When I sat down to put together my list of the top 22 albums of 2022, I found it difficult to decipher a common denominator. The list features many of the mainstays in previous years as well as plenty of newcomers. But I don’t like loose ends and I pride myself on cohesion. What was the theme? Was it established artists reclaiming the throne? Young artists defeating the old guard? There just had to be something to bring it all together.
But then I realized something. Making lists of one’s favorite albums of the year says more about the individual than the albums. No one is coming here to read about me, they might be interested in my opinion but they’re really here to discover (or rediscover) the music that made this year a little better. That’s as good as a theme can get, yeah? These are the records that made an impact on my turntable, my ears, and in my soul…
THIS IS MY TOP 22 ALBUMS OF 2022.
22. Kraus – Eye Escapes
I know it’s not customary to include compilation albums on year-end lists, but Eye Escapes encapsulates everything I love about shoegaze. Made up of scrapped songs between Kraus releases, Eye Escapes is noisy and fuzzy, but at the same time melancholy and melodic. We don’t have too many bands following the template left behind by My Bloody Valentine so Kraus is doing a good job filling that void.
21. Kavinsky – Reborn
Nostalgiacore! Just kidding. Actually, long before millennials were losing their minds over Stranger Things and the synth goodness of Survive, there was Kavinsky. He may not have been the first person to do music influenced by 1980s film scores, but Kavinsky’s 2013 release, Outrun brought it to the forefront. With its proper follow-up, Reborn doesn’t reinvent the wheel as much as perfect it. Reborn features all the confidence and momentum of Kavinsky’s previous works, but now with a subtle layer of sadness. If this album was an original motion picture soundtrack, I already know it would’ve been one of my favorite movies.
20. Spoon – Lucifer On The Sofa
I’ve always thought Spoon is to indie rock what Collective Soul has been to Top 40. That’s not a dig at either band as both have churned out absolute bangers for decades. But somewhere along the way Spoon became an album band opposed to singles. Their previous release, Hot Thoughts may have had a fresh coat of electro-pop paint, but there were cracks in the foundation. The band was tired and ultimately uninspired. However, Lucifer On The Sofa is a return to form. Spoon is back, reinvigorated, and doing what they do best: rock n’ roll bangers. Side note: “The Hardest Cut” reminds me of “Booster’s Theme” from Super Mario RPG. That gets them extra points in my book.
19. The Color Fred – A Year And Change
I was really bummed when Fred Mascherino parted ways with Taking Back Sunday back in 2007. His knack for sweet hooks and guitar wizardry elevated that band beyond the emo label. His first album as The Color Fred was like a lost TBS record without the fanfare. But after 12 years, he is back with a follow-up. A Year And Change doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel but the added years definitely bring a layer of experience and weather. This isn’t a creepy old dude playing teenager music (like coughBlink 182cough) but an artist who has grown and matured. A fantastic record we probably wouldn’t have gotten had he stayed in Taking Back Sunday.
18. Johnny Goth – Under The Floor
By appearance, Johnny Goth gets name-dropped with the likes of Marylin Manson. But that’s a bit on the nose, isn’t it? While Johnny does utilize spooky makeup and raspy vocals, his musical output is closer to Nine Inch Nails with the self-awareness of Alice Cooper. Under The Floor is an amalgamation of pop and industrial. The gothic flair and theatrics are pretty fun but the atmosphere in this record proves Johnny Goth is more than a gimmick. The uncanny blend of genres puts it as the best pop album among my Top Albums of 2022!
17. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down
After a nearly 10-year hiatus, I was a little apprehensive with the announced return of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The world is a much different place since their last outing. But instead of a nostalgia-fueled ‘reunion’, the band drops back in without missing a beat. Cool It Down is different but in an evolutionary way. Flirting with David Bowie influence, this new iteration of Karen O and the boys face the future without looking to the past. No matter how dire it is.
16. Momma – Household Name
With 90s grunge somehow making its way into mainstream pop again, it was only a matter of time before grunge-adjacent bands would rise up and make fun of it. For their third record, Household Name, the alt-rock duo Momma make it a point to let the listener know they’ve got their fingers on the pulse. With tongue pressed firmly in cheek, Household Name is a love letter to mid-90s alt-rock. Closer to Veruca Salt than Nirvana, Momma’s sarcasm elevates the sub-genre beyond nostalgia and makes a fine rock record. Does it sound familiar? Sure but that’s what they were aiming for and it works. But is it better than what Olvia Rodrigo or Gale is doing? Well, you don’t see any of those artists on my Top 22 Albums of 2022 list, do you?
