2024 – The Acoustic Egg Box Top 30 Albums Of The Year

By not publishing my review of 2024 until the end of February 2025, it means that it hasn’t been lost amongst all the other reviews of 2024. Anyway, that’s my excuse, and I’m standing by it.

Despite what some people have claimed, it was yet another phenomenally good year for new music releases. Maybe the best since starting the blog. As a huge fan, I’m happy to report that the recent soul renaissance shows no sign of slowing down, and both established and new (at least to me) acts have produced some fine music.

Despite previously claiming that I was going to cut back, I went to more gigs and bought more albums in 2024 than ever before (sorry, Mrs EggBox). And whilst I happily stream music on both Spotify and Tidal, I’ve always maintained that I’ll continue to support the artists by giving something back for as long as I can afford to. That said, it’s really disappointing that more acts are choosing not to release their music on CD.

Although I love music from around the world, it’s heartening to see British artists making up a good chunk of my chart: 5 0f the top 10 and 16 of the top 30. Looking forward to some of the new releases due in 2025, it feels like this trend is only going to continue.

If you make it to the end of the written reviews (or if you just want to skip the nonsense and head straight to it), I’ve compiled a Spotify playlist for you to dip in and out of at your leisure. You’ll also see some highlighted and underlined text throughout the blog. These are links to additional music or articles that I think you’ll find useful.

Finally, I welcome all comments, shares or suggestions about my ramblings, but please remember that putting it all together is a huge labour of love. I’m not a “professional” writer, just someone who loves music and the arts. The only (and in my opinion, the best!) criteria used for deciding what’s included in these pages is that whatever it is, it’s based on nothing more scientific than it being a personal favourite.

One final thing before you dig in: if you discover something new in here, please help support its creator by also giving something back to them. In my experience, they’ll ALWAYS appreciate it.  Thank you x

GIGS OF THE YEAR (In No Particular Order)

ABC – The Forum, Bath; John Bramwell & The Full Harmonic Convergence – Bristol Folk House; Paul Weller – Bristol Beacon; Jalen Ngonda – Trinity Arts Centre, Bristol; Aaron Frazer – Thekla, Bristol; Eddie Chacon – Strange Brew, Bristol; Stone Foundation – St. Luke’s, Glasgow; Lightning Seeds/ Gorstey Lea AKA – Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton; Galliano – Bristol Beacon

BOOKS OF THE YEAR

1) DANIEL RACHEL – Too Much Too Young: The 2 Tone Records Story
2) NIGE TASSELL – Searching For Dexys Midnight Runners: The Last Gang In Town
3) BRITISH LIBRARY/ PAUL BRADSHAW (Editor) – Beyond The Bassline: 500 Years Of Black British Movement

• A special mention must go to Paul Simpson for his exceptional book Revolutionary Spirit – A Post-Punk Exorcism. It was released in December 2023, but I didn’t get around to reading it until 2024. It’s one of the funniest, most heart-warming and entertaining music memoirs I’ve ever read.

MOVIES OF THE YEAR

1) Heretic
2) Blitz
3) The Substance 

TV SHOWS OF THE YEAR

1) The Day Of The Jackal
2) Ripley
3) The Responder (Season 2)

TRACKS OF THE YEAR

1) BROOKE COMBE – Dancing At The Edge Of The World
2) THE CURE – Alone
3) POKEY LAFARGE – One You, One Me

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR

30: THE COURETTES – The Soul Of The Fabulous Courettes (Damaged Goods)
29: EZRA COLLECTIVE – Dance, No One’s Watching (Partisan)
28: NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS – Wild God (PIAS)
27: DEE C LEE – Just Something (Acid Jazz)
26: GALLIANO – Halfway Somewhere (Brownswood Recordings)
25: FONTAINES D.C. – Romance (XL Recordings)
24: THE JUNIPERS – Imaginary Friends (Cuckoo)
23: POKEY LAFARGE – Rhumba Country (New West)
22: BLOSSOMS – Gary (ODD SK Recordings)
21: BENNY TROKAN – Do You Still Think Of Me (Wick/Daptone)

20: NICK LOWE & LOS STRAITJACKETS – Indoor Safari (Yep Roc)

National Treasure makes a fine retro rock ‘n’ roll album with bonkers, masked Nashville surf rockabillies. Songs about love lost, love searched for, love found and love lost again ensue. Marvellous. Listen to: Different Kind Of Blue 

19: THE PEARLFISHERS – Making Tapes For Girls (Marina Records)

Scottish bands make amazing music, and The Pearlfishers’ favourite Falkirk son, Davie Scott, writes amazing songs. He should be lauded like Roddy Frame and Paddy McAloon are. Sadly, life’s not always fair, and I’m now trying to right that wrong by telling you all about him. Listen to: Making Tapes For Girls 

