16. The Decemberists – As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again (YABB / Thirty Tigers)
Portland indie-rockers the Decemberists are back with a bang with their ninth album, As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again. Indeed, listening to the record conjures up the feeling of as it ever was—if, suddenly, the recent past is erased with one giant swipe. It’s a return to form, perhaps even at certain spellbinding moments, reaching the vertiginous heights of Picaresque (2005) and The Crane Wife (2006). According to Colin Meloy, the songwriter behind the Decemberists, it’s their best. What is certain, though, is that As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again works as a summation of the Decemberists’ rich and diverse 20-year history, touching on both their folksy ballads and their more ambitious sonic experimentations. Released as a double LP, each of the four sides acts as a separate chapter yet forms a cohesive whole when listened to as a whole, becoming an entry point for new listeners and a much-welcome addition for seasoned fans. – Jack Walters
15. The Vaccines – Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations (Thirty Tigers)
Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations is the perhaps inevitable course correction, back-to-basics, return-to-form endeavor. Sonically, it is more like the Vaccines’ beloved debut, What Did You Expect From the Vaccines? (2011) than anything they have done in the interim. The songs are, for the most part, punchy and short; the ten-track album clocks in at just over half an hour. The tempos are mostly fast, the arrangements are watertight, and there is plenty of eighth-note strumming. Quiet/loud dynamics punctuated by thumping toms are employed generously and effectively. The drums are mixed to the verge of distortion, all the better to quite literally give the listener a buzz. Synths are used only for mood and embellishment. – John Bergstrom
14. The Smile – Wall of Eyes (XL)
To age gracefully is to achieve a net positive; it is to maintain growth without destroying yourself, as we tend to do as young people. One could argue that Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood have aged about as gracefully as anyone in their rare circumstances has. Yorke might disagree. In that interview with Dazed, he claims to embody his favorite Tom Waits-ism: “I wish to age disgracefully”, but the proof is in the sound.
Throughout their disparate excursions into capturing beauty in sound, a through-line persists: daisy-chained minor chords, woozy electronics, swooping strings, and anxious lyrical impressions paradoxically swirling with cynicism and lightness. If that is the proven alchemy between these two specific musicians, then it is within the bounds of that alchemy that the Smile’s second record, Wall of Eyes, soars. It’s as focused a statement as Yorke and Greenwood have offered, and it is presented with such grace and care as to be a high watermark in both of their oeuvres. – Rob Moura
13. Mall Girl – Pure Love (Jansen)
Mall Girl released Pure Love before Valentine’s Day as if on cue. But instead of celebrating love and feeling swept off your feet, the Norwegian trio capture the growing pains of being in your mid-20s. They describe Pure Love as a “breakup album”. With the same stroke, the outfit challenges pop conventions with a unique blend of math rock, Midwest emo, indie pop, and jazz. While this genre cross-contamination may sound strange–its execution at risk of being contrived, too obvious, or uneven–the Oslo group find a perfect balance, making for one of the most exciting releases of the new year.
Pure Love is loaded with hits–songs with infectious vocal melodies, playful lyrics, and impressive guitar and drum work. Mall Girl are in a category of their own. The Scandinavian art-pop trio possess so much potential, and Pure Love is one of the most exciting releases of the new year. To put my feelings about this album succinctly and compel American listeners, Pure Love is pure bliss. – Brandon Miller
12. Los Campesinos! – All Hell (Heart Swells)
Closing in on two decades of catchy indie with cringe-inducing, hilarious, heartrending lyrics, Los Campesinos! have delivered the finest record of their distinguished career. Across 15 tracks, this collection of songs hangs together beautifully and delivers all the poppy anthems and downtrodden, wistful ballads that are the collective’s trademark. Untethered from expectations and working fully independently, the self-financed, self-recorded, self-funded song cycle is endlessly replayable, showing some signs of maturity and growth without sacrificing any of the lyrical wit and heartbreak while showcasing how the band has continued to mature and sharpen its musical prowess.
That All Hell is another high-quality release is not the least bit surprising; it’s their best record and likely one of the finest of the year, which is a welcome surprise. There is no question it will captivate longtime fans, but is it too late for a veteran emo band from Wales to break through to a broader audience? If All Hell doesn’t do it, imagining what it would take isn’t easy. – Brain Stout
11. Los Bitchos – Talkie Talkie (City Slang)
Los Bitchos’ latest album, Talkie Talkie, triumphs. The London-based quartet, composed of Serra Petale (of Australian-Turkish heritage), Agustina Ruiz (of Uruguayan heritage), Josefine Jonsson (of Swedish descent), and Nic Crawshaw (of British descent), infuse their diverse backgrounds into a genre-defying album that invites listeners to escape reality. Here, listeners immerse themselves in a truly unique musical world defined by women.
Opening with an enthusiastic group chant of “Hi”, Los Bitchos build collective energy from the start. From here, Los Bitchos invite listeners to enter their euphoric world, where anything feels possible. At the end of “Hi!”, Petale’s assertively declares, “Suck on that one, bitch!” engendering the bold spirit defining the record. Later, “Don’t Change” revisits their subversive spirit, blending a laid-back vibe with an undercurrent of urgency, as if urging listeners to centralize their agency. In doing so, Los Bitchos remind us that we can have fun while being unapologetically assertive. – Elisabeth Woronzoff
10. Elbow – Audio Vertigo (Polydor)
Audio Vertigo, Elbow’s tenth studio album, is a return to form and a step into new musical territory. The sound familiar to long-term listeners remains prevalent, while elements of funk and Eurodisco creep into the grooves. A few songs, especially “Things I’ve Been Telling Myself for Years” and “Good Blood Mexico City”, are the hardest rock the group has produced in years. The lockdown lyricism of Elbow’s previous album, 2021’s Flying Dream 1, is replaced by a new expansive energy.
For all the newfound drive in the music, Guy Garvey’s lyrics retain their usual bittersweet reveries. Single lines stand out like bolded text: “Here’s to walking into every room like ascending for an Oscar”; “You’re a slender and elegant foot on the neck”; “There’s no cocaine in this cocaine”; “When the sun goes down the night explodes in their eyes.” Conveying tenderness, frustration, and dark humor, such lines stand out amid the complex relationships and personal futilities revealed in the songs. – Peter Thomas Webb
9. Sprints – Letter to Self (City Slang)
Ireland’s Sprints have been on the rise since their formation in 2019, and finally, we have their full-length Letter to Self, a blast of anger and catharsis equally equipped to support a circle pit at a club or a night at home alone breaking down. It sounds nothing like the empowering hardcore sounds of American bands like GEL, but it does have a similar mission. It would be hard to come up with a more apt name for this record; while singer Karla Chubb addresses the listener as “you” frequently, it could easily be her having it out with herself and building herself back up.
Chubb’s voice recalls some of the best; you can hear Jehnny Beth and PJ Harvey in the righteous, soulful fury in her voice. It is easy to feel what she’s feeling, from a whisper to a shout, from joy to pain. Her lyrics are sharp and direct, and the band is there to match her, providing tension and release across all 11 songs. While far from poppy, the songs have a hooky rawness that is addictive. – Brian Stout