**EDITOR’S NOTE: I apologize for the delay in posting this. It’s a bit later than normal because “life happens.” Just pretend you are reading this a few weeks ago in December of 2024. Thanks!
Well, well, well. It seems that it’s that time of year. Spotify tells us what we were listening to for the year and everyone seems to be putting out their “Best of 2024” lists. You know what? We need to keep traditions alive and do one ourselves. There was a ton of great music this year and we had a very tough time narrowing this list down to just 24. Now remember, these picks are in no specific order. It’s not a countdown; it’s just a list. I know you may agree with some of them and there are going to be some that you disagree with and we’re ok with that. If you’re unfamiliar with some of our picks, we hope that you’ll at least click on the video and check them out. Who knows; you might even like something that you’ve been missing out on. So, without further ado, here are our 24 Best Albums of 2024.
Flatblack ~ Darker Side of The Brain
Jason Hook, former guitarist for Five Finger Death Punch, introduced his new band Flatblack last year. He formed a musical team to take into battle in the musical trenches. Singer Wes Horton, bassist Nick Diltz and drummer Rob Pierce helped to form this cohesive unit that sound as if they have been together much longer than they have. I chalk it up to the years of experience that each bring to the table along with many trials and tribulations. These guys have an insane amount of chemistry which shows through the diversity on tracks such as “It’s Your Lack Of Respect” and “A Bit Of Lightning.” Also check out “Nothing To Some” which features Corey Taylor of Slipknot/Stone Sour. This is one bad-ass album front beginning to end. That saying “it’s all killer, no filler” gets overused, but not this time.
The Cure ~ Songs of a Lost World
The Godfather of emo Robert Smith has returned for the band’s first studio album in 16 years. Do they want to make up for lost time on this album? I mean, there has been a lot that has happened since that last studio album. Nope, they are content with being dark and moody but yet with a sense of maturity since that last album. There’s definitely nothing poppy like “Just Like Heaven” on here. One listen to the opener “”Alone” and you can tell that this is an older, more mature band that still has a sense of the emo blueprint that made them who they are. “Nothing is Forever” is another favorite of ours of the eight tracks of brilliant composition.
Crawlers ~ The Mess We Seem To Make
This is a band that the universe made sure we discovered this year. We receive an insane number of emails somedays here at the magazine. I love it when I discover new music and yet sometimes, I think that the universe taps me on the shoulder somehow to make sure that I do. Their full-length debut album The Mess We Seem to Make is one of our beginning to end favorite albums of the year. It’s alt-rock with a dose of punk and emo mixed in. If you dissect this album, it’s a rather emotional diary of stories and experiences that so many of us can relate to. There’s subject matter in the lyrics ranging on subjects of dealing with loneliness, hurt, intimacy, abusive relationship and more. Some lead singers just sing, but not Holly Minto. She has a rare gift of truly connecting to the lyrics that she’s delivering thus making them incredibly genuine. The band consisting of guitarist Amy Woodall, bassist Liv May and drummer Harry Been deliver a damn solid foundation for her to build upon. I can’t get over how freaking good this band is at such a young age. Their core following is in the UK and they are rather rabid in their loyalty. The fanbase has been deemed the Creepy Crawlers. I live here in the US and I was stoked to learn that they were the openers of the summer tour for Jane’s Addiction and Love and Rockets. We covered one of their shows here in Raleigh, North Carolina and I walked around talking to some of the crowd before the show. Many were unaware of who they were before the show. After their set, I tried to find those same people to see what they thought. The band won over the majority, at least 95% of who I talked to, of the. They loved their sound, their energy and the songs. It was unfortunate for the band that the tour imploded and ended abruptly due to a fight on-stage between Dave Navarro and Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction. If you get a chance to see the band live, do yourself a favor and do so. The songs on this album are amazing, but they are elevated to another level live.
