Top 30 Songs of 2022

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Shrykespeare
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

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Shrykespeare wrote:
January 24th, 2023, 6:22 pm
As we have done in past year's we're gonna have a day all to each of ourselves to review their entire Top 30/10 and then reveal their #1.

And as usual, I'll go last.


1/30 - Chien
1/31 - Tranny
2/1 - Leestu
2/2 - Six
2/3 - JohnErle
2/4 - Ron B
2/5 - Shryke
Order is set.
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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numbersix
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

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6

Chien: While I like some songs and albums by both of these acts, I wasn't overly impressed by this one. Lyrics were okay but it was the music that was too lazy for the vocals to compensate for.

John: This was a surprise, and a pleasant one as it differs from the many so-so country tracks on your list. Like the vocals and the heavy, soulful music.

Leetsu: It's better than a lot of pop-punk, but just doesn't stick with me

Ron B: Fun and somewhat catchy, but not memorable.

Shryke: Actually somewhat listenable, I guess because here they lean more to the 80s synth side than the glossy 90s hard rock style.

Tranny: Yeah, sorry, just can't find a way to get into this.

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JohnErle
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by JohnErle »

#6

The National – I heard Matt Beringer perform a couple of duets with female singers this year, and I liked them both more than this. This may be the first time I've heard him try to hit a high note, but that's not his strength.

Smith Street Band – Above average for the genre, but it still adheres too closely to the constraints of the genre for my tastes. The last line was nice, but that was basically the only lyric I could hear thanks to the way it's mixed.

Noah Dillon – A weird mix of clever lyrics and childish lyrics. Musically it's pleasant enough, but a bit disposable.

Birthday Massacre – As far as I can recall, every Birthday Massacre song I've ever heard has sounded exactly like Evanescence, so this actually feels like a change of pace for them. I'm glad to learn they're aware of the existence of at least one other band. This was a fine 80s throwback, and much better than I was expecting. If it wasn't for Six you would have had my favourite pick this round, so enjoy it while it lasts.

Angel Olsen – A very good song from a very good album. I'd be shocked if you didn't have some Yard Act coming soon, and there's always a chance you went with Tall Poppies, but if you didn't this will probably be the closest we come to a true crossover, so let's celebrate that before we each go back to posting stuff the other guy couldn't care less about.

Tallah – There's nothing for me in this.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

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#6
Chien: Wasn't overly excited to press play on a collaboration between an artist that I'm indifferent on (The National) and one that I can't stand (Bon Iver). My reaction once it was done ended up being closer to how I feel about The National's material than Bon Iver's.

John: Might be my favorite pick of yours yet. It blends soul and psychedelic elements together beautifully and the vocals are really commanding.

Leestu: Don't remember how I felt about the songs of theirs you've picked in previous years, but this was solid.

Ron: More Aussie punk!!! Liked this a bit more than The Smith Street Band track. There's a real angry energy driving this one that I found to be pretty infectious.

Shryke: A bit of a different flavor for Birthday Massacre, but it still has their signature effective gothic atmospherics. Their songwriting remains remarkably consistent.

six: Ah yes, The Empire of Light trailer song. Believe I said this earlier after John picked one of her songs, but her transition to a folk/Americana sound has been seamless given how well it suits her vocal and songwriting style.
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

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SONG #5


CHIENFANTOME

Orelsan, L’Odeur de l’essence

I almost never listen to rap, but I love Orelsan. There is something in his writing, in his delivering, and in his sounds that holds on to you. And this one might just be his very best track. It’s a song from our time, French, European, global. Pessimistic and powerful.

The title of the song is “The Smell of Gasoline”. Here’s just a small part of the lyrics cause there’s just so many, the first ones.

