Top 50 Albums of 2022

 Top 50 Albums of 2022

I was able to pack in a little over 350 albums from 2022, here's my favorites + a write-up on the phenomenal, Blue Rev

50. Let’s Eat Grandma - Two Ribbons
49. Mamalarky - Pocket Fantasy
48. The Murlocs - Rapscallion
47. The Beths - Expert in a Dying Field
46. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms And Lava
45. Arctic Monkeys - The Car
44. The 1975 - Being Funny In A Foreign Language
43. Plains - I walked with You a Ways
42. Fonteyn - Trip the Light Fantastic
41. Widowspeak - The Jacket
40. Mitski - Laurel Hell
39. Panda Bear & Sonic Boom - Reset
38. Katy J Pearson - Sound of the Morning
37. Hurray for the Riff Raff - LIFE ON EARTH
36. Animal Collective - Time Skiffs
35. Dry Cleaning - Stumpwork
34. Drugdealer - Hiding in Plain Sight
33. Fazerdaze - Break!
32. Garrett Benson - Some Have Gone and Some Remain
31. Grace Ives - Janky Star
30. MICHELLE - Heatwave
29. Kevin Morby - This Is a Photograph
28. MJ Lenderman - Boat Songs
27. Courting - Guitar Music
26. Sorry - Anywhere but Here
25. Beyonce - RENAISSANCE
24. Sylvie - Sylvie
23. Wednesday - Moving the Leaves, Instead of Piling ‘em Up
22. Black Midi - Hellfire
21. Sadie - Nowhere
20. Art Moore - Art Moore
19. Wet Leg - Wet Leg
18. Julia Jacklin - Pre Pleasure  
17. Girlpuppy - When I’m Alone
16. Sudan Archives - Natural Born Prom Queen
15. Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You
14. Tomberlin - i don’t know who needs to hear this
13. Faye Webster - Car Therapy Sessions
12. Soccer Mommy - Sometimes, Forever
11. The Smile - A Light For Attracting Attention  
10. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - Omnium Gatherum
9. Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There
8. Chelsea Jade - Soft Spot
7. Aldous Harding - Warm Chris
6. Angel Olsen - Big Time
5. Jockstrap - I Love You, Jennifer B
4. Anna Erhard - Campsite
3. Weyes Blood - And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow
2. Marina Allen - Centrifics
1. Alvvays - Blue Rev

 

Alvvays - Blue Rev thoughts:

When talking about Alvvays, it’s almost impossible to not mention the long lapses of time that pass between each album, seemingly becoming synonymous with the band. It’s never for a lack of trying though. After releasing their exceptional, self-titled debut in 2013, the band battled between working part-time jobs and emerging stardom. Four years later, Alvvays returned with Anti-Socialites. A follow-up that found many of the same sounds and structures of their self-title, leaving some fans wondering if a band that had mostly leaned into jangly dream-pop jams, had any surprises up their sleeves.

With the release of their 2022 album, Blue Rev, Alvvays took their lightly-layered sounds and threw the entire sound machine at it. The result, a triumphant album layered with wit, carefully constructed chaos, and haunting sentimentality. On the album’s opener, “Pharmacist,” Molly mouthes off over a faded drum beat, “I know you’re back. I saw your sister at the pharmacy.” From here, the band erupts into a wall of shoegaze-pop, as Molly battles with the reality of returning home to the ex-lover who has seemingly moved on, understating how much she really cares along the way. The track concludes with Molly stating, “I know I never crossed your mind,” before unleashing her more unerring feelings through a crunched-out guitar solo.

Molly continues this journey on the second track, “Easy On Your Own,” but only for about half of the song before turning her resentment into anger. At first, reflecting on how she tried, “dream we pull a one-eighty some day.” As she battles with her thoughts, she arrives at her own conclusion, “I waited so long for you. Wasted some of the best years of my life. And I wanted to see it through.” Mad at herself now, Molly belts out the final chorus like we’ve never heard from her before.

It’s moments like these that take a few listens to fully appreciate. While songs like the aggressive “Pomeranian Spinster” and the 80’s ballad, “Take On Me-esque,” “Velveteen” introduce the world to a side of Alvvays we’ve never seen, but immediately hit like a breath of fresh air. The 14-track album seamlessly flows, no track overstaying its welcome. If anything, leaving even more to be desired by some of the shorter tracks.

