Every year I keep saying that I will try to get my list out sooner than the year before.
Yet I continue on in a downward spiral of continually later and later release dates.
In my defense, there’s a lot going on in the Maq household.
Some of it is keeping me busier than usual.
But, I guess I have to come to grips and face the fact that I might be this way for the time being–for as long as time lets me.
I do apologize that it takes me so long to put my lists together.
I will continue to believe that–even if it takes me longer than others–that those artists who receive the recognition I’m providing will feel good no matter when or how they hear about it.
I like not being part of the usual year end lists, but I’m pushing past the boundaries of er boundaries
I will try to do better, meaning more timely lists.
However, I’m not making any promises.
I am happy to announce the release of the Philby 100 Best Albums of 2022!
I pretty much listened to about the same amount of music last year, so I still feel that the following paragraphs accurately describe my process.
There will be a section on submitting music following the post!
I’m estimating that I probably listened to 2,000-2,500 albums.
That’s still pretty respectable.
The album list is based mostly upon releases from 2019-2022, but I have continued the changes to the entries and expanded the opportunity for older, relatively unknown works to be eligible for the list.
The Philbys are more interested in brilliant musical achievement instead of a yearly time stamp.
Therefore, this year’s lists goes back as far as 2002!
The emphasis will always be on fairly recent works, yet include room for a few “lost classics!”
The pandemic effects were still being felt, but less so.
I continue to be stunned at the amount of incredible music that I run across!
I’ve probably listened to everything on this list at least ten times each on average!
In other words, these are my 100 choices out of, conservatively, 8,000-10,000 albums! (4 years x 2,000-2,500 albums per year!)
I always think of diamonds when I try to compare these works of art.
Each album, like a diamond, has its own unique brilliance, and a song on an album, as being similar to a facet of a diamond: it has to be held at the correct angle to reflect the most light. A song, in a similar vein, has to be listened to under the right circumstances to reflect its “light” or “brilliance!”
Just remember that even at album 100, there are truly tens of thousands of albums on the other side of that number.
Each one is an artistic work of art, no matter what the genre is. The musicians were artists at the top of their game! Hope you find something you enjoy!
Philby 100 Best Albums of 2022
1.Hearts in Need of Repair—Sarah Morris [Philby Album of the Year] [Best Album Cover From a Photo]
2.The Vestiges of Art—Bobby Pennock [Best Pop Album]
3.Time Didn’t Matter—The Blueflowers [Best Rock Album]
4.Pressed and Ironed—Crossword Smiles [Best Alt/Rock Album]
5.Turf Wars—The Joedai Warriors (Joe Peters and Friends)[Best multi artists album]
6.Particles to Pearls—Mike Ward [Best Male Folk Album]
7.Two Sides—Matthew French [Best Sincere Vocals]
8.The Sun Comes Shining Through—Linden Thoburn [Best Female Folk Album][Best Cello: Sara Gibson]
9.Dark Matter—The Stranglers [Best Classic Rock Album][Best We’re Not Finished Yet Album]
10.Bark and Roof Tales—Michael Snyder-Barker and David Roof [Best Group or Duo Album]
11.Good People—Bob Malone [Best Piano]
12.Still—David LaMotte [Best Lyrics]
13.A Devil Like Me—Wolf B. Reuter [Best All-Genre Album]
14.Heart Inside Your Head—Nick Piunti and The Complicated Men [Best Male Pop/Rock Album]
15.Of Hard Times and Harmony—Windborne [Best Choral Group Album][Best Political Album]
16.Person of Interest—Tom Curless [Best Rock/Pop Album]
17.Words of Love—Allison Lupton [Best Canadian Folk Album]
18.61356—Bill Edwards [Best Theme Album]
19.Sound Under Influence—Suimah [Best Rock/R&B Album]
20.Misfits—The Stone Souls [Best Import Rock Album]
