Flowers By Ian Sherry 7/16/2025 Durand Jones & The Indications are a staple in contemporary soul, and Flowers is exactly as good as it should be. Along with Thee Sacred Souls , Durand Jones & The Indications are leading a small-but-steady wave of old-school soul that began rolling at the end of last decade. Composed of the excellent dual vocalists Durand Jones and Aaron Frazier, plus the band they formed in college, The Indications have certainty in their musical identity, given their control over its development and a keen awareness of their collective comfort zone. That doesn’t guarantee a successful project though - the next step is always the trickiest. Their last effort, Private Space (21) , is proof of that. Feeling the need to branch out stylistically, more prominently feature Aaron Frazier, and cover a variety of other bases, The Indications produced a solid record, but not their most cohesive effort. Since then, Durand Jones got a load of personal material out on Wait Til I Get Over (23) , and Aaron Frazier released his second solo project last year. The healthy relationship they’ve curated as co-creatives is richly evident in the band’s re-amped fusion this time around. Flowers ’ opening grooves aren’t standouts, but they establish the gentle trotting soul sound that became this record’s sweetspot. The fifth track, “Flower Moon,” is the best example of the initial safety-net-soul tunes, but the following “Really Wanna Be With You” is where the record takes off. Track 6 marks the album’s first noticeably gutsy undertaking. Staying within the already-established feel, The Indications began to focus on their more elaborate structural ambitions. Jones and co. are no strangers to a pre-chorus (or drawn-out songs), but this song features a sizable pre-chorus-chorus combo on two separate occasions in addition to a few strong verses. That kind of macho songwriting is very reminiscent of soul’s prime – but one name in particular springs to mind. If Durand Jones wasn’t intentionally channeling Isaac Hayes on this churning soul tune, Ike’s spirit was working through him. While The Indications don’t possess the firepower of a prime Memphis soul section, they clearly understood the assignment and with Jones pushing his vocal limits as the song’s frontman, the result is a standout track. Now Flowers is rolling. The album’s 7th track is the pinnacle of The Indication’s sound to date. “Been So Long” m akes excellent use of all the tools at the band’s disposal. Aaron Frazier is listed as the league vocalist, fitting for the songs initially dreamy feel. As the song progresses, however, Frazier fades more frequently into a host of mellow voices. That communal feel creeps up on the listener throughout the song, removing the focus from the primary vocalist and spreading it across all aspects of the music, from the subtly growing instrumentals to the lyrics of the 3rd and 4th verse (which are by far the catchiest on the album). Then, all too soon, the 3:16 has elapsed This band has a habit of getting stronger as they go. The balance between Frazier and Jones, which they wrestled with last album, has never been a combative issue to my knowledge, just a good problem to have when it comes to making cohesive creative music. The tentative middle ground between the two talented vocalists is an easy place to settle when it comes to using both to the best of their abilities; this album’s first 5 songs are evidence of that. However, as Durand Jones & The Indications dug deeper conceptually on the back stretch of the LP, the 2 talents began to find their perfect balance. Following the feel-good track 7, Aaron Frazier delivers a spot-on Smokey-like soul performance on “Everything.” Officially swapping slappers, Jones responds with a classic Indications-style socially conscious anthem in “Rust and Steel.” From there, Frazier and Jones share the performative load with ease, seamlessly combining efforts on the rangy soul track “If Not For Love” (which comes complete with a sick sax solo) and the well-placed closing track “Without You” . Flowers has left me with very few complaints, and believe it or not, I love not complaining! It was clear from start to finish that Durand Jones & The Indications had a firm grasp on their strengths, an awareness of potential weakness, and a concentrated will to create a product with those awarenesses in mind. The band’s muted sonic palate was a perfect match for all the album’s undertakings, providing the old-school feel and preventing the band from feeling thin in comparison to their soul predecessors. The songs feel intentionally arranged, and none are worth skipping. It’s an oh-so-satisfyingly complete album, and even without the old-school style, that makes this record a classic. Flowers is a 9.2.

2024 In Review BY IAN SHERRY 1/1/2025 When I started The Culture Gyre more than a year ago now, it was in hopes that I'd get to cover years like this. Enjoy! Animal Cheer - Big Search Here is the definition of a solid record. Animal Cheer is made by and for music fans, and that’s evident on every track. Big Search is the solo outfit of Matthew Popieluch and this was a true solo undertaking, which only speaks to his artistic vision. Each song, in addition to the seemingly guaranteed warmth and familiarity, has the solid bones and decisive musical palette needed to create a status quo just waiting to be elevated. That elevation can be found in his applied influences, the most encompassing being George Harrison - but if you listen you’ll hear hints of a Rubin-ized Johnny Cash, Pink Floyd, King Krule, and perhaps a variety of your personal favorites. Big Search’s newest result is a 8. 18 "Loose Ends" "Wellsprings" "Luck Rains Down" Here In The Pitch - Jessica Pratt Jessica Pratt has mastered the art of simplicity. Her songbird voice floats through the thin but palpable atmosphere of her music alongside her washy acoustic guitar, and that tandem remains undefeated on her latest release. As an artist with what some might consider limited tools, Pratt has spoken about her fear of being pigeonholed, and in some ways that’s what this record addresses. In comparison to her other equally short n’ safe LPs, her 2024 effort does a better job of spanning the spectrum of her stylistic abilities. Whether it be a subtly rising synth here, or the rare if not singular background vocal there, Pratt’s excellence in the details -particularly when crafting the sonic backdrop - allowed her to guide each song on this album in whatever direction she pleased. Also - if Pitchfork listened through all 27 minutes they’d have “The Last Year” at no. 2 on The 100 Best Songs of 2024, not “Life Is” - just saying. Here In The Pitch is a 8.2. 17 "Life Is" "The Better Hate" "The Last Year" Alligator Bites Never Heal - Doechii Of all the year’s rap releases, this may be the most intriguing. While it had been four years since Doechii released an album, it’s clear now she’d been building to something, because after consistently releasing singles over that gap she finally struck the charts in May of 2023 with “What It Is (Block Boy)”. A little over a year after that warning shot she dropped this ambitious 19-track LP. Like many other artists who found their beginnings on the internet, Doechii’s talent for entertainment has never been in doubt - that remains true through this entire tracklist. She raps with as much confidence and bubbly performative energy as ever while delivering her most cutting lyrical performances to date. Additionally, she included several vocally impressive cuts that showcase her take on contemporary pop/r&b. It’s the kind of song collection that can draw endless comparisons, from the obvious Doja Cat to the legendary Missy Elliot - neither of which ever ventured into boom bap, which Doechii does on more than one occasion here. Alligator Bites Never Heal , while not perfect, seems to cover as many bases as the late Rickey Henderson - though with a 2% lower rate of success (yes I’ll do math for music and baseball) - making it a true showcase album. Whether it be the lyrical content, which I mostly found compelling, the cultivation of emotion, or the musical stylings themselves, variety was the name of the game for Doechii this year, and she played the game very well. Alligator Bites Never Heal is a 8.3. 16 "DENIAL IS A RIVER" "DEATH ROLL" "NISSAN ULTIMA" Imaginal Disk - Magdalena Bay While I wasn’t previously familiar with the Magdalena Bay beyond a small handful of tracks and bits of internet chatter, the Floridian pop duo will have a hard time escaping my attention after this 2024 LP. Music makers of the future - this record feels like an exploration of the many corners of pop they felt were within reach, from borderline-retro synth pop to the unmistakable elements of indie and hyperpop on each track. This sound is their own, and despite the insistence of their growing fanbase that Magdalena Bay has long been A-List-ready, this has the feel of a true breakthrough album. Does that mean they’ve reached maximum speed in their lane? Absolutely not. The borders of pop music broaden every year, opening endless opportunities for a group with this level of ingenuity to become even more prolific. Their versatility and song-making ability are on display throughout this 2024 product, but some tracks undeniably stand above the rest and consistent replication of that elevating ‘it factor’ would vault them to the pinnacle of any given year in music. Imaginal Disk is a 8.3. 15 "Killing Time" "Love Is Everywhere" "Cry For Me" CHROMAKOPIA - Tyler The Creator For the fourth time in a row, Tyler The Creator released an album that perfectly met the moment. Settling somewhere in between Igor and Call Me If You Get Lost , he continued to hone his own pop/alt hip-hop sound with yet another noticeable increase in maturity and production quality. Tyler covers every corner of the sound he’s spent a decade zeroing in on, which makes for a wide musical range that allows him to address anything on his mind and lean into whatever stylistic tropes he wishes. My favorite trope from this particular record was his brilliant song progressions. While he adheres to portions of traditional song structure, Tyler has cultivated this unique ability to make songs with a definite directional vision minus the limiting aspects of typical song design. Much like Igor, most tracks feel more concerned with the build and payoff than creating the literary definition of ‘song’. The difference is that CHROMAKOPIA has years of realized talent and acquired skill aiding its ambitious track-by-track undertakings. It’s clean, and while not groundbreaking, singularly focused, or conceptually compelling, it feels personal and complete. Tyler’s most recent success is a 8.4. 14 "Noid" "Sticky" "I Hope You Find Your Way Home" Manning Firewords - MJ Lenderman I’ve seen and spoken to folks who hail this record as the year’s best. I understand the appeal - besides his strengths as an artist, MJ Lenderman’s music simply feels good. Lenderman has an earthy genuine way about him and it leaks all through his music. From his chest-voice vocals to his recognizably pleasant guitar, there’s no mistaking the Wednesday guitarist for any other day of the week. Speaking of his main gig, the North Carolinian group does a lot of bridging their folk-rock influences with the world of alt-noise, and while it can result in an occasionally elevated sound, it’s been a treat to hear Lenderman get so much solo exposure this year. Some things don’t need elevating, although I suspect his best work has yet to come. Manning Fireworks is a 8.4. 13 "Joker Lips" "Wristwatch" "You Don't Know What Shape I'm In" GNX - Kendrick Lamar Well yeah. Between his triumphant feud with Drake and this chart-topping record, Lamar reached heights of celebrity this year that no rapper has quite seen since Travis Scott dropped Astroworld (‘19). His reinvigoration of the West Coast sound he emerged and, for a time, separated from is largely responsible for this album’s success, and while the record will likely go down as the release that followed “Not Like Us”, I believe it may one day receive credit for establishing the sound the next generation of Kendrick Lamar fans grew up with. Kendrick’s victory lap is a 8.5. 12 "squabble up" "hey now" "heart pt. 6" Underdressed At The Symphony - Faye Webster If you haven’t heard Faye Webster you’ve been missing out - all she does is make good music. Her mellow indie-rock often relies on breezy instrumentals and the pureness of her voice but ultimately focuses on simply finding catchy grooves, which she does with ease. On Underdressed At The Symphony the 27-year-old upheld that standard and included some more active listens for fans who may want more than to float beside her for 10 songs. Whether you came for the Lil Yachty feature or to find the next Faye Webster fixtures on a playlist of yours (that’s me), you’ll be pleased with this record. Faye’s most recent people-pleaser is a 8.6. 