the 50 best albums of 2024 part two
numbers 40-31
welcome back! I’ve had a super busy and incredibly fun week hanging with Hunter, Isaac, Isabelle, and Kenan in San Francisco! On Sunday, Hunter and I drove down to LA, where I’ll be hanging out until shortly before Christmas. I’ve been taking lots of pictures—maybe I’ll share some soon. Or, maybe I’ll get too overwhelmed with choosing which ones to share and give up. We’ll see!
Here’s a link to the previous post, of albums #50-41, for reference. thank you all and ENJOY!
40. Shallowater — There Is a Well
slowcore
The West Texas town of Shallowater, population 2,964, with its vast skies and open landscapes, is an apt namesake for a band whose music feels equally expansive and unhurried. Part of the new wave of indie rock developed and popularized by acts like MJ Lenderman and Wednesday, Shallowater’s primary mode is a countrified slowcore—think ‘90s band Acetone. The plaintive vocals and gently rocking drum lines on tracks like standout “Angels” also recall the stirring melancholy of ‘70s Neil Young, while surges of noisy guitars crest over glorious crescendos, piercing through the record like cloudbursts over a Texan plain.
SELECTS: Angels, Spin Me to Sleep, Snap
LISTEN: Apple Music | Spotify
39. Kevin Coleman — Imaginary Conversations
American primitivism
Kevin Coleman uses the expansive space of the three lengthy pieces on Imaginary Conversations to blend American folk traditions of old with contemporary compositional and production techniques, resulting in a refreshing update of the fingerpicking styles central to the American primitivism movement. Each track is richly layered and captivating, featuring evolving rhythms that, strangely enough, recall the spirit of Kraftwerk, shifting melodies, and, on the last track, some truly cosmic synthesizers. Their usage introduces a hypnotic minimalism balanced by moments of discordant drone, transforming the track into a progressive fusion of folk and electronic music. Desert landscapes can frequently feel otherworldly, and I’d imagine that this record would serve as a fitting bridge between our earthly realms and more cosmic ones.
SELECTS: Imaginary Conversations on Fish Hatchery Rd.
LISTEN: Apple Music | Spotify
38. Lua de Santana — GINGA
funk mandelão
I know this is supposed to be an albums list, but this is the only EP that ranked highly enough to make it on here, so I thought I may as well include it! This brisk yet packed debut EP from Spanish-Brazilian artist Lua de Santana deconstructs the iconic rhythm of funk brasileiro and reassembles it into a head-spinning, sugary rave. The five songs here include alt-R&B synths, a tango rhythm, bubblegum attitude, and the signature crash sample of ballroom music, all delivered across Portuguese, Spanish, and English. There is endless potential within these five tracks—I can’t wait to see where Lua takes her sound next.
SELECTS: PiRi PiRi, iLUSÃO II (w/ nusar3000)
LISTEN: Apple Music | Spotify
37. Father John Misty — Mahashmashana
singer-songwriter, baroque pop
from the moment the drums roll into the soaring strings that introduce the resplendent ‘70s soft rock of the title track, it’s clear that Father John Misty is operating on another level here. Mahashmashana (derived from the Sanskrit word for “cremation ground”) is, by far, my favorite work he’s ever released. It finds Misty reckoning with mortality and impermanence with newfound clarity, juxtaposing those grand spiritual concepts with the mundanity of everyday life.
and while songs like the title track wouldn’t feel out of place on one of Weyes Blood’s two most recent albums, the record isn’t afraid to venture in wildly different sonic directions, too. The hair-raising industrial textures of “Screamland” share space with the groovy boogie of “I Guess Time Just Makes Fools of Us All," which explores the passage of time through a series of metaphor-laden vignettes depicting human folly. Misty tempers outward critiques—of masculinity, fame, and societal norms—with moments of introspective vulnerability. The darkly comedic, occasionally absurdist tone of this song is a perfect example of the sharpness of Misty’s writing throughout Mahashmashana, making it the definite standout of his six albums.
SELECTS: Mahashmashana, Mental Health, I Guess Time Just Makes Fools of Us All
LISTEN: Apple Music | Spotify
36. Brittany Howard — What Now
psychedelic soul, progressive soul
Brittany Howard found initial recognition as the powerhouse vocalist and lead guitarist of the 2010s blues rock revival band Alabama Shakes, but she’s since embarked on her solo career with the release of her debut album, Jaime, in 2019. Her second solo album, What Now, is a confident step forward, folding in house and psychedelia into her trademark mélange of funk, soul and rock music.
all these influences are tied together by striking ambient passages that strongly reminded me of the American Southwest, particularly the time I’ve spent in Sedona. When I looked into it, I realized these passages are made up of the meditative resonance of singing bowls—metallic instruments originating in Tibet and Nepal that produce rich, humming tones. Their ritualistic serenity can also be heard emanating from certain spiritual groups that operate around Sedona, making these ambient bits evoke a sense of vastness and contemplation. This interplay between the earthly and the ethereal elevates what could have been a straightforward collection of songs into a much more transcendent listen.
