Here's a few more of My Favourite Albums of 2024. These ones I have already posted about on the Blog so I will just include the link to the particular posts I put up. It's a mixed bag of the new and some reissues as well as a really compilation spotlighting the songs of Tom Petty.
Depending on if I have the time I might get to do a couple more posts on My Favourite Albums of 2024.
I had noticed recently on Al Green's You Tube Channel that they had uploaded the excellent Robert Mugge film 'Gospel According To Al Green', which is celebrating its 40th Year. It's also available on Amazon Prime to watch.
The film combines a three-fold insight into the life of the Soul Man with an excellent interview, a live performance at a very small venue in Washington D.C. and a spotlight on the Reverend Al Green in action from his pulpit.
As far as I'm aware it is still avaible on Blu-ray DVD and you can probably pick it up at quite a decent price if you go searching.
Studio Album #14 from The Cure and their first since '4:13 Dream' back in 2008. 'Songs of a Lost World' provided a lot of joy on the opening day of November (I realise how odd that must read seeing that we are considering a pretty dark album from Robert Smith and gang, but it actually was a day of celebration with joy and happy tears).
Songs of a Lost World - The Cure (November 2024) 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Also to celebrate the release, The Cure put on a live streamed concert that began with a full live performance of the album from start to finish and then after a short Intermission they gave a superb second set of fan favourites and singles.
Founded in October 1994 in Gainesville, Florida, Hot Water Music released their 10th Studio Album, VOWS, earlier this year. Chuck Ragan (lead vocalist) and the chaps rarely disappoint.
VOWS - Hot Water Music
🌟🌟🌟🌟 Equal Vision Records (USA & Canada)/ End Hits Records (UK & Europe) 10th May 2024
"Without a single dud track and a sound so self-evidently brilliant in everything it strives for, you can’t really ask for more in a Hot Water Music album, let alone one that’s not had its back broken by three decades of prior history. And when even the wear-and-tear contributes positively to an already colossal achievement, that’s when you know a band is on a good path." - Luke Nuttal
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Because there some total music nerds out there who like these types of things and some crazy collectors who want everything and enjoy the challenge of findind them all, I'll include this list I found on Discogs.
Vinyl pressing history:
US: 1st Pressing, Equal Vision Records (5/10/2024): ?? - White Label, Custom Color 50 - Clear w/ 8mm Film Inlay (Equal Vision Store Exclusive) 250 - Rose, Red & Pink Ripple (Band Store Exclusive) 250 - Clear Black w/ Metallic Red Splatter (Band Store Exclusive) 250 - Red w/ Black Splatter 250 - Clear Turquoise w/ Black Splatter 250 - Marbled Grey/ White w/ Red Ripple 250 - Half Rose Stem Green/ Half Rose Pink w/ White Splatter 250 - Clear w/ Black Splatter (US Tour Variant) 300 - Orange (Florida Retail Exclusive) 500 - Light Brown w/ Black, White & Grey Splatter 500 - White w/ Green Splatter (Cooking Vinyl Australia Exclusive) 500 - Clear (US Indie Retail Exclusive) 1500 - Transparent Black (Retail Exclusive)
US: 2nd Pressing, Equal Vision Records (5/10/2024): 400 - Silver & Black Marble
250 - Clear w/ Tan, Pink & Green Splatter (Hot Water Music Webstore Exclusive)
EU: 1st Pressing, End Hits Records (5/10/2024): 35 - Test Press 35 - Super Deluxe - Clear w/ Enclosed Pulmonary Artery Trace (End Hits Exclusive) 100 - Red/ Yellow Swirl (Devil Dog UK Exclusive) 150 - Deluxe - White w/ Screenprinted Cover (End Hits Exclusive) 200 - Deluxe - Mushroom/ Toffee Pinwheel (End Hits Exclusive) 210 - Yellow w/ Black Splatter (Flight 13 Exclusive) 250 - Deluxe - Green/ White Quads (End Hits Exclusive) 300 - Transparent Green/ Clear (JPC Exclusive) 1000 - Cherry Red (Retail Version)
Some folks can get a bit overly precious about adding a Reissue or a Compliation to the their Favourite Albums of the Year Lists mainly for the reason "it's not new" or "it's unnecessary". I thought about this very thing quite frequently and to a degree I understand. I get fed up with labels that seem to constantly be reissuing the same albums time and time again with the only difference being the colour of the vinyl. or the label that just seems to rehash a "Greatest Hits" album two years after the previous one came out and there's either one or two different songs on it or the tracklist has just been swapped around. Hopefully I was able to point out how annoying also this practice is when it came to the release of a recent Springsteen Compilation and a deep dive into a number of the totally unnecessary releases that came before it (CLICK HERE TO READ THAT POST).
