Bring it on, 2023! Give me all you got! I can't wait to spend hours I could've used resourcefully compiling a list of resolutions that I ultimately know I'll stick to for approximately 6 days!
Said many a person tonight - though perhaps not using those exact words. Either way, who am I to comment: I may or may not have just spent the majority of this Saturday analysing 100 songs from a playlist that I put together in the wee small hours of this morning.
Okay, so I did do that, but get this: you get to read it! The list isn't pertaining exclusively to songs released in 2022 (though there are many featured in it), nor is it a 'top 100' ranking of songs. Just a little memory box for me, if you will, of some of the songs that kept me chugging along this year.
Despite my obvious sarcasm - which is subject to re-emerge if these blooming fireworks don't sod off pronto - I still wish everyone a happy new year and all the best. Enjoy!
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| My favourite photo of 2022 - cat dozing in Crete |
1. Welcome To Hell - black midi
A raucous and at once stunning single from the trio's third album Hellfire, 'Welcome To Hell' (in typical bm fashion) shifts constantly, roping the listener along the cacophonous journey of Private Tristan Bongo. Who is this man? Listen to find out...
2. happy accident - Tomberlin
Propelled by a stamping, swaying rhythm section, Tomberlin laments of an inescapable scenario which finds her returning time and time again to an ex lover; heartfelt lyrics sung and shouted in equal measure, embodying the back-and-forth nature of her predicament.
3. Making Sense Stop - Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul
Through this infectious banger that brims with personality at every turn, the duo of Adigéry and Pupul have not just taken but have wrenched completely the baton of alternative dance pop from the hands of David Byrne himself and made it their own.
4. An Stevel Nowydh - Gwenno
Considering Gwenno's adept composition of darkness and lightness in this track - the way in which her melodic voice dances above sharp bursts of electric guitar, for example - and throughout her album 'Tresor' (which is made up of songs mostly sung in Cornish), it's no surprise that she was nominated for the prestigious Mercury Prize this year!
5. Golden Air - Sun's Signature
The first song to be released by the duo, comprised of Cocteau Twins vocalist Elizabeth Fraser and percussionist Damon Reece, Golden Air demonstrates to the listener a masterclass in dynamics and tension; resulting in a climactic ending which sees Fraser's iconic, soaring vocals take to the fore.
6. World of Pots and Pans - Horsegirl
Having released their debut album, 'Versions of Modern Performance,' earlier this year, Horsegirl are only just getting started, and this single proves it: a densely layered effort with elements of shoegaze and rock poking through every crevice.
7. The Wrong Side of History - Regressive Left
Never has the UK's dire political state sounded so...danceable? At a hefty 7:47 minutes in duration, this tune tells the tale of the anonymous figure behind the phone screen amidst the 'culture war' waged online in recent years - gasping such lines as 'Oh god/I'm becoming a meme', on top of a groovy synth melody evocative of LCD Soundsystem.
8. 100% Endurance - Yard Act
The celebratory and wistful closer to debut album 'The Overload,' Leeds band Yard Act speak of the bleak inevitability of death and the joy of life in the moment in the same breath - chanting elatedly, if sarcastically, that 'it's all so pointless!'
9. Jump They Say - David Bowie
This 90s track from Starman himself was brought to my attention through the 'Brilliant Adventure' compilation, released in 2021, and I only wish that I'd heard it sooner: a manic and almost haunting tune, including a saxophone solo no less, Bowie makes a stark interpretation of the mind of his half-brother Terry, who suffered from schizophrenia.
10. Life in a Northern Town - The Dream Academy
It's questionable as to whether a song has ever veered closer to the definition of the word 'nostalgic' than this one. (Then again, being Northern myself, perhaps I've a bit of a bias.) Still, the immense instrumentation of 'Life in a Northern Town' (the resonant acoustic guitar chords, gut-punching blasts of percussion and coalescing harmonies of the chorus) forms the most wistful of atmospheres.
11. Palm Of My Hand - The Pale Fountains
Transported from an old family iPod into my Spotify playlist, 'Palm Of My Hand''s up-tempo jangling guitars and palpable energy caught my attention immediately. Scouse vocalist Michael Head, following the quick dissolution of this vehicle, went on to create some seminal music in the 90s with Shack. Hey, we might even catch him in 2023 at Eurovision! (No? There's just me hoping...)
12. Keepers - Del Amitri
This track failed to leave my brain following my indulgence of Del Amitri's debut album. A beautiful chord progression kickstarts this deeply intelligent analysis of a man who is conflicted with his ideas of masculinity and how this impacts his views of women. Metaphors abound, Del Amitri certainly asserted themselves as a powerful force in 80s indie that weren't to be taken lightly.
13. The Wires Are Down - The Blue Nile
The final track on the deluxe edition of 1989's 'Hats', 'The Wires Are Down' is almost as tucked away from view as the scene depicted in typically descriptive Blue Nile fashion. Stuck in 'shanty town', Paul Buchanan masterfully recreates the isolated atmosphere of his surroundings and the 'coloured lights breaking the good hearts down'; voice and strings, staccato and sustained, ebbing and flowing. Caught amidst such a bleak scene the listener is left believing Buchanan's near whisper that 'you and I don't really count'.
