Brace yourself, the storm is coming! Not the one on Doppler Radar, though thanks to global warming, anytime you may be reading this post, I’m sure somewhere is getting pummeled by a mega storm. I’m not talking about the election either, but I do offer some shelter from all that below. The deluge I speak of comes from all of your favorite A-list recording artists, their new release fire hoses are aimed at your nearest record store shelf and/or Spotify algorithm. As a public service, we’re gonna take a sneak peek at what’s coming, while celebrating what’s already here: 2024’s best albums so far that are well worth listening to before all the others beg for attention.
According to our friends at Pause and Play, by the end of March we’ll have new albums by the former lead singers of (reunited just this week) *Nsync and Midnight Oil, and comebacks by The Dandy Warhols (props for naming a song “Danzig With Myself”), Starsailor, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Gossip, and Sum 41. Kim Gordon, Sheryl Crow, Kacey Musgraves, and Fletcher of “Becky’s so Hot” fame aim to score your streams before juggernauts like Taylor Swift and Beyonce roll ashore in April. Springtime will also see new albums by The Zutons (produced by Nile Rodgers and Ian Broudie), Pearl Jam (produced by the prolific rock dinosaur re-animator Andrew Watt), Kaiser Chiefs (also produced by Rodgers), The Libertines, The Black Keys, Mark Knopfler, A Certain Ratio, James, and the Pet Shop Boys. The second installment in Ian Hunter’s “Defiance” series alone lines up more A-list guest stars than The Cannonball Run, including the late Taylor Hawkins and Jeff Beck, Lucinda Williams, and the ruling majorities of Cheap Trick, Pearl Jam, The Black Crowes, Def Leppard, Stone Temple Pilots, and Queen.
But that’s later – here are the best albums you can stream and buy right now:
RAYE • My 21st Century Blues
My goddess does this LP have a story. Blues’ singles date back to 2022, and the album itself came out last year, but it’s still building steam worldwide and she’ll be on SNL in April. RAYE (Rachel Agatha Keen) recently swept the 2024 BRITS, proving once again that sometimes big label professional A&R people can be clueless idiots just like the rest of us. You see, despite having penned bankable hits for just about every superstar in the game, augmented by magazine cover beauty, a stadium ready singing voice, and masterful hip hop lyrical flow, RAYE was told by her now former label, Polydor, that she just wasn’t ready for center stage. Thankfully, she was able to buy back her masters (instead of having to re-record new “RAYE’s versions”), and put it out on her own terms. The result is a ridiculously BIG album that’s blowing up the charts on both sides of the pond. Stream it if you must, but it is even more amazing on CD. The big hit, “Escapism”, is almost an entire album in itself, delivering a variety of twists, turns, and dazzling act breaks in less than 5 minutes. The whole platter deftly balances a range of vibes to deliver an utterly satisfying 15 track rocket ride in a mere 47 minutes.
The Last Dinner Party • Prelude to Ecstasy
Once in a while, a band gets buried under an avalanche of hype before ever releasing a debut single. High expectations tend to be dashed, even if the resulting work is actually very good (see Veruca Salt). TLDP is an all-girl five-piece band from London. They formed in college pre-COVID and became a hot club circuit band thanks to viral cell phone videos and social media. They opened for The Rolling Stones with only one single to their name and went on to win the BBC Sound of 2024 poll.
Much like Adam Ant a century before, the ladies are truly committed to their own concept – dressing like Bridgerton heroines and Marie Antionette filtered through late 70’s Vivienne Westwood. “Glam ethos reborn in plissé and corsetry” is how they describe their look to Rolling Stone UK. Naive newbies these ladies are not. They’ve soaked up 60 years of proven formulas for intentional media manipulation, from the Sex Pistols to Liz Phair (who claimed her lo-fi indie debut was a track for track response to Exile on Main Street – who could resist that?).
But is the album, Prelude to Ecstasy, any good? Oh it’s a banger. Across 12 tracks, the Last Dinner Party serves up a smorgasbord of bombastic avant pop – baroque, new wave, indie and punk in all the right places. It opens with a very cinematic, orchestral movement, so engrossing that when the vocals and guitars eventually show up, it’s kinda jarring. Taylor Swift this is not, but if you ever wondered what 4AD’s all-star This Mortal Coil would sound like as a pop band, this is it.
