So for some housekeeping, here first is my 2023 list because I didn't get around to posting it other than a Stereogum comment. This year I also had a preemptive Stereogum comment with a premature list that I have since revised. So if I'd given myself time, perhaps I would've also edited this one accordingly. But it's still a good list for what was a good year I think.
2023:
1 Sufjan Stevens - Javelin
2 Yves Tumor - Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume
3 Jess Williamson - Time Ain't Accidental
4 Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy
5 Snooper - Super Snooper
6 Blonde Redhead - Sit Down for Dinner
7 JPEG Mafia/Danny Brown - Scaring the Hoes
8 Jessie Ware - That! Feels! Good!
9 Death Goals - A Garden of Dead Flowers
10 Doki Doki - Doki Doki
11 Belle & Sebastian - Late Developers
12 Esther Rose - Safe to Run
13 Indigo De Souza - All of This Will End
14 Alex Lahey - The Answer Is Always Yes
15 Margo Cilker - Valley of Heart's Delight
16 Chris Farren - Doom Singer
17 Anjimile - The King
18 Jeff Rosenstock - HELLMODE
19 Bat Boy - Fun Machine
20 Danny Brown - Quaranta
21 Aesop Rock - Integrated Tech Solutions
22 Light Beams - Wild Life
23 Ratboys - The Window
24 Vangas - Vangas
25 Fucked Up - One Day
26 Lol Tolhurst, Budgie, Jacknife Lee - Los Angeles
27 Algiers - Shook
28 US Girls - Bless This Mess
Yeah that's some good stuff but what about 2024? Well yeah, that's the main reason I'm posting this in late December 2024.
Honorable Mentions:
There were a lot of honorably mentionable albums that could have been on this other list perhaps if I'd given them more of a chance or if they'd hit me at a slightly different angle or at a different time of day/year/life. Night Palace by Mount Eerie was lovely and super long and intimidating but enjoyable too. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds took on the challenge of creating an uplifting album out of tragedy on Wild God but I wasn't feeling it as intimately as the last few. Escape Forever by Soft Kill. BLUE LIPS by ScHoolboy Q. Wussy is a band I should've discovered earlier but Cincinnati Ohio became a favorite in December. Shannon and The Clams were a lot of fun and also interesting and also sad with The Moon Is In The Wrong Place. Big For You by Zsela. Sky Hundred by Parannoul. We Belong by Sinkane was surprising to me just in that I came upon it randomly and it banged so hard. Alan Sparhawk broke my heart with a 1 minute song on White Roses, My God. Hex Dealer by Lip Critic was fun and I feel like I should've liked it more. Tara Jane O'Neil doesn't miss and The Cool Cloud of Okayness was more than just okay. Couch Slut rocked pretty hard on You Could Do It Tonight. I'm very excited about any future Perennial albums after Art History continued to expand on their sound. Eazy Peazy by Man/Woman/Chainsaw. Karate made a super engaging reunion album in Make It Fit. Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii. St. Vincent had a bit of a "return to form" (i.e. she is rocking again, playing guitar like I love) with All Born Screaming. Dark Times by Vince Staples. Petrichor by 070 Shake was exactly what I hoped for with its genre hopping. WeirdOs by O. The return of Les Savy Fav was also what I hoped for on OUI, LSF. Love them. Jim White had a banner year and his album with Marisa Anderson called Swallowtail was a highlight. My Method Actor by Nilufer Yanya. Wow did you hear that Xiu Xiu album 13" Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips it rocked! Fearless Movement by Kamasi Washington. Kenny Segal & K-The-I??? just crashed into my life in December with Genuine Dexterity and it probably should've made the list. Comatose by Candy Apple was some great Denver hardcore I just discovered when I did some year end browsing. And I just discovered local Denver band Fainting Dreams when they played a sweet festival with Nina Nastasia; Those Left Untouched by the Light is absolutely gorgeous.
Okay, that was a lot and here's a lot more.