11 "But Not Kiss" "Wanna Quit All The Time" "He Loves Me Yeah!" I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU - JPEGMAFIA By this point, if you’ve heard JPEGMAFIA you’ve got an opinion. He is the foremost artist in his field of - let’s say ‘abstract’ rap. Known for his hyper hodgepodge instrumentals, loose performances, and goofy lyrics, assessments of his music range from ‘he’s the best rapper ever’ to ‘this isn’t music’, but I’ve always found his records to be mixed bags. Last year, with the help of Danny Brown, he released his most coordinated and listenable album at the time, and now he’s done it again. This 2024 LP reaches new heights of sonic palatability over a quality tracklist with perhaps the most stylistic and contextual range he’s ever shown, strongly displaying some of his most digestibly emotional songwriting ever, without compromising his signature nonsensical internet humor. His ability to seamlessly accommodate his features - namely Vince Staples and Denzel Curry - resulted in some of the best tracks on the record, and his production-based execution of increasingly ambitious song concepts is getting better and better. Peggy has always had all the tools he needs and I couldn’t be happier to see them come together in such a thorough and diverse offering. I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU is a 8.7. 10 "New Black History" "JPEGULTRA!" "either on or off the drugs" Bright Future - Adrianne Lenker There are few things I love more than supplementing a great album with a related Wikipedia scroll, and the latest LP from Big Thief’s timid leader Adrianne Lenker sent me to my favorite internet encyclopedia faster than any other record. I’ve always felt as though her pointedly midwestern blend of folk and alternative must’ve come from somewhere other than New York - her band’s home base. Turns out I was right (what else is new?). Much like her music, the sheer amount of life Lenker lived before recording her first album at the age of 13 lands somewhere between incredible and unnerving. For the length of Bright Future she toes that line, effortlessly communicating both the messages and moods she intends with the musical equivalent of comfort food for her fans. It’s yet another well-executed project from a woman who was born to be an artist, and while it may not touch the heights that certain Big Thief tracks do or have the pent-up energy of Songs (‘20), you’ll be hard-pressed to poke many holes in this safely stellar project. Bright Future is a 8.7 9 "Sadness As A Gift" "Vampire Empire" "Donut Seam" Dark Times - Vince Staples Vince Staples seems to have secured a solid B+ reputation across his first 7 studio albums, with The Big Fish Theory widely considered his masterpiece. That’s the status he’s been awarded, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the now 31-year-old never saw an upgrade in that respect. That’s what consistent coordinated releases do for an artist like Vince, and to me that’s a travesty. Vince Staples is one of the best artists in the rap game right now, and while he won’t throw it in your face, I will. Dark Times marks his third consecutive album-to-album improvement in terms of artistic and stylistic maturity. From the well-written songs throughout the record to the sonic palette which is the very best of the year, bar none, Vince is in complete control. His music feels calculated yet genuine, smooth yet rigid, laid back yet cutting, and you can only produce that kind of product if the product itself is your ultimate focus. This record, while not stylistically groundbreaking maximizes the sound he’s been working to perfect. If he chooses to move on to something new and does so with the same level of artistic execution he brought this year, everyone else better watch the hell out. Vince Staples’ best record yet is a 8.8 8 "Justin" "Children's Songs" "Little Homies" Almighty So 2 - Chief Keef Chief Keef struck again! Any year where the patron saint of the Southside sits atop the ranks of hip-hop albums is a good year in my book. Keef has been releasing generally solid projects in the 12 years following his emergence on, or rather creation of the drill rap scene we know today at the age of 16. Now, with the follow-up to his decade-old sophomore release Sosa’s struck gold again. As an artist whose reputation was staked and secured 4 minutes into his debut record, Chief Keef’s artistic development has gone severely underrated. So, if you haven’t been paying attention, he now is the near sole producer of his music, and that happens to be the greatest strength of this record. The production in question is by far the strongest I’ve heard on any drill record - he commands a massive energetic atmosphere on most of the songs which is nothing new to the drill formula, but with greater sonic depth and cleanliness than ever. His generally organic instrumentals only further legitimize the production effort, and he displays a greater understanding of the instruments themselves than producers pushing a similar envelope in the trap scene (Metro). The fact is, Chief Keef built this sound from the ground up while learning and developing his skills as a musician along the way and maintaining the performative stylings that won the hearts of his fans in the beginning. Now, the result is a new high water mark for not only himself but the drill scene at large. Almighty So 2 is a 8.9. 7 "1,2,3" "Banded Up" "Never Fly Here" Wall Of Eyes - The Smile The Smile is what you might call a perfect spinoff, and their third release (the first of two this year) is the perfect proof. When an established artist (or in this case three) embarks on a side project there is a key balance to be struck. First, in order to justify the spinoff in the first place the product ought to vary from their usual work, however straying too far opens up the risk of losing the original audience. If you’re wondering exactly how someone might go about striking that balance, give Wall Of Eyes a listen. Thom Yorke and co. brought the best elements of Radiohead to their 2024 record. Despite lacking the sonic brawn a 5-man band like Radiohead possesses, The Smile did a great job of cultivating similarly fantastic atmospheres, and I think it’s fair to say the thinner cast of musicians opened up greater stylistic flexibility. In a true example of doing more with less, the added air allowed for them to lean further into spacey psychedelic sounds as well as some of Skinner’s jazz inclinations and Yorke's more abstract vocal stylings. It’s a record made by true professionals with complete awareness of the tools in front of them and the collaborative mojo to execute some of the more difficult and conceptually loose tracks of their collective discographies. Wall Of Eyes is a 9. 6 "Wall Of Eyes" "Read The Room" "Friend Of A Friend" Mahashmashana - Father John Misty I’d like to say this is Father John Misty’s best album. A bold claim perhaps, especially for such an established artist with the dedicated fanbase he has, but one that can be easily backed up. While Mahashmashana may not prove to be loaded with signature tracks to the level of his 2012 debut, for instance, this 8-track 50-minute LP is packed front to back with significant undertakings. With 2 songs in the 4-minute range and the rest spanning 5-9 minutes each, Father John bit off as much as he ever has and executed at a new level. There are zero skips across a decently wide variety of songs, from his spiritual balladry to rambling rock and all the alternative space that he occupies so effortlessly in between. To me, it sounds as though the high-potential 43-year-old has reached a new level of comfortability within his music, and frankly, it shouldn’t be so easy to write and execute lengthy yet captivating songs in unwavering succession. That’s why as of right now, I’m placing Father John Misty on ‘perfect 10 watch’ - just wait. Father John Misty’s most complete effort to date is a 9. 5 "Josh Tillman and the Accidental Dose" "Screamland" "I Guess Time Just Makes A Fool of Us All" Diamond Jubilee - Cindy Lee Cindy Lee is a fairly massive talent. The music industry vet has performed in different groups, under different names, and in different genres, and all that seems to have led to the sort of indiscriminate ‘screw-you-attitude’ that can only be properly expressed by someone who’s either highly skilled, highly pissed off, or both. I know this because the murky abrasive nature of this music is exactly the sonic palette one might choose if they wished to avoid the underqualified attention of mainstream audiences. That approach has kept Cindy Lee in that perfect grey area where fantastic music can exist untouched and unbothered, which is no small feat. Unfortunately for Cindy, they might have blown that window wide open with their latest release Diamond Jubilee . The 2-hour 32-track triple record is a peak indie album (available for download on Bandcamp). Lee floats through genre-various influences with ease, challenging the listener on nearly every song while thriving in the tantalizing minimal complexity that makes this gaudy listen bearable. Rock, alternative, indie, folk, and psychedelic are no strangers to one another, but combined with the dual vocal deliveries, highly skilled and uniquely restrained guitar technique, and unwavering intention behind each track, this sound can be contained under just one umbrella: Diamond Jubilee. Cindy Lee’s odyssey LP is 9.1. 4 "All I Want Is You" "Dracula" "Lockstepp" Tigers Blood - Waxahatchee This was perhaps the best album referral I’ve ever received. Thanks Joe. Tigers Blood is not only my favorite record of the year - it’s also home to some of the most well-written and emotionally performed songs of the year, the most productive feature of the year in MJ Lenderman, and what I consider the best collection of vocal performances as well. Waxahatchee is a one-woman music machine who, with the help of a backing band can move you to tears with one song and out of your seat with the next. I found myself hanging on her every word, even considering the cost of a move to Alabama, because each track on this album somehow feels like home. She effortlessly combines elements of rock, alternative, folk, country, even a tasteful tinge of 2010s pop, and it all comes together in a sound I feel as though I’ve always known. I went back and listened to all of Kathryn Critfield’s other work, both under this outfit and in her previous band P.S. Elliot, and I can safely say that while all of her music prominently displays her strengths in one way or another Tigers Blood is simply another gear. I cannot wait to see what comes next. My personal favorite release of 2024 is a 9.2. 3 "3 Sisters" "Right Back To It" "365" Cowboy Carter - Beyonce Well, it’s official Beyonce has broken music. For the second release in a row, she arrived on the album cover on horseback in full pop-star regalia and released the most bombastic project of the year. Why would a veteran pop star with nothing left to prove coming off an unnecessarily adventurous but brilliantly executed electronic pop/r&b album choose to backtrack and release her first ‘country’ album - because she felt her roots have been neglected, because there’s always more to prove, or simply because she can? While my best bet is all of the above, there’s only one person who can answer that question, after all, Beyonce answered every other question with her latest success. Cowboy Carter covers all the bases. It ranges stylistically through her bread and butter, back to Renaissance , and forward to a brand new fusion of pop, r&b, and country that she can call her own. While the album's most potent country tendencies are found in the content and tone rather than the musical stylings, Queen B’s ability to meld whichever genre tropes she pleases is on par with some of contemporary music’s most venerable names. The vocal onslaught was as strong and sustained as ever as she glided through a lengthy record packed with big-name features, gutsy covers, and statement after statement in the form of standout tracks and calculated lyrical presentations. She has mastered the art of the album (it’s like she’s seen my scoring system), from the rollout to the song placement and what I can only assume was a massive collaborative effort behind the scenes. Beyonce’s country takeover is a 9.3. 2 "AMERIICAN REQUIEM" "ALLIIGATOR TEARS" "YA YA" Brat - Charli XCX Well, this should be no surprise. Charli XCX first emerged from the London party scene and entered the pop charts more than a decade ago. Since then she’s carved out a niche of her own somewhere between pop and dance/electronic, become one of the driving forces in the ever-developing hyperpop scene, and secured a reputation as a sort of all-around-icon by the age of 32. Her playful partygirl aesthetic goes just as far towards wrangling new fans as it does towing her most veteran supporters along her musical journey, and with her stunning 2024 release it's safe to say she’s done fans of every kind a service. Brat is a pure hyperpop record, a career-best undertaking of innovation, and the kind of record that cements an artist's legacy, but most of all it is a movement. ‘Brat Summer’, Brat for Halloween, Brat as an adjective - when was the last time you heard the name of an album take on such a socially verbose nature? Never is my answer, and it's for good reason. It’s a perfectly digestible, near-perfect 15 songs over 41 minutes. Each one is danceable, means something to someone, and stays perfectly within the abstract but contagiously understandable world that is Brat . Each time I listen to this album, whether in the car, on my audiophile stereo setup, or in my noise-canceling world-blocking headphones I discover something new in the mix, something that makes a song better, something that further cements Brat as the album of the year. 2024’s best record is a 9.4. 1 "Von Dutch" "B2b" "365"

