Top Three Songs of the Year
After some deep listening and contemplation, I have chosen my top three songs from this years playlist, ‘Sounds of 2022’!
Here they are in reverse order - along with exactly what it is I love about them.
Third Place…
to the stars, by Applewood road
This beautiful song is the result of three talented singer-songwriters coming together around a single microphone and using classic kit to capture a vintage sound. I am struck by the imagery of a young boy listening to an old cracking radio, discovering the magical powers of music! A reminder of how far technology has come in my lifetime - from crackling radio to streaming any song, anytime, anyplace, anywhere - as music travels through time, with a powerful and transformative impact wherever it lands. Clever wordsmithery weaves together the story of a life manifesting thoughts and truths. The lyrics also include a favourite saying of mine “wherever you go, there you are” - which I think about when I get caught up in believing the ‘next big move’ as will solve every challenge in my life. Gorgeous guitar, beautiful melodies and harmonies, gentle delivery… this song lifts my spirit.
Second Place…
A dangerous thing, by aurora
The lyrical contrast of light and shadow, softness, and violence, alongside the piercing truth, honesty, and vulnerability of this kind of exciting infatuation… truly captivates me, every time I listen to this song. It speaks to a part of me that remembers being in relationship with dark energy and a non-reciprocal exchange. Aurora’s voice is soaring, sublime… and I love the way she uses it as another instrument with layers and effects to create an enchanting sound. The driving and dramatic rhythms and bass, strong electric, acoustic, and bass guitar, feel fierce yet soft, which is perfect for the dramatic vibe of this song. Really, it’s all about her voice and lyrics for me! Dark, haunting, driving and powerful.
First Place - my top song of 2022…
indigo, by katherine priddy
A friend shared this album with me a few weeks ago, just as I thought I’d picked all my favourites for the year… and this particular song went straight to number one, wow! Lyrically clever, a story unfolds of a woman’s lifelong connection to the forest, to nature and to one specific tree. With magic woven throughout, this really moves me, as I’ve developed my own deep connection to trees in recent years. I love the wisdom held in this line “Your troubles are old for a body so young”. The melody and harmonies are pretty, unusual yet comfortable, and her stunning voice is full of softness and light, it sounds effortless. With beautiful and uplifting guitar and strings, soft drums and layered vocals, the song has a unique fresh, modern feel. I just adore it! The way it swells and lifts you along with it, is sublime… goosebumps!
You can find all three of these songs on my ‘Sounds of 2022’ playlist
I have spent the last 12 months cultivating this playlist, filling it with songs that have captured my attention, ignited the fire in my belly, made my heart sing, and touched my soul in 2022 ✨