YEAR END! Top Records of 2022

So, anyway. I didn’t technically close up shop here until until June. I had already listened to so many records by then. It would be a shame not to drop (at least) one more year end list. The funny thing is that I have listened to more records this year than I have in recent years. All told, I ended up listening to around 125 new releases this year. I kept pretty detailed notes about most of them. I could have easily turned that into reviews or content. I would have stopped listening to new records had I done that though. Turing my enjoyment of music into a thing was a mistake. Anyway. Here is the list. It’s 40 records. A good amount of these are jazz. Just be aware. If you’re looking for dope punk rock records, this probably won’t be the list for you.

In alphabetical(ish) order:

Alice Sandahl – “Bright & Blue”
Alison Shearer – “View From Above”
Alvvays – “Blue Rev”
Angel Olsen – “Big Time”
Anthony Coleman & Brian Chase – “Arcades”
Barrie – “Barbara”
The Beths – “Expert In A Dying Field”
The Bogie Band & Joe Russo – “The Prophets In The City”
Camilla George – “Ibio-Ibio”
Chicago Soul Jazz Collective – “On The Way To Be Free”
Dave Gisler Trio – “See You Out There”
David Hillyard & The Rocksteady 7 – “Plague Doctor”
Georgia Harmer – “Stay In Touch
High Alpine Hut Network – “727 / 16 EP”
Jeanines – “Don’t Wait For A Sign”
Jobber – “Hell In A Cell EP”
Julieta Eugenio – “Jump”
Kate Bollinger – “Look At It In The Light”
Kit Downes, Petter Eldh, James Maddren – “Vermillion”
Kristine Leschper – “The Opening, Or Closing Of A Door”
Lisa Ullén, Elsa Bergman, & Anna Lund – “Space”
Little Low – “Reasons To Grow”
Lupe Fiasco – “Drill Music In Zion”
Marta Sanchez – “SAAM (Spanish American Art Museum)”
Mary Halvorson – “Amaryllis” / “Belladonna”
Melissa Aldana – “12 Stars”
Nectar – “No Shadow”
The New York Second – “Music At Night”
ORD – “Hemligheter På Vägen”
Otoboke Beaver – “Super Champon”
Perennial – “In The Midnight Hours”
Potsa Lotsa XL & Youjin Sung – “Gaya”
Quelle Chris – “Deathfame”
R.A.P. Ferreira – “5 To The Eye With Stars”
Renata Zeiguer – “Picnic In The Dark”
Tender Slit – “Tender Slit”
Tomberlin – “I Don’t Know Who Needs To Hear This…”
Walking Cliché Sextet – “Micro-Nap”
Westbound Train – “Dedication”
Widowspeak – “The Jacket”

And, as always, here is a Spotify playlist:

Maybe I’ll throw something up in 2023? Who knows. It’s what it’s

YEAR END! – Top Records Of 2018

Hey, 2018 sure was thing. After almost a year away, I brought this blog back a few months ago. I plan on actually updating on a more regular schedule in 2019. But, that is a problem for 2019 Joe. Anyway, here are my top records of 2018. In alphabetical order, because it just makes sense.

BEST RECORDS:

  • Dessa – “Chime”
  • Dogbite – “True Lofi Will Find You In The End”
  • Drug Church – “Cheer”
  • Gouge Away – “Burnt Sugar”
  • Headlines – “MMXVII”
  • Heavy Mantle – “Weights & Measures”
  • Hop Along – “Bark Your Head Off, Dog”
  • Krimewatch – “Krimewatch”
  • La Luz – “Floating Feature”
  • Lala Lala – “The Lamb”
  • Late Bloomer – “Waiting”
  • Lilith – “I’ll Come Over B/W In Real Life”
  • Miranda Winters – “Xobeci, What Grows Here?”
  • Miserable – “Loverboy”
  • Mitski – “Be The Cowboy”
  • Mothers – “Render Another Ugly Method”
  • Nectar – “Knocking At The Door”
  • Ogikubo Station – “We Can Pretend Like”
  • Open Mike Eagle – “What Happens When I Try To Relax”
  • Restorations – “LP5000”
  • Tancred – “Nightstand”
  • Tanukichan – “Sundays”
  • There’s Talk – “Bathed Water Moon”
  • V.V. Lightbody – “Bathing Peach”
  • Worlds Greatest Dad – “Get Well Soon”

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  • Absinthe Father – “Jane”
  • Ivy Sole – “Overgrown”
  • Petal – “Magic Gone”
  • Roy Kinsey – “Blackie: A Story By Roy Kinsey”
  • Smol Data – “Smol Data: An EP”
  • Snail Mail – “Lush”
  • Steady Holiday – “Nobody’s Watching”
  • Swearin’ – “Fall In The Sun”
  • Tony Molina – “Kill The Light”
  • Young Animals – “Disposition”

All things considered, Be The Cowboy was my favorite record this year. Or, at the very least, the one I listened to the most.

So, yeah. There you go. Here’s a Spotify playlist