Lana Turner, Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter and Daisey Ridley, who plays Rey in the rubbish 21st Century Stars Wars films (not the rubbish 90s Star Wars films).
Still, at least there's been some decent music. Beginning today, I'll be counting down my Top 22 albums of 2022. Here's the first three...
22. Bret McKenzie - Songs Without Jokes
The news that half of the Flight of the Conchords duo was releasing his debut solo album got me very excited earlier this year, although the title "Songs Without Jokes" had me worried... because I love with songs with jokes. The critical consensus that serious music should be bereft of gags is one I'm continually railing against... and will continue to do so later in this countdown.
As part of the FOTC, and on various movie soundtracks, Bret McKenzie has shown himself to be adept in a wide range of musical styles, from rock to rap, though his heart clearly belongs to the classic 70s singer-songwriters. Randy Newman, Harry Nilsson and James Taylor are heavy influences on this record, with a splash of yacht rock thrown in for good measure. In that, it pushes all the right buttons for me... though I wouldn't have minded a few more... y'know... jokes.
In comparison with the last few years, there are fewer country and Americana records in my countdown of 2022. That might be because there haven't been many big releases from my favourite artists, or it could be that my tastes are swinging back in other directions. Probably a combination of the two.
Midland are as country as it gets. Well, "Neotraditional" country, whatever that is. I think it means they wear big hats. To me, they sound like The Eagles, if The Eagles had come from Texas and never stopped off at the Hotel California. They're hard-luck, heartbroken, heavy-drinking bar band types, though their music is pretty upbeat, with a second splash of yacht rock (twice in one post!) to keep me smiling.
This is their third album, and it doesn't appears to have done half as well on the US Country charts as the first two. No idea why; I enjoyed it just as much.
DCFC's 10th album was conceived under lockdown, with band members building the tracks remotely, in a process lead singer Ben Gibbard describes as ""chain-letter songwriting". As with all Death Cab albums, it's a slow burner, but given time it gets under your skin and plays with your emotions. As with a lot of the records in this countdown, it's about growing old, even though these guys are still in their 40s. Spring chickens.
The Eagles always said that hell would freeze over before they got back together. Then they got back together and did the Hell Freezes Over tour. After a while, they even recorded a new album. But it was an immensely dull concept album that tried to right the wrongs of the 80s & 90s in song. With that record, they became the Eaglezzzzzzzz... and never recorded together again.
But imagine they'd got back together and tried to recapture the care-free country rock sound of their earliest records instead, only with a little bit of contemporary shimmer on top. Essentially you'd have Midland, a band I have a lot of time for, despite the fact that bar band cliches are their stock in trade.
Their latest album, The Last Resort (it's even named after an Eagles song!) does not deviate from this template... and more power to them for that.
One song that leapt right out at me on first hearing was Life Ain't Fair, essentially an extended metaphor in which we're all on all rollercoaster, and we've just got to deal with it. I do like me a nice rock n roll pun...
Thank you to C for suggesting this week's band... 14 Iced Bears. She says...
I couldn't tell you any of their songs any more unfortunately, although have vivid memories of ordering in their singles for some devoted indie fans at the time of their release and (in my head at least) being very disparaging about their chosen name. Now I think it's rather lovely!
I would like to back up C and proclaim that the 14 Iced Bears were awesome. Unfortunately, their sleeves were nothing to write home about. Perhaps the cover for The Importance Of Being Frank EP would suffice for art.
I'm not sure what that is above, Brian, but it was the one with the clearest 14 I could find.
Another relatively quiet week on the countdown, compared to the excesses of 16 and 17, although we're all just girding our loins in preparation for the Top Ten.
Here's what you had for me this wee, starting with Martin, who's still smarting from forgetting two Gene tracks last week...
Hats off to you Rol for putting this together as my brain is incapable of concentrating on anything at the moment. Yes, my choices above not really my thing, but fitted the brief. From the same source I have just found something called:
Interesting, as dance remakes of Welcome To The Pleasuredome go. The lyrics you quote don't appear to come from that track though, Alyson. They come from Love Song To The Earth by Sean Paul, featuring Natasha Bedingfield & Paul "anything to stay cred" McCartney. As C remarks, it's apt to the current world situation... but doesn't have any 14s in it, I'm afraid.
Time for Jim in Dubai, who also found it tough this week...
Those last two are definitely worth a click. I'll let you get back to your virtual queue now, RD... because I bet you're still stuck in it, 7 days after you left that xomment.
Lynchie appeared equally stuck for inspiration this week...
I couldn't think of any songs with 14 in the title but then I discovered...
...on which is voice sounds nothing like it did on "Tiptoe Through The Tulips". It's a pretty deep voice which led me to believe it might be an imposter. The lyrics kick off with:
Fourteen!
Fourteen girls in baggy pyjamas
What if I'd gone to the south Bahamas
...and just get weirder.
I'm only guessing here, but I don't think that's the same Tiny Tim. But thank you anyway.
Thankfully, the Swede is here to restore us to sanity...
...from The Impossible Bird. I think this is his best album, and that's saying something.
I seem to remember there was some discussion about this over at your place recently, Brian. I'd still always plump for Jesus of Cool, but those later albums are pretty special.
