ALL THE
REAL MUSIC!
'Best Music' lists that taste like tin foil!
These tunes will unscrew your overview
and ruckus your tocus!
C H A P T E R L I N K S :
• BEST ALBUMS: 2022
• COOL SONGS: 2022
• COVER SONGS 2022
• BEST REISSUES: 2022
2) Los Bitchos; Bang Bang Bad Girl; La Luz;
3) Lee Fields; Kae Tempest; Goat
B E S T
N E W
A L B U M S :
2 0 2 2
by Tym Stevens
This music player has songs from the following albums, in the same order.
• Calibro 35, ”Scacco al Maestro, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2” (Italy)
Cinematic Rock.
Who is more qualified to interpret Ennio Morricone's varied and resonant film scores than Rome's best band for channeling '60s Spaghetti Western and '70s Crime Rock sounds?
(see also: Daniele Luppi, Guess What, Adrian Younge)
• Weyes Blood, "And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow"
Ethereal Songwriter.
Our angelic bard's response to the lockdown was to reflect inner grace. This warm hearth of lightly-alien hymnals and sly confessions is an aurora in the twilight.
(see also: Judy Collins, Enya, Julia Holter, Julianna Barwick)
• Tami Neilson, "Kingmaker"
Juke Joint on Broadway.
Tami is a powerhouse who belts out Opry tunes like she's at the Grand Opera. Moody, tough, epic, no nonsense, all thrills.
(see also: Etta James, Shannon Shaw, Bonnie Whitmore)
• Wesley Bright, "Must Be The Love"
Party Soul.
Timeless Soul grooves to wear out the floorboards at your next house party.
(see also: Jr. Walker, Sam And Dave, Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings)
• La Femme, ”Teatro Lucido” (France)
Spanish Pop Nextlevel.
Paris' hippest partiers two-step sideways into lovely Spanish Pop, with flamenco guitars, crooning sirenas, and cosmic beats.
(see also: Casino Music, Air, Pepite)
• Unloved, "The Pink Album"
TripHop Vampitheater.
An astounding double-length album from the best TripHop band since Portishead (known for their eerie "Killing Eve" songs). Edgy, spectral, sensuous, perhaps illegal somehow.
(see also: Portishead, Kandle, Alexandra Savior)
• Scone Cash Players, "Brooklyn To Brooklin"
Groovy Soul.
Daptone Records rations out the gyrations with this hammond organ funkiness.
(see also: Ramsey Lewis, Booker T And The MG's, Soulive, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio)
• Breanna Barbara, "Nothin’ But Time"
Edgy Psyche.
Breanna punches through textural while melodic psychedelic blues like she's settling scores while stealing cars.
(see also: Alice Coltrane, Nicole Atkins, Annabelle Chairlegs)
• The Harlem Gospel Travelers, ”Look Up!”
Funky and Soulful Gospel.
Positive ravers with infectious grooves Stax and Motown would envy. Whatever your faith, you'll move with the feeling.
(see also: The Staple Singers, The Chi-Lites, Rance Allen Group)
• Angel Olsen, "Big Time"
Honey-Glazed Country.
The eminent singer-songwriter goes melodic, mellow, and measured, serenading the dawn.
(see also: Connie Smith, Bobby Gentry, Emmylou Harris)
• Orgone, "Lost Knights"
Street Funk.
Like Layne Staley getting down hardcore with '71 Funkadelic.
(see also: Mandrill, Menahan Street Band, The Lions)
• La Luz, "La Luz (Instrumentals)"
Surfstrumentals.
Last year, Adrian Younge produced the expansive self-titled album by the seraphic Surf band. Now we get to luxuriate in how great they play. Atmospheric and mercurial while hummable.
(see also: The Neptunas, Susan And The Surftones, Shantih Shantih, Shana Cleveland)
• Mavis Staples + Levon Helm, ”Carry Me Home”
Swamp Soul.
Recorded in 2011 at one of Helm's 'Midnight Ramble' jam hoedowns, this Blues and Soul barnstormer warms the heart.
(see also: The Staple Singers, The Band, Robert Randolph And The Family band)
• Bang Bang Band Girl, "12 Super Duper Extraordinary Girl Trouble Rock’n’Roll Tracks" (Netherlands/Chile)
Garage-abilly.
