Even More Best Albums of 2024: Checking Out Lists of Others, Reactions
Over the past few weeks, since posting my own rankings of the best albums of 2024, I have been checking out the Best of 2024 lists from various other music sites, channels, and publications, and then listening to those albums that looked interesting that I had not heard or was not aware of. It actually was quite a revelation, because, outside of a few prog-oriented Youtube channels, none of the lists included any of the albums I thought were the very best of the year, even those that were not prog! Now, I know that I listen to a lot of somewhat obscure stuff (relative to mainstream pop etc.), but I was shocked to see that there weren't at least some other music outlets that saw the greatness in this music that I did. And since I had not listened to many of those that they deemed to be the best of the year, I had to check out just what they considered the best music. The AOTY site has compiled the best of lists from dozens (well over 100) of music sources and have them available to view on their site, and have also compiled them all into an aggregate list, taking the rankings from all sites combined to come up with an overall composite list. Using this overall list, I listened to most of the top 50 albums on this list (20 of the top 30 and at least 30 of the top 50), several I had already heard, but most I had not previously heard. I didn't listen to some of those in genres I just wasn't interested in (rap, hip hop, mainstream pop) or those I had heard some songs from but wasn't interested in hearing the whole album (like Beyonce, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter). Hey, I don't get paid to do this, so, with one exception, I still only listened to those that looked interesting and I wanted to hear. I'm not a glutton for punishment. Overall, I will say that there were many fine (good to very good) albums on their list (as well as a few real stinkers), and for most of them I was glad I listened to them, even if they were not a favorite. But although these were somewhat of a consensus list of the best albums of the year, there were not any that would make my top 25 for the year, although there were a few that would be in my top 50 and many that would make a top 100 or so. So, some pretty good music, but the best of the year? Not really, not for me.
So, I'm not going to reprint their whole top 50 composite list here, I'm just going to talk briefly about my takes on the ones I liked best, as well as a few that I didn't like at all.
From AOTY Compiled Aggregate List
Best of the Bunch:(#indicates placement in AOTY aggregate list)
(#28) Father John Misty - Mahashmashana
Really enjoyed this, and the only one of these albums that should have made my top 40 list. Loved the variety, arrangements, and production, with a real 70's vibe and influences throughout, from the lush orchestration and All-Things-Must-Pass style production on title track and Screamland, to the elements of glam and funk in some tracks, and glimpses of various 70's icons with songs reminiscent of Lou Reed, Harry Nilsson, Leonard Cohen, and others. 4ó.
(#8) Waxahatchee - Tiger's Blood
Another strong album (following up the wonderful Saint Cloud) from this folk-rock band. Nothing fancy, just
enjoyable, well-crafted songs, great vocals, and basic but effective
arrangements. 3.5ó
(#18) English Teacher - This Could be Texas
Impressive debut album. Very appealing sound, interesting arrangements. A compelling mix of indie rock and pop aesthetics presented with a post-rock approach. 3.5ó
(#3) The Cure - Songs of a Lost World
The Cure return with their best album in many years. Lush, intricate, atmospheric soundscapes and extended instrumental intros and outros lift the somewhat monotonous nature of the songs (simple chord progression established and never changes throughout the song) to create immersive moody vibe. 3.5ó
(#16) Adrianne Lenker - Bright Future
Lovely, poignant, heartfelt acoustic folk from the Big Thief singer-songwriter. 3.5ó
(#35) St. Vincent - All Born Screaming
Great variety and versatility on this album of rich, powerful, creative songs from this always interesting artist. 3.5ó
(#11) Jessica Pratt - Here in the Pitch
Quite pleasant, stripped-down, jazz-tinged, melodic vocal pop. 3.5ó
Other pretty good albums
(#21) Last Dinner Party - Prelude to Ecstasy
Well-done drama pop, just not something I can connect with. 3ó
(#23) Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us
Interesting and engaging songs have the makings of a break-through album, but are unfortunately too-often undermined by the band's self-conscious and ill-fated attempts to be offbeat and edgy with annoying intrusions. 3ó
(#4) MJ Lendermann - Manning Fireworks
