fak3r 
A great year for music, a great year for live music
Here’s some of my favorite releases from 2024, remember, don’t look back. Dig in!
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Acetone “I’ve Enjoyed As Much Of This As I Can Stand” - this live document of Acetone served as a fine topper to the amazing New West box set of their discography, as well as being great reminder to all their fans what made them so special. A special band
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Bad Nerves “Still Nervous”
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Better Lovers “Highly irresponsible” - maybe my favorite live set from the year, and I saw them twice, talked to Greg (singer) after a show and he is just a dynamo, from his pedigree to his showmanship - this is what hardcore/metalcore has been missing imo
Better Lovers at Delmar Hall
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Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds “Wild God” - going to see the master again in a few months, this is a great album
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The Cure “Songs Of A Lost World” - no idea how he does it, this brings me back to Disintegration, which is a great thing
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Floating Witch’s Head “Fuzzy Details” - brilliant openers for Built to Spill, with a Philip Glass movie (Koyaanisqatsi) projected behind them. A nod to the Velvets?
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Four Tet “Three”
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IDLES “TANGK” - maybe my other favorite live set of the year, they constantly bring it. H/T to English Teacher (see below) for a great opening set
IDLES at The Argon (Chicago)
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Japandroids “Fate & Alcohol”
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The Jesus and Mary Chain “Glasgow Eyes” - always wanted to see them, they did not disappoint, top 5 live set of the year
Jesus & Mary Chain at Stifel Theatre
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Les Savy Fav “OUI,LSF”
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The Messthetics “The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis” - featuring Joe and Brendan, better known as the rhythm section of Fugazi
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Modern Life Is War “Tribulation Workshops” - it’s an EP but it’s what I listened to most this year. Fantastic record, and I just missed seeing them as they cancelled their show here. Next time
Sack put on such a great show at the Sinkhole
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Osees “SORCS 80” - back to their more garagy/punk sound, I approve
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Personal Trainer “Still Willing” - from The Netherlands, I saw them in Copenhagen at a small Christiana concert venue, which I now love
Personal Trainer at Loppen (Copenhagen, Denmark)
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Jeff Parker ETA IVtet “The Way Out of Easy” - more great jazz, this time off the court
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Shellac “To All Trains” RIP Steve Albini - they’ll never be anyone like him. What a huge impact he had on music that I love, from PJ to Weddos and beyond, not to mention Shellac, who I was lucky to see a few times.
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The Smile “Wall of Eyes”
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Soup Activists “Mummy What are Flowers For?” - a Saint Louis band that floored me when they opened for Sweeping Promises last year, then they actually recorded this in Kansas with Sweeping Promises. Sharp stuff this
Soup Activists (Saint Louis) at Gonerfest 21 (Memphis)
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Superposition “II” - more awesome modern jazz from Finland, thanks We Jazz, hope to attend your fest soon!
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Tycho “Infinite Health”
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Tube Alloys “Evil Angels” - great rock and roll from LA
Tube Alloys at Gonerfest 21 (Memphis)
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Touché Amoré “Spiral in a Straight Line” - well they didn’t stand on ceremony with this release, wow
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Whores. “WAR.” - one of best (and heaviest) lives sets I saw this year, good to see some metal freaks out at Red Flag
Whores. live at Red Flag
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Gillian Welch & David Rawlings “Woodland” - a great return to form from these legends of the (modern) genre
Honerable Mentions
Things I think are worth checking out, who knows, maybe they’ll catch fire later.
- Adrianne Lenker “Bright Future”
- DIIV “Frog in Boiling Water”
- English Teacher “This Could Be Texas” - strong opening set for IDLES (Chicago) helped to lesson my “This could be Dry Cleaning” feeling about them
- Godspeed You! Black Emperor “NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD”
- Fontaines D.C. “Romance” - I never hear a bad song from these folks
- Kim Gordon “The Collective” - still don’t love her solo stuff, but I’m giving it time
- Jamie XX “In Waves” - from the beats/music creator of The xx
- Lip Critic “Hex Dealer”
- Mk.gee “Two Star & the Dream Police” - what?
- Rosali “Bite Down”
- The Smile “Cutouts” - love the consistency and the pace of the releases
Parting Thoughts
Nothing stays the same, and I still love, love, love discovering new bands that light my fire. Here’s to next year!