proftournesol Posted December 15, 2024 Posted December 15, 2024 OK folks, it's that time of the year again, the yearly SNA AOTY Top 5 Albums released in 2024 Top Discovery of 2024 (released prior to this year) Top Australian release 2024 Top Genre album 2024 3 1
proftournesol Posted December 16, 2024 Author Posted December 16, 2024 (edited) OK, a challenging year in vinyl for me; my Strain Gauge energiser developed a fault in July, the energiser and cart have been back at Soundsmith since the end of September, and apart from an acknowledgement that it has been received...crickets. I've pivoted to digital for much of 2024 with a growing pile of unplayed vinyl. It hasn't stopped my enjoyment of music though - here's my list. Top 5 Albums released in 2024 The Smile - Wall of Eyes. Another great album from a half of Radiohead. Aircooled - Eat The Gold. This was a real surprise, i listened to this based on a Mojo album review and it's a cracker! Cindy Lee - Diamond Jubilee. Wow, hard to describe, but ethereally good and diverse. Amazingly, a free download! The Orbweavers - New Moon/Silver Moon. Another excellent folk rock album that really captures the essence of Naarm Underworld - Strawberry Hotel. How can this band be so prolific, and so good, for so long? Top Discovery of 2024 (released prior to this year) Klaus Schulze - Are You Sequenced? (particularly, Disc 3, 'Wat Is Dat?') Startlingly good electronica. Disc 3 is very different but even more engaging Top Australian release 2024 Ripple Effect Band - Mayawa. Great Arnhem land rock, with a lick of ska and surf music Top Genre album 2024 Tension - Mulatu Astatke & Hoodna Orchestra. Great Afrobeat/jazz dance album from an Ethiopian master. Tomorrow, I could come up with a completely different list, just as good. I don't understand people who believe that good music stopped in 1980. Edited December 16, 2024 by proftournesol 5
Ian McP Posted December 16, 2024 Posted December 16, 2024 Yep, read about this release in latest Songlines < Mulatu Astatke & Hoodna Orchestra. Great Afrobeat/jazz dance album from an Ethiopian master > Definitely Ethio Jazz stylings in there not Afrobeat, Mulatu's signature sound. If you like this check out his collaborations with Melbourne's own Black Jesus Experience. Saw Mulatu perform with them back in 2019 https://www.discogs.com/master/1698913-Mulatu-Astatke-Black-Jesus-Experience-To-Know-Without-Knowing Hailu Mergia, another fine ethio jazz performer, here collaborating with The Necks' Tony Buck https://hailumergia.bandcamp.com/album/lala-belu more Ethio jazz regards Ian 1
rantan Posted December 16, 2024 Posted December 16, 2024 My album of 2024 is by Jessica Pratt, titled "here in the Pitch". This is so very good that I would take it as my desert island albums. A review from Pitchfork is below. https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/jessica-pratt-here-in-the-pitch/ 1
Ian McP Posted December 16, 2024 Posted December 16, 2024 https://www.abc.net.au/triplejunearthed/artist/guriguru/ < Gary Kafoa is a proud indigenous man from the banks of the Tweed River whose father was a local tribal elder. Born and bred by the river he spent 30 years as a professional fisherman, and he also has a long history as a local musician. Using a mixture of traditional and modern instrumentation, Gary sings of what was passed down to him by his elders and contemporary issues that affect us all today: and trying to step outside traditional rock song structures has meant mixing didgeridoo with modern dance beats and his own funk percussion techniques. The result is a new dimension in Indigenous storytelling born in the unique musical culture of the NSW North Coast. Dr Greg is a veteran of over 40 years on bass with bands of every hue from deep funk to space-rock, and his lifelong interest in ethnic musical forms means he can supply unique groove assistance to the project. Together, they are GURIGURU Members Garry Kafoa: didgeridoo drums Vox Greg Manson : bass > 1
