{"id":112,"date":"2024-12-15T00:20:07","date_gmt":"2024-12-15T00:20:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wers.org\/wecb\/milkcrate\/2024-12-12-the-best-albums-of-2024\/"},"modified":"2025-06-13T02:27:22","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T06:27:22","slug":"2024-12-12-the-best-albums-of-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wers.org\/wecb\/milkcrate\/2024-12-12-the-best-albums-of-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Milk Crate’s Best Albums of 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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2024 is almost over\u2026that\u2019s means it\u2019s time for a celebration! The Milk Crate staff picked 25 of the year\u2019s best albums\u201415 honorable mentions and a very special ranked top 10. Follow along to reminisce on a great year for music with us. As always, thanks for reading!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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honorable mentions <\/h1>\n

i lay down my life for you by jpegmafia<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Jpegmafia\u2019s fifth studio album, I Lay Down My Life For You<\/em>, encapsulates the chaotic and topical pop culture moments of 2024. So it feels wrong to make an end of year wrap and not give this album its flowers. From allusions to America’s foreign policy to features from rappers like Vince Staples and Denzel Curry, I Lay Down My Life<\/em> feels like a time stamp of the year. Jpeg used this album to charter new production territories, sampling traditional Brazilian tracks and gospel hymns in tandem with electronic chopping and looping. This album was an interesting release in the atmosphere of re-releases and remix tracks (no digs at remix tracks\u2013I love a good remix), and its ability to produce a world tour. This album feels like the introduction to more dance heavy electronic work from Jpeg in the future. \u2014Rachel Charles<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Havens by Alan Licht<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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On his first solo release since 2015, Alan Licht meditates with the strings of his guitar. Licht\u2019s instrumentals burst with patterns, spreading from finger-picked romances to fuzzy meshes of noise, all at once ambient, lyrical, and empathetic. Havens<\/em> is a wonderfully singular work; Output that calls back to Licht\u2019s sensibilities in the avant-garde while bringing along the quirk and appeal of a home-spun folk tune. At base, it\u2019s explorative guitar playing done by one of the greats, a warm, eclectic collection of recordings which urge you to spend time inside them. \u2014Nathan Hilyard<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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P.O.P. by Marina Satti<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s rare that someone known for participating in the Eurovision Song Contest makes something as fascinating as this EP. Marina Satti\u2019s P.O.P. <\/em>is a freewheeling and impishly chaotic collection of bangers perfect for fans of artists like M.I.A. and Rosal\u00eda. Opener \u201cTUCUTUM\u201d is a messy, out of step, onomatopoeic banger, while single \u201cZARI\u201d has some of the most beautiful, soaring vocals I\u2019ve heard this year. This is a fascinating, underrated project that could only come about when an artist is truly themselves. \u2014Bennett Himmel<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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HIT ME HARD AND SOFT by Billie Eilish<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Some could say that Billie Eilish is the voice of our generation. Yet again, she proves to be a powerful force on her latest album: HIT ME HARD AND SOFT<\/em>. She showcases a newfound maturity on this record, <\/em>conquering the whispering allegations with songs like \u201cCHIHIRO\u201d and \u201cTHE GREATEST\u201d while still serenading listeners with \u201cWILDFLOWER\u201d and \u201cSKINNY.\u201d On this album, she experiments with pop and hyper-pop with songs like \u201cBIRDS OF A FEATHER,\u201d and \u201cL\u2019AMOUR DE MA VIE.\u201d Although the album only has ten tracks, each song packs a powerful punch. Eilish didn\u2019t lie: some songs hit you hard, while others hit you soft. \u2014Delaney Roberts<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Melt the honey by packs<\/h2>\n

