Philosophy and Process: Curating the Top 20

A few words about the process I go through to curate my annual Top 20 lists.

2022 Album Roundup Series: December Showcase

The last word on 2022, including music by:

Pom Poko – Cheater (2021) Sudan Archives – Natural Brown Prom Queen (2022) Wu-Lu – Loggerhead (2022) Karate – The Bed Is In The Ocean (1998) Schnellertollermeier – 5 (2020) Tony Molina – In the Fade (2022)

the 2022 Dr. Spin Radio playlist

The Top 20 Albums of 2022: The Top 10!

Saving the best for last!  The top 10 albums of 2022!

In playlist form.

Album of the Year Retrospective: 2011-2021

In the spirit of "list season," this look back at a decade's worth of Album of the Year selections reaches back into the text origins of this channel in anticipation of the announcement of 2022's Album of the Year.

Relevant links: Dr.Spin's patreon

Dedicated reviews on these albums: Helplessness Blues Clockwork Angels Give Up Stories Don't End Beauty Pill Describes Things As They Are Love Lost for Blood Lust Turns Remedies Pohja Konn Trophy Promises

Favorite Albums of 2022 Part 1: #'s 20-11

 Part 1 of a two part series revealing my favorite albums of 2022!

Here's the 2022 Favorites Spotify playlist:

2022 Album Roundup Series; November Showcase

Happy Thanksgiving! Here's some great music to accompany your family feast, including music from:

Death's Dynamic Shroud - Darklife (2022) Lunatic Soul - Through Shaded Woods (2021) Frank Ocean - Channel Orange (2012) Absolutely Free - Aftertouch (2021) Lizzo - 'Cuz I Love You (2019) Wet Leg - Wet Leg (2020)

Post on Lunatic Soul's Fractured

2022 Album Eliminations: Tier 6 Part 3

The final tier of the year before finals!  This set was actually pretty straightforward for me, with one exception: Lindsey Buckingham VS. Snail Mail.  Valentine really took its lumps this year: It was eliminated in Tier I when it ended up in a showdown with Cynic.  Unfair, really, which is why it got a second chance at life in Tier 5 and knocked out a lot of serious contenders, not the least of which was black midi!

But for the first time, Snail Mail ran up against an adversary writing in a similar style, and Lindsey Buckingham is, in my opinion, an overlooked genius.  And even in the twilight of his career, he still has it.  The b-side tracks on the album have the elegance of pre-Revolver Beatles, never mind the fact that he just burns it as a guitarist.  Snail Mail put up a fight, but the judges rule for Buckingham.

Eastman Jazz Ensemble - Live! VS. DOMi & JD Beck - NOT TiGHT
DOMi & JD Beck - NOT TiGHT

E

David Bowie - Scary Monsters (& Super Creeps) VS. Porcupine Tree - CLOSURE/CONTINUATION
Porcupine Tree - CLOSURE/CONTINUATION



Skhivosani - დამწვრისები VS.Goro Yamaguchi - Kinkoryu Shakuhachi
Goro Yamaguchi - Kinkoryu Shakuhachi

Watch Yamaguchi play HERE
'
Avalanche Kaito - Avalanche Kaito VS. Soul Glo - Diaspora Problems
Avalanche Kaito - Avalanche Kaito

E

Sault - Air VS. Afrorack - The Afrorack
Sault - Air

Snail Mail - Valentine VS. Lindsey Buckingham - Lindsey Buckingham
Lindsey Buckingham - Lindsey Buckingham

This will be the last elimination post for 2022.  For the next month, I will be sorting through the finals bracket and come up with my Top 20.

The 2022 Top 20 Elimination Bracket will be composed of:

- The Mid-Year Top 12

- A similarly derived Fall Top 12

- 6 saved albums from the Spring

- 6 saved albums from the Fall

- All 6 November albums

Basically, I am going to listen to all the best music from this year for the next month.  Could be worse!

Bobgoblin's 12-Point Master Plan: Never Sell Out

A look back at a relatively obscure classic from 1998, The 12-Point Master Plan by Bobgoblin.