Lenny Kravitz ~ Blue Electric Light
Is radio boycotting Lenny Kravitz the last few years? He used to be all over the radio, yet lately he is M.I.A. yet there are so many tracks on this album that would fit right in. This album even seemed to slip by some people who were unaware that he dropped a new one. The album is less of the rock stylings of “Let Love Rule” vibe and more of a funky Prince type vibe to it. The hooky “Spirits in my Heart” and “Honey” are catchy enough to be huge hits. “TK421” is a great example of that. Don’t get me wrong, because there are some rock oriented tracks such as “Love is My Religion.” Although I’m a Lenny fan, this album actually caught me off guard with how damn solid it is.
Maggie Rogers ~ Don’t Forget Me
Maggie Rogers has come along way since that video with Pharrell Williams eight years ago that had her trending on social media out of nowhere. This is Rogers’ third album and it has her sounding the most comfortable in her skin of the three. She has stated in interviews that she found herself caught between the music that she wanted to do as the artist that she is and the music that she was being asked to perform. People were actually looking to her for guidance through her music and lyrics. On this album, she’s rather introspective with its subject matter with songs of getting older and being heart broken. It’s hard to believe but she wrote this entire album in five days. “All The Same” and “I Still Do” are probably two of the strongest tracks on the album. To me, this is yet another album this year that’s best enjoyed in its entirety. It’s an entire work of art and not just some artist looking to release a couple of singles in this industry that seems too focused on that.
Pale Waves ~ Smitten
With Pale Waves’ last album, they seemed to stray from a sound that won a lot of people over thus making them huge fans of the band. Was it a musical venture that happened intentionally, organically or was it a push given to the band by other sources? Their new album Smitten follows up their 2022 album ‘Unwanted’ which was more of a pop/punk sound for the band. I feel that this album leaves that behind to reacquaint themselves with the indie-pop that they are more known for. “Kiss Me Again” is a stand-out track for me with its infectious energy. Lead vocalist Heather Baron-Gracie is another young singer with an uncanny gift that too many singers are missing these days. Lots of lead vocalists just sing the lyrics to songs. To become so emotionally connected to the lyrics you’re singing that you interpret the emotions and feelings of that song to the listener to a point that they are emotionally impacted themselves is a gift. I feel that “Last Train Home” and “Thinking of You” are just two examples of that. What an album! To be this good at such a young age really excites me as a lover of music to see and watch the continued growth of this band and how they will continue to develop as time goes by.
Judas Priest ~ Invincible Shield
I’m scratching my head and a bit shocked that a band 50 plus years into their career could make one of their best albums ever. Lead vocalist Rob Halford is 73 years young and hasn’t missed a beat. On 10/5/21, guitarist Richie Faulkner was on-stage performing at the Louder Than Life Festival when his aorta ruptured and started to spill blood into his chest cavity. Faulkner’s doctor told him he had an aortic aneurysm and complete aortic dissection, which is often fatal. Luckily for him a major hospital was only four miles from the event where he was taken and went under a 10½ hour emergency open heart surgery where five parts of his chest were replaced with mechanical components. The band’s last album, 2018’s Firepower was an amazing album, yet with this album they seem to have pushed that newfound creative energy even further. Faulkner lays down some insane solos on this album and Halford is belting them out better than a lot of younger artists who cite him as an influence. “Crown of Thorns” and “As God Is My Witness” are two (of many) standout tracks for me.
Amyl & the Sniffers ~ Cartoon Darkness
This is the 3rd album from the Australian punk rockers. Led by frontwoman/vocalist Amy Taylor, this album is a huge dose of double middle finger salute to many things. Amy is roaring, cursing and in your face. Cartoon Darkness was our introduction to the band, so we went online to look into earlier released material based on fan suggestions. The introduction of the first track on this album definitely had some of my friends looking at me asking “WTF?”
