Sam Atkins: It’s not even been out a week yet but my entire November was derailed by the surprise drop of the genuinely phenomenal GNX by Kendrick Lamar. I was someone who never found a way to connect to Kendrick’s last full length album Mr Morales, but after a huge year of hit single tracks this new album feels like a victory lap.
Some of the most forward thinking production on any of his albums, but verse after verse of absolute fire has made me absolutely obsessed with this record from the off. The collaborations with SZA, ‘luther’ and ‘gloria’ are as transcendent as any of their songs before, ‘heart pt 6’ continues his solid run of songs in this series, but it’s the lyrics of ‘reincarnated’ that had me in awe. I’ve barely scratched the surface but the audacity to drop an album of this quality out of thin air is something only Kendrick Lamar has.
Fran Slater: This might not sound like long to most people, but I’d not attended a gig since the end of September when I randomly decided to head to see Porridge Radio at Gorilla last Monday.
I don’t know why I hadn’t already booked a ticket.
It only took me a couple of minutes to remember what a captivating live band they are, how amazing a front person Dana Margolin is. It was great to get a setlist from a band that have now been around long enough to ‘play the hits’, but the standout moment for me was a rendition of ‘God of Everything Else’ from this year’s LP. Catch them live if you can.
It’s been a decent month or so for albums, too. You can hear me waxing lyrical about Naima Bock on our latest podcast, but I’ve also been enjoying releases from Katie Gavin, One True Pairing, Amyl and the Sniffers, and Du Blonde.
Tom Burrows: 22nd November was one last big release day for 2024, as two of my favourite artists released new albums.
Kendrick Lamar and Father John Misty as a pair perhaps best represent the eclectic nature of my music taste. Two wildly different artists working in very different genres, united in my affections by their songwriting genius (and the weird symmetry of their album release schedule).
I’ll always listen to new releases from these two, and there are moments to enjoy on the new releases. GNX’s hyped up, hyper local sound peaks with ‘TV Off’ and Lamar has some entertaining back and forth with his guests across the record. Mahashmashana’s long songs are typically lushly orchestrated, and ‘Summer’s Gone’ is a romantic and touching concluding note about Misty’s relationship with time.
But speaking of time, both of these artists released their best works in 2015, which unbelievably we’re about to embark on the 10th anniversary of. And I couldn’t help but feel that there is some retreading of old ground across these two records. Father time catches up with us all, and I wonder where these two go next. Misty’s has the feeling of an ending, but Lamar is breaking records and headlining the Super Bowl next year. I hope he doesn’t fall into the trap of diminishing returns.
Anyway, I’ve gone off on one here – this is the best of the month! So, given I write this shortly after Fran expressed such bewilderment and disgust on the subject, I am absolutely choosing Charli xcx’s wild show at Manchester’s Co-op Live. Sam and I went, and despite feeling incredibly old, had an absolute blast. The sound was great, the crowd was great and the aesthetics were great. The way the show started, with a MASSIVE neon green curtain dropping from the ceiling revealing the Brat cover will live in the mind for a long time. Brat 4 lyf.
And I followed this by seeing Fontaines D.C.’s outstanding set at Manchester’s Aviva Studios. They sounded fantastic and even made me warm up my lukewarm thoughts about the new album. Manchester’s new venues really coming with the sound quality – top marks.
Rick Larson: What does one listen to as their country is not so gradually destroyed from within? ‘Fuck These Fuckin Fascists’ by North Carolina queer, POC punk band The Muslims is a great choice. Could become something of a theme song, and it’s a doozy.
I discovered the playful and thoughtful Orchestre Tout
Puissant Marcel Duchamp’s driving, polyrhythmic music a
couple of years ago. The Geneva collective released a new
album, Ventre Unique in November and it’s been my favorite of
the month. Makes me want to smoke Gitanes and party behind
the barricades.
And, finally, I will continue to sing the praises of Fake Fruit, who
I saw play this month celebrating the release of Mucho
Mistrust, one of the best albums of this year and previously
reviewed here. The more said about them, the better.
James Spearing: With over a month to go until 2025, I wasn’t quite ready to declare a best album of 2024. So instead I took a bit of a look back at albums I missed, or were worthy of reappraisal, free from release day expectations.
St. Vincent remains for me an artist I will only ever be a fan of the ‘best of’, but All Born Screaming has way more to offer than I first realised.
Similarly, checking out mk.gee‘s album from earlier this year (yes I just about got there before the BBC Sound of 2025) Two Star and the Dream Police is also well worth it. Clearly super talented, they’re an artist I fully expect to make a superb album in the next couple of years. Think The Police with Prince on guitar and Tears for Fears on production and you’re not far off ‘I Want’. Yet still sounds more modern than this comparison would lead you to think. One to watch.
I also finally got round to Kaeto‘s mixtape/mini album INTRO. She’s an new artist I’ve been excited about for a while and this collection of tunes is hopefully a sign of more brilliance to come. Let’s just hope the major label she’s on lets her flourish.
Picky Bastards 