Previously,
The Best 20 Albums of 2022: My Picks #20-16
The Best 20 Albums of 2022: My Picks #15-11
10.
Weyes Blood, ‘And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow’
Weyes Blood’s And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglowis the second installment in a trilogy that began with 2019’s Titanic Rising (one of my all-time favorite albums). The concept of And In The Darkness is rooted in the collective and individual experiences of living through a global pandemic. Natalie Mering’s (Weyes Blood) lyrics reflect a world grappling with isolation, uncertainty, and a longing for connection. The opening track, It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody, sets the tone with its exploration of loneliness and the human condition. Mering’s narrator questions whether her fellow partygoers truly see her, ultimately realizing that shared isolation might be the key to connection. Throughout the album, Mering addresses themes of love, loss, and hope. Children of the Empire speaks to the generational impact of societal upheaval, while God Turn Me Into a Flower reimagines the myth of Narcissus, using layered vocals and synths to evoke a sense of otherworldly longing. The album’s closer, A Given Thing, reflects on the cyclical nature of love and the desire to break free from patterns of conflict and reconciliation. And In The Darkness is a lush and orchestral affair. The album predominantly features chamber pop, indie pop, and folk rock sounds, with arrangements that are both stately and unsyncopated. The songs often stretch past the five- or six-minute mark, giving them space to luxuriate and develop. This patience and confidence in the music allow for a rich and immersive listening experience. The album’s sound is meticulously crafted, with a focus on creating a sense of space and atmosphere. The use of woodwinds, strings, and synths adds depth and texture to the arrangements, while Mering’s vocals are often layered to create a haunting and ethereal effect. And In The Darkness witnesses Mering’s ability to blend personal and universal themes, as well as the album’s lush and intricate arrangements, which is not a surprise by a comparison with her Titanic Rising. In short, And In The Darkness is a proggy prayer for humanity and a beguiling blend of nostalgia and optimism.
It always takes me
Such a curse to be so hard
You shatter easily and can’t pick up all those shards
It’s the curse of losing yourself
When the mirror takes you too far
Oh, God, turn me into a flower
9.
Alex G, ‘God Save The Animals’
Alex Giannascoli’s ninth studio album, God Save The Animals, grapples with profound themes of faith, forgiveness, and the human condition. Despite Alex G’s assertion that he is not religious, the album is imbued with spiritual motifs and Christian imagery. This exploration of faith is not about providing answers but rather about questioning and seeking understanding. As Alex G mentioned in an interview with Pitchfork, “A few people that I’m close to became religious. It made me wonder what they found. I love exploring those concepts lyrically because I don’t have any answers”. The album opens with After All, where Alex G sings, “People come and people go away, yeah but God with me he stayed,” setting the tone for the spiritual journey that follows. This theme of seeking and questioning faith is further explored in tracks like S.D.O.S., where he sings, “God is my designer, Jesus is my lawyer,” through an electronic vocal effect, blending the sacred with the profane. Alex G’s storytelling prowess shines through God Save The Animals. He has a knack for creating vivid, often surreal narratives that blend innocence with darker undertones. His lyrics oscillate between childlike wonder and adult disillusionment, creating a disorienting yet captivating listening experience. For instance, in Early Morning Waiting, he sings of “beautiful sunsets on lost and lonely days,” capturing a sense of melancholy and hope. God Save The Animals is a kaleidoscope of genres and styles, from folk and indie rock to hyperpop and experimental electronica. This eclectic mix is a hallmark of Alex G’s discography, but on this album, it feels more cohesive and deliberate. Tracks like Runner and Miracles exemplify this newfound clarity. Runner is a melodic indie-rock anthem with crisp tones and a heartfelt rock-band energy reminiscent of Tom Petty. Miracles, on the other hand, is a simple country song where Alex G’s vocals are laid bare, singing wistfully about “better pills than ecstasy, they’re miracles and crosses.”
I like people who I can open up to
Who don’t judge for what I say, but judge me for what I do
And when I think of people I look up to
My runner, my runner, my man
My runner, my runner, my man
8.
Beach House, ‘Once Twice Melody’
I see it now in this photograph
Something good never meant to last
Beach House’s eighth studio album, Once Twice Melody, is a sprawling epic that pushes the duo’s mastery of dream pop into new, lush territories. The album is an exploration of love, longing, and the passage of time, themes that have always been central to Beach House’s music. The album’s lyrics are intentionally abstract, allowing listeners to project their own experiences and emotions onto the music, creating a deeply personal listening experience. The album’s title track, Once Twice Melody, sets the tone with its hauntingly beautiful melodies and introspective lyrics. The song reflects the bittersweet nature of human relationships, capturing the longing for a connection that might be lost or fleeting. This sense of melancholy and nostalgia permeates the entire album, creating a dreamlike and ethereal atmosphere.The album’s composition is a masterclass in dream pop, blending ethereal vocals, lush synthesizers, and intricate arrangements to create a soundscape that is both expansive and intimate. Victoria Legrand’s smoky vocals and Alex Scally’s intricate guitar work are at the forefront, but the album also features a live string ensemble, adding a new layer of depth and richness to the music. The album is divided into four chapters, each with its own distinct mood and atmosphere. The first chapter, Pink Funeral, opens with the title track, which features dawning strings and downy acoustic guitars, setting a scene of pastoral bliss. The second chapter, New Romance, includes the standout track New Romance, where a gorgeous piano arpeggio ascends and descends over Legrand’s tearful verses. The third chapter, Masquerade, features the track Sunset, with its punchy springtime guitars and majestic choral synths, evoking a sense of nostalgia and longing. The final chapter, Modern Love Stories, includes The Bells, arguably the album’s highlight, with its drippy, saturated guitar tone and Legrand’s slow-churning vocals.