14. I'm 49 - Prefab Sprout
As I am wholly enamoured with Prefab Sprout, and have the opportunity to emphasise such an important point: listen to 'I Trawl The Megahertz', Initially released as a Paddy McAloon solo album, the music is admittedly entirely different to that found in Steve McQueen et al, however the dense orchestration and, as heard 'I'm 49', deft storytelling through the medium of short-wave radio excerpts, 'I Trawl The Megaherz' takes the listener on a mystical path through feelings of isolation, down which McAloon himself traversed while incapacitated due to illness.
15. Wanted (Or Waiter, There's Some Soup In My Flies) - The Style Council
Another find from the treasure trove of a dusty iPod, the blue-eyed soul that Paul Weller and the gang brought to the table in the 80s is particularly irresistible in this form. Acquainting itself with you through a dazzling splash of synth at the start, 'Wanted...' will certainly get you on your feet for a bit of a jig. After all, 'wanting to be wanted' is a universal feeling.
16. Afar - Harold Budd
The first instrumental track to appear in this playlist, 'Afar' evokes immediately the seclusion and space of Midwestern America and beyond. With piano and guitar sounds that thrum and vibrate softly, the listener is almost hypnotised into a state of pure tranquility.
17. Don't Tell Me - Madonna
If you're listening chronologically to my playlist - I ask this question only to myself, as of course you aren't putting yourself through 7 hours or so of music - I hope you enjoyed my link! Madonna's 2001 album Music saw many a catchy performance, but 'Don't Tell Me' takes the cake. A drum-machine swaggers alongside a stop-starting guitar loop and Madonna's defiant and direct vocal delivery. A personal favourite part of this song is its warped, dreamlike ending...an ambiguous conclusion to an amazing pop tune.
18. Biology - Girls Aloud
Yes, my Gen Z is showing: I discovered this song in 2022. But boy, am I glad I have now - any younger, and the genius of 'Biology' would have passed me by. Switching from a variety of phases, Girls Aloud veer at breakneck speed from Americana, to dance, and back again. Perhaps a dated take on femininity and its 'unmistakability', a banger was surely served on a glistening platter in this case.
19. Need To Know - Doja Cat
One of the most popular artists of 2022 - with over 50 million monthly listeners on Spofity - Doja Cat is a master at her craft: infectious melodies, captivating vocals and clever lyricism abound. This song is no exception!
20. Alejandro - Lady Gaga
Again...despite growing up on the bubblegum pop of the 2010s that was spoon-fed to every Gen Z kid in the form of too many a 'NOW...' compilation, I have slept on many an artist - even Gaga. However, anyone would be able to register the status of this song as one of the greats of 21st century pop so far: its drama served in bucketfuls - particularly in the chorus - and the catchy, off-beat groove that acts to push the titular man further and further away with every slam of percussion.
21. Constant Repeat - Charli XCX
It's Charli, baby! Her final album in her contract with Atlantic Records, 'Crash' plays with pop extravagance and exaggerates the stereotypes of the genre so far as to make them appealing once more. 'Constant Repeat' tells the story of a rejected narrator who empowers herself in the idea that the former has missed out on her. Don't miss out on this pop sensation!
22. Billions - Caroline Polachek
What a majestic song this is. The first single from Polachek's upcoming album 'Desire, I Want To Turn Into You' sees the narrator caught up in a steamy romance, in which 'sexting sonnets' is a normal occurrence. Reference to pearls and pricelessness, a perception of value is imprinted onto the relationship and, with Polachek backed by a children's choir in the song's final moments, it is hard deem what she is singing about as anything less than pure, true love.
23. belong with you - Nilüfer Yanya
'belong with you' sees the narrator reaching her wit's end with her partner, while still feeling attached (perhaps forcibly) to them - the repetition of the title presenting the idea that the narrator is having the words drilled into her head. A offering of high intensity and tension by Yanya, she conveys the rage of the situation through no better medium than her voice - seemingly with a life of its own, it rattles and roars in fury, at the narrator themselves and at the situation.
24. IWR - caroline
The fourth track in what was one of my favourite albums released in 2022, 'IWR' is heart breaking from start to finish. Though what the 'I Was Right' refrain as abbreviated in the title is about exactly remains unclear, its ambiguity lends itself to the many struggles that people face daily, to which it can apply. From a prolonged section of harmonised vocals and muted acoustic guitar, to its progression into an overwhelming burst of aggressively strummed chords and violins that tangle into each other beautifully, caroline really struck gold with this song - or more aptly, this experience.
25. Haldern - Black Country, New Road
Released at the start of the year, 'Ants From Up There' was the second record to be released by (what was then) the septet, Black Country, New Road. Despite the news of vocalist Isaac Wood's departure from the group a mere few days before the album's release, the overwhelmingly positive reception of AFUT from critics and consumers alike cemented its status as one of the best records of the year. The composition 'Haldern' stood out to me in particular: a plaintive and deeply moving piano line leading us in, the listeners are thrown into a melancholic daze accompanied by classical instrumentation and Wood's signature heartfelt vocal delivery.
26. Much Prettier Girls in School - Stephen Rennicks
An instrumental piece taken from the TV series Normal People (which, you won't be surprised to hear, I watched this year), 'Much Prettier Girls in School' transports all those who hear it to a place of pure contemplation, of tranquility and reflection, on the waves of its heavy synths and harp flourishes. That, or it just reminds them of Connell's chain. Whichever description suits you, I guess!
