2024 Albums of the Year - #25 - 21

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, for me that is. In this series, we’ll explore the 2024 albums of the year, a list of 25 records I believe to be the year’s finest. I love doing this annually for Phenixx Gaming and I appreciate when people reach out on Instagram asking about where new releases will land come time to write these end-of-year articles. Without further ado, let’s dive into numbers 25 through 21. As usual, we’ll have coverage for albums in this list all week. After you read through these, let us know in the comments if any of these records were on your albums of the year list!

25 – DIIV, Frog in Boiling Water

DIIV nearly broke up, but they’re back and leaning heavily into their turmoil on Frog in Boiling Water. The complicated instrumental textures and gentle vocals are here, but there’s a defeat to the collection of songs on this 2024 effort that somehow sounds like we’re all feeling. As we nitpick every one of our shortcomings, we look around at the world and wonder how we’re to blame for all of this mess.

As shoegaze has emerged as a surprising home for many alt-Gen-Z music heads, DIIV could be a significant mainstay for a growing audience. Still, the masterful dread of Frog in Boiling Water feels like a farewell akin to Hyperview by Title Fight. The comparison may mean, if true, that this is the last DIIV album we get for a while, but I hope I’m wrong. If it is, it’s a daring last stand for a group battling what we’re all dealing with on top of unique personal concerns.

24 – The Cure, Songs of a Lost World

A trap some artists that have been around for decades fall into is releasing music that feels like a shadow of their former work. The Cure does something more profound on Songs of a Lost World, their first album in 16 years. They masterfully embody their iconic sound, but there’s growth on display. You can hear influences of where gothic post-punk as a genre has gone since their inception, but the root of their music is still as strong as ever. Despite this, as track two states, “Nothing is Forever.” Who knows how many more of these albums we’ll get?

There’s no denying that The Cure is still a force in music. Festival headlining spots still bring out fans (new and old) who feel wholeheartedly their signature coldness wrapped in a desire for love and human connection. Originality helped The Cure stand out among 80s rock acts, and it continues to be their strong suit. Many bands find influence and inspiration from the Cure, even those outside the rock or punk genres. After all this time, still nobody does it like them.

23 – Cindy Lee, Diamond Jubilee

Every element of Diamond Jubilee leads you to believe this album is one of a kind and yet has somehow existed for years. There’s familiarity in the pieces of the puzzle Cindy Lee lays out, but as a whole picture, it feels significant enough to marvel truly. I understand some who balked at a 2:30 hour run time and assumed bloating was along for the ride. Inversely, this record has plenty of space for everybody, from bedroom pop fans to 60s psych-rock aficionados. Best of all, everyone’s invited to tune in.

Cindy Lee, the drag character for artist Patrick Flegel, will likely end the year far less known than the project should be due to an irregular album rollout. The album still isn’t on Spotify, and in many ways, no one tune stands out among the 32-song tracklist as significantly better than the rest. That’s because this is a whole meal, not courses to discuss in comparison and competition with one another. For now, until everyone gets on board, early adopters can enjoy the satisfaction of consuming brilliance before the rest arrive.

22 – Laura Marling, Patterns in Repeat

The softness Laura Marling evokes on Patterns in Repeat makes sense, knowing the singer-songwriter just became a mother. It’s also desperately soothing, given the last 4 years, riddled with uncertainty, franticness, and all-around chaos. Early in her career, Marling’s music felt like it was expanding in scope and circumstance with each album. Now, it feels like it’s collapsing back down to its simplest form, melodic folk with a brilliant sense for songcraft.

I find Laura Marling’s appeal to generally boil down to what I love about Joni Mitchell. Each track is ephemeral, rarely lasting more than 4 minutes. Still, you leave each song feeling like you understand her deeply. Even in the celebration of parenthood, there’s plenty of anxiety and restlessness to explore. That doesn’t go away in motherhood, it’s amplified for two. When life gets loud, Marling’s latest reminds us to go quiet and find ourselves again before continuing.

21 – Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft

For someone so young and relatively early into her career, Billie Eilish delivers each track of Hit Me Hard and Soft with the wisdom and self-awareness of a decades-reigning popstar. As an alternative shade of superstar, Eilish leans heavily into the darker tones that kickstarted her discography but trades in ominous foreboding for a sorrowful acceptance that there’s still beauty in heartbreak.

Billie Eilish set out to make Hit Me Hard and Soft as a complete, traditional album. For me, that’s why it plays out so strongly from track 1 to 10. There’s organization and thoughtfulness put into each track. That’s a given with Eilish and brother/producer FINNEAS. There’s also an execution, however, that truly shocked me. This is a great record and it took Eilish no time to hit a level of precision with her songwriting and artistry that the future could not be brighter for one of pop’s most promising young voices.