As the Roman calendar nears its end for another lap around the cosmos, it’s time to take stock of all of my favourite Music for the year.
The New Music Jason Prize is a non-prestigious award that recognizes my Favourite Album released in a given year. Its second year of existence brings a strong list of contenders ranging from Hip-Hop to Classical and Country. To Soul and Punk, to Pop and Reggae, and even to gut-wrenching Singer-Songwriters. Have your fill!
The Longlist is a list of my twenty favourite albums of the year, compiled by a panel of one bearded Music fan, and listed in chronological order. Links to the original posts are embedded in the dates, and the albums are linked accordingly.
Hello! We’re already at the end of October, and the New Releases keep a-coming. Double digits again this week, with eleven recommendations to plop down in front of you. Plop!
A one track single that came down the turnpike this week comes from Richmond, Virginia’s James Goodson. As Dazy, he released one of my favourite records of the year last March. Dazy is back with Forced Perspectiveand Goodson’s knack for a catchy hook is still in full force. One of the great writers working in Pop today, and deserves way more recognition.
Seattle’s venerable Sub Pop Records has a proper Singles Club that releases 7” vinyl records containing one song on each side. Their November release comes from local SynthPop band led by the duo of Alexander Attitude and Kendra Cox. Telehealth’s Mindtrap b/w Bitter Melodyis upbeat and lively NerdPop. The A-side features catchy wordplay and energetic drums whilst the flip side is a midtempo lyrical gem that speaks to the search for validation in these disassociated times.
Olympia, WA, duo Odor Eater is a Synth-based unit led by the enigmatic vocals of Harley Moore. Their second EP, Fairytale, which is released by St. Louis label Rotten Apple, has the cool detachment of early 80’s SynthPop. Think Gary Numan/Tubeway Army or early Depeche Mode, if they were fronted by PJ Harvey.
Rocket is a new quartet from Los Angeles that has been releasing singles these last few months. They’ve compiled their first five, and added two more, to their debut EP, Versions Of You. Uplifting guitars and the warm voice of Alithea Tuttle makes for a euphoric experience.
My BandCamp Wishlist is batting at an MVP level this week, with many of my recommendations coming from this handy little folder. Baton Rouge, Louisiana is where the duo known as SPLLIT is from and their latest album, Infinite Hatch is a Zappa-influenced weirdness, with challenging time signatures and progressions, mixed with straight Pop wonder.
Another entity that bats above league average (musically speaking) is the country/continent of Australia. You can always rely on the Aussies to come through with great Rock & Roll. One such Aussie is Jake Robertson. As Alien Nosejob, he is of the Bedroom Producer, multi-instrumentalist variety. Less than a year ago, I was introduced to him via his album, Stained Class. He’s back already with another full-length. The Derivative Sounds Of…Or…A Dog Always Returns To Its Vomittakes its Kinks-infused Poppy wonder through 80’s College Rock on thirteen tracks.
If I am not very much mistaken, the next recommendation is my first to be from the Northwest Territories in Canada. PIQSIQ is a duo of female First Nation throat singers that incorporate looping and layering of vocals to create a mysteriously idyllic sound. Spectral Harmonies is nine tracks of new compositions using nothing but my favourite instrument, The Human Voice. Immerse yourself in the gorgeousity.
Also coming from my homeland is French Singer/Songwriter Klô Pelgag. Hailing from Montreal, the Chanteuse is following up her successful 2020 album Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurswith a four-song EP. Sieste sur l’oreille droite is a delicately beautiful collection of mesmerizing melodies..
Not much this week from the Hip-Hop world, but I do have this one that needs to be shouted out. Uber Magnetic is the duo of Roughneck Jihad and Junior Disprol, and they share the mic on their self-titled full-length debut. Conscious rhymes and terrific production, paired with terrific turntablism from DJ Jaffa, DJ Krash Slaughta and Sir Beans OBE make this a winner.
One of my favourite male voices in the world today is Bristol’s Joe Yorke. His smooth and soulful falsetto brings to mind Jimmy Somerville, and his fierce honesty shines through on his most recent album, Hopeless. It’s a terrific follow-up to his April album with The Co-Operators, A Distant Beat. Lead-off single Man is a Rocksteady bop that takes the gender to task; “I don’t want to see another sister suffer at the hands of a man, no more. ‘Cause I am not a man, if that’s what a man is.” Young’s soaring voice takes you to the highest highs.
My Feature Pick for this week comes from an Artist I discovered last year and she becomes the first Artist to be chosen more than once as my Feature Pick. Marina Herlop is a pianist, vocalist, composer and producer from Barcelona. Her 2022 album Pripyat was a big success, and her newest, Nekkuja is a luscious collection of seven tracks incorporating Herlop’s gorgeous voice, harp, and ambient Electronics. Delicious.
