I spent the last few weeks finishing up my 2023 and 2022 lists before knocking this one out, and this year presents a continued evolution and a bit of a return to non-instrumental tunes. This was the year I realized I liked a lot of country music and I spent a lot of time listening to it. I also fell in love with Mk.gee and that sent me on some additional music explorations. Ambient country and jazz still feature prominently. It’s fun to watch my tastes evolve over the years.
Here it is: 103 minute mix of the best songs I heard first in 2024. It’s extra long this year because many of the songs are longer, and the last track is nearly 18 minutes all by itself. Below you’ll find the track listing, a favorite lyric, and my thoughts about each song). Listen and let me know what you think!
1. COLD WORLD – Liliana Hudgens
“But don’t waste more time feeling bad, always want what I never have had”
Spotify told me this was the song that I listened to more than any other in 2024. That might not actually be true because most of what I listen to isn’t via Spotify, but I’ve put some serious hours into this record. I appreciate the straightforward production, the lyrics, the melodies, and of course Liliana’s beautiful voice. “Last Line” is an excellent record, as is “Grace” which was released at the tail end of the year. I almost put “A Lot of Love” on this list but ultimately came back to my all time favorite Hudgens tune.
2. Sober Thing – Cody Jinks
“Slowing down just reminds me of why I started in the first place”
Last spring I heard a guy at the local open mic do this song, and it really blew me away. Jinks’ recording is fairly no frills country ballad with compelling lyrics. Tasteful production with pedal steel and strings. When it comes to the lyrics I hate to admin that I relate to what he’s singing, but I do.
3. One for the Road – Johnny Blue Skies (Sturgill Simpson)
“We both know it’s been awhile since I was the man you used to see”
My favorite song on one of my favorite records of the year (Passage Du Desir). Sturgill Simpson continues to impress me. It’s not that I like everything he does, but what he does he does with artistic vision and I appreciate that. This epic tune is the album closer. Kind of a classic, relatable, relationship-is-ending country ballad with strings and dramatics. At about the 5-minute mark, it turns into a Pink Floyd-esque epic country-rock psychedelic extravaganza. Awesome.
4. Beyond the Blue – Josh Garrels
“Sometimes the only way to return is to go where the winds will take you”
The last couple of years have been hard and beautiful. Epic changes on every front, and some hard losses. An old friend sent me this song to encourage me one day and it’s done that over and over again since that day. “To let go of all you cannot hold on to, for the hope beyond the blue.”
And I’m hoping.
5. Easier Said Than Done – Thee Sacred Souls
She said “Be honest with you how feel“ I said “That’s easier said than done.”
I just love finding contemporary bands making old soul. This is simply a great sounding tune. Let the Saturday morning vibes roll.
6. Rylee & I – Mk.gee
“Just when you think you can cut everybody you know”
This guy… I love what he does. Allison sent me a few live videos of Mk.gee awhile back and I liked what I heard/saw but I didn’t really appreciate it until I listened more. My appreciation grows at every listen. “Two Star & The Dream Police” doesn’t completely capture the energy of his live recordings, but it’s worth many many listens. He somehow seems to take all of these familiar sounds and quilts them together so that you’re hearing something entirely new but somehow familiar. You’ll say “I heard Prince there for a minute” but it’s not like the song sounds like a Prince song. I have a hard time expressing my excitement about this music, I wish I had the words! Here’s a live video for “Alesis” that I love:
7. Lune Noire – Isolde Lasoen
Loungey French music. Terrific instrumentation, great voice. Nuff said.
8. Talk Down – Dijon
“You put on Liz Phair and you lean back in your chair”
Found Dijon while getting obsessed with Mk.gee. I’ve been listening to “Absolutely” a lot and one of the things I like best about it is the way the songs flow together. It’s a unique mix of styles within a general range of R&B (like that even means anything). Most of the tunes have more analog sounds, but this one is my favorite stand-alone tune. Like Mk.gee, Dijon has some great live videos for these songs that show just what these songs can be. My favorite is this live video for “Many Times”
9. Napule Canta e More – Donatella Viggiano
I don’t know how this song came to me but I really like it. What is this? I could pretend I know or go look it up but honestly I’d prefer to just enjoy this cool Italian singer and the funky tune.
10. Burden – Wes Pearce
“Don’t grieve the time that I have lost, I’ve lived much life this was my cost”
Found this guy singing on YouTube, and I really fell in love with this song. It’s way more dramatic than what I usually go for, but it reminds me of the energy of The Walkmen on their 2004 record “Bows + Arrows” but leaning country, not rock.
11. Standing In The Doorway – Sam Wilkes, Craig Weinrib, and Dylan Day
More of this please. Stripped down trio, gorgeous performances. So chill. Channels Acetone. Listen to the whole record it does not disappoint.
12. Endless – J Foerster, N KRAMER
Undulating electronic ambient loop music. On one hand, music in this vein is a dime a dozen. On the other hand, almost nobody does it this well. A real treat.
13. Teleos – Chuck Johnson
Ambient country superstar Chuck Johnson’s “Sun Glories” is my desert island instrumental record. Unbelievable. This track starts out with sweeping ambience and builds to a post rock crescendo. When I hear this song I am always slightly reminded of some tunes The Twilight Sad’s excellent 2007 record, “Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters.” It’s big!
14. Hawk Hill – Danny Paul Grody Duo
Another instrumental tune that straddles post-rock and ambient country stylings. Real beautiful, sweeping sounds. If you like this, you should really listen to all of “Arc of Night”
15. So We Bend In Sorrow – Andrew Osenga
A good friend of mine sent this to me after informing me that his daughter’s beloved hamster had died. I had never met the hamster, but I’m glad he sent the tune. A calm, contemplative instrumental with lots of reverb on the guitar. Feels like what I’d like to hear while sitting in a church.
16. Dizzy Ditty – Ariel Kalma, Jeremiah Chiu & Marta Sofia Honer
Another great looped-up electronic instrumental. I could listen to this kind of stuff all day, and I have. I like the way the different textures make their way in and out of the arrangement.
17. Secant – Akusmi
Another take on loops, this time with a lot more analog instrumentation. It’s almost entirely comprised of alto saxophone, clarinet and piano with embellishments of ambience and minimal percussive elements. This particular song doesn’t stay static, it moves and grows and changes while the mildly phrenetic loops continue. “Lines” is a great record all around.
18. Marvis – Josh Johnson
Josh Johnson made a really really cool experimental record, and I really like it. I love the way he plays with the phrasing of the melodies on this tune. It’s sparse and a little queasy, with moments of soaring heights. Here’s a video of him performing this song by himself—kind of mind blowing.
19. Late Autumn – Jeff Parker ETA IVtet
Jeff Parker, Josh Johnson, Anna Butterss, and Jay Bellerose come together to make this fantastic music. It’s a long track—the entire B side to the record, and it comes from one of their legendary sets at LA’s Enfield Tennis Academy. I sure wish I could have seen one of those shows.
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