Well that’s another year of music in the books. Was it a classic? Are they ever, in the moment? Well I’ve enjoyed it. And most importantly, it was a struggle to narrow down my favourite albums of the year to just ten. So I didn’t, here are my twelve favourite albums of 2024.
Lauren Mayberry – Vicious Creatures
Is it sacrilege to say that Lauren Mayberry‘s debut album is by far the best music she’s put out? It’s playful, it’s serious, it’s quiet and it’s raucous. There’s a depth to its sound and its lyrics that Chvrches don’t usually reach. Change Shapes is one of many earworms on the album and it’s pop-rock base mixes 90s indie vibes with calm moments of contemplation.
Lou Hayter – Unfamiliar Skin
After releasing her previous album in lockdown Lou Hayter’s summer dance music hits the spot once again, now that people can enjoy it together. Some many variations of dance music are here, from the slow jam of ‘Stop The Rain‘ to the 80s dance-pop of ‘Unfamiliar Skin, all wrapped up into an accessible and beguiling package.
Orla Gartland – Everybody Needs A Hero
Ireland’s favourite indie-popper Orla Gartland had a good 2023 as part of well reviewed supergroup Fizz, but returning to her own sounds in 2024 delivers a career-high in Everybody Need A Hero. There’s so much to like, the catchy hooks, the purity of the lyrics, and the audacity of an acapella 90-second opening track. Love it.
Beabadoobee – This Is How Tomorrow Moves
Not that Beabadoobee needs any pumping up on her third album, she’s a huge British artist and is supporting Olivia Rodrigo in Hyde Park next summer. This Is How Tomorrow Moves is a step change from her first two albums, showcasing a confidence and ability to hope styles that is unmatched. The lovely simplicity of ‘Girl Song‘, the rock guitar riffs of ‘Post’ illustrate her ability to flip, she’s the indie-rock queen we need.
Charley Crockett – $10 Cowboy
Being a student of classic country has done Charley Crockett well. He’s releasing albums at a rate unseen in this ages of the album/tour cycle, with two in 2024. $10 Cowboy was the first and probably best of the two – it’s close though. It’s got everything you’d expect, lashings of steel guitar, Charley’s Texan twang, and more atmosphere than a Sergio Leone soundtrack.
Liz Lawrence – Peanuts
An album rarely comes along that’s so eclectic and kinda weird, yet full of joyous hooks and melodies. Here we have one of those rarities. Liz Lawrence came out of the indie ether a couple of year ago but Peanuts is a transformative thing, it’s full of songs you feel you know already, and in another universe it’s hit after hit, catchy ‘Oars‘, the imperious ‘Strut‘, the purposeful sing-a-longable ‘S.U.R.V.I.V.E‘, and the palaintive ‘Top Level Joy‘ – it’s a terrific album by an exhilarating new talent.
Kaitlin Butts – Roadrunner
So you want a new take on the classic musical Oklahoma? By a new-school country outlaw? You got it… Kaitlin Butts step forward. Roadrunner sounds nothing like Oklahoma or a musical but it was apparently inspired by those very things. Luckily Kaitlin is extremely talented and one of the best new country outsiders to emerge over the last decade or so. There are beautiful country songs like ‘Come Rest Your Head (On My Pillow)‘ with the ubiquitous guest start Vince Gill (he’s EVERYWHERE in country music right now), and a cover of Kesha’s countryfied album track ‘Hunt You Down‘; it’s a real treat of an album.
Rachel Chinouriri – What A Devastating Turn of Events
Full of cracking rock-pop, with songs that have a feel of 90s Britpop about them mixed in with sassy pop-funk song, Rachel Chinouriri delivers anthems like ‘The Hills’ and ‘Never Need Me’ alongside the impudent ‘Dumb Bitch Juice’. Layering slights to herself with humour and dagger-like honesty, What A Devastating Turn of Events is a debut from a special new talent.
Morgan Wade – Obsessed
One her third album in four years Morgan Wade has gone back to her roots, literally. With more guitar, less production, and lyrics that cut to the bone Obsessed is closer to a folky singer-songwriter album than her poppy previous effort. Full of songs of longing, like ‘2AM in London‘ and ‘Time To Love, Time To Kill’, it’s devastating closer ‘Deconstructed‘ that seals the deal as one of the finest albums of 2024.
Maggie Rogers – Don’t Forget Me
After 2022’s excellent Surrender it was easy to wonder how Maggie Rogers would follow that up, and the answer is: basically more of the same. Don’t Forget Me is a sharp punch (35m) of soft pop-rock with Maggie’s vocals, both unique and familiar at the same time, taking centre place. Apparently recorded in five days Don’t Forget Me can sound deceptively simple, but the mix of pace, themes and styles makes it anything but. The longer you listen the more you hear.
Nadine Shah – Filthy Underneath
After a bit of time away from music it was one of 2024’s delights to see Nadine Shah return, and return with such power and style. Filthy Underneath is as it sounds, an assault on the senses, grimy and industrial, Nadine’s growling forceful vocals carrying everything. With just a hint of her northern accent poking through, there’s authenticity, pain and passions seeping through the pores of the 11 songs here. It’s bloody marvellous.
The Last Dinner Party – Prelude To Ecstasy
There’s been so much talk over recent years of industry plants and nepo babies (Wet Leg were the last example) and that talk seems to feature mainly non-male groups. The Last Dinner Party got wrapped up in that a little but answered it all by releasing a brilliant album, mixing up styles, throwing their sound back to the past and bringing it right up to the present. Songs like ‘The Feminist Urge‘ and ‘My Lady Of Mercy‘ are terrific but you can’t really get past the brilliance of the driving pulsating ‘Sinner‘ and operatic ‘Nothing Matters’. Prelude To Ecstasy indeed.
