While still too early to recount the best albums of the entire year, with new releases coming from powerhouse artists like Tyler, the Creator in just a few weeks as 2024 begins to wind down, it is just about the right time to look back on the last four months or so in the realm of music, which gave us everything from future cult (or club) classics, to local diamonds in the rough, to an entire cultural movement. This list will have no particular order, and is simply a rundown of albums which I feel stole the show the most.
brat – Charli XCX (Jun. 7, 2024)
‘Brat summer’ has come and gone. Arguably one of the biggest cultural moments of the 2020s so far, Charli XCX’s Brat (stylized in lowercase) was lightning in a bottle, and it’s not hard to see why. Songs like Club Classics and 360 mesh modern pop with a sound inspired by the house, rave, and techno scenes which had heavily influenced Charli XCX since she began releasing music in 2008. Aside from being an album loaded with legitimate radio-ready tracks such as Von dutch and Apple, the album knows when to get introspective and experimental with tracks like Girl, so confusing being a personal message to fellow pop icon Lorde, and So I being an emotional synth-heavy track eulogizing SOPHIE, English producer, DJ, and longtime collaborator and close friend of Charli who passed away at the age of 34 in 2021. Brat isn’t necessarily breaking new ground in the alt-pop or techno genres, for that you will have to look towards 100 gecs and A.G. Cook, but Brat was able to conquer the hearts and minds of a generation perhaps growing tired of the sterilized and played out pop sounds from Taylor Swift and other similar routine chart-toppers.
I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU – JPEGMAFIA (Aug. 1, 2024)
While it might not be fair to call JPEGMafia underground anymore, he is certainly still criminally underrated and underappreciated by many mainstream music outlets. This assertion was only cemented with another masterfully produced and crafted album which proved that he has the ability to transcend genres without missing a beat. I Lay Down My Life For You (stylized in all caps) is JPEGMafia’s fifth album, and perhaps his most genre bending offering to date. The album begins with drums and downtuned, edgy, Pantera-esque guitar riffs on i scream this in the mirror before i interact with anyone, a major departure from JPEGMafia’s previous sounds. Yet, if you’ve followed JPEGMafia’s career in the slightest, you’d know how fearless he is when it comes to mixing the best parts of other genres into his experimental hip-hop sound. Speaking of being without fear, Sin Miedo (stylized in all caps), the second track and lead single leading up to the album’s release is perhaps the best produced hip hop song of the summer.
Manning Fireworks – MJ Lenderman (Sept. 6, 2024)
Perhaps the hottest name in the alt-country and indie music scene, MJ Lenderman’s latest album might be the Brat of Asheville, North Carolina. Manning Fireworks features all of MJ Lendermans trademarks; witty lyrics, references to sports legends, and some of the most ear-wormy guitar riffs you’ll ever hear. Songs like Wristwatch and Rudolph feature thumping drums, addictive guitar tones reminiscent of fellow indie titans Wilco and Yo La Tengo with lyrics that sound like they could be from a millennial Neil Young. The album is admittedly short, clocking in at just under 40 minutes long, but Manning Fireworks doesn’t waste a second of your time. His raw and idiosyncratic lyricism will definitely have you pressing replay.
Charm – Clairo (July 12, 2024)
Charm is the bedroom pop icon’s third studio album, and it shows her deviating from the indie bedroom pop genre which propelled her into the mainstream. Charm could best be described as folky, funky, indie jazz, but Clairo dips into numerous other genres as strong undercurrents of soul and funk work their way into the sonics of this album. It might be an unexpected pivot, but it works so perfectly that even the most diehard fans of her old projects could not help but tune in. Everything on this album, from the gentle, whispering guitar sounds on Nomad to the ephemeral synths on Echo, which almost sound like something Jim Morrison could have been singing over 50 years ago. This album not only showcased Clairo’s ability to excel at making any kind of music she wants, but it demonstrated her immense range as a musical artist.
Lighter Blue – Young Scum (September 8, 2024)
Young Scum is a band from Richmond, Virginia, that describes themselves as “jangly indie-pop” and while many new bands have a tendency to adopt a jangly sound as they continue to evolve into a more fleshed out and original sound, Young Scum doubled down on it, and in the process created some of the most refreshing “jangly” music in quite some time. With chord progressions that could bring a tear to Johnny Marr’s eye, Lighter Blue carries with it a strong pulse of energy in each track. Young Scum has perhaps been hindered in the past by relying too heavily on their guitars, but this new album feels like they overhauled every part of themselves. The tracks feature more diverse instrumentation, more intense and energetic drumming, better mixing that allows the guitars to really breathe life into each and every track, and most importantly; the vocals have massively improved. The lead singers have a strong vocal chemistry, with impressive harmonies driving songs like the title track, Lighter Blue, and See It Through. Everything about the album feels polished. Each jangly guitar feels right at home within its place in the mix of the track, and the project feels thematically and lyrically cohesive. Basically, everything you could ever want in a sophomore project for a local band, Young Scum achieved to perfection. If you need an infusion of light-hearted energy into your day, simply play Young Scum.
static – Baltimore Avenue (September 6, 2024)
Baltimore Avenue is a band made up entirely of students from the University of Maryland, College Park, but upon first listen to their debut EP, Static (stylized in lowercase), you might think you’ve stumbled across a long lost Joy Division album. The sound is incredibly polished, and not just polished, but also memorable. Tracks like sugar and expired drive showcase their ability to incorporate new sonic ideas beyond just a wall of sound or simple arpeggiated riffs looped to death as some DIY bands might tend to do. If Baltimore Avenue’s first EP sounds this good, then we should all be waiting with bated breath to see what they might do next.
Tim Rogers is a freshman global studies major with a minor in Jeff Buckley studies, and a music columnist for The Retriever.
Are you a local musician or artist looking to make some noise? Contact Tim at GQ04614@umbc.edu