Best of 2022 by Ricky Frankel
Wow! It’s list season already? It’s funny, while we had a great year of releases, I felt like the first half of the year was pretty light on new releases. Luckily the second half of year really came through.
This year one of the biggest stories was that we had to say goodbye to Night Birds. It’s a bitter-sweet loss for the scene because on one hand the reasoning was quite understandable, and on the other hand Night Birds is one of those rare bands that doesn’t have a bad release in its discography. For 2023, I do hope we get a vinyl pressing of the band’s ‘Fresh Kills Volume 2’ compilation as one last farewell.
Like every year, I hope Dead To Me will finally release their long-awaited album, ‘American Son Of Cholo.’ Fat Wreck Chords did a repressing of the band’s legendary LP ‘Cuban Ballerina’ earlier this year, so maybe there’s a chance we’ll get to hear ‘American Son Of Cholo’ soon. Maybe we’ll finally get that vinyl pressing of ‘World Of Burning Hate’ by Classics Of Love some time next year as well. I’m also hoping for new releases from Brutal Youth, PEARS, Descendents, Clowns, The Holy Mess, The Menzingers, Neighborhood Brats, Not On Tour, and Private Function.
At the time of writing this (late November), the only confirmed new release that I am currently looking forward to hearing in the new year is the Public Serpents record, ‘The Bully Puppet,’ but I have no doubt that we will get plenty of great material from the punk scene in 2023.
Now let’s get to the good stuff. Below you will find my top 20 albums and top 10 EP’s/singles of the year, and some honorable mentions. And look out for which record received the coveted Best Album Art Of The Year award, too (it’s pretty obvious, imo).
See you in 2023, PWV Fam!
(BAND – ALBUM TITLE – FAVORITE TRACK)
20. Starter Jackets – Dead Malls – “Deep Cuts“
19. The Eradicator – Forever The Eradicator – “Can’t Play Well With Others“
18. Postage – LP2 – “Amnesia“
17. Christian Blunda – Funky Punks In Space – “Hyperblaster“
16. Bandaid Brigade – Sex Is Terrifying – “Hit The Buck”
15. Hot Water Music – Feel The Void – “Habitual”
14. The Flatliners – New Ruin – “Performative Hours”
13. The Raging Nathans – Still Splitting Blood – “Fucked Olympia“
12. Escape From The Zoo – Countin’ Cards – “Wasted Years“
11. SACK – Ripper! – “I Used To Give A Shit“
10. A Wilhelm Scream – Lose Your Delusion – “Yo Canada”
9. Screeching Weasel – The Awful Disclosures Of Screeching Weasel – “Hey Diana“
8. Beach Rats – Rat Beat – “Bikes Out“
7. The Upfux/Noise Complaint – Coastal Collapse – “Drowning“ (by The Upfux)
6. AMMO – Web Of Lies/Death Won’t Even Satisfy – “Slam, Slam, Slam“
5. Bloodclot – Souls – “Unhinged“
4. Cigar – The Visitor – “We Used To”
3. OFF! – Free LSD – “War Above Los Angeles“ [Best Album Art Of The Year]
2. Ann Beretta – RISE – “Better Medicine”
1. The Suicide Machines/Coquettish – Gebo Gomi – “Awake” (by The Suicide Machines)
(BAND – EP/SINGLE TITLE – FAVORITE TRACK)
10. Male Patterns/Under Attack – split 7-inch – “Greek Life“ (by Male Patterns)
9. Instant Ruin – Self-Titled – “Miserable Half The Time”
8. The Sad Tomorrows – Self-Titled – “Unsustainable Practices“
7. The Drowns – Know Who You Are 7-inch – “Guidelines Of Control“
6. Mean Jeans – Hits From The Bog (Unreleased Tracks) – “Mind Fulla Slime“
5. No Plan – Self-Titled – “Another Day“
4. Chubby And The Gang – Labour Of Love 7-inch – “Who Loves You (Coup d’état) “
3. DFMK – Dame Peligro 7-inch – “Dame Peligro“
2. Codefendants/Get Dead – split 10-inch – “Suicide By Pigs (10” Version)” (by Codefendants)
1. Mess/The Chisel – split 7-inch – “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet“ (by The Chisel)
Honorable Mentions: (in Alphabetical order)
After The Fall – Isolation
Ann Beretta/Blacklist Royals – reCOVERy split EP
Blag Dahlia – Introduction Ralph Champagne
Charger – Warhorse
Chubby And The Gang – Chubby And The Gang Presents: A Christmas Extravaganza
Codefendants – Crime Wave demo
Crisis Actor – False Flag
Dissidente – The War On Two Fronts
Gregor Barnett – Don’t Go Throwing Roses In My Grave
Instant Ruin – Hardcore New Wave
Jerry Only – Anti-Hero
Max Creeps – NEIN
PLOSIVS – Self-Titled
PUP – The Unraveling Of PupTheBand
RKL – Live In A Dive
Schedule 1 – S/T
Suzi Moon – Dumb And In Luv
The Chats – Get Fucked
The Drowns – Lunatics
The Ergs – Renovations
The Ergs – Time And The Season
The Interrupters – In The Wild
The Raging Nathans – Failures In Art: Sordid Youth Vol. 2
The Venomous Pinks – Vita Mors
Upper Downer – No Refills Left
Various Artists – Endless Possibilities: A Tribute To Jack Terricloth
Vintage War – Plague State
***
About the Author
Denise Borders 39, Los Angeles. Denise founded PWV in 2008 and remains the primary manager and photographer/videographer. She is not secretly obsessed with Joey Cape.
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