2022 Music Reviews

070 Shake, You Can't Kill Me (2022)   D-
It's a close toss up between what annoys me more: her doped up and lethargic delivery, the use of auto-tune or the fact that she has nothing of value to say.

Alvvays, Blue Rev (2022)   B-
My complaints after the first spin kind of faded away a bit on follow-up revisits: I still think a lot of the tracks sound too "busy" but Miss Molly's voice is quite nice and they do rev up those guitars when needed. "Belinda Says" is killer single with its smart lyrics and MBV-esque waves of noise.

Animal Collective, Time Skiffs (2022)   C-
There's no other way to put this: their last three albums now have been very underwhelming. The songs still seem to be warbling and looping over each other like the Beach Boys getting remixed ... and then they just ... stop. The magic is missing.

Arcade Fire, We (2022)   D+
They're still covering the same topic they did with "The Suburbs" and the lyrics are too on-the-nose - Butler, who's never been the strongest songwriter, really doesn't know how subtlety works. Godrich goes his best transitioning between the "softer" folk stuff and the progressive rock affectations.

Arctic Monkeys, The Car (2022)   C
Turner's really taken this whole "lounge crooner" approach to heart ... but it's a little grating over the course of an entire album. You're supposed to mock the Martini Police, not become them.

Aurora, The Gods We Can Touch (2022)   C
Her voice is chirpy and light, but more work needed to be done on the actual songwriting, which is mediocre ("A Temporary High" veers too close to ABBA).

Band of Horses, Things Are Great (2022)   C-
Fairly generic rock that can easily slip by you or get lost in the background noise ... and the lyrics aren't all that captivating, either.

Beabadoobee, Beatopia (2022)   C
Not too bad for a sophomore release, but she's closer to Avril circa twenty years ago than she probably wants to think about, especially with the whole teenager-with-a-chapbook "aesthetic."

Beach House, Once Twice Melody (2022)   B
Legrand has never been the most elaborate lyricist but these are some of her weakest from a poetic standpoint and maybe an eighty-four minute album is a little excessive ... but it's all so gorgeous and operatic it doesn't matter - adding a string section to their already lush sound should have been overkill, but they keep it completely in balance with itself. Next up: soundtrack work, right?

Kenny Beats, Louie (2022)   C+
This is the debut LP by producer Blume ... and it's obvious he was inspired by the Avalanches and possibly Clams Casino. He has a good ear and it flows fairly well, but it seems unfinished, since most of the tracks run under two minutes and fade out before they're fully fleshed out. It should go over well with the ADHD crowd....

Best Coast, Always Tomorrow (2022)   C-
Another year has passed and they keep cranking out the same exact record (it doesn't help that she sings the same way on every track). The Sheryl Crow cover isn't so bad, but it isn't exactly "stretching" out their musical muscles.

Big Thief, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You (2022)   B
Double album of folk (and borderline alt-country) songs from Ms. Lenker and the boys that benefits from their eccentric touches (alternative guitar tunings, the Jaw harp on "Spud Infinity," the accordion on "Wake Me Up to Drive") but there are a few dry spots scattered throughout, which makes me wonder if a trimmer album would have been preferable. That said, many of the tracks are some of the best from any group this year ("No Reason," "Change" and "Sparrow") and it's a pretty comfortable listen.

Andrew Bird, Inside Problems (2022)   B-
It's been a few years since I checked in with what Mr. Bird has been up to ... and he's been prolific, releasing an album a year. Here, he's still genteel - sometimes cloyingly so - but it's a smooth listen, and in his best moments (like on the title track) can be described as being close to being an American John Cale.

Black Country, New Road, Ants From Up There (2022)   A-
Timing couldn't have been worse with eclectic front man Isaac leaving the band just as they were about to start to go on tour with this sophomore release (which shockingly ignores any sort of "slump"): his haunted delivery colors the fevered and layered jazz swirling around him and dual closers "Snow Globes" and "Basketball Shoes" are an intense way to finish up any LP (anxiety evokes ... strong feelings). Not sure where they can go from here - and I hope he gets the care he needs - but it's not like there was never another band from England that thrived after their leader split (wish you were here and all that).

Black Dresses, Forget Your Own Face (2022)   B-
It may be a sloppy (and silly) twenty-minute record, but these two ticked off and frail Canadians go harder - and darker - than most metal bands. Hide the sharp objects and shoelaces.

Boris, W (2022)   D
It sounds like a glorified jam session and realized they were recording the entire time. But hey, they can count to ten so that's good, right?

