It’s that time of the year again folks. The rules remain unchanged – post your top 20 albums of newly-released material, preferably in the format: number, artist name, album name (e.g. 1. The Beatles – Revolver) and then just let Salwarpe’s magic spreadsheet do the rest.
The closing time and date for submissions is 11.59 on December 31st, with results posted early in January. If you do’t have twenty choices, just give as many as you can. Points are awarded 20 for number 1, down to 1 for number 20.
Good luck, and season’s greetings to one and all.
Mods – please could this be pegged to the top of the forum? Thanks.
1 – The Decemberists – As it Ever Was, So it Will Be Again
2 – Ray Lamontagne – Long Way Home
3 – Chuck Prophet – Wake the Dead
4 – Phosphorescent – Revelator
5 – Nick Lowe – Indoor Safari
6 – Cassandra Jenkins – My Light, My Destroyer
7 – Avett Brothers – The Avett Brothers
8 – Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Woodland
9 – Mark Knopfler – One Deep River
10 – T Bone Burnett – The Other Side
11 – Merce Lemon – Watch Me Drive Them Dogs Wild
12 – Father John Misty – Mahashmashana
13 – Felice Brothers – Valley of Abandoned Songs
14 – Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
15 – Iron & Wine – Light Verse
@Paul-Hewston At risk of being a pain in the proverbial, I’ve just realised I have missed out a key album to which I would allocate the number 2 slot.
2 – Peter Bruntnell – Houdini and the Sucker Punch
Please move everything else down a notch when doing the final computation. I’m now going to stand in the corner until the new year.
Lucky you.
Arf! What was someone saying about Americana and the Afterword?
Good list, with a couple I need to get my ears around, before Jan. As in I have but as yet unlistened to.
I’m going to get in early before I change my mind (which I invariably will). Had this compiling over the past week and I think it’s there……
1. Mark Knopfler – One Deep River
2. Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown
3. Big Big Train – The Likes Of Us
4. The Decemberists – As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again
5. Native Harrow – Divided Kind
6. MONO – OATH
7. The Smile – Wall Of Eyes
8. Held By Trees, Martin Smith – Held By Trees & Martin Smith
9. Richard Hawley – In This City They Call You Love
10. David Gilmour – Luck and Strange
11. Lo Moon – I Wish You Way More Than Luck
12. The The – Ensoulment
13. Elbow – AUDIO VERTIGO
14. Slash – Orgy of the Damned
15. Lady Blackbird – Slang Spirituals
16. Frost* – Life In The Wires
17. Danny & The Champions of the World – You Are Not A Stranger Here
18. Travis – L.A. Times
19. Jon Anderson – True
20. Bill Ryder-Jones – Iechyd Da
The two that just missed out were the latest Dawes (excellent, but its not their best) and the Cure – both were a lot higher in various iterations over the past week.
Why did The Cure slide in your rankings ?
Wild mood swings, I bet.
It’s more a case of other albums overtaking it – probably due to that fact that I haven’t listening to it that many times.
Here’s my list. Wishing a great festive december to us all.
1. Chuck Prophet with ¿Qiensave? – Wake the dead
2. Mabe Fratti – Sentir que no sabes
3. Johnny blue skies – Passage du desir
4. Will Gregory Moog Ensemble – Heat ray: The Archimedes project
5. Justin Adams & Mauro Durante – Sweet release
6. Kronstad 23 – Jobber overtid
7. Dora Morelenbaum – Pique
8. Goat – Goat
9. Shovel dance collective – The shovel dance
10. Fievel is glaque – Rong weickness
11. Meshel Ndegeocello – The magic city
12. Odetta Hartman – Swansongs
13. Landless – Luireach
14. Joachim Cooder – Dreamer’s motel
15. Alfa Mist & Amika Quartet – Recurring (Live at King’s place)
16. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Woodland
17. The Smile – Cutouts
18. Lone justice – Viva Lone justice
19. Adrianne Lenker – Bright future
20. Waxahatchee – Tigers blood
Ooh! Justin Adams! I’ve listed over 1400 albums from this year, and the only Justins are Timberlake and Moore. One of my musical heroes, he slipped through the radar. Nice.
Got that only today. (Yet) Another one to get cracking with…..
I suspect The Smile are going to suffer in the poll with having two albums out in the year which will split the vote.
Not a vintage year and, as usual, much of the most eagerly anticipated was something of a let down.
so close Orlando Gartland, Staples Jr Singers, Berwyn, Sia and Big Special..
1 Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard And Soft
Made the mistake of releasing her debut the same year as NFR. In a much less competitive year this sleek release glides to the top
2 The Blessed Madonna – Godspeed
You should immediately edit out the interlude tracks, but once you do this is quite the parade of toe tappers. We Still Believe was the chooon I needed on the night of the U.S. election
3 Lola Young – This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway
Speedily released follow up to promising gobby pop debut is actually better (even without the ace Flicker Of Light single. Reissue please)
4 Lee “Scratch” Perry & Youth – Spaceship To Mars
Bit weird, this one. Not exactly groundbreaking, but so pleasingly playable and danceable too
5 Zara Larsson – Venus
Before there was AI there was the irresistible Scandi Pop Machine
6 Bashy – The London Borough Of Brent
7 Dubmatix – The Dub Sessions Vol. 2
8 Stomptown Brass – It Did Went Down
Parping Irish chancers’ debut in the mould of Hot 8 or Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
9 Roots Architects – From Then ‘Til Now
Kudos and thanks to the Afterworder who upped this and the Elijah Minnelli album on the half year thread
10 Suki Waterhouse – Memoir Of A Sparklemuffin
Yes, you do have to get past the title, but once you do, you find confident catchy pop featuring the Reynolds Girls worthy line
“I was still in primary school when people thought your band was cool”
11 The Lovely Eggs – Eggsistentialism
Lively and varied collection of what the rest of the world calls indie/alternative guitar music
12 Girl In Red – I’m Doing It Again, Baby
Too short
13 Purple Disco Machine – Paradise
Too long
14 Empress Of – For Your Consideration
Too short again
15 The Decemberists – As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again
Their first to properly connect with me for a decade
16Tierra Whack – World Wide Whack
17 Elijah Minnelli – Perpetual Musket
18 That Woman – Find Joy
19 Arrested Development – Bullets In The Chamber
20 Swamp Dogg – Blackgrass: From West Virginia To 125th Street
Thanks for this, Paul and I eagerly look forward to hearing all the great music I missed as other posters’ lists come in..
Oopsie! A chance reading of today’s Guardian reveals my error in titling Bashy’s album as The London Borough Of Brent instead of Being Poor Is Expensive. I’m suprised the eagle-eyed @salwarpe didn’t pick me up on that. He’s not missed much.
Oh, and it’s Orla Gartland of course, not Orlando, but that one I attribute to autocorrect..
I’ll forgive you anything for introducing me to the delights of Eggsistentialism. Definitely one for my end of year list. I can’t think why the Bashy album slipped through. It wasn’t on any of the mag/Web end of year best ofs, so I should have checked that it was a 2024 issue (it was), and thus the correct album title.
It’s fixed now. I don’t care about the Orlando, as it wasn’t in your list.
Don’t think any of these have been mentioned yet, so onward with the selection:
1. Hamish Hawk – A Firmer Hand
2. Last Dinner Party – Prelude To Ecstasy
3. Liam Gallagher / John Squire – Lam Gallagher / John Squire
4. Green Day – Saviors
5. Frank Turner – Undefeated
6. Quireboys – Wardour Street
7. Paul Weller – 66
8. Sharp Class – Welcome To The Matinee Show (Of The End Of The World)
9. Paul Heaton – The Mighty Several
10. Yard Act – Where’s My Utopia
11. Massive Wagons – Earth To Grace
12. Public Service Broadcasting – The Last Flight
13. Lemon Twigs – A Dream Is All We Know
14. Libertines – All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade
15. The Prisoners – Morning Star
16. Primal Scream – Come Ahead
Hamish hawk good choice though I prefer his last album. Just ploughing through mine top 20 and I keep changing my mind ..
True – of the last 3 HH albums, I would place this third. But still for me the best album this year
(Last Dinner Party was in first place for a time, and then I re-listened to many choices recently and Hamish Hawk won out)
The Prisoners – yes! In my list. It may have been your recommendation in these environs that got me onto them
Really pleased to see The Prisoners album get a few mentions on here! I’ve banged on about them a few times this year, and it truly is a career best.
1 Bill Ryder Jones ~ Iechyd Da
2 Public Service Broadcasting – The Last Flight
3 The Decemberists – As It Ever Was
4 Sam Lee – Songdreaming
5 The Lemon Twigs – A Dream Is All We Know
6 The Last Dinner Party – Prelude To Ecstasy
7 King Hannah – Big Swimmer
8 Bullion – Affection
9 Fat Dog – Woof
10 Mermaid Chunky – Slif Slaf Slof
11 CSNY – Live at Filmore East
12 Primal Scream – Come Ahead
13 Yard Act – Where’s My Utopia
14 Fat White Family – Forgiveness is Yours
15 Mdou Moctar – Funeral For Justice
16 Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us
17 Michael Head – Loophole
18 The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
19 Nick Cave – Wild God
20 Richard Hawley – In This City They Call You Love
*cough* CSNY is historical! 😁
Still. That leaves room for Brat, which you have inexplicably overlooked. 😉
CSNY – historical?? Next you’ll be saying Elton’s “Diddling Around” isn’t new, groundbreaking and the 14th Best New Album of 24. First Trump and now this….
Oops … one I forgot was Call A Doctor by Girl and Girl … that would fit in nicely at 11
👍
Prompted me – I must get that Michael Head album Hugely impressed by Dear Scott. One imagines he’s still infatuated with Love on this outing
@Clive so far it’s only your good self & me who have the correct answer in #1 😉
I’m suprised at that really …. There’s maybe 4 tracks that are just sublime … I’m glad to see the Decemberists up there though. As said above it’s a real return to form for them
So new to the forum. I am so happy to see Sam Lee. How the hell did i find myself on this forum?
Welcome @Samakka95. Will you compile an inaugural list?
Hiya @Samakka95
Welcome, Samakka95. Don’t worry about how.
In the words of Eric B. & Rakim or, later, Ian Brown, “it ain’t where you’re from, it’s where you’re at”.
Lord knows how you got here, and Sam Lee is a mighty odd cove. But he sins like dream. So that’s grand.
1. Big Big Train – The Likes of Us
2. Frost* – Life in the Wires
3. Danny & The Champions of the World – You Are Not A Stranger Here
4. Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks – True
5. FM – Old Habits Die Hard
6. Bonny Light Horseman – Keep Me On Your Mind/See You Free
7. Nada Surf – Moon Mirror
8. The Hanging Stars – On A Golden Shore
9. Ian Hunter – Defiance 2
10. Dawes – Oh Brother
11. Gemma Hayes – Blind Faith
12. Haevn – Wide Awake
13. Crowded House – Gravity Stairs
14. MEER – Wheels Within Wheels
15. Public Service Broadcasting The Last Flight
16. Richard Hawley – In This City
17. David Gilmour- Luck and Strange
A fantastic year for new Prog with BBT, Frost*, Jon Anderson, MEER and Haevn all putting out brilliant albums.
Americana also played a blinder with the exceptional album from Danny & The Champions of the World, a career-high from The Hanging Stars and a beautiful record from Bonny Light Horseman.
Nada Surf delivered one of their best ever while Dawes licked their wounds after crucial departures and still came up with an album which rewards patience.
Surprise, (and delight,) of the year was the fabulous melodic rock album from FM. It stands alongside their very best and I can attest that it sounds the absolute bollocks live.
All in all, a terrific year for new music and fantastic gigs.
I commend this list to The House.
It’s the return of the most expensive afterword thread! I can’t wait to see what gems I discover from this one!
1 – Bill Ryder Jones – Iechyd Da
2 – Big Special – Postindustrial Hometown Blues
3 – Everything Everything – Mountainhead
4 – Houseplants – Half Known Things
5 – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Wild God
6 – Fred again – ten days
7 – Hamish Hawk – A Firmer Hand
8 – She Drew The Gun – Howl
9 – Underworld – Strawberry Hotel
10 – HOUSE oF ALL – Continuum
11 – Bored At My Grandmas House – Show & Tell
12 – Arxx – Good Boy
13 – Dustin O’Halloran – 1001
14 – LYR – An Unnatural History
15 – Jo Hill – girlhood
16 – Kneecap – Fine Art
17 – Almost Nothing – Almost Nothing
18 – Magic Shoppe – Down The Wych Elm
19 – The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World
20 – Fontaines DC – Romance
Surprisingly there is no space for Adrienne Lenker, Du Blonde, Four Tet, Gruff Rhys, Idles, James, Kate Pierson, Laura Marling, Mercury Rev, Micheal Head, Pet Shop Boys, Pillow Queens, Quivers, rEDOLENT, Richard Hawley, Taylor Swift or Terrorvision, all of whom have released albums I have heartily enjoyed. 2024 has been a damn fine year!