Like Vampirella transmitting eerie clanging rock'n'roll through your Marshall amp. Part cover songs, part run for cover.
(see also: Flat Duo Jets, The Kills, Mr. Airplane Man)
• Elvis Costello And The Imposters, "The Boy Named If"
Pop Punk.
The best record from 1979 about 1965 just made, with Elvis in timeless snide and snarl.
(see also: The Jam, John Wesley Harding, Spoon)
• Ghost Funk Orchestra, "A New Kind Of Love"
Cinematic Funk.
Seth Appelbaum composes moody soundscapes that strut and unsettle beguilingly.
(see also: Ikebe Showdown, L'eclair, The Sorcerers)
• Art d'Ecco, ”After The Head Rush” (Canada)
Nouveaux Wave.
In true Bowie form, the mysterious Art pinions from Glam stomp onward into angular synth dance. Bounding bass, alien earworms, and neon noir.
(see also: Roxy Music, Gary Numan, Toyah Wilcox, Dead Or Alive)
• Los Bitchos, "Let The Festivities Begin!"
Surf International.
The global group from London coast Surf through every disco in all countries.
(see also: La Luz, Khruangbin, Habibi)
• Lee Fields, "Sentimental Fool"
Southern Soul.
Daptone Record's finest is Soul Music decked out in a suit and charm.
(see also: James Brown, Charles Bradley, Robert Finley)
• Lera Lynn, "Something More Than Love"
Singer-Songwriter.
All the current attention on Angel Olsen, Weyes Blood, and Cate Le Bon should also reward this limitless songwriter, who is quietly killing it every time with her sharp tunes.
(see also: Sheryl Crow, Nicole Atkins, Laura Marling)
• Abraxas, ”Monte Carlo”
Mind Psyche.
Carolina Faruolo (former Los Bitchos) and Danny Lee Blackwell (Night Beats) craft Psyche Noir as complex as Prog and moody as soundtracks.
(see also: Blackwater Holylight, Khruangbin, Melody's Echo Chamber)
• Ty Segall, "Hello, Hi"
Melodic Folk.
The undisputed king of Fuzz Rock goes acoustic in the fields of the sun.
(see also: Neil Young, Kurt Vile, Cass McCombs)
• Kae Tempest, "The Line Is A Curve"
The King Of Rap.
The poet laureate of Rap, the Hamlet of Spoken Word, makes short stories out of emotional states, with guests like Lianne La Havas and Kevin Abstract.
(see also: Anne Clarke, Young Fathers)
• Robert Connely Farr, "Shake It"
Bruise Blues.
Nasty, corrosive tremelo that'll rattle the nails out of your swamp shack.
(see also: Tom Waits, T-Model Ford, Speedball Baby)
• Goat, ”Oh Death” (Sweden)
Psyche Worldbeat.
The mysterious tribal collective acts like Fela possessed by the spirit of Can.
(see also: Kikagaku Moro, Altin Gün, Karl Hector And The Malcouns)
• Father John Misty, "Chloe And The Next 20th Century"
Variety Hour.
Mr. Tillman goes uptown, with contemplative ballads and lovely harmonies lifted by string arrangements. Imagine Glen Campbell singing McCartney songs arranged by Gil Evans for a 1968 Broadway variety show.
(see also: Van Dyke Parks, Fleet Foxes, Sufjan Stevens)
• Marcus King, "Young Blood"
Southern CountrySoulRock.
Like Bad Company jamming with Lynyrd Skynyrd at Muscle Shoals. Marcus has a soulful voice, fiery guitar chops, and eclectic tastes.
(see also: CCR, Funkadelic, Vinegar Joe, Molly Hatchet)
• Kidder Friendly Club, "Kidder Friendly Airwaves" (Japan)
Tokyo Merseybeat.
Beatlemania is an irrepressible aspect ennobling life, like sunshine or love.
(see also: Dara Puspita, The Pebbles, The Beat Girls)
➤ BEATLESQUE Songs: 1964-esque, with Music Player
• Pixy Jones, ”Bits N Bobs”
Pepper Tour.
