10. Hey, Ily! - Hey, I Loathe You
So full disclosure, this band was totally new to me. And I am so happy I found this record this year. Hey, Ily! combine emo, punk, hardcore, chiptunes, and a bunch of other things into an incredibly tight group of songs. They’re catchy, danceable, chantable, and all the things you want these genres to be. Please give them a listen, there’s something for everyone here.
09. World’s Greatest Dad - Better Luck Next Time
Another new band for me, that’ll be a theme this post, WGD are authentically “redneck emo” in all the best ways. Combining the charm and twang of indie folk/country with the driving anthems of pop-punk into a solid track listing, this record got a ton of spins from me. It’s not for everyone to be sure but if you go in with an open mind I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
08. Red Sun - Best Buds :)
Best Buds feels like a throwback record in the best way possible. Had this been released in the early 2000’s it would have felt right at home with its contemporaries. Hitting in 2024 though it takes me back to college, working at the radio station and discovering new bands and sharing them with the world. This record hits all the right notes and will have you stomping and shouting along.
07. Carpool - My Life In Subtitles
Blending genres is often difficult at best and super messy at worst. Carpool manage to deliver a record that takes that difficult task and rewards the listener with a solid rock/emo/pop/punk/etc. journey through its tracks. It’s a hard record to pin down but one that ultimately sees the group deliver their most mature record yet.
06. Southtowne Lanes - Take Care
Like Carpool above Southtowne Lanes’ Take Care starts with a piano. It’s certainly the calm before the storm as the opening track quickly morphs into a driving post hardcore anthem. It’s raw, heavy, emotional and a hell of a start to this record. Clocking in at thirty eight minutes I found myself wanting more which is never a bad thing.
05. Combat - Stay Golden
Three records in a row with piano intros. Unlike the two above though Combat go from piano to pure pop punk in the blink of an eye and then continue to jump genres from indie to ska to punk to straight up arena anthems. It’s an ambitious record that shows a band confident in their songwriting ability and ready to take that next step.
04. Spaced - This Is All We Ever Get
What a debut! Buffalo hardcore band Spaced come out swinging with a debut record that starts hard and just won’t give up. I got big time Snapcase vibes from these tracks which is about the highest praise I can think of. A straight up hardcore record that begs for you to scream along, give this one time in your rotation.
03. Mannequin Pussy - I Got Heaven
This is just one of those records that requires multiple listens. Every now and again a band puts out such a perfect collection of songs, both in content and tone, that you cannot help but go back again and again. These ten tracks, clocking in at just thirty minutes, are exactly that. It is the most confident record Mannequin Pussy have released and one that isn’t afraid to be whatever it needs to be from track to track.
02. Drug Church - Prude
If there ever was a record that demanded to be played LOUD it is this one. Drug Church might just be the best guitar driven hardcore band in the world at the moment. This record is full of the type of anthemic riffs that hardcore lives for. The vocals punch as hard as the instruments adding layers to whole piece of business. Windows down, speakers cranked, good times had by all.
01. Amyl and the Sniffers - Cartoon Darkness
My favorite punk record of 2024. The one I spent the most time with and just couldn’t stop listening to. This record has big “fuck you” energy which could be tiresome if it wasn’t so damn earnest. It’s bold, brash, loud, and introspective all at the same time. I cannot wait to hear what’s next.
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.