I never employ a theme while compiling these year-end lists. They are purely objective compendiums of the songs I most enjoyed. But this year's collection has a thin continuity others have lacked. I suppose it's a cautious joy. There are sad songs but even those seem to relish the sadness as necessary and cathartic. It's perhaps a little prettier and funnier than the last few years, too. Beauty and joy = acts of resistance, I suppose.
As always, all songs have been released or reissued this year... except a few (I'll explain below).
The Golden Light (Hymn) - William Parker. Most of his output is Mingus wildness. And most of the time he's on bass. This is different. When I found this early in 24, I knew it was gonna be the start this year's compilation.
Major - Mulatu Astatke, Hoodna Orchestra. Legend with a new record. As expected, it grooves.
Beba cu toca bojie - Africa Negra. From Sao Tomé & Principe, this is, I think, their 50th year of existence (fluctuating lineup). This track is from Volume Two of a pair of anthologies released this year. It's all good. Since it's from an island off the coast of Africa that speaks Portuguese, the sound almost has a Brazilian flavor... a sonic reminder of Pangea.
Mood Swings - Little Simz. The percussion is exquisite. Mix perfect. Her delivery remains top-notch. Is she the best in the game? Almost...
Santiadang - Master Peace, Santigold. The only rapper to best Little Simz these days is Santigold. When she arrives on this otherwise uneventful track it's startling. All those octaves and pitch changes. Voice cross-steps that leave others skating. Dominant. Fun.
Adrenochrome - Shirt. I think this is Shirt's third appearance on an annual compilation. I really love his low-fi style, vocabulary, rhymes... everything but his nom de plume which makes it impossible to find his songs and art online. Maybe that's the point, though.
Wallabees & Weejuns - They Hate Change. LA rules hip hop right now (ScHoolboy Q, Lamar, Paris Texas, Tyler, Blu...), but there's nothing quite like Florida's They Hate Change. I first got into this duo 'cause their debut record referenced punk titans through bits UK Grime + OutKast + Parliment/Funkadelic fun. Still true. After about a minute, this song picks up pace to nearly Sir-Mix-A-Lot speed. Like him, they play the game right. Rapping with tongues in their cheeks.
Real quick: it was another massive year for rap and I could've filled this collection entirely of the genre: Gabe 'Nandez, Billy Woods, Ka, ELUCID, Mach-Hommy all made super sounds this year. Let's get coffee or beer and discuss.
Kick Dem Head - Jalifa & Irie Shottaz. Jalifa is from Trinidad and Tobago. Her parents go by Priest Ekechi & Empress AdamaIrie in the Rastafarian/ Bobo Shanty faith. Pretty into it, evidently. She sure can spit lyrics. Irie Shottaz, meanwhile, are two lads from Basel, Switzerland. Surprising, but I was listening to a KEXP interview of Mungo's Hi Fi sometime this summer and learned they're from Glasgow (a reggae show called Positive Vibrations* broadcasts as I drive to/from surf every Saturday morning). Europeans appreciate reggae.**
*The show's title makes me want to hear the Soft Boys song. Speaking of the Soft Boys, hearing Robyn Hitchcock sing "I Want to Destroy You" just blocks from my house at Sweetwater Music Hall was a pretty magical 2024 moment.
** Another magical moment: Jon Langford (Mekons, pen pal) at the Makeout Room reminiscing about growing up in Newport and Joe Strummer being just old enough to venture into the seaside pubs and procure records straight off the boat from Jamacia.
Natty Dread at the Controls - The Travellers. Speaking of Strummer, this lost record from 1977 resurfaced this year and, I think, fits the dub sounds the Clash sought to emulate on Sandanista.
Mum Does The Washing - Joshua Idehen. This social/economic lesson is still making me laugh. People today might be inclined to add "out loud" but aren't all laughs audible? Otherwise, they're smiles. Whatever we call my reaction, I needed it. Thanks, Joshua.
I'm Your Man - Paul Ngozi. Did you hear the Ngozi sample in Tyler, the Creator's latest record? Is Ngozi about to have a moment in the sun? Nothing compares to Day of Judgement. It's one of the best rock records of all time. Nevertheless, this reissue is still a terrific reminder that rock was destined to be perfected once it found its way back to Africa. (Thanks, again, to Tim for the introduction.)
Broken Man - St. Vincent. Kim Gordan and Deal both made bare, raw industrial records this year, but I think St. Vincent's was the best and funniest.
Snakeplant (The Past Is Still Alive) - Hurray For The Riff Raff. Alynda Segarra took a stroll into pop, but this year's record strayed back to roots. It's a great place to tell stories and they have tales to tell. Brox punk. Started riding the rails at 17. Landed in New Orleans and played in a (mostly) unsheltered jazz band. I think they reside in Chicago now. While the story most certainly isn't mine, this is a sing-along autobiographical song.
Sadness as a Gift - Adrianne Lenker. Despite her almost Guided By Voices-level of output, I haven't tired of her Emmylou Harris impersonation. Also, the fiddle on this song is devastatingly beautiful.