Earlier this year (back in Jan!) I started a thread to ask if it was to early for an album of the year contender after my first listen of Iechyd Da. It has definitely stood the test of the near 12 intervening months & I think it is a remarkable album. Big Special ran it close though, ths is also a wonderful listen
Hi @seanioio. Checking the dates of albums, it looks like Almost Nothing – Almost Nothing was released in 2023.
Apologies @salwarpe & thank you for checking on this one. I must have got this record in 2024 which is how I have got muddled up. Could I add in Pillow Queens – Name Your Sorrow as it’s replacement?
Only 12, but I think that is good for me
1. The Courettes – The Soul of
2. Bill Ryder-Jones – Iechyd Da
3. Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
4. Mia Kelly – To be Clear
5. Katherine Priddy – Pendulum Swing
6. The Decemberists – As it Ever Was, So it Will Be Again
7. Michael Kiwanuka – Small Changes
8. Michael Head – Loophole
9. Charm of Finches – Marlinchen in the Snow
10. Adrienne Lenker – Bright Future
11. Pete Perritt – The Cleansing
12. Willie Nelson – Last Leaf on the Tree
Honourable mention to Ryan Adams who released acoustic cover versions every Friday for about 6 months
I think Ryan Adams, apart from more than possibly being an obnoxious prat, is as close to a musical genius we have in this here troubled times. Bless his smelly socks.
1. Nick Lowe – Indoor Safari
2. Ryuichi Sakamoto – Opus
3. T Bone Burnett – The Other Side
4. Abdullah Ibrahim – 3
5. Bill Frisell – Orchestras (Live)
6. Jeremy Rose and The Earshift Orchestra – Discordia
7. Tino Lassy and Jukka Eskola – Nordic Stew
8. Jessica Pratt – Here In The Pitch
9. Hamed Sadeghi – Empty Voices
10. The Prisoners – Morning Star
11. Tim Rollinson – Chiromancy
12. Lucien Johnson – Ancient Relics
13. Rejoicer – This Is Reasonable
14. Little Feat – Sam’s Place
15. Benjamin Hauptmann – Lekker
16. Ethan Iverson – Technically Acceptable
17. Philip Glass – Philip Glass Solo
18. Nduduzo Makhathini – uNomkhubulwane
19. Kate Bollinger – Songs From A Thousand Frames Of Mind
20. Dr John – Frankie And Johnny
FYI there are 4 from Australia and 1 from New Zealand in that list
Your number 20 may test the panel. Recorded in 1982/3 but not then released. The good Dr died 5 years ago. I’d say archival.
Agreed.
I was just about to remind peeps about his death in 2019…
@retropath2 yes fair enough. I’ll replace it
(I don’t make the rules, just an opinion)
I respect your opinion sir! @Paul-Hewston please can you replace my No 20 with this
20. Troy Kingi – Leatherman & the Mojave Green
Hmmm … nice to see the Nduduzo Makhathini album in Mousey’s list.
I’ve liked what I’ve heard of that record, and have considered buying it.
It’s excellent as was the album that preceeded it. If I was an end of year list compiling sorta guy it would be making an appearance.
Oh, go on, go on…. I’m more interested in yours than any magazine/newspaper’s
Nah. I can’t get past the “best of” thing. I think it’s preposterous. Anyway you get a better idea of what I dig from following me on BlueSky. I am however fascinated to read what everyone else has/is enjoying. I’d rather like to know what everyone has spent the most time listening to this year irrespective of when it was released. That would be way more revealing.
I will be posting my list late this year.
I’m still waiting for quite a few albums I’ve ordered, but I also need to listen to a few albums by favourite artists on Spotify, as it’s proven impossible to get them on CD (I can’t be arsed with vinyl anymore, and don’t like downloads) and some other albums that I’ve ordered but they keep getting delayed/sold out. Then there are a couple of albums I’ve heard about but never seen anywhere, so need to investigate if they ever did get released or will appear in 2025.
And – the old recurring problem – not sure what to do about the Wilco EP…I’ve ordered it as it was supposed to get a CD release in December, but got the bad news today that it’s been changed to January. Will it count as a 2024 release regarding this poll (counting the RSD release?) or will it count next year for its proper release? If you’re going to count it this year, I’ll have to Spotify that one as well.
I got very excited when I read a review in the latest issue of Uncut of the long awaited second album by Haley Heynderickx, but my online vendor say it has a release date in March – is that true everywhere or just in Sweden?
So many questions, so many albums, but so little time to listen to them all…I think I’ll need the Christmas holiday to be able to finish my list!
I was worried the Wilco problem would affect the Gillian Welch/David Rawlings release, given the UK cd release kept being put back. Thankfully it arrived next week, and it is where it needs to be, in the car.
I your car a De Lorean?
Crikey, I see Lucinda Williams has just released an album of Beatles covers. Afterworders the world over must be amending their Top20s even as I type.
Hmmm, it isn’t great, let’s say. Some moments, sure, but also a few cuts deeper than even she can float. A lovely While My Guitar Gently Weeps is probably the stand out. As a not even that much of a Beatles fan, it is better than her Stones one, IMHO, mind.
From listening to loads of those Mojo & Uncut coverdiscs of cover versions that they churned out in the early noughties, Beatles and Dylan songs are much easier to do convincing covers of than The Stones. Least convincing of those tried on such discs were Bowie’s songs.
I will agree It’s not brilliant
Hey SC! Good to see you posting. Hope all’s well your end..
1. Boys Wonder – Question Everything
2. Lewis Taylor – Pleasures Vol 1
3. Cat Burns – Early Twenties
4. Snarky Puppy/Metropol Orkest – Sylva (Remixed and Remastered)
5. Cory Wong – Starship Syncopation
6. Big Big Train – the Likes of Us
7. Judith Hill – Letters from a Black Widow
8. Pharrell/Virginia – Black Yacht Rock Vol 1
9. Jake Xerxes Fussell – When I’m Called
10. Hamish Hawk – A Firmer Hand
11. Richard Hawley – In This City They Call You Love
12. Vincen Garcia – Ventura
13. Hifi Sean & David McAlmont – Daylight
14. EELS – EELS TIME!
15. Decemberists – As It Ever Was, So It Shall Be Again
16. Lawrence – Family Business
17. Nerina Pallot – A Night at the Palladium
18. X – Smoke & Fiction
I’d very much like to hear that Snarky Puppy/Metropole Orkest album. I bet it’s a banger.
However it’s from a concert in 2014 so it really belongs in the Archival list, IMO.
Remix/remaster of an album originally released in 2015.
I wasn’t sure of the rules – it is a re-release, but it is a completely new mix. Don’t know where that means it should go. Similar with the Boys Wonder album really – recorded back in the 80s but never released before. Does that make it a new release?
Remixes go in the poll I’ll be starting over the weekend, along with archival and historical.
Is there a place for live albums? I don’t normally go for them but I find myself with at least four this year.
If they were recorded recently, then here. If they have been sitting in a crate for years, then archival and historical.
😉
I’ll put a note in the compilation table for later reference.
@matthew-best
Boys Wonder! What is it like?
It’s a bit like T Rex crossed with Anthony Newley – I love it!
Hi @Matthew-Best. Checking the dates of albums, it looks like Vincen Garcia – Ventura was released in 2023.
Well that’s annoying. Apologies for getting it wrong.
Don’t be silly – an easy oversight. Shall I shunt everything up from below, or do you have another preference?
1. Jake Xerxes Fussell ~ When I’m Called
2. The Cure ~ Songs Of A Lost World
3. Brown Horse ~ Reservoir
4. Linda Thompson ~ Proxy Music
5. Frost* ~ Life In The Wires
6. Paul Heaton ~ The Mighty Several
7. Nick Lowe ~ Indoor Safari
8. David Gilmour ~ Luck & Strange
9. Little Feat ~ Sam’s Place
10. Richard Hawley ~ In This City They Call You Love
11. Mark Knopfler ~ One Deep River
12. Bonny Light Horseman ~ Keep Me On Your Mind/See You Free
13. Bill Wyman ~ Drive My Car
14. Richard Thompson ~ Ship To Shore
15. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings ~ Woodland
16. Bill Ryder Jones ~ lechyd Da
17. Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band ~ Loophole
18. The Lemon Twigs ~ A Dream Is All We Know
19. Michael Kiwanuka ~ Small Changes
20. Ezra Collective ~ Dance, No One’s Watching
Not sure if I just haven’t had the inclination for music this year or if it has genuinely been a fairly mediocre 12 months of releases, but here’s the best I can muster:
1. Cigarettes After Sex – X’s
2. Pet Shop Boys – Nonetheless
3. Nick Cave & The Wild Seeds – Wild God
4. Jamie xx – In Waves
5. Underworld – Strawberry Hotel
6. Kelly Lee Owens – Dreamstate
7. Confidence Man – 3AM (LA LA LA)
8. James – Yummy
9. Elbow – AUDIO VERTIGO
10. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross – Challengers (Boys Noize mixed)
11. Paraorchestra – Death Songbook
12. Warrington Runcorn New Town Development – Your Community Hub
13. Bat For Lashes – The Dream Of Delphi
14. AURORA – What Happened To The Heart?
15. Richard Hawley – In This City They Call You Love
16. Four Tet – Three +
17. Moby – always centred at night
18. Jon Hopkins – RITUAL
19. Trentemoller – Dreamweaver
20. Blossoms – Gary
I absolutely loved that Challengers soundtrack. The film was such a glorious, campy treat and the soundtrack leant it edge and bite.
And all the way from Vancouver Island:
John Grant – The Art of the Lie
St Vincent – Todos Nacen Gritando
(It seems Bri no longer drinks nor smokes and is to be found most days in the swimming pool)
1. The Cure- Songs of a Lost World
2. Pet Shop Boys – Nonetheless
3. Public Service Broadcasting – The Last Flight
4. Tindersticks – Soft Tissue
5. Pernice Brothers – Who Will You Believe
6. Phosphorescent – Revelator
7. Barry Adamson – Cut to Black
8. Nick Lowe – Indoor Safari
9. Erland Cooper – Carve the Runes
10. Bill Ryder Jones – lechyd Da
11. Epic45 – You’ll Only See Us When the Light Has Gone
12. The Decemberists – As It Ever Was
13. Warrington Runcorn New Town Development Plan – Your Community Hub
14. Mark Knopfler – One Deep River
15. Eels – Eels Time
16. Camera Obscura – Look to the East, Look to the West
17. Richard Hawley – In this City they Call you Love
18. Crowded House – Gravity Stairs
Would never have expected The Cure to be at the top of my anything list again but at the age of 52 I got them as I did when I was 17 with Disintegration. Properly good. There was some good other stuff too. But I realise I’ve mostly listened to ‘new by known to me’ rather than properly new so I hope to learn a bit from others’ choices.
I’m still not sure of the order of these, but broadly …
1. Charli xcx – Brat
2. Clairo – Charm
3. Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More
4. WH Lung – Every Inch of Earth Pulsates
5. Holiday Sidewinder – The Last Resort
6. John Canning Yates – The Quiet Portraits
7. Fontaines DC – Romance
8. Tapir! – The Pilgrim, Their God and the King of My Decrepit Mountain
9. Primal Scream – Come Ahead
10. Goat – Goat
11. MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks
12. Dolores Forever – It’s Nothing
13. Grace Cummings – Ramona
14. High Llamas – Hey Panda
15. Michael Head & the Red Elastic Band – Loophole
16. The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
17. Ed Harcourt – El Maginifico
18. David Gilmour – Luck and Strange
19. Tatanya – It’s Over
20. Camera Obscura – Look to the East, Look to the West
1. Jeff Parker ETA IVtet, Anna Butterss, Jay Bellerose, Josh Johnson – Way Out West
2. Oren Ambarchi, Johan Berthling, Andreas Werliin – Ghosted II
3. Tyshawn Sorey Trio – The Susceptible Now
4. Kendrick Lamar – GNX
5. John Hopkins – RITUAL
6. Søren Skov Orbit – Adrift
7. Bruce Liu – Tchaikovsky: The Seasons & Romance in F Minor
8. Wadada Leo Smith, Amina Caudine Myers – Central Park’s Mosaics Of Resevoir, Lake, Path, Gardens
9. Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
10. Anna Butterss – Mighty Vertebrate
11. Ingebrigt Håker Flaten – Exit (Knarr)
12. Laura Marling – Patterns In Repeat
13. Fergus McCreadie – Stream
14. Janine Jansen Klaus Mäkelä Oslo Orchestra – Sibelius Prokofiev 1 Violin Concertos
15. Roots Architects – From Then ‘Til Now
16. Charles Lloyd – The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow
17. Max Richter – In A Landscape
18. Jessica Pratt – Here In The Pitch
19. Necks – Bleed
20. Floating Points – Cascade
Several of the above get a big tick and a few get a gold star as well.
I know. The sequence barely matters. They’re all great. 😀
My imaginary list would be similar whilst being almost wholly different.
I guess so. Pity I can’t actually see your list!
There are seven on your list that would make the cut. Nothing wrong with the remainder but there are other releases I’ve enjoyed more and I have high hopes for another that was released today and I’m expecting a copy to drop through my postal fissure next week.
Make a list, make a list, make a list, make a list, make a list. Please. Pretty please.