The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Fire Doesn't Grow on Trees (2022)   C+
Anton and the blokes can still rock like nobody's business, but this - for him - feels a little more "cranked out" than usual ... and he doesn't even sneak an epic instrumental track on there like he would have in the past. Don't turn into the last dandy on Earth.

Brockhampton, The Family (2022)   D+
Brockhampton, TM (2022)   D
The final two albums from "the best boy band since One Direction" has them pretending they're sad it's over, when in reality they're happy they can go solo. Hopefully when they do that, they won't phone it in like they did here.

Bush, The Art of Survival (2022)   C-
Here's another band I haven't listened to for over twenty years (even though they released several LPs): Gavin was never a strong lyricist, but he always made up for that with swagger and that crunching guitar - it's kind of a throwback to the mid-90's when hard rock was having a moment. (If you haven't, listen to their first record, "Sixteen Stone," which is loaded with singles.)

Cat Power, Covers (2022)   B-
Normally I'd gripe about an album of just covers, but this is Chan Marshall, and the spin she puts on a lot of lesser known tracks is impressive (I still like her take on "Sea of Love"). It takes talent to take as diverse a list as Frank Ocean, Lana, Iggy, Nick Cave and Ryan Gosling and make them her own.

Charli XCX, Crash (2022)   C-
She wants you to think she's forlorn, but she never manages to sound convincing ... and tracks like "Yuck," "Lightning" and "Baby" (which could have been a Paula Abdul B-side from the late 80's) are lousy, even with the bar already set so very low.

Chat Pile, God's Country (2022)   B
It's caustic, damaged and intentionally alienating: "Why" asks a very simple but important question (a friend who was "homeless" for two months said it was the darkest time in his life), lead singer "Raygun" loses it on "The Mask" (which is about a bank robbery) and spoken word "I Don't Care If I Burn" is pure despair. With so many metal acts getting stale these fellows showed up just in time to lodge their Doc Martens in your trachea (while being a little sad about it).

Cheekface, Too Much to Ask (2022)   B-
Goofy as heck (but fun) spoken-word record from this trio out of Los Angeles: with so many bands trying to be "serious," they've fully embraced absurdity. "We Need a Bigger Dumpster" is a cute post-COVID anthem ("Now everyone is coughing / on everybody else") and closer "Vegan Water" is about embracing futility ("Baby, you can knife my tires"). For the record: I also want to be the featured singer on an EDM song.

Cola, Deep in View (2022)   C
The influence of both Television and The Strokes looms heavily (Darcy even sounds like Julian in some places) and they're never able to break free ... but "Water Table" is delightfully cryptic art rock ("I am that technology now, I am that technology allowed / I think I am doing alright, I don’t need additional lives"). I would have preferred it if they didn't close the album out with a spoken-word rant.

Collective Soul, Vibrating (2022)   D
The last thing I heard from them was "Dosage" back in '99, and I admit I thought they broke up ... but no, they've been making music this whole time, and this is their recent release. What's kind of beguiling is how they never updated their "style" - they're so lost in time, it's as if they're still worrying about the Y2K bug. Music has moved on, fellows ... but thanks for "Smashing Young Man," "Run" and "December."

Death Cab for Cutie, Asphalt Meadows (2022)   B-
Ben and his buds, even after being (mostly) together for over two decades, can still put together a pretty good record, and they can still modulate nicely between delicacy and crankin' it up (without breaking new ground). "I Miss Strangers" is a nice anthem for these post-COVID times.

Indigo De Souza, Any Shape You Take (2021)   C+
Soulful - if sometimes a little juvenile and repetitive - sophomore release from the Tar Heel State's Ms. De Souza: "Hold U" is a very sweet number, and the sad girl hours come to a close with the fittingly titled "Kill Me," where her anxiety catches up with her and her vocal chords run a marathon.

Destroyer, Labyrinthitis (2022)   C
Consistency is an issue with this latest Dan Bejar record - his got a plenty of clever (and sarcastic) lines to deliver ("You're just another person that moves to L.A."), but the songs are kind of erratic: for the titular track, it sounds like children babbling over pensive keyboards.

Diplo, Diplo (2022)   C
Many people might hate him for his popularity, but truth is he's not a bad producer: "Promises" is club-ready, for example. But for every solid moment, he has multiple missteps: "Right 2 Left" is rough to get through, and other tracks - like "Let You Go" and "Humble" - are fairly rote by now.

