21 or 22 (Books and Records) for '21-'22

It's been quite a while since I wrote one of these end-of-the-year-list blogs, so I figured it was time. But also, because everything since March 2020 has blurred together to feel like it's been either 2 weeks or 87 years, or both at the same time, I had to cover more than just 2022.

So here they are, the books and music from the last 2 years that got a thumbs up from me:

Books*

Side Note before I start: To be considered for the list, the book had to have both been published and read by me in '21-'22. I read 124 books over the last two years, many of which were from 2020 or earlier, and bought innumerable new books that I probably will love, but haven't gotten around to reading yet (my to-read pile covers 4 shelves). So there's a bit of luck of the draw built in, and I'll probably read something next month that I wish I'd included, but them's the breaks!

1 - Broken (in the Best Possible Way) by Jenny Lawson 

I love Jenny, and everything she writes. She also picked some of my other faves recently by way of her Fantastic Strangelings Book Club

2 - Broken Horses by Brandi Carlile 

I'm too old to call myself a Brandi stan, but...

3 - The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec 

A novel telling norse myths from a completely different perspective, loved it

4 - The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton 

Excellent novel for music nerds like me

 5 - The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin 

All I can say is 😭😭... But in a good way

6 - The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson 

Love me a multi-generational novel 

7 - Not "A Nation of Immigrants": Settler Colonialism, White Supremacy, and a History of Erasure and Exclusion by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz 

I remain a sociologist and history fan at heart. All of Roxanne's books are both super informative and engaging

 8 - The Ugly Cry by Danielle Henderson 

Best memoir I read this year

 9 - Olga Dies Dreaming by Xóchitl González 

A novel about two siblings in NY that sucked me right in

Records

10 - Ani DiFranco - Revolutionary Love

11 - Juliana Hatfield - Blood

12 - Lil Nas X - MONTERO

One of the greatest pop records ever, but you already know that

13 - dvsn & Ty Dolla $ign - Cheers to the Best Memories

Honorable mention to dvsn's 2022 offering, Working on my Karma, but this one edged it out for the list. Also A Muse in Her Feelings from 2020 remains on high rotation for me

14 - The Halluci Nation - One More Saturday Night

I absolutely love everything from The Halluci Nation (formerly known as A Tribe Called Red). The combination of EDM, Native traditional music, and activism may not be for everyone, but it is absolutely for me.

15 - Admiral Fallow - The Idea of You

16 - Frank Turner - FTHC

I think this may be Frank's rockingest, punkest, and most emotionally raw album ever. I know that sounds odd, but the combination is incredible

17 - Lizzo - Special

So what if this is on EVERYONE's 2022 list? It's an undeniably great album.

18 - Jann Arden - Descendant

19 - Mark Owen - Land of Dreams

Another wonderful (and slightly off-kilter) offering from my second favourite Take That member.

20 - Robbie Williams - XXV

Speaking of favourite Take That members... XXV is Rob's 25th anniversary celebration of his solo career, featuring re-recordings of all his hits with a full orchestra, plus one new song (or more on the deluxe version). So it's not groundbreaking, but it's really good. And any year Rob releases an album is a year that Rob makes my top albums list.

21 / 22 - Brandi Carlile - In These Silent Days / In The Canyon Haze

Not sure if this counts as one or two... The Brandi Carlile Band's epic lockdown album In These Silent Days came out in 2021, and then In The Canyon Haze followed in 2022 with all the same songs, but new, sonically different, recordings. Maybe it's two albums, or maybe the combo makes up one deluxe version? I don't know, but any year Brandi releases an album is a year that she makes my top albums list, sometimes twice.

 

*I'm not going to take the time to add links for all these. If you're reading this, you clearly have access to the internet, so look it up your own self.