The bassist for El Goodo makes his own 1967-mode Beatles album.
(see also: Kay Kay And His Weathered Underground, Jim Noir, Aaron Lee Tasjan)
➤ BEATLESQUE Songs: 1967-esque, with Music Player
• M Ross Perkins, "E Pluribus M Ross"
Psyche Pop.
The multi-talented songsmith makes his own Pop Opera cycle in the spirit of "Abbey Road".
(see also: Nilsson, Emitt Rhodes, Elliott Smith)
➤ BEATLESQUE Songs: 1969-esque, with Music Player
• Various Artists, "Ocean Child: Songs Of Yoko Ono"
Y O K O .
She did everything first, but took the abuse while her followers get all the acclaim. (The longest-running unchecked bias in Rock history.)
Now her followers flip the focus back, covering her diverse portfolio: The Flaming Lips, David Byrne + Yo La Tengo, Death Cab For Cutie, Deerhoof, Sharon Ven Etten, Jay Som, Stephen Merritt, and more pay tribute.
(see also: Can, Ann Peacock, Buffalo Daughter)
➤ Why We Love YOKO ONO (Or Should)!, with 2 Music Players
• Chris St. Hilaire, "Traveling Man" EP
Folkadelic.
After The London Souls' brilliant "Here Come The Girls" album (2015), the Classic Rock duo split. Tash went Blues Rock, while Chris is crafting luminous Folk and Trinidadian lilt songs.
(see also: George Harrison, Jim Croce, Gerry Rafferty)
➤ BEATLESQUE Songs: 1968-esque, with Music Player
C O O L
S O N G S :
2 0 2 2
All the REAL MUSIC
beyond the box!
Here's the
D R E A M
J U K E B O X !
like a Disco full of Crisco!
by Tym Stevens
Hear the unlimited Playlist here.)
All the songs elasticize their genres.
Get your groove on in this sonic order.:
Psyche! Glam! New Wave! Alt-Roots!
Blues! Soul! Funk! Africanarama!
World! Riot Grrrl! Alt-Rock! Electro!
Alt-Rap! Cinematic! RESIST!
The Courettes 1; Tammi Savoy
16 hours of thinky, wiggly music, featuring the following fine folks in this exact order!:
JD McPherson, La Perra Blanco, Lily Locksmith, The Surfrajettes, João Gordo, Bang Bang Band Girl, Wasurete Motels, Twin Temple, and Bloodshot Bill.
The Hoodoo Tones, The Silhouettes, Amphibian Man, The Manakooras, Los Daytonas, Shawn Lee, La Luz, Messer Chups, The Hawkmen, The Courettes, and Lizzie No.
Kidder Friendly Club, The Kafers, Frank Lee Sprague, Elvis Costello, Televisionaries, The Mocks, Benny Trokan, Pixy Jones, Autoramas, Shanda And The Howlers, Gee Tee, The Fuzztones, Tammi Savoy, The Len Price 3, Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited, Jon Spencer And The HITmakers, Tess Parks, and The Black Angels.
Ty Segall; Art d'Ecco
The Tuners, Melody's Echo Chamber, Adrian Belew, Breanna Barbara, M Ross Perkins, Melody's Echo Chamber, Caleb Nichols, Sloan, Liam Gallagher, Julian Lennon, Michael Rault, La Luz, Chris St. Hilaire, Richard Norris, Ty Segall, King Tuff, Kendra Foster, Toro y Moi, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Dungen, Annabelle Chairlegs, Nebula, and Steel Beans.
Art d'Ecco, Paul Cauthen, Young Fathers, Doctor Explosion, Peace De Résistance, Art d'Ecco, Caleb Landry Jones, Penza Penza, and Minami Deutsch.
Leyla McCalla; Father John Misty
Seratones, Lucius, Say She She + Piya Malik, Art d'Ecco, Bad Breeding, Osees, Belly Jelly, Secret Agent Headcheese, Billiam, The Bug Club, The Paranoyds, Glove, and LCD Soundsystem.