“You’re a dumb cunt. You’re an asshole. Every time you talk you mumble, grumble. Need to wipe your mouth after you speak cuz it’s an asshole. Bum hole, dumb cunt. You are ugly all day, I am hot always.” ~ “Jerkin'”
This new album seems to be a bit of a progression for the band without totally losing what got them here in the first place. Amy seems to have worked on her vocal delivery a bit, polished a bit in spot but still just as coarse and in your face as ever. The band experiments on this album with ballads, saxophones and more. Give “Me and the Girls” and “Big Dreams” a few listens to see what you think. Some of it works while some of it just wasn’t a homerun for me, although it may be for others. I think I was more attracted and engaged in the more punk tracks, but I do appreciate the progression of the band. The attitude is definitely there all throughout. The band is on tour starting in January and they hit the U.S. in March so go see them while they’re here. I’m sure it will be a show that you’ll never forget.
Tim Montana ~ Savage
Tim Montana is an artist that a lot of people are just starting to discover although he put his first album, Iron Horse, out in 2008. He’s a singer/songwriter who started his career in country and southern rock. He was introduced to ZZ Top founder Billy Gibbons in 2013. That friendship spawned a songwriting kinship and a spot opening up for the iconic band. Fast forward to 2023 and Montana released his single “Devil You Know” and it shot into the Top 5 on Rock Radio. His album Savages dropped in July of this year. The album is definitely in the rock field, but Montana’s songwriting really taps into the human emotion on a much deeper level than a lot of his rock comrades. One listen to “Day by Day” will have you feeling that point in a major way. He shares his own personal stories, of pain, joys and suffering in his songwriting in hopes of helping others. That songwriting honesty and grit has garnered him attention from fans as well as bands. It’s earned him respect as well as opening slots on such contemporaries as Staind, Candlebox and Bush. He starts a tour with Myles Kennedy in January of 2025. The album is solid from beginning to end so it’s tough to pick favorite tracks, but “Ain’t Comin’ Down,” “Shut Me Out” and the two previously released single are ones that we love to crank.
Kacey Musgraves ~ Deeper Well
Deeper Well is the follow-up to 2021’s “divorce album” Star-Crossed. That album was written and recorded after Musgraves’ divorce from fellow country singer Ruston Kelly. She was in a fragile emotional place which echoed all throughout her lyrics. Deeper Well finds her in a more positive place and willing to open herself up to the possibility of love. It’s an overall positive album although there’s a tough of darkness in “Cardinal” about a friend that she had lost. She sees a bird and begins to wonder if it’s a message from her lost friend from the other side. All throughout the album, and I am almost 100% positive on every song, Musgrave keeps her finger plucking woven all over the album. Songs like “Sway” and “Heaven Is” are favorites of ours and especially the album closer “Nothing to be Scared Of.”
Modern English ~ 1234
The new wave/post punk band Modern English are best known for their song “I Melt With You” and , for the most part, have been active since their formation in 1979. Their latest album 1234 is the follow-up to 2016’s somewhat overlooked Take Me To The Trees. You’re not going to find “I Melt With You 2.0” on this album as that poppy-ness, is that even a word, is not something lurking throughout this album. The guys have grown a bit since then and it can be heard all over this album. This is a bit darker album with the guys touching on more current topics such as the government and our leaders on tracks like “Not My Leader.” Deep bass lines, guitars that are crunchier and Grey’s voice sounds better than ever. The band taps into the early days of their punk roots on this album. There are exceptions such as “Crazy Lovers” which may be the most “pop” song on the album. The opener “Long in the Tooth” touches on growing older and wiser. The band has definitely done that. Over four decades into their career and they release damn solid albums back to back that the masses really need to hear. The band doesn’t rest on its legacy and become a nostalgia band. The band may tap into their early punk days and more towards Mesh & Lace on this new album, they continue to grow both sonically and lyrically.
The Summit ~ Firebirds and Aviators
This is an album that I, along with all fans of The Summit, thought was never going to come out! It was well worth the wait! We first heard of the band back in 2022 with the release of “Hit Me Up” and we were immediately hooked on them. The band released a few more videos over the next twp years and finally the album dropped on November 1st of 2024. The album was produced by Will Turpin of Collective Soul who the band have opened for on many occasions. The band refers to its sound as “swampy blues-based rock and roll.” This album gives me the feel of a long road trip in the summer with the stereo cranked, the windows down and the breeze flowing through the car. The album opens with the sensational “Hit Me Up” which will hook you in. “Blue Skies,” a duet featuring Jena Kraus, slows the tempo down. This one is musical church that will hit you in the feels. Kraus’ voice really balances well with Chris Scott (lead vocals/The Summit). The keyboards really add to the feel of this song. It’s easy to hear why bands such as Collective Soul and ZZ Top have asked these guys to open up for them. Part southern rock, part modern rock, part classic rock with damn solid musicianship and great songwriting. In a day and age of singles motivated bands, it’s great to hear another album that’s solid from beginning to end.