27. All The Flowers - Angel Olsen
One of the more muted tracks taken from Olsen's 2022 album 'Big Time', 'All The Flowers' is romantic and tragic at the same time; bringing the listener's attention to the narrator's attempt to find reason in living, in forging relationships, and all amidst a stunning arrangement of light, rising strings and even harpsicord embellishments. The kicker is the barely describable beauty of the final piano chords that round the track off.
28. Sundown - deathcrash
One of the bands that I discovered with glee in 2022, deathcrash released their debut 'Return' at the beginning of the year. I've selected the opener to said album, whose plodding melody, distortion guitars and wispy vocals alongside profound lyricism create an intimate atmosphere that is greatly captivating. The quiet dynamics are heightened intermittently, and live drums substituted for drum machines, as the 7 minutes and 49 seconds reaches its climax; leaving the listener on permanent tenterhooks.
29. Snow - Gustavo Santaolalla
An instrumental composition inspired by and made for the film Brokeback Mountain, 'Snow' sees a light and plaintive acoustic melody interacting with bouts of slide guitar and grand strings.
30. Downhill Lullaby - Sky Ferreira
I discovered this gem by pop songstress Sky Ferreira this year, and remember feeling principally stunned by it in its entirety. Sky's low, raspy vocals sound above a dense collection of string swells, implacable percussion and a dissonance whose darkness reaches its peak near to the end of the song. While I also enjoyed her song 'Don't Forget', released this year, 'Downhill Lullaby' has no competitors in Ferreira's discography.
31. I Guess - Mitski
Coming from what has made many an appearance on 'best albums of 2022' lists, Mitski's solemn and sucker-punching ballad 'I Guess' has the narrator thanking her outgoing partner - though she is simultaneously trying to navigate how to exist without them. Mitski's soaring and heart-piercing vocals take the fore on this one, alongside a muffled and hypnotic piano part.
32. Cry Mfer - My Idea
Highly addictive. I'll just leave the disclaimer there. Then again, I suppose now that I've mentioned the song, I am culpable for future addiction...oh, who cares. 'Cry Mfer' is a reclamation of power shown through the narrator's declaration that 'I will be the one to say goodbye this time'. The narrator sounds direct and wounded, and the song itself reflects this through the constant plodding of the drums - as if trying to move further away from a failed relationship' - and the sinister synths that thrum behind it all.
33. True Romance - Tove Lo
Perhaps one of my favourite 'sad' songs of the year. (Very intelligent analysis there, Han!) But seriously: the fear of the narrator of the 'danger of a true romance' is palpable, through the ever-rising and simultaneously crushing synths, as well as in the isolation of Tove's vocal part; her delivery growing raspier and desperate with every uttered lyric. A standout on her 2022 album 'Dirt Femme'.
34. Just Come Home with Me Tonight - Joesef
Finding it quite hard to put into words the skill that this song demonstrates in replicating the feelings behind a relationship that is crumbling at the seams. While the narrator describes 'pieces of my soul...burning in my throat', he acknowledges hopelessly that 'you're here but you're already gone'. Alongside the other 3 singles Joesef released this year in anticipation of his 2023 debut, this song is a shining example of what the singer/songwriter has in store.
35. The Warning - Kindness, Robyn
On the topic of breakups...crikey. 'The Warning', featuring a flawless vocal performance by Swedish pop songstress Robyn, grapples with the fallout of a relationship - enquiring desperately 'did you ever care?' - amidst pulsating synth bass and drum machine rhythms. A gripping and highly relatable scenario, the final line encapsulates the feeling of rejection, pain and anger: 'please just tell me that it hurts'.
36. I Wish You Were A Girl - 12 RODS
A banger that I discovered not a few weeks prior to making this list, 'I Wish You Were A Girl' focuses on the narrator's struggle with his sexuality, and the effects of society upon his perspective - stating that he says those titular words 'cause someone told me to'. This is the most popular song by 12 RODS, and hey, even if they are one-hit wonders, what a hit this is!
37. to you tonight - piglet
Another song that I heard fairly recently - spurred by the December release of piglet's EP 'seven songs' - 'to you tonight' homes in on the inevitability of some attractions and relationships. He sings 'in every single timeline I ride straight back to your house', suggesting that there's no escaping the 'forces made to shape us'. The track then progresses beautifully, with choral accompaniment at the end, and a loving confession of 'if I'm sure of anything I'm sure of us'. Piglet - a highly underrated artist might I add - is, if not a children's cartoon character, a brilliant musician to watch.
38. I Can Only Think Of You - Gwen McCrae
A nice, groovy tune for dancing the night away. The restrained, muted strums of electric guitar, soulful piano and rhythmic drums create for each listener their own invisible disco ball, with McCrae's reverberating vocals acting as its bright rays. I played this on repeat on holiday this year, finding that a warming sunset scene accompanies the atmosphere of the song best - but who am I kidding, disco has no prerequisites!
39. Foolish Love - Rufus Wainwright
This is one of the songs where I'm apprehensive to even try and articulate how it makes me feel. Floaty? Elated? No, it's too melancholic for that. I at least relate to the attitude presented through Wainwright's lyrics surrounding a love unrequited, perhaps even misguided. His confidence, presented through the latter half of the song's swaggering, jazzy drums and lax vocal delivery, is decidedly all dedicated to the narrator's 'foolish love' - a sad predicament. Most unforgettable about this song, however, is the piano melody that hits you like a swig of potent alcohol - a melody that would leave me at a standstill even on the busiest of roads. Yes, it's highly likely that this song will be the death of me.
