As we edge closer to the end (of the year), it seems everything that happened was supposed to happen. Aside from the Luigi Mangione/Brian Thompson shooting/killing, there wasn’t anything we didn’t expect. Music and art are the only constant we have to figure within the unknown; both allow our emotions to swell and plummet, playing on our heartstrings. 2024 had a variety of artistry; we occasionally needed to take the good with the bad but always focused on the best. This is our list for the year.

DALE J. GORDON – IT DOESN’T LIGHT

Imagine if Tom Waits, Butthole Surfers, John Prine, and Frank Zappa made an album together. Actor, musician, and writer Dale J. Gordon’s latest addition to his robust catalog opens with the lines, “It doesn’t light up the same part of my brain that it used to.” I think we can all relate to that, as this song is one of the most relatable jams of 2024. His record is fabulous, and his promotional videos are just as entertaining. 

PEDRO THE LION – SANTA CRUZ

Within the last few years I’ve been surprised with some of the works David Bazan has been a part of, whether it’s recording under his own name, with Lo Tom, and even with the band synonymous with his own name, Pedro The Lion. With the latest Pedro album, Santa Cruz (Polyvinyl/Big Scary Monsters), he winds and twists his beautiful melodies through his slow drawl that gets its point across. The songs clash within one another fighting for dominance but in the end, it’s Bazan and the rest of us who win with clever song structures and captivating melodies.

DARKO THE SUPER x STEEL TIPPED DOVE – DARKO CHEATS DEATH

It is 2024 and Darko has teamed up with Steel Tipped Dove with a coming-of-age album that plays cohesively with reflections on adult life. Make no mistake, there are still references to all the things that we loved pre-adulthood like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Gravediggaz. Steel Tipped Dove comes experimentally boombastic on the production.

WHY? – THE WELL I FELL INTO

If sunset had a sound, this is it. There is not one abrasive noise on this entire album. Allegedly, if we could actually hear the sun, it would be the noise equivalence of a jackhammer jackhammering constantly. Thank science that The Well I Fell Into is so deep, the jackhammer sounds echo through your ears like an evening summer breeze. 

LAWNDRY – THE FLAME WON’T DANCE

Lawndry is one of those magical bands that are united through friendship and you can hear it in their music. The Flame Won’t Dance is an album that is packed full of gorgeous soundscapes. The band released a Christmas Ep this year too; every day feels like a holiday when you are listening to Lawndry. 

ANGÉLICA GARCIA – GEMELO

Expectations of greatness shouldn’t be taken lightly, which is probably why I write this with the utmost caution. We’ve heard Angélica Garcia’s previous works, both Spanish and English language compositions that may have created a musical oddity, sonically challenging music itself. We heard it on Medicine For Birds and the extraordinary Cha Cha Palace but nothing would have prepared us for Gemelo (Partisan Records). This mostly Spanish-language release showcases her talent and artistry where she hits hard (“Y Grito”) and atmospherically (“Ángel [Eterna]”), but always engaging. There is no one quite like her.

GOUGE AWAY – DEEP SAGE

Post Hardcore, Hardcore Punk, or whatever you want to call it, never sleep on Florida’s own Gouge Away or its third full-length album Deep Sage (Deathwish Inc.). The release quietly dropped this year and as you can imagine, its the hand grenade that blows its contemporaries out the water! Sure the band has taken its name from one of its influences but make no mistake, the Pixies this ain’t. The band delves into much noisier and dramatic territory, leaving no stone unturned. There’s an underlying pop sensibility but that’s only to draw you in like sirens once did to unwitting sailors. The band will bludgeon you to death with its songs while sweetly singing melodies in your ear. Until that sugary sweetness screams and ruptures your eardrums. Brilliant!

PREFUSE 73 – NEW STRATEGIES FOR MODERN CRIME VOL. 1&2

Sometimes you have to stop counting and that’s what I did with Prefuse 73, the main project of producer/musician Guillermo Scott Herren. Now while Herren has released albums under multiple pseudonyms, Prefuse 73 remains the one many are most familiar with. His latest release, New Strategies For Modern Crime Vol. 1 (Lex Records) truly is a stunning display of what goes on in his mind. There are an assortment of intricacies and nuances from track to track, with layer upon layer of instruments colliding with one another. Mind you, it isn’t tumultuous or disorganized, songs are as I mentioned, intricate. As you might have guessed it, Vol. 2 bookends this release.

