Top 24 of '24

I will admit, most of my listening in 2024 was live Grateful Dead, as I make my way through all of their officially-released live recordings as well as the hundreds of soundboards on the Relisten app. As such, there wasn't a great deal of time to listen to much new music. That said, there was some great records to come out this year and a good handful that really perked up my ears. Of course, this list is subjective, and I'm sure that if I heard every single 2024 album that was in my wheelhouse, this would have been a much different list. But this is the list we have and every single one of these albums deserves to be here.

So, without further adieu, here is my Top Pick Of 2024:

Motorpsycho: Neigh!!

Norway’s immense Motorpsycho celebrated their 35^th year as a band in 2024. While there wasn’t any grand statement, or big celebration, there was still reason to raise a glass to the magnificent Neigh!! Following up on last year’s mostly-acoustic Yay!, this new release finds the band trawling their recent archive for songs that, for one reason or another, did not fit on the albums for which they were originally recorded. So, the band dusted those tracks off, gave them a once-over, and compiled them into an album that honestly blows their last few records out of the water. For the most part, this album stays away from the heavy epics but songs like “Psycholab” and “This Is Your Captain” are clearly in the Motorpsycho wheelhouse while their cover of Skip Spence’s “All My Life (I Love You)” shows that they can do poppier material just as well as the heavy stuff. With another new album on the way, Motorpsycho continues to push forward and, as always, completely nails it.

Since I totally hate ranking music, the rest of the list is presented in alphabetical order. Every last one of them is a banger.

Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks: True

While Yes continues to record and perform without him, former vocalist Jon Anderson continues on his own, recently enlisting The Band Geeks to back him up and basically play the part of “Yes”, which they do quite adeptly. As such, a lot of what can be found on this album is squarely in the Classic Yes mold, especially tracks like “True Messenger”, “Counties And Countries”, and the epic “Once Upon A Dream”, while “Shine On” could have appeared on Big Generator. Other songs like “Still A Friend” and “Thank God” are more in line with what you would expect from a Jon Anderson album, but they are delivered with all the vigor that the Geeks are capable of. By far, this is Anderson’s best solo album in decades.

 Beachwood Sparks: Across The River Of Stars

After a twelve-year recording hiatus, Beachwood Sparks have returned with their signature brand of cosmic alt.country. Brevity is the order of the day here, with this album’s nine songs clocking in at a lean 28 minutes, but that does not detract from the album at all. Parts of this remind me of the Byrds, some of it makes me think of the Meat Puppets. Sadly, this album comes after the passing of both Neal Casal as well as Josh Schwartz, but their spirit lives on in these expansive numbers.

 

Blitzen Trapper: 100s of 1000s, Millions of Billions

Blitzen Trapper have never made a bad album. The closest, I think, may have been 2020’s Holy Smokes Future Jokes, which is pretty weird in places, but even that album had more highs than lows. While that album found Eric Earley in a more experimental mode, this latest release is just full of killer songs. The kind that reminds you that Earley is one of the greatest living songwriters. This shows up in the classic BT vibes of album opener, “Ain’t Got Time To Fight”, the reflective “Planetarium”, the rockin’ “Hello Hallelujah”, and the killer single, “Cosmic Backseat Education”, which is one of the best songs here.

The Church: Eros Zeta and the Perfumed Guitars

The Church’s 27^th studio album follows hot on the heels of last year’s The Hypnogogue, existing as a sort of companion to that impressive installment. Similar themes carry over to this release, but it also stands on its own as a solid, late-career offering. Much of this album is very atmospheric but occasionally they pick up the pace, like on songs such as “Amanita” and the Modern Lovers vibe of “Manifesto”.

 

The Cure: Songs Of A Lost World

When you are a classic group with a consistently strong back catalogue, and you take 16 years to make a new album – especially when your leader has, over the years, promised that up to six albums were in the works and “almost done” – you better be able to deliver. Where so many artists fall flat, The Cure actually managed to not only buck that trend, but they managed to come out with their best album, possibly since Disintegration. This album has its dark and weird moments, and is very ethereal in places, but also very accessible and that is its strong point, and the reason why this album shot straight to #1.

 Deep Purple: =1

Not a lot of bands make it to their 23^rd studio album. Many of those who do are basically phoning it in by that point. Or, at least, they are coasting. Deep Purple, on the other hand, continues pushing forward, consistently releasing solid albums. This is the first album to feature Simon McBride on guitar, after Steve Morse’s 2022 exit, and his expansive playing fills out this album’s sonic palette while Ian Gillan sounds thirty years younger than his 79 years would otherwise suggest. Musically, this continues along DP’s hard rock path, and it doesn’t deviate from that too much. But that is not to trivialize the material, which totally rocks. This is some of Deep Purple’s most engaging work in years, and it gets better with every spin.

 

Elephant Stone: Back Into The Dream

Montreal psychsters Elephant Stone may have named themselves after a Stone Roses single but they are very much in their own category. On their sixth album, the tabla drums may be dialed back a bit but the songs are as jangly and as trippy as ever. Songs like “The Spark” and “Lost In A Dream” could have been released in 1967 while others like “History Repeating” and “BAE” combine more modern elements to create a sound that takes a familiar vibe and turns it on its side.

