2024 was a year in which the majority of my listening was dominated by 90's bands who are still active and/or back, yet my favorite albums are from newer, younger artists. As I recently shared on Instagram, Sixpence None the Richer was my most-listened to artist of the year, as in addition to their new EP I spent significant time with their discography. Not far behind in my listening was Stay Inside, who I discovered during peak COVID and then in this year released their best work, a masterpiece.
I once again prioritized experience over stuff in 2024, and in the case of music, going to shows over buying records. I entered 2024 with a Furnace Fest ticket but ultimately sold it due to frustration with the line-up. I then shifted my plans to Best Friends Forever Fest in Vegas, buying a ticket and making travel plans, but ultimately had to cancel those to my cross country coaching. Fall festivals are probably out for me moving forward.
I thankfully discovered a local summer festival, Pugfest in Ferndale, which I became aware of as Stay Inside was slated to play. Stay Inside sadly had to cancel due to illness, yet I went to all three days of Pugfest anyway, discovering the DIY scene and tons of great local bands--it really opened me up to a whole new world of music. My favorite show and band of Pugfest was Riot Course (seen at 1:55 in the video). They sadly haven't put out any new music since 2022, but I am optimistic it is coming in 2025.
Outside of Pugfest, I went to 9 other shows this year in three different states. I ranked my top 5 below, but I will mention one here that doesn't make the list: Mates of State. Was so good to see them again after 15 years, and they have a new single out, with a new album on the way and more touring in 2025!
My least favorite trend of 2024 is short albums. The number of albums released in 2024 that have less than 10 songs and less than 40 minutes of music feels like the highest it has been in decades. I'll admit my perspective is skewed, but having grown up on CDs when albums got longer and longer, it is hard for me to accept an "LP" that is less than 10 songs and/or 40 minutes of music. Part of this is that I love to experience an album, and experience it for awhile. Hard for me to do that when it is over in 30-something minutes.
Short pop songs are definitely a thing right now, and artists across the spectrum seem to have average shorter song lengths than they did a few years ago. But I otherwise feel that the popularity of vinyl is leading artists to once again record albums with the single-12" 33 rpm in mind as they did in the 60's and 70's. As vinyl production costs rise, it seems more bands are trying to keep an album to single, rather than double LP. And that doesn't mean they are writing shorter songs necessarily, it means they are including less songs in their releases. Anyway, here are examples from this year:
Stay Inside I clearly didn't ultimately have a problem with considering where I rank it below, but it does keep me longing for more. The Forecast calls their 2024 release an album, but clearly it is an EP. 8 songs I guess is considered an LP? But whatever. The first track is an intro, and this "album" is shorter than many EPs.
The other three mentioned here: Luxury, Starflyer 59, and Gemma Hayes all feel short and incomplete to me. These are prolific artists who have been around decades, so it's not as if a lack of songs is the problem. So the decision to keep it short is intentional, and I don't like it. Jason Martin started making short Starflyer albums about 5 years ago, but this is a first for Luxury and Gemma Hayes.
Like last year, I made two playlists, each CD length. Disc 1 is on Apple Music, and Disc 2 is on BNDCMPR (no account needed). BNDCMPR can be finicky so I recommend the direct link but one should be able to stream here directly depending on your device and browser.
