I’ll be out of town over the next two weeks, so I’m turning the blog reins over to somebody better equipped to count down some of the year’s best albums: my nephew Daniel.

I’ve featured Daniel’s own music on the blog before, and now I’m excited for the chance to appreciate some of his influences.

So without further ado, here’s Daniel…

Hey everybody! Long-time reader, occasional commentator, and now nepotism baby, here, known around these parts of Montauk as the Cool Guy (Daniel). I’m honored to be given the opportunity to share my 10 favorite albums of this year over the course of these next two weeks.

I was truly humbled when my uncle Clay reached out to me asking if I’d be interested. In many ways my journey toward being able to evaluate the way in which art affects me personally and then further being able to articulate that in a way that others might be able to share my connection started with Meet Me in Montauk.

I owe this blog with the discovery of my favorite artist of all time, Childish Gambino. I’ll never forget sitting in the car reading Clay’s SOTD #1,494 for ‘Outside,’ the album opener on Camp. What’s funny in returning to that entry is that the song really only serves as a backdrop to his passionate feelings on the Emmy nominations that year and what they got wrong. I too, strongly, agree that Community was continually snubbed. However, Clay’s relentless scrutiny of The Big Bang Theory and strong declaration that “no show that utilizes a laugh track or live studio audience should be eligible for a major award” served as the perfect counterbalance to the gut wrenching lyrics of this song so that I could discover it in a digestible way for my 12 year old self.

In all sincerity, I have admired for years how Clay is able to seamlessly transition from insightful objective commentary on the merits of the film, show, or album under lens that day to anecdotes that speak to why this art has been particularly powerful in his life. I inevitably leave every blog with a deepened appreciation for what’s being discussed. I would not have a top 10 list if not for the inspirational dedication that this man has had for spotlighting good art under his unique magnifying glass for so many years. If I achieve a modicum of that impact on any of my readers, I’ll have felt I’ve done a good job.

On to the list…

Best Albums of 2022 – #10
Surrender – Maggie Rogers

I cannot separate listening to Maggie Rogers from envisioning the video in which Pharrell essentially discovered her. In this video, Pharrell is providing a Masterclass in production to a group of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts students. His goal is to provide constructive criticism after listening to the song they’ve prepared to showcase. Williams is affirmative with every aspiring artist. However, you can immediately tell when Rogers presents her piece, breakout hit ‘Alaska,’ that Pharrell reacts differently. You can almost see him take off his instructor hat and sit forward so that he can enjoy all the elements of this product from this new creator he’s discovered. After the song finishes he simply says “I have zero notes for that. And I’ll tell you why. It is because you’re doing your own thing. It’s singular.”

I feel a listener might have similar sentiments after today’s song. Rogers has continued to be a unique voice in a field of singers that sometimes gravitates towards what’s trendy in the moment.

My prevailing feeling throughout this record was enchanted. Not only does Rogers hold her own vocally belting out power ballads just as comfortably as hard rock, but also lyrically and melodically. Today’s song encompasses her atypical melodic approaches combining country-pop vocal lines with bluegrass-jazz piano touches (compliments of recent Grammy award winner Jon Batiste) and striking specificity that pays off in this sweet, touching record.