The Grandest of The Grand: Music in 2024

Kyle and I dive (deeply) into the music landscape of 2024

It’s late February, which can only mean one thing: Gas Station Cuisine is releasing its 2024 Music in Review. And as always, Kyle is here to help take a monstrous look back at what we listened to in the past year, and what we think is something you should listen to.

So…2024, where to start? Narratives are now sorta meaningless. Streaming means we are at the corner of infinity and infinity, so you can concoct your own musical journey; stay in a cocoon of The Replacements forever or go foraging for sounds you’ve never heard before.

KYLE: Time flows differently in Canada (they’re not airing the Golden Globes for another couple of weeks here), so I think we’re still allowed to do this until, like, early April before it gets truly embarrassing.

My point of entry was going to be “so, what kind of year was it in music?” which I believe is how I opened the 2023 edition. Unfortunately, this turns out to be a pretty bad prompt, so I’m going to ask a couple of different questions: one long and one short.

First question: I finally caved and purchased some additional storage through Google Drive. While I was setting it up, I stumbled upon a few ancient things I wrote, including a Best of Music List from 2005. I would post it, but some of the takes are frankly too devastating to my incredibly fragile ego to share twenty years later.¹ I will, however, share my top ten:

10. Digital Ash in a Digital Urn/I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning by Bright Eyes

9. The Understanding by Royskopp

8. LCD Soundsystem by LCD Soundsystem²

7. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

6. Twin Cinema by The New Pornographers

5. Speak For Yourself by Imogen Heap³

4. Broken Social Scene by Broken Social Scene

3. Plans by Death Cab for Cutie

2. Illinois by Sufjan Stevens

1. Silent Alarm by Bloc Party

Am I completely out of touch or is that list fucking insane? Do you think it’s a case where, if I had a 2004 or 2006 list handy, I would also be blown away, or was 2005 just a year of certified bangers? Assuming it’s the latter, will we ever have another year like that, or is it kind of a death of monoculture sitch?

Second question: can a soundtrack be someone’s favorite album of the year? I’ve got two that are pretty serious contenders.

CHRIS: I think it’s nigh impossible to create “moments,” or the “song of the summer,” anymore because we are fractured from one another, living in our own worlds of curation. And that’s both good and bad; good because we our own masters; bad because we lose that special communal something when we would share and enjoy something all together. Even Taylor Swift kinda got left behind this year (more on that later).

And yeah - soundtrack away. Rules are out the window, laws don’t exist anymore, and the points don’t matter. Of course, I’m not sure how seriously anyone is going to take you after you just admitted you sang the praises of the movie Crash (buried in a footnote, no less!). And we’re not talking about the weird auto-sexual Cronenberg Crash either.

But before I wrote 10,000 words on that, it’s probably a better use of time to dig into the music.

One of the bigger music stories of 2024 were the releases of two pop titans: Taylor Swift and Beyonce. As I’m writing this I’m bopping to Cowboy Carter which probably tells you everything you need to know. While music is not a competitive sport, it’s hard not to compare the work of arguably the two biggest pop artists on the planet, and decide who comes out on top. And really, not that close.

Swift’s album is as bland as a beige pillowcase, with pseudo-serious lyrics backed by preset rhythms I busted out on my brand new Casio keyboard for those 15 minutes on Christmas morning in 1983. Beyonce took a swing at something new and different, mostly succeeding (not sure I’d put the Blackbird cover in the second track slot. In fact, the covers feel manufactured to appeal to a certain type of listener, in order to show off the bona fides. But I’ll stop right there before this devolves into something extra saucy).

I know Kyle is a hardcore Swiftie (didn’t you once say Carly Rae Jepsen is Canadian’s version of Taylor Swift sans the talent?) so I’m interested to hear you defend this slog of an album…

KYLE: oh my gawd–that is reprehensible, even by your admittedly extremely low standards.

Beyonce’s country album is one of the biggest surprises of the year for me, and I say that as someone who has long maintained that Beyonce is the single most overrated artist of my lifetime.⁴ “AMERIICAN REQUIEM,” “16 CARRIAGES,” “BODYGUARD,” and “ALLIIGATOR TEARS”⁵ are all bangers⁶ in my book. I even have some fondness in my heart for “JOLENE,” despite my certainty that it should never be covered.⁷

The Swift thing is a little more complicated, as I do sort of feel my Taylor fandom leaching out of me with each passing year.

