Words by David C. Obenour
David C. Obenour is the founder and editor for Off Shelf. Prior to that, he served as the editor and co-publisher of Ghettoblaster’s print magazine, and wrote as a contributor for Under the Radar, The Big Takeover, Filter, Devil in the Woods, Metro.pop, and a number of other current and long gone publications. Here are his top ten albums in descending order.
Kyle Kidd – Soothsayer (American Dreams Records)
No matter how many times I listen to it, I’m going to continue discovering new things layered throughout Kyle Kidd’s Soothsayer. As a member of Mourning [A] BLKstar, their debut album weaves electropop, jazz, soul, r&b, gospel, and more to create a space that exists outsides of the traditional boundaries in genres and eras. You’ll read this a few more times in my list but I’m going to direct you to our interview for further insight on this thoroughly fascinating artist and work.
In 2016, Lambchop absolutely floored me with their transition in sound for FLOTUS. Integrating electronic flourishes in production and vocal manipulation, it was a bold chapter for the decades-running band. The albums that followed continued, though admittedly the sheen had dulled from excited anticipation to simple appreciation. Whelp. They’ve done it again. Working in a similar sonic space, the new songs reach a zenith as they navigate the expanse of Wagner’s lyrical wit and new American songbook.
Daniel Bachman – Almanac Behind (Three Lobed Recordings)
Daniel Bachman has a discography steeped in the traditional appalachian music of Virginia. However, for his latest album he’s manipulated this tradition with field recordings and audio samples to tell the story of an extreme weather natural disaster. Weather service radio announcements, recovered voicemails, crackling embers of an underbrush fire, the onset, rage, rebuild, and… inevitable loop of the cycle as the album seamlessly starts over again. Ambitious, impressive, while remaining compelling as a recording. You can read more about it in my interview from last month.
Guided by Voices – Crystal Nuns Cathedral (GBV Inc)
I’ve become too enamored with Guided by Voices to retain a frame of reference. Not only am I convinced that they are still good but I fully believe they are better than ever. While Bob used to require a myriad of collaborations and side projects to satisfy his unceasing creativity, he’s found the perfect foil with the current lineup (even the side projects now are the same players, just under different names with different rules). This isn’t the 90s. Which is good, because Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes are already perfect. 2022 saw two new albums and you’ve only got a few more weeks until La La Land comes out in January. Hop to it.
Orville Peck – Bronco (Sub Pop / Columbia)
I’m heartened to live in a world where not only is Orville Peck a thing but a thing that is celebrated by a number of people every bit as different as he is. With a voice like Elvis, a band that could back at the Grand Ole Opry, and as much fringe as “Macho Man” Randy Savage, there’s a lot to take in. Which would all fall pretty flat if he didn’t have the chops to live up to it and the presence to shoulder it all. But Orville Peck is every bit as weird and as he is wonderful.
Destroyer – Labyrinthitis (Merge)
Reliable staples occupy less and less space on my lists every year. Music continues to evolve and evolving your own tastes is an exciting way to grow and deepen your appreciation of it. But man, Dan Bejar. I am still here for it. Which makes sense given Destroyer’s restless nature in exploring the reaches of their sound – almost Beta Band-esque here with its grooves and irreverent danceability – but there’s also no mistaking Bejar’s voice, delivery, and his abstract and self-awaringly highbrow lyrics. Smarter and more coherent words have been said about this album but it’s clear he’s still having fun and so am I.
Tzompantli – Tlazcaltiliztli (20 Buck Spin)
Pre-colonial indigenous death metal that embodies the brutality of meso-american culture. Only the recording of a crackling fire provides light on Tlazcaltiliztli as Tzompantli howl and rip their way through this complete blackout of doom. Do I need to say more to sell this? How about that it’s every bit as good as you’d hope that it would be? Honestly, your time is better spent reading through Paige’s conversation with band member, Huey Itztekwanotl o))) from earlier this year.
billy woods – Aethiopes (Backwoodz Studioz)
Listening to billy woods, you can’t help but appreciate that you are experiencing a once in a generation talent. His verses conjure up a vivid and immersive sense of the world that he comes from in an almost Harvey Pekar like way (albeit, different worlds but a similar ability to bring everyday stories to life). The timber of his voice is raw and unique, fitting perfectly alongside the selections on production and guests. Again, my words fail me here and your better suited reading Luke’s conversation from earlier this year.
Yaya Bey – Remember Your North Star (Big Dada)
A slow and sultry burn of soul, r&b, jazz, and even with flourishes of reggae, it’s hard to write about how “cool” Remember Your North Star is. Even harder – without sounding like an after school special – is trying to write about how “cool” Yaya Bey is as an artist who fully lives into herself. The struggle of this word and all of its synonyms is that it implies a time exists when it will stop being “cool.” And no matter how music evolves, Remember Your North Star and Yaya Bey will always be cool.
Taking her training in classical flamenco singing, Rosalía continues to infuse more and more of who she is into her music. What was first hinted at on Los Ángeles and explored more fully on El Mal Querer has now manifested on Motomami. Electropop glitches splice hip-hop and latin beats to create a sound unlike any other. All of which is delivered in a way that only she can – immersed in her personality, fearless and unapologetic but self-aware enough to never be self-aggrandizing. Motomami is more than just my favorite album of this year. The boundaries it broke through have transformed how I appreciate music.