EVEN THE STARS ALBUMS OF 2022 - 10 to 6

2022 was a year that many of our favourite artists didn't release an album after last year's run of them. So our 2022 list is a little more varied than in previous years and features a lot of artists that go under the radar of most mainstream lists with a couple of exceptions. In this first post we count down our favourite ten from 10 to 6

10. DEJA VEGA - PERSONAL HELL

Déjà Vega's second album Personal Hell captures one of the most enthralling live bands around spreading their wings from their self-titled debut yet retaining the thrilling intensity for which they've become known, a trio of friends who've been on a musical journey for approaching a decade and who are finally getting the wider acknowledgement that we've known they've always deserved.

Our review concluded : "Personal Hell is both a triumph and a development in Déjà Vega's sound. The high-energy adrenaline rushes of their self-titled debut and live sets is still very much evidence here, but as this album progresses you see the band stretching the boundaries of their sound, assisted by a crisp production that allows all the elements that the three of them bring to the band to be heard. More expansive and diverse than their debut without losing the core of what makes Déjà Vega so exciting, Personal Hell is the sound of a band completely in tune with each other, making music for the love of it and that passion positively pours out of the eleven songs on this album."

Déjà Vega are on Facebook and Twitter.

Personal Hell is available on their store. Stream on Spotify here.

9. SORCHA RICHARDSON - SMILING LIKE AN IDIOT

Sorcha Richardson's second album Smiling Like An Idiot is an intensely personal affair, yet one that retains an accessibility due to its openness and the simple yet affecting nature of the songwriting. Described by Sorcha as "about falling in love with a person and a place, which in this case is Dublin, and how those two are interlinked" it's an incredibly honest record that touches on both insecurities and worries as you discover your true feelings and happiness when you reach your destination.

Sorcha's half-sung half-spoken vocals on large parts of the record deepen the story-telling feel of the record and draw the listener in still further. It's a record to immerse yourself in, identify and connect with the characters and become attached to the outcomes. Stand out tracks are Shark Eyes, a song about falling in love and Spotlight Television.

Sorcha Richardson's website can be found here and she is on Facebook and Twitter.

8. CAITLIN ROSE - CAZIMI

Cazimi is Caitlin Rose's first album for nine years since 2013's The Stand In, our favourite record of that year and still a regular listen. Cazimi isn't as immediate as that record as it feels more intensely personal than its predecessor, partly because the songs on this record aren't co-writes or covers. Caitlin's unmistakable voice, which somehow manages to feel upbeat and ready to fight whatever is thrown at here yet world-weary, sits centre stage as she uses the songs to pick over the bones of whatever is in her emotional line of sight in each song.

Musically, Cazimi sits in the space where pop, rock and country meet, sitting in none of the genres but throwing a knowing glance towards each. Songs like Nobody's Sweetheart and Black Obsidian are rich in both lyrical and musical content. Cazimi may not be as immediate as The Stand In, and the time spent to fully appreciate it is time well spent, but it's certain to have the same longevity.

Caitlin Rose is on Twitter and Facebook.

7. TALKER - IN AWE OF INSIGNIFICANCE

Sold as an EP, but with eight tracks qualifying it for our albums of the year list (our rules, not anyone else's), talker's debut saw the Los Angeles-based artist spread her wings and deliver a series of songs that deal with the pressures of modern day living and its impact on mental health. Raw and revelatory in lyrical content, it explores a number of musical styles from the dancefloor to a simpler stripped down approach.

Our review concluded : "In Awe Of Insignificance is an exceptionally strong body of work from an artist who's been ploughing her own furrow for a number of years without the exalted praise at home and from across the Atlantic that many of her contemporaries have received. Sung from her own perspective, there's plenty here that people of all ages and genders will be able to relate to and that makes it worth your time and further investigation"

talker's website can be found here and she is on Facebook and Twitter.

In Awe Of Insignificance is available on vinyl here.

6. DROPPER - DON'T TALK TO ME

Don't Talk To Me is New York City's Dropper's debut record. Very much a DIY release, Don't Talk To Me is full of jangly guitars that propel its nine songs along, instant hooks and Angela Scaniello's dreamy vocals that drift over the top in the verses and assert themselves in the choruses. The style will sound familiar but Dropper very much stamp their own personalities across the record. The songs deal with the monotony of life in the big city, from working in a dead end jobs, seeking solace in a beer, not living up to expectations of others and navigating relationships while struggling to make ends meet.

The band capture the essence of the record with the quote "we aim to infect ears with gritty and plucky songs that touch on the melancholy, absurd, emotional notions of finding yourself" Stand out tracks are Signal with the confessional line "I can't do any more bad drugs" and Don’t Worry.

Dropper are on Facebook and Twitter.

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