FRANK TURNER – UNDEFEATED

Oh these kids. After two decades of making music, Frank Turner is literally, ahem, Undefeated (Xtra Mile Recordings). Pardon the puns but as I sat there first listening to his latest opus, I couldn’t help but think this is what music is supposed to sound like if it’s directly in your face, clear with pop sensibilities and punk enthusiasm. This is one Englishman whose music I am totally enamored with. What’s great about the artist is he’s also released an acoustic version of the album!

LUCI – THEY SAY THEY LOVE YOU

I’ve been championing LUCI since the beginning – okay, well, maybe since I first encountered her music through the singles and EP release. If there’s anything to be said about LUCI its her flow, style, and grace on every song she’s dropped. This year we witnessed the release of They Say They Love You, LUCI’s debut album, and yes, the music is unique. Some tracks are haunting (“Inside”), grooving (“Martyr”), and beautifully enticing (“11:11”) but with every song, they’re easily identified as LUCI. There is nothing quite like They Say They Love You.

MELVINS – TARANTULA HEART

With just six songs, Tarantula Heart is in fact an album’s worth of material. The purveyors of sludge metal – or whatever genre you want to pigeonhole it within – has evolved into a band that just might be difficult to classify other than ROCK. The band’s opening 19-minute+ opus “Pain Equals Funny” is a magnificent journey through classic rock with a heavy low-end vibe that morphs into something much more sinister at times. Experimentation at its best but it’s functional and deliberate in structure. The rest of the songs are just as intense and challenging but “Working The Ditch” is the hardest and heaviest piece of work for 2024.

JOHN ALVEY – LOFT GLOW

Nashville based Jazz drummer, John Alvey has been making waves in the local jazz and hip hop scene for years. Collaborating with everyone from Jeff Coffin to Taj Mahal, he has made a life out of the drums. His latest album, Loft Glow, is a soulful record that belongs on the shelves of aficionados of the genre.    

CAKES DA KILLA – BLACKSHEEP

While dance/club/house music has never been short of artistry, Cakes Da Killa takes things to another level with the pedigree of a well-versed emcee. That’s what he brings on his fourth full-length album, Blacksheep. The album bounces, it jumps and Cakes Da Killa can hold his own alongside any emcee with a quick-tongued delivery filled with verbosity.

HEMLOCK ERNST – STUDYING ABSENCE

This one is an attention grabber and quite unique. For the new releases, Studying Absence is a clear collaboration between two prolific artists, the emcee Hemlock Ernst and producer/musician Icky Reels. Hemlock (Samuel T. Herring of Future Islands) fits his words around Reels’ intricate musical beats. The melding of two minds for something brilliant.

MINISTRY – HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES

Our favorite anarchists return with the 16th release in its 41-year existence, and there are no signs of slowing down. The Al Jourgensen-fronted Ministry has been at the forefront of industrial metal for years, and the band continues to sound fresh and invigorated with HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES which takes on the political right throughout the album’s context. It may not be what you want, but it’s what you need.

STUCK LUCKY – COUNTING CURSES

Stuck Lucky projects growling vocals, horns, pop punk singing, and ska swagger that will set your ass on fire! Counting Crosses bears testament to the band’s longevity and consistency.  

MYLES BULLEN – TIMETOKILL

Let’s just preface this with 2022’s Mourning Travels, which remains a magical album, didn’t get its just due. Now in 2024, Bullen takes a different approach with TIMETOKILL which is much more direct and in-your-face. It offers a different look at Bullen’s prose which comes across wryly, shifting his movements but still remaining true to himself.

JESSE THE TREE – NOT FADE AWAY

Jesse the Tree is a tremendous rapper and rhymer. Laid-back wordplay and enough references to fill a library, Not Fade Away plays like a knowledge test where every answer is the right answer. andrew slides through on the production tip to provide the backdrop to an album that is as cohesive as it is dope. 

