2022...in music

It's been a hot minute, hasn't it? I had an itching to do some music writing. I don't get much chance to properly write about it anymore, because my life is now podcasts and none of them really involve getting to analyse and share what I'm into. That's a good thing, believe me. My time in Music PR left me actually exhausted with music, and no-one wants that.

Post Self Esteem at Glasto 2022. The cowboy hat ACTUALLY reads 'Prioritise Pleasure'.

I used to love sitting and writing this every year, making it extremely personal and (wrongly) assuming that everyone was invested in my musical opinions. It was formulaic; I used to start it each year by going 'last year I bowed down to x, y and z..'. and give a short but sparkly one liner for each, then go into the real analysis. Those albums are now so old. We're talking Glass Animals' second album, A Moon Shaped Pool, Car Seat Headrest's Teens of Denial and Masseduction by St Vincent. The younguns of today will see these as OLD now. So I am OLD.

I now see the primary benefit of writing it; the fact that future me can read them retrospectively and remember what I was really into and how I used to write. I don't think I've written one of these in five years. I did the odd radio show and playlist that gave a neat little round-up, but it's not quite the same as sitting and diligently recording what I really thought. So, onward, onward...

My Spotify Wrapped was, admittedly, a little on the one-dimensional side. At the start of this year, I discovered Self Esteem. It was one of those moments where I felt like I'd stumbled across the best thing I'd maybe ever hear. Failing that, Self Esteem's music felt like it was made for me and what my head needed at the time. My sense of self was teetering at the time. I was a few months into recovery. I was learning to fully accept solitude, queerness and the fact that my mid twenties didn't feel how I thought they'd feel. Her music didn't just make me accept, she made me feel actively proud of it.

In short, she was my top three tracks.

The lyrics from her sophomore album Prioritise Pleasure gave me a sense of peace and direction when it felt like everyone else's compass was aligned in a completely different direction to mine.

'Getting married isn't the biggest day of your life, all the days you get to have are big.'

'I'll take care, I'll read again, I'll sing again, I will.'

'Part of being funny is having some sincerity, and using both of them wisely.'

'You need to be braver, cos I did this all without you.'

'Sexting you at the mental health talk seems counterproductive.'

'You're a good girl, you're a good tall girl, you're a good sturdy girl.'

'There's nothing that terrifies a man more than a woman who appears completely deranged.'

And the whole of 'How Can I Help You' is an absolutely massive 'fuck you' to the sexism within not just the music industry, but everywhere.

Beyond that, there were gigs that were really poignant to me this year. Seeing LCD Soundsystem do Brixton Academy (whaaa!) with my mum (we could not BELIEVE how rough the crowd was), Self Esteem at Brixton and Glastonbury, The Districts in Camden, IDLES, Billie Eilish. I discovered the phenomenal 'O.' at End of the Road, alongside seeing the Pixies finally headline there (and some really unreal sets from Perfume Genius, Bright Eyes, Fleet Foxes, Lucy Dacus and Kurt Vile.) I'm due at First Aid Kit at the Apollo tonight - and it just about marks 10 years since I first saw them. Wholesome! Pure! We love to see it!

James Murphy, you forever have my heart. You beautiful man.

But on an 'annual best albums' level, it took me a moment to really think of a list. There were ones I discovered from 2021 this year that really, really took me by surprise. So I'm going to compile this with a slightly liberal use of the term '2022'. Kind of how the Mercury Prize does it. Have a problem? Use the 'Contact Me' function on this website I haven't updated in six years. Go on, it's waiting for you. I'm really sure you care that much.

No further ado, this post has already had the rambliness and attempted sincerity of an American posting a cookie recipe on their website. Here's my highlights - no particular order.

First Aid Kit - Palomino

The hotly anticipated return of my favourite Swedish sisters finally landed a month ago, complete with dazzling seventies trouser suits. Power to hippies! Power to oversized lapels! Power to flares! Every time I see the girls at Glastonbury, most of my feelings are overshadowed by pure outfit envy.

Palomino is far more introspective than Ruins, it focuses more on the individual than relationships. I can sense an influence from Johanna's journey into motherhood since the last album, dipping toes and waxing lyrical on identity and the spirit of love as a lifestyle and not an action that requires a response. Palomino narrates self-acceptance with a notion of wistful that never dives too much into sadness. To quote their 2014 single, 'a song's never just sad, there's hope, there's a silver lining'.