By track 11, the band arrives at what could be considered the song that encapsulates the entire album - the roaring nostalgic tale, drenched in devastating beauty, “Belinda Says.” Right out the gate, Molly can’t help but lighten the mood with a little humor for what’s about to come, “Can’t explain my ankle sprain. I didn’t really feel it.” Molly goes onto make a callback to her youth, “Blue Rev behind the rink, I didn’t really need it. Circumspect when you call collect to see if I would keep it.”  Setting up the rest of the song as it plays out like an elaborate version of “if I had just said this or done this when I was younger, things could be different.” Molly imagines herself in a life without Alvvays, one where she wonders if waiting tables and residing in the countryside with a baby would be as fulfilling. She brings it all around with a reference to Belinda Carlisle’s, “Heaven Is A Place On Earth,” saying “if what I have is heaven, then constantly yearning for what I don’t have, might as well be hell.”

When a band like Alvvays is first introduced to the world, one can’t help but wonder, “what will this band sound like down the road?” It’s impossible to imagine that after their self-titled it would be anything like the results on Blue Rev, but that’s exactly what makes the album so special. Alvvays have placed a new precedent on how bands can elevate not only their own sound but the genres within their sounds.

 

the year 2021

no funny business. just everything i watched and listened to in 2021.

first-time albums/ep’s:

1. Four Tops - Still Waters Run Deep (1970)
2. Bee Gees -  Children of the World (1976)
3. Grimes - Miss Anthropocene (Rave Edition) (2021)
4. Water From Your Eyes - Somebody Else’s Songs (2020)
5. Oh Sees - Weirdo Hairdo (2021)
6. Paul McCartney - McCartney (1970)
7. Made Violent - Wannabe (2021)
8. Pearl Charles - Magic Mirror (2021)
9. Midnight Sister - Painting the Roses (2021)
10. Beach Bunny - Blame Game EP (2021)
11. Hether - Sticky Thumb (2021)
12. Danielle Durack - No Place (2021)
13. My Ugly Clementine - Vitamin C (2020)
14. Lande Hekt - Going to Hell (2021)
15. Kiwi Jr. - Cooler Returns (2021)
16. Widowspeak - Honeychurch EP (2021)
17. Madeline Kenney - Summer Quarter EP (2021)
18. Still Corners - The Last Exit (2021)
19. Zella Day - Where Does the Devil Hide EP (2020)
20. Leyya - Sauna (2018)
21. Nice Biscuit - Create Simulate EP (2021)
22. Pillow Queens - In Waiting (2020)
23. The Buildings - Cell-O-Phane (2016)
24. Lia Ices - Family Album (2021)
25. Weezer - Okay Human (2021)
26. The Vaughns - F.O.M.O. (2019)
27. The Weather Station - Ignorance (2021)
28. Sun June - Somewhere (2021)
29. Vampire Weekend - 40:42 (2021)
30. Miss Gritt - Imposter EP (2021)
31. The Staves - Good Woman (2021)
32. Tele Novella - Merlynn Belle (2021)
33. Naked Days - My Head Hurts (2021)
34. Nana Yamato - Yoakemae (Before Sunrise) (2021)
35. FRITZ - Pastel (2021)
36. Steady Holiday - Take the Corners Gently (2021)
37. Claud - Super Monster (2021)
38. Lou Turner - Songs for John Venn (2021)
39. Pale Waves - Who Am I? (2021)
40. Daniel Romano - How Ill Thy World Is Ordered (2020)
41. Molly Payton - Porcupine EP (2021)
42. Katy Kirby - Cool Dry Place (2021)
43. Cassandra Jenkins - An Overview of Phenomenal Nature (2021)
44. Another Michael - New Music and Big Pop (2021)
45. Hand Habits - Dirt EP (2021)
46. Wild Pink - A Billion Little Lights (2021)
47. Widows Peak - All Yours (2015)
48. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - L.G. (2021)
49. Sydney Sprague - maybe i will see you at the end of the world (2021)
50. Kyle Edward Connolly - On Arrival (2021)

i just got a flu shot and oh boy am i feeling weird

i just went to the CVS and got my flu shot. when i arrived at the CVS, i was happy to see they were administering the shots in the middle of the store. i was happy because i knew people would be able to see me getting my shot, which meant that those people would feel safe being around me, knowing they couldn't possibly get the flu. i was next to get my shot when a very large woman holding two very large dutch looking twin boys approached me.

the very large woman and her dutch twins stared at me for what felt like my entire life, so much so that i was wondering if they were actually there and if anyone else in the store could see them. finally the very large woman opened her mouth and said, "you know those shots are a hoax right?" i replied, "no sorry i don't smoke." and then she said, "what?" and i said "what?" she finally repeated herself saying, "no, i said, you know those shots are a hoax right?" 

just as the very large woman finished repeating herself, doctor Chris told me it was my turn for my shot. the very large woman and her dutch children stood over me in the middle of the CVS as she watched me get my shot. she continued to say things like, "i hope you don't plan on having children because they'll come out screwed up now" and "congratulations you now have a tracking device in you." 