15. OFF! – Free LSD
You don’t really have to get into the ins and outs of the legality of Black Flag, just listen to OFF! In my opinion, Keith Morris won because we got this supergroup out of it. Come to think of it, I think OFF! has been around longer than Black Flag was before the hiatus. Anyway, with Free LSD, Morris and the gang stretch out a little bit and go beyond thrash punk. But the crisp production doesn’t take away any of their angst, anger, or vitality. Free LSD is aggressive and urgent. Just like how hardcore should be. Take your victory lap Keith, you earned it.
14. Black MIDI – Hellfire
I really don’t know how to write about Black MIDI. They’re like this weird post-punk, jazz band? I guess? Just listen to Hellfire and try to put into words what you just heard. It’s next to impossible. A dizzying nightmare opera about death and the afterlife as told by Hunter S. Thompson if he was fronting a supergroup made up of Liars and Death In Vegas. Yeah, I don’t know what I’m saying here but it clearly had to rank high on my Top 22 Albums of 2022.
13. Angel Olsen – Big Time
When a person comes out on the other side of trauma, they reinvent themselves in some way. Not superficially, but emotionally or spiritually. This feels like the case for Angel Olsen and Big Time. While there’s plenty of soul-stirring to be had on Big Time, most of it feels like an exhale of sorts. Olsen flexes some of her 1960s country influences, weaving in and out of a collection of songs about accepting things for the way they are. No matter what we’re going through, I hope I can be as graceful and angelic as Angel Olsen when I reach the other side.
12. Horsegirl – Versions Of Modern Performance
Nothing warms my heart like seeing a band from my hometown put out music reaching the world. It’s even more exciting when it’s kids half my age! The 3 teenagers that make up Horsegirl sound as if they’ve come straight out of the 90s making music influenced by the bands I was rocking out to at their age. (Dinosaur Jr, The Breeders, etc). But make no mistake, Versions Of Modern Performance isn’t a nostalgia grab. These kids are making the music that speaks to them or this record wouldn’t be as effective as it is. The future of rock music is in good hands.
11. Guided By Voices – Crystal Nuns Cathedral
It’s difficult to write about Guided By Voices without getting into their lengthy story. I mean, Crystal Nuns Cathedral is the band’s 35th album and not even the only thing they’ve released this year. To make it quick; Guided By Voices is both the underdog of rock and indie rock royalty. Crystal Nuns Cathedral ditches a lot of the demo-esque endearment of most of the albums for a glossy rock opera channeling The Who and Cheap Trick. At this point, it I need to set aside a space for Guided By Voices in each year-end list. Well, here’s their selection for the Top 22 Albums of 2022.
10. The Smile – A Light For Attracting Attention
When I heard “You Will Never Work In Television Again”, I wondered what was stopping the guys in Radiohead from having this as a follow-up to A Moon-shaped Pool. But after hearing the entire record I realized why this is an entirely new band. Without the Radiohead moniker, Thom York, Johnny Greenwood, and new drummer Tom Skinner, could release music free from the preconceptions of the fandom. A Light For Attracting Attention is a strange little record made up of electronica, post-punk, and hints of afro-beat. It isn’t Radiohead and it’s not trying to be. But it’s pure unbridled, liberation!
9. Brother O’ Brother – Skin Walker
It’s astonishing to see a band evolve so much in a matter of a few short years. But do so in such an organic way. The feral attitude and deranged showmanship are still very much here for fans of the S/T, Show Pony, and Neon Native albums. But Skin Walker is the band tackling social issues while firing on all cylinders. There aren’t too many bands in the fuzz genre who can do that without becoming a gimmick. Needless to say, if there is a single band to do just that, it’s Brother O’ Brother. [Read my full review here. ]
8. Megan Thee Stallion – Traumazine
Megan Thee Stallion has been pretty upfront and vocal about her record label woes and with her sophomore record, Traumazine, she holds nothing back. However, none of the vitriol takes away the urgency and stage presence that made her a household name seemingly overnight. If anything, it accentuates it. Traumazine might be an I’ve had it! album on the surface taking aim at anyone who has wronged her over the years, but it’s also surprisingly humble and reflective. Megan Thee Stallion’s persona may be larger than life but Traumazine proves she isn’t a flavor of the week but a genuine artist. Not that it was ever a question, to begin with.