Drake and 21 Savage, Her Loss (2022)   F
For this surprise album release, the Man from Toronto brings in 21 for some gritty "street cred" - he could have flown in the surviving members of N.W.A. and Wu-Tang Clan as well as Public Enemy and Nas and he none of them could make him sound less corny. And the usual topics are brought up (sometimes using Auto-Tune): he's rich, he'll spend money on you, yet he thinks you're a bitch and a hoe. What a charming fellow.

Drake, Honestly, Nevermind (2022)   F
This is one of those rare instances where I genuinely wonder if Drake actually listened to the final mix and thought to himself "this is fine, release it" or he's surrounded by so many Yes Men that no one had the nerve to tell him it's awful. Is that a squeaky bed on "Currents?" Is "Calling My Name" a joke?

Dry Cleaning, Stumpwork (2022)   D+
Very much an acquired taste: Shaw's seemingly random spoken word ramblings over jangle pop is annoying to me, but other listeners might find the contrast to be compelling. For what it's worth, I don't care much for The Fall either.

Earl Sweatshirt, Sick! (2022)   D+
Well ... at least Armand Hammer's trying.

Everything Everything, Raw Data Feel (2022)   D-
Supposedly the band used an AI bot - that they named "Kevin" - to "generate" part of the lyrics, but there's no word if it also wrote some of the music as well considering how basic and unmoving the whole thing is (I still can't stand to listen to Higgs, either ... or how he repeats himself endlessly). You know, it's not like there's another English band that's been worried about the role technology plays in our society ... or, you know, wrote an album about it back in the late 20th century.

Father John Misty, Chloë and the Next 20th Century (2022)   B+
Some Misty fans appear to not respond that well to this record, which is baffling to me because it's him at his most witty and sarcastic: "Funny Girl" seems like it should be sweet ... and yet I doubt his attempts at sincerity, "We Could Be Strangers" is a pitch black joke and for "The Next 20th Century" he laments that the world will continue to be bathed in blood, making for a sober (and pitying) finale ("None of us here will be there for / Childhood's end"). He would have loved performing in the 50's ... that is before he inevitably got into a fight with Sinatra.

Fitz and the Tantrums, Let Yourself Free (2022)   B-
Their "party rock" enthusiasm is kind of fun and they keep their LP a trim 32 minutes; it's all a bit disposable, but I can't knock a band at least trying to get you to dance (badly, in my case).

Florence and the Machine, Dance Fever (2022)   D+
"Free" is as good a single as she's come up with in quite a long while, but there's something about her "style" that alienates me: between her warbling delivery and trying to make every song go to the absolute max, as if she's trying to reach the heavens with her voice. The less said about the "poetic" lyrics, the better.

Florence and the Machine, My Favorite Ghosts (2022)   D
We get it: you like Spooky Time.

Florence and the Machine, Water to Drink Not Write About (2022)   D
We get it: you can hit high notes.

Frankie Cosmos, Inner World Peace (2022)   B-
The daughter of Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates (had to mention it) has a super sweet voice and a delicate approach ... but for their next record, maybe they should try to make the songs a little more diverse-sounding?

Fred Again, Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022) (2022)   C+
There are a couple of dead spots in this project - which has producer Gibson "mining" social media for his samples - but it has its strong moments, like the dreamy "Winnie (End of Me)" and the techno-inspired "Danielle (Smile on My Face)."

Alex G, God Save the Animals (2022)   D+
There are a couple of interesting moments on here, but there's the issue of consistency ... and him constantly fiddling with the vocals so they're warbling or distorted (or he's whispering) is ... aggravating. "Miracles," however, is a nice reminder of what he's capable of.

Liam Gallagher, C'mon You Know (2022)   D+
The real question is: how can Noel stand upright after having carried this nasally whiner for all those years?

Freddie Gibbs, $oul $old $eparately (2022)   C-
It's more of the same from both the man and the genre - bragging about hitting and abusing women, selling and using drugs, threatening to do harm to others, etc. The production is solid (there's a harp on "Gold Rings"!) ... I just wish the "message" was as nuanced.

Guided by Voices, Crystal Nuns Cathedral (2022)   C-
While I admire former teacher Pollard's desire to keep this project going (he's in his mid-60's now), maybe a little restraint is in order: since 2018, he's released a whopping ten records. I wouldn't say the songs here are particularly terrible but none actually excite: heck, Keif still goes harder.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Electric Ladyland (1968)   A
Hey, that Army paratrooper wasn't too bad at playing that damn thing, was he? "Voodoo Chile" alone is a perfect combination of blues and rock, and even Dylan loved his version of "All Along the Watchtower."

