I apologize for the existential crisis, but we’re already halfway through 2022. Yes, I know that it still feels like 2019 was a few months ago. But, there has already been an incredible amount of new releases, and the last three months have been no exception.

The Tuned Up staff has compiled some of their favorite releases of the last three months, and boy, are there some doozies in here.

Alex Dye

Dehd-Blue Skies

Dehd came onto my radar with 2020’s Flower of Devotion. I remember enjoying the album when I heard it at the recommendation of a friend. But unfortunately the band fell quickly off of my radar under the deluge of new music. When I reviewed Blue Skies for Tuned Up, I was instantly hooked and made painfully aware of how much I have missed out on by sidelining this incredible band. Mixing post-punk, indie and surf rock, with plenty of pop hooks, Dehd has created something both immediately appealing that also rewards relistens. Blue Skies is definitely on my short list for AOTY.

Recommended Track: “Bad Love”

Quelle Chris-DEATHFAME

DEATHFAME had the unfortunate timing of being released on the same day as Kendrick Lamar’s newest joint. Musically, it is more palatable than Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers. But it is no less skillful in bars or significant in themes. I would argue that DEATHFAME is the better album, no shade thrown at Kendrick. And although Chris was initially overshadowed, I’m hopeful that time will smile brightly on this project, which also explores the challenges of living in this world over a nice mixture of boom-bap, jazz, soul, and a healthy dose of experimentation. 

Recommended Track: “Alive Ain’t Always Living”

E L U C I D – I Told Bessie

The next two recommendations are solo releases from members of the critically acclaimed rap group Armand Hammer. E L U C I D released a psychedelic, wild album that is a full body experience. The production is very much in line with the direction of underground rap, which is to say it isn’t necessarily accessible upon first listen. But there’s so many unusual things going on that it demands the listener sit with it for a while for full absorption. The lyrics are poetic to the point of being seemingly non-sensical, but that doesn’t mean he has nothing to say. The audience needs good imagination to tinker with and decipher his verbal puzzles. And sometimes the way he puts words together just sounds good.

Recommended Track: “Smile Lines”

billy woods-Aethiopes

Aethiopes came at the beginning of Q2 and is an equally disorienting as I Told Bessie. There’s a reason woods and E L U C I D work together so well. Aethiopes is dark and jazzy, containing many of the same beat directions set in Armand Hammer releases. The cacophonous piano lines on “Haarlem” are absolutely insane. woods is more of a storyteller than E L U C I D, so his flow and thought process may be a bit easier to follow. Aethiopeshas some great guest spots including bars by El-P, Fatboi Sharif, Boldy James, Quelle Chris, and E L U C I D. Hip-Hop heads are going to have a great (and by great I mean impossible) time trying to decide if woods or E L U C I D put out a better album this year. And while these sort of mental exercises can be fun for the people who really care, ultimately the music world is blessed to be able to experience solo ventures from these two great artists. 

Recommended Track: “Heavy Water”

Otoboke Beaver – Super Champon

It’s been a good year for riot grrl punk, with the release of The Linda Lindas’ Growing Up and now Otoboke Beaver. Whereas The Linda Lindas take inspiration from Bikini Kill and The Go-Go’s, Japan’s Otoboke Beaver take their cues from 80’s hardcore bands like Bad Brains and Black Flag. On Super Champon, they play fast, loud, and aggressive. And even though a good fifty percent of their lyrics are in Japanese, listeners know exactly what they are all about from reading the track list. Titles like “I’m not maternal,” “I won’t dish out salads,” “I checked your cellphone,” and “Dirty old fart is waiting for my reaction,” are both hilarious and clearly lay out the band’s mission: loud, brash, unashamed women who aren’t taking any crap from anyone.

Recommended Track: “PARDON?”

