Friday, 20 December 2024

Albums of the year 2024

Welcome to my annual blog where I list my favourite albums of the year.

My album of the year is Bill Ryder-Jones sensational lechyd Da. I was gutted his joint tour with Gruff Rhys didn't venture north of the border. I kinda regret not travelling down south or over to Ireland to see them. Both have released incredible records. 

Here are 14 albums I've enjoyed through 2024. A top 5 and then a further 11.

They include a number of albums that have been enjoyed across our household and I'm delighted that my youngest daughter Rosie is taking time to listen to albums and not just singles. I think Taylor Swift has played a big part in this. Albums by Taylor, Dua Lipa, Becky Hill (not in this list but still great), Gracie Abrams, Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo (released in 2023) are played regularly in our house and cars. I'm so pleased that so many creative, talented and cool female songwriters and performers are making such brilliant music.

Hopefully Santa comes good with Gracie Abrams tickets for Rosie and I!

lechyd Da by Bill Ryder-Jones

Quite simply a masterpiece; deep, soulful, melodic, inventive and melancholic. Utterly beautiful from start to finish. Ryder-Jones is rarely in a hurry, finding riffs and melodies, singing in a gorgeous hushed whisper, bringing in strings, choirs, horns and lovely dashes of psychedelia when he needs to. Exceptional songwriting, musicianship, arrangements and production. 

This Can't Go On - official video

Sadnesss Sets Me Free by Gruff Rhys

Recorded in just 3-days, there is a gorgeous fresh feeling to this record. Rhys is as inventive as ever as he lets his imagination run wild with his lyrics. Gruff's natural sing-song voice is soothing and he finds melodies with ease.

Bad Friend - official video

Bright Future by Adrianne Lenker

Recorded to tape in Lenker's analogue studio, hidden in a forest, there is a stunning intimacy to this album. Three musical friends joined Lenker, the tape never stopped. Each song feels delicate and special.

Fool - official video

The Secret Of Us by Gracie Abrams




I discovered Gracie Abrams through my daughter Rosie who fell for her magnificent single Close To You. The hook in the bridge - I burn for you, but you don't even know my name may be my bridge of the year. I fell for it too and enjoyed sitting down with Rosie to watch YouTube videos of Gracie performing live and checking videos from her catalogue. Zoe eventually fell under Gracie's spell too.

There is a lovely authentic feel to Abrams work - visually and on record. Her songwriting is exceptional, many of her songs (like Risk) develop into fast-flowing words and melodies that seem to come effortlessly. 

God I'm jumping in the deep end
It's more fun to swim in
Heard the risk is drowning
But I'm gonna take it, I'll bend 'til I break it
You'll be my favourite mistake

This is a very strong album indeed and Gracie has just been announced for TRNSMT. Hopefully Santa comes through with tickets for Rosie and I to go and see Gracie at the Hydro in March.

Close To You - official video

Pomegranate by Tess Parks



A welcome late discovery. This is dreamy cinematic garage psychedelic guitar music that is easy to get lost in. Scuzzy and fuzzy at times, with shoegaze/psych effects at others and chiming on Crown Shy, which also introduces some lush strings. Parks sounds beautiful and cool as she sings you don't get mad at the sky as it starts to rain in the opening song Bagpipe Blues.  Tess now has 5 albums to her name, including 2 with Anton Newcombe. Fans of Brian Jonestown Massacre will love.

Running Home To Sing official video

Bubbling under

Viva Hinds by Hinds
Dreamy, trashy, thrashy, brashy garage pop with dashes of shoegaze and psychedelia, I can't wait to see them play Saint Luke's in February. I actually think the album will make even more sense after seeing them live. Do you ever find that?


Short n Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter
Wow! Super cool and sassy pop. Innuendo's galore, sugar coated choruses, enough hooks to floor Rocky, lyrics that are clever and funny, cool beats and sublime production. Impeccable pop. 


Nobody Loves You More by Kim Deal
What a pleasant surprise! The debut album by Kim Deal arrived in late November, that alone was a bit of a surprise. You would expect cracking guitar sounds (they are present - of course), but maybe not have anticipated it's strings, horns, hushed vocals and exceptional variety throughout. WARNING - Are You Mine? is a tearjeker.