Hot Chip, Freakout/Release (2022)   C-
The super sweet "Eleanor" is a nice throwback to their earlier recordings, but the rest is either gaudy dance-hall nonsense ("Broken," "Time") or them trying to be "emotional" ("Not Alone," "Miss the Bliss").

Jenny Hval, Classic Objects (2022)   C
She rides really hard on her "wispy" aesthetic ... but all that means she takes three minute songs and stretched them out to the breaking point. She also loves the sound of crickets and pressing her elbows on the synth.

Interpol, The Other Side of Make-Believe (2022)   C
When they're at their best, they can be almost hypnotic, with Kessler and Banks assaulting you with their chugging guitars ... but now that they've been at this quite a while, they've become their worst nightmare: another rock band. With exception of opener "Toni," there's nothing even close to special on this.

Carly Rae Jepsen, The Loneliest Time (2022)   C
She's still way too gaudy and sweet for me to totally accept, but I can see why people like her: she's a relentless optimist and a believable romantic. Good old Rufus Wainwright appears on the disco-drenched title track, and he plays it totally seriously.

Jockstrap, I Love You Jennifer B (2022)   D
The whole "quirky delivery" combined with random discordant sounds that come out of nowhere make this harder to listen to than necessary. Aspiring to be Joanna Newsom isn't something I'd recommend.

Wiz Khalifa, Multiverse (2022)   C
Wait, hold on: early on in the record he says he just wants one woman ... and then by the time he gets to "Bad Ass Bitches" he suddenly wants a harem of women. Which is it? Or are there innumerable Camerons in multiple dimensions each at a different point in his life?

Kilo Kish, American Gurl (2022)   C-
It's jubilant and upbeat and fine in places - "New Tricks: Art, Aesthetics, And Money" with Vince Staples is a stand-out track - but this kind of sticky electropop doesn't do much for me (and is a little lacking in substance).

Kendrick Lamar, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022)   C
For whatever reason, people still hang on his every word like it's gospel, and my heavens does he use a lot of them (usually in rapid succession) - it's close to an audio book - yet the truth is he's just doing the same old bragging about the usual subjects: money, fame, sexual prowess, degrading women, etc. I wonder if he got Taylour Paige in there to "call him out" on the skip-able (and obnoxious) "We Cry Together" but it's just a bunch of foul language and personal insults that go nowhere. Sorry, but he's still not Cornel West ... hell, he isn't Chuck D, Talib Kweli or Nas, either.

King Princess, Hold On Baby (2022)   C-
Boilerplate sad-girl pop - with hit-or-miss angst-y lyrics - that's gotten more attention because of Ms. Mikaela's androgynous appearance. Isn't one Clairo enough?

Avril Lavigne, Love Sux (2022)   D
It's odd for a 37-year-old to keep pretending she's still in high school, although there is an attempt to bridge the gap between her heyday and today: Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 appears on "All I Wanted" (which is, relatively speaking, the best moment on here) while the insufferable Machine Gun Kelly pops up for "Bois Lie." If you want to preserve your sanity in these troubling times, do not actually read the lyrics.

Hamilton Leithauser and Paul Maroon, Dear God (2022)   C+
This collaborative record from Leithauser and Maroon - both from the Walkmen (they're "on hiatus") - sounds like a stripped-down version of their main band's usual output ... it has a cozy, intimate at first but grows more tiresome as it continues on. The instrumental track "Light Sleeper" had to have been influenced by Ryuichi Sakamoto ... and that harmonica on "Just One Time" is very Dylan-esque.

Little Boots, Tomorrow's Yesterdays (2022)   C-
Disco, generally speaking, is not something I enjoy listening to, and she really goes overboard here (particularly on "Heavenly" and "Deborah") - she made it work with her catchy debut, "Hands," but much of that early charm is missing (although the title track is very sweet).

Lucius, Second Nature (2022)   C
Not sure I like the foul odor of disco coating a large chunk of this, but I do know I appreciate them more when they're being sarcastic ("Next to Normal") than "earnest" ("The Man I'll Never Find").

Cass McCombs, Heartmind (2022)   D-
He gets quite hard stuck in a mental loop much of the time ... and is truly committed to being as irritating as possible, thinking he's "folksy" or something.

Alice Merton, S.I.D.E.S. (2022)   C
If Wikipedia is to be trusted, she's lived in Ontario, Connecticut, New York, multiple cities in Germany and the United Kingdom with her German mother and Irish father ... and yet almost every song is about being heartbroken. You'd think she'd have some perspective, but no ... it's just fifteen well-engineered but forgettable pop numbers. You can listen to the singles when buying socks at Target.

