What could presumably distinguish another year-end list of best new music? For starters, how about showing appreciation and affirmation for the rigors of quality musicianship, authenticity, originality and songwriting. While the most talented independent and alternative artists recognized here may not dominate the streaming services, they do offer critical counterprogramming. And they prove to disparate generations that great music does exist between and beyond the nostalgia of classic rock and golden oldies and the homogeneity of contemporary pop.
Having turned 70 this year I confess to the conceit of thinking my unique blend of decades of experience along with agelessly obsessive curiosity might offer insights more nuanced or at least distinct from the clamor soundtracking the viral echo chamber of mainstream critics.
In no particular order — except for favoriting Brigette Calls Me Baby’s “The Future is Our Way Out” — I recommend these 15 exceptional albums of 2024 and late-2023 to all generations within earshot:
- Brigette Calls Me Baby — “The Future is Our Way Out”
- fontaines d.c. — “romance”
- The Kills — “God Games”
- Nation of Language — “Strange Discipline”
- Hurray for the Riff Raff — “The Past is Still Alive”
- J. Lenderman — “Manning Fireworks”
- One True Pairing — “Endless Rain”
- Steve Mason — “Brothers & Sisters”
- Tanlines — “The Big Mess”
- The Tallest Man on Earth — “Henry St”
- Alejandro Escovedo — “Echo Dancing”
- The Red Clay Strays — “Moments of Truth”
- Josh Ritter — “Spectral Lines”
- Michael Marcagi — “American Romance”
- James — “Yummy”