How\u2019s this for some mega chill girl music? PACKS\u2019 latest album\u2013a 28-minute breeze\u2013is meticulously lazy and sonically vivid. The warmth of the Mexican recording studio where Melt the Honey<\/em> was crafted sprawls and lingers from the introductory synths on \u201c89 Days\u201d all the way to the closing murmurs of \u201cTime Loop.\u201d Lo-fi and gritty, standout track \u201cAmyW\u201d keeps the listener\u2019s attention, strategically placed halfway through to let that good, good guitar distortion shine. The vulnerable lyricism and funky noise on the album\u2019s latter half (\u201cHer Garden,\u201d \u201cPaige Machine,\u201d \u201cMissy\u201d) prove that PACKS is at the top of their game, slacker rock and all. \u2014Sofia Giarrusso<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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AMAMA by Crumb <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Mmmmm, psychedelic goodness. Crumb is an influential force that came out swinging with their 2016 self-titled EP, and has only upped the ante since. This year\u2019s AMAMA<\/em> brought the group\u2019s most polished work yet. While this cleaner take often backfires for other experimental artists, Crumb somehow balances precision and all out chaos without feeling commercial. Take the titular track, \u201cAMAMA,\u201d as example: the almost haphazardly distorted vocals paired with the bitchin\u2019 beat takes us on a glorious, hazy ride. Calmer vibes follow with \u201c(Alone in) Brussels\u201d and \u201cSleep Talk\u201d as the synthy bass of \u201cXXX\u201d closes out yet another collection of tasty tunes by Crumb. \u2014Sofia Giarrusso<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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One More Thing by Lime Garden<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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The Brits of Lime Garden remind us that rock can still be fun on their debut album. From top to bottom, they delight with a plethora of headbanging tracks. Singles like \u201cLove Song\u201d and \u201cNepotism (Baby)\u201d are reminiscent of the golden days of garage rock with a slight electronic tinge. Personal favorite \u201cPop Star\u201d prances through an electronic frenzy of nihilistic lyrics and burnt-out apprehensions. A handful of slower, earnest tunes scatter the second half of the record with \u201cLooking\u201d being a standout closer. It\u2019s evident Lime Garden\u2019s future is promising, and One More Thing<\/em> is a clear indicator of who just might be the next stars of indie. \u2014Sofia Giarrusso<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Collective by Kim Gordon<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Sometimes, as artists age, they lose their edge. Thankfully, Kim Gordon proves cool is immortal and great music has no age limit. The Collective<\/em> speaks to a brain-fogged, hive mind generation. It\u2019s a collection of anthems for looking at your phone. Gordon recites lists: things to do, drugs to take, chores to be done, all peppered over rumbling, distorted trap-rock beats. The Collective<\/em> is a once-removed masterpiece, songs so warped and cracked they never fully sink into a translucent groove. Instead, Gordon layers years of punk rock with years of buying and selling, songs so frustrated they\u2019re bored, yet still ripping with her immortal rock-chick energy. \u2014Nathan Hilyard<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Tyla by Tyla <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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I\u2019m ashamed to say I\u2019ve never met a pretty girl from Jo\u2019burg. At least not until I heard Tyla\u2019s crisp debut, Tyla<\/em>. The South African songstress blew up with lead single \u201cWater\u201d and rode the wave all the way to the R&B holy land. Recorded in seven countries over a period of two years, Tyla<\/em> soars over borders both geographically and sonically to produce the slickest beats of the year, amplifying South African amapiano to fit the packaging of a big label debut while transcending the artistic limits expected of a viral star. Thankfully, this girl from Jo\u2019burg has a whole lot more than pretty to offer. \u2014Nathan Hilyard<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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CHROMAKOPIA by Tyler, the Creator<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Tyler, the Creator\u2019s eighth studio album, Chromakopia,<\/em> is a powerful, genre-defying blend of pop and hip hop. Featuring artists such as Daniel Caesar, ScHoolboy Q, and Lola Young, Tyler successfully taps into a unique pocket of the music industry. While the album loosely resembles some of his earlier work like Wolf<\/em> or Cherry Bomb,<\/em> its sharp style and production make it truly unique. The album’s rich texture and thematic depth enhance an already dynamic, striking listening experience. Chromakopia<\/em> not only showcases Tyler, the Creator\u2019s unbelievable technical skill, but also his ability to weave charged social commentary into his work. \u2014Maddie Decina<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Submarine by The Mar\u00edas <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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The Mar\u00edas\u2019 sophomore album, Submarine<\/em>, is their best yet. Released at the end of May, this album came just in time for the sensual sweat of summer. Beginning with the opening lyrics \u201cWe can make a movie \/ We can take our time \/ Introducing submarine\u201d on the track \u201cRide,\u201d the album is self-referential and opens up a world of possibilities. From tracks like \u201cParanoia\u201d and \u201cRun Your Mouth,\u201d the record is danceable and somehow devastating with their especially impressive \u201cSienna\u201d and \u201cLejos de Ti.