Okay now the main event that all couple of you that read this are here for!
It's the Top 28 Albums of 2024 According to Me!
Bandcamp links provided where available. Support people who make cool music, now more than ever!
28. Gustaf - Package Pt. 2 - This super fun post punk band continued to be super fun and engaging. I dunno, it hits just like their previous album.
27. Finom - Not God - I just discovered them recently and the dual vocals and guitar licks are super catchy and just great. I'm doing a great job describing stuff aren't I.
26. Hamish Hawk - A Firmer Hand - Reminds me of the classic post punk dudes plus some homoeroticism, it's a lovely time.
25. This is Lorelei - Box for Buddy, Box for Star - This album is like if the evolution of folk music stemmed from The Charm of the Highway Strip by Magnetic Fields. It's that great sound, with a good dose of Merritt-esque wit, and some heartbreak thrown in as well.
24. Ekko Astral - Pink Balloons - Those drums, that intensity. The attitude. Kind of silly but intense?
23. Party Dozen - Crime in Australia - It may not be quite as hard hitting as The Real Work but almost. And that is made up for in groove. Vibes. It feels like a soundtrack to an old school Guy Ritchie movie (complementary...I haven't kept up with his career but his first couple had that cool factor and that's what I'm talking about). Crimes. Do Crimes. Go to a dozen parties.
22. Mannequin Pussy - I Got Heaven - The punk hits hard, the pop hits hard, the feelings hit the hardest. This is a great album that hits a lot of different sounds and feels disorienting but in a way that only makes me want more.
21. Kendrick Lamar - GNX - I guess the only justification I have to put here is why it's so far down my list. I firmly believe he is the best rapper of the past 20+ years and I know that's a pretty cold take. My favorite thing Kendrick did this year was "Euphoria." Since then it's basically been a victory lap. It's a fun album but it really has me yearning for Mr Morale in its challenging of the audience and oneself. I look forward to the next one.
20. The Smile - Cutouts (note: Bandcamp link is for physical vinyl and doesn't include digital download for some reason. Second most polarizing thing The Smile did this year.) - I was always an Amnesiac > Kid A type of kid. Whatever that means. When these guys put out an album and then put out another album of outtakes from that first one, I like the outtakes better. I really don't know what that means or if it means anything. I like the songs on this one after Wall of Eyes did not really land for me. There are a few songs I love on Eyes but the concentration of bangers on Cutouts is high and it didn't really take any effort on my part for it to turn out that way.
19. Charli xcx - BRAT - I never even tried with her before. But the last couple years I've opened up a little bit to the pop music that's actually popular because it's gotten quite good in many instances. Then a combination of her bringing in Robyn for a remix and Stereogum getting all obsessive led me to giving Brat a chance. There's a certain vulnerability and honesty to this album that really pulled me in and opened me up to the bangers. Isn't it supposed to go the opposite way? Anyway, it's a great combo of two things.
18. Kim Deal - Nobody Loves You More - We haven't gotten a Breeders album in a bit but we got solo Kim Deal. Which makes it more personal. And it was the last time she worked with Steve Albini which makes it more personal. Her vocals are in the same sweet spot for me that always makes me feel good in a way that only she can. It's just a work of beauty that makes me feel good and sad but mostly good.
17. Tyler, The Creator - CHROMAKOPIA - It's just thrilling. The beats and the places it ventures. It almost seems like the rapping is beside the point even though it's great too and has some highly entertaining bits. This is compositions serving a higher purpose.
16. Font - Strange Burden - Reminds me of Liars when they'd go full dance punk. For a full "album" (that is almost an EP however that is defined). It takes me back to that dance club from 20 years ago but somehow doesn't feel out of time. Play it loud. Get in someone's face.
15. Ab-Soul - Soul Burger - I never listened much to Ab-Soul before but for some reason this one hit me right in the right spot. I can't really describe why other than to say it just feels so satisfying. It has a song that references Digable Planets and that's the vibe that it's working with for me.
