Making year-end summaries is always a long and occasionally tedious process. I have to review all the blogs I wrote this year and take notes on which bands I liked and some fringe players I think deserve a second listen. Then, I listened to all the albums (some get a brief glance) again, reviewing what I had written, which was enjoyable. Generally speaking, I wouldn’t say I like making best-of lists, but I will indulge and offer some highlights from this year’s listening sessions.

I listened to about 400 albums this year, with a mix of vinyl, streaming, CDs and a few cassettes thrown in. Having broken my hip certainly impacted my listening for the first 3 or 4 months of the year. I didn’t make a spreadsheet this year, so I don’t have the data on my listening that I usually have.

Regardless of the numbers, it was a good year. There were plenty of new albums and artists that I had not heard of before. I want to thank the PR firms that kept entertaining me with new music. A few independent bands sent me their albums. Thank you. p.s. I am always grateful for the physical copies, any media type.

My beloved Technics turntable reached its last run-out groove. It is 42 years old, so it is ready for retirement. I bought a new audio-technica turntable from Record Collectors Paradise, and look forward to hearing it play music in 2025. I also put new speakers in my office, where I do most of my writing. So, without further ado, here is what I heard in 2024.

Best New Music

Evidence of a Struggle – Keep It

From Shameless Promotion PR, I was offered this album to blog something about. I listened to it numerous times, and apart from saying that I enjoyed it, I provided no commentary on why I liked it.

The press sheet called the music ‘lush, cinematic, beautiful and sometimes chaotic compositions.’ Yeah, it is all of those words, ’nuff said.

Modern Guilt – We’ll Always Have Vegas

I am listening to Modern Guilt’s album We’ll Always Have Vegas. I blogged it in February, so there has been a significant amount of time between my first exposure to the music and now.

I originally wrote that We’ll Always Have Vegas felt very personal, and the lyrics’ sent me chills.’ I am listening to the album as I write this, and it has not lost anything since my first listen and today. It has enjoyable music and good lyrics; Modern Guilt hit a home run with We’ll Always Have Vegas.

Between the Dead and the Dreaming from Ten Millimeter Omega Recordings

Atmospheric chill music. Bandcamp describes Between the Dead and the Dreaming as “dark ambient/instrumental music from Jason Herring of the Mystery Plan, the Interstellar, and Muchacho.” That about sums it up.

Thanks to Ten Millimeter Omega Recordings for suggesting this album to me.

Welcome to The Marble Zone. I am still figuring out what to add to my blog in April. It sums it up well. I enjoy this album; it is a standout for the year, to be sure. Thank you to Bark Music for this audio gem.

GCBC

Best Compilation Albums

Generation Blue from Big Stir Records

I like mix tapes and compilation albums, so when Christina & Rex from Big Stir Records told me about Generation Blue, I was happy to give it a virtual spin. The Shufflepucks’, Where The Hell Is She is the opening salvo, which has retained its energy since my first spin in March. Broken Tooth by Campfire Girls is another standout song I am enjoying as I blog about it. It’s good music. This is a good collection of good tunes.

Various – Stiffs Live

Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello and Ian Dury & the Blockheads appeared on this compilation album. I’ve said a hundred times and will say again, ‘I like compilation albums.’ And this is a humdinger of a collection, loaded with favourite artists of mine from the British New Wave period.

Best Live Show 

Explosions In The Sky – Live at Midway

It still sends a chill down my spine when I think about this live show. I was enthralled, held, and fixated for a couple of hours. A handful of bands and artists have wrapped their music around me like chains fashioned from sheet music. Explosions In The Sky is the most recent band to do so. They are not a flashy band. The lights used on stage were subtle and occasionally blinding when they used backlighting for the stage, Explosions In The Sky is not the only band guilty of this. That was the only mar on an otherwise enchanted evening. Thank you Joel. https://jweatherly.ca

Best New Vintage Album

CSN&Y – Live At Fillmore East, 1969

This album was recorded shortly before their standout album, Déjà Vu (1970), and before their live album, 4 Way Street (1971.) On Live At Fillmore East, 1969, we get to hear four talented musicians, who are arguably stars outside of CSN&Y, coming together and feeling their way towards being a group and not four men on guitars. They are rough in patches and golden on other tracks. A highlight for me was the 16-minute solo of Down By The River showcasing what Young brought to the band. It’s not as polished as 4 Way Street, but it is part of its charm to hear the rough edges before they did Déjà Vu, their most successful album and a studio album squeezed between these live albums.

