For the first NME of 2022 we thought we might have to do another “Best Of” or “Songs You Might Have Missed” but so many artists put out so many intriguing new songs, how could we not go ahead and crank things back up? We start the new year with an unusual release from an enigmatic artist. Father John Misty has always made it his business to defy expectations and play with every idea of music from “genuine” performance to genre and he does it again on the first single from his forthcoming album Chloë and the Next 20th Century coming out in April. If “Funny Girl” is any indication Mr. Tillman has made his own version of a romantic, orchestral pop record.

We also featured another very familiar voice making music under a different name. Thom Yorke and his Radiohead bandmate Johnny Greenwood teamed with Sons of Kemet member Tom Skinner for a new project called The Smile. No word on whether there will be a full album but we have to assume there’s more coming since they’ll be performing full livestream events at the end of this month.

Midday Host and Assistant Program Director Ayisha Jaffer had a few picks from eclectic pop collective Michelle (opening for Mitski in March), David Byrne and Yo La Tengo from a new project honoring the work of Yoko Ono and a single by downtempo duo Widowspeak from their newly announced album The Jacket coming out in March on Captured Tracks.

We also looked back to grab some new Nashville music released over the holidays including the latest from amazing psych-pop duo Twen and a duet from two soulful Nashville singers Devon Gilfillian and Fancy Hagood. When this song came Devon wrote on social media that over the past few years, he’s seen “how truly important community is – how important it is to have people you can lean on when times get rough. People who see you, who love you for you.”

Take a listen to the link up top to hear the whole show including new tracks from Pom Pom Squad, Sports, Swamp Dogg, Gang of Youths, Silvana Estrada, Neil Frances feat. Benny Sings and Let’s Eat Grandma.

010722 Playlist:
Father John Misty “Funny Girl”
MICHELLE “Expiration Date”
The Smile “You Will Never Work in Television Again”
David Byrne and Yo La Tengo “Who Has Seen the Wind?”
Widowspeak “Everything Is Simple”
Twen “HaHaHome”
Pom Pom Squad feat. Matthew Caws “Popular”
Sports “Can’t Be What You Think”
Swamp Dogg “Soul to Blessed Soul”
Gang of Youths “In the wake of your leave”
Silvana Estrada “La Corriente”
Fancy Hagood and Devon Gilfillan “Let Me Be”
Neil Frances feat. Benny Sings “Where I Become Someone”
Let’s Eat Grandma “happy New Year”