BEST OF 2022: Reissues, Box Sets, Etc.

This best-of-2022 batch includes the stuff record companies dug out of their vaults and released, often for the first time; remasters and/or repackagings of beloved old favorites, and box set collections of all or part of an artist’s catalog. Most of them were aimed squarely at the vinyl fanatics, either specifically for Record Store Day or not, with the understanding that collectors and resellers will snap up every new shiny bauble, especially if it’s labeled “limited release.” Thankfully, most of them were made available to streaming services, too, so I never had to consider selling the car to keep up. Once again, if I’ve already reviewed the album, I’ll add a link to the original post.

• Rolling Stones, El Mocambo 1977 (March) - The biggest no-brainer on the list. Stones fanatics were teased with a small portion of these surprise-gig-in-a-small-club recordings way back in 1977 – one side of the otherwise unremarkable 2LP Love You Live album. This year we got one whole set and part of a second and it’s as essential as expected.

https://www.earwormcity.com/post/albums-worth-a-spin-a-may-s-worth-of-earworms

• Lou Reed, I’m So Free (RSD April) – Once the Velvet Underground was no more, Lou found himself needing to audition for an RCA solo contract. These are his audition tapes, dusted off after all these years. Lou and his acoustic guitar made what sounds like the most weirdly creative singer/songwriter album you’ll ever hear. Wonderful stuff.

https://www.earwormcity.com/post/record-store-day-2022-a-tale-of-three-stores

• Sandy Denny, Gold Dust (RSD April) – A defining voice of the 60s U.K. folk-rock scene, Sandy played her last public show in November of 1977, a few months before she passed at 31 years old. Her singing was still glorious and her band the cream of the British crop. A beautiful and bittersweet recording. Sandy was something special.

https://www.earwormcity.com/post/record-store-day-2022-a-tale-of-three-stores

• Beatles, Revolver (October) – The haters gonna hate about Giles (son of George) Martin’s new remixes of classic Beatles albums. Me, I think they’re marvelous. The original studio recordings were in mono, so the stereo versions were made by chopping apart and reassembling the mono mixes, usually without the band’s participation. But older fans grew up with these weird-ass stereo mixes – vocals in one channel on the left, Ringo’s drums over on the right, some instruments and most of the dynamics lost entirely – and remain fiercely loyal to them. I find the more naturally centered and revealing soundstage to be a welcome revelation.

• Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Live at the Fillmore 1997 (November) – Recordings pulled and curated from Tom and the band’s epic 20-show residency at the Fillmore West in San Francisco. Big hits, deep album tracks ("The Wild One, Forever" from their debut is especially great), and a plethora of killer cover songs – the sound of a terrific rock and roll band and an intimate crowd having a blast together.

https://www.earwormcity.com/post/albums-worth-a-spin-november-leftovers

HONORABLE MENTIONS (l. to r.) - A few more that either got elbowed out the top five or couldn't quite push their way into it. All spectacular projects, all worth your listening time.

• Elton John, Madman Across the Water 50th Anniversary (June)

• Blondie, Against the Odds (August)

• Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros, Joe Strummer 002: The Mescaleros Years (September)

• Todd Rundgren, Something/Anything? (RSD audiophile reissue, November)

• Barbra Streisand, Live at the Bon Soir (November)