2020 sucked a bunch and 2021 saw little-to-no improvement, so obviously expectations were set quite low in 2022. Personally, 2022 was spectacular, we bought a new house, took a fantastic vacation, I made my way to 22 shows, which is 19 more than I'd attended between 2018-2021. My wife continued to prove (and point out often) that I do not deserve such a great partner. Our daughters continue to thrive and mature, navigating and excelling in both school and social growth. I never imagined feeling obsolete would fill me with pride like this, but here I am, thrilled to realize how little they need from me.
Then again, there was the whole, uh, fucking everything on earth. Instead of progress, we got assaults on reproductive freedoms, attacks on LGBTQ liberties, piss-baby governors herding and transporting humans like cattle, incessant bleating about dick pics from a non-elected Biden and, of course, the continued ignorant arrogance from morons that can't tell the difference between your and you're but somehow became overnight experts on Constitutional Law and the global economy. Yeah, it's great the “Red Wave” turned out to be more of a dribble on the toilet seat, but Herschel Walker also came close to a Senate seat despite admitting he wasn't as smart as his opponent and claiming to be a deputized werewolf. Holy fuck, what a letdown it all turned out to be in 2022.
But enough of this not-so-positive exposition, let's jump into the lists and super subjective awards you didn't know you wanted, and now that you have them you probably want them less.
Live Performance of the Year
5) Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness – (Hello Gone Days Tour, 12 August, NYC)
The highlight, not only of the performance, but of all of the shows I've been to this year, occurred as McMahon brought out his daughter, Cecilia, for a duet of “Cecilia and the Satellite.” Perhaps it is because I've got daughters of my own or perhaps it was the visible pride etched in every line of his face but I'd be hard pressed to find many whose eyes didn't well up the way mine did to get to share that personal, family moment with the McMahons.
4) School Drugs – (Punk In Drublic Fest, 14 October, Asbury Park, NJ)
Of the 62 live sets I've watched in 2022, School Drugs certainly stood out as one of the most impressive. Performing with the unbridled energy of a toddler after a candy-shop bender, the band was a perfect update of the old-school hardcore sound. This is not the style of music I usually go out of my way to listen to, but next time I have a chance to watch these kids live, you can bet your ass I'll be there.
3) Nate Bergman – (Supporting Thursday, 26 January, NYC)
With a voice that sounds as though Pavarotti and Joe Cocker had an eccentrically well-dressed baby, blew me away with a 20 minute slice of Americana and Sun Records influenced twang was broken up with interstitial humor. The set was both minimalistic and beautiful, a true delight.
2) Rage Against The Machine – (Public Service Announcement Tour, 11 August, NYC)
A true bucket-list performance for me, from the band I've been in love with for over 25 years. The pit undulated and opened up, crowd surfers floated across the floor and the sing-alongs came with the conviction of a Gospel choir. Every track that made up the setlist brought me back to my time in high school, when I thought my enemy was a science teacher that expected me to do my homework or my father taking away my illegally purchased cigarettes stuffed of various leafy ingredients.
- Descendents – (Punk In Drublic Fest, 14 October, Asbury Park, NJ)
Despite the gray hair and frontman Milo Aukerman's water bottle sling reminding the crowd that these were no longer young punks, the band has not lost a single step. Absolutely awe-inspiring to see that the band that didn't want to grow up, held true to that spirit in spite of their age.
Jersey Makes, The World Takes
2022 was delightfully Jersey-centric, or maybe that's just from my Garden State perspective. The hereditary chip on our shoulder that comes from living in the shadows of NYC and Philly has always given the denizens of Jersey the “fuck you, I'll do it myself” mentality that has led to innovation that improves the state in all mediums. With reunion tours and shows from My Chemical Romance, The Gaslight Anthem, Midtown, Thursday, Folly, Armor For Sleep, The Early November, Lanemeyer and Jettison and great releases from Beach Rats, Mikey Erg, Goalkeeper, Hidden in Plain View, Senses Fail, No Devotion, Day at the Fair, Yawn Mower, The Front Bottoms, Titus Andronicus, Well Wisher and of course, Springsteen, NJ had a hell of a year.
