#It's like me saying the beths expert in a dying field is the best new album of the year

[4trackcassette]

end of year listposting. Sometimes when ppl r like... This album is amazing and groundbreaking...to me it just sounds like a good alt rock band making a good and well-balanced album and doesn't strike me at all as brilliant or like. really super notable. like I guess I'd put em on the list if it's a long list but. not top 10?

[fritextramole]

striving to find the right road

part 3 of a Vanessa Abrams playlist - best heard in order

tracklist and quotes under the cut

Feeling Good ~ Nina Simone

Dragonfly out in the sun You know what I mean, don't you know? Butterflies all havin' fun You know what I mean Sleep in peace when day is done That's what I mean

Everyday People ~ Sly & The Family Stone

I am no better and neither are you We're all the same, whatever we do You love me, you hate me

The Adults Are Talking ~ The Strokes

You were waitin' for the elevator You were sayin' all the words I'm dreaming No more askin', questions, or excuses

High School Never Ends ~ Bowling For Soup

The whole damn world is just as obsessed With who's the best dressed and who's having sex Who's got the money, who gets the honeys Who's kinda cute and who's just a mess And I still don't have the right look And I still have the same three friends And I'm pretty much the same as I was back then High school never ends

The New Year ~ Death Cab for Cutie

The clanking of crystal Explosions off in the distance

Atomic Dog ~ George Clinton

Why must I feel like that? Why must I chase the cat?

The World Is Ugly ~ My Chemical Romance

These are the lies and the lives of the taken These are their hearts, but their hearts don't beat like ours They burn 'cause they are all afraid But mine beats twice as hard

Picket Line ~ Bobby DePace

My head is getting weary and my body is worn But i’ll keep on walking til i can’t walk no more

Royals ~ Lorde

Life is great without a care We aren't caught up in your love affair

War on the Workers ~ Anne Feeney

Listen up, we've got a war zone here today Right in our heartland, and across the USA These multinational bastards don't use tanks and guns it's true But they've declared a war on us, fight back! It's up to you

What Is Hip? ~ Tower Of Power

So you became part of the new breed Been smoking only the best weed Hanging out with so-called hippest set Been seen in all the right places Seen with just the right faces You should be satisfied But still it ain't quite right

Seven ~ Sleeping At Last

How wonderful to see a smile on your face It costs farewell tears for a welcome-home parade A secret handshake between me and my one life I'll find the silver lining, no matter what the price

Right Back Where We Started From ~ Army Navy

Love is good, love can be strong We gotta get right back to where started from

Stand by Me ~ Ben E. King

If the sky that we look upon Should tumble and fall Or the mountains should crumble to the sea I won't cry, I won't cry No, I won't shed a tear Just as long as you stand, stand by me

Baby I Need Your Loving ~ Four Tops

Some say it's a sign of weakness for a man to beg Then weak, I'd rather be If it means having you to keep 'Cause lately I've been losing sleep

I Heard It Through The Grapevine ~ Marvin Gaye

You could have told me yourself That you love someone else, instead I heard it through the grapevine

The Hollow Sound of the Morning Chimes ~ TOPS

You've been up all night Clangin round The thoughts that you cannot make right

Big Wheel ~ Samia

I got a lover in my bedroom Or the smell of him at least If he's somewhere getting smarter On a free man's odyssey

Expert In A Dying Field ~ The Beths

The city is painted with memory The water will never run clear The birds and the bees and the flowers and trees They know that we've both been here And I can flee the country For the worst of the year But I'll come back to it

Train in Vain (Stand by Me) ~ The Clash

All the times when we were close I'll remember these things the most

Right Place Wrong Time ~ Dr. John

I was in the right trip But I made it in the wrong car

Nasty Gal ~ Betty Davis

I said, you went around tellin' everybody Yeah, you just put me down now You dragged my name in the mud All over town

[post-teenageriotintheheart]

My favourite albums of 2022

After two years of Covid, the year 2022 was finally the year when one felt like things got back to normal, at least felt that way when it comes to my cultural life (definitely not normal when some old dickhead starts f* war). To be precise why it felt normal is the fact that comparing to two previous years I managed to see 37 concerts (if I counted correctly my photos on insta) + 2 festivals + managed to get to normal cinema as well (not that I missed that one much with home cinema at home :P). There are definitely some highlights from it as well, from cinema its most notably one of the greatest movie of last years - The Worst Person in the World (J. Trier at his ultimate best), from concerts there are The Armed (the f* best active live band), but there were more like Porridge Radio (who managed to release two masterpieces during covid years), reunited Maybeshewill or Sigur Ros from post rock, Mitski, Birds in Row, my youth nostalgic concerts with Artic Monkeys & Bright Eyes, seeing Nothing live in club and festival, finally seeing Beck, and post-punk highlights from Soft Kill & Fontaines D.C. 

But this piece was supposed to be about my most favorite albums which were released in last 12 months, right? So there is the list:

Mitski - Laurel Hell > I wouldn't mind Mitski taking as many breaks from music industry as she wants, because if after every break she comes with such album as this one, the world for all loners would be brighter place. I could listed to Love me more on repeat for hours!

