Albums of the Year 2022

Vintage65

All the year end lists are out, including the aggregated ones. I'm pleased to see most of my "What Are You Listening To Now" choices are up near the top, so what are your picks and what do you think about the current state of music?

Sporky

My favourites of 2022 are Astronoid's "Radiant Bloom" and Boy Is Fiction's "Deeper Than Static". 

26.2

Weyes Blood
Michael Head and The Red Elastic Band
Dream Syndicate
Big Thief
Johnny Marr 
Can live in Cuxhaven

stickyfiddle

Asphalt Meadows - Death Cab for Cutie
Angel in Realtime - Gang of Youths
River Fools & Mountain Saints - Ian Noe 

and an extremely honourable mention for The War On Drugs' I Don't Live Here Anymore which was technically 2021 but only just

CharlieShaw

26.2 said:

Weyes Blood
Michael Head and The Red Elastic Band
Dream Syndicate
Big Thief
Johnny Marr 
Can live in Cuxhaven

I need to catch up on releases from the last couple of years. COVID put a stop to my record shop visits and I lost touch. How is the Big Thief album compared with the ones from a couple of years ago? They were both brilliant. I saw them in Manchester just as Covid was about to shut everything down. 

theatreanchor

Sporky

Premonition by White Lung! Forgot that one. 

Philly_Q

I'm not sure I've bought any 2022 releases except this, so I guess it's my number one:

Valley of the Sun - The Chariot

digitalkettle

26.2

CharlieShaw said:

26.2 said:

Weyes Blood
Michael Head and The Red Elastic Band
Dream Syndicate
Big Thief
Johnny Marr 
Can live in Cuxhaven

I need to catch up on releases from the last couple of years. COVID put a stop to my record shop visits and I lost touch. How is the Big Thief album compared with the ones from a couple of years ago? They were both brilliant. I saw them in Manchester just as Covid was about to shut everything down. 

Even better. 20 tracks - really varied (country, shoegaze, acoustic) but all brilliant. The vocal melodies are really standout and some great musicianship too. 

Vintage65

Some good ones already mentioned.

Blue Rev by Alvvays is an indie pop-gaze masterpiece.

Others include ...  Alex G, Angel Olsen, Bill Callahan, Black Country New Road, Florist, Jockstrap, Just Mustard, Kurt Vile, Soccer Mommy, Soul Glo, Taylor Swift, The Sadies, Wet Leg.

It's been a good year for music 

Funkfingers

I predict that @thecolourbox will nominate Jack White's two albums.

26.2 said: 

Can live in Cuxhaven

If this re-issued 1976 recording is admissible, my nomination is Pink Floyd Animals 2018 Remaster.

mudslide73

The Smile for me, I think. I don't think I've given much other new stuff a go if I'm honest.

I'll be watching this thread with interest

RocknRollDave

Marcus King - Young Blood.

Great record. Literally the only other 2022 album I have listened to is Simple Minds - Direction of the Heart, which isn't bad but hasn't set my imagination alight. 

thecolourbox

Funkfingers said:

I predict that @thecolourbox will nominate Jack White's two albums.

26.2 said: 

Can live in Cuxhaven

If this re-issued 1976 recording is admissible, my nomination is Pink Floyd Animals 2018 Remaster.

Kind of yes but kind of no. Both of my two favourites of the year were in fact released on the same day, but I'd probably say my favourite of the two was Wet Leg. Fear of the Dawn by Jack White is second. His second album later in the year wasn't awful but it's not something I'd consider a favourite

Vintage65

I wasn't sure whether to include the Nova Twins but their stuff is intriguing. (Tom Morrelo is a fan).

EricTheWeary

I don’t really pay attention but dragged from the depths of my consciousness:

 In the Wild by The Interrupters. As they are all related they could spend lockdown in their bubble building a studio and then made this. Lyrically more about Aimee’s experience of abuse and mental health problems than previous releases but still some stompy choons. 

Happy Hour by Hollie Cook. Her lover’s rock influenced album so very ‘pop’ by my standards. 

Honestly my listening half the time is pedal demos on YouTube, I’ve probably heard more Brett Kingman and RJ Ronquillo than any band. 

thecolourbox

Oh and I forgot, I enjoyed Yeah Yeah Yeahs Cool It Down as well, predictably

Placidcasual79

26.2 said:

Weyes Blood
Michael Head and The Red Elastic Band
Dream Syndicate
Big Thief
Johnny Marr 
Can live in Cuxhaven

I've only had Weyes Blood's new record a week or so but am really enjoying it.....
Heavenly Remixes 3 & 4. Andrew Weatherall volume 1 is a smorgasbord of the governors stylish reworkings.  
Happy Hour by Hollie Cook is a lush slice of tropical pop
Everything was Beautiful by Spiritualized is more of the same but J Spaceman's strongest work in a while
Wilco's Cruel Country -  halts their recent slide into mediocre tedium imho. 
the best of Dennis Bovell record that came out is a brilliant demonstration of the diversity and progression of his work and is a great listen as an album 
I really liked the singles off the Artic Monkey's record  but not sure the songwriting is of the same consistent quality across the album.... I also liked Chloe and the next 20th Century by Father John Misty - a quality record, but not up to the same standard as his last 3 albums which in my view are genuine classics. 
I liked. the 19975. single Part of the Band -  quite subversive for day time radio as well as Harry's House by Harry Styles and Black Thoughts Cheat Code.  

A good year all told I thought. Though 2021 was particularly strong. 

EricTheWeary

Placidcasual79 said:

26.2 said:

Weyes Blood
Michael Head and The Red Elastic Band
Dream Syndicate
Big Thief
Johnny Marr 
Can live in Cuxhaven

I've only had Weyes Blood's new record a week or so but am really enjoying it.....
Heavenly Remixes 3 & 4. Andrew Weatherall volume 1 is a smorgasbord of the governors stylish reworkings.  
Happy Hour by Hollie Cook is a lush slice of tropical pop
Everything was Beautiful by Spiritualized is more of the same but J Spaceman's strongest work in a while
Wilco's Cruel Country -  halts their recent slide into mediocre tedium imho. 
the best of Dennis Bovell record that came out is a brilliant demonstration of the diversity and progression of his work and is a great listen as an album 
I really liked the singles off the Artic Monkey's record  but not sure the songwriting is of the same consistent quality across the album.... I also liked Chloe and the next 20th Century by Father John Misty - a quality record, but not up to the same standard as his last 3 albums which in my view are genuine classics. 
I liked. the 19975. single Part of the Band -  quite subversive for day time radio as well as Harry's House by Harry Styles and Black Thoughts Cheat Code.  

A good year all told I thought. Though 2021 was particularly strong. 

Oh I’ll have to look that up. He’s played and produced some great stuff over the years (Dennis Bovell MBE now). 

Placidcasual79

Oh I’ll have to look that up. He’s played and produced some great stuff over the years (Dennis Bovell MBE now). 

It's called the dubmaster: the essential anthology Dennis Bovell - like you say he's played on and produced some really good stuff over the years - hugely influential. I've found it hard to find some of his stuff - this is basically in two halves -  the first is his groups and stuff he's played on -  from straight roots and dub to the more jazzy and out there stuff he did then the second half is his production and remix stuff - all the way from lovers rock to a few more contemporary things. It's 38 tracks and covers a lot of ground - like the man himself. 

Hope you enjoy it Eric  + have a great Christmas.