I don't believe we are dealing with an "unnecessary release" here because, as far as I'm aware, there hasn't been a new Pete Wylie Compilation for 24 Years! For many this might be a good introduction to the music by one of Liverpool's modern day musical greats..
Teach Yself Wah! - A Best of Pete Wylie & The Mighty Wah! - Pete Wylie 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Chrysalis Records 1st March 2024
One of the coolest wee collections of the music of Pete Wylie & The Mighty Wah! (and a couple of other named Wah! bands or is it brands?) since the excellent 'The Handy Wah! Whole : Songs From The Repertwah!: The Maverick Years 2000' (2CD set on Castle Music, 2000). Included are of course a few of the classic Singles (I'm guessing the licensing of the other tracks was problematic, hence their exclusion) and freshly Remastered tracks from 'Songs of Strength & Heartbreak' (2000) and the long spoken of but finally appeared, 'Pete Sounds!' (2017).
I don't think you are going to find a more artistically stacked album than this album which celebrates the songs of one particular artist. To name a few of them will give you an idea of what I mean: Bruce Springsteen, Billie Joe Armstrong, Dinosaur Jr., Lucinda Williams & Elvis Costello, Susanna Hoffs, Graham Parker, The Hold Steady, Ian Hunter, Willie Nile and Rancid. I think that in itself is a good reason to grab a copy.
The purpose of the album is twofold. Firstly to celebrate the songs of Jesse Malin, and he's written some absolute gems. Secondly to raise money for the ongoing treatment for Jesse Malin as he recovers from a rare spinal stroke that left him paralysed in 2023 check out the Sweet Relief Artist Fund.
Silver Patron Saints - The Songs of Jesse Malin - Various Artists
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Glassnote
Released 21st September 2024
1 Bleachers – Prisoners Of Paradise 2 Counting Crows – Oh Sheena 3 Bruce Springsteen – She Don't Love Me Now 4 Billie Joe Armstrong – Black Haired Girl 5 Dinosaur Jr. – Brooklyn 6 Frank Turner – About You 7 Alison Mosshart, Wayne Kramer, Tom Morello, Steve Van Zandt, Mike Watt, Joey C. – Turn Up The Mains 8 Lucinda Williams, Elvis Costello, Ray Kennedy – Room 13 9 The Wallflowers – Don't Let Them Take You Down (Beautiful Day) 10 Spoon – The Way We Used To Roll 11 Rocky O'Riordan – Shane 12 Butch Walker – In The Modern World 13 Susanna Hoffs – High Lonesome 14 Graham Parker – Greener Pastures 15 Alejandro Escovedo – Meet Me At The End Of The World 16 The Hold Steady – Death Star 17 Tommy Stinson, Ruby Stinson – Riding On The Subway 18 The Walker Roaders – St. Mark's Sunset 19 Ian Hunter – Dead On 20 Danny Clinch, Daniel Donato – Almost Grown 21 Aaron Lee Tasjan – Shining Down 22 Low Cut Connie – When You're Young 23 Willie Nile – All The Way From Moscow 24 Rancid – No Way Out 25 Gogol Bordello – You Know It's Dark When Atheists Start To Pray 26 Agnostic Front – God Is Dead 27 Murphy's Law – Frankie
Two of my favourite pieces to work on this year for Soundtrack4Life are both Dion related:
Firsty, an interview with Mike Aquilina from back in March. Mike has been writing songs with Dion for many years now and kindly gave up some time to answer a few questions for The S4L Interview. You can read that HERE.
Legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Dion delivers a new album that transcends generations: Girl Friends. His latest from KTBA Records sees him collaborating with a stellar lineup of female artists including the soulful Susan Tedeschi, powerhouse Shemekia Copeland, icon Carlene Carter, virtuoso Joanne Shaw Taylor, and the versatile Maggie Rose, among others. Dion's
timeless voice, and the distinct styles of these acclaimed artists,
create a fusion celebrating the rich tapestry of American music.
