132 ALBUMS WELL WORTH GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH (ALL RELEASED IN 2024)
Rather than try to figure out the best album of the year, and in no particular order, I've rated 10 below that have proven to be that little bit more special. Then there's another dozen or so that have impressed, followed by 100 or so more that each contain at least 50% worth of treasures, with all but the Blaine L. Reininger album available to stream.
Musically, it's been a better year than most and I've heard an awful lot more treasures than I first thought when putting this list together. Special mentions to Michael Head with his beautifully-crafted Loophole set, tieing in nicely with his Ciao Ciao Bambino biography also published this year, A solid A Certain Ratio album that got full airings on the road during their 2024 tour, a return to form for Pet Shop Boys whose Nonetheless included several memorable and classy anthems, The The's first album for decades which more than made up for their absence (save for the string of recent 7" singles during the past few years) and the remarkable The Last Flight from Public Service Broadcasting, an album that took a few plays but is worth the admission alone for the moving closing piece Howland.
Here's my Top 25 of the year:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6jlTLnStW1dSL7sDhvAWQ8?si=1ecfc55e1e3b45b7
MICHAEL HEAD AND THE RED ELASTIC BAND - LOOPHOLE*********
Is this man (and band) capable of releasing anything other than a top album? I think not as Loophole ably demonstrates. All it takes to convince us is a dozen carefree songs that tunefully meander from the jollier Pale Fountains-esque Tijuana brass-informed Ciao Ciao Bambino to the stately closer Coda, via the shorter story-led vignettes of A Ricochet Moment and Naturally It's You. Head's fragile Liver accent deftly and successfully carries every melody with ease, while his merry band canter through the streets of his child, kidult and adulthood like only best mates can.
A CERTAIN RATIO - IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS*********
Three studio albums and two related live and remix sets in 5 years and ACR don't look and sound like they're retiring anytime soon, for which we should all be grateful. Surprisingly, IACDTT is an even more successful melting pot of ideas than the preceding 1982 and 2020's blazing 'comeback' Loco (both very good albums). The back-to-basics approach for this album and the attendant 'whole album' tour concept confirmed the band's proud belief in a record that covers all ACR bases. Their trademark ticklist includes scratchy funk with Out From Under and Keep It Real, reflective atmospherics on Estate Kings and We All Need and a bit of (ahem) post-punk grit on the bookenders Dorothy Says and the title-track. There's even a 'pop' song, God Knows, which in any parallel world would have been a hit single.
PET SHOP BOYS - NONETHELESS*********
Their 15th album (and first for 4 years) didn't disappoint. Largely composed and arranged during lockdown without deadlines or record company pressures, the album was then passed to established producer James Ford to simplify matters with analog synths and a future-retro ethos that permeates the entire set. The songs are strong throughout, from lead-off single Loneliness, right through to the rather epic curtain-call Love is the Law. The political Bullet For Narcissus musicially echoes mid-period New Order whilst recalling an earlier EP track Give Stupidity a Chance and there's a bit of the 'domino dancing, all day all day' on Dancing Star while the melancholic highlights include the graceful New London Boy and A New Bohemia. Their best and most cohesive collection since Nightlife.
THE THE - ENSOULMENT*********
Although heralded as Matt Johnson's first new album for decades, Ensoulment isn't his first new music for anywhere near that length of time. He's been busy supporting brother Gerald on soundtrack duties for Tony, Hyena and Muscle, as well as issuing exclusive website singles and the epic Inertia Variations. But in studio album terms, yes it's a proper full-length LP with songs, stories and familiar The The musical motifs throughout, consummately delivered with that trademark bluesy Johnson drawl. Unrequited sexual desires, anti-establishmentism, politics and reflection abounds with the likes of Zen and the Art of Dating, Kissing the Ring of Potus and Life After Life perhaps being best demonstrations of Johnson's art. It's a far cry from Infected but a comparable album would be Dusk - it's that good.
PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING - THE LAST FLIGHT*********
It's a testament to the times when a band can release concept albums in the 21st century and score five successive hits with them. But far from being a long dragged out affair like the prog-rock albums of yore, The Last Flight (like its predecessors Every Valley and Race For Space) summarizes remarkable moments in history for today's Tik Tok generation with glorious melodies and memorable arrangments. Who could have predicted a number 2 position for an album dedicated to the American aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart? It's all a far (and welcome) cry from Taylor Swift. Guests This is the Kit, Andreya Casablanca and EERA provide the human voice, whilst sampled dialogue tells the true story of Earhart's final journey chronologically and sympathetically. It's a seamless dramatic odyssey that manages to encapsulate the sheer fortitude of its subject. Side two (from Arabian Flight onwards) is perhaps one of the most moving sequences committed to vinyl and by the album's finale Howland, you'll be captivated.
HAWKSMOOR - ONEIRONAUTICS********
One of the Soul Jazz Records imprint's most revered 'new' artists, Hawksmoor (James McKeown's electronica nom-de-plume) is very much a part of the current wave of solo synth experimentalists, yet also firmly rooted in the melodically cyclical traditions of Germanic pioneers like Cluster, Kraftwerk, Neu, Schmidt and Reichmann. There's a warm modular resonance throughout this 41-minute collection, from lengthy opener Parallelograms, through the pastoral Traumzeit to the title-track which recalls Ashra, Froese, Hillage or Durutti Column.
