1) Hurray for the Riff Raff, “Life on Earth” / Alynda Segarra remains one of the most vital artists we have, following one of 2017’s best albums (“The Navigator”) with an early contender for 2022’s finest. Segarra soulfully gathers pieces of folk, rock, synth-pop, soul and 1970s radio fare, then stitches the pieces together without showing you the seams. Segarra is always looking for signs of life in an increasingly compressed and cold world; and, per usual, Segarra provides their own proof.
2) Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, “Nightroamer” / Sarah Shook owns one of the most dynamic voices in modern roots music. The North Carolina songwriter and their band know the sharp edge of the outlaw and alternative forms that have refreshed country; and their lyrics regularly dig deeper than most, unearthing real heartache and resilience. The aim on their latest is true, and their footfalls sure.
3) Alison Shearer, “View from Above” / The saxophonist exudes confidence and harnesses an exquisite tone on her debut as a leader. Shearer’s style, as expressed here, melds both classic and modern takes on jazz, funk and soul; the album seems to glide effortlessly along and, as listeners sense the style, a great deal of substance sneaks in.
4) Ilya Kaminsky, “We Lived Happily During the War” / Like many of you, I’ve spent the week grieving events in Ukraine, and trying to make sense of what we do to each other. Although written in a different context, Kaminsky’s poem rightly cropped up all over social media as a sort of silent lament on the part of the poster (that Kaminsky was born in Ukraine only lends greater gravity); I can think of no modern work which better describes the dissonance of war, and the illusion of conflict somewhere else and peace with me.
5) Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, “Seinfeldia” / After finishing a full, chronological rewatch of “Seinfeld,” I dipped my toes into Armstrong’s prose. The journalist does a nimble, thoughtful job unveiling the show’s behind-the-scenes dynamics (passages on Larry David’s work are particularly fascinating) and how its creators, cast and crew created the titular territory, a place sandwiched between reality and invention.