21.Baby, I’m Hollywood—Judith Hill [Best Neo Soul Album]
22.Vivid—Julianne Ankley [Best Country Album]
23.The Mission Band—Billy Brandt [Best Folk/Rock Album]
24.Travel Light—The Steve Taylor 3 [Best Singer/Songwriter Album]
25.Rise Again—Laura Rain and The Caesars [Best R&B Album]
26.Start at the End—Tamar Berk [Best Female Garage Album]
27.Troubled Times—Mike Ward [Best Protest or Social Significance Album]
28.Banner Day—Signal Flags [Best Band Garage Album]
29.The Claudettes Go Out—The Claudettes
30.Dockside Saints—Cary Morin [Best Swamp/Blues Album]
31.Brother Johnny—Edgar Winter [Best Tribute Album]
32.Toxic Swamp and Other Love Songs—Kenny Young and the Eggplants [Best Sci Fi Rock Album]
33.Pete, Woody, and Me: Keep the Flame Alive, Vol.1—Spook Handy [Best Folk Tribute Album]
34.Radiophonic Supersonic—Dave Caruso [Best Album Title]
35.Lonesome Galaxy—The Volebeats
36.West Wind—Ian McFeron
37.The Word From the Swamp—Beowolf Kingsley
38.The Sweetwater Sessions—Jonatha Brooke
39.Meat Bird in Beigeville—Judy Nazemetz [Best Comedy Album][Best Female Vocals]
40.When You’re Leaving—Andrew Stonehome
41.From Those Sweet Ashes—Jeremy Facknitz
42.Strings, Wings, and Curious Things—Sue Horowitz
43.The Ballad of Larry’s Neighbor—Billy W. Brandt (Seattle Jazz Artist)[Best Male Jazz Album]
44.Planet A’Go-Go—Xposed 4Heads [Best Electronic or Dance Album}
45.Black Box Theory—Gretchen’s Wheel
46.Ponder This—Roger Ponder [2nd Best Album Title]
47.The Turning Year—Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra [Best Celtic Album]
48.Superimpostion—Suburban Hi—Fi
49.Light on the Horizon—Jerry Price
50.Far Above and Far Away—After Blue
51.Anthems of Home—HuDost
52.No. 5—Solomon King and The Chosen
53.A Little Life—Liz Miller
54.Every Moment—Sigrid Christiansen
55.Watercolor—Gary Browe
56.Where and When—Kelly’s Lot
57.Vessel—The Accidentals
58.Kismet—Kid Gulliver
59.Heroes and Legends—TJ George [Best Roster of Guests]
60.Big Wheel—Mick Clarke [Best British Blues Album]
61.Madison and Angelus—Bevin Luna [Best Punk Album]
62.Turning Stone—Dan Hazlett
63.Transitions de Bien—Mary Ann Kirt
64.Digging Deeper Toward the Sky—Bill Price
65.Novel Noel—Lyn Stanley [Best Female Jazz Album][Best Arrangements]
66.Vivus—John Barron and Rob Emanuel [Best Instrumental Jazz Album]
67.Earworms—Nick Frater [Best Drawn Album Cover]
68.Tanglewoods—The Empty Pockets
69.Phil Lee and Other Old Time Favorites—Phil Lee [Best Country Album]
70.Better Days—Corndaddy [Best Longest Overlooked Album]
71.Second Hand Mojo—Second Hand Mojo
72.One Year in the Lesser Middle—Tom Alter
73.The Space Between Two Thoughts—Memphis Hawk
74.September Songs of 2021—Roger Ponder
75.A Thin Thread—Phil Yates and The Affiliates
76.The Legacy of Billy Bob Sr—Barker and Broski [Best Billy Bob Album]
77.Ladyship Warship—Ladyship Warship
78.Oval—The ContraZoom Mixtapes
79.Relentless—Ilene Springer
80.Watershed—The Belle Curves
81.The EastWest Sessions—Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers [Best Saxophone: Mindi Abair]
82.Bloodline Maintenance—Ben Harper
83.Smote Reverser—Oh Sees [Best Prog/Rock Album]
84.We All Shine On: Celebrating the Music of 1970—Various Artists
85.Queendom—Analea Brown [Best Reggae Album]
86.Lago Ausente—Zoe Pollock [Best New Age Album]
87.Done Come Too Far—Shemekia Copeland
88.Kindness—Linda Marks
89.Live at the Logan Street Sanctuary—Thunderwude [Best Bluegrass Album]
90.Unleashed—Dog Sisters
91.Now With More Rockets—Rob Moss and Skin Tight Skin
92.The Supporting Character—Emily Kinney
93.Maybe I Will See You at the End of the World—Sydney Sprague
94.Permission—Lady Lark
95.Gonna Be Beautiful—Karney
96.The Absolute Error—Mercury Ulia
97.The Idealist—Flora Elmcolone
98.You Need the Needs—The Needs
99.Postcards From the Moon—Layla Frankel
100.Beat This—The Aesthetics (Janiculan)
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#Philby #Philbys #PhilMaq #ThemeAttic
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Here’s a section on submissions:
I am accepting entries for Philby consideration!
