Best of 2024

 

 The Un-Herd Music Top 50 of 2024

1. Dangereens - Chic

 

An unexpected (and very welcome) return that adds some GramParsonics to their already impressive mix of Westerbergianisms and RonnieLanery. If you follow the references - and have no allergy to cowbells and handclaps - you'll undoubtedly appreciate.

 

2. Pavid Vermin - Brutality Is My Only Friend

 

The concept here is AI-enhanced grisly death metal lyrics and song titles at the service of British Invasion-era music. Sure, it's a gimmick, but it's a hilarious gimmick. And it wouldn't be anywhere near so entertaining if the music didn't deliver so thoroughly on those classic hooks.

3. The Heats - The Heats

 

I'll straight-up admit this is my personal nostalgia speaking, but I saw these guys countless times back in the day and have always considered their "Have An Idea" album (and "Hunk Of Burnin' Live") a lost power pop masterpiece so, 40 years later, I'm totally stoked to be able to pimp their equally great new album.

4. Hinds - Viva Hinds

Carlotta Cosials and Ana Perrote have been maturing with each release, and it's a delight to hear where they've landed on this album - unpredictable, vulnerable, confident, quirkily rockin' - without losing their established appreciation for fun.

5. The Weirdolls - Almost Unbreakable Toys

To suss out the influences of the band, just triangulate their original songs with the two covers (Sylvain Sylvain's "Teenage News" and Eddie & the Hot Rods' "Do Anything You Wanna Do"), which'll give fair warning that the word "dolls" isn't in the band name by accident.

6. The Courettes - The Soul of the Fabulous Courettes

Less stomping on the gas pedal as they hurtle towards a discount Spectorian Wall of Sound opens a secondary route to extra melody and charm in Flavia Couri's vocals - but no need for worry, speedsters: it's still a thrill ride.

7. Stephie James - As Night Fades

Gorgeous set of songs with hints of 50s sock hops and 60s saloon singers swirling amid memories of Roy Orbison, echoed drums and guitar twang. A very singular mood, but if it matches your own state of mind there won't be much better.

8. The Yum Yums - Poppin' Up Again

I mean, what more do you need? Ramonescore bamalama mixed with classic rock riffs, nasal teenage vocals, over-the-top Beach Boy harmonies, and sugary hooks for days. If it was easy, everybody would do it.

9. Cheap Cassettes - They'll Never Forgive You For Pop

Flirting with the same raggedly perfect imperfection of mid-period Replacements (and fueled with a similar us-against-the-world defiance) may not be a marketing strategy that gets rewarded in these times, but that album title lets us know the band doesn't particularly care.  

 

10. Various - Silver Patron Saints: the Songs of Jesse Malin

Few tributes are created with this much care. 27 tracks featuring such indie luminaries as Spoon, Low Cut Connie, Rancid, the Hold Steady and slightly more mainstream names like Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joe Armstrong and Tom Morello. If you're not yet a fan of Jesse Malin, you will be after giving this a listen.

 

 

 

11. Pat Todd & the RankOutsiders Keepin' Chaos At Bay

12. Love Fiend Handle With Care

13. Beth Lee Hardly Matters

14. Amyl & the Sniffers Cartoon Darkness

15. The Peawees One Drive

16. Sheer Mag Playing Favorites

17. Laughing Because It's True

18. Gold Star How To Shoot The Moon

19. Extra Arms Radar

20. Valley Lodge Shadows In Paradise

21. The Jesus and Mary Chain Glasgow Eyes

22. JD McPherson Nite Owls

23. Th' Losin Streaks Last House

24. Split System Vol. 2

25. Marc Valentine Basement Sparks

26. Jordan Jones And I, You

27. Bad Moves Wearing Out The Refrain

28. The Fastbacks For WHAT Reason

29. Emperor Penguin Gentlemen Thieves

30. Bottlecap Mountain Electric Love Spree

31. Swami & the Bed of Nails All Of This Awaits You

32. Redd Kross Redd Kross

33. Naked Giants Shine Away

34. Teenage Frames Everything Has Led To This

35. Los Chicos Never Is Too Much

36. Nervous Eaters Rock 'n Roll Your Heart Away

37. Ceramic Animal Cosmic Eraser

38. Quireboys Wardour Street

39. The BellRays Heavy Steady Go!

40. Colman Gota Don't Stop Playing Guitar

41. The Okmoniks Afterparty Fever!!!

42. Silver Sun Mild Peril

43. Minky Starshine Boozers Gloom and a Pinch of Anxiety

44. Junior League Our Broadcast Day

45. Daniel Romano Too Hot To Sleep

46. Buffalo Tom Jump Rope

47. Good Looks Lived Here For A While

48. The Fleshtones It's Getting Late (and More Songs About Werewolves)

49. Kim Deal Nobody Loves You More

50. Band of the Underhand A Cheap Ride To Heaven

Best of 2019

The Un-Herd Music Top 50 of 2019

1. White Reaper You Deserve Love

Early fans may complain about the added sheen, space, and (gasp) maturity in the mix, but any initial resistance will be steamrollered by the boatloads of hooks. Prepare to fall in love immediately.

