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Syd writesCHIRP Radio’s Best of 2022: Sydney Cramer
Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2022. Our next list is from volunteer Sydney Cramer.
#1 Wet Leg by Wet Leg (Domino)
I’m not sure exactly how Wet Leg so quickly emerged as one of the most notable acts of this year, seemingly out of nowhere from the Isle of Wight- but I’m certainly sure why.
This album is a shining example of an “all meat no fat” record. The 12 track record has no skips, every song being effortlessly catchy and easy to listen to. Instrumentally genius aside, what separates this album and band from the rest of the pack is their light-hearted, self deprecating, relatable narratives of wet dreams and spending too much time on social media.
The humor of this record inspires musicians and creatives alike to let down the rope and not take your craft, or life itself, too seriously.
#2 Versions of Modern Performance by Horsegirl (Matador)
Speaking personally, listening to this album is bittersweet. In tandem with the joy and wonder I feel each time I sit down and listen comes an overwhelming feeling of “I’ll never make anything this cool.”
It blows my mind that the young minds behind Horsegirl managed to capture the dark, sparkly, textured and gritty sound of the '90s as kids of the 2000’s.
Their influences (most notably Sonic Youth) shine through from front to back of this record while somehow sounding totally genuine and not at all derivative. As post-punk sounds trend once again in the young alternative scene,
Horsegirl emerges on top, capturing a feeling of '90s grime untouched by artists double their age.
#3 Texas Moon by Khruangbin & Leon Bridges (Dead Oceans)
I mean it when I say Khruangbin has yet to make a bad song. Anyone close to me has seen the way I light up when talking about this powerhouse group (particularly the God of bass herself, Laura Lee).
Understandably, I was stoked to see the drop of B-Side, a continuation of 2020’s EP Texas Sun- another collaboration with fellow Houston artist Leon Bridges. I thought the utter coolness of Texas Sun couldn’t be topped, but here we are 10,000 streams and recommendations later.
Despite its title, this EP feels like the sun hitting your face from the open trunk of your travel van on an August afternoon. I also mean it when I say Texas Moon yielded one of the group’s best songs to date, “B-Side.” This funky tune begs hips to sway.
Bass lord Laura Lee’s genius dubby lines in this song are some of her best, showing the exciting evolution of her confidence as a songwriter and musician. This song creates an impossibly tight, yet laid back pocket between the bass and drums.
The rhythm section in this song is locked in like no other, letting Bridge’s sexy sultry voice blanket across the top. You can’t listen to this song just once, and for that we have Texas Moon to thank.
#4 Squeeze by SASAMI (Domino)
I’d recommend being in a strong place to listen to this album. Anyone familiar with SASAMI knows her ability to touch that one nerve you keep buried down. But make no mistake, this album rocks hard.
Squeeze mixes in hardcore elements with heart-gutting lyrics to capture the spectrum of emotions of love. Squeeze is a wedding of anger and tenderness. It’s the edge of Mitski and poise of Weyes Blood wrapped in one rich package.
SASAMI deserves more attention, and if you’re looking for a soundtrack to lean into seasonal depression, Squeeze is your album.
#5 God Save The Animals by Alex G (Domino)
I’ll be honest and say I wasn’t sure about this album when it first dropped. Maybe it’s because I’m holding out for something reminiscent of DSU, or maybe it’s because myself and superfans alike hold Alex G to such high standards.
Ultimately it took seeing Alex perform the God Save The Animals live at Thalia Hall to convince me of its beauty. As someone typically in tune with the instrumentation of a song, I let the profound, contemplative lyrics of this record pass me by upon first listen.
As the title eludes, this record shatters Alex’s narrative patterns of childhood and recurring characters with themes of fatherhood and questioning a higher power. The highlights of this record for me (Runner and Miracles) paint the myriad of emotions that come with growing up and moving on- quickly becoming all-time Alex G favorites for me.
So while this record is far from my favorite of his discography instrumentally speaking, it's his lyrical complexity that challenges me to approach music listening in a new way.
