2022 has certainly been an exciting year for music. It’s like the industry has started to find its feet again after the difficult COVID years, with bands back on the road and a raft of new albums and EPs released from megastars like Bruce Springsteen to brand new acts that have sent shockwaves around the world such as Wet Leg.
In fact, there has been so much great music released over the last 12 months, an awful lot of it has slipped through the net for us, including plenty that is vastly underrated.
As we come to the end of the year, we thought it would be a good idea to look back over the last year and identify the albums that you should listen to that you probably haven’t…
Florence and the Machine – Dance Fever
Florence and the Machine released their first album for four years in May of this year and there’s some truly marvellous tracks on it. Florence Welch’s music is always moving, drawing on many experiences she’s had in her life, from relationships to the battles she’s had with addiction and an eating disorder.
The NME described the album as a “triumphant sound of a signer reborn” and it did reach number one in the charts in the UK and to seven in the US Bilboard chart. However, it has gone under the radar compared to some of her other work, and quite wrongly, really.
Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler – For All Our Days That Tear The Heart
Jessie Buckley and Bernard Butler hadn’t met before they started considering working on an album together, but it was a match made in heaven for the actress and the founding member of Suede.
For All Our Days That Tear The Heart is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful albums of the year, with songs such as Footnotes on the Map and The Eagle & The Dove showcasing Jessie’s voice in true style. It was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, but should have received far more plaudits elsewhere.
Maverick Sabre – Don’t Forget To Look Up
Maverick Sabre appeared lost to the musical wilderness following his success of around a decade ago, but this year saw a return to form with Don’t Forget To Look Up, the singer’s third studio album.
It’s his most compelling work to date and while he might not have had the same level of chart success as Lonely Are the Brave back in 2012, it’s his most mature work and a well rounded record with songs such as Walk These Days and Middle Of Eden superb, the latter one of the finest love songs of the year.