40. The Tearjerker Returns - Chilly Gonzales, Jarvis Cocker
This track is quite frankly heartbreak rendered in musical form. From the first sounding of that descending refrain played by a string section, the listener is hit with a sense of helplessness: of singularity, as if the song is forcing them to look upon themselves, like a mirror. I first heard this song in the context of the BBC series 'This Is Going To Hurt', a deeply moving drama about NHS doctors. Clearly, that show, and the track featured in it, stuck with me.
41. Verklarte Nacht, Op 4: Finale: Adagio - Arnold Schoenberg
It was around July, August time this year that I got into a bit of a classical music phase; particularly the more avant-garde material of the mid 20th century. There's not much of a better way to say that without sounding like an utter swot, but oh well, Verklarte Nacht by Schoenberg was one such composition. I feel a bit out of my depth analysing such expert pieces, but there is one lovely part of this piece that never fails to grasp me: around the 2:02 mark, when the strings - tense at first - ease back into the original melody, as if exhaling a long-held breath. For your and my sake, I'll leave it there.
42. Sonatina canonica after Paganini: I. Allegro comodo
Dallapiccola was another composer that caught my ear, through his melodic and occasionally, wonderfully dissonant chord progressions. This piece expands massively in this regard: going from quiet, lightly tapped notes, to fast and intense playing that sees dissonance rear its sinister head at every other note...before returning to the same, tranquil scene as before.
43. 3 Studies for Piano, Op. 18, Sz. 72: No. 1, Allegro molto - Bela Bartok
Bartok's music is fascinating, frenetic, furiously played, all of which elements make it incredibly difficult for me to evoke in my writing what feelings he hoped to evoke through his magnificently constructed compositions. However, no matter how hard I may find it to put into words how astonishing the works of this Hungarian composer are, I'm reassured in the knowledge that one can gauge this brilliance themselves by going and listening to them!
44. Jonchaies - Iannis Xenakis
Speaking of composers whose works are incredibly hard to articulate! Xenakis was a fascinating figure who was, as well as a composer, an architect and mathematician - both of which mediums he applied to his composition process. 1977's 'Jonchaies', at a monstrous 16 minutes long, is a journey in all senses of the word. Full of glissando strings straight out of a horror film and deafening percussion, this composition is not one for the easily scared.
45. Est-ce ainsi que les hommes vivent? - Leo Ferre
A jazzy number from this French singer, I discovered it from (of all places) the Spotify 'friends' tab: following your favourite musicians' accounts really gets you places, I'll say that. This song tells the tale of a life without love that intensifies and mellows, switching from 4/4 to 3/4 effortlessly all the while.
46. Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight & The Pips
Gladys Knight was one of the stalwarts of Motown, and 'Midnight Train to Georgia' explains her popularity. Vocals brimming with passion and skill, they soar above the harmonies of the voices of The Pips in their telling of a story of a woman who wishes to travel far away alongside her partner.
47. Forest Floor - Fergus McCreadie
This song shares the name of McCreadie's Mercury Prize nominated album that was released to much acclaim this year. 'Forest Floor', decorated with wave-like piano flourishes, a low, humming cello and the light, rhythmic tapping of a snare, places the listener in the middle of a vast, green plain; trees, twisting up to the skies, leaves crunching beneath with every footstep. Through this body of work, McCreadie hoped to convey his reverence of the nature of his native Glasgow: I am certain that he did, elegantly and with care.
48. Saeta - Gil Evans, Miles Davis
One of my favourite pieces from the seminal jazz fusion album Sketches of Spain by Gil Evans and Miles Davis, 'Saeta' is immediately striking in its variety of stories presented within it. The piercing screeches of Davis's saxophone, conveying a lonesome, melancholic melody. The marching band of loud percussion and energised trumpets that appears and the start and end of the piece. The sinister and muted sounds of brass and strings, dissonant beneath the saxophone. An astonishing painting, let alone a sketch, of Spain, by two jazz pioneers.
49. The Daily Planet - Mark Hollis
It is fitting that I have the solo output of former Talk Talk frontman Mark Hollis following a song from Sketches of Spain, for the musician was known to revere Miles Davis and that album in particular. The influence is no clearer than in 'The Daily Planet', itself taking its name from the title of a song by 60s outfit Love, which has woodwind sections intertwining above a drum's impenetrable jazzy rhythm. Hollis's vocals, one of a kind in their own right, fluctuate between muttering and soulful cries; a harmonica in place of him, wailing resonantly. While I could talk at length (cough forever) about Mark Hollis's solo album - perhaps my favourite, full stop - I'll leave you to take in for yourself its boundless beauty. You won't regret it.
50. Don, Aman - Slint
A classic taken from the classic 1991 album 'Spiderland', 'Don, Aman' focuses on, you guessed it, a man - opening with 'Don stepped outside' - whose perspective of the previous night and fear of his social surroundings we absorb as the song progresses, to the accompaniment of incessant, barbed electric guitar strums and whispered spoken-word passages. Then comes a wave of ear-shattering distortion guitar, and we return to the downtempo present day, wherein Don 'knew what he had to do'. A sinister and exhilarating post-rock performance from Slint.
