The Best Australian Albums Of 2022

Ball Park Music – Weirder & Weirder

Brisbane favourites Ball Park Music always seem to smash it out of the park - no pun intended. Their 2022 album, Weirder & Weirder, carries their usual indie-rock sound, but as the title suggests, the band attempts to push the boundaries of the standard Aussie indie-rock record with complex lyrics, themes and musical tropes. 

It’s well known that Ball Park are a mainstay in the industry, but it’s still impressive that they continue to release music that is relevant, creative and just so damn good. We interviewed them as one of our June cover artists, and this is what Zanda Wilson had to say on the album: 

“It’s refreshing to hear directly from the band’s leader that the passion for creating new music was as strong as ever during the writing process of a record that's their seventh in just twelve years. Few Australian bands are as prolific when it comes to releasing music, particularly full-length albums, in an age dominated by labels encouraging artists to chase the streaming algorithm through singles. The result is that Ball Park Music has a shorter album cycle than most, but each record always stands on its own, and Weirder and Weirder is no exception.”

Carla Geneve - Learn To Like It

Carla Geneve is the new kid on the block, but her voice and songwriting ability hint at many years of slaving away in front of the page, with an unmatched ability to write songs that are well beyond her years. Learn To Like It is a mature look into Geneve’s world of love, heartbreak, and self-worth. From sweet folk ballads like The Right Reasons to angsty rock songs like Dog Eared, Geneve has invited the listener into her world, and as her first full-length album, it’s an impressive feat that makes you feel every range of emotion she's set out for you to feel. With clangy guitars and swooning vocals, Geneve stands strong with other songwriters like Julia Jacklin & Stella Donnelly, who paint the truth so plainly, that you can’t ignore it. 

Casey Barnes - Light It Up

Casey Barnes has been slowly working his way up the country ladder for years, and his 2022 album is probably his best yet, garnering him a new cult fanbase and a hefty touring schedule. A classic country-pop album that blends the beauty of country songwriting with modern production, Light It Up is the best of Barnes in every way. His classic love song God Took His Time On You and his cheeky country rock jam Come Turn Me On were highlights of the album, but the rest shines just as hard, and you’ll find yourself collecting more favourites the more you listen. 

Speaking with the Music earlier this year, Barnes’ explained that his creative goal is simple: he wants to make music that connects with people, “whether it’s an emotional connection on record, or with the people who come along and see us live.

“It’s hard to put it into words,” he adds. “But if you look at the last two years, the thing we’ve missed the most is that connection. For me, it’s all about that energy you get from the crowds and the people who listen to my music. I’m always trying to put out songs that can make that happen.”

Charlie Collins – Undone

Charlie Collins is the definition of genre-defying. Officially labelled as an alt-country artist, her album Undone is a lesson in weaving something that will stand the test of time as she veers through rhythmic '80s rock, contempo soul balladry, and slick power-pop. While the inspiration behind the album is something to cry about (the failing of Collins’ marriage), many of the songs on the album feel liberating, and it’s a gift to be invited in while she delves through all the emotions that relate to her heartbreak. 

We caught up with Collins earlier in the year, and she gave us the scoop on how she nails the songwriting every single time. 

"I just write – and I never go in intentionally of how I wanna sound. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing, but it's just my thing. I let the songs kind of just do their thing. I just love guitars, and I love live music – and I grew up with that since I was a kid. I like pushing the boundaries."

Full Flower Moon Band – Diesel Forever

Brisbane rockers, Full Flower Moon Band, have been kicking around since 2016, but their newest album Diesel Forever has shot them to a new height of fame that has seen the group sell out their Aus tour and release an ultra-cool collection with Thrills Co., a popular Australian clothing brand. The album itself is a masterpiece and is one of the few truly brilliant rock albums that were released this year. With grating guitars and droning vocals, Full Flower Moon Band bring a modern twist to old-school 80s and 90s rock.

 Something about the unbearably cool style that they ooze makes you wanna hang around them 24/7, like a groupie to a rockstar. Inspired by the burnout and overwhelming schedule that musicians face, Diesel Forever is an ode to anyone who is tired of working themself to the bone and wants to let loose and feel like a rockstar for a night.  

Hatchie - Giving The World Away

Hatchie has been a centrepiece artist in the Aus music scene for ten years, but her new album boasts a maturity and style that she hasn’t yet explored. Giving The World Away steps away from the bedroom dream-pop that Hatchie has previously lent towards and brings in a new era that latches on to 90’s pop/rock and holds tight. Songs like This Enchanted and Quicksand are standouts and almost feel like throwback favourites that you’d listen to with a happy sense of nostalgia, despite their 2022 release date. 

On her new style, she spoke to the Music, saying, “I really wanted to step it up and kick it up a notch and write songs that were for bigger stages and for, you know, really specific visual and light shows, and I really wanted to match that energy… It was definitely gradual and took me a while to get here. I think the show now is very different from a Hatchie show you would’ve seen four years ago.”

