(Ironfish Editors Note: I had so much fun making fake album covers for my list and Melse's that I'm going to go ahead and use it again to make them for Murn's list AS WELL, even though he had a list that also had nothing to do with AI.)
Honorable Mentions & Missed Marks – No Review For You!
25. Rainbow Kitten Surprise – Love Hate Music Box
24. Dawes – Oh Brother
23. Johnny Blue Skies & Sturgill Simpson – Passage Du Desir
22. The Decemberists – As It Ever Was, So It Will Be
21. Remi Wolf – Big Ideas
20. Toro y Moi – Hole Erth
19. Lupe Fiasco – Samurai
18. Andrew Bird & Madison Cunningham – Cunningham Bird
17. White Denim – 12
16. Dr. Dog – Dr. Dog
Getting Closer – Warrants Some Brief Notes
15. Tuxedo – Tuxedo IV
More of the same from them. It’s a good same, but the same nonetheless. Retro soul and slick disco beats.
14. Mk. gee – Two Star & The Dream Police
If you asked ChatGPT to mix Justin Bieber, Bon Iver, lo-fi bedroom rock, warm synths, and dreamy guitar riffs.
13. Thee Sacred Souls – Got a Story to Tell
Typically, I’m a sucker for the retro soul homage style groups. This one does that decently, but not the same way say, a Monophonics does.
12. Ric Wavy – Donut Holes
Explores the intersections of pop, funk, and electronic music in a whimsical playful way.
11. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – South of Here
Stays true to the band’s roots. Solid effort. Rateliff continues to grow as a songwriter and performer.
Top 10
10. Matt Duncan – I Will Write Your Song
Love the boppy upbeat feeling of Duncan. Always makes accessible new-aged yacht rock-styled tunes. Maybe this album would have ranked higher if it wasn’t a repackage of singles that he trickled to the public. Feel like the shine wore off the apple.
9. Leon Bridges – Leon
Retro soul done right. This guy keeps maturing and putting out great records. He also puts on a great live show. Its cool to see the growth from album to album. He has become the beacon of modern soul music. This self-titled record represents a reinvention for the artist, blending classic soul with modern influences to create a unique, genre-defying sound. While Leon remains deeply soulful, it also explores the boundaries of pop, funk, and alternative R&B, showcasing a new, more experimental side of Bridges.
8. DJ Cam – Broken Melancholy
DJ Cam, a name synonymous with laid-back grooves, jazz-infused beats, and emotive electronic textures, returns with Broken Melancholy, a contemplative journey that perfectly blends his signature style with a darker, more introspective mood. The album is an exploration of melancholic beauty, showcasing DJ Cam’s ability to create lush, atmospheric soundscapes that pull the listener into a world of introspection and subtle complexity. Where previous works leaned more heavily into jazz and downtempo influences, Broken Melancholy embraces a more atmospheric, almost cinematic approach, combining organic instrumentation with the kind of electronic production that lingers in the mind for a long after the music fades.
7. Khruangbin – A LA SALA
Khruangbin has always been a band that defies easy categorization. Known for their genre-blurring fusion of funk, soul, psych-rock, and world music, the Texas-based trio has spent the past decade carving out a unique sound that transports listeners across time and space. On A La Sala, the band’s latest offering, Khruangbin continues to push their musical boundaries, crafting an album that is equal parts ambient, groovy, and experimental. I was blown away by their live show in 2024. To engage the crowd the way that they do despite not having “real” lyrics is amazing. All while being a trio.
6. Black Keys – Ohio Players
The Black Keys deliver one of their most polished yet raw records to date, steeping their signature blues-infused rock in a sense of nostalgia while pushing their sound forward with a strikingly fresh perspective. You can always count on a BK record to pop up on my list. Where the band’s previous albums leaned into fuzzed-out guitars and hard-hitting drums, Ohio Players feels more expansive, blending blues, soul, funk, and rock with a contemporary polish. The album is a perfect amalgamation of their love for 60s/70s grooves.
5. Crowded House – Gravity Stairs
This album starts the “just let it play” portion of the list. From this album forward, I see no skippable tracks. Pick your mood, and pop one of these albums on. These last five are all quite different from each other but offer complete experiences. Let’s give it up again for another older rock band still doing it right. What a great listen. This is really a timeless record. This could have been released at any point in their three-decade careers, and I would have thought nothing of it. What a lasting brand of upbeat yet melodic melancholic rock. Storytelling and topics get updates, but their core sound remains. Their vibrant sweeping rock arrangements sung in their distinctive lush harmonic way make this such an easy listen from start to finish.
4. Pearl Jam – Dark Matter
Not just another PJ album. This has real depth. Real feeling. Plus it embraces stretched boundaries without feeling forced (sorry Gigaton). It was surreal getting to see them for the first time in NYC in 2024. I don’t know if I dragged my feet on seeing them play live because I was afraid to disrupt the childhood picture I had in my head? Doesn’t make much sense, because I know they are killer live. Who knows, but seeing them play these songs live was a major life event for me. I’m thankful my lady sat in an online queue for hours to score us tickets. I always base my yearly rankings on album strength as a whole. This just missed the top three for me. But that says a whole lot. To be getting this quality from a band that spans three decades is phenomenal. Can't wait to see them again in May 2025.
3. Common Saints – Cinema 3000
If you are a fan of the vibe of Omar Velasco’s Golden Child record and love expansive atmospheric mood-shifting instrumentals, then this album should tickle you just right. To add to this, this album feels like curated tracks from a movie rather than bundled songs placed on a record. This album pulls you in gently and rewards you for your time spent. Feel like they created a new genre of adult shoegaze. Beautiful enough to work to, yet substantiative enough to stand on its own.
2. Marcus King – Mood Swings
This album finally finds the vein for me. I dug songs from previous solo and full band records, but they never could hold me for a complete album. Seeing him live in 2024 reinforced my slam dunk choice for my 2024 number one. Each song is a dive into his emotional ups and downs. He even riffed live that he is rarely happy and hard to deal with. Southern rock and blues are not just genres for him. They are a way of life. This album upped the level of connection with the listener. It became more than traditional Southern rock sensibilities. Up until two weeks ago, this was my number one of 2024. Until…
1. Fabiana Palladino – Fabiana Palladino
Like Melse, I too was captivated by this album. So much so, that it bumped Mr. King from the top spot. That is saying something because King had been my favorite for much of the year. Tasting Notes: Evocative vocals and innovative musical approach. Soul, indie, electronic, and alt-pop. Sonically rich and emotionally profound. Each song is an 80’s synthy reflection of her emotional landscape. Above all else, her voice and the cohesive arrangements make this a true standout.
No comments:
Post a Comment