51. The Lamberton Lamplighter - Long Fin Killie
I listened to Houdini, the album from which this track is taken, on holiday (as I did many other 'post-rock' albums) and its witty lyricism and raucous, unexpected bursts of instrumentation took me by surprise. 'The Lamberton Lamplighter' concerns a man who 'seems to have a lot more time for guys', as opposed to the expected opposite sex.
52. Push It Out - The Beta Band
'The Three E.P.s' was another holiday listen for me, and I loved what I heard. The attitude is palpable in 'Push It Out', which is the dominant lyric throughout the song. Presumably, the song is about getting rid of all negative or excessive thoughts, in place of being content and peaceful. With some slightly dissonant harmonies that appear later in the song, and some plucked acoustic guitar, 'Push It Out' calls upon all who hear it to forget about their troubles and relax. (Quite the task for an overthinker such as myself, but thanks, Beta Band!)
53. Can't See Through It - Disco Inferno
No, despite the name of this band, you're not getting another disco ball-based metaphor. However, the groove is most definitely present in 'Can't See Through It', with its water-like synth splashes and quirky sound effects playing in tandem with charging drums and strums of electric guitar. Though the most popular song from Disco Inferno album 'Technicolour', the whole record is well worth a listen.
54. Twift Shoeblade - Mouse On Mars
In regards to this song, we'll have to swap out the word 'groove' for something along the lines of 'uncontrollable bopping movement-inducing'. Not as catchy, I know, but stick with it. There are elements of trip hop in this track, while the drum and bass influence is undeniable, as 'Twift Shoeblade' moves as pace; a new sound rearing its head every few seconds and hitting your brain as if a piece of piercing shrapnel...that's in a good way, I promise!
55. Big Shot - Bark Psychosis
I'll preface this with the imperative that, should you listen to this song, you go and listen to the whole album 'Hex', too. Graham Sutton and co, through their painstaking recordings inside St John's Church in London, managed to capture the spacious and yet so stifling atmosphere as that felt amidst city life. 'Big Shot', a sprawling tapestry of this idea, takes the listener through the streets (though the narrator 'doesn't know where we're going'); the magical, bouncing glockenspiel notes colliding with eerie strings, ceaseless drums and the sound of the evening wind.
56. I Believe In You - Talk Talk
This is definitely one of the harder songs to write about; more on a personal basis for me, as Talk Talk is quite easily my favourite band of all time, and to try to articulate music which I feel has not yet been surpassed in greatness in my own words...feels almost sacrilegious. I implore you to listen to this lament about the effects of heroin, inspired by its impact upon singer Mark Hollis's brother Ed, in the context of the whole album 'Spirit of Eden'. A track - and LP - of perfect beauty.
57. Buck - Satan Club
This is a recall to one of the earlier songs on this list, but 'Satan Club' is actually the solo project of the frontman of 'deathcrash', who you may remember released their stunning debut 'Return' this year. Well, this self-titled LP also came out in 2022, and it's a lovely collection of folk-inspired, finger picked beauties. 'Buck', the second song in the running order, has plucked acoustic guitar intertwined with plucked harp, a wistful violin line floating above the two in the mix. A long'un, playing for well over 8 minutes, but a Buck worth mounting. (And before you question me on that analogy which may or may not make sense, I am SHAMELESS.)
58. I Talk To The Wind - King Crimson
Prog-rock pioneers King Crimson have not escaped the chokehold of my 2022 playlist - in fact, the sheer force that I exerted to get them on board is what made the man on the cover of '21st-century Schizoid Man' look so afraid. Speaking of that album, its second track 'I Talk To The Wind' has us follow a man who is 'on the outside, looking inside' and who witnesses 'much confusion' and 'disillusion' in the world. Unfortunately, the 'wind' to which he talks - perhaps representing God, or some other deity - ignores his pleas, and nothing is done. A fascinating commentary about society and religion.
59. Northern Lights - Renaissance
I can't recall exactly where I came upon the Renaissance album, 'A Song For All Seasons' - some playlist or other, likely featuring this here song. 'Northern Lights' grips you with its grand and full strums of acoustic guitar and vocalist Annie Haslam's cloud-busting range. She sings of the northern lights - in all of their renowned beauty - and how they lead her back to her love, as if they are of equal or greater brilliance.
60. Tough Baby - Crack Cloud
One of the singles from this year's sophomore effort of the same name, Crack Cloud have yet again triumphed in their irreverence. A vast collective made up of creatives specialising in a variety of mediums, the band rallies together uproariously on this song, chanting the line 'you never felt like you belong' - a uniting lyric that suggests to whoever is listening that they really do, no matter what they think. Post-punk at its best.
61. Ford - Modern Woman
Like a kick in the teeth, 'Ford' by Modern Woman announces itself with a growling bassline and drums that are out for blood. Melodic vocals that twist into an unrecognisable screech in the chorus and a bridge that sees the title being menacingly repeated, as if in a cult dedicated to the car, this band are clearly rearing towards great things in 2023.
62. I Luv the Valley OH! - Xiu Xiu
A song that I came upon this year, though admittedly I haven't delved much further into Xiu Xiu's discography. 'I Luv the Valley OH!' is a fireball of pent-up energy and unease. The narrator's repetition of 'I won't rest' alludes to their feelings of fear and isolation, while the reference to 'a pill that you've got to take' could be perceived as both literal and figurative.