Fool's Gold: Apollo's Debut Is Not By Ian Sherry 8/8/2025 On August 8, 2025, Lew Apollo released Fool’s Gold. This debut album is a celebration of individual creation within the blurred lines of this contemporary musical landscape. Lew Apollo was introduced and pitched to me as a “soul” artist. We take soul seriously here in Detroit, making such a label not only striking, but a direct challenge. An endless list of criteria scrolls Star Wars-style through my subconscious as my ears do the judging. In this case, “soul” is a precious label I cannot afford. Apollo’s self-produced pop sound is balanced, fresh, and on-par with industry standards, but it doesn't so much emulate the musical bones of soul music. In an effort to perfectly portray “Lew Apollo the artist,” a noun was used as an adjective: Lew Apollo is not a soul singer, but he is a singer with soul. In 2023, Apollo released JUNGLE . His debut EP had an interesting variety of pop-adjacent tracks, but I find its name to be its most relevant feature. Jungle, to most music fans, is a British band, whose poppy yacht-funk can drift towards modern (Indications-like) soul on any given track. Whether or not he did it intentionally, Apollo benefits from this namely intertwinement. His and Jungle’s likeminded approaches to bridging pop and aspects of disco or soul co-validate one another through quality and creative direction, and that’s evident from track 1. “No Room In Hell” is a prototypical result of this sound, and I’m here for it. The track’s bounce is enough to grab my ear, and the otherwise spacey instrumental is filled-in but secondary to Apollo’s well-engineered vocal editions. The following title track, “Fools Gold,” flexes the ability to easily rework the sound established in track 1. The gradual pace and slappy bass allow Apollo to meander his way into a dreamy vocal performance, floating on the verses no problem, into a catchy chorus with understated background vocal support, before making room as he often does on this record, with a humble but quality instrumental bridge. By this point, it was becoming clear to me that I was dealing with a legit composer. Lew Apollo has a thriving independence about him, from the persona outlined in his promo material, to the aesthetic he’s cultivated on socials and cover art. But, the kicker is that he produced this record himself. Many a genre-fence-sitter have thrived in the technological era of production. Think early Kanye West, Anderson .Paak producing Malibu on his Macbook, or Lew Apollo piecing together a chorus-bolstered, soul-appreciative third track of legitimate sonic scale… “Let The Light In” opens with a murky hook preview and some of Lew’s most striking lyrics thus far. After teasing the chorus, the track begins to pick up steam, bringing in more instrumental and background vocal support on the chorus’ second repetition, and continuing to find new gears through the track’s closing moments. Our tour’s next stop is track 7, “Addicted.” Talk about inspiration. Lew definitely went for a soul tune with modern juice on this reimagination of Bill Withers’ “Just The Two of Us.” Leaning respectfully-but-noticeably on that legendary 6-bar progression, Apollo drops in a heavy r&b track complete with an original spin on the hook’s bones, meaty bass dips, and a delicate bare-bones sonic atmosphere that he places himself at the center of. A win in my book. Now for the closer. Fool’s Gold’s ninth and final track was perfectly placed. Lew Apollo lays it all out there on “Feeling OK,” which stands head and shoulders above an already raw record in terms of vulnerability. Accompanied by only his guitar, Apollo limps his way through a relatable account of the challenges of day-to-day living. While the song doesn’t do a ton musically, his guitar is just enough to properly support him as he captures a feeling experienced by many through different but comparable experiences. He has one line specifically that he wanted us all to hear as his debut record came to a close: “if you can’t pick me up, then put me down.” I’m here to pick him up. Lew Apollo is an ambitious artist. A capable musical visionary. An independent well-rounded artist. And a soulful singer. Fool’s Gold is a 8.2.

WALK WITH ME 8/13/2023 BY: IAN SHERRY Walk with me for a moment. Or rather, jump, with me, into a world where music is nonverbal. There are no vocals. Conversations discussing the greatest musicians of all time don’t include Prince or Aretha Franklin. Instead they focus on the giants of the ‘classical’ music era or the pioneers of Jazz. Genres like rock and roll or hip hop, genres which rely on a balance between instrumental and vocal rhythm, don’t exist. At least they don’t exist as we know them. Celine Dion works at a coffee shop, Marvin Gaye has recently taken a step back from his lengthy yet local career as an activist for civil liberties in the greater Washington D.C. area. You’ve n ever heard of Elvis Presley and you don’t need to have an opinion on him. Rodriguez was able to retire just a few years earlier from his factory job on Detroit’s west side and Marshall Mathers’ relationship with his mother withered to an uneventful conclusion at the hands of bitter yet mild-mannered and mutual avoidance. I could go on. You love music, as you should. It may be at the center of your life. You might listen to it every night with your family over dinner, or as you work through your days. Maybe it puts you to sleep every night or wakes you every morning. It might perfectly encapsulate a feeling you can’t otherwise explain, or make you feel ways nothing else does. You might even go as far as to say it's the most important thing in your life, that if you couldn’t hear you couldn’t go on. And that may be true. But even then, you would have no idea what you’re missing. It’s a crazy thought right? Vocals are an intrinsic part of what we know as music. Not all of it, but at this point, to me, it’s more noticeable when a track doesn’t have vocals than the reverse. There’s no point in attempting to pinpoint the invention of ‘singing’ as we know it. Instead, I offer the assumption that it can be traced back to before the human race reached its current genetic resting place. It’s inseparable from the human experience. Lyrics are responsible for the basis of much of the world’s shared culture, and the entirety of old-school educators’ beloved Classics Department. (I’m a fan too, don't get me wrong). Lyrics are not only a musical luxury, they are a mankind essential. They tell stories, plural. They have their own message (ideally), but beneath that they tell the story of whichever world and worldview birthed them. Whether it be a world of po litical turmoil, a world of prosperity, a world of famine or economic depression, a world of emotional depression, or a world seen through the eyes of love. This world is delivered through the filtered consciousness of the writer on paper, then again through the voice of the performer. Whether it be the same person or not, there are several stops on the road to the audience’s ears, but all trace back to their perception. Their point of view. Instrumental arrangements can deliver excitement, composure, emotion, and co untless other equally important feelings. But, one thing they simply cannot deliver is a point of view. This makes the most important job of the vocalist to deliver that exactly. A point of view. Otherwise, you’re doing nothing a powerful bassline or horn solo couldn’t deliver in its own right. Otherwise your voice is no more than an instrument, one with organic flaws and inconsistencies that Robert Cray’s guitar and Dizzy Gillespie’s trumpet don’t possess. Those flaws are less justifiable when the innately human component, that is perspective, is absent. This brings me to my daily union-supplied diss: Mac DeMarco. Believe it or not, I value my time on God’s greenish Earth, yet I still decided to listen to 9 hours and 30 minutes of Mac DeMarco. I did so with the intent of writing a review on his lengthy 2023 album, but a day later I was so severely mentally and emotionally beaten I withdrew in an attempt to salvage faith in mankind. Could I have written a lengthy Applebee’s Yelp-style revi ew? Yes. Could I turn this into that in an instant? Yes. But, because this is a sort of love letter to music, like that text you send your friend at 3:00 that is unintentionally received as concerning instead of wholesome, I’ll be prompt. Mac DeMarco barely says words, and when he does, they add nothing lyrically and little to nothing rhythmically. It’s neither helpful nor welcome in my book. No thank you Mac. However, it does make me appreciate real vocalists. Take D’Angelo, and I’m thinking Voodoo specifically. His best album, in my opinion, might as well be an instructional manual for what Mac DeMarco attempted to assemble without unboxing the directions. In the year 2000, aided by Questlove on Drums and a long list of heavy-hitting studio artists across hip hop, jazz, and r&B, D’Angelo headed the production for his brand new atypical r&b sound. Voodoo focuses almost exclusively on finding and holding grooves. Much of the time, the vocals come across as a sonic afterthought, there to decorate the sound. (“Untitled (How Does It Feel)” is the exception). However, the lyrics don’t get a break just because they aren’t at the musical forefront. There is no better example than “Devil’s Pie” which I believe to be one of the best songs of this young century. Instead of attempting to go in depth at the risk of failing to do D’Angelo justice, I’ll opt to encourage you to, please, listen for yourself. While you’re listening, if unpacking lyrics isn’t your jam (music pun), you could imagine D’Angelo is the first person you’ve ever heard sing over what you previously knew as music. Imagine how you’d feel as the worlds of poetry and music collide. Imagine the weight this new combination might carry. You could even compare it to any track of Mac DeMarco’s musical boot camp or perhaps your favorite instrumental tracks. The difference is palpable, because good vocals add something that no other instrument can: a point of view. Thanks . P.S. Here is a short, semi-random, list of songs I consider to have perfect vocal performances. “Hope She’ll Be Happier” , Bill Withers “Change” , Big Thief “Pink Matter” , Frank Ocean feat. Andre 3000 “Save The Children” , Marvin Gaye “Nude” , Radiohead “Never Dreamed You’d Leave In Summer” . Stevie Wonder “Heaven - Live” , Talking Heads “That Feeling” , Durand Jones

RAYE: The real deal BY: IAN THOMAS SHERRY, 5/4/2026 Raye dropped her smashing LP THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE. on March 27, and if you’re just now hearing of her, you’re late. It was Saturday Night Live (which is generally upholding the tradition of quality musical curation on variety shows, Arsenio, Chappelle, all the way back to Ed Sullivan) where I first discovered Raye. That was before her three Grammy nominations, and I was late then. Now, we’ve entered a new era of international pop. My 21st Century Blues (’23) was an ambitious foundational record, the product of Raye’s departure from Polydor Records. I listened to the debut in the wake of my stumbling upon Raye and knew she could do better. The sturdy collection of long-fermented music featured a variety of pop and r&b flavors plus flashes of her tone as a writer, yet despite its critical acclaim (especially across the pond) I found it musically thin and thematically broad. Not to worry, neither of those tropes are present on this 2026 LP. “Intro: Girl Under The Grey Cloud” is an excellent entrance into the most theatrical record I have ever listened to. The music of musical theater, especially when removed from the performance, makes my stomach turn. That is historically, but Raye’s sonic gravitas, worldbuilding, monologuing and all around-performative efforts can be described as nothing short of theatrical, so here I am at the breaking point of another personal precedent. The songstress stumbles from one stormy scene into another as (Track 2) “I Will Overcome” rumbles around. The true intro more-or-less continues the narrative: a drunk gal out on the town, far past anyone’s bed-time, searching for the answers to, well… everything. The focus narrows over the next four tracks. Time to more deeply address the sound I suppose. It’s a bright pacey pop, boosted by a 21st century studio and big band thunder, background vocals and a prancing matriarch at the center of it all. Raye preaches warnings on the (Track 3) “Beware.. The South London Lover Boy.” She tells a precautionary tail over a