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. 

Thursday, December 8, 2022

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

 


I say it every year but it just rings so true this year: what a great year for music! I knew it was great when I had so much difficulty ranking most of this year's tracks in order. 

Here is the first part of an immense year:



81. Marijuana’s A Working Woman (Of Montreal): 


no one does crazy like Kevin Barnes, even after all these years. 




82. Vegas (Doja Cat): 


a new turn on “Hound Dog”. 




83. Free Yourself (Jessie Ware):


 
Jessie Ware’s transformation from subtle and sleek sophisti-pop chanteuse to Disco Queen has been a fun one to watch and and even more satisfying one to actually participate in—what good is disco if you’re not actually dancing, after all? “Free Yourself” feels like a new level unlocked in her ascendancy to that glittery throne, all pristine house piano and deeply funky bassline driving the motivational speech at the core of a career-best diva performance: “Free yourself/Keep on moving up that mountaintop.” Self-confidence or self-indulgence? When it sounds this good, the details don’t seem all that important. (TREBLE) 




84. The Hardest Cut (Spoon): 


muscular, minimalist classic rock with excellent clean production and dirty guitars, with a hint of head nodding Krautrock, like a stripped down Golden Earring. Such a desirable bath of sound to drop your needle into. It starts with a Stray Cats groove over a drone bass pedal – a rockabilly rumble, shifting gears with little jets and spurts of steam and gasoline, cranked up guitars belching exhaust as the song grooves along, easily stretching it’s taut chords to reach the apex of the chorus, slamming into a loud and dirty triplet of noise, before shifting down to start the climb all over again. (JOYZINE) 




85. Kilimanjaro (Pierre Kwenders): 


while “Kilimanjaro” represents a journey to the roof of Africa for many, it could also be compared to a journey of self-discovery and exploration for others. For Kwenders it depicts a pursuit of sexual fantasies, an exploration of bodies intertwined and bonded by sexual intensity. The song feels like a throwback to another era with its unique mix of smooth jazz, Congolese rumba, contemporary electronic pop, 1980s retro, and ’70s funk, emanating from Pierre’s reverence of African greats like Fela Kuti, Tshala Muana, and more. (NORTHERN TRANSMISSIONS)



  

86. Angelica (Wet Leg): 


it’s one of the greatest examples of the band’s fondness for merging the playfully surreal with the bewilderingly mundane, brought to salacious perfection with a firm, danceable beat on one side and a light, cheeky guitar riff on the other. (TREBLE)  




87. Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All) (Omar Apollo): 


who says boys don’t cry? 




88. I Was Just 14 (Jesca Hoop): 


a harrowing tale of a barely-teen discovering her body and it’s consequences. 




 89. This Hell (Rina Sawayama): 


not one to pass up a good pop culture reference, Sawayama quotes Paris Hilton’s famous catchphrase and chastises the paparazzi for their cruelty towards Britney SpearsWhitney Houston, and Princess Diana. “Got my invitation to eternal damnation,” she chants. “Get in line, pass the wine, bitch.” With Sawayama, hell is the hottest party in town. (PITCHFORK) 




90. Plan B (Megan Thee Stallion): 


over a beat sampling the "Freek'n You" remix by Jodeci featuring Wu-Tang Clan, Megan excoriates her past relationships and you can dance and emphasize with her truth.  



 

91. Krakatau (Cass McCombs):


 when artists target ska, it usually backfires but McCombs tries a new angle—washing it with nostalgic pop and it works.



 

92. I’ll Try (Sharon Van Etten): 


sheer ecstatic pop touches at every turn.  




93. Lawn (Aldous Harding): 


backed by a lean arrangement of clattering drums and steady bass, Harding hacks away at the dead weight of a failed relationship. “Can you imagine me just being out and free?” Harding coos wistfully before her frustration boils up to the surface, spilling over into lines where she confesses her annoyance at wasting her time on a partner’s precious “B-sides” and culminating in a declaration to charge into the unknown. Severed from the comforts of reliable disappointment, she embraces her newfound liberty and begins again. (PITCHFORK) 




94. Love Me More (Mitski): 


Mitski’s quirky damaged pop has always been engaging and here it adds a new dimension: sheer despair. 




95. Shadows (Bonobo feat. Jordan Rakei): 


he has now perfected his craft and brought Rakei along for the blissful ride. 




96. Happy Ending (Kelela): 


Kelela’s breathy, decorous vocals swoop over jumbling breakbeats courtesy of LSDXOXO. It feels like a jubilant return to more up-tempo songs like “Rewind,” an impression reinforced in the song’s candid-feeling rave video. If the lyrical concept involving a distant lover and the implied double entendre of the title is a little under thought, it’s hard to begrudge this sonic pioneer some lighthearted fun. (PITCHFORK)



 

97. Ashtray (Hippo Campus): 


crunchy guitars do not hide the heartbreak lyrics lead vocalist Jake Luppen spits out and thankfully, it all connects.



 

98. Pink & Rose (Lil Ugly Mane): 


toned down of his usual abstract abrasion, Travis Miller gets solemn and still delivers.



 

99. Q4 (Father John Misty): 


there he goes writing another sublime narrated pop ditty fraught with everyday dangers and quirks. 




100. Secrecy Is Incredibly Important To The Both Of Them (Yves Tumor): 


Tumor continues to expand their burrowing into pop with a sledgehammer of intent.