The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift
A very hotly anticipated album in our house, particularly among our (now) 10-year old Rosie who considers herself a Swifty! I Can Do It With A Broken Heart is absolute pop perfection (check my blog) while Swift's songwriting is exceptional; telling tales, pouring scorn, being open and reflective, super confident one minute and full of self doubt the next. All with a lovely self effacing humour. The closing section of opening song Fortnight is sublime, the way it flows is stunning.



Manning Fireworks by MJ Lenderman
A late discovery via 6Music. Lenderman released this album in September, his fifth since his eponymous debut in 2019. I'm making my way through them. Lenderman is certainly prolific, he is also in the band Wednesday. Raw, stoned indie guitar sounds with a country edge, storytelling, humour and reflection are at the heart of his sound. Right up my street.

A Dream Is All We Know by The Lemon Twigs

I missed these guys at Saint Luke's and I'll really need to make sure I catch them next time they are in town. Effortlessly talented with guitars, harmonies and songwriting, the D'Addario brothers fuse 60's and 70's sounds with ease; glorious harmonies, jangling guitars, fuzzed guitars - they can do it all. Simon and Garfunkel one minute, Big Star the next.

My Golden Years - official video

Dreamers On The Run by BMX Bandits
A fresh band of Bandits have captured the melodies, arrangements and flourishes that are in Duglas T Stewart's head perfectly. Lush, emotional and soulful. The title track is a particular favourite and possibly a career high. BMX Bandits celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2025 and I look forward to seeing them in Saint Luke's in late January.

Dreamers On The Run - official audio

In Giraffe by Adventure Team 
Think early Fanclub meeting Dinosaur Jr for a jam session. Lovely guitar sounds and cool melodies that veer off on beautiful tangents at times. I really enjoyed seeing these guys play BLOC earlier in the year.


Radical Optimism by Dua Lipa
Following up the immense pop of Future Nostalgia wasn't going to be easy and Dua Lipa certainly took her time (4-years), but Radical Optimism was worth the wait, while not being (pardon the pun) radically different from the predecessor. Houdini and Training Season were ace singles, while These Walls is an album gem. Dua's Glastonbury headline set was superb - a stadium/club/dance show. Huge in scale at times, super intimate at others.

Previous albums of the year

2010 - Shadows by Teenage Fanclub, This Is Happening by LCD Soundsystem, Plastic Beach by Gorillaz

2011 - Love & Lemonade by Futuristic Retro Champions, Jonny by Jonny, The Quickening by Remember Remember

2012 - One Day I'm Going To Soar by Dexys, Electric Cables by Lightships, Light of the North by Miaoux Miaoux

2013 - Big Inner by Matthew E White, Reflektor by Arcade Fire, A Bad Wind Blows In My Heart by Bill Ryder-Jones

2014 - Morning Phase by Beck, Tied To A Star by J Mascis, Stay Gold by First Aid Kit

2015 - Beyond The Silver Sea by Dr Cosmos Tape Lab, Matador by Gaz Coombes, Modern Nature by The Charlatans

2016 - Pii by Stephen Solo, Say It All With A Kiss by TeenCanteen, Here by Teenage Fanclub

2017 - Adios Senor Pussycat by Michael Head and the Red Elastic Band, How The West Was Won by Peter Perrett, Erratic Cinematic by Gerry Cinnamon

2018 - And Nothing Hurts by Spiritualized, Impossible Stuff by Carla J Easton, Babelsberg by Gruff Rhys

2019 - Kiwanuka by Michael Kiwanuka, Purple Mountains by Purple Mountains, Pii3 by Stephen Solo

2020 - Fugitive Light & Themes of Isolation by Andrew Wasylyk, Weirdo by Carla J Easton, Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa

2021 - Endless Arcade by Teenage Fanclub, Mirror Mirror by Pearl Charles, The Umbrellas by The Umbrellas

2022 - Poster Paints by Poster Paints, 11 by SAULT, Dear Scott by Michael Head and the Red Elastic Band

2023 - The Ballad of Darren by Blur, Nothing Lasts Forever by Teenage Fanclub, Blind On a Galloping Horse by David Holmes ft. Raven Violet

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