NAHreally x THE EXPERT – BLIP

Rapper Hands might be one of the funniest songs of the year. That alone lands BLIP on the list, but the album is so much more than that. There’s a lot of heart and soul that gets expressed over the 12-track course that The Expert and NAHreally piece together, but it’s the Hemlock Ernst-assisted Movement & Light that really throws life into perspective and humbles the listener enough to fully appreciate the full spread that the album provides. 

UNLETTERED – FIVE MILE POINT

There’s no elephant in the room so we can get right into it. Unlettered’s Five Mile Point comes across with Lower East Side flair and pizazz. Dissonant notes jump off the album from track to track and are unmistakably familiar but fresh through every composition. Unlettered is not to be fucked with.

SOCCER MOMMY – EVERGREEN

Sophie Allison always brings a catchy song while keeping her lyrics emotionally raw and honest. Her 2024 release, Evergreen, does what she does best following up the brilliant, Sometimes, Forever, with a return to form. One thing that one cannot help but to love about her music is despite her ability to attack serious topics like isolation or personal, she doesn’t take herself too seriously and might just record a cover of Sheryl Crow’s “Soak Up the Sun.” 

TYLER, THE CREATOR – CHROMAKOPIA 

At this point of the game, Tyler does not disappoint. This album should win a grammy! Tyler slings bars about dealing with fame and sometimes the unwanted attention it brings. One of the strongest points on the album is the song, “Noid,” where he pays homage to Black Sabbath conceptually and musically. 

BLOCKHEAD – LUMINOUS RUBBLE

Having full access to KPM’s Library and free reign to do as he pleases, Blockhead uses the sandbox provided to construct a sample-laced castle locked so tight that even the Power of Grayskull couldn’t escape. Legend has it that Prince Adam once used this record as a substitute for the Sword of Power. 

COUCH SLUT – YOU COULD DO IT TONIGHT

Yet another New York outfit but this one here, well, it defies conventiality. Couch Slut has been classified as “noise rock” but that depends on who you ask. You Could Do It Tonight is a powerful slab of music and the only thing noisy about the band is the deafening levels. With growling vocals, this might rattle the cages of sludgy metal fests as the rhythm-heavy music challenges the senses.

MELT-BANANA – 3+5

Honestly, what are we doing here? Japan’s Melt-Banana is probably asking the same question 10 albums and over 30 years later, the duo continues to confound listeners with its high-pitched vocal deliveries over sonic sculptures of sound. Yes, this is bizarrely intriguing while remaining loads of fun for both listeners and artist.

HOMEBOY SANDMAN – RICH II

Homeboy Sandman is one of the most groundbreaking emcees in the game right now. On the song “People,” he boldly introduces the song with, “alcohol is whack people/ I don’t believe in the white people or black people.” Homeboy Sandman is not just a guy who raps in cool patterns, he is saying things that challenge his listeners. His music deserves your attention.  

ANT – COLLECTION OF SOUNDS 1&2

By no means are these groundbreaking albums in any way, but any reality where Ant from Atmosphere releases sounds that he likes on record is a reality we all need to be living in. The whole aesthetic of this series is so top-notch that it makes you feel under-dressed regardless of what you’re wearing. The beats are dope, the instrumentals are fly and the samples are tight.  

TOMBSTONES IN THEIR EYES – ASYLUM HARBOUR

The dusty West Coast outfit continues to confound listeners with its mix of spacey psychedelia wrapped around walls of guitars and kinetic rhythms. Drawn-out lyricism echoes around songs, never relinquishing its ability to captivate audiences with hypnotic repetition.

OMA – BREAD N’ BUTTER

Smooth renditions of your favorite 90’s hip-hop songs. The UK’s OMA breathes renewed life into some of the most beloved and renowned classics. This is an album that fucks with the classics and the classics fuck back. It’s mutual, it’s consensual and it sounds incredible. 

METZ – UP ON GRAVITY HILL

It should come as no surprise to anyone that METZ never disappoints with every subsequent release. While the Canadian trio has power, it isn’t simply a power trio. It shows its prowess through its musicianship and strong songwriting tactical skill. Yeah, Up On Gravity Hill shows how METZ is one of the most amazing bands.