Relevant links: Text post on Bobgoblin's Love Lost for Blood Lust, my 2016 Album of the Year

2022 Album Roundup Series: October Showcase

Music I have had in rotation during October, including albums by:

Lindsey Buckingham - Lindsey Buckingham (2022) DOMi & JD Beck - NOT TiGHT (2022) Afrorack - The Afrorack (2022) Soul Glo - Diaspora Problems (2022) Skhivosani - დამწვრისები (2022) David Bowie - Scary Monsters (& Super Creeps) (1980)

Post on Hama's Houmeissa Post on Venetian Snares Traditional Synthesizer Music Post on Living Colour's Vivid Post on Fishbone's In Your Face

2022 Album Eliminations: Tier 6 Part 2

 

A couple of contentious decisions here, some of which probably run counter to all logic.  For example, earlier this year, I dismissed the Eastman Jazz Ensemble.  A return to the album, however, revealed a level of excitement in the recording that I didn’t remember from before.  That, along with a certain sense of personal connection with contemporary big band recordings that I have not felt in a while, edged it over the clear genius of Relaxin’.

The second, and the hardest, choice I had was with the black midi VS. Snail Mail showdown.  I have not connected with Hellfire in the same way as I have black midi’s previous recordings, but I still have the sense that I still just don’t quite "get it".  Like LIVE!, Valentine was eliminated in January and got a fresh start in the 5^th tier showdown, and with its return came a greater appreciation of Snail Mail’s unique songwriting strengths.  It really spoke to me at a time I still found myself confused by black midi, so I let Valentine pass.  Hellfire received a coveted Fall Save, though, and will return in the playoffs. 

Eastman Jazz Ensemble – LIVE! VS. Miles Davis – Relaxin’

Eastman Jazz Ensemble – LIVE!

Paul Slavens – Alphabet Girls V. 2 VS. Colleen Green – Cool

Paul Slavens – Alphabet Girls V. 2

 

Kate Bush – The Hounds of Love VS. Vanishing Twin – Ookii Gekkou

Kate Bush – The Hounds of Love

 

Bali Gamelan Sound – Otonan, Gender Wayang VS. Limina – Hidden Spaces

Limina – Hidden Spaces

 

black midi – Hellfire VS. Snail Mail – Valentine

Snail Mail – Valentine

 

Bjorn Riis – Everything to Everyone VS. Cardiacs – On Land and In the Sea

Bjorn Riis – Everything to Everyone

2022 Album Roundup Series: September, Triptychs, and Ecosystems

Some music I was listening to during the Solstice of 2022, including music from:

The Lickerish Quartet - Fables From Fearless Heights (2022) Alex Anthony Faide - Particles of the Infinite (2022) Nilufer Yanya - Painless (2022) Ibibio Sound Machine - Electricity (2021) Lemon Demon - Spirit Phone (2016) Loris S. Sarid - Seabed-Sunbath (2022)

Yes' Relayer: Remembering Alan White

A look back at Yes' seventh album, 1974's Relayer, with a special focus on the contributions of the late Alan White.

2022 Album Eliminations: Tier 6 Pt. 1

Tier 6 is framed by the albums that passed through Tier 5, the bracket consisting of eliminated entries from January.  These winners are now going against new music in the Fall.  This was a new approach this year that I found greatly rewarding.  It actually gave some of these entries new life and, in some cases, a shot at the Top 20.

Two difficult decisions this time around.  The first one was Kendrick Lamar VS. The Freestyle Fellowship.  There is no doubt in my mind that Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers is a groundbreaking album that innovates in unique ways.  I have a real soft spot for early 90s hip hop, and To Whom It May Concern is such a pristine and outstanding example of the style that I just couldn't eliminate it.  Lamar, however, received my first "save" of the Fall.

The second was Goro Yamaguchi VS. Tim Reynolds & Greg Howard.  Again, I feel confident in saying that Sticks & Stones is beautifully textured and constructed, especially since is was essentially a recording improvised in 1988 in Greg Howard's bedroom.  Conversely, Goro Yamaguchi's solo shakuhachi work is comparably monochromatic, his expressiveness is emotionally moving in ways that Sticks & Stones doesn't quite access.

