Life has kind of caught up on me this year and I’ve pretty much missed the boat for “Best of 2024” lists, so this is probably a much abridged version than published in previous years.
2024 was another phenomenal year for music with a myriad of new albums and EPs from bands old and new, a cornucopia of singles (725 in total across the years singles round up playlists (links below)) and a plethora of brilliant live experiences.
For anything not mentioned here, just take a trip through last year’s blogs and you’ll find many other joys to treat your eardrums and warm your souls.
There are many albums and EPs that I don’t get around to reviewing but doesn’t mean I loved them any less. If I can ever get around to getting a balance between life and work, I’ll try to do some retrospective’s of albums I’ve loved by “missed” on the blog.
Top 10 Albums of the Year
1. The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
I didn’t review The Cure album for some reason, probably as I couldn’t type through a blur of tears when I was listening. A stunning masterpiece that is easily their best work since Disintegration, which contains other songs which still have the ability to bring me to the edge of tears, I remember standing in the queue for the bar at Bellahouston knee deep in mud greetin’ when they played it live. Songs of a Lost World is evocative, mesmerising… not enough superlatives exists to describe how it made me feel on first listen, and still do now when I spin this glorious record.
2. The Tenementals – Glasgow: A History (Vol I of IV)
3. Scorpio Leisure – Audio Pleasure
4. Keeley – Beautiful Mysterious
5. The Courettes
6. Tulasqueen – Tulsaqueen
7. James King and the Lone Wolves – The Mortality Arcade
8. Walt Disco
9. Ex- – Forewarned is Forearmed
10. Autumn 1904 –
There were dozens more album that are bubbling under that top 10, and at another time of writing could swap places with any of those in the top 10…. at risk of mussing out some key players these included, The Mysterines, Dead Pony, The Muldoons, Carol Hodge, Xan Tyler, David Luximon, Snowgoose, The Laurettes, Dragged Up, Jesus and Mary Chain, Arab Strap, Fontaines DC, English Teacher, Mannequin Pussy, cumgirl8 and His Lordship
Special mention to a “best of” compilation from Brooklyn based New York City punks GIFTSHOP, who I finally got to meet in person at the end of last year having followed their career vicariously via social media…
Happy coincidences…
I haven’t included re-releases in the top ten album releases of the year, but another special mention as my favourite re-release of the year, my favourite compilation album of the year, and one of the top 10 albums all have a link, and therefore there s also a link to a band featuring in the best singles of the year.
Rusty Burn is present on the three albums alluded to, Win‘s much lauded classic Uh Tear’s Baby (A Trash Icon) album got a much anticipated re-release on Last Night From Glasgow, while Burns previous band The Fire Engines had a retrospective collection released in 2024, and of course he is also one of the member of one of Scotland’s most exciting and quickly rising bands. Scorpio Leisure.
The other link? Night Caller, who released one of the years best songs in Number One Wee Guy, feature Scorpio Leisure guitarist Mungo Carswell.
And with Hettie’s Lightnin’ Truck offshoot being one of my hopes for 2025, things are rosy in the Scorpio Leisure corner of the world.
Top 40 Singles of the Year
To pick just 40 from over 700 songs featured in the monthly singles round up was a nigh on impossible task. The links for all the years playlists are linked below so you can check out the others for yourselves too
- Tenementals – The Owl of Minerva
- Junk Pups – Spoonfed
- Scorpio Leisure – Apology
- Night Caller – Number One Wee Guy
- Sister Madds – Can’t Read Your Lips
- f.o.machete – Kicking Up Dust
- San Jose – Dirty Linen
- Tina Sandwich – Joni
- Keeley – Inga Hauser
- Soapbox – Fascist Bob
- The Cure – Alone
- Autumn 1904 – The City
- Martha May and the Mondays – SPIT!
- The Courettes – Keep Dancing
- Brenda – Pigs
- GIFTSHOP – Astoria
- Corinne – Despise
- Herald – Soul Ronnie
- Casual Drag – Can You Hear Me Now?
- The Primevals – I’m the Man-Wulf
- The Mysterines – Sink Ya Teeth
- Big Girl’s Blouse – Sleepy Girls
- Pedalo – Mystery
- Carol Hodge – Maneouvres
- M’dou Moctar – Funeral for Justice
- The Revolt – Fla Boi
- English Teacher – R&B
- Alcatraz – Sedation
- Self Esteem – Big Man
- Chiara Berardelli – Can I Be Me?
- Meryl Streek – Counting Sheep
- comfort girl – Cool, Sexy, Drunk
- The Froobz – Big Boy
- David Luximon – Taking You for a Drive
- Lambrini Girls – Company Culture
- Ditz – Taxi Man
- The Dead Shout – Drag You Down
- Vanderlye – This Plastic Ego
- Amyl & the sniffers – Big Dreams
- Jill Lorean – Peace Cult