TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Just wondering what new album (no reissues or compilations) came out in 2024 that you regard as "Album Of The Year".

Or indeed, if you're like me, Albums of the year because I can't call one out in particular.

My mini-list:

Information Camouflage - 3 Daft Monkeys
As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again - Decemberists
Bringing It Down To the Bass - Tony Levin

In all I acquired about 30 new albums last year, but those (currently) stand out for me after repeated play. I've heard True, by Jon Anderson, once but it's sitting here waiting to be replayed along with 2024 albums from Kaiser Chiefs, Kasabian, Alison Moyet, Public Service Broadcasting and Neal Morse and the Resonance when I get the time.

I also took the time to set up a disk with Johnnie Walker's Jukebox selection, most of which I already had, for which my wallet is grateful. It's an esoteric selection and well worth listening to. I believe it's on Spotify too, although I could be wrong (as I don't "do" Spotify).

So what are your 2024 albums of the year?

2024 seemed to be more about reissues and boxsets for me overall, as well as filling gaps in the collection courtesy of a fabulous record store in Hoboken. I do rank RT’s Ship To Shore  and Alan Doyles’s Welcome Home very high, one album has stood out to me especially. Which is Strange Medicine by Kaia Kater. One of those wonderfully unclassifiable albums-folk/jazz/rock musically, while lyrically it takes you to some unexpected places. I definitely recommend this album

Daisy Rickman - Howl https://daisyrickman.bandcamp.com/album/howl

Tristwch Y Fenywod - Tristwch Y Fenywod https://night-school.bandcamp.com/album/tristwch-y-fenywod

Amyl & the Sniffers - Cartoon Darkness https://amylandthesniffers.bandcamp.com/album/cartoon-darkness

The Cure - Songs of a Lost World https://thecure.lnk.to/SOALWCD


Archive release (for all it's flaws, which are many) Fairport Convention - It all came round again

Funnily enough the RT album seems not to have appeared on my radar as a candidate for album of the year, although many of his albums have been contenders in the past. Don't know why.

My album of 2024 is probably Pokey LaFarge's Rhumba Country. His set at Towersey was a highlight of the year. Others I've enjoyed listening to include...

Janice Burns & Jon Doran - Great Joy to the New
Jake Xerxes Fussell - When I'm Called
Errol Linton - Love Gone Cold
Lassi Logrén - Jouhikko
Ben Nicholls - Duets
Linda Thompson - Proxy Music

Several I have enjoyed such as Luke Jackson, Richard Hawley, Martyn Joseph, Foo Fighters. Some new ones waiting to be heard - Michael Kiwanuka, English Teacher, Steve Knightley. Top 3 easy though

3 The Unthanks - In Winter
2 Martin Simpson - Skydancers
1 By a long way, Nick Cave - Wild God. Stirring, life affirming, just gorgeous. Even better when heard live.

I buy very  few new recordings.   Nearly all  of my purchases are reissues or back catalogue.

I can only think of Daisy Rickman  :  Howl.  Mentioned above.

I bought more new music in 2024 than I have in quite a while. Averaged about one a week. Most of it has been very enjoyable too, happily. A few examples:

. Anya Hinckle - Oceania (folky singer songwriter)
. Magnum - Here Comes The Rain (bittersweet but a fine last album for Tony Clarkin)
. Sister Sadie - No Fear  (bluegrass/country-rock hybrid)
. Rum Ragged - Gone Jiggin' (lively folk from Newfoundland)
. Albion - Lakesongs Of Elbid (power metal meets folk-rock)
. Taylor Hunnicutt - Alabama Sound (the country end of Southern rock)
. Lionheart - The Grace Of A Dragonfly (melodic rock WW2 themed concept album)
. Bronwyn Keith Hynes - I Built A World (bluegrass)
. Preeper, Rhaye, McKay - Wood & Wire (harmony drenched contemporary folk)
. Sergeant Thunderhoof - The Ghost Of Badon Hill (Seventies-style hard rock)

Good year I thought - a lot of excellent albums

Keep Me fed - The Warning
Western Approaches - Red Rum Club
Yesterwynde - Nightwish
The Likes of Us - Big Big Train
Ship to Shore - Richard Thompson
As It Ever was, So It Will be again - The Decemberists
Coming Home - Cara Dillon
The Winter yards - Steve Knightley
Hell Fire and Damnation - Saxon
Heavy Soul - Joanne Shaw Taylor
-1 - Deep Purple
Wild God - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Songs of a Lost World - The Cure
Wonder if the World Knows - The Ks
Born Again - Bridear
Karma - Myrath
Phantoma - Unleash the Archers
The stars will light the way - Galneryus
Beth Hart - You still got me

If I'd have thought for longer than a minute this would have been in my list as well.  As a rule I loathe winter-y albums but the Guardian review was spot on - this is one of the miniscule number fit to sit at the feet of the Waterson's Frost and Fire...