18: THE LEMON TWIGS – A DREAM IS ALL WE KNOW (Captured Tracks)

Geeky Long Island former child-actor siblings with Rundgren, Wilson and McCartney fetishes doesn’t sound like a marketing man’s dream. Luckily, a supreme talent for writing catchy, melodic ditties in thrall to their 1960s/70s heroes saves the day. Listen to:

17: MICHAEL HEAD & THE RED ELASTIC BAND – Loophole (Modern Sky)

Liverpool’s former Pale Fountains and Shack legend continues to gain long-overdue recognition by making timeless music for discerning ears. I’m surprised no one has bottled the elixir in Mersey water and sold it to wannabe songwriters everywhere. Keep on keeping on, Mick. Listen to: Shirl’s Ghost

16: JOHN BRAMWELL – The Light Fantastic (Townsend Music)

Perpetually touring Manchester troubadour and frontman of the brilliant but now sadly defunct I Am Kloot takes time out to make an album of enigmatic, Beatlesy beauty. An exceptional lyricist and hilarious raconteur. JB will drink you under a table given the chance, as we once found out in a Bristol hotel… Listen to: I Am The Sky

15: PET SHOP BOYS – Nonetheless (X2/Parlophone)

PSB are purveyors of some of the greatest tunes of the last 40 years, and Nonetheless is up there with their best work; in fact, I’m calling it the gay synth-pop and lush strings lovechild of Please and Behaviour. Now then, where did I put my spangly vest and leather cap?  Listen to: A New Bohemia 

14: GRUFF RHYS – Sadness Sets Me Free (Rough Trade)

There’s a uniqueness to Gruff Rhys’s songwriting that sets him apart from his contemporaries. More than any other artist in my chart, from the first notes of this fine album, there’s absolutely no mistaking who recorded it. Like Bill Ryder-Jones’s Iechyd Da, the album’s melancholic tracks are never cloying; you only have to look at the song titles to realise that even with some weighty subject matter, there’s a pervading sense of playfulness throughout. Listen to: Bad Friend

13: LEON BRIDGES – Leon (Columbia)

Atlanta-born, Fort Worth raised, Leon Bridges’ fourth solo long-player, Leon is a soul album with just a soupcon of country wafting through its 13 warm, mellow tracks. He loves the Texan sun, does Mr Bridges and, sensible lad that he is, he does love to rock a shade-offering cowboy hat given half a chance. Listen to: Panther City 

12: KELLY FINNIGAN – A Lover Was Born (Colemine)

A Lover Was Born is the 2nd solo album from the Monophonics golden-tonsilled frontman. Resembling Harry Nilsson and sounding like Otis Redding, he’s the blackest white guy you’ll hear this (or probably any other) year. When you see him live there’s no doubting that he’s the real deal as he lives and breathes soul music. In summary, Colemine’s Finnigan is to Stax what Daptone’s Thee Sacred Souls are to Motown. Listen to: Cold World

11: AARON FRAZER – Into The Blue (Dead Oceans)

The follow-up to 2021’s debut Introducing… (AEB no.4),  Into The Blue is another impressive solo album from Durand Jones & The Indications’ singing drummer. Soulful falsettos are in, and along with 2023’s AEB Album Of The Year winning singer, Jalen Ngonda, this young man possesses one of the best in the business. Frazer’s vocal style is suited to ballads, which make up most of the album, but he’s not averse to getting his funk on – Payback being a prime example. He also cuts it live. His gig at Bristol Thekla in October was one of the best of the year. Listen to: Time Will Tell

10: BRIGITTE CALLS ME BABY – The Future Is Our Way Out (ATO Records)

Every year, at least one album blindsides me by coming straight out of nowhere. This year’s surprise package is The Future Is Our Way Out from Chicago-based Brigitte Calls Me Baby. Lead singer Wes Leavins is all quiff and cheekbones and appears to be doing a sterling job of channelling Morrissey, Elvis and The Wild One era Marlon Brando. Fans of those mentioned above plus Johnny Marr, Richard Hawley and even The Killers will love this. I certainly do. Listen to: The Future Is Our Way Out

9: BILL RYDER-JONES – Iechyd Da (Domino)

Iechyd Da – a Welsh drinking toast. We should all be raising our glasses to former Coral guitarist Bill, for creating this enchanting, tender, sometimes fragile but certainly uplifting suite of songs. The Guardian’s Dave Simpson called it an album about heartache and hope, and that’s the best review you’ll read all year. Listen to: This Can’t Go On 

8: THEE SACRED SOULS – Got A Story To Tell ((Daptone)

