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Chris Siuty writesCHIRP Radio’s Best of 2022: Chris Siuty
Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2022. Our next list is from DJ Chris Siuty.
Wild year! I had back-to-back-to-back respiratory infections, bought a ton of records, watched my kid start her second year of pre-school and after a very long absence from CHIRP, I returned to the airwaves.
Ups, downs, goods, bads, whatever. Music really kept it together for me if I'm being honest, so here's a totally unranked list of albums I thought killed it this year.
Drugs by MEDICINE (MPLS Ltd)
Long running dream pop/shoegaze/noise pop/psych rock/experimental mad man Brad Laner returns as a two piece to put out another fantastic Medicine album.
Included is the fourth version of their minor hit, "Time Baby." ("Time Baby 2" was on The Crow soundtrack and they made a cameo in the film.)
If I were pressed to say what's my favorite album this year, I'd probably say this one (or maybe Syndrome 81 or Yard Act, but we're getting there.)
The Overlord by Yard Act (Island)
Celebrators of the British tradition of great indie rock, Yard Act draw influence from some of my fav's -- specifically Gang of Four and Public Image with a vocal delivery strongly influenced by Mark E Smith of the Fall.
This album spent a lot of time in the CD player this year and the winter beanie it came with has been keeping my head warm. Really fantastic stuff.
Prisons Imaginaires by Syndrome 81 (Destructure / Sabotage)
German band successfully blending oi and post punk in a very aggressively catchy way. This record is great and really the reason why I'm not ranking this list. It would probably be a three way tie.
Hygiene by Drug Church (Pure Noise Records)
Pixies influenced hardcore punk? Yes please. Through out their discography, this band has demonstrated that they and I have a lot in common. We should probably be friends.
This record is was absolutely my "welp, Covid must be over, because traffic is back" album this summer.
Cave World by Viagra Boys (Year0001)
More fantastic angular post punk coming out of Europe. This is an incredibly fun record that has sparked many a dance party while cooking dinner or doing chores.
Also, for whatever reason, I read their name in the style of Riley and Jonesy from Letterkenny. 'Viagra, boys!"
Discomfiture Atlas by Microwaves (Three One G)
Oh I was excited when I saw that the Microwaves were back! I love love love no wave/now wave and the Microwaves were one of the best at it back in the early '00s.
This album is everything you'd want from them and they haven't (unintentionally) missed a beat.
How The Light Felt by Smut (Bayonet)
Shortly after this album came out, I was traveling to Florida to visit family. I listened to this album multiple times during the two hour flight as well as while trying to deal with my insomnia.
What a great record, what a great band. Terrific shoegaze/dream pop that blurs and jangles in just the right ways.
DRACUL(A) by DRACUL(A) (Self Released Cassette)
Brutal d-beat hardcore from New Orleans LA. The tape's cover reads "Warning: For sick rocker freaks only!" That is an apt amount of self awareness, lord of anarcho darkness. It's hella brutal hardcore in the tradition of early crust punk such as Discharge and The Varukers as well as Discharge's "cousin band" Motorhead, while mixing in modern influences like all of the "Dis" bands and "Skit" bands.
II by Dead Cross (Three One G)
Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr Bungle, Fantomas), Dave Lombardo (Slayer), Justin Pearson (Locust, Three One G) and Michael Crain (Retox) return, sadly without Gabe Serbian (Locust) who passed away earlier in the year.
This album is less a hardcore record than "I," but equally split between hardcore and post punk, but filtered through the sum of its parts.
If you're at all familiar with the band members, you probably have a pretty good idea as to what I mean. It's hardcore, but it's weird hardcore. It's post punk, but it's especially dark post punk.
Just a great album beginning to end. It addresses a lot of heavy topics, specifically mental health post quarantine and lock down. Dark, heavy and heavy.
Baby by Petrol Girls (Hassle)
So much anger and it's directed in all the right places. A friend at work showed me this band and I was hooked. It's equal parts riot girl and noise rock and feels fresh. It gets the blood pumping while educating and informing. Very good and justifiably pissed off.
Honorable Mentions
Honorable Mentions, EPs and other media I was into this year:
Sick Thoughts - Heaven Is No Fun
Schedule 1 - Schedule 1 EP
The Cool Greenhouse - Sod's Toasties
eggS - eggS
Nape Neck - Look Alive EP
VR Sex - Rough Dimension
Dangus Tarkus - Concrete Hearts EP
Kontravoid - Faceless (this would have been in the top 10, but it technically came out digitally last year and physically this year.)
Shoresy Season 1
Biblical - Rob Halford (autobiography)
The Replacements - No Dogs in Space Podcast
Andor: A Star Wars Series
Lastly, as a life long Chicagoan I've been rediscovering how absolutely beautiful and magical Chicago can be and how lucky we are to live here (despite its problems, obviously.)
Top five Chicago things in 2022 --
1. Dino's thin crust sausage/mushroom/green pepper, well done (northwest side represent)
2. The Music Box Theatre, its staff and its lounge.
3. The Museum campus, Museum of Science and Industry and Art Institute
4. Tone Deaf Records
5. Coming back to CHIRP!
Next entry: CHIRP Radio’s Best of 2022: Juniper Balbus-Holmquist
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