New (To Me) Music - 2022
Monday, 2 January, 2023
⨳ 7 minute read ⨳ 1628 words ⨳ music ⨳In recent years, my music listening habits have been getting somewhat stale. I am ware of this. At the end of 2021, I thought it’d be a fun thing to listen to a new album for each week of the year. I set out to only listen to old albums that for whatever reason, I had never listened to before. don’t judge.
While I didn’t hit the goal of one album per week, I got to 50, and that’s a win in my book. Also, I cheated a bit and threw in some legitimate new albums as they became available and assuming I remembered to document the listen.
Here’s the listing by album release year.
1966
, The Beach Boys
2022-01-26—Sloop John B is quite catchy. Still, this is not my thing.
2022-01-26—Sloop John B is quite catchy. Still, this is not my thing.
1969
, King Crimson
2022-08-12—three drummers couldn’t help make this album tolerable. though i recognize a line or two from Bad Religion’s 21st century digital boy.
2022-08-12—three drummers couldn’t help make this album tolerable. though i recognize a line or two from Bad Religion’s 21st century digital boy.
1973
, Faces
2022-01-26—Nothing terribly catchy prior to the final, title track.
2022-01-26—Nothing terribly catchy prior to the final, title track.
1981
, Government Issue
2022-01-04—Sounds like an early 80s punk album would sound like. Fast tempo, short songs, repeating choruses.
2022-01-04—Sounds like an early 80s punk album would sound like. Fast tempo, short songs, repeating choruses.
1983
, Hüsker Dü
2022-05-13—Fresh off listening to Metal Circus, I wanted to hear more, so here we are.
2022-05-13—Fresh off listening to Metal Circus, I wanted to hear more, so here we are.
, Hüsker Dü
2022-05-13—In the early 1990s, I noticed my older sister’s boyfriend wore a Hüsker Dü shirt; Based on the umlauts, I assumed they were German, and not band from St. Paul, MN. While reviewing The Replacements - Let It Be, Hüsker Dü came up in the “Similar Artists” section and it occurred to me that I’d never listened to them before. Not bad, not bad.
2022-05-13—In the early 1990s, I noticed my older sister’s boyfriend wore a Hüsker Dü shirt; Based on the umlauts, I assumed they were German, and not band from St. Paul, MN. While reviewing The Replacements - Let It Be, Hüsker Dü came up in the “Similar Artists” section and it occurred to me that I’d never listened to them before. Not bad, not bad.
, Minor Threat
2022-10-03—Pretty punk here. Not really digging this much.
2022-10-03—Pretty punk here. Not really digging this much.
1984
, The Replacements
2022-04-11—I had only heard Androgynous from The Crash Test Dummies but then The Flaming Lips played it at a show I recently attended. I figured I should probably listen to something from them. Some songs that I found quaint: Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out, Gary’s Got a Boner, & Answering Machine.
2022-04-11—I had only heard Androgynous from The Crash Test Dummies but then The Flaming Lips played it at a show I recently attended. I figured I should probably listen to something from them. Some songs that I found quaint: Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out, Gary’s Got a Boner, & Answering Machine.
1987
, Pixies
2022-01-11—I hear traces of Surfer Rosa in this one, but not enough.
2022-01-11—I hear traces of Surfer Rosa in this one, but not enough.
1988
, Sonic Youth
2022-06-28—a little less polished than Rather Ripped.
2022-06-28—a little less polished than Rather Ripped.
1989
, All
2022-01-14—Quite similar to The Descendants (obviously) but still not quite the same.
2022-01-14—Quite similar to The Descendants (obviously) but still not quite the same.
, Samiam
2022-01-19—Big fan of Soar & Clumsy. I can certainly hear the seeds of those tunes here.
2022-01-19—Big fan of Soar & Clumsy. I can certainly hear the seeds of those tunes here.
, The Rolling Stones
2022-05-09—A nice collection of the songs you already know.
2022-05-09—A nice collection of the songs you already know.
, Great White
2022-05-22—kind of meh 80s glam rock. wasted rock ranger was kind of funny.
2022-05-22—kind of meh 80s glam rock. wasted rock ranger was kind of funny.
, The Flaming Lips
2022-06-01—I love the flaming lips. but somehow i’d never listened to this album despite having added it to my itunes collection back in 2010. Either that or my scrubbling is/was borked. at any rate, a decent, early version of the flaming lips here.