Top 20 albums of 2024:
1. Stay Inside - Ferried Away New York Buy/listen on Bandcamp
2. Circus Trees - This makes me sad, and I miss you Marlborough, Massachusetts Buy/listen on Bandcamp
3. Middle Kids - Faith Crisis Pt 1 Sydney, Australia Buy/listen on Bandcamp
4. Luxury - Like Unto Lambs Georgia Buy/listen on Bandcamp
5. Waxahatchee - Tigers Blood Kansas City, Missouri Buy/listen on Bandcamp
6. Mindy Smith - Quiet Town Nashville, Tennessee Buy/listen on Bandcamp
7. A Place For Owls - How We Dig In the Earth Denver, Colorado Buy/listen on Bandcamp
8. My Epic - Loriella Charlotte, North Carolina
9. Pedro the Lion - Santa Cruz Seattle, Washington Buy/listen on Bandcamp
10. Starflyer 59 - Lust for Gold California Buy/listen on Bandcamp
11. Gemma Hayes - Blind Faith Ireland
12. Brother Bird - Another Year Nashville, Tennessee Buy/listen on Bandcamp
13. Norah Jones - Visions New York
14. Jayne Sugg - Belief is Hard New York
15. Balance and Composure - With You In Spirit Doylestown, Pennsylvania Buy/listen on Bandcamp
16. Smashing Pumpkins - Aghori Mhori Mei Chicago, Illinois
17. Barely Civil - I'd Say I'm Not Fine Milwaukee, Wisconsin Buy/listen on Bandcamp
18. Snarls - With Love Columbus, Ohio Buy/listen on Bandcamp
19. The Innocence Mission- Midwinter Swimmers Pennsylvania Buy/listen on Bandcamp
20. Taylor Swift - The Tortured Poets Department West Reading, Pennsylvania
Top 5 EPs of 2024:
1. Sixpence None the Richer - Rosemary Hill New Braunfels, Texas Buy/listen on Bandcamp
2. Cusp - Thanks So Much Chicago, Illinois Buy/listen on Bandcamp
3. The Forecast - Good Journey Peoria, Illinois
4. Stretch Arm Strong - The Revealing Columbia, South Carolina Buy/listen on Bandcamp
5. Half-Life Souvenir- half-life souvenir (ep1) Seattle, Washington Buy/listen on Bandcamp
Top 5 singles of 2024:
1. Sunny Day Real Estate - "Novum Vetus" Seattle, Washington
2. Blue Deputy - "Cypress" Belfast, Northern Ireland Buy/listen on Bandcamp
3. Mates of State- "Somewhere" Connecticut Watch/listen on YouTube
4. Bully - "Atom Bomb" Nashville, Tennessee Buy/listen on Bandcamp
5. Katie Malco and Laura Stevenson - "Fatal Attraction" Northampton, England Buy/listen on Bandcamp
This post is long overdue, but Sixpence None the Richer is back (!!!) and quite honestly the most active they have been as a band since the year of Divine Discontent's release more than two decades ago. What has been wild about Sixpence's resurgence is that I have personally been involved. 🤯 And seeing them perform live for the first time in 22 years this week inspired me to write.
I mostly "blog" through Instagram now, but I felt I should take the time to come back here to write more about Sixpence--as this is where it all began. I'll conclude this post by attempting to pull together links to everything I have ever written about Sixpence.
But recently I wildly had the opportunity to write Sixpence's new official 2024 bio, centered around the release of their new EP, Rosemary Hill. You can read the full bio here. It was a blast to get to interview Matt, Leigh, Dale, and Justin over the summer, and I also had the opportunity to listen to the new EP a few months early--which was actually hard because I couldn't talk about it with anyone.
Back in 2023 Matt and Leigh connected me to Curb Records to write the liner notes for the 25th Anniversary vinyl reissue of the self-titled album that was released earlier this year. You'll have to buy a copy of the record to read them, or try to make them out in the photos on Discogs!
(video I shot at the Ann Arbor show)
Setlist from the October 24, 2024 show at The Ark in Ann Arbor:
1. Angeltread 2. Within a Room Somewhere 3. Thread the Needle 4. Don't Dream It's Over (Crowded House cover) 5. The Tide 6. Rosemary Hill 7. Midnight Sun (The Choir cover) 8. Don't Let Me Die in Dallas (Leigh Nash song) 9. River (Joni Mitchell cover) 10. Melody of You 11. Homeland 12. Down and Out of Time 13. Julia 14. There She Goes (The La’s cover) 15. Kiss Me 16. We Are Love
Encore: 17. Tension Is a Passing Note 18. Breathe Your Name
The show was fantastic and rocking. The Ark is a small venue, best-suited for folk music. So it seemed a little out of place for a loud rock show to be in a tiny seated venue--I wanted to stand up and move! The only other show I have seen there was an Over the Rhine Christmas performance a few years back. The crowd was great and into it. Also, with the expectation that most of the crowd would be around my age and the age of the band members, it was surprising and refreshing to see so many younger people. As it was in Ann Arbor, there were many teens and twenty-somethings I assumed to be University of Michigan students.