Nathaniel FitzGerald

Astronoid – Radiant Bloom

Since their 2016 debut full length Air, Astronoid has been reappropriating thrash metal’s brutal riffs and jackhammer drumming to create transcendent dreamscapes. Radiant Bloom doesn’t change up their formula, and good thing. There’s plenty of ripe fruit left on this tree.

Radiant Bloom is a return to form in some ways—it’s a bit more direct than their self-titled, with more blast beats and cathartic guitar solos. But, more importantly, it’s another example of Astronoid doing what they do best. Many acts are stretching metal beyond the rigid boundaries set by the purists, but no one else is doing it quite like this.

Recommended track: “Sleep Whisper”

Cave In – Heavy Pendulum

For a while, it looked like 2019’s Final Transmissions was going to be exactly that. The band already had gone the greater part of a decade without any new studio material when bassist Caleb Scofield passed in a car accident. But the memorial tour they undertook in his honor lit a fire in their hearts.

Heavy Pendulum isn’t just their first studio album in over a decade: it’s their longest album ever. At seventy-five minutes, it’s a proper double album. But unlike most double albums, there isn’t a minute of wasted space here. Cave In plays with a passion and ferocity they haven’t had since their peak, drawing from every part of their long and diverse pedigree. There’s plenty of space rock, hardcore punk, and classic rock send-ups to keep any Cave In fan happy, no matter what era they prefer.

Recommended track: “Blinded By a Blaze”

Warpaint – Radiate Like This

I’ve been a big fan of Warpaint since their 2013 self-titled. But nothing else in their catalog has hit me quite as hard. Until this record.

In the years since 2016’s Heads Up, the members of Warpaint have moved to different countries, had children, and various other threads of individual lives moving in their independent lives. Radiate Like This sees Warpaint returning from the abyss with a sharp focus and renewed sense of their own voice. The grooves are thick, the melodies are affecting, and the atmospheres are as rich as ever.

Recommended track: “Like Sweetness”

Cremation Lily – Dreams Drenched In Static

I can’t tell if this is a metal record cosplaying as a bedroom record or the other way around. I asked my wife to describe how it sounded to her, and she said it made her feel like the kind of music people in The Matrix would listen to in Zion.

Whatever it is, it is spellbinding. It is one of the oddest sounding albums I’ve ever heard: the soundscapes are awash with harsh bursts of static and warped tape loops. But beneath the disorienting cacophony is buried an album of tender songwriting and stunning beauty.

Recommended track: “Selfless”

HERIOT – Profound Morality

I hadn’t followed the hype of British metal newcomers HERIOT, but mere minutes into Profound Morality, I understood it. Their debut offers up some of the most oppressively heavy music I have ever heard.

Metal and hardcore swatches are enhanced by generous streaks of industrial, sludge metal, and ambient. The result is almost nightmarish, yet emotionally charged. It’s such a massive record that you’d be forgiven for forgetting that it’s only twenty-one minutes long.

Recommended track: “Coalescence”

Casey Gallenberger

Graveyard Club – Moon Flower

I’ve been watching Graveyard Club for years now and their latest LP is easily one of their strongest. The group pair literature and film references with hazy, post-punk/synth pop sounds for a result that is theatrically gothic and fun all the same. This time around, the songs are consistently strong and the powerful hooks manage to mask the dark undertones of the ephemera of relationships and dreams that come with growing up.

Recommended Track: “Rose Vine”

Orville Peck – Bronco

While Bronco in some ways is spotty, it comes with the territory of an album this ambitious. It’s easily the most adventurous and diverse Orville Peck project to date, spanning classic country to rhinestone cowboy bangers. And the first time I heard “Kalahari Down”, I almost cried and had to play it on repeat. Not every track will land with every listener but Peck’s vision proves that country doesn’t need to stagnate.