while doctor Chris had the needle in my arm, he explained there might be some soreness for the day. the very large woman interrupted doctor Chris and said, "the soreness is the tracking device making its way through your bloodstream." up until this point doctor Chris had kept his cool, but this is the straw that broke the camel's back. doctor Chris turned to the woman and said, "ma'am, i know you're not a doctor because a doctor would never say something so asinine, but if you want to spend your time advising people with false information, then i suggest you study medicine for eight years first." 

at this point, people at the CVS began filming the situation and the flu shot needle was still in my arm. i asked doctor Chris if i should take the needle out, but he seemed too distracted by the very large woman saying she was going to "sue him for everything he had." i decided to take the needle out on my own and walk out of the CVS. 

i'm not entirely sure if i have the flu shot in me or if i have more than i should, but oh boy am i feeling weird. 

i keep seeing tom cruise in my dreams and i can't stop calling him "thomas cruise"

it started two weeks ago when i had a dream about being late to work. in my dream, i hopped in my car and sped down the road. speeding only gets you in trouble as i learned. a cop pulled me over immediately. the cop that pulled me over happened to be tom cruise. thee tom cruise. he lifted up his visor, and i immediately recognized that cunning smile. tom let me off with a warning, and i graciously said, "thank you thomas cruise." he quickly corrected me and said, "just Tom." i said, "right, sorry, thomas cruise." "tom. just tom. not thomas" he said. 

in this dream i don't know what's up and what's down anymore, but i was suddenly at my desk in my office. everything seemed business as usual until tom cruise walked to my cubicle. he began asking for my reports as if he were my boss. i said, "sorry thomas, i just need a little more time." tom put his hand on my shoulder and in his tom cruise laugh said, "it's tom. it's not short for thomas. i've been tom my entire life." i apologized and suddenly awoke.

tom has appeared in so many of my dreams i'm convincing myself i know who he is, and for the life of me, i cannot get the poor guy's name right. it's killing me. i've been practicing writing out his name in hopes that it helps the dream version of myself remember. 

ants kill 30 people a year and i'm thinking that's a lot

ants kill 30 people a year and i'm thinking that's a lot. 

i was having a box of late night cracker jacks, bad of me i know, but it's friday and i'm unwinding. the "prize" i received in my box of jacks was a little booklet of fun facts. some of the facts: squirrels are the cause of most power outages (i like that one), a woman lost her wedding ring and found it 16 years later on a carrot in her garden (wow), and ants kill 30 people a year. this is the fact that turned what was briefly a highlight of my night into a bit of an existential crisis. 

i put my box of jacks down and went to the google. i searched: how do you die by ants. according to the google, people often fall asleep near anthills and die from being bitten by so many ants. i am currently rethinking my entire approach to laying in the grass. if 30 people do this a year and i live to be 80, then 2400 people will have died from ants in my lifetime. i would have to do some deeper thinking, but i don't think i've even talked to 2400 people in my life so that number is a bit freaky. i'm pretty sure i have stepped on more than 2400 ants in my life. 

if someone had asked me, "how many people do you think die from ants a year?" i would have probably said, "can you repeat that?" and they would repeat it, and i'd say, "do you mean ants or aunts?" hopefully they would reply and say "ants, not aunts" and put emphasis on the "u" in "aunts" so i knew what was what. my reply then would have been something like, "i'm not sure" because it never occurred to me until now. now i can ask others and if anyone ever asks me, i can reply with, "30 people die every year, and 2400 people will have died if i live to be 80 years old." wow.

i became a little sidetracked in my research and discovered that there are no lists online about the foods that have fun facts on the packaging. i decided to make a list of the one's i can think:

-laffy taffy (not fun facts but fun jokes)

-cracker jacks (inside the box)

that's about all i got right now.

if you believe in astrology, you should lead with an apology

if you believe in astrology, you should lead with an apology. looking to the stars for answers as to whether a person having the same toothpaste tube for several months is alarming or just them being frugal is a perfectly good use of the stars. looking to the stars and questioning why a man holding two belts was asking you if you knew where the nearest ralphs was and calling you clueless when you told him "no" is the exact reason the stars exist. looking to the stars and shouting, "why did my biology textbook from high school refer to humans as egg bearing beings" is why the stars are there for you. looking to the stars and begging for forgiveness for the one time you gave someone a can of beans as a gift because it was literally all you had to give, but now you're better off and could give more is precisely why the stars never disappear. looking to the stars and asking why she waited to pack her bags in the middle of the night and say she was going for a "quick run" when she could have just done it while you were at work, is why the stars always listen but never answer back. it's not that believing in astrology is wrong, it's just that believing in astrology is almost never right. this is why i always say, "i'm sorry i believe in astrology, do you mind if i scream at the stars for a minute."

panda express

panda express

you are the best

always better than the rest

that orange chicken bursts through my chest

and your broccoli beef

as you can guess

is not very good at all