Album Of The Year 2024 - Beth Gibbons - Lives Outgrown

[Black&White&BlueMoon Town]

Here we are, and the big winner is Beth Gibbons. Followed by Waxahatchee, who drew the highest number of votes. From a total of 82 albums put forward.

I have to admit, not listened to either of the top two, so will finish the year off with that.

I included albums PM'd to me, and also went through the thread and included any post that listed more than one album, even when two were put up. Where someone simply said 'this is the best album of the year' I took that as part of wider conversation, although most of those did PM or post a wee list as well.

No reason for people not to discuss their and other albums further however.

Happy new year to you all.

First, a big THANK YOU to @Coatigan for putting it all together! Lots to sift through, and it is much appreciated.

What I like about this is I now get to listen to more than a few artists that I may have missed that I probably should be listening to, including the winner Beth Gibbons.

A sampling of each album from my (current) Top 10 is in the playlist below.

Artists I know well and listened to, but just missed my Top 10 include Michael Kiwanuka, Kacey Musgraves, The Smile, Dawes, David Gilmour, and DIIV.

Given the audience makeup here, I will confess I'm a bit surprised I was the only one who nominated Fontaines DC and Wunderhorse. Both excellent albums if you haven't heard them yet.

Also a bit surprised The Cure's latest didn't get more love. Recently released last month, that was the BIG enjoyment take away for me last week as I crammed for my current top 10. Kudos to those in the pages prior who put me onto that. I cannot stop playing that album, and it jumped to my #2 surprisingly for me.

I think I know who also nominated Local Natives and Orlando Weeks, so well done Coats! ;-)

I'm not surprised I'm the only one who nominated Guster's album, a band I saw live in concert this year supporting it, and just one that is very personal to me and another I couldn't stop listening to. Still going strong from the 90's.

 

[Coatigan]

First, a big THANK YOU to @Coatigan for putting it all together! Lots to sift through, and it is much appreciated.

What I like about this is I now get to listen to more than a few artists that I may have missed that I probably should be listening to, including the winner Beth Gibbons.

A sampling of each album from my (current) Top 10 is in the playlist below.

Artists I know well and listened to, but just missed my Top 10 include Michael Kiwanuka, Kacey Musgraves, The Smile, Dawes, David Gilmour, and DIIV.

Given the audience makeup here, I will confess I'm a bit surprised I was the only one who nominated Fontaines DC and Wunderhorse. Both excellent albums if you haven't heard them yet.

Also a bit surprised The Cure's latest didn't get more love. Recently released last month, that was the BIG enjoyment take away for me last week as I crammed for my current top 10. Kudos to those in the pages prior who put me onto that. I cannot stop playing that album, and it jumped to my #2 surprisingly for me.

I think I know who also nominated Local Natives and Orlando Weeks, so well done Coats! ;-)

I'm not surprised I'm the only one who nominated Guster's album, a band I saw live in concert this year supporting it, and just one that is very personal to me and another I couldn't stop listening to. Still going strong from the 90's.

I enjoyed Wunderhorse's album, but didn't make my top 10. I could not get into the FontainesDC album at all. Liked a fair bit of their previous stuff in isolation, but as an album this did not do it for me, one of those 'just make up your mind will you' ones.

 

[journolud]

Nice to see the top two were in my top ten.

A bit annoyed with myself that after I’d submitted my list I remembered Tindersticks’ Soft Tissue but as no one else nominated it then my oversight hasn’t denied it a higher placing.

 

[Boo or Boo-urns]

Adrienne Lenker (Big Thief) - Bright Future - #7 in the BM Album of the year
Beth Gibbons - Lives Outgrown - #1 in the BM Album of the year
Cindy Lee - Diamond Jubilee - #1 Pitchfork Album of the year / #2 Guardian's Top 50 Albums of the year
Waxahatchee - Tigers Blood - #2 in the BM Album of the year

Are the only 2024 albums I've heard this year.

Not bad.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

Amazing album, amazing voice. Not as good as Seasons (for me) which I think was her pinnacle.

 

[unicorn]

Great work @Coatigan , many thanks. Loads of stuff for me to listen to this week !

 

[Black&White&BlueMoon Town]

What I like about this is I now get to listen to more than a few artists that I may have missed that I probably should be listening to, including the winner Beth Gibbons.

Yeah, I recognized her right away from Portishead after a good listen today. Kudos to threespires with the assist from the Album Review thread for that instant connection.

The vocals and percussion really were the standouts to me on this album. I think I also need to be in the mood on this one too.

After an initial listen, "Floating On A Moment" and "Oceans" connected with me the most.

 

[Coatigan]

My own album of the year was Sprints' Letter to self.

I ended up reshuffling my top 3 towards the end. For a long time I felt Soft Play's album was a clear winner, as it had the most immediate and memorable impact. The Sprints one was good and had it in my top 3. It came earlier in the year though and I got a second run at it after their gig, and it really grew on me all over again, so last few weeks it jumped up there. Teen Mortgage's debut album was my most listened to abum (more for its catchyness and simplicity), so I put it at no.2. Soft play went from top to 3.

The rest really could have gone anywhere down to 10, orlando weeks worth mentioning.