You can find the Collective List as well as all our Best of 2022 content including contributors’ individual lists, podcasts and radio DJ shows here: CGCM’s Best of 2022 (Year in Review)
BEST OF 2022 – Tom Cornell (Writer) 🏴
It is that time of year again where all of us CGCM folks look through the year coming to an end and work out which 10 albums we liked the most or thought were the best of the best. Always a hard job, believe me. Most of us listen to so much music, especially due to being involved on this site (no complaints, love it) so it makes the top 10 difficult to narrow down.
My way of doing this is to pick the 10 albums that not only I enjoyed the most, thought were the “best” (a very subjective thing of course) and on the whole, the albums that spoke to me and I returned to the most often to listen during the year. This does sometimes disadvantage albums that come out late in the year as I always feel I need to “live” with an album for a bit before they can be “best of the year”.
Broken
This year I have slightly broken that rule as one has impressed me so much I simply could not leave it out. Well, what is the point of rules if not to break them? My number one has been in place from almost the first listen from early in the year. There are about 4 that just have to be there and the other 5 have been fighting with about another 10 that could be there on a different day! Didn’t I say this is hard bloody work?
So some (only some) missing out in no more include:
Rosalie Cunningham with her latest Two Piece Puzzle which combined hippy 60s rock and crazy occult-styled psychedelic trips. // Dynazty made a huge impression on me with The Final Event as you can read about via my review from a few months ago HERE. // Saxon continued their run of excellent form with Carpe Diem. CGCM Review by Maddog. // Voivod hit us with Synchro Anarchy which lived nicely up to its title.// Finally The Neptune Power Federation with Le Demon De’Lamour and their “musical theatre” as I described about in my review HERE.
So let’s go and do the top 10…
10 – WEDNESDAY 13 – Horrifier 🇺🇸
This is an album full of the sort of songs we would expect from Wednesday 13, but for me, they are a particularly strong batch. Grinding riffs, threatening verses and catchy (and quite wonderfully silly) choruses this rocks along very nicely. More or less every song can be joined in with and he uses the “F” word to the usual great effect meaning that suddenly forgetting where you are whilst wearing headphones can get you some dirty looks should you accidentally sing out loud in public.
In particular, both “You’re So Hideous” and “Good Day To Be A Bad Guy” are up there with the best songs he has written whether under his own name or as part of The Murderdolls. Sometimes all one needs is anthemic songs that say nothing but that make you want to bounce around, punch the air whilst singing about zombies etc. This meets that criteria and is a huge amount of fun.
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09 – THE MOON CITY MASTERS – The Famous Moon City Masters 🇺🇸
The brothers Steinberg have put together an album of songs that were released pretty much individually, which can be found on YouTube over the last year or so. Listening to it really took me back to the 1970s, musically and even in production. With nods (and winks) to bands such as Boston and Allman Bros whilst also taking from pop music of the time/era with a track that owes plenty to the Jackson 5!
It sounds great and wonderfully upbeat. This is music to blast on a sunny day whilst in an open-top car cruising down the highway… and for folks like me that don’t have a car, live in a country where it rains a lot and has shite motorways😂. I can imagine doing the former due to all the US movies I have seen through the years. Even the most miserable rocker has to be cheered up listening to this album. With harmonies to die for (solo they both sound great too) and choruses that should carry a health warning, this is simply fun, fun, fun.
CGCM Rock Radio Album Review: THE MOON CITY MASTERS – The Famous Moon City Masters (Tom Cornell)
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08 – ERIC GALES – Crown 🇺🇸
Eric Gales has been called “the best blues guitarist in the world” by those in the know. For me, this album was my introduction. The video to the title song features a guitar battle between the man himself and Joe Bonamassa where Joe simply hands the blues crown back to Eric. Now, who the hell am I to argue with Joe B?
