These are the 2022 releases that couldn’t be moved. They stuck like glue to my personal playlist when they first dropped, and stayed there through the rest of the year. There’s some variation of style and genre, but what they have in common is fun. Obviously, I was in the mood for some fun this year.
I didn’t hear everything that came out in 2022, not remotely close. But I heard a lot, a handful of new releases every Friday since January. I also ignored a bunch every week, guided by my personal tastes. I generally skip new death metal or experimental electronic albums, for example. Chances are slim I’m gonna consider them an enjoyable use of my time. I listen around the edges of rap, my limited knowledge of the genre doesn’t draw me into a weekly immersion. I appreciate and enjoy some of the artsier/experimental stuff I hear, but it's rare for it to stick around long on the playlist. Something more fun always comes along to shove it out of the way. Lots of rock (with or without the roll), pop, Americana, and jazz - with a healthy smattering of R&B and soul - that's pretty much my wheelhouse.
My final list is weighted toward the first half of the year, there was less competition then for my listening time from reissues and box sets. They came later, for the most part, and take a lot of time to fully digest. My list is missing some of the albums that consistently ranked high on music writer's and critic's year-end lists, I’ll take a look at those a couple of posts from now.
So here are my five favorite new releases of 2022, and five honorable mentions, in order of release date. If I reviewed an album over the course of the year, I’ll include a link to the original post and not waste your time rehashing. The next post will cover 2022 reissues and box sets, and finally, I’ll give a listen to critical and social media faves and raves that I missed, and let you know what I think. As always, I’m ready and waiting for you to tell me what your favorites are, too. Talking about music shouldn't be a one-way street.
• Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs, External Combustion (March) - This took some knocks from reviewers for sounding too Tom Petty-like. Not exactly a complaint, in my book.
• Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Crooked Tree (April) - Smart and beautifully played bluegrass pop, of the type perfected by Alison Krauss & Union Station. Shoulda been a bigger hit.
• Eli “Paperboy” Reed, Down Every Road (April) - On paper, maybe this one shouldn’t work. A horn-driven R&B/soul, sweaty dance club-style band covering Merle Haggard songs. That it succeeds in a big way shows the universality of Merle’s brilliant songwriting.
• Panic! at the Disco, Viva Las Vengeance (August) - Yeah, it’s trashy, glammy, and blatantly derivative of the band’s obvious influences. It’s also smart, sexy, catchy as hell, and a whole lot of (back to that word again) fun.
• Samara Joy, Linger Awhile (September) - For jazz vocal fans, the obvious reference point is Ella Fitzgerald. Samara swoops, glides, and caresses the melodies like a seasoned pro, in front of a highly skilled and tasteful jazz combo. Gloriously fresh-sounding and satisfying.
HONORABLE MENTIONS (l. to r) - All of these records were in my top five at some point during the year and they still get played regularly. They may have gotten elbowed out at the last moment, but they're still highly recommended. All five got their own review in 2022, so feel free to hop on over to the site and take another look. Or better yet, give 'em a listen.
• Jenny Hval, Classic Objects (March)
• Cowboy Junkies, Songs of the Recollection (March)
• Wet Leg (April)
• Bonnie Raitt, Just Like That... (April)
• Dehd, Blue Skies (May)
We have the Dehd, Cowboy Junkies and Wet Leg (best in the car) in common. I'd have the Tedeschi Trucks moon album, Yeah, Yeah Yeahs, Black Keys and, in all seriousness, the Def Leppard in there. My vote for "one listen wonder"? The Springsteen oldies set. (Shudder).
(Hey, look at me Mom, I finally got the sign in to work!)