Porridge Radio - Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky > While Mitski sings “love me more”, Porridge radio are shouting “I don't wanna be loved” in The Birthday Party song, but kind of feels the same. These are the songs that manage to take you back to your teenage years and expressing the same what you felt then and what you feel now when the moment just take overwhelms you. Porridge radio released their debut in spring of 2020 when all the lockdowns started, might be the occasions that I happen to be at those time that it speaks directly to me, or just we have this great band and we can expect much more.

The Beths - Expert in Dying Fields > This indie band is from New Zealand, that all explains probably why on my list right? Kiwi accent is enough :) but even of those who haven't got this thing for Kiwi bands, after bit weaker second album (it happens if your debut rocks), The Beths are back at their best, definitely one of the best indie pop groups you can catch seeing live.

Birds in Row - Gris Klein > Not sure if more adorable are albums of this French trio or their live shows. The more I am listening to their 2022 piece the more hooked I am getting, the same happen to me with their previous one and I believe the same will happen again. 

Rolo Tomassi - Where Myth Becomes Memory > Yes I admit, I cant be objective, I was loving this new album before I heard it, because I was so excited that new album means new live shows and well there are not many things with which you can be 100% sure it will be great, and I know that in February 2023 it will be just fucking great.

Fontaines D.C. - Skinty Fia > You wouldn't find better representative of post punk these days than these Irish guys, another great album, great show, if you haven't listen to them yet this is a must.

Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up Here > This is another band who released magnificent albums fusing all genres that I love during covid. Some may say its bit weaker that first one, but still works. Big shame that the whole line up who stood behind these albums is no longer available to see.

Another notable mentions:

Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You

Ithaca - They fear us

Pool Kids - I had them on my Spotify quite often looking back at my statistics :)

Kiwi Jr. - Chopper > their new album was produced by Dan Broecker, it just be must be on my list, right? :D

Dehd - Blue Skies

The Armed - Ultrapop: Live at the Masonic

Lykke Li - EYEYE - its so nice getting older and older with Lykke Li

Caroline - Caroline

[itsstraykids]

hello hello! i had the absolute fuckall busy 2days, hope u didnt mind the accidental ghosting. i kept wanting to reply but i was feeling too tired to do it lmao. hello! hope ur doing well! i absolutely love the word coinkydink btw, im stealing it thank u. the fact!!!!!!!! that u do music production!!!!!!!! so cool!!!! consider me amazed yayy. ive always been unhealthily obsessed with chan's vocals, seeing him sing, esp with as much love and enjoyment/passion as he does is chills inducing to me. and yeah!!! his skills are so impressive, esp 3racha with rockstar album i very much agree!! i still cant pick a favorite song, and its funny bcs that's seldom the case no matter how much i love the whole album. cover me was played a lot tho (i was soo proud of hyunjin!!) and their vocalss yess!! seungmin han i.n leeknow and then ofc chan felix hyunjin changbin, they all did such good jobs, and their voice shined a notch brighter yes!! (mildly obsessed everytime changbin sings btw i am a sucker for it) their vocal heavy songs have always been some of my beloved!!!! never-ending story that i never get enough of, levanter and in christmas evel the way 24-25 was my immediate favorite! skz and ballads is smth mind-scratchingly wonderful, like always. what are some of your other favorite kpop groups?? what genres do u like as well, like i really love and find myself obsessed with k-indie, if we are talking korean language songs? what kind of songs do u like and listen to!! just wanted to know more abt u as well!! esp now that ik u produce too!! and just wanted to say ur art!!!! its so amazing and gorgeous!! so talented!!

^^apologies if i sound mildly incoherent (ik i do) its so damn cold outside both my face and brain have made it a mission to resemble chunks of ice cream so im!! thinking in circles p ls excuse. hope u have a good day an amazing week and great end of year and holidays!!

no worries at ALL dude the holidays are crazy, i really like this secret santa project but there’s so much else going on it’s also a lot 😅 yes! i’m stoked you liked rockstar. i thought it was so good, i was really in love with the songs/choreo/vibes and the members all seemed so happy! OMG YES Changbin’s voice is so good…why doesn’t he sing more it’s crazy…i have rewatched their conodoll episode a couple times because all their voices are just wonderful to listen to

i like 24-25 too! and that music video is just too sweet, it gave me cavities lmao. my fave kpop groups are skz, txt, and my OG (and forever) kpop band is shinee! i’ve been getting into xdinary heroes too. it seemed like everyone released amazing EPs this october-november, i was living for it. good music was raining down left and right.

i like so many genres in all languages! rock, punk, electronic, indie—i used to listen to a lot of k-indie (nell, the black skirts, the koxx, clazziquai) but now i don’t really know any more recent bands. i’d love to hear what your favorite songs/bands are!! i’m in a finding-new-music phase right now. i just found out about this new zealand band called the beths, their album “expert in a dying field” is a lyrical masterpiece.

thank you for your sweet compliments!! haha i’m trying to get better at portraits…oof, sorry it’s so cold where you are! bundle up and i hope you get some sun soon!! i’m in california so it’s actually really nice weather. exactly like the rest of the year. i do miss having seasons. but it’s also nice to go to the beach and not freeze lmao

best of luck in the final week before the holidays!! gonna be a crazy one i think, i have to bake stuff until my oven gives up and cries

[blakeboldt-blog]

Best Albums of 2022

“Farm to Table,” Bartees Strange.