 

Liam Gallagher & John Squire: s/t

Noel Gallagher started his career as a roadie for The Stone Roses, and it was their sound that was the initial blueprint for Oasis, so it should stand to reason that an album by the younger Gallagher and Roses axe-man John Squire should be pretty incredible. While I would stop just short of that designation, the resultant album is one hell of a ride. All of the songs were written by John Squire and, while this does not necessarily sound like The Stone Roses, it does make me wonder how many of these songs were originally destined for that band’s ill-fated reunion album. It’s been twenty years since we’ve heard any significant writing from Squire, so that’s very refreshing, especially because these songs are so much better than the two Stone Roses reunion tracks. With the Oasis regroup actually happening, this collaboration appears to be a one-and-done. Fortunately the songs here are strong enough to make this album stand out.

 Guided By Voices: Strut Of Kings

Strut Of Kings may be the only GbV album to come out in 2024 but it is the 40^th GbV album, and the 17^th to feature the current lineup of Bob Pollard, Doug Gillard, Bobby Bare Jr, Mark Shue, & Kevin March. This album features a lot of the same stuff that we’ve come to expect from a GbV album, with a particular focus on the prog side of the band, with songs such as “Leaving Umbrella” and “Olympus Cock In Radiana” exploring the weirder side of the band while others like “Serene King”, “Dear Onion”, and “Bicycle Garden” deliver the melodic, anthemic vibe that Pollard has been so revered for. While this may come across as just another day at the office for the band, this is yet another significant cog in that machine, and should not be missed.

 Halsey: The Great Impersonator

Ashley Frangipane often gets lumped in with other pop singers of this day, but her music has always transcended pop convention, and is often achingly beautiful. Her latest offering comes after a lupus diagnosis (and a few other serious health issues) and, at least at one point, she approached this album as if it were to be her final. Interestingly, she approached every song on the album while thinking of her various influences. As such, the songs on this album take inspiration from artists as diverse as Stevie Nicks, Bruce Springsteen, Amy Lee, Kate Bush, Dolly Parton, and Fiona Apple (among others), but nothing on this album necessarily sounds like those influences. They all sound like Halsey. That is the mark of a great artist – they know exactly how to channel their influences in a way that still sounds original.

 Judas Priest: Invincible Shield

I don’t know what’s harder to believe – that Judas Priest has been making albums for 50 years or the fact that this latest offering is so incredible. Seriously, this band does not age. “Panic Attack” opens the album with all the power that this band has ever been known for. Rob Halford’s voice has barely aged a day and, in fact, here he sounds better than ever. While some of the band’s more recent work has been almost prog influenced, this album finds Priest just going balls to the wall, delivering an album that can sit perfectly among their most classic works.

 Paul Kelly: Fever Longing Still

Australia’s answer to Bob Dylan returns with his first album of all-new songs in six years, and he comes out on top. When you’ve made 29 albums, it may seem like you don’t have anything left to say, but that is not the case here. Kelly delivers his signature jangly folk-rock over the course of 12 songs that explore the human condition as well as a lifetime of experiences, good and bad. My favorite Paul Kelly moments have always been his snarkier numbers, and we get a good dose of that here, especially on “Love Has Made A Fool Of Me” and “Hello Melancholy, Hello Joy”.  That he has not enjoyed massive success Stateside is one of those head-scratchers that will never make sense (same goes with Bruce Cockburn), but it’s obviously not stopping him. May he continue to make records forever.

 King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard: Flight b741

This band is totally nuts, but we all know that. 26 albums in 12 years, and almost every one of them is totally different. This latest release finds the Gizz in a more accessible, more melodic mode (their last two albums were epic metal and extended electro jams, respectively). Fans of Fishing For Fishies and Paper Mache Dream Balloon will find a lot to love on this set, which is just a solid collection of songs that further prove  Stu Mackenzie’s genius.

 Kula Shaker: Natural Magick

British psych combo Kula Shaker return with their 7^th studio album and, just like every one of their albums, it is a total banger. Kicking off with the blast known as “Gaslighting” this album does not let up, as they move through the sitar-laden “Waves”, with its infectious “sha na na na” chorus. This album marks a return of Jay Darlington which reunites the original lineup for the first time in over a quarter century. Perhaps that is the reason that, while this album is clearly contemporary, it immediately conjures images of the mid-‘90s, back when I heard this band for the first time.

 The Linda Lindas: No Obligation

It totally trips me out that the Linda Lindas are onto their third release and ¾ of the band is still in high school. Of course, they prove that age means nothing, because they rock so fucking hard. Musically, they continue a path that takes them from punk to power pop, and all the crunch that comes between. As usual, each of the four members of the band contribute songs and vocals and that give the album variety and flow. Writing and performing the album completely on their own, they are otherwise joined on one song by none other than “Weird Al” Yankovic, who lays down some nasty accordion on “Yo Me Estreso”. Given their age, this band could really go the distance. Let’s hope they do.

 

Magnum: Here Comes The Rain

For over 45 years, Magnum remained one of the most reliably consistent hard rock bands around. They never really found the pitfalls that so many bands of their ilk suffer from, and their music has always been a bit smarter than your average hard rock band. This year began with the release of Magnum’s 23^rd studio album, Here Comes The Rain, an exquisite tour-de-force that is every bit as solid as the best of their catalogue. Sadly, this was also to be their final offering, as guitarist/songwriter/producer Tony Clarkin passed away suddenly, five days before this album’s release, and (singer) Bob Catley has since announced that, without Tony, the band just cannot continue. (there will be some tribute shows hosted by the band next year but this is it, otherwise). The good thing, if a silver lining can be found, is that this album is a most excellent exclamation point on their long, rich career.