OK, time to scrape the dregs from my own hard-drive...
All of which brings us to this week's winner... and to be honest with you, I pretty much thought that Rigid Digit had walked away with it. I was all set to crown this the champion...
...until a final scour through the library shook out this little gem. Frankly, I'm ashamed to say I'd forgotten it... and a number of my regulars will probably share that same shame.
Take it away, Billy...
Unlucky for all of us, next week is 13. Not that we need any more bad luck at the moment. Suggestions, please...
Yes, I could have chosen the logo of Twenty One Pilots to illustrate this post, but I don't think they ever recorded a song as good as this. Feel free to disabuse me of that notion should you wish. Jim In Dubai also suggested another 12 group...
Personally though, The Swede concludes, I'd like to suggest Twenty One by The Apartments. What a truly wonderful band they are.
That is very nice, I have to admit it. Doesn't exist in my own record collection (yet), which is the one stipulation to be a winner on this series. But I definitely have to investigate it further.
Where's Lynchie? Putting all his eggs in one basket this week, it seems...
And... of course... this, which was our opening suggestion this week, from Charity Chic, who almost begged... The Adverts - No Time to Be 21, please, Rol.
C seconded that too, and, well... why not?
Life's short, don't make a mess of it To the ends of the earth, you'll look for a sense in it No chances, no plans I'll smash the windows of my box I'll be a madman It's no time to be 21 To be anyone
To be honest, even though I'm not particularly enjoying 47... I don't think I'd fancy being 21 again. Would you?
And so we finally reach the Top 20. On your marks... get set...
...then a show called "The Apprentice" came on and pretty soon
An old man with a comb-over had sold us the moon
And we stayed tuned in, now here we are
Reality killed by a reality star
11. The Lemonheads - Varshons II
The laziest man in rock (TM) finds his way into a recording studio for the first time in ten years and churns out another effortless & eclectic set of covers that prove he's still got it... he just doesn't use it that often.
You don't have to wait on Hank if you want to raise your glass
You don't have to wait on Cash if you're just here to get trashed
You don't have to wait on Nelson if you're trying to raise some hell, son
You don't have to wait on Cline if you just want some more wine
9. Mattiel - Satis Factory
Gotta hand this one to Rigid Digit; I wouldn't have discovered it without him raving about it.
Dusty Springfield, Debbie Harry, Amy Winehouse, Aretha Franklin, Patti Smith, Chrissie Hynde, Diana Ross, Nico, Courtney Barnett... you can hear them all in this record, yet every track is distinctly Mattiel. Quite an accomplishment.
And it's the expectation, making or breaking, giving me a heart attack
And in twenty years time will it all be mine
Or will I wish that I could take it all back?
(This tune even steals a bit of a Wrecking Ball era Springsteen.)
I'd like to say thank you to everybody who left a supportive comment after Monday's post. I know I'm being particularly vague about why things are pretty stressful at the moment - beyond job issues which I've alluded to but don't want to go into more detail about, for making things worse. There is something else that's causing me sleepless nights but I should be more able to talk about that, one way or another, next week. Until then, your good wishes are much appreciated here, and reflected back upon you all. It's good to have friends, even though I've never met any of you. And thank especially to John, who offered to meet up for a coffee - unfortunately, those damned work commitments have me chained to a (metaphorical) blackboard for the foreseeable, but that was much appreciated too.
Today's latest contender for my albums of the year is the latest record from Midland. A country record, yet it isn't cool Americana nor shiny, cheesy Nashville pop-country. It's a bar band record, good-time country rock, and as with their last album, there's a huge debt to the Eagles... though whether Midland have a trippy, pretentiously epic (in a good way) Hotel California in their future has yet to be seen. At the moment, they're content playing the Heartache Tonight / Take It Easy game, with the odd splash of... whisper it, so as not to offend the musos... Dr. Hook.
The video's fun, but it does kind of detract from the story of the song...
It's been a fine year for new music, so as well as my Top 18 countdown, I also wanted to shine a light on some of the tunes that didn't make my final list. Here's ten great country songs I discovered this year...
With splashes of pop and even disco on her most recent album, there's a sense that Kacey hankers after following Taylor Swift to the dark side. She can still write a great song though.
Their latest album was pretty good, though I didn't love it half as much as their last one. This is from the follow-up EP, and suggests they're heading back to top form.
With his last couple of albums, Eric Church would have easily made it into my favourites of the year list. His latest record, Desperate Man, plays it a little safe and leaves the Waylon-esque outlaw stuff on the back-burner. Still some fine tunes on it though.
Dave Giles calls himself "an American artist from London", and to be fair, this was recorded in Nashville. Sounds more like Nick Lowe meets Frank Turner to me. Classic songwriting.
They call it Americana, but The Nude Party owe as much to the Stones and 60s garage rock. Whatever label you hang on it, this is a smashing pop song destined to put a grin on your face. The rest of the album is similarly fun. More here.
1. Ashley McBride - A Little Dive Bar In Dahlonega
You know how some of the best indie music is written for outcasts and losers, those down on their look and living on lonely desperation? So is some of the best country music. This is one of my songs of the year - kinda like a country version of Drugstore's Say Hello.
Stay tuned for more great country and Americana music as I continue my 2018 countdown.