Avalalanche Kaito – Avalanche Kaito VS. Leprous – Aphelion

Avalanche Kaito – Avalanche Kaito

Fantastic Negrito – White Jesus, Black Problems VS. Flying Lotus – Yasuke OST

Flying Lotus – Yasuke OST

Sault – Air VS. Juliana Barwick – Healing is a Miracle

Sault – Air

Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers VS. Freestyle Fellowship – To Whom it May Concern

Freestyle Fellowship – To Whom it May Concern

Tim Reynolds & Greg Howard – Sticks & Stones VS. Goro Yamaguchi – Kinkoryu Shakuhachi

Goro Yamaguchi – Kinkoryu Shakuhachi

Porcupine Tree – Closure/Continuation VS. Transatlantic -The Absolute Universe: Forevermore

Porcupine Tree - Closure/Continuation

2022 Album Roundup Series: Refining Styles & Broadening Palattes

Some albums I have had in rotation in the Fall of 2022, including:

Kate Bush - The Hounds of Love (1985) black midi - Hellfire (2022) Paul Slavens - Alphabet Girls v. 2 (2022) Bali Gamelan Sound - Otonan; Gender Wayang (2021) Miles Davis - Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet (1958) Bjorn Riis - Everything to Everyone (2022)

A text post on Alphabet Girls V. 2 Another special post on Miles Davis' Kind of Blue

2022 Album Roundup Series: August - Summer's Last Stand

Here's what I had in rotation in August of 2022:

Porcupine Tree - Closure/Continuation (2022) Avalanche Kaito - Avalanche Kaito (2022) Sault - Air (2022) Goro Yamaguchi - Kinkoryu Shakuhachi (2006) Fantastic Negrito - White Jesus, Black Problems (2020) Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers (2020)

Here's a review of Sault's Untitled (Rise)

Tier 5: The Nerdiest Bracket

Now that the mid-year favorites have been posted, its on to Tier 5, a bracket with a unique construction in this year’s eliminations.  One of the tenets of the elimination process is to provide every album I listen to with at least 5 weeks in regular rotation.  During most of the year, this is an organizing principal.  At the very beginning of the year, however, the sheer volume of new music is prohibitive.  The albums back in Tier 1 only had two weeks of listening opportunities before being subjected to a showdown. 

Tier 5, however, is a revisit.  It is constructed of all the eliminated albums from Tier 1, intentionally matched to minimize stylistic clashes.  These 24 albums were reduced to 12, a group that will serve as the “control group” for the Fall eliminations.

Sound nerdy?  It absolutely is.  It was also the best innovation this year.  I had a chance to look at this music with just a hint of retrospect, providing deeper appreciation.  This “check” tier has provided a couple of them with a satisfying trajectory to the Top 20.

Curious yet?  Probably bored.  Oh, well - here we go:

Sufjan Stevens – The Ascension VS. Vanishing Twin – Ookii Gekkou

Vanishing Twin – Ookii Gekkou

 

Arushi Jain – Under a Lilac Sky VS. Snail Mail – Valentine

Snail Mail – Valentine

 

Eastman Jazz Ensemble – Live! VS. Emma Jean Thackray – Yellow

Eastman Jazz Ensemble – Live!

Shubh Saran – Inglish VS. Leprous - Aphelion

Leprous- Aphelion

 

Juliana Barwick – Healing is a Miracle VS. Cindy – 1:2

Juliana Barwick – Healing is a Miracle

 

Colleen Green – Cool VS. The Red Locusts – The Red Locusts

Colleen Green – Cool

 

Flying Lotus – Yasuke OST VS. Gang Gang Dance – Saint Dympha

Flying Lotus – Yasuke OST

 

Tony Kaye – End of Innocence VS. Tim Reynolds & Greg Howard – Sticks and Stones

Tim Reynolds & Greg Howard – Sticks and Stones

No clip available, but an improvised semi-ambient Chapman Stick and guitar recording worth digging up and finding ten years after purchasing.  Not that I did that.  But I did.

