Usual stuff this year with a forensically collated spreadsheet of a long list of more than 60 albums released in the year that I have spent time with and appreciated, then whittled down to a 'manageable' short list of 30.
Great intentions of writing a whole load of stuff around each album on the short list and then realised its pretty much the end of the year and this stuff takes more than a few minutes to put together so its time to get the finger oot!
So, its a list but there's not too much writing around each album but then again no-one reads it anyway!
As before, for those that havenât heard some of the albums here, Iâve tried to link to Spotify (other streaming services are available) to make discovery easier. If you do like what you hear, please consider going to the Bandcamp link (or a record shop), where available, and buying the material in some form.
So, the list âŠ
30: deathcrash | âLessâ
A rapid follow up to 2022âs debut âReturn", âLessâ is a slightly more polished and accessible variation on a complex theme that on first listens sound sparse and unstructured but grows in time therefore demanding repeat listens.
âCome on Die Youngâ era Mogwai is a lazy comparaison but one that may help encourage the uninitiated to give this (and its predecessor) a go.
29: Vyva Melinkolya | âUnbecomingâ
I only became aware of Vyva Melinkolya aka Angel Diaz from her collaboration with Madeline Johnstonâs Midwife on âOrbweavingâ also released in 2023.
A track from this release was included in a Spotify âRelease Radarâ playlist in November and led to discovery of this âdronegazeâ belter that grows with every listen.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
28: Truth Club | âRunning From the Chaseâ
I have no idea where this came from ... well I do ... I âfoundâ a track from it on a Spotify âdaylistâ playlist (that was bizarrely titled âCircle Shoegaze Friday Eveningâ) that encouraged me to check out the album.
I described it as Pavement meets Car Seat Headrest on a WhatsApp chat and no-one argued so Iâm sticking with that.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
27: Daughter | âStereo Mind Gameâ
The third studio album from Elena Tonra & co and the first since 2016 with the gap being filled with side projects, game soundtracks etc.
Daughter are often classified as indie-folk but I donât think this does the spectrum of their song writing and production justice ... elements of post-rock, electronic and other genres are simply a palette that supports beautiful song structures and vocals.
[Spotify]
26: Meursault | âMeursaultâ
Edinburghâs Neil Pennycook & co have been around since 2006 with this being their 8th or 9th release (depending if you count mini-albums or digital only) of consistently high quality and deeply personal Scots indie-folk stories in a style similar to relative contemporaries Withered Hand, Frightened Rabbit, King Creosote etc.
Opening track âRats In The Cornâ, while being one of the strongest here, doesnât signpost the stripped back angst to follow.
Another challenging but rewarding journey.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
25: Ropes Inside a Hole | âA Man and His Natureâ
With shades of early Mono, Pg.Lost and Jakob, this is a refreshing reminder of what the post-rock / post-metal genre can deliver when done well. All in all a superb listen with some surprises (saxophones anyone?) that demands to be listened to in one go, over and over.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
24: Grandbrothers | âLate Reflectionsâ
Fourth album from the German - Swiss duo continues the development of their modern classical / jazz / post-rock sound.
This takes quite a while to build on first listen but gets there nicely and delivers a sound that is reminiscent of the recent direction of their close peers GoGo Penguin.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
23: Withered Hand | âHow to Loveâ
Edinburgh based Dan Wilson has been releasing music as Withered Hand since 2008, âHow to Loveâ being only the third full album release in that time.
Each of the three releases has been a development from solo songwriter to this bigger scale offering that probably stands as the best work amongst a career of largely flawless output.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
22: Queens of the Stone Age | âIn Times New Romanâ
A band that I have always been aware of and appreciated but never really been a fan ... my 14 year old started listening to them a year or so ago that encouraged me to spend some time with the new record.
Saw them live in November at Glasgowâs Hydro and was blown away by the effortless swagger of a super tight live band.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
21: Explosions in the Sky | âEndâ
Most people that have dabbled in the post-rock genre over the years will have been exposed to Texasâ Explosions in the Sky at some point and will no doubt have releases such as 2001âs âThose Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Foreverâ or 2003âs âThe Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Placeâ in their âbest examples of the genreâ lists.
Initial listens to âEndâ hints at something less âepicâ than the early career output but ultimately hangs together to provide one of the most consistent albums in their discography.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
20: abriction | âInterstatesâ
Another âdiscoveryâ via Spotifyâs playlists (I thinks this was from a âDiscover Weeklyâ, abriction is the solo project American vocalist and producer, Meredith Salvatori who delivers a challenging but outstanding blend of shoegaze, dream-pop & metal core (not often witnessed together to be fair).
