At The Fire Note, our writers are the backbone of everything we do. We want to give a heartfelt shout-out to these incredible contributors—both past and present—who channel their passion and deep knowledge of music into every article. Their dedication and hard work never go unnoticed here at TFN, even if it sometimes flies under the radar elsewhere.
This year, we also take a moment to honor the memory of one of our longtime writers, Brian Q. Newcomb, who sadly passed away on April 15th. A cherished member of the TFN family for over 11 years, he contributed more than 750 insightful reviews, leaving an indelible mark on our community and readers alike. His love for music and thoughtful writing will always be remembered.
As we gear up to unveil our official Top 50 Albums of 2024, we know everyone has their own take on this year’s standout releases. A massive thanks to all our contributors for sharing their unique perspectives and making TFN the vibrant, diverse music hub it is.
While we put the finishing touches on our year-end list, check out what our team is buzzing about below! And if you’re eager to join the TFN team next year, email us at [email protected]. It’s your chance to get early access to music and share your voice with fellow music lovers.
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- MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks
- Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us
- Los Campesinos! – All Hell
- Jack White – No Name
- Cindy Lee – Diamond Jubilee
- Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More
- julie – my anti-aircraft friend
- The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World
- Bill Orcutt – How To Rescue Things
- Karkara – All Is Dust
- Beak – >>>>
- Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
- Meatbodies – Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom
- The Smile – Wall Of Eyes
- Mount Eerie – Night Palace
- Guided By Voices – Strut of Kings
- GOAT – GOAT
- Father John Misty – Mahashmashana
- Wild Pink – Dulling The Horns
- Porridge Radio – Clouds In The Sky They Will Always Be There For Me
- Shower Curtain – words from a wishing well
- Amyl And The Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness
- Trace Mountains – Into The Burning Blue
- Fake Fruit – Mucho Mistrust
- The Umbrellas – Fairweather Friend
- Wussy – Cincinnati Ohio
- The beloved band return 6 years after their previous record with a meditative masterpiece that pays homage to their late bandmate John Erhardt
- King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Flight b741
- The Aussie rockers’ 26th album is one of their best, a fun jammy album that features catchy songs and great band interplay
- Ghost Funk Orchestra – A Trip to the Moon
- GFO’s lunar-themed album is the most playful and exploratory in their expanding discography of psych-soul classics
- Geordie Greep – The New Sound
- The black midi frontman’s first solo outing is a wild ride that runs the gamut from the knotty prog of his former band to Latin-tinged jazz-rock excursions
- Slift – Ilion
- Slift continue their heavy, psychedelic space-rock trips on their excellent Sub Pop debut
- Jack White – No Name
- Jack White’s surprise 2024 album was even more of a surprise due to its consistent high quality—probably his best since Blunderbuss
- Mdou Moctar – Funeral for Justice
- The Nigerien musician continues to blow minds with his sheets of psychedelic guitar madness, this time exploring themes of colonial oppression and its aftermath
- Guided by Voices – Strut of Kings
- Pollard and co.’s only album of 2024 is an appropriately epic, stately record that shows off the new classic lineup’s musical chops
- Parlor Greens – In Green We Dream
- The debut album from this Colemine Records supergroup is a funky, soulful homage to classic instrumental R&B and jazz from the likes of Booker T. & The M.G.s and Jimmy Smith
- Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More
- The Breeders’ frontwoman’s solo debut is a creative and surprisingly eclectic album that sets itself apart from her previous work
- Starflyer 59 – Lust For Gold
- Jason Martin’s long-running project has been putting out some of their best albums in years, and Lust For Gold might be the best from that recent run
- Fievel Is Glauque – Rong Weickness
- FIG’s jazzy pop is deceptively simple, revealing intricate arrangements and clever songwriting with repeated listens
- Andrew Gabbard – Ramble & Rave On
- The latest from the Dayton-based one man band meshes catchy psychedelic pop, organic production, and down to earth songwriting
- Left Circles – Nothing Is One Thing
- The heartfelt songs and crisp production of Left Circles’ debut also include some experimental touches that give it a unique identity
- MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks
- Lenderman’s latest solo record features some of his best songwriting with more polished, expansive arrangements to match
- The Smile – Wall of Eyes / Cutouts
- The Radiohead side-project pushes forward with two expansive albums that underline the distinctions separating The Smile from its “parent” band
- Pale Jay – Low End Love Songs
- The mysterious masked singer returns with another short but potent batch of sample-based soul and R&B
- Kamasi Washington – Fearless Movement
- Washington’s latest is a relatively tight double-album set that blends his spiritual jazz fusion with several high-profile guest appearances from the likes of George Clinton and Andre 3000
- Richard Thompson – Ship To Shore
- A folk-rock institution, Thompson’s latest is another engaging set of tunes that demonstrate his devotion to his craft