Top 10 Albums of 2022
Honorable Mentions (in alpha order):
10) Riverby – Absolution
Immediately jarring in the way it combines biting humor and heart wrenching ruminations on relationships, life and the general shittiness of the human condition.
9) American Thrills – Parted Ways
Despite being from Connecticut, this is the perfect embodiment of the Gainesville sound and I can not wait for what is next. As far as I'm concerned, there is no reason not to fall in love with this record.
8) L.S. Dunes – Past Lives
The lineup alone is reason to give it a listen (members of Coheed and Cambria, My Chemical Romance, Thursday plus Anthony Green). The fact that it is fucking perfect is the reason to put it in constant rotation.
7) CF98 – This Is Fine
CF98 perfected the sound that Warped Tour was built upon, it's like Tilt but with even better harmonies.
6) Frank Turner – FTHC
Turner is as comfortable waxing nostalgic over an acoustic or returning to his hardcore roots as Taylor Swift is in an old cardigan, and it allows him the ability to put forth some of his most personal and beautiful tracks.
5) Future Teens – Self Help
The lyrics and power-emo-pop melodies will create the perfect soundtrack to a night drinking alone.
4) Taylor Swift – Midnights
There's a reason T. Swizzle broke Ticketmaster in a presale intended to lighten the load on servers, and the reason of course, is that she is brilliant.
3) Carly Cosgrove – See You In Chemistry
This is the sound of nostalgia, earnestly improving on the sounds of the mid 00s.
2) Dissidente – The War on Two Fronts
A de-fucking-lightful politically motivated ska-core explosion.
- Anxious – Little Green House
Nostalgia never tasted so good. There's a reason When We Were Young sold out five times, and this band has every element that made that time so special to so many of us.
EP Of The Year
4) Sprints – Modern Job
A forceful reckoning of Irish post-garage that's the kick in the ass the music world needs today. Featuring a frenetic stream of consciousness style lyricism over distortion and noise that feels forever on the verge of combustion
3) Playing Dead – Something To Tide You Over
Fantastic and fun pop-punk romp full of mixed gender vocals and soaring melodies. I'm not sure what wave of emo we are on, but Playing Dead is set to shred the next one. (but seriously is this the fifth wave? I'm going with fifth wave).
2) The Sound Of Animals Fighting – Apeshit
These four songs are nothing short of phenomenal. The vocalists each bring a very different sense to their respective bars, but each is breathtaking in their own way. The instrumentation and backing cacophony is enough to arouse a base, animalistic, craving for more in anyone willing to open up their senses to the sound.
1) Be Well – Hello Sun
A perfect balance of self-doubt and uncertainty are peppered throughout the record as Be Well tackle the emotional toll of depression, fatherhood and a few decades trying to figure yourself out in the scene. Littered with “wait play that again” moments spoiling listeners with ingredients perfectly measured out, a pinch of gang vocals, a dash of feedback and a dollop of aggression.
Are You Sure There's Only One Of Him?
Anthony Green
In one year, the man has managed to appear on the amazing Carousel Tour with Laura Jane Grace and Tim Kasher, a solo record, performing with Thursday on their support dates for the My Chemical Romance reunion tour, the brilliant L.S. Dunes full-length and spectacular EP from The Sound of Animals Fighting, touring with Thursday (again) and Cursive, in support of the anniversaries of Full Collapse and Domestica respectively, release a full length from Circa Survive and also perform at Taking Back Sunday's holiday spectacular. I started 2022 not being much of a fan of Green's oeuvre, but he has won me over with the fantastic and prolific work he's put in this year. I can't even type all of that out without getting a bit drowsy, how this dude has the energy to keep going with a schedule like this is mind-boggling.
Song of the Year
5) “Low Tide” – The Wonder Years
4) “On My Knees” – Tim Kasher
3) “Question ?” – Taylor Swift
2) “Steeples” – Dissidente
1) “Birth By Sleep” – Riverby
Favorite Morbid Lyric of the Year
Carly Rae Jepsen – “Beach House”
“I've got a lake house in Canada, And I'm probably gonna harvest your organs.”
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed's musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he's self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/