My Favorites of 2024 (so far)

The year's halfway done, here are the albums I remember the most.

Happy (early) Independence Day weekend! Sending this out a little early to get ahead of all the celebratory stuff. I submitted this list to No Depression for their mid-year best-of list. (You can find that here.)

This, of course, is not an exhaustive list by any means, it’s just the ten I found myself turning to more often than not over the last six months. (Links to listen and/or purchase each album are available by clicking on each cover.)

1. Beyoncé - Cowboy Carter

Every now and then, the hype is justified. So far this year, no other album has come close to this sprawling reclamation of one’s roots - country, soul, hip-hop, and rock’n’roll - and all their adventurous side roads. Read more about it here.

2. Waxahatchee - Tigers Blood

Katie Crutchfield’s best effort so far, which is saying something.

3. Hooray for the Riff Raff - The Past is Still Alive

By the time “Ogallala” fades, you want the journey to never end.

4. Bonny Light Horseman - Keep Me On Your Mind/See You Free

Double albums are still a thing, and thank goodness BLH knows how to make the most out of them.

5. Sarah Jarosz - Polaroid Lovers

This may actually be too low on the list, as Jarosz decided to give us her best yet in 2024.

6. Marcus King - Mood Swings

Read my review for No Depression here.

7. Katie Pruitt - Mantras

Pruitt draws you in and keeps you riveted through stories and observations about her life and ours.

8. Swamp Dogg - Blackgrass: From West
Virginia to 125th St

Read my review for No Depression here.

9. Aaron Lee Tasjan - Stellar Evolution

ALT continues his journey as a modern-day cosmic cowboy navigating an uncertain world with the certainty of someone comfortable in their own skin.

10. Gary Clark, Jr - JPEG RAW

Blues, rock, soul, hip-hop - this is how they seamlessly work together in 2024. (Assists from Stevie Wonder and George Clinton don’t hurt.)

I saw Clark with Mavis Staples at Red Rocks this past spring. Check out the show review here.

Honorable Mention: The Black Crowes - Happiness Bastards

This one almost made the top ten. It’s that good - but the fact that it’s at number 11 makes total sense, according to Nigel Tufnel, anyway. Here’s my original review for PopMatters.

Thanks for reading, and hopefully this will inspire you to check out some new stuff. Of course, there’s a mixtape…