Oh go on then. A combination of nagging and whiskey is to blame for this…
1. Ex-Easter Island Head – Norther
2. JD Allen – The Dark, The Light and the Colorful
3. Melissa Aldana – Echoes of the Inner Prophet
4. Jon Hopkins – Ritual
5. Oren Ambachi, Johan Berthing, Andreas Werliin – Ghosted II
6. Rachael Newton – Sealladh
7. Tyshawn Sorey Trio – The Susceptible Now
8. Cowboy Sadness – Selected Jambient Works, Vol I
9. Charles Lloyd – The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow
10. Elephant 9 with Terje Rypdal – Catching Fire
11. Wadada Leo Smith, Amina Claudine Myers – Central Park’s Mosaic of Reservoir, Lake, Paths and Gardens
12. Motion 1 – Out Of/ Into
13. Laura Misch – Sample the Earth
14. Nala Sinephro – Endlessness
15. The Necks – Bleed
16. El Perro Del Mar – Big Anonymous
17. Emantive – Abstract Intuition
18. Liz Hanks – Land
19. Dawn Richard, Spencer Zhan – Quiet in a World Full of Noise
20. Faye Webster – Underdressed at the Symphony
I can already think of two I meant to include but forgot. Nevermind that’ll do pig.
Beautiful. Most of those not in my list would be in my next twenty.
😀
Intrigued you include Sealladh. I like her work with others but found this too indulgent: too much found sound and/or atmosphere (noodling) for every eventual passage of beauty. Lovely packaging, mind.
The concept of Sealladh made it a shoe-in for me. Artistic catnip.
Gotcha! Makes perfect sense
Hi @pencilsqueezer. Checking the dates of albums, it looks like Liz Hanks – Land was released in 2023.
Shame, as it’s a lovely album. It would have made my list.
Oops you’re quite right @salwarpe so can I move Elephant 9 down to 18 and insert Nduduzo Makhathini – Unomkhubulwane in at number 10 please. Sorry for the hassle and diolch.
Of course – done and dusted.
U da man boyo.
Hi @Tiggerlion. Checking the dates of albums, it looks like Ingebrigt Håker Flaten – Exit (Knarr) was released in 2021.
It was commissioned in 2020 and the performance delayed because of Covid. Turns out, it has been on bandcamp all along.
Shuffle everything up, please, and add Alice Zawadzki, Fred Thomas, Misha Mullov-Abbado – Za Górami at number twenty.
Done and dusted.
Your number one album – Way Out of Easy, rather than Way Out West?
The votes from the South Coast have been counted and are as follows
1. Clarissa Connelly – World Of Work
2. The Lemon Twigs – A Dream Is All We Know
3. Dana Gavanski – Late Slap
4. Keeley Forsyth – The Hollow
5. Ezra Feinberg – Soft Power
6. Jane Weaver – Love in Constant Spectacle
7. Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan – Your Community Hub
8. The Revolutionary Army Of Infant Jesus – The Dream We Carry
9. Fievel Is Glauque – Rong Weicknes
10. The Will Gregory Moog Ensemble – Heat Ray: The Archimedes Project
11. Fat White Family – Forgiveness Is Yours
12. Eric Chenaux Trio – Delights Of My Life
13. Laura Cannell – The Rituals Of Hildegard Reimagined
14. Alan Sparhawk – White Roses My God
15. Still House Plants – If I don’t make it, I love u
16. Brian Duffy/System-100 – Instead Of Faint Spirit
17. Julia Holter – Something In The Room She Moves
18. The Oscillation – The Start Of The End
19. Loula Yorke -Volta
20. Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us
The North West has voted:
1. Kendrick Lamar – GNX
2. Blood Incantation- Absolute Elsewhere
3. Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poet’s Department: The Anthology
4. Ka – The Thief Next to Jesus
5. Fontaines DC – Romance
6. Khruangbin – A La Sala
7. Jane Weaver – Love in Constant Spectacle
8. Gruff Rhys – Sadness Sets Me Free
9. Elbow – Audio Vertigo
10. ShrapKnel – Nobody Planning to Leave
11. Mannequin Pussy – I Got Heaven
12. Black Grape – Orange Head
13. Patricia Taxxon – Bicycle
14. Beak – >>>>
15. Oisin Leech – Cold Sea
16. Micheal Head & The Red Elastic Band – Loophole
17. Jahari Massamba Unit – YHWH is Love
18. Bongripper – Empty
19. The Smile – Wall of Eyes
20. Moor Mother – The Great Bailout
1, The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World
2. Blood Incantation – Absolute Elsewhere
3. Cassandra Jenkins – My Light, My Destroyer
4. New Model Army – Unbroken
5. MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks
6. Underworld – Strawberry Hotel
7. Nick Cave – Wild God
8. Ezra Collective – Dance, No One’s Watching
9. Spectral Wound – Songs Of Blood And Mire
10. Timo Lassi & Jukka Eskola – Nordic Stew
11. Roots Architects – From Then Till Now
12. Charli XCX – Brat
13. Gaerea – Coma
14. Ott – Hiraeth
15. Mercury Rev – Born Horses
16. Nala Sinephro – Endless
17. God Is An Astronaut – Embers
18. Mdou Moctar – Funeral For Justice
19. Five Green Moons – Moon 1
20. Six Months Of Sun – Creatures
The Cure (the) top it – I can’t think of another act that were away so long and came back with something so good – but the Blood Incantation album ran it very close. Furious death metal and synth-led ambient prog may sound like a terrible mix on paper, but in your ears it is sumptuous. Even features Tangerine Dream on one track!
Blood Incantation album – I need to investigate, I think…
Nice to see the Dartmoor posse get a mention.
Just ordered that MJ Lenderman after hearing a couple of tracks on 6Music.
Album of the Year
The voting from the Cotswolds is as follows
1/ Nathaniel Ratecliff & the Night Sweats. – South of Hare.
2/ Hillybilly Moon Explosion- Back in Time.
3/ Amy Rigby – Hang in there with me.
4/ Blossoms – Gary.
5/ Mark Knopfler – One deep river.
6/ Villagers – That golden time.
7/ Fischer z – Triptych.
8/ Richard Hawley – In this city you call love.
9/ Last Dinner Party – Prelude to ecstasy.
10/ Hamish Hawk – A firmer hand.
11/ Katy J Pearson – Someday, Now.
12/ Zach Bryan – Great American bar scene.
13/ Vampire Weekend – Only God was above us.
14/ Nick Lowe – Indoor Safari.
15/ T Bone Burnett – The other side.
16/ Kacey Musgraves – Deeper well.
17/ Lemon Twigs – A dream is all we know.
18/ Crowed House – Gravity Stairs.
19/ Pet Shop Boys – Nonetheless.
20/ camera Obscura – Look to the east, look to the west.
Phew that was harder than I thought so I might need a nap now.
1. Mark Knopfler – One Deep River
2. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Wild God
3. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings -Woodland
4. T Bone Burnett – The Other Side
5. The Pernice Brothers – Who Will You Believe?
6. Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
7. Richard Thompson – Ship to Shore
8. Ann Savoy – Another Heart
9. The Black Keys – Ohio Players
10. Nick Lowe – Indoor Safari
11. Rosali – Bite Down
12. John Moreland – Visitor
13. Jake Xerxes Fussell – When I’m Called
14. Ian Hunter – Defiance Part 2: Fiction
15. Linda Thompson – Proxy Music
16. Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown
17. Jack White – No Name
18. Cassandra Jenkins – My Light, My Destroyer
19. Paul Heaton The Mighty Several
20. John Cale – Poptical Illusion
Merry Christmas all and thanks to the good people compiling this
1. Danny & The Champions of the World – You Are Not A Stranger Here
2. Our Man In The Field- Gold On The Horizon
3. Sarah Jarosz – Polaroid Lovers
4. Paul Weller – 66
5. Michael Head- Loophole
6. Blue Rose Code – Bright Circumstance
7. Mark Knopfler – One Deep River
8. The Hanging Stars – On A Golden Shore
9. Robert Vincent – Barriers
10. Michael Messer/ Chaz Jankel – Mostly We Drive
11. Amos Lee – Transmissions
12. Cactus Blossoms – Every Time I Think About You
13. Crowded House – Gravity Stairs
14. John Smith – The Living Kind
15. Richard Hawley – In This City They Call You Love
16. John Bramwell – The Light Fantastic
17. Nick Lowe- Indoor Safari
18. Caleb Caudle – Sweet Critters
19. Martyn Joseph – This Is What I Want To Say
20. Elbow – Audio Vertigo
Sorry @wiggy but Our Man in the Field’s album was last year. I know, cos I voted for it then.
Fair enough only came to my attention this year -please can Waxahatchee sneak in the bottom and everyone steps up. Thanks
Had completely missed that Rob Vincent had a new album out this year. Must investigate.
Your Martyn Joseph nomination – IMO one of the great artists of the last 10 years (and also prior to that) -has inspired me to post a cursory best of ’24. I posted 1 vid here of him previously here which was his tune the “Under Every Smile -Twelve” medley, I look forward to his next record. Anyway, here’s George Harrison’s Wonderwall:
1. Everything Everything – Mountainhead
2. Martyn Joseph – This Is What I Want to Say
3. Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
4. JPEGMAFIA – I Lay Down My Life for You
5.Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band – Loophole
6. Geordie Greep – The New Sound
7. Perfume – Nebula Romance, Part 1
8. Alan Sparhawk – White Roses My God
9. Mercury Rev – Born Horses
10. Richard Hawley – In This City They Call You Love
11. EELS – Eels Time!
12 Big Big Train – The Likes of Us
I didn’t know John Smith had an album out in 2024. Nobody tells me anything! Is it much of a departure from his previous work?
It’s similar to The Fray , a bit of a progression. He played our local arts centre a few years back, we went on spec and were hooked.
@bejesus
Fischer-z! I missed that…any good?
Yes not his best but grows with every listen. Never understood why he is not that popular here, our son lives in Germany and he has a big following there .
I still love The Worker.
“Mr. Pooooooooooo”
Couple of articles about Charlie Drake on the Comedy Chronicles site that make him sound like a real “see-you….
I like these end of year lists, so much good stuff I’ve missed and can catch up on. A few bubbling under this year, so I’m sure I’d sway some of these out if I did it again.
1. The Last Dinner Party – Prelude to Ecstacy
2. Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown
3. Nubya Garcia – Odyssey
4. Elbow – Audio Vertigo
5. Cassie Kinoshi’s Seed Ensemble – Gratitude
6. Observers – The Age of Machine Entities
7. The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
8. Hattie Whitehead – Bloom
9. Finn Rees – Dawn is a Melody
10. Paul Weller – 66
11. Kilbey Kennedy – Premonition K
12. Richard Thompson – Ship to Shore
13. Opeth – The Last Will and Testament
14. Jane Weaver – Love in Constant Spectacle
15. The Decemberists – As it Ever Was, So It Will Be Again (even if the mix is horrible)
16. Vijay Iyer, Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey – Compassion
17. Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
18. Shabaka Hutchings – Perceive Its Beauty Acknowledge Its Grace
19. The Necks – Bleed
20. The Nature Strip – Domesticated Beast
Why The Last Dinner Party album at no.1? Well it took me by surprise. I hadn’t expected to like it as much as I did, but I found myself playing it more than any of the others. When I bought the Gibbons album I thought that was a shoe-in for no.1. Brilliant as it is, it’s exactly what I would expect a Beth Gibbons album to sound. Dark, brooding, yet oddly uplifting. The LDP album, to these aging ears, is a bunch of fun, clever songs, well written, good lyrics and well played, and I can’t pick a bad track from the album.
I expected the Nick Cave to be in there somewhere, but I haven’t really listened to it much. I may have been put off by the ‘return to form’, ‘his best album!’ hype. The Smile albums are great, but I can’t help feel they’re a bit too similar to the first one. I still hear Radiohead with a different drummer whenever I listen to them.
@simon22367
What’s the Kilbey Kennedy album like?
I find them a bit samey.
It’s good, but I’m a sucker for Martin Kennedy’s stuff. I agree, their albums are a bit samey, and this isn’t as good as my favourite, Jupiter 13, but worth a listen. I’ve possibly put it a bit too high up in the list, but I’d pore over this list forever if I didn’t submit it.
Is it me, or is the variety that spices these lists getting just ever wider and more diverse, year on year? We (l, anyway) mock Quietus and their lists of who and what the fuck, but the number of band names and artists completely out my ken, here at cosy old AW is staggering. And daunting as I try to educate myself by dipping into the oeuvres of the unknown.
Can someone with an eye and aspiration for such, hello @dai , offer whether my observation is correct: are there a greater number of artists appearing, in relation to votes cast?
Alternatively we are all a bunch of show-off charlies (and carlotta), trying to impress the neighbours, but I think not, as, where people add a note, it is so full of love, knowledge and enthusiasm.
(And blimey, is the Decemberist’s mix really so bad? Gonna have to go and listen to see if I can catch that nuance. It’ll probably be the reason I like it so much, knowing my lugs.)
So far, 307 separate albums nominated by 24 different contributors.
I did a separate poll of polls (BBC 6 music, Mojo, NPR, Pitchfork August, Quietus July, Quietus December, Resident, Rolling Stone, Time Out , Uncut, Vulture, Wikipedia) – a list of 1422 separate albums
* 140 AW selections featured in none of the music pages I sourced.
