October 13th
album anniversaries

Guitarist Shaunna Hall left partway through the sessions for Bigger, Better, Faster, More!, and session player Louis Metoyer completed the album. David Tickle produced it at Groove Masters in Santa Monica and the Record Plant in Sausalito, with Linda Perry fronting the band.

“Dear Mr. President” was the lead single, but “What’s Up?” took the record much further, topping charts in several countries. “Train” opens the sequence, and “Spaceman” later followed as another single. The album reached No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and sold more than six million copies around the world.

The pulp magazine Weird Tales gave Golden Smog a title and a cover, a Margaret Brundage painting from its October 1933 issue. Brian Paulson produced the sessions at Ardent Studios in Memphis and The Terrarium in Minneapolis, and the songwriting is spread around the group.

Gary Louris wrote “Until You Came Along,” Kraig Johnson contributed “Looking Forward to Seeing You” and Jeff Tweedy supplied the brief “Please Tell My Brother.” Guests include Jim Dickinson on Wurlitzer and Jessy Greene on violin. Writing in The A.V. Club, Joshua Klein called it a first-rate collaboration unified in vision and spirit.

A track titled “I Love Acid” points to the focus of YosepH. Luke Vibert’s second studio album under his own name was released by Warp, and Pitchfork heard it as a deliberate move into classic acid house and the resonant, bouncy modulations of the Roland TB-303.

Vibert produced the record himself. Its sequence moves from “Synthax” and “Freak Time Baby” through “Acidisco” to the title track, and it reached No. 34 on the UK Independent Albums chart. The album is dedicated to the memories of Peter Walker and Rob Mitchell.

Electric Lady Studios in Manhattan hosted the main sessions for Masseduction, which Annie Clark co-produced with Jack Antonoff. Further recording took place in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, and the credits include Kamasi Washington on saxophone, Jenny Lewis on vocals and pedal steel from Greg Leisz and Rich Hinman.

“New York” arrived first with a video, “Los Ageless” came out on the day the album was announced and “Pills” followed shortly before release. Clark’s uncle and aunt, Tuck and Patti Andress, also play and sing. The album became St. Vincent’s first to reach the top ten of the Billboard 200.

Greg Kurstin’s Los Angeles studio became the workshop for Colors, with Beck and Kurstin playing nearly every instrument across sessions that stretched from 2013 to 2017. The pair produced most of the album together, while Beck made “Wow” with Cole M.G.N. and produced “Fix Me” on his own.

“Dreams” and “Wow” had appeared as singles well before the album was announced, and “Dear Life” arrived as an instant download for anyone who pre-ordered. Colors reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and won Grammys for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

Announced only four days ahead, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana followed Un Verano Sin Ti, which Stereogum called the biggest album of 2022. Bad Bunny said the new record would not resemble its predecessor and pointed to the music of the 1970s as an inspiration.

Apple Music’s notes highlight how little reggaetón the 22 songs contain. Tainy, MAG and La Paciencia are among a long list of producers, and Arcángel, Eladio Carrión and Young Miko appear as guests. “Where She Goes” and “Un Preview” came out in advance, with “Monaco” promoted as a single on release day.