twirling keyboard/808 hook on (Track 4) “The WhatsApp Shakespeare.” Then there’s the theatrical masterpiece (Track 6) “Click Clack Symphony.” Raye revisits her well of 20-something depression and treats her vulnerability with girlpower. She assembles the gals, “send the call out, send the call out!,” and sets out on the town hoping to lose the inside thoughts outside, using the click-clacking heels as her beat. (Track 7) “I Know You’re Hurting.” must be the day after. This tune is the page-1 example of the triumphant music achievable at the peak of pop. When combined with the wholistically performative sensibilities of someone genuine, spirited and talented like Raye, a pop studio can create tear-jerking moments in the middle of Walmart. HUT. And now a brief advertisement for America’s second son, Jazz music baby. Well, ‘we’ brewed up this mystical instrumental gumbo with European instruments, so I guess it’s only fair that they get a take on it. Still, I often hesitate to consider the big blaring British bands I hear on 007 soundtracks to be jazz. I mean somewhere below “Gold Finger”s hollering horns Jimmy Page was just lurking, playing sheet music, a proper jazz band would’ve drawn that behemoth out, no? But still, the branches of British jazz bear undeniable fruit, Amy Winehouse at the very minimum. “This song is called ‘I Hate The Way I Look Today’,” says Raye. A statement of fact is followed by a beautifully bumbling brigade of similar thoughts as she raps and rambles, in true jazz style, a laundry list of complaints about her physical person. Comedic, relatable, listenable, Raye refuses not to check all the boxes, and this jazzy break at track 9 was a brilliant move to further flesh out her musical chops and back up a big claim from track 2: “And it’s funny, some people say I remind them of Amy.” Call me some people. (Track 10) “Goodbye Henry” begins with another cheekily dejected monologue, the kind Ms. Carpenter dreams to achieve, and I’m feeling frisky so I’ll share: “This is a sad song/ Though it feels happy / It is not happy at all, in fact / It makes me so, so sad to sing this song /But I will sing it for you anyway / This song is called "Goodbye Henry" / And I wrote it 'bout a boy / A very lovely boy/ And his name isn't even Henry/ But I'm just tryna be respectful / We don't talk anymore / He could be next-door and I wouldn't even know /In another life we could have made it /But in this one, well, we let go…” From there the bounding soul track wonderfully lives up to its billing. Raye rides horns, keys and drums like a tricycle and welcomes Al Green at the bridge, a treat for the ears as much as the heartstrings. (Track 11) “Nightingale Lane.” is yet another highlight, this time an Adele-style ballad. Over a pretty generically supportive score, Raye opens up those impressive vocal cords of hers, which she often opts to nimbly control, and wails a well-written chorus. She is comfortable at any pace, dancing through tracks all record long and adjusting with effortless swagger to the speed limit on “Nightingale Lane.” Did we mention that THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE? (Track 12) “Skin & Bones.” shocks the LP back to this decade’s pop pace for a number-1-worthy track. The equally catchy (Track 13) “Where Is My Husband!” stands as Raye’s top-charting song in the US, peaking at 11 on the Billboard. It’s curios that Raye’s exposure in the American media has yet to convert to top-10 radio play; the disconnection between fame and fortune has indeed sewn itself into modern media arenas. Her dime will come, never fear, so long as Raye continues to make songs like (Track 15) “Joy.” This late-album hit has the juice of certain 2010 smash hits as a big brass section jumps on top of a sleek afrobeat (which sticks around in the form of a rhythmic 808). The band’s sound and volume takes me back to Fifth Harmony’s prime, Jessie J, rooftop pop. (Track 16) “Happier Times Ahead.” Carries the same sentiment, sound and quality into the album’s conclusion, “Fin,” which functions as an audible credit-roll. Raye’s lyrics are good, the world she built excellent, her voice unique, vocal style unparallelled. She deserves to be praised in the same international pop circles as her British pop foremothers, Latin juggernauts and American stars. She deserves mentioning in the same conversations as young visionaries like Cameron Winter. And if she keeps up this pace, Raye will earn mentions in conversations about the all-time greats. THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE is a 9.1.

Before The World Blows BY IAN THOMAS SHERRY 9/18/2026 On August 28, in cahoots with The Alchemist, Erykah Badu released her first studio album in 16 years, Before The World Blows . On September 11, 2026, I had the pleasure of seeing the duo live. SETTING THE STAGE It’s been a decade since Ms. Badu’s cell phone-centered concept EP, But You Caint Use My Phone (’16), and her digitimaterial focus has only sharpened in the time since (yes, I made that word up). If you’re lucky enough to see ‘The Abby & Al Experience’ live, like I have, you’d immediately see what I mean. The set consisted of two beds on the far right and left connected by a circular cushion that stretched the back perimeter of the stage, all white, kinda freaky. Two spotlights switch on, and there they are – Abby n Al in their respective beds, Erykah Badu outfitted in red heels, a white trench coat, and a blonde wig, which she’d chuck, and The Alchemist in the boyish black hoodie – speaking to each other ‘on the phone,’ hatching a plan. Quickly, The Alchemist retreated to the platform hidden at the top of the set beside his dark-dressing-DJ counterparts, and the beats began. SOUND REASONING The lines between Abby and Al go back to a wannabe Alchemist selling weed to Badu’s mentor and career-breaker D’Angelo and follow the gyre of neo soul to its current resting place, in the palms of women like Ms. Badu. Her hands have been anything but idle in the years since soul’s sound slipped away. If you caught the two-part New AmErykah series (’08, ’10), or her last LP, you’ll notice Badu’s increased interest in digital hip-hop production. Each record was en vogue, impressive for an aging genre-crossing solo artist, but each aged quickly. Met with the task of creating an updated, lasting product and continually interested in marrying analog hip-hop and modern digital production, Abby went to Al. THE GOODS They played the album in order (with bonus tracks interwoven), starting with the ethereal (Track 1) “Echoes.” As the album chimes and whirs to life, Erykah Badu’s singular aesthetic descends upon this decade of music. Lyrically, she comes out muthafuckin firing: “Ah, if we can't agree on the God we pick / Then, my God / Let's at least agree on this snare and kick / (Red, yellow, black, white, or brown) / Oh, if you can't love the one you with / Ah, then you ain't her God, mm / (Red, yellow, black, white, or brown) / Ah, John Lennon said / “They treat women like the n- of the world,” yes, he did / (So watch how you trеat your girl) / Ah, 'cause the future looking odd thеse days That's on Tyler, Frank, and Earl .” This opening lyrical rampage is more musically dynamic than your Spotify streaming quality can capture; but live, as the synths soared, beat lurched, and Badu wailed through her autotune I was met with a bombastic opening track (only rivaled by Action Bronson’s “Live From The Moon” in my concert-going experience). 7 minutes later it gives way to (Track 2) “I Just Play A Part.” Initially my favorite, and certainly the most climactic song on the record, the first of two Westside Gunn features consists of purely gun sounds for effect as the Clintonian techneo anthem roars to life. Badu picks a cadence and rolls with it for two minutes, until she runs out of bars and resorts to a scream solo that rips at the fabric of the track until it splits and the beat switches for DJ Creole Princess to spit a silky verse. (Track 4) “Witch Doctor” was this record’s lead single and the first look at Abby and Al’s sound. The lurching bassline’s rumblin nicely backs Badu’s mumblin and the simple but syncopated melody allows the entire track to swing in cadence with Badu’s words, before giving way to a hand drum solo which she performed alone at center stage to the crowd’s excitement. The stop and go effect of “Witch Doctor” was something to behold live. The crowd, including myself, floated entranced by her witchly wordplay, and by the end I knew all the lyrics. The sentimental being that I am, (Track 6) “Next 2 U,” which samples Mobb Deep’s “The Realest,” plucked my heartstrings on first listen, and has since burned itself into my brain. “I-IIIIIII wanna smoke blunts with you” too Erykah. (Track 7) “Love Me Not” details the uncertain progression of a relationship before giving way to a tape of Ms. Badu getting her booty waxed – thrilling stuff really – but it was easy to see why she chose to go a different direction for this portion of the show. In place of Track 7, The Alchemist descended to perform a medley of “Life Is Beautiful” and “Hold You Down” (both covers of originals he produced). FLASHBACK When Al was done, attention returned to Abby and her soundboard at center stage. She starts, 'You know, they say 90s babies were born with an irregular heartbeat… and it sounds like this,' - dundun duuuun, dundun duuuun – the first notes of the iconic, immediately recognized, “On & On.” As the crowd revved to life, Erykah Badu, filling with the energy and spirit of her youth as it poured out of the crowd back into her, began to deliver by far her most authoritative, studio-similar, and frankly legendary pair of performances of the night as she medleyed into “Didn’t Ya Know” with ease. When I saw Erykah Badu tour Mama’s Gun a year ago, in the climactic confines of the Fox Theater, she delivered every individual performance with the aforementioned moxie. Not only did this year’s venue, Freedom Hill, lack any sonic containment for her vocals, this year’s album doesn’t feature any such performances. To avoid belaboring my point, allow me to state with absolute certainty: Erykah Badu is 55 years old and holding back (no doubt conserving energy for the arrival of aliens). Badu returned to the tracklist and concluded her flashback with a mashup of (Track 8) “Breezy” (the album’s toughest listen) and “Bennie And The Jets” for the concert’s most surprisingly fun moment. (Track 9) “Abracadabra,” is a good interlude. (Track 10) “To The Moon (Plan C)” features Steve Lacy, who brings his sound to Badu’s record with the same grace she visits his newest release Oh Yeah? The three-way fusion between the sounds of The Alchemist, Badu, and Lacy, all of which are unique and individually decipherable, ought to be an intriguing listen for any music fan. Well-grouped features, Thundercat is next. (Track 11) “They Ain’t You” isn’t the album’s most exhilarating track, but the transition between Lacy’s sound and Thundercat’s bass is clever, but it drags on as TC tracks tend to do. (Track 12) “What The People Say (Apostle 1)” picks up the pace and Badu shakes off the mumbles, ramping up into the fastest-paced rap performance (Track 13) “Hot BiBi (Apostle 2).” Another well-intentioned pairing, but the best bars had yet to come. (Track 14) “No I.D.” captures a true freestyle feel as Badu names legendary DJs over the most quintessential Alchemist beat of the record. It was fitting then, to feature Westside Gunn for the second time, laying viscous flexes over the creepy-crawly instrumental and Erykah Badu’s sweet hook “Ain't nobody fuckin' with the K-I-D (No) / Big ball bangin', need no ID (Doot-doot-doot-doot-doot, ah) / I'ma get a beat from No I.D. (Mm, woo) / Ain't nobody fuckin' with the K-I-D (Yeah) / If Alchemist don't come through for me / I'ma get a beat from No I.D. (Woo).” That’s taste folks. (Track 15) “I Know That Man” mutters Earl Sweatshirt, before stating blankly atop the beatdrop “Everything is not a joke,” at the beginning of the album’s best verse over The Alchemist’s most emotionally charged beat only to give way to this chorus on gospel-style-repeat: “I, wanna be seen / as good / in the eyes of that which made us.” It brings tears to my eyes, even in listening to write this article. Now for the final time, check this shit out: “Too much dopamine can make a man mean / Dimethyltryptamine make a man dream / Ozempic and promethazine make a man lean / Mars' daddy Jay Elec', make a bitch real mean / Turn into a meme, make a big scene / Broadcast it on the whole block, live from the black box / Phone call, liberation or entrapment? / Mercury in retrograde, at midnight all was well / But suddenly the box became engulfed with a beam of light / Somebody gettin' some pussy, tonight.” Is your jaw on the floor? Mine was the first time I heard Ms. Badu rattle this off for a teaser at last year’s show, and so were the jaws of any fan who hadn’t heard (Track 16) “Black Box” before last Friday’s concert. Oh, and the second verse is just as good, so give it a listen and yours may be too. My name is Ian Thomas Sherry, but I’m Mr. Badu if she’ll have me. Before The World Blows is an 8.9.