14. ShrapKnel - Nobody Planning to Leave - I don't remember how I discovered this one; I'd never heard of Curly Castro or Controller 7 before. They haven't gotten a ton of press. They did get Open Mike Eagle on a track so it could've stemmed from that. Anyway, these guys bring such a vibe. It feels like The People Under The Stairs in its adoration for the old school hip hop that came before and an inventiveness that looks forward. This album is just really good and I'm excited to see what else these guys come up with.
13. Waxahatchee - Tigers Blood - I became a huge fan with Saint Cloud, as maybe the first "going country" thing that an artist pulled off in a way that worked to go straight to my heart. Then there was Plains with Jess Williamson, who you may see very high on my 2023 list. So this was bound to be a favorite. And it was my second most listened to album behind only my #1 album that you will see below. So why down here in the double digits? It's a great album that I feel got overly praised/hyped. Slightly. I mean, it's still up here in a very busy year. It's super pleasant and it's got some great love songs. Everyone loves "Right Back to It" but I'm team "365" which is one of my favorite Waxahatchee songs yet, if not my favorite.
12. Adrianne Lenker - Bright Future - It's just got the songs. Just a bunch of perfect songs. I only recently got into Big Thief for it's kind of silly but authentic fun beautiful messy songs. This solo stuff is so minimalist so all we've got are the songs. And they are immaculate.
11. Father John Misty - Mahashmashana - The way this kicks off is kind of funny. Huge sweeping sounds. A 9+ minute epic that feels even bigger than that. I am a defender of Chloe and the Next 20th Century because of how it emphasized his great vocals and beautiful lyrics. But here, he's back to swinging for the fences and it's a full album of that in different ways. Saxophone solos. No songs under 4 minutes, only a couple under 5. All showstoppers. It's ridiculous and amazing. And those vocals and lyrics are still right up front.
10. Beings - There Is A Garden - I'm not sure how to categorize this. I consider it jazz I guess because of its inventive instrumentals but it's got this skronkiness but it's got these great pop vocal parts but it's so many things. Legendary drummer Jim White was involved in a lot of great projects this year from a supergroup with Steven Malkmus to solo material to something on my honorable mentions list to a reunion with The Dirty Three, but this feels like the best use of his talents. He holds this odd project together while the real star is probably Zoh Ambra on vocals and sax who makes all these exciting elements just pop. To say nothing about Steve Gunn and Shahzad Ismaily (whom I know nothing about but am interested in discovering further) who add some very interesting textures to the mix. People on Bandcamp compare this to the Velvet Underground and I'll allow it.
9. Clothing - From Memory - Another project that's some people I'd never heard of before (Dawn of Midi and Mobius Band/Cookies) but once I started digging into it I'm finding a lot to love about both of them. I did end up also buying the Cookies album on vinyl. I was first piqued by the presence of Amber Coffman and L'Rain. Coffman in particular who you may remember as one of the main vocalists for Dirty Projectors in their prime. My favorite DP songs featured her extensively, and this album features her extensively. It's some great beat makers and that voice. And L'Rain and Elliott Skinner and Anna Wise. There's something to be said for an album with only four guest vocalists where all the tracks have guest vocalists. There's something to this. Off kilter, gorgeous, catchy, danceable.
8. Foushee - Pointy Heights - I was compelled to check this out by the album artwork that included some black and white checkerboard flooring. And the single "War" had a very ska beat to it. It ended up hitting really well with its combination of ska beats and joy and great vocals and some very relatable lyrics. A drink of coffee and we'll be 100 bux. This is beautifully produced by Steve Lacy and I think I like it more than his solo album. It was on a major label I believe but I feel like it was super slept on so here is me trying to wake you up. Check out this awesome album!
