Top 30 Songs of 2022

Anything music related. Latest songs, good new bands, and blasts from the past.

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JohnErle
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by JohnErle »

#4

Ezra Furhman – I do like the way it builds, and that swirly/twirly guitar line, but the muffled effect on her voice seems a bit overdone. Definitely worth a few more listens, though.

Viagra Boys – As before, the music is fun, but the lyrics kinda ruin the fun, or maybe it's the singer's overly aggressive approach to them. For once, I wish the lyrics were buried in the mix like so many of the punk/post-punk songs you guys post.

Tame Impala – Nope. And for the same reasons as every other Tame Impala song I've ever heard.

ODESZA – Definitely less formulaic than a lot of your picks, but the chorus has a bit too much of that glossy sheen you love so much. I might give it a few more spins, though.

Mitski – Apart from the fact that she's adored by critics, this is so far removed from the kind of stuff you normally pick. It was very nice and I'm definitely going to be listening to it again.

King Giz – There was too much of cheesy, 70s AM radio, Starlight Vocal Band vibe for my tastes.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by Chienfantome »

#4

John
Shearwater, Empty Orchestra
Strange song. It seems like it started but never really went anywhere. Not bad in itself, but I've waited during the whole song to hear a secong gear that ever came.

Leestu
Viagra Boys, Ain’t No Thief
I like the rhythm of the music, but that's about it. Couldn't hear anything fun, I got tired by that annoying voice.

Ron
Tame Impala, No Choice
It was enjoyable in its genre, although it didn't really hook me.

Shryke
ODESZA feat. Maro, Better Now
It was pretty nice. Nothing I'd listen again, but an enjoyable listen for sure.

Six
Mitski, Heat Lightning
Really nice. Feels like floating in the sky.

Tranny
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Presumptuous
I loved the first 2 minutes. Very cool. I liked the rest a bit less, but it was still a great listen.
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by transformers2 »

Chien: Not for me.

John: My thoughts mirror Chien's. It seemed like the song was working towards some kind of emotional explosion and it just never materialized.

Leestu: Knowing what madness was in store made it a little less exciting this time around, but it remains a strange, electrifying tune.

Ron: They should've put this on the actual record. It's better than about a third of the songs that made the cut. Great hook and those distorted guitar lines sound heavenly.

Shryke: Sorry man, found this to be really dull and uninspired.

six: While I agree that it has a radically different sound than the other material on Laurel Hell, I think it's merely a solid song that's roughly in the middle of the pack in terms of quality.
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Shrykespeare
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by Shrykespeare »

SONG #3


CHIENFANTOME

Benjamin Biolay, (Un) Ravel

If you remember my “Best of 21st century” countdown, you may remember Benjamin Biolay. To me he is the best composer, lyricist and musician of today’s “chanson française”, an heir to Gainsbourg. “(Un) Ravel” starts spoken and slowly gears towards singing, with a powerful delicacy. The rhythm itself is strangely melancholic.

“I think I died a first time at the back of a classroom, from 5 to 16 years-old, I think it’s better we forget it all, I discovered love without a single word of love, I didn’t even know it’s possible to touch someone’s skin everywhere, that on the jugular, you can drop soft kisses, and that in the artery, the pulse is lost little by little

That’s the way things go, that’s the way life goes, a few nights in pink, a few languid zests, the body painful of life, of love too.”





JOHNERLE

Margo Price, Been To The Mountain

I didn't know much about Margo Price prior to this song, but I thought she was a pretty mainstream country artist so I did not expect to see her tripping balls and going psychedelic on this bluesy rocker. This gets my award for the best bass sound of the year.





LEESTU

Yard Act, 100% Endurance

Every year there seems to be one song that captures where I am and what I’m going through and speaks to me lyrically. This is it for 2022.





RON B

Gorillaz feat. Tame Impala & Bootie Brown, New Gold





SHRYKESPEARE

Foxes, Sister Ray

We could make tonight
One of those Sister Ray kinda nights
It's your love, it's mythical, a ritual
Moving like a knife
It's close enough, it's dangerous
Gemini, it's your touch that's got me

I'm sure this song will be too happy and upbeat for most of you crusty old farts, ;) but some songs are the embodiment of pure, unbridled joy, and I've had more than a few moments in the last few years when I needed a song like this. The vocals, coming from the mouth of doe-eyed English singer-songwriter Foxes, have gotten me through more than my fair share of depressing stretches in the past twelve months. Sometimes, that's all you need from a song.





SIX

Yard Act, Dead Horse

Yard Act did not let us down on their debut album (though I did miss The Trapper’s Pelt), with this song being my favourite. It’s not just the stomping beat and funky bass, with bursts of Brit-pop guitar, but also the utterly hilarious and furious lyrics, which blasts out the growing anger and frustration about the frankly disastrous choice to leave the European Union, which only encouraged the rising far right.