I had actually not seen Sixpence None the Richer perform since Cornerstone Festival 2002. I was in the right place at the right time for the second half of the 90's and did see them a dozen times or more from 1995 until then. I first saw them in Birmingham in November 1995, and then in 1997 alone I saw them at least 6 times. I am fairly certain I was present for the first live performance of "Kiss Me" and the rest of the self-titled album as Sixpence showcased those new songs at Jammin Java, Franklin, Tennessee on February 1, 1997.
When I first read early versions of this setlist when the tour began a few weeks back, while pumped about the opening This Beautiful Mess songs, I was otherwise underwhelmed and a tiny bit irritated. Specifically, I have mixed feelings about the covers, and four covers seemed a bit much considering how deep and fantastic the band's catalog of original songs is. I do wish Sixpence had never recorded "There She Goes" and "Don't Dream It's Over." The Sixpence version of the first one I think is now more popular than the original, but I wish the second one didn't exist--and I feel if the band stopped playing it, no one would care or notice.
During the experience of the show I found the inclusion of the covers well-done and mostly well-connected to the full set (except for "Don't Dream It's Over"--it felt out of place). The Choir cover makes sense with Steve Hindalong playing with them right now, and it is a badass rock song that I really enjoyed. The Leigh Nash solo song was beautiful and profound as Leigh explained the writing of it about her dad. And the Joni Mitchell cover was a gorgeous surprise, as it was the first time Sixpence has played it on this tour (and seemingly a part of the marketing strategy for the vinyl re-issue of their Christmas album coming next month with two new songs--one of which, "I Believe In Father Christmas" being released as a single yesterday).
The set was well-paced and well-sequenced, and overall I was really into it. Matt's guitar playing was stunning, Leigh sounds great, it is SO GOOD to see Dale drum again, and Justin sounds the best he ever has with more prominent bass lines. Steve Hindalong (who produced the new EP) is in the band for this tour, mostly playing unique percussion, but also at times on acoustic guitar and background vocals. I loved that they played 5 of the 6 songs from the new EP, and the title track and "We are Love" were standouts. The biggest "omission" for me was the self-titled album in general; only "Kiss Me" to represent their most popular album feels really bizarre. Also, while I know Lost in Transition is not as well-loved or known, to not play a single song from it seems strange?
All that said, this is the set I would recommend Sixpence play this fall, using their actual set as an outline and limiting it to the same 18 song number...
Setlist I think Sixpence should be playing on this tour (songs I added are starred*):
1. Angeltread 2. Love, Salvation, Fear of Death* 3. Within a Room Somewhere 4. Thread the Needle 5. Rosemary Hill 6. Anything* 7. Midnight Sun (The Choir cover) 8. Don't Let Me Die in Dallas (Leigh Nash song) 10. Melody of You 11. Radio* 11. Homeland 12. Down and Out of Time 13. Julia 14. The Lines of My Earth* 15. Kiss Me 16. We Are Love
Encore: 17. Tension Is a Passing Note 18. Love*
Ending with "Love" would be so powerful, especially the version of it with the epic guitar.