1 Soul Force - Featuring Susan Tedeschi* 2 I Aim To Please - Featuring Danielle Nicole* 3 Stop Drop And Roll - Featuring Valerie Tyson 4 Do Ladies Get The Blues - Featuring Christine Ohlman & Debbie Davies 5 An American Hero - Featuring Carlene Carter* 6 Don't You Want A Man Like Me - Featuring Rory Block 7 Sugar Daddy - Featuring Christine Ohlman 8 Endless Highway - Featuring Randy Fishenfeld 9 I Got Wise - Featuring Maggie Rose 10 Hey Suzy - Featuring Sue Foley 11 Mama Said - Featuring Shemekia Copeland* 12 Just Like That - Featuring Joanne Shaw Taylor
I thought I would begin sharing some of My Favourite Albums of 2024. It's certainly going to be a very varied collection and I make no apologies for that. It is worth repeating that these are My choices and not what might be considered to be the Best Albums of 2024 by the music press or the critics (you have to go and look elsewhere if you want that sort of thing). I've listened to a lot of albums throughout the year but due to a lack of money in the pocket I haven't bought loads (at least one per month) so they have had to be pretty good for me to go out of my way to buy them.
They will not be in any particular order, like a chart, but rather the fact that they appear under the banner of My Favorite Albums of 2024 should be enough to let you know how they are regarded by me.
My first choice is a "Folk" album, definitely not something I ever could have seen me saying, but I really like the whole "concept" behind the creation of this album and how a lot of research and discussion has gone into the subject before a song had ever been recorded.
Grace Will Lead Me Home - Angeline, Cohen & Jon
🌟🌟🌟🌟 17th May 2024 Available on BANDCAMP £7 for Download or £10 for a CD
Tracklist 1 Dear Polly 02:58 2 Press Gang Song 02:50 3 Grace will lead me home 04:18 4 Turn Round Newton 01:54 5 The President Sang Amazing Grace 03:23 6 Fantasia on a West Indian Burial Theme 03:16 7 I'm going to hear John Newton Preach 04:29 8 The choir still sings Amazing Grace 03:16 9 Sorry 03:13 10 Amazing Grace (Jesu Thy Words) 03:55 11 Eyes on the prize 02:34 12 Amazing Grace 05:05
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Angeline Morrison (The Sorrow Songs), Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne (Granny's Attic) and Jon Bickley (The Invisible Folk Club) came together to create a new album marking the 250th anniversary of the writing of Amazing Grace (2023) and the 300th anniversary of the birth of its writer John Newton (2025).
Jon Bickley headed a partnership between Invisible Folk, the Arts Council and the Cowper & Newton Museum in a project entitled 'Grace will lead me home.' It explored the love that people have for Amazing Grace including those who are descended from the slaves that Newton shipped across the Atlantic. Interviews covering every aspect of Newton's life, the slave trade and the evolution of the beloved hymn was undertaken (including Judy Collins) and these were turned into a series of podcasts that can be found HERE.
Cohen and Angeline were invited to join the project, review the research, meet the folks at the museum and write new songs and the end result is this album.
The majority of the information above is taken from the Bandcamp Page for the album.
It's been a few weeks since I last did a post here so I better rectify that with this one that spotlights (in my mind at least) one of the finest Debut Albums by a band that I have a fond affection for since buying their Debut 7" "Don't Dictate" in 1977.
There are links to the music below just click on the coloured titles.
MOVING TARGETS RE:CALIBRATED - Penetration 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Polestar 1st November 2024 Limited Edition of 250 on Red Vinyl (Now Sold Out) Available on Streaming Services Also
Penetration have a couple of dates left on their UK Tour with Essential Logic (London tonight, 17th November and on the 18th November in Brighton) celebrating 45 years since the release of their magnificent debut album 'Moving Targets'. This new re-recording of the album was actually done back in 2007 during rehearsals for a gig at the 100 Club in London. It's the first time it has been released on Vinyl and is only limited to 250 copies which is a bit of a shame. It has been remixed and remastered for this release.
There was a very limited edition of 100 copies self- released on a CDR in 2008 of this by the band, so I am assuming that it is from this recording that has been remixed and remastered for this new vinyl release .
The Debut Album was released in October 1978 on Virgin Records and there was a limited edition of 15,000 on Glow In the Dark Luminous Vinyl.The album reached #22 on the UK Albums Chart.
The band had beefed up their sound for the album with the addition of the twin guitar attack of Neale Floyd and Fred Purser (he would go on to play with Tygers of Pan Tang).
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