BEANS – ZWAARD

Your favorite B-boy BEANS has never taken the road most traveled. Instead, he chooses to take unpaved trails and dirt roads, sometimes walking across sand, stone, rock, or bare earth to find what he needs. He released ZWAARD this year, which continues to expand on sound, creating a canopy of imagery throughout. We even find his cohorts from Anti Pop Consortium here on “ZWAARD_OVER” to stimulate the senses.

sleepingdogs – WILL WE EVER DANCE AGAIN

The surprise superhero rap duo of the early 20’s, Andrew and Jesse the Tree pair up once again to offer relatable anecdotes, metaphors, and introspective reflection on Will We Ever Dance Again. Their sophomore release gives andrew’s production a lot of breathing room while still offering up plenty to chew on, leaving enough for seconds, thirds, fourths, and fifths.  

AJ SUEDE / WOLFTONE – PERMAFROST DISCOVERIES

To say Seattle-by-way-of-NY emcee walks to the beat of his own drum just might be an understatement. AJ seems to have made it his purpose in life to challenge himself with his inventive wordplay and on his latest Permafrost Discoveries, with the assist of producer Wolftone, he continues to do so. His cadence, his delivery, is unmatched doesn’t disappoint throughout the release. That’s never an easy task.

MOUNT EERIE – NIGHT PALACE

This is the moment you’re surprised but you really shouldn’t be surprised. With an abundance of releases, he’s either been a part of recording or released on his own, Phil Elverum has had a storied music career and Night Palace is nothing short of perfection. Through Mount Eerie, his songwriting is way above par, creating these indie rock masterpieces.

BLUEPRINT – FALLING DOWN EP DELUXE

Columbus, OH producer/emcee Blueprint does things his own way and has been completely unapologetic about it. He released the morose Falling Down EP, 5 songs bordering on self-deprecation, completely relatable to just about anyone’s journey in life. This right here, is as real as it gets.

FUTURE ISLANDS – PEOPLE WHO AREN’T THERE ANYMORE

Future Islands continues to dial in, button down, fill out, and firm up their sound. Herring and Co. continue to enhance their quality album after album. There’s a story going around that Mr. Clean had expressed interest in becoming a spokesperson for the band but was denied because he wasn’t polished enough. 

OL’ BURGER BEATS – 74’ OUTTA TIME

Having used only samples from music made in 1974, all clocking in at a tranquil 74 BPM, 74’ Outta Time is a masterwork in sample-based jazzy hip-hop. If this album were to race against molasses, the molasses would prevail, but it wouldn’t sound nearly as dope. Also, the molasses doesn’t have Lil’ B on its pit crew.

FUCKED UP – SOMEDAY LP / ANOTHER DAY LP

Seems in 2024 the gods have shined their grace on us all with not just one but TWO Fucked Up albums! Canada’s favorite punk outfit outdoes itself with Someday and Another Day, bookending the year with two aggressive pop/punk albums.

KIM GORDON – THE COLLECTIVE

Is there anyone remotely cooler than Kim Gordon? Of course not, and this year she released one of the most brilliant releases with The Collective. The rhythm-heavy release is filled with looped instrumentation, and alludes to electronic use, all wrapped up within 13 fucking bangers. Yes, this album breathes new life into the world.

CESCHI – BRING US THE HEAD OF FRANCISCO FALSE PART 1&2

Coined the Lori Petty and Geena Davis of hip-hop, Ceschi and Factor (Chandelier) prove time and time again that they’re in a League of Their Own. Tom Hanks once said that there is no crying in baseball, he didn’t say anything about emotional hip-hop/folk/punk bangers though. 

GRANDADDY – BLU WAV

While touted as a Grandaddy project, the only constant at this point is frontman Jason Lytle, which is fine because Blu Wav, continues to follow the path of its previous works. The songs, still holding a childlike innocence, are larger-than-life, endearing, and captivating.

J. ROBBINS – BASILISK

Well of course J. Robbins is no stranger to music, producing/engineering some of your favorite rock albums while also releasing albums in bands of his own (Jawbox, Burning Airlines, Channels) as well as solo material, with Basilisk being his sophomore release. The music: Robbins doesn’t stray from the ferocious post-punk he’s been known for. The lyrics: He continues to pen songs about his distaste for how governments handle humanity. The voice: His way with melody is damn near perfect.