The album selections are made from a sliding four year pool of music.
The pool for 2024 is 2021-2024.
One of the reasons that I use a multiple year submission scale is that just getting music out to the world is sometimes difficult for an artist.
A lot of them are not really wired for self promotion.
Making music is totally different than drumming up interest in it, especially for independent musicians.
Yes, there are promoters that can help with that. And nothing against promoters because they have a role to play. But they cost money, and the artist already had to pay to record the music, and may not be prepared for the process of promoting it.
After looking at how some other independent awards are handled, I figured a four year window allows me enough time to serendipitously run across someone’s music.
I have told this story several times, but I try very hard to listen to everything that is submitted.
Although I work on my list, starting literally on January 1st, using a four year sliding window, I carry over some of what would qualify from the prior years.
So, if you’ve made some music dating back as far as 2020, I will accept that music for consideration.
If you have something older than 2019, send that, too, but identify the release date. I’m always looking for GREAT music.
For the Philbys, I’m looking for full albums.
However, if you only have a single, I’ll accept that, too. Don’t forget that I also have a Philby Hot Songs list, and more artists are releasing singles these days.
But please don’t send me an incomplete album if you have one.
So, please don’t edit for me.
I dislike that and I might not even check out the item. I don’t know why anyone would only send selected songs instead of their whole work of art for consideration.
Please don’t send me links to listen to music. That’s not how I listen to music. And I probably won’t listen to it if you send me a link to stream it. Either send me the album to download or request my mailing address to send a physical copy.
Every year I say that if your item came out later than May, it may not end up on this year’s list. So it’s possible that submissions entered now may only be considered for 2021. (It sounds so good to think of 2020 being finished!)
However, this year will be totally different than other years. I have not received any where near the amount of releases that I normally do.
It might be an excellent year to send a submission.
I will accept any genre of music. I like a variety of styles, even on the same album!
So, please e-mail your mp3s, and please make sure it is an mp3 only, to phil@philmaq.com.
If you want a physical address or have other questions, please e-mail me at the same address. Because selections will be considered for more than a single year, there isn’t an expiration date at the present.
If you want someone who will actually listen to your music, I am that person.
If you want some recognition for working hard and baring your soul, that might be me, too. I can’t make any promises, but I will listen to your music.
If you are reading this and are not a musician but know someone who is, please forward this to them.
Good luck to all who participate!
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My weekly radio show “Theme Attic,” can be heard Wednesdays, 12PM-4PM ET!
The show can be heard on WHFR 89.3 FM in the Dearborn-Detroit area of Michigan, or it can be streamed with this link: https://www.whfr.fm/streamer/!
It almost always includes a weekly countdown of my favorite albums or songs and some shows feature two countdowns!
There’s plenty of other musical things to browse!
A list that you might find interesting is my list for “The Most Awesomest Songs of the Day”: https://philmaq.com/most-awesomest-songs/!
If you’d like to know what I think are even better than the awesome songs, have a look at “The Greatest Songs Ever Recorded”:https://philmaq.com/the-greatest-songs-ever-recorded/! Occasionally, an “awesome song” crosses over to become a “Greatest Song!”
My somewhat unusual Hall of Fame can be explored here: https://philmaq.com/hall-of-fame/!
Lastly, but most importantly, is my Philby Awards link! A Philby is my annual award for brilliant musical achievement! https://philmaq.com/philbys/!
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If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word by hitting the “like” button on my Facebook page, Phil Maq!