 2. The Sweet Things In Borrowed Shoes, On Borrowed Time

I was recently lamenting the dearth of bona fide sleazoid Exile-On-Main-Street worship in modern music, and then this album shows up to kick my ass around the block and teach us all how it's done.





 

 3. The Delta Riggs Modern Pressure

An album difficult to adequately describe, using elements of classic rock in its melody and disco in its bottom end, some punk here and indie there, all of which is topped by Elliot Hammond's oddly charismatic (or charismatically odd) drawl.



 

 4. Imani Coppola The Protagonist

A seemingly personal statement that ties together some of the various strands of Mr. Coppola's immense talent, ranging from R&B cool to indie rock to a cuttingly sardonic folk complaint. 





 

 5. Twin Peaks Lookout Low

At this point existing perfectly out-of-time, Twin Peaks continue to follow their own obscure muse, making a loosely structured version of (uh, let's call it) classic rock that requires some patience and - most importantly - richly rewards that patience.




 

 6. Natalie Sweet Oh By The Way... It's Natalie Sweet

Bouncy, hook-filled rock 'n' roll that splits the difference between the most bubblegum Ramones tunes and most bubblegum of the 60s girl groups, with welcome help from the estimable Morten Henriksen of the Yum Yums.

 7. Jordan Jones Jordan Jones

The song "Rumors Girls" might be the best pure power pop song of the year, and the rest don't land too far off that lofty target.

 8. Attic Lights Love in the Time of Shark Attacks

Scottish group reappears after a 6 year lay-off with their absolute mastery of hooks, harmonies, and crunchy melancholy wholly intact.

 9. Pat Todd & the RankOutsiders The Past Came Callin'

From his days with the Lazy Cowgirls to the present, Pat Todd has married Johnny Cash to Johnny Thunders in ways that'll either have you crying in your beer or moshing in a frenzy.

 10. Starcrawler Devour You

While still trafficking in big riffs and chaos, the band has opened the door to honest-to-god hooks and (swear to god) subtlety, as evidenced most notably on the Stonesy "No More Pennies."







11. Sheer Mag A Distant Call
12. Ryan Hamilton & the Harlequin Ghosts This Is The Sound
13. The Brothers Steve #1
14. Ulysses On Safari
15. Charlie Faye & the Fayettes The Whole Shebang
16. The Dip The Dip Delivers
17. Josie Cotton Everything Is Oh Yeah
18. Terry and Louie ...A Thousand Guitars
19. Olivia Jean Night Owl
20. Velveteen Rabbit Velveteen Rabbit

21. More Kicks More Kicks
22. Ten Tonnes Ten Tonnes
23. Nick Waterhouse Nick Waterhouse
24. The Successful Failures Saratoga
25. Diamond Dogs Recall Rock 'n' Roll and the Magic Soul
26. Alex Lahey The Best of Luck Club
27. Pale Lips After Dark
28. The Whiffs Another Whiff
29. Asa Lucid
30. Ex Hex It's Real

31. Amyl & the Sniffers Amyl & the Sniffers
32. Reese McHenry No Dados
33. The Regrettes How Do You Love?
34. Extra Arms Up To Here
35. Rusty Dogs of Canada
36. Pernice Bros. Spread the Feeling
37. Geoff Palmer Pulling Out All The Stops
38. The Rallies Upside Down
39. Råttanson I'd Much Rather Be With the Noise
40. Hollerado Retaliation Vacation

41. Brad Marino Extra Credit
42. New Swears Night Mirror
43. Papernut Cambridge Outstairs Instairs
44. Long Ryders Psychedelic Country Soul
45. Rheostatics Here Come The Wolves
46. Lisa Prank Perfect Love Song
47. Foxygen Seeing Other People
48. Bloodboy Punk Adjacent
49. Redd Kross Beyond the Door
50. Baby Shakes Cause a Scene

Man, This Is What I Call An Epidemic

1. Imani Coppo1a Blackteria
2. The Br0thers Steve We Got The Hits
3. New Swears Concrete Cowboy
4. The Sweet Things Drained
5. Terry & Louie (I'm) Looking For A Heart
6. Attic Lights Ruby's Song
7. The De1ta Riggs Fake That 
8. O1ivia Jean The Hunt
9. Ryan Hami1ton & the Har1equin Ghosts Mamacita
10. Pat T0dd If Only I Could Fly Backwards in Time
11. Jordan J0nes No Makeup
12. White Reeper Might Be Right 
13. The Whiffs My Vision of Love
14. Diamond D0gs Somebody Have Mercy
15. M0re Kicks What a Mess You Make
16. Successfu1 Fai1ures Love You So
17. Pa1e Lips Some Sort of Rock 'n' Roll
18. U1ysses Piper's Chest
19. Nata1ie Sweet Pizza Man
20. Asa Good Thing
21. Twin Peaks Better Than Stoned
22. Nick Waterh0use Undedicated
23. Ve1veteen Rabbit Mind-Numbing Entertainment
24. Sheer Mag Blood from a Stone
25. Starcraw1er Hollywood Ending