However, the setlist that I feel would be best for all audiences is not really what I would dream to see. My true dream would be seeing a full This Beautiful Mess show, which actually was being planned until COVID killed it. 😠However, it's not too late! 2025 is the 30th Anniversary! 😉
Outside of an album-focused show, here would be my 18-song set to feature all their best music from throughout their career:
My dream Sixpence setlist (limiting to 18 songs): 1. Angeltread 2. Love, Salvation, Fear of Death 3. Within a Room Somewhere 4. Rosemary Hill 5. Anything 6. The Lines of My Earth 7. Puedo Escribir 8. Down and Out of Time 9. Melody of You 10. A Million Parachutes 11. Paralyzed 12. Sad But True 13. Dresses 14. Radio 15. Don't Pass Me By 16. Meaningless
Encore: 17. We are Love 18. Love
Things I have written about/for Sixpence None the Richer: 2024: Band bio (official) 2023: Liner notes for 25th Anniversary Vinyl reissue of Sixpence None the Richer 2021: Worked on design and layout with Lost in Ohio records for vinyl re-issue of This Beautiful Mess 2017: Essay on the 20th Anniversary of Sixpence None the Richer 2017: Top 25 Sixpence None the Richer songs 2015: Oral History of This Beautiful Mess for it's 20th Anniversary 2015: 20th Anniversary This Beautiful Messalbum review 2015: "Love, Salvation, Fear of Death" detailed examination (and how three bass players contributed to the composition of the song) 2015: Leigh Nash interview 2012: "An Open Letter to Sixpence None the Richer", my "viral" blog post that led to my first conversation with Matt and opened the door for future writing. 2010: Strange Conversation, bizarrely the most viewed post in the history of this blog. It is mostly a copied-and-pasted 2010 Sixpence bio (that I did not write) about the album that eventually became Lost in Transition but originally had the name Strange Conversation. 1997: My poorly-written yet intriguing original 1997 review of Sixpence None the Richer when it was released
(If you are reading this and know of other Sixpence things I have written, please let me know!)
For those that have read my blog over the years, it will not surprise you that I am a "favorites" person. I have a favorite number (17), a favorite color (purple), a favorite cereal (Fruity Pebbles), a favorite baseball team (Baltimore Orioles), and each year of course I share my favorite top-20 or so albums.
With that being said, it has always been extremely difficult for me to list or share my favorite albums and songs of all time. However, recently I was invited to share my top-10 albums ever, and did for the top10albums Instagram account:
While that was the list I shared at that day and time, it of course changes. All 10 of those albums are in my top 30 or 40 albums ever, but outside of #1, which is locked in, the rest rotate.
Additionally, I have recently created two "Alan's top 100 songs" playlists, one on Apple Music and the other on BNDCMPR. My primary rule was only one song per artist, but I did welcome two creative ventures by the same principal songwriter (Mineral and The Gloria Record for example). Both playlists are totally random order, so not ranked. I have absolutely no idea what my favorite song of all time would be.
The biggest challenge in the Apple Music one is that I use iTunes match, which I like as a whole, but it makes it challenging to know what songs in my library are actually available on Apple Music. For example, when I first made the playlist it had 113 songs on it, but I shared it with a friend, and he only saw 87. There is way more 90's music than I realized that is not on Apple Music. I have recently updated it to where hopefully all Apple Music users see 100 songs like me!
On BNDCMPR, the challenge was to find 100 songs by 100 different artists that were worthy of the list. When I began the list, I was trying to copy the Apple Music list, but the Bandcamp library is SO different. Bandcamp doesn't have much major label or older music, so this playlist is dominated by newer songs. So now my plan is to make changes to both lists so it is 200 different songs. But in the meantime, both are up and public:
Finally, there is a new Sunny Day Real Estate song and it's fantastic! First one since 2014's "Lipton Witch".
Two-thousand twenty-three was a turning point for me in my music fandom as in January I made the decision to begin selling off a huge chunk of my vinyl collection. I was nearing a thousand records, but after thought and discussion with many friends and family members for a few weeks, I decided to make available two-thirds of my collection for sale. I sold nearly 100 records in the first month, mostly word-of-mouth and online communities, and then sold ~150 more over the rest of the year, through direct sales, eBay, and now mostly Discogs. I continued to slowly list more and more on Discogs. My collection is down near 700 now with the goal of getting it below 500 and keeping it there (still buying new records, but moving on from others).
