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2023 Jan – April : “Whole time I didn’t know I needed you”

2023 is starting off with wonderful new tunes to wash away the forgettable year of music we had in 22.

Already have some contenders for albums of the year this early.

New Pornographers are back, but so far they are following the same pattern of the last few albums of having some gems surrounded by blasé tracks.

The new Liturgy has already stunned me for repeat listens.

The new Caroline Palochek album is already a top album of the year.

Not one but two albums from Skrillex. Quite different with 1 being well worth the listen.

There isn’t a bad track from the new Japanese House.

I’ve been a John Vanderslice fan since ’99 and throughout his “424” album phase. It’s been awhile that his music has caught my attention but this CRYSTALS album has been quite unique and abstract in all the right ways.

Slowthai is back with some incredible tracks.   

Initial tracks from the JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown prove promising.

Ooooo new Junip? Please let it be so.

It has been almost 10 years since we’ve gotten a new Blonde Redhead album. Single sounds unmistakably like their old selves, so I’m eager to hear the rest from their 10th release.

New Nation of Language isn’t hitting as hard as their previous material but I’ll take it.

Absolutely loving the new Indigo De Souza

 

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Remembering Ryuichi Sakamoto

Sad news. Japanese composer and electronic pioneer passed away today of cancer. I met Ryuichi under unique circumstances. I was working at the Knitting Factory when my team crafted a unique festival idea to spotlight the soundtracks behind our favorite films. My dual passion for film & music being fulfilled, we planned a multi day festival and a documentary. Lugging around my camera equipment and light gear, I set off to interview a musician I wasn’t that familiar with. He invited me into his music studio which had an immediate brightness and warm feeling imbuing from it. I was surrounded floor to ceiling of stacks of cd’s and records. His studio validated my obsessive collection of music which was overflowing from every room in my parent’s house. I felt at ease with another musicphile. Immediately I became overwhelmed with his love and study of music. We chatted for a long time after the interview ended off camera with no rush to kick this naive kid out of his home.

A few weeks later we booked Ryuichi to play on our main stage. I was surprised that it sold out faster than our other acts. Simply with his piano, he had built such an emotional tension, that by halfway into his set the room began to cry. It was the first time I had ever witnessed such a reaction from a crowd, and by the end of it, I was overcome as well.

Goodbye Ryuichi. Thank you for all the amazing music you created and making me realize there is so much more out there in the world. Thank you for your advice and kind words during a formidable time in my career.

“The world is full of sounds. We just don’t usually hear them as music.”
– Ryuichi Sakamoto

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My Favorite Songs of 2022

1. “Summer Nights” – Hazel English
2. “Sidelines” – Phoebe Bridgers
3. “Expert in a Dying Field” – The Beths
4. “King” – Florence + The Machine
5. “Shotgun” – Soccer Mommy
6. “Wild” – Spoon
7. “An Alien in Minneapolis” – Ondara
8. “In the Eyes Of Our Love” – Yumi Zouma
9. “Burning” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
10. “Whatever Fits Together” – Skullcrusher
11. “Mango Feedback” – Four Tet
12. “Alpha Zulu” – Phoenix
13. “Bad Love” – Dehd
14. “Bussin” – Nicki Minaj, Lil Baby
15. “Time Escaping” – Big Thief
16. “Back to the Radio” – Porridge Radio
17. “Beautiful Song” – Horsegirl
18. “Troglodyte” – Viagra Boys
19. “PIERCED ARROWS” – Hurray for the Riff Raff
20. “Drill music in Zion” – Lupe Fiasco

Listen to the rest of the top 101 songs here on Spotify

Here’s another playlist of all the amazing tunes I also absolutely loved
More from 2022

As always, thanks for listening

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My Favorite Albums of 2022

10. Pool kids – Pool Kids

 

9. Yumi Zouma – Present Tense

 

8. Just Mustard – Heart Under

 

7. Soccer Mommy – Sometimes, Forever

 

6. Russian Circles – Gnosis

 

5. Spoon – Lucifer On The Sofa

 

4. Porridge Radio – Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky

 

3. Black Country, New Road – Ants From Up There

 

2. The Beths – Expert In A Dying Field

 

1. Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You

 

 

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2022 May-Aug: “Dressing in gold will be your suicide.”

Alvvays continues to release solid tunes. Digging their online videos a lot.

Beach Bunny with lots of great ones.

The Beths will surely be in my top picks of the year.

“Free” is another solid single from Florence + The Machines

New Hyd songs are sooo interesting.

Haven’t been into the latest releases from the Mountain Goats, but the catchy new single is hard not to enjoy.

The Smile is getting multiple repeat listens over here.

YYY are back with solid singles.

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2022 Jan-Apr: “Just a figment of the plans that I never had.”

Black Country New Road released one of the first albums in 2022 that really caught me. They were my favorites last year and with lead singer Isaac Wood leaving the band, intrigued on where they will go.

Is Black Dresses really back? 

Wet Leg finally released their full album. It lives up to all their hyped singles.

Therapy? a band that came out before you would internet search them has a reissue of their Disquiet album. I was so addicted to this Northern Ireland band in the early 90’s and would love another album like Troublegum.

Lustmord has a very nice collaboration album.

Sunflower Bean is back and sounding in a new direction.

Zola Jesus gave us a tease of her new album and expecting great things.

And is Sky Ferreira returning? Is it finally happening? Nothing since 2013 and waiting ever since. I first caught her in 2012 playing the upstairs room at Pianos and have been hooked ever since. A tweet about a new song “Don’t Forget” popped up, so let’s hope it’s for real this time

And here’s something I haven’t said in years, but that new Arcade Fire? It’s damn good.

new songs playlist