63. Times - Wu-Lu
Speaking of pent-up energy! (Wow, I've done that a lot today, haven't I?) Introducing Wu-Lu! Here with a total banger from his LP, Loggerhead, which came out in the latter half this year. 'Times' is distortion: in the guitars, the drums (and who else to play them but black midi's own Morgan Simpson), and the fuzz of Wu-Lu's vocals, all of which culminate in sending the listener's head into a suffocating spin.
64. Hate - Loyle Carner
As far as singles go, this tops the lot in terms of introducing a new album. Anyone would stop in their tracks upon hearing that unique, almost psychedelic sample at the start; sticking around for Coyle-Larner's intelligent lyricism and the groove that pulls you towards it like gravity. The rapper navigates his fears in 'Hate', including 'the colour of my skin', all of which are mostly resultant of racism that still lurks in and out of the open in the UK.
65. My Honesty - Been Stellar
Based in New York, this indie outfit released a self-titled EP in 2022, containing such songs as 'Kids 1995' and 'Manhattan Youth'. It was 'My Honesty', however, that drew my attention to them and immediately I was thrown by how tight they are as musicians. Clearly influenced by such 90s shoegaze outfits as my bloody valentine, they provide more of a punch and, managing masterfully the varying dynamics throughout this track, their shouting of 'my honesty/where do you go from here?/dishonesty' proves for a fist-pump-the-air type climax. Excited to see where they go next, suffice to say!
66. Isobel - Bjork
I made the conscious decision to listen to 'Post', Bjork's famed 1995 album, and the murky groove and quietly wailing electric guitar that opens 'Isobel' remained in my head after the first listen, forcing me to return to it. As more percussion and layers of instrumentation is incorporated, Bjork narrates as the titular character who is 'married to [herself]' and was born in the forest. Standard fare for Bjork, then!
67. Night Of The Swallow - Kate Bush
A similar scenario to the previous entry, I immersed myself in the world of Kate Bush's 'The Dreaming', a zany album even for her standards. 'Night Of The Swallow' is captivating, musically: while fairly subtle in the verse and pre-chorus, with the sounding of bagpipes and stamping, the chorus transports us to a Gaelic land as Bush sings of flying 'over the water' as would a swallow. Her boundless voice, reaching the sky as easily as such a bird, rises and rises; cries of 'let me go' traversing over her melodies.
68. A Father - Virginia Astley
One particularly irreverent performer that I came across in 2022 was Virginia Astley, whose ghostly offering 'A Father' comes from the perspective of spirits. It also tells of relationships and a particularly strained relationship with the titular father. Classical instrumentation dominates this song - chamber-like, wispy vocals mixing with violins and strums of a single harp - and sets it apart from the music coming out of the 80s at the time as a Baroque pop beauty.
69. Over The Rainbow - Eva Cassidy
I came upon Eva Cassidy through one of her songs being featured in a film...or, I could be spouting a lie there. I may have discovered her music in the jackpot for all I know, but it was her angelic and truly soaring voice, controlled with such ease, that had me floored. Of course, there is the sad reality of her death by cancer at 33 and her posthumous rise to fame, but encapsulated beautifully in her rendition of 'Over The Rainbow' is the second-to-none talent that we are all so lucky to hear.
70. They Quiet the Room - Skullcrusher
Skullcrusher's debut album, entitled 'Quiet the Room', was released in 2022. This song acts as its opener, slow and soft, and it poses questions surrounding Skullcrusher's childhood - asking 'did you feel afraid to tell me?' and 'where do you want to be?' - a theme which is analysed more deeply throughout the LP. A highly recommended listen.
71. I Met Him On A Sunday - Laura Nyro, LaBelle
A quaint little tune, one for humming while doing the dishes, but lovely all the same. It sees the dismissal of a potential love interest with a 'bye bye baby', before the harmonising vocals burst with energy to the sounding of a single drum and jazzy piano. Short, sweet, and bombastic as all hell!
72. A Letter to the Patron Saint of Nurses - Richmond Fontaine
Fuelled by a reverberating guitar and the light tapping of a drum kit, this atmospheric number hones in through spoken-word on a couple who discuss the death of a man their age, of cancer, among other, more casual matters; the narrator's partner repeats 'I'm just glad it's not you', reminding the listener of the fragility of life.
73. Venus - Low
Following the announcement of the death of Low's Mimi Parker, I endeavoured to listen to more of their music. Though I still need to commit fully to doing that soon, I did get a taste of the beautiful music that she and Alan Sparhawk made together, namely this moderately paced number. Reflective harmonies sit atop an ascending, happy melody formed by a subtle organ, phasing guitar and minimal drum pattern. One of the most calming songs I've ever heard.
74. My Descent Into Madness - Eels
I listened to the 1998 album 'Electro-shock blues' near the start of 2022, and honestly almost forgot about this song, but in compiling my list I was chuffed to re-acquaint myself with it. Despite having such a bleak title, 'My Descent Into Madness' has a joyous feel - the organs, bells and weightless strings surrounding Mark Oliver Everett's voice as if to insulate it - and the lyric 'the voices tell me I'm the shit' indicates clearly the singer's tranquility in the face of such a dire topic.