#6 GREENZONE 108 by Greentea Peng (Universal)
No one is serving divine jazz hip-hop fusion the way Greentea Peng is, and GREENZONE 108 is the mature, refined older sister of her breakout MAN MADE. As a lover of her 2021 masterpiece MAN MADE I wondered how Greentea Peng would top herself.
Much to my delight, 2022’s GREENZONE 108 didn’t need to measure up to MAN MADE- it’s completely different. Embracing the jazz accents featured on MAN MADE, this new release took those elements and ran in a completely new direction. Simply put, there is no categorizing her sound.
Greentea Peng defies the confines of genre making crunchy guitar lines, upright bass, and rap verses make sense in the same song. Greentea Peng is criminally slept on, particularly this album. Any fan of Erykah Badu or Jill Scott should be hip to this artist and record.
Her sexy swag transports the listener to a '90s velvet wonderland, songs dripping with soulful reverb and spiritual whispers. GREENZONE 108 makes the stress of day to day melt away into a gooey caramel candy.
#7 Wish (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) by The Cure (Warner)
Ok so I know this is kind of cheating if we're talking "new" albums of the year, but frankly I don't care. Wish is a perfect album- I’ll die on that hill. When this 30th anniversary deluxe edition of this '90s staple stealthily dropped on streaming services, I was elated to say the least.
The Cure is one of those bands with a sound so unique and distinct it’s impossible to recreate (believe me I've tried). This extended release, including alternate versions of familiar classics and early stripped down demos peels back the curtain on how the band cultivates their sparkly sound.
While we have an extensive catalog of live albums and deep cuts, this is the first release of demos we’ve seen from The Cure. I can never get enough of this band, and this collection of demos provides a whole new way to enjoy their catalog.
#8 A Light For Attracting Attention by The Smile (XL Recordings)
So I guess everything Thom Yorke touches turns to gold- but we already knew that. If Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool piqued your interest in cinematic soundscapes, this album is for you.
As years go by, Johnny Greenwood proves time and again the place the orchestral sounds have in alternative, experimental rock.
While this may be self-serving of my desire for a new Radiohead release, each time a member of Radiohead releases a side project it excites me to see what the band will do next altogether.
The more each member indulges and explores their sonic inclinations, the more layered the full band’s sound becomes when they reconvene. So yes, maybe this album is simply something to tide fans over as we wait for the next big thing, but that said, it’s a pretty dang tasty appetizer.
#9 DECIDE by Djo (AWAL Recordings)
DECIDE is the closest thing we’ve had to DEVO since 1978. I’ll admit this album has highs and lows- but the evolution of Joe Keery’s style emerging from the psychedelic metal sounds of Post Animal to an 80’s pop-influenced solo record has been a surprising and pleasant turn of events.
Seeing this album live surpassed my wildest expectations of how his newly electronic synth-forward sounds would translate on stage.
DECIDE also features Keery’s most stripped down, honest lyrics thus far in his career. From the frustration and urgency of “Gloom” to the bittersweet sentimentality of “End of Beginning,” Djo found a way to marry thoughtful lyrics with playful riffs, all in a slick '80s tux.
#10 Live at The Murmrr Theatre by DIIV (Captured Tracks)
This release came way out of left field. When I saw the drop of this live album from “newgaze” band DIIV, I assumed it to simply be a recorded show from their most recent European tour.
To my major surprise, DIIV created a piano-forward, symphonic version of their debut 2012 record Oshin. This self-proclaimed “piano recital” shows a completely different side of DIIV, one that enriches the band’s already deep and complex sound.
More than anything, I’m amazed at how the band was able to keep their distinct tones folded in with the dramatically different arrangements of their work. Even this stripped down version of Oshin still has the DIIV sound.
If you’ve found DIIV to be too intense or heavy, this live album turns the tables. And if like me you’re a fan of their dark droning sound, Live at The Murmrr Theatre offers a whole new way to listen to this band.
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