The album is a triumph with his playing being outstanding and his vocal delivery being at times so intense I wasn’t sure if he was talking directly to me (live it was even more so which surprised me) as he made me question my own personal views politically. The album shows off his full range of blues whether soulful, funky or rocking, every step and style is dripping in emotion as well as skill. I never got to see Hendrix or SRV and I feel this is the closest I will ever get. The man is that good. So is this album. Best songs for me include “The Storm“, “I Want My Crown“, “You Don’t Know The Blues” and the truly wonderful “Too Close To The Fire“.
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07 – THE HELLACOPTERS – Eyes of Oblivion 🇸🇪
In probably the best comeback of the year after a 14-year wait between albums, The Hellacopters returned with a bloody marvellous album that comes in, kicks yer arse, makes you move and then buggers off. No pretensions just straight-ahead rock ‘n’ roll played by folks that are soaked in old-school rock.
They even manage to throw in an absolute banger of a ballad for a friend who passed away (“So Sorry I Could Die“) which goes from smokey blues to Led Zep riffing and back again without breaking sweat. They incorporate influences like Motorhead, Alice Cooper and Tom Petty whilst sounding 100% themselves. I absolutely loved it when I got it to review and now here in December I still bloody love it. Rock ‘n’ Roll is alive and well despite what some naysayers spout. This album proves it!
CGCM Rock Radio Album Review: THE HELLACOPTERS – Eyes of Oblivion (Tom Cornell)
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06 – EBB – Mad & Killing Time 
This is an album that I truly believe if it had come out earlier in the year may have been higher on this list. Normally I like to have a decent amount of time with an album to see if it still resonates as strongly over a long period but I feel this album has its hooks in me and in months and years to come I am positive I will still love it.
A concept piece that is a mix of prog rock, folk, space rock and even a touch of jazz that manages to have such strong songs (and excellent melodies) that you don’t need to be a prog fan to enjoy it. There are such lovely vocal harmonies throughout and lead singer Erin has a soulful voice that grabs the heart. I also love the bass sounds on this. An album that comes with a booklet with lyrics, photos and clues to the story, this is a fantastic package all round. Best songs (man they are all good) would definitely include “Hectate“, the quite Pink Floydian “Confess” and the majestic “The Animal Said I“.
CGCM Rock Radio Album Review: EBB – Mad & Killing Time (Tom Cornell).
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05 – SPELLBOOK – Deadly Charms 🇺🇸
Spellbook gave us an absolute 1970s-style beast of a record in Deadly Charms. Anyone who loves old Black Sabbath or Pentagram should love this. Many bands take from those 70s artists but most haven’t learned to make their music SWING. You can dance to this stuff.
Stories of witchcraft, vampire love and murder and mayhem. There are definite moments of old NWOBHM in there, especially on the scream-along track “Night Of The Doppleganger” or how it is sung “dopplegangaaaaa“. I guarantee that anyone hearing this live (or in a club) will scream that. It feels bloody great. Their first album was very good but this was a step up with the music and lyrics complementing each other. I felt like I was listening to a long-lost album from the early 70s, it is that good.
CGCM Rock Radio Album Review: SPELLBOOK – Deadly Charms (Tom Cornell)
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04 – MASSIVE WAGONS – Triggered! 🇬🇧
One of the biggest names in the New Wave Of Classic Rock had a busy year in 2022. Firstly headlining a festival for the first time at Call Of The Wild where they put on a show and a half, they also released an absolutely belting album. Part rock, part metal and quite a bit of punk in energy and attitude “Triggered” laid down the mantle to everyone else in the newish scene.
Songs that have huge choruses, have points to them about society without preaching whilst rocking like the proverbial bastard. They don’t like to swear in their songs apparently, but at times it is required as they showed in “Fuck The Haters” an anti-bullying anthem. Being who they are there is plenty sarcasm and humour. Some folks don’t like that in music but as somebody once sang ” a message just in, you’re a bit of a wanker“😁. The fact they have written a song called “Triggered” and aimed it at those who really are the most greetin’ faced bastards around (and not who the media suggest) is bloody brilliant. Long may they rock.
