Totally Unauthorized's Top Concerts & Festival Sets of 2022: Emptying Out the Bucket List 50-26

I say it every year, but 2022 really feels like the year that totally outdid every other year in terms of live music experiences. I'm not sure if it was because of things coming back online after the pandemic, but it feels like can't miss shows were happening pretty much every weekend from about late July through  the end of the year. 2022 was a monumental year because I finally had the chance to knock most of the rest of the bands out of my bucket list, and then some. The result is the largest live music list I've done to date, with an all out recounting of the Top 50 live music performances I witnessed this year.

50. Charli XCX

August 3 at Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN

English pop star Charli XCX received a major boost to her career a few years back when she started experimenting with hyperpop, characterized by unusually higher pitched, noisy, or glitchy frequencies to drive a sense of energy in the music. This was best exemplified by setlist staple Vroom Vroom, which is absolutely dripping in attitude and is backed by futuristic/tech production that makes it easy to picture racing down the interstate in a state of the art sleek, sophisticated ride. The set also featured a full album playthough of her recent album Crash, highlighted by Lightning, a fun stomper drenched in 80s style beats and production.

49. Frank Turner

July 5 at Brooklyn Bowl, Nashville, TN  

Few performers in the business manage crowd interaction better than Frank. Whenever you go to a show, you know you're always going to walk away feeling uplifted by Frank and welcomed as a part of a larger community. And also rocking the fuck out to about 25-30 tunes per night, which range from white knuckle hardcore to more pronounced meditations on time, loss, and life. This show was part of Turner's Never-Ending Tour of Everywhere, which featured the folk-punker playing show in all 50 U.S. states. He gently prodded on the crowd saying that their mosh circle would be pretty good for South Carolina, but this is Nashville, he proclaimed! You guys can do better. He also had a segment where he would scream out the state motto before launching into hardcore rager In Serviam each night, noting that some mottos worked better for that than others. He said he was pretty sure this is the first time someone has ever shouted Agriculture and Commerce before playing a punk rock song.

48. James Blake

October 21 at III Points, Miami, FL 

Normally this would be higher but an unprecedented number of technical errors plagued the set and threatened to derail it entirely. As a result, we got only a glimpse of the churning, billowing production that plays such a key role in the English's crooner's sets. Blake himself was openly frustrated for most of the duration but played through as best he could. The disruptions did shift attention over to his magnificent piano work, highlighted by a cover of Don McClean's Vincent. Some sense of regularity was restored near the end of his set, just in time for a haunting rendition of Overgrown.

47. Melvins

March 19 at Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN

Godfathers of sludge? You be the judge, but what can't be denied is these guys are always a treat. They played the middle slot on the bill before Ministry but after Corrosion of Conformity on their springtime tour and stole the show with their unrelenting riffage and raw power.

46. Mastodon

September 3 at Gas South Arena, Duluth, GA

Another middle slot performance here, with the Atlanta prog metallers playing basically a hometown show on the Imperatour alongside Ghost and Spiritbox. They sound resurgent and re-energized since the release of Hushed and Grim in late 2021. Setlist highlights Teardrinker and Pushing the Tides stack up favorably against anything in teh band's catalog, and are primed to be live staples for a long time to come.

45. Disclosure

June 17 at Bonnaroo

Nearly a decade ago, I caught the tail end of Disclosure's late night Bonnaroo set and got to see Sam Smtih come out to do Latch with them. At that time, it seemed the English duo of Howard and Guy Lawrence were on the precipice of world domination. The moment may have passed them by to some extent since then, but their Friday night Bonnaroo set demonstrated why the brothers still command prime late night billing at the country's biggest festivals. Crowd favorites White Noise and When a Fire Starts to Burn waste no time in turning up the temperature, while more recent cuts like Douha (Mali Mali) show they still know how to get the pulse racing.