Where Will I Be - Fred Again... & Emmylou Harris. Emmylou rerecorded this gem from Wrecking Ball for Fred Again.... He's mainly an EDM/Pop DJ/producer. Adding conversations/background noise into songs is kind of a trademark. The way he bends this song around Harris' voice is gorgeous.
Samson - Regina Spektor. Tif and I think her sophomore effort (reissued this year) is largely uninhibited exploration. She's honing her craft. Her subsequent records are better, but "you are my sweetest downfall" is a heck of a way to start a song.
Mystery at Sound Lake - The Burning Sun. The band claims to be from Vermont, but they're clearly lying or confused. This is an Irish band. Gotta be. Are you missing Shuhada Sadaqat (Sinead O'Connor) and Niall Quinn (The Cranberries)? They're both reincarnated within singer Katy Hellman. I don't know what to make of it all. There might be some neo-earth-hippy thing going on. I don't care. This song's structure is bananas. Eco-folk Fugazi or something. Absolutely brilliant.
Shout You Down - Galaxie 500. I love outtakes and demo collections. Everything just feels a little more raw and real. Really ecstatic to get these songs corralled from one of the best bands around.
Love Will Tear Us Apart - PJ Harvey. Joy Division is a tough band to cover, especially this song. Remember Spoek Mathambo's "Control"? It appeared on a year-end faves list about 15 years ago. Like it, Harvey's cover of Joy Division's biggest hit works because it features a perfect voice over a sparse arrangement. Lovely. (I have no idea what Bad Sisters is.)
Je Crie - LITIGE. Their 2020 record En eaux troubles is one of the best punk albums of this century. I gotta find this new 7".
Angoisse - Alvilda. Two French bands, back to back. This is my favorite record of 2024. It's perfect power-pop. Enjoy. (Wait til you hear the organ on the song near the end of this collection.)
Inhaler - Wussy. Oh look, Jon Langford painted the cover of their new record. Neat. As if I weren't already in love with this band.
Tourist in your Town - Pink Mountaintops. Gosh, good to hear new music from this band. Saw 'em open for Dinosaur Jr. last year. Splendid. They kinda remind me of Wussy. I think both bands are for fans of Fred Cole.
El Capitan - Bright Eyes. I wish Oberst made more punk records. I think he's best at those. But this Americana thing has its hooks in him and he's good at it, too.
Seventh Heaven - 1-800-Mikey. I love love love this record but why can't Australian bands take their names more seriously? Amyl and the Sniffers, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Radio Birdman, Alien Nosejob, Cosmic Psychos… so much great music made by names I don't understand. Maybe that's why I like CIVIC best? Solid. Simple.
Cubes - Antenna. Royal Headache was another lackluster named Aussie band. Great live. I'm glad to hear Tim (Shogun) Wall is alive and singing again. He's got a soulful wail.
Brilliant Mistake - Elvis Costello. What a year to reissue this album and this song. Interestingly, two people who go by T-Bone contributed to this record. That's supremely American.
Okay, I've been tip-toeing around the tight spot we're in. Really shouldn't, though. Tight situations spawn great music. Great music helps us get through tight spots. This is true of every genre and dates back to the dawn of humanity (somewhere, I have a collection of protest songs from the 1500s). Tight spots birthed punk. Here are a few that got a lot of play this year:
Help Save the Youth of America - Billy Bragg. I don't need to introduce or hype Billy Bragg, right?An author I was talking to at a recent show told me a story about how he invited Bragg to his book reading on a whim and, naturally, he showed up and participated and reminded everyone about the existence of the righteous, good, and cool.
12XU - Wire. If someone asked me to name the ultimate punk song... well, that'd be a really, really long conversation (sit awhile, lemme get some chips and salsa). It'd conclude with the Mekons (just a different Mekons song than the one Greil Marcus selected as the penultimate punk anthem). But before I arrived there, I'd probably linger awhile on 12XU because Wire (originally) and Minor Threat absolutely nail this song. That combination makes it special.
Big a Little A - Crass. Did I say Mekons? That's wrong. Forgive me. The objective answer is this. Or, at least, it certainly seemed like it might be when I heard Steve Ignorant perform it at the Great American Music Hall this year. It really is a cornerstone.
Orpheus - Mekons. But my subjective answer is still this. Sure, it's appeared on a previous list (A duplicated a song! Won't happen again. Promise.) but the lines remain pertinent:
Where I land will be the fortress
Of this fight against the tides
Tides of rotten patriarchy
Tides of greed and tricks and lies
Million - The Burning Sun. At this point, I kinda wanna revisit some of the bands mentioned above. Again, what Burning Sun does isn't my thing. And, yet, I'm playing the heck out of this record.
Maladresse - Alvilda. Such a noisy organ. The imperfection of this record's mixing is what makes it perfect.
Once in a Lifetime - Joshua Idehen. There are generationally beloved songs that defy covers. The Talking Heads specialized in those tunes. But Joshua approached it as a sermon, cranking up the gospel vibes and achieving something miraculous: a formidable Talking Heads cover.
What'd I miss? Happy New Year. Peace & love, Todd
PHOTO: Martha's Vineyard lighthouse, not far from where legends like MLK Jr. and Malcolm X vacationed and contemplated resistance. A reminder that even the tightest times feature days at the beach. Party for your right to fight, so to speak.
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