Just imagine if Deafheavenâs style shift on âInfinite Graniteâ hadnât been quite so extreme, this is possibly what some of it could have sounded like.
Some marathon length tracks to navigate but they mostly work, the 18 minutes of âRose Goldâ in particular.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
19: Yves Tumor | âPraise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)â
The fifth release of American Sean Lee Bowie aka Yves Tumor is the first one that I was aware of and, admittedly, still the only one I have heard.
A cacophony of art-rock experimentation of which Pitchforkâs
review (an 8.4 for the record) included the line âFrom the sound of it, theyâre pursuing an ecstatic fusion of alt-rock and R&B, seeking the mysterious nexus where Loveless meets Purple Rainâ ... there ye are, enough said!
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
18: Slowdive | âeverything is alive
When iconic bands of yore get back together after a lengthy hiatus it can be a gamble. The stakes are raised when they have the temerity to record new music despite the fanbase just wanting to hear the classics ... when the new stuff largely trumps the previous responses this is a rare thing indeed.
Arguably, this is what Shoegaze pioneers Slowdive did when they returned with a self titled album in 2017, over 20 years after their previous release (22 since the seminal âSouvlakiâ).
It appeared it was a brief return until this year when they had the utter cheek to release something that may just have eclipsed their back catalogue.
A perfect example of when the new stuff can be the best stuff.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
17: SĂ©bastien GuĂ©rive | âObscure Clarityâ
The follow up to 2020âs debut âOmega Pointâ maintains the quality and general sound of the French composer and sound engineer.
While âObscure Clarityâ doesn't have the clear high points of its predecessor, it is a more consistent collection of electronic / progressive / post-rock compositions that demands critical listening on decent quality audio equipment to fully appreciate.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
16: Wednesday | âRat Saw Godâ
I first heard North Carolinaâs Wednesday around the release of 2020âs âI Was Trying to Describe You to Someoneâ and was blown away by alt-country / shoegaze / post-punk crossover and solid song writing.
âRat Saw Godâ ratchets up the noise rock element to â11â in places and the pain in Karly Hartzmanâs vocals is regularly front and centre of the mix.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
15: The National | âLaugh Trackâ
Not the only example this year of a band releasing multiple albums in the same year (more to come later), with this so called companion release to Aprilâs âFirst Two Pages of Frankensteinâ which, while welcomed after a 4 year gap since 2019âs âI Am Easy to Findâ was ultimately disappointing.
Septemberâs âLaugh Trackâ, while way short of the bandâs best (thatâs âBoxerâ by a mile by the way) was in my view a decent National album which makes it better than most other bandâs albums!
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
14: Protomartyr | âFormal Growth in the Desertâ
The sixth album from the Detroit post-punk outfit that have been on my radar since 2015âs âThe Agent Intellectâ but pretty sure this is the first time Iâve included them on an albums of the year list.
While Joe Caseyâs vocalâs wonât work for everyone and there are parallels in the music and vocal style with various bands such as Idles, The Walkmen, LCD Soundsystem and The Fall which should encourage you to give this a go if you havenât already.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
13: Mitski | âThe Land is Inhospitable and So Are Weâ
Another one influenced by my 14 year oldâs developing music taste exposing me to some new stuff.
I hadn't heard much Mitski stuff until a year or so ago and had only really appreciated the earlier albums âBury Me at Makeout Creekâ and âPuberty 2â.
The song craft in this new album is outstanding and my son & I were lucky enough to see her live earlier this year in Edinburgh on one of her stripped back acoustic gigs ... weâre going back to Edinburgh in 2024 to see her again with a full band.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
12: Silver Moth | âBlack Bayâ
A collection of various musicians including Mogwaiâs Stuart Braithwaite and his wife Elizabeth Elektra, Silver Mothâs âBlack Bayâ is an ambitious, if dark, project that leans heavily on the post-rock genre but has elements that go well beyond the traditional confines of that tag, particularly with the polished and ethereal vocals interspersed throughout.
More Godspeed You! Black Emperor than Mogwai, and not quite as good as either, but a release that stands up against many of the best examples in this space.
If only Stuart had narrated âGaelic Psalmsâ ... if only.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
11: The Wedding Present | â24 Songsâ
In 1992, The Wedding Present released a 7â single each month (I still have them all in a box in the loft somewhere) and released them in album form (sequentially sequenced) over two volumes in â92 & â93.