J MASCIS – WHAT DO WE DO NOW

While most have leaned more towards Mascis’ prowess within the context of Dinosaur Jr. recordings, What Do We Do Now has changed that for me for some reason. It’s probably a nostalgia factor because I’m drawn back to ’91s Green Mind. Not so much in songwriting but more so in the laidback aesthetic it seems to possess.

THEE HEART TONES – FOREVER & EVER

A group of teenagers out of Hawthorne, California thought it would be a good idea to start a band and make an album of soul, Chicano soul that is. Thee Heart Tones accomplished that with Forever & Ever which pulls from a variety of influences both contemporary and from the past. The band hits hard on every single track.

HEEMS – LAFANDAR

What appears to be his first album in almost a decade, HEEMS came out swinging with LAFANDAR. Solely produced by Lapgan, the two have constructed an album that leaves an impression like the smell of victory. With a guest list jammed with some of the best names in the underground, HEEMS released one of the most unexpectedly dope albums of the year. 

LA LUZ – NEWS OF THE UNIVERSE

HEEMS – VEENA

What appears to be his second album of the year in almost a decade, HEEMS builds upon his earlier release to unleash another slapper of an album that proves that the craft of wordplay is alive and well when it comes to the Das Racist veteran. 

ODDISEE – ODD SKETCHES, VOL. 1

DC producer/emcee Oddisee dropped Odd Sketches, Vol. 1, a variety of unreleased material he’s created throughout the years that somehow just ended on the cutting room floor? Nah, this is the stuff of genius, defying categorization.

THE GET UP KIDS – SOMETHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT (25th Anniversary Edition)

This album should be on a best of 1999 list, but that edition didn’t include a whole entire album of 4 track demos that are better than any of the over produced stuff the Get Up Kids continued on with over the course of the last 25 years, did it? Listening to the unreleased demos of some of their best music is the closest we’ve been to that shoebox sound that kicked the Get Up Kids off way back in mid 90’’s and frankly, they’ve never sounded better than they did on 4 Minute Mile and the Something to Write Home About demos get us most of the way there.

XIU XIU – 13″ FRANK BELTRAME ITALIAN SILETTO WITH BISON HORN GRIPS

To say Xiu Xiu – now the core of Jamie Stewart, Angela Sao, and David Kendrick – defies conventiality would be an understatement. Through 13″ Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips, the band has written its greatest work to date, utilizing instruments the way no one would have even guessed attempting to use.

ANDREW x HEIGHT KEECH – CAN I WRITE A REQUIEM FOR YOU WHEN YOU’RE DEAD?

You’d think the market would be too over-saturated with independent underground rap music in 2024 to make a splash, but nope, andrew and Height Keech managed to carve out a solid path through the trenches and they’ve brought a bunch of homies to boot. With beats and rhymes this solid, there’s no need to shore up anything but your headphones. 

HOT WATER MUSIC – VOWS

Whenever Hot Water Music delivers a new album, everyone should stand up and pay attention. HWM has an aesthetic, slathered in punk, but much like the Dropkick Murphys and Springsteen is working-class rock. You can feel it off VOWS, which is filled with melody, aggressive guitars, and guttural vocals.

CHUCK STRANGERS – A FORESAKEN LOVERS PLEA

Solid raps, solid production and laidback flows keep this album bumping like the skin on a pickle. Chuck Strangers has been a fave ever since the early days of Pro Era and it’s good to hear consistent growth continues over a decade later. 

CURSIVE – DEVOURER

Omaha, Nebraska’s Cursive never disappoints and on Devourer, nothing has changed. Cursive is a punk band with a quirkiness to it at times that separates it from the pack. The band utilizes keyboards and dissonant guitar notes/chords in its own signature way while always incorporating strings to keep the most weathered music fans entertained.

NORAH JONES – VISIONS

Norah Jones rang in the Spring with a sure shot of an album that had some twang sprinkled in amongst her classic sounds. Norah Jones is one of those artists that’s like listening to a fully loaded baked potato…you’ve got a pretty good idea of what you’re going to get, but when made properly, you can’t help but dig in as deep as you can. 