“Nostalgia that makes them picture the greatness of a France they just fantasized, the look the incomprehension taking ahold of those who have seen their faith being mocked without saying a word, look the fear persuade them that foreigners will come in their living room to replace them, look the despair make them take risks to survive where they have been piled up, listen to the paranoia saying you can’t go in the streets without facing danger, listen to the panic, they’re shouting that earth is dying and no one gives a shit, listen to the hatred, pushing them to the extremes, lighting up the fire and burning it all”





JOHNERLE

Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder, My Baby Done Changed The Lock On The Door

Normally I wouldn't rank a cover so high on my list, but I'll make an exception for a living legend like Taj Mahal. The first two singles from this album had Ry Cooder on vocals and Taj on harmonica so I thought maybe Taj's voice was shot and the whole album would be like that, so when I heard this album opener it was a delight to hear that gravelly voice still sounding so vital after all these years.





LEESTU

Ball Park Music, Stars In My Eyes

Another wonderful vocal melody singalong song from Ball Park Music. They release one nearly every year.





RON B

Genesis Owusu, Get Inspired





SHRYKESPEARE

Dayglow, Like She Does

You know I get so stuck, I'm stuck in a rut
And I start to feel so confused
What use is a song when I write it for no one
And I never knew it was you?

It's like you know me better than I know how
You believe me more than myself
Yeah, it's a great big world
But what good is love without someone else?

I can't say enough about this kid, who was born nearly thirty years to the day after me. At 23, he's become proficient as a singer and a multi-instrumentalist (keyboard, piano, guitar, bass, drums), and his songs never fail to infuse catchy, upbeat rhythms with quirky, positive lyrics. His latest album, People In Motion, is his best yet, and this song shot higher up my list after each listen. It's a remarkably sweet little ditty, which he wrote to his new wife, Heather. It's a tad on the schmaltzy side, but I can forgive that...not EVERY love song has to be about what happens when it all goes wrong.





SIX

Interpol, Toni

I had all but given up on the post-punk revivalists, but this new song reignited my love for them. Driven by a funky bassline, I also am impressed to hear Paul Banks no longer singing about himself and his conquests, but instead watching another couple and being inspired by their love. Sadly, the rest of the album is a stinker.





TRANNY

Cave In, Heavy Pendulum

Cave In's bassist/co-lead vocalist/founding member Caleb Scofield passed away in a car accident in May of 2018. After releasing 9 unreleased demos, including the final ones they tracked with Scofield over the final handful of months of his life as a compilation entitled Final Transmission in 2019, the remaining members of Cave In weren't sure if they'd ever make more music. After taking 3 years off to regroup, they ultimately came back with a behemoth of a release entitled "Heavy Pendulum". The title track to me seems like the most direct mourning of Scofield that takes place on the record. There's a really somber feeling on display here as the now sole-lead vocalist Stephen Brodsky contemplates mortality and all of the difficulties that come with it behind some sparse, spacey guitars and straightforward yet forceful drumming. It might not be saying anything revolutionary about these topics, but how it's able to evoke these feelings in the execution of the vocals and instrumentation make it a powerful listen nonetheless.

Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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numbersix
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

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5

Chien: Not sure how to feel about this. Is it edgy French rap or just some posh white kind wanting to sound edgy? Im leaning towards the latter.

John: His baby may have changed the lock, but they haven't changed a single thing about this blues staple.

Leetsu: Didn't enjoy this song. Too poppy

Ron B: This was oddly fun enough to keep me listening.

Shryke: For cheese this was... a lactose overdose.

Tranny: I've heard of Cave In before. This was okay, very early 90s commercial grunge sound.
Last edited by numbersix on January 27th, 2023, 4:26 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

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numbersix wrote:
January 26th, 2023, 6:43 pm
5

Shryke: For cheese this was... a lactose overdose.

Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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Leestu
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

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#8

Chien: Adé
maybe too much of an American vibe and not enough French flavour for me...it sounded like a lot of the pop songs I avoid in a different language

John: Frank Turner
what a nice surprise to hear this from you...I always have time for Frank Turner and his lyrics

Ron: Calvin Harris feat. 21 Savage
well this is the biggest surprise of the top 30 so far...not that this song was chosen but how much I liked it. Two artists that I don't think I have ever really liked anything they have done before - and I have heard a lot, one of my kids likes Calvin Harris and another one gets into 21 Savage - sounding on paper like a strange combination that wouldn't work. But this was actually really great. The mumble rap from 21 Savage fits so well
in this chilled out type dance, like a part of the rhythmic beat as well as the feature of the song. And that guitar section in the middle I did not expect. Everything just seems to fit together so well at a nice pace for just the right amount of time. Yes I liked this which is a rarity in the Calvin Harris type music

Shryke: Joywave
perfectly pleasant background music for a cafe/bar...I would not be surprised to find this on the playlist at the cafe I go to at work

Six: Wet Leg
Love it!

Tranny: Mars Volta
Good on them for coming back together and with a stylistic shift. I don't find it as interesting but I do like it

I'll be back when I can but I host the biggest day of the year every year in my world - J Day (Triple J Hottest 100) - and it is on tomorrow with the prelude (200-191) today so that has been and will be taking up all my time this week

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by Chienfantome »

#5

John
Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder, My Baby Done Changed The Lock On The Door
It may be a cover, and it may not add much to the original, but it's still a cool tune.

Leestu
Ball Park Music, Stars In My Eyes
It's a sweet little song, but nothing unforgettable for me, even if they add some fuse to it at around 3 minutes.

Ron
Genesis Owusu, Get Inspired
This was special, not sure in a way I really like, but it was surprising for sure.

Shryke
Dayglow, Like She Does
It's listenable, but I can't say I've enjoyed it.

Six
Interpol, Toni
I haven't listened to their album yet (damn I'm always late). This is good indeed. Great music.

Tranny
Cave In, Heavy Pendulum
Definitely one of the best songs I've heard on your list. Its old school vibe is an easy listen.
Fluctuat nec mergitur

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JohnErle
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by JohnErle »

#5

Orelsan – That sample of a children's choir, or a squeaking mouse, or a swarm of bees, or hounds with bees in their mouths, or whatever it was, became annoying real quick. And English, German, or French, rap in any language is Greek to me. And now I'm shuddering at the prospect of Greek rap.

Ball Park Music – I had it on my 2022 playlist, but never considered it for my top 30. It's nice, but maybe a little too nice.

Genesis Owesu – The voice is reasonably distinctive, but the music didn't quite grab me.

Dayglow – If Ball Park Music was a little too nice, then this is even more too nice.

Interpol – I've accused a lot of Shryke's favourite bands of always sounding the same, so it's only fair to point out that Interpol are as guilty of that as any band in history. I can't believe they're still milking that same gimmick all these years later. The only difference between this and every other Interpol song ever recorded is that the signature riff is now on a piano instead of a guitar.

Cave In – That wasn't bad at all. It reminded me of the Sabbath-y side of Soundgarden from the Badmotorfinger days, but the singer reminded me of Scott Weiland, which is a less pleasant association. Not bad, but I doubt it'll stick with me.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by transformers2 »

#5
Chien: French is probably the most aesthetically pleasing language I've ever heard spoken in my life, it just wasn't made for rapping :lol:

John: I mean this is a complement, but this sounds like something you would've heard at a smoke-filled dive bar/restaurant/club in the formative days of blues. Just really raw, groovy stuff performed with passion and gusto.

Leestu: Don't feel strongly about this one either way. Nothing really stood out save for the synths from 2:50-3:20.

Ron: "Smiling with No Teeth" was a cool record that I actually just started to re-visit earlier this week since he's playing at a festival I'm going to in May. This standalone single managed to allude me, so thanks for putting it on my radar. While his dance side isn't his strongest, this is a catchy, groovy and fun little track.

Shryke: That certainly was schmaltzy, but definitely not the kind of schmaltz that appeals to me.

six: Not bad and definitely different for them, but it still doesn't hold a candle to their early 2000's stuff.
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

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SONG #4


CHIENFANTOME

Ezra Furman, Train Comes Through

I love songs that grow. Songs that start soft and slowly build something, a strength that gets to you. This is a song like this. Every time I listen to it, I feel it growing, it’s trippy. This song immediately hooked me.