\u201d Spanning grooves of recollected sadness, The Mar\u00edas have proved themselves time and time again to be true dream pop perfection. \u2014Sophie Parrish<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Two Star & The Dream Police by Mk.gee<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Mk.gee\u2019s album, Two Star and the Dream Police<\/em>, merges \u201880s pop, modern R&B, and classic rock\u2014an unlikely combination that just works. Released on February 9th, the New Jersey native\u2019s project quickly found its niche in the bedroom pop scene, with songs such as \u201cAre you Looking Up?\u201d and \u201cCandy\u201d achieving mainstream success. The album\u2019s intentionally dissonant composition creates a rich, textured backdrop that allows Mk.Gee\u2019s guitar work to shine. Combining innovative instrumentals, poignant lyricism, and fearless experimentation, Mk.Gee sets a new standard for contemporary music. \u2014Maddie Decina<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Miss Behaves by Cece Natalie<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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On the surface, 19 year old Connecticut based producer and singer Cece Natalie\u2019s album seems like it could blend in easily with all the TikTok-friendly, Ayesha Erotica-ripoff, nostalgia-bait pop that seems to be taking over the internet right now. However, with Miss Behaves, <\/em>Cece has managed to replicate the paranoia and spaciousness of late aughts-early 2010s pop so perfectly that it wraps back around and sounds fresh again. Production-wise, the album has the low-key intimacy of some of the best bedroom pop, but the hooks and vocal lines are stadium-sized. A star is born. \u2014Bennett Himmel<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Night Reign by Arooj Aftab<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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There are some artists whose music defies the boundaries of language: Bj\u00f6rk, Milton Nascimento, Ichiko Aoba, Sigur R\u00f3s, Jo\u00e3o Gilberto, Bad Bunny. Arooj Aftab is among them. Night Reign<\/em> is darker and jazzier than 2021\u2019s elegiac Vulture Prince.<\/em> Aftab still sounds reverent on tracks such as the sparse \u201cZameen,\u201d or the luminous \u201cSaaqi.\u201d But on the folk-trip-hop track \u201cBolo Na,\u201d she delivers smoky riffs that twist and wind around a murky bassline and Moor Mother\u2019s futuristic spoken-word. \u201cAey Nehin\u201d is a shimmering tapestry of acoustic guitar, harp, bells, and shakers. Her English songs are no less interesting. \u201cWhiskey\u201d is a heady, aromatic ballad that literally sweeps you off your feet. And her percussive, monochrome take on \u201cAutumn Leaves,\u201d is not only one of the best covers of the song ever released, but one of the best songs of the year. It is truly a mystical experience. \u2014Christian Jones<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The New Sound by Geordie Greep <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Black Midi\u2019s separation quickly went from the tragic end of an era to a much-needed shift to evolve and move forward. Geordie Greep shifted from frontman to renaissance man on his debut album, The New Sound<\/em>. Greep embodies his uncompromising dramatization and general weirdness in such a way lyrically, instrumentally, and vocally, that parts of the album were even propelled into TikTok fame<\/span><\/a>. Greep tackles a much more approachable sound through Jazz-rock licks and samba-esque instrumentals, all while singing about uncomfortable sexual revelations. Clearly this proggy playwright needed to be separated from Black Midi to preach the daring image of Geordie Greep. \u2014Sam Shipman<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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THE TOP 10!<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Short n\u2019 Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Sabrina Carpenter\u2019s sixth and sexiest album yet, Short n\u2019 Sweet<\/em>, has cemented itself as a pivotal moment in pop culture, bringing a long awaited rise to Carpenters\u2019 ten-year career. In every artist’s discography, there is one album that changes the trajectory of their success and for Carpenter, it is clear her moment has come. Beginning its rollout with the smash hit \u201cEspresso,\u201d Sabrina surprised us all with the infectious soundtrack to our summer. A definite shift from her subtle presence as ex-Disney Channel star and Taylor Swift\u2019s opener, the album that followed her early summer success situated her as her own headliner. From the first track, \u201cTaste,\u201d Carpenter leaves quite an impression with her subtle country twang and sexual innuendos that last throughout the album\u2019s thirty-six minute runtime. In Short n\u2019 Sweet, <\/em>Carpenter expands on what she introduced in \u201cNonsense\u201d with her comically seductive lyricism and her implementation of acoustic steel guitar and Antonoff inspired synth. The tracks might be simple but what she lacks in composition, she makes up for in vocal performance in the stand out \u201cBed Chem.