* 86 other AW selections appeared in only one – that frequently being from the 1182 albums listed in the Wikipedia 2024 year in music – i.e. with no rating at all.
In last year’s poll, there were 337 separate albums – and that was after everyone had submitted their entries – often there is a flurry in the last week.
I am really enjoying curating the charts this year – there are so many good and varied albums that I have dipped my toe into that I could easily extend my paltry list of 3 2024 albums I listened to this year far beyond 20.
Thanks, @salwarpe . So, yes seems to be the answer.
There was so much good music this year, the strongest for some time for me.
Merry Christmas and God bless Us, Every One!
1 – Aaron Fraser – Into The Blue
2 – Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Woodland
3 – Brown Horse ~ Reservoir
4 – Bill Ryder-Jones – Iechyd Da
5 – The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
6 – Kelly Finnigan – A Lover Was Born
7 – Michael Kiwanuka – Small Changes
8 – Ghost Funk Orchestra – A Trip To The Moon
9 – Danny & The Champions of the World – You Are Not A Stranger Here
10 – Leon Bridges – Leon
11 – Gruff Rhys – Sadness Sets Me free
12 – Lady Blackbird – Slang Spirituals
13 – Ezra Collective – Dance, No One’s Watching
14 – Galliano – Halfway Somewhere
15 – The Decemberists – As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again
16 – Villagers – That Golden Time
17 – Nick Lowe – Indoor Safari
18 – Wonderland – Wonder 45
19 – Sean Khan – The Modern Jazz & Folk Ensemble
20 – Finn Rees – Dawn is Melody
Wait, there’s a new Galliano LP out? Be back in a minute…
Came out in August and it’s a cracker. They also did a tour which didn’t dovetail with me unfortunately.
Don’t really have a top 20 list this year as didn’t listen to that many albums. The charli xcx and Jamie xx were both fun but Knocked Loose was my favourite record.
Surprised to see no mention on this thread so far of The Collective, the experimental Hip Hop record Kim Gordon put out at the tender age of 71. An unexpected gem.
Somewhat surprised as well, as it was mentioned in 11 music mag/site polls, as was the Charli XCX album.
Anyone want to guess which three albums got 8 mentions each in the mag/site polls? Two are mentioned by AWers above, one isn’t (yet).
Kim Deal? Jack White? Fontaines DC?
Thanks for playing, b.a.d – all wrong. 3, 6 & 7 mentions respectively for your suggestions.
The Cure?
Betty Boo?
Rip Up The Rulebook sadly didn’t appear in any of the end of year lists for 2024
The Cure was indeed one of the three. Well done!
English Teacher? (Currently the only album I’ve listened to all the way through this year) Father John Misty?
English Teacher got 5 mentions (wiki, BBC 6 Music, Mojo, Resident, Uncut)
Father John Misty only 2 (wiki and Resident)
Have you seen this, sal?
https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/summary/2024/
59 lists? I can’t compete with that!
Interesting compilation – thanks, Tig.
Those three albums getting 8 mentions
Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
Schoolboy Q – Blue Lips
3 very distinct musical styles there.
Bets covered.
One of those will be high on my list when I get round to posting it.
Rule clarification: Does a live album recorded in 2022 and released in 2024 go here or in Historical?
Interesting point. Especially as a live RT set from the 1990s appeared this year. My opinion might be that 2022 counts as 2024 as it often takes that time to get a release out. Many studio albums were recorded a year or so ahead eventual release.
5 years as a cut off???
But surely a live album is generally a compilation (“play the hits”) and so regardless of year, it would go on the historical, compilation, etc list ?
Here. If recorded within five years, it’s likely meant for a modern release. The RT is an archive recording dusted off for a release well after the event.
My album of the year is a live recording from 2022. However, the Keith Jarrett 1992 live recording is on my historical list.
I think I’m alone in this but why not any “new” previously unheard record, whether recorded yesterday or in 1863 but first released in 2024 is in the Best of 2024 Poll ?
Compilations, remixes, box sets , whatever but all containing “old” music is separate ??
The “five year Tigger Rule” seems arbitrary and somewhat silly to me given that stuff gets delayed, lost in the post and who knows whether or not Yaw Yaw And The Tony Allen Quarter was laid down in 2019 or 2020?
Is this really such a hot potato? All the albums loved will appear on one or other list and the dubious ones have more chance of impacting Tiggs’ poll than the 2024 one..
Listen to the robot. Though *spoiler alert* it seems quite clear which album will take the top spot already.
And why should we just restrict unheard to a nebulous everyone? If Lodey hasn’t heard it before, fair game for, actually any year, past and future.Or maybe just a separate poll altogether.
Just a thought around pursuing a peculiar logic.
I cease my bleating but “unheard” was meant to cover everyone in the world apart from the original artist not just my cloth ears.
I think you are the only one complaining. Which kinda fits…
I can join in if you like. What’s the complaint? I’m all for that whatever it is. Power to the people! Freedom for Tooting!
That hurt, Tigger! Apologies if my attempts at fun fell flat.
No worries. I’m very relaxed and mildly amused. Everyone talks b*ll*cks here.
😉
Finally an admittance that the six listens rule is actually b*ll*cks.
Arf!
Is it?
By total score, I would say – yes. Just by number of mentions by AWers , it’s a bit closer.
Hum – well, if I can’t influence the “toppermost of the poppermost”, I’ll just do my usual half-assed job…
The top spot in the Tigger poll (other thread), I should emphasize.
With the new releases, there’s still everything to play for, Seven albums have topped the 100 points marks so far. Late sprints could change the top ten completely.
Just follow what Uncut or Mojo does. Such releases would be considered archive ones, so in Trigger’s poll
Trigger’s poll? Just as well the rapper Dave doesn’t have an album out this year..
1. Withered Hand & Kathryn Williams – Wilson Williams
2. Blue Rose Code – Bright Circumstance
3. Erland Cooper – Carve the runes then be content with silence
4. Fergus McCreadie – Stream
5. Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
6. Sam Annand – Cupar Grain Silo
7. Daniel Herskedal – Call for Winter II
8. Jasmine Myra – Rising
9. David Boulter – St Ann’s
10. Chris Potter – Eagle’s Point
11. Hania Rani – Nostalgia
12. Richard Thompson – Ship to Shore
13. Arun Sood – Searching Erskine
14. Julian Cope – Friar Tuck
15. Tommy Perman – The Resonant Viaduct
Not a bad year, IMHO:
1. Jon Hopkins – Ritual
2. Pet Shop Boys – Nonetheless
3. Father John Misty – Mahashmashana
4. Laura Marling – Patterns in Repeat
5. Lady Blackbird – Slang Spirituals
6. Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
7. Michael Kiwanuka – Small Changes
8. Von Hertzen Brothers – In Murmuration
9. The Smile – Wall Of Eyes
10. Ben Lukas Boysen – Alta Ripa
11. Public Service Broadcasting – The Last Flight
12. Linda Thomson – Proxy Music
13. The Smile – Cutouts
14. Kiasmos – II
15. The Lemon Twigs – A Dream Is All We Know
16. MGMT – Loss of Life
17. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Wild God
18. Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter
19. Ryuichi Sakamoto – Opus
20. Childish Gambino – Altavista
NEW RELEASES in order of preference with no 1 at the top
Peter Perrett: The Cleansing
Phosphorescent: Revelator
Nick Lowe: Indoor Safari
Richard Hawley: In this City they Call you Love
Here goes:
1) Kim Deal – Nobody loves you more
2) Nick Cave – Wild God (This one had tunes absent from Carnage)
3) Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore – Taxicali
4) Gillian Welch/Dave Rawlings – Woodland
5) Ezra Collective – Dance No-ones watching
6) Michael Head and the red elastic band – Loophole
7) Chuck Prophet – Wake the dead
8) Felice Brothers – Valley of abandoned songs
9) Alejandro Escovedo – Echo dancing
10) Bright Eyes – Five dice, all threes
11) Mark Knopfler – One deep river
12) Goat – Goat
13) Chris Forsyth – Basic
14) The Smile – cutouts
15) Osees – Sorcs 80
16)Zach Bryan – The Great American bar scene
17) Mdou Moctar – Funeral for Justice
18) Waxahtchee – TIgers blood
19) Adrienne Lenker – Bright future
20) Paul Heaton – The Mighty several
A solid year but in reality I struggled to get to 20. BLH undoubtedly the standout album for me and they continue to slowly evolve and improve with each release. The Pearlfishers at no 2 because – well they are the Pearlfishers and have never made anything other than a great album. A very fine and adventurous comeback for the Llamas which seems to have gone under the radar. Paul Weller in there because he has been unadventurous and gone back to writing classy pop songs. (no easy task). Finally the simple joy of hearing Gillian Welch and David Rawlings playing and singing together immediately pushed their album into the upper echelons of the FF chart.
1. Bonnie Light Horseman – Keep Me on Your Mind/See Me Free
2. The Pearlfishers – Making Tapes for Girls
3. The High Llamas – Hey Panda
4. Gillian Welch and David Rawlings – Woodland
5. Cassandra Jenkins – My Light My Destroyer
6. David Gilmour – Luck and Strange
7. Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch
8. Katherine Priddy – The Pendulum Swing
9. Fabio do Nascimento & Sam Grendel – The Room
10. Iron and Wine – Light Verse
11. Leif Vollebeck – Revelation
12. Paul Weller – 66
13. Crowded House – Gravity Stairs
14. Michael Kiwanuka – Small Change
15. Blue Rose Code – Easy As We Go
16. Bridget Kearney – Comeback Kid
17. Pet Shop Boys – Nonetheless
18. Pat Metheny – Moondial
10. Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
20. The Innocence Mission – Midnight Swimmers
Blue Rose Code – do you mean ‘Bright Circumstance’? I think Easy As We Go is a song.
Blue Rose Code is the nom-de-stage of Ross Wilson. Lovely fella. I’ve done the sound for him a couple of times. He makes a lovely cuppa.
Soz – blame the proof reader!
As usual, getting to 20 has proved impossible. There are plenty of albums I’ve listened to and liked but not enough to include as “best of” the year. The ones I HAVE loved are:
1. Floating Points – Cascade
2. Jon Hopkins – Ritual
3. Pet Shop Boys – Nonetheless
4. Big Big Train – The Likes Of Us
5. Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks – True
6. Four Tet – Three
7. Kacey Musgraves – Deeper Well
8. Cmat – Crazymad, For Me
9. Public Service Broadcasting – The Last Flight
10. Mark Knopfler – One Deep River
11. The Lemon Twigs – A Dream Is All We Know
Hi @ainsley-2. Checking the dates of albums, it looks like Cmat – Crazymad, For Me was released in 2023.
Here are mine. This poll and Dandelion Radio’s Festive Fifty are great awareness raisers.
1. Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch
2. Du Blonde – Sniff More Gritty
3. Scott Lavene – Disneyland in Dagenham
4. Hamish Hawk – Angel Numbers
5. Personal Trainer – Still Willing
6. The Courettes – The Soul Of…
7. Dana Gavanski – Late Slap
8. Fat Dog – Woof
9. Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More
10. Lovely Eggs – Eggistentialism
11. Kokroachez – Osney Skies
Added to the table.
Just a query – Hamish Hawk, did you mean Angel Numbers (released 2023) or A Firmer Hand (released 2024)?
Ah, yes, Firmer Hand – reassuring the lists are checked so thoroughly!
Ooh, a list!
1. Bill Laurance & Michael League – Keeping Company
2. Erland Viken Trio – Ville Veier
3. T Bone Burnett – The Other Side
4. Sam Carter – Silver Horizon
5. Fergus McCreadie – Stream
6. Dawes – Oh Brother
7. Bela Fleck – Rhapsody in Blue
8. Pat Metheny – Moon Dial
9. Lush Fresh Handmade Sounds (Simon Emmerson) – Highlands
10. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Woodland
11. Silkroad Ensemble with Rhiannon Giddens – American Railroad
12. Mark Knopfler – One Deep River
13. Justin Adams & Mauro Durante – Sweet release
14. The Rheingans Sisters – Start Close In
15. Lewis Taylor – Pleasures Vol 1
16. Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
17. Micheal Head & The Red Elastic Band – Loophole
18. Hattie Whitehead – Bloom
19. David Gilmour- Luck and Strange
20. The Jimmy Giuffre 3 – The Train and the River … could have been released in 2024, could have been released in 1952. It’s timeless.
Come again … Dawes had a new album this yer? Missed that memo, must rectify immediately
George Dawes?
Hmmm … I’ve been meaning to get that Bill Laurance & Michael League album. It does indeed sound very good.
It is, @duco01. You shouldn’t finalize a 2024 list without listening to it first!
Michael League . . . from Snarky Puppy to Bokante to David Crosby’s Lighthouse Band, he’s a very talented chap.
Also:
Hi @Peanuts-Molloy. “could have been released in 2024, could have been released in 1952”
Checking the dates of albums, it looks like The Jimmy Giuffre 3 – The Train and the River was released in 1957 and then again in 1967. Could it be better placed in the rerelease chart that Tiggerlion is running?