44. The Marias

October 21 at III Points, Miami, FL

Imagine spending the afternoon in the waves of Miami Beach and following that up with the smoky, Latin stylings of The Marias? Sign me up, please! A dizzying blend of jazz and world rhythms provide a stirring backdrop for Maria Zardoya's smooth vocal. This stunning combination placed The Marias among the many highlights of Miami's III Points festival.

43. Magdalena Bay

November 19 at Basement East, Nashville, TN 

One of the big challenges in live concert performance is keeping your audience engaged. The Miami duo's future/spacey/bassy sound has a lot to do with that but they have a lot of tricks onstage as well. At various points throughout the set, frontwoman Mica Tenenbaum can be seen playing a flute and wearing an animal mask. Being that they were in a prog band before this, they're well versed in how to switch up the beats and keep their crowd guessing. One of the best examples comes during "Chaeri," when Mica urges the crowd to chat the "three, four down to the floor" part. Which might sound like a pretty standard thing for a performer to do, but it comes right at a moment in the song when the beat changes and transitions to something that sounds truly astral.

42. Animal Collective

March 24 at Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN

Veteran indie pop rockers Animal Collective put our their best album in over a decade this past year, and it coincides with the best set I've seen from them since the 2013 Bonnaroo late night performance. To no one's surprise, they line up a murder's row of the best material from Time Skiffs, but also worked out plenty of new and unreleased material in front of crowds. Chief among them is the slow burning, moody build up of Defeat (A Not Suite), which totals over 15 minutes and the aptly titled "Magicians from Baltimore." They wrap things up with a punchy blast from the past in "Chores" and the delightfully acidic "For Reverend Green," both from the band's landmark 2007 album Strawberry Jam.

41. Haim

September 21 at Ascend Ampitheater, Nashville, TN

Nine years ago I was at my first Bonnaroo, and nine years ago it was when my dumb ass walked away from that stage to get a good spot for Purity Ring (who were okay, but not mind blowing). The next band up on the stage I left? None of than HAIM (with Father John Misty coming later behind them, oof) and ever since then I had been looking for the moment to correct my mistake. With their latest album, Women in Music III being their strongest statement yet it was the perfect time as the pop/rock and roll sister trio gave the record its much deserved showcase by playing all but one of its songs. They can go from kicking out super fun bops like Gasoline and The Steps one moment to unleashing their fury on Man From the Magazine. But the best moment came mid-set when the sisters convened at center stage for “Leaning on You” and “Halleujah,” backed only by a tender acoustic guitar. The full beauty of their harmonies shined strongest here.

 

40. Sheryl Crow

September 1 at Live on the Green, Nashville, TN

Her name hasn't been sexy in a long, long time, but this show is up there for one of the most underrated I saw this year. Her band is well oiled, they have excellent camaraderie, and she has more hits than you probably credit her for. Give Crow a chance and she'll get you moving.

39. Clozee

June 16 at Bonnaroo

When I was told Clozee is a very visual artist I prepared myself as best as possible, but was still wowed. I feel like I was transported to the middle of a fairy forest or something. French producer Clozee, also known by her surname Chloé Herry, has been described as everything from Jungle to Bass to World Electronica, and her eclecticism has enabled her to become one of a select few electronic artists on my radar. This early evening set, taking place right after sunset, set the stage on the first day of Bonnaroo and split my head right open like a atom.

38. Billy Woods

June 29 at Elsewhere, Brooklyn, NY

Over the past decade, experimental hip hop artist Billy Woods has quietly built a career off constructing deep, dark, methodical wordscapes that seek to elicit an emotional response from the listener as much as an intellectual one. That has culminated in what is arguably his most provocative statement to date with his latest album Aethiopes, of which this was billed as a release show for. If you're wondering how that might translate to the stage, rest assured that Woods wows by tempering his hard hitting delivery with an up-tempo, celebratory atmosphere. Accented by the picturesque sunset on the rooftop of Elsewhere in Brooklyn's Bushwick district, Woods barreled us over with career spanning cuts and a long line of guests and frequent collaborators who joined him on stage. One of these was none other than Euclid, who, together with Woods, make up the hip hop duo Armand Hammer, and they took the time to revel us with some of their tunes from that project. What was even cooler was many of those guests stuck around to mingle out in the crowd after the show was over. I actually passed right by Euclid on my way out of the venue!