M.I.A., Mata (2022)   D
It's fine to collaborate with kids to make songs together, but you shouldn't let them write your entire record.

Mitski, Laurel Hell (2022)   C
For her previous record, "Be the Cowboy," I complained that the "songs" felt like fragments that never got "fleshed out" and the same applies here (half of them are under three minutes) ... and now I find that her droning delivery kind of puts me off too (until she springs to life ever so briefly with "That's Our Lamp," which could have come out of the disco era).

The Mountain Goats, Bleed Out (2022)   D+
Darnielle still thinks that his "clever word play" can power any song, but what happens when those lyrics just become trite and/or corny? I have no doubt in my mind he wrote his own Wikipedia page.

Rachika Nayar, Heaven Come Crashing (2022)   C
While it isn't a "bad" LP by any means - some of the tracks are pleasingly tranquil, if hardly original - I wonder if the praise being poured onto this coming from people who never heard a single IDM song from the late 1990's ... or anything by Fennesz.

The 1975, Being Funny in a Foreign Language (2022)   C+
Healy continues to be a polarizing figure for me: a huge chunk of this is mediocre ("Oh Caroline" could have been the opening song for a sitcom from the 80's), and then out of nowhere he puts in some genuinely endearing numbers ("I'm in Love With You," "About You"). If he can just become more consistent as he ages, that would sure be swell.

Off!, Free LSD (2022)   B-
Hardcore punk? In my 21st century? It's more likely than you think: they could have released this in the late 1970's and it would have fit right in. Does it change the game at all? No. Does it work as nostalgia? Hell yes.

Oliver Tree, Cowboy Tears (2022)   F
Go on Bandcamp, look up any artist, listen to a few songs by him/her/them, and I bet it's a more rewarding and refreshing experience than this rank and babbling "country" album.

Angel Olsen, Big Time (2022)   C+
For whatever reason - maybe moving to North Carolina? - Ms. Olsen has decided to try her hand at alt-country ... and while I freely admit it isn't my favorite genre of music, she doesn't go full Coal Miner's Daughter or anything like that. "Go Home," where she really ramps up the dramatic intensity, could have been on "All Mirrors."

Beth Orton, Weather Alive (2022)   C+
It's been a long while since I heard anything by Ms. Orton, but I don't recall her delivery being quite this ... affected. The instrumentals themselves are very atmospheric, however (reminding me of chill-out music from the early 2000's) - that she hasn't lost over time.

Orville Peck, Bronco (2022)   B-
A South African who spends time in Canada - and is openly gay - puts his own spin on a distinctively American genre ... and it sort of works. It's a tad over-embellished and feverish, but this is significantly better than what gets dumped out of Nashville. Yee haw, etc.

Panda Bear and Sonic Boom, Reset (2022)   C
Noah keeps trying out his Brian Wilson impersonation (although I don't recall Brian repeating himself quite this much) while Kember casually sprinkles the songs with clapping hands, light keyboards and swirling samples. "Go On," "Whirlpool" and "Livin’ in the After" are kind of annoying (especially the latter with the slide whistle and faux-Western "style"), but at least the mood is light.

Panic! at the Disco, Viva Las Vengeance (2022)   C-
Urie's tendency to go way over-the-top has garnered him many fans, while I find it a more than a little exhausting - it's closer to show tunes than traditional pop (although I can picture a few Broadway directors begging him to take it down a few notches). I do like the T. Rex homage with "God Killed Rock and Roll," however ... so if anyone's think of doing a Marc Bolan biopic, this might be your guy.

Perfume Genius, Ugly Season (2022)   D
Instead of crafting more "traditional" art-rock, he's now gone in the direction of some sort of wildly embellished opera-like lament ... and then later on (with the title track), it's just him moaning. At least "Eye in the Wall" seems inspired by The Field.

Petrol Girls, Baby (2022)   B-
It might not be the most consistent punk record put out this year, but few are as time-appropriate: they're mad, and they have every right to be. Old men have had too much of a say over what happens with women and their bodies and the decisions they make: "Baby, I Had an Abortion" is your new anthem for a post-Roe 'Murika.

Phoenix, Alpha Zulu (2022)   C+
No one will ever mistake Mars for a clever wordsmith, so it's good the other members of his band keep it plucky (when not drifting a bit close to cheesiness). "Winter Solstice" and "Identical" are two of their better tracks.

