Friday, December 9, 2022

THE TOP 100 SONG OF 2022 (PART TWO)...

 


Part two, here goes:



61. Would've, Could've, Should've (Taylor Swift): 


revising her 2010 song “Dear John,” she directs her anger at a man who took advantage of her youth and naïveté. “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” rages openly, with steadily building guitars and synthesizers as Swift demands, “Give me back my childhood. (SLANT MAGAZINE) 



62. Somebody Dies (Isaac Zale feat. Mick Jenkins & Blu): 


Zale may be new to the game but daring to pair Jenkins and Blu in one track and holding his own is quite the feat. 



 63. Bootstrap Jubilee (Yves Jarvis): 


a breezy origin-story anthem that both celebrates Audet’s work ethic, while acknowledging the family, friends, musical communities, and privilege that abetted his ascent. Audet may be the archetypal home-recording hermit operating in splendid isolation, but his music is ultimately a vehicle for connection, inviting you to savor the people and places that keep you sane. (PITCHFORK) 



64. What It Is (Amber Mark): 


which Mark deems the “title track of the album without it actually being the title track,” finds her contemplating existential questions over neon synth and funky bass: “Life really takes its toll / What is the point of it all?” Even if she doesn’t fully realize it during the fledgling moments of her journey, she already possesses the remedy deep within herself (“Feel it in my bones / Oh I gotta know / Tell me what it is”) and humankind at large (“You and I are one in the same / Dust from a heart to a flame”). (PASTE) 



65. Music For A Sushi Restaurant (Harry Styles): 


opens right away with a tight groove over a floaty arpeggiated synth riff, setting the mood for both the verses and the choruses. A swell enters the sound field, punctuated with a perfectly pitched screech from the British singer, quickly transitioning out to the descending chord progression used for the majority of the song. Once the verse kicks in, however, things get extremely serious. The intimate, soft-spoken delivery from the singer paired with the aforementioned four-on-the-floor groove over a repeating bass line. (MUSIC TALKERS) 



66. Second Nature (Bon Iver): 


a simple enough ballad but Vernon applies such stylish touches that it is supreme. 



67. Residue (Benjamin Clementine): 


a good-old fashioned Chanson in the manner of Jacques Brel, with strings creeping through like mice sneaking out at night. The swing and melody of Clementine’s galloping vocals swoon, all degenerating into a delightful burst of incongruent electronic interference. (LOUD AND QUIET) 



68. Fungal City (Bjork feat. Serpentwithfeet): 


reunites Bjork with Josiah Wise and a gleeful set of arrangements. 



69. A Madman From Manhattan (Jack White): 


toned downed yet expertly delivered. 



70. My Ma Was Good (Nakhane): 


back in rich form. 



71. The Worst Is Done (Weyes Blood): 


her serenely melodic vocals take center stage. On the former, her smooth croon guides the track into one of the most memorable choruses in the Weyes Blood discography. Behind her are legato strings and harmonizing backing vocals that make this song glide with ease. On the latter, Mering’s apocalyptic lyricism returns delivering the line “They say the worst is done/But I think it’s only just begun,” over a dissimilarly jaunty instrumental. This is embodied by the peppy rhythm section and playful synth lines, and is overall the best use of lyrical and instrumental contrast on the record. (POST-TRASH)


 

72. For My Friends (King Princess): 


isn't afraid to boldly proclaim that love isn't always a glamorous journey and that it is filled with euphoric highs and life-defining lows. She admits that even when "We’ve had every fight / There is no score to keep / Chased down every sidewalk," at the end of the day they are still "Walking home with me / Talkin' bout honesty." (ONES TO WATCH)


 

73. Huh* (Jean Dawson):


 never one to shy away from merging genres, Dawson gets the agit pop vibe just right as his angry vocals coalesce around the guitars crashing all around.


 

 

74. Honda (FKA Twigs feat. Pa Salieu): 


she and British-Gambian rapper Pa Salieu bounce lines back and forth like a couple deeply entwined in each other’s lives and limbs. The fact that they met, wrote and recorded the song remotely is hard to believe when the chemistry is this electric. (BEATS PER MINUTE)


 

75. New Tricks, Art, Aesthetics And Money (Kilo Kish feat. Vince Staples): 


a braggadocious banger delivered in the smartest, most polite way possible. Other rappers get to the point – I have so much money! – but Kish’s intelligent, even poetic lyricism comes through with “A Linx, a platinum leash / Affixed to my wallet / My hand, my stone-laced hand / Affixed to my pocket.” (THE LINE OF BEST FIT) 



76. Darkside (Amber Mark):  


her musical versatility shines through in “Darkside”, as she goes from R&B and soul to a track that delves into her exploration of astronomy with a sound that mimics essences of Phil Collins and Prince. (THE LINE OF BEST FIT) 



 

77. Jean-Michel (Cordae): 


in which Cordae immediately flexes his lyrical prowess he’s so well known for whilst sombrely reflecting on some of the mistakes he’s made in the past, “Things I could’ve done better it lies in my conscious and I'll never forget it, I’m my worst critic” he raps apologetically. While the album is serious in tone throughout, there are a few bangers sprinkled throughout like ‘Superbowl’. Cordae’s braggadocios bars matched with his relentlessly breath-taking and catchy flow make for a nice change of pace amongst the slower tracks of the album. (CLASH MUSIC) 



78. Love’s Train (Silk Sonic): 


an homage in more ways than one, though sonically, it’s a masterpiece. The performances by everyone involved in this project is mind-blowing. What’s most heart-warming is the way they manage to pay respects to other artists, such as Earth, Wind, & Fire and The Jacksons with melody licks, rhythm switches, and vocal hiccups that are so signature to the sound of the 70s. ‘Love’s Train’, though not originally composed by Silk Sonic, might be one of their best efforts yet. (MUSIC LOVERS) 



 

79. Pomeranian Spinster (Alvvays): 


who says old fashioned rock is dead? 



80. The Garden Path (Kamasi Washington): 


the saxophonist brings the noise along with surprise vocals.