In 2022 (canât believe thereâs a 30 year gap here and its making me feel ancient) they repeated the model by releasing (physically & digitally) 2 tracks a month.
In 2023 they released all of the singles on CD and in a vinyl box set adding in a few bonus tracks under the title â24 Songsâ.
While the 1992 output included a few classic Wedding Present tracks, it was never considered to be amongst their best stuff ... â24 Songsâ on the other hand definitely includes some of the best output David Gedge has ever written.
Had this not been a collection of singles & âb-sidesâ and just included the best 10 to 12 tracks it would have been up there as one of the best Wedding Present albums ... thatsâs high praise and a big deal ... get it checked out!
[Scopitones] | [Spotify]
10: McLarnan | âBeneath Passing Shadows of Cloudsâ
Having âdiscoveredâ Aaron McLarnanâs blend of ambient / electronic / post-rock from various tracks dropped into my Spotify âDiscover weeklyâ & Release radarâ playlists during early 2023, âBeneath Passing Shadows of Cloudsâ was the first full album release of his I was exposed to.
This takes a few tracks to develop and a few full listens to fully appreciate but its well worth the effort and the cost that buying his whole back catalog on Bandcamp ... which I did!
9: Craven Faults | âStandersâ
6 tracks across 70 minutes of mostly repetitive building analogue rhythmic loops canât possibly work can it?
In a post covid, hybrid working environment where focus and concentration is regularly required, this on headphones is the answer to many things ... it works, it just does!
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
8: The Hives | âThe Death of Randy Fitzsimmonsâ
I thought these guys were long gone ... the only album of theirs I had previously was the compilation âYour New Favourite Bandâ from 2001 and they hadnât been on my radar since.
Then they walked on stage at Glasgowâs Bellahouston Park in June â23 as the main support for Arctic Monkeys and delivered a blistering set of a few of the oldies but several new bangers.
Fast forward to August and the release of the new album that, in around 30 minutes, manages to deliver 12 tracks that never let up on the pace and quality.
It demands to be listed to in one go (its only half an hour after all) to appreciate just how consistent this is ... brilliant!
[Spotify]
7: Bersarin Quartett | âSystemeâ
A late contender for my list this year as it was only released in December but one Iâd been looking forward to since being introduced to the solo project of German composer Thomas BĂŒckeras as a âsomeone you might likeâ recommendation given my obsession with Ben Chatwin, Jason Van Wyk etc ... these recommendations algorithms really work!
Stylistically this initially appears to be all over the place with elements of ambient, electronic, neo-classical etc that come together to deliver a a stunning sonic journey ... decent headphones / speakers a must!
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
6: Paws | âPawsâ
Another âreturn after hiatusâ album that doesnât disappoint ... their first as a band since 2019 with the gap being filled with front man Phillip Jon Taylorâs solo material.
This is defiantly an album that demands repeat & complete listens to fully appreciate ... its yer archetypal âgrowerâ.
I was lucky enough to see them play much of this live at The Tunnels in Aberdeen in early December and took my 14 year old to his smallest gig yet where he got the chance to meet Phillip and chat about Queens of the Stone Age!
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
5: Sigur Ros | âATTAâ
The first album in almost 10 years from the Icelandic orchestral post-rock masters delivers a calmer, simpler, more linear structure than the early ârise & fallâ releases and the âbrasherâ production of 2013âs âKveikurâ.
Initial listens may suggest a relatively benign offering but repeat exposure to the subtleties and layering of ATTAâs complex production opens up what turns out to be one of their strongest releases.
Who needs big drum crescendos anyway?
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
4: Young Fathers | âHeavy Heavyâ
Like many, I first heard of Young Fathers via their 2014 Mercury Music prize win for their debut âDeadâ.
My real introduction came, also in 2014, when I saw them live as part of the
East End Social âfestivalâ in Glasgowâs Richmond Park (one of the best one stage line ups you can imagine by the way). Since that day, my appreciation of the output of the band has grown with every release.
While âHeavy Heavyâ isnât the most instant or accessible of their albums, it is still an outstanding collection of rhythmic social commentary that deserves to be appreciated.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
3: There Will Be Fireworks | âSummer Moonâ
Yet another âfirst album in 10 yearsâ and likely closing the door on a practically perfect trilogy that started with the eponymous debut in 2009, followed by 2013âs âThe Dark Dark Brightâ, âSummer Moon was probably the biggest surprise of 2023 ... they had been teasing recording sessions since the first Covid lock down but a new album? seriously?