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2022 1/20/23 BY: Ian Sherry Making top ten lists, especially when there are as many options in a given category as there are in this one, is plain stupid. So here is mine. Honorable Mentions All of these albums are really solid but fell short of the list for some reason or another. However, they are all worth a listen. The Forever Story, JID Melt My Eyez See Your Future , Denzel Curry The Boy Named If , Elvis Costello Ants From Up There , Black Country New Road Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You , Big Thief Fear Of The Dawn , Jack White THE LIST 10. I Didn't Mean To Haunt You , Quadeca Let me start by saying that Quadeca is only 22 years old, yet, he has already undergone a full metamorphosis as a musician. He began his career as a YouTuber and transitioned into making uninspiring and unimpressive rap music. However, something switched in his head; he realized just how important music is to him as well as what he is capable of. His 2021 project showed signs of his capabilities as he began to switch into a wildly different musical space than that of his 2019 project. On I Didn’t Mean To Haunt You , Quadeca has fully arrived. While it isn’t as polished as the remaining albums on this list, he attacks the concept he chose and delivers numerous performances that nobody could’ve seen coming just three years ago. This album is at times touching, even overwhelming, and his dedication and embrace of his vision is what made it all possible. Best Song: "Born Yesterday" 9. SOS , SZA The last few years there has been a specific sub-genre forming somewhere in between pop and R&B. People like Summer Walker, Ella Mai, and Jhene Aiko have all been major artists, but SZA is leading the charge. Because of her position of influence with the blossoming genre, SZA had a lot of pressure on her leading up to this release. In my opinion she has the responsibility of leading this young and popular sub-genre in the right direction. Often artists in this vein of music have a tendency to make enjoyable, but ultimately safe and somewhat bland music. SZA decided to take risks on SOS and it paid off. The second two thirds of the album marks some of her most creative work to date. A few well placed and unexpected features mixed in with her ability to meander across pop-adjacent genres earns SZA the number nine spot on this year's list. Best Song: "Open Arms" 8. Once Twice Melody , Beach House Beach House is well-established at this point. They are experts of their craft and are able to consistently deliver what their fans are looking for. However, they occasionally seem to play it safe. They found their unique sound and are comfortable staying there. This album is a great step forward. They didn’t depart from their bread and butter, however they did improve upon it. We hear different vocal styles and more rangy instrumentals than expected. At a time where they did not need to do anything special, they took good steps creatively to deliver a very well rounded album. If you enjoy gentle vocals and atmospheric production, this album is for you without a doubt. Best Song: "Pink Funeral" 7. age/sex/location , Ari Lennox This is just a great album. Admittedly I did not know much about Ari Lennox going into this album; now, I do. She is a versatile artist with a great voice who feels comfortable in every style she tries on age/sex/location. Right off the bat she reminded me of Erykah Badu and Beyonce. She has the attitude, clever verses, and vocal tone of Erykah Badu on occasion, and she combines that with runs and spoken hooks that Beyonce loves to utilize as well. Ari’s usage of base reminds me of Adi Oasis as well, if you’re not familiar with her and like this album you should check her out next. She is very effective when moving between influences and different styles, and that is a big reason why this album is great. All of the featured artists do their job and the result is a great sophomore album from an artist that can bring listeners together from different sides of the contemporary R&B spectrum. Best Song: "Leak It" 6. It’s Almost Dry , Pusha T I listen to a lot of rap, and there were a lot of great albums this year. However, only one of them was a top ten album. On It’s Almost Dry , Pusha T reaffirms the fact that he has one of the most prolific deliveries in the rap industry. He continued on the roll he started with Daytona four years ago and did so with superstar producers Pharrell Williams and Kanye West. The production has fingerprints of these great artists all over it, but Pusha T makes sure to put his own stamp on it first and foremost. Though it doesn’t quite measure up to the all time great Daytona , it's great to see him in the same creative space four years later operating at that same high skill level. All of the features are good and its ‘worst’ songs are still ones that Pusha T fans will enjoy. Best Song: "Dreamin Of The Past" 5. Gemini Rights , Steve Lacy If you ask a given person what they think of Lacy’s 2022 album they are likely to respond one of three ways. They either have never heard of it, think it's the album of the year, or hate it with a passion. I think it's certainly up there. Steve’s first two albums after breaking off from The Internet, a band where he was the lead guitarist, were interesting but ultimately fell short much of the time. They were cluttered and seemed to need more time to mature into a fuller sound. He was not discouraged. Gemini Rights is a polished and creative album that can be enjoyed by a wide range of audiences. The contempt for this album mostly stems from the vast overplaying of its hit single "Bad Habit". In reality this is not a top song on the album. Though Steve is probably the weakest vocalist of the top five, he seems to be one of the most musically knowledgeable. He has a fantastic ability to cohesively mix instruments that are staples of a variety of genres, such as the trumpet and of course, the guitar. I am excited to see what he does going forward. Even though this was a well rounded album, I think further polishing could place him at the top of his field. Best Song: "Sunshine" 4. RENAISSANCE , Beyonce With RENAISSANCE , Beyonce has completed the elusive perfect three album run. This isn’t to say every song on all of them is perfect, but the evolution of her music and quality of her last three studio releases earned her this fictional honor. Beyonce , Lemonade , and RENAISSANCE are all fantastic, but RENAISSANCE definitely is my favorite. She incorporates elements of EDM and club dance beats perfectly into this pop album. She sings over these beats like it's nothing and nails a style that I never expected her to touch. She had no reason to try it other than it was part of her creative vision. I am thankful for her bravery at a point in her career where she could coast and sell records with ease. That all being said, the only reason this isn’t a number one album is because it has two of the weakest songs on this entire list. On top of that, I never thought I would compile a list like this in which Beyonce’s vocals are second best, but this year they are. That all being said, it's an incredibly bold and well executed album that everyone should listen to if they haven’t yet. Best Song: "VIRGO’S GROOVE" 3. Lucifer On The Sofa , Spoon Spoon. They’re really good and all, but I never thought they would be in this spot this year. If you like rock this is exactly what you need. It has been a while in my opinion, since there was an amazing archetypal rock release. As the album progressed I enjoyed each song more and more. These songs are familiar in the best possible way, as if people have been listening to this record for years. Lucifer On The Sofa is very well executed and curated. It's ten songs and each one of them is different enough to switch things up but not so much that it doesn’t flow perfectly. They have a grimy instrumental feel but the tracks as a whole are smooth and perfectly paced. Britt Daniel’s vocals remind me of Bowie at times because they have significant texture but are easy to listen to and feel elevated. The album flies by. I think this is their best release and the only reason it isn’t in the number one spot is that I just want more than ten songs. Ten is nothing to scoff at but all of the top three are great and there’s just less on Lucifer On The Sofa. I flipped a coin to pick the best song on this album. Then I flipped it for like four other songs. It's so good. Listen to this album. Best Song: "The Devil & Mister Jones" 2. MOTOMAMI, Rosalia Rosalia is a force of nature. If you aren’t acquainted with her yet, get ready. The Spanish singer is the best vocalist on the list this year, and I was blown away by this album. Of the top four, her album is the least cohesive and I saw complaints about the lack of flow and centralized themes. My argument is this: this album is a showcase of the incredible talent that is Rosalia and the theme is exactly that. At any given point you might hear a touching and beautifully performed song followed by an upbeat dance track, and that might be followed by an abstract beat with spoken verses. She is versatile. She is entertaining. She is exactly what pop music needs. In the last few years mainstream music has seen the ride of acts like Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, and Olivia Rodrigo. As talented as they are in their lanes, none can touch the pure talent and versatility of Rosalia. Is it the most well rounded album? No, but it showcases more than any other album on this list. This is another album that’s so good I can’t pick a song. I will anyway but know that it won’t fully encapsulate everything that she accomplishes on this record. Best Song: "Sakura" 1. Wet Leg, Wet Leg This is the album of the year. Every single song is perfect. I don’t listen to much indie pop, so my opinion is an inexperienced one, but this is the best album I’ve ever heard in this genre. They have great vocals, creative, diverse song structure, and witty lyrics. Listening to them makes me happy, but they have the ability to steer your mood in different directions depending on their well written lyrics. They tell stories both with their words and their instrumentals. With this much talent it's no surprise that they caught a lot of media attention. They appeared on TV and on indie radio stations everywhere, spreading the word about this incredible project. I could go on and on, but I’ll keep it simple. They deliver everything you could want from a group like them. The craziest part? It's their debut. This is the album of the year. Best Song: "Chaise Longue" My closing thoughts are these: If any of these interest you please listen to them. If you disagree with me you’re wrong. If you disagree with the Grammy nominations or winners you’re right. And, this was a great year of music.