GOAT - GOAT********
Sweden's premier masked psychfunkabilly ensemble (oh come on, there must be LOADS of them), GOAT might well be the G.O.A.T. in their field and on this evidence, I'd be inclined to agree. Their self-titled 6th studio album failed to dent the Top 75 yet stands up as their most accessible - go figure. There's elements of Go Team, ESG, Ceorge Clinton and Ezra Collective here, as well as that unmistakeable Goat groove across tracks such as Goatbrain, Dollar Bill and Zombie. For me, Frisco Beaver sports the best track title as well as the tightest nattiest little rhythm this side of Korpilombolo. And then comes the breakbeat tour-de-force that is the closing Ouroborus and suddenly it all makes no sense and every sense.
RICHARD HAWLEY - IN THIS CITY THEY CALL YOU LOVE********
Sheffield is certainly a city worth celebrating and who better to sing its praises than steely crooner Hawley. This is the ex-Pulp and Longpigs musician's 10th studio album (if you count his first mini-album) and possibly his most straightforward and personal since Truelove's Gutter. Hawley could charm the litter off the streets with gently eddying ballads like Heavy Rain, Prism In Jeans and People (from where the album takes its name). Of course, there's the usual easy rootsy crooning happening on the likes of Hear THat Lonesome Whistle Blow and Deep Waters, as well as the occasional stomper such as Two For His Heels. But it's the likes of 'Tis Night and the Al Green-esque Do I Really Need To Know that throw a spotlight on Hawley's extraordinary songwriting craft.
B. DOLAN - THE WOUND IS NOT THE BODY********
The Rhode Island rapper and activist roared back into earshot with this terrific fifth studio album in the spring. Soulful, observational, empathic and not shy of the odd packing groove here and there, Dolan is up there with hip-hop royalty with tight tracks such as Turn a Mill, The Traveler and the woozy Fantasy Baseball. There isn't a dud on the album and I wonder how TWINTB fails to score more than 10k hits on streaming sites, let alone big sales. Maybe a little too short to be an "album" per se, there's still 9 solid bangers to enjoy for 30 minutes, many rocking hard.
SAINT ETIENNE - THE NIGHT********
There's no denying that the loveable atmos-pop trio Saint Etienne has been responsible for a heady blend of cracking dance grooves and esoteric melancholia in equal measure, not unlike Pet Shop Boys or Dusty Springfield having an afternoon tea with Burial and Gavin Bryars. The Night fits in perfectly with that somewhat discordant summary - many parts soundtrack, several parts pop-ballad and a few bits of found-sound paraphenalia, it's a blissful triumph that demands an all-in-one-go listen, rather than a quick dip. Don't expect clubby anthems, just a chilled comedown in the quietest South London backwaters.
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KATY J PEARSON - SOMEDAY, NOW*******
THE CURE - SONGS OF A LOST WORLD*******
TESS PARKS - POMEGRANATE*******
UNDERWORLD - STRAWBERRY HOTEL*******
LL COOL J - THE FORCE*******
STEPHEN PASTEL - THIS IS MEMORIAL DEVICE*******
WARRINGTON RUNCORN NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT - YOUR COMMUNITY HUB*******
THE CHURCH - EROS ZETA AND THE PERFUMED GUITARS*******
JANE WEAVER - LOVE IN CONSTANT SPECTACLE*******
PHILIP GLASS - PHILIP GLASS SOLO*******
SEVEN DAVIS JR - STRANGER THAN FICTION*******
PORT SULPHUR - META GURU*******
KHRUANGBIN - A LA SALA******
TINDERSTICKS - SOFT TISSUE******
KIM DEAL - NOBODY LOVES YOU MORE******
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JERRON PAXTON - THINGS DONE CHANGED******
FLOATING POINTS - CASCADE******
PIXIES - THE NIGHT THE ZOMBIES CAME******
PARANOID LONDON - ARSEHOLES, LIARS AND ELECTRONIC PIONEERS******
THE WOLFGANG PRESS - A 2ND SHAPE******
