What's up good people,  I’ve been listening through a lot of different peoples’ 2022 favorites playlists over the last month and half. I find this annual practice of music heads engaging in personal curation, sharing and listening to be super rewarding. In making my own list, I get to relive all the music that excited me throughout the year and leave an artifact for my future self in the process. Sharing it and receiving friends lists in return is becoming tradition. It’s all I love about sharing music in a concentrated burst at the end of the year, with us connecting on the overlap and leaving with a bunch of new music to explore. This year I also was digging through playlists of more public people like music critics, publications, and even a favorite author from this year. There's something super warm about sharing the music we've been living with for the year. In the spirit, I've shared my end of year lists at the bottom. I'd love for you to send me yours if you happened to make one. This edition of The Collective Record playlist has that year-end curation and sharing in mind. I sent it out to those who had contributed in the past, and others I'd recently talked to about the newsletter, with the prompt “5-ish songs that somehow defined your 2022.” It’s awesome so far: The Collective Record Playlist #5 As always it's a Spotify collaborative playlist. Add 1,5 or however many songs that were a big part of your 2022! Also my exquisitely-mustached friend Pete is here with an album. Pete has given tons of great music over the last 5 years, and this rec is no exception.  Wishing you some good listening, Matt P.S. I really like the way this playlist turned out. I’m going to keep sending it out beforehand for people to add to, with different prompts each time. If you want to be a part of that, just let me know and I’ll send it your way!

Pete talks Petey

Lean Into Life Petey Genre: indie rock? punk? electro-pop? emo? Sure So I was doing some research before Outside Lands, as I always do, to find some new music and artists that might put on a good show. I came across an artist named Petey. Being a Peter myself, I was very curious. His top song on spotify was called "Don't Tell The Boys" and I was instantly hooked. I'm really not the type to obsess over songs and listen to them on repeat, but I couldn't help myself with this one. The first time I listened, I thought "this is a fun song to scream along to, and Petey seems a bit like a bro" (no offense), but as I listened to it and him more, I realized there was much more to Petey. As his Spotify profile states, "Petey’s album is explosive and cathartic, with moments of aching honesty and probing self-examination giving way to biting wit and joyful exuberance amidst a sea of arpeggiating synthesizers, distorted guitars, and shouted vocals. is it indie rock? punk? electro-pop? emo? sure, but if you're getting hung up on what to call it you have already missed the point." Read the rest of his bio on Spotify because it's great and says basically why I love him and this album. He really opens up about "anxiety and depression, masculinity and heartbreak" and in a day where men sometimes have a hard time talking about their feelings, it was amazing to see such honesty and vulnerability. I will leave you with some of Petey's words, "if I can wake up every day for the rest of my life and make something new, that's all I could ever ask for. Its the only goal ive got" don't forget that just because we are "adults", that doesn't mean we can't be curious, ask questions and be creative! Take more time to do something for yourself and make something new, no matter how small. - Pete Vallimarescu

2 Albums that have been sticking with me

Absolutely Dijon Genre: Pop/R&B? In my eyes, this album is a masterpiece. Released in 2021, Dijon’s "Absolutely", feels like an ode to letting oneself go, and letting oneself feel, within music. He channels noted influences like Bon Iver, Gillian Welsch, Springsteen, and The Band, to make songs that feel new in such a satisfying way. As with most of his music, Dijon’s voice, its expressiveness, its roughness, its power, is our anchor point. The feeling pouring out of it is mesmerizing. The production behind it is simple, but striking, swinging seamlessly with his mood to create beautiful stories while describing just a few intimate moments. “The Dress” is an irresistible, easy jam where Dijon wonders about an old partner, “Do you still take a long time to get ready … cause the dress looks nice on you still / and it always will”. It’s nostalgic, regretful, ultimately appreciative of what was, and so damn catchy. “Many Times”, the lead single, finds Dijon frenzied, angry, backed by a break-beat and simple bassline. In the music video Dijon is yelling, jerking his body around, letting go of any level of recording polish for rawness, his bandmates are expertly ripping right alongside him. It finishes with album collaborator Mk.gee literally sprinting around the set from his guitar to the piano to play the outro solo. The video for “Big Mike’s”, the superb album opener, is my favorite, as we get to watch the band lock into a smooth groove, their cohesion permeating through the entire performance. The music videos (also stitched together and released in a fantastic 25 minute film) clearly display what makes this album so powerful; ecstatic, individual expression being both supported by, and itself fueling, fantastic musicality. The energy is incredible, and felt throughout the music. As a whole, "Absolutely" just sounds so good. A record that you can feel had love and care poured into it from start to finish. It’s one of my favorites in a long time. Listen to: Everything he's put out. Dijon rocks. - Matt Kollada

5 to the Eye with Stars R.A.P. Ferreira Genre: RAP In “5 to the Eye with Stars”, R.A.P. (Rory Allen Phillip) Ferreira channels both the philosopher and the poet, making magic at the intersection of the abstract and the concrete. In the middle of “mythesizer instinct” he drops this gem: “ I simply stay in tune, my thoughts a walking bassline / There are days I only get to see my son on Facetime / Man-made monsoon, RollerCoaster Tycoon / I believe I'll dust my broom as the blues echo through my being.” He rhythmically bobs and weaves throughout, always a step ahead, continuously delighting with his syllables, word-play, and cadence. On the opening track Ferreira finishes repeating “I know its epic poetry that keeps the cosmos orbiting”. The line says out loud what the whole project puts on display, that the right words, the “epic poetry” that is great rap, has the power to shape our thinking and thus our world. Also check out: R.A.P. Ferreira has released music under many different names. I really like So The Flies Don't Come where he performs under the alias milo - Matt Kollada

My 2022 Year End Playlists

Favorite albums 50 songs from 2022