- Spirit of the Beehive – You’ll Have To Lose Something
- Despite setbacks this year that included getting most of their gear stolen on the cusp of a U.S. tour, the band can be proud of You’ll Have To Lose Something, a worthy follow-up to their previous LP Entertainment, Death
- Kelly Finnigan – A Lover Was Born
- The Monophonics frontman’s latest solo record blends smooth soul with heartfelt songwriting while also demonstrating his production and arrangement skills
- Karate – Make It Fit
- On their first album in almost two decades, Karate takes a more straightforward approach while still retaining their signature blend of jazz, post-rock, and emo
- Cindy Lee – Diamond Jubilee
- A sprawling work that’s hard to take in all at once, but will pull you back time and time again with its mysterious lo-fi meets retro sound
- Thee Sinseers – Sinseerly Yours
- Latin-tinged neo-soul that fits perfectly into the wide array of soulful sounds being consistently cranked out by Colemine Records
- Duster – In Dreams
- The space-rock revivalists offer up more dreamy jams that will have you floating off into the ether
25. David Gilmour – Luck and Strange
24. Amyl and the Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness
23. Pallbearer – Mind Burns Alive
22. The Lovely Eggs – Eggsistentialism
21. ORB – Tailem Bend
20. Omni – Souvenir
19. Man Man – Carrot on Strings
18. Ghost Funk Orchestra – A Trip to the Moon
17. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Flight b741
16. St. Vincent – All Born Screaming
15. Tess Parks – Pomegranate
14. Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More
13. Mister Goblin – Frog Songs
12. Parlor Greens – In Green / We Dream
11. The Smile – Wall of Eyes
10. Mannequin Pussy – I Got Heaven
It was a good year for bands with powerful fronted females as I Got Heaven is rounding out the top. Mannequin Pussy gave all they got for this one and it really shows. Sex is power and it’s time for Marisa “Missy” Dabice to wield it. The band is sick of your shit and they’re not going to take it anymore. The fact that they do it with extra gusto makes it one hell of a statement for this top ten album.
9. Gnome – Vestiges of Verumex Visidrome
One of the most fun albums on this list by way of Belgium, Gnome really knows how to thunder with Vestiges of Verumex Visidrome. Taking cues from favorite metalers like The Sword, Mastodon, and Fu Manchu this album rages through your ears like a gleeful Balrog. Get familiar with this one because it’s the best metal album of the year that you haven’t heard of.
8. Geordie Greep – The New Sound
While it looks like it might be a while, if ever that we get any music from Black Midi. For Geordie Greep to create solo work and carry on the way he did with an album as strong as any Black Midi material makes me think we won’t notice the absence so much. Still math-y passages, punctuated buy some of Greep’s sharpest lyricism, and samba and Bossa Nova flair The New Sound is exactly that as it’s one of the years most unique and fun listens to date.,
7. GOAT – GOAT
Returning once more to bring another fuzzed out dose of occult, psychedelic grooves Goat continues to show why they maintain relevance six albums into their career. Their danceable, riff-laden, psycho-fuzz will have you making offerings at the altar of the GOAT in no time. One of the best examples of groove this year and an easy album to put in the top ten.
6. julie – my anti-aircraft friend
julie came out strong with their debut, my anti-aircraft friend. Also like grunge gazers Wednesday julie’s sound floats dissonantly and angrily over soft, slacker vocals that make each song explode in your head like flak. Another debut that isn’t to be missed this year.
5. English Teacher – This Could Be Texas
Following in the footsteps of contemporaries such as Speedy Ortiz, Black Country New Road Wednesday, and Yard Act English Teacher craft one hell of a debut that packs angst and beauty in one succinct package. <em> This Could Be Texas</em> is an exercise in indie-prog, rock, folk electronica, and post-punk that, for me, makes it a stand out and easily one of the years’ top tens.
4. Father John Misty – Mahashmashana
After an interesting run in with jazz and swing on Chloë and the Next 20th Century Josh Tillman returns with the warm and wonderful Mahashmashana. Light and dreamy like his previous work, Mahashmashana, is beautifully sung and constructed when it comes to instrumentation. It also brings us one of the year’s best songs in “Josh Tillman and the Accidental Dose.” His works have been strong in the past but, this is truly a crown jewel in his catalogue making it my 4th top album.
3. Beak> – >>>>
Beak> has never been a band that I’ve heard of until now. Their latest >>>> is a dystopian album that plays like part film score and part robot nightmare trace meditation. Danger feels like it’s almost at every turn but it’s accompanied by a groove. It’s that Radiohead-like quality that takes what could be a very “in the background” album and moves it directly to the forefront of your attention.
2. Cindy Lee – Diamond Jubilee
If Jack’s album was a return to form surprise of the year, then Cindy Lee’s <em>Diamond Jubilee</em> is the most audacious surprise of the year. The seventh studio album from Patrick Flegel formerly of the Canadian band Women. This album defies description due to its’ release, its’ two hours of music, and its’ uncanny, earnest assemblage of imperfections. The album is an experiment of cohesion that has to be heard and endured to be believed. Not the easiest listen but an important listen for 2024.