37. Wet Leg

September 4 at Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA

To call them a buzz band would be a colossal understatement. The Isle of Wight rock duo, consisting of Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers, exploded onto the scene with their 2021 single Chaise Lounge, which bubbles under a solution of sexual tension before exploding in a big, ebullient, fuzzy chorus and final coda, and sounds like it was sung by Napoleon Dynamite's dream girl. It's an unconventional formula that turned a lot of heads and enabled the gals to leave long string of sold out shows in their wake. Their live set is a sprint through their devilishly deadpan self titled debut but is elevated even further by Teasdale's magnetic presence. And what a presence she has. Half the guys there must have left with a crush on her. While it remains to be seen how high their star may rise, they have the live tools to maintain dominance for a long time.

36. Violent Femmes

October 29 at Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN    

Get out of there with that nonsense that only the first album was good. Maybe they never topped it, but the absolute clinic they put on at Marathon Music Works is more than sufficient evidence the boys have produced an full career's worth of excellent tunes. Brian Ritchie, with his signature acoustic bass, and stand up percussionist John Sparrow are the true standouts, impressing with their dazzling array of rhythms. One of the undeniable highlights of the night came when Ritchie took his sole turn on lead vocals to blast out "Dance, Motherfucker, Dance," a skittering punk scat blast with an edge that hits every bit as hard as it sounds. Gordon Gano, not to be outdone, flexes his muscle on a variety of instruments while delivering his inimitable vocal style that has proven so vital to band's sound.

35. Sons of Kemet

June 16 at Bonnaroo 

If you think jazz is just easy listening, background music, give these guys a shot. They hit with the intensity of a punk or hard rock group, and are dedicated to being firebrand spokesmen on racial issues. This tour was, unfortunately, their swan song, as the group announced they would be disbanding after their 2022 run of shows. Drummer Tom Skinner now has a prominent spot alongside in The Smile alongside Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead fame. Saxophonist Shakaba Hutchings has returned to star in his excellent jazztronica outfit The Comet Is Coming, and they'll be on the road at least through 2023.

34. Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

December 31 at Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN

My only prior live experience with Madam Tuttle came on the blazing fields of Bonnaroo for a blink and you'll miss it three song Grand Ole Opry set on the festival's first day. Was this a better atmosphere for her, serving as the lead in to a rowdy New Year's Even celebration in the Ryman's hallowed halls? Oh, a bit. The gal from California, and her whole band, prove themselves to be dedicated students of the folk/bluegrass scene, and we welcome her with open arms.

33. The War on Drugs

June 17 at Bonnaroo

Second time seeing them on the farm and they never disappoint. This Philadelphia based quartet has established themselves as one of the most consistent and satisfying bands of the past 10 years with their patented blend of heartland rock with a fuzzy coating of dream pop. Hearing those tones ring out under the hazy orange and purple hues at sunset enhances what is already a very impressive set, and ensures their legacy will only grow over time.

32. The Chicks

June 17 at Bonnaroo

More than a few eyebrows were raised when The Chicks were announced as one of the main attractions of the Bonnaroo lineup. Those of us who grew up around their music knew better. They've shed their somewhat girl pop leanings of their early days and evolved into an impressive instrumental act who fit in well on the contemporary alt/country folk circuit. This show hit on all cylinders, with impressive musicianship, a deep catalog of hits, great visuals that at one point lambasted Russian leader Vladimir Putin. 