As much as I loved it, especially the big single, “The Feminine Urge”, it was a bit too over the top for Pitchfork. In one of their final reviews before being sucked into the GQ portfolio, they said, “It’s all very Florence and the Rube Goldberg Machine, and depending on your taste for ripeness, your mileage may vary.” Still, you gotta hand it to the band for a clever turn of phrase; look no further than “Burn Alive” where Abigail Morris sings, “There is candle wax melting in my veins/So I keep myself standing in your flames.”
Ecstasy debuted at #1 in the UK; the group recently won the rising star award at the 2024 Brits.
NewDad • Madra
Never before in my record collecting life have I had more trouble getting my hands on a physical copy of a mainstream new release. NewDad is the next big thing out of Ireland, “Madra”, which is Irish Gaelic for “Dog”, is their full-length debut; the name serves a metaphor that “heavy feelings can follow you around like an obedient pet,” as told by singer Julie Dawson to the NME in a 2023 cover story.
Arriving hot on the heels of a series of smash singles and EPs that you can stream or download in lossless hi-fi via Bandcamp–much like I did while waiting for this infernal CD that has still yet to arrive from somewhere over the rainbow. I’m trying from a third vendor after the first two canceled my order for unknown reasons. The band itself does not ship products beyond Irish shorelines.
This frustration should come as no surprise. When I went to Dublin in 2002, I was warned to steer clear of Galway Girls – and sure enough, a pub brawl started by two of them nearly wound us all up in jail. Not sure if Ms. Dawson was even born back then, but alas, here we are.
Last year, Cherry Red Records released a roundup of dream pop, shoegaze and ethereal pop in a box set called Cherry Stars Collide – including everyone from Mazzy Star and Kitchens of Distinction to The Ocean Blue and Shelleyan Orphan. NewDad would fit right in here. The Guardian listened and heard comparisons to The Cure and New Order, NME seconded by detecting shades of The Cure and threw in some Beabadoobe for good measure. Madra reminds me of an uptempo Lush stirred gently with My Bloody Valentine. “The juxtaposition of the sometimes harsh, dark and menacing tunes, and Julie Dawson’s vocals work expertly, the double tracked, reverb heavy quality sound so huge against the backdrop but are ethereal, swooping around the mix, ghostly and haunting,” said God is in the TV in their spot-on review. The Journal of Music added, “NewDad posit themselves as both the lovelorn hero and the cut-throat antagonist, switching sides with ease.”
In a 2021 interview with NME, Dawson saw older fans like me coming. “Lots of dads like us. It’s music for teenagers, but your dad will probably come to a show and like it more than you.”
Dove Cameron • Alchemical Volume #1
It’s been five years since Dove Cameron and Sofia Carson signed off from their hit Disney franchise The Descendants (save for an animated reunion special in 2021). Both stars have been busy with other very successful film and TV projects while also getting their pop music careers into high gear. From what I can tell, Carson’s epic self-titled, full-length debut from 2022 only came out on CD in Japan, and I was more than happy enough to plunk down a good $30 to buy an import. In 2024, she is now two breathtaking singles into her new album cycle, with more than a dozen spectacular one-off singles found elsewhere in the Streamerverse.
Cameron has been just as busy, releasing loads of singles online – some of which have inexplicably disappeared over time. Alchemical Volume #1 is reportedly half of a full-length album, out digitally, and my god is it a sinister, wicked, and irresistible tour de force. Whereas Carson is going for the safer, Celine Dion and early Mariah Carey adult contemporary radio route, Cameron is going full on Dark Princess, clubbier and edgier than even fellow Disney dark angels Miley Cyrus and Olivia Rodrigo. At only 8 songs and a tight 22 minutes, Vol #1 delivers more bang than most full-length albums do, all killer, no filler, ideal for fans of recent work by the xx’s Romy and Tove Lo, Black Cherry-era Goldfrapp, and Madonna’s Music. The singles “Boyfriend” and “Breakfast” alone are closing in on a billion streams, while the epic “Lethal Woman” could easily spawn a new film franchise for the singer. Cameron reports writing more than 60 songs for this project, so it’s very likely we’ll see Volumes #2-4 in the years ahead.
Ariana Grande • Eternal Sunshine
Can you be a HUGE fan of Ariana Grande, arguably one of the greatest singing voices in modern music, and not give a crow’s keester about her personal life? Yes, and…
Grande has perfected the genre of confessional “Diary Pop”. Whereas some artists expunge the emotional well of the human experience to craft songs the general public can relate to–pop music’s traditional route that has spawned generations of “Long Distance Dedications’ and prom anthems–Grande channels her love life into many songs about her love life. Many of her biggest tracks feel like social media posts more than songs, filled with subtle clues or blatantly obvious references (as if there was any doubt who her song “Pete Davidson” was about). In a newly published review of the new Kacey Musgraves album, Deeper Well, Pitchfork references Grande, Lorde and Taylor Swift, when saying, “These records are often products and expressions of the therapy necessitated by that toll (of celebrity), embodying the revelations about quietude and self-worth that therapy so often suggests. Yet they still exist in a pop infrastructure and function, as pop unavoidably does in this moment, as celebrity texts.”