 

Phish: Evolve

The last few years have been interesting ones for Phish. Guitarist Trey Anastasio released a pair of digital-only solo albums – Lonely Trip and the acoustic Mercy - as well as a groundbreaking collaboration with keyboardist Page McConnell, titled January. While all of those records have their high points, and their own identities, what they really did was provide a vast well of potential new Phish songs. And that’s what we have here, on the band’s 16^th studio release, as seven of the thirteen songs on this album originally came from those projects, while a further five were originally debuted on the band’s summer tour in 2023. The  only one that was brand new to all ears, is bassist Mike Gordon’s delightfully groovy “Human Nature”, which is one of his better offerings. Utilizing both Bryce Goggin and Vance Powell behind the board, this album has a rich production and is neither flimsy nor slick. It’s just perfect, one of the most rewarding of Phish’s sixteen studio albums.

 Ride: Interplay

One of the greatest of the shoegazer bands, Ride kicked off their career with four of the strongest EPs any band has ever released. 34 years later, they are dropping their 7^th album (their third since reuniting in 2014) and it is a fantastic, fresh, contemporary take, one of their best albums ever. Taking inspiration from ‘80s synthpop, these songs are immediate, upbeat, and catchy. Were this a better world, this would be the massive breakthrough that it deserves to be.

 Sarah Shook and the Disarmers: Revelations

On her fourth album with the Disarmers, River Shook takes the ups and downs of her past and comes out with a mature collection of songs that are light years away from the lonesome whiskey-soaked numbers of her early years. In the meantime, Shook has gotten sober, changed her name to River, and made an album with her alt.rock side project, Mightmare. This all coalesces into the grooves of this record, where the songs are strong and her voice is even stronger. Any record with a song called “Motherfucker” is a win in my book.

 The Smashing Pumpkins: Aghori Mhori Mei

Following the return of James Iha & Jimmy Chamberlin in 2017, the Pumpkins quickly knocked out Shiny And Oh So Bright before embarking on two long, sprawling album projects – 2020’s electro double album, Cyr, as well as the triple-album-rock-opera, ATUM. After those complexities, it was time to get back to basics, just a little. And so we get Aghori Mhori Mei, a no-bullshit, back-to-basics, classic Smashing Pumpkins record, full of just as many big guitars as sweeping, cinematic flourishes. If they had put this album out in 1997, no one would have batted an eye. And, yet, this album and feels contemporary.

 Mary Timony: Untame The Tiger

This year saw DC’s wonderful Mary Timony delivering her first solo album in 19 years, the last one being 2005’s Ex Hex (which later provided the name of Timony’s current band). In the years since, Mary has worked with a variety of different projects, musical and otherwise, including Ex Hex, Wild Flag, and Hammered Hulls, where she plays bass. Her latest finds her signature guitar tone and her exquisite whisper of a voice taking the lead on nine new songs that are a little more upbeat and less weird than her previous solo work (note: Mountains is one of my favorite albums of all time), but the album is every bit as rewarding as the best of her work.

 U2: How To Reassemble An Atomic Bomb

I debated including this album, since it is really a collection of outtakes from 2004’s How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, but most of this album is previously unreleased and it really plays like a new U2 album, albeit one that was made two decades ago. Several of the songs had been heard before, in one context or another, such as “Are You Gonna Wait Forever?” and “Picture Of You”, which was previously known as “Xanax & Wine” (and rewritten as “Fast Cars”), as well as “The Luckiest Man In The World”, which was previously titled “Mercy” when it was a leaked outtake from the album (and huge fan fave). That track alone is worth the cost of the record. Of course, the most exciting parts are the never-heard songs, from deep within the U2 vault, the best of which is “Country Mile” and “Happiness” is also a solid one. “Treason” is really weird but that’s what makes it great, and “Evidence Of Life” just rocks. This just goes to show that there is gold in that vault. All they gotta do is mine for it every now and then.

 Widespread Panic: Snake Oil King / Hailbound Queen

It’s been eight years since we’ve gotten any new music from Widespread Panic and then, boom, two albums in one year. Of course, to call them “albums” is a bit of a stretch, as there are only 11 songs between these two releases (hence, them getting one entry), but whatever. What we have here is WSP doing that they do best on a collection of originals and a few covers. We get a beautiful rendition of Warren Zevon’s farewell song, “Keep Me In Your Heart”, and of course there is the requisite Bloodkin cover (the rockin’ live favorite, “Trashy”), as well as two songs written by the band in conjunction with Jerry Joseph. Throughout these tracks, what we hear is a rejuvenated Widespread Panic, one that you would never imagine would be entering their 40^th year. 

So there you have it. Another musical year in the books. Before we go, we need to pay tribute to all the great players we lost this year: Quincy Jones, Dickey Betts, Kris Kristofferson, JD Souther, Frankie Beverly, Sergio Mendes, Herbie Flowers, John Mayall, Francoise Hardy, John Barbata, Steve Albini, Duane Eddy, Mike Pinder, Karl Wallinger, Eric Carmen, Damo Suzuki, Mojo Nixon, Toby Keith, Wayne Kramer, the beautiful Melanie, and the late, great Phil Lesh. Rest in peace and play forever.

