I’ve had a rough year. Between the election results of the absolute shithole country I live in, the months upon months of anxiety leading up the election that caused me a couple of days of absolute misery, a grueling work schedule, a brief bout of acute depression, and did I mention the election…? In short, in a year that was probably teeming with great new music I found myself sticking with familiar favorites. Classic rock and jazz dominated my daily listening. I grew fond of ’60s garage rock over the summer. I listened to a glut of Frank Zappa, Jethro Tull, and King Crimson. John Zorn, Sun Ra, and Anthony Braxton scratched that avantgarde itch. In short, I didn’t have the capacity to delve into most of what 2024 had to offer. Absorbing new music was just not a hobby I was able to engage myself in at all.

Nevertheless, I managed to scrounge up five — not twenty-five — albums that I could deem worthy of praise in a year I just couldn’t be bothered. Here’s to 2025. Hopefully I can get back on track.

#5 – The Jesus Lizard – Rack

The Jesus Lizard returns 26 years later with a fantastic album that, for all intents and purposes, picks up exactly where they left off. In fact, it may even pick up where they were pre-Shot. David Wm. Sims is tight with the thick bass. Duane Denison is relentless with the loud, crunchy guitar. David Yow is well into his 60s and he can still sound like a yelping baboon when he wants to. You can tell a lot of care went into this record, proving that these old fucks can still make noise rock that is noisier than noise rock counterparts who are 40 years younger.

#4 – Drug Church – PRUDE

Drug Church toes the line between hardcore, post-hardcore, alt-rock, and grunge. It’s a four-cornered line. And with each passing album, this four-cornered line gets blurred further. While I fell in love with 2022’s Hygiene, 2024’s PRUDE is still growing on me. Sure, the hard punches of “Mad Care” is fun. And the R.E.M.-esque jangle rhythm of “Hey Listen” is interesting. But a lot of it doesn’t tread new ground for this innovative band. In spite of this, I listened to PRUDE more than a lot of other new albums in 2024 so I have to include it. I just have to. No, I have to. I have to.

#3 – Opeth – The Last Will and Testament

Opeth was my first foray into progressive metal. Hell, they were my first foray into harsh vocals in general. Understandably, I have a soft spot for them. But The Last Will and Testament is especially notable because it sees a return to the harsh vocals we haven’t heard since 2008’s Watershed. But that’s not the only thing that’s special about this record! Finally, for the first time in years, Opeth sounds fresh and exciting. Cool. Calculated. It grooves and swings and even bops. It’s a perfect fusion of progressive rock and death metal. These guys have still got it, and it’s reassuring to hear after what I consider to be four disappointing Opeth records in a row since 2011.

#2 – Sleepytime Gorilla Museum – of the Last Human Being

I’m as surprised as you are that Sleepytime Gorilla Museum dropped a fourth album 17 years after their third album! I thought these guys were done, but 2024 saw a blissful reunion of their off-kilter avantgarde metal music to my awaiting ears. These artful Berklee nerds create an enthralling mix of mock cabaret, jazz-punk, experimental avant-rock, industrial electronics, and a percussion section consisting of trash can lids and restaurant equipment. I’m in heaven!

#1 – Charly Bliss – Forever

Is it possible to be nostalgic for something and have no idea what it might be? Perhaps, in Forever‘s case, it might be earlier Charly Bliss albums! More likely, it’s the kind of late-’90s power pop pioneered by the likes of Fountains of Wayne. The kind of post-grunge music I remember from when I was about ten years old. There’s something about Eva Hendricks’ breathy, yet powerful, voice and the bright, ambitious melodies that evokes this sense of longing for an earlier, simpler time! In short, this album rules if you want to be wistful in your year-end reviews, that’s for sure. I listened to this more than any other 2024 album, so in the top of the list it goes.