Got A Story To Tell is the San Diego band’s 2nd album and the follow-up to their 2023 (AEB no.4) self-titled debut. If their debut had one foot in a 60s retro-soul camp then Got A Story To Tell angles their sweet sound more towards the early 70s. If you love Marvin Gaye as much as me, Josh Lane’s sublime vocals will fill you with joy. Notably, Live For You (featured on the accompanying Spotify playlist) has the sweetest What’s Going On vibe this side of Hitsville. Listen to: Lucid Girl

7: FATHER JOHN MISTY – Mahashmashana (Sub Pop)

FJM is America’s greatest living songwriter, and Mahashmashana is his majestic follow-up to 2022’s Chloe & The Next 20th Century (AEB no.6).  As ever, Mr Misty (aka Josh Tillman) has written an album full of gorgeous tunes with lyrics are sometimes inscrutable, but always interesting. I like to think of him as Nilsson and Dylan’s enigmatic lovechild. Listen to: Screamland

6: CAMERA OBSCURA – Look To The East, Look To The West (Merge)

Some of the most beautiful songs ever written have come from that place in a heart where grief lives. Sugar Almond is one of those songs; much-loved band member Carey Lander is the subject. Sadly, she died in 2015 aged just 33 and this is the Glasgow band’s first record since her passing. Poignant and melancholy but never cloying, this is a big comforting hug of an album. The most welcome musical return of the year. Listen to: Sugar Almond

5: LADY BLACKBIRD – Slang Spirituals (BMG)

Lady Blackbird – the jazz Grace Jones. Her voice is something very special – the power of Bassey meets the style of Simone. Whist her 2021 debut, Black Acid Soul was a more “traditional” jazzy album of hugely impressive covers, Slang Spirituals embraces soul, gospel and funk. The one cover on here is an incredible almost psychedelic version of Bettye Swann’s When The Game Is Played On You. Next stop – Bond theme, surely? Listen to:  Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

4: MICHAEL KIWANUKA – Small Changes (Polydor)

Whilst not quite hitting the dizzy heights of 2019s Kiwanuka (AEB no.2) or 2016s Love & Hate (AEB no.1), Small Changes is nevertheless a soulful, introspective gem of an album. With the dialling down from epic and lavish to understated and meditative, MK has created a suite of songs that feel altogether more personal; a refuge even. And they all work beautifully together. Listen to: One And Only

3: JESSICA PRATT – Here In The Pitch (City Slang)

5 years after her gorgeous AEB no.16, Quiet Signs was released, Jessica Pratt has released an even better album in the equally mesmerising, Here In The Pitch. I described Quiet Signs as lysergic and hypnotic and her new one hasn’t strayed too far from that same otherworldy path. Despite being from California, I’ve always thought her music and voice wouldn’t have seemed out of place in a smoky Parisian club circa 1965; a kind of a Julee Cruise meets Francoise Hardy with some Brazilian sunshine sprinkled over the top. This is another wonderful record from a unique talent. Listen to: Life Is

2: PAUL WELLER – 66 (Polydor)

I’ve said it before, but I struggle to write objectively about my musical heroes and PW is on that hero list. So I’ll be brief. This is a fine album. Unlike his last effort Fat Pop (Volume 1) (AEB 2021 no.13) which I thought was decent but a bit of a mish-mash, 66 is a coherent, contemplative and soulful collection of 12 great songs. This is his 17th solo LP (his best since 2018s AEB no.1, True Meanings) and he still shows no signs of slowing down or losing his edge. It’s undoubtedly a testament to his love of the songwriting craft and, just as importantly, his love of new music full-stop. At this rate, he’ll be known as the Mod-Great Grandfather before he even considers retiring. Listen to: Nothing

1: RICHARD HAWLEY – In This City They Call You Love (BMG)

Richard Hawley isn’t just an amazing musician with the baritone voice of a bourbon-loving angel, he’s also a hugely entertaining hanging-on-the edge-of-his-every-word raconteur. This innate gift is evident in Hawley’s deftly arranged songs; lyrical vignettes from the pen of a master craftsman. No stranger to the AEB charts (Further – no.15 in 2019 and Hollow Meadows no.2 in 2015) for me, In This City They Call You Love is his most complete record since 2005’s wonderful Coles Corner. And whilst the opening track, Two For His Heels, is a fine Link Wray-esque bluesy rocker, the sublime, heartfelt ballads set this great album apart from this year’s competition. One last thing – with everyone and his dog now referring to RH as “The Sheffield Orbison”, I’m now going to start calling The Big O “The Texas Hawley”. Listen to: Prism In Jeans, Heavy Rain and for an insight into the man behind the songs have a listen to Gary Kemp & Guy Pratt’s hugely entertaining “Rockonteurs” podcast interview with Richard’s back in 2022

THE SPOTIFY PLAYLIST