While I recall being generally positive about it on the night it released, I now think the main Tortured Poets Department album is lowkey bad, with almost zero stickiness (by which I mean I barely revisited it the rest of the year and now can hardly remember most of these tracks). I still kind of dig “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” (even though the dancier parts are pretty fucking cringey—stay the fuck away from CRJ’s corner, TS!) and “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” but it’s all become just a bit exhausting. Agonizing over whether this is a “Joe song” or a “Matty song”?⁸ I really just can’t anymore.

The second part of this, though, is that she also released a second album that night (I wanna say it was called 3:00 a.m. sessions or something, though the Ministry of Truth has seen fit to purge the existence of the second album as a separate entity from the record and now only has an entry for the combined version of the album–dubbed The Anthology–which is frankly a bit too much of a mindfuck for me⁹), that was actually significantly better than the main album.¹⁰ “The Black Dog,” which leads off the second album, is genuinely one of the best things she’s released in a decade. “How Did It End?” Also a very pretty song! In fact, while I don’t think it stacks up to her albums, there’s generally something I like about several of the songs on the back half. (Is it a coincidence that the “main” album is mostly produced by Jack Antanoff and the “second” album is mostly produced by Aaron Dessner? Surely not!)

(I think my favorite thing about the Crash discourse is that, given the timing, I seem to have written that comment before the ‘05 Oscars and was anticipating Crash getting screwed when, in fact, it legendarily screwed Brokeback Mountain in shocking fashion. This seems vaguely akin to openly fretting that the refs would fuck Duke out of a natty right before the Laettner Game.)

What about an update from Sad Dad Corner?

CHRIS: Doubling down on your Crash love is a choice. I’m just going to leave that all to you.

I agree about Swift. I can’t comprehend the strategy she employed by releasing, unreleasing, and rereleasing a very mid album that not a lot of people are talking about. Is there really no one in the TayTayverse who can’t maybe say, “C’mon Taylor. Tighten the shit up a bit.”

But I digress…

While I personally won’t describe it as sad dad music, I assume you’re referencing my eternal love for Pearl Jam, who bounced an album this year. It rocks (especially the first half). Sure, when I get the Pearl Jam itch, I’m back-cataloging before popping Dark Matter on, but that’s because their first FIVE albums are universal classics (yes you read that right: Yield and No Code are bangers. Fight me in the comments). But FUCK…they’ve done it their way for 35 years and no question they continue to rock. Is it a nostalgia show? Yes, yes it is, but nostalgia exists because the heyday was bangin’, and they still bang.

But if you’re looking for a true existential, what-does-being-a-dad-who-is-finally-realizing-his-true-age experience, I’m going to steer you toward EELS TIME!, by Eels. A real swim-in-the-pool-of-midlife introspection. It’s not Cat’s in the Cradle savage (shout out Ecstasy Dad!), but it’ll strike you in the feels with its middle-aged downbeat bop. I mean, dude wrote it after recovering from open heart surgery! Give this a listen and tell me more about sad dads.

And while not a sad dad release, but more of a dads trying to relive their coolness release, The Black Crowes bounced an album in 2024. Happiness Bastards retains the rock and roll blues sound the band perfected in the 90s and it seems the brothers got along well enough to make some great music. Nothing earth shattering, but you could do worse.

But it’s time to leave the 90s nostalgia at the diner, jump into the car and head into 2024 proper. So, why don’t you start us off and tell us what you loved…

KYLE: Welll…time for another embarrassing confession, in that I completely forgot Pearl Jam released a new album in 2024. Whoops! Giving it a listen now…

Alright, time for me to arbitrarily rank some things! Here’s my #20 through #11 for the year:

20. Only God Was Above Us by Vampire Weekend

While maybe not as compulsively listenable as Father of the Bride (2019) and Modern Vampires of the City (oh god 2013), two albums that are beyond reproach, I still enjoy spending time with these guys, with the back-to-back of “Connect” (and its frenetic piano playing, cello, and—apparently—a synth bass, that goes completely haywire at the end) and the lovely harmonies on “Prep-School Gangsters” (destined to wind up on soundtracks for the next decade) being the sweet spot for me. I think five years between albums (which is roughly their pattern) is just right for me, as it seems to have the effect of, ever so briefly, making me forget how much I like them. I’m definitely less enthused by their broodier stuff—think “Capricorn” and “The Surfer”—but hey that’s ok.

