2022 Was a pretty good year for new music releases.
These are my favorites.
No particular order since the type of music is so varied but the ones with asterisks may have gotten just a little more play.
Usually, I do a Top 15 or 20 but this year I could only narrow to 30 something
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Horsegirl - Versions of Modern (Matador) - Drony, melodic, and noisy in all the right places. In my opinion much better than that other all-female band sopping up all the hype this year (For fans of: Helium, Young Marble Giants, Sonic Youth)
Ex-Void - Bigger Than Before (Don Giovanni) - Noisy and buzzing melodic pop with intertwining male and female vocals from ex-members of Joana Gruesome (For fans of: Heavenly, Velocity Girl, Joana Gruesome)
Thee Oh Sees - A Foul Form (Castleface)* - the ever-prolific Los Angeles by way of San Francisco band goes anarcho punk on this one (For fans of Crass, Rudimentary Peni, Conflict)
Mountain Goats - Bleed Out (Merge) - Not the usual Mountain Goats fair here. This is a tribute to action movies of the 1980s (For fans of 80's action movies)
Anxious - Little Green Houses (Run For Cover) * - This band has come a long way in a short time. Just a few years ago they were very noisy angular emo. On this album, they go for more of a late 90's/early 00's pop/emo sound, with some growly vocals thrown about. (For fans of Glasseater, (early) Jimmy Eat World, (later) Jawbreaker)
No Plan - EP (Indecision) * - Various members of Orange County hardcore bands show their appreciation for 90's pop/punk. Singer Eva Hall's (also of the band Power Alone) vocals may be a little harsh for some but give them a hot because they fit the songs perfectly (For fans of Tilt!, Fifteen, Discount)
Chat Pile - Gods Country (Flenser) - Oaklahoma noise rock with a singer who is equal parts Paige Hamilton and Bobcat Goldthwait (For fans of Helmet, Unsane, Jawbox)
Beach Rats - Rat Beat (Epitaph)* - Ari from Lifetime, a couple members of the Bouncing Souls, and Brian Baker (of Dag Nasty, Minor Threat, Bad Religion, Fake Names, et all) team up for some old-school punk rock with tons of hooks (For fans of Lifetime, the less melodic Queers songs, and Kid Dynamite)
Nina Nastasia- Rudderless Horse (Temporary Residence)* - Singer/songwriter returns after 12 years with an album about her long-time partner who committed suicide the day after she left him. Very intense stuff here. Produced by Steve Albini. (For fans of Iris Dement, and Cat Power)
Crushed on You - This is Where the Party Starts (Indecision) - Record in 2008 but never officially released. Justin Pearson of Unbroken and Kill Holiday with a couple other Orange County hardcore alumni. The band took their name from an Unbroken song but their sound was from Kill Holiday. However, they did make it more upbeat and louder this time around. (For fans of Kill Holiday, The Wildhearts, and Manic Street Preachers)
Interrupters - In the Wild (Hellcat) - Very catchy melodic punk rock with a slight ska influence coming through the long-running band. Lead by the vocals of Aimee (Allen) Interrupter. I'd skip over the "featuring "insert name here" songs. The bad really sound great on their own. (For fans of: Distillers, early No Doubt, The Selecter)
The Prize - Wrong Side of Town EP (Anti Fade)* - Australian Power/Pop punk with male and female vocals and so many hooks. (For fans of The Fastbacks, Rezillos, Exploding Hearts)
Pulley - Golden Life (SBAM) - Long running Orange County melodic punk band with Scott Radinsky from Sacred Straight, Ten Foot Pole, and the Chicago White Sox (really) on vocals. (For fans of Orange County melodic punk rock)
Belle and Sebastian - A Bit of Previous (Jeepster/Matador) * - 2023 was the year I finally made a deep dive into Belle and Sebastian. This album's May release is what set it off. (For fans of Camera Obscura, Magnetic Fields, and Stereolab)
The Mysterines - S/T (Universal) - UK band that lives up to the hype with loud driving 90's alternative rock guitars. (For fans of Hole, The Stooges, PJ Harvey)