THE RUNNING MAN By Dawson Sarcona 11/15/2025 The Running Man, directed by Edgar Wright, is the latest in the boom of Stephen King adaptations from the past few years. That being said, this film immediately differs from its counterparts in one major way: This is not a horror movie. Regardless of how you know King’s writing, whether it's literary classics like Cujo, Salem's Lot, Carrie or big horror icons like IT or The Shining, King is known for creating truly terrifying stories. The Running Man, however, is different. This movie is a dystopian action story through and through. While it does include some intense and high-stress situations, the only “horror” that lies in this film is its disturbing resemblance to our current society. This film follows Ben Richards (played by Glen Powell) as he competes on a deadly gameshow that, if won, will result in him winning 1 billion dollars and securing a better life for his wife and daughter. The world this film builds is one of the more interesting put to screen this year. “The Network” (a literal TV network with a name devoid of creativity) owns the government and dictates the lives of everyone in the nation.Because of the way this world is set up, the message from Kings original novel stays relevant in 2025’s adaptation by Wright. The message is simple: the dangers of a world reliant on media and entertainment. Here is where King’s trademark “scariness” comes in. His depiction (aided massively by Edgar Wright’s film adaptation) of this parallel Earth is chilling because it’s not far off from our own. In a time where everyone is heavily reliant on their screens, the thought of a society where those screens watch back and keep tabs makes for a captivating watch. Moving away from the plot and broad strokes of King’s writing, Edgar Wright once again shows audiences why he's one of the most talented directors working right now. Wright has directed many cult classics (Shaun of the Dead and Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World, to name a few), but his status as a director otherwise seems to be underrated. Since I first saw his passion project film, Baby Driver, I've been a huge fan of Wright, and the talent he demonstrates filming compelling action in that film carries through in The Running Man. This movie is, action-packed by definition, full of fight scenes and stunts that rival some of the genre’s best films across the past year. Wright just knows how to properly direct a scene. Even in the moments with the least action, this movie maintains its momentum. In comparison to movies like Mission Impossible: the Final Reckoning, which left me bored from scene to scene, waiting for the next piece of action, this movie fully immerses its audience into the story. There was not a second during this movie that I felt bored or a scene lingered too long. If anything, there were some moments in the film where the pacing felt a little too fast. While it wasn't enough to take me out of the film, there were some moments I wish they’d spent a tad bit more time in. That said, for the most part, Wright uses his time in King’s world wonderfully and tells a wholly satisfying story. Wright isn't The Running Man’s only strength. Glen Powell delivers one of, if not his most compelling performances yet. There has been talk amongst the film/movie culture of Glen Powell taking up Tom Cruise's mantle as the next big action star. Before this film, I was impartial to this concept. But after seeing The Running Man, I can confidently say that he would be an excellent choice to succeed (and even surpass) Tom Cruise. Powell brings life to the character of Ben Richards and makes him very easy to root for, which is important for a movie like this. He balances the comedic range and physical demands of this role very well, and his on-screen interactions with most are very compelling. All in all, the only minor issue I see with this movie is some rushed pacing in the first act. I would rate this movie a 9 out of 10 , and would heavily recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and exciting theater experience. It’s Glen Powell at his best and further proof that Edgar Wright can direct a thrilling ride of an action movie!

Durand Jones Goes Solo: Wait Til I Get Over BY: Ian Sherry 5/29/23 On May 5, 2023 Durand Jones released Wait Til I Get Over . Over the past five years Durand Jones & The Indications have been making great music. Their 2018 debut self titled album is great, their 2019 American Love Call is easily my favorite contemporary soul album, and their 2021 Private Space is a stylistic swerve done the right way. Now, we get Durand Jones’ first solo album. This doesn’t signal the end of the band. No, Jones made it clear on several occasions leading into his 2023 release that it was a deeply personal project, one that he needed to do himself. Durand Jones’ lack of Indications both intrigued and concerned me. The Indications thrive because of three general strengths (outside of Durand Jones): songwriting, consistently strong musical performances, and Aaron Frazer. Without the rest of his band, could Jones replicate these strengths? After all, the best bands’ songwriting is often a group effort, The Beatles or Queen for example, and Jones is just one man. That throwback sound the band revitalizes in such a refreshing way is difficult to capture, and attempting to recreate that same magic without them would be difficult. Aaron Frazer is The Indications' secret weapon, whose occasional lead vocals provide a great deal of variety, and whose help on choruses or ensemble vocal performances with Jones solidifies the uniqueness of the band's sound. Frazer is absent from this project. However, that was the point, and any of the resulting missteps on Wait Til I Get Over were a part of the calculated risk Durand Jones took going solo this year. So now, the results of his risk: Frankly, I have lots of critiques to roll out, but I'd like to start on a positive note. I love Aaron Frazer, and I was hoping for at least a feature from him; but he’s not needed. Durand Jones is a dynamic vocalist, able to carry nearly any tune and elevate even the most instrumentally bland music. Without that, this album would really struggle, lucky for Jones he can sing. Actually, he’s not lucky, just good. It's easy to say so, considering the songwriting on this album may be his strongest yet. Detailing the struggles of his people in the South and his own internal journey, Jones does a great job of using themes like community to fuel feelings like hope for a well-rounded yet fittingly unfinished narrative. While the narrative is cohesive, the stylistic choices are not. On the first three songs, Jones touches on three very different sounds. This can be done really well, but in this case it feels disjointed. “Gerri Marie” is a solid intro that sets a scene and vibe with Durand Jones and a piano. That’s it, but its simplicity is its strength. However, post the first interlude (track 2), this vibe is deleted by “Lord Have Mercy”. A jaunty sort of Bayou Rock song, it’s the first of a new Durand Jones sound, one that needs a lot of work. It effectively introduces the most unfortunate recurring theme of this album: poor instrumental production and vocal mixing. The instrumental layering is cluttered and a weird buzzy finish lays over everything, including Jones’ vocals. Yet, on the very next track, “Sadie”, Jones temporarily abandons his theme of musical mediocrity. It is a strong song in every way. Great hooks, choruses, and instrumental backing and breaks, it has all the makings of an Indications classic. So why not make that a theme? I think a look at track 5 can answer that question. "I Want You” is another Indications-worthy track musically, as well as a Jones masterclass vocally. He mixes in powerful background vocals at just the right moments and spoken pieces mid-verse, two things seldom seen, if ever, with his band. He is in his creative zone, stretching his attention to every aspect of the sound he wants to encapsulate. But, stretch is the key word. For the length of the song, every couple beats, there is a strange crashing sound. It's some sort of percussion, and it should have been any other kind of percussion, as keeping pace seems to be its sole purpose. But he chose this sound. A decision that doesn’t ruin the song completely, but one that, along with an occasionally jumbled bottom to the mix and an instrumental layering failure down the stretch of the song, can remove a distracted listener from the otherwise powerful tune. Durand Jones is a member of a great band, and great bands don’t let things like that slip through the cracks, but once again, he is just one man. These seemingly careless miscues continue through the album, and honestly, highlighting all of them is trivial. From the drowning of a strong communal vocal performance on “Wait Til I Get Over” to the alarmingly unfit feature on “Someday We’ll All Be Free” or the failure to catch a groove on “Letter To My 17 Year Old Self”, Jones misses opportunities to properly support his beautiful writing and vocal performances. However, he does not miss on “That Feeling”. Durand Jones is a bisexual black man from the South. That means both everything and nothing to this song. To my knowledge, it’s the first time he sings about another man, and he does so against that backdrop he spent so much time constructing. However, as he eases into this particular narrative, everything fades away. It doesn’t matter who he is speaking to, it’s beautiful. A story of wasted potential, told through a nostalgic lens, with that familiar hope and determination, “That Feeling” is love. It’s also the best song on the album. With raw vocals and a classic instrumental intro, Jones eases into the rhythm just as he does the narrative. Layering keys and guitar, he elevates the sound to the highest point of the album in stride with his words, before stripping it down to deliver a message: he and the love inside him aren't going anywhere. With the message delivered and the love story completed, Jones takes the last minutes to elevate one more time, leaving the audience with a powerful combination image and sound. Jones thrives in simplicity on this album, “Secrets” is a good final example. A piano and some voices are all he needed to close his 2023 release. Waves crash against a shore for the last two minutes, washing away the song and this, simply put, unique album. I hope it's unique for several reasons. First, Durand Jones is better than this. But, on top of that, he needed to get something out of his system. For his sake, I like to think he’s satisfied that need, at least enough to clean up any remaining loose ends with The Indications (in more ways than one). This album is messy. The production and mixing are scarily bad at times, as if he needed a reminder that the old days are supposed to be represented by the narrative, not the sound equipment. Jones also struggles to hitch a stylistic ride all the way through. This is fine for an EP, but for an album with a decisive theme, flow is essential. Yet, while it's easy to nitpick my way through this album, it's also easy to get lost in what Jones does well. He is an exceptional songwriter, a skill rivaled only by his vocal abilities. Those two strengths specifically can carry an album, and this is certainly one of those cases. I love Durand Jones, I am excited to see what he does next, and I believe the worst he can do is average. This album, all things considered, is just average. Wait Til I Get Over is a 5.25/10.

