“Dig” is unlike anything else in Barrie’s discography with it’s soaring “Heaven or Las Vegas”-esque vocalization and for that reason, the track stood out to me on their latest album, Barbara. It’s precisely this deviation from expectation that drives my insistence to make a separate References Playlist so I can also share a song that’s more representative of their style. Which is to say, “Chinatown (Alt)” is one of my favorite songs released in the last few years and I’d like for you to hear it. 

Wednesday’s cover of “She’s Acting Single (I’m Drinkin Double)” improves upon the original, with the lyrics certainly benefitting from having Karly Hartzman as our point of view character. As far as covers go, this one is solid, like an alternate universe Pavement showing up at the local honky tonk. 

“Dragging My Life into a Dream”  is truly a very sweet, well-crafted song. A delight. Girlpool is just so great at expressing vulnerability through the music and lyrics - “Dragging my life into a dream/Baby you were right, making up my mind is hard for me.”

Truthfully, “Only Water” is the song that pulled me into Wet’s catalogue in the first place but I’ve picked “Only One” here to keep the momentum going at this stage of the playlist. It starts with the familiar sound your stove makes before you get cookin’ (not really) and that click-click-click steadily leads into a break beat that continues to propel the song forward. The industrial sonic atmosphere continues into the next song by SASAMI. SASAMI’s new album is notable for really leaning more into metal influences but I’m once again pulled into a song that emphasizes solid melody crafting like “Call Me Home.”  Next, I’m picking “Stay Soft” by Mitski here as my selection from Laurel Hell since it has a certain pop appeal that works well in this sequence (true to my fondness of slow and steady melodies though, “Heat Lightning” was my first impression standout). The way the drums momentarily drop out at the beginning of the second verse here is just inspired song writing. Lead single “Working for the Knife” also has a great line that goes, “ I always thought the choice was mine and I was right, but I just chose wrong.”

I felt compelled to throw in a Wet Leg song at this point, as they’re having a bit of a moment (and also because I thought it would be funny to have an act named Wet followed by a band named Wet Leg). “Chaise Lounge” is a fun, irreverent romp that’s giving Elastica - “Connection” energy (I should say here, all of these references I’m making are not intended to be reductive, but more like a hey, isn’t that fun? aside). 

I won’t blabber on about every single song (I sure could, though) but what I mean to say is that these are all great songs. No notes! Reliable output from always solid acts like Kate Bollinger, Cate Le Bon, etc.  Although if I were to indulge in my tendency to make inferences… thefirstfewwordsto“AllIEverAsked”remindsmeofthephrasingin”MeandMichael”butthat’smerelyincidental. Shout out to the chorus of “Perfected Steps” by TOPS for scratching my itch for “Round and Round,” since we don’t listen to Ari*l P*nk anymore. 

CMAT’s “Lonely” begins the country-folk portion of the playlist where we slow it down a bit and add some twang. “I Know I’m Funny haha” is technically a 2021 song but I wanted to add a nod to Faye Webster nonetheless (side note, one of her songs was on President Obama’s  2020 year end music list but I kind of doubt he’s actually heard it. Maybe he has though, Sasha and Malia might have suggested it). Lola Kirke’s “Broken Families” is but one example of how her latest album seems to pull the more carefree elements from nineties country. “Pink Sky” and “Better Than Any Drug” may in fact be catchier songs and highlight the country influences more. Neither here nor there, I only recently realized that Lola Kirke is in fact the sister of actress, Jemima Kirke. “It Just Goes On” kind of reminds me of “What If” by Lucinda Williams (again, no intent on being reductive by reference), and the way the verse resolves melodically is very satisfying. “Certainty” is also technically out of scope as a 2021 release but one simply must include Big Thief. 

At this point, I can’t tell if it is a practical requirement to include or omit Phoebe Bridgers in a playlist like this, but you know the deal - “Sidelines” is the latest release and is again, another lovely entry (it feels like the way the drum beat opens up like Jessie Ware’s “Wildest Moment” is new sonic territory). “nightqueen” by Hurray for the Riff Raff serenely rounds out the contemplative portion of the playlist, with featured excerpts from none other than award winning poet and novelist, Ocean Vuong. For more Hurray For the Riff Raff on the References appendix, we have “Living in the City” (also on my summer running playlist) and the thoughtful response to the murder ballad in “The Body Electric.” 

As an addendum, I’ve added a few more songs that were out of scope of the 2022 criteria. Just a few more songs released in 2020-2021 that would have made a playlist like this were it not for the 2022 limiting criteria. “Like I Used To” was my #1 played track of 2021 according to Sp*tify. And for what it’s worth, I still think the “You seem a little on edge, are you always this nervous?/I said, "Yeah” bit from Cassandra Jenkins’ “Hard Drive” would be a trending sound on Tik Tok if someone were to clip it but folks, this is not my battle.