\u201d With impressive falsettos accompanied by an infectiously sparkling tone, Carpenter is a breath of fresh air that is decidedly here to stay. She\u2019s effortlessly witty, full of surprises, and refreshingly authentic in the ever-changing landscape of pop music. \u2014Sabrina Carpenter\u2019s sixth and sexiest album yet, Short n\u2019 Sweet<\/em>, has cemented itself as a pivotal moment in pop culture, bringing a long awaited rise to Carpenters\u2019 ten-year career. In every artist’s discography, there is one album that changes the trajectory of their success and for Carpenter, it is clear her moment has come. Beginning its rollout with the smash hit \u201cEspresso,\u201d Sabrina surprised us all with the infectious soundtrack to our summer. A definite shift from her subtle presence as ex-Disney Channel star and Taylor Swift\u2019s opener, the album that followed her early summer success situated her as her own headliner. From the first track, \u201cTaste,\u201d Carpenter leaves quite an impression with her subtle country twang and sexual innuendos that last throughout the album\u2019s thirty-six minute runtime. In Short n\u2019 Sweet, <\/em>Carpenter expands on what she introduced in \u201cNonsense\u201d with her comically seductive lyricism and her implementation of acoustic steel guitar and Antonoff inspired synth. The tracks might be simple but what she lacks in composition, she makes up for in vocal performance in the stand out \u201cBed Chem.\u201d With impressive falsettos accompanied by an infectiously sparkling tone, Carpenter is a breath of fresh air that is decidedly here to stay. She\u2019s effortlessly witty, full of surprises, and refreshingly authentic in the ever-changing landscape of pop music. \u2014Sophie Parrish<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Here in the pitch by Jessica Pratt<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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L.A. singer-songweaver Jessica Pratt\u2019s fourth album is a beam of light shining onto a dusty, spinning carousel. Pratt opens Here in the Pitch<\/em> with sunny major chords and a procession of airy drums that feel hopeful, determined. But uncertainty lingers beneath the surface of this bright veneer; Pratt sings in her signature croon, \u201cAnd lately I’ve been insecure \/ The chances of a lifetime might be hiding their tricks up my sleeve.\u201d The songs feel more lush than her previous albums, no doubt thanks to the full arrangements that accompany Pratt and her guitars. The track \u201cGet Your Head Out\u201d shimmers with a ghostly organ and mellotron that makes Pratt\u2019s echoey sentiments sound like some washed-out amusement park from the \u201860s. This nostalgic delivery is no pastiche though. Pratt\u2019s cryptic lyricism\u2014\u201cGet your head out, start your way up\u201d\u2014reminds us that we are in a dream that she alone could conjure up. Pratt is painting a fragmented dialogue with a past version of herself and the unresolved yearning that lingers inside of her, \u201c\u2018Cause I keep comin\u2019 back to what I left behind.\u201d On \u201cWorld on a String,\u201d she urges herself towards some bright ideal and away from what is done and over: \u201cI want to be the sunlight of the century \/ I want to be a vestige of our senses free.\u201d Pratt embraces a sultry bossa sway on \u201cBy Hook or By Crook,\u201d dropping the gorgeous line, \u201cA gesture left in summer\u2019s mind \/ Autumn\u2019s come to find \/ And it\u2019s the end of the dreams again.\u201d She laments herself: \u201cI\u2019m gone with all the changes in my mind.\u201d Here in the Pitch<\/em> blooms into glowing mini-universes; anemones glittering quietly in shadow. \u2014Christian Jones<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Night Palace by Mount Eerie<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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If you\u2019ve listened to even one record from Mount Eerie or the Microphones, you already know that Phil Elverum likes nature. The Washington-based artist has always found his muse in the Pacific Northwest woodlands, often channeling the inherent fury and mystique of nature into piercing drones and volcanic explosions of noise. And in that way, Elverum is not too different from the black metal he takes influence from on records like 2009\u2019s Winds Poem<\/em> and his latest, Night Palace<\/em>. On Night Palace<\/em>, his naturalism has gained a distinctly spiritual edge; \u201cLiving close to the ground \/ I talk to birds way more than I used to \/ A spirit world found,\u201d he hymns on the opening title track over a thunderous, shrieking wall of synths. Throughout Night Palace<\/em>, Elverum talks to birds, listens to whale songs, plays grindcore with his daughter, and decries the empire the US has built on blood-soaked colonial ruins. At one point, Elverum even chats with a fish about the impermanence of all things over a trap beat. It might be the most in tune with the natural world he\u2019s ever been.<\/p>\n