They did throw us a bone with a vinyl re-issue of âThe Dark Dark Brightâ in 2023 as well to be fair.
While this is clearly a TWBF record, the structures, the lyricism, the autobiographical story telling all here, it is a much more mature and tempered offering than its predecessors but pretty much to be expected ... the guys have grown up, got married, had kids and had to contend with remote collaboration and intermittent recording sessions over a long, long period.
Notwithstanding this, Summer Moon is a great record and a fitting end to a stunning trilogy.
They have never confirmed this is the end but I think we all hoping for some gigs and a vinyl reissue of the debut before weâll be demanding any more new stuff.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
2: Bar Italia | âTracey Denimâ
Another band that released two albums in 2024 with only one making this list.
I hadnât heard anything from this London trio until the early âsinglesâ from âTracey Denimâ started to appear on my Spotify âRelease Radarâ playlist and were subject to some chat on the WhatsApp group a few of us use to share new stuff.
Opening track âguardâ is reminiscent of a polished Nico (the one of Velvet Underground & Nico to be clear) and doesnât represent the collection of lo-fi / shoegaze / slowcore âbangersâ to follow.
This wonât be for everyone but will tick many boxes for some.
The second album released later in the year âThe Twitsâ also has some superb tracks but, for me, is no where near as consistent as âTracey Denimâ that manages to sound retro and fresh at the same time.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
1: The Murder Capital | âGigi's Recoveryâ
As far back as January and only a week after its release I wrote this about "Gigiâs Recovery" on the
album of the year (AOTY) site:
âI've held off rating this for a week post release as I thought it would be a 'grower' after the first few listens ... I was right!Not going to add all 80's alternative and New York 2000's references as they have all been said & written ... Mostly fairly and accurately!
This is though, utterly brilliant and it keeps growing even after (what last.fm tells me is) 20+ full listens (all non-stop).
... my earliest shout for album of the year ever!â
I stand by the comments and the shout for album of the year.
[Bandcamp] | [Spotify]
The Notable Mentions
This isnât just all the other albums Iâve heard this year (there are many more), these are the ones that could, with a change of wind direction, easily have been on my list above and deserve being checked out if you have the time.
So, in alphabetical order âŠ
- +++ (Crosses) âGoodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete.â
- bar italiaâ-ââThe Twitsâ
- bdrmmâ-ââI Don't Knowâ
- Blurâ-ââThe Ballad of Darrenâ
- boygeniusâ-ââthe recordâ
- Caterina Barbieriâ- ââMyuthafooâ
- Cherry Glazerr â-ââI Don't Want You Anymoreâ
- Clothâ-â âSecret Measureâ
- Constant Smilesâ-ââKenneth Angerâ
- Eartheaterâ-ââPowdersâ
- Follakzoidâ-ââVâ
- GoGo Penguinâ-ââEverything is Going to Be OKâ
- Grian Chattenâ-ââChaos for the Flyâ
- Hammockâ-ââLove in the Voidâ
- Hotline TNTâ-ââ Cartwheelâ
- James Holdenâ-ââImagine This is a High Dimensional Space of all Possibilitiesâ
- Lanterns on the Lakeâ-ââVersions of Usâ
- Lichen Slowâ-ââRest Assuredâ
- Lost Under Heavenâ-ââSomething is Announced by your Life!â
- Midwifeâ-ââOrbweavingâ
- Model/Actrizâ-ââDogsbodyâ
- Mollyâ-ââPicturesqueâ
- Nation of Languageâ-ââStrange Discipleâ
- Parannoulâ-ââAfter the Magicâ
- Reinherdt Buhrâ-ââSolaceâ
- Shameâ-ââFood for Wormsâ
- SqĂŒrlâ-ââSilver Hazeâ
- Swansâ-ââThe Beggarâ
- Teenage Fanclubâ-ââNothing Lasts Foreverâ
- The Armed â-ââPerfect Savioursâ
- The Black Dogâ-ââMy Brutal Lifeâ
- The Nationalâ-ââFirst Two Pages of Frankensteinâ
- The Rural Alberta Advantageâ-ââThe Rise and the Fallâ
- Warmthâ-ââColliderâ
- Warmthâ-ââMorning Ghostâ
- Wu-Luâ-ââLoggerheadâ