TOP 5 ALBUMS OF 2022

Hey Yall!

here's some quick rules. Below you will find my top 5 albums of 2022, this is in a very particular order, as they descend from 1 to 5, 5 being the least favorite. I picked the ones I liked, no real constraints they are just cool. Thanks for reading!

#1- Muppet Movie Soundtrack 1970

“Rainbow Connection” has always had a spot in my soul. I have this bit where I go on a Patrick Bateman-esque rant about how most people see it as just the song that Kermit sings in the swamp, but when in reality most people miss the true meaning of believing and the perceived futility of wishing. The Rainbow Connection is a metaphor just as much as it is a real place. The rainbow connection is where those who believe in the intangible, the lovers, the dreamers, and me, will meet. Give “Rainbow Connection” a couple thorough listens. Please, if not for me, do it for yourself. "Moving right along" is also a great song for road trips, it's long enough to help the time go by and funny enough to keep your attention. “Never Before, And Never Again” is a low point for the album. Not the instrumental, that shit goes fucking hard, I’m talking about the one from the movie. I’ve never been a true fan of Miss Piggy and her singing voice makes me want to claw my ears out. The instrumental though is a beautiful ballad. “I Hope That Somthin’ better Comes Along” is an amazing duet, and will help anyone get over their girl (or guy, I don't discriminate). The instrumental is also just, killer. . I also wish to be at a place in life where I can go to work, go home, read a book, drink a couple of beers, take myself on a walk, and go to bed. “Can You Picture That” is a funky groove which is a great example of 70’s funk. “I’m Going To Go Back There Someday” is an intimate song sung by Gonzo dealing with the idea of a found home which you fit into more than anything else. “America” gives you your regularly scheduled patriotic programming making sure you will give up your life for a 3$ gallon of gas. “Animal Come Back Animal” is the most soundtracky song off the album, with an amazing riverboat jazz breakdown at the end. “Finale: The Magic Store” is a nice track to end on, starting with a final music number and switching to a “Rainbow Connection” reprise halfway through.

#2: Chomp - Pylon

Pylon’s second release Chomp has gotten its teeth in me and hasn’t let go. The funky, esoteric wails of Bewley’s guitar and the haunting calls of Briscoe-Hay have defined my year and often fill me with insane amounts of DIY creative passion. My favorite track off the album has to be “Crazy”. The guitar riff in the hook of the song is mind meltingly good, while the guitar solo consisting of a single chord exemplifies the whole point of Pylon. Artists first and musicians second, Pylon is a band made up of people who decided to pick up instruments as a new frontier to conquer. The way that “Gyrate” starts up just frees my soul. I am still trying to decipher exactly how they made that sound. I think it has something to do with turning a record player on with the needle already on the record, but I could be wrong. I love the silly bouncy riff of “Yo-Yo”. The whole album just has such a fun vibe no matter what it does. Inspired by the B-52’s, Pylon took this New-Wave Fun Funk Sound and kept it close to home. FUN FACT! Pylon actually began due to the hole that the B-52’s left in the Athens music scene for greener pastures. The Athens that these Lamar Dodd students occupied was much smaller, and much less weird. Our plucky heroes saw a small dedicated crowd of artists who needed something to dance to on the weekends and decided it was their duty to provide the tunes. Pylon has taken a spot on my favorite bands list if you couldn’t tell, and I won’t stop educating the ignorant masses about their unsung glory.

#3: The Curse of Zounds - The Zounds

The Zounds have a special sound that most punk bands dream they could achieve. Biting, punchy, yet fun and danceable, The Zounds are able to wrap up their social commentary in a delicious dish that I can’t stop having for dinner. “Can’t Cheat Karma” is the track that I’ve had on repeat all year, but don’t let me take away from other insane tracks like “Demystification” or “Did He Jump”. The drum fill in “Can’t Cheat Karma” is so wonky and always fills me with just so much joy, and the social commentary in “Did He Jump” hits particularly hard when walking the streets alone. I’d relate this album to a nice homemade Salisbury steak with a side of potatoes and broccoli. This is because the album is filling, yet not overbearing. It’s light enough that after you eat it you would be able to go out and work under the hot sun and not feel drained by your meal. “True Love” is quite similar to The Clash’s pop releases, like if you turned the gnarly knob up while mixing “Lost In the Supermarket”.

#4: Mia Gargaret - Gia Margaret

This album is what I listen to when I shower in the dark. That’s the best way to experience it and the best way to describe it. “Apathy” is an amazing opening to the album and introduces you to what it's all about. The absolute mixture of beautiful noise which ushers into you a true calmness is what awaits you for the next 27 minutes. The only complaint I have against the album is that it's too short, I believe that it could have used a solid 15 minutes more of music, to truly allow me to regain my composure after a truly wicked night out. When “Apathy” fades out you are met with “Body” which holds wisdom that I keep with me every day. This album will save you when you are sick, it helps one separate the physical suffering of the body with the existence and perception of the mind. I cannot exaggerate how much of a spiritual experience it is to listen to this album while in a dark shower, the water running over your skin with the lack of visual stimulation will cultivate a special experience. Meditation is facilitated and abstract perceptions appear if one allows them too. This is my happy place.

#5: Walkin' My Cat Named Dog -

Norma Tanega

Walking My Cat Named Dog Is an album that has kickstarted my obsession with folk music. Apart of a weirdly wide genre of “Folk Singers who got the chance around the 60s-70s to record an album and never really got the chance to make another '', Tanega is truly a cornerstone of them all. I am having a hardcore Mandela Effect moment right now because I could swear that “You’re Dead” was in a Quintin Terintino movie, but I cannot find anything other than it being in What We Do In The Shadows. Being the first track on the album it works as one of the best songs off the album, the most consumable by the masses, it’s a true force to be reckoned with. This doesn’t mean that it’s a good representation of what Tanega does best. This is seen in my favorite track “Treat Me Right”. Weird rhythms and a structure of a spiritual revival, the song is substantial and even more addicting. This theme of weird rhythms flows and spirituality flows into “Waves” and “Jubilation”, “Jubilation” being another personal favorite. I will admit the album is kinda front heavy, with the back half being pretty foggy in my mind, but it’s definitely worth your time.