I’m not releasing my favorite music of the year just yet, as upcoming releases from Jimi Hendrix, Queen, FLETCHER and Ringo Starr are likely to change it on Spotify, at least, but I’d like to summarize the year in my favorite music. I recently tweeted my artist of the year are Envy of None, FLETCHER and Big Lugg with Yuri Lowenthal, the main reason is I expected none of these three existing at the start of the year, let alone releasing some of my favorite music this year.
Envy of None is an Alternative Rock Band centered around Portland, OR-based singer/songwriter Maiah Wynne and Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson. Unlike Rush, though, the music is quieter, focusing on soft emotions. The low anger in “Liar” is reminiscent of Evanescence, there’s a dreamy quality to “Kabul Blues” and a desperate quality of longing in “Old Strings.” The album closes with a quiet, sad Lifeson instrumental titled “Western Sunset” dedicated to Neil Peart. It made me more interested in Rush, who are far more bombastic with powerhouse riffs, soaring Geddy Lee vocals and tireless drumming, effectively making them the Canadian National Rock Anthem, but both are good expressions of emotions. I think a lot of us forget there are multiple sides to people, loud sides and quiet sides, and sometimes, you don’t want to do what people have come to expect of you because you’re a little weary of it. It doesn’t mean you stop completely, Lifeson and Lee teamed with other drummers at Taylor Hawkins tribute shows to perform Rush songs, but maybe that isn’t your main focus for now.
FLETCHER is a new pop act who released her first full-length album this year, which comes across as a concept album around a lesbian breakup. This is ground I don’t know if the music industry has done before, but it details hurting hearts, jealousy of her ex’s new girlfriend in “Becky’s So Hot,” which had a steamy music video with Bella Thorne, self-acceptance and finding new love in “Her Body is Bible,” my new favorite women-centered same-gender love song that’s not from RWBY or “She’s Not Him" by Miley Cyrus. The album takes you on an emotional ride through breakup to self-acceptance and possibly new love through its tracks, and it’s not done yet, there will be a deluxe edition release on November 18th with new tracks inserted in, adding more to FLETCHER’s journey.
Big Lugg is a rapper and Yuri Lowenthal is a voice actor you may know as teenage Ben Tennyson, Yosuke Hanamura in Persona 4, Marth in Fire Emblem/Super Smash Bros. Ultimate or Alucard in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. With this album, though, you probably recognize him as Sasuke Uchiha from Naruto. Yes, this is a rap album about Sasuke Uchiha with other Naruto voice actors making guest appearances and rapping their own songs, such as Ben Diskin (Sai in Naruto, you may also know him as Caspar in Fire Emblem; Three Houses), Cissy Jones (Kaguya in Naruto, Delilah in Firewatch) and, of course, Tara Platt, Yuri Lowenthal’s real-life wife (Temari in Naruto, Mitsuru and Elizabeth in the Persona series, Kali Belladonna in RWBY, Edelgard in Fire Emblem; Three Houses). I do like the Tara Platt tracks best, I find her voice therapeutic in a lot of her roles, and as such, prefer playing video games with her characters, which is why I’m hoping Edelgard, like Marth, will return in Fire Emblem; Engage and that there will be another Switch game where you can put characters played by her and Abby Trott on the same team, Abby Trott (Annette in Fire Emblem; Three Houses, Nezuko in Demon Slayer, English singer of “Lifelight” in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate) is another personally therapeutic voice. I am also glad I bought the Switch fighting game, where I can make voice actor in-jokes with the above characters plus Ino (Colleen O’Shaughnessey-Monica from Fire Emblem Warriors; Three Hopes (the character also appeared in Three Houses, but I prefer the Three Hopes version because she’s not Kronya in disguise, but a lesbian with a huge crush on Edelgard, who is bisexual)), Sarada and Kushina (Laura Bailey) and Gaara (Liam O’Brien).
There were a lot of releases of note and I mentioned we’re not quite done, so here’s the CliffsNotes on established people. Miley Cyrus had her first live album, which resurrected “Fly on the Wall” and “The Climb” and had her takes on “Heart of Glass,” “Jolene” and “Nothing Compares 2 U,” the last being the best version of that song I’ve heard by someone with a last name that isn’t Cornell and helping me get closure on my uncle’s death after 4 years. Ozzy Osbourne released what is probably his last album and also probably his best since “Tribute” over 40 years ago. Guns N Roses had a great EP in February and amazing old live tracks from 30-31 years ago, some recorded on my 2nd birthday and 2 featuring Steven Tyler and Joe Perry as they cover Aerosmith. The Dead Daisies had great live releases early in the year and an equally great studio album in September, as well, Glenn Hughes still has it past 70. There was a deluxe edition of The Beatles’ Revolver which showed the process behind “Yellow Submarine” and “Rain” and Julian Lennon covered his dad’s hit “Imagine” as a plea for peace due to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. In September, there was a new release of David Bowie and Jeff Beck performing a live mashup of “Jean Genie” and “Love Me Do” that was really fun. Noah Cyrus released an amazing debut full-length album, but people like me who’ve followed her since 2016 knew she was going to be amazing through her career. The Retaliators had a good metal soundtrack, especially the tracks by Asking Alexandria, Classless Act and Eva Under Fire, who also had a great cover of Journey’s “Separate Ways” this year. Lastly, Carrie Underwood had a great song for the Cobra Kai series, a really good album and an amazing Ozzy Osbourne cover (Mama, I’m Coming Home), while Brandi Carlile re-did last year’s album well and added her own version of “Space Oddity,” which I loved.
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