Ahhhhh, time got away from me for a while there, but even if we are closing out the first quarter of 2025, 2024 releases are still out there, and I happened to like a lot of them. So here’s a fun little blast from the past as I run through 2024 releases, A to Z (as best as I could).
#
It’s not very fair to eliminate artists with numbers as the beginning of their name, especially with 3AM and 95COROLLA both having put in major work this year. 3AM released HOME’S HERE, and I don’t know that I have heard another album that feels like most waves of emo rolled into one sound quite so cohesively. It’s such a solid album and so easy to listen through. 95COROLLA delivered in a big way, first with jam after jam on their full-length LONG TIME LISTENER / FIRST TIME CALLER, an album that demands to be heard live with its balance of chaos and focus on pure, modern pop-punk – then AGAIN with the surprise New Year’s Eve ep drop LOUDER / FASTER / SADDER, which has been in HEAVY rotation for me since receiving a sneak peek of it about a month ago. To me, L / F / S takes the best parts of LTL / FTC and somehow improves on them. Just a friendly tip – keep your eye on the 95COROLLA, and I mean both the band, and any 95 Corolla you see on the street. Just for very different reasons.
A
If you think we’re off to a hot start, it’s about to get hotter. The letter A brings us to A PLACE FOR OWLS, who continue to put out incredible release after incredible release. Starting this list I was initially focused on PT. 2 and HOW WE DIG IN THE EARTH, but then they went and dropped a surprise Jimmy Eat World cover split with BROKEN RECORD, and like I said, I don’t like ranking things, but if I did, APFO is currently at, or very close to, the top. Albums, songs, EPs – nailed it. Clean sweep at the fork balloon awards. Plus they seem to be nice people, which may matter to you. Anyway, Denver emo band A PLACE FOR OWLS delivers on the true spirit of emo with songs that can strike deep into your soul and inspire you to be more mindful and empathetic. Like I said, good music, good people. Also from the As, we have CASUALLY CRASHING from ARCADIA GREY. I’ll admit, it took me a few listens to fully appreciate this record, but when it clicked it so clicked. Catchy, irreverent and still sincere. It’s a classic pop-punk vibe and ARCADIA GREY does a great job of making it their own. One final A artist I want to mention is A COUNTRY WESTERN, who put out LIFE ON THE LAWN this year. It can be hard to pin down exactly what A COUNTRY WESTERN‘s sound is, but at times this record gives me moments of BEULAH, if that helps. Nonchalant bangers like Sidewalk and The Dreamer are where this band is at its best for me.
B
Welcome to B, which may be the most underrated letter this year. Kicking things off we have MONKEY BUSINESS, a record from Kansas band THE BLAST MONKEYS that is stuffed with retro-grungy goodness. Think of it like this – if WEEZER was an alternative band that borrowed largely from the heavy metal of Rivers’ youth – this album is doing the same with midwest emo/pop punk and late 90’s radio grunge. I am a BIG fan. The B’s also bring us BOTTOM BRACKET with I’M SO AFRAID OF WHERE, an incredible pop-punk/emo record that feels like it could have come out in the early 2000s, and dominated the field. What I mean to say is that if rock has classic rock, maybe it’s time we have classic pop-punk, and if we do, this would be a defining record of the genre. BROWN MAPLE put out an ep, I’LL GET AROUND TO IT, and a split with SAINT JUDAS, SONGS ABOUT CATS…AND STARTING OVER that are both nice listens. Before we move on, let’s talk about a couple more Denver bands, BUDDY BENCH and BROKEN RECORD. Sure, neither put out full-lengths this year, but what they did put out shows me that something magical is happening up in those Rocky Mountains, and Denver is a scene to keep an eye on in 2025 for sure.
C
Keeping it rolling, the letter C brought its A game this year. C is super stacked so I’ll kick it right off with CASCADE RIOT, who rocked their way through an EP and 4 singles this year, including the newest anthem for the post-Christmas holiday season, Unhappy New Year. Next up is a double C with Philly’s CARLY COSGROVE and their indie-emo album THE CLEANEST OF HOUSES ARE EMPTY, which is full of hooky guitars and great melodies. CLIFFDIVER and CARPOOL both put out solid records this year, and as a fun twist, they both appear on each other’s album, making for an excellent C-themed double feature. Closing us out in the C’s, we have COMBAT with STAY GOLDEN. All I can say is STAY GOLDEN is the type of album you could tour on forever. I enjoy it more and more every time I listen to it, and the energy of it feels like it was made to be an even better live experience.
