Top 30 Records of 2024 So Far

Midyear Listapalooza has mostly come and gone, but given our Old Guy status, we often need just a little more time to keep pace.  Two of the OGs have put together lists, and since Brian finished his 12 first, Brad decided to add 18 other records not on Brian’s list (plus 6 favorite songs from albums not on either list).  Hopefully these get you through days huddled in the A/C, at the beach, or shielding yourself from American political “discourse” about another couple of Old Guys.  These 30 records all offer so much warmth, depth, challenge, comfort, excitement, energy – maybe we need to be nominating one of these artists to replace Biden (or Trump).   Anyway, we hope you discover some of these new gems, and let us know your favorites and what we missed in a comment.

OG Brian

The year is half over (already?) and like all other online publications it’s time to take stock of where we are in 2024.  Granted, for most areas of life, the answer is “awful” – politics, current events, discourse, movies, and most people even say The Bear has gone downhill this year (as I write this, I’m still only halfway through season 3 so NO SPOILERS!!).  And while music in 2024 has had its disappointments – the return of The Jesus and Mary Chain was kind of meh, the hyped new album from DIIV didn’t do much for me, the Cowboy Carter discourse made me want to swallow my own tongue, and the Kendrick-Drake beef made me feel old in a “who gives a shit?” sort of way (even though “Not Like Us” is a certifiable-yet-problematic banger) – there were still some bright spots in the first half of the year that brought me joy.  And we still have the new MJ Lenderman album to look forward to.

Here is a list of some of those bright spots, in no particular order (and feel free to add in your own favorites in the comments):

The Umbrellas – Fairweather Friend/Neutrals – New Town Dream:  I wrote about both albums from Slumberland Records over the past six months, and they remain two of my favorites of the year so far.  Not sure how much more praise I can heap on these Bay Area bands, except to say once again that the albums are absolutely worth a spin or two or 15.  I recently saw The Umbrellas at the Quarry House Tavern in Silver Spring, MD, and they put on a fabulous live show.  At the risk of repeating myself, I hope a similar opportunity for Neutrals presents itself in the near future.

Yard Act – Where’s My Utopia?:  Very British and very funky.  A combination of post-punk guitar riffs, hip-hop and disco beats, and working class politics.  Think LCD Soundsystem circa Sound of Silver but if they formed in Yorkshire in 2024 instead of early 2000s Brooklyn.

Cindy Lee – Diamond Jubilee:  For several weeks in March after its release, this album was the focus on online music discourse.  One reason was its streaming release strategy – available only on YouTube and a GeoCities page.  Another was its ambition: a 32-track double album clocking in at over two hours total runtime.  But the main reason?  It’s a damn good album that actually lives up to the hype.  Based on reviews that I’ve read and discussions in the 6OGs group chat, anyone who puts the time in to listen to the full album hears something a little different.  Me personally?  I hear echoes of the late Daniel Johnston, who I was fortunate to see perform with members of Fugazi as his backing band in 2017 at the Lincoln Theater in DC.

Ducks Ltd. – Harm’s Way:  The Bay Area doesn’t have a monopoly on jangle pop in 2024.  The second album by this Canadian duo is yet another standout in that genre.  Harm’s Way is filled with energetic riffs and skillful interplay between the two guitarists.  As OG Brad noted several months ago, we arrived late to catch all of their set opening for Ratboys at Baltimore’s Ottobar.  Even though we missed most of it, the handful of songs we saw gave an indication of how captivating Ducks Ltd. are as a live act.

Rosali – Bite Down:  I have to admit to a brief moment of confusion when I first learned of this album, thinking it was by the Latin pop superstar Rosalia.  Alas, no.  Bite Down is the fourth album by the country/folk-inspired indie rocker Rosali, her first album for Merge Records.  And even though the album was released back in March, it’s perfect for summer listening, whether it’s the twangy “Hills on Fire,” the groovy “Hopeless,” or the backyard jam of “Rewind.”

Good Looks – Lived Here for a While:  Speaking of backyard jams, music critic Steven Hyden (and co-host of OG-fave podcast Indiecast) coined the phrase “patio music.”  It’s fairly self-explanatory – music suitable for chilling on your patio/deck/whatever.  For example – The Jayhawks’ Hollywood Town Hall?  Patio music.  Militarie Gun’s Life Under the Gun?  Not so much.  Good Looks has been described as heartland rock and Americana, but to me this Austin-based band is the epitome of Hyden’s patio music for 2024, and sounds like The Replacements filtered through a Texas lens.