metal beat Posted December 16, 2024 Posted December 16, 2024 ALBUM OF 2024: The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World - The BG vinyl master. The best thing Robert has done since Disintegration in 1989. so dark, so distorted, so good. Top 5 Albums released in 2024: in no particular order Oren Ambarchi / Johan Berthling / Andreas Werliin – Ghosted II The Smile – Wall Of Eyes Kim Gordon – The Collective Cigarettes After Sex – X's The Jesus And Mary Chain – Glasgow Eyes Fontaines D.C. – Romance Arab Strap – I'm Totally Fine With It Don't Give A **** Anymore Top 5 Australian release 2024: Rüfüs Du Sol – Inhale / Exhale Mildlife – Chorus Kilbey, Kennedy – Premonition K Shining Bird – Open Ground Party Dozen – Crime In Australia Ned Collette – Our Other History The Church – Eros Zeta And The Perfumed Guitars Top Discovery of 2024 (released prior to this year): Getting back into GusGus after hearing their 2021 album Mobile Home - so good, so picked up Mexico, Dancearama and Arabian Horse. Top Genre album 2024: Ludovico Einaudi – In A Time Lapse (Special Edition) - some luvely contemporary classical. 2
Ian McP Posted December 17, 2024 Posted December 17, 2024 Oren Ambarchi / Johan Berthling / Andreas Werliin – Ghosted II Mildlife – Chorus 2
Bomber Rock Posted December 20, 2024 Posted December 20, 2024 On 16/12/2024 at 2:49 PM, proftournesol said: Aircooled - Eat The Gold. This was a real surprise, i listened to this based on a Mojo album review and it's a cracker! This is why I love this annual thread. I always find something new that I missed throughout the year. Had a listen to this while driving yesterday. What a ripper! Can't wait to give it a proper listen on the hifi, cause I know it's got a heap more to give. 1
scuzzii Posted December 20, 2024 Posted December 20, 2024 (edited) On 16/12/2024 at 6:06 PM, metal beat said: ALBUM OF 2024: The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World - The BG vinyl master. The best thing Robert has done since Disintegration in 1989. so dark, so distorted, so good. Top 5 Albums released in 2024: in no particular order Oren Ambarchi / Johan Berthling / Andreas Werliin – Ghosted II The Smile – Wall Of Eyes Kim Gordon – The Collective Cigarettes After Sex – X's The Jesus And Mary Chain – Glasgow Eyes Fontaines D.C. – Romance Arab Strap – I'm Totally Fine With It Don't Give A **** Anymore Top 5 Australian release 2024: Rüfüs Du Sol – Inhale / Exhale Mildlife – Chorus Kilbey, Kennedy – Premonition K Shining Bird – Open Ground Party Dozen – Crime In Australia Ned Collette – Our Other History The Church – Eros Zeta And The Perfumed Guitars Top Discovery of 2024 (released prior to this year): Getting back into GusGus after hearing their 2021 album Mobile Home - so good, so picked up Mexico, Dancearama and Arabian Horse. Top Genre album 2024: Ludovico Einaudi – In A Time Lapse (Special Edition) - some luvely contemporary classical. Arab strap is awesome. Still waiting on the Cure. Good to see you're squeezing 7 into 5.. Agree with many above. Ghosted II on high rotation. So, I won't mention them Discovery of the year for me was The Meltdown thanks to @Jakeyb77_Redux Top 5 for me: (no order) - Aghori Mhori Mei - The Smashing Pumpkins - Dance, no one watching - Ezra Collective - Luck and Strange - David Gilmore - Senga - Ines Loubet - Shadow - Lizz Wright and in honour of Shane's 7 into 5. - The Lowswing Sessions - FINK - Heart - Jarome Sabbagh Edited December 20, 2024 by scuzzii 2 2
Bomber Rock Posted December 21, 2024 Posted December 21, 2024 (edited) Really tough year to pick only 5. My top 4 were probably pretty clear, but 5 could have been anything. Top 5 Albums released in 2024 Saya Gray - Qwerty II (EP) from Canadian solo artist and tripper, who i cannot recommend highly enough. If you don't get it on first listen, try again. give her 3 goes. You'll either fall in love, or you'll think I'm a DH. That's fine, happy to put my reputation on the line. I put the Qwerty I EP as my number 4 in 2023, but in hindsight, should have been no 1. I'm not making the same mistake again. Although only an EP, its a long enough to muscle in on the albums and take the crown. No point trying to categorise into a genre. Just put your kids to bed, dim the lights, pick your poison and sit back and be taken. The two EPs were released as a double LP on vinyl early this year and should you spend some time getting lost into these EPs, then be quick to get the double LP directly from the label Dirty Hit while they still have stock. Crack Cloud - Red Mile I guess you would call it post punk, but this Canadian band also also straddles a bunch of genres. 