Honorable Mention:
I NEVER LIKED YOU by Future
The Live Series: Songs Of Location by Bruce Springsteen
pool by Still Woozy and Remi Wolf
10. Come Home The Kids Miss You by Jack Harlow
Come Home The Kids Miss You received far too much hate this year from the hip hop community. I understand that it has a mainstream sound and not the most creative song writing, but it’s a very fun album to listen to. Tracks like “Young Harleezy” and “I’d Do Anything To Make You Smile” are bops, and “Churchill Downs” has an outstanding feature from Drake. “First Class” was the albums’ showcase song, and I loved it. Some were disappointed by the lyrics surrounding the “Glamorous” sample, but I really enjoyed it.
Favorite Song: “First Class”
9. Pay Day Project by JR Specs
While JR Specs unfortunately didn’t finish the Pay Day Project, I have to commend him for his effort. He attempted to drop two songs every month for a total of twenty four in 2022. JR ended up releasing fifteen songs with his final coming on August 1st before throwing in the towel.
What I found to be most impressive was the range that JR showcased. The Maine native released a plethora of hits, from love songs to classic hip hop tracks to unconventional songs that hit the ear in the most pleasant way possible. My favorite song from the project was “Heart Candies” because the lyrics were so well-written and that was a common theme in JR’s eight-month run. “Video killed the Radiostar, father time killed the thing that we had.” Just an all around wild and ambitious project from a great up and coming artist.
Favorite Song: “Heart Candies“
8. Czarmageddon! by CZARFACE
At the start of the year I was turned onto CZARFACE through their collaborative music with MF DOOM. What made my search into their discography even more delightful was that they dropped a new album. Well, CZARFACE delivered. What’s so glorious about this album is how there isn’t a set sound to it. Every song has a bit of a different flare. “Bob LaCzar” has a rougher, lo-fi sound to it while the opening song “Damiens Dinner Time” makes you feel like you’re observing a cut throat rap battle. “My d**k size and whip so priceless, That it deserves a heist flick, and I, Wash my hands before I piss.” (Insert astounded stank face).
Favorite Song: “Bob LaCzar“
7. Mr. Morale & The Big Stepper by Kendrick Lamar
When it came to big name hip hop artists that released projects in 2022, I wasn’t huge on them. I didn’t love Her Loss and Honestly, Nevermind from Drake. One big name artist did do a phenomenal job though, and that’s Kendrick Lamar. Mr. Morale & The Big Stepper was a smash hit with eighteen great tracks.
A lot of the songs were stuffed with perspectives from both Kendrick the artist and characters that he created. Kendrick’s a great storyteller and it’s been a theme in a lot of his music. Mr. Morale & The Big Stepper was no different. “N95” was my favorite song on the album and it probably had the most critical acclaim.
Favorite Song: “N95”
6. Waiting To Spill by The Backseat Lovers
I was super jacked up for the release of Waiting To Spill, and the hype was fulfilled by a fantastic album. A recurring theme in The Backseat Lovers’ music is the build up in a song to a raucous chorus and that occurred many times during the album, especially in the opening six minute track “Silhouette.” I’ll be seeing The Backseat Lovers live in June and, with their discography not being large, I’ll be able to hear a lot of the songs I adore from both “Waiting To Spill” and “When We Were Friends.”
Favorite Song: “Close Your Eyes“
5. Crocodrillo Turbo by Action Bronson
Aside from Waiting To Spill by The Backseat Lovers and The Car by the Arctic Monkeys, this was the project I was most fired up for when the release date was announced. I waited up until it released on April 29, and listened to the albums entirety. It’s a banger and quite possibly my favorite album from Mr. Baklava. The beats Action Bronson uses are beautiful. A song like “Tongpo” has a jazzy feel with what sounds like a sitar is in the background. Then, you skip to the next track and get a melodic piano on “Estaciones.”
While the beats draw your ear in, the song writing may be the best on any Action Bronson album. Every song has their own unique set of lyrics that make you think “whoa”. In “Subzero,” Bronson spits, “Ten feet deep, look like a pile of the blow, Had to choke a motherf*cker on the side of the road (uh), I could feel my blood boil, man, I’m out of control (yeah).” A few tracks after on Jaguar, Bronson drops “Your bitch got a face like Paulie Shore (ha-ha), It takes forever to pull a long .44 out my shorts (uh), I don’t give a f*ck if you five hundred pounds, you gettin’ tossed up (uh).” BARS!