75. To Be Honest - L'objectif
New band alert! Well, fairly new, but Leeds group L'objectif are going places. 'To Be Honest' has catchy hooks and youthful energy abound, both reaching their crux at the chorus - an elated guitar lick that seems crafted to evoke a summer breeze topping it all off. This song came from 2022's EP 'We Aren't Getting Out But Tonight We Might', which is a solid effort that will see the band reaching greater heights with every new release.
76. The Circle - Ocean Colour Scene
Moseley Shoals is a go-to album for indie/rock fans, particularly those who favour a good dose of that of the 90s. The Circle sees frontman Simon Fowler describe his feelings around his sexuality at the time -being 'outside of the circle'. A brilliant performance, with a riff that'll glue itself to your brain within seconds of hearing it, and heartfelt lyricism too.
77. The Broken Years (Extended Version) - Hipsway
Another 80s tune whose origins (for me, anyway) come from the iPod. This was blasted from the hire car on this year's holiday excursion, and I can only hope that the pedestrians who were around to hear it were similarly appreciative of this irresistibly tight performance welding together soulful, intense piano playing with electric guitars strummed to oblivion.
78. Arizona Sky - China Crisis
While for my dad evocative of a trip to America in his youth, I associate this song with the freedom that which is attainable in all of the summer: sunlight permitting (of course, not guaranteed on these islands), I could strut wherever to the infectious sound of 'Arizona Sky' whenever. In the bleak midwinter, the context is a little different, but nevertheless the sun-kissed lead guitar and stabs of synths still transport my mind back to bluer skies (and warmer temperatures).
79. These Days Are Mine - I Am Kloot
Another opportunity for me to shed light on a criminally underrated bit of music that I am well and truly taking! A song couldn't be more anthemic than 'These Days Are Mine', from the harmonica's drone to the clapping of hands and tambourines, and distinctive singer John Bramwell does well in rousing the listener to 'put on the lights' and 'turn the night back into day'. A fantastic Manchester outfit that have seen pitifully little popularity!
80. happy - sugar plant
I do love this song. I'd put this one in the same vein as Low's 'Venus' in its calming quality. Such elements as the cooing that phases about the listener's head, the unending and reassuring drum pattern and the vocalist's soft serenading sounds all act to bestow onto the listener a kindly and encouraging hug. Is that sad? That I imagine the music to be akin to physical human contact? Maybe I should get myself checked out, yeah...
81. Jennifer B - Jockstrap
Halt! Do not be put off by this duo's quite provocative name, for they have created one of this year's best albums. Full stop. Check the big shot publications, look for 'I Love You, Jennifer B', and you'll see what I mean. I wholeheartedly agree with their verdicts, for the record, and have chosen the track 'Jennifer B' as I'm enamoured with its effervescence - the rising vocal melodies and harmonies, unusual samples and Nintendo Switch sound effects, to name just a few quirks. With that analysis concluded, go and listen to this record! I command you!
82. Don't Make Friends With Good People - Kiran Leonard
I'll start this with an acknowledgement of Kiran Leonard, who I assumed was of the London post-punk cohort, as one of our own (a Greater Manchester geezer!) which I don't know, I just thought that was very cool! Locality aside, this journey of a song is a triumph by all accounts; shifting from layers upon layers of cacophony, to quiet tranquility backed by sheets of strings. For me, it all peaks at the 5:07 mark, where all semblances of lyricism disappear in favour of increasingly intense wails from Leonard. 9 minutes of astonishing musical prowess.
83. Immunity - Alex G
From the cult figures latest album 'God Save The Animals', which came out around September time, 'Immunity' sees the singer taking on his now customary pitched-up vocals bouncing from the twanging melody of the background banjo and rhythmic drums. The best part of this track is undeniably when, seemingly out of the blue, a stab of dissonant piano arises; the listener captured in its snare. Always one for unpredictability, is Alex G.
84. Bucktooth - Lowertown
'Bucktooth', a single from the duo Lowertown's 2022 album 'I Love To Lie', has the narrator finding themselves unable to handle 'any more guns' brought to them by a character named 'Bucktooth Willy', desiring instead 'some fun that isn't trouble'. An unnerving tale, with intensity conveyed through raging electric guitars and vocalist Olive Osby's yelling of the final lyrics.
85. STORY OF BLOOD - John Cale, Weyes Blood
A song that did not depart from my headphones after I first heard it. A brooding, melancholic passage of piano lays the foundations for a song that are just as quickly ripped up by the appearance of synths and drum machines. Cale, a music legend and original Velvet Underground member, is clearly comfortable as ever in his defiance of expectations; his recruitment of Weyes Blood was unexpected, yet a genius move, as her ghostly cries which soar to the highest of heights mingle perfectly with Cale's lower tones. A sinister, alternative song like no other.
86. Low Beam - Her's
Introduced to me by a friend in recent months, 'Low Beam' by Her's throws the listener straight into the front seat of a vehicle, while the narrator laments that he 'just don't belong' and declares that he's 'never gonna hide' from his love interest. With indie swagger and reverb-soaked drums, 'Low Beam' demands for repeated listens.
87. Stroke It - Boyhood
A recent release, Boyhood's single 'Stroke It' is attitude heavy, and the narrator describes 'seeing green, made me red' in relation to a love interest; later attributing their 'fragile ego' as a reason behind their attraction. Pleasant harmonies with an indie/rock flare, Boyhood's 2022 release is certainly a good'un.
