I used to be obsessed with music. It filled my life with joy and excitment. Knowing the names of the latest trends and producers was part of my identity. But that was a long time ago. I’m more focused on my personal projects than what’s new or “hot.” Part of it is being in my ‘60s, way out of the demo that knows what’s “cool” and what’s not. Sometimes my listening these days connects with trendy sounds and sometimes with the most “pop” things on terrestrial radio. So this list is not a “best of” (I no longer listen to enough music to even fake knowing what’s “best”), but they are recordings that cut through the noise and I played multiple times in 2022, which is my barometer these days for quality. It ranges from Cuban funk to pop-rock to hip-hop to throwback R&B to progressive dance music.
Cima Funk - ‘El Alimento’
Elton John & Dua Lipa - “Cold Heart”
Harry Styles - ‘Harry’s House’
Snoh Aalegra - “Do 4 Love”
Symba - “Goat”
Kendrick Lamar - ‘Mr. Morale and the Big Stepper’
Waajeed - ‘Memoirs of Hi-Tech’
Sudan Archives - ‘Natural Brown Prom Queen’
Raphael Saadiq, Miguel and Snoop Dogg - “Everybody’s Watching”
Maxwell - “Off”
Various Artists - ‘Elvis’ soundtrack
Lil Nas X - “That’s What I Want”
Black Rave Culture - Volume 2
Robert Glasper - ‘Black Radio III’
Chuck D - “The Amazing Willie Mays”
MOVIES
Like most folks, I saw blockbusters in the theater and dramas on home screens. The tragedy that a couple of the best action flicks of the year (Prey, Athena) had to be caught at home, instead of on a cineplex screen where they belonged. My favorite movie experience of the year happened at Tarantino’s New Beverly in Los Angeles where I watched a pristine 35 milimeter print of La Dolce Vita this summer. I feel all the new films I watched in ‘22 had merit — some were a feast for the eyes, others had sharply written characters and situations — but none of them touched Fellini’s classic from 1960 for ambition, humanity and social commentary.
That said, I enjoyed the following for spectacle…
The Batman
Top Gun: Maverick
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Moonage Daydream
Nope
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
Elvis
Nepture Frost
… for action…
Prey
Athena
Barbarian
…for its writing…
The Banshees of Inisherin
The Menu
The Pale Blue Eye
Hustle
… and acting and direction.
Emily the Criminal
Decision to Leave
Tar
I don’t care who wins a Grammy or Oscar or whatever hyped up award the entertainment matrix is pumping up for fake drama. What I’m sure of is that some of these recordings and films will hold a comfortable place in my mind for many years to comem, which the most important impact a piece of art (or artistic commerce) can have.