Speculation is, Eternal Sunshine is her “divorce album” where she’ll dish about her ex husband and current boyfriend not too differently from Beyonce and Madonna spilling the dirt about Jay-Z and Guy Ritchie on albums past. Great news for TMZ heads and gossip girls–though she begs fans not to harass the men in her life–but what if you just want to escape the noise and nestle into a seductive groove? Well, I have good news for you. Eternal Sunshine is a vibe, a jam, and an utter delight to listen to. In a personal choice, I simply tune out the lyrics while singing along to the words–the same as I did for years enjoying Elizabeth Fraser’s vocals for the Cocteau Twins. Eternal Sunshine is her best work in years, with several songs like RuPaul runway anthem “Yes, and” and the enchanting “Imperfect for You” on their way to decade-defining classic status.
With two Wicked movies in the can and a new album to tour, Grande is destined for EGOT, and on the TV front, she just earned another high achievement, that of SNL Ringer. Much like Justin Timberlake, she can drop into any live skit or filmed bit and uplevel it with her singing, acting, and impeccable comedic timing. As part of her best week ever, she also slayed at the 2024 Academy Awards, and in my humble opinion, won the “best dress” honors that night.
So there is something for everyone on this album – all the dirt if that’s what you want, or just the bright light of her angelic voice blazing across pristine production that echoes the 1970’s, the now, and the distant disco future – eternal sunshine in audio form if you will. And for streamers, she just released a “slightly deluxe” edition with four bonus tracks, re-workings of four album cuts including her much-hyped Mariah Carey collab.
NEW MUSIC • CLASSIC ICONS
Honeymoon Suite • Alive
Dua Lipa, Ariana Grande, and Kylie Minogue ushered in the latest late 70’s disco revival, following the earlier field trips to Studio 54 by Madonna and Goldfrapp between 2005 and 2010. When you factor in that cassettes, of all infernal devices, are making a comeback, it seems inevitable the youths will soon discover the glories of compact discs and the Big Big 80’s–artists and albums with stadium sized production (not to mention hair) that made the most of the digital medium. Beyond the new wave and hair metal icons that have never gone out of style, there are bands like GTR, Night Ranger, Giuffria, Loverboy, Saraya, and solo records by members of Styx and the Cars, that are well worth revisiting. I’m in such a moment right now, gleefully deep diving into the catalog of Canada’s Honeymoon Suite.
For years, I resisted buying any of their CDs, because none of them contained my favorite Honeymoon Suite song, a cover of Greg Lake’s “I Believe in Father Christmas”. This absolute gem only appeared on the Winter Warnerland sampler that was serviced exclusively to radio stations in the late 80’s (boasting original songs like Danielle Dax’s “Blue Christmas” along with spoken word radio liners from some true legends). Only recently, I discovered CDs were actually pressed of that rarity, so I imported one from the UK, and suddenly my world felt complete. Well, now it is even more complete, because I then ordered every Honeymoon Suite album I could get my mitts on, including their latest, Alive.
Alive, their first album of new material since 2008, is testament to a life well lived. Johnnie Dee’s voice sounds just as pristine today as it did on their biggest hits “New Girl Now” and “Feel it Again”. Across the album’s 10 original tracks (plus 2 “Taylor’s Version” style re-records), they don’t mess with their proven formula while proving their mine still has plenty of gold to unearth. Its truly amazing when a band this far into their tenure can create new music that’s as good as their peak (OMD being another). Popdose founder Jeff Giles went on an extended soliloquy on his Jefitoblog about this – lamenting the “perfectly middle of the roadness” of Honeymoon Suite even at their greatest – but that’s the main draw I have to them. Their albums are packed with well produced, BIG BIG songs, made for MTV and FM Radio, as if those two dinosaurs still walked the Earth. As I collected the Honeymoon Suite CDs in February and March of this year. I also ordered ten volumes of Eric Records’ Hard to Find 45s on CD series. When I place all these CDs in heavy rotation on my stereo, I feel like I’m a kid again, listening to Cleveland FM stalwarts WMMS and G-98 (WGCL) during my golden age of radio – with no antenna hiss and higher fidelity than my Realistic portable radio would allow. Stream it if that’s your jam, but I highly recommend all things Honeymoon Suite on CD.