I made this challenging decision for many, many reasons– but primarily it was my desire to spend towards experiences instead of stuff. My record sales immediately funded a summer vacation for my family that we could not have done otherwise, and allowed me to attend shows way more often than usual. I have made a goal to attend one rock show a month, and I did that most of the year (sadly did not attend one in December). I have sold off most all of the high-price and rare items that I am willing to part with, but I still have a few hundred “budget buys” ($1 to $20 or less per record) available if you are reading this and interested.
One of the by-products of my decision and change in philosophy was that I purchased far less music in advance, as I used to pre-order just about every record I was interested in; later selling off the ones I didn’t like as much as I’d hoped. Now I am spending more time with music digitally first, for better or worse. So as I worked on this list I began buying records that I loved most in this year; meaning I didn't get physical copies of many of these until the last couple weeks. As I look down through my top 20 below, I did pre-order Bully, boygenius, and The National, but then Speedy Ortiz, Ratboys, Bonny Doon, Explosions in the Sky, and Sufjan Stevens were all purchased after Thanksgiving.
From a digital music perspective, I continue to boycott and protest Spotify (as I tweet about frequently), prioritize and promote Bandcamp, but also use Apple Music as the best way for my family of five to all listen and share playlists. 24 of the 25 albums mentioned below are available to stream and buy on Bandcamp.
As far as the shows I attended, I saw 14 different artists in and around the Detroit area and made a video summary (below). My favorite experience was seeing Middle Kids, Jimmy Eat World, and Manchester Orchestra on the same night, highlighted by all five of my family members attending. While I love all three of those bands, Jimmy Eat World was the standout on that night. Reflecting on my favorite show of the year, it was probably Thrice playing the 20th anniversary of The Artist in the Ambulance.
I created two CD-length mixes, the first of which is on Apple Music and the second is using BNDCMPR (all songs from Bandcamp; no account needed):
Top 20 albums of 2023:
1. Bully- Lucky for You Nashville, Tennessee Listen/buy on Bandcamp
I’ve been listening to Alicia Bognanno’s Bully since she debuted the project 8 years ago. This is a breakthrough album and a massive jump in songwriting from my perspective. I had a pretty good feeling it would be my AOTY the day it was released:
I have been digging @Bully since 2015 or so, but Alicia's new album "Lucky For You" has hit the next level! Really loved my first full listen this morning, and immediately becomes one of my top albums of 2023. Will be spinning all weekend! https://t.co/ZLv208rReq
I assumed me naming it my #1 of 2023 would be unique and random; little could I have known it would be critically acclaimed! I have seen at least three major publications also name it number one. The guitar work is layered and powerful and all 10 songs are catchy. JT Daly (Paper Route) produced and co-wrote a couple tracks. Album-closer “All This Noise” is my favorite song of 2023 and here is my recording of it when I saw Bully live in September.
I discovered Julien Baker in late 2015 and Phoebe Bridgers in early 2017 as indie musicians and could not have imagined what the future would bring. When they first collaborated with Lucy Dacus on the 2018 boygenius EP I thought of it as a one-time side project. At the time that EP it and most of their solo work was fairly sparse and folly. Now five years later the three songwriters have formed as a cohesive rock band and the results are huge in sound and worldwide notoriety.
3. Cusp- You Can Do It All Chicago, Illinois Listen/buy on Bandcamp
Initially drawn in by the fantastic cover illustration while browsing Bandcamp, and then all the guitar tones and layers kept me interested. The only album on my list that has yet to be produced in a physical format as this Chicago band has yet to be noticed as they should. Stylistically all over the map, but always rocking.