Did you know that Lana Del Rey likes exceptionally long titles BY: Ian Sherry 4/23/23 On March 24, Lana Del Rey released Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard. Lana is one of the strangest figures in music today. She made waves upon entry into the market and sparked backlash over her apparent status as an industry plant. While this rubs some people the wrong way, her fans are some of the most dedicated in all of music. They feed into her ever-changing and intentionally unique persona - and vice versa. The result is a catalog mix of inconsistencies, originality and creativity. For me, this is an overall positive characteristic, but it does complicate any quality-based judgments of her work. I generally believe that in cases like this (where the artist is weird outside the music, but not necessarily in it), it’s best to separate their public personas from the music to avoid over or under-crediting them based on personal bias. To be clear, her personality enhances the tone of the album, something that many artists struggle with. However, I don’t often find a significant alteration to the music itself. Yes, she has evolved as an artist, but the stylistic shifts from album to album have never been groundbreaking to me. Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard is easily better than her previous two releases, and while it isn’t a huge creative step forward, it innovates enough to please her hungry audience, and it includes some of her cleanest, well-rounded tracks to date. Lana’s atmosphere of choice on Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard is one of melancholy and nostalgia from the perspective of a woman intent on letting her emotional trauma fester through 77 minutes of painful memories. Her storytelling is, in short, unique. She carefully constructs emotionally raw narratives that the listener can feel. They’re often conversational, a dialogue between her and another person, sometimes an old friend, family member, or romantic partner, sometimes herself, and sometimes nobody at all. Lana’s storytelling, combined with her polished voice and attitude of comfortable familiarity, paints blurry images that must be clear to somebody - but we are not somebody. This atmosphere Lana constructed is present on all of her best songs on the record. I believe “Sweet”, “Kintsugi”, and “Fingertips” are some of the best examples, but excluding a select few, you can feel it in every song. In the past, Lana has struggled to lock into one really strong sound. On Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard , she does. However, her ability to mix things up without departing from her theme or comfort zone is what elevates this album. On “A&W”, the lengthiest song of the album at 7:13, Lana recounts short memories of past experiences, how they’ve soured her outlook on love and herself, and how she’s now a less worthy romantic acquisition. It’s a dark look into the troubled mind of someone lacking self-esteem and their subsequent inability to deal with emotions or even basic facts in a positive way. However, this outstanding narrative aside, what stands out the most to me is Lana sounding like Lorde. The first 4 minutes are a steady instrumental performance from a piano and acoustic guitar fronted by Lana’s meandering vocals, but the last three minutes break into something entirely different: the production suddenly switches to electronic, with base hits and a drum machine coming into play along with a buzzy finish on Lana’s up-pace vocals. It is very reminiscent of Lorde’s 2013 hit album Pure Heroine . From the building up and stripping down of the production to Lana’s repetitive lyrics and layered vocals, the finish to “A&W” is a shocking and well-executed finish to an emotionally raw song. This isn’t the only instance of Lana dipping into outside influences on her 2023 project. For instance, “Grandfather please stand on the shoulders of my father while he’s deep-sea fishing”, yes that’s the title, reminds me of Kate Bush in a way. But what impressed me, even more than her incorporation of different sounds, was her use of features. Jon Batiste’s feature on “Candy Necklace” is the album’s first. I love Batiste, so I was excited to see how they would come together on this song. At first I was disappointed, as he only plays piano behind her fairly repetitive vocals. But by my third listen I changed my mind. Batiste is a genius with his hands on a piano, and his performance provides a unique backing to a straightforward, but enjoyable performance. They don’t always blend seamlessly, but there are successful moments when Lana changes pace or volume in unison with Batiste’s piano runs, which adds a very unique quality to the song. “Paris, Texas” feat. SYML, “Let The Light In” feat. Father John Misty, and “Margaret” feat. Bleachers are three of the strongest songs on the album. “Paris, Texas” features a simple instrumental accompaniment from SYML. His feature doesn’t add to the song as noticeably as the Batiste feature does, but it is one of the most well-done songs in Lana’s discography and might be my favorite on the album. “Let The Light In” is the most traditional feature on the album. Lana and Father John Misty duet on the chorus, adding to the fullness of a touching song while still allowing Lana to carry the personal and nostalgic narrative on her own. “Margaret” is similar to “Let The Light In”, but with a more dynamic performance from Lana. Bleachers plays a very similar role to Father John Misty, helping on the chorus and providing a point of return in the chorus for Lana to take the verses to different places. She shows more range on this one song than the rest of the entire album, and the instrumental is much more upfront in certain parts of the mix, elevating the song above the surrounding tracks. Without Bleachers holding down the chorus and providing a more mellow vibe, the exceptional contrast of “Margaret” wouldn’t have been possible. Lana Del Rey was clearly in a creative place for this album. While her creativity manifests itself in the album's best moments, it’s also evident in what I consider to be her biggest mistakes. The first shortcoming, “Judah Smith Interlude”, is an instrumentally backed rant that forces the listener to analyze it for any possible meaning before inevitably giving up before the 4:37 is up. I don’t know what she was getting at here, but I do know it doesn’t fit. Just two tracks later the “Jon Batiste Interlude” is a much better version. His piano backs up a distorted recording of his voice with some Lana vocals in the background. It feels like much more of an instrumental interlude than “Judah Smith Interlude”, and it’s a welcome addition to the flow of the album, unlike its predecessor. The second shortcoming comes in the last three songs. To be fair, I like Lana’s decision to shift from a mostly live recorded instrumental album to a more electronically produced finish starting on “Fishtail”. There are great moments of vocal distortion and sonic layering, but “Peppers” is simply out of place. As the second-to-last track on the album, it has a completely different vibe in the wrong way. In a different context it is a good song, which is why I wish she had released it as a sort of red herring single. It has a catchy chorus and some classic late 2000s vocals, which is exactly why it makes no sense here. Although I like “Peppers” on its own, I am baffled by its inclusion on Lana’s otherwise cohesive and focused 2023 project. A final minor critique: Lana’s verses don’t alway distinguish themselves from one another or the chorus because of the understated delivery. But, this is more of a preference issue on my part and a stylistic choice on hers. This album, in my mind, is an anomaly. Lana is overly-focused on a singular theme, something that has hurt, even delegitimized, some of her previous work. But, this time it is done perfectly. Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard combines some of Lana’s best songs with her most beautiful moments ever. Without “Judah Smith Interlude '' and “Peppers”, this album really flirts with perfection. Ironically, Lana Del Rey, who is often considered a semi-niche artist, has delivered an album I would genuinely recommend to nearly any audience. A simple rating can’t encapsulate how much I like this album. Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard is an 8.75/10.

2024 In Review BY IAN SHERRY 1/1/2025 When I started The Culture Gyre more than a year ago now, it was in hopes that I'd get to cover years like this. Enjoy! Animal Cheer - Big Search Here is the definition of a solid record. Animal Cheer is made by and for music fans, and that’s evident on every track. Big Search is the solo outfit of Matthew Popieluch and this was a true solo undertaking, which only speaks to his artistic vision. Each song, in addition to the seemingly guaranteed warmth and familiarity, has the solid bones and decisive musical palette needed to create a status quo just waiting to be elevated. That elevation can be found in his applied influences, the most encompassing being George Harrison - but if you listen you’ll hear hints of a Rubin-ized Johnny Cash, Pink Floyd, King Krule, and perhaps a variety of your personal favorites. Big Search’s newest result is a 8. 18 "Loose Ends" "Wellsprings" "Luck Rains Down" Here In The Pitch - Jessica Pratt Jessica Pratt has mastered the art of simplicity. Her songbird voice floats through the thin but palpable atmosphere of her music alongside her washy acoustic guitar, and that tandem remains undefeated on her latest release. As an artist with what some might consider limited tools, Pratt has spoken about her fear of being pigeonholed, and in some ways that’s what this record addresses. In comparison to her other equally short n’ safe LPs, her 2024 effort does a better job of spanning the spectrum of her stylistic abilities. Whether it be a subtly rising synth here, or the rare if not singular background vocal there, Pratt’s excellence in the details -particularly when crafting the sonic backdrop - allowed her to guide each song on this album in whatever direction she pleased. Also - if Pitchfork listened through all 27 minutes they’d have “The Last Year” at no. 2 on The 100 Best Songs of 2024, not “Life Is” - just saying. Here In The Pitch is a 8.2. 17 "Life Is" "The Better Hate" "The Last Year" Alligator Bites Never Heal - Doechii Of all the year’s rap releases, this may be the most intriguing. While it had been four years since Doechii released an album, it’s clear now she’d been building to something, because after consistently releasing singles over that gap she finally struck the charts in May of 2023 with “What It Is (Block Boy)”. A little over a year after that warning shot she dropped this ambitious 19-track LP. Like many other artists who found their beginnings on the internet, Doechii’s talent for entertainment has never been in doubt - that remains true through this entire tracklist. She raps with as much confidence and bubbly performative energy as ever while delivering her most cutting lyrical performances to date. Additionally, she included several vocally impressive cuts that showcase her take on contemporary pop/r&b. It’s the kind of song collection that can draw endless comparisons, from the obvious Doja Cat to the legendary Missy Elliot - neither of which ever ventured into boom bap, which Doechii does on more than one occasion here. Alligator Bites Never Heal , while not perfect, seems to cover as many bases as the late Rickey Henderson - though with a 2% lower rate of success (yes I’ll do math for music and baseball) - making it a true showcase album. Whether it be the lyrical content, which I mostly found compelling, the cultivation of emotion, or the musical stylings themselves, variety was the name of the game for Doechii this year, and she played the game very well. Alligator Bites Never Heal is a 8.3. 16 "DENIAL IS A RIVER" "DEATH ROLL" "NISSAN ULTIMA" Imaginal Disk - Magdalena Bay While I wasn’t previously familiar with the Magdalena Bay beyond a small handful of tracks and bits of internet chatter, the Floridian pop duo will have a hard time escaping my attention after this 2024 LP. Music makers of the future - this record feels like an exploration of the many corners of pop they felt were within reach, from borderline-retro synth pop to the unmistakable elements of indie and hyperpop on each track. This sound is their own, and despite the insistence of their growing fanbase that Magdalena Bay has long been A-List-ready, this has the feel of a true breakthrough album. Does that mean they’ve reached maximum speed in their lane? Absolutely not. The borders of pop music broaden every year, opening endless opportunities for a group with this level of ingenuity to become even more prolific. Their versatility and song-making ability are on display throughout this 2024 product, but some tracks undeniably stand above the rest and consistent replication of that elevating ‘it factor’ would vault them to the pinnacle of any given year in music. Imaginal Disk is a 8.3. 15 "Killing Time" "Love Is Everywhere" "Cry For Me" CHROMAKOPIA - Tyler The Creator For the fourth time in a row, Tyler The Creator released an album that perfectly met the moment. Settling somewhere in between Igor and Call Me If You Get Lost , he continued to hone his own pop/alt hip-hop sound with yet another noticeable increase in maturity and production quality. Tyler covers every corner of the sound he’s spent a decade zeroing in on, which makes for a wide musical range that allows him to address anything on his mind and lean into whatever stylistic tropes he wishes. My favorite trope from this particular record was his brilliant song progressions. While he adheres to portions of traditional song structure, Tyler has cultivated this unique ability to make songs with a definite directional vision minus the limiting aspects of typical song design. Much like Igor, most tracks feel more concerned with the build and payoff than creating the literary definition of ‘song’. The difference is that CHROMAKOPIA has years of realized talent and acquired skill aiding its ambitious track-by-track undertakings. It’s clean, and while not groundbreaking, singularly focused, or conceptually compelling, it feels personal and complete. Tyler’s most recent success is a 8.4. 14 "Noid" "Sticky" "I Hope You Find Your Way Home" Manning Firewords - MJ Lenderman I’ve seen and spoken to folks who hail this record as the year’s best. I understand the appeal - besides his strengths as an artist, MJ Lenderman’s music simply feels good. Lenderman has an earthy genuine way about him and it leaks all through his music. From his chest-voice vocals to his recognizably pleasant guitar, there’s no mistaking the Wednesday guitarist for any other day of the week. Speaking of his main gig, the North Carolinian group does a lot of bridging their folk-rock influences with the world of alt-noise, and while it can result in an occasionally elevated sound, it’s been a treat to hear Lenderman get so much solo exposure this year. Some things don’t need elevating, although I suspect his best work has yet to come. Manning Fireworks is a 8.4. 