Best Music of 2024 - Part 5

2024 was a year I attended more live shows than I have in any year in recent memory; and with tickets to four upcoming 2025 events in hand already, it looks like next year will continue that trend. 

Three of the upcoming shows will involve LC, so his interest in music is definitely part of the reason for the upsurge in seeing live music. It has also revived my interest in some of the music I listened to in my youth, so that's a huge plus. 

I'd have to say that overall 2024 was a pretty good year, with one major exception that I won't discuss here. I hope it was a good one for you too, and that 2025 is even better. Thanks again to the two or three of you who have paid attention this far, and I hope you continue to remain interested. 

5. The Cure - Songs of a Lost World

A good portion of my youth took place in the '80s, but I never was a fan of The Cure or pretty much anything new wave related, so this album's ranking should be quite the surprise. 

4. Zach Bryan - The Great American Bar Scene

This one was quite a surprise as well, but for different reasons. When I heard Jason Isbell was opening for him on tour, I assumed Zach Bryan was just another mainstream country artist...perhaps I pictured a cross between Zac Brown and Luke Bryan. But, the guest appearances on this album -- namely Bruce Springsteen and John Moreland --- prompted me to give it a chance. I'm glad I did. 

3. Phosphorescent - Revelator

My top two albums are both by artists who have one prior top ten appearance each, so this is the highest ranking newcomer to my top ten. 

2. Adrianne Lenker - Bright Future

This is not meant as a knock on Big Thief, but I'm a much bigger fan of her solo work than I am her main gig. 

1. Waxahatchee - Tigers Blood

I can't remember the last time I've been this certain of an album of the year, not to mention that Waxahatchee's concert at the Orpheum in April was my show of the year, and this amazing duet with MJ Lenderman is my song of the year. 

Best Music of 2024 - Part 4

 
10. Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks - True

Jon Anderson turned 80 this year. I'm quite certain this makes him the oldest artist to land in my top ten, although there is one artist in my top five whose heyday was also in the 20th century. 

9. Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us

8. Cloud Cult - Alchemy Creek

7. Bonny Light Horseman - Keep Me On Your Mind/See You Free

6. John Moreland - Visitor

While a few of the albums rounding out this top ten are not their bands' best albums, the top six are all my absolute favorites by the artists in question. 
 

Best Music of 2024 - Part 3

20. Hurray for the Riff Raff - The Past is Still Alive

19. Nada Surf - Moon Mirror

18. Soccer Mommy - Evergreen

17. American Aquarium - The Fear of Standing Still

16. MJ Lenderman - Manning Fireworks

15. Cassandra Jenkins - My Light, My Destroyer

14. Jonsi - First Light

13. J Mascis - What Do We Do Now

12. Pedro the Lion - Santa Cruz

11. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Wild God

Best Music of 2024 - Part 2

30. Rosali - Bite Down

29. Dirty Three - Love Changes Everything

28. The Reds, Pinks and Purples - Unwishing Well

27. Torres - What an Enormous Room

26. Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman with Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Sweetheart of the Rodeo: Live!

25. Real Estate - Daniel

24. Judas Priest - Invincible Shield

23. Lydia Loveless - Something Else

22. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - FU##IN' UP

21. Nap Eyes - Neon Gate

Best Music of 2024 - Part 1

2024 was a very good year in music, in my opinion, probably the best in recent memory. For that reason, I'm doing a top 40 for the first time since 2018, a year when I actually recognized my 50 favorite albums. 

2024 was also the year that Black Sabbath took over the reigns from AC/DC as Little Chuck's favorite band. In fact, we have tickets to see Zakk Sabbath just after the new year, so we're pretty excited about that. I doubt we'll ever get to see the real deal, although if a reunion ever happens, I hope they choose Zakk Wylde over Tony Martin as the lead singer...assuming Ozzy is no longer an option. 

Speaking of the real deal, please keep this quiet for a few more days (not that anyone's going to be talking to LC in the meantime). 

I'll probably have more to say in later posts, but for now, let's get to the list: 

40. Rick Wakeman - Yessonata

39. Iron & Wine - Light Verse

38. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings - Woodland

37. Kim Richey - Every New Beginning

36. Middle Kids - Faith Crisis Pt 1

35. Johnny Blue Skies - Passage Du Desir

34. Jack White - No Name

33. Brown Horse - Reservoir

32. Horse Jumper of Love - Disaster Trick

31. Pernice Brothers - Who Will You Believe

Retrospective Albums of the Year: 1974

I basically teased this idea in my Best Music of 2023 post. I've decided to retrospectively work on my top ten albums of years that preceded my annual list, which began in 1996. I'll be doing so by celebrating the 50th, 40th and 30th anniversaries of said albums. If I keep this up, I'll eventually be marking some 60th anniversaries as well, but since my 1964 list would be pretty weak, I'll be holding off on that for now.

For all of these lists, I'll allow for the benefit of hindsight, but for the years in which I actually listened to some of these albums, nostalgia will be a factor. 1974 was not one of those years.

10. Kiss - Kiss

My first favorite band's music hasn't aged really well, but their debut remains their best work, and evidence they know how to write melodic hard rock songs.

9. Tom Waits - The Heart of Saturday Night

This is actually the only Tom Waits album I've ever bought -- and I was turned on to it by Shawn Colvin's cover of the title track -- but it's a good one nonetheless.

8. Steely Dan - Pretzel Logic

My pal Lee once said you could arguably rank the first six Led Zeppelin albums in any order. I basically feel the same way about Steely Dan.

7. Gram Parsons - Grevious Angel

The Godfather of Country Rock's posthumously released final album was as great as everything that came before it.

6. Electric Light Orchestra - Eldorado

ELO is one of two bands in this top ten that I was a fan of in the '70s, Kiss being the other. But, I didn't discover the beauty of Eldorado until many years later, perhaps because "Can't Get it Out of My Head" is the only really big hit on this album. Obviously, I came around because I ranked it second in their discography back in 2010.

5. Big Star - Radio City

Not that you really have to choose one over the other, but I've always been an advocate that Chris Bell was the superior co-leader of this band. Considering this album was released after his departure, and is strictly an Alex Chilton affair, I probably don't have a leg to stand on there. Still, you should probably read this post about the Big Star documentary, and check out the film, to fully appreciate where I'm coming from.

4. Blue Öyster Cult - Secret Treaties

I became a BÖC fan in the early '80s. Their late '70s and early '80s output were my most frequent listens at the time, but when I decided to go back further, Secret Treaties was my first purchase. For a young fan, it was a bit of an acquired taste, but I now consider it the best album of their black-and-white era (so named for their first three album covers), and their second best overall.

3. Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark

For some reason, I kind of forgot how fantastic this album is. Probably my second favorite Joni album, which seems to be a recurring theme on this list.

2. Neil Young - On the Beach

I've never gotten around to completing my project ranking the entire Neil Young discography. It's pretty safe to say this one falls just outside of the top five, but easily makes the top ten.

1. King Crimson - Red

At the start of the pandemic, while I was working in my basement, I embarked on a project ranking my top 100 albums of all-time. For once, I actually saw it through to the end and in June of 2020, I completed the list but never posted about it. Nearly four years later, I'm sure the list needs some updating, so maybe you'll see it here eventually. Anyway, my point is Red is one of two King Crimson albums to make that list, and the only top 100 album from 1974.