CGCM Rock Radio Album Review: MASSIVE WAGONS – Triggered! (Sparky)
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03 – CYDEMIND – The Descent 🇨🇦
This Canadian violin-fronted classical-based prog rock band blew me away on first listen. The melodies presented on The Descent were/are fabulous. Yes the playing is outstanding and it is progressive music, but they understand that hooks are kind of important in among the technicality of the playing.
The album dropped with me at just the right time. It hit a spot that lifted my spirits due to being in hospital. The big thing of course being the end-of-year top 10 does it still hit me the same? The answer is a resounding yes! As I said in my review (link below), they reminded me of when I was younger and heard classical and rock placed together and I mentioned Sky along with ELO and even ELP.
The fact they can include some jazz or funk along with some more metallic moments makes this an exciting and interesting listen. I also said this was the best instrumental album I heard this year. I mean even better than the excellent album by Animals As Leaders. It is that good and deserves more attention from music lovers everywhere. Seriously go check these guys out!
CGCM Rock Radio Album Review: CYDEMIND – The Descent (Tom Cornell)
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02 ZEAL & ARDOR – Zeal & Ardor 🇨🇭
I was introduced to this band by a friend who recommended them to me as possibly being “up your street“. He was correct. I was told they were “gospel meets black metal“. But on hearing them I realized they were a lot more than that. For those who don’t know the band, it is the brainchild of Swiss-American Manuel Gagneux. He wondered what music would have been made if African Americans had decided to rebel against Christianity and made music to their own heritage like black metal bands in Norway.
There is plenty of gospel-type moments. Especially with the vocals and keys at times as well as black metal with blast beats and screamed vocals. But the album also incorporates soul, jazz, prog and drum and bass. The good news is that it all blends into an intense yet uplifting experience. If one can imagine the music from the films Crossroads (the one with Steve Vai) and Angel Heart mixed with extreme metal you are just about there. From dark and beautiful like “Golden Liar” to ripping-your-face-off metal of “Gotterdammerung” this is an album to savour. “Bow” could be Tom Waits fronting System Of A Down but with a darker vibe.
Truly original and a glorious listen I cannot get enough of it. All 3 albums are excellent and this keeps up the standards already set (which are rather high). This has run my number 1 album closer than anything else this year. Stunning album.
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01 – TOEHIDER – I Have Little To No Memories Of These Memories 🇦🇺
At number one is Australian band Toehider, who for those unaware is actually one bloke called Mike Mills. He plays all the instruments and supplies all the vocals on the album. The album is a concept that runs for 47 minutes and 47 seconds. And took 3 years to write and record! A labour of love which as a music fan was very well worth the wait.
In my review (see below for link) I mentioned how I would compare it if anything to Tull‘s Thick As A Brick due to the way it is constructed, how wordy it is and indeed for all the Pythonesque humour. This is no po-faced wankery, this is a hoot to listen to. The story involving “a man, a woman, a huge bird, a dumb alien and 2 flying boats” is crazy in a Devin Townsend way (there are definite nods and winks to him on this) whilst asking the question as to whether we actually require all the memories we keep.
I keep returning to the album and finding new things even several months on. For me, it is a headphones album. One to sit back and let yourself fall into. Let the melodies and the story carry you along. Listening to it all is essential like we used to do in the 70s when prog rock was massive. Mike is obviously a creative writer and arranger. He manages to create something which certainly drew me in and from that ended up moving me. Truly wonderful stuff which if it had come out back in the 70s would have been lauded. Personally, I laud it. If you hanker for prog rock with humour and pathos then do yourself a favour! Get this gem of an album.
Find my review of the TOEHIDER – I Have Little To No Memories Of These Memories (Tom Cornell)
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Read my other reviews here. Tom Cornell.