KHRUANGBIN – A LA SALA

Khruangbin is one of the coolest bands working today. Their sound transcends genres and catching them live is the equivalent of auditory hallucinogens. Needless to say when they release an album, it makes the list. It could be your uncle’s list of favorite Hawaiian shirts, but Khruangbin makes the list. If you’re rocking a Hawaiian shirt and jamming on A La Sala, the T-800 from the start of T2 is taking your clothes, your boots, and your Khruangbin record and there ain’t a damn thing you can do about it. 

MARCELLUS HALL – I WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN

While the punk/blues of Railroad Jerk still remains one of the best live bands from NY I’ve ever watched on stage…Ok, I digress. Marcellus Hall is back with his third solo release I Will Never Let You Down and here he takes a more of a direct approach. While I always thought Hall’s Jerk had a CCR influence, you can still hear it in his new material although there’s a much more pop approach to his music.

FACTOR CHANDELIER – COLD, COLD WORLD

Factor continues to shape his auditory visions into a realm of textured bass lines, cracked drums and cinematic sounds. There’s a depth to Cold Cold World that throws off hues of warmth while making you want to bury yourself under the blankets and absorb the cold.

ILLUMINATI HOTTIES – POWER

By all respects, Sarah Tudzin is not only the brainchild behind it, but Illuminatai Hotties itself. POWER is the new album and it continues on the path Tudzin has created in order to never disappoint. This is a pop powerhouse of an album filled with melody, hooks, and more melody and hooks!

BROTHER ALI & UnJUST – LOVE AND SERVICE

As good as Brother Ali sounds on Ant or Jake One’s production, it’s always a treat to hear him smash out tracks on other people’s beats. Love and Service keeps Brother Ali flowing effortlessly over a dozen tracks complemented by unJUST’s catered production. This album was a really good surprise when it dropped and knocked boots with the best of Brother Ali’s discography. 

RICH JONES & SLEEP SINATRA – SOUR DUB

Sour Dub: Crunchy production, solid raps and hooks that sink in, Sour Dub is that jay stick that you keep rolled up for the right time and that right time, is all the time. I was listening to this album at the weed spot the other day and they almost kicked me out for having outside product. 

CHELSEA WOLFE – SHE REACHES OUT TO SHE REACHES OUT TO SHE

Always keeping busy, Chelsea Wolfe is a force to be reckoned with, returning with her 7th solo release She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She. As an artist, Wolfe is a planet all her own with a gravitational pull that weighs you done, never allowing you to get up. Her music is the multiple moons that surround her, singing their siren songs.

BUÑUEL – MANSUETUDE

Never one to pretend to know all there is to know about an artist, just know that BUÑUEL is not to be fucked with. Fronted by Eugene S. Robinson (ex-OXBOW) and featuring a “powerhouse Italian trio” of members of Afterhours, A Short Apnea, The Framers, and Il Teatro Delgi Orrori, Mansuetude is the band’s fourth full-length release and it will rattle and shake you to your very core. The band is unlike anything we’ve heard, liquefying everything in its path.

MARIKA HACKMAN – BIG SIGH

From the dancing keys on the opener to the acoustic sounds on the closer, Marika Hackman leads us through a window into an album of brooding pop, indie rock, and haunting folk. One of the first albums released in 2024, its melodies have been known to infect even the most impermeable of thoughts. 

MANNEQUIN PUSSY – I SMELL HEAVEN

Mannequin Pussy drops in from the top rope with I Smell Heaven and ducking out of the way is not an option.  This is a fuck around and find out album as in if you fuck around with this album, you’ll find out how much you love it. 

PHANTOGRAM – MEMORY OF A DAY

Without a doubt, Phantogram is probably the best rock/dance/electronic, whatever fucking genre you feel needs inclusion here. Memory Of A Day hits with the fervor of freight train, a sheer punk aesthetic, and a need to be meticulous from track to track. Mix this all together and we get Memory Of A Day. Yeah, this is what it’s all about.

KIM DEAL – NOBODY LOVES YOU MORE

The original bassist and co-vocalist for The Pixies released her first solo album this year and it’s one of those albums where every song is a little treasure to behold. If Pulp Fiction were made today, this album is the gold shimmer that is contained in the briefcase. 

