great at something sometimes does mean forever floating in obscurity. One could say well, Black Thought and Danger Mouse are already pretty famous! While that is true, good music is not always appreciated, and this finally tuned album from two artists who really know how to craft a record is getting a lot of notice form the critical community- I just hope the rest of the world follows suit. Albums like this of whatever genre are so rare, where everything that they try comes together gracefully and time is taken to expand of each little sound to get the best clarity and rhythm that will stand the test of time.
#04. Horse Lords – Comradely Objects
The Horse Lords are beyond mere rock music, reaching into the void to create a complex tapestry that pushes their art into the future. Finally, with their 5th album they achieve that rare thing they have been striving for, a near perfect record that explores each avenue of their sound. "Zero Degree Machine" starts the album off, introducing layer upon layer of different rhythms deployed at the same time, something like King Crimson early-80's era on acid. "Mess Mend" somehow turns this into an accessible sound, sort of like a video game from the inside out, but with an accessible guitar line running through.
"May Brigade" brings out the Henry Cow noises, the full on nonsense, but it still anchors it to a rhythm so that the chaos is kept in check. "Solidary Ave" could actually be longer, by far the shortest track on the album but earning points for its earthy, Jon Hassell type atmosphere, like a mole slowly crawling through the ground to find its home. The final two tracks that matter, ten minute "Law of Movement" and the brief afterlife "Rounder" are the quintessence of what makes the album great, getting lost in the shuffle with a pulsating drone anchoring the music, so that the rhythm is lose and the animals can run free.
I'm not sure what most people will think of Horse Lords, but as a fan of the band for quite sometime I can tell you this is their best record, and a candidate for record of the year. It's music made by people with not a lot of financial aspirations, made because this is music that SHOULD be made and may one day be what everything sounds like. This think of it as a new form of Remain in Light (1980) by Talking Heads, except it is all instrumental, turned full on digital, their ultimate imagining of their take on totalism.
#03. The Mountain Goats – Bleed Out
It is nice to hear another great Mountain Goats album, and that it sounds so different than the last ones. Really with a songwriter as prolific as John Darnielle, anything is a blessing but he seems to be a new kind of version of himself with this album. It is definitely his most hard rocking record, sounding more like an alt-rocker like Bob Mould than his folk-rock past (he shares a drummer with the great John Wurster), but even labeling Darnielle can be dangerous since he has so many different versions of himself to deal with. There’s the contemplative soulful one (“Mark on You”, “Bones Don’t Rust”) the prophetic one “(the scary “Need more Bandages”, the seven minute “Hostages”) and the folky and playful one (“Wage Wars Get Rich Die Handsome”). Sometimes Darnielle is all of this at once, but with this backing band he has now he is more effective than he has been in at least the last ten years.
The balance of styles he has perfected is present on the jazzy sound of “Guys on Every Corner”, but also the long, languid passages of a song like “Extraction Point” which expands his sound into something completely new. “Training Montage” starts off the album with a hard-hitting edge, but it also tells the story of what he is about to tell you on the album. Some of it comes off as a take on ‘violence in our world’ (the Rambo themed “First Blood”) but in reality, there are many themes explored and Darnielle goes back and forth between subjects and sounds he has covered for the last 30 years. A jangly tune like “Incandescent Ruins” could have been on any of his prior albums, but it is produced professionally here like Darnielle has found the perfect way to now tell his stories. He continues on as someone who has a devoted fanbase but knows he may never be accepted by the mainstream, and I think he is fine with his place in the world. This is one of his most consistent collections of songs, and for a band as prolific as The Mountain Goats that is saying something.
