2022 has a lot to live up to - pent up energy, delayed releases and 2020's enforced time at home generated an armada of great new music this year. Here's part one of my top 50 - there's a handy playlist of my favourite songs from each at the end.
50. Elbow - Flying Dream pt 1
Not their best outing, a little too inspired by late period Talk Talk, but a bad Elbow album is still good. Favourite track: The Seldom Seen Kid
49. She Drew The Gun - Behave Yourself
Pop funtastic, hypnotic, empowered, angry. Favourite track: Cut Me Down
48. Damon Albarn - The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows
Terrible title, but this has some really beautiful songs. Favourite track: Royal Morning Blue
47. Big Red Machine - How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last?
The National's Aaron Dessner and Bon Ivor's Justin Vernon and several fabulous guests. It's got Taylor Swift on it so it MUST be good. Favourite Track: Renegade (featuring Taylor Swift)
46. Aaron Frazer - Introducing...
Drummer from Durand Jones & The Indications steps into the limelight with his first solo album or sumptuous seductive soul. Reviewed back in April. Favourite track: Bad News
45. Durand Jones & The Indications - Private Space
Speaking of Durand Jones, Aaron Jones was a busy boy this year, with his main band also putting out a more modern sounding, cool soul album, reviewed back in August. Favourite track: Witchoo
44. Lucy Dacus - Home Video
An album of deeply personal reflection, broken hearts, pain - story telling at its most honest. Favourite track: Hot & Heavy
43. The Anchoress - The Art Of Losing
Occasionally heartbreaking, this is a great, great album. Don't let it winning Prog album of the year put you off. Mrs JO'B loves this and she hates prog! Favourite track: The Art Of Losing
42. Julia Bardo - Bauhaus, L'Appartmento
If Natalie Merchant was Italian and cut her musical teeth in Manchester... Favourite track: No Feeling
41. La Luz - La Luz
The Seattle all-female surf rockers hit gold on their eponymous fourth outing. Favourite track: In The Country
40. Bad Bad Hats - Walkman
More relaxed, lighthearted fun from Minneapolis indie rockers. Favourite track: Detroit Basketball
39. Snail Mail - Valentine
Lindsey Jordan's second outing was broader in style, poppier, more electric, more eccentric, just more. Favourite track: Glory
38. Lost Horizons - In Quiet Moments
Simon Raymonde, ex-Cocteau twin and Bella Union impresario came back with another fabulous, eclectic album with numerous guest vocalists from his label. Amazing stuff. Favourite track: In Quiet Moments
37. Pokey Lafarge - In The Blossom Of Their Shade
Country, blues, swing, folk, bluegrass, rock'n'roll, you name it, he plays it. Favourite track: Fine To Me
36. Duran Duran - Future Past
Adding Blur's Graham Coxon on guitar was a masterstroke for the new romantic legends. Favourite track: Invisible
35. Celeste - Not Your Muse
Overshadowed by Arlo Parks this year, this is a cracking album (I know I bought them together and forgot Celeste, I was so blown away by Arlo's debut. But this is a cracker, with huge potential. Favourite track: Stop This Flame
34. Kiwi Jr - Cooler Returns
Indie slacker fun, power pop Modern Lovers for 2021, I reviewed this back in April. Favourite track: Main Marian's Toast
33. Nick Waterhouse - Promenade Blue
Another album I reviewed back in April, this is a cracking R'n'B stomper. Favourite track: B. Santa Ana 1986
32. Teenage Fanclub - Endless Arcade
I reviewed this, in part just so I could write Fannies legitimately. The Fannies are the gift that keeps open giving. Favourite track: The Sun Won't Shine On Me
31. The Orielles - La Vita Olistica
Despite being pinged by the NHS during their gig in July (reviewed here), they are just fabulous and this is a great remix / semi-live album. Favourite track: Memoirs Of Miso
30. Liz Phair - Soberish
Break ups, confusion, humour, brutal honesty - it's your typical iz Phair album, as reviewed back in June. Great fun. Favourite track: Hey Lou
29. Night Beats - Outlaw R'n'B
American psychedelic. garage rock greatness. Favourite track: Never Look Back
28. Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee
Fabulous pop indie from Michelle Zauner, her third outing and she keeps getting better. Favourite track: Paprika
27. Paul Weller - Fat Pop (Vol One)
Eclectic pop fun from the Modfather. But will there be a Vol Two? Reviewed back in May. Favourite track: Shades Of Blue
26. The Go! Team - Get Up Sequences Part One
Hip-hop, pop, general insanity and catchy-as-fuck tunes. What's not to love? Favourite track: A Bee Without Its Sting