But Night Palace<\/em> is anything but ridiculous. The Washington songwriter has famously spent the last seven years ridiculing his younger self, and while it feels disingenuous to call Night Palace<\/em> \u201cThe Glow Pt. 3,\u201d Elverum\u2019s latest record is him finally finding peace with that younger, more naive version of himself. Sonically, the vignettes that comprise much of the record call back to every era of Elverum\u2019s career, from the black-metal tinge on \u201cWind & Fog\u201d to the guitar-distortion drone of \u201cCo-Owner of Trees\u201d to the literal Glow Pt. 2<\/em> callback on the thumping electronics of \u201cthe Gleam, Pt. 3.\u201d Lyrically, Eleverum sees himself indulging again in the existential, but now, he\u2019s older. He knows more and sees everything for what it really is. There\u2019s a refined layer of wisdom in these songs, many of them pass by like wind: there for an instant, gone before you know it. \u2014Lucca Swain<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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My Method Actor by Nil\u00fcfer Yanya<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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DUN DUN DUN, DUN DUN DUN<\/em><\/strong><\/span>. That\u2019s my impression of one of the many shredding guitar solos on Nil\u00fcfer Yanya\u2019s latest LP, My Method Actor<\/em>. Except Yanya\u2019s riffs are actually riveting and nowhere close to my corny and uninspired take. The brash guitars, synths, and drums set this album apart. Not only is the production heavily layered and complex, but My Method Actor<\/em> also sees Yanya\u2019s impressively personified instrumentation. It becomes a voice that works in tandem with her own iconic vocalization. The opening track \u201cKeep On Dancing\u201d makes all these observations clear as the song processes in a subtle crescendo. Starting with Yanya confessing over a hollow guitar, we are taken on an increasingly intense journey culminating in melodic confessions soundtracked to depleted everythings. <\/p>\n

The following track, \u201cLike I Say (I runaway),\u201d switches tones with an assertive, head-bopping beat as Yanya repeats, \u201cLike I say like I say like I say.\u201d Though the noise takes reign throughout My Method Actor<\/em>, Yanya\u2019s vocal performance is not to be overlooked. Her tone, similar to that of Imogen Heap, is addictingly smooth and effortless. The chaos of the instrumentation floats around her vocalization and is simply hypnotic to listen to. An approach like this can often come off messy or jarring, yet Yanya has come to master the art of balance. <\/p>\n

\u201cDon’t stop, please just listen \/ I’m unchained resistance,\u201d Yanya sings out in \u201cMutations\u201d with a sense of unabridged awareness that saturates My Method Actor<\/em>. She repeatedly invites us to overthink and freak out, so kick your feet up and enjoy the dazed ride. \u2014Sofia Giarrusso<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Diamond Jubilee by Cindy Lee<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Late last semester my curiosity finally got the best of me and I clicked the mysterious download link on Cindy Lee’s website<\/span><\/a>. My computer hummed, whirred, and promptly overheated (all during a lecture mind you) as the magic of Diamond Jubilee <\/em>transferred over from another dimension. Compiled of thirty-two songs all performed, written, and recorded by Lee, Diamond Jubilee<\/em> is a monolith of quantity and<\/em> quality. By purposefully bypassing streaming services or even payment, Lee\u2019s work is a radical success story against the money-grubbing industry odds. The record hails from another world where \u201860s girl groups still reign supreme and the best guitar playing you can think of is all coming from the bejeweled hands of a drag queen. <\/p>\n

The double LP is a time capsule from an artist working at their very best. A two-hour, kaleidoscopic, guitar-driven masterpiece where melodies bounce and contort against fun house mirrors. My initial skepticism at the harsh tones of her guitar melted away quickly with the dexterous finger-picking of \u201cKingdom Come\u201d and the melancholic scoops and slides of \u201cIf You Hear Me Crying.\u201d Beyond her playing, each song is packaged in an eerie murk of uncertainty, Lee referencing the conventions of a great rock song while in the same moment bursting them at the seams. Diamond Jubilee<\/em> rages with originality, chock full of uncanny glamor and leaving behind the dull ring of having listened to something truly magical. \u2014Nathan Hilyard<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Manning Fireworks by MJ Lenderman<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n