Favorite Song: “Subzero”
4. The Derelict Craft by Schaffer The Dark Lord
This year has seen many creative projects that bent the norms of music. No project did that more than Schaffer The Dark Lord’s album The Derelict Craft. STD has been one of my favorite artists in the nerd core genre because of his wild mind and ability to rap about any and everything. He’s created songs regarding an evil version of the Tin Man, how to use proper grammar, and what would happen if God was reincarnated as a zombie.
What I found most intriguing about this album was his storytelling ability. The Derelict Craft is a concept album revolving around an artist who has enlisted himself into a space program. This program takes the artist on a special solo mission where he’s set to investigate an abandon space craft. Where the twist comes into tell this elaborate story is that the artist wakes up on the ship to find out that it’s malfunctioned and he’s now drifting around in space aimlessly. He spits ridiculous bars like “The Anarchist Cookbook got us smoking them, and Axel Foley taught us a practical joke with them” throughout. Just an outstanding and creative piece of art.
Favorite Song: “Bananacake“
3. From 2 to 3 by Peach Pit
From 2 to 3 benefited the most of any project in 2022 due to when it was released. It came out on March 4 and built up hype leading into the summer time. Peach Pit built the perfect summer album. The project had an upbeat, psychedelic pop sound to it that made riding in the car at night with the windows down or even just chilling in your room a jubilant experience.
I’ve always had great admiration for Peach Pit’s unique indie sound and this album took their discography to the next level. What separated From 2 to 3 from other Peach Pit projects was the song writing. Up Grainville was my favorite example of their elite writing when you hear lyrics like “When you’re sad inside, Whipping up your lines about destroying” and “Even at the cocaine continental, Laughing at the way you cut your lines.” Just a beautiful album.
Favorite Song: “Vickie“
2. 90s American Superstar by Wallice
At the mid-year point, 90s American Superstar held the crown. There was a rockstar project that hit my ears after that, but 90s American Superstar still holds a special place in my heart. This was the second album in Wallice’s discography and is by far her best. While it only has five songs, each and everyone of them is great in their own unique way.
The second track, “90s American Superstar” features A+ song writing. It’s about a girl who is trying to be a superstar in 90s American pop culture. She displays this by using references to songs and movies from the 90s like “Lazy and lonely, dazed and confused,” “Way more than ten things I hate about you,” and “Kill the star on the radio.” The very next track, you get a gritty rock song titled “Rich Wallice.” This is Wallice’s alter-ego of a badass woman in society with no regard for the law. I’m blown away by how much versatility this album shows off.
Favorite Song: “90s American Superstar”
1. The Car by Arctic Monkeys
When I found out that this was coming out, I was giddy. I truly felt like a kid on Christmas. It had been four years since the Arctic Monkeys last dropped a studio project, and the release of a project which ended up being The Car was teased for a few years. And let me tell you, Alex Turner and company delivered. The ten track album offers a groovy sound with a relaxing tone that just hits your ear in the most generous way possible.
What couples so great with the groovy sound is Alex Turner’s beautiful voice. When he sings “For a master of deception and subterfuge, You’ve made yourself quite the bed to lie in” on “Body Paint,” it’s an out of body experience. The higher pitch his voice reaches with the one point perspective of the song is orgasmic. From track one to track ten, you’re left fully engaged.
In the grand scheme of the Arctic Monkey’s discography, I probably put The Car as my third favorite behind Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I Want and Favourite Worst Nightmare. That’s purely off of how good this band is, because I love The Car. With the wait on this release, I had so many expectations regarding album. I asked myself if the song writing would be in the same realm as past albums, how would the album sound, and what new twist will Alex Turner give us? Well, I was blown away because the song writing was perfect, I adored the sound, and the style of The Car was its own. Turner didn’t pull from past hit albums like AM or Humbug. It’s great.
Favorite Song: “Body Paint”