Big Country: Peace In Our Time (1988)

Produced by Peter Wolf, this 1988 fourth album from Big Country sounds every bit the year it came out. Very slick, very accessible, very little of the classic Big Country sound. But still that doesn’t stop it from being a fantastic record. Stuart Adamson continues to prove his weight as a songwriter (every song is brilliantly written), and he puts in a magnificent vocal performance, on every track. On the whole, Peace In Our Time may sit a bit low in the BC ranking order, but it is still a remarkable album and I’m always happy when I revisit it.

Tintern Abbey: Beeside - The Anthology (2022)

British psychsters Tintern Abbey released one single in 1967 - “Beeside” / “Vacuum Cleaner” - and then promptly disappeared off the face of the planet. Like most bands, however, they did a fair bit of recording and this collection (courtesy of the great Real Gone Music) collects two dozen of those unreleased masters and stretches the Tintern Abbey story to four LP sides. And it is incredible…maybe not so much for what it is but definitely for what it represents. These tracks are raw, weird, trippy, brash, and loud, and the band’s playing is not always super tight but it does exactly what it needs to do (especially being that these are mostly demos). Listening to these tracks, it’s no wonder the band wasn’t picked up for an album deal. There is very little commercial potential in this material. But that just makes me like it more.  Had there been viable, hip indie labels at the time, this band’s story could’ve played out quite differently. 

That said, the best tracks on this set are the two sides of that lone Deram single. “Beeside” is a great little psych nugget with a vocal melody that Roger Waters most certainly nicked (for “Grantchester Meadows”) and the flip, “Vacuum Cleaner”, has been mixtape/playlist staple for decades. One of my favorite songs ever. Nice to have both of those tracks here. Elsewhere, were treated to 22 songs of varying quality, in varying stages of completion. Some are super lo-fi and noisy while others sound like they were potential singles that just never got released. Some songs are quite well written while others make little sense. One thing is abundantly clear - this band sounds like no one else. It’s a shame they didn’t go the distance. This collection will feed me for eons.

REM: Reckoning (1984)

 

Forty years and a day and it hasn’t aged a second.

Spock's Beard: Day For Night (1999)

 

Generally speaking - and I know I am in the minority here - I tend to prefer the Spock’s era when (drummer) Nick DiVirgilo fronted the band. The four albums with him pulling double duty found them becoming a more collaborative band and led them down some very interesting paths. Prior to that, Neal Morse pretty much called the shots, wrote all the songs, and was the primary producer. While his genius cannot be overstated, I always felt like he was a bit too clean for my liking. That having been said, their fourth album, Day For Night, is perfection, my favorite from this era. The songs are polished but not cheesy, the playing is outstanding, and everyone sounds incredibly inspired. Highlights include the ten minute “Crack The Big Sky” and the album-opening title track, which is one of the greatest Spock’s Beard songs ever. But the whole record is fantastic and worthy of many spins.

Blue Öyster Cult: On Your Feet Or On Your Knees (1975)

 

I’ve never been able to wrap my head around BÖC but I try, and will always try. They totally kick ass, and they are also super weird, so they have both of that going for them, but I just have such a hard time making sense of their songs & song structure. The songs slam and they chug, but they are also full of odd detours and extraneous bits, and they never really follow any sort of traditional verse-chorus-verse formula. There’s tons of energy, especially on this double live release, and the band is super tight (as are their chops - Buck Dharma is incredible) but it’s also a lot. I can imagine just witnessing this in person being exhausting. I don’t dislike this band but I have still yet to crack the code. One of these days….

Guided By Voices: Same Place The Fly Got Smashed (1990)

 This 4th GbV album, from 1990, was kind of the birth of the weird, lo-fi era of the band that brought forth such patchwork beauties as Vampire On Titus and Bee Thousand. A concept album about an alcoholic murderer, this is often a tough spin but in between the fuzz and crackle there are, as has always been the case, some absolutely stunning songs. 

Particular highlights include the classic “Drinker’s Peace”, the tender “When She Turns 50”, and the epics “Blatant Doom Trip” & “Local Mixup / Murder Charge” (“Pendulum” is a pretty special one too). This album is one of the most revered, yet most obscure. Kudos to Scat for doing such a great job reissuing the early GbV catalogue.

Magnum: Chase The Dragon (1982)

 Magnum’s third album, 1982’s Chase The Dragon, finds the band further solidifying their own sound, utilizing some pomp flourishes here and there, but mostly relying on Tony Clarkin’s impeccable songwriting, and Bob Catley, whose voice rivals that of Robin Zander in power and skill. His recent announcement that, with the passing of Tony Clarkin, he simply cannot carry on with Magnum was incredibly sad, and just as understandable. Fortunately we have the albums, and this album is magnificent.

Magnum: II (1979)

 After somehow missing out on this band all my life, my familiarization with Magnum continues with their 1979 sophomore release. While their debut, Kingdom Of Madness, was one hell of a start, this album takes the vigor of that set and further solidifies their own sound. I hear shades of Queen, a bit of Cheap Trick, a dose of Thin Lizzy, maybe some Styx. Very proggy in places, but also never afraid of a riff or a hook. It’s clear why this band never took over the world….they are just a bit too singular in their style and sound (much like the fantastic Saga, who they remind me a lot of)….but it’s also clear why Magnum managed to enjoy a half-century-long career, and a solid fanbase. There is no one else quite like them.

Sadly, my acquaintance with Magnum is coming just weeks after the passing of guitarist/songwriter Tony Clarkin (which was actually a complete coincidence) so it looks like I will be diving into a complete body of work as I don’t imagine the band will continue, at least in any creative capacity. Regardless, I look very forward to charting Magnum’s evolution.