88. la chanson du chevalier - Christine and the Queens
'Redcar les adorables etoiles', the album by Redcar which came out just a few months ago, bore many a gem, including this one: soaked in the dirty grooves found deep within a club setting, 'la chanson du chevalier' grasps the listener and places them into a dance-inducing stupour. Redcar's temperamental vocal delivery makes for a captivating listen, and a glistening performance here.
89. Trembling Instants - Leo Svirsky
From his 2019 album 'River Without Banks', Leo Svirsky's ethereal composition, involving principally phasing piano flurries traversing over each other like the ocean waves, places the listener in someplace else to that of the mere Earth on which we stand. Warping and distorting further as it progresses, 'Trembling Instants' is both poignant and disorientating - a surreal sound.
90. Night Time - The xx
At the time of writing, this song couldn't be more attuned to the atmosphere presented by my surroundings: a dark room, barely helped by the darker sky outside, leaving only artificial light to provide brightness. 'Night Time', its reverb-drenched guitar licks and the classic harmonies of Romy and Oliver, plunges all who hear it into the evening darkness suggested by its title.
91. Step By Step - Braxe + Falcon, Panda Bear
The influence of Daft Punk is carried through this uplifting, though bleak lyrics counter the major tonality of the music behind them, dance anthem. 'I found a reason to stay/and then it faded away' is the chorus-bound lament, as the narrator feels a shift coming in their life; presumably dancing away their worries to the pulsating synth bass and plodding drums that move 'step by step', if you will!
92. Duo - Sam Gellaitry
The music of this Scottish musician is what kept me going in the early months of Autumn. For whatever reason, though I can take a guess that it was his infectious melodies and pristine production, as you can hear on this very track, that kept me coming back for more. Man even appeared on my Spotify top 5 artists! For that, Sam, I congratulate you. It must be an honour.
93. OGO - O.
Yes, rather confusingly, this band is simply called 'O.' But do I love it? Of course. I've all the more reason to adore this drum and bass sax duo, from the sounds of this track, though: 'OGO' kicks off with an up-tempo sax lick, before all hell breaks loose and the frenetic drums take hold. The highlight of the song is when the sax and drums go full pelt - cymbalgeddon, the brass reaching such low notes as to evoke dubstep basslines - and then, as if cleansing the entire moment from your memory, the intro passage returns once more. Jolly good show.
94. Amanaemonesia - Chairlift
Caroline Polachek is back! You'll remember that she appeared earlier in this list, only this track is taken from her days in former band, 'Chairlift'. Yet another song that I can only wish I'd heard earlier: brilliantly zany, with Polachek's irreverently phenomenal vocals soaring in the way of an alien goddess - the music video of this song supporting that view...talk about irreverence! - and a particularly funky bassline to accompany. Personal favourite moment: the final cry of 'amanaemonesia', in which Polachek's voice seems to go into overdrive and transforms into a machine-like wail.
95. Pass This On - The Knife
Big thanks to Robyn, whose Wikipedia article for her self-titled album led me to delve into The Knife's album 'Deep Cuts', for it allowed me to discover this electronic banger. Sensual in vocal delivery and in punchy drum machine grooves, 'Pass This On' evokes a feeling of a summer's unrequited attraction, steel pans and all.
96. Malibu - Kim Petras
BANGER ALERT - I REPEAT, BANGER ALERT. Kim Petras always brings home the anthems, but Malibu is queen of them all. Hearing this song is like applying the sun cream, sticking on the sunglasses, melting under the summer sun. All of those things and more, for the bone-rattling bass, roof-raising vocals and syncopated guitars send the listener into a spin similar to that caused by a good swig of the beverage referenced in the title.
97. Untethered - PVA
One of my favourite tracks from 2022, no doubt; the band have stayed true to their name and created a musical glue that has stuck itself into my head, in the form of their tune 'Untethered'. It is objectively impossible not to dance to PVA's brain-melting synths and electrifying drums.
98. Widow - Working Men's Club
A bop in the same vein as the previous number, in the sense that a sane person could not possibly prevent themselves from dancing to WMC's explosive electronic beats. Hell, not even the elderly: I went to a gig of theirs recently and there, just behind the mosh pit, stood this old man, must've been 70-odd years old. I cannot express adequately enough how much respect I hold for that guy - he likes the music, he defies the expectations, he goes and LIVES HIS LIFE! (You can tell I've been working on this for hours now, can't you...)
99. Run The Credits - Oliver Sim
The xx vocalist and bassist released his first solo album, 'Hideous Bastard', this October, and what a treat it was! Every single has its own charm, the album tracks wielding a power of their own too, and 'Run The Credits' is no exception, with Sim's depiction of himself as 'Buffalo Bill' and 'Patrick Bateman' (as opposed to Disney princes, 'my god') and cathartic beats of the drum making this track a memorable and highly enjoyable closer to a fantastic debut effort.
100. End of Side One - Owen Kennedy
Came to this via mastodon post (by your mom, I believe), and this is a labour of love, really. I'm kind of eclectic in my music taste and yet I could find maybe five artists I knew on the list. So I'll check out some of those tracks and artists. Thanks for the post. Keep writing.
ReplyDeleteHey, thanks so much for this response! I agree with your point about the labour of love, music just wields that power to touch the souls of so many. Anyway, if you have any music recommendations from the past year and beyond, I'd be happy to give them a listen! (would give me more to write about, no less)
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