SELECTS: What Now, Red Flags, Prove It to You
LISTEN: Apple Music | Spotify
35. Daudi Matsiko — The King of Misery
singer-songwriter, indie folk
on what is surely one of the most devastating records on this list, Ugandan-British folk artist Daudi Matsiko exhumes all the feelings associated with the bitter end of a relationship—vulnerability, guilt, sorrow, longing, and unflinching introspection come together in a quiet pool of melancholia. The songs on this record feel less like compositions and more like raw, unguarded breaths of emotion—Matsiko’s lyrics are often carried by the soft undertow of a sigh. His hushed vocals, though they are so gentle, provide an anchor for the album, with many tracks beginning and ending with his voice alone. Fingerpicked guitar and subtle shades of horns, strings, and piano frame Matsiko’s vocals with such delicate consideration that the record feels as restrained as it is emotionally deep. This album will stick with you long after its last notes.
SELECTS: Fool Me As Many Times As You Like, I Need You to Stop Calling My Phone, Hymn
LISTEN: Apple Music | Spotify
34. Kali Uchis — Orquídeas
contemporary R&B, Latin pop
just look at that extravagant cover—Kali Uchis immersed in a fusion of orchids, glitter and luminous pink liquid, her body pressed against glass, frozen in a sensual, striking pose. The music of Orquídeas, Uchis’s fourth studio album, is just as enchanting: a vibrant panorama of Latin music styles including dembow, reggaeton, bolero and merengue, all tied together with a sleek pop sheen. The rich influences of this record wouldn’t resonate like they do, though, without such an expressive and dynamic vocal performance at its center. Uchis flits between sultry ballads, club-ready bops, and an array of rhythmic traditions, paying homage to her Colombian roots while tapping into the boundless creativity of Latin music. Collaborators Peso Pluma, El Alfa, Karol G, and Rauw Alejandro, each from different corners of the Latin diaspora, stretch the album’s reach even further.
SELECTS: ¿Cómo así?, Te mata, Dame beso // Muévete
LISTEN: Apple Music | Spotify
33. Friko — Where We’ve Been, Where We Go From Here
indie rock
on this remarkable debut, locally beloved Chicago duo Friko proudly wear their love for 2000s indie rock on their sleeves, crafting a nostalgic yet invigorating blend of emo, post-punk revival, power pop, and the indie folk stylings of Bright Eyes. The record shifts between cathartic anthems and tender ballads, all tied together by raw emotion and a disarming earnestness. While their influences are always present, they’re arranged with such refreshing authenticity that it never comes across as mere imitation—this is exactly how Friko’s music should sound, and it’s wonderful that they’re keeping the spirit of that bygone era alive.
SELECTS: Where We’ve Been, Crimson to Chrome, Chemical
LISTEN: Apple Music | Spotify
32. Mount Eerie — Night Palace
slacker rock, post-rock, avant-folk
Night Palace is the sort of album you can only make after you’ve reached a certain point in your career, where you have nothing left to prove, but every ability to prove it all anyway. At 80 minutes, Night Palace whizzes through all of its detours at a deceptively brisk pace, effortlessly folding in drone and ambient sections, nature recordings, noise rock, and musique concrète techniques into generational singer-songwriter and instrumentalist Phil Elverum’s trademark blend of slacker rock and indie folk.
unconcerned with traditional song structure, the record leaves plenty of room for Elverum to cast themes he’s previously explored in a new light. Take grief, for instance—what was previously treated as a deep wound has now become a tempered shadow. Night Palace also blurs the boundary between the external, natural world and Elverum’s internal emotions. The rivers, fog, trees, and animals that populate the record grow into symbols of the struggle and fleeting joys in Elverum’s life.
SELECTS: I Walk, Non-Metaphorical Decolonization, I Need New Eyes
LISTEN: Apple Music | Spotify
31. John Zorn — New Masada Quartet Vol. 3
avant-garde jazz, jazz fusion
they very kindly put a great description of this record on the album cover, and I’ll paste it below for convenience, but I’ll still add a couple other things! John Zorn’s New Masada Quartet fuses the traditions of klezmer with the avant-garde, and the interplay between Zorn’s searing alto saxophone, Julian Lage’s intricate guitar work, and the frequently show-stopping drumming from Kenny Wollesen feels key to this performance. The live setting of this recording, with all its bottled-up energy, makes hearing this music feel that much more enthralling.
This long-awaited third volume featuring John Zorn’s newest and most exciting ensemble, New Masada Quartet, was recorded live at Roulette, one of Zorn’s home bases in NYC. White hot and razor sharp, an intense electricity is in the air from the very first note. Resplendent with burning solos, telepathic group interaction, heartfelt lyricism, hypnotic grooves, and of course Zorn’s ever-surprising conducting techniques, this is truly one of the most transcendent sets they have yet performed. With an attentive and enthusiastic packed house cheering the musicians on to greater and greater heights, a crackling live energy brings the Masada music to life like never before. This is Masada at its passionate and virtuosic best! Essential.
SELECTS: for some reason it’s been put on streaming as one long song so…
LISTEN: Apple Music | Spotify
thank you all for reading!
love
sha