I Ya Toyah ~ Drama
You want to talk about something come out of nowhere and grabbing your attention like a chokehold. Although she has released stuff in the pass, it wasn’t until “I Am The Fire” this year that she hit our musical radar. Sonically, lyrically and visually, she immediately grabbed our attention. She lives in Chicago, but she was born Ania Tarnowska in Poland. We learned a great deal about her and her journey when we interviewed her this year. She released an EP called I Am The Fire this year and then her full length album DRAMA. Her sound fuses elements of punk, industrial and electronic into something that you first think is familiar but then realize how original and fresh that it is. Her album DRAMA contains the three basic tracks from I Am The Fire (minus the two remixes) plus seven other tracks. It was produced by Walter Flakus of Stabbing Westward. He introduced himself after one of her shows and told her how much he loved her music without even knowing how much of an idol of hers he was. Talk about blowing your mind! This is an amazing album from beginning to end and she is one of my favorite musical finds of the year. Thank you universe for connecting us. Check out “Panic Room,” “Hello, Hello?” and “I Am The Fire.” Now, I can’t wait to see her perform live. Although she has a team behind her, she is literally a one woman show when she performs!
Black Note Graffiti ~ Resist The Divide
Black Note Graffiti is another one of those highly underrated bands that seem as if they are poised to break through into the next level of success and popularity on the proverbial ladder of success. Their sound combines progressive metal and alt-rock with the captivating voice of Gabrielle-Gloria (lead vocals and keyboards). The lyrical content is far from shallow or cookie-cutter material. The band touches on internal struggles that so many of us face including mental health issues, addictions, traumatic experiences and more. The band wants fans to use their music as an outlet of hope and healing. As for the music itself, bassist Adam Nine and drummer Kurt Keller lay down an amazing foundation as the rhythm section of the group. The two guitar attack of Ricardo Ortiz and Kris Keller create a bad ass sound that at first sounds familiar and then you realize how unique it is. Their new release Resist The Divide is their fourth album and, to me, it is their most complete and solid album to date. It’s hard to pick favorite tracks on the album because it’s so freakin’ solid from beginning to end. In one of their press releases, they state that it is meant to be listened to that way. If I had to throw a couple of names for you to check out, I would go with the single “Place Your Lie” (below) and “Black Roses.”
Myles Kennedy ~ The Art of Letting Go
I’m beginning to wonder when in the hell does Myles Kennedy sleep? It seems like he’s always working on something. If he’s not fronting Alter Bridge, he’s a part of Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators. Oh yeah, when those two are touring or working on new material he decides to do some solo stuff. There is one thing you can count on regardless of which one he is working on. The vocals for each one will be some of the greatest that you will hear today. Keeping the tradition of releasing new music every three years alive, Myles dropped his third solo album The Art of Letting Go this year. Myles was backed by his band backed by his band comprised of Zia Uddin on drums and Tim Tournier on bass. The album was released on Myles’ longtime label home Napalm Records. It’s always interesting to hear what direction Myles will go when he has total creative control on an album like this. His first two solo albums were amazing, so I was already pretty sure this one would be as well. This album has a really cool mix from Myles. He shows off his guitar playing skills in songs like “Behind The Veil.” He also shows his tender side with the ballad “Eternal Lullaby” which may have been inspired by the death of Chris Cornell. This is another solid album (shocker!) from the versatile Mr. Kennedy.