2022-06-01—I love the flaming lips. but somehow i’d never listened to this album despite having added it to my itunes collection back in 2010. Either that or my scrubbling is/was borked. at any rate, a decent, early version of the flaming lips here.
, Pixies
2022-07-08—I like Here comes your man, so figured i’d try this one as well. And I’m now recognizing the Monkey gone to heaven nod in The Bloodhound Gang’s 1996 breakout song Fire water burn.
2022-07-08—I like Here comes your man, so figured i’d try this one as well. And I’m now recognizing the Monkey gone to heaven nod in The Bloodhound Gang’s 1996 breakout song Fire water burn.
1990
, Mother Love Bone
2022-01-11—Dripping with late 80s glam rock sounds. It’s almost painful to listen to 31 years later. This is how music sounded in the midwest before Nevermind was released about 14 months later (and subsequently broke into the mainstream and changed music). I recently watched the Pearl Jam 20 documentary and I do believe Ed picked the best Mother Love Bone song (at least on this album) to cover.
2022-01-11—Dripping with late 80s glam rock sounds. It’s almost painful to listen to 31 years later. This is how music sounded in the midwest before Nevermind was released about 14 months later (and subsequently broke into the mainstream and changed music). I recently watched the Pearl Jam 20 documentary and I do believe Ed picked the best Mother Love Bone song (at least on this album) to cover.
, Fugazi
2022-05-19—Not my cup of tea.
2022-05-19—Not my cup of tea.
, Pixies
2022-08-01—nothing terribly exciting. very pixies. short.
2022-08-01—nothing terribly exciting. very pixies. short.
1991
, Dinosaur Jr.
2022-05-24—This could be background for a movie that’s based in the early 1990s. Very unmemorable.
2022-05-24—This could be background for a movie that’s based in the early 1990s. Very unmemorable.
1992
, Faith No More
2022-01-04—I was familiar with a few tracks via the This Is It album that I already enjoy.
2022-01-04—I was familiar with a few tracks via the This Is It album that I already enjoy.
1993
, Scream
2022-01-12—A bit too thrashy for me? not enough melodies, i guess?
2022-01-12—A bit too thrashy for me? not enough melodies, i guess?
, Melvins
2022-11-18—i vaguely remember seeing them play in the mid 90s. i got the same feeling listening to this one: what the hell is this? heavy but raw and weird. not my jam.
2022-11-18—i vaguely remember seeing them play in the mid 90s. i got the same feeling listening to this one: what the hell is this? heavy but raw and weird. not my jam.
1994
, Jawbox
2022-01-04—Nothing really. It was music. Mediocre.
2022-01-04—Nothing really. It was music. Mediocre.
, Helmet
2022-07-07—Milquetoast was on heavy rotation when this came out and I liked it, but never actually bought the album despite my friends praising it. It’s a fine album.
2022-07-07—Milquetoast was on heavy rotation when this came out and I liked it, but never actually bought the album despite my friends praising it. It’s a fine album.
, Kyuss
2022-07-19—this is a pretty solid album. Some of the songs felt a bit long, but still enjoyable.
2022-07-19—this is a pretty solid album. Some of the songs felt a bit long, but still enjoyable.
1995
, Faith No More
2022-01-14—Again, I was already familiar with a couple of these tracks; I vividly recall picking up the April 1995 Concrete Corner cassette from Ernie November’s in Mankato, MN and almost wearing out Digging the Grave after attending their show the following month.
2022-01-14—Again, I was already familiar with a couple of these tracks; I vividly recall picking up the April 1995 Concrete Corner cassette from Ernie November’s in Mankato, MN and almost wearing out Digging the Grave after attending their show the following month.
, Dance Hall Crashers
2022-08-01—i also apparently saw them open up for bad religion back in April 1996. i don’t remember them at all. i hope i won’t remember them after listening to this album. it’s really not good.
2022-08-01—i also apparently saw them open up for bad religion back in April 1996. i don’t remember them at all. i hope i won’t remember them after listening to this album. it’s really not good.
, Pavement
2022-08-05—wow. not at all my thing.
2022-08-05—wow. not at all my thing.
, Lagwagon
2022-09-01—it was fine. nothing overly catchy.
2022-09-01—it was fine. nothing overly catchy.
1996
, Unwritten Law
2022-08-01—apparently i saw them at a bad religion show back in April 1996; I don’t remember them at all. i do know Superman from this timeframe. this sounds like mid-to-late 90s poppunk. nothing terribly memorable here.
