Top 10 Albums of 2022
Big Thief — Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
It was my top album for the first half of the year, and the second half, too. As I said then, it’s the rare double album that doesn’t overstay its welcome, but opens a talented band up to new directions and sounds. It’s going to be playing in my house for years to come.
In a year that was supposed to have Kendrick Lamar dominating the scene (and I enjoyed his album and tour a good deal), JID stole the show. The range of sounds and twists and turns on this album makes it a total standout. JID is a cut above his peers — he sings, he expresses complex ideas with an easy flow, and he changes the course of a song on a dime while making the whole work feel cohesive. Watch his NPR appearance if you want a quick sense of his talent.
It was an ear worm from the jump, but 6 months later it’s on constant rotation. Inventive, hilarious rock from the Isle of Wight.
Another album that I wore out the whole year — one catchy rock song after another, with a heavier production touch than their prior 2 albums.
She was pretty obscure when she made my top 10 list in 2019, but her fan base has consistently grown as more and more people heard what a guitar and songwriting savant she is. Everything is stronger than her last album — even more impressive singing, guitar playing, and amazing songwriting. Her casual use of extremely unusual chords without being flashy or distracting makes for fun listens on every track.
Sudan Archives — Natural Brown Prom Queen
Another artist who took a major leap from their prior, promising work. Sudan Archives’ live shows are just her, her violin, and a backing track, and that’s more than enough. But higher-end production and some poppier tunes took her from an interesting indie artist to a phenomenon that should break into the mainstream in the coming years.
Daniel Rossen — You Belong There
All the best elements of Grizzly Bear are maintained while Rossen experiments with a ton of instruments and beautiful, dramatic turns. It’s exactly the album I hoped it would be and makes Grizzly Bear’s breakup much easier to swallow.
I know lots of folks loved Lemonade, but I think this is easily her best album. It fully transitions her from a fun pop act into a serious artistic force, and does so with a continuous set of dance tracks topped with personal tidbits and social commentary. It takes the interesting personal qualities of Lemonade, expounds upon them, and sets them to better music.
Katy J Pearson — Sound of the Morning
She’s a small UK artist who writes songs so catchy and classic that you assume they’re covers — seriously, no one wrote Tonight on her last album before her? Nope, Katy Pearson is just that good. On her new album, she creates a bunch of new songs that deserve to be classics in their own right.
That’s 9. I owe you one. I sometimes make bonus recommendations, but I have so many that it’s better to just find stuff in my 2022 Sampler. If I *had* to pick a few, maybe Nova Twins, Nas, Nikki Lane, Nilüfer Yanya, Napalm Death? They’re all great, they all start with N. Start there for a top 10+.