KREIDLER - TWISTS (A VISITOR ARRIVES)******
KNEECAP - FINE ART******
JOHN CALE - POPTICAL ILLUSION******
XQUI, DOGS VERSUS SHADOWS - DWELL TIME******
WIM MERTENS - RANGES OF ROBUSTNESS******
OCOEUR - BREATH******
JON HOPKINS - RITUAL******
MINNYPOPS - STOCKHOLM 1974******
SECTION 25 - MOVE ON******
OLIVIA BELLI - INTERMUNDIA******
XYLITOL - ANEMONES******
ANDERT TYSMA - HANA******
PRIMAL SCREAM - COME AHEAD******
SAHRA HALGAN - HIDDO DHAWR******
MICHAEL BROOK - THE SIGNAL (OST)******
NILS FRAHM - PARIS******
THE ZAWOSE QUEENS - MAISHA******
DREADZONE - NINE******
GROUP LISTENING - WALKS******
IST IST - LIGHT A BIGGER FIRE******
BOLIS PUPUL - LETTER TO YU******
MILDLIFE - CHORUS*****
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MODERN ENGLISH - 1234*****
GRUFF RHYS - SADNESS SETS ME FREE*****
CARLISLE CITY COUNCIL - THE LANES RE-DEVELOPMENT*****
GAGARIN - KOMOREBI*****
ARAB STRAP - I'M TOTALLY FINE WITH IT, FUCK IT*****
ANDREW WASYLYK, TOMMY PERMAN - ASH GREY AND THE GULL GLIDES ON*****
FIELD MUSIC - LIMITS OF LANGUAGE*****
ISHMAEL ENSEMBLE - RITUALS*****
KARL BARTOS - THE CABINET OF DR CALIGARI*****
TREES SPEAK - TIMEFOLD*****
MIDLAND - FRAGMENTS OF US*****
CAOILFHIONN ROSE - CONSTELLATION*****
LISA GERRARD - CITY OF DREAMS (OST)*****
JAKE XERXES FUSSELL - WHEN I'M CALLED*****
LAURIE ANDERSON - AMELIA*****
THE WOODENTOPS - FRUITS OF THE DEEP*****
STARLESS - RETURNING HOME*****
FONTAINES D.C. - ROMANCE*****
KING HANNAH - BIG SWIMMER*****
THE REDS, PINKS AND PURPLES - UNWISHING WELL*****
HIROSHI TAKANO - MODERN VINTAGE FUTURE*****
BARRY ADAMSON - CUT TO BLACK*****
HEIKO MAILE - NEOSTALGIA*****
THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN - GLASGOW EYES*****
KAVUS TORABI - THE BANISHING*****
SAM ANNAND - CUPAR GRAIN SILO*****
VEYLS MANEYR - WILL THE MUSIC HEAL MY PAIN*****
THE BLACK DOG - SLEEP DEPRIVATION*****
MINOTAUR SHOCK - IT ALL LEVELS OUT*****
NEW MODEL ARMY - UNBROKEN*****
PROPAGANDA - PROPAGANDA*****
THEADELAIDEAN, STEVE ROACH - PARALLELS*****
THE LOVELY EGGS - EGGSISTENTIALISM*****
EX-EASTER ISLAND HEAD - NORTHER*****
WALKIN' LARGE - RIVERSIDE PICTURES*****
SHELLAC - TO ALL TRAINS*****
LOST SOULS OF SATURN - REALITY*****
FABIANO DO NASCIMENTO, SAM GENDEL - THE ROOM*****
FUTURE ISLANDS - PEOPLE WHO AREN'T THERE ANYMORE*****
ED HARCOURT - EL MAGNIFICO*****
DAWN CHORUS AND THE INFALLIBLE SEA - REVERIES*****
CROWDED HOUSE - GRAVITY STAIRS*****
BEAK> - >>>>*****
YEA-MING AND THE RUMOURS - I CAN'T HAVE IT ALL*****
WATER KNIVES - 24 HOURS*****
BLAINE L. REININGER - GHOST FESTIVAL
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KRISTINE TJOGERSEN - BETWEEN TREES****
TUCKER ZIMMERMAN - DANCE OF LOVE****
CEPHID - SPARKS IN THE DARKNESS****
HOWARD DEVOTO - DESIGNOID****
STEVE WYNN - MAKE IT RIGHT****
ROBYN HITCHCOCK - 1967: VACATIONS IN THE PAST****
KIIOTO X LOU RHODES - AS DUST WE RISE****
CLAN OF XYMOX - EXODUS****
THE MYSTERINES - AFRAID OF TOMORROWS****
CUNTROACHES - CUNTROACHES****
JOSHUA - PROLOGUE TO EDEN****
THE DECEMBERISTS - AS IT EVER WAS, SO IT WILL BE****
U-ZIQ - GRUSH****
LAUGHING STOCK - SHELTER****
WILLIE NELSON - THE BORDER****
BETH GIBBONS - LIVES OUTGROWN****
MDOU MOCTAR - FUNERAL FOR JUSTICE****
IBIBIO SOUND MACHINE - PULL THE ROPE****
KAMASI WASHINGTON - FEARLESS MOVEMENT****
CAMERA OBSCURA - LOOK TO THE EAST, LOOK TO THE WEST****
THE HIGH LLAMAS - HEY PANDA****
HOUR - EASE THE WORK****
FOUR TET - THREE****
VAMPIRE WEEKEND - ONLY GOD WAS ABOVE US****
ST VINCENT - ALL BORN SCREAMING****
JUSTICE - HYPERDRAMA****
NIA ARCHIVES - SILENCE IS LOUD****
JOHN CANNING YATES - THE QUIET PORTRAITS****
JAMES - YUMMY****
MOUNT KIMBIE - THE SUNSET VIOLENT****
VERGESSENHEIT - VERGESSENHEIT: SILENCE****
DJ KRUSH - SAISEI****
IDLES - TANGK****
TAPIR! - THE PILGRIM, THEIR GOD AND THE KING OF MY DECREPIT MOUNTAIN****