Transatlantic – The Absolute Universe: Forevermore VS. Anathema – We’re Here Because We’re Here

Transatlantic – The Absolute Universe: Forevermore

 

Shadoko – Le Domaine de Seedmill OST VS. Limina – Hidden Spaces

Limina – Hidden Spaces

 

Bad Bunny – YHLQMDLG VS. Freestyle Fellowship – To Whom it May Concern

Freestyle Fellowship – To Whom it May Concern

 

Between the Buried and Me – Colors II VS. Cardiacs – On Land and In The Sea

Cardiacs – On Land and In The Sea

2022 Mid-Year Special: 12 Favorite Albums

Final results of my 2022 Showdown Series!  These albums will have preferential treatment in the end of the year Top 20.

The Kung Fu of Ten Hands: A Chat with Paul Slavens

A discussion about the relatively obscure classic Ten Hands' 1988 release Kung Fu...That's What I Like, with very special guest Paul Slavens.

Relevant Links: An older text post on Alphabet Girls Vol. 1

The extended edition:

2022 Album Showdowns: Tier 2 Week 8

The results of last few Tier 2 eliminations include:

M83 – Oblivion VS. Hollywood Burns – The Age of Saucers

M83 – Oblivion OST

Kalandra – The Line VS. Once and Future Band – Once and Future Band

Kalandra – The Line

Tom McGuire & the Brassholes – Tom McGuire& the Brassholes VS. Cynic – Ascension Codes

Cynic – Ascension Codes

 

Its usually the case that the “genre clash” showdowns give me the most trouble, but even though that Tom McGuire album is the first funk-rock album I have connected with in a very long time, Cynic is really hard to beat right now.  The synth bass on Ascension Codes just rocks my legs. 

No, this time around the most contentious showdown was definitely Kalandra VS. Once and Future Band.  Keep in mind that Once and Future Band was a big, big player last year with Deleted Scenes, and that any real contender would have to deal with this preconception.  It is partially due to the fact that I loved that album SO much in 2021 that the nearly imperceptible lean towards a more traditional prog approach worked against them ever so slightly.  Kalandra, on the other hand, has impressed me from the first listen.  I have found it very difficult to let go of the idea of continuing my engagement with the album, so it goes on.

2022 Album Showdown Series: Tier 4 Part 1

This final tier is comprised of music that showed up in November and December of 2021.  The albums listen to this time of year always gets the short end of the stick, because unless they are particularly compelling, they don’t get the opportunity to stand the test of time that others enjoy.  To address this, last year I instigated the “punt,” allowing these albums to size up in a round against the Spring finalists.  The results from the first six of these Tier 4 showdowns are as follows:

Tears for Fears – The Tipping Point VS. Hans Zimmer – Dune OST

Tears for Fears – The Tipping Point

!

The Buggles – The Age of Plastic VS. Vodun – Ascend

The Buggles – The Age of Plastic

Squarepusher – Feed Me Weird Things VS. Beauty Pill – Sorry You’re Here

Beauty Pill – Sorry You’re Here

!

Deafheaven – Infinite Granite VS. Soccer Mommy – Color Theory

Soccer Mommy – Color Theory

!

Injury Reserve – By the Time I Get to Phoenix VS. Amythyst Kiah – Wary + Strange

Amythyst Kiah – Wary + Strange

HERE!!

Chassol – Indiamore VS. A.C.T. – Imaginary Friends

Chassol – Indiamore

By and large, there was only one upset.  Chassol’s Indiamore was really, really compelling back in December, and coming back to revisit it only reinforced its genius.  Dune gave The Tipping Point a run for its money, but despite its masterful creativity, it is most effective in its role as a soundtrack to the movie and not as much as a standalone musical experience.

2022 Album Roundup Series: June Came Much Too Soon

Last roundup before the mid-year top 10, including:

Neutral Milk Hotel – In the Airplane Over the Sea (1998)
Kalandra – The Line (2020)
Once and Future Band – Once and Future Band (2017)
Deep Energy Orchestra – The Return (2020)
Hollywood Burns – The Age of the Saucers (2021)
Konono No.1 – Congotronics (2004)



Relevant Links:

Previous Post on Once and Future Band’s Deleted Scenes

2022 Album Eliminations: Tier 2 Week 7

Nearing the end of Tier 2 eliminations!  The results for this week include:

Moor Mother – Black Encyclopedia of the Air VS. N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton

Moor Mother – Black Encyclopedia of the Air

 

Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe – Candyman OST VS. Sault – Nine

Sault – Nine

 

Grizzly Bear – Yellow House VS. Tomahawk – Tonic Immobility

Tomahawk – Tonic Immobility

 

Several contentious showdowns this time around.  Moor Mother VS. N.W.A. was a bit tough because the influence of Straight Outta Compton is inarguable.  Decades of hip hop and rap music relied on its groundbreakingly brave take on the black narrative. It is also, I think, an artifact of its time.  Moor Mother’s take is adventurous and contemporary.  It feels relevant.

