Yeah, yeah. I’m late. Look, I’ve got a lot of drinking to do, so leave me alone.
As has been the case over the last few years, I’ve curated two long-play Spotify playlists representing the best “fast” and “slow” tracks of the year. There is no intentional transition from song to song; rather, they’re simply alphabetized by song title. I chose this method for 2022 because I had multiple songs from multiple bands and didn’t want to play them back-to-back-to-back. At this point, I just wanted to finish the damn project. The playlists comprise 70 and 79 songs, respectively. As far as the titles? My cheeky reference to Squeeze and Elvis Costello’s “From a Whisper to a Scream.”
I listened to a shit-ton of music this year, as I’ve been working from home for nearly three years now. As was the case in 2021, I don’t know how many albums came out that I would consider “great” records, but, as always, there were certainly a few standouts. Don’t forget to comment to let me know your 2022 favorites.
With that, let’s get into it . . .
Album Cover of the Year:
Black Country, New Road – Ants from Up There (Ninja Tune)

Song of the Year:
Surrounder – “(Rage Song)”
Top 20 Records of 2022:
20. Mamalarky – Pocket Fantasy (Fire Talk)
19. Field Music – grow your hair long if you’re wanting to see something that you can change (Run for Cover)
18. Skullcrusher – Quiet the Room (Secretly Canadian)
17. Plains – I Walked with You a Ways (Anti-)
16. THICK – Happy Now (Epitaph)
15. Frankie Cosmos – Inner World Peace (Sub Pop)
14. ME REX – Plesiosaur EP (Big Scary Monsters)
13. The Beths – Expert In a Dying Field (Carpark)
12. Built to Spill – When the Wind Forgets Your Name (Sub Pop)
11. Tenci – A Swollen River, A Well Overflowing (Keeled Scales)
10. Marina Allen – Centrifics (Fire Records)
9. Kal Marks – My Name Is Hell (Exploding in Sound)
8. Weyes Blood– And In the Darkness, Hearts Aglow (Sub Pop)
7. MJ Lenderman – Boat Songs (Dear Life)
6. Alvvays – Blue Rev (Polyvinyl/Transgressive)
5. Babehoven – Sunk EP (Double Whammy) and Light Moving Time (Double Whammy)
4. Horsegirl – Versions of Modern Performance (Matador)
3. caroline – caroline (Rough Trade)
2. Black Country, New Road – Ants From Up There (Ninja Tune)
1. Surrounder – Structural Mercy (Slang Church) and Timebomb at the Gala EP
“Wait, your record of the year is two records?!” Well, yes. A record and an EP, to be exact. Pensacola, Florida’s Surrounder released a full-length record as well as an EP in 2022, and I can’t imagine one without the other. Sure, the EP is only three songs, but sonically and thematically I can’t listen to one record without the other. Surrounder is composed of Carrie Rogers (Vocals & Noise Machine), Ty Cummings (Baritone Guitar & Vocals), and Elise Moeller (Drums). A trio with a single guitar shouldn’t sound this “full,” but hot damn do they shine. It’s hard to describe Surrounder relative to other bands other than to say they create a form of Indie-Grunge Punk Rock with touches of Pile, Kal Marks and straight-up badassery. Standouts on Structural Mercy include “Blue Flowers,” “Capitalism,” “Service” and “(Rage Song),” while Timebomb is highlighted by “Andrew’s Nervous Tick,” my second-favorite song of the year. These records are not only musically engaging but politically awakening, too. Wonderful people, wonderful records.
As always, there are no CDs (hard copies) this year. Your best bets are to A) listen to the Spotify playlist (linked below the track listings), or B) curate the playlists yourself in Apple Music or some other type of music app.
With that, I give you the 149 songs that comprise my 2022 playlists . . .
