Best of 2022
By Rob Cox
I did not feel the need to write an intro paragraph as some of my fellow members of 4 Cylinder Fury did. That would take away from the sanctity of the list.
Gold Star – Headlights USA
(GWEILO – September 2022)
I follow the Little Rock record store Control on social. Wes always gets in great records that I’ve never heard of. So, one day on his FB, he put up a clip of Surrender by Gold Star playing. Based on that, I knew I immediately knew I wanted to hear more of it. I was going to Little Rock that day , so I decided to pick it up based on the small clip I heard without hearing anything else. Well needless to say, I’m glad I did. It’s one of those records that I had to make myself stop listening to because I never want to get tired of it. It has a great Americana feel. Lot’s of references to Jesus and being high. For me, really catchy tunes that spoke to me in so many different ways.
It’s unfair to pick tracks that stand out when they’re all so good. But here were my immediate favorites: Cherry Red, Heaven Motherfucker, Surrender.
Dan Adriano & The Bygones
(What’s Your Rupture? – March 2022)
I’m not even sure how I happened upon this gem. First of all, I’m not a fan of Alkaline Trio. And with that statement, I may have lost our legions of 90s emo kid fans. Sorry kids. But that’s what makes this all the more surprising that I like it. The record has I nice mix of Americana, rock, emo, and even punk. It was a tough choice between this album and the next for the number one spot. I feel that it is very reminiscent of the Dave Hause solo records, which I really like also. I’ll be interested to see in a year’s time if it still hold true for me but it was a favorite early on in 2022 and I’m still listening.
Top Tracks: Dear Darkness, Sea Level, You Must Be Cold
Angel Olsen – Big Time
( Jagjaguwar – June 2022)
A country album by a recently self outed lesbian….yes please. A shout out to Bruce who played songs on his CHIRP radio show, The Shape of Things to Come (RIP). Because if he hadn’t, I probably wouldn’t have ever listened to it. This one surprised me. I have enjoyed some of her past records, but none to the extent of this one. There are great arrangements combined with her haunting vocals. It’s a great chillout record.
Top Tracks: All the Good Times, Big Time
Spiritualized – Everything Was Beautiful
(Fat Possum Records – April 2022)
We all thought Jason Pierce was done. I had heard reports that he wasn’t interested in making new music. And my feeling about him is that it’s unfair for one individual to be so talented. To be able to make such sweeping orchestrations out of the blue. Songs that start off so simple and build to an explosive crescendo. It really speaks to me. And that’s just the first track. The songs are bold, beautiful and strong with highs and lows. There are only 7 that clock in at 44 minutes. I saw him twice on this tour. I’m so glad I did because I’m not sure how much more he has.
Top Tracks: Always Together with You, Let it Bleed (for Iggy)
The Jazz Butcher – The Highest In The Land
(Tapete Records – February 2022)
I haven’t seen the list of our other members, but I gather this one will be on all of them. If we ever had an artist that was an influence on the 4 of us, it’s Pat Fish. This one is hard. I really put off listening to it for a while. Pat Fish knew the end was near. He had to have known. There are so many death overtones on this record. But it’s done in the style that belongs uniquely to Pat. Quirky tunes, beautiful ballads, eccentric and witty lyrics. I can say it’s not really my favorite record by him (that would be too difficult to pick) it’s a goodbye love letter to his fans. And one we should all be grateful for. It took me a while, but this one is a good one.
Top Tracks: Never Give Up, Running on Fumes, Sea Madness
Gentlemen Jesse – Lose Everything
(Beach Impediment Record – November 2021)
I don’t really know much about Gentleman Jesse. From what I’ve read, he’s primarily a musician from Atlanta who plays bars around the city. I have 2 records that he put out in 2008 , Introducing Gentleman Jesse and 2012, Leaving Atlanta. Both of which are fantastic. And then he kind of disappeared. So, imagine my surprise as I stumbled across this gem very early on in the year. I bought it without ever hearing a song. Technically, it came out in Dec. ’21 but this is my list, not yours. This version of Gentleman Jesse is a lot more somber than the early version. A majority of these songs are of loss and sorrow. So I’m not sure what’s been going on with him but the song writing chops haven’t left him.
Top Tracks: Million Sorrows, Compass, Lose Everything
Spoon – Lucifer On The Sofa
(Matador – February 2022)
I’ve been a fan of Spoon since Girls Can Tell. They had a solid run of records in the 2000s. When I heard about this record being released, I wasn’t overly excited about it. Perhaps I’d outgrown them. Maybe they had dropped off a bit. I even delayed listening to the first 2 singles because I was afraid they would suck. When I did finally listen, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s not that the band started to suck, just the excitement wasn’t there. This record touches on a lot of the areas of their past releases but still has a style all its own. It was a pleasant surprise. Thank you Spoon for years of enjoyment.
Top Tracks: Wild, My Babe, Astral Jacket, The Hardest Cut.
Destroyer – Labyrinthitis
(Merge – March 2022)
The return of Stinky Dan.
Let’s recap. In 2014, I met Dan Bejar in Carrboro, NC. He was performing as part of Merge 25. The New Pornographers had a new record coming out. I was excited for it and said something to that extent. By the way, he stunk of a rotten onion patch, patchouli and clove cigarettes. He hot shotted me, nodded yes dismissively and walked away. Fuck you….Destroyer sucks anyway. I had Kaputt ,which I never really gotten into and had moved on from Destroyer. Until 2020, when Have We Met came out and landed in my top 10 of that year. And then Stinky Dan surged again with this record. It’s very much in the same vein as Have We Met in that there are some great electronic dance songs on it.
So, I guess he’s got me interested again. And I hate it.
Top Tracks: All My Pretty Dresses, Eat the Wine, Drink the Bread
Wet Leg – Wet Leg
(Domino – April 2022)
Well, I guess it’s just me and the women in their mid- 20s uniting on this one. Probably not. It’s a fun, sex tinged, sometimes juvenile piece of pop. And if you’re too old to enjoy it for what it is, then maybe you just need to stop listening to music because obviously music starts and ends for you with Journey or Styx.
Top tracks: Chaise Longue, Wet Dream, Ur Mum.
Kiwi Jr. – Chopper
(Sub Pop – August 2022)
I love jangle pop. Kiwi Jr. had one of my favorite records of 2021….Cooler Returns. I initially thought Chopper may have been put together too quickly. While it doesn’t have a lot of the same hooks that Cooler Returns has, it has its fair share. This record has a way of making me want to listen to the next track. This song is good, let’s listen to the next one. That one is good too, let’s keep going. As an added bonus was Dan Boeckner (Handsome Furs, Wolf Parade, Operators, Divine Fits) served as its producer.
Top tracks: Clerical Sleep, The Extra Sees the Film, Unspeakable Things
Honorable Mentions
- Almost Automatic – Good Looks
- Shame – Drakulas
- Statuette on the Console – Bodega
- Insomnia – The Moss
- Running with the Hurricane – Camp Cope
- Broken Eyes – Plosives
- Holy Water Hangover – Butch Walker
- Forever in Sunset – Ezra Furman
- Happen Anytime – Garrett T Capps & NASA Country
- First Blood – The Mountain Goats