Grizzly Bear and Tomahawk represented more of a genre clash problem.  Considered within their respective music scenes, these albums feel pretty evenly matched.  Where Grizzly Bear wins out in terms of sheer detail, Tomahawk’s ability to convincingly swing between crushing thrash and spaghetti western twang is phenomenal.  Tomohawk’s vital drive edged them out ever so slightly.

Album Eliminations 2022: Tier 2 Week 5

Even though I am tackling some Tier 3 showdowns, Tier 2 is still going strong! The next few weeks includes albums from the May Roundup:

100 Gecs – 1000 Gecs VS. Daedelus – Invention

100 Gecs – 1000 Gecs

Native Construct – Quiet World VS. A.C.T. – Imaginary Friends
A.C.T. – Imaginary Friends

Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee VS. Laurie Spiegel – The Expanding Universe
Laurie Spiegel – The Expanding Universe


This week’s contentious showdown was this last one. Japanese Breakfast’s keen pop is clearly more accessible than Laurie Spiegel’s two disc compendium of mid – 70s computer music. Especially with the lengthier and more challenging experiments lying in wait at the end of the second disc, it can feel a bit overlong. But the creative context of this recording is incredibly compelling. Visions of cables running from room to room between huge IBM tape-to-tape mainframes taps into childhood memories of my father writing COBOL for similar machines. The idea of these behemoth machines being used to make this music resonates with me in surprising way.

Laurie Spiegel herself responded to my showdown post, and rightfully called into question the value of flattening the artistic output of these musicians with forced competitions. My response on Twitter came out terribly out of order, and I wanted to record it here in its entirety.:

First of all, thank you. In the last two years of doing this, you are the first to call me out on what is an inherently problematic process. A bit of a thread to follow…. 

For a long time, I’d just pick out some album that I liked a lot at the end of the year, but I found that would favor the music that I happened to be listening to in December, and didn’t really represent my favorite music from THROUGHOUT the year. 

So I eventually came up with this complicated showdown bracket system to add some component of empiricism to what is an essentially subjective endeavor. And although I agree that art is not a horse race, art does invite critique.

Unfortunately, the nuances of critique are often lost in contemporary “cancel” culture. Showing preference for one artistic expression over the other doesn’t necessarily mean that one is “good” while the other is “bad.” It’s way more complex than a “like,” which is what opinions have been flattened into.

In general, we have lost the idea that you can be both a fan and a critic. I’m a music educator, and as such I should be able to honestly compliment a student on a job well done while still giving them constructive criticism. Its OK for your favorite music to have flaws, and its OK to be moved by music that you find offensive.

While it may seem that comparing music in such a way (especially from different genres) negatively impacts my listening experience by forcing meaningless comparisons, I actually feel like it deepens my appreciation by framing my preferences in opposition.

Sometimes, its nearly impossible to make distinctions, but I find it gratifying to reflect on my connection with the music I listen to and really think about what resonates with me. I am also genuinely curious about other people’s subjective opinions on music. Putting these sometimes transgressive “showdowns” out there is really meant to invite discussion to broaden my horizons.

Although I admittedly rarely get discussion, it is even rarer that I encounter uncivil trolling, so I think that its worth it. And, as you suggest, any press is good press. If I can get one Japanese Breakfast fan to check out your music, I can feel like this whole wacky system is worth maintaining. In my mind, its mostly for fun.

2022 Album Showdown Tier 3 Part 2

I revamped this post to feature this entire round of Tier 2 showdowns, including

Liquid Tension Experiment - LTE3 vs. Tears for Fears - The Tipping Point

Tears for Fears - The Tipping Point

Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe - Candyman OST VS. Sault - Nine

Sault - Nine

George Clanton & Nick Hexum: Nostalgia - Abstruse & Overt

Catch some of my thoughts about the album of the Lost Summer of 2020, with special consideration towards activating nostalgia.