Magnum: Kingdom Of Madness (1978)

 One of the things I most love about music is that, 40+ years into my obsession, I am still finding longstanding bands with enormous catalogues who totally knock me out. Most are ones I’ve always known about but never did the deep dive - Focus and Meat Puppets are two of my more recent “discoveries”. My latest, however, is Magnum, which is a band I’d heard of for years but never actually checked out (for some reason I always assumed they were just a dumb-rock band like April Wine or something). I guess it’s better to be late to the party than to not show at all, because this band kicks ass. They rock, they prog, they don’t sing about dumb shit, and Tony Clarkin (RIP) can totally shred. After the usual YouTube dive, I came across a copy of their 1978 debut out in the wild, so I took that as a two-fold sign - it was time to give them a go & I would do so in chronological order (their next few albums are en route). I will reserve my usual verbose review until I get to know this band better but I look very forward to continuing on the path.

Steve Hackett: Voyage Of The Acolyte (1975)

 I’ve had this record for at least thirty years but never really paid it any mind until now. I dig it. A lot. I’ve been meaning to look into Hackett’s work….might as well start at the beginning.

Phish: Round Room (2002)

 In late 2002, Phish came roaring back from their first split with this sprawling album, which came as a surprise. Essentially culled from rehearsals, these recordings capture these brand new songs in a raw, loose, fresh, unpolished presentation.

While Round Room provided several future big guns such as “Pebbles & Marbles”, “Waves”, “Walls Of The Cave”, “Seven Below”, and the instant mega-classic, “46 Days”, this album (as with most of their post-Farmhouse releases) is chocked full of filler that very rarely gets played live - lots of pleasant, mid tempo numbers, some better than others. “All Of These Dreams” is a cool tune, and both of Mike Gordon’s contributions - “Mock Song” and the title track - are clever and fun (and criminally neglected on stage). “Friday” holds the distinction as the worst song to appear on a Phish album, and fortunately has long vanished from rotation (seriously, it’s so bad…cool end jam tho), and “Mexican Cousin”, while a fun party song, is pretty dumb and has not stood the test of time. “Anything But Me” is a nice enough song, but finds Phish at their most lukewarm, while “Thunderhead” mostly serves as an odd extended intro to the epic “Waves” (itself the springboard for many a mighty jam on stage). 

Given that these tracks are derived from rehearsal recordings (in The Barn) there is an intimacy that could never be replicated and it’s fun to hear these tunes - especially “46 Days”, one of their most versatile live songs - in such an embryonic state, with none of their eventual flourishes and no studio gloss. It’s almost like eavesdropping….and I love it. 

This album marked the dawn of the 2.0 era, which lasted precisely 20 months and two albums before the band split again. This was Phish’s “difficult” period, and there was a lot of darkness surrounding Phish (and its scene) at this time, lots of demons doing lots of damage. Fortunately they gave it another reat and, after almost five years, Phish returned mightily, and are still going strong today. 

***For those who really want to eavesdrop, several additional songs were recorded but never released or given much/any attention on stage such as “Discern” and “Spices” (both of which are brilliantly complex), “Birthday Boys” (which had already appeared on Oysterhead’s album), a version of Jon Fishman’s “Tomorrow’s Song” that far surpasses the one from Undermind, a couple of killer Mike Gordon tunes - “Couch Lady” and the criminally neglected “Gatekeeper” - as well as several others . These tracks basically make up an entire bonus album and while they do not exist on vinyl it is well worth seeking these tracks out.

The Monkees: Changes (1970)

 The questionable 1970 contractual obligation album, featuring only half of the Monkees, and none of the charm of those early singles. After spending the previous three years as a self-produced entity, The Monkees handed over the production reins to Jeff Barry, who wrote most of the songs as well. And so really this is more a Jeff Barry album featuring Dolenz & Jones than it is a Monkees record. When you consider it that way, this is actually a pretty decent album. The songs are bubblegum, but a bit more grown up, and even Davy’s tracks are solid. Barry was primarily doing the Archies at the time and so much of this sounds like that, except with more recognizable voices. 

By this point, the Monkee era was clearly over. The show had been kaput for two years (but was in reruns), their movie career stalled, half of the lineup was long gone, and their fanbase had outgrown them. They weren’t even touring. It really was just a formality. And so Changes was totally ignored (rarely mentioned even now) and never really given a fair shake. 

They did one more single and then stuck a pin in it, closing out their initial run and leaving this poor record in the “nadir” column. It’s worth a reassessment.

Katzenjammer: Rockland (2015)

 Of all the great broken-up bands to ever exist, were I given the power to resurrect one and one only, it would almost certainly be Katzenjammer (my second favorite Norwegian band). Their split was way premature, and did not need to happen. They could have gone off and made solo albums while still keeping the band on track. They really were on the way to becoming a pretty big deal. Fortunately they left three phenomenal albums behind. 

This is their third and it finds them moving away from what my sister refers to as “psycho circus music” and exploring Appalachian vibes, among others (folk, pop, indie, etc).  Similar to bands like Sloan, all four members wrote and sang their own songs, and performed them on a wide variety of instruments (watching them shift between songs was one of the best parts of their live shows….virtuosos on everything, they).

Every song on this album is great but (as was often the case) the most compelling material came from Sol Heilo. “Oh My God” and “Bad Girl” are super cool but it’s “Shine Like Neon Rays”, with its toy piano riff, that stands at the top, possibly the best song this band ever played.

