Hey Darling Ones,

Without much preamble, here are some of my favorite songs of 2022.

Blush by Dessa

This song, at least to me, is about the conflict of being in a situationship with someone you really want to be in a relationship with.

As someone who has been in numerous situationships I wanted to be relationships, each line of this tightly constructed gem kinda punches me right in the heart.

I love how she justifies her ever deepening feelings and explains that there’s a lot to her and if she’s too much then they should say so.

And, because I’m a sucker for the moon, I especially love when she sings, “I’m a moon for you, give you just the good sides, save you all the best lines. I wish I was immune to you.”

Speeding 72 by Momma

I’m 99.99% sure that when I was cruising around in my best friend’s ride smoking cigarettes, listening to Liz Phair, and trying to out run my troubles the kids in Momma were not even alive yet.

They probably weren’t even alive when “Gold Soundz” came out. There is, however, a very good chance that when we were driving and smoking, we listened to it.

This song captures the universality of driving around with your best friend bitching about life, and I love that for me and kids today and for everyone who ever hit the road because there was nothing else to do about your problems.

The entire Momma record is pure rock & roll fun. As an Old Sad Spinster who is very attracted to the songs of young sad girls, Momma’s record is a nice diversion. Oh yeah, music can be fun. I forgot!

Chaise Longue by Wet Leg

Another in the rock & roll is fun camp. And again, this whole record is excellent. If you don’t enjoy singing, over and over your soul might be malfunctioning.

Empty Cups by Amanda Shires

Shires’ “Take it Like a Man” record is one of the boldest, most vulnerable, bravest, and brilliant records of, probably, all time. I’ve written about Fault Lines and Hawk for the Dove already. So instead, I’ll write a little something about “Empty Cups” which demonstrates what I love so much about Shires’ songwriting, her imagery. You can find it on all her songs, but this one is extra wonderful. . . a makeup of rainbow tears, the quietness of trees going to shade, and the rattling of spoons. I’ve said it before, she is one of the best songwriters of her generation.

On Your Way (Felix Song) by Anaïs Mitchell

Early this year I went from not knowing Anaïs Mitchell existed to her becoming the very air I breathe. I listened to her self-title release about 183 times. It was one of those records I had to listen to from front to back at least once a day for weeks and weeks.

In my memory I wrote about “On Your Way (Felix Song)” specifically, but it seems to have only been written in my head. I did mention my love for the album, but didn’t even mention Felix’s song. I picked this one for this list because I love songs about making music, buying records, or listening to the radio.

Problem With It by Plains

The Plains’ record is my favorite of 2022 followed really closely by Anaïs Mitchell and Amanda Shires. Plains gets the nod because it helped me grieve the loss of my dad & Uncle Danny. “Problem With It” was the song I listened to the most in 2022. It’s not even my favorite one on the album, but it was the first single that came out months before the record, and thus I had more time with it.

Resentment (New Feelings Version) feat. Waxahatchee by Madi Diaz

Madi Diaz’s 2021 song “Think of Me” was my #2 most-listened to song of the year. However, since I already talked about that one, I put “Resentment” on the list. Specifically, this 2022 version featuring Waxahatchee (of Plains’ fame, see above). Madi Diaz is my favorite discovery of the year, and I found her through this song because of the Waxahatchee involvement.

Frug by Rilo Kiley

Yes, this song is like 20+ years old. I don’t care. I fell hard for it this year. It’s a cute, goofy song in a year when I needed more cute and goofy than I got.

Happy listening,
Jodi

The post The Best Music I Listened to in 2022 appeared first on I Will Dare.

Hi Darling Ones,

When the Anger Stage of grief set in I didn’t expect it to be a free-floating sort of annoyance that plagues my every waking minute.

The Anger Stage of grieving was supposed to involve fist-shaking at the clouds, “ohh, I’m angry these people* I loved died.” Mine is nothing like that. I’m angry all the time about everything.

I can’t remember what I pinned the anger to yesterday, but today it’s the motherfucker who ding-donged my doorbell at 8:57 a.m. while I was still vaguely asleep. I have not been sleeping well. Shocking.

As much as I would love to talk about the myriad and absurd ways all this grief anger is popping up in my daily life, I’m gonna talk about music instead.

The day Danny died I did not listen to a single note of music. And it wasn’t in a “don’t ruin John Cougar Mellencamp” kind of way. My goal was to not think as much as possible. I wanted zero thoughts, and since music makes me think all the time there was zero music.

It was hard.

Since then I have listened to the Plains’ “I Walked With You A Ways.” I like the symmetry of how Waxahatchee made me feel like myself after my dad died, and how it’s her voice that is cooling some of my white-hot rage.

This record is stunning and if you’re are in the midst of grief, I cannot recommend it highly enough. The lyrics to that title track simultaneously wreck me and soothe my aching spirit.

Cause people come and go. There is a season for each one. They change your heart, and then it’s done. Well, I’ll be better all my days, cause I walked with you a ways.

I cry just transcribing it. While I’m pretty sure they’re singing about a breakup, the sentiment applies perfectly to death.

This record is amazing front to back, but I really love the B-side where every song seems to be talking to me specifically. Witness:

Bellafatima: And she came along like a ravenous song, so hungry for someone to sing.
Last 2 on Earth: You can take that sin to battle, but you can’t make it fight.
Easy: And you’re not gonna believe it, when you shake off what’s weighing you down heavily, but it’s not gonna be easy.
No Record of Wrongs: This aching spirit’s gotta mend before I let you in.

You pair this writing with the stunning voices and harmonies of Katie Crutchfield and Jess Williamson and you cannot go wrong. It’s hard to remain angry in the face of such beauty.

And yet, sometimes I have to turn the music off and then I go right back to the anger.

This whole ordeal is 0% fun, Darling Ones and I cannot wait to be over it all.

Angrily,
Jodi

 
* If you haven’t been around lately here’s the deal: my Dad died September 16th and my Uncle Danny died October 29th. The grief is unrelenting right now.

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