Mid-Year 2022 Lists (Best of 2022 ... So Far)

It’s a little early, but in the spirit of engaging with each other beyond just mindless list posting, take this time before the official mid-year mark to make a plea for a record or two that’ll likely show up on your list which you loved, or think went a little too under the radar around here in the first half of 2022. Talk about why you dig it, maybe throw a RIYL in there, maybe even a song recommendation if you wanna make like chalamet and be a real fuckin peach

Or you can be a depraved lunatic and post your list early despite the incredible release day we’ve got next week. The choice is yours but you’d be wrong and despite what you’ve heard I do make the rules

 

MJ Lenderman - Boat Songs

 

Yeah, this record is great. I wasn’t aware of him before, but Boat Songs caught my attention immediately. Way fuzzier than the few alt-country type of artists I typically gravitate to

 

Sub

 

Def not prepared; won't attempt to order. But, favorites (including EPs, demos..) include:

Ethel Cain - Preacher's Daughter
40 Watt Sun - Perfect Light
Final Declaration - Fight 2 Survive
String Machine - Hallelujah Hell Yeah
Oso Oso - sore thumb
Gridiron - No Good at Goodbyes
Soul Glo - Diaspora Problems
Riverby - Absolution
GGGOLDDD - This Shame Should Not Be Mine
Prince Daddy - ST
Pictoria Vark - The Parts I Dread
Just Mustard - Heart Under
Shit Narnia - Cloudbelt
Dull Mourning - Ugly Fame
Green 80 - Demo
Sharp Tongues - Carry On
Ghost Fame - Nobody Wants to Be Here
Alto Arc - ST
Downward - The Brass Tax
Bloom Parade - Love Songs
Sealed Fate - Crawling Back
Home is Where/Record Setter - Split
Faye Webster - Car Therapy Sessions
No Trigger - Acid Lord
State Drugs - Explosions on the Radio
Envision (FL) - And Still...

All sub to change, BUT with the exception of Ethel Cain. Fuck

*EDIT - Did not read the OP thoroughly prior to posting; that's my bad and I'm sorry. Just browsed through my list and selected faves; however, that Ethel Cain record hit me harder than anything has in a minute. It came out a few days after my girlfriend died unexpectedly (we were about to move in together, I'm 30 and she's the only girl I've ever considered "forever" with and the sentiment was mutual, haven't stepped in my apt since her death because 90% of our relationship was spent in my room, she'd be turning 27 this coming Wednesday, was emotionally close to her to an extent I didn't think possible for myself; if I've ever been "in love" with anyone, I was with her...main point - I'm sad).

The whole album is fantastic but I was NOT ready for "A House In Nebraska;" that hit me HARD, in a way that I don't think any other song ever has. Just elicited significant emotional catharsis and I cried like a baby (talking tears, snot running down my face) throughout the duration of the song. It's a beautiful song and Ethel Cain is a fantastic musician; just wasn't ready for that song at the time but I suppose I needed it. Album is beautiful; AOTY contender for sure.

 

Here's my list without any specific order:

Astrid Øster Mortensen - Skeargårdslyd
Dehd - Blue Skies
Diatom Daily - Time-Lapse Nature
The Garbage & The Flowers - Cinnamon Sea
Honningbarna - Animorphis
Horsegirl - Versions of Modern Performance
Hurula - Ingen är Kär i år och andra sånger
INVSN - Let the night love you
La Culpa - La Culpa
Les Rallizes Dénudés - The OZ Tapes
Mitski - Laurel Hell
Nicfit - Fuse
Porridge Radio - Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky
The Reds, Pinks and Purples - Summer at Land's End
Rome Is Not a Town - Tender Arms Power Heels
Rope - The End
Rotten Mind - Unflavored
Sinead O'Brien - Time Bend And Break The Bower
Vidro - Glöd
Wet Leg - Wet Leg

 

I think Charli XCX and Charlie Simpson are my two favourites so far.

 

Haha, iconic OP @trevorshmevor.

 

Ronnie Martin - From the Womb of the Morning the Dew of Your Youth Will Be Yours
Gang of Youths - Angel in Realtime

Are my two favorite things this year.

 

Belle & Sebastian - A Bit Of Previous
Static Dress - Rouge Carpet Disaster
Praise - All In A Dream
Drake - Honestly, Nevermind
Ravyn Lenae - HYPNOS
Arcade Fire - WE

 

haha ;D haven't thought of it too much yet, but I'll be more than glad to see what I'm missing from ppl's recommendations. So far for me the biggest highlights (that I also think I could rep in here if someone skipped any of them) are:

Caracara - New Preoccupations
One of my most anticipated sophomore albums, very emotive post-hc/post-rock adjacent & well-performed tunes, produced by Will Yip, and well, the production here just shines as well. Good lyrics, Moving Mountains s/t era resemblance, and a cherry on top with an Anthony Green feature.

Hot Water Music - Feel The Void
Pretty obvious, but somehowe they're keeping it fresh and exciting. Cool to hear Chris from Flatliners as their official third vocalist being used here as a lead voice. It's also a return to partnership with Brian McTernan after many years, which seems to be a huge win to me.

Perdro The Lion - Havasu
A surprise release, which I found to be much better than the previous one, pretty cool and some of the best David Bazan work in years.

 

Will probably edit with this next big release day, especially to get MUNA in here somewhere.

In general, this year has really hit for me in pop/indie pop, and has been light on rock and folk/country albums that really stuck with me.