Jaguar Jonze - BUNNY MODE

Activist and singer-songwriter Jaguar Jonze has had a massive year, from her performance art piece at BIGSOUND to a string of sold-out shows. However, nothing quite beats her 2022 release, BUNNY MODE, which sent shockwaves across the industry. Delving into her activist roots, Jonze channels the energy of a thousand survivors in her album, creating one loud voice to rule them all. WHO DIED AND MADE YOU KING? and LITTLE FIRES are fan favourites for good reason. They are the epitome of what this album represents and allows Jonze’s talent and purpose to blend seamlessly.  

From her BIGSOUND performance art this year, Jonze was clear on the music industry that she dreamed of, which completely encapsulates the vision of her BUNNY MODE album. She said: “I see a system that supports the artist’s visions. I am standing on stage sound-checking in ten years' time, and I’m free. I feel safe because there are so many other people who, for so long, have been marginalised, buzzing around and pursuing their passions and having their voices amplified. I don’t have to worry about how I’m dressed, what I say, where I’ve come from, or what emotion I need to swallow. 

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Omnium Gatherum

King Gizzard & The Lizzard Wizard are back this year releasing another album, but is anyone really surprised? The band are notorious for releasing 2-3 full lengths albums per year, and 2022 was no different. However, the band did give us a perfect gem in their release of Omnium Gathering, which is one of three albums they released this year. We think it’s one of their best yet, with the songs dripping in their usual psychedelic rock antics. The band added more energy than usual to this record, which could be attributed to the fact that it was the first album they recorded after getting out of the firm grips of lockdown. Omnium Gatherum could be seen as a cathartic release after months of pent-up creative energy, creating a whirlwind of unique synths, clanging guitars and drowned-out vocals. It’s probably one of the most commercial records that King Giz has put out in a few years, so if you’ve tried to listen before and thought, ‘not for me’, then maybe it's time to dip a toe in the psychedelic water again. 

In a statement on the new album, Stu Mackenzie of the band said, “This recording session felt significant. Significant because it was the first time all six Gizzards had gotten together after an extraordinarily long time in lockdown. Significant because it produced the longest studio recording we’ve ever released. Significant because (I think) it’s going to change the way we write and record music – at least for a while… A turning point. A touchstone. I think we’re entering into our ‘jammy period’. It feels good.”

King Stingray - King Stingray

King Stingray have become one of the most beloved rising stars in Australia this year, and it's clear to see why. Self-described as ‘Yolŋu surf rock’, the band perform songs with lyrics in both English and Yolŋu Matha, from Miwatj/the Northern Territory. Their self-titled album is a true treat that offers a unique and fantastic union of First Nations language and traditional surf rock.

Chatting with The Music earlier this year, the boys talked about their gratitude towards the great reception of the album. 

“In Australia, there's a lot of people that still don't know that Yolngu people are the traditional custodians of that area of North East Arnhem. And that the lifestyle is just so different to the lifestyle of a lot of people. So, there's an element of enjoyment in being able to educate what is going on. 

“It's definitely not underpinning everything we do. It's not like we're going out there to educate people; we're going out there to express ourselves and have fun as musicians and as people. But there's also that element of talking and telling stories, which seems like it's insightful for a lot of people that find they don't know much about your culture.”

Northlane – Obsidian

How does a band top their best album to date? How do go from tackling highly personal themes, such as intergenerational trauma and addiction, to come out the other side stronger than ever? You have to ask Northlane, because that’s what they did on their sixth album, Obsidian.

The #1 ARIA album is packed with complex progressive heavy songs with multiple layers and nuanced dynamics. Yeah, sure, this is ‘metalcore’, if you are desperate for a label. But it’s metalcore plus more. Much, much more. It’s metalcore plus electronica (Clarity), metalcore plus industrial (Carbonized, which also breaks up the industrial grind with a sweet, soaring chorus), metalcore plus unsettling noise and ambience (Obsidian), metalcore plus pop (Clockwork), metalcore that’s dancable (Is This A Test). It’s also metalcore plus a sense of flair and adventure, a need to push musical envelopes, a compelling desire to smash through constraints of genre and convention.

Parkway Drive – Darker Still

Darker Still is polarising. That’s often a sign of a band’s greatness and willingness to stretch themselves from what they’re typically known for. On Parkway Drive’s seventh studio album, the band bring in acoustic guitars while vocalist Winston McCall sings a song with a single scream (the title track), incorporate dance-y wah pedals, and keep you singing along to fist-in-the-air choruses.

“The whole idea was to shock. It’s designed to surprise, so when you think you know what’s coming around the corner, the next song will shock you,” McCall explained about the album. “[Darker Still] is constantly forcing the attention and forcing the journey; there is no safe Parkway space. It’s an album that keeps engagement in the same way you’re engaged in a film. It's not linear in this in the sound scope. It's designed to go from point A to point B, and you don't hop off that train until you reach point B.” And what a journey it is.