13 "Joker Lips" "Wristwatch" "You Don't Know What Shape I'm In" GNX - Kendrick Lamar Well yeah. Between his triumphant feud with Drake and this chart-topping record, Lamar reached heights of celebrity this year that no rapper has quite seen since Travis Scott dropped Astroworld (‘19). His reinvigoration of the West Coast sound he emerged and, for a time, separated from is largely responsible for this album’s success, and while the record will likely go down as the release that followed “Not Like Us”, I believe it may one day receive credit for establishing the sound the next generation of Kendrick Lamar fans grew up with. Kendrick’s victory lap is a 8.5. 12 "squabble up" "hey now" "heart pt. 6" Underdressed At The Symphony - Faye Webster If you haven’t heard Faye Webster you’ve been missing out - all she does is make good music. Her mellow indie-rock often relies on breezy instrumentals and the pureness of her voice but ultimately focuses on simply finding catchy grooves, which she does with ease. On Underdressed At The Symphony the 27-year-old upheld that standard and included some more active listens for fans who may want more than to float beside her for 10 songs. Whether you came for the Lil Yachty feature or to find the next Faye Webster fixtures on a playlist of yours (that’s me), you’ll be pleased with this record. Faye’s most recent people-pleaser is a 8.6. 11 "But Not Kiss" "Wanna Quit All The Time" "He Loves Me Yeah!" I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU - JPEGMAFIA By this point, if you’ve heard JPEGMAFIA you’ve got an opinion. He is the foremost artist in his field of - let’s say ‘abstract’ rap. Known for his hyper hodgepodge instrumentals, loose performances, and goofy lyrics, assessments of his music range from ‘he’s the best rapper ever’ to ‘this isn’t music’, but I’ve always found his records to be mixed bags. Last year, with the help of Danny Brown, he released his most coordinated and listenable album at the time, and now he’s done it again. This 2024 LP reaches new heights of sonic palatability over a quality tracklist with perhaps the most stylistic and contextual range he’s ever shown, strongly displaying some of his most digestibly emotional songwriting ever, without compromising his signature nonsensical internet humor. His ability to seamlessly accommodate his features - namely Vince Staples and Denzel Curry - resulted in some of the best tracks on the record, and his production-based execution of increasingly ambitious song concepts is getting better and better. Peggy has always had all the tools he needs and I couldn’t be happier to see them come together in such a thorough and diverse offering. I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU is a 8.7. 10 "New Black History" "JPEGULTRA!" "either on or off the drugs" Bright Future - Adrianne Lenker There are few things I love more than supplementing a great album with a related Wikipedia scroll, and the latest LP from Big Thief’s timid leader Adrianne Lenker sent me to my favorite internet encyclopedia faster than any other record. I’ve always felt as though her pointedly midwestern blend of folk and alternative must’ve come from somewhere other than New York - her band’s home base. Turns out I was right (what else is new?). Much like her music, the sheer amount of life Lenker lived before recording her first album at the age of 13 lands somewhere between incredible and unnerving. For the length of Bright Future she toes that line, effortlessly communicating both the messages and moods she intends with the musical equivalent of comfort food for her fans. It’s yet another well-executed project from a woman who was born to be an artist, and while it may not touch the heights that certain Big Thief tracks do or have the pent-up energy of Songs (‘20), you’ll be hard-pressed to poke many holes in this safely stellar project. Bright Future is a 8.7 9 "Sadness As A Gift" "Vampire Empire" "Donut Seam" Dark Times - Vince Staples Vince Staples seems to have secured a solid B+ reputation across his first 7 studio albums, with The Big Fish Theory widely considered his masterpiece. That’s the status he’s been awarded, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the now 31-year-old never saw an upgrade in that respect. That’s what consistent coordinated releases do for an artist like Vince, and to me that’s a travesty. Vince Staples is one of the best artists in the rap game right now, and while he won’t throw it in your face, I will. Dark Times marks his third consecutive album-to-album improvement in terms of artistic and stylistic maturity. From the well-written songs throughout the record to the sonic palette which is the very best of the year, bar none, Vince is in complete control. His music feels calculated yet genuine, smooth yet rigid, laid back yet cutting, and you can only produce that kind of product if the product itself is your ultimate focus. This record, while not stylistically groundbreaking maximizes the sound he’s been working to perfect. If he chooses to move on to something new and does so with the same level of artistic execution he brought this year, everyone else better watch the hell out. Vince Staples’ best record yet is a 8.8 8 "Justin" "Children's Songs" "Little Homies" Almighty So 2 - Chief Keef Chief Keef struck again! Any year where the patron saint of the Southside sits atop the ranks of hip-hop albums is a good year in my book. Keef has been releasing generally solid projects in the 12 years following his emergence on, or rather creation of the drill rap scene we know today at the age of 16. Now, with the follow-up to his decade-old sophomore release Sosa’s struck gold again. As an artist whose reputation was staked and secured 4 minutes into his debut record, Chief Keef’s artistic development has gone severely underrated. So, if you haven’t been paying attention, he now is the near sole producer of his music, and that happens to be the greatest strength of this record. The production in question is by far the strongest I’ve heard on any drill record - he commands a massive energetic atmosphere on most of the songs which is nothing new to the drill formula, but with greater sonic depth and cleanliness than ever. His generally organic instrumentals only further legitimize the production effort, and he displays a greater understanding of the instruments themselves than producers pushing a similar envelope in the trap scene (Metro). The fact is, Chief Keef built this sound from the ground up while learning and developing his skills as a musician along the way and maintaining the performative stylings that won the hearts of his fans in the beginning. Now, the result is a new high water mark for not only himself but the drill scene at large. Almighty So 2 is a 8.9. 7 "1,2,3" "Banded Up" "Never Fly Here" Wall Of Eyes - The Smile The Smile is what you might call a perfect spinoff, and their third release (the first of two this year) is the perfect proof. When an established artist (or in this case three) embarks on a side project there is a key balance to be struck. First, in order to justify the spinoff in the first place the product ought to vary from their usual work, however straying too far opens up the risk of losing the original audience. If you’re wondering exactly how someone might go about striking that balance, give Wall Of Eyes a listen. Thom Yorke and co. brought the best elements of Radiohead to their 2024 record. Despite lacking the sonic brawn a 5-man band like Radiohead possesses, The Smile did a great job of cultivating similarly fantastic atmospheres, and I think it’s fair to say the thinner cast of musicians opened up greater stylistic flexibility. In a true example of doing more with less, the added air allowed for them to lean further into spacey psychedelic sounds as well as some of Skinner’s jazz inclinations and Yorke's more abstract vocal stylings. It’s a record made by true professionals with complete awareness of the tools in front of them and the collaborative mojo to execute some of the more difficult and conceptually loose tracks of their collective discographies. Wall Of Eyes is a 9. 6 "Wall Of Eyes" "Read The Room" "Friend Of A Friend" Mahashmashana - Father John Misty I’d like to say this is Father John Misty’s best album. A bold claim perhaps, especially for such an established artist with the dedicated fanbase he has, but one that can be easily backed up. While Mahashmashana may not prove to be loaded with signature tracks to the level of his 2012 debut, for instance, this 8-track 50-minute LP is packed front to back with significant undertakings. With 2 songs in the 4-minute range and the rest spanning 5-9 minutes each, Father John bit off as much as he ever has and executed at a new level. There are zero skips across a decently wide variety of songs, from his spiritual balladry to rambling rock and all the alternative space that he occupies so effortlessly in between. To me, it sounds as though the high-potential 43-year-old has reached a new level of comfortability within his music, and frankly, it shouldn’t be so easy to write and execute lengthy yet captivating songs in unwavering succession. That’s why as of right now, I’m placing Father John Misty on ‘perfect 10 watch’ - just wait. Father John Misty’s most complete effort to date is a 9. 5 "Josh Tillman and the Accidental Dose" "Screamland" "I Guess Time Just Makes A Fool of Us All" Diamond Jubilee - Cindy Lee Cindy Lee is a fairly massive talent. The music industry vet has performed in different groups, under different names, and in different genres, and all that seems to have led to the sort of indiscriminate ‘screw-you-attitude’ that can only be properly expressed by someone who’s either highly skilled, highly pissed off, or both. I know this because the murky abrasive nature of this music is exactly the sonic palette one might choose if they wished to avoid the underqualified attention of mainstream audiences. That approach has kept Cindy Lee in that perfect grey area where fantastic music can exist untouched and unbothered, which is no small feat. Unfortunately for Cindy, they might have blown that window wide open with their latest release Diamond Jubilee . The 2-hour 32-track triple record is a peak indie album (available for download on Bandcamp). Lee floats through genre-various influences with ease, challenging the listener on nearly every song while thriving in the tantalizing minimal complexity that makes this gaudy listen bearable. Rock, alternative, indie, folk, and psychedelic are no strangers to one another, but combined with the dual vocal deliveries, highly skilled and uniquely restrained guitar technique, and unwavering intention behind each track, this sound can be contained under just one umbrella: Diamond Jubilee. Cindy Lee’s odyssey LP is 9.1. 4 "All I Want Is You" "Dracula" "Lockstepp" Tigers Blood - Waxahatchee This was perhaps the best album referral I’ve ever received. Thanks Joe. Tigers Blood is not only my favorite record of the year - it’s also home to some of the most well-written and emotionally performed songs of the year, the most productive feature of the year in MJ Lenderman, and what I consider the best collection of vocal performances as well. Waxahatchee is a one-woman music machine who, with the help of a backing band can move you to tears with one song and out of your seat with the next. I found myself hanging on her every word, even considering the cost of a move to Alabama, because each track on this album somehow feels like home. She effortlessly combines elements of rock, alternative, folk, country, even a tasteful tinge of 2010s pop, and it all comes together in a sound I feel as though I’ve always known. I went back and listened to all of Kathryn Critfield’s other work, both under this outfit and in her previous band P.S. Elliot, and I can safely say that while all of her music prominently displays her strengths in one way or another Tigers Blood is simply another gear. I cannot wait to see what comes next. My personal favorite release of 2024 is a 9.2. 3 "3 Sisters" "Right Back To It" "365" Cowboy Carter - Beyonce Well, it’s official Beyonce has broken music. For the second release in a row, she arrived on the album cover on horseback in full pop-star regalia and released the most bombastic project of the year. Why would a veteran pop star with nothing left to prove coming off an unnecessarily adventurous but brilliantly executed electronic pop/r&b album choose to backtrack and release her first ‘country’ album - because she felt her roots have been neglected, because there’s always more to prove, or simply because she can? While my best bet is all of the above, there’s only one person who can answer that question, after all, Beyonce answered every other question with her latest success. Cowboy Carter covers all the bases. It ranges stylistically through her bread and butter, back to Renaissance , and forward to a brand new fusion of pop, r&b, and country that she can call her own. While the album's most potent country tendencies are found in the content and tone rather than the musical stylings, Queen B’s ability to meld whichever genre tropes she pleases is on par with some of contemporary music’s most venerable names. The vocal onslaught was as strong and sustained as ever as she glided through a lengthy record packed with big-name features, gutsy covers, and statement after statement in the form of standout tracks and calculated lyrical presentations. She has mastered the art of the album (it’s like she’s seen my scoring system), from the rollout to the song placement and what I can only assume was a massive collaborative effort behind the scenes. Beyonce’s country takeover is a 9.3. 2 "AMERIICAN REQUIEM" "ALLIIGATOR TEARS" "YA YA" Brat - Charli XCX Well, this should be no surprise. Charli XCX first emerged from the London party scene and entered the pop charts more than a decade ago. Since then she’s carved out a niche of her own somewhere between pop and dance/electronic, become one of the driving forces in the ever-developing hyperpop scene, and secured a reputation as a sort of all-around-icon by the age of 32. Her playful partygirl aesthetic goes just as far towards wrangling new fans as it does towing her most veteran supporters along her musical journey, and with her stunning 2024 release it's safe to say she’s done fans of every kind a service. Brat is a pure hyperpop record, a career-best undertaking of innovation, and the kind of record that cements an artist's legacy, but most of all it is a movement. ‘Brat Summer’, Brat for Halloween, Brat as an adjective - when was the last time you heard the name of an album take on such a socially verbose nature? Never is my answer, and it's for good reason. It’s a perfectly digestible, near-perfect 15 songs over 41 minutes. Each one is danceable, means something to someone, and stays perfectly within the abstract but contagiously understandable world that is Brat . Each time I listen to this album, whether in the car, on my audiophile stereo setup, or in my noise-canceling world-blocking headphones I discover something new in the mix, something that makes a song better, something that further cements Brat as the album of the year. 2024’s best record is a 9.4. 1 "Von Dutch" "B2b" "365"