Pillow Queens, Leave the Light On (2022)   C+
Sad to hear the L's (and B's) from a much-discussed acronym can't get along with their own gender ("No Good Woman"); they're much better at cranking up their guitars and chugging away instead of trying to be "moody" ("Delivered"), which just sounds affected.

Placebo, Never Let Me Go (2022)   F
If you can get around - or even tolerate - Molko's nasally, repetitive vocal performance, by all means have a listen ... but I've tried for years and it's too grating to me ("My monkey mind is drunken!"). If they had me locked up in Gitmo and played this all day I'd tell them anything they wanted to know (on principle).

Preoccupations, Arrangements (2022)   B-
There isn't anything on here that's as transcendent as "Memory" (or even "March of Progress" back when they had another band name), but it's a still a decent (if not totally memorable) listen: punchy opener "Fix the Bayonets" sets the tone early, and closer "Tearing Up the Grass" ends it on a strong note.

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Unlimited Love (2022)   F
It was right after "By the Way" - which I wasn't even remotely moved by - that I stopped paying attention to what Kiedis and company were doing: they (predictably) peeked with "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" (which remains my favorite of theirs) and they've been dragging around their carcasses around for over thirty years, a few hits here and there. If you can get past "Poster Child," reward your ears by turning it off and playing something else.

Rex Orange County, Who Cares? (2022)   C+
The kid has a good heart and I think he's trying to be earnest, but the combination of strings and self-loathing lyrics is like pouring grenadine in Mountain Dew Code Red.

Maggie Rogers, Surrender (2022)   C-
Nobody can accuse her of not putting it all into her songs, but the quality of the material is lacking - the best track on it is probably the acoustic "I've Got a Friend" because it actually does feel personal, while the rest is ... well, kind of indifferent. I also have a friend or two that owes me because I've bailed them out of jail more than once. They won't read this ... but I remember.

Röyksopp, Profound Mysteries (2022)   D
Back in 2005 with "The Understanding" I thought they lost their way (after a decent debut in 2001) ... now it's just become sad with the canned rehashing of late 90's techno (which I have a soft spot in my heart for) and throwing in random samples of someone sniffling (on "How the Flowers Grow").

Santigold, Spirituals (2022)   C-
"High Priestess" is an interesting lead single with snarl, but the rest of the album is short on ideas ... and it runs a trim thirty minutes. She took six years to make it: this is all she and her producers could come up with?

Secret Machines, Secret Machines (2022)   F
You can't fool me: I know Dream Theater when I hear it.

Bobby Shmurda, Bodboy (2022)   D+
There's no way he didn't just crank this out one long afternoon after grabbing takeout from Wendy's. I hope he ordered Baconator Fries and a Frosty too.

Shamir, Heterosexuality (2022)   C+
His voice is very different (and not for everyone) and the combination of that and the drill and bass industrial sounds (like Arca maxing out the knobs) is kind of alienating ... until he settles it down in the second half ("Reproductive" has such a cool groove). Some of the lyrics veer on the edgier side, but he's clearly angry and afraid ("When I'm trying to sleep, my trauma visits me") and not afraid to let it out.

The Smile, A Light for Attracting Attention (2022)   B+
Never thought I'd get to hear Thom and Jonny along with drummer Tom Skinner try to explore the jazzier side of Radiohead the way they do on this side project - oh, sure, they can jam hard on the openly caustic "You'll Never Work in Television Again" (a sonic stab at Berlusconi) and then turn around and do a little be-boping on "Thin Thing" ... and then going classical with "Open the Floodgates" ... and concluding on the ponderous "Skrting on the Surface." Cherish everything these guys attempt to do.

Soccer Mommy, Sometimes, Forever (2022)   C-
Basically, it's off-brand Phoebe Bridgers ... except she has the same whining, draggy delivery on every song, and it doesn't even seem like she's all that "into it." Actual soccer moms have considerably more bile to spew.

Sofi Tukker, Wet Tennis (2022)   B-
In an interview, both band members said they just wanted to make a "fun" record, and I think they accomplished that: "Original Sin" is ready for the clubs (now that they're starting to open up with the pandemic kind of burning out), they have an ode to basketball legend Larry Bird and lead singer Sophie gets to flex her multilingual skills. I'll forgive them for sampling Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner" ... and for concluding with a cover of "What a Wonderful World." It's easy to get carried away.

Soul Glo, Diaspora Problems (2022)   C+
Philly-based hardcore punk - it's aggressive and disarming, but also a little repetitive: their previous EP, "Songs to Yeet at the Sun," was short, catchy and had a great sense of humor ... which is oddly missing here.