Best Video 

David Byrne – American Utopia

The American Upopia show was one of the best live shows I have been to, and this video captures a lot of the charm. The video is from the Broadway show of American Utopia, which received a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.

Best Band Name

Ned’s Atomic Dustbin – God Fodder

Thanks to Kevin from On Repeat for reviewing this album, which I promptly listened to.

Best Album/band names

Jerry Jerry and the Sons of Rhythm Orchestra – Road Gore: The Band That Drank Too Much

Best Electronic/Rock/Industrial/Coldwave

PIG – Red Room 

Thanks to Shauna (contact@shamelesspromotionpr.com) at Shameless Promotion PR for suggesting this to me. 

Best Single

RORO and snapir – Mass

Thank you to Daniel Jones at Mystic Sons music publishing.

My Favourite Albums That I Play Every Year

Pink Floyd – The Dark Side Of The Moon

The consistent yearly winner 51 years in a row. I never tire of listening to this album. I first bought it on vinyl, the next day I bought it on cassette so I could play it in my car. Between 1973 and 2024 I have probably acquired over a two dozen copies of this album in various formats. I use this album for the first listen on any bit of new hardware I acquire since I know how DSotM sounds. Within the last week or so I have used DSotM twice, a new turntable and a new set of speakers. It’s getting better all the time.

The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

I don’t know what I could at to this album’s notes. It fully deserves to be called a classic album.

Bee Gees – Best Of The Bee Gees

Best Of Bee Gees is the first album I bought with my own money.

King Crimson – In The Court Of The Crimson King

I have 12 records by King Crimson, and I listened to all of them chronologically this year. The photo below was taken in London at the Royal Albert Hall in 2019, where King Crimson put on a fantastic concert to celebrate the 50th anniversary of In The Court Of The Crimson King.

Assorted and Sundry Albums

Isaac Hayes – Hot Buttered Soul

A fantastic album, Isaac Hayes’s cover of ‘By The Time I Get To Phoenix’ is brilliant on an already excellent record. Hot Buttered Soul is on my list of deserted island records.

Jethro Tull – Aqualung

1971 for this one, 53 years ago. I remember when I bought Aqualung and played it when I got home. Mom and Dad had one stereo in the living room, and my parents were less enthusiastic about Jethro Tull than I was. It’s funny; the only two albums they ever complained about were Aqualung and Imagine by John Lennon. And then I bought a stereo and a good pair of over-the-ear headphones and never heard them critique my music again.

Talking Heads – Fear Of Music

I can remember surveying a well site south of Hardisty and playing this cassette over and over. Now I play it on vinyl or CD, it is still an album that gets played yearly.

Jefferson Airplane – Surrealistic Pillow

Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – No More Shall We Part

Bill Evans Trio – Live at the Village Vanguard

Bill Evans Trio performing Live at the Village Vanguard ranks up near the top of my favourite live album, and it is a damn good record even if it wan’t live.

Dave Brubeck Quartet – Time Out

Musicians That We Lost In 2024 

Kris Kristofferson (June 22, 1936 – Sept. 28, 2024)

Melanie (Feb. 3, 1947 – Jan. 23, 2024)

They have shuffled off their earthly coils, but they will live on through the gift of music that they have given to us.

Best Late Addition

St. Vincent – All Born Screaming

I am at a loss to explain how this flew under my radar since it was released in April. I have been a casual listener of St. Vincent’s music, but this album made me a fan. Powerful music that leaps out of the speakers and engulfs me, this album pumps energy to the next level. All Born Screaming opens with pulses of bass/percussion, and then Hell Is Near settles into a smooth crooner. All good, right? Yes, it is good. Any album’s opening track should draw the listener in and pique their curiosity enough to keep listening past track one. St. Vincent accomplishes that with ease. Track two, Reckless, comes along with soft piano musings and the smooth vocals of St. Vincent, showing the versatility of her vocals, accompanied by a gentle bit of orchestration. Boom! At 2:40, the song explodes and jars our attention to ensure we are still listening. I am! I am listening! The drama, suspense and energy keep unfolding through the remainder of the album; this truly deserves to be included on my list of good ones in 2024.

2024 is fading in the rear view mirror and 2025 is unfolding before me. I finished the letter K in my quest to listen to all my records. I started this journey January 2022. I look forward to the letter L in January.

I wonder what musical gems I will listen to in the year ahead.