19. Two Star & The Dream Police by Mk.gee

An artist I was not, I will admit, aware of at the start year. Just vibes. Big fan of “Alesis” and “Dream police.”

18. The Secret of Us by Gracie Abrams

Nepo no more? Alas, I am guessing we haven’t heard the end of that.¹¹ I know she’s not for everyone, but the original album, released in June, was a tight 13-track, 47-minute affair with numerous standout tracks (including “Felt Good About You,” “Close to You,” and my personal favorite “Risk”).

…And then, completely unaccountably, Gracie released a “deluxe” version in October (20 songs, 72 minutes) that is a bloated mess. Very much an own goal, though it does not—or at least: should not—detract from the excellence of the original album.

17. COWBOY CARTER by Beyoncé

Covered earlier, but I will reiterate: this is my surprise of the year. Never would’ve guessed it would appeal to me but I dug the hell of it. (That “Blackbird” cover can go straight to hell, mind you.)

16. People Who Aren’t There Anymore by Future Islands

Always, always rooting for these guys. They continue to have an extremely fun energy. Can I use this as an excuse to link to the Letterman clip fuck it I’m doing it anyway.

15. Charm by Clairo

Another artist I was not familiar with prior to 2024. At first I thought it was just her single (“Sexy to Someone,” which seemed to get a fair bit of airplay on XMU this summer) that appealed to me, but it turns out the whole album is lovely, with a lo-fi jazz groove and floaty lyrics. Not the sort of thing you’d put on to hype yourself up for a night out,¹² but great for putting on when it’s cold out and all you want to do is drink some mulled wine and zone out with a good book.

14. All Born Screaming by St. Vincent

I feel like no one talks about St. Vincent anymore. Did I miss the memo? This one starts out (worryingly) slowly, with a very forgettable opening track (“Hell Is Near”—why am I linking to a song I don’t like? No idea!). Then it seems like track two (“Reckless”) is going to be equally bland, only for it to kick in to a higher gear with almost exactly a minute to go, at which point we’re off to the races, with numerous standouts, including “Broken Man,” “Big Time Nothing,” and the title track (which whips ass). Annie, I never doubted you, I swear! (Can’t vouch for Chris, mind you.)

13. In Waves by Jamie xx

All this guy does is create dance beats that rattle around inside my head. Jamie xx and Robyn together (on “Life”)?? My heart is full, sir. (“All You Children” really cooks, too.)

12. JPEG RAW by Gary Clark Jr.

This album is criminally underrated. I’m sure I unintentionally bumped it up a couple of places because it was so fucking cool to hear it played live (May 2024). I defy anyone to listen to the lick in “Maktub” and saying anything other than: more.

11. Small Changes by Michael Kiwanuka

I know that many people had Kiwanuka’s self-titled 2019 album as their AOTY, but—🚨HIPSTER ALERT🚨—it never truly clicked for me, while this one is just such a chill delight. Love “Lowdown (part i),” even though it is, upsettingly, not a Boz Scaggs cover.

CHRIS: What a fine start to a list of music you have there. Seeing them I’m going to amend a few of my selections to provide more variety for the folks, as I too would have Beyonce, Future Islands, St. Vincent and Michael Kiwanuka, as top of the pop selections, but why be redundant where there’s so much out there?

I will go on record (FUCK YEAH A PUN), that you admitting to not liking Michael Kiwanuka’s previous album is a bold move considering how wrong you are. Like, imagine not enjoying this song?

I too find it weird that St. Vincent seemingly slips under the radar these days. It’s a shame because everyone gets a little better with some St. Vincent in their lives.

Ok, onto more music - lets call my list below “the list right below my top 10” because… that’s what it is. And they all deserve a shout. I’ve provided a sentence for each describing the trip you will go on with them, and a track for evidence…

On the Intricate Inner Workings of the System - The Bug Club
A nuclear warheaded barrage of heavy guitar thrown at lyrics jotted down in a cubicled, dead end job, this highlights the banality of life with the nasty edge we all carry around. Don’t believe me? Listen to: “War Movies”

supershapes vol 1 - Mike Lindsay
Melting down the concept of sound and restructuring it into some type of cosmic folk in order to communicate with…the things that are out there that we don’t understand. Don’t believe me? Listen to “table”

That's the Spirit - The Retrograde
The incestuous, feral love child born nine months after an all night jam session of fucking between The Black Crowes and Led Zeppelin. Don’t believe me? Listen to “Dirty Daisy”