Relevant Links: The Bandcamp article mentioned above A previous post on George Clanton and vaporwave A post on FM-84 and nostalgia An older text post on M83

2022 Album Roundup Series: The Month of May Was Come

What have I been listening to this month? Well... 100 Gecs - 1000 Gecs (2019) Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee (2021) Grizzly Bear - Yellow House (2006) Native Construct - Quiet World (2015) N.W.A.- Straight Outta Compton (1988) Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe - Candyman OST (2021)

Album Showdowns 2022: Tier 3 Part 1

The first week of Tier 3 results below!  These will be spread out over the course of the next few months.  There are super difficult distinctions on these showdowns that usually require some detailed explanation, so I am hoping to make clips for them as they arise.

The Anchoress - The Art of Losing VS. Beauty Pill - Sorry You're Here

Beauty Pill - Sorry You're Here

The Buggles - The Age of Plastic VS. Mononeon - Put On Earth For You

The Buggles - The Age of Plastic

2022 Album Eliminations: Tier 2, Week 4

This week’s elimination results:

Alice TM – Little Bodies in Orbit VS. Tears for Fears – The Tipping Point
Tears for Fears – The Tipping Point

Parliament – The Mothership Connection VS. Tom McGuire & the Brassholes – Tom McGuire & the Brassholes
Tom McGuire & the Brassholes - Tom McGuire and the Brassholes

Amythyst Kiah – Wary & Strange VS. Marillion – An Hour Before Its Dark
Amythyst Kiah – Wary & Strange

This week’s contentious showdown was definitely Tears for Fears VS. Alice TM, and its an example of a weird phenomenon that this structure sometimes brings to light. I had Alice TM pegged as a dark horse favorite early this year, and I have a history of resistance to some of Tears for Fears’ other work. I put The Tipping Point against Little Bodies in Orbit knowing that if it were to go on, it would have to prove itself.

And it did. Big time

My usual criticism of Tears for Fears centers on the way in which they often dance with overly clean, nearly sanitary production, resulting in lack of edge that borders on "Adult Contemporary." The Tipping Point has a LOT of edge, however, in its devastatingly personal content that sees singer Roland Orbazal wrestling with the tragic death of his wife. As much as I really love the unique vibe of Alice TM’s album, and it has no lack of personally revealing lyrics, several of the songs on The Tipping Point are emotionally moving in a way that I could not ignore.

Once I accepted that perhaps The Tipping Point is superior to Little Bodies in Orbit, it really opened up for me, and I quickly came to appreciate aspects of the album that I had ignored up to that point. I might not have had this revelation if I didn’t force myself to think about it in relation to another outstanding album.

Album Eliminations 2022: Tier 2, Week 3

 This weeks eliminations went down like this:

Brendan Eder Ensemble - Cape Cod Cottage VS. Nejira - Blume
Nejira - Blume

Wolf Alice - Blue Weekend VS. The Anchoress - The Art of Losing

The Anchoress - The Art of Losing

Mononeon - Put On Earth For You VS. Common - A Beautiful Revolution Pt. 2

Mononeon - Put On Earth For You

Getting into these later tiers assumes more and more difficulty.  I have to very often eliminate  REALLY great albums for the sake of the process, so to be clear, I am not in any way saying that eliminated albums are poor.  Most often, its a matter of details or, admittedly, how I am feeling that day.  

All three of these were tough, especially the Mononeon VS. Common.  Mononeon's enviable artistry and unique vision edged him out over Common, but only slightly.  In fact, I see Common as a potential year-end Top 20 entry, so it feels a bit premature for A Beautiful Revolution pt. 2 to be out of the game.

So, this year I am formalizing the "save" process.  I will cite six "saves" from tier 2 and 3 eliminations this Spring, which I will narrow to three the week of June 1.  I will do the same for the Fall.  These saves will form a final round with the December roundup entries.

This "apples and oranges" process is often problematic, I know, but it produces satisfying results in the end.  Having some level of redundancy makes me feel like I gave all albums the best chances possible.  

