2022: a year in review

1 January 2023 – Editorial

So 2022 was an interesting one – The Live Wire Music Media grew – we took on Melbourne (from a photography point of view it went well – from a writer point of view – we are still struggling to cover that end), consolidated our presence in Brisbane and surrounding regions, we covered some big stuff, got knocked back for big stuff (but still kept chucking our hat in the ring), covered the local music scenes as best we could, covered international acts when we were allowed to and just generally have had a great 2022. The spectre of Covid still loomed over the music industry with cancelled gigs, last minute shuffles with photographers and writers getting ill and general juggling of workload.

We have published well over 100 features this year, we have spoken with, watched live and reviewed new music from some amazing new and established artists – we look forward to what 2023 throws at us!

Our hard working contributors (both writers and photographers) have let you in on what their highlights of 2022 were:

Lucas – senior features writer

As 2022 rolls in to a close, it’s been a colossal year for music. So, here is a top 10 (+3 honorable mentions) of records that I’ve enjoyed throughout the year. I will state that I am only human, so I haven’t heard EVERYTHING this year. So this is a ranking of what I’ve actively gone out of my way to listen to and check out.

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Bilmuri – GOBLIN HOURS
Something I always say to myself, whenever the new year rolls around, is what EP is going to descend from the heavens from former Attack Attack!’s vocalist and guitarist, Johnny Franck. And 2022 gave us GOBLIN HOURS. While I will say, I still bump this EP pretty consistently since release, I couldn’t find a spot in the top 10, purely because of how stacked I feel this year was for music.
Recommended listening: The Void Approacheth feat. Summer Hoop,  Vascular Demi-Goth feat. Laur Elle.

The Devil Wears Prada – Color Decay
In all honestly, TDWP was a band that over the last few years, I really fell off with. But the lead up to this record was the first thing since 8:18 I’ve been remotely excited for. Color Decay feels like a true comeback, and is something that if you’re a TDWP fan that fell off like me, is worth checking out.
Recommended listening: Time

Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
This might be a big red flag for a lot of people, not even making a top 10 list. But hear me out. As a lifelong Kendrick fan, this is probably his most ambitious work to date. And it’s a phenomenal piece of art. But as an album of the year contender? I’m just not feeling it. We Cry Together is probably one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking songs of 2022, and Die Hard is probably my favorite hip hop song of the year, but the album as a whole felt more like an art piece, than an Album of the Year contender.
Recommended listening: Die Hard.

TOP 10
10. Parkway Drive – Darker Still
Straight out the gate, this is going to be a MOLTEN HOT take, but I personally think that Parkway Drive are entering their Pink Floyd era with this release. As a big fan of heavy, progressive music, this album absolutely rules. ‘Glitch’ was definitely an interesting first pick single. But I feel the drip feed of content up to release was pretty solid. ‘The Greatest Fear’ is an absolutely banger, and ‘Darker Still’ rules. I even felt tinges of old Parkway in the song ‘Soul Bleach’. Overall, as a long term PWD fan, I enjoyed this album a tonne, and I haven’t enjoyed a full record since Horizons.
Recommended listening: Soul Bleach

09. Alpha Wolf & Holding Absence – The Lost & the Longing
I’m so grateful this EP exists. I’ve been an Alpha Wolf fan for a long time. And so to not only get new music, but to be introduced to Holding Absence through them, gives this EP a special place in my rankings for 2022. If you’re a fan of either band, this is a must listen.
Recommended listening: 60cm Of Steel

08. Void of Vision – Chronicles II: Heaven & Chronicles III: Underworld
Now, I know I know, I’m cheating a little with this entry. In my defense, it’s my list and I’ll do whatever I want. But holy hell, these two EPs blew me away. Chronicles I: Lust dropped at the end of 2021, but the follow up EPs in Heaven and Underworld, just floored me on the initial listens. I was exposed to these guys at Full Tilt back in April, and after seeing them live, made it a priority to get onto their stuff. The reason this isn’t as high, is because it’s only 7 songs between these two EPs. But those 7 songs, absolutely kill.
Recommended listening: BERGHAIN

07. BLɅϽKPIИK – Born Pink
Now, it what will probably be a total left field pick, based on what has come before you on this list, this album has become a recent addition to the playlist. I’m not super into the K-Pop scene, and BLɅϽKPIИK is always I’ve heard the name of as top of the scene, but this album is just front to back bops. And with the album clocking in at an impressive 24 and a half minutes, for 8 tunes, the album is definitely efficient.
Recommended listening: Pink Venom

06. Alexisonfire – Otherness
This is where my list starts to really get on the pointy end, as from here on out, I really could swap these six records in any position, as they were my far and away most played records of the year. And with what’s to come, it’s kinda insane that Alexisonfire barely missed my top 5. The bluesy direction the band has gone, with heavy influence from lead singer Dallas Green’s solo project City and Colour, mixed in with the classic AOF sound, the record has this very polished, bluesy and hardcore crossover that I really wasn’t expecting at all. But it’s also the perfect record for these legends of the scene to really reinvent themselves. Stellar record.
Recommended listening: Sans Soleil