Norah Jones • Visions
I must be getting old because not only did I buy this on CD, I sprung for the Target special edition (for the bonus track more than the poster). Much like the Grande album, Visions is a vibe. I recently scored a copy of her 11-million selling debut album in a garage sale and have yet to listen to it, but I’m aware of the Norah Jones phenomenon. I figured, perhaps it’s best to start with where she is now, and work my way back through her Blue Note catalog as 2024 plays out. Jones’ voice still mesmerizes, her style choices exist within a safe space of neo soul, jazz, torch singer, and pop, so the album is a safe shelter in a storm of media and cultural chaos. Playing it on a good stereo just fills the room with joy, and we could all use as much of that as possible these days.
Ministry • hopiumforthemasses
Al Jourgensen is living proof you CAN have too much of a good thing. From Filth Pig onward, his pun-laden politically critical Ministry songs condensate what I can only imagine are several thousand audio source tracks – demon armies of guitars, drums, overprocessed and sampled vocals crafting a groove that is more about concussion than percussion.
When so many sounds try to enter your speakers (let alone ears) at once like stampeding elephants at the doorstep, it’s often impossible to comprehend. My Harmon-Kardon amp and Celestion speakers simply give up and start smoking when I try to play this. My open ear vibration headsets pierce my temples like daggers when I attempt to Spotify this album during a power walk. Hopium, out on Nuclear Blast records, arrives on the heels of two expanded reissues via Cleopatra further mining the Wax Trax era, a 2CD live set from 1982 and another scrape of the Rare Trax vaults. I bought ‘em all, because of course I did. Just one fix, I keep promising myself, eager to relive the highs from Ministry’s dazzling Trax! Box. And yes, I will also buy this current album on CD, because once a Ministry junkie, always one.
Before she departed Yahoo Music, the magnificent Lyndsey Parker interviewed Al about balancing where he is now with where many of his fans remain, 1982-1990. He seemed surprised his bastard child, With Sympathy, still has a huge fanbase, and he promised to resurrect many of its songs in the studio and on tour. When he gifts his mixes some breathing room, like on all of his output up through Psalm 69 + his acoustic cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Friend of the Devil” (Bridge School Benefit), his holiday song (a strange reworking of an A Flock of Seagulls song), and the one-off industrial country album under his Buck Satan alias, Al is an absolute master.
On the new album, “Just Stop Oil” is easily their best and most accessible single since 1990’s “Jesus Built My Hotrod”. The other highlights feature the always reliable Jello Biafra (Lard, Dead Kennedys) and Eugene Hutz (Gogol Bordello) on vocals. Al has an important message to send– fear of a Trump planet–that he’s been warning us about since “N.W.O” – if only my brain and speakers could properly hear it. Should this be their swan song of new material, Al pretty much sticks the landing. Can’t wait for that Without Sympathy revisit (Parker’s deft title suggestion) not to mention a proper second Buck Satan outing to give genre-crasher Beyonce a run for her money.
Quick Hits:
Green Day • Saviors – For me, this album needed some time to take root, and now that it has, I absolutely love it. This band is hit or miss with me, but this stomper is right up there with Dookie and American Idiot, while leaning closer in sonics to their stellar sideshow gigs The Longshot and Foxboro Hot Tubs.
Laura Jane Grace • Hole in My Head – the lead singer of Against Me!, perhaps the best rock band of the 2000’s, returns for yet another album that echoes Grace’s pre-fame coffee house aggro folk punk. It’s a great listen, and I can totally relate to “Dysphoria Hoodie” (as Grace and I came out around the same time and have experienced many of the same highs and lows ever since), but now three albums into this stripped back era, I am eager to hear what will be if and when the band gets back together.
The Smile • Wall of Eyes – Much like how Al Jourgensen has been spinning his sonic wheels since 1992, it’s been close to a quarter century since Radiohead’s monumental Kid A, a true classic where the greatest guitar band of the era disappeared into a sea of bloops, bleeps, and cross cut shredded audio samples. Most of Yorke & Co.’s output since then has been some variation on that footprint. While I still bought this, and all of their albums on CD, I keep “waiting for something to happen”– some kind of pleasure or intellectual payoff from their music. I’m one of the very few to complain, most everyone else in the crowd just stands there declaring “this is important” and “if you don’t get it, that’s on you.”
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