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It was a big year for Northeast Ohio鈥檚 music scene, as many bands and artists resumed touring and recording music after nearly two years of pandemic slowdown. Unheard material written during the 2020 lockdown was finally released. Musicians who have been performing at local venues for years dropped debut albums. Bands that have been on hiatus for years emerged with an elevated sound.

There was a wide variety of new music to hear this year. Shuffle鈥檚 Amanda Rabinowitz and Brittany Nader each share their favorite local albums of 2022.

Kyle Kidd - 鈥�"

Kyle Kidd is an artist that we are so lucky to have in Cleveland. They are beautiful and unique, and I鈥檝e been waiting for this solo music for a long time. You can hear all of the raw emotions and struggle and pain. It's special.

鈥擜manda Rabinowitz

Kidd was inspired by Whitney Houston and Sylvester, which is evident in their big, emotive vocals on this debut release. They worked with bandmate R.A. Washington from Cleveland鈥檚 on this album, which served as a release for Kidd during a depressive period. The lyrical content is raw, but the production is really smooth 鈥� like a cross between Sade and 鈥�70s soul.

鈥擝rittany Nader

Wreck Like Me 鈥� 鈥�"

This album is not only catchy, but the lyrics are very heartfelt and raw, and you can feel her journey right along with her as she was dealing with heartbreak and learning how to let go and move on from a painful breakup. The songs are intricate and show off her vocal range. You can tell she really spent time on these songs and crafted them. This album is a starting point for what could be a long music career ahead for Megan Bouman.

鈥擜manda Rabinowitz

Talons鈥� 鈥� 鈥溾��

Mike Tolan created a perfect time capsule of the pandemic lockdown with this album. I had the pleasure of seeing Talons鈥� perform a few times in 2022, and one thing I love about his artistry is the often mournful sound of his songs compared to the more lighthearted words he sings. There鈥檚 a track on this release, 鈥淭iger King,鈥� and two songs, 鈥淲ay She Goes鈥� and 鈥淣otes,鈥� reference the show 鈥淭railer Park Boys.鈥� But the whole album sounds very somber. The dichotomy to me as a listener shows how we often cope with difficult situations using humor or TV as an escape from real-world darkness.

鈥擝rittany Nader

Who Saved Who 鈥� 鈥溾��

When I really got interested in them was when I saw them live. They put on an energizing show that made me want to explore the album, and it was on repeat for a long time. I think it鈥檚 so rare when a band鈥檚 live performance sparks an interest in hearing more.

鈥擜manda Rabinowitz

Herzog 鈥� 鈥溾��

This indie-rock band has been active for more than a decade, and their fifth album hooked me right from track one. They鈥檝e said Cleveland is the 鈥渂ackdrop鈥� for everything they do, and you definitely hear the inspiration in these songs. There are lyrics about Cleveland in wintertime, and there鈥檚 an interesting contrast between the bleak environment that鈥檚 discussed in the lyrical themes compared to the shining melodies and instrumentation. It鈥檚 a great album to listen to in Northeast Ohio during the chilly months.

鈥擝rittany Nader

The Baker's Basement 鈥� 鈥溾��

What most interests me about this band is how quirky they are. Some of their song lyrics are just hilarious. I love how they let the songs flow out of them. They have incredible chemistry, and this was a great discovery for me this year.

鈥擜manda Rabinowitz

JT鈥檚 Electrik Blackout 鈥� 鈥溾��
Anyone hip to Akron鈥檚 vibrant jazz scene knows this album has been a long time coming. Saxophonist and bandleader Justin Tibbs has been a staple of the region鈥檚 music community for years, and the debut release with his group JT鈥檚 Electrik Blackout is the perfect mesh of funk, jazz and groovy avant-garde arrangements that make this a super fun listen. 鈥擝rittany Nader

Carlos Jones and the P.L.U.S. Band - 鈥�

I will admit, I'm not a big reggae fan, but I love this album. It fills you with joy, and the arrangements are incredible, exploring rock, funk, blues and gospel. Carlos Jones has been releasing and playing music for some 40 years, but this is just the third studio album from the band and the first since 2009, and it's incredible.

鈥擜manda Rabinowitz

Wesley Bright 鈥� 鈥�鈥�

Some may recognize Wesley Bright as the owner of , but longtime fans of his work with the Honeytones know his music is just as sweet. Bright announced a hiatus from singing and performing to focus on family and his thriving small business, but he unexpectedly returned this year with a solid solo album that should not be overlooked. This is a throwback to the golden era of Motown with a dash of soulful Otis Redding here and a pinch of Little Ann there.

鈥擝rittany Nader