It is about time that I evaluate the new music I listened to in 2024. Like the previous years, I had at least tested about 60 new albums, broadly through the genres of rock (i.e. indie / alternative / psychedelic/ new wave / hard / heavy metal ), a little bit of electronica, pop, and even strands of Jazz (but less so than in previous years).
The Bests and The Favourites: I gave a thought on how the album ratings had turned out, and I felt there were the best albums of the year - which rate very highly in the chart - and then there are what might be considered my 'staple diet' or go to music on a given day. This too changes over time, but if I were to name some artistes I would go to often, I'd probably name David Bowie, Black Crowes, R.E.M. as the main artistes, while Pearl Jam, Depeche Mode, and Genesis would form a second tier. Yet, I would not hesitate to rate Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Prince, George Michael, and Tool among my all time favouruties. All time favourites doesn't necessary mean that you listen to them everyday - you listen to them when you need to - and there are those special moments.
Best Music: It was on the same premise, that I got to interpreting my thoughts on my preference to music this year too, upon seeing how the albums are rated this ranked. I found the dark psychedelia and the haunting vocalist of Portishead, in Beth Gibbons, to have released the most accomplished and consistent album of 2024. At times it touches on a bit of trip-hop from her Portishead days, but mainly stays within the adult-alternative genre. The Smile is when Radiohead is stretched - and then some. Comprising of two members of Radiohead alongside the drummer, Tom Skinner, The Smile brings on a smile to the listener, as interesting turns in their music keep the listener guessing with their experimental rock. Nick Cave, ranked at no. 4 too is not an everyday artiste too for me. His grand, dramatic delivery is much appreciated, but he certainly isn't everyday music too, for me. These are some of the best albums of the year for me, but I return to them less frequently than those whom I term as my staple diet of music.
Staple Diets: Within top five the electronic music of Humanist comes closest to being 'my everyday music'. Featuring a host of guest vocalists including, Dave Gahan. The album carries a sound that brings fans of Depeche Mode, The Cure, The Cocteau twins, joy with its consistent sounds. But the most staple diet, a favourite 'rice and curry' from where I come from, or 'a favourite Burgher' in the western world would be the Phish album ranked no. 8, Evolve. I'll be the first to admit that they haven't evolved much since their album - in fact some of the songs are from Trey's last solo album, now performed with his band - but, boy do they work ? The album got me hooked so much, that I prefer it to other 'rice and curry' plates in this list - like 'Happiness Bastards' by Black Crowes (whose old albums like 'Amorica', 'Southern Harmony and the Musical Companion', and 'Before the Freeze' are some of my all time favourite albums'), and Pearl Jam's 'Dark Matter' - in which they sound more like the Pearl Jam of old than their more refined no. 1 album (for me) of 2020, Gigaton. The long awaited Cure album is in the same league, but this one sounds less than their at times cheery ( but lyrically, rarely so) music. Pet Shop boys, now elder statesmen of electronic dance/pop, somehow manages to bring in a sense of loneliness which is unmistakable, and musically charming, and they've been consistently hitting the top 20, if not the top 10 since 2013 at least. I love the loud chaos that Jack White brings with his bluesy rock, but at most times he's not really interested in the consistency of his albums - but as to how far he push his limits. As such he resurfaces after 12 years in the top 5, since Blunderbuss (no.5, 2012), with just a no.20 strike in 2014, and three misses from between then and now. In 1994, when Dookie was released, I was 19. I remember how I had Dookie taped on to one side of a Sony C90 ( I still remember the blue cassette cover - oh, the romanticism that a tape could have for a music lover, which a CD or streaming music would never come close to - can't speak for Vinyl records). Green Day has been releasing music since, but from the records I have since 2011, only 'Revolution Radio' managed to creep into the top 20, with 'Father of all... ' just missing out. Another act that has been consistently featuring among the albums I find as best is Elbow. They feature inside the top 20 this year, but here's their past record ( No. 13, 2013, 'The Take-off and Landing of everything' ; No. 2, 2019, 'Giants of all Sizes' ; no. 2, 'Flying Dream I' - they missed the top 20 in 2017 ), and not even rock enthusiasts really acknowledge them much.
