Albums of the Year: 2024

I'm distributing my Albums of the Year post to LinkedIn, amongst other places, this year because there are no rules.

Album of the year:

The Past is Still Alive - Hurray for the Riff Raff

Something truly special, The Past is Still Alive hit all the right notes for me. Alynda Segarra’s musical talent and economical storytelling songwriting came to the fore in this tour de force honoring the dead and living with the past. A queer album with memorable riffs and lyrics that demand attention. Melodic, thoughtful, insightful, and moving. True art. Fucking masterpiece.

Honorable mentions:

Indoor Safari - Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets

Nick Lowe is out here decades on still creating solid pop. This late-year compilation of recent EPs surprised me, but maybe it shouldn’t have, because everything I love about Lowe is still here: cutting, biting lyrics and hooks for days. A highly accessible and listenable album that made my ears really happy.

Only God Was Above Us - Vampire Weekend

Pre-release bravado about “all killer, no filler” is arguable. Tighter than Father of the Bride, this album also completely neglects the influence of that album on VW’s work; this is a sequel to Modern Vampires. Despite its short runtime, feels a little soggy. “Mary Boone” is one of their very best songs. “Capricorn” is a big favorite.

No Obligation - The Linda Lindas

The Linda Lindas are the real deal. Sophisticated and melodic, this album supports quiet moments and exploration with “Weird Al” and it all works. Deeply appreciate that their stuff still hovers around the 2:00-3:00 mark.

A LA SALA - Khruangbin

This didn’t demand the re-listening for me that their previous albums did, but it’s on the edge; this album somehow feels a little less atmospheric than their prior stuff and more song-oriented. Fantastic moments to live in here like “Todavía Via”, “A Love International”, “May Ninth” and “Pon Pón”.

Mount Matsu - YīN YīN

A very late year recommendation, this Khruangbin-via-Southeast Asia-via-Maastricht band’s third album is a super pleasant and enjoyable listen with rewarding melodies and a relaxed, chill pace. An instrumental, groove-filled album. “Takahashi Timing” reeled me in and there’s even room for surf rock on “The Perseverance of Sano”.

Small Changes - Michael Kiwanuka

Kiwanuka’s Small Changes is a really nice front-to-back, fitting in a weird space of new soul, electronica, and singer-songwriter. A real mood. “Lowdown (part i)” & “Lowdown (part ii)” are a lovely centerpiece here.

Some hits, some misses:

As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again - Decemberists

Really liked the Shins collab “Burial Ground” –?it has that solid James Mercer sound –?but I found this album to be pretty inaccessible and a snooze. Really like the aforementioned track and “Joan in the Garden”, but I won’t listen to a 20-minute track very often.

Problematic - Norman Sann

Problematic was the one I came back to the most from his three (!) releases this year; 90s hip-hop influences galore, with top notch pop culture references and humor. “Play It Cool” and “Dance at a Funeral” are the standouts for me.

Tigers Blood - Waxahatchee

There’s no debating Katie Crutchfield’s talent and skill but Tigers Blood didn’t land with me. The pacing was what got me. I didn’t feel very “in the mood” of this album and it didn’t reach out to me the way, say, Out in the Storm did. “Right Back To It” is gold, and “365” and “Ice Cold” are worth a spin.

The Avett Brothers - The Avett Brothers

I’m always a sucker for mid-career self-titled albums, and the Avetts deliver with an album that really feels like them. “Cheap Coffee” is picturesque, and “Love of a Girl” is your typical Avett Brothers barnburner.

Big Ideas - Remi Wolf

Not, like, a super favorite of mine but highly listenable and catchy. “Cinderella” is the obvious standout, and “Soup” is great. Will throw this on every now and then and may skip a bunch, but won’t be mad at it.

What Now - Brittany Howard

Admire and love Brittany Howard but found little to dive into here. Title track and “Red Flags” are great.

Ooh La La - Guster

Longtime Guster-head here, I come for the creative melodies and thoughtful lyrics and hooks but this one is Guster stuck on one speed, and it’s a little slow. Ryan Miller noted in an interview this was their early-days pandemic album and it shows. It’s claustrophobic and tight and boxed (as we all were.) Sometimes you need to get things out to move on and I’m eager to see what’s next for one of my favorite groups. I can generally pop on any Guster album and find those moments I love… but I doubt I’ll come back to any of these songs.

Evergreen - Soccer Mommy

Promising 90s-influenced alternative rock and pop continues apace. Maybe not cooking on all cylinders but damned close. Better than I thought it would be. “Abigail”, “Driver” are solid. Probably won’t sit with the album a ton but won’t be mad when any songs from this one show up.

Untame the Tiger - Mary Timony

Songs from this one showed up in shuffles for me a lot and every time one came up I was all, “Wow, this is great! Who is this?” and it was Mary Timony each time. (Bonus: while it was released as a single post-album, “Curious Tides” is one of my favorite songs of the year.)

Not this time:

Great artists, but albums I doubt I’ll come back to.

All Born Screaming - St. Vincent

Hole Erth - Toro y Moi

Don’t Forget Me - Maggie Rogers