Best Of 2022: Singles In Order Of Preference Through February 28th, 2022
Here We Go… Again (feat. Tyler, the Creator) – The Weeknd – the album is fantastic except… it isn’t selling what it should be. That’s a problem for an artist whose reason for existing is to be very popular. That’s his art form. I have no reason why this gorgeous song isn’t a smash
Do I Look Happy To You? – Kanye West – Featuring Future, this is a song of misery and company with an edge of unpredictably, and the best song on Donda 2
GP – Bakar – the screaming, so upset the Yemini via the UK sounds as though he is crying and the hook goes “I keep fucking it up”
Is It Gonna Be Yes Or No – The Temptations, Smokey Robinson – Smokey with his warmest thoughts, last Temop standing Otis Williams co-produced, and the backing harmonies are beautiful
Hellbent For Leather – Ray Wylie Hubbard, Steve Earle – country outlaws with all the growl of Southern rock and none of the racism on a first rate search for another guitar town
More Pressure – Kae Tempest, Kevin Abstract – Kae is really specially and especially on this agitprop exploration of how feelings should feel: “More desire, Less deceit, Less complex, More complete, Less Push, More Flow….” about as Tao as you can get
Try – Eddie Vedder – a “Luken” style rave up
Let England Shake – PJ Harvey – Inspired lift from The Four Lads for the revised hook
Running Back – Live For SiriusXM – Bright Eyes – That Conor’s best song since “I Got The Reason” (nothing beats eligible men laying her down on the table of the elements) is a Thin Lizzy song suggest two things: 1) Bright Eyes are in the market for a touring song and 2) Conor can bring so much tenderness to his singing he moves you beyond endurance here
FCKN IN LOVE – Fefe Dobson – a huge return for the woman of color pop punker singing about the joys of post-coital embrace, it should put her back on top
Hotline – Lael Neale -heading up as the second set of releases via Sub Pop, they must have been overjoyed to hear this. If anybody had any idea how to get it in front of her audience, the LA singer songwriter should break right through
One Night Ting (feat. Saweetie) – Tai’Aysha – everything Saweetie touches in 21-22 has proven to be classic r&b pop with a side of hip hop, point in case this perfect nursery romance song of promiscuity where “ting” rhymes with “fling”
Freaky Deaky – Tyga, Doja Cat – inspired sample of Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner” adds to this HUGE ear candy, Tyga never better…
Wall St With Briefcase – Your Old Droog, Tha God Fahim – the sample is beyond gorgeous, the rap is a complement and the main event, and you’ll never enjoy Your Old Droog more
If You Ever Leave, I’m Coming with You – The Wombats – The Wombats remain the closest we have to a romcom written by Nick Hornby as a band, on this super witty Brit Pop song