Guided by Voices – Strut of Kings:  Their 40^th studio album, and their 24^th since re-forming the classic lineup for 2012’s Let’s Go Eat the Factory (this is one of the many reasons why Robert Pollard is a king among men).  The lineup changed again several times as GBV released numerous albums, always interesting but of varying quality, and a lot to keep up with, including 10 albums from 2020-2023 (I heard it too late to make it into my year-end list, but I thought 2023’s Nowhere to Go but Up was quite good).  Strut of Kings – as of now, the only planned GBV release for 2024 – is less Bee Thousand (which OG Brad covered in our last post) and more Isolation Drills.  But here’s the thing – I love Isolation Drills.  Songs like “Cavemen Running Naked” and “Serene King” fit neatly on the massive GBV spectrum with “Glad Girls” and “Chasing Heather Crazy,” while “Dear Onion” gives a hint of the Alien Lanes classic “Game of Pricks.”

A Country Western – Life on the Lawn:  These days, you can’t throw a proverbial stone without hitting a “new shoegaze” band.  Thankfully most are trying to put their own spin on the genre rather than just trying to be warmed-over My Bloody Valentine.  As an example, see my favorite album from 2023, Wednesday’s Rat Saw God, which artfully mixed shoegaze and alt-country.  Philadelphia’s A Country Western does something similar, taking shoegaze/slowcore and throwing in a little power pop that results in catchier hooks than your average shoegaze band (not surprising, since two of my favorite power pop bands of the past few years – 2^nd Grade and Golden Apples – hail from the City of Brotherly Love).  “How Far” and “The Dreamer” from Life on the Lawn are great examples of A Country Western’s sound.

The Smile – Wall of Eyes/Pearl Jam – Dark Matter:  Thom, Eddie and company don’t need me to promote either of their bands.  They’re doing just fine.  But I’d be disingenuous if I didn’t include them on my best of 2024 (so far).  I’m hardly the first to note this, but if we never get another Radiohead album again, we’ll be just fine with The Smile (not sure if this is a popular opinion, but I listen to the two Smile albums more than I’ve listened to The King of Limbs or A Moon Shaped Pool).  As for Pearl Jam, like many people I largely tuned out after 1998’s Yield, but Dark Matter is the most notable album they’ve released in decades and merits a mention here (as does Eddie Vedder’s cover of The English Beat’s “Save it for Later” from season 3, episode 2 of The Bear – again, NO SPOILERS!!).

English Teacher – This Could Be Texas:  Another English post-punk band with a boring name (a la Dry Cleaning)?  Well, yeah.  But here’s the thing – just as Dry Cleaning makes crisp, interesting music, so does English Teacher.  They start with the same post-punk template as some of their contemporaries, but English Teacher expand their sound by adding just a pinch of prog and a dash of folk, usually in the form of a piano intro at the start of “Broken Biscuits,” some jazz drumming to kick off the keyboard-heavy “Sideboob,” the mid-song piano interlude of “Nearly Daffodils,” and the soaring synths of “Not Everybody Gets to Go to Space.”  Songs like “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab” and “R&B” hew closer to straightforward post-punk.  English Teacher’s name may be plain, but their musical style is varied and vibrant.

OG Brad

As noted at the top, I’m picking music other than what Brian chose.  To be clear, on my own list, you’d definitely find Neutrals, A Country Western, and Ducks Ltd.  And given a bit more time, probably Good Looks, too.  But to give the people more choice, here’s another list of 18 records and 6 songs (roughly in order) from other records that are worth your time.  Overall, it’s a year in which I find myself drawn to certain scenes (the Bay Area, Montreal, Dublin, Philadelphia, and Chicago) and specific labels (Slumberland, Exploding in Sound, Cherub Dream, Analog Africa) more than I have been for many years.  After what felt like a slow start, May-July has been a whirlwind of great stuff; can’t wait for the rest of the year (at least music-wise; I can do without the rest of what the year may have in store for us). 

Heems and Lapgan – Lafandar: See my earlier review here.  But I’ll just say now, and I don’t say this lightly as it’s one of my Top 5 records of all time, I can’t remember another record I have listened as closely to or found as much depth in since Paul’s Boutique. 

Winged Wheel – Big Hotel: In a year in which shoegaze is having every bit the revival that jangle pop is, this is the one that stands out most for me.  On top of the gorgeous and dense guitar and vocals from this Detroit collective, Steve Shelley from Sonic Youth is behind the drum kit.  What more could you need?

Mannequin Pussy – I Got Heaven: Singles from the much-anticipated record from this Philly band starting dropping in 2023 and created exceedingly high expectations – which somehow were matched (and then some) by the result.  They cover about 7 genres on the record, each one with precision, energy, and power every bit as dangerous as the name is uncomfortable.