Recommended Track: “Kalahari Down”

The Shenandoah Electric Company – LP1

There’s something so unassuming about this album’s title, and paired with its release on a label known for, well, NOT, whatever this is, it’s sadly the sort of record that gets easily buried. But TSEC boasts a cast of veteran songwriters, including members of Pianos Become The Teeth, so you can rest assured this is a gem of a record. It’s genre-breaking in the truest sense, colliding sample-based electronic with orchestral indie, post-hardcore, and even folk for a result that’s refreshing for music afficianados everywhere. 

Recommended Track: “N. Howard St”

Bloc Party – Alpha Games

Bloc Party has a long and varied reputation, but it’s undeniable that they were incredibly powerful in shaping the alternative scene in their earlier years. Their newest release is a return to form without being regurgitative – the band build on their proven sonic foundation while still finding time to experiment and add in even more influences. It might be a surprise to see that sort of turn so far into their career, but long-time fans will quickly enjoy the sound they grew up on.

Recommended Track: “Day Drinker”

Jordan Klassen – Glossolalia

I once set out to listen to Jordan Klassen’s entire discography in one setting. I ended up failing, but suffice to say, his catalog is storied enough that you’ll need to set quite a bit of time aside. Sadly/luckily, this task now tasks even longer as yet another strong record has added ten new songs to the list. If you’re a fan of acoustic, orchestral arrangements in the same vein of Sufjan Stevens, you’ll find yourself at home amid these tender, poetic tracks.

Recommended Track: “Lotusland”

Ryan Getz

Let’s Eat Grandma – Two Ribbons

This dream pop group released a surreal, transcendent record at the cusp of summer. It was a joy to listen to on my drive through the country as I ventured to the town of Kilbourne, OH for a friends’ graduation party. The album seemed to reflect both the nighttime and nature vibes of the evening.

Recommended song: Insect Loop

Safari Room – Complex House Plants

This Nashville group continues to hone in on their corner of the indie realm. At one point I would have considered them heavily inspired by Local Natives. I still think this is true, but a trademark “Safari Room” sound emerges even more here. Unassuming vocals, humbly executed layers, and contemplative melodies permeate this album. This is a dark horse.

Recommended song: All Is Said and Done

KitFai – Ways of Letting Go

The bombastic pop-rock of Norway-based KitFai bowled me over a few years ago at Audiofeed Festival. At the time they were touring with Project 86. This record feels like the fulfillment of the stage that was set in my mind that summer. There are big melodies and even bigger production. This band deserves to be in arenas.

Recommended song: It Was Never Supposed to Be

Charli XCX – CRASH

This synthpop artist is critically acclaimed, and has been for years. However, no album of hers has resonated as much with me as CRASH. Why? I can’t really explain. Perhaps subjectively I like the songs more. But this album peppers you with wannabe hit after hit. Who needs collaborations in diferrent permutations of the same 20 performers on the charts with you have Charli XCX?

Recommended song: New Shapes

Hatchie – Giving the World Away

This album was the surprise of the year so far for me. The songs start out moderately enjoyable and progress to a crescendo with the title track. Hatchie’s influences vary, from the shoegaze to synthpop. Fans of Beach House, Alvvays, and even Half Waif will enjoy this artist. You’ll find yourself getting lost in her atmospheric soundscapes one moment, then bobbing your head thinking “this slaps” the next.

Recommended song: Giving the World Away

Phil Hawkins

TREASURE – Stick The Knife In

TREASVRE is probably my favorite musical encounter of 2022 so far. It’s a solid ep full of surprises and easily left me wanting more than just the 5 tracks. It’s lush production quality truly makes it stand out. For such a small package it is full and immersive.

Recommended Track: “Run Away”

Valleyheart – Heal My Head

This is an early contender for AOTY for me. I saw these guys play live in Nashville back in 2019 with no knowledge of who they were and was instantly hooked. Their sound is unique, yet accessible with their blending of layers of cinematic alt rock, lyrical eloquence and dynamic vocals make this a remarkable piece of art.