D
I feel like I’ve got to be missing something here, but much like an indoor-kid, 2024 appears to be a little D-deficient. The one standout for me this year came from DEAR MARYANNE, with their album AND NOTHING BAD HAPPENED. A straight up, unapologetically emo record that hits over and over again.
E
I also struggled with the letter E, and no one said this was a list of albums, so I just want to highlight one of my favorite singles of the year, TEQUILA REDBULL by EQUIPMENT. This band has set themselves up for 2025, though, because so far they just keep getting better and better. Can’t wait to see what they put out next.
F
Look, if you’re reading this, you probably already know about FOXING putting out an incredible record this year. If, somehow, you don’t – go listen to it. Then listen to it again. And who knows, maybe even again. It’s an album with a full life of its own and I love stepping in to it. You probably also know that FULL BLOWN MELTDOWN got a group together for the split FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE. The split/collab shines for the way every artist involved makes their mark on the songs. It’s a fun listen, put together by one of the nicest people in the scene.
G
It is with much sadness that I inform you that my choice for G is now broken up. GULFER had to go and drop another banger on us and then decide they are done making music. It’s a bummer for me, but I’m sure they have their reasons, and let’s just be glad that it seems to be a decision that is not rooted in some sort of scandal or controversy. The final record is an EP aptly titled LIGHTS OUT, but if you ask me, I’m going to hold on to hope for some songs from the dark at some point. Oh yeah, and GUSTER put out a pretty good GUSTER album this year, too.
H
2024 has been incredible for me, in terms of music. On more than one occasion there has been a record that I absolutely did not click with on first listen, and then somehow fell totally in love with them on additional listens. Not that I just end up thinking it’s “ok” – literally loving the album and what it offers. I’m a bit embarrassed to admit it, but hey, ily‘s record HEY, I LOATHE YOU was one of these. Maybe I was just having a bad day when I listened to it the first time. I’m going with that, because the album is an incredible ride across genres that pumps out emotion at every turn. Also interesting is MELLOWNESS by the Indonesian emo/math-rock quartet HERMIONE. This is full-on early 2000’s emo, folks, and it’s awesome.
I
Ok, so maybe I’m a little biased since Gil from New York band THE IN-BETWEENS does post on this site, but even if he didn’t, the 3 season-themed albums and a single with 3AM would deserve mention. This band is very much establishing a broad foundation of sounds that still meld together well, from indie/emo influences to shoegaze, I very much pick up what they are putting down. I also want to shout out INOHA – a surf-rock, power-pop act that, from the sound and art, you might think is straight off the beaches of Hawaii instead of San Antonio, TX, where they are actually based. This band’s album ALOHA INOHA and the follow-up single I SHOULD’VE KNOWN are top-notch, feelin’ good music.
J
J is all about JAM POETRY, another NY band that put out one of my favorite emo releases of the year, PASS IT DOWN, which felt like a comfortable warm blanket from the very first listen. It’s got it all – harmonies, twinkly guitar tapping, and occasional overflows of emotion.
K
I don’t know exactly what to say about KNAVERY, except that they really rock. It’s emo-adjacent, pop-punk-eque, and it’s rarely small. Like, these are some big tracks on their full-length, NO MATTER WHAT, as well as on their latest release, LEAVING OFF & KNAVERY. Sing along bangers left and right. Speaking of straight up rocking – KEROSENE HEIGHTS was busy this year, dropping emo-punk gold on their ep LEAVING, and their split with SWISS ARMY WIFE, SISTERS, NOT TWINS.
L
Oh, L yeah. I’ve been waiting for this one. I don’t think I had ever heard of LIQUID MIKE before this year, but they quickly became one of my favorites with the release of PAUL BUNYAN’S SLINGSHOT, then they increased these feelings with a couple bonus tracks and another single, CROP CIRCLES, leaving them as one of my favorite active acts, currently.
M
Return of the Mac, amiright? By Mac, I’m referring to Long Island’s own MACSEAL – yet another band that I felt took a step up from an already solid position. If you can’t tell by now, labelling bands into genres is not my specialty, but PERMANENT REPEAT is just all around good band music. If you like instruments, and melodies, and songs that just feel good…give it a shot.