7. Bacchae - Next Time - You know, when Stereogum first described it, I wasn't so sure about it. They compared vocalist Katie McD to musical theater in how she enunciated her words. But I checked it out anyway because it was a complimentary review and the other elements and political parts seemed to be something I'd like. Songs like "Dead Man" about the dehumanization of corporate living. The DC-ness of it all. And that was right on. The only thing I'd like to add is that the vocals remind me more of Jello Biafra in the prime Dead Kennedys era. I remember him being described as an opera singer doing punk music and there is a theatricality there but it works in a similar way. It's a real pity this band broke up this year. I hope they continue the DC tradition of starting up new projects from their ashes that end up being equally compelling because there is a lot going on with this album. I adore it.
6. Heems & Lapgan - LAFANDAR - I can't even properly explain how entertaining this album is. How is such a silly album so high on my list? It's just Heems talking shit. He put out another album this year that was more serious but this one here is just so much fun. What else is there to it? There are great guest vocal turns from some notables like Open Mike Eagle and Kool Keith and Quelle Chris and they all work because they all adapt to the silly smart wordplay style that Heems brings. And I feel a real beautiful cultural unity when he rhymes Vinyasa with Piazza, Rasta, pasta, and kielbasa.
5. Shellac - To All Trains - In a year full of musician deaths that I took personally, Steve Albini's stands out. Shellac was an amazing band with three amazing musicians playing off each other, and starting in 2007 I just felt lucky we were getting any new music from them, as it was more of a side project for all of them. It was a combination of great wit and great musicianship and impeccable production. This final album fits that lineage. How the beat cuts him off when he's screaming "we'll be pirates!" or his delivery of "pow! you're pregnant!" it's maybe the most entertaining Shellac album this side of "Prayer to God." I don't know if he knew the end was near when he recorded the perfect send-off in "I Don't Fear Hell" but it is the perfect capper in its context and humor. It's exactly what I'd want to hear from him if he were literally speaking from beyond the grave. Requiescat.
4. Magdalena Bay - Imaginal Disk - Another highly praised album that I absolutely bought into when I gave it a chance myself. The people were right on this one. It's kind of like if Goldfrapp or Kylie Minogue sang for The Go! Team? But maybe even more hard in its forays into experimental blasts, kind of like prime Sleigh Bells. So you know, a lot of the best stuff of the late '00s/early '10s but in a way that still feels fresh in '24. If you haven't given the a chance yet, here's another person in the chorus urging you to give it a go.
3. Sprints - Letter to Self - I have a good amount of punk rock fronted by women in my list which makes me happy. This album came out January 5, the first Friday of 2024. And it kicked so much ass that it immediately made its way to my shortlist for the year and I took it off some playlists for a while because it was not in question. Then I came back to it in late November after a long break and it knocked pretty much everything down a peg in my list. It's catchy and has range and rage. The fuzz and the vocals. The beat. The builds. This is why I want to share music with people. Listen to THIS.
2. The Cure - Songs of a Lost World - I always loved and respected The Cure. Disintegration is a contender for best album ever. But I was still awestruck at what they pulled off here. This is just beautiful, sorrowful, pointed music. Almost every song has lyrics referencing "the end." It came out right before the election and it stands as a beautiful piece of music on its own, but after the election, it was my piece of the world I could hold onto. This beautiful sorrowful pointed composition was my reassurance that someone understands things. As tough as it gets going forward, we're not alone. We have the most beautiful man Robert Smith in our corner and that feels good. Whatever happens, we have these 8 perfect anthems to help us remain human as we mourn what is ending.
1. Hurray for the Riff Raff - The Past Is Still Alive - Speaking of perfect anthems, Alynda Segarra has created a full album of perfect anthems for those who fight hard just to survive, those who thrive, and those who did not make it. They're singing for the weirdos and the junkies and the lovers and the barrel of freaks and those who are just trying to get out in one piece. Truth bombs ranging from the poetic ("No one will remember us like I will remember us") to the literal begging for survival ("test your drugs, remember Narcan. There's a war on the people, what don't you understand?") they know when and where to drop what. This record feels simultaneously like a survival guide and a place to meet in the not too distant future when maybe we can smile again.
