2022 was the year live music truly returned. Cancelled festivals and socially distanced concerts now feel like a forgotten nightmare of the past, paving the way for music lovers to once again gather in their masses.
2021 allowed artists to write and reflect, and 2022 allowed them to share it with the world, creating some of the best music made in years that’s been highly anticipated by fans around the world. Here are The Rock Revival’s top 10 albums of the year:
10. The Snuts — Burn the Empire
Scottish band, ‘The Snuts’ released their sophomore album with an act of defiance. Initially set to release after their UK tour had started, the band asked fans to ‘bombard’ their record company, demanding it to be released earlier so it could be heard in its full on stage when their tour began.
It’s easy to see why, as the album contains some of their best work yet. ‘Knuckles’ has an infectious leading guitar riff and warming lyrics that can be pictured being sung by masses at festivals. Meanwhile, the title track’s lyrics are concerned with political and social issues, featuring one of the catchiest choruses of the year.
If you haven’t heard it, listen to… ‘Hallelujah Moment’
9. Florence and the Machine — Dance Fever
Florence Welch marked her fifth studio album with tender moments of reflection. In previous efforts, instrumentals and vocal performances were grandiose, but instead on ‘Dance Fever’, the main elements of the tracks are stripped back and reflective.
Whether that be on the resonating, ‘Free’, with lyrics detailing a life of emotional unbalance forming into a moment of song and dance, or ‘Cassandra’, where Florence is heard worrying about the future, “I try to still look with wonder in the world/As the roses bloom and the riot van still plainly in view.”
An album made and imagined in quarantine, Florence is at her most personal and creative making one of her best records to date.
If you haven’t heard it, listen to… ‘Dream Girl Evil’
8. Steve Lacy — Gemini Rights
The tour that followed Steve Lacy’s second album saw TikTok clips go viral every day. Whether it was fans only knowing the lyrics of one chorus or Lacy himself breaking a fan’s camera on stage, drama followed the singer with everything he did in 2022. Despite this, ‘Gemini Rights’ has a lot more to offer than a few popular TikTok songs, as the singer proved himself to be an impressively talented songwriter.
His follow-up record to his debut, ‘Apollo XXI’ is everything a second attempt should be; slicker, more exciting and more expansive. Sonically, ‘Gemini Rights’ takes influence from soul and R&B to create something that not only stands on its own two legs but runs to the finish line, only lasting a short but tight runtime of 35 minutes.
‘Helmet’ goes into detail describing a toxic relationship, “Time to get out, I don’t want you around”, and Lacy’s vocal delivery is as captivating as always. On the viral, ‘Bad Habit’, the theme of breakups and heartbreak continue on what’s probably the catchiest song of the year, and the record comes to a close with the slowed-down, ‘Give You The World’ showing the artist isn’t just a hitmaker but also one who can be reflective and personal.
If you haven’t heard it, listen to… ‘Sunshine’
7. Jamie T — The Theory Of Whatever
One of the comebacks of the year, Jamie T’s first album in six years showed that he still remains a strong voice in the UK indie scene. On, ‘The Theory Of Whatever’, he oozes confidence and a feeling of freeness that reaches into every song.
‘The Old Style Raiders’ instrumental feels like a throwback to a time of garage-rock bangers while still feeling fresh, as Treays belts out a chorus reminding the listener to remember what means most to them, “Hard to find your something to love in life.” Meanwhile, ‘Keying Lamborghinis’ has an inviting but ominous piano progression and chopped vocals that grow more infectious with each listen.
The most tender moment of the album comes on the acoustic, ‘Talk Is Cheap’, where the lyrics detail battles of addiction and depression, ‘I’ve got a bag of white/I fade to black’. The track showcases Treays songwriting at its best and is one of the standout songs of the year.
If you haven’t heard it, listen to… ‘90s Cars’
6. Foals — Life Is Yours
‘Life Is Yours’ is an album about the good times, made when we couldn’t experience them. On the band’s 7th studio album, they’ve never sounded funkier with sounds of groovy guitar leads and thick bass tones combining to create one of their most exciting records to date.
‘2am’ is a synth-inspired disco banger detailing the hazy moments of a night out, “No, I can’t sleep alone, I just wanna go home.” Meanwhile, the finale ‘Wild Green’ is a true standout. Guitarist and keyboard Smith stated it was born from a synth looping arpeggio that the band jammed over, and the result is one of the most infectious tunes of the year.
