Top 30 Songs of 2022

[Shrykespeare]

SONG #25


JOHNERLE

Fantastic Cat, C'Mon Armageddon

Great lyrics, nice lively Dylanesque jam. I almost dropped it from my list because of the manbun, though.





LEESTU

Sprints, I’m In A Band

The new act I discovered this year that I am most excited about. The EP this track comes from is so good 3 of the 5 songs are in my top 30, and it would be 4 if one wasn’t released as a single in 2021. The fifth song is no filler either.





SHRYKESPEARE

Scorpions, Rock Believer

We go from here to everywhere
So many moments that we share
All boarded up, we give and take
Love came to me so many ways
No matter what some haters say
No one can take our dreams away

What can one say about Scorpions? They formed as teenagers in 1965, and are STILL GOING. You gotta admire any band that can hold it together and still sell out stadiums five and a half decades later. Though most would say their best days were in the 80s (including me), there’s no denying the gravitas they bring to this album, particularly its title track. It’s very retrospective, a reflection on spending so much of their lives on the road, bringing entertainment to fans in every corner of the globe. Klaus Meine, one of the most distinctive voices in the history of metal, sounds as fresh as he did on “Still Loving You” so, so long ago.





SIX

Black Country, New Road, Concorde

Less than a year after their debut, BCNR returned not just with a second record, but one which sounded virtually nothing like the first. Gone were the elements of tricky post-punk and gypsy dance, and instead we got something more post-rock with occasional bursts of folk and Arcade-Fire-like jubilance. And then, the week the album came out, the lead singer quit, and the band are now on their third phase (which is must quieter and gentle than before). Concorde is my favourite of Phase 2, its relaxed tempo projecting a sense of sunshine which crescendos into pure joy.





TRANNY

Moon Tooth, The I That Never Dies

In what is sadly a bit of a recurring theme on this list, this represents a great track from an otherwise disappointing album. Moon Tooth exists in the sweet spot between alternative rock, prog and metal and this song flashes how they're able to combine elements of all 3 of these genres into a tight, hooky 3-minute package.

[JohnErle]

25

Sprints – “Everybody asks, everybody asks
Do you have a producer?
Yeah we have a producer.
Everybody asks, everybody asks
Is he any good?
No, he's no fucking good.”

It might be fun live, but this studio recording sucks.

Scorpions – Well, at least they're still writing new material instead of just devolving into a touring nostalgia act, but they sound old and tired, especially Klaus. Even during my metal phase in the 80s I could count on one hand the number of Scorpions songs I liked, and this won't change that.

Concorde – This is my favourite song on the album and it came pretty close to my top 30 but I eventually dropped it because the singer and his lyrics rub me the wrong way. I like the Lou Reed vibe of it all, and I'll give a chance to any young band that understands the importance of dynamics, but I think phase three will probably interest me more with someone new fronting the band.

Moon Tooth – Nothing I haven't heard before, but at least I made it through all three minutes.

[Shrykespeare]

Scorpions – Even during my metal phase in the 80s I could count on one hand the number of Scorpions songs I liked

Curious to know which those are. Or were.

[numbersix]

John - it's very very Dylan. So, so Dylan, I'm not sure why I just wouldn't listen to Dylan

Leestu - another one from the exploding Irish post-punk scene. You'll be pleased/jealous to know I've seen them twice in the last 18 months, and had a good chat with their guitarist. Nice gang, and definitely better live than in studio, but bear in mind they have no money for any professional production. I think I prefer the more confrontational sound of Gilla Band or Mhaol (check em out) or the more conventional Fontaines DC, but they're still good.

Shryke - Good for them for still going, but this sounded tired to me

Tranny - wasn't awful but not quite memorable for me.

[transformers2]

Just wanted to let everybody know that I'll continue commenting periodically for the next week or so due to some year-end music/movie list commitments (I finally got around to watching RRR today!!!). I will say that over the past couple I had my first crossover of the countdown, learned that Disturbed and Scorpions were still active and that one member's manbun was not the worst thing about the glorified Bob Dylan cover act John picked .

[JohnErle]

Scorpions – Even during my metal phase in the 80s I could count on one hand the number of Scorpions songs I liked

Curious to know which those are. Or were.

The album Blackout was a big deal at the time, so No One Like You and the title track were faves, but No One Like You is probably the only Scorpions track I would truly like today. Rock You Like A Hurricane was massive, of course, but like most of my metal buddies at the time, I thought that was the point where they sold out. There might have been a few more I liked, but I definitely hated all the hair ballads they started churning out once they saw how much money was to be made in them.

[Shrykespeare]

I think "The Zoo" remains my favorite of theirs. Definitely not a ballad.

[JohnErle]

Leestu - another one from the exploding Irish post-punk scene. You'll be pleased/jealous to know I've seen them twice in the last 18 months, and had a good chat with their guitarist. Nice gang, and definitely better live than in studio, but bear in mind they have no money for any professional production. I think I prefer the more confrontational sound of Gilla Band or Mhaol (check em out) or the more conventional Fontaines DC, but they're still good.

The same is true of many of the artists I have and will be posting, but that's no excuse for cranking everything to 12 in an attempt to out-do Spinal Tap.

[Leestu]

Leestu - another one from the exploding Irish post-punk scene. You'll be pleased/jealous to know I've seen them twice in the last 18 months, and had a good chat with their guitarist. Nice gang, and definitely better live than in studio, but bear in mind they have no money for any professional production. I think I prefer the more confrontational sound of Gilla Band or Mhaol (check em out) or the more conventional Fontaines DC, but they're still good.

That's cool. I hope they do really well...I'm looking forward to a debut album. I'll add some Mhaol to listen to later

[Leestu]

#25

John - Fantastic Cat - yeah this was fun Dylan love right from the start

Shryke - Scorpions - I think this has nearly all of the things I don't like about hard rock type heavy metal in it

Six - BC,NR - great song from one of my favourite albums of the year...even better now I have seen it with the video

Tranny - Moon Tooth - it was okay...started promisingly but didn't end up anywhere special

[JohnErle]

Basically all of us right now...

https://www.theonion.com/man-anxiously- ... 1819577536

[numbersix]

Funny because it's true

[Chienfantome]

#25

John
Fantastic Cat, C'Mon Armageddon
No need to add who that sounds like. It does indeed. Pretty nice anyway.

Leestu
Sprints, I’m In A Band
A bit tiring. Too tiring. Really, really too tiring.

Shryke
Scorpions, Rock Believer
Shryke, after you taught me Tears for Fears are still singing, now you teach me Scorpions are too. Never been a big fan except a couple of ballads I guess. This isn't hard to listen to, but it sounds like a thousand other things to me.

Six
Black Country, New Road, Concorde
Relaxed tempo for sure. Almost too relaxed as it almost got me dozing off, but there is charm in it for sure. Did'nt feel the sunshine or pure joy though.

Tranny
Moon Tooth, The I That Never Dies
Nothing much to say. Didn't hate it, didn't like it.

[Chienfantome]

(I finally got around to watching RRR today!!!

Hell yeah ! 3 hours of sheer joy.

[Shrykespeare]

#25


JohnErle - Fantastic Cat - I'm more a fan of the manbun than I am of Dylan, or Dylanesque. Which is to say, not much at all.

Leestu - Sprints - This was quite good. Would've been better without the simultaneous talking parts.

Six - BCNR - Wow, what a tumultuous history they have, and after only two albums. The song was ok.

Tranny - Moon Tooth - I don't know who's going to win the war between Tranny and JohnErle as to who can piss the other one off the most, but this is a clear shot across the bow. I kinda liked it.




P.S. What is RRR?