 

31. Andy Stott

October 22 at III Points, Miami, FL

Cold, dissonant, and nostalgic are descriptors that come to mind when thinking of English producer Andy Stott's output. In a live setting, it becomes all these things and much more. It is positively frenetic. It's the most glorious combination of abrasive rhythm and warm sound. The stage also contributed greatly to the atmosphere. It was constructed out of a bunch of metal beams and rafters that enclosed a courtyard type space where you would go in and see him play, giving the environment a unique industrial flavor.

30. Jack Antonoff's 1984 Superjam

June 18 at Bonnaroo

Confession time. This was my 7th Bonnaroo and first time ever experiencing the Superjam. The diminished crowds this year made it much more palatable. This one was based on 80s covers and as always, boasted a great selection of guests. Lauren Mayberry dropped by right before heading across the field for her set with Chvrches to deliver a cover of Madonna's Material Girl, while Spoon's Britt Daniel broke up the pop hits with an assured cover of Echo & the Bunnymen's steely edged Killing Moon. Rising jam band Goose made a strong push this weekend to secure their status as Bonnaroo darlings, and that continued with their frontman Rick Mitaronda making an appearance to drop a great rendition of Take on Me and It's My Life. There's little that's more fun than surprise guests though, and this year's Superjam certainly made its mark with Carly Rae Jepsen's appearance to sing What's Love Got to Do With It and Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time.

 

29. Tchami

August 26 at Deep Tropics Fest, Nashville, TN

Although Nashville isn't traditionally known for house music, Deep Tropics festival has served as an oasis for many of the genre's more notable acts for a few years running now. French house producer Tchami's headlining set was the clear highlight of the festival's first day. It's rare to find a set that you can get lost into dancing like this, forgetting everything around you while becoming enveloped in this dense layer of sound.

28. Denzel Curry

June 17 at Bonnaroo

Curry has started a fire that's been burning for a few years now on the strength of several excellent releases. His latest, Melt My Eyez See Your Future, Might be his best yet. There was little doubt he was going to kill it during his late night Bonnaroo set which kicked off just before 2am. His intensity was on full display as he barrelled though each song without missing a word. One of the most notable moments in this set is what's become known as the 2am wall of death. Curry split the crowd into two halves down the middle and directed the two sides to charge right at each other. After being out here on a hot festival ground all day since 1pm? Are you kidding me? I wasn't sure I was going to survive. But it was beautiful in its own way when you consider that it was one of the most potent ways for a performer as fervent as Curry to transmit that sense of surging energy into his crowd.

 

27. Rolo Tomassi

September 10 at The End, Nashville, TN

Sometimes you really need one of those sweat drenched shows at a tiny club. I had forgotten how good those could be for your soul. These guys are a mathcore/post hardcore/metal band from Sheffield, England, who are readily picking up steam, and it had been eight long years since I’d been to this venue. It’s about 150 something person capacity with no barricade between you and performers, so shit gets pretty intense. It was one of the most cathartic, if not a little bit downright terrifying experience when I ended up at the very front near the end of the show and had the band literally inches in front of my face. It's a real mindfuck because you try to give as much energy back to them as they're putting out for you. Fun fact: out of every show I've been to, this is the only one I've ever gotten the setlist from.

26. Kendrick Lamar

July 31 at Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN

What strikes me the most about the evolution of Kendrick's live show is the visual aspect of it. It avoids the trap of being overly exuberant or over the top and instead manages to strike the perfect balance of being tasteful and elegant. His Big Steppers tour begins with all his dancers taking big marching steps single file up the catwalk toward the main stage, with shoulders shrugging in time. When the curtains are drawn, Kendrick appears somewhere you might not expect -- behind a piano. It's like you're watching the opening cutscene to the final boss of rap music. The new material, from the Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers album, holds its own against his established catalog classics but the highlight of Kendrick's shows lies in music made for your feet, not your head. It's hard to beat throwing down with Backseat Freestyle, DNA, Money Trees, or his dynamic collaboration with his show opener and cousin Baby Keem on a rendition of Family Ties.