I’m told that there will be a new song coming from The Beatles’ camp next week. In fact, it’s a very old song that has been given fresh life, thanks to film producer Peter Jackson.
One of my guiding principles, while writing about New Music, is to stay away from Posthumous releases, based on the notion that “Dead people can’t make New Music.” As such, you won’t find a recommendation from me for this “new” song. I’ll listen to it, probably once. But I feel nauseous about the whole thing.
I’m going to take care of myself. I’m hoping you all are doing the same. Talk soon!
Perfect Grammar is, of course, the name of My Imaginary Parakeet.
A lovely Friday to you and yours, friends! We’ve got a whole basketful of New Releases to wade through. I’ve got ten titles to share with you for your listening pleasure. Dig it!
A single to start the week came in the wake of the passing of Barry Humphries, who was better known as the Original Queen of Drag, Dame Edna Everage. Australian One-Man Band Alien Nosejob has lovingly recreated the Dame’s 1978 attempt at a hit Punk single, S&M Lady, adding a couple of “Possums” in for good measure.
I discovered a group from Iceland a few years ago called Pascal Pinon that had some great songs. They are no longer active, but their singer and songwriter Jófriour Ákadóttir is still recording, now as JFDR. Her latest album, Museumis dark and dreamy.
An Experimental Electronic project based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam grabbed my attention this week. Rắn Cạp Đuôi Collective is led by Zach Sch, and their second album, *1 is nine tracks of glitchy beats and curious samples, with synthy meanderings.
Just over a year ago I called Spanish quartet La Culpa’s self-titled debut album a “winner.” They have returned this week with their sophomore effort. Cuando Amanececontinues to explore the parameters of driving rhythm guitar-based Rock. Taking the lead of innovative bands like The Pixies and U2, they are putting their unique and exciting stamp on Modern Rock.
Cosmo Sheldrake is a multi-instrumentalist and composer from London that I mentioned on Tuesday as having made one of my favourite albums of 2020. His new EP, Wild Wet World, incorporates the sounds of aquatic life in the seven compositions. I wish it featured more of Sheldrake’s vocals, like the first track, Bathed In Sound, but it is beautiful all the same.
A couple of Hip-Hop albums improved my mid-week. The first came from Portland MC and Producer who calls himself Dust Raps The Blues. His second album Problemsis couched in classic Blues samples and sharp production. Dust truly raps The Blues.
The second one that came out on Wednesday was recorded “deep in the swamps of South Carolina.” Kill Bill: The Rapper has released his eighth album, and FULLMETAL KAIJUis a showcase for Bill’s lyrical flow. Featuring a slew of Producers, it is adventurous downtempo gold.
The Hip-Hop continued with the release of YUNGMORPHEUS’ new album, From Whence It Came. Nineteen tracks with multiple producers, including Raphy and Ohbliv. Featured guests include Fly Anakin and Jimetta Rose.
Brazil features predominantly in my findings this week. The progeny of a Samba songwriter, Domenico Lancellotti is a musician from Rio de Janeiro. His latest albumsramba showcases his skillful guitar work and synth prowess.
My Feature Pick this week is from eighty year-old Jards Macalé. Macalé made a name for himself in the sixties as a songwriter, before venturing on his own and adding to the Brazilian Tropicalia movement. His latest album Coração Bifurcado spotlights his droll and refined delivery, to glorious backup vocals, shimmering synths and tasty guitar.
Good Friday to all! I understand that today is a big day for companies in North America to extend credit to people who are already struggling financially, just so the struggling people can have that shiny widget they’ve been told they need in order to have a happy life.
My life is so much better now that I’m no longer in retail.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to start with a rant. It’s a beautiful world and we’re having a terrific early Winter thaw around these parts. Perfect timing for a trip to Toronto for a concert that my son and I are going to on Saturday (11/26). The Smile is playing Massey freaking Hall and it’s fair to say I’m more excited than Noah is.
My Concert Date.
Meanwhile there is a low quantity of New Releases out this week that aren’t reissues, or live albums. However, I was still able to find over a dozen new titles of great New Music of many breeds and styles.
To start this week’s findings, a fantastic single from India. The legendary Hip-Hop label Def Jam has a successful operation in India, and Fotty Seven is a rapper signed to Def Jam India. His latest single, You Know The Drill has a classic West Coast vibe, but with a secret weapon. Feature vocalist Ellde Fazilka gives this song all I need to get any party started.
Fotty Seven feat. Ellde Fazilka – You Know The Drill
A lot of Rock & Roll of various stripes this week to get the adrenaline flowing. From Manchester, UK, Bingo Harry is an anonymous artist discovered by Martin Bramah, ex of The Fall. His second album, Where Do We Go? reminds me of my New Music Hero Danny Michel, steeped with heavy doses of T-Rex and late-era Wilco. Gorgeous melodies.