Hopefully one day this band will get its shit together and reform. Until then, at least we have the records.

Top 23 Of '23

Man oh man. I am usually right on top of this list every year but really there wasn't much new music that I connected to in 2023, so I have been at a loss. Part of that was that I came across a dearth of albums worth writing about. But I also wasn't looking that hard (I've been focusing much of my musical attention to the Dead in recent years, and building an amazing collection of that, but that's for a different post).

That being said, of course there was good music to come in 2023, and quite a bit of it. It just took more effort to connect. There are a few albums on this list that stuck with me all year. There are some that I obsessed over for a week or two (or maybe just a day) and then forgot about. And then there are some, including some very big ones, that I am only now finally getting to. As usual, there is one Album Of The Year that sits at the top but the rest is presented in alphabetical order by artist (because I have no patience for ranking shit - it's either good or it's not). 

So, without further adieu, the album that most grabbed me in 2023 was...

Yes: Mirror To The Sky

Following up 2021's The Quest, the second Yes album to not feature Chris Squire (and the first since 1972 to not feature Alan White), takes everything up several notches, from the songwriting to the performance. Led and produced by Steve Howe, the current lineup of Yes manages to remain relevant by continuing to forge its own identity without trying to sound like the past eras of the band. Jay Schellen takes over nicely from Alan White and really jumpstarts the lineup, while Billy Sherwood continues to fit perfectly into the role carved out by his mentor, Chris Squire. Jon Davison is firmly settled into his role, on his fourth Yes album, and that shows. Keyboardist Geoff Downes takes a creative backseat here, but his playing gives this album its moody vibe, and Steve Howe is as inspired as ever. What makes this album most compelling is that it doesn't try too hard to "be" anything. The whole record comes off with such fluidity that it almost sounds effortless. Mirror To The Sky may share zero personnel (and very few musical traits) with 90125 but it shares the same soul, that distinct "Yesness", and that is evident in every note of this fantastic album. They are currently at work on a new one. I can't imagine it topping this but I can't wait to find out. In the meantime, I will spin this at least a hundred more times.

And now for the runners up:

The Alarm: Forwards

Eternal survivor Mike Peters keeps the Alarm flame alive on this (depending on how you count it) 21st album to bear this band's name. As usual, the material on this album has an extremely earnest, uplifting, anthemic quality to it. Peters is a fighter - he's beaten cancer three times - and it's that spirit that propels the songs on this album. There might not be anything as epic as "Newtown Jericho" or "68 Guns" on this album, but that same fighting spirit is here, especially on bangers like "The Returning", "Whatever", and the album-closing "X".

Bass Drum Of Death: Say I Won't

Aside from having one of the most awesome band names ever, Bass Drum Of Death has been kicking out killer, catchy, grungy garage-rock for about 15 years now. Their fifth album for Fat Possum finds this trio laying down the kind of jams that would have Guided By Voices, Sonic Youth, and the Strokes all watching their backs. "Find It" is one of the great songs of the year, as is "Say Your Prayers".  

Cherry Glazerr: I Don't Want You Anymore

On their fifth album, Clementine Creevy & crew push their sound ever darker and dirtier. Electro textures color these heavy, sinister moods, pushing their sound ever closer to Metric territory, but then we get a touch of funk, a disco flash, and still a heavy dose of that sort of '90s indie vibe that they've always excelled at. Tuscadero, Helium, Hole, and Tsunami factor heavily into their sound (if not, then what a coincidence) however, at no time does this ever seem derivative. This band has a very distinct sound and this album finds them growing into it quite well. 

The Church: The Hypnogogue

On their 25th full-length album, our favorite Aussie psychedelic shoegazers deliver an album that is both forward-thinking as well as one that pays homage to their previous four decades. Steve Kilbey might be the only one that remains from the band's heyday, but the soul of the band is alive and well, especially in songs like "Ascendence", the multi-sectioned "C'est La Vie", and the hypnotic groove of the title track. 

Cowboy Junkies: Such Ferocious Beauty

Whenever there's talk about enduring lineups, you always hear mention of U2, ZZ Top, The Tragically Hip, Sloan, maybe King's X, but you rarely see Cowboy Junkies mentioned yet their lineup has been unbroken since forming, 39 years ago. Sure, 3/4 of the band are sibings, but we see how those kinds of bands go, all the time. Instead, this quartet (plus Jeff Bird, who has played with them, as a jack of all trades, since 1987) has pushed ever forward, on their own path (and never sounding like any other band but itself), cranking out albums and maintaining a reputation as a hell of a live band (one of my fave bands to see). Their 21st album might not stray from the usual fare but it, like most Cowboy Junkies albums, is a perfect aural painting of everything this band is about. Margo Timmins' voice is just as moving and soothing as ever, and Michael's songs - born from an era of intense grief - will scrape ya raw. Every one of them, however, is fantastic (even a bit upbeat) and the band sounds great. 

Crown Lands: Fearless

Of all the bands that have claimed Rush as a influence, I don't think any of them ever hit the nail as squarely as Canadian duo, Crown Lands. While there are plenty of times where it seems as if the band just has a big bag of Rush tricks that they arbitrarily pull from, they manage to do so in ways so convincingly that the layman may be forgiven for confusing the two bands (the primary difference being, of course, that even Rush's proggiest moments are filled with hooks and are catchy as hell). And yet, through it all, Crown Lands manages to maintain its own identity. The 18min opener, "Starlifter: Fearless Pt. II" presents that perfect balance and while it might plod on a bit, it is an extremely accomplished piece of music. Three years, and three albums into their career, this band has a very bright future so long as they play it right.

dEUS: How To Replace It

Belgium's finest might not be the most prolific band - eight albums in thirty years - but when they do put one out, they really make it count. Their latest comes eleven years after the brilliant Following Sea and it finds Tom Barman and crew as unique as ever. Their music has always had a cinematic quality to it and that is absolutely the order of the day here. "Must Have Been New" and "1989" are two of the best songs I heard all year, though the entire album is vital listening. 

