Another year in the books. I think it was an improvement? Hard to tell from the eye of the hurricane. One thing’s for sure: the years and the music keep coming.
- Beach House – Once Twice Melody
Four mini albums delivered across 2022 kept me going. Still masters of the ethereal, they added a bit of shoegaze fuzz, a touch of dark atmospherics, and it’s like they made it especially for me.
2. MJ Lenderman – Boat Songs
Is it Pavement? Uncle Tupelo? Neil Young? Yes. But about sports. And it’s funny. “My daddy saw Dan Marino / at the Harris Teeter” may be my favorite line of the year.
3. Vince Staples – RAMONA PARK BROKE MY HEART
OG west coast sounds. Put your seat down a little further. That’s it. All the way back.
4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool it Down
Y3s making adult contemporary indie soundtracks. I’m good with that.
5. IDK – Simple.
KAYTRANADA on the beat. For the whole album. It’s just not fair. IDK doesn’t let him down.
6. Pusha T – It’s Almost Dry
You’d think that he’d run out of coke metaphors after 20 years, but nope, he’s cocaine’s Dr. Seuss.
7. Spoon – Lucifer on the Sofa
Took awhile for Texas-rock Spoon to grow on me. The tracks on this album creep up and before you know it, you’re surrounded by all of the sounds. Masterful song building.
8. Fontaines D.C. – Skinty Fia
The brooding brogue boys are back with buzzy backalley ballads, baby.
9. Destroyer – LABYRINTHITIS
The most pretentious man in music lets his hair down and delivers some seriously silly songs that should not work. Try not to end up mumbling to yourself “A snow angel’s a fucking idiot / Someone made in the snow.”
10. Beyoncé – RENAISSANCE
What can’t the queen do at this point? She slays any genre she touches. Beyoncé deserves to be discussed with the greatest of all time at this point.
11. JID – The Forever Story
Something must be in the water out at Stone Mountain. This quick-draw rapper delivers his most complete album to date. ATL always and forever.
12. Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You
I’m noticing a mini-trend here with serious bands letting their silly sides out. And again, it works. The bluegrass boing (lamellophone!) on Spud Infinity is my single favorite sound of the year.
13. Deserta – Every Moment, Everything You Need
Interstellar shoegaze for what ails you.
14. George FitzGerald – Stellar Drifting
Shiny bleeps and bloops.
15. Wilco – Cruel Country
Tweedy doesn’t like year-end lists. Just pretend I didn’t rate this album… like I didn’t the previous six Wilco albums. But seriously, these are great, simple country songs from the band that finally committed to it.
16. The Afghan Whigs – How do You Burn?
The Afghan Whigs have been silently and consistently putting out great albums for 30 years. To quote DJ Khaled:
17. Hot Chip – Freakout/Release
A bit of return to form here from my favorite dancin’ dorks. I’m not an objective reviewer of Hot Chip anymore, but what can I say? They make me move it.
18. Psychic Temple – Plays Planet Caravan
A two-track, 31-minute collection featuring Jeff Parker from Tortoise and an interpretation of the Black Sabbath tune. My favorite jazzy piece I heard this year.
19. ROSALÍA: MOTOMAMI
Rosalía explores the trendy sounds of Latin pop with a scalpel and a flamethrower.
20. Beth Orton – Weather Alive
This beautiful, drifting piece is my first experience with Ms. Orton. I hope there’s more to come; after listening to this album, I found her earlier work kinda boring.
21. Sad Night Dynamite – Volume II
I definitely feel my age when the kids start citing Gorillaz as inspiration. On the other hand, glad to report the kids are still okay.
22. Viagra Boys – Cave World
Viagra Boys may not be the band that the world needs in 2022, but it’s the band that we deserve.
23. Alvvays – Blue Rev
A breezy listen summarizing the best of power pop trends from the last 40 years.
24. Little Simz – NO THANK YOU
10 songs of exquisitely polished, straight hip-hop: no skits, no experiments. No, thank you.
25. Angel Olsen – Big Time
I’ve always appreciated Angel, but this country turn captured my attention more than any album she’s done to date.
For those keeping track of the stylized band name standings, this year we have 5 album names in ALL CAPS, a 25% increase over last year. I think we may have peaked. Check back next year to find out!