#02. Pusha T – It’s Almost Dry
It was sort of unexpected but also not a big surprise to me that Pusha T, after all this time, has made his masterpiece. The signs were there on the 2018 EP Daytona, with 3 or 4 songs of that just being the best collabs I have heard in a long time from the production of West and the lyrics and hooks of Pusha T. On this record, having Pharrell produce half and West produce the other half was a very smart move- the music and beats are amazingly punchy and catchy throughout while also being pretty weird in the best way possible. Also, there is the memory of The Neptunes work with Clipse and Malice joining him for the closing track "I Pray for You". Best of all, this is one of the most fun rap albums ever made, each song sort of bouncing off each other while walking the line of timeless and repetitious.
It's no secret that Pusha T loves to talk about his days of selling cocaine. I mean to be fair though, every songwriter needs a subject or a muse to discuss, so the fact that most of any song he does based around a topic is not that weird to me, especially when they are as good as "Diet Coke", one of the most infections rap songs I have ever heard. "Let the Smokers Shine the Coupes" enshrines him as ‘cocaine's Dr Seuss’, which is...a strange thing to want to be? Green Eggs, Ham, and Cocaine I guess? Opener "Brambleton" jumps around too like one of the best East Coast rap tunes from the mid 90's but again, very fun and carefree.
When Pusha T goes for contemporary sounds, he always makes it work. "Neck and Wrist" shows Jay Z and Pharrell trading verses with a couple of "skirrrrts" in there which would normally get on my nerves. "Rock n Roll" touted and the final collaboration between Kid Cudi and Kanye (like any feud in hip hop lasts forever?) also uses an alien soundscape background a la El-P to great effect again bringing a new definition to the term Rock n Roll. "Scrape it Off" featuring modern rappers Lil Uzi shouldn't work at all, but again Pusha finds a away to make it entertaining by repeating the word ‘boy’ over and over. Strange, but true. Modern raps Dr. Seuss, might be a more apt title for him. Slight annoyance too with "Dreaming of the Past" having one for those samples West put too loud in the mix, from a soul cover of the John Lennon song. Those last two songs may be merely ‘good’ but every other moment on the album is near perfect.
#01. Perfume Genius – Ugly Season
This is my favorite album by Perfume genius and i have been a fan of his for a very long time the last 10 years at least. It's fine if you don't agree, singer/songwriter Mike Hadreas seems to have gained a new legion of fans with his last two full length albums, No Shape (2017) and Set My Heart on Fire Immediately (2020). Both of those albums had their moments but were not full on "album" experiences like the meandering but excellent Too Bright (2014) and his masterwork so far Put Your Back N2 It (2012). This is Perfume Genius's second album in his career to be just about perfect, and it also shows his growth as an artist and how far he has come since PYBN2I first appeared in a solemn and more minimalist tone ten years ago. Also to be credited is master producer Blake Mills, who has the habit in bringing out the best moments of artists we works with.
This album prefers the songs to be longer and also more dense with surprise nuances and structures. He puts perhaps the most challenging tune right at track two with "Herem", a song that sends out a sort of 'S.O.S.' to anyone who hears it; it almost sounds like a baby being born and learning to communicate. "Hellbent is another awe-inspiring soundscape of electronic rhythms colliding with some sort of escalading melodic song structure. "Eye In the Wall", originally released with "Pop Song" back in 2019, is a welcome addition to PF's canon and one of his best experiments in how one song slowly evolves into another- it starts off as a vaguely Gregorian chant a la Dead Can Dance and somehow ends up as a psychedelics trance changing the rhythm completely. These 3 songs form the artistic peaks of Hadreas's new sound.
Elsewhere, PF shows his master over the more traditional pop song: the aptly named dance rhythms of "Pop Song", the aether gelatin of "Photograph" which compacts all of the albums ideas into the best cohesive song an instant classic, the orchestrated yearnings of "Teeth". Title track "Ugly Season" combines a naïve melody with a catchy Caribbean beat but ALSO includes some indecipherable lyrics and random noises in the background- truly a meaning of experimental and pop obvious to anyone who truly listens. Lyric sample: "Love is the tongue/ notice the shape/ don't look away."
Everything about Ugly Season totally works, and it's my pick for album of the year as well as one of the most open and honest portrayals of a humans soul set to music.