2022-08-01—apparently i saw them at a bad religion show back in April 1996; I don’t remember them at all. i do know Superman from this timeframe. this sounds like mid-to-late 90s poppunk. nothing terribly memorable here.
, The Suicide Machines
2022-08-02—this was an okay/fine album. captures the mid-90s pop/punk/ska music sceene quite well.
2022-08-02—this was an okay/fine album. captures the mid-90s pop/punk/ska music sceene quite well.
1998
, Dire Straits
2022-12-15—fucking snoozefest with a couple good ones. guy on guitar is a talent, but leans too much into the blues for my tastes.
2022-12-15—fucking snoozefest with a couple good ones. guy on guitar is a talent, but leans too much into the blues for my tastes.
1999
, Supergrass
2022-09-12—kind of catchy, but not really my style. a little too poppy like oasis?
2022-09-12—kind of catchy, but not really my style. a little too poppy like oasis?
2002
, Local H
2022-08-04—not horrible, but no earworms on this one.
2022-08-04—not horrible, but no earworms on this one.
2006
, Sonic Youth
2022-06-27—It was fine. I’ll try digging back a bit further in their catalog.
2022-06-27—It was fine. I’ll try digging back a bit further in their catalog.
, The Raconteurs
2022-12-15—jack white. talented guy. pretty rocky in the first half; a little bluesy in the last half.
2022-12-15—jack white. talented guy. pretty rocky in the first half; a little bluesy in the last half.
2007
, Fair to Midland
2022-07-18—I know and enjoy Dance of the Manatee, however, this entire album is not at all good. Thankfully, the songs are only 3 or 4 minutes long.
2022-07-18—I know and enjoy Dance of the Manatee, however, this entire album is not at all good. Thankfully, the songs are only 3 or 4 minutes long.
2009
, CIV
2022-03-02—Oof. has a very late 90s feel to the tracks. hits all the As: angst, anger, & aggression.
2022-03-02—Oof. has a very late 90s feel to the tracks. hits all the As: angst, anger, & aggression.
, The Vaselines
2022-08-02—some catchy tunes, but in general, not really great.
2022-08-02—some catchy tunes, but in general, not really great.
2013
, Sublime
2022-11-28—not a bad live album. nothing new, but still a nice collection.
2022-11-28—not a bad live album. nothing new, but still a nice collection.
2015
, Veruca Salt
2022-01-21—It sounds like Veruca Salt’s Sea Change album? Lots of break-up lines across many tracks. It’s fine; nothing special.
2022-01-21—It sounds like Veruca Salt’s Sea Change album? Lots of break-up lines across many tracks. It’s fine; nothing special.
2019
, J. Robbins
2022-01-04—This album sounds like an alt-pop album circa 1996 that I would not have liked in 1996. Fuck the Future, LLC, nice.
2022-01-04—This album sounds like an alt-pop album circa 1996 that I would not have liked in 1996. Fuck the Future, LLC, nice.
2020
, Goldfinger
2022-06-29—It’s a Goldfinger album; nothing overly catchy, nothing overly horrible.
2022-06-29—It’s a Goldfinger album; nothing overly catchy, nothing overly horrible.
2021
, NOFX
2022-12-01—it’s a late-era nofx album. interesting retirement of linoleum.
2022-12-01—it’s a late-era nofx album. interesting retirement of linoleum.
2022
, Corey Taylor
2022-03-02—Decent metal album. Talented guy, but not really my thing. Enjoyed redo of Shakin’, Lunatic Fringe, & On The Dark Side.
2022-03-02—Decent metal album. Talented guy, but not really my thing. Enjoyed redo of Shakin’, Lunatic Fringe, & On The Dark Side.
, Arcade Fire
2022-05-10—It was an Arcade Fire album. Nothing terribly exciting; nothing terribly terrible.
2022-05-10—It was an Arcade Fire album. Nothing terribly exciting; nothing terribly terrible.
, Pixies
2022-10-03—It was a Pixies album, but something was different. Frank/Francis sounds older (time does that). But also, no Kim Deal.
2022-10-03—It was a Pixies album, but something was different. Frank/Francis sounds older (time does that). But also, no Kim Deal.
, Jack White
2022-11-21—the guy is talented. taking me back was the strongest track, imho.
2022-11-21—the guy is talented. taking me back was the strongest track, imho.
, NOFX
2022-12-01—it’s another late-era nofx album. but without any familiar hooks.
2022-12-01—it’s another late-era nofx album. but without any familiar hooks.