Best of 2022
My favorite LPs and songs released this year.
This year, there was one record I could not stop listening to, and it was by a young band from Connecticut called Anxious. Their debut LP, Little Green House, is a wonderful blend of emo, jangle pop, pop-punk, and hardcore. The record is super-short, but there is no filler here.
Coming from a completely different field, I could not stop listening to the orchestral deathcore of Lorna Shore. Sounding like a cross between Suicide Silence and the Trans Siberian Orchestra recreating the climax of Event Horizon, this is some of the most extreme music I’ve ever heard. Their latest LP, Pain Remains, is their first full-length with lead vocalist/screamer/pig grunter, Will Ramos.
As for individual tracks, here are some of my favorites:
The Stereo, “Perils of Underestimation”
Rory and Jamie reunited and created a phenomenal record called Thirteen. This is the stand-out.
Jimmy Eat World, “Something Loud”
I freely admit I checked out of Jimmy Eat World some years ago. I’m very happy they are still a band and trying new things. “Something Loud” might recall “If You Don’t, Don’t” from Bleed American, but it’s a song I had a hard time listening to one at a time.
Post Malone, “Wrapped Around Your Finger”
I’ve known about Post Malone for years, and I cannot say I was well-versed in his music. When I heard “I Like You” while Hope worked on a wedding video we shot, I was struck by how melodic this guy is. Checking out more tunes from this year’s Twelve Carat Toothache, I found another song I loved even more: “Wrapped Around Your Finger.”
Harry Styles, “Late Night Talking”
While shopping for Halloween decorations at a Spirit store, I randomly heard this audio candy from pop superstar/film star Harry Styles. Like Post Malone, I’ve been aware of his pop culture status but knew I was not in the target demographic. But I cannot deny the hooks in this track.
To check out more, I compiled a 42-song, 2 1/2-hour playlist of songs that caught my ear this year.
Enjoy the tunes, and look forward to 2023!