A Few Of My Favorite Things, 2022 Edition – Part Two: The Singles, EPs, Live, Compilation, and Reissues

 By Henry Lipput

Part Two of my 2022 year-end review is for the singles, EPs, a live release, a compilation, and reissues that I've enjoyed over the course of the year. I hope you've enjoyed what I've been writing about throughout the year and I encourage you to buy a download, a CD, or a record to support indie music.

SINGLES

Peter Hall, "In Plain Sight" (Bandcamp)

Peter Hall continues to amaze and “In Plain Sight” is pop of the highest quality. It’s also included in his latest (mini) album About Last Night (Subjangle).

The Bablers, "You Are the One for Me" (Big Stir Records)

“You Are the One for Me” is a banger of a power pop track. It’s one of the songs from an album by this Finnish band yet to be released in the US.

The Boo Radleys, Keep On With Falling (thebooradleys.com)

“Keep On With Falling” is the second single and title song from the band’s first album since 1998. (The band is releasing a new album in June!). It’s a great, joyous slice of the Boos led by Sice’s always welcome vocals.

EPs

Theatre Royal, Beneath the Floor (Bandcamp)

Although “Ship Beneath the Floor” had a video made, “Talking to Tracey” is my favorite song from the band’s terrific Beneath the Floor EP. Reworking tracks not finished for 2020’s wonderful Portraits album plus another new track. Favorite track: “Talking to Tracy”

The Black Watch, the neverlands of spoken things (ATOM Records)

On the EP, with the title track of the black watch’s new album (to be released in March), John Andrew Fredrick and company are again plugged in and ready to bring on the fuzz and the crunch to the melodies. Favorite track: “the neverlands of spoken things”

The Magic Es, Talk in Tongues (Bandcamp)

I’ve been enjoying the indie rock sounds The Magic Es have been making since I reviewed their first album, It Goes On, back in 2017 for CoolDad Music. On their new EP they are back to being a trio and with songs like “Gone” are still making sounds I enjoy. Favorite track: “Gone”

LIVE

Silver Haar, Live (Bandcamp)

Silver Haar’s Light’s Out EP was a 2021 favorite for me and they’ve followed it up with a live set with many of the songs from that EP. Adding an extra guitarist they’re expanded their sound and also expanded the length of songs to bring new elements to the mix. Favorite track: "Lights Out"

COMPILATION

Various Artists, Have Yourself a Merry Indie Christmas (Bandcamp)

In 2021, the Welsh journalist Kevin McGrath but together, V4Velindre: Charity Mixtape for the NHS, an amazing 50-song collection of indie artists to raise funds for Cardiff’s Velindre Cancer Center. Last year he went even further and assembled a two-volume, 108 song mixtape to raise funds for Crisis, a UK-based charity the helps the homeless. Favorite track: “Snowboardin'” by The Pearlfishers

REISSUES

Blake Babies, Sunburn (American Laundromat Records)

One of the great things about reissues (if they’re done well) is that you hear things you didn’t hear before and that’s the case with this marvelous release. This reissue is for more than long-time fans of Sunburn; it’s a must-have for lovers of great pop music and is the first time the album has been available on vinyl for over 30 years. Favorite track: “Train”

Jon Brion, Meaningless (Jealous Butcher Records)

When is a reissue not a reissue? Jon Brion’s brilliant album Meaningless was released in 2002 only in CD and digital formats. Yeah, the CD has been gorgeously remastered and counts as a reissue, but the vinyl wasn’t available in ’02 which makes this an even more important release.  Favorite track: “Hook, Line and Sinker”

The summer of Sunburn

By Henry Lipput

The vinyl reissue of Blake Babies’ second album, the wonderful 1990 Sunburn, by American Laundromat Records is a reason to upgrade your original CD with a record that you probably couldn’t buy when the album was released. I bought the Sunburn CD around the time it came out but even my local independent record store (shout out to Siren Records of Doylestown PA!!) mostly carried compact discs. In fact, as of the late 80s most “record” stores suddenly only carried CDs and for someone who grew up on vinyl it was a game changer and not in a good way.

So why did I buy the Sunburn reissue? When I found out about it, I pulled out my CD copy and played it on my stereo. It sounded just as good as it always had but something in the back of my mind told me perhaps it would sound even better on vinyl.

And it does,

One of the great things about reissues (if they are done well) is that you hear things you didn’t hear before and that’s the case with this marvelous release. In addition to the care American Laundromat has taken in the album’s packaging as well as the mastering and pressing, this edition of Sunburn is for more than long-time fans of the album; it’s a must-have for lovers of great pop music. And this reissue is the first time the album has been available on vinyl for over 30 years.

What have I heard that I didn’t notice before? First of all, there’s a new clarity to the mix and the reissue highlights what made Blake Babies so special.

From the start of “I’m Not Your Mother” Juliana Hatfield’s bass playing is even more impressive, the many phases/faces of John Strohm’s guitar work continues to amaze (a blast of sound at the opening, a glistening solo, and jangle fills), and Freda Love Smith’s simple but consistently high-quality drumming is the glue holding the whole thing together. There’s the full band freakout on “Look Away” and “Sanctify” as well as a "girl-who's-boyfriend-just-left-with-another-girl" vocal from Hatfield on "Look Away." There's the simplicity and underlying horror of “Girl in a Box” and the joyous pop of "I'll Take Anything" and "Kiss and Make Up" just because.

There are also lyrics I may not have fully appreciated the many other times I’ve listened to the album (but isn’t that the magic of songs?). I certainly wasn’t a kid when I first heard the album, but the reissue has given me a completely different take on one of my favorites from Sunburn, the brilliant, multi-part “Train.” For the longest time I thought it was about a breakup with the sadness at seeing a former loved one leaving to joy at their departure. Now, hearing lines like “strung out on the floor” and “my blood runs free from an open vein,” I’m coming around to thinking it’s a drug song and, with the line “this is the last time,” turns into a song about recovery with Hatfield’s full-throated vocal celebrating freedom on “runaway (run away?) train.” 

The reissue of Sunburn is only limited to 2000 units worldwide and some of the different vinyl colors have already sold out. You can find out which ones are still available on the American Laundromat website.