Knocked Loose ~ You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To
Knocked Loose is a hardcore punk band from Kentucky. What’s that? A punk band on your list of Best Albums of 2024? Well, this band caught our ear with a mighty WTF moment and really made us listen deeper to this album. I’ll admit that I am new to the world of Knocked Loose so I am not comparing this album to any of their previous albums. I try to do that with all albums because each one is its own piece of art. So, I saw the “Suffocate” video with Poppy and that was my intro to this album. Oh, I had no clue what I was about to explore. The guitars on this album are so creative with the directions that they go in. Yes, there are breakdowns but just when you thought they were going left they take you a sharp right and surprise you. “Sit and Mourn” has this eerie opening that goes on for about 43 seconds before it starts to unleash on you. Vocalist Bryan Garris has an insane delivery that I wrap my head around how he does that yet maintains a sense of crystal-clear annunciation. “The Calm That Keep You Awake” was another that immediately hooked me in with that bad-ass intro. How can you not mention “Slaughterhouse 2” which features Motionless in White frontman Chris Motionless? The amount of energy on this album is freakin’ insane! Then, I started back-tracking to get some recent history on the band and I read that they played packed shows at Coachella and Bonnaroo in 2023. Wtf? Pop superstar Billie Eilish was seen headbanging at their show? With all this newfound popularity and notoriety, did it change the band on this album. It only seems to have made them press the gas even harder on what they do best.
Stryper ~ When We Were Kings
Stryper, minus a few breaks, have been going strong for over four decades. They hit a commercial success and wave of popularity in the 80s aided by their popularity on MTV. Over the last few years, the creative juices in lead vocalist Michael Sweet seem to be at an all-time high. He’s released solo albums, three Sweet and Lynch albums with George Lynch (Dokken/Lynch Mob) and an album with Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns). He’s also been the principle songwriter on several Stryper albums that many have said were some of the best of their long career. Their latest is called When We Were Kings and it contains that trademark Stryper sound from the beginning of the first song. Bassist Perry Richardson (Firehouse) seems to have fit in perfectly as the band sounds stronger than ever. The title track is trademark Stryper in a major way. The duel guitar attack and Sweet’s voice along with an epic scream, never sounded better. The opener “End of Days” demands to cranked up LOUD! It’s Stryper so you know there will be ballads. “Rhyme of Time” and ‘Betrayed by Love” fill the thirst of those in need of ballads. This is such a great album from beginning to end. Stryper seem to be like a fine wine because they most definitely keep getting better with age.
Crossbone Skully ~ Evil World Machine
If the Bon Scott era AC/DC and Def Leppard had a lovechild, it would be Crossbone Skully. If you’re scratching your head wondering who or what Crossbone Skully is/are, then you obviously missed out on one of 2024’s most bad-ass and interesting albums/projects. When you get off tour with someone like the legendary Alice Cooper, the creative juices have to still be flowing in a major way. So why not channel all of that creativity into a new project? Well, that’s just what guitarist Tommy Henriksen decided to do. He put together a sort of concept album built around a superhero in a type of parallel universe. Crossbone Skully consists of Henriksen (Alice Cooper/Doro/Warlock) on vocals/bass, Tommy Denander on guitar, Chris Wyse (Hollywood Vampires/Ace Frehley) on bass, Jamie Muhoberac (My Chemical Romance) on keyboards, Glen Sobel (Alice Cooper/Hollywood Vampires) on drums. There are also appearances from Alice Cooper, Nikki Sixx, Phil Collen, Joe Perry, Johnny Depp and others. Oh yeah, the iconic Mutt Lang (AC/DC, Def Leppard) is Executive Producer. Wait; I thought Mutt had retired? How the hell did Eriksen manage to unretire him long enough to do this album? Well, you can trace his footsteps all over this sonic gem. So, who is Crossbone Skully? A rock and roll hero trying to get back to Earth to save it from an evil sorcerer who is attempting to drain it of all of its life. His is also trying to reconnect with the son he never knew he had when he gets back to Earth. Even if it sounds corny, just give it a chance because this is a damn solid album that rocks from beginning to end. “The Boom Went The Boom” features Phil Collen of Def Leppard, “The Last Night On Earth” and “High On You” are just a few of the stellar tracks on this rock and roll opus. If the concept sounds interesting, I read there was a mini-film (which premiered at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2022), as well as a comic book and graphic novel. This is something that Eriksen has fully emersed himself in.