TRANNY

SZA, Shirt

Are there more ambitious songs on SZA's colossal new record SOS? Yes. Did any of them make me as comically giddy as "Shirt" does? Absolutely not. Her voice just floats effortlessly over this sea of psychedelic sampling and punchy trap drum machines and it makes for this endearingly hypnotic, mesmerizing listening experience that sends serotonin rushing through my stupid head every single time I listen to it.

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

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JohnErle
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by JohnErle »

#3

Benjamin Biolay – Like Tibetan throat singing, I think you have to be from a certain part of the world to truly appreciate this. Not for me.

100% Endurance – Easily my second favourite song on the album. The less said about the Elton John version the better.

Gorillaz et al. - Tame Impala can ruin anything, Gorillaz included.

Foxes – I hated this less than I should have. In other words, it was a surprisingly pleasant example of a genre I wouldn't be caught dead listening to.

Dead Horse – As I said earlier, the album starts well and ends well, but this is one of those middle-of-the-album, middle-of-the-road songs that drags a bit.

SZA – I didn't mind the music, but the vocals didn't appeal to me at all.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

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Chien: I bet he thinks he's the French Leonard Cohen. Like later Lenny, I wish he spent a bit more effort on the music, as it was almost okay.

John: Nice to hear someone try to push the boundaries of country music a little, and the bass sound is definitely a highlight.

Leetsu: I hope the guys like Yard Act for today's double dose. My second favourite from the album (Tall Poppies being my 3rd favourite), I love its more upbeat atmosphere, and it proves these boys have the talent to be the next Pulp.

Ron B: Second time hearing this, and I quite enjoy the music, even if the vocals are only okay.

Shryke: Well, this got my attention. Not for the music, which is moderately catchy but disposable pop (anyone playing "crusty old fart" bingo will probably have won by now), but the title and chorus reference. Either she's singing about the debauched night outlined by the 17-minute 1969 Velvet Underground epic, or she wants to just spend a day thumbing through records in the Soho store named after said song. Apparently, the song is about the former. The latter sounds like more fun to me.

Tranny: This was great. I should really give her new album a listen.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by Shrykespeare »

#4

Chien - Ezra Furman - I like the buildup. Not sure it's something I'll return to, but good for one listen.

JohnErle - Shearwater - Isn't "empty orchestra" what "karaoke" means? Just wondering... Anyway, I really liked this.

Leestu - Viagra Boys - Not for me. Again.

Ron B - Tame Impala - Love this guy's style. This is not one of my favorites of his, but it's good.

Six - Mitski - This did nothing for me.

Tranny - King Giz and the Liz Wiz - Neither did this.
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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Shrykespeare
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by Shrykespeare »

#3


Chien - Benjamin Biolay - He might be the French Lou Reed, but I doubt I would like this even if I was fluent in French.

JohnErle - Margo Price - Those opening bars were very Doors-ish, which I appreciated. The rest was just ok.

Leestu - Yard Act - This band is obviously an acquired taste. I'm not there yet.

Ron B - Gorillaz feat. Tame Impala and Bootie Brown - FINALLY!! A Crossover!!! YES!!! Obviously, I love this (my #12). Thanks, Ron!

Six - Yard Act - See above. I liked the upbeat tempo on this one, though.

Tranny - SZA - This is some deep shirt. Heavy shirt? Pretty cool, though the genre is not one I like.
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by Shrykespeare »

SONG #2


CHIENFANTOME

Phoenix, Winter Solstice

It had been a while since I listened to Phoenix. The French band had kind of disappeared from my radar when I listened to their new album this year. I’d say it’s a rather good album, even if sometimes they do songs that sound too much Phoenix, without much novelty. But Winter Solstice is a marvel. It’s a song that makes you float.





JOHNERLE

Gaby Moreno, 'Til Waking Light

Gaby Moreno was born in Guatemala but raised in LA, so her style is a mix of Latin and Western influences. I'm not going to say any more about her because I don't want to spoil this song, so let's just say that the girl can sing.





LEESTU

Black Country, New Road, Basketball Shoes

This is top quality songwriting at its best!!!





RON B

alt-j, The Actor





SHRYKESPEARE

Muse, Verona

You and me throw caution to the wind
And I will risk everything just to feel
The warmth and the voltage of your skin
If this is my last day on Earth, I just want to be with you
You are all that's true

This should surprise no one, given that the #1 song in my 2000-2019 song was a Muse song. Their 2022 album, Will of the People, was a bit of a disappointment compared to their past work, but there was one song that really hit me. Matt Bellamy’s voice, so full of longing, wraps around this beautiful love song that was clearly written during the pandemic, at a time when everyone around the globe was forced (or, at least, TOLD) to stay away from each other. I love the video as well, featuring two dancers who move so sensually yet never touch. Bravo, Muse.





