Liner notes: 2022 Playlist

Presented below are the track by track liner notes from my annual "new music" playlist, 2022 edition.

Wild, by Spoon

As elder statesmen to of the indie scene, Spoon are a little past their heyday, but remain remarkably consistent.

Wild, one of the singles from their 2022 release Lucifer On the Sofa, reprises the classic spaciousness that Spoon have harnessed to great success throughout their career.

I got on fine with modern living,
but must I be such a citizen?

The Cognitive Trade-Off Hypothesis, by Viagra Boys

Viagra Boys really stepped things up this year. While Cave World is not quite a perfect album, there are half a dozen worthy options for inclusion in an annual playlist.

My Choice is a bit of an odd deep cut that is a bit unlike the rest of the album, but I think that's why I like it so much.

We climbed out from the trees and learned to speak
We lost our detailed short term memories
But what's all of this got to do with me?
Is there some sort of connection to my ADD?

Fun's Over, by Drug Church

Fuzzy and aggressive, this was my first introduction to Drug Church. Fun's Over is my pick for album standout because it gets in, gets the job done, and gets out in under two minutes.

There's so few
Reasons to
Prostrate your self at the feet of
all these fools.

Let It Ride, by Camp Trash

I can't remember how I heard about these guys, but I'm glad I did. Let It Ride is a good example of what the internet was calling "bubble grunge" in 2022. Fuzzy like Drug Church, but in a way that's wistful and melodic.

I had a chance to see these guys live, and it was a fun show.

I just want to be a cog in a massive machine
That breaks and makes the whole thing useless

The Kick, by Foxes

I get big "Emotion" vibes from this album, and it was hard to choose a favorite for my playlist. In the end, I went with the title track because I the upbeat message was something I really needed this year. I don't think this album got the attention it deserved, and I'm glad to highlight it here.

Too Late Now, by Wet Leg

This group was so buzzy this year that I just had to include them. I choose Too late Now because, again, I just found it so spacious, mellow, fun, and funny.

A bubble bath to set me on a higher path, indeed.

Expert in a Dying Field, by The Beths

The Beths are so damn poetic. Expert in a Dying Field explores the quiet devastation one feels as a long-term relationship nears its end.

You can't let go
You can't stop
Can't rewind
Love is learned over time
Till you're an expert in a dying field

Red Moon, by Big Thief

I could have picked any number of tracks off of this highly regarded double album, but Red Moon spoke to me most with its folksy charm.

Jack O'lantern Style, by Salvo

Salvo is the reformation of the band Pain, one of my favorites from the late 90's and early 2000's. They took a break to pursue other interests, and it seems they want to spend their pre-retirement years resuming the journey they abandoned years before.

Although there are many great tracks to choose from here, Jack O'lantern Style gets my nod as it speaks to the experience of an older guy that has learned his limits but sometimes forgets them.

Reminiscent of the youth
that heard his heyday call
so unbalanced, luckily
ego breaks the fall

Ride or Die, by Hippo Campus

Careful, this one's an earworm.

Although the critical response to this year's LP3 was lukewarm, I quite enjoyed the album and found a few standout tracks including Ride or Die, my pick for playlist inclusion. If you like older Vampire Weekend, you'll probably like this one.

Very Online Guy, by Alvvays

We were probably all online a little bit too much in 2022 and Alvvays captured that moment in time pretty effectively with this track.

Punches, by Frank Turner

FTHC might be my favorite Frank Turner release of all time. It was extremely tough to choose just one track to include here, but Punches gets the nod for it's message of determination and resilience.

I'm tired of only ever trying to do what I can
the secret is to try and do the things that you can't

Life is a death scene, princess, by foxtails

I'm pretty sure I learned about this band from Audiotree's YouTube channel. Their studio-live performance of this track gives me chills, especially the last 30 seconds or so. Fair warning, this is kind of a spooky screamo track that is definitely not for everyone.

Water Wings, by Birds in Row

Birds in Row released my most listened to (and possibly overall favorite) album of the year. I don't know what exactly I like about this so much, but the intensity of the performances really grabs and holds my interest.

A decent amount of this album made it on to my gym playlist, and this track is definitely a standout on the album.

Old enough to remember all the things I projected
But never touched in fear of ruining dreams I don't possess
And these are dreams that I'll never forgive

WE, by Arcade Fire

Oh Arcade Fire, what happened to you? Although their newest release is definitely their best in years, that is unfortunately still not saying much. There were a few good ideas here, but overall this album is pretty spotty and can't hold a candle to their best work in the early 2000's.

Still, album closer WE is a heartbreaker, a sweet and melancholic track that recaptures just all of the old magic, if only for a few minutes.

When everything ends
Can we do it again?