05. Slipknot – The End, So Far
After not being as impressed with other Slipknot albums of the past, The End, So Far I think is the wacky record we knew Slipknot could make, but weren’t really expecting. When talking about this album with a friend who is a long time fan of the Knot, he said to me it feels like you’re on a haunted house carnival ride, and you don’t really know what to expect. And he’s right. The record starts slow, and builds into this hectic middle section, only to then be brought back down by records end, and then you can easily ride the ride again by starting over. I will say though, Slipknot have shown in the past they are good at ballads, and I gotta say, Finale is probably one of their best.
Recommended listening: Hive Mind

04. Lorna Shore – Pain Remains
It’s truly amazing what a new vocalist can do to reinvigorate a band. After the release of their 2021 EP …And I Return to Nothingness, all eyes of the deathcore world were on Lorna Shore, and their new lead singer, Will Ramos. What could they do next? And boy, I don’t think anyone was expecting a mix of deathcore and symphonic metal. Lorna Shore feel like a new band, and it’s only upwards for Ramos and the gang from here.
Recommended listening: Pain Remains I: Dancing Like Flames

03. Coheed and Cambria – Vaxis – Act II: A Window of the Waking Mind
If you know me, you know how much of a Coheed and Cambria fan I am. So seeing this record at three, has to show you just how good the top 2 records are. As for this entry, I personally feel this is their most accessible record in their entire catalogue. And if you’ve been looking for an record for a band that’s ten albums in, this is the one for you. If you’re into synthy jams, then A Disappearing Act is perfect. Ladders of Supremacy feeds the metal itch, and title track Window of the Waking Mind feels like a Coheed style Dream Theater classic. Beautiful Losers would also be an insane way to open the live show too, which they’ve been doing on their last few tours. 
Recommended listening: Beautiful Losers

02. Dayseeker – Dark Sun
The spot for top two has changed so much since I conceptualized this list, that it’s hard for me to put either of these records above the other. But Dark Sun by Dayseeker was just edged out by my number one pick, barely. Dark Sun is a lyrically heavy, emotional record, about loss, and fatherhood. The album is definitely a departure from what’s comfortable, in favor of experimenting with new ideas and sounds. Fans of their old stuff might not like it, but lead singer Rory Rodriguez has been unapologetic on social media about this is the record he needed to make. And I hope this sound continues on future records.
Recommended listening: Dreamstate

01. Fit for a King – The Hell We Create
Despite me being growing up in the metalcore scene of the late 00s and early 2010s, Fit for a King were just never a band that crossed my radar, until earlier this year. Seeing them on a support slot for Alpha Wolf, their live show absolutely blew me away. What shocked me even more, is that the band seven albums deep, with this new release, and somehow, I’d never come across them. This album is perfect. It feels like the glory days of Killswitch Engage and Bullet for My Valentine, while still not feeling like it’s dated in that style, and also feeling completely fresh to the scene. In all honesty, the best record I’ve listened to all year. 
Recommended listening: Times Like This feat. Jonathan Vigil

Kai Giovanni – features writer
Brisbane
Top 5 everything

Luci Scott – features writer and photographer
Brisbane/Gold Coast
Top 10 shows and music

Justin Gittins – photographer
Brisbane/Gold Coast
Top 10 gigs

I did a hell of a lot of gig photography in 2022 as Radical Imaging. I discovered new bands, enjoyed new releases and did a deep dive on other band’s music. Every venue comes with a different challenge and the opportunity for unique images of awesome performances. I am a Gold Coaster and my local venue (Vinnie’s Dive Bar) expanded to add an extra stage. The visiting bands have been diverse and a great addition to the local music scene. My top ten favourite bands to photograph this year were: 

Sara Regan – photographer and features writer
Melbourne
Top 10 gigs and music

Briarna Dal Col – photographer
Melbourne
Top 10 listens

Bec Harbour – editor and photographer
Brisbane
Top 10 albums

Since starting the Live Wire just before the first lockdown in 2020 I thought I would end up back at another publication, shooting and reviewing – it was an inopportune time to start a music mag. This year things really ignited and I have had weeks where I had barely any sleep, editing content, my own photos and corralling contributors across two states. I have shot some fantastic shows, reviewed some shows that I would not have normally gone to (darn covid!) and been able to send some of my contributors to shows that they have really wanted. It’s been a wild ride and we look forward to 2023.