I didn't buy much new stuff this year, but among the cds first issued this year that I did get, these are ones I have enjoyed
Slates! Live The Fall
Grotesque Live The Fall
Continuum  House of All
Gaudy pop sensations  House of all
The Magnificent 40  The Men They Couldn't Hang
James  Yummy
And the Rory Gallagher box set

I saw The K's live a couple of months ago and they were excellent. Haven't got around to picking up the album yet though. Must rectify that.

In no particular order, my top 5 would be:

Decemberists “As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again”
Lemon Twigs “A Dream Is All We Know”
Katherine Priddy “The Pendulum Swing”
Nick Cave “Wild God”
The Unthanks “In Winter”

Yes to all of these, as well, especially the first two...

New ones by Martin Simpson, Lankum, The Young Uns, Christy Moore and the Sweetpool stuff I bought at their gig.

As brilliant as it is, False Lankum came out in '23

Top 5 in order of preference

1 "Pendulum Swings" Katherine Priddy
2 "Ship To Shore" Richard Thompson
3 "Wild God" Nick Cave & Bad Seeds
4 "Songs of a Lost World" The Cure
5 "In Winter" The Unthanks

"Lives Outgrown" by Beth Gibbons.

Admittedly the only new music I have bought in some considerable time.
Beautifully written and performed, with exquisite production!

Likewise The Young 'Uns Tiny Notes album. But they'd be on my Best Gigs of 2024 list.

Big Big Train The Likes Of Us is my real favourite this year.

Close behind are:
Al Stewart and the Empty Pockets Live
Matt Steady Flight Of The Raven
Jeff Johnson & Phil Keaggy Spinning On A Cosmic Dime

A bit further down the list are:
Jim Causley and Miranda Sykes Baring Gould Centenary 2024
Martyn Joseph This Is What I Want To Say
Home Service A Live Transmission
Altan Donegal
Regan & Bricheno Apparitions

Then there are a few I need to listen to more to decide on, such as Mark Knopfler's One Deep River, which I received for Christmas.  And others I only got late in the year, such as Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne Play Up The Music, Rob Halligan Standing On The Edge and The Wilderness Yet Westlin Winds.

Re-releases/Boxsets:

FC It All Came Round Again
Pallas Eyes In The Night- The Recordings 1981-86
Iain Matthews Thro' My Eyes - Vertigo Recordings 1970-74

Oh, and I forgot one that is up there in the 'close behind' section:

Joshua Burnell & Band Live at Cropredy

Very much enjoyed Jim and Miranda's live-streamed gig last year titled "Ghosts, Werewolves & Countryfolk". It's on Folkscape.live if anyone wants to watch it.

I was at some of Martyn's final Pipefest at Lancaster Uni. I must get a copy of that album. Does it include the song about a couple being rescued from a cave when they got cut off by the in-coming tide? Martyn played it at the afternoon songwriters' circle and it really showed what a good songwriter he is.

I think the song you are thinking of is Chapel Porth, which isn't on that album. He has released an EP with it on https://martynjoseph.bandcamp.com/album/chapel-porth-beach-ep, or you can just buy the single track https://martynjoseph.bandcamp.com/track/chapel-porth-beach.

Cheers Will. I've downloaded the EP.

I also bought around 30 albums of new music in 2024. Several people have mentioned The Decemberists album and that would certainly be a contender but on reflection I think my top 3 are:

3. In The Dark We Grow - Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage
2. Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits - Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs
1. Beautiful Happening - Fairground Attraction

Honourable mentions to two great albums of cover versions:

Fleetwood McNabb - Ian McNabb
Sings The Beatles at Abbey Road - Lucinda Williams

Archive releases:

It All Came Round Again - Fairport Convention (obviously and despite the issues)
One Hand Clapping - Paul McCartney & Wings
Archives Vol 3. - Neil Young

I am already doubting myself because I feel like the great Linda Thompson album should be in there. And Ian Hunter. And The Rolling Folk.  ;D

I was seriously underwhelmed.  I just didn't like the concept.  I feel guilty saying this out loud almost because I wanted to love it and I love interacting with Linda online as she's such fun.  But, no, not for me...

I was the complete opposite. I haven't particularly enjoyed the previous couple of Linda's albums (albeit they were quite some time ago). I thought this was a great way of giving her the voice she no longer has. I really like most of the songs (The Solitary Traveller is amongst my songs of the year) and I just really enjoyed the whole album much more than I expected to.

To Build A Sea by Lolli Wren.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-QYDnB_Wws

In A Wave

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8GHtYXbGe0

The title track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0O3vSMli2M

All Mine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnoZpZsEb0o

I Can't Decide

It only just snuck in, having been released in November.
It's gorgeous.