Totally Unauthorized's Top 25 albums of 2021

2021 was an excellent year for music, and it's due to a deep class of young and upcoming artists. The entire Top 5 and 6 of the Top 10 are on their fourth album or less (with two debuts!). What's more important is they are creating fresh music in a variety of styles. So it's natural for this to feel like a changing of the guard type year. And it's a huge improvement over 2020, a year which gets an obvious mulligan anyway. 

25. Tune Yards - Sketchy.   

Merrill Garbus's dizzying rhythms have firmly placed Tune Yards into my ranks of long-time favorites for quite awhile now. It's good to see they're still doing good work. Sketchy is the most energized they've sounded in years, and my reward is allowing them to sneak in and capture the last remaining spot on my Top 25 albums list.

 

24. Sons of Kemet - Black to the Future

Picking up where they left off on 2018's excellent Your Queen is a Reptile, this English afro-jazz outfit continues to fascinate with the way they blur genre lines. They mix things up by dabbling in some Caribbean and spoken word influences. The most notable cut is the devastating diatribe on racial injustice, Pick Up Your Burning Cross.

23. The Weather Station - Ignorance

Much has been made of Tamara Linderman's exploration of environmental issues on The Weather Station's breakthrough album. At its most vivid, her writing practically conjures the breeze while sitting on a crag overlooking the sea. On Atlantic, she sings "In the half light, soft wind on my skin / Pink clouds massing on the cliffs / Thinking how can I touch this? How can I touch this softest petal / Softest stem, softest leaf / Bending, green, in my palm?"

The guitars and drums conjure a melancholy undercurrent on standout Robber, while a compliment of horns and flutes close it out with gentle, jazzy, brushstrokes. The first three tracks build a head of steam that dissipates well before the album's close, but it's fascinating to watch them work their hypnotism when they're on.

22. Remi Wolf - Juno

This album is just fun. It's vaguely reminiscent of 00s pop, or at least a character that makes it appeal to those of us who grew up with that stuff. If you've had a rough day, this is a good one to put on to lift your spirits. It's like a little party for your ears!

21. Ross From Friends - Tread

Mostly chillout Electronica encapsulating a wide variety of emotions. Definitely borrows a bit from Burial but also weaves in the playful exuberance of acts like Balamb Acab. At certain points, Boards of Canada even come to mind (on Thresho_1.0 in particular). Approach with an open mind and allow yourself to be dazzled.

20. tricot - 上出来 (Jodeki)

A late release which likely missed most folk's radar with its mid December street date, but worthy nonetheless. All-girl rock outfit from Japan with an impressive variety of styles, running through everything from J-rock, pop, (with some slick background vocal work) post-hardcore, and even a bit of groove splashed in for good measure.

19. Darkside - Spiral

After eight years and a seemingly never-ending staircase of solo and side projects, Nico Jaar finally gets back together with his buddy Dave and gives us the Darkside album we almost forgot we needed. Spiral takes on a much more psychedelic bent than its predecessor, triumphantly showcasing yet another side of the duo's sound.

18. Brandi Carlile - In These Silent Days

A Top 10 contender immediately for me upon release, especially on the strength of You and Me on the Rock, Broken Horses, and Sinners, Saints, & Fools. I cooled on it fairly considerably, though. This one's rife with more intimate, introspective pieces that surely hit hard if you focus on the lyrics but maybe isn't best for the album's overall flow. Mid to low Top 25 feels pretty fair.

17. Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee

I got sucked in to the singles and perhaps overrated this one for a good portion of the year based on their strength alone. The rest of the album didn't hold up nearly as well on repeat listens but even discounting that fact it's hard to not appreciate what Michelle Zauner has put forth. Jubilee is a sticky, sweet bouquet of indie/dance pop, and I eagerly await her building further upon the foundation established here.