Whisper (The Best “Slow” Tracks of 2022):
1. The Rural Alberta Advantage – “10ft Tall” (The Rise)
2. Market – “26 (Therapy)” (The Consistent Brutal Bullshit Gong)
3. Plains – “Abilene” (I Walked with You a Ways)
4. Frankie Cosmos – “Aftershook” (Inner World Peace)
5. Angel Olsen – “All the Flowers” (Big Time)
6. Field Medic – “always emptiness” (grow your hair long . . )
7. La Bonte – “Angel” (Grist for the Mill)
8. Black Country, New Road – “Basketball Shoes” (Ants From Up There)
9. Alvvays – “Belinda Says” (Blue Rev)
10. Matt Kivel – “Blackbirds” (bend reality – like a wave)
11. Marina Allen – “Celadon” (Centrifics)
12. Black Country, New Road – “Concorde” (Ants From Up There)
13. Bill Callahan – “Coyotes” (YTI⅃AƎЯ)
14. Babehoven – “Creature” (Sunk)
15. King Princess – “Cursed” (Hold On Baby)
16. Lean Year – “End” (Sides)
17. Pedro the Lion – “First Drum Set” (Havasu)
18. Built to Spill – “Fool’s Gold” (When the Wind Forgets Your Name)
19. Marina Allen – “Getting Better” (Centrifics)
20. Weyes Blood – “A Given Thing” (And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow)
21. Nina Nastasia – “Go Away” (Riderless Horse)
22. caroline – “Good morning (red)” (caroline)
23. Weyes Blood – “Grapevine” (And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow)
24. Weyes Blood – “Hearts Aglow” (And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow)
25. S.G. Goodman – “Heart Swell” (Teeth Marks)
26. Horsegirl – “Homage to Birdnoculars” (Versions of Modern Performance)
27. Joan Shelley – “Home” (The Spur)
28. Why Bonnie – “Hot Car” (90 in November)
29. Dear Nora – “human futures” (human futures)
30. Mo Troper – “I Fall Into Her Arms” (MTV)
31. The Dears – “I Know What You’re Thinking and It’s Awful” (Return to Lovers Rock)
32. Horse Jumper of Love – “I Put a Crown on You” (Natural Part)
33. Julie Doiron & Dany Placard – “I Remember Being Home” (Julie & Dany)
34. Weyes Blood – “It’s Not Just You, It’s Everybody” (And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow)
35. Sister Ray – “I Want to Be Your Man” (Communion)
36. Destroyer- “The Last Song” (Labyrinthitis)
37. Plains – “Line of Sight” (I Walked with You a Ways)
38. Regina Spektor – “Loveology” (Home, before and after)
39. Julia Jacklin – “Magic” (PRE PLEASURE)
40. GOON – “Maple Dawn” (Hour of Green Evening)
41. Sick Day – “Meet Me at the Park” (Love Is a State of Mind)
42. THICK – “Montreal” (Happy Now)
43. Dear Nora – “mothers and daughters” (human futures)
44. Momma – “No Bite” (Household Name)
45. Knifeplay – “Nobody” (Animal Drowning)
46. Say Sue Me – “Now I Say” (The Last Thing Left)
47. Shannen Moser – “Oh My God” (The Sun Still Seems to Move)
48. Regina Spektor – “One Man’s Prayer” (Home, before and after)
49. Shannen Moser – “Paint By #” (The Sun Still Seems to Move)
50. Babehoven – “Pockets” (Light Moving Time)
51. Launder – “Rust” (Happening)
52. Skullcrusher – “(secret instrumental)” (Quiet the Room)
53. Tenci – “Shapeshifter” (A Swollen River, A Well Overflowing)
54. MJ Lenderman – “Six Flags” (Boat Songs)
55. Grass Jaw – “Start Over” (Circles)
56. Frankie Cosmos – “Street View” (Inner World Peace)
57. Angel Olsen – “This Is How It Works” (Big Time)
58. Nina Nastasia – “This Is Love” (Riderless Horse)
59. Julianna Riolino – “Thistle and Thorned” (All Blue)
60. MJ Lenderman – “TLC Cagematch” (Boat Songs)
61. Widowspeak – “True Blue” (The Jacket)
62. Babehoven – “Twenty Dried Chilies” (Sunk)
63. Tenci – “Two Cups” (A Swollen River, A Well Overflowing)
64. MJ Lenderman – “Under Control” (Boat Songs)
65. Teen Suicide – “unwanted houseguest” (honeybee table at the butterfly feast)
66. Aldous Harding – “Warm Chris” (Warm Chris)
67. Babehoven – “Twenty Dried Chilies” (Sunk)
68. Dehd – “Window” (Blue Skies)
69. Pictoria Vark – “Wyoming” (The Parts I Dread)
70. Skullcrusher – “You Are My House” (Quiet the Room)
Scream (The Best “Fast” Tracks of 2022):