N
One of the most established names on the list this year, NADA SURF released MIRROR, MIRROR. It’s genuinely peak NADA SURF. So much so, that I’d say if you’ve ever liked a NADA SURF song outside of Popular, you will likely love this album. If you liked GUSTER‘s new album, you will likely love this album. It’s rock for those of us who are cool with naps.
O
Ohnooooo, no good “O” artists this year. Sorry!
Absolutely kidding, as two of my favorite albums of the year combine for 5 O’s between them, and I think that’s significant. First up is OSO OSO, whose undefeated streak continues with this year’s LIFE TILL BONES, which delivers infectious melody after infectious melody. If you’ve listened to OSO OSO previously, expect the same vibe but just somehow even smoother and sunnier. Rounding out the O’s, no surprises here, but ORIGAMI ANGEL‘s FEELING NOT FOUND really hit for me. There’s something about these dudes throwing so many genres into a blender and producing such a beautiful and inimitable sound.
P
This one is special, because according to last.fm, this is my #1 most listened to album of the year, and I am not at all surprised. PHONESWITHCHORDS, THE SPEED OF TIME. This album takes me on a journey every time I listen to it, I love it, and I love that PHONESWITHCHORDS didn’t stop there, either, releasing THE PRESENT IS WATER EP, and another single, YOU, while also announcing there is more to come. I, for one, cannot wait.
Q
Who would’ve thought that Q of all letters would yield a top top result for me, but hey – it’s a crazy world! QUARTER CONSCIOUS brought the heat on their album PALETTE, and I love every second of its math rock emo greatness.
R
As a Texan, I try to support Texas musicians as much as I can, but in the case of RILEY!, it doesn’t matter where they’re from. KEEP YOUR COOL is just a great record. Put this right up there with STAY GOLDEN and the releases from 95COROLLA, as far as releases that make me want to go see a live show. Now, for a band from a little place that Texas allows to be its neighbor, RED SUN. When I have the chance to go windows down, music loud, RED SUN may just be my first choice. And when it comes to RED SUN, I can’t discriminate. I celebrate the entire catalog.
S
Ah, S! I want to celebrate the work of SUPERDESTROYER and LEAVE NELSON B, particularly on their killer concept album NELSON COMES TO VISIT. Rarely does a concept deliver on all levels the way this record does, with its full-on commitment to Sega Genesis inspiration from the sounds used to the fact that an actual Genesis style cartridge could be purchased. I love when a project pays as much attention to the art and style as it does to the music, so NELSON COMES TO VISIT is a must mention.
T
There’s something mesmerizing about the dissonant droning melodies on BREATHE & BLEED, the newest album from THIN AIR. I can just get lost in the tumbling expressions, as new sounds and elements create crescendos.
U
Do you UP DOG? You should UP DOG. No album or ep to promote here, but in 2024 we did get a new single, NIGHT OWLS UNITED, and I would be shocked if there isn’t more coming in 2025.
V
There’s something about an acoustic emo ep that just takes me right back to the early 00’s, and VOID CAVALIER‘s BITTER SOUTH understood the assignment. Feels best listened to on a slightly chilly morning with a warm beverage or on a slightly warm evening with a cold beverage.
W
When dream pop ventures into deeply emotional territory, you get WESTERN JAGUAR, and you love it. On VACATIONLAND, WESTERN JAGUAR confronts a range of feelings with driving beats and earnest lyrics in a series of indie-pop bops.
X
LA band X released SMOKE & FICTION, which will apparently be their final record. If you like that 80’s pop-punk slash rockabilly angle, you probably already knew about this record, but hey, it’s an X record, and that’s what I needed!
Y
YOUR ARMS ARE MY COCOON delivered pure emotional catharsis on DEATH OF A RABBIT. I can’t even begin to imagine what this feels like live as the record swings between peace and chaos with such a wide range of sounds…I bet it’s good.
Z
Damn. Defeated by the final letter. Couldn’t find a Z release. Where my Z bands at? Get in touch – give me something to put here!
I know I forgot someone or something – but instead of getting mad, come tell me about your release on bluesky! @forkballoon.diysky.xyz