4. Speedy Ortiz- Rabbit Rabbit Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Listen/buy on Bandcamp
As I shared on Instagram, it took months for me to spend enough time with Rabbit Rabbit to really fall in love. Some of this is my own fault, but the main reason is that Side B is SO MUCH BETTER than Side A, and when listening digitally I would start from the top but then get interrupted. My three favorite songs on this album are probably “Ranch vs. Ranch”, “Emergency & Me”, and “Brace Thee”, which all fall within the last 5 songs.
5. Bonny Doon- Let There Be Music Detroit, Michigan Listen/buy on Bandcamp
When I first moved to Detroit in 2018 a co-worker of mine told me about Bonny Doon, as one of the best local bands. I didn’t take much time to listen to them at that point, but then they got more on my radar when they were Katie Crutchfield’s backing band on Waxahatchee’s 2020 album Saint Cloud (and she sings on “You Can’t Stay the Same” on this album). When this album dropped, I was immediately hooked. The songs are exceptionally clever, and the lyrics jump out at you. These are some of my favorite lines: "Yeah I know God, she's a friend of mine
Comes over for beers all of the time
Says the only thing certain is they'll draw the curtain
And tie a little bow around your lovin' and hurtin'"
6. Ratboys- The Window Chicago, Illinois Listen/buy on Bandcamp
I discovered Ratboys in 2015 and their debut album AOID was my #10 album that year. Then strangely I stopped listening to them and barely noticed their next two albums. Well, they sure got my attention again with the phenomenal The Window.
7. Sufjan Stevens- Javelin New York, New York Listen/buy on Bandcamp
Really powerful, emotional album from Sufjan during a terribly sad and turbulent year for him. On the day of Javelin's release he revealed his long-time partner had passed away. And then Sufjan himself has been sick and hospitalized. Gorgeous arrangements consistent with Sufjan's past work, but also breaking a little new ground.
8. Explosions In the Sky- End Austin, Texas Listen/buy on Bandcamp
Explosions in the Sky, like their post-rock comrades in Mogwai, spend much of their time, and probably make most of their money, making film soundtracks. So whenever they release a true album, it is a treat. End is EITS's first LP in seven years, and absolutely gorgeous. I don't know that I would ever describe rock music without vocals "catchy", but these melodies definitely stick with me.
9. The New Pornographers- Continue as a Guest Vancouver, British Columbia Listen/buy on Bandcamp
Most of the shows I attended this year were bands on tours unreleased to specific album releases, but this was an exception. I saw The New Pornographers a couple months after Continue as a Guest was released, and it did give me an appreciation for the songs that hadn't grabbed me much in recorded form. This was more of a grower than their last few albums were for me, partially due to the prominence and feature of saxophone throughout--not my favorite decision, and hoping it was a one-off. The show itself was phenomenal, highlighted by the vocals of Neko Case.
10. MxPx- Find a Way Home Bremerton, Washington Listen/buy on Bandcamp
Honestly, I never thought an MxPx album would show up in a list of my again, or that I would ever listen to them much again. 90-plus percent of my MxPx listening took place in the 1994-1997 range, as they exposed me to the genre of pop-punk. After a few years I realized I didn’t really like pop-punk, but I’ve had nostalgia for MxPx ever since.
11. The National- First Two Pages of Frankenstein Brooklyn, New York Listen/buy on Bandcamp
I listened to this a ton the first half of the year, and probably originally would have predicted it to wind up in my top-5. But by the time the second The National album came out this year, I was somewhat tired of them, and I have yet to even listen to Laugh Track.
12. Paramore- This Is Why Franklin, Tennessee
It took me way longer than it should have to listen to and buy a Paramore album on the day of its release, but glad I did! This is my favorite Paramore album and I love the energy of it. The only album in my top 20 not available on Bandcamp.