Spiritualized, Everything Was Beautiful (2022)   B
Opener "Always Together With You" makes it clear right away that Mr. Spaceman wants to replicate (or 'emulate') his legendary 1997 record - he falls a bit short, but that doesn't mean he doesn't put in a solid effort. It's sonically stacked, too: horns, drums, strings and voices get layered over each other sometimes chaotically, sometimes with the tightest precision. And then on something like "Crazy," he tries for alt-country. He's a special one, I tell ya.

Spoon, Lucifer on the Sofa (2022)   B
Britt's kept it going for several decades now, and that's no small feat: members have come and gone but that same buzzy, jangling tone is still there, and his songwriting skills haven't diminished. "Held" (a Smog cover) is a punchy opener, and "Astral Jacket" has a good deal of swagger going on.

Vince Staples, Ramona Park Broke My Heart (2022)   C-
The same exact review of 2021's self-titled record could be applied here as well: he doesn't have anything to say that he didn't address previously. It springs to life briefly when Lil Baby shows up for "East Point Prayer," which shows how drowsy and/or disinterested the rest of it is.

Harry Styles, Harry's House (2022)   B-
One Direction never did much for me, but Mr. Styles as a solo artist is worth paying attention to: the first four tracks, from opener "Music For a Sushi Restaurant" to wistful lead single "As It Was," are an impressive way to begin an album ... before settling down with a few generic pop ditties ("Cinema," "Keep Driving"). It's hard not to root for the kid: he can both sing and act and seems like he's having the time of his life ... and as he's closing in on 30, a bit of wisdom is starting to seep into him. I don't want to talk about the way that it was, either.

Taylor Swift, Midnights (2022)   C
The real trick she's trying to pull off here is convince her audience she's still some lovesick and slightly depressed outcast with a grudge when in reality she's one of the most famous people on Earth with a vault big enough to swim in it Scrooge McDuck-style. She comments briefly on current issues, but there's still too much of a wannabe teenager in there. Did Lana's brief appearance on "Snow on the Beach" "inspire" her to drop the f-bombs?

SZA, SOS (2022)   B-
Sometimes sweet, sometimes raunchy (but sex-positive) sophomore release from St. Louis' own Ms. Rowe: a lot of it is pretty standard R&B until she brings in Phoebe on "Ghost in the Machine" and "F2F" actually has some heavy metal-esque guitars. And wait ... did she just admit she was naked at the MGM? Me too! What happens in Vegas, etc.

Talk Talk, Laughing Stock (1991)   B-
This gets mentioned semi-frequently when the conversation around "what were the best albums of the 1990's" comes up, and I'm not sure I'm tonally enthralled with it: there's a messy jazz quality to it and sometimes it just fades into the background. But I can see how it may have influenced bands like Radiohead, and I'll revisit it later on.

Tegan and Sara, Still Jealous (2022)   C+
Let me get this straight: twin sisters decide to "revisit" their (still good) 2004 record "So Jealous" by making it purely acoustic and "switching" roles up. Isn't that a troubling sign that they have no idea what to do next?

Thyla, Thyla (2022)   C+
Perky - but unfortunately forgettable - power pop: "Gum" is an aggressive lead single, but the other ten tracks aren't quite as distinctive, despite the energy. Remember: you have to always dime those Overdrive pedals....

2 Chainz, Dope Don't Sell Itself (2022)   D+
A lot of this is kind of funny, which I doubt was the intention ... he sort of rushes through several two to three minute silly songs and does the expected amount of bragging. My favorite moment: Epps stating "you can't buy motivation" ... and then following it with the sound of gunshots.

Two Door Cinema Club, Keep on Smiling (2022)   F
Noxious mix of indie rock and electronica ... and ABBA ("Little Piggy") that's not pleasant to listen to - I'd venture to guess Vampire Weekend is an "influence," but that just seems like a slight on Ezra and the lads. For the record: everyone is not, in fact, cool ... and I can provide multiple examples.

Sharon Van Etten, We've Been Going About This All Wrong (2022)   B-
Mostly nice collection of new songs from Ms. Van Etten, even if on more than one track she embellishes - in my view - just a bit too much ("Come Back"). If you have to plead that hard, they're probably running in the opposite direction with the kind of swiftness that might make Usain Bolt nod in appreciation.

Viagra Boys, Cave World (2022)   B
Our formidable Swedish rockers are back at it, and taking on the ... lesser intelligent, more violent members of our slowly decaying society: microchips in the vaccine, posting garbage on forums on the Internet, mass-shooter cowards, conspiracy nuts, etc. If there's ever been a time to be angry for a lot of reasons, it's right now.