Philippakis sings of parties, clubs and binge drinking, and along with his colleagues has created an album that’s their most danceable yet. It’s one to be listened to on sun-soaked days with a beer in hand.
If you haven’t heard it, listen to… ‘2001′
5. Arctic Monkeys — The Car
Sheffield legends, ‘Arctic Monkeys’ 7th studio album was a continuation of the plush rock aesthetic seen previously on ‘TBHC’. While their previous effort felt more like an Alex Turner solo project, ‘The Car’ welcomed the rest of the band back to the forefront, showcasing expansive and rich instrumentals.
Turner’s storytelling shined as always, the opener, ‘There’d Better Be A Mirrorball’ was a romantic ballad that felt openly nostalgic with the 36-year-old singer thriving in its simplicity. ‘Sculptures Of Anything Goes’ features quaking synths resembling an excerpt from Blade Runner, and it’s the closest the band get to replicating the Kubrick-esque aesthetic of ‘TBHC’.
While many songs don’t feature catchy choruses, they don’t overly need to. Instead, the band rely on an atmospheric fluidity tying each track together, guiding the listener around the soundtrack to Turner’s imagination.
If you haven’t heard it, listen to… ‘Body Paint’
4. Wunderhorse — Cub
‘Cub’ is the first album from genre-bending, guitar-driven band ‘Wunderhorse’, and it is truly one of the most exciting debuts in years.
Jacob Slater, ex-frontman of ‘Dead Pretties’ shows off his songwriting talent throughout, especially lead single, ‘Teal’, perfectly balancing storytelling and momentum. “It was the light of a candle, in the depths of the dark/And there was a fire, it danced in your eyes”, he sings as the track builds to an emotional and uplifting crescendo.
While debuts can often be overbearing with influences, this is not the case for ‘Cub’. It has its own self-identity deep in its core, overcoming with reflective lyrics and chaotic sounds to create something that thrives in its own insanity.
If you haven’t heard it, listen to… ‘Purple’
3. Black Country, New Road — Ants From Up There
London band, ‘Black Country, New Road’ returned in 2022 with a sophomore album that is one of the most emotionally heavy of the year. Not only due to the rich and moving lyrics detailing a break-up, but also as singer Isaac Wood announced his departure days before the album’s release.
Despite this, what he and the rest of the band created during his time as frontman is truly exceptional. The instrumentals derive from various influences, including jazz and prog rock that combines to create something which sounds sonically imposing and unique.
‘The Place Where He Inserted The Blade’ is a depressive ballad whose instrumental swells to a cathartic finale of “dah-dah”s surrounded by singing horns, and the result is one of the most resonating songs of the year. The album closer, ‘Basketball Shoes’ is a 12-minute slow burn that can best be described as a gargantuan musical accomplishment.
If you haven’t heard it, listen to… ‘Concorde’
2. Paolo Nutini — Last Night In The Bittersweet
16 songs cover the basis of Paolo Nutini’s return from his hiatus, with ‘LNITB’ being his first album in over 8 years. Within the Scots return is a collection of soulful rock to give fans new material to not only listen to but celebrate.
‘Through The Echoes’ has a standout vocal performance that radiates warmth and soul, while ‘Everywhere’ builds and builds to a crescendo of Nutini yelling, “I love you, right or wrong/Sometimes it feels like you’re everywhere” with his guitar showing fans exactly what they’ve been missing.
The project feels well worth the wait. It’s clear how dedicated the 35-year-old is to his craft, with each song feeling perfectly calculated and measured to express himself.
If you haven’t heard it, listen to… ‘Acid Eyes’
1. Fontaines D.C — Skinty Fia
‘Skinty Fia’ translated to, ‘The Damnation of the Deer’ is an emphatic exploration of the band’s relationship to their own Irish identity and culture as they rise to fame and move away from the emerald isle.
It’s their most mature and composed effort to date, simultaneously testing new waters in their sound but also in emotion with each song adding to the qualms and anxiety of the past and future of Ireland. Frontman Grian Chatten’s lyrics have always stood out from his peers but they’re taken to a new level here, often dense and powerful and never more so on ‘I Love You’, which The Rock Revival crowned the best song of 2022.
A lot of tracks have the same pace and feel, there isn’t the in-your-face punk attitude seen on songs such as ‘Boys In The Better Land’ or ‘A Hero’s Death’. Instead, guitar and bass echo and loom broodingly, creating a tactile atmosphere in which Chatten thrives.
If you haven’t heard it, listen to… ‘I Love You’