13. Nickel Creek- Celebrants Carlsbad, California Listen/buy on Bandcamp
14. runnner- like dying stars, we’re reaching out Los Angeles, California Listen/buy on Bandcamp
15. Bella White- Among Other Things Victoria, British Columbia Listen/buy on Bandcamp
Over the month of December I read dozen(s) of year-end lists and sampled tons of artists and albums I missed out on over the year. Crazily, this country album is the one that stunned me and stuck with me. Bella White’s voice had me hooked immediately, and then her songwriting kept my attention. This is the most true country album I have liked in a very, very long time.
16. Caroline Rose- The Art of Forgetting New York, New York Listen/buy on Bandcamp
17. LIES- Lies New York, New York Listen/buy on Bandcamp
(This is sort-of the new American Football record.)
18. Blondshell- Blondshell Los Angeles, California Listen/buy on Bandcamp
19. Joy Oladokun- Proof Of Life Casa Grande, Arizona Listen/buy on Bandcamp
20. Fust- Genevieve Durham, North Carolina Listen/buy on Bandcamp
Top 5 EPs of 2023:
1. Manchester Orchestra- The Valley Of Vision Atlanta, Georgia Listen/buy on Bandcamp
If this were fleshed out into an LP, would have definitely been in my top 5; perhaps my third favorite release of the year. Wrote at length about my dislike of Manchester Orchestra's live show and engaged in much online discussion about it; the bottom line is that I would love to see them play an acoustic show as I do not like how they try to make heavy all their gorgeous songs (like these six) in the live context. My family all likes Manchester Orchestra's recorded music, but they have now all seen them live twice and mostly hate how loud and blown out it is.
2. Rosie Thomas- Lullabies for Parents Livonia, Michigan Listen/buy on Bandcamp
Most of these songs were released in 2022 as a series of singles and ultimately two EPs, but then this summer were ultimately released as a full-length album.
3. Lee Bozeman- We Should Rejoice Tyler, Texas Listen/buy on Bandcamp
Lee Bozeman dropped these songs early in the year and mentioned they were songs considered, but not used for the next Luxury record, which was in progress of being written and recorded. Now we know that Luxury album is coming in February!
4. Laura Lucas- The Dreamer Winnipeg, Manitoba Listen/buy on Bandcamp
Unsure how I first heard Laura Lucas, but at some point in the year I noticed the occasional, beautiful single she would release. Finally a few weeks back she pulled them all together into an EP.
5. Kevin Klein- Random Space Boston, Massachusetts Listen/buy on Bandcamp
Most highly anticipated albums of 2024:
Sixpence None the Richer. It's arrival is more hypothetical at this point, but I feel it. For one, they dropped a single, "The Tide" (even though it's bizarrely marketed as "Leigh Nash and Sixpence None the Richer"), their first song in a dozen years. Secondly, Matt and Leigh are now a part of 10,000 Maniacs (also bizarre, but awesome) and those shows include lots of Sixpence songs. Matt and Leigh writing and recording together is what we need, and I am pumped. Also, a 25th Anniversary vinyl reissue of the self-titled album is due in February (pre-order here), and I wrote the liner notes!
Mates of State. Details are still vague and incomplete, but Kori and Jason played shows in 2023 (and as recently as this month), they have shared studio photos on Instagram, and have said a new album is coming.
Middle Kids released four singles from this upcoming album throughout 2023, and for a long time I assumed it would have been released in the fall. Saw them play a couple of the new songs live in August.
Stay Inside first released "A Backyard" as a single over the summer, and was a radical departure into poppier territory for this experimental post-hardcore band. They have now released two other singles that better connect the dots from their past to current work. I love the vocal layering this band does and how it combines the singing (and occasional screaming) styles of Chris Johns, Bryn Nieboer, and Chris Lawless.
Luxury has been hinting at this record for years, but they have been on a one album per decade rhythm for awhile, so it is easier to be patient with them than most bands. Thrilled we are finally close to hearing the whole thing after the single "The Wilderness" dropped earlier in December.