Foo Fighters Echoes, Silence, Patience, & Grace: Remembering Taylor

A look back at a high point in the Foo Fighter's catalog, 2007's Echoes, Silence, Patience, and Grace, with special mention of the contributions of Taylor Hawkins.

2022 Album Roundup Series: The Albums of April

New music in rotation for April, 2022, including:

Mononeon - Put On Earth For You (2022) Tears for Fears - The Tipping Point (2022) Tom McGuire & the Brassholes - Tom McGuire & the Brassholes (2019) Wolf Alice - Blue Weekend (2021) Nerija - Blume (2019) Marillion - An Hour Before It's Dark (2022)

Relevant Links:

Post on Mononeon Series on early Marillion

2022 Album Eliminations: Tier 2 Week 2

Tier 2 eliminations continue with just two showdowns this week.

Beauty Pill – Sorry You’re Here VS. The Caretaker – An Empty Bliss Beyond This World

Beauty Pill – Sorry You’re Here

Soccer Mommy – Color Theory VS. Crying – Get Olde Second Wind

Soccer Mommy – Color Theory

These were both pretty straightforward for me, although mention should be made on An Empty Bliss Beyond This World.  As an examination on dementia, it is profoundly effective.  It’s also deeply disturbing.  I have a lot of respect for it, but I don’t think I’d listen to it for fun.  Beauty Pill is often equally as unsettling when they addresses suicide, but nevertheless maintains a level of accessibility.  That edged The Caretaker out.

Mononeon's Readymade Identity and Supermane

An introduction to Mononeon and his killer 2021 album Supermane

Relevant Links A bit I wrote a while back on the Death of the Album

2022 Album Eliminations Tier 2 Week 1

Tier 2 begins this week! The albums that passed through Tier 1 are now taking on new music from Feburary and March, heading towards a mid-year Top 10. Here’s how things played out:

Men I Trust – The Untourable Album VS. Damon Albarn – The Nearer the Fountain, The More Pure the Stream Flows
Men I Trust – The Untourable Album

ABBA – Voyage VS. The Buggles – The Age of Plastic
The Buggles – The Age of Plastic

Fire-Tools – Eternal Home VS. Liquid Tension Experiment – LTE3
Liquid Tension Experiment – LTE3

Ben Kweller – Sha Sha VS. Sharhabil Ahmed – The King of Sudanese Jazz
Ben Kweller – Sha Sha

The most contentious showdown this week was Fire-Toolz vs. Liquid Tension Experiment. Fire-Tools is a project that I find really, really intriguing, but a combination of the album’s overall length and the ridiculous chops of the Liquid Tension Experiment tipped the scales in their favor.

U2 and the Magic of The Joshua Tree

Review and discussion on U2's 1987 classic, with a focus on U2's place in the current cultural conversation.

Relevant Links: Rick Beato's breakdown of I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

2022 Album Eliminations: Tier 1 Week 6

This is the last week of Tier 1 eliminations!  48 albums have been narrowed to 24 - the first step in a long path to the top 20 albums of 2022!  Here’s the results:

Arushi Jain - Under the Lilac Sky VS. Sault - Nine

Sault - Nine

Sufjan Stevens - The Ascension VS. Tomahawk - Tonic Immobility

Tomahawk - Tonic Immobility

Cynic - Ascension Codes VS. Snail Mail - Valentine

Cynic - Ascension Codes

Daedelus - Invention VS. Tony Kaye - The End of Innocence

Daedelus - Invention

There were a couple of contentious showdowns of note this time around.  I really love that Arushi Jain album, so Sault’s win was a bit of an upset (even though I should not be surprised).  The really tough one was Sufjan Stevens VS Tomahawk.  I really respect Steven’s ambition as a songwriter, and the Ascension is masterfully textured, but it feels a bit overlong.  Tomahawk’s energy and virtuosity won the day there.

The big winner this week was Ascension Codes. I had the opportunity to crack that open a bit this week and got really excited about it. The synth bass on that album is just incredible.

Next week begins Tier 2, which will begin to pit Tier 1 winners against genre-adjacent albums presented in the monthly roundup series. It's about to get interesting....