Kobra Paige ~ Like No Other
Kobra Paige is the dynamic frontperson of the rock band Kobra and The Lotus. She has one of the most amazing and underrated voices in rock. Paige formed the band in 2009 and has toured with such prominet bands as KISS, Def Leppard, Kamelot and Gus G. After recording six studio albums, Paige decided to spread her wings and record her debut solo album Like No Other. In a press release before the album’s debut, Paige said, “This record and body of art have been a deep process of self-reckoning, healing, and redefining my identity within the world. I have taken another step closer toward alignment and who I came here to be. Life is short, too short to not daringly create and bring forward what is inside of us. My wish for everyone is to courageously self-express and not pay mind to the boxes society may have placed you in. The most valuable part of this creative experience for me has been learning that: no matter the outcome, no matter how difficult the journey is, there will be no reward higher than being authentically ‘you’. That is the place of true empowerment. You decide what you’re living for and you are ALWAYS the gift. With that, I just want to say my biggest thank you to everyone who has chosen to support and cheer me on throughout this journey. I passionately and humbly recognize that my life and what I create, are the great summation of creative collaboration. I Am Like No Other.”
I know that’s a long quote to include in this, but I think it is important. I’ve been a fan of the band for a long time now. I photographed the band when they were on tour with KISS & Def Leppard plus a solo tour and I’ve interviewed Paige multiple times. If you were expecting this solo album to sound exactly like a Kobra and the Lotus release, well I am sure you were surprised. There are traces of KATL throughout this release, but this album peels back several layers of Paige that we’ve never heard before. The title track is a powerful song that she worked on with Lzzy Hale and Joe Hottinger from Halestorm. “Thank You” is such a beautiful track both sonically and lyrically. “HOTT” might make you blush, but there is an important message underneath the jaw-dropping chorus. Are those banjos that I hear on “It’s Not Bluegrass Anymore”? “Unbreakable” has a bit of a dance beat to it. “Freedom” isa powerful” rock song with a bit of a gospel feel to the chorus. Again, this album peels back so many layers to Paige that the majority of us had no clue existed. A brilliant album of musical diversity that all ties together in its message from beginning to end. A bit of a brave and daring move of self-expression by Paige, but it’s one that I am thankful that she made. If only other artists were able to think outside of their own self-contained music boxes.
Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts ~ Rogue To Redemption
Tuk Smith has proven already that he’s a fighter who doesn’t know the word quit. The sophomore release from the former Biters frontman doesn’t find him forging into the world of country of experimenting with accordions or banjos. Fans get exactly what they’d expect from Tuk and his band and we’re all perfectly fine with that. It’s another large dose, although clocking it at just under 35 minutes of a nostalgic 70’s glam rock sound. There are elements of Cheap Trick, T-Rex, Thin Lizzy, Sweet just to name a few woven in and out of songs. It may sound a little familiar but at the same time it sounds fresh. Therer are no extended solos, no jam sessions but there is a large dose of infectious rockers like “End of an Era” and “Still a Dreamer” found all throughout the album. Why Tuk isn’t bigger than he is just baffles us. There are so many cookie-cutter, flavor of the week bands who rise to the upper ranks of success and popularity who have a 10th of his talent. Maybe he’s too talented and his songs are too good? Wtf? That makes no sense at all, but it does make you scratch your head. Keep rockin’ Tuk because we love what you’re doing dude!