“Kingmaker,” Tami Neilson.

“River Fools & Mountain Saints,” Ian Noe.

“Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You,” Big Thief.

“Be-Bop!” Pasquale Grasso + "Linger Awhile," Samara Joy.

“Topical Dancer,” Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul.

“SOS," SZA. 

“Lucifer on the Sofa,” Spoon. 

“Un Verano Sin Ti,” Bad Bunny. 

“Angel in Realtime,” Gang of Youths.

“A Beautiful Time,” Willie Nelson.

“Big Time,” Angel Olsen. 

“Crooked Tree,” Molly Tuttle & the Golden Highway. 

“One Day,” The Cactus Blossoms.  

“White Trash Revelry,” Adeem the Artist. 

“Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville,” Ashley McBryde.

“Teeth Marks,” S.G. Goodman.

“Bummer Year,” Good Looks.  

“I Walked with You a Ways,” Plains.

“MOTOMAMI,” Rosalía. 

“Renaissance,” Beyoncé.

“Once Twice Melody,” Beach House.

“A Light for Attracting Attention,” The Smile.  

“Sometimes, Forever,” Soccer Mommy.

“Blue Rev,” Alvvays. 

“Blue Skies,” Dehd.

“ILYSM,” Wild Pink. 

“And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow,” Weyes Blood.

“View with a Room,” Julian Lage.

“Preacher’s Daughter,” Ethel Cain.

“Carry Me Home,” Mavis Staples & Levon Helm.

“Feel Like Going Home,” Miko Marks & the Resurrectors.

“It Was a Home,” Kaina.

“Dripfield,” Goose.

“Painless,” Nilüfer Yanya. 

“Natural Brown Prom Queen,” Sudan Archives. 

“Warm Chris,” Aldous Harding.  

“Humble Quest,” Maren Morris.

“Weather Alive,” Beth Orton.

“Bell Bottom Country,” Lainey Wilson.  

“Multitude,” Stromae. 

“Fossora,” Bjork. 

“We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong,” Sharon Van Etten.

“Just Like That,” Bonnie Raitt.  

“Dawn FM,” The Weeknd.

“This Is a Photograph,” Kevin Morby.

“Pink Moon,” Pink Sweat$.

"Born Pink,” Blackpink. 

“Gifted,” Koffee. 

“Kumoyo Island,” Kikagaku Moyo + “Gung Ho,” KOLUMBO.

“Optimism,” Jana Horn + “Classic Objects,” Jenny Hval.

“Pompeii,” Cate Le Bon.

“Wild Loneliness,” Superchunk.

“Scalping the Guru,” Guided by Voices.

“Palomino,” Miranda Lambert.

“Summer at Land’s End,” The Reds, Pinks & Purples.

“The Last Thing Left,” Say Sue Me.  

“God Save the Animals,” Alex G. 

“The Tipping Point,” Tears for Fears.

“Labyrinthitis,” Destroyer.

“Special,” Lizzo. 

“The New Faith,” Jake Blount.  

"In These Times," Makaya McCraven.  

“Ugly Season,” Perfume Genius. 

“Emotional Creature,” Beach Bunny.

“Present Tense,” Yumi Zouma.

"Hypnos," Ravyn Levae. 

“Stumpwork,” Dry Cleaning. 

“Me/and/Dad,” Billy Strings. 

“MUNA,” Muna.

"CAZIMI,” Caitlin Rose.

“SPARK,” Whitney.

“Midnights,” Taylor Swift. 

“Stress Dreams,” Greensky Bluegrass.

“Only the Strong Survive,” Bruce Springsteen. 

“Wet Leg,” Wet Leg.

“Three Dimensions Deep,” Amber Mark.

“Experts in a Dying Field,” The Beths.

“Laurel Hell,” Mitski. 

“The Parts I Dread,” Pictoria Vark. 

"Take It Like a Man,” Amanda Shires. 

“God’s Work,” LeAnn Rimes. 

“Loose Future,” Courtney Marie Andrews.

“12th of June,” Lyle Lovett.

“Few Good Things,” Saba.  

“The Hometown Kid,” Gabe Lee. 

“Give or Take,” Giveon.

"Life on Earth," Hurray for the Riff Raff.

"Earthlings," Eddie Vedder.

“Giving the World Away,” Hatchie.

“The Man from Waco,” Charley Crockett. 

“Mr. Sun,” Little Big Town. 

“Gemini Rights,” Steve Lacy.

“Married in a Honky Tonk,” Jenny Tolman. 

“Pigments,” Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn.

“Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven?” Tyler Childers.

“Dance Fever,” Florence and the Machine.

“It’s Almost Dry,” Pusha T. 

“Going Places,” Josh Rouse + “Heartmind,” Cass McCombs.

"100 Proof Neon," Ronnie Dunn.