Recommended Track: “Warning Signs”

Orphantwin – Future Classic

This one came out of the blue as even social media had been silent since 2009. Then out of nowhere lit up with hints of something coming. It’s another fine example of packing a lot into a small package. It’s comprehensive from start to finish with Cory Brandan’s signature vocal sound, but still manages to be set apart from his work with Norma Jean. Future Classic is more of an instant classic.

Recommended Track: “Negative Threads”

Memphis May Fire – Remade In Misery

Admittedly, I did not have high expectations for this one as almost the whole album had been released as “singles” over the course of the past year/ It left nothing to the imagination. However, upon the full album release it gave a better view of the full product in place and not scattered about. It’s a solid effort that sees MMF piecing elements of all their albums over the last 10 years together into one cohesive album.

Recommended Track: “Somebody”

Topher Parks

Making Movies – XOPA

I won’t reinvent the wheel here, instead borrowing the closing paragraph from my most recent album review: with their fifth studio effort, Making Movies has somehow managed to craft a record more varied and wide-ranging than ever before. That’s saying quite a bit, considering just how much ground was covered on ameri’kana three years earlier. XOPA takes a look back over the course of the band’s decade-plus career, doing so with a renewed sense of insight and perspective. Their shortest LP to date successfully packs in a myriad of sounds and themes, all within a span of just over forty minutes.

Recommended Tracks: “XOPA,” “Mamá”

Father John Misty – Chloë and the Next 20th Century

With his fifth LP, Father John Misty has crafted this gorgeous, grandiose body of work that feels like a comprehensive journey through the past, taking inspiration from the sounds of the many decades before it. The fifty minutes of glorious euphoria is easily his most stellar effort to date.

Recommended Track: “We Could Be Strangers”

The Smile – A Light for Attracting Attention

While the fate of Radiohead has been left hanging in the balance*, The Smile finds two of its core members teaming up with Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner. The result is their debut full-length A Light for Attracting Attention which, not surprisingly, feels like Radiohead’s spiritual successor in more ways than one. In his review Nat asserts that Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood are “just two longtime friends… still having a blast making music with each other,” something which turns out to be of great benefit to all of us.

Recommended Tracks: “The Same,” “The Opposite”

Jack White – Fear of the Dawn

The first of two Jack White LP’s releasing in 2022, Fear of the Dawn is a wild ride with both unbridled intensity and vast variation, not to mention enough shredding for everyone. All of this combined only solidifies the Detroit native and elder statesman’s status as rock and roll’s eccentric uncle, according to our own Alex Dye.

Recommended Track: “Eosophobia”

Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers

I would be remiss if I talked about Q2 without mentioning Kendrick Lamar’s latest LP, which seemed to break the internet at the time of its release, although the majority of the music world has since largely moved on from it. Still, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers sees Lamar combine different sonic dispositions and assemble it all together to create this 18-track effort that covers all sorts of ground, both sonically and thematically. It holds its own even within a catalogue as impressive as Kendrick’s.

Recommended Track: “We Cry Together”

Gabrielle Solange

Plaid Brizz – Doin’ So Well

“Doin’ So Well,” by alternative pop artist PLAID BRIXX is an anthem for everyone who is tired of letting life’s hard circumstances bring them down. It stays away from toxic positivity while doing so, still acknowledging the hardships of life, and yet triumphantly highlights each person’s opportunity to choose the perspective we live from.

The Eric E. Merrill Project – Volume I

This is the first musical installment of a very unique contemporary Christian artist with an incredible story. Merrill put aside his dream of a music career to pursue a more practical profession and provide for his family. After becoming successful as a medical doctor and neurosurgeon, a series of events led him to a low point that only music could bring him out of. That’s when he knew it was finally time to pursue his dream of sharing his music with the world. Enlisting an impressive team of musicians, including the famous Jazz composer Paul Jackson Jr. who has played guitar for Dolly Parton, Aretha Franklin, and many of today’s legends, his music is rich and full of stories that transport the listener into a different place, inviting us to fall in love with the simple things and rediscover what makes life truly meaningful.