Surprisingly enjoyable low-energy alt-country/country-rock (slacker rock?) 3ó
(#37) Cassandra Jenkins - My Light, My Destroyer
Mellow, but ambitious and sophisticated indie pop. 3ó
(#19) Magdalena Bay - Imaginal Disk
Slick, elaborate, high-end, quirky Dream Pop 3ó
(#43) Hurray for the Riff Raff - The Past is Still Alive
Pleasant country-pop, eerily similar to early Taylor Swift. 3ó
(#50) Johnny Blue Skies - Passage du Desir
Pleasant good-time modern country with a classic feel. 3ó
Oddball Critic's Choice:
(#7) Cindy Lee - Diamond Jubilee
This musical oddity landed in the top 10 on more than 25 different lists, and was #1 on several. It consists of a massive 32 tracks spanning just over 2 hours in length. The music is hard to characterize, but its sort of lethargic atmospheric/ambient pop. They describe it as hypnagogic pop, whatever that means. I consider it a type of musical wallpaper. There is a mix of instrumental and vocal tracks, and stylistic variety (from glimpses of 50's girl pop to 60's psychedelia, etc), yet I would not really even classify them as songs, as they just seem to be musical vignettes that come on, play for a short while, maybe set a mood, but don't really go anywhere, then just end, and on to the next. Pitchfork (in naming it as the best album of the year) described it as "like a foggy transmission from a rock'n'roll netherworld with its own ghostly canon of beloved hits". Some of the tracks are quite good, but most are just OK or inconsequential, just there. To me, it plays primarily as background music. I really can't see this as an album you actually sit down and listen to straight through, but it could certainly be put on as somewhat pleasant unobtrusive background music while working or doing other things. It took me 4 separate listening sessions to get through the whole thing, because after about a half hour or so, I would just say, that's enough of that, and put something else on. Perhaps interesting as an oddity, but not enough substance here to justify the extreme length (or time commitment). 2.5ó
And then, there are the lows:
Yuck - Don't Waste my Time - Not worth it
All these are 1.5ó or less (at least in my book)
(#33) Knocked Loose - You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To (Metal)
(#34) Amyl and the Sniffers - Cartoon Darkness (Punk)
(#40) Mount Eerie - Night Palace (Post-Punk?)
(#13) Mannequin Pussy - I Got Heaven (Punk)
(#42) Chat Pile - Cool World (Metal)
(#14) Kim Gordon - The Collective (Industrial Hip Hop)
And Lastly (and Probably Least)
(#1) Charlie XCX - Brat
This was the definite consensus #1 pick for album of the year (greater consensus than most years), as this album was #1 on 27 lists and in the top ten on 65 lists, and included on over 100 lists. Although I certainly heard about this album, I had not actually heard anything from it (or had any interest in it) until it began popping up on all these best of the year lists. So, yes, then I had to check it out, and I was actually quite astonished by just how awful it is. Sure, I expected some kind of slick dance pop, but this is much worse than that. It is the most overly programmed, processed, synthetic, severely autotuned garbage I have ever heard. It involves no actual musicians, and I would have guessed no actual humans, with the robotic autotuned vocals. Not fun, not entertaining. I couldn't imagine anyone with a music background enjoying this album, let alone actual music critics calling it the best of the year. I suppose I should listen to this again to try to understand what it is that people find appealing about it, but I know that although the first time I was mainly shocked by what I heard, if I listen again it will just make me angry that this is what passes for 'great music' in 2024. If this is in any way the future of pop music, it is really depressing. 1ó
BB’s Rating scale:
1ó – Terrible, torturous to have to listen to
1.5ó - Poor, not worth your time
2 ó – Fair, maybe a couple half-way decent songs, but
sub-par overall
2.5ó – Average, OK, meh, not bad but not that good either
3ó – Good, solid album, several good songs, but not
spectacular. Certainly worthy, but may not be something you come back to very
often
3.5ó – Very good album. Some stellar tracks, very
enjoyable overall
4ó – Great album, filled with great songs, one that you
will want to come back to over and over again
4.5ó – Excellent album, beyond great, superb in every
way, just short of a masterpiece
5ó – A Masterpiece, among the greatest albums of its
type, and has stood the test of time
OK, that wraps up my look at the AOTY list, and part 1 of this final look at the best of 2024. But there are several other lists I checked out from various other outlets that had more albums to my liking, so I will be covering some of those in Part 2, coming soon.