What of the new acts ? Well, I already mentioned the electronic music of Humanist. But Heavy Heavy has an excellent album at no.6. Grace Bowers (with her Hodge Podge) has an excellent album at no. 16 with tunes which remind you of Allman Brothers, to 'Southern Harmony...' era Black Crowes, to early Fleetwood Mac. One could say its nothing new - but the musicianship is amazing, and the young lass delivering with her guitar, while guest vocalists rotate the singing is something quite charming. The Yard Act is possibly the closest this old man will come to hip hop, as their witty Neo-minimalist post-punk / new wave fused hip-hop got me interested to have them in at no. 19
Breaking In: There are some acts who aren't quite new, but is not always interested in being accessible. St. Vincent is one such, who lands her big Grammy winner at no.11. I have listened to her music since her self titled album of 2014 ( actually from her David Byrne collaboration of 2012), but this is the first time she cuts into the top 20. Fontaines DC get a nod at no. 19, and am sure I listened to their album from 2022, although it had not managed to squeeze into the top 30.
On Grammys - I now only concentrate on the Rock related nominees, and one complain against this year was that many are old timers now in their 60s - Black Crowes, Pearl Jam - or Jack White in his 50s - but even the absurdity of Rolling Stones and The Beatles (which actually won !) was mentioned by such critics as Rick Beato. But wait - look at what happened last year ? Here's my comments on the Foo Fighters album placed at no. 14 in 2023, in which I have a criticism against the Grammys:
14- The Foo Fighters haven't had much appeal to me since sonic highways, but yet the quality of the music is such that they land a slot in the top 20 more often than not ( Concrete and gold, no.12, 2017; Medicine at midnight, no.19, 2019). I guess it cannot be helped when acts like boygenius, Lana Del Rey, and Greta Van Fleet manage to get the nod in the rock, metal, and alternative category in the Grammys for instance. Mind I tried out the albums of all three acts of 2023, before stating the above.
(https://me-and-err.blogspot.com/2024/02/albums-of-2023-my-favourites.html )
So I guess having the 60s something of Black Crowes, Pearl Jam is preferred to those mentioned above. Plus, it cannot be ignored that some indie rock albums were actually nominated for the Grammies - Fontaines DC, IDLES, and of course St. Vincent, the big winner of the evening from the rock categories -I'll have them over the pretentious Greta Van Fleet, or the irritating Lana Del Rey.
On Indie Rock - Clearly more than half of the albums in the top 20 are what could be termed as Indie Rock bands, and that's what keeps music interesting, as far as I can see. More strength to them. Hopefully the industry too accepts their importance if the above mentioned Grammy nominations of IDLES, Fontaines DC are anything to go by ( BTW IDLES album of 2021 was that year's no. 1 for me - https://me-and-err.blogspot.com/2022/06/my-favourite-music-albums-from-2021.html ). Otherwise 'country music' from Beyonce and the rehashes of Taylor Swift will make us stop listening to new music for sure.
Good, but not great - To go back to the topic of staple diets in music, I guess some had managed to impress me less too, and hence missed the top 20 - Black Keys with their good, but largely similar sounding album to most of their other albums. Paul Weller, Liam Gallagher (with John Squire), Mark Knopfler have
other album, which are pleasant, but more of the same. Some albums
which missed out the top 20 have their charm, and some excellent songs
but hitting in the top 20 among other releases has been difficult. The
last two Crowded House albums, both very decent has just missed
the top 20 - this years' one quite consistent (while 'Dreams are
waiting' stopped at no. 25 in 2021), with some of the songs coming close
to their 1980s' elegance. Other albums I had a soft spot for but had to leave lingering outside of the top 20 are Judas Priest and Moby. I don't mind admitting that along with Crowded House, these other two albums were given extra listens to see if they are good enough to knock off Jerry Cantrell who just manages to hang on at no. 20, but whose signature sounds are still solid enough to keep away not only the above mentioned, but the melodious Decemberists, who too have a long past interesting my music taste.
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