I couldn’t decide on a No 20 so just stuck in my all time favourite album, for fun. Sorry, just ignore it.
I’ll leave it there for Paul to decide. It’s not like it’s going to challenge any other album for the top slot, (or even the last but one slot).
Votes from Mr Stanton house.
All the right albums but not necessarily in the right order.
1: Jack White – No Name
2: Lemon Twiggs – A Dream…
3: English Teacher – This could be Texas
4: The Cure – Songs for a lost world
5:Kim Deal – Nobody Loves you
6: Nick Cave = Wild God
7: Fontaines DC 0 Romance
8: St Vincent – Born Screaming
9: Cheekface – Its sorted
10: Bill Ryder-Jones = Iechyd da
11: Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown
12: Idles – Tangk
13: Waxahatchee – tigers Blood
14: Yard Act – Where’s My Utopia?
15: The Smile – Offcuts
16: The Smile – Wall of eyes
17: Gruff Rhys – Sadness sets me free
18: Hurray for the Riff raff – The past is still alive
19: Thee Oh Sees – sorcs 80
20: Beadadoobee – This is how tomorrow moves
15. The Smile – Cutouts?
Oopps yes Cutouts.
The Smile cutting their vote share in half with two albums in a year. Should have gone for a double.
Thanks for confirming. Everything else could be interpreted unambiguously.
Still listening to the Kim Deal album, its certainly a contender for the top 20. Can’t help but feel has been shafted by being released in mid-December.
1. Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
2. Peter Bruntnell – Houdini and the Sucker Punch
3. Bonny Light Horseman – Keep Me On Your Mind/See You Free
4. Nada Surf – Moon Mirror
5. The Pearlfishers – Making Tapes For Girls
6. Pernice Brothers – Who Will You Believe?
7. Camera Obscura – Look To The East, Look To The West
8. Broken Chanter – Chorus of Doubt
9. David Gilmour – Love + Strange
10. The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World
11. Chuck Prophet – Wake The Dead
12. Paul Heaton – The Mighty Several
13. Small Town Jones – Kintsugi
14. The Decemberists- As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again
15. Nick Lowe – Indoor Safari
16. Danny and the Champions of the World – You Are Not A Stranger Here
17. Frontier Ruckus – On The Northline
18. The Courettes – The Soul Of The Fabulous Courettes
19. The Hanging Stars – On A Golden Shore
20. Adam Ross – Littoral Zone
Mendelssohn Piano Trios – Joshua Bell (violin), Steven Isserlis (cello), Jeremy Denk (piano).
Outstanding in every way.
1. The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
2. Sheer Mag – Playing favourites
3. Gryff Rhys – Sadness sets me free
4. LYR – An Unnatural History
5. Cat Burns – Early twenties
6. Los Bitchos – Talkie Talkie
7. Ride – Interplay
8. Pixies – the night the zombies came
9. English Teacher – this could be Texas
10. John Cale – Poptical illusion
11. RAYE – My 21st Century Blues
12. Kim Deal – Nobody Loves you more
13. Nick Lowe – Indoor Safari
14. Taylor Swift – the tortured poets department
15. St Vincent – All born Screaming
16. J Mascis – What do we do now
17. Underworld – Strawberry Hotel
18. Laetia Sadler – Rooting for Love
19. Last Dinner Party – Countdown to Extasy
20. Warrington Runcorn New Town Development plan – your community hub
Bubbling under as they say were James, Sleater Kinney and Camera Obscura. And probably a few more.
That Raye (real name Rachel Keen) album was released in Feb 2023. It was in my list last year.
Bugger. Time flies – doesnt it…. I’ll move everything up one and find a new 20th album (what is the betting it ISNT one of the 3 I mentioned?)
Raye was good though, wasnt it?
It’s easy to take the pee, but if she wasn’t really good I wouldn’t bother doing it. Offspring the Elder saw her supporting someone at the O2 around the time of last year’s Glasto. Two very different bands, two very good shows.
So, revised after professional advice (apparently there is such as thing as objective reality. Who knew?)
1. The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
2. Sheer Mag – Playing favourites
3. Gryff Rhys – Sadness sets me free
4. LYR – An Unnatural History
5. Cat Burns – Early twenties
6. Los Bitchos – Talkie Talkie
7. Ride – Interplay
8. Pixies – the night the zombies came
9. English Teacher – this could be Texas
10. John Cale – Poptical illusion
11. Kim Deal – Nobody Loves you more
12. Nick Lowe – Indoor Safari
13. Taylor Swift – the tortured poets department
14. St Vincent – All born Screaming
15. J Mascis – What do we do now
16. Underworld – Strawberry Hotel
17. Laetia Sadler – Rooting for Love
18. Last Dinner Party – Countdown to Extasy
19. Warrington Runcorn New Town Development plan – your community hub
20. Camera Obscura – Look to the East, Look to the West
Resisted temptation to replace Raye with Songs of a Live World (excellent though it is).
Greetings, Afterword brothers and sisters.
It’s been a treat reading everyone’s Top 20 lists for the year. What an extraordinary number of albums have been voted for so far.
You’ll be pleased to know that one more modest little list – avidly curated and fully annotated – will be appearing in a separate thread tomorrow (Thursday 19 Dec).
I refer, naturally, to the duco01 60 Favourite New Albums of 2024.
With any luck, there’ll be a few platters there that’ll pique your interest. I hope so, anyway.
We’ll start counting down from number 60 tomorrow morning. See you then.
Yay! The real kick off to the festive frolics..
Something I look forward to every year. Your dedication is a marvel and a source of joy to many, I am sure.
Just so as I know – should I include the top 20 of your esteemed 60 in the general poll calculations?
Hi salwarpe!
Normally, after I’ve finished the full rundown of the chart on its own thread, I paste in the Top 20 as a plain list in the Afterword Album of the Year poll thread.
The votes from Casa Malo
Michael Head – Loophole
1. Nala Sinephro – Endlessness
2. Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
3. The Dictators – The Dictators
4. The Fleshtones – Face Of The Screaming Werewolf
5. Kim Gordon – The Collective
(There were loads of other great records that I heard, Like Pat Hare’s I’m Gonna Murder My Baby , but these are the ones that were new and released this year)
Hi @el-hombre-malo. Checking the dates of albums, it looks like The Fleshtones – Face Of The Screaming Werewolf was released in 2020.
CRIKEY! The bush telegraph must have been rumbling slowly – it only appeared on my radar in October, so I had wrongly assumed it was a new thing. I don’t have anything else to offer in its place, so please bump Kim Gordon up one – thanks
Of course – done and dusted.
Hi @el-hombre-malo. Do you mean that Michael Head is your number 1 and the others are numbers 2-6?
yes, I did – goodness knows what happened to the formatting. (Cut and Pasted from Word, which does not like to collaborate with other forms of presenting letters)
Thanks for checking!
Here are mine:
1. Hurray for the Riff Raff – The Past is Still Alive
2. Arooj Aftab- Night Reign
3. T Bone Burnett – The Other Side
4. Beyoncé- Cowboy Carter
5. Phosphorescent- Revelator
6. Blue Rose Code – Bright Circumstance
7. Cara Dillon – Coming Home
8. Michael Kiwanuka – Small Change
9. Laura Marling – Patterns in Repeat
10. Charlie Parr – Little Sun
11. Gillian Welch and David Rawlings – Woodland
12. Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future
13. Bill Ryder-Jones – Iechyd Da
14. Linda Thompson – Proxy Music
15. Mark Knopfler – One Deep River
16. Silk Road Ensemble with Rhiannon Giddens – American Railroad
17. Olivia Chaney – Circus of Desire
18. Iron and Wine – Light Verse
19. Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
20. Richard Hawley – In this City They Call You Love
Some great stuff this year I think. Hurray for the Riff Raff and Phosphorescent are artists I’ve blown hot and cold about in the past but they both delivered terrific albums this year. Hurray for the Riff Raff especially – easily my most played new record this year and they backed it up with a great live gig in the summer. Arooj Aftab was wonderful live as well and her album has been my go-to late night listen this year.Those blue chip reliable Brits Michael Kiwanuka and Laura Marling came through with beautiful, reflective albums late in the year. I’m still getting to know them fully – give it a couple of months and I suspect they might be higher in my list. The only vaguely contemporary pop superstar record I’ve spent much time listening to this year is Cowboy Carter, and what a fabulous album it is – joyous, angry, funny, sardonic.
By and large this list of artists are ones known to me over the years. The main discovery for me was Charlie Parr – Little Sun is ramshackle laid back country blues and really rather lovely. The T Bone Burnett has a similar but more polished feel. And I’ve loved listening to Northern Irish Cara Dillon and Scottish Blue Rose Code’s personal and deeply felt songs. Finally a mention of Mark Knopfler. I’ve not followed his solo career much and I can’t remember the last time I listened to Dire Straits. But for some reason I checked out One Deep River and have kept coming back to it. It offers absolutely nothing new or different- but it’s Knopfler still writing fine songs and delivering them immaculately in trademark style, and there is something very comfortable and warm about its familiarity.
1. Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft
2. The Smile – Wall of Eyes
3. Bill Ryder-Jones – Iechyd Da
4. The Smile – Cutouts
5. Wilco – Hot Sun Cool Shroud *
6. Gruff Rhys – Sadness Sets Me Free
7. Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Fuckin’ Up **
8. Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
9. Lemon Twigs – A Dream is All We Know
10. The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
* is a 6 song EP, disqualify if not eligible
** a 2024 recording of a 1990 album
If anybody knows the connection between 5 and 8 on my list then they win an ice cream
Your No7 – prepare to face the Wrath of Tigger. Best of luck!
Was it recorded in 2024 or is it a 1990 recording released in 2024?
Read my post!
I believe the son of the bloke out of number 5 plays on number 8.
Mint choc chip please
On its way!
And I forgot Beth Gibbons. Oops. No. 5 please and move everything else down 1 place
In a private email Tigger says you are very rude. He also says a 1990 album recorded in 2024 is historical. He also says even he doesn’t understand his own rules but, hey, they’re his rules
1.The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World
2. Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard And Soft
3. Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More
4.The Smile – Wall Of Eyes
5. St Vincent – All Born Screaming
6. Amanda Bergman – Your Hand Forever Checking My Fever
7. Last Dinner Party – Prelude To Ecstasy
Ranking is a bit arbitrary. I apologise for not listening to all the albums released this year which undermines the authority of my judgement somewhat.
Saint Etienne what are you doing! Releasing an album the week before Christmas. Kim Deal was bad enough…..
Thanks for the alert
I’m listening to it now, and I think I’m already in love with it – definitely echoes of KLF’s Chill Out, as mentioned on the album bandcamp page.
It can replace the Liz Hanks – Land album in my chart, (having cruelly ripped it away from pencilsqueezer’s list).
Very hard to trim down to 20. I have another 20 that I’ve enjoyed this year.
1. Lemon Twigs – A Dream Is All We know
2. Dawes – Oh Brother
3. Mermaid Chunky – slif slaf slof
4. Michael Kiwanuka – Small Changes
5. Hurray For The Riff Raff – The Past Is Still Alive
6. John Grant – The Art of the Lie
7. Mark Knopfler – One Deep River
8. The Smile – Cutouts
9. The Smile – Wall Of Eyes
10. Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown
11. Arooj Arab – Night Reign
12. Father John Misty – Mahashmashama
13. Charley Crockett – $10 Cowboy. Chapter II. Visions of Dallas
14. Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets – Indoor Safari
15. Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band ~ Loophole
16. Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More
17. Phosphorescent – Revelator
18. Granddaddy – Blue Wav
19. Johnny Blue Skies/Sturgill Simpson – Passage Du Desire
20. Underworld – Strawberry Hotel
1. Beth Gibbons- Lives Outgrown
2. Cure- Songs of a lost world
3. Jack White- No Name
4. Scott Lavene- Disneyland in Dagenham
5. St Vincent- All Born Screaming
6. Kim Deal- Nobody loves you more
7. Gruff Rhys- Sadness sets me free
8. English Teacher- This could be Texas
9. Bill Ryder-Jones- Iechyd Da
10. Nadine Shah- Filthy underneath
11. John Bramwell- The light fantastic
12. Arooj Aftab- Night Reign
13. Beak> >>>>
14. Elbow- audio vertigo
15. Laura Marling- Patterns in repeat
16. Last Dinner Party- Prelude to ecstasy
Until I started compiling the list I thought I’d had a pretty quiet year for music but alongside these I have had a listen to a few other 2024 LPs at least once, but not the prescribed 6 times. Field Music was probably the biggest disappointment, although I also struggled with the Fontaines LP. Still it feels like its been a good year for guitar/indie stuff.
(I quite enjoyed the Field Music LP…)
I think a dilemma most artists have is to either keep making the same album again and again or to try to do things differently. Field Music have gone for the latter this time and unfortunately for me the direction they’ve taken is a bit too synth heavy for my liking.
Fair comment – however, it’ll be in the lower reaches of my 20
(assuming I can find 20…)
Here are my 20, as listed and annotated on a separate thread, as you may have seen.