My love drips in red, out of my mind at the edge of the sky
You feel your heart break and you don’t know why
You’re somebody else, somebody new
7.
Big Thief, ‘Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You’
The title of Big Thief’s fifth album, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You, is a poetic and enigmatic phrase that reflects the band’s exploration of natural phenomena and human relationships. Adrianne Lenker, the band’s primary songwriter, explained that the title is a reminder to pay attention to the miraculous aspects of nature and life, which can often be overlooked in the hustle and bustle of modern existence. The album delves into the concept of isolation, the natural world, and the complexities of relationships. Lenker’s lyrics are known for their intimacy and enigmatic quality, and this album is no exception. Songs like Blurred View and the title track create emotion through atmosphere, with Lenker’s voice subtly distorted to mirror the pained reflections on desperation and loneliness. The lyrical content on tracks like Spud Infinity, with its playfulness about self-acceptance against the backdrop of daily life metaphors like garlic bread and potato knishes, highlights Lenker’s knack for combining the profound with the mundane. The album was recorded in four distinct sessions in four different locations: upstate New York, Topanga Canyon, the Rocky Mountains, and Tucson, Arizona. Each location brought a unique influence to the recording process, resulting in a multifaceted and dynamic album. Musically, Dragon New is a diverse and fully realized album that incorporates a wide array of influences, including Americana, noise rock, and country music. The band’s willingness to experiment with different genres and sounds is evident throughout the album. For instance, Spud Infinity and Red Moon are steeped in the sounds of country music, with the incorporation of fiddle and Lenker’s elongated vocal runs. Time Escaping features a propulsive pop sound that is new for Big Thief, while Wake Me Up to Drive incorporates a drum machine into the band’s existing sound palette, creating an earthy and organic feel. The album also features tracks that evoke ’90s jangle pop, such as Little Things, where Lenker’s voice grows more desperate and feverish as the track builds toward a beautifully minimalistic guitar solo. Conversely, Heavy Bend brings in a more electronic-oriented feel with its off-kilter rhythm and reverb-heavy chorus.
Bedroom rising from an old growth tree
Bringing out the sawmill, cutting the 12 inch beams
Building a pattern, the reservoir to fill with dreams
Rings like Saturn telling their old story
6.
Alvvays, ‘Blue Rev’
Like a thinning wave, what was it supposed to be?
Truth is I’m afraid of sudden change
But when you’re close to me, does anyone notice?
Life disintegrates, what was it supposed to be?
Truth is I’m afraid to turn away
But when you’re ghosting me, does anyone notice?
Alvvays’ third studio album, Blue Rev, is named after an alcoholic soda drink that lead singer Molly Rankin and keyboardist Kerri Maclellan enjoyed during their teenage years. This nostalgic reference sets the tone for the album, which is steeped in themes of reminiscence, heartbreak, and the bittersweet nature of growing up. The album’s title and its thematic content reflect a longing for the past while grappling with the complexities of the present. The album’s lyrics explore a range of emotions, from the humorous and satirical to the deeply introspective. Rankin’s vocal delivery also shows a new level of confidence, often interfacing between sardonic wit and heartfelt confession. Very Online Guy is a standout track that takes a witty jab at internet culture, with Rankin singing about a character who “types his cool replies” and is “only one filter away.” This track, with its lo-fi production, showcases Rankin’s ability to blend humor with sharp social commentary. Tracks such as Easy On Your Own? discuss the melancholia of wasted time and life’s semblance of stagnation versus evolution. On the other end of the spectrum, Velveteen features Rankin’s most vulnerable and piercing vocal performance to date, which delves into themes of romantic confusion and emotional turmoil, culminating in a stunning falsetto belt that leaves a lasting impression. Blue Rev is a rich tapestry of jangly guitars, lush reverb, and intricate layers of sound. The Grammy-winning producer Shawn Everett encouraged the band to record full takes of the album straight through, a departure from their usual meticulous approach. This method brought a raw energy and spontaneity to the recordings, evident in the driving percussion and rhythm that permeate the album. The album’s opener, Pharmacist, exemplifies this approach by combining jangly shoegaze-like guitar strumming with a punchy, emotional narrative. Tracks like After The Earthquake and Many Mirrors highlight Alvvays’ jangly indie pop side, while more ambitious cuts like Tile By Tile and Belinda Says stand out for their bold instrumentation and dynamic arrangements. Belinda Says, in particular, cranks its instrumentation to a level that feels like a light-on-its-feet take on shoegaze, blending loud, distorted guitars with sweet, melodic hooks.
At night I take the calls from telemarketers
In hopes of hearing your drawl
I let them blather on
Without a thought I surrender my credit card
‘Cause I’m still combing through missed connections
I shouldn’t have ever followed you up
I’m out here, swimming in the wrong direction
I shouldn’t have ever been calling it love
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The Best 20 Albums of 2022: My Picks #5-1