Top 10 albums
Spoon – Lucifer on the Sofa
20 years and 10 albums in, Spoon deliver their usual lo-fi agit-rock on Lucifer on the Sofa. Opening with a cover of Smog’s ‘Held’ delivered in such a way it took a couple of listens to realise that it was actually a cover and making its way through ‘Wild’ and ‘The Hardest Cut’ and winding up with the very ‘Everything Hits at Once’ -esque title track with some gorgeous brass ‘Lucifer on the Sofa’, this Spoon album delivers exactly what Spoon listeners are looking for.
Recommended listening: Wild

Spiderbait – Sounds in the Key of J
A hybrid of a best of album and new material and some deep cuts, this one did something different; celebrated a particular member of a band, namely the powerhouse behind the bass in Spiderbait, Janet. A great overview of Janet’s lead contributions and a tour to go with made this a great contender in 2022.
Recommended listening: My Car is a UFO

Beach House – Once Twice Melody
Once Twice Melody returns the shoe-gaze, dream-pop Beach House to their soundscapes from the break out album Bloom. A double album that could be sprawling and full of filler, Beach House deftly side-steps any notion of this, delivering lush soundscapes and breaking it up into 4 chapters. With their last album 7 a little more angular, Once Twice Melody takes you on a journey to the clouds and back.
Recommended listening: Hurts to Love

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down
Kicking off with the bombastic ‘Spitting Off the Edge of the World’ their collaboration with Perfume Genius and flowing into ‘Lovebomb’ the YYY’s have filed off some of their spiky edges and have a more ambient lean on Cool It Down while maintaining that punk edge. Ending with ‘Mars’ the YYY’s have retained the experimental side while toning down the brashness without taking the edge out of their music.
Recommended listening: Spitting off the edge of the World

Hatchie – Giving the World Away
Living in Brisbane you have to have come across Harriette Pilbeam at some point. Baba Ganouj were mainstays on the indie circuit and emerging from this creative melting pot, Hatchie began her solo work. Giving the World Away is pure dream-pop with nods to Cocteau Twins and Beach House. Kicking off with ‘Lights On’ with a frantic harpsicord and the ponderous bass on ‘Quicksand’ that changes to a pop-anthem shows Hatchie’s versatility and musicianship and the world is taking notice.
Recommended listening: Lights On

Archers of Loaf – Reason in Decline
Archers of Loaf never achieved the popularity their contemporaries in the 1990’s that their peers did in Australia (they are name checked in Jebadiah’s ‘Jerks of Attention’) but they had some ripping albums (Icky Mettle and the fantastic EP Vs the Greatest of All Time) and their fanbase in the US attests to this. I think that 2022 was the year that we realised that a lot of people found it hard to be human. Opener ‘Human’ is a gut-wrenching break-up song but it packs in so much in under 3 minutes. Reason in Decline is a matured sound, they’ve all gone away and lived and brought this back to create a very lived in sound.
Recommended listening: In the Surface Noise

Kurt Vile – Watch My Moves
I’m kinda late to whole Kurt Vile party for reasonably snotty reasons I won’t go into. His 2022 release Watch My Moves spoke to me in a quiet way and hooked me in. Wearing influences on his sleeve through this record (Bob Dylan, Lou Reed and Tom Petty are surely in there) and the beautiful heartfelt country tinged melodies are likely the reason here. ‘Like Exploding Stones’ is piece of magic that is a highlight of 2022. 
Recommended listening: Like Exploding Stones

Camp Cope – Running with the Hurricane
I wrote in my review earlier this year for Running with the Hurricane, that this record was a necessary evolutionary step for Camp Cope and I stand by it. During an appearance on ABC’s Spicks and Specks, Georgia Maq related that the new sound had a lot to do with the fact that she had shredded her voice and had several surgeries. Whatever the reason, Camp Cope came out with a stunner this year, unexpectedly gentle sounding but with the same drive behind it all. Starting off with the brilliantly melancholy ‘Caroline’ (abruptly ending) and finishing with the best set ender I have heard ‘Sing Your Heart Out’ – this had me in from first listen.
Recommended listening: Running with the Hurricane

Body Type – Everything is Dangerous but Nothing’s Surprising
I first saw Body Type at a mini festival End of the Line in Brisbane – the energy that this band put out there was incredible and were the highlight of the festival for me, I then saw them as support for Alex Cameron and they would have made a few fans that night. Their single ‘Silver’ was whimsical and they didn’t sound like anything that I had heard. With a few years under their belts, they have moved to a more feminist-punk mode, (and it suits them) on Everything is Dangerous but Nothing’s Surprising. Single ‘The Charm’ early in 2022 gave us an inkling of what was to come.
Recommended listening: The Charm

Screamfeeder – Five Rooms
Confession – I have loved Screamfeeder since I first saw them play ‘Hi-C’s’ on Recovery, an absolute eon ago. When the first single ‘Don’t Get Me Started’ was playing on release day, one of the younger contributors asked who the new band was. While not being a new band, Five Rooms did sound fresh but still like Screamfeeder – this is probably why Screamfeeder topped my most listened to tracks on Spotify this year (because I still haven’t plugged my turntable back in after moving it – I will play that vinyl!). Recommended listening: Don’t Get Me Started