2022 was a year that most 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 second post, we recall 10 to 6 before revealing our favourite five.
Honourable mentions for 2022 go to the following (not exclusive) - Honeyglaze,
Tagliabue, Molly Nilsson, Life, Pale Blue Eyes, Thousand Yard Stare, Pixies,
Momma, Wet Leg, David Ford (x2), Yard Act, Cate Le Bon, Wyldest, Calexico,
Katherine Joseph, Sundowners, Silverbacks, Placebo and Sea Power.
10. DEJA VEGA - PERSONAL HELL
9. SORCHA RICHARDSON - SMILING LIKE AN IDIOT
8. CAITLIN ROSE - CAZIMI
7. TALKER - IN AWE OF INSIGNIFICANCE
6. DROPPER - DON'T TALK TO ME
5. THE ORIELLES - TABLEAU
The Orielles' third album proper Tableau represents a change of direction to a more experimental approach to writing and it's a successful transition. Lead single Beams clocked in at eight minutes and gave an expectation of what was to come. Casting aside traditional song-writing techniques and trying out new ideas was a brave move for a band at the third album stage of their career, but it's very much been a creative success as Tableau reveals something new each time and challenges the listener to immerse themselves deeper into the music to reveal more.
In our
review of their launch gig
at Stoller Hall in Manchester, we noted "not that The Orielles are your
run-of-the-mill indie guitar band any more, if they ever were. Tableau, a
striking yet simple title, is a representative one for an album where The
Orielles push the boundaries of their sound, experiment with plug-ins and
randomisation techniques and cast aside the traditional expectations of what a
band of their genesis should be doing with a song"
4. SUGARFUNGUS - LETTING GO, MOVING STILL
Sugarfungus's EP Letting Go, Moving Still might only clock in at six tracks,
but we've used that in previous years as the limit for this list so this
wonderful record that we stumbled across early in the year makes our list.
They describe themselves as "A little sweet, a little groovy, a little sad, a
little moody" and that's a wonderful way of capturing the feelings that the
six tracks on the EP evoke.
The songs deal with familiar subjects such as social anxiety and missed and failed opportunities at love and are delivered with a glorious effortless sounding shine and with Tess's evocative vocals making the listener feel that the songs are being lived out as you listen to them.
3. VERO - UNSOOTHING INTERIOR
The power of the internet can be seen in the fact that we discovered our
number three album of the year when one of the tracks (Beluga) started playing
after we'd been listening to the album that's topped our list this year. Both
records also have a track called Special in another twist of fate.
Vero are a trio that hail from Stockholm and started life as a synth-heavy band signed to a major label before discovering the power of the guitar a couple of years ago. Unsoothing Interior is a simple, uncluttered rock record that feels like it was recorded as close to live as they could get and deals in the trials and tribulations of being a twenty-something woman in the 2020s.
Reference points are easy to identify, if you love Pixies, Sleater Kinney, Sonic Youth, then you're likely to fall under the spell of Vero. However, their own personalities and experiences are stamped all over this record - Beluga, Sex And Me And TV Shows and 22:12 are highlights of a record that manages to sound both incredibly together but retaining an element of chaos and uncertainty, a hard, but also easy listen.
Blossoms' fourth studio album was their third number one to date included
the singles Care For, Ode To NYC, The Sulking Poet and the title track as
Blossoms continued to establish themselves as one of the country's most
successful and popular bands, concluding the year with a twenty-three date
sold out tour including a four-date residency at Manchester Apollo.
We reviewed the album for Louder Than War and concluded "Where Blossoms diverge from their first three albums
is that the strongest songs here haven’t been the singles. Born Wild and
Cinerama Holy Days are light, airy and effortlessly timeless. Everything
About You is a glorious unashamed love song of the sort people shy away
from writing these days. Visions clocks in at seven minutes, a good minute
and a half longer than anything they’ve ever done before, but never
outstays its welcome as it muses over the journey from carefree young man
to husband.
Ribbon Around The Bomb is unlikely to change too many minds about Blossoms
and nor is that its intent. It will delight long-term fans of the band.
Classic, unfussy songwriting, instant hooks abound as the Stockport
five-piece produce their most consistent record to date."
Our friends at the Atmostonetour twitter page reviewed the album for us
1. TALLIES - PATINA
Patina is Canadian band Tallies' second album, a rich, beautifully wistful
record that's perfect for both a summer's day and a dark winter's night.
With an ear for simple infectious melodies Patina seduces you on first
listen and deepen with every listen from the opening bars of No Dreams Of
Fayres through the ten songs that make up the record. It's no surprise that
the record was released in part by Bella Union as they are perfect partners.
Sarah's vocals have a warmth to them that suggests these songs are deeply
personal, but which are reaching out to share that experience. The lyrics
provide a dark contrast to the light of the music, full of uplifting ear
worm hooks that will make the songs feel like old friends immediately. It's
a record you can listen to over and over again, as we have, and never tire
of.
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