Video & Audio: January 2022
Plus: poll results!
Ina Colada: “Komplett am Arsch”
According to my two years of high school German: we’re completely screwed, but we’re alive. Or perhaps: it’s all good, it’s all fucked.
Jadsa, Ana Frango Elétrico, Kiko Dinucci: “Raio de Sol”
Frango Elétrico vocal hook at first sounds so inane that Dinucci’s two punctuating low guitar notes sounds like a sarcastic retort. Yet the meaning of the la-las only deepens in counterpoint with Jadsa’s extended legato. Who’s laughing now, Kiko?
The Jeffrey Lewis & Peter Stampfel Band: “Both Ways”
It’s been a rough few years for pluralism, but here’s a reminder that it’s basically correct—in the arts, at least—from two guys you believe when they hype both graffiti and van Eyck. (Is the Greek-chorused “but on the other hand” a Randy Travis reference? Let’s say it is.)
Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber: “Repatriation-of-the-Midnight-Moors OAKANDA rmx-2”
Composer/producer Marque Gilmore the Inna-Most is the main force here, rearranging hooks from Jared Michael Nickerson’s bass and Satch Hoyt’s flute into theories integrating the high- and low-ends. In functional cities, you need both.
Ari Lennox: “Pressure”
Lennox, currently embroiled in some controversy I’m not going to try to unpack, here offers us the most fluid-drenched R&B hit in a while. A little pressure, and things cook.
Charlotte Greve, Wood River, Cantus Domus: “Sediments We Move: Part II”
Brooklyn rock band with a Berlin choir—doing choral things, not pop things. I don’t really have any idea what this is about (except that it sounds like the Cure’s “Lovesong”), but drummer Jim Black keeps thumping and Greve’s saxophone is pretty likable.
Seksikäs-Suklaa & Dosdela: “Tuplavuoro”
Angolan-Finnish parody rap approaches Lonely Island standards. An expression of Nordic working class tolerance as natural as Kaurismäki’s The Other Side of Hope.
Japanese Breakfast: “Glider”
Indie game soundtracks might be the last source of pure loveliness in the world. This is extra tinkly, with lyrics for vibe purposes only.
Juçara Marçal: “Crash”
It sounds like a crash! That might seem obvious, but it’s more than Dave Matthews managed, let alone Paul Haggis.
Nilüfer Yanya: “Stabilise”
Extremely efficient rock, from the cleanly-plucked guitar to the mechanical drumming, yet the chorus doesn’t entirely escape the mumbliness of the verse. Since it’s about going nowhere, I guess that’s fair enough.
Lori McKenna: “Christmas without Crying”
It doesn’t matter how good your life has been: you can’t avoid nostalgia. Once a year is enough, though.
Mount Westmore (Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, E-40, Too $hort): “Big Subwoofer”
Oh hey, a metaphor!
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11th or 10th Annual Expert Witnesses Poll: Results
Albums votes follow the Pazz and Jop point system, singles are one point per vote with one song able to be nominated as a star vote, EPs (new for this year) followed a point system I made up that no one liked. R code and convoluted tiebreaking procedures available on request.
ALBUMS
1. Olivia Rodrigo: Sour (253 points/19 votes/highest points given 20)
2. No-No Boy: 1975 (162/14/30)
3. Billie Eilish: Happier Than Ever (151/14/26)
4. Carly Pearce: 29: Written in Stone (113/10/20)
5. Dry Cleaning: New Long Leg (107/11/16)
6. Anthony Joseph: The Rich Are Only Defeated When Running for Their Lives (88/8/16)
7. Kalie Shorr: I Got Here by Accident (73/5/30)
8. Sons of Kemet: Black to the Future (73/7/16)
9. Peter Stampfel: Peter Stampfel's 20th Century in 100 Songs (72/4/30)
10. Illuminati Hotties: Let Me Do One More (67/7/16)
11. Courtney Barnett: Things Take Time, Take Time (66/7/14)
