This newsletter is an extension of the 2022 Summer Album Guide, and will evolve to include writing about the community, the city and the world in areas other than hot vinyl and vital music. But for now consider it a gesture to continue the art of the album review, forever disappearing from our print newspapers. - Dave Bidini
2022 might not have been the greatest year for albums -- it wasn’t not the greatest either; time has a way of sorting out these rankings -- but it might have been the greatest year for music. We consumed it in mass quantities -- endless bands toured to sell-out crowds, especially in the summertime -- while vinyl sales soared, bands made new cassettes, and streamers continued to stream aplenty. In the touring world, it was nearly impossible to find tech crews -- sound and light people, and roadies, were in great demand, often lured away from smaller outfits by large promoters paying top dollar -- and bands like Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Pavement, Elton John and others did old-style tours, heading out on the road for months on end. Every venue was busy and every week brought new a clutch of shows and shows that had been moved from 2021 to 2022. Massey Hall’s programming exploded with delayed tours finally undelayed, and at certain Budweiser Stage events, Toronto crowds saw bands opening for other bands-- Interpol and Spoon for Metric; Earth, Wind and Fire for Santana -- who would have headlined their own shows, but were mashed on to bills to accommodate so much touring traffic (EWF played a 90 opening set when I saw them). Through the fall, many of us became comfortable being together in a club, despite the continued presence of the coronavirus, and wintertime kept people in theatres and lounges, although, after a moment, it was hard for everyone to be everywhere, and some attendance fell short. All of the album and ticket buying reminded people of the vitality and importance of music, and, at a civic level, if venues and rehearsal spaces were being bulldozed, there was also a response and dialogue about how to find new places to house and develop the inevitable blossoming of musical kids stuck in their rooms for two years with nothing but a laptop and a PAX amp. Field Trip, MIX-TO, Roncey Rocks, Dundas West Fest and even our Saturday Night Phoever show in September brought thousands of people-- neighbours, city-dwellers, families in from the suburbs -- to gather in unprecedented numbers around these fires of creative light.
This playlist reflects the songs and albums I loved, and some I discovered, too, once lost to me, but now found. I’ve reviewed most of them, but here’s a word or two about what made them great. Enjoy the holidays, everyone, and thanks for reading the paper, the newsletter and all of the authors you love.
Find the Playlist on Apple Music by clicking below:
Or on Spotify here:
Julian Taylor
“Murder 13”
A shining voice in an old form.
Drive By Truckers
“Welcome to Club 13”
Sweet Home Afghanistan.
Ibibio Sound Machine
“Protection From Evil”
Grace Jones in a time machine.
Phoenix
“Artefact”
Reminds me of the English Beat.
Florence and the Machine
“Free”
A world in which this song becomes a popular song is a good world.
The Beths
“Knees Deep”
Heard this live at Lee’s Palace, and couldn’t wait to hear it on record.
Spoon
“Wild”
The mighty comeback.
Status/Non-Status
“Blown Tire”
Defiant, true.
Selina Martin
“Smile”
A hip-pocket classic.
The 1975
“When We Are Together”
A lovely snowfall song.
Weyes Blood
“Andromeda”
Like an eclipse.
July Talk
“After This”
2023 Canadian Band of the Year.
Autopilot
“Feverish Dreams”
Reminds of Toronto, 1985, in a fabulous way
Alvvays
“Pomeranian Spinster”
A chugger.
Porridge Radio
“U Can be Happy if U Want to”
Sad, dreamy, electric
Sault
“Heart”
Verges on the (almost) too beautiful to hear
Big Thief
“Change”
The good America.
The Secret Beach
“God Is”
The good Canada
Khruangbin and Leon Bridges
“Mariella”
2 am.
Kikagayu Moyo
“Monaka”
Yes, please.
Daedelus
“Knocking on Adore”
Goofy, artful, strange.
Lisa LeBlanc
“Le menu acadien”
Must-have album.
Toro Y Moi
“Goes By So Fast”
Layered, painted, genreless
The Golden Dogs
“Stay Over Martha”
A colossus, plus generous details.
Bruce Springsteen
“The Shine Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore”
Reminder of what a great singer this person is.
Georgia Harmer
“Top Down”
Motoring.
Beth Orton
“Fractals”
Brush strokes.
Joyful Joyful
“Sebaldus”
Routes to new places.
Widowspeak
“The Jacket”
From Hamilton, and deeply cool.
Panic! at the Disco
“Sugar Soaker”
His/her/their jam.
Plague Vendor
“New Comedown”
Not from 2022. But it’s just a number.
Danger Mouse and Black Thought
“Saltwater”
OMG.
Pop Smoke
“More Time”
RIP.