Melissa Carper, Willie Nelson, Jason McNiff, Prakash Slim, Chris St. Hilaire, Weyes Blood, Ty Segall, Aoife Nessa Frances, Leyla McCalla, Courtney Marie Andrews, Stephen Bailey, Angel Olsen, Father John Misty, Bailey Bigger, and The Cactus Blossoms.
Danielle Ponder; Bobby Oroza
William Bell, Adia Victoria, The Black Keys ft. Billy Gibbons, Hank Williams Jr, Tami Neilson, Larkin Poe, GA-20, Shemekia Copeland, Robert Connely Farr, Ivor S.K., Michael Head And The Red Elastic Band, and Twanguero.
Charley Crockett, Marcus King, Miko Marks, Scone Cash Players, St. Paul And The Broken Bones, The Harlem Gospel Travelers, Gabriels, Greyhounds, Danielle Ponder, Lee Fields, Ruthie Foster, Bobby Oroza, Alanna Royale, Jalen Ngonda, Kendra Morris, Wesley Bright, Nicky Egan, The Limboos, Jean Carn, Monophonics, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, Say She She, Say She She + Piya Malik, Lizzie No, and Mamas Gun.
Orgone
Ghost Funk Orchestra, Ikebe Shakedown, The Winston Brothers, SAULT, Mamas Gun, The Diasonics, Adrian Quesada, Surprise Chef, Thurteen, Lettuce ft. Bootsy Collins, Tra'zae Clinton + Danny Bedrosian, Fantastic Negrito, Jorge Drexler, Ural Thomas And The Pain, Eddie9V, The Mighty Mocambos, Trombone Shorty, Orgone, Boulevards, and Jean Carn.
The Kevin Fingier Collective, The Go! Team + Star Feminine Band, The Liberators, WITCH, Vusi Mahlasela, Oumou Sangaré, Vieux Farka Touré, C'mon Tigre ft. Xenia Rubinos, Charlotte Adigéry + Bolis Pupul, and Goat.
Las Cafeteras; Abraxas
Kikagaku Moyo, Melt Yourself Down, Palatine, Kacimi, La Femme, Natalia Lafourcade, Las Cafeteras, Calexico, Adrian Quesada, New Regency Orchestra, Panda Bear, Lucrecia Dalt, Los Bitchos, Abraxas, Altin Gün, Charif Megarbane, and Arooj Aftab ft. Anoushka Shankar.
Jr Thomas And The Volcanos, The Soul Chance ft. Wesley Bright, The Interrupters, and Horace Andy.
Beth Hart, Las Odio, The Darts (U.S.), Deerhoof, Wet Leg, The Linda Lindas, Kidder Friendly Club, Ghost Car, Special Interest, Petrol Girls, Arre! Arre!, Tallies, Courtney And The Wolves, and Deerhoof.
Party Dozen, Spoon, Thao, Aidan Baker, Mitski, Jean Dawson, Wet Leg, Ecstatic Vision, Private Lives, Iggy Pop, Marina Herlop, Weak Signal, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Katy J Pearson.
The Linda Lindas;
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Viagra Boys, The C.I.A., Cosey Fanni Tutti, ADULT., Christine And The Queens, and Sara Bareilles.
Kae Tempest + Kevin Abstract, Chuck D + Bob Log III, Jake Blount, Kae Tempest, Lupe Fiasco, Ezra Collective ft. Kojey Radical, Moor Mother, Danger Mouse + Black Thought , Saul Williams, and Adn Maya Colectivo.
Jairus Sharif, LEYA, Bill Orcutt, Ty Segall, Saul Williams, Katalyst, Garrett Saracho, The Mighty Mocambos, Charif Megarbane, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bear McCreary ft. Raya Yarbrough + Griogair Labhruidh, Calibro 35, Black Lips, Night Beats, Pixies, Mary Ann Hawkins, Humanga Danga, Daniel Pemberton, Mick Jagger, Fred Pallem + Le Sacre du Tympan, Japanese Television, Lera Lynn + Arnaud Roy, Lera Lynn, Unloved, Theodore Shapiro, Michael Giacchino, Ewan McGregor, John Williams, Jeremy Brauns, Bear McCreary ft. Fiona Apple, and Bear McCreary ft. Megan Richards.