J. COLE – THE WARM UP

While 39 years of age may seem like an artist might be on a downslide for an emcee, it seems Cole is just getting started. Again. He just released the highly engaging The Warm Up and continues to not only remain relevant but is also building his audience with a new wave of young fans. The Warm Up appeals to multiple generations.

BRIGHT EYES – FIVE DICE, ALL THREES

Since its revival back in 2020 with Down In The Weeds, Where The World Once Was, it’s good to see and hear a refreshed Bright Eyes. The band’s Five Dice, All Threes is musically playful with Conor Oberst’s sometimes poignant lyricism.

THE JESUS LIZARD – RACK

No one has surprised the underground rock masses more than The Jesus Lizard has. Remaining true to its roots and four-letter word album titles, Rack doesn’t disappoint rife with David Yow howled vocal deliveries, rhythmic intensity and guitar explosiveness.

PREVIOUS INDUSTRIES – SERVICE MERCHANDISE

Video Dave, Still Rift, and Open Mike Eagle dropped an album chock full of lost times, out-of-print lyrics, and warped-out production. These three gentlemen had been teasing this project across multiple albums and igniting the spark that finally exploded at the beginning of the summer. This is one of those albums that stands on its own; there’s not much to compare it to unless you’re comparing it to the greatness of yesteryear. 

IDLES – TANGK

Some people criticized TANGK for being a little soft. It’s really just a testament to show how strong of a band they truly are. Definitely not as in your face as some of their past releases, TANGK hones in on sounds that were mere sprinklings on previous efforts, leaving the brash, pile-driven songs less obtrusive this round. 

KENDRICK LAMAR – GNX

I don’t think there’s any other rapper/emcee that’s had a bigger year than Kendrick Lamar. Now while many will say “Not Like Us” has already exhausted its appeal, they’ll still listen and bounce to it. GNX surprised us all, an amazing album with amazing songs & structures. Yes, he kills it .

THE LEMON TWIGS – A DREAM IS ALL WE KNOW 

The Lemon Twigs have dazzled us once again with their Beatles-influenced brand of power pop with a new album titled, A Dream is All We Know. The songs play out with multilayers of earworms that work together like mini-hooks and inject the record with a refreshing energy. The band is fronted by two brothers who are multi-instrumentalists; this brings a multi-faceted yet consistent vibe to their sound.  

MAGDELENA BAY – IMAGINAL DISC  

For a record with modern production and a 90’s approach to songwriting and implementing synthesizers, one would search long and hard for a title more appropriate than Imaginal Disk. While 2023’s mini mix vol. 3 brought us “Top Dog,” one of the duo’s most catchy songs to date, Imaginal Disc is the true top dog due to its cohesiveness and complex instrumental backdrops.  

JPEGMAFIA – I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU 

There is something to be said for artists who create albums that set themselves apart from their other releases. JPEGMAFIA has continued to evolve his sound with every release, always creating something exciting. I LAY MY LIFE DOWN FOR YOU brings a raw drum sound with 90’s metal guitars and sampled synthesizers as backdrop for Peggy’s passionate bars. 

MGMT – LOSS OF LIFE 

In 2024 MGMT set a tone for the year with the heavily philosophical album, Loss of Life. The record opens with a series of rhetorical questions to preface the song, “Mother Nature,” a ballad about understanding our world. The album also includes the single, “Babylon featuring Christine and the Queens” and my favorite cut, “People in The Streets,” which reflects on the pursuit of knowledge over the wooden upright bassline, which serves as the pulse of the song.  

FIEVEL IS GLAUQUE – RONG WEIKNES 

This American-Belgium fronted band has released another fantastic album packed with sound kaleidoscopes, while taking a more mellow approach from their 2022 release, Flaming Swords. The jazz fusion elements are even more prevalent on Rong Weiknes. The French pop aesthetic is evident, especially in the vocals as the voice is used as an istrument in itself.  

ONEWERD – SPEND YOUR BLOOD 

OneWerd’s music is a stellar mix of electronic-influenced beats, rapid-fire raps, and melodic vocals that rest somewhere between Restiform Bodies and Say Anything. Spend Your Blood is an EP that was released as part of Fake Four’s Freecember series. This EP represents a caffeinated, conscious, and driven style of hip-hop.