16. Mastodon - Hushed and Grim

If you like atmosphere, Hushed and Grim is seeping in it. The production brings out a melancholy vibe you might expect to see with bands like Katatonia or older Opeth, and it has unquestionably breathed new life into a band that had been fluttering south of the Mendoza line ever since 2011's The Hunter. You have tracks like Pushing the Tides and Teardrinker that are among the band's most vibrant singles to date. Not sure this needed to be a double album, though, a fact which brings out the album's only key shortcoming -- a number of these tracks float by anchored too much by the atmosphere and lacking somewhat on sound composition. I would have been much happier with the first disc with Gigantium added in along with maybe one or two others.

15. Squid - Bright Green Field

Out of the litany of English rock bands that cropped up this year, Squid feels the most indebted to the heritage of Talking Heads. Not to mention the obvious vocal similarity with singer Ollie Judge, many of the guitar lines demonstrate the same type of groove that made late 70/early 80s Heads album famous. Their biggest divergence with them -- and simultaneously their biggest ace up their sleeve -- is their ability to weave these dense, hypnotic instrumental patterns over extended sections. See specifically the mesmerizing later sections of Narrator or the long, spacey, belligerent outro on Boy Racers.

14. St. Vincent - Daddy's Home

Dressed in her white shag coat and boasting big, bold, yellow throwback lettering on the cover, Annie Clark leaves no doubt as to where her musical sensibilities lie on her sixth studio album. A certain warming up period is in order for this one. Opener Pay Your Way in Pain slinks and slithers its way in but by no means does it kick the door down, a significant left turn from what we're used to with St. Vincent albums. The dreamy production on Down and Out Downtown is more familiar while maintaining the album's motif. Standout stomper Run packs the biggest punch, while The Laughing Man and Live in the Dream are coated in atmosphere. This one's like sucking on a cough drop. The layers dissolve and wash away, revealing greater depth as it goes.

13. Mdou Moctar - Afrique Victime

Guitar prodigy, traveler from faraway Niger, and leaker of last year's Bonnaroo lineup. Mdou Moctor is a man of many talents. His sound brings many of the musical elements of his homeland to your speakers, but also is deeply indebted to the many U.K. and American legends who shaped his style. Get yourself a front row seat to soak in his wizardry, if you know what's good for you. The man is primed to be blowing minds with his guitar displays for years to come.

12. Lucy Dacus - Home Video

Another great effort from one of indie rock's top young singer/songwriters. The best thing I can tell you is see it live if you can. There's nothing like watching her conjure forth Thumbs to an entire crowd waiting with baited breath. You could literally hear a pin drop. Some of these cuts are assuredly tailor made more for the stage than your headphones or car stereo, but it shouldn't take much to recognize the raw, ass kicking immediacy of Hot & Heavy and VBS, or the cutting lyricism of Brando.

11. Godspeed You Black Emperor! - G_d's Pee at State's End

These long standing post rock heroes barely missed out on ranking in my top 10 since 2012's Don't Bend Ascend, but there's plenty here I dig. The first side presents the type of burnt out, apocalyptic hellscape we know and love them for, whereas the second movement, beginning with Government Came, recalls BBF3 with its anti-government sound sample that runs over the course of the first few minutes but slowly becomes more esoteric from there. Never content to leave us on a sour note, however, the positively angelic OUR SIDE HAS TO WIN (For D.H.), is a rapturous palate cleanser that allows us to leave behind the grime we've experienced over the past 50+ minutes. It wouldn't sound out of place as the closing coda to The Passion of Joan of Arc's Voices of Light soundtrack, one of the greatest film soundtracks of all time.

10. Silk Sonic - An Evening With Silk Sonic

Just a fun album. This is an unabashed love letter to the golden age of funk and soul, effortlessly performed by two current titans of the genre. Every track punches above its weight class, and who can't get down to a bop like Leave the Door Open or Smokin Out the Window?

