It's the fall, and that means we only have a few months left of new releases until year-end season rolls around. Perhaps it's a bit late for a mid-year report, but it's fine. I said this on Twitter the other day -- while 2022 has maybe not a marquee release as most other years do, it may be the deepest year of country music in recent memory. This was the easiest time I've had in a while compiling a list of albums I've genuinely loved from the calendar year, and I left a number on the cutting room floor as well. There's been such wide diversity in the sound and scope of 2022's releases, making it such an interesting year for music. It's honestly made me really optimistic, even if there isn't one title that grabs and defines the year. I've listed a small selection of honourable mentions, along with my ten favourite 2022 releases to-date. They're listed alphabetically by artist -- the order does not speak to preference (I'll save that for year end). It's been an awesome year so far, and there some more big names on the horizon that I'm looking forward to digging into. Let me know your thoughts and your own lists!
Honourable Mentions
Summertime Blues by Zach Bryan
Peculiar, Missouri by Willi Carlisle
Baker Hotel by William Clark Green
Strange Circus by IV and the Strange Band
River Fools & Mountain Saints by Ian Noe
Honourable Mentions
Summertime Blues by Zach Bryan
Peculiar, Missouri by Willi Carlisle
Baker Hotel by William Clark Green
Strange Circus by IV and the Strange Band
River Fools & Mountain Saints by Ian Noe
 | Chicamacomico American Aquarium It's a softer sound for them, to be sure, and it took a few listens, but Chicamacomico easily holds up alongside the rest of the American Aquarium catalogue. The writing is as heavy and sharp as ever, and Barham is in fine form as a storyteller. The singer-songwriter tone is different but works well for them. |
 | Oh To Be That Free Michaela Anne A gorgeous album that blends thoughtful writing with a lush production scheme and stunning vocal ability. An album that equal parts accessible and beautiful, held up by Anne's strength as a reflective and honest performer. |
 | American Heartbreak Zach Bryan The length here is absurd (and perhaps too its detriment) but American Heartbreak is nonetheless an impressive and sprawling project, marked by songwriting that effectively grapples with the complexities of the human experience. Bryan's songwriting is both poetic and grounded in lived experience, and he's an undeniably compelling performer. Amazingly little filler for what could be fairly called a triple album. Impressive, if daunting, stuff. |
 | What Else Can She Do Kaitlin Butts While Bryan's effort was extravagant in its scope, Kaitlin Butts delivers with a tight seven-song effort that tells complex stories in a cohesive fashion. She's an immensely charismatic performers, and she tells interesting tales while maintaining memorable hooks and engaging melodies. A highly sophisticated and well-crafted album, to the point where it's so intricately put together that seven songs doesn't even feel like a rip off. |
 | The Man from Waco Charley Crockett With his latest release, Crockett takes things in a smooth, almost atmospheric direction, incorporating lusher sounds into his throwback style. The result is exceptional. The storytelling is cohesive throughout, and Crockett is as strong a presence as ever behind the mic. It's an album that sees him pushing himself artistically while maintaining a distinct sense of self. Great stuff. |
 | Palomino Miranda Lambert Comfortably the mainstream's best release this year, for my money. Palomino finds Lambert pondering life and identity, and doing so around engaging hooks. melodies, and turns of phrase. She's in fine vocal shape, and some of the extravagance of Wildcard was appropriately dialled back. It's an album that's self-assured and imminently listenable. |
 | Take It Like a Man Amanda Shires Take It Like a Man is both an intense listen, and one that's built for repeat plays. The songwriting and sonic palette compliment each other well, and Shires is confident presence behind the mic. A distinct sonic adventure, and an impressive one. |
 | Crooked Tree Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway An unabashed bluegrass effort that's remarkably vibrant and full of personality. Tuttle is a dynamic vocal presence, and the instrumentation is rich and fulsome. The hooks and writing speak to adventurous stories and characters, and the sonic variation more than meets these moments. A fun album rife with musical talent. |
 | The Vandoliers Vandoliers Just a perfect blend of dynamism, hooks, and authenticity that scratches both my pop punk and alt-country itches. Overflowing with punch and energy, The Vandoliers is both rowdy and thoughtful, with hooks and choruses that hold up well past the first listen. A highly impressive effort with a sound that no one else id really doing in the country music sphere. |
 | Something Borrowed, Something New: A Tribute to John Anderson Various Artists I'm not super familiar with Anderson's work, but I was really impressed by this. The lineup of artists is stacked, and they all sound great, doing respect to originals while maintaining their own artistic identity. I usually find these kinds of things gimmicky, but the raw amount of talent on display here is impressive and lives up to the hype. |
