A grand might not come for free but a musical spring in your step just has, all sparkly and bowed up proper an ting.
“The man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life”.
Muhammad Ali.
It pays to keep yourself infused with new sounds, as well as keeping an eye on those artists who never let you down. Music is fuel and it seems safe to say that music is back by dope demand!
Which made this mission to select 24 of the best new tracks from 2024 a real hard one to take on and walk away from, satisfied. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure and all that. But it seems 2024 on the music front just kept pumping out the good stuff like a geyser full of those musical notes you see in old cartoons. Some of the stone cold winners in this playlist will force the eyebrows skywards in appreciation, just like the Katie Price cover did.
Readers of a certain vintage and well earned musical wisdom will probably - as I do - adhere to a philosophy that reads as follows: The Charlatans; the thinking man’s Oasis, the drinking man’s Stone Roses (you can have that one). That’s all well and good, but just as there are no interested elbow nudges for the man who walks into the bar in a hoodie and tracky bottoms cos he couldn’t be bothered to switch it up for the evening, so it goes that there are no stripes earned for those who still harp on about the same artists they were into in the good old days. Especially as some of those people - you know who you are - will now have young adults in the house who may have friends over etc, who want to talk music and don’t really give a toss about how massive “Moseley Shoals” is.
This playlist promises a mix of seasoned artists who are still serving the goodness and some fresh sauce to impress any yoot that you may cross paths with during the Pagan season and beyond.
Some highlights…
The story behind Blitz Vega’s journey is enough to keep the heart fires burning on its own. Ex Happy Mondays guitar slinger Kav has written a legacy love letter to his Blitz Vega Co-Founder and soulmate; The Smiths’ Andy Rourke, who recently passed away. Full of hooks and growers, Northern Gentlemen is a title winning album and “Pass The Gun” is the belt unifier.
There’s a drop of classic Hip Hop ℅ production legend Pete Rock and Common, one of the most highly regarded flow merchants of all time. “Wise Up” jumps out from The Auditorium and brings the best of then, to add some phatness to yo table, now.
“Starburster” by Fontaine’s DC??? Sits on its own mountain top.
Fancy going to a gig which begins with meditation and ends with a group hug? Bob Vylan is your bag. The duo’s star is set to go from cult to who knows where. “Hunger Games” is one of many off of their Humble as the Sun album that merge - at a bare minimum - punk and grime, anger and peace, in order to fire a laser beam at societal issues. A poetic angrily honest love sandwich to fill you up.
The Rahs represent a sad tale. I’ve been in that game. Know the pain. The Scots departed the music scene and left behind The Common Ground, an album fit to sit alongside their peers and “Blood for Gold” shines brightly. The band are another in the conveyor belt of bands who felt the cold reaper’s hand on their shoulder and had to pack it in due to the costs of simply being a band. Listen to it, and send them a positive message because they are on this playlist to rep every other band that had the talent, but no matter how hard they swam, the undercurrents just kept sweeping them into the rocks until they drown.
The badge of beauty for this playlist gets pinned firmly to the lapel of Bill Ryder-Jones from The Coral. “This Can’t Go On” is gorgeous and melancholic all at once. Turn it up and close your eyes.
Every playlist needs a tune from The Streets and Mike Skinner lobs another bullseye dart doused in UK bass and wit at the backstreet boozer dartboard. “Cannot Be a Lie” sits chilling and nodding on mix album Fabric Presents The Streets; a salute to Fabric’s 25th year of being. Check out Mike’s brilliant and nostalgic homage notes to the legendary house of fun which is Fabric.
Obscure cover for the music snobs? Check. Lykke Li & Romeo’s version of Kings of Leon’s “Knocked Up” is a beautiful thing, epic in fact, so it’s only fair to follow it on with the Nashville boys’ “Nothing To Do” from Can We Please Have Fun? This single flicks a burning cigarette at the outlook of the zeitgeist herd, stating “man is obsolete, the wires got crossed and now we don’t…speak!”. I hear you brother. Hopefully things have changed for the better since Caleb penned that line.
Swedish mystic warriors GOAT are another artist endlessly pulling in droves of admirers, kicking their own cosmic can down the road with their new self-titled album, GOAT. “Ouroboros” might just be the sound of being kidnapped somewhere stiflingly hot abroad, stuffed in the boot and driven around for a while.
There’s even one here for those who still find time to gurn. “Chin Swingers” by the Kings of The Rollers, respect.
As for the newbies, Good Health Good Wealth and Pastel are representing big time and will give you the kudos that you can keep tucked in that top pocket for when required. Sian Eleri of Radio 1 said the former is “the best band name of all time”. Pub debate on. “Full Circle” is Streetsesque in its manifestation, courtesy of two lads who met in a Wetherspoons. “So I sat myself down at the sports bar & grill. To watch Runny Nose Sullivan and his mate play pool” and “my jeans were full of more holes than a racist argument”. Clap emoji x 3. If that doesn’t peak your interest you might as well clock off.
Pastel have a sold out tour behind them, another one set for early 2025, had recent support slots with The Twang and were chosen to support Liam Gallagher at Knebworth by well, Liam Gallagher. “Your Day” is a stone cold proper tune. That’s all you need to know.
Any Talking Head heads reading this, go straight to Deathpact. You’re in for an early cadeaux.
As I dot the I’s and cross the T’s on this, tucked away in the back of a pub in Margate with a Moretti and lime for company, it seems fitting for the playlist to be brought to an end by The Libertines, the pearly Kings of Margate. A staunch comeback after 9 years. What a return All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade is. Shows sold out in seconds, as will the new dates announced for 2025. Some say they’re the band that had it all, and “Night of the Hunter” is a microcosm of their poetic capabilities, viewed through a kaleidoscope with a Swan Lake sticker on it. Lovely stuff.
So as you slide into that festive time of the year where you show the chaff how the wheat roll on all fronts, go armed with this aural sword, sheathed and ready, and pull it out when you need to, power of Greyskull style.
And if you don’t agree, ZYKE.
- Blitz Vega - Pass The Gun @blitzvega
- Pete Rock & Common - Wise Up @realpeterock @common
- Fontaines DC - Starburst @fontainesband
- Bob Vylan - Hunger Games @bobbyvylan
- Idles - Gift Horse @idlesband
- Justice & Tame Impala - One Night All Night @etjusticepourtous @tameimpala
- The Rahs - Blood for Gold @therahsmusic
- Bill Ryder-Jones - This Can’t Go On @billryderjones
- Primal Scream - Ready to go Home @primalscreamofficial
- The Streets - Cannot Be a Lie @mikeskinnerltd
- Kim Deal - Crystal Breath @kimdealmusicofficial
- De La Soul/ Pharoah Monch/ Da Beatminerz - My Year @wearedelasoul @pharoahemonch @beatminerz
- Kings of the Rollers - Chin Swinger @kingsoftherollers
- Lykke Li vs Romeo - Knocked Up @lykkeli
- Kings of Leon - Nothing to Do @kingsofleon
- GOAT - Ouroboros @goat
- Metronomy/ SPIDER/ Master Peace/ Lynks/ TaliaBle - Typical @metronomy @taliable @masterpeaceldn @lynkslynkslynks @yourgirlspider
- Bonobo - Expander @si_bonobo
- Glass Beams - Mahal @glass_beams
- Fat Dog - Wither @fatdogfatdogfatdog_
- Good Health Good Wealth - Full Circle @goodhealth.goodwealth
- Pastel - Your Day @pastelbanduk
- Deathpact - 21 Questions @deathpact
- The Libertines - Night of the Hunter @thelibertines
David J Ham