Chuck D
Spaceheads, The Frightnrs, M Ross Perkins, Ann Wilson, Lera Lynn, S.G. Goodman, Tami Neilson, Rainbow Girls, Petrol Girls, Kek'star + Gil Scott-Heron, Creative Culture Co., Orgone, Charlie Hodson-Prior, Annika Chambers, Pink Floyd ft. Andriy Khlyvnyuk, Breanna Barbara, Kae Tempest, The Harlem Gospel Travelers, and Thee Sacred Souls.
Gil Scott-Heron; Rainbow Girls.
C O V E R
S O N G S
2 0 2 2
All the Best
COVER VERSIONS
of the year!
Music is the throughline of the human spirit.
Singing timeless songs in times of uncertainty brings us solace, offers out support, and bonds us in communion.
In (still another) year that separated us from each other, sharing songs reaffirmed us as a people, honored our origins, and lit the way for the young.
There were an abundance of cover songs in 2022. Through them, we sought reflection, revelation, and renewal. Here’s a playlist of our mutual journey.
by Tym Stevens
List = Original By / Cover Artist
Songs are sequenced in the chronological order of the Originals.
(Traditional) / Taj Mahal • (Trad.) / Dashawn Hickman • (Trad.) / Adia Victoria • Groucho Marx / Kula Shaker • “Sonny Boy” Williamson / Mud Morganfield • Mississippi Fred McDowell / Prakash Slim; The William Loveday Intention • (Fain/Kahal) / Cat Power • (Traditional) / Sarah Brown • Merle Travis / Nina Hagen • (Lieber/Stoller) Big Mama Thornton / The Record Company; Shonka Dukureh • Junior Parker / Justin Pickard And The Thunderbird Winos • Ruth Brown / Tammi Savoy.
Willie Nelson; Mavis Staples
Rev. Gary Davis / Gina Sicilia • Bobby “Bue” Bland / Angela Strehli • Nina Simone / Diunna Greenleaf • The Beatles / The Surfrajettes • The Beatles / Autoramas • The Zombies / Watkins Family Hour • Dionne Warwick / Lake Street Dive • The Who / The Gold Needles • The Beatles / The Greyboy Allstars • The Troggs / Bang Bang Band Girl • Nancy Sinatra / Palatine • Ennio Morricone / Calibro 35 • Donovan / The William Loveday Intention • The Beatles / Willie Nelson • Kenny Rogers And The First Edition / The Soul Jacket • The Zombies / The Teskey Brothers • The Kinks / Publicity Stunt • The Association / The Courettes + The Association • The Beatles / Toni Green • Peter Cooke / The Shadracks • The Impressions / Mavis Staples • Merle Haggard / Eli "Paperboy" Reed • Ennio Morricone / Calibro 35 • Nancy Sinatra + Lee Hazelwood / Whitehorse • Miles Davis / Club d'Elf • The Stooges / Tropical F_ck Storm • Led Zeppelin / Otu • The Delfonics / The Delfonics + Budapest Symphony Orchestra • The Beatles / Norah Jones • The Beatles / The Bright Light Social Hour • The Beatles / Buddy Guy • The Beatles / Honeyboy Slim And The Bad Habits • Bob Dylan / The Cactus Blossoms.
Thundercat; Ibeyi
Mountain / Annika Chambers • Bobby Gentry / Margo Price • The Beach Boys / She & Him • Trad./ Simon And Garfunkel / The Surfrajettes • Neil Young / Cowboy Junkies • George Harrison / Annika Chambers • George Harrison / George Is Lord • Gil Scott Heron / Gil Scott Heron + Kek'star • The Who / Lisa Mychols And Super 8 • Marvin Gaye / Night Owls • Johnny Cash / Chuck D + Bob Log III • Al Green / Chris Stapleton • Neil Young / Beck • Stevie Wonder / Father John Misty • Gil Scott Heron / The Greyboy Allstars • Hound Dog Taylor / GA-20 • Nino Rota / Didi Wray • Steely Dan / The Fearless Flyers • Led Zeppelin / Beth Hart • The Stooges / Florence And The Machine • Robin Trower / Ann Wilson • John Hartford / Sam Bush • Chris Bell / Wednesday •