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Well, an honest to God indie man playing an honest to God acoustic guitar with an honest to God drunk cigarette\u2026how else to sum up 2024? With Manning Fireworks, <\/em>Lenderman makes quite a splash with his lethal combination of witty all-American cynicism\u2013\u201cWell I\u2019ve got a houseboat docked at the \/ Himbo Dome\u201d\u2013paired with genuinely devastating, down-bad post-breakup melodramas: \u201cBut all I really wanna see is see you need me.\u201d The catchiest guitar riffs capture it all. From the I\u2019ve-accepted-this-I’ve-moved-on <\/em>moments (\u201cShe\u2019s Leaving You\u201d) to the oh-God-I-miss-you <\/em>moments (\u201cOn My Knees\u201d), Lenderman\u2019s got it all written out in shaky handwriting on napkins at the bar. The only thing you\u2019ve got to do? Get on your knees, buckle up, and sing along with your drunk priest, PBR in hand: \u201cIt falls apart \/ We all got work to do.\u201d \u201cWhat else can you say \/ To help a friend with a broken heart?\u201d An album recommendation could be a good start. \u2014Monika Krueger<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Charm by Clairo<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n

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Getting Charmed takes a single interaction, but becoming enamored can take months. Such is the case with Clairo’s third album, Charm<\/em>. It\u2019s alluring on first listen, a crush on the second, and a committed companion every time after. On each subsequent listen Charm<\/em> acts more and more like a real romance\u2013relishing in every flutter of the heart and flirtatious comment. Discovering the previously unheard layers inevitably keeps listeners coming back for more. The album’s imagery of delicate cursive writing and forest creatures encapsulate its never-ending honeymoon phase with the listener sonically and visually. Since Charm<\/em>‘s launch in July, it’s harbored vast popularity, particularly on the track “Juna” through its social media flare. More niche examples of buzz include the remixing of songs from the record into strangely engaging mashups and videos of the elegant stage design of the Charm Tour creating an evergrowing community amongst new fans and Clairo apologists. What’s most important to note about Charm<\/em>, it’s not a fad, but it\u2019s not year-defining either. It’s a sensual, forward-thinking soft rock record, provided by one of the most charismatic figures of the modern generation. Charm<\/em>\u2019s level of sheer polished production choices, paired with Clairo’s iconic vocal timbre and stunning lyricism offer a glimpse into a romantic, bittersweet, and lush garden of sound. Charm<\/em> surrenders its sweet, syrupy flavor to those basking in the \u201cGlory of the Snow.\u201d And for the listeners who know the tracklist as \u201cSecond Nature,\u201d Clairo delicately teases listeners with her bubbly persona, easily gliding into the top albums of 2024. \u2014Sam Shipman<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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BRAT by Charli XCX<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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What\u2019s there to say that hasn\u2019t already been said about Charli XCX\u2019s summer defining album and cultural coup BRAT<\/em>? <\/em>It felt like within seconds, Charli XCX had been handed a first-class ticket out of the khia asylum, free to step into her imperial era and rule the pop landscape (and the summer) once and for all. It can be easy to get lost in the marketing hurricane that was \u201cBrat Summer\u201d with all of the chartreuse and the Parliaments and the coke and the white tank tops. I saw endless people online saying that all this partying seemed like performance, that nobody was actually having any fun. But when you look at the album that started it all, it becomes impossible to deny that BRAT <\/em>is forty-one minutes and thirty seconds of bright, hedonistic, downright nasty <\/em>pop music. On BRAT, <\/em>Charli comes to terms with being the hot girl with low self esteem, the girl who wants to settle down but also wants to do coke in the bathroom. It\u2019s Charli\u2019s most honest, vulnerable, deeply relatable body of work to date disguised as a blockbuster pop classic. On the underrated track \u201cRewind,\u201d Charli waxes poetic about whether or not she\u2019ll ever achieve commercial success, or whether or not she even deserves it. Who could\u2019ve predicted that this album would almost overtake Taylor Swift on the charts or influence the fucking election? <\/em>So yes, though\u201cBrat Summer\u201d was annoying, the album behind it remains deeply beautiful. Charli has spent the last decade of her career touted as a