If I Could Sing - Kirin J Callinan
A deranged lounge act performance for people who hate lounge acts; chaotic and unhinged, it has the energy of a Vegas showman trapped in a fever dream slow dancing during a light show made of existential dread. Don’t believe me? Listen to “Young Drunk Driver”

Where We’ve Been, Where We Go from Here - Friko
Ping ponging down a high school hallway recording the pitter patter thoughts of each and every student in order to announce them with style; announce them with verve; announce that we’re all here and we ain’t going away. Don’t believe me? Listen to “Chemical”

The New Sound - Geordie Greep
A mad scientist’s jazz-punk fever dream of rock and roll sound at an art-rock after hours club where the theater kids get drunk with the math nerds. Don’t believe me? Listen to “Walk Up”

Don't Belong - Pimps of Joytime/Sophia Urista
A swagger-filled evening out with your friends ready to cause some sort of funk ruckus that will most likely blow up in your face in the morning but fuck it, it ain’t morning yet, so get out there and yeah, rip those pants off. Don’t believe me? Listen to “Girl on Girl”

The Making of Silk - Allysha Joy
Oh baby this is music for grown ups. Grown ups who fuck. And I don’t mean 24 year olds who drop their hot pants at the drop of a long island iced tea on a Thursday night party train; no I’m talking about adults who are in love and lust and enjoy what that means… the relationship is not just love because time has passed in a good direction but because the thought is still fire and so is the sex it’s not some wham bam missionary man, it’s mature and sensuous and sometimes different because we’re the adults in the room and it ain’t the first rodeo, unless it is the first sex rodeo. The definition of cool. (did I say one sentence each? I lied.) Don’t believe me? Listen to “reset: ______”

I Too Am a Stranger - The Sorcerers
A dusty funked up ethio-jazz soundtrack to a psychedelic spy thriller where the bass smokes hand rolled chiba joints and the guitar slithers through the desert looking for victims. And yeah, you guessed it… we’re the victims. Don’t believe me? Listen to “bebaynetu”

What’s Wrong with New York? - The Dare
A sweat-soaked tantrum dance rave on 2000s Retro Night at the trendy discotheque dance floor in an old meat packing warehouse that will be a new meatpacking warehouse in the morning. Don’t believe me? Listen to “Perfume”

Crime in Australia - Party Dozen
An intimate dinner where a saxophone possessed by a demon enjoys the company of a coquettish drum kit whose only desire is to have sex… with a demon. Don’t believe me? Listen to: “Money & the Drugs”

And that does it for the “almosts.” I hope you click on some of these links and find something you might like. Music is weird these days… we silo ourselves in what we like and that isn’t bad, but there’s something to be said for the feeling you get when you discover something new. Hopefully, we started you on that journey once or twice today. That said, we would love to hear form you - tell us all your 2024 music discoveries so we can get the special feels too!

Stay tuned… part two is coming soon.

1. This has nothing to do with music, but I swear to shit this is an actual quote from that post: “It's always pissed me off that the Oscar nominations off come down to when certain pictures were released (i.e. films that are released at the start of the year are at a decided disadvantage because they are not fresh in the minds of the voters). The best example of this is Crash (for me, the best film of the year...and by a wide margin) that somehow only got two Golden Globe nominations and is likely to get screwed over with the Oscar nominations, too.” WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK??

2. ouch!

3. Ok, shit, this one hurts a bit.

4. (ducks)

5. Wow, stylized uppercase spelling is maybe even more annoying than stylized lowercase spelling! GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER, MUSIC INDUSTRY!

6. “Banger” count: two.

7. Alright, I do dig the Ray LaMontagne version, too. In a shocking turn of events, I am a hypocrite.

8. HINT: THEY’RE ALL MATTY SONGS

9. I did some additional digging, and can find no proof the stealth dropped second album was ever treated as its own thing, so there’s a strong possibility I am quite simply losing my entire mind.

10. Though, again, why are we doing this? Why the stealth drop three hours later?? You’re the most powerful person in the music industry by several orders of magnitude! Just release a double album if you want to!

11. Gracie inexplicably adding fuel to the fire by saying (not quite verbatim but alarmingly close) “I can’t possibly be a nepo baby because my dad wasn’t a musician” is, it must be said, fucking amazing.

12. Do people still do that? They don’t? Question quietly withdrawn.