Kurt Vile, (Watch My Moves) (2022)   D+
It's got this jangly, almost country-ish summertime feel to it, but he's not much of a storyteller or songwriter: if you told me a third grader wrote most of them I'd believe you. Anyone can do this, so let me give it a try: "Today I woke up to an alarm / The cereal I ate was strangely lukewarm / Why didn't anyone warn me about the snow squall / That's what I get for not listening at all." Can I have a record deal now?

The Weeknd, Dawn FM (2022)   D
He's way too close to George Michael than anyone wants to admit ... and what's with the nihilism? We ain't got room for that these days....

Wet Leg, Wet Leg (2022)   B+
While it is true that the non-singles leave a little bit to be desired, the singles - including "Chaise Longue," "Angelica," "Wet Dream" and "Ur Mom" - so so fun and quirky they keep the whole project afloat. It's one of the best debuts I've heard since Black Country, New Road and Idles. What's going on over there across the Pond? Are they infusing their tea with milk laced with musical prodigy chemicals or somethin'?

Weyes Blood, And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow (2022)   C-
Ms. Mering has an absolutely lovely voice, it's just a shame every aspect of this record is grossly over-embellished, from her delivery to the arrangements. I'm still not the biggest fan of Joni Mitchell, so I might not be the ideal audience.

Jack White, Entering Heaven Alive (2022)   B+
He surely hasn't wasted the pandemic: this is Mr. White's second solo album this year alone ("Fear of the Dawn" being the first). There are multiple bright spots on here: "Help Me Along" is simply joyous, I love the glitched guitar on "I've Got You Surrounded (With My Love)" and there's a honky-tonk version of "Taking Me Back" to close it out. He's just a fellow weirdo and a shameless romantic. I wonder if the title is a reference to a joke I heard as a little kid (Jack's a few years older than me) - it's the answer to the question "What does sex feel like?"

Jack White, Fear of the Dawn (2022)   B
White is - at least in my estimation - one of the most naturally gifted musicians working out there, and few sound as enthralled with the very act of making music as him. He's also not afraid to take chances with his aesthetic: I never thought I'd hear a collaboration with him and Q-Tip, for example. And I still think he has one of the best deliveries out there (listen to "Morning, Noon and Night"): the blues got a hold of this mad lad.

Wilco, Cruel Country (2022)   B-
It maybe not be my favorite genre but Mr. Tweedy and his loyal bandmates keep it steadily floating along for being a double album which could have been trimmed back (although more Wilco is better than less). It isn't the strongest-written album in the band's discography, but Jeff sneaks in some nice digs about a country that I also love ... but too often find it hard to "like."

The Wrens, Secaucus (1996)   B+
Sophomore album from Jersey's most dysfunctional band is a blend of exuberant post-punk and traditional rock and roll. If The Meadowlands represented their total emotional collapse, this is the slight euphoria of feeling like it might all come together in some reasonable fashion (while harboring doubts that it won't).

Yard Act, The Overload (2022)   B+
Had the hardest time trying to figure out if I liked this: sometimes it feels like I'm having too many words thrown at me (like someone's reading their diary out loud in my ear) ... but then on the second spin through it, the dry humor clicked. Always take the money and run, etc. By the way, what's Eddie Argos up to these days?

Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Cool It Down (2022)   B-
They've been at it for two decades now, so if they want to blend their sound with electronica and strings, why not? They're no longer the edgy art school kids screaming on "Art Star" and Karen O's too wizened to be defeated by nostalgia. Is it a little slim with only eight tracks? Probably, but that's the punk in them.



Other Notable Recordings (Mixtapes, Demos, etc.)



Singles of the Year: Alvvays: "Belinda Says," Beach House: "Many Nights," Benches: "Violent," Brockhampton: "Man on the Moon," Cola: "Water Table," Father John Misty: "Funny Girl," Interpol: "Toni," Angel Olsen: "Go Home," Shamir: "Reproductive," The Smile: "You Will Never Work in Television Again," Sofi Tukker: "Original Sin," Spiritualized: "Always Together With You," Spoon: "Astral Jacket," Harry Styles: "As It Was," Sudan Archives: "Selfish Soul," Thyla: "Gum," Wet Leg: "Angelica," Jack White: "Help Me Along," Wings of Desire: "Choose a Life," Yard Act: "100% Endurance," Thom Yorke: "5.17"


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