pop futurist. With BRAT, <\/em>Charli has trapped the year in amber. I can\u2019t wait to listen to it next summer. \u2014Bennett Himmel<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Bright Future by Adrianne Lenker<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s a travesty that my co-staffers opted for the transhumanist sugar rush that is Magdalena Bay\u2019s Imaginal Disk <\/em>over this masterpiece of hope and human tenderness. I get it. It\u2019s in-fashion and so<\/em> much fun\u2014until it\u2019s not. Imaginal Disk<\/em> is a glittering irony; with its fluorescent production and neon hooks, it romanticizes the very ideal it interrogates (and no, Matt & Mica\u2019s self-awareness of that fact does not change it). Adrianne Lenker plucks paradoxes like peonies and puts them in a vase with Bright Future.<\/em> On \u201cSadness As a Gift,\u201d Lenker alchemizes grief over an ended relationship into hope, reminding us that we will pass through it: \u201cWe could see the sadness as a gift and still \/ Feel too heavy to hold.\u201d Lenker\u2019s response to climate change on \u201cDonut Seam\u201d is \u201cThis whole world is dying \/ Don\u2019t it seem like a good time for swimming \/ Before all the water disappears?\u201d The track \u201cEvol\u201d is a brilliant play on homophones. Lenker points out that \u201cLove spells evol backwards,\u201d which sounds like \u201cevil.\u201d She weaves a poem out these fractal-like semordnilaps<\/span><\/a>, dissolving the binaries that separate the world into dualistic categories. Taking and giving. Emptiness and fullness. Grief and gratitude. They each contain the other like yin & yang; she breathes new life into a timeless truth. Lenker transcends the paradoxes of our modern world and the human condition. Then she shows us how to follow suit: tenderness, vulnerability, non-dualism, possibility. Ten months after its release, and I am still reeling from the endless optimism of \u201cFree Treasure,\u201d the album\u2019s crowning track: \u201cJust when I thought I couldn\u2019t feel more, I feel a little more.\u201d Perhaps I will always be. \u2014Christian Jones<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n

\n

Imaginal Disk by Magdalena Bay<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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\n

If there was one big shift in music in 2024, it was a true return of pop <\/em>to the mainstream. The year was all about candy-sweet hooks and vocal lines that lodge themselves deep in your frontal lobe and refuse to leave. Of all the pop albums that came out this year, none are more exemplary than the Los Angeles based futurepop conceptualists Magdalena Bay\u2019s synthpop epic Imaginal Disk. <\/em>The album is a patchwork of retrofuturist, YA-novel pastiche filtered through the lens of radioactive synthpop and smooth psychedelia. \u201cBut ohhhhh my God\u2026twenty-two more minutes<\/em>,\u201d <\/em>vocalist Mica Tenenbaum purrs on the brilliant and inescapable (on college radio) single \u201cImage.\u201d What\u2019s to come exactly twenty-two minutes later in the album, you ask? Only a three minute prog-rock guitar freakout on the seven-minute centerpiece \u201cTunnel Vision.\u201d Imaginal Disk <\/em>does not, as many are saying, reinvent the wheel of pop. Instead, it\u2019s an instantly rewarding album full of amusement park thrills and expensive synths. However, it reaches towards a kind of annoying theater kid perfection that we haven\u2019t seen from any other record this year. By mixing sounds that have defined the decade so far with new visions rooted either far in the past or in the distant future, Magdalena Bay have made an album that sounds both like nothing this year and everything <\/em>this year: the in-your-face synth ambush of Charli\u2019s BRAT<\/em>, the opaque, spiraling lyricism of Jessica Pratt, the warm funkiness of Clairo\u2019s Charm<\/em>, and the grandiosity of Cindy Lee\u2019s Diamond Jubilee<\/em>. With Imaginal Disk, <\/em>Magdalena Bay have made a year-defining and possibly even era-defining pop opus. \u2014Bennett Himmel<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Milk Crate staff picked 25 of the year\u2019s best albums\u201415 honorable mentions and a very special ranked top 10. Follow along to reminisce on a great year for music with us. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":113,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[22,17],"class_list":["post-112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-album-review","tag-staff-pix"],"yoast_head":"\nMilk Crate's Best Albums of 2024 - wecb<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/wers.org\/wecb\/milkcrate\/2024-12-12-the-best-albums-of-2024\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Milk Crate's Best Albums of 2024 - wecb\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Milk Crate staff picked 25 of the year\u2019s best albums\u201415 honorable mentions and a very special ranked top 10. 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