Sampa The Great – As Above, So Below

Sampa The Great is one of our most beloved artists for good reason. Her second record, As Above, So Below, contains odes to the golden era of Zambia's socially prolific genre, Zamrock in album highlight Never Forget, and re-establishes ties to home. She’s sonically diverse – going from hip-hop to psychedelic rock, for example, always delivering strong verses and embracing all the challenges life throws at her.

"I think one of the main things with my music is talking about home; talking about Zambia; talking about connecting with music – and just knowing that I have never been an artist at home was really weird for me," Sampa told The Music. "So it just pushed this whole new journey of seeing what it is to be an artist at home – you know, the struggles that come with it, and knowing the things that I've gained while being in Australia and the people who I've worked with; and just finding a way to work with new creatives from home, finding a way to push some creatives from home, and finding out what we can make from home."

Spacey Jane – Here Comes Everybody

Spacey Jane have gone from playing shows in iconic yet tiny venues like The Curtin to headlining the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in just a few years, and they’ve done that with fuzzy pop-rock hooks, a bass player with tons of energy, and slacker vibes that populated radio stations in the early 2000s. On their second album, Here Comes Everybody, Spacey Jane had a point to prove and made it with popular singles, It’s Been A Long Day, Hardlight and Lots Of Nothing.

“I think what impacted the writing process more than anything, or like the pressure we felt, was probably the fact that we knew it was going to be the second record,” singer and guitarist Caleb Harper told The Music. “The first record I remember being nervous about it - it was just exciting. It didn't feel like as much was at stake in some senses. But with writing for Here Comes Everybody, it was definitely a lot more like, ‘Okay, people expect something after you've done your first album.’” And boy, did they meet our lofty expectations.

Tasman Keith – A Colour Undone

Tasman Keith is quickly becoming one of the most exciting voices in Australian hip-hop. He is a singular talent with a distinctive voice – both in vocal tone and songwriting chops – and the songs to back him. The 26-year-old Gumbaynggirr man burst onto Australia’s rap scene in 2017 with his debut single, Might Snap, which received significant airplay and critical acclaim. Since then, Keith has put out a string of impressive EPs, kicking things off with Mission Famous in 2018, Evenings, his collaboration with Stevie Jean in 2019, and To Whom It May Concern in 2020. He’s been dubbed “Bowraville’s own Kendrick Lamar” by triple j, who also awarded him Australian Music Video of the Year for Billy Bad Again in 2020. This year, he released his genre and expectation defying debut album, A Colour Undone.

A Colour Undone excels in its sequencing, which balances hip hop in the vein of industry veterans, journeys into soul music, and some massive pop bangers. An album created by a village and inspired by community, a break-up, duality of personas, and detailing a spiritual journey that explores the suffering of an Indigenous man in Australia, A Colour Undone delivers messages of hope and loving others.

Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers – Pretty Good For A Girl Band

Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers finally released their debut EP, Pretty Good For A Girl Band, earlier this year, following previously released impressive singles See You In A Bit (I Still Care) and Desk Chair. Pretty Good For A Girl Band combines riot grrrl attitude, pop-punk hooks and riffs, and a commanding presence from vocalist Anna Ryan.

On the outstanding Girl Sports – where the EP title was born – bassist Jaida Stephenson pulls from UK punks Idles, who channel an animalistic energy on their song, War. “Around the time Girl Sports was written I was heavily listening to IDLES most recent album Ultra Mono,” she said. “I remember being in the car listening to their track War off the album which has this crazy dark bassline that kind of carries the song. I couldn’t stop thinking, ‘I want to write a bass line like that.’ As soon as Anna showed me Girl Sports for the first time I knew that was the song I wanted to write a War-inspired bassline for, and it ended up fitting perfectly.”

Thelma Plum – Meanjin

Thelma Plum isn’t interested in singing heartbreak songs. She has a voice better served for themes of family, nostalgia, and odes to her hometown, as made clear on her Meanjin EP. In 2012 Plum broke out as a teen folkie with the single Father Said, which she'd uploaded onto triple j's Unearthed platform. Eventually, Plum signed to Warner Music Australia, issuing the Monsters EP. But she arrived with Better In Blak, which explored social and personal stories of her First Nations identity.

While Better In Blak traversed heartland rock, retro-soul and gleaming electro, the Meanjin EP, is a collection of smaller stories; "a love letter to my hometown" – the land's traditional owners, the Turrbal people. The EP is wistful and plaintive, featuring pianos as well as guitar-led rhythms, all styled around her incredible voice. Thelma Plum has always been one to watch, but with Meanjin, she’s solidified herself as one of the most important artists in Australia.