1. Martin Simpson – Skydancers
2. Max Richter – In A Landscape
3. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Woodland
4. The Decemberists – As it Ever Was, So it Will Be Again
5. Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch
6. Bonny Light Horseman – Keep Me On Your Mind/See You Free
7. Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future
8. T-Bone Burnett – The Other Side
9. Mary Lattimore & Walt McClements – Rain on the Road
10. Akira Kosemura & Lawrence English – Selene
11. Nat Birchall – Dimension of the Drums
12. Matti Bye – Capri Clouds
13. James Elkington & Nathan Salsburg – All Gist
14. John Zorn, Gyan Riley & Julian Lage – Her Melodious Lay
15. Svaneborg Kardyb – Superkilen
16. Jake Xerxes Fussell – When I’m Called
17. Khruangbin – A La Sala
18. Andrew Tuttle & Michael Chapman – Another Tide, Another Fish
19. Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
20. Phil Odgers & John Kettle – Far Rockaway (The Songs of Phil Ochs)
Tough year. Could’ve listed 40, and, as ever, the score is as arbitrary as the day. So, then, today’s 20.
1.The Cure/Songs For a Lost World
2. Michael Kiwanuka/Small Changes
3.Ferocious Dog/Kleptocracy
4. Kate Young/Embilliferae
5. Malin Lewis/You Are Not Alone
6. Lusa/the Colour of Space
7. Landless/Lúireach
8. Chuck Prophet/Wake the Dead
9. Manu Chao/Viva Tu
10. Arab Strap/Totally Fine With It, Don’t Give a Fuck anymore
11. Beth Gibbons/Lives Outgrown
12. Horace Andy & Jah Wobble/Timeless Roots
13. Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage/In the Dark We Grow
14. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings/Woodland
15. The Wilderness Yet/Westlin Winds
16. Blue Rose Code/Bright Circumstance
17. The Strange Encounters/All In the Mind
18. Skreel/Skreel
19.Stick in the Wheel/1000 Pokes
20. Peter Alexander Jobson/Burn the Ration Books
I bought 23 released this year. 3 are by mates so don’t really count. Of the remaining 20, I only just bought the Chuck Prophet and John Smith albums a few days ago after seeing them in somebody else’s list in this thread. Nobody tells me anything! So it’s too soon to know if they belong higher up the list. Thanks for doing this Paul, must be a lot of work but always interesting to read.
1 Aoife O’Donovan / All My Friends
2 Kate Young / Umbelliferae
3 Waxahatchee / Tigers Blood
4 Rachel Newton / Sealladh
5 The Rheingans Sisters / Start Close In
6 Martin Simpson / Skydancers
7 Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage / In The Dark We Grow
8 Urban Folk Quartet / True Story
9 Bonny Light Horseman / Keep You On My Mind / See You Free
10 Tom Paxton (Various Artists) / Bluegrass Sings Paxton
11 Held By Trees & Martin Smith / Held By Trees & Martin Smith
12 A Winter Union / Live Before Solstice
13 Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand / Willson:Williams
14 Emily Barker / Fragile as Humans
15 Harbottle & Jonas / Wild Goose
16 Mairearad Green & Rachel Newton / Anna Bhan
17 Bill Ryder-Jones / lechyd Da
18 Chuck Prophet / Wake The Dead
19 John Smith / The Living Kind
20 Rob Jones & The Restless Dream / stars
Good list: includes 5 of my bubbling unders.
Includes three of my bubbling overs.
1 Bill Ryder-Jones / lechyd Da
2 Cassandra Jenkins / My Light My Destroyer
3 Phosphorescent / Revelator
4 The Cure / Songs of a lost world
5 Kacey Musgraves / Deeper Well
6 Vampire Weekend / Only God Was above Us
7 Kim Deal / Nobody loves you more
8 Lo Moon / I Wish You Way More Than Luck
9 Taylor Swift / Tortured Poets Department
10 Laura Marling / Patterns in Repeat
11 Marika Hackman / Big Sigh
12 Mark Knopfler / One Deep River
13 Kings of leon / can we please have some fun
14 Grandaddy / Blue Wav
15 El Perro del Mar / Big Anonymous
16 J Mascis / What do we do now
17 Pet Shop Boys / Nonetheless
18 Bright Eyes / Five Dice all threes
19 Bernard Butler / Good Grief
20 Clairo / Charm
As ever I’ve not bought enough actual LP’s to make 20. So from the 5 I have bought:
1 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Wild God
2 Pharrell Williams – Black Yacht Rock Vol 1
3 Sabrina Carpenter – Short ‘n’ Sweet
4 Ariana Grande – Eternal Sunshine
5 Everything Everything – Mountainhead
6 Dua Lipa – Radical Optimism
I’m intrigued: of the six listed, which are the five that you bought? And what’s the story about the other one?
Ah yes. Good spot. You can download Pharrell’s one legally from t’internet… let’s go with that excuse.
Also since it looks like being the #1 I’ll have to listen to Bill Ryder-Jones it seems.
1. Jack White – No Name
2. The Smile – Cutouts
3. Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
4. Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings – Woodland
5. John Moreland – Visitor
6. Zach Bryan – The Great American Bar Scene
7. Charles Lloyd – The Sky Will Be There Tomorrow
8. Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
9. Jeff Parker – The Way Out of Easy
10. Ray Lamontagne – Long Way Home
11. Happiness Bastards – Black Crowes
12. The Smile – Wall of Eyes
13. Johnny Blue Skies – Passage Du Desir
14. The Cure – Songs of A Lost World
15. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Wild God
16. David Gilmour – Luck and Strange
17. American Aquarium – The Fear of Standing Still
18. Bill Ryder Jones – lechyd Da
19. Hurray For the Riff Raff – The Past Is Still Alive
20. Leon Bridges – Leon
Thanks for putting in the hard work!
1 The Last Dinner Party – Prelude To Ecstasy
2 The Mysterines – Afraid Of Tomorrows
3 Katherine Priddy – The Pendulum Swing
4 Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department
5 Bernard Butler – Good Grief
6 Nerina Pallot – A Psalm For Emily Salvi
7 LYR – An Unnatural History
8 Sabrina Carpenter – Short And Sweet
9 Megan Moroney – Am I Okay
10 Lawrence – Family Business
11 Cory Wong – Starship Syncopation
12 St Vincent – All Born Screaming
13 My Life Story – Loving You Is Killing Me
14 Mark Knopfler – One Deep River
15 Pet Shop Boys – Nonetheless
16 Crowded House – Gravity Stairs
17 Lone Justice – Viva
18 Richard Thompson – Ship To Shore
19 Josienne Clark – Parenthesis I
20 Hifi Sean David McAlmont – Daylight
OK, I’ve finally had time to listen to everything I wanted to hear, revise the ones I bought through the year, and make a list and check it twice. More than twice…I changed the albums and the order many times to get to this result (and I’m still not 100% certain that I got it right…)
Still, this is as good as it gets (and very few of them will have anything to do with the end result anyway 😀 ):
1. Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future
2. Hurray For The Riff Raff – The Past Is Still Alive
3. Aziza Brahim – Mawja
4. Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology
5. Amanda Bergman – Your Hand Forever Checking On My Fever
6. Mariam The Believer – Breathing Techniques
7. Aoife O´Donovan – All My Friends
8. Julia Holter – Something In The Room She Moves
9. Anna Tivel – Living Thing
10. Mari Boine – Alva
11. Iiris Viljanen – Själsligt Uppvaknande Vid Slussen
12. girl in red – I’m Doing It Again Baby
13. MGMT – Loss Of Life
14. Loney Dear – All Things Go
15. Bonnie Light Horseman – Keep Me On Your Mind/See You Free
16. Annika Norlén/Jonas Teglund – En Tid Att Riva Sönder
17. The Taj Mahal Sextet – Swingin’ Live at the Church in Tulsa
18. El Perro Del Mar – Big Anonymous
19. Fire! – Testament
20. Sinkane – We Belong
Yes, I listened to the Wilco EP. No, it didn’t make the cut – they can do SO much better (and two of the six tracks are just interludes…)
Almost made it (but honestly wasn’t that close):
Haley Heynderickx – Seed of a Seed, Benjamin Ingrosso – Pink Velvet Theatre, Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us, Kasey Musgraves – Deeper Well, The Black Keys – Ohio Players, The Dandy Warhols – Rockmaker, Les Big Byrd – Diamonds, Rhinestones and Hard Rain, Aaron Lee Tasjan – Stellar Evolution, Mdou Moctar – Funeral For Justice, The Deslondes – Roll It Out, Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet, Thåström – Somliga Av Oss, Andrew Bird & Madison Cunningham – Cunningham Bird, Pond – Stung!
And that’s the result from the Stockholm jury!
Agree about Wilco.
The Aziza Brahim album – of course! How did I forget that? it’s really good.
It’s a pity that she cancelled her Stockholm gig at Fasching. I’d love to see her perform live.
I agree in general not absolutely top tier Wilco. It’s leftovers from Cousin sessions. However, for me, final track, Say You Love Me is up there with anything they have done and is my song of the year (I really like Ice Cream too) @Locust
Intresting – my ranking of the tracks would be:
1. Hot Sun
2. Annihilation
3. Say Yoy Love Me/Ice Cream (like them equally)
(5. Inside the Bell Bones
6. Livid) (Not really counting them at all)
I didn’t have huge expectations going in, being an EP and, as you say, leftovers that didn’t make the cut on Cousin, but even though four of the tracks are perfectly fine, I don’t think it should compete with actual albums of many great tracks from other artists, just because I’m a fan.
(But I don’t actually dislike it the way I disliked Cruel Country – was that the name of it? That one just didn’t do it for me at all!)
Took me a while to take to Cruel Country.
I’ve sort of given up trying by now!
Me too. I am still learning to love it more. I think it’s a near masterpiece
I’d like to point out – because I find it interesting and I didn’t do it on purpose, it’s just the way it happened this year – that my Top 12 are all women (with a few more hiding in the latter part of the list).
Without going through my lists from previous years, I have a feeling that my listening is getting more and more femalecentric these days.
I find this happens often, with no intent. I may go a whole evening, a whole week, a whole festival, just listening to female voices (and perspectives).
While I haven’t posted my list yet, I know without much consideration that the balance will be that way.
Nice to hear you, in particular, mention it @locust. When I’ve made this observation before I’ve been accused of having some kind of agenda..
This year I even decided not to mention that, above all the 2024 albums I listed, my listening year was dominated by Chappell Roan’s 2023 release, because I’m uncomfortable being that guy when I am actually just that guy..
Aah, that scary agenda…perhaps we’re part of the woke mafia! 😉
The Julia Holter album would be in my Top 3 (if I made a top 3…)
It would have been higher if the list had been submitted earlier in the year – I listened to it a LOT for a while there.
I don’t think this is going to change now…
1 Craig Fortnam – Bespoke String Trios
2 Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Woodland
3 John Cale – Poptastical Illusion
4 Jane Weaver – Love in Constant Spectacle
5 The Smile- Wall of Eyes
6 Rosalie Cunningham – To Shoot Another Day
7 Rebecca Trescher Tentet – Character Pieces
8 The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
9 Joan Armatrading- How Did This Happen and What Does It Now Mean?
10 Bychkov/Czech Phil Orch- Smetana – Má Vlast
11 Arooj Aftab- Night Reign
12 Jazz Sabbath- The 1968 Tapes
13 Nick Cave &The Bad Seeds – Wild God
14 Field Music- Limits of language
The Craig Fortnam trios disc has been far and away my favourite this year – visually, I should have placed a gap between that and the remainder, notwithstanding how good some of them were.
Thanks for the recommendation on the Craig Fortnam album, Fitter.
I was always a big fan of the North Sea Radio Orchestra, and I had no idea that Mr Fortnam had a solo album out this year.
Sounds very nice.
Pity the CD’s out of stock. I might have to buy the download from the Bandcamp site…
@Paul-Hewston – sincere apologies: but, notwithstanding my first comment above, can I make TWO late additions? Please insert these two at numbers 4 and 5 respectively and shunt everything else down, many thanks indeed!
4 plantoid – Terrapath
5 Dog Unit – At Home
…and can I join with the rest of the troops in thanking you for taking the task on!
Adjusted as requested.