The Flower Kings: Look At You Now

This 18th album to bear the Flower Kings name is the fifth since Roine Stolt reactivated the band and it continues the band's focus on shorter songs. Gone are the 20-30min epics, and bonus discs stretched to the limit. While the songs are shorter, they are not pop songs. This band is still as prog as ever. Just with less of the twiddly parts. 

Mike Gordon: Flying Games

When he's not holding down the low end for Phish, Mike Gordon has maintained a prolific solo career, releasing nine albums (including three with Leo Kottke). On his latest release, Gordon continues to carve a unique path outside of his main gig. While his material doesn't always land when Phish plays it, in this context it works. Especially in the slick, electro aesthetic that informs these tracks. That is especially true with "Back In The Bubble" and "Casual Enlightenment", both of which have been butchered on the Phish stage, though "Mull" has enjoyed success and remains in regular rotation. Most of this material will never make that jump and that is some of the most intriguing. 

Guided By Voices: Welshpool Frillies / Tremblers & Goggles By Rank / Nowhere To Go But Up

The modern lineup of GbV is just a couple albums away from equaling the album output of the entire rest of the band's history, and they keep cranking them out. These bring the total to 18 albums to come from the Pollard/Gillard/Bare/Shue/March lineup of the band (since 2017) and while one may be forgiven for not being able to differentiate much between them (or, at least, many of them), each one is a pristine example of Guided by Voices, and the genius of Bob Pollard. If I were to pick one, I would say that Welshpool Frillies may stand higher than the other two, but that is not to diminish those two albums, both of which are totally solid. Because, even though the catalogue is unfathomably vast, every GbV release is a gift. (all three count as one entry)

Lydia Loveless: Nothing's Gonna Stand In My Way Again

On her sixth album, Lydia Loveless continues to prove that she is the real thing, what country music should be, even if she goes far beyond country, alt.country, whatever. Loveless has a way of delivering raw, personal emotions with one of the best voices out there, and one hell of a songbook. While it seems that some of her more abrasive sentiments are at least slightly reeled back, as Lydia settles into her mid-30s, these songs are still capable of punching your gut. She might be a big deal already but she deserves to be much bigger.

The Mother Hips: When We Disappear

San Francisco's rootsy Mother Hips deliver their twelfth album and one that is chocked full of solid songs that sit somewhere between Tom Petty, the Dead, and maybe the Black Crowes. While the band doesn't tread any particularly new ground here, you don't always have to do that. Sometimes you just need to slap down a set of great songs, with no ulterior motive. While this band has been around forever, they have never gotten as big as they should have. This album is worthy of changing that, so long as it gets heard. 

Motorpsycho: Yay!

One of the defining aspects of our favorite Norwegian outfit is that, over the past 35 years, they have never been afraid to change course abruptly. Some of those results were one-off anomalies while others would send the band down a whole new road. Which one this album is remains to be seen but, whatever the case, it is a fantastic offering from a band so late into their career. Yay! was born of the covid lockdown, and an inability to operate as a full band. So the material went into a lush, acoustic-based direction. Sitting somewhere between Laurel Canyon and English folk, these songs have every bit of the intricate character of their usual fare (whatever that might be at the time) but are also sparse and perfectly laid-back. Bonus points for the overt Pavement homage in the album art. 

The Nude Party: Rides On

On their fourth album, our favorite modern-day '60s pop group delivers a set that sounds precisely what you would get if you melted down the Velvet Underground, Rolling Stones, and the Faces, threw in a few random scraps, and made a new band out of it. Sometimes it really works, sometimes it's really weird, but every song has a character that, despite being from a band whose influences are so audible, is uniquely its own. 

Pallas: The Messenger

The eighth album to come from these neo-prog veterans comes nine years after the excellent Wearewhoweare, and finds the band sounding stronger than ever. Of all the bands to come from that '80s prog scene, Pallas seems to have remained closer to their original vision than the others and, yet, further under the radar. Marillion has gone all over the place and are superstars in their field. IQ and Pendragon both got really dark and dystopian. Solstice has changed singers too many times to be consistent, and Twelfth Night disappeared up their own arses. Pallas, on the other hand, has had a lot of turnover and gaps between releases but still very much true to its original vision. Their latest is the first to feature classic-era vocalist Alan Reed since 2005 and his is a very welcome return. Every track on this album is killer - "The Nine" is a particular standout, with its cold, mechanical rap-styled vocal, while the epics that bookend this album - "Sign Of The Times" and the thirteen-minute title track - show that this band is every bit as deserving of the accolades of its peers. Unfortunately this album is not available on Spotify so you will have to seek it out in some old fashioned way. It's worth it. 