7. The Rectangle Shades – Shades II
As an OG fan all the way back in 1996, I’ll always have a soft spot for anything relating to John Davis (Superdrag, The Lees of Memory). Although The Rectangle Shades features Davis, it’s just as much a vehicle for the atrociously underrated Mike Armstrong. For their sophomore effort, Davis and Armstrong trade some of the psychedelia of their first record for an earthier, country aesthetic. However, this isn’t a boot-scoot. Shades II may be wholesome but thanks to otherworldly production by Mike Purcell, The Rectangle Shades feels more like a team-up of Michael Nesmith and Rubber Soul-era Beatles. Unbelievable in both scope and performance, Shades II is a worthy entry in the top 22 albums of 2022.
6. Zola Jesus – Arkhon
With elements of goth, industrial, and even pop, Zola Jesus has always been a genre-defying artist. But for her 5th album, Arkhon she blends all of those previously used elements into something completely genre-less. Thematically, Zola Jesus takes on the topic of society’s (and the music industry’s) obsession with technology and how it affects our creative and emotional output. But it’s not as bleak as one would think. Zola Jesus’ operatic voice and performance give a subtle glimmer of hope where you least expect it. Even if it’s masked behind her sharp-tongue sarcasm. [Check out the interview with Zola Jesus on my podcast, Crushed Monocle here.]
5. Dead Cross – Dead Cross II
Pushing the boundaries of what a supergroup can do, Dead Cross pull out all the stops for their sophomore release. Dead Cross II whirlwind of thrash, punk, metal, and whatever you call what the legendary Mike Patton does. The most remarkable element of Dead Cross II is how these seasoned veterans work so well with each other. There’s nothing about this record (or this band, for that matter) that feels like an offshoot or side project. Dead Cross is a legitimate hardcore band beating the odds and moving forward. [Read Oscar De Leon’s full review here.]
4. Fantastic Negrito – White Jesus Black Problems
Somewhere between Prince and Chris Cornell, Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz has been a shadow in the music industry for nearly 30 years. It wasn’t until the last few years he received some well-deserved praise (including multiple Grammy awards). With the backdrop of blues, soul, and psychedelic, White Jesus Black Problems is a record telling stories of America’s injustices. But there’s something about Dprhrepaulezz’s performance that makes it strangely peaceful. However, Fantastic Negrito’s creative output is like a public record. If you’re not afraid to be a little uncomfortable, White Jesus Black Problems is aptly placed among the top 22 albums of 2022.
3. Municipal Waste – Electrified Brain
Formed in 2001, Municipal Waste has all but kept thrash alive outside the stalwarts. But throughout their catalog, none of their albums have really captured their blisteringly tight live show. Thankfully, that is exactly what Electrified Brain does. This record is filled to the brim with scooped mids, bass that rattles the fillings in your teeth, and face-melting riffs. But what Electrified Brain does best is represent what I love about thrash metal. It’s aggressive, ugly, and fast but it never gets weighted down by Satanic tropes or eye-rolling pretentiousness. Even down to the cover art, it just looks like something from a bygone era. I’m not sure if I’ve had more fun with a record this year than I did with this one. Thank you, Municipal Waste.
2. Sabrina Claudio – Based On A Feeling
As much as I love R&B, there aren’t many artists keeping the album format alive. It’s really a music genre that sets a vibe. With that said, I’m not sure if there’s a better word to describe Sabrina Claudio’s 4th album, Based On A Feeling, than a vibe. Claudio rarely brings her voice above a sultry whisper yet she conveys so much emotion. Her verses ache with desire and each course culminates in a neo-soul wash of passion. The production of Based On A Feeling is equally as pristine. Although there are hints of modern hip-hop beats, the record mostly utilizes jazz arrangements. You can almost inhale the scent of smoke, perfume, and cognac. I love to plug in my Jazz Bass and play along. Any record that gets me to do that, earns a spot on the top 22 albums of 2022 list.
1. Timeshares – Limb
The first album from Timeshares arrived just in time for me to choose adulthood over leftover teen angst. The follow-up dropped at the very moment when I experience my first breakup as an adult. So it’s only fitting their latest album, Limb hits when I’ve started a new chapter in my life. One where responsibilities outweigh hobbies and appreciation takes the place of validation. While Limb has plenty of the snotty sarcasm and witty hooks of their DIY indie rock roots, there’s so much heart and soul elevating Timeshares. In 2022, Limb wasn’t a record I just listened to but one I lived. The guys in Timeshares understand this and it will always put them a cut above any other band in the post-emo world. [Check out my full review here]