Hammered Hulls - Careening (Dischord) - Alec Mackaye lead angular D.C. band. Also features Mary Timony (from Helium, Wild Flag, Ex Hex) on bass (For fans of The Minutemen, Gang of Four, Circus Lupus)
The Bobby Lees -Bellevue (Ipecac)* - Named after a ghost that would visit singer Sam Quartan, The Bobby Lee's play unhinged rock n' Roll that is the perfect mixture of Concrete Blonde and Jon Spencer Blue Explosion. If you check them out, make sure to stay for the raucous Waterboys cover that closes out the album (For fans of Concrete Blonde, Boss Hog, John Spencer Blues Explosion)
Onelinedrawing- Tenderwild (Iodine) - Jonah Mantranga's new set of his patented stripped-down positive introspective songs he has been doing so well for the past 20-plus years. I saw him live in October, taking all requests from the audience on what we wanted him to play. (For fans of:
Witch Fever - Congregation (Music for Nations) - Loud Black Sabbath-influenced madness, with a touch of goth, from the UK. This time with a singer named Amy Walpole, who could give Babes in Toyland singer Kat Bjelland a run for her money (For fans of Babes in Toyland, (early) Hole, Super Heroines)
Dazy - Outofbody (Lame-O)* - One-man band Dazy, aka James Goodson, delivers 12 songs of short indie fuzzy power/pop in 25 minutes. All chock full of hooks. (For fans of Teenage Fanclub, Eugenius, Ash)
Cave In - Heavy Pendulum (Relapse) - The first Cave In album I have really liked since their debut Until Your Heart Stops. Great to rock or zone out to (For fans of Torche, Baroness, Kyuss)
Press Club - Endless Motion (Inertia) - Australian melodic punk band slows it down a little on this one channeling Team Dresch. Singer Natalie Foster possesses such an awesome voice. I can't wait to see what these guys do in the future. (For fans of Team Dresch, The Gits, faster Belly and Throwing Muses songs)
Omega Glory - S/T (State of Mind) - Pulverizing grinding downtuned noisyness. The vinyl sounds good on 33 1/3, which I first played it on by accident as well as the intended 45. (For fans of Deadguy/Kiss it Goodbye, Carcass, Botch)
Scrunchies - Feral Coast (Dirtnap) - Fast, rock and rockin', full of distortion, and kicking up a bunch of dirt. Would not have been out of place on Empty or Sympathy for the Record Industry. (For fans of: Red Aunts, Sleater-Kinney, Bratmobile)
Forever Unclean - Best (Disconnect Disconnect) - Spaztic out or control pop/punk out of Copenhagen. Released on January 1rst, thus just making this list (for fans of early Alkaline Trio, Action Patrol, 80's Lookout Records bands)
Déjà Vega - Personal Hell (Paperhead) - A loud mix of Brit Pop and Post Punk. Ringing guitars and a load of melody all throughout. Unbelievable that such a wonderful racket is being played by only a three-piece group. (For fans of Shame, Stellastar, Bloc Party)
Supercrush- Melody Maker EP (Supercrush) - Sugary power/pop played by former hardcore guys. (For fans of: Teenage Fanclub, Swervedriver, Superdrag)
L.S. Dunes - Past Lives (Fantasy) - Supergroup of early 00's "screamo" bands I never really got into like Circa Survive, Thursday (their second album was great!), My Chemical Romance, and Coheed and Cambria. (For fans of the member's previous bands, but more rockin' )
Dot Dash - Madman in the Rain (Dot Dash) - D.C. band mixes a little mod sound into their power/pop sound. (For fans of Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Paul Collins Beat, Boo Radleys)
The Big Moon - Here is Everything (Fiction) -
Martha - Please Don’t Take Me Back (Dirtnap)
Fight the Future - Clenched Fist Head Held High EP (Fight the Future) - 7 Seconds inspired feminist hardcore with a slight NYHC influence. Singer Kelly (who at one time played bass for Good Clean Fun among others) actually sings instead of growling and screeching like a lot of the current female-fronted hardcore bands do. Nothing wrong with that of course. (For fans of 7 Seconds, War on Women, The Avengers)
Rotten Mind - Unflavored (Lovely) * - 77 punk-inspired garage rock out of Sweden (For fans of Marked Men, Night Birds, Estrus Records catalog)
Sunliner- S/T (Lockjaw) - Melodic anthem-filled punk rock band out of Leeds, England. (For fans of: Gaslight Anthem, Hot Water Music, Polar Bear Club