1. Jack White – No Name
Growing up in the era of The White Stripes, I’ll never not have a soft spot/appreciation for Jack White. After the path they he’d been on as an artist, two great albums and two interesting ones, I never thought he would reach the highs of not only his solo career but in The White Stripes. Well, was I sure wrong and the fact that it was a surprise makes it hit even harder. Dubbed <em>No Name</em> this album has White going back to the beginning to deliver and blues laden riff fest that’s satisfying from beginning to end. Nothing hits more than a powerful Jack White groove and that still holds true in 2024 making this my number one album of the year.
1. Guided By Voices – Strut of Kings
2. X – Smoke & Fiction
3. Organic Pulse Ensemble – Zither Suite
4. James Brandon Lewis – Transfiguration
5. Mary Halvorson – Cloudward
6. Alan Braufman – Infinite Love Infinite Tears
7. Liam Gallagher & John Squire – Liam Gallagher & John Squire
8. Godspeed You! Black Emperor – No Title As Of 13 February 2024 28,340 Dead
9. Elephant9 and Terje Rypdal – Catching Fire
10. 2nd Grade – Scheduled Expectations
11. Christopher Owens – I Wanna Run Barefoot Through Your Hair
12. Weite – Oase
13. Bevis Frond – Focus on Nature
14. Phosphorescent – Revelator
15. Elephant9 – Mythical River
16. Fire! – Testament
17. Horse Jumper of Love – Disaster Trick
18. Hello Whirled – 50 Songs
19. MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks
20. Ulaan Janthina – The Sea Surrounding
21. Wussy – Cincinnati Ohio
22. The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
23. Penza Penza – Alto E Primitivo
24. Honey Radar – Ribbon Factory
25. Rick Rude – Laverne
1) Being Dead – Eels
AOTY 2 years in a row. The Mamas and the Papas meet The Elephant Six Collective. Beautiful harmonies. Wonderful melodies. A little weird. Being Dead really outdid their selves with this album but that doesn’t take anything away from their excellent 2023 LP.
2) The Bug Club – On The Intricate Inner Workings Of The System
The Bug Club knocked their Sub Pop debut out of the park. Sometimes you just want a fun album that is short and sweet. Catchy and crunchy. Should be on a ton of EOY/ATOY lists.
3) Bench Press – Personal Best
One of the best punk albums of 2024. Bench Press has really outdone themselves with this album. Aussie punk (which we all know is good) with a Devo twist.
4) Beak – >>>>
Goblin meets Pink Floyd. This one took me by surprise. I have enjoyed Beak> over the years but mostly cherry-picking their past 3 albums. >>>> hit me hard. It has a hypnotic and weird psychedelic groove.
5) Teen Mortgage – Teen Mortgage
A compilation of their first 3 Eps. Great entry point for this band. Heavy fuzz/power pop punks. Rides a fine line between bratty noise punks like FIDLAR, crunchy power pop of a Mike Krol or Tony Molina, some thrash tendencies and maybe some early Jeff the Brotherhood. It’s good.
6) Langkamer – Langzamer
The new MJ Lenderman came and went for me. This however hits that sweet alt-country spot for me. This Bristol-based band does Americana better than a lot of U.S.-based bands.
7) Hyperdog – Frog Mountain
Austria’s answer to Australia’s CLAMM but with a more egg punk leaning. Punk fans will need this in their lives.
8) Psychic Graveyard – Wilting
PG just keep getting better. Still caustic, but somehow accessible. Gritty and groovy dance noise.
9) Soup Activists – Mummy What Are Flowers For?
One of my favorite albums from last year got the vinyl reissue treatment! Wonderful lo-fi jangle pop that should delight fans of 90s era GBV, Kleenex Girl Wonder and The Unicorns.
10) Karkara – All is Dust
Sprawling psych-rock. Like King Gizzard but feels less tongue-in-cheek. There are some jaw-dropping moments on this record.
11) Dog Date – Zinger
Another great punk albums for 2024. It is loaded with ripping riffs and energy. Most of all, it’s a lot of fun to listen to.
12) Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More
It has been a long time coming, but it was certainly worth the wait. Kim throws a lot at you with this solo debut, and it stuck with me.
13) Babe Report – Did You Get Better
Another album that caught me off guard. Slams harder than you would think. Superchunk power with Ovlov charm.
14) Office Dog – Spiel
Spiel is a nice surprise from New Zealand. Fans of Ovlov and Grandaddy might dig this.
15) Nerve Agent – Game of Death
Best thrash album I have heard this year. Fans of Power Trip will want to check out these guys from the UK.
16) Marbled Eye – Read the Air
Effortless post punk. These guys just make good records
17) Pissed Jeans – Half Divorced
Maybe their most accessible album to date.
18) Rick Rude – Laverne
Built to Spill meets Heartless Bastards. Such a great band and another stellar record.
19) Thee Alcoholics – Feedback
Punishing and noisy sludge.
20) Gustaf – Package, Pt. 2
Gustaf is good, weird post punk out of Brooklyn.
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