JOHNERLE

Shearwater, Empty Orchestra

The first Shearwater album in six years also happens to be the first one in ten years that sounds like the band I first became a fan of. I'm very happy to hear them return to their distinctive sound while still keeping it fresh, delving into a very mellow, hypnotic, almost ambient sound on much of the album. If I wasn't flat broke I definitely would have supported the GoFundMe that helped keep this truly independent artist making such wonderful music.





LEESTU

Viagra Boys, Ain’t No Thief

I’m a sucker for songs that are fun both musically and lyrically.





RON B

Tame Impala, No Choice





SHRYKESPEARE

ODESZA feat. Maro, Better Now

One route, like there is no way out
They never teach you to reach the stars
No doubt, I'm feeling better now
Gave it a try, and now I'm enjoying the ride

So what if I fall?
Better that I try instead of nothing at all
And I can say it's my fault
I really don't mind, at least I gave it a go

I’d never heard of either of these acts before last year, but that’s an oversight on my part. ODESZA, for those not in the know, are an American electronic duo who are prevalent in the genre called “chillwave” (which basically means its loosely emulates 80s synthpop…no wonder I love it!). This song features 28YO Portuguese songstress Maro, whose voice I just adore. I love how the song starts slowly, and then kicks it up for the chorus. It’s almost stratospheric, and is a perfect example of why I love synth music.





SIX

Mitski, Heat Lightning

Mitski’s new musical leanings have taken her down a somewhat cliched synth-pop route, but this song is a wonderful treat. It’s delicate and moody, allowing her vocals to come to the fore to compliment the tender mood.





TRANNY

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Presumptuous

The final flavor of King Gizz to grace my list was perhaps their most prominent of 2022: jazzy jam band. With its laid-back atmosphere and rich, fluid melodies, "Presumptuous" sounds like something that would be played at a brunch spot in Colorado that had a psilocybin mushroom omelet bar.

Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by Shrykespeare »

#5

Chien - L'Odeur - Never heard a French rapper before. I think I'll stick to German rap.

JohnErle - Taj Mahal feat. Ry Cooder - I had no idea Ry Cooder was still alive. Good for him. Didn't much care for this.

Leestu - Ball Park Music - Really enjoyed this. The buildup was terrific.

Ron B - Genesis Owusu - Not bad, but not something I'll return to.

Six - Interpol - I remember from past countdowns some really cool Interpol songs (were they yours?), and this one was cool too.

Tranny - Cave In - Really liked this, Tran. One of your better picks.
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by numbersix »

4

Chien: I've heard his name a lot, and pretty sure his music is used in the TV series Sex Education. This was nice, and as you said the slow build is impressive.

John: A very quiet, unassuming song, with seemingly no structure. But it was decent.

Leetsu: Snap! And I saw them live last week. And they opened with this banger!

Ron B: Like most Lame Impala songs, I really enjoy the start but feel it doesn't go anywhere. But still a nice listen.

Shryke: Almost started off okay, but then got a little uninteresting for me

Tranny: Very unconventional for King Gizzard. I prefer their wilder side.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by Ron Burgundy »

#8

CHIENFANTOME
Adé - Its kinda nice. I didn't dislike it. 5/10

JOHNERLE
Frank Turner - Not for me. 3/10

LEESTU
Dope Lemon - Ive heard this one before. Its a thumbs up from me. 6.5/10

SHRYKESPEARE
Joywave - I got into this. Nice one. 6.5/10

SIX
Wet Leg - Another one ive heard of, i was wrong about thinking ive not heard of Wet Leg. Its catchy yes but doesn't raise the bar. 6/10

TRANNY
The Mars Volta - I used to like this band, was never sure if they retired or went on hiatus. Some parts of this i really liked. 7/10
“One time I wrestled a giraffe to the ground with my bare hands.” — Dale

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