1. Surrounder – “Andrew’s Nervous Tick” (Timebomb at the Gala)
2. Horsegirl – “Anti-glory” (Versions of Modern Performances)
3. Sunflower Bean – “Baby Don’t Cry” (Headful of Sugar)
4. Porridge Radio – “Back to the Radio” (Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky)
5. Horsegirl – “Beautiful Song” (Versions of Modern Performances)
6. Launder – “Blue Collar” (Happening)
7. Surrounder – “Capitalism” (Structural Mercy)
8. Black Country, New Road – “Chaos Space Marine” (Ants From Up There)
9. Danger Mouse & Black Thought – “Cheat Codes” (Cheat Codes)
10. Pool Kids – “Conscious Uncoupling” (Pool Kids)
11. Danger Mouse & Black Thought – “The Darkest Part” (Cheat Codes)
12. Teens in Trouble – “Decomposing” (Teens in Trouble)
13. Horsegirl – “Dirtbag Transformation (Still Dirty)” (Versions of Modern Performances)
14. Dry Cleaning – “Don’t Press Me” (Stumpwork)
15. Kal Marks – “Everybody Hertz” (My Name Is Hell)
16. Oso Oso – “fly on the wall” (sore thumb)
17. Kal Marks – “The Future” (My Name Is Hell)
18. Say Sue Me – “George & Janice” (The Last Thing Left)
19. Built to Spill – “Gonna Lose” (When the Wind Forgets Your Name)
20. SASAMI – “The Greatest” (Squeeze)
21. MJ Lenderman – “Hangover Game” (Boat Songs)
22. Romero – “Happy Hour” (Turn It On!)
23. S.G. Goodman – “The Heart of It” (Teeth Marks)
24. THICK – “Her Chapstick” (Happy Now)
25. Sweet Pill – “High Hopes” (Where the Heart Is)
26. Meat Wave – “Honest Living” (Malign Hex)
27. Superchunk – “If You’re Not Dark” (Wild Loneliness)
28. Teens in Trouble – “I’m Not Worried” (Teens in Trouble)
29. The Dears – “Instant Nightmare!” (Return to Lovers Rock)
30. The Beths – “I Told You That I Was Afraid” (Expert in a Dying Field)
31. THICK – “I Wish 2016 Never Happened” (Happy Now)
32. Julie Doiron & Dany Placard – “Jean-Talon Market” (Julie & Dany)
33. ME REX – “Jupiter Pluvius” (Plesiosaur)
34. The Beths – “Knees Deep” (Expert in a Dying Field)
35. ME REX – “Lager Door” (Plesiosaur)
36. Sorry – “Let the Lights On” (Anywhere But Here)
37. King Princess – “Let Us Die” (Hold On Baby)
38. Julianna Riolino – “Lone Ranger” (All Blue)
39. Grace Ives – “Loose” (Janky Star)
40. THICK – “Loser” (Happy Now)
41. Frankie Cosmos – “Magnetic Personality” (Inner World Peace)
42. SASAMI – “Make It Right” (Squeeze)
43. PUP – “Matilda” (THE UNRAVELING OF PUPTHEBAND)
44. Tropical Fuck Storm – “Moonburn” (Moonburn)
45. Kal Marks – “My Life Is a Freak Show” (My Name Is Hell)
46. Mamalarky – “Mythical Bonds” (Pocket Fantasy)
47. Bill Callahan – “Natural Information” (YTI⅃AƎЯ)
48. Romero – “Neapolitan” (Turn It On!)
49. Dehd – “No Difference” (Blue Skies)
50. Oso Oso – “nothing to do” (sore thumb)
51. Poster Paints – “Number 1” (Poster Paints)
52. Tigers Jaw – “Old Clothes” (Old Clothes)
53. Beach Bunny – “Oxygen” (Emotional Creatures)
54. Launder – “Parking Lot” (Happening)
55. Mo Troper – “Play Dumb” (MTV)
56. Alvvays – “Pomeranian Spinster” (Blue Rev)
57. Plains – “Problem With It” (I Walked with You a Ways)
58. Knifeplay – “Promise” (Animal Drowning)
59. Surrounder – “(Rage Song)” (Structural Mercy)
60. Meat Wave – “Ridiculous Car” (Malign Hex)
61. ME REX – “Sacred Cancer” (Plesiosaur)
62. Surrounder – “Service” (Structural Mercy)
63. Grace Ives – “Shelly” (Janky Star)
64. The Beths – “Silence Is Golden” (Expert in a Dying Field)
65. Surrounder – “Someone Press Snooze on the Brain Alarm” (Timebomb at the Gala)
66. Built to Spill – “Spiderweb” (When the Wind Forgets Your Name)
67. Sick Day – “Stars Shining Over Me” (Loves Is a State of Mind)
68. BODEGA – “Statuette on the Console” (Broken Equipment)
69. Romero – “Talk About It” (Turn It On!)
70. Jeanines – “That’s Okay” (Don’t Wait for a Sign)
71. THICK – “Wants & Needs” (Happy Now)
72. Field Medic – “weekends” (grow your hair long if you’re wanting to see something you can change)
73. Skullcrusher – “Whatever Fits Together” (Quiet the Room)
74. Sweet Pill – “Where the Heart Is” (Where the Heart Is)
75. Dust Star – “Work It Out” (Open Up That Heart)
76. Teen Suicide – “you can’t blame me” (honeybee table at the butterfly feast)
77. MJ Lenderman – “You Have Bought Yourself a Boat” (Boat Songs)
78. Cinema Hearts – “Your Ideal” (Your Ideal)
79. The Smile – “You Will Never Work in Television Again” (A Light for Attracting Attention)
Well, that’ll do it for 2022. With that, I now ask that you do the following four things:
- In the comments section, let me know your picks for the best songs, records, and anything else music of 2022. What did I miss? What do you violently disagree with? What are you wholeheartedly in agreement with? What the hell else?
- Should you choose to (or if you have already) put together a Best of 2022 playlist of your own, by all means send me a copy, or at the very least a track listing. I’ll do my best to post them on my blog.
- If you’re feeling nostalgic, go back and check out my Best of… mixes from years’ past. There’s a shit-ton of them.
- You’ve got Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and 7 billion other social media outlets at your disposal. Share this with the world, even if you only have two followers
Until the Best of 2023, have at it, you vultures!
BD