 

9. Turnstile - Glow On

They may be considered hardcore, but don't let that fool you. Baltimore-based Turnstile has broken through with their finest record yet, and it's a total genre-bender. This has some of the most effectively written riffs I've heard in a long time. They don't try to be too heavy, or too fast, or too indebted to a particular influence. They just kick ass. Mystery, Blackout, and Holiday are a pleasure to listen to again and again. Then you have experiments like Underwater, with its warbly guitar textures that perfectly create the sensation of being submerged. There are other small but effective touches, such as the dissonant piano intro on Fly again. And face it, what other hardcore act is going to have not one, but two collaborations with alt-R&B crooner Blood Orange? I can't wait to see what these guys come up with next.

8. Tyler the Creator - Call Me When You Get Lost

Out of my Top 10 selections, this is the one that fluctuated the most. I wasn't convinced it was worth a damn when it first came out, but I reminded myself Tyler never does the same thing twice. This one eschews the otherworldly production and pseudo-R&B of his last two efforts to let Tyler focus on going big with his rapping skills. His delivery is bold and in your face, especially in the beginning, but his lyrics start to show his vulnerabilities as the album wears on. Each track effortlessly segues from one into the next, leaving you with an impressive 50+ minute suite of uninterrupted music. And of course, I would be remiss not to mention DJ Drama, who is overused but serves as a crucial drop in, drop out presence building Tyler up -- sometimes styling himself as Tyler Baudledaire, sometimes as The Creator. Whatever you call him, he's never less than brilliant, witty, and inspired.

7. Converge & Chelsea Wolfe - Bloodmoon: I

Two artists I've investigated to varying degrees over the years. Never been into what I've heard from Converge. I do like Chelsea Wolfe, although my fandom for her never blossomed as much as I once thought it might. I definitely appreciate that this one has more of a progressive, post metal type of atmosphere. Slow burn opener Blood Moon, coupled with Crimson Stone near the album's close serve as twin bookends that plunge you into the album's dense world. Elsewhere, Tongues Playing Dead features the album's most ear grabbing riff, while the smoky atmosphere conjured on Wolfe's Scorpion's Sting reminds me of something Swans might have done in their Great Annihilator era if they gave Jarboe a song to herself.

6. Pharoah Sanders, Floating Points, and the London Symphony Orchestra - Promises

Another record that took some time to take its effect with me, although I respected it from the get-go. I revisited it when a friend of mine made this his AOTY and said to myself you know what, this is definitely a worthy record. My only prior exposure with Sanders was with his 1969 album Karma, which is nothing short of a masterpiece. Unlike that album, Promises makes no pretense at be overtly spiritual in any way, although it feels like the two albums share a similar ethos. What it presents is a grounded, calming experience that feels just right at its 46 minute runtime. Promises exhibits a rare divergence of artistry, musicianship, and collaboration on a major scale.

5. Black Country, New Road - For the First Time

Black Country, New Road is another band that contributed greatly to the renaissance of post punk/rock we experienced this year. Their rolling rhythms are supported by a dazzling deployment of keys and saxophones, along with frontman Isaac Wood's journal-like, stream of consciousness style lyricism. They demonstrate confidence by opening with a punchy, yet off kilter instrumental before showing off their biggest strength over the next couple of tracks - an ability to build a slow bubbling, unsettling undercurrent without sacrificing their approachability. It builds to an utterly memorable climax on Sunglasses that has to be heard to be believed. The rest of the album feels like a much needed, winding, descending come down, highlighted by what vaguely sounds like a mariachi band of the apocalypse on closing cut Opus.

4. Magdalena Bay - Mercurial World

This is some kind of futuristic, alien pop, and if you know me you know I eat this up. It has this very futurey, bassy production and Mica Tenembaum's deliriously exotic pitch shifted vocal. If you're telling yourself you've heard this gimmick before, it's not. The songwriting is strong enough to carry the album even without factoring in its disparate elements. Every track, especially the singles, are good-natured, ear grabbing fun, but a definite shout out to You Lose! and Secrets (Your Fire). With this debut album, Magdelana Bay have boldly announced themselves as a dance pop act to watch in the future.