80s new wave, 70s prog here or there. Really should be No 1, but you know, the whole Saya thing. Its really hard to describe what makes this album work, but its the combination of strong catchy rock riffs, emotional and musical mood swings, multi instrument crescendos, really nice melodies and choruses, all in perfect ratio. I dunno, just give it a good listen. Any fan of any type of Indie rock should enjoy this. English Teacher - This Could Be Texas Again, UK Post Punk ish (again) with its own sound. This debut is a cracker and if they can compile a catalogue that equals this first up effort, i can see these guys becoming one of my favorite bands over time. I've read a couple of comparisons to Black Country, New Road, and yeah, there are a few sections that sound a little like sections of the album Ants From Up There, but, nah, this debut albums deserves to be judged on its own platform. Lots of erratic moments and tangents, but brought back together with nice melodies. Won the Mercury Prize, so not just me who loves this. Give it a listen. Idles - Tangk Yes, I love me a bit of UK/Irish post punk. Murder Capital were my No 1 last year and there were a heap of really good releases this year from smaller, newer and less known bands. Of the big boys, I've always enjoyed Idles and MC more than Fontanes and while this album probably is a little more relaxed, there is still plenty of rock here and i actually thinks its their best record. She Drew The Gun - Howl Probably the hardest decision here. Really could have been any of a bunch, but hey, why not. This UK band is a little less punk and a bit more pop. I guess the first half of the album is so strong, that it forced my hand to list here. Maybe the second half sound a little too much like late Fleetwood Mac (you know, the bit where they were no good)? But nah, as a whole, its a good album and worth a listen if you haven't already. Some Notable mentions to miss out. Any of these could have been 5 if i did this on another day: Gurriers - Come and See Chanel Beads - Your Day Will Come Spirit of the Beehive - You'll Have to Lose Something Goat Girl - Below the Waste: This album broke my heart. I loved their previous On All Fours and the single from this years album was awesome. I thought this was going to be my favorite album of the year. It was nice enough, but strayed in a direction that didn't entirely convince my soul. Mannequin ***** - I Got Heaven Billy Nomates - Cacti (not on Tidal, but is on Spotify) Top Discovery of 2024 (released prior to this year) Bar Italia - The Twits (2023) has taken my attention a bit this year. UK Post Punk Band, but again, lots of other related genres in the mix to make a sound of their own. Top Australian release 2024 A. Swayze & the Ghosts - Let's Live Better Than This I've gone with this Tasmanian Punk (running theme?) band over Amyl and The Sniffers, maybe because I assume everyone already knows of Amyl, or maybe because i think its a better album. I'm not sure. This record probably has the most pure punk sound of my list, but its got that Aussie twang and from track 5, takes a real left turn and takes you on an unexpected trajectory that's what makes it stand out from the rest. If you don't like that punk sound, there's probably not much here for you. But if that something you can do, then get through the opening fairly 'simple' (?) yet still enjoyable tracks for a taste of what these guys can do. Cant wait till they next play in Melb, cause ill be there for sure. Top Genre album 2024 Yard Act - Where's My Utopia Umm, i guess its a bit of Hip Hop, Pop, and Dance? Look, UK Hip Hop isn't usually my thing (except when implemented by Gorillaz) but this record just seemed to work for me, even if its an unfortunately loudish recording. That comparison to Gorillaz' more hip hop style songs is the best way i could describe it. If that's something you've liked in the past, give these guys a listen. Edited December 21, 2024 by Bomber Rock spelling/grammar 5
Hydrology Posted December 31, 2024 Posted December 31, 2024 (edited) I found this year to be difficult for music. Lots to like, but not huge amounts to "love". Usually its a case of whittling down my favourites to a top 3 or 5, this year was far more challenging to find 5 albums I absolutely loved. ALBUM OF 2024: Fink - "Beauty In Your Wake" Top 5 Albums released in 2024: in no particular order Moby - "Always Centered at Night" Markus Guentner - "Kontrapunkt" Oliver Coates/Park Jiha/Agnes Obel - "Foe (OST)" Gavin Friday - "Ecce Homo" Sivert Høyem - "On An Island" Most overhyped album 2024: The Cure – "Songs Of A Lost World" . Don't get me wrong, its not a bad album. But its not great either. I think they hired a great marketing team though and made a ton of money, so kudos. Edited December 31, 2024 by Hydrology 4
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