Polymoon: Chrysalis

On their second album, Finnish psych-proggers Polymoon push the barriers ever further, with a set of tracks that perfectly mirror the saturated, multi-hued kudzu garden depicted on the sleeve. These tracks sway between quiet & spacy, mellow & jazzy, and molten, moog-laden grunge that'll stand yer hair on end. The entire record kicks ass, but it's the eight-minute "Instar" that is a particular highlight, as is the ferocious (and cleverly titled) closer, "Viper At The Gates Of Dawn". I would really like to see these guys play with King Buffalo. What a lineup that would be. I will certainly be paying close attention to this band.

Trevor Rabin: Rio

Following his 1995 exit from Yes, guitarist Trevor Rabin changed careers and became one of the most sought-after film composers this side of John Williams. He returned to the guitar for an instrumental album called Jacaranda, back in 2011, but it was not until now that we got to hear him sing again. And it's wonderful, sounds like he never left it behind. Much of this feels like the logical next step from Talk (his last album with Yes, in 1994) but you can hear the film-score influence, in some of the more dramatic areas, and there are a lot of very different moods explored as well. This album is definitely the proggiest of his solo career - and I swear, deep within the rich vocal harmonies, I can hear Jon Anderson and Chris Squire in there. Welcome back, Trev!

Olivia Rodrigo: Guts

On her second album, the former Disney-channel-star-turned-voice-of-the-angry-Zoomer proves that 2021's Sour was no fluke. This new set explores several different layers - lots of acoustic passages, and other dramatic bits, but mostly this record ROCKS. And I appreciate the shit out of that. In her songs, I hear CBGB, and I hear Seattle, but nothing about this seems retro in the slightest. Just a good idea, updated for a new generation. I will admit there are times when Rodrigo comes across as overly bratty and entitled, angry for anger's sake, that sort of thing, and sometimes that can be a bit much (especially coming from someone whose big break was High School Musical). But when she finds that perfect balance, she reveals herself to not only be the real thing but, really, a potential icon. 

The Rolling Stones: Hackney Diamonds

Some sixty years after they made their debut, the Rolling Stones delivered a brand new album. Just let that sink in. Charlie Watts had recently passed away and perhaps the ol' Glimmer Twins realized that it was time to shit or get off the pot. Fortunately, what they came up with is one of the finest Stones albums to come in decades. With only a few contemporary-sounding exceptions, the bulk of this album is the Stones being the STONES, with all the awesome that comes with it. The best part about this is that, while it sounds like classic Stones, it's no nostalgia trip, nor does this album try too hard. It doesn't have to. These are the kind of songs that drip effortlessly off the Jagger/Richards pen. I think the problem that plagued their last several albums was that they were trying to sound relevant (when, really, we all just wanted the Stones). But then they made Blue & Lonesome and reset the rules. Now they're just playing to their strengths, and killin' it.

Solstice: Light Up

Solstice may have only made seven albums in 43 years but they always take great care to make each one memorable. None more so than here, where we find the current lineup of the band really jelling. Jess Holland has really settled into her role, on her second album with the band, and may actually be the best vocalist Solstice ever had (sorry Emma). The interplay between Andy Glass' guitar & Jenny Newman's violin give this band its signature sound and it is in full force here. 

Teenage Fanclub: Nothing Lasts Forever

On their twelfth studio album, these Scottish rockers mellow out on a set of solid, strummy tunes that almost recall Meat Puppets in places. The harmonies of Norman Blake & Raymond McGinley are sweeter than ever, and their songs have a certain maturity to them, and a very laid-back, Laurel Canyon sort of vibe. Songs that you can chill out to. Nothing here that's terribly outlandish but that's okay. Sometimes the perfect album doesn't need to try so hard to present itself. Sometimes mellow is what you need. And "Self-Sedation" - that is a great song. 

Triptides: Starlight

After venturing into a more stripped-down, song-oriented direction for 2022's So Many Days, Triptides have ramped it back up and returned to their signature, trippy, '60s vibe that made them so great to begin with. Some of the tracks, such as the opening "Starlight Ritual" have a slightly funky groove, while most of this is devoted to some of the band's best swirly, reverb-laden psych-pop. 

Honorable mentions: 

Altin Gun: Ask

American Authors: Best Night Of My Life

The Bad Ends: The Power And The Glory

Brandy Clark: Brandy Clark

Chappequa Wrestling: Plus Ultra

CVC: Get Real

DeWolff: Love Death & In Between

Las Robertas: Love Is The Answer

Lucero: Should've Learned By Now

Miesha & the Spanks: Unconditional Love In Hi-Fi

The Minks: Creatures Of Culture

The Subways: Uncertain Joys

Tanukichan: Gizmo

So there we go, another year done gone. It had its ups and downs and, between the cracks, there was some pretty good music being made. The above will attest to that, and I know there are a lot of major releases that I have yet to get to (like the Peter Gabriel) so there are glaring omissions for sure. There always are, but now I'm looking forward to what 2024 has in store. 

Lastly, 2023 (just like every passing year) suffered a great deal of loss in the music world. We lost some big ones last year, some that will sting for a while (2024 is not shaping up to be much better - we already lost Melanie). Eternal thanks and RIP goes out to Wayne Shorter, Gordon Lightfoot, Jeff Beck, David Crosby, Tom Verlaine, Jimmy Buffett, Burt Bacharach, Vivian Trimble, Ahmad Jamal, Harry Belafonte, Tina Turner, George Winston, Astrud  Gilberto, Tony Bennett, Sinead O'Connor, Robbie Robertson, Gary Young, James Casey, Russell Bastiste, Carla Bley, Les McCann, Shane McGowan, and the great Jim Ladd. Music heaven just got a major upgrade.