You saw my worst list appear but you were questioning...Did she like ANYTHING this year? Is she just attracted to destroying the bad albums a second time? Have no fear, I do actually like music. If everything sounded like the half-baked pain that was the albums I listed for the worst categories, I'd probably retire into purchasing reissues (not re-recordings) of my favorite albums. But I am too young for such cynicism against the art of good work. You may have to dig through the thousands of duds to find the gem, but the diamond made the work worth it. These are just my opinions, you are welcome to hate every album I have listed here and question my musical tastes entirely. You will not see as many albums on this list because I am telling you the albums I would stand behind. This extends beyond a good catchy album (hello Ed Sheeran with "=") or something good but very par for the course (Madison Beer's "Life Support", despite the fact I do love the album).
Ocean to Ocean - Tori Amos: After such a chaotic year, this album is filled with self-exploration and inner peace findings. I think we all needed this after 2021 became the worse version of 2020. We are all burned out, angry, and frustrated. This album is good to completely get lost in. Her vocals are fantastic as always.
Blue Banisters - Lana Del Rey: Lana is a very give or take kind of musician to me. I liked her debut work, Ultraviolence has grown on me over the years but is still not my favorite of hers. Loved Honeymoon, did not like Lust for Life at all, was not the biggest fan of NFR. Yet, I did quite enjoy Chemtrails Over the Country Club. But Blue Banisters has something relatively missing from most Lana albums: herself. Much of her stage persona is aesthetic, creating a character and an entertaining one in the least. But Blue Banisters is strangely personal, giving us an idea of who the artist behind the characters are, and what created the character in itself. There are also some experimental tracks for her style here, and I quite enjoy what came of this release.
Star Crossed - Kacey Musgraves: This album is a grower but worth taking the second listens to. It is a slower, slightly more pop-leaning body of work but if you heard Golden Hour this should be no surprise. I actually did not like Golden Hour as an album, and Pageant Material is a sort of watered down version of Same Trailer, Different Park. This album felt new and fresh from her, while also being personal and telling a story (in this case, of her divorce).
If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power - Halsey: I have been a follower of Halsey's music. She is a bit too chaotic of a person at times. She had a strong debut, a sophomore slump, and I was quite fond of Manic. However, Manic's greater issue was shortness and being too inclusive of random audio clips of speaking which took you directly out of the song and annoyed you. Make it a random interlude I can skip, it adds NOTHING. While this album did not quite reach the story arc she was trying to get at, nor does it fix her general lack of cohesion sonically, this is her best album to date. The album does go through a story, one I think is more how she got to the place she is now rather than the experience of motherhood. I highly recommend this album though.
When Facing the Things We Turn Away From - Luke Hemmings: In case you have no idea who he is, he has been the main singer of 5 Seconds of Summer. However, this album extends beyond the band into his own territory. An album discussing struggles of facing your demons and getting through a depression, this is likely my personal album of the year.
Happier Than Ever - Billie Eilish: I am not the biggest Billie fan. I enjoyed her debut ep "don't smile at me" and I only like a few songs on her debut album. I was surprised with the general direction of Happier Than Ever, and I feel she is finding a groove for her vocal style. I also feel listening to this album, she is finding more of a personality and sense of self that she was lacking prior. She sometimes seems to just be a caricature of "I am not like other girls". Here she extends beyond that teenage phase and into something I feel is worth another listen if you forgot this album released.
No Gods No Masters - Garbage: This album is socially conscious without being overbearing. States the reality without being overtly political. The point however is strongly there, with the chaos in the current climate of the world. I think it is the most profound Garbage album to date, and I think it is one of the best albums released this year. It left a lasting impression and a reminder that anger can be very justified.
Soberish - Liz Phair: If you like Liz Phair, you will like Soberish. It combines her shifts with "Why Can't I" and her early blunt lyricisms. There's some tracks that are outside the box for her, but not so outside you end up with whatever...Funstyle was...If Funstyle scared you it is okay to come back now.
Scaled and Icy - Twenty One Pilots: This album has taken a lot of crap and it actually irritates me. Many calling it shallow and a sell out album, even those who are aware of the extensive lore of the albums. I am not someone who follows the lore and I did not find this album to be shallow. I find it a very decent reflection of a technological social media society we're living in and how heavily influenced the current thought process is by algorithms. Sometimes you very much feel strange watching it when you are on the outside of it.
The Battle at Garden's Gate - Greta Van Fleet: For starters, this is another I feel a need to defend. Because it stepped outside what they WERE doing. I personally was not a fan of their prior material actually. I find this more in the vein of the Who, and Pink Floyd content and instrumentally. Which I strongly prefer to most of the things they were imitating before. I find some of the songs on this album to really grab you though. Broken Bells to this moment after almost a whole year going by, stays stuck in my mind. This album is not boring. It is not dry. It is artistic growth.
Omega - Epica: To many's surprise, I like Symphonic Metal. It is one of the only metal genres I truly have an interest in. I find the mixing of the classical strings and the shredding instrumentals to create such an environment. It is so easy to get lost. The vocals are spot on in this genre as well. This album is a standout to me, particularly The Skeleton Key. It has a good mixture of the dark growls and the soft but power in the leads voice.
BONUS: Here's some catchy albums I stand behind regardless.
= - Ed Sheeran: If you like Ed Sheeran up to this point, there is no reason you will not in fact enjoy "Equals". I am more excited for the stripped down album he intends to release, considering the stripped back material of his like Supermarket Flowers is my cup of tea.
Life Support - Madison Beer: It is a typical pop album. It takes influences from all the pop hits of the modern era. But she sings it well and I like a lot of the attitude within the album.
Sour - Olivia Rodrigo: Yes, we won't pretend an absolute breakup album has never been done. I absolutely love this album despite it being generic sour girl. I don't even mind the oversaturation of breakup songs people complain about. Let's not pretend you were never some cringy teenager who got your heartbroken and have it consume almost your whole world for a while.
Young Heart - Birdy: I personally love Birdy, but I am aware many would find her to be boring. She does not exactly do anything outside the box or spectacular, but I was glad to have a new album from her.
Justice - Justin Bieber: I actually hate Justin Bieber as a person so it takes me a lot to write this. Justice is just a good pop album. It is his best album since Believe. And the songs are more meaningful than many of the songs ON Believe or Purpose together.
I wish you a very happy 2022. May we find some more fantastic tunes in the new year to stand behind.
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