Top 5:
1) Hippo Campus - III
Easy #1 for me that hits the perfect indie pop balance of having every single song being immediately catchy and being weird and different enough that it doesn’t sound like everything else happening in the genre

2) highasakite - Mother
Big Norwegian synth-pop, if you like synth-pop. “Love him anyways” is the highlight for me on here if you were to try one song.

3) AURORA - The Gods We Can Touch
The RIYL here is probably if you wanted an album by the haunting echo in “Into the Unknown” from Frozen that occasionally hits heavy on social issues.

4) Penny and Sparrow - Olly Olly
Two dudes strumming a guitar and singing cool melodies.

5) Gang of Youths - angel in realtime
Sprawling indie rock album candidly and genuinely hitting upon all the emotions that came with the death of a parent.

10 others I like:
The Regrettes - Further Joy
Sigrid - How To Let Go
Dear Rouge - Spirit
Jukebox the Ghost - Cheers
OWEL - The Salt Water Well
Harry Styles - Harry’s House
Molly Tuttle - Crooked Tree
Mitski - Laurel Hell
Fickle Friends - Are We Gonna Be Alright?
Bad Suns - Apocalypse Whenever

10 great songs:
“in the wake of your leave” - Gang of Youths
“Love him anyways” - highasakite
“2 Young 2 Die” - Hippo Campus
“Let Me Drown” - Orville Peck
“Virginia (Wind in the Night)” - The Head and the Heart
“Colorglut” - Caracara
“The Only Heartbreaker” - Mitski
“Where Do We Go From Here?” - MisterWives
“Alabama Haint” - Penny and Sparrow
“Baby Blue Shades” - Bad Suns

 

In no particular order...
A Wilhelm Scream - Lose Your Delusion
Gang of Youths - Angel In Realtime
Bartees Strange - Farm To Table
Coheed & Cambria - Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind
Signals Midwest - Dent
Alexisonfire - Otherness
Joyce Manor - 40oz to Fresno
Hot Water Music - Feel The Void
Chris Cheney - The Storm Before The Calm
Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There
Band of Horses - Things Are Great
Cold Years - Goodbye To Misery
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Omnium Gatherum
Billy Talent - Crisis of Faith
Dashboard Confessional - All The Truth I Can Tell
State Champs - Kings of the New Age
Marigold - A Better Place
Kevin Devine - Nothing's Real, So Nothing's Wrong
Valleyheart - Heal My Head

 

Caracara - New Preoccupations
Dashboard - All the Truth That I Can Tell
Cold Years - Goodbye to Misery
Charlie Simpson - Hope Is A Drug
Valleyheart - Heal My Head
Gang of Youths - angel in realtime
Hatchie - Giving The World Away
Hot Water Music - Feel the Void

 

Caracara is the obvious standout for me so far this year (like most people).

Everything Everything has impressed me a lot in these past few weeks, which I think flew under most radars here. I was aware of the band and knew a few songs, but I tried this album out on a whim and it is an absolute blast. It's a proper summer album for me. I like to call albums like this a "bumwiggler".

It sounds immaculate and crisp for a self-produced album and is peppered with unconventional vocals. The lyrics in particular are a big talking point as a selection of the lyrics were generated by an AI trained on some weird inputs such as Beowolf, Chinese philosophy, 4chan posts and the LinkedIn Terms & Conditions...

If you only have time for one song, then this is the one that grabbed me:

I would recommend checking out the album though while doing some dishes or something mundane and it will absolutely brighten up your day.

RIYL: Foals, alt-j

 

My top ten (for now)

1. Camp Cope - Running with the Hurricane
2. Charli XCX - Crash
3. Jack White - Fear of the Dawn
4. Dashboard Confessional - All The Truth That I Can Tell
5. FKA Twigs - Caprisongs
6. The Weeknd - Dawn FM
7. Avril Lavigne - Love Sux
8. Stand Atlantic - FEAR
9. Banks - Serpentina
10. Bloc Party - Alpha Games

Also been enjoying Rosalia, Mahalia, Warpaint and Kendrick. Lets see how much this list changes in another 6 months.

 

Im waiting for Coheed next week before I finalize the list.

 

Black Country new road
Big thief
Oso oso
The smile
Pup
Caracara
Beach house
P Daddy
Bartees
Joyce Manor

 

Haha no apology necessary, people can post lists if they really want, the world’s on fire

Have never heard of Ethel Cain before, but after reading your take and a little bit about her, I’m interested in checking the record out. At the very least I’m happy to hear it’s brought you some piece of comfort in the wake of something that awful. Real sorry to hear about what you’ve been going through

 

ill give u a dollar if u can guess my aoty

 

I’m doing a grade A job of keeping my excitement cool and controlled over here but if you tell me it’s Momma I will perish

 

Cold Years - Goodbye To Misery
Dashboard Confessional - ATTTICT
Bad Suns - Apocalypse Whenever
Elvis Costello - Boy Named If
Jack White - Fear of the Dawn
PLOSIVS - PLOSIVS
A Wilhelm Scream - Lose Your Delusion
Pulley - The Golden Life

In that order so far. New Coheed will definitely make it.

 

Listening to new music has been really on the back burner for me so far this year. However, Love Sux by Avril Lavigne has been an absolute delight. What a perfect little shameless blast of good vibes.

 

Everyone who enjoys hip hop should not be sleeping on the newest Billy Woods album. Also a ton of good stuff this year from:

Double Gainer
Trauma Rey
Design Flaw
Going222jail
Yung Kayo
SOM

 

saba album still in heavy consideration for aoty