Lucie's End of the Year Round Up

It feels insane that 2022 is already over. So much has happened this year that it feels impossible to remember half of it. Looking back at my apple music replay playlist, the songs I listened to throughout the year bring back all the memories. Over the summer I went through a yacht rock phase so Steely Dan was higher up on my top artists list than I cared to admit.

Despite what my replay says, my favorite album of the year has got to be Carrie and Lowell by Sufjan Stevens. I discovered Sufjan’s music through the movie “Call Me by Your Name” and have been a huge fan ever since. This album is both sad and relatable. The album was inspired by both the memories he has with and the death of his mother Carrie and his stepfather Lowell. The songs all tell such specific yet relatable stories and have such a homey and comforting vibe to them. My favorite track on the album has got to be Death with Dignity. The song is named after the Oregon act sharing the same name. Steven’s who often uses full orchestras in songs, chose to use soft guitar and piano for this song to put an emphasis on the lyrics.

My favorite song of the year has got to be Wot’s… Uh the Deal? by Pink Floyd. The chill instrumental paired with David Glimor’s layered vocals makes the song so unique and so chill. The song gives off Mazzy Star vibes with some rock influences. The song is about looking for purpose as you grow into adulthood and feeling like the odd man out. I feel like songs about this subject matter often go a more direct route and end up sounding repetitive and even ingenuine at times. This song does not have that feeling though, by using metaphors the song feels different and more genuine than others.

Lastly, my favorite artist this year has got to be Role Model. Normally I gravitate towards either really soft music or really alternative rock music, but Role Model has more of a pop vibe so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed his music. I like more of his newer music like Blind and Forever and More. The positive lyrics and pop beats definitely give off a more summer vibe, so it is the perfect remedy for the winter/holiday blues and serves as a reminder that summer is around the corner.