Hannah Fairlight ~ Lone Wolf
Hannah Fairlight is an artist that we’ve promoted in the magazine for quite a while now. We were very stoked when we learned that she was coming out with a new album this year. She’s indie and DIY (Do It Yourself) so where a lot of artists have a team, she does all of it herself. Hannah refuses to stay in one lane or have her sound confined to one box. She was trained on classical piano at a young age but evevtually spread her musical wings and picked up the guitar. That led to her having her live gig debut at the legendary CBGB at the age of 18. Her new album Lone Wolf is her first since 2020’s Muscle and Skin. This album is a swerve in another direction from the ballad flavor of that album. This album is mostly rock which touches on depression, relationships, self-awareness and much more. It’s a little pop-rock but still keeps that punkish edge to some of it. “Emotional Men,” “Apologetic Me” and “Fever” are just a few of the standout tracks on the album. It was nice to see/hear her change us sides to and show another dimension to her artistic arsenal.
Ginny Luke ~ Devil at My Heels
Ok, here’s an album that came from out of the blue and hit us in the face or maybe our ears would be more accurate. Ginny Luke is an amazing electric violin player and on this album she makes her vocal debut. Well, it doesn’t sound like a debut to us because she knows how to weave her vocal delivery from aggressive to sultry to heartfelt with ease. “Devil at My Heels” is the bad-ass rockin’ title track that features a solo on it by the amazing Orianthi. “Woman I Wanted To Be” slow the pace down to an emotional ballad complimented by the inclusion of strings. She included two covers on here with the first being Deep Purple’s “Burn” with an appearance by Nili Brosh. This one definitely got a lot of traction with press really picking up on it. The other cover being Badfinger’s “No Matter What” which is my favorite of the two covers. On this one, the band helped her out by really slowing down the arrangement on it. To compliment that, Ginny also changed up her vocal delivery to suite this and knocked it out of the park! This album is so bad-ass, just like the woman who made it. It takes you on a musical adventure and needs to be cranked up loud.
Green Day ~ Saviors
This band has been going at it for almost four decades and they continue to produce great albums and bring in new generations of fans. When you look out into the crowds at Green Day shows, there are three generations of fans there. There aren’t many artists who can do that. Saviors has the band back on track after their brief departure heard on 2020’s Father of All Motherfuckers. Arena/indie rock is gone and the band’s strengths are back: making 3:00ish pop/punk commentary about the world we live in today. The band touch on topics ranging from the government to society. The band reach back and infuse Saviors with elements from Dookie which made it a huge success. The album opener “The American Dream Is Killing Me” could have been a Dookie or American Idiot outtake. “Strange Days Are Here To Stay,” “Corvette Summer” and “Suzi Chapstick” are just a few of the standout tracks from this very solid album. My personal introduction to the band was Dookie 31 years ago. If you would have told me then that they’d make an album as solid as Dookie 31 years from then, I would have told you that you were full of dookie!
Taylor Swift ~ The Tortured Poets Department ~ The Anthology
We caught hell the last time we included Taylor in our Best of list and I’m sure we will this time, but who cares. I’m a fan of hers but I don’t like everything she delivers. She dropped The Tortured Poets Department and then two hours later she surprise dropped a second album of material called The Anthology that contained 15 more songs. We’re not even going to get into the bonus tracks that were included. Is the album overly introspective of her life, newfound fame and relationships? To some extent, yes. Has she done songs in the past about breakups and her personal life? Yes, but there is a maturity in these songs and a growth that wasn’t there a few years back. I don’t, with any album, put it under a microscope and dissect the lyrics for their content. I like an album for how it sounds and how it makes me feel. I’m not afraid to dislike parts of this album or albums in fear of being attacked by the huge army of Swifties. I honestly don’t like every song on here and it’s far from being her Abbey Road or Revolver album (Beatles references for those who don’t get it.) Her “Fortnight” song with Post Malone is really good and “Florida!!!” with Florence and the Machine is as well. “Clara Bow,” “Down Bad” and “Cassandra” are all great songs (for different reasons) that I seem to gravitate to. If you love her songs about breakups, then you’ll find plenty of material on here. If you love her songs about current relationships, then there is plenty of material for you as well. There are plenty of flavors all over this album for whatever it is that draws you back to Swift. This album has grown on me quite a bit and I think it’s one that needs to be given the chance to for those who may instantly dismiss it and criticize it.