12. Sleater-Kinney: Path of Wellness (62/8/15)
13. Tune-Yards: sketchy. (60/6/13)
14. James McMurtry: The Horses and the Hounds (60/9/10)
15. Low Cut Connie: Tough Cookies: Best of the Quarantine Broadcasts (58/6/12)
16. Self Esteem: Prioritise Pleasure (56/3/30)
17. Gift of Gab: Finding Inspiration Somehow (55/5/15)
18. Arlo Parks: Collapsed in Sunbeams (52/7/10)
19. James Brandon Lewis Red Lily Quintet: Jesup Wagon (50/5/15)
20. Remi Wolf: Juno (46/5/10)
21. Tinashe: 333 (45/4/16)
22. Ingebrigt Håker Flaten: (Exit) Knarr (45/4/20)
23. Parquet Courts: Sympathy for Life (45/6/14)
24. Squid: Bright Green Field (42/4/17)
25. Allison Russell: Outside Child (40/3/15)
26. Various Artists: Sacred Soul of North Carolina (40/3/30)
27. Japanese Breakfast: Jubilee (39/6/10)
28. Sarah Mary Chadwick: Me and Ennui Are Friends, Baby (38/3/16)
29. Genesis Owusu: Smiling with No Teeth (37/4/12)
30. Carsie Blanton: Love & Rage (36/4/10)
31. Mariá Grand: Reciprocity (35/2/20)
32. Body Meπa: The Work Is Slow (35/3/15)
33. Valerie June: The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers (35/3/20)
34. McKinley Dixon: For My Mama and Anyone Who Look Like Her (35/4/12)
35. Hayes Carll: You Get It All (35/4/13)
36. Liz Phair: Soberish (34/4/10)
37. Little Simz: Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (33/3/15)
38. Indigo De Souza: Any Shape You Take (30/3/10)
39. Neil Young/Crazy Horse: Barn (30/5/10)
40. William Parker: Mayan Space Station (29/3/13)
41. Amyl & the Sniffers: Comfort to Me (28/2/15)
42. Mdou Moctar: Afrique Victime (28/3/10)
43. Juçara Marçal: Delta Estácio Blues (27/2/20)
44=. Mariá Portugal: Erosão (27/3/12)
44= .Nathan Bell: Red, White and American Blues (It Couldn't Happen Here) (27/3/12)
46=. Aeon Station: Observatory (25/2/15)
46=. Floating Points & Pharoah Sanders: Promises (25/2/15)
48. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis: Carnage (25/2/20)
49. Mickey Guyton: Remember Her Name (25/3/10)
50. Youssou Ndour & Super Étoile de Dakar: Mbalax (24/2/14)
SINGLES
1. No-No Boy: “The Best God Damn Band in Wyoming” (8 votes/4 star votes)
2. Wet Leg: “Chaise Longue” (7/2)
3. Olivia Rodrigo: “Brutal” (6/1)
4=. Doechii: “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake” (4)
4=. Maisie Peters: “Psycho” (4)
6. Olivia Rodrigo: “Good 4 U” (3/1)
7. Taylor Swift: “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” (3)
8. Olivia Rodrigo: “Deja Vu” (3)
9. Nathan Evans: “Wellerman (Sea Shanty)” (2/1)
10. Idles: “The Beachland Ballroom” (2/1)
11. Self Esteem: “I Do This All the Time” (2/1)
12. Illuminati Hotties: “Pool Hopping” (2/1)
13. Kalie Shorr: “Love Child” (2/1)
14=. Doja Cat, SZA: “Kiss Me More” (2)
14=. John Mayer: “Last Train Home” (2)
14=. Noname: “Rainforest” (2)
14=. Silk Sonic: “Leave the Door Open” (2)
18. Baby Queen: “Raw Thoughts” (2)
19. Mach-Hommy: “Kriminel” (2)
20. Lucy Dacus: “Hot and Heavy” (2)
21. Hayes Carll: “Nice Things” (2)
22. Carsie Blanton: “Be Good” (2)
23. Japanese Breakfast: “Be Sweet” (2)
24. Illuminati Hotties: “MMMOOOAAAYAYA” (2)
25. Dry Cleaning: “Scratchcard Lanyard” (2)
EPS/MINI-ALBUMS
1. Kalie Shorr: I Got Here by Accident (48 points/17 votes) 5 songs/15 minutes
2. Carly Pearce: 29 (19 points/9 votes) 7 songs/22 minutes
3. Lori McKenna: Christmas Is Right Here (12 points/7 votes) 6 songs/20 minutes
4. Robyn Ottolini: The But I'm Not Always Sad Either EP (9 points/6 votes) 4 songs/13 minutes
5. Miguel: Art Dealer Chic 4 (6 points/2 votes) 4 songs/14 minutes
6. Dua Saleh: Crossover (5/4) 7 songs/23 minutes
7. Mereba: AZEB (5/3) 7 songs/21 mins
8. PinkPantheress: To Hell with It (5/1) 10 songs/19 mins
9. Burial: Chemz/Dolphin (5/1) 2 songs/22 mins
10. Burial + Blackdown: Shock Power of Love (5/1) 4 songs/28 mins