SIX

Kendrick Lamar, Count Me Out

Kendrick is an endlessly fascinating artist, his ambitions seemingly endless and exciting. Count Me Out starts the second half of his latest album, and marks a more introspective turn, as he details his inner struggle with himself, as his ego has led to arrogance and many mistakes, leaving him a wreck of anxiety and regret that he desperately needs to overcome.





TRANNY

The Weeknd, Less Than Zero

The Weeknd's well-documented obsession with 80's synthpop has spawned yet another towering home run with this rousing, infectious number that closes out his newest record Dawn FM.

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

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

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Reminder of the schedule for posting your lists and your #1 song:

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

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JohnErle
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by JohnErle »

#2

Phoenix – Listenable, but too clubby for me.

BCNR – I've given this band, and this song, enough of a chance already. I've never made it through the whole thing, and I never will.

Alt-j – It's not my favourite song on the album, but it's an excellent single. Apparently there's a radio edit out there that completely removes the word cocaine, so you'd have to really pay attention to the lyrics to know what it's about.

Muse – I have liked these guys at times, and then they've lost me at times, but my first impression is that this is their best song in years. I liked the mix of Vangelis synths and U2 guitar harmonics, and the restrained sense of drama that always seems on the verge of explosion –- a bit like my Shearwater pick in that sense -- and the production even sounds great, at least on YouTube. Congrats, Shryke. Like Sam and Frodo journeying through the land of Mordor, you've endured great hardship, seemingly impossible odds, and a never-ending barrage of snark to deliver a song I actually like. I say this now in case your #1 blows.

Kendrick Lamar – 100% not for me.

The Weeknd – Hey Shryke, will this be your #1? If so, it blows.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by transformers2 »

#3
Chien: While I'm not going to pretend that this would appeal to me even if I could speak French, the language barrier is certainly a huge hurdle when the song is so strongly driven by the lyricism.

John: Vocals were a little bland, but it does have a punchy bass groove and reenforce my theory that modern country would be much more interesting if the artists took more psychedelic drugs.

Leestu: Just painful to listen to. Those spoken word poetry-adjacent vocals STINK.

Ron: Bootie Brown tries his best to sink this ship, but the rest of the song is too strong to allow that to happen.

Shryke: Listened to her record over the summer and it didn't do much for me. This particular track is definitely much better than my consensus opinion on the entire release though. The upbeat energy, progression of the chorus and general atmosphere are akin to a Carly Rae Jepsen track, which is great company to be in if you're aiming to be an 80's dance-pop revival act.

six: The guitar made it better than Leestu's pick, but it's still pretty bad.
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Chienfantome
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by Chienfantome »

#3

John
Margo Price, Been To The Mountain
It's alright. Nice sounds. Cool voice. And the more it goes, the better it is. Nice.

Leestu
Yard Act, 100% Endurance
Not bad. The beginning had me worried, it sounded so cliché. But in the end it goes somewhere and the flow is interesting. But once again, the more it goes, the better.

Ron
Gorillaz feat. Tame Impala & Bootie Brown, New Gold
I don't know. My feelings are mixed. At the same time cool and a bit too tiring.

Shryke
Foxes, Sister Ray
I don't really like the music, but it was light and fun to listen to nonetheless.

Six
Yard Act, Dead Horse
I think the voice of flow of the singer sound really too Brit-cliché for me , as it gets on my nerve when this starts, like 100% Endurance. As the song advances, I get used to it, and so I can start to enjoy the music and it sounds better. And hey, if the subject is the Brit's stupid choice of leaving the EU, I like it. I preferred 100% Endurance better though.

Tranny
SZA, Shirt
Alright, but nothing that really grabbed my attention.
Fluctuat nec mergitur

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numbersix
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by numbersix »

#2

Chien: Phoenix are always a safe option. Never great, but consistently harmless. This was a tad better due to the beats.

John: Very strong vocals here, and the music wasn't bad too.

Leetsu: A great, multi-section track. Lots going on here.

Ron B: A bit like Phoenix, listenable if a little understated, bland even.

Shryke: More ridiculously melodramatic vocals from Bellamy, which instantly make me tune out, though at least the annoyingly prog-rock sound I was dreading wasn't there.

Tranny: More synth-pop! It was okay, but felt a little lazy in parts.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2022

Post by Shrykespeare »

JohnErle wrote:
January 29th, 2023, 2:18 pm
#2

Muse – Like Sam and Frodo journeying through the land of Mordor, you've endured great hardship, seemingly impossible odds, and a never-ending barrage of snark to deliver a song I actually like. I say this now in case your #1 blows.


The Weeknd – Hey Shryke, will this be your #1? If so, it blows.
No, my #1 is not by The Weeknd. It does feature a Black guy, though. Two, actually. And if you remember at this time last year, I posted a video of a song that MIGHT be my #1 of 2022. Well, turned out it is. (Up to you if you wanna go spoil it...)
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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