They turn to glam rock in 'Fallen Snow' and procure wide-screen, horse galloping movie grandeur in 'Angel' There's a real sense of freedom in this album. It was genuinely a pleasure to listen to.

Perfume Genius - Ugly Season

Queerness galore. Perfume Genius wasn't afraid to get weird here after the poppy majesty of Set My Heart On Fire in 2020. Experimental soundscapes rule this album, and Hadreas frequently abandons his sweet, angelic timbre in favour of deadpan and husky to expose the darkness of his lyrics.

Bobbing amongst the dissonance are moments of clean, floating strings. The album sounds at war with itself in the most fascinating way.

This was Mike Hadreas' Kid A. Cenote is his Motion Picture Soundtrack.

Arcade Fire - WE

Arcade Fire! A band so significant to my teenage years. Everything Now, their last record, in my opinion, was OK at the time. Few bangers, a good comment on a terminally online generation. Cool.

This album, however, is tender. It embraces silence as much as noise. And it's deeply melodic. It feels a bit like their attempt to go back to their roots, and as someone who still likes to have a little cry to Funeral, that works beautifully for me.

Each one sounds like it could be the climax of an indie film. Bring it on.

Billie Eilish - Guitar Songs

Oh, Billie. Whilst these songs don't necessarily break boundaries musically, the lyrics are devastating, and her vocal performance depicts someone who is deeply wounded. Billie really has felt some very adult emotions in her 20 short years.

Don't know where you are right now

Did you see me on TV?

I'll try not to starve myself

Just because you're mad at me

Whatever you have to say about her, she knows how to really speak to those who still aren't quite feeling the threat of turning thirty.

Her performance at Glastonbury was absolutely dazzling. I can't believe I get to see her make music for the rest of my life.

The Heavy Heavy - Life & Life Only

I will always back ramshackle 60s vibes. The Heavy Heavy blend all the sounds of the 60s - from soul to psych to Dylanesque folk. Motown male-female vocals wouldn't sound out of place in a scene from The Blues Brothers.

Georgie Fuller's voice is utterly unbelievable - live, it absolutely stuns you with its power and dexterity. I only wish you could hear more of it in this great debut.

Fontaines DC - Skinty Fia

I'm a sucker for a scrappy little Irish scallywag hellbent on making it happen whilst staying completely true to themselves. Skinty Fia makes me wish I could understand Irish. I want to know everything they have to say.

This album, at points, is pure moody dirge. It's less 'me and the lads love having pints and shooting the shit' and more 'why does Ireland not feel like home anymore?'

Roman Holiday is a particular highlight for me. Its moody guitar line feels very 90s. Stone Roses, Verve, modern classic.

Bo Burnham - Inside (DELUXE)

This counts, okay, because he released a deluxe version in 2022 which I won't get delivered (signed, with bonus art and all) for another week, AND this sparkling deluxe version included about ten new songs, plus instrumentals and soundtracky bits.

Bo is a genius. He turns the oldest, most tired joke in the world into a devastating narrative about a hen seeking a sense of identity and purpose, escaping her coop and seeing a glimpse of what her life could be the before being hit by a car.

'Five Years', the most popular offering from this release, is a clever swipe at Drake's occasionally vapid lyrics and self-preoccupation, with little turns of phrase that are so Flight of the Conchords. '1985' is a lovely tribute to Bo's dad whilst also providing another pocket of synth haven. Bo's voice is incredibly strong, and his songs have layers of parody upon social comment upon silly jokes.

I got a lyric from 'All Eyes On Me' tattooed on my rib earlier on this year. It's a sentiment that still rings incredibly true to me.

Have I rambled long enough? I don't even want to go into honourable mentions, because then this post really will go on forever.

This year has been a year. I'm looking forward to reading my letter to myself from 2021 in a few weeks, and writing one for when I'm staring down the barrel of 2024. I haven't been on as much of a voyage of discovery as I would've liked music-wise - but that's why 2023 exists!

I'd love to know what your favourites are and what's missing from this list. Drop me a text, wouldya?

Merry Crimbo, and here's to seeing Elton John at Glastonbury in 2023.

Mwah.

El xx