As expected, if we’re talking about Rock Music in 2022, Australia will surely make its presence known. Jake Robertson is from Melton, just outside Melbourne. He records as Alien Nosejob, and on Stained Glass he rides a fine line between snotty Punk and 70’s Arena Rock. The opener, Beatles vs. Stones solves the debate once and for all (The Beatles win).
Australia looms large this week, in its never-ending mission to save Rock & Roll from the Nickelbacks of the world. Next up to grab me in the down unders is a quartet from Perth. GHOULIES is a synth-heavy unit with rough-and-ready moshable fun. Their latest, LIVE N’ LOOSE TASCAM is two 15-minute tracks, capturing the band performing 21 songs in a live setting. Tight and gritty as fuck.
A band from Melbourne also got my attention this week. The Smith Street Band have been around for over a decade, and I’m glad to finally have made their acquaintance. Their latest album Life After Football is eleven varied tracks with touchstones of Billy Bragg, U2, and Idles. Everyone Is Lying To You For Money is a highlight.
Leaving Australia now and heading to one of my favourite American cities to which I’ve never been. Athens, Georgia’s Go Public is a four-piece that creates propulsing grooves and a Clash snarl, seasoned with skronking saxophone. Their debut EP is exciting and fresh.
A Producer from the Alabama/Georgia border has caught my willing ears. quinn has been releasing Music since 2019, and their latest is not a Mixtape, or even a Beat Tape. sick shit is a “beet tape,” according to the artist. I’ve never been a fan of beets, and would have to be forced to eat them. These beets must be sugar-glazed or something, because I am getting down to these sick beets.
I’m pleased to welcome Serbia to my listening pleasureland! A Serbian label called Groblje Iluzija (Illusion Cemetary), through the graces of German label Egoton Records, has released a compilation cassette, featuring eight bands performing two songs each. Various Artists – VA Groblje Iluzija is chock-full of gritty Punk. Highlights include tracks from Crna Žuč and Urlik. Oi!
Speaking of illusions, are my eyes deceiving me, or do I have another country among my New Music that I haven’t previously written about? Not that New Zealand is terribly large, but it seems odd that my colonial brethren haven’t made their presence known thus far. That ends this week with Invisible Illusion. They’re a duo from the Northern region of NZ known as Tūtaki. On Weathering The Rocks (Pete Hope’s Elemental Edit) Ed End provides instrumentation to Pete Hope’s vocals. Droning imperfection and abstract imagery make this an endearing listen.
Our friends in The Ukraine continue to surprise and delight. What kind of music would you expect to hear from a country devastated by Russian invasion? If you said Microtonal Surf Rock, it was probably a lucky guess. Amphibian Man is an instrumental band from Kiev that has been together since 2015. Their latest is a seven-track EP. Flaming Home displays the band’s tight and heavy grooves, with delicious microtonal guitar licks.
For a slight change of pace, we find ourselves at the controls of legendary UK DJ and Producer Gilles Peterson. He has taken Beninese guitarist Lionel Loueke’s 2020 album HH, and remixed it. HH Reimagined is a forward-thinking and ambitious tribute to the title’s namesake Herbie Hancock.
On Tuesday, I highlighted a title from my BandCamp Wishlist from Bristol duo Run Logan Run. I mentioned that I was looking for some growth from last year’s debut, For A Brief Moment We Could Smell The Flowers. I’m pleased to report that Nature Will Take Care Of You answered the call. From the opening of Growing Pains, make sure you have your safety harness fastened. Ugly-beautiful saxophone welcomes you with pounding drums, before leading you on a journey you won’t wait to take again.
My Feature Pick for this week comes from my favourite band which has, among all the bands I love, the worst band name. I suppose if you choose to name your band Nightshift, you have some other source of income, because if you expect to be found on a Google search, there are approximately 4.7 million bands called Nightshift. This Nightshift is from Glasgow, Scotland, and made their debut album, Zöe last year. It was one of my favourite albums of 2021. Their latest, Made Of The Earth, continues their Art-Rock stylings, with pensive lyrics and happy clarinet. They’ve created a whole new lane for themselves, quite unlike any for easy comparison. This album has a very good chance of making the list again this year.
Speaking of my annual list of favourite Music, The 2022 New Music Jason Prize* Longlist is filling out, and getting ready for publication on Saturday, December 24. What’s on your list of favourites for 2022?
In the meantime, I hope you are having the best day. Be kind to yourself, and to others, because I am he, as you are he, as you are me, and we are all together. Or something. Ta!
*an imaginary prize honouring my favourite real New Music of the year
New Music Jason’s Picks 