fbpx

Listener Supported
Independent Music Radio

Listener Supported
Independent Music Radio

Search

Mid-Year Top 3 Album Picks

We’ve reached the halfway point in 2024, and WNRN staff are already beginning to narrow down their picks for favorite albums of the year.

See the top three albums (so far) that we’re excited about and start preparing your own list for the end of the year countdown this December!

  1. Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
  2. Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter
  3. Brittany Howard – What Now
1. Bonny Light Horseman – Keep Me On Your Mind, See You Free
 
20 tracks and not a bad one in the bunch, one of which might be the year’s catchiest (I Know You Know). Hard to see 10 other records coming that will supplant this one for the rest of 2024.
 
2. Real Estate – Daniel
Real Estate being Real Estate which is some fine, sweet, earcandy.
 
3. JJ Grey & Mofro – Olustee
 
The first track I heard from this (The Sea) made me cautious, but I was rewarded with an album that reminded me that JJ Grey should never take so long between records.

1. Borned In Ya – Melissa Carper

2. Love Direction – The Dip
 
3. That Golden Time – VILLAGERS
1. Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future
 
2. Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter
 
3. Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
 
These three releases are all by very talented, yet distinctively different, women who amaze me by their attention to detail to the finest nuances.
 
Looking back over the first half of 2024 reminded me of the abundance in great music already released so far this year.
And the fortunes don’t seem to be slowing down for the remainder; I’m looking forward to spending more time with Johnny Blue Skies and the upcoming Fontaines D.C. albums!

1. Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us

2. The Decemberists – As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

3. Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
1. The Last Dinner Party – Prelude to Ecstasy
2. Clairo – Charm
3. Maggie Rogers – Don’t Forget Me
1. Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood 
 
2. Future Islands – People Who Aren’t There Anymore
 
3. Sarah Shook & The Disarmers – Revelations 
1. Owen – The Falls of Sioux
2. Sunny Day Real Estate – Diary – Live at London Bridge Studio
3. St. Vincent – All Born Screaming

1. Pearl Jam – Dark Matter

2. Jack White – No Name

3. Sierra Ferrell – Trail Of Flowers

 
Live albums of note so far this year, as heard on Live at 5:

1. Steve Earle

2. Fruit Bats

3. Live on Mountain Stage 40-year anniversary: Outlaws & Outliers

 
Some fun cover projects, as heard on Take 2 at 2:
1. Everyone’s Getting Involved: A Tribute to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense
2. My Black Country: The Songs of Alice Randall
3. Silver Patron Saints: The Songs of Jesse Malin
4. Let’s Go Dancing: Said the Firefly to the Hurricane: A Compilation Celebrating the Songs of Kevn Kinney
 
5 standout 2024 versions of songs we’ve played back-to-back with the originals:
1. “Murder On The Dancefloor” Royel Otis covering Sophie Ellis-Bextor
2. “Save It For Later” Eddie Vedder covering The English Beat
3. Mirah covering The Clash’s “I’m Not Down” for Hearts & Minds & Crooked Beats Clash tribute
4. Melanie’s version of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt” released the week of her passing
5. Beyonce covering The Beatles’ “Blackbird”
1. Maggie Rogers – Don’t Forget Me
2. Nada Surf – Moon Mirror
3. Chris Kasper – Sunlight In An Empty Room3
1. St. Vincent – All Born Screaming
2. Future Islands – People Who Aren’t There Anymore
3. Reyna Tropical – Malegria
1. Phish – Evolve  (duh) 
2. Excited about Ray LaMontagne – Long Way Home
3. Goth Babe – Lola

1. Charley Crockett – $10 Cowboy

2. Lizzie No – Halfsies

3. From the bluegrass world – AJ Lee & Blue Summit – City of Glass

Looking forward to the next Charley Crockett album coming in November, “Visions of Dallas”  (out on streaming services now). It is subtitled “$10 Cowboy Volume 2”

1. Maggie Rogers – Don’t Forget Me
2. Kacey Musgraves – Deeper Well
3. Remi Wolf – Big Ideas

1. The Black Keys – Ohio Players

2. Dr. Dog – Dr. Dog

3. Sierra Ferrell – Trail of Flowers