Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2024 Brat Charli XCX ★★★½ 78 Pop Dance Pop Charli XCX has probably become my favorite pop artist of the past decade. The base quality of her tracks is so consistently good – they’re fun at the very least, and often time reach greatness.Her sixth album, Brat, is noContinue reading “BRAT – Charli XCX”
Tag Archives: 2024
Dark Times – Vince Staples
Year Album Artist Stars Score 2024 Dark Times Vince Staples ★★★★½ 92 Hip-Hop Vince Staples is one of the most understated and consistently great rappers of the past decade. From 2014 to 2024, he’s released six albums and two detailed EPs, with only one — 2016’s Prima Donna — being less than stellar (even thatContinue reading “Dark Times – Vince Staples”
Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown
Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2024 Lives Outgrown Beth Gibbons ★★★★½ 93 Rock Chamber Pop Singer-songwriter Lives Outgrown is the first true solo record by legendary Portishead vocalist Beth Gibbons, and her first substantial release of music since the trip-hop band’s 2008 record, Third. In comparison to Portishead’s iconic percussive, industrial, and electronic production,Continue reading “Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown”
Scrapyard – Quadeca
Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2024 Scrapyard Quadeca ★★★ 68 Hip-Hop Neo-Soul Scrapyard is my first exposure to Quadeca, a former YouTube rapper and personality who has transitioned from a kind of goofy and humble DIY hip-hop nerd, known for freestyles and mimicking the flows of other emcees, to an artist with a uniqueContinue reading “Scrapyard – Quadeca”
The Dream of Delphi – Bat for Lashes
Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2024 The Dream of Delphi Bat for Lashes ★★½ 59 Pop Chamber Pop Bat for Lashes’ sixth record, The Dream of Delphi, doesn’t offer much substance in terms of hooks or through melodies. However, the ethereal and emotional production is breathtaking throughout the album. Haunting backing synths and choirs,Continue reading “The Dream of Delphi – Bat for Lashes”
Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us
Year Album Artist Stars Score Genres 2024 Only God Was Above Us Vampire Weekend ★★★★½ 92 Rock Indie Pop Only God Was Above Us in a way is Vampire Weekend being their more Vampire Weekend-y. There’s a lot of baroque-inspired chamber music. There’s a lot of warm, boyish vocal melodies by Ezra Koenig and light,Continue reading “Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us”
Girl With No Face – Allie X
Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2024 Girl With No Face Allie X ★★★½ 78 Pop Synth Pop Dance Pop Girl with No Face is an energetic indie pop record that fuses dancy beats and 80s synths with the emotional energy of a dark wave/post-punk project. Allie X really wears her influences on her sleeve,Continue reading “Girl With No Face – Allie X”
Eternal Sunshine – Ariana Grande
Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2024 Eternal Sunshine Ariana Grande ★★★½ 74 Pop R&B It’s been four years since Ariana Grande’s last record, but it doesn’t feel like she’s missed a beat. Eternal Sunshine is another “white girl making sexy dance poppy and dreamy R&B” record. Conceptually, Eternal Sunshine (like the movie) is aboutContinue reading “Eternal Sunshine – Ariana Grande”
I Got Heaven – Mannequin Pussy
Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2024 I Got Heaven Mannequin Pussy ★★★½ 78 Rock Alternative Rock Punk Growth and maturity have been Mannequin Pussy’s story since their debut in 2014, which was an 18 minute record with 10 tracks that each thrashed for about 90 seconds. With each release since, Mannequin Pussy has slowlyContinue reading “I Got Heaven – Mannequin Pussy”
Harm’s Way – Ducks Ltd.
Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2024 Harm’s Way Ducks Ltd. ★★★½ 77 Rock Alternative Rock Jangle Pop I feel like I could essentially write the exact same thing that I wrote for Ducks Ltd.’s first record — 2021’s Modern Fiction — to describe this second album of theirs in 2024. Harm’s Way is jangleContinue reading “Harm’s Way – Ducks Ltd.”
Fresh Out The Deli 