Ekko Astral – pink balloons: This DC band fills the place of Priests and M(h)aol in my heart.  Like Mannequin Pussy, they also cover a wide range of genres and sounds, with both fury and humor (making fun of Bon Iver in the very first track, for example), and all with the urgency of what they call the “mascara moshpit.”  And their Bandcamp-only release “holocaust remembrance day” speaks to me as an American Jew on the left politically re: Israel/Palestine in a way that maybe no song ever has.

Congo Funk – Sound Madness from the Shores of the Mighty Congo River (Kinshasa/Brazzaville 1969-1982): An immense and impressive collection that will transport you not only to another time and place, but more or less to another universe.

Ol’ Burger Beats – ’74: Out of Time: See my earlier review here.  All-star roster of underground MCs, rom billy woods to Quelle Chris to Ill Camille, with chill but dense songs all set to 74 BPM and samples/references rooted in 1974.

Birthday Girl – Dirtier:  This is just an EP, but it’s another perfect set of indie rock songs from this young DC band that is on a crazy rise.  Despite their family roots in DC hardcore, these songs owe more to Bettie Serveert, the Spinanes, and the Evens than anything else (and according to this NYT interview, to the mentoring of Mary Timony).  Read my review of their 2023 full-length record here.   

Sault – Acts of Faith: This will undoubtedly rise on my list by the end of the year, but it just came out.  But Sault proves again why I consider them the best band in the world (and not just because they drop surprise records for free).  No one blends soul, funk, rock, gospel, R&B, and the essential spirit of hip-hop better than this mystery collective. Here’s to hoping the rumors of a few US dates turn out to be true.  

The Spatulas – Beehive Mind: I am just a sucker for lo-fi twee reminiscent of early K records, and the Spatulas nail the sound perfectly, though with a deceptively deep and somber lyrical approach.  “Maya” is one of the tracks I’ve listened to the most in 2024.

Previous industries – Service Merchandise: A supergroup of hilarious and incisive MCs — Open Mike Eagle (previously discussed here), Video Dave (previously discussed here), and Still Rift — who devote a record to the way things used to be, from Sears Roebuck catalogs to Kay Bee hobbies to Montgomery Ward.  “Indie rappers deserve government subsidies” says Open Mike Eagle on one track; now that’s a 2024 campaign rally cry I can get behind.  The whole record will have you smiling (and thinking) from start to finish.  

Mandy – Lawn Girl: The lead singer of Chicago’s noise rock greats Melkbelly turns in her own solo collection of gorgeously melodic noise rock on the more or less can’t miss Exploding in Sound records.   

Regular Henry Sessions – Moses Rockwell and Plain Old Mike: See my earlier review here.  The lyrics and production aren’t quite what Heems has, but they’re close.  Another joyous and fun record.

Okwy Osadebe and His Highlife Soundmakers – Ifunaya: West African High Life is just pure joy.  Even more than reggae, I define it as the sound of the sun.  And this record from a Nigerian master of the sound out on the incredible Palenque Records is a perfect example. 

Kolonel Djafaar – Getaway: Another infectious record from the Belgian band rooted in Ethio-jazz.

Sour Widows – Revival of a Friend: Debut record from a somewhat veteran Bay Area band on Exploding in Sound that does just that – beautiful layering of quiet and loud over gorgeous vocals. 

Real Bad Man & Lukah – Temple Needs Water. Village Needs Peace.: See my earlier review here. 

Babe Report – Did You Get Better: Entry number three from Exploding in Sound.  Their Bandcamp page describes their sound as “bubblegunk” as well as basement pop, and that about sums it up.  

Lunchbox – Pop and Circumstance: The name more or less sums it up.  If Babe Report is bubblegunk, then this is pure bubblegum, courtesy of label-of-the-year (so far) Slumberland Records.

Favorite songs

Sprints – “Literary Mind” from “Letter to Self”: See my review of the full album here.  I cannot imagine a better rock song being produced this year than this track from the Dublin up-and-comers; it’s perfection.   

Oh Boland – “Here Comes the Order of Malta” from “Western Leisure: Another banger from Dublin (via Galway).

Bodega – “Tarkovski” from “Our Brand Could be Yr Life”:  See my review of the full album here.  The record disappoints, but this track delivers pure indie pop heaven.  

Sucker – “Pretty” from “Seein’ God”: Catchy noise from a young Oakland band on the super exciting label Cherub Dream.

Ahem – “Eddy” from “Avoider”: Remarkable how much ground this track covers in under two minutes.  Mostly instrumental rocker from this Minneapolis band that combines the sounds of their hometown heroes the Jayhawks and Replacements, with a short verse of harmonies just at the end.  

Supercaan – “Belligerents” from “A Tiger Walks the Streets”: Catchy pyschedeli-gaze from Birmingham UK. Rest of the record didn’t land for me, but this is a hook-y earworm of a track that sounds a bit like the National at times.