Thanks, Sal! I appear to have lost track of who’s doing what…
1 – Danny & The Champions Of the World – You Are Not A Stranger Here
2 – Hannah Kaminer – Heavy On The Vine
3 – Gillian Welch and David Rawlings – Woodland
4 – Julian Taylor – Pathways
5 – Sam Outlaw – Terra Cotta
6 – Chuck Prophet with Quiensave – Wake The Dead
7 – Lucinda Williams – Sings The Beatles
8 – Kacey Musgraves – Deeper Well
9 – Michael McDermott – Lighthouse On The Shore/East Jesus
10 – Bonny Light Horseman – Keep me On Your Mind/See You Free
11- Jim Cuddy – All The World Fades Away
12 – Caleb Caudle – Sweet Critters
13 – Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters – The Ones That Stay
14 – Andrea Von Kampen – Sister Moon
15 – Alejandro Escovedo – Echo Dancing
16 – Cheyenne Medders – Til 41 Ends
Much obliged, Paul
Hope everybody is having a nice Christmas…
My top two were switching back and forth but for today, T Bone nicks it – maybe down to nostalgia or maybe because he had the inspired idea to bring in the women from Lucius on some BV’s…
1. T Bone Burnett – The Other Side
2. Bonny Light Horseman – Keep Me On Your Mind
3. Bill Ryder Jones – Iechyd Da
4. Fontaines DC – Romance
5. Linda Thompson – Proxy Music
6. Cara Dillon – Coming Home
7. Elbow – Audio Vertigo
8. Bright Eyes – Five Dice, All Threes
9. Susan O’Neill – Now In A Minute
10. The Smile – Wall Of Eyes
11. Richard Hawley – In This City They Call You Love
12. Big Big Train – The Likes Of Us
13. John Grant – The Art Of The Lie
14. Joe Pug – Sketch Of A Promised Departure
15. Crowded House – Gravity Stairs
16. Kacey Musgraves – Deeper Well
17. Willie Nelson – The Border
18. Ian Hunter – Defiance Part 2 / Fiction
19. Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
20. Katherine Priddy – The Pendulum Swing
Honourable mentions:
Public Service Broadcasting – The Last Flight
Villagers – That Golden Time
Dion – Girlfriends
Khruangbin – A La Sala
Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department (Clara Bow might be my song of the year)
Nick Cave – Wild God
Laurie Anderson – Amelia
David Gilmore – Luck And Strange
Too new to rate at the moment:
Michael Kiwanuka
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
The Coward Brothers (not too keen on it so far!)
The Cure
You need to listen on Audible ( only on there at present) The True Story of The Coward Brothers , the album will make much more sense then. The story is a hoot…well I really enjoyed it !
Thanks RB!
I’ve spent most of the year listening to audiobooks and a pile of old jazz albums I acquired so I haven’t really kept abreast of new music. I see the Decemberists are riding high on many lists, I listened to it a couple of times and it went on the “meh” pile, I really though they dialled that one in, I felt much the same about the Mercury Rev record.
Anyhoo, only five from me;
1 Richard Hawley – In This City They Call You Love
2 Nick Lowe – Indoor Safari
3 Paul Heaton – The Mighty Several
4 Brown Horse – Reservoir
5 Nick Cave – Wild God
I must listen to more music next year.
The difference between “dialled it in” and “phoned it in” is actually quite important – they’re pretty much opposites.
1 Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings – Woodland
2 Laura Marling – Patterns in Repeat
3 Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Wild God
4 Linda Thompson – Proxy Music
5 Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown
6 Richard Hawley – In This City They Call You Love
7 Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future
8 Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More
9 T Bone Burnett – The Other Side
10 Lone Justice – Viva Lone Justice
11 Bill Ryder Jones – Iechyd Da
12 Johnny Blue Skies & Sturgill Simpson – Passage Du Desir
13 Willie Nelson – Last Leaf On The Tree
14 Brown Horse – Reservoir
15 Charles Lloyd – The Sky Will Still be There Tomorrow
16 Kathryn Williams & Withered Hand – Willson Williams
17 Fontaines D C – Romance
18 Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets – Indoor Safari
19 Richard Thompson – Ship to Shore
20 Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
Thanks for all of your work to make this happen.
Here are the votes from the Notts/Derbys borderlands.
1 Master Peace – How to Make a Masterpeace
2 Thus Love – All Pleasure
3 Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More
4 Tindersticks – Soft Tissue
5 The Lovely Eggs – Eggsstentialism
6 Brigitte Calls Me Baby – The Future is Our Way Out
7 Soft Play – Heavy Jelly
8 Andrew Gabbard – Ramble & Rave
9 Fontaines DC – Romance
10 The Last Dinner Party – Prelude to Ecstasy
Cheers to all. Happy new year.
Finally settled on a running order.
Four Tet – Loved
Yard Act – Where’s My Utopia?
Bill Ryder-Jones – Iechyd Da
Kiasmos – Kiasmos II
Underworld – Strawberry Hotel
Engish Teacher – This Could Be Texas
Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
Kelly Lee Owens – Dreamstate
The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
Fontaines D.C. – Romance
Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us
The Smile – Wall of Eyes
Merely, Malibu – Essential Mixtape
Jon Hopkins – Ritual
Peel Dream Magazine – Rose Main Reading Room
Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Wild God
Jesus and Mary Chain – Glasgow Eyes
House of All – Continuum
Charli xcx – 360
Bubbling under Grandaddy, Nia Archives but I think this was clearly the top twenty. Kim Deal could possibly have broken through had she released it not in mid-December. Personal disappointments included Taylor Swift, Pet Shop Boys, Jamie XX (the last containing a few absolute bangers, including Baddie on the Floor, a contender for track of the year, but not at all consistent).
Charli xcx – that’s ‘Brat’ as album, I take it?
Sorry yes – copying over from Spotify playlist
@moseleymoles I have assumed that you mean Four Tet – Three, rather than Loved. Loved was a single I think, from the album Three. I have added your 20 points to Three – please correct me if I am wrong.
@paul-hewston yes that is correct, sorry. That’s twice now.
No worries.
There were only about 3 albums in my list at the beginning of December, but guided by other entries from AWers, and other ‘best of the year’ polls, I found my way to 20.
1. Laurie Anderson – Amelia
A new album from Laurie is a must for me – this is a beautifully imagined travelogue.
2. Maggie Rogers – Don’t Forget Me
Maggie goes from odd folk to dance to rock and now to country – not my favourite genre, but she does it well.
3. Katherine Priddy – Pendulum Swing
The first of the albums I discovered from others’ choices. Thanks to Dplumbley and 3 others for choosing this. It is such a touching evocation of place with orchestration, lyricism and soft vocals as fine as a Nick Drake album. It went straight to nearly the top for me.
4. Valentina Maza – Busco Espacio
As I started to explore Latin American music beyond Colombia, these viola-led ambient pieces from Chile are aural comfort blankets.
5. Mannequin Pussy – I Got Heaven
Aural comfort blankets are not what Mannequin Pussy are about. Tremendous, irreverent, noisy fun thanks to billy shears for highlighting this.
6. The Handover – The Handover
The first of two Arabic albums, this is a fantastic series of long form musical interactions between oud, violin and keyboards which shivers my timbres with its resonant frequencies
bandcamp
7. Syriana – 1325 Ibn Battutah
The second Arabic album – fittingly in the year Syria seems to be escaping from the shadows, this is a wonderful, varying musical travelogue across the Maghreb from Morocco
bandcamp
8. Lady Blackbird – Slang Spirituals
Oh my saints, this is a joyful sound of gospel music skewed. Thanks to Razor Boy and 2 others for this. Definitely one to look out for.
9. Justin Adams & Mauro Durante – Sweet Release
Justin Adams can do no wrong, and though I haven’t heard it enough yet, I will do. Thanks to Izzy.
10. Mia Kelly – To Be Clear
A beautifully clear voiced album of English and French songs. Clear like an undisturbed lake – thanks again to Dplumbley for another treasure.
11. That Woman – Find Joy
This is really great and thrusting music. What a find – thanks, Sewer Robot.
12. Afro Celt Sound System – OVA
I sourced over 1400 albums in preparation for supporting the poll compilations this year, and only found this album today. Some albums hide away as if they don’t want to be heard. Still getting to know this, but it sounds like a good tribute to Simon Emmerson
13. Superfónicos – Renaceré
Sounds and Colours did their end of year poll of Latin music finally this week. Too much from Brazil for my taste, but there were some tasty alternatives, like this US/Colombian danceable Cumbia treat,. I hope there will always be something from Colombia in my choices each year.
bandcamp
14. Dijit – Wisswass
The third Arabic choice is a bit wild and harsh on the ears, but I like the Mahraganat-inspired madness in this album.
bandcamp
15. DjNiraha – KorgMusic2024DemoEL-HELL-EΛ
This fourth and last Arabic album could be the soundtrack to the wedding from hell – a crazy noise. But sometimes you need a crazy noise…
bandcamp
16. Mabe Fratti – Sentir Que No Sabes
Thanks to Izzy for introducing a Guatemalan cellist, juxtaposing balmy euphonies and startling discordance – I had to have a listen – and loved it.
17. Lovely Eggs – Eggsistentialism
Sewer Robot, then others shared this rather fun-titled, and rather exciting album.
18. Loula Yorke – Volta
I think I was intrigued as much by the methods of musical production as the sounds made on this album – thanks to ip33 for a record that will definitely reward further listening.
19. Tatyana – It’s Over
I like a bit of electro – thanks to Martin Horsfield for raising the profile.
20. Manu Chao – Viva Tu
Not exactly a return to form, but good that he is still musically active.
As someone who loves picking through these lists looking for new things to like it’s gratifying to hear you dig something I’ve mentioned, Sal..
Exactly the same goes for me, Sal. Happy New Year to you and Robot.
Thank you, guys. Sewer, 2,3 and 14 on your list were also very interesting. Izzy – 9 on your list was the favourite album I’d a good friend of mine. I’ve told him to join the AW and post his own list, which has lots of groups not on any AWers’ lists.
Some of these have only been listened to once, I must admit. But here’s the order:
1 Lo Moon – I Wish You Way More Than Luck
2 Lemon Twigs – A Dream Is All We Know
3 Hamish Hawk – A Firmer Hand
4 The Last Dinner Party – Prelude To Ecstasy
5 Goat – Goat
6 Father John Misty – Mahashmashana
7 The Black Keys – Ohio Players
8 Danny & The Champions of the World – You Are Not A Stranger Here
9 The Decemberists – As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again
10 Public Service Broadcasting – The Last Flight
11 Fontaines DC – Romance
12 Held By Trees, Martin Smith – Held By Trees & Martin Smith
13 chuck prophet – wake the dead
14 michael kiwanuka – small changes
15 jane weaver – love in constant spectacle
16 elbow – audio vertigo
17 Nada Surf – Moon Mirror
18 mark knopfler – one deep river
19 richard hawley – in this city they call you love
20 She Drew The Gun – Howl
After much mental effort and struggle:
1. Abdullah Ibrahim – 3
2. Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
3. Renee Rosnes – Crossing Paths
4. Brad Mehldau, Mark Turner, Peter Bernstein, Larry Grenadier, Bill Stewart – Solid Jackson
5. Greg Foat – The Glass Frog
6. Eyolf Dale, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Per Zanussi, Audun Kleive – The Space Between Two Notes
7. GoGo Penguin – From The North-Live In Manchester
8. Charles Lloyd – The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow
9. Bill Laurence, Michael League – Keeping Company
10. Jenny Scheinman – All Species Parade10. Jenny Scheinman – All Species Parade
11. Adam Baldych, Leszek Mozdzer – Passacaglia
12. Jakob Bro, Lee Konitz, Bill Frisell, Jason Moran, Thomas Morgan, Andrew Cyrille – Taking Turns
13. Muriel Grossman – The Light Of The Mind
14. Mark Kavuma, The Banger Factory – Magnum Opus
15. Mary Halvorson – Cloudward
16. Sun Ra Arkestra – Lights On A Satellite
17. Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble – Open Me, A Higher Consciousness Of Sound And Spirit
18. Vijay Iyer, Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey – Compassion
19. Nubya Garcia – Odyssey
20. Hejira – Live @ The Cockpit
Under Bubblers etc.:
Aaron Parks – Little Big III
Alfa Mist, Amika Quartet – Recurring (Live At King’s Place)
Amaro Freitas – Y’Y
Ancient Infinity Orchestra – River Of Light
Arild Andersen – Landloper
Artie Zaitz – The Regulator
Bill Frisell – Orchestras
Chris Potter – Eagle’s Point
Ethan Iverson – Technically Acceptable
Ezra Collective – Dance, No One’s Watching
Immanuel Wilkins – Blues Blood
Joel Ross – Nublues
John Zorn, Julian Lage, Gyan Riley – Her Melodious Lay
Katia & Maribelle Labèque, Bryce Dessner, David Chalmin – Sonic Wires
Little North – While You Wait
Marlon Simon & The Nagual Spirits – On Different Paths
Melissa Aldana – Echoes Of The Inner Prophet
Nala Sinephro – Endlessness
Wadada Leo Smith, Amina Claudine Myers – Central Park’s Mosaics of Reservoir, Lake, Paths And Gardens
…and some others.
Ooh! Jenny Scheinman has an album out – definitely one for me to check out. I have enjoyed her work with Bill Frisell in the past.
1. Kimmi Bitter – Old School
2. Brenna MacMillan – Dear Life
3. Bright Eyes – Five Dice, All Threes
4. Nick Lowe – Indoor Safari
5. Kacey Musgraves – Deeper Well
6. Miranda Lambert – Postcards From Texas
7. Emily Nenni – Drive & Cry
8. Pernice Brothers – Who Will You Believe
9. The Castellows – A little Goes A Long Way
10. Lone Justice – Viva Lone Justice – Does this count as a new release?
11. Kimmie Rhodes – Hypnotized
12. Hurray For The Riff Raff – The Past Is Still Alive
13. Sierra Ferrell – Trail Of Flowers
I hadn’t realised how much I’ve listened to country & Americana this year!
1. Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks – True
2. Saint Etienne – The Night
3. Pet Shop Boys – Nonetheless
4. The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World
5. Public Service Broadcasting – The Last Flight
6. John Grant – The Art Of The Lie
7. Arooj Aftab – Night Reign
8. Talisk – Live At Barrowlands
9. Rick Wakeman – Yessonata
10. Mark Barrott – Everything Changes, Nothing Ends
11. Martyn Joseph – This Is What I Want To Say
12. Bill Ryder-Jones – Iechyd Da
13. Underworld – Strawberry Hotel
14. Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department
15. Epic45 – You’ll Only See Us When The Light Has Gone
16. Will Gregory Moog Ensemble – Heat Ray
17. Nick Cave – Wild God
18. Richard Hawley – In This City They Call You Love
19. Nick Lowe – Indoor Safari
20. The High Llamas – Hey Panda
It was difficult to narrow it down this year. And thanks to everyone else’s lists, still more to explore.
My #1 choice above would win the award for worst album art of the year! (Bill Ryder-Jones would be the best.)
Ok here’s my effort.
1. Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us
2. Bonny Light Horseman – Keep Me On Your Mind/ See You Free
3. Gillian welch & David Rawlings – Woodland
4. Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band – Loophole
5. Pye Corner Audio – The Endless Echo
6. Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan – Your Community Hub
7. The Smile – Wall Of Eyes
8. The Innocence Mission – Midwinter Swimmers
9. Adrienne Lenker – Bright Future
10. Diogo Strausz – Samba From Outer Space
11. Laura Marling – Patterns In Repeat
12. Four Tet – Three
13. Father John Misty – Mahashmashana
14. Sean Khan – The Modern Jazz & Folk Ensemble
15. Kelly Lee Owens – Dreamstate
16. Tycho – Infinite Health
17. Nilufer Yanya – My Method Actor
18. Sam Redmore – Modulate
19. Mark Knopfler – One Deep River
20. Floating Points – Cascade
1. The Howl And The Hum – Same Mistake Twice
2. Shed Seven – A Matter Of Time
3. The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World
4. Father John Misty – Mahashmashana
5. Cast – Love Is The Call
6. Ed Harcourt – El Magnifico
7. Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard And Soft
8. Jack White – No Name
9. Liam Gallagher John Squire (untitled)
10. Fionn Regan – O Avalanche
11. Shed Seven – Liquid Gold
12. Wunderhorse – Midas
13. Iron and Wine – Light Verse
14. Beabadoobee – This Is How Tomorrow Moves
15. Maximo Park – Stream Of Life
16. Primal Scream – Come Ahead
17. Eels – Eels Time!
18. Grandaddy – Blu Wave
19. Robyn Hitchcock – 1967 Vacations In The Past
20. Travis – LA Times
A far from vintage year on the new release front, some will be eternal favourites, some will get better with time, some will be placed on the shelf and forgotten
1 EELS – TIME!
2 YARD ACT – WHERE’S MY UTOPIA?
3 BARRY ADAMSON – CUT TO THE BLACK
4 THE LOVELY EGGS – EGGSTENRIALISM
5 EX-EASTER ISLAND HEAD – NORTHER
6 THE DARK JAZZ PROJECT – 5
7 FRANK TURNER – UNDEFEATED
8 LAURA JANE GRACE – HOLE IN MY HEAD
9 GRACE PETRIE – BUILD SOMETHING GOOD
10 FONTAINES DC – ROMANCE
11 THE DARK JAZZ PROJECT – THE CABINET OF DOCTOR CALIGARI
12 KNEECAP – FINE ART
13 MICHAEL DONOGHUE – TIME MACHINE
14 DIKARYON – EVENTS
15 GRANDADDY – BLU WAV
16 PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING – THE LAST FLIGHT
17 NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS – WILD GOD
18 LAURIE ANDERSON – AMELIA
19 FRANCIS OF DELIRIUM – LIGHTHOUSE
20 RICHARD TRETHEWEY – TWO HALVES
1. Norma Winstone – Outpost of Dreams
2. Jimetta Rose and the Voice of Creation – Things Are Getting Better
3. Rita Payes – De Camino Al Camino
4. Ganavya – Daughter of a Temple
5. Franco Ambrosetti – Sweet Carress
6. Rebecca Dale – Night Seasons
7. Eliane Elias – Time and Again
8. Sy Smith – Until We Meet Again
9. Alaide Costa – E o Tempo Agora Quer Voar
10. Pat Metheny – Moon Dial
11. Jo Harrop – The Path of a Tear
12. Kurt Elling – Wildflowers Vol.2
13. Nikara presents Black Wall Street – the Queen of Kings County
14. Julius Rodriguez – Evergreen
15. Jaden Evans – Evans Plays Evans
16. Snorri Hallgrimsson – Longer Shadows, Softer Stones
17. Zaccai Curtis – Cubop Lives!
18. Thelonius Garcia – Marche Nocturne
19. Superlocrian – Hills and Valleys
20. Reiss Eccles Beckett – Worlds Apart
Notes:
1. Norma Winstone – Outpost of Dreams
Now 83 – but still producing incredible work – here with pianist Kit Downes on a continuation of 30 plus years of fine work on the ECM label. And then another superb 2024 set “Wheeler with Words” celebrating the late British jazz trumpet player and former bandmate in Azimuth, Kenny Wheeler.
2. Jimetta Rose and the Voice of Creation – Things are getting better
Utterly joyful gospel music with a jazz tinge – the stomping “Everywhere I Look” my favourite track of the year.
3. Rita Payes – De Camino Al Camino
Hard to categorise – Catalan bossa nova? – the young singer/songwriter/ trombonist/arranger is quite a star – and possibly unique in having her mother – Elisabeth Roma – and her hubby in her band. There’s a great recent Tiny Desk of them playing live (see below).
4. Ganavya – Daughter of a Temple
Two fine albums this year from the Tamil singer – the first “Like the Sky…” an ambient affair – the second “Daughter…” heads in a spiritual jazz direction with re-workings of classic Alice/John Coltrane pieces. Stellar cast of jazz folks provide accompaniment.
5. Franco Ambrosetti – Sweet Carress
Another octogenarian – this time a jazz trumpeter on classy strings-laden ballad set arranged by piano/orchestral genius Alan Broadbent.
6. Rebecca Dale – Night Seasons
Young UK classical composer’s beautiful meditation on the wee small hours with cellist Steven Isserlis and choral group Tenebrae.
7. Eliane Elias – Time and Again
Instant mood lift from consistently brilliant Brazilian jazz pianist/singer/songwriter.
8. Sy Smith – Until We Meet Again
Slinky funky soulful set with decent tunes and a hint vocally of Minnie Ripperton.
9. Alaide Costa – E o Tempo Agora Quer Voar
Languid bossa nova from the great singer – still going strong 70+ years on from her recording debut.
10. Pat Metheny – Moon Dial
More gorgeous late night noodling – this time on baritone guitar – from the great man.
11. Jo Harrop – The Path of a Tear
Bluesy soulful set from great British singer with classy laidback Larry Klein production. “Beautiful Fools” my most played track of the year apparently.
12. Kurt Elling – Wildflowers Vol.2
Wistful vocal/piano standards set. Wonderful.
13. Nikara presents Black Wall Street – the Queen of Kings County
Vibes player’s debut is jazzy, funky and full of spirit – nice slow take on “Move on Up” – with her grandad jazz piano legend Kenny Barron dropping by on a couple of tracks.
14. Julius Rodriguez – Evergreen
Brilliant pianist veers off in an interesting jazz fusion direction.
15. Jaden Evans – Evans Plays Evans
The late Bill Evans’ 16-year-old grandson captures the tone and the touch of the great man on a beautifully recorded set with top notch rhythm section.
16. Snorri Hallgrimsson – Longer Shadows, Softer Stones
Ideal name for Scandi-soft core modern classic/ambient noodling.
17. Zaccai Curtis – Cubop Lives!
Small group Latin jazz gem – led by superbly agile pianist.
18. Thelonius Garcia – Marche Nocturne
By contrast – solo piano late night meanderings.
19. Superlocrian – Hills and Valleys
Brass/wind ensemble’s jolly tunes would suit a BBC 70s gentle sitcom – also includes a James Bond medley.
20. Reiss Eccles Beckett – Worlds Apart
Rising UK jazz saxophonist’s impressively mature debut of self-penned tunes.
Rita Payes Tiny Desk:
This year has been dominated by one album by Cambridge’s indie supergroup, which I had a hand in mixing and I still absolutely love, despite hearing it repeatedly for 18 months (it finally got a Bandcamp release on 1st December). I doubt it will upset the AW chart.
1. The Pony Collaboration – Don’t Pretend You Don’t Remember.
All the others I have heard and enjoyed, but I can’t really put in order (I have tried!), so please distribute their points evenly.
Outliers – Outliers
A Certain Ratio – It All Comes Down To This
The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
Los Bitchos – Talkie Talkie
Manu Chao – Viva Tu
Field Music – Limits Of Language
Beth Orton – Lives Outgrown
Sean Khan Presents The Modern Folk & Jazz Ensemble
Various Artists – Everyone’s Getting Involved: a tribute to Stop Making Sense
There have been others, which tomorrow I will doubtless wish I had included.
That’s Beth Gibbons, not Beth Orton, I assume? I’ll suggest to Paul a round 10 points to each of your other choices – hope that’s OK.
Yes. That’ll teach me to type and talk at the same time. Thanks.
I’d score them in the order he wrote them down. Something made him think of them in that sequence.
New PC is excellent news. Nice work, Steve..
They played my 50th in early 2020, had a batch of new songs ready to record, then the great unpleasantness interrupted our plans. So it ended up being recorded remotely in different locations, half of it “in the box” – there’s a strong influence of Pet Shop Boys on some of those songs.
Mixing it to make it sound like one suite of songs, and not 10 different recordings, was an absolute bugger, which is why it took 18 months.
The good news is album number five is already in the can. We recorded it live in the studio last Easter, over a single weekend.
I really didn’t. I went to the Kallax and pulled them out, put them onto the floor, then took a picture of the pile, then came back here and typed them up in the order I saw them. It might as well have been alphabetical, or just random.
It’s all Eurobal round here. In truth, only the first few are genuinely great; I mean, a Three Cane Whale album is always a joy, but it’s not showstopping. I seem to do fine for official exclamation marks, but my anglo-keyboard lets me down on various required accents, dipthongs and other body modifications.
1. Rheingans Sisters – Start Close In
2. Planchee – II
3. Cohen Braithwaite Kilcoyne – Play up the Music!
4. Topette!! – Live at the Jam Jar
5. Naragonia – Live (20th Anniversary Concert)
6. Kate Young – Umbelliferae
7. Andrew Tuttle / Michael Chapman – Another Tide Another Fish
8. Henry Parker and David Ian Roberts – Chasing Light
9. Hack Poets Guild – Blackletter Garland
10. Flach Osterby – Ude af mine haender
11. Rakoczy Dew – Two for Joy
12. Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown
13. Jane Weaver – Love in Constant Spectacle
14. Martin Simpson – Skydancers
15. Three Cane Whale – Hibernacula
16. Coras Trio – untitled
17. Bassekou Kouyate & Amy Sacko – Djudjon l’Oiseau de Garana
18. Mike Gangloff & C Joynes – Tom Winter Tom Spring
19. Tarren – Outside Time
20. Helen Gentile & Lewis Wood – Violet Sky
And I’ve just realised that my favourite musician appears on three of these albums. That’s happened before with this list.
For easier access to accents, breves, cedillas, circumflexes, macrons, simple fractions, degrees etc. on Windows computers, there’s a little free program you can download called WinCompose, that I have been using for quite a while.
It offers you simple fairly-intuitive key combinations to provide the letters and symbols a basic UK or other keyboard cannot offer. Once installed it loads when your computer starts up and works everywhere that you need to type text.
Gróóvy.
Unfortunately eset won’t let me download it. I wanted those to be Scandinavian Os with a line through them.
Hi @thecheshirecat. It looks like your no.9 album was released in 2023. Could that be right?
Well, sometimes folk albums take ages to come to the surface, but in the mean time, I have found the band’s site telling me this about Nathaniel Mann … ‘his work Pigeon Whistles (2013), a flying orchestra of flute-carrying Birmingham Roller pigeons, won the George Butterworth Prize for Composition in 2015.’ What’s not to like?
Ultimately, it’s between you and Paul on whether to include it. Meanwhile, I have found some accents and letters for some of your acts
* Planchée – II
* Flach Østerby – Ude af mine hænder
* Córas Trio – Untitled
* Bassekou Kouyate & Amy Sacko – Djudjon l’Oiseau de Garaná
There may be more I am missing
Great work!
Umbelliferae needs a ‘thong too.
1 Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown
2 Laura Marling – Patterns in Repeat
3 A Certain Ratio – It All Comes Down to This
4 Joan as Policewoman – Lemons, Limes and Orchids
5 Field Music – Limits of Language
6 Public Service Broadcasting – The Last Flight
7 John Grant – The Art of the Lie
8 Held by Trees and Martin Smith – Held by Trees and Martin Smith
Much later than usual (I was not well), the playlist is available for those who care…
I thought – wrongly – that Arooj Aftab was rather a niche artist. A little left-field. Not very mainstream. What a joy it is to see that no fewer than sixteen Afterworders have put “Night Reign” in their favourite albums of the year chart.
Niche artist, eh? Any views on plantoid, duco?