3. Black Midi - Cavalcade

In a year of great post-punk/hardcore guitar rock, why does Black Midi stand as the best? The simple answer is their creativity. Their devilish rhythms boggle the mind, but are also very catchy and magnetic once your brain catches up with what's going on. Then they'll baffle you further every now and then with an odd genre detour on something like Marlene Dietrich or Ascending Forth. No band was as good as keeping us on our toes this year as Black Midi.

2. Spelling - The Turning Wheel

With apologies to Adele, this is the pop album of the year. Spelling went big, with a brass band, choir, and tons of other collaborators that help boost this effort over the top. There's a very theatrical, art kid vibe that sounds like a musical stage production, but is also much more. Tia Cabral's voice arrests you immediately on opener Little Deer. It bends and turns in a very unassuming way, accenting the notes as the song slowly builds up and ultimately captures you with that huge hook. Other key moments include the surging swell of the title track, the emotional melodrama of Boys at School, and the whimsy of tracks like Queen of Wands. Spelling has presented a vibrant work that serves as a fresh way of presenting pop in 2021.

1. Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert

Like most folks, Simz first came to my attention with her blistering breakout Grey Area two years ago. But before that, she put out a very different type of album called Stillness in Wonderland. It was much more ambitious in terms of theme and concept, and tried to do some different things with the hooks and general vibe. You also had the appearance of the Simbi character as a unifying link. It wasn't terribly effective because the other elements kept getting in the way of what she does best. So it's little surprise her next move would be the more stripped back Grey Area. But when I listen to this, I can't help but feel like this is an attempt to return to some of the more far-reaching ideas she's flirted with in the past. Clocking in at a meaty 65 minutes, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert showcases numerous sides of Simz, from ally of the dispossessed to fierce fighter striving to bend a tumultuous world to her will. This is easily her most captivating statement yet.

Top 10 Songs of 2021

10. Turnstile - Holiday

You know that feeling you get when you hear a riff that you can feel in your gut? Well, this song has several of those. 

 9. Lucy Dacus - Hot & Heavy

The hardest part is picking which Lucy Dacus song to go with. Almost every song from her recent Home Video album could be viable, but I'm going with one of her most effective foot stompers here. 

8. Mastodon - Teardrinker

There are times when I feel Mastodon's latest relies too heavily on atmosphere and not enough on sound composition, but not this one. Kick back and immerse yourself in this one. 

7. Brandi Carlile - You and Me on the Rock 

Brandi was actually the last song I decided was going to be on my list, before I had quite decided on the order of everything. I almost left her out, but you can't sleep on Brandi! Just far too many certified bangers.

6. Little Simz - Introvert

Here's the attention grabber and chief mood setter from my favorite album of the year. 

5. Mdou Moctar - Afrique Victime

I foolishly missed a chance to see this guy at Nashville's Third Man Records after the Bonnaroo cancellation. From all reports, his guitar playing absolutely knocked people's heads off. 

4. Black Country, New Road - Sunglasses

This song might not be on the list if it wasn't for those iconic last couple of minutes but man, the way this song works that slow buildup into a world encompassing coda is something extraordinary. 

3. Jessie Ware - Please

Although her show stopping album What's Your Pleasure was a 2020 release, the deluxe edition didn't appear until the following summer and gave us roughly half an album of new material. Among those was this glittering tune, which also received its own single. This is the one most tailor made to sink your teeth into. 

2. Magdalena Bay - You Lose!

Another artist with a number of tracks that could have been included on this list. I love how this one sounds like futuristic alien pop and I am here for it. 

 

 

1. Spelling - Little Deer

Such a great vocal performance here, but still subdued so the more you pay attention to it the more you get out of it. I admire the swell that grows as you get toward the end, the big choral feel to it. There's definitely an art kid/theater vibe to the whole production. Somebody in one of my Facebook groups referred to this as being Kate Bush-like, and I think that's a great descriptor.