Julie's Top 10 of 2024

Saying a quick hello before I slam my laptop shut for the holidays. I have for you a playlist of songs from my Top 10 albums of 2024. 

It is no shock that Charli xcx and Beyoncé claimed the top spots this year. Both made multiple appearances on my playlists in 2024, and while Brat/Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat and COWBOY CARTER have totally distinct vibes, they are equally brilliant. 

A track from indie singer-songwriter Waxahatchee’s fantastic album Tigers Blood already made it onto one of my earlier playlists this year, she also landed a spot on my 2022 Top 10 Albums with her band Plains, a collaboration with Jess Williamson. Safe to say, I am a fan. 

Next up is the self-titled debut from The Hard Quartet, an indie supergroup featuring Stephen Malkmus (Pavement), Matt Sweeney (Chavez and countless others), Jim White (Dirty Three) and Emmett Kelly (The Cairo Gang). 

Singer-songwriters feature heavily on my list this year, including Cassandra Jenkins, who is no stranger to my Top 10 Albums. She first made the cut in 2021 and her follow up My Light, My Destroyer earns another well-deserved spot. 

I came around to Irish rock band Fontaines D.C. late in the game but they won me over when I saw them live opening up for Arctic Monkeys a few years back. Their latest album Romance is more eclectic than previous releases which I love. 

I know, I know - another singer-songwriter! But there were so many good albums in that genre. Another standout for me is Rosali’s new release Bite Down. It is solid from start to finish. At times her music reminds me of one my all-time favorites, Fleetwood Mac. 

Australian indie band The Umbrellas make jangly pop guaranteed to lift your mood. On the opposite end of the spectrum, is the music of singer-songwriter Jessica Pratt whose moody album has a 60s musical vibe but feels timeless. 

Rounding out this years Top 10 is indie folk singer Kate Bollinger with her album Songs From A Thousand Frames Of Mind. Her song “Lonely” is a collaboration with another favorite, musician Matthew E. White. 

This year I included the name of the album after the track title to make it easier for your to find the full-lengths if you want to explore them further if something catches your ear. I would love to know your favorites of 2024 so send me a message or leave a comment on the site. Wishing you peace, health and happiness in the New Year! 

Julie's Top 10 Albums of 2024 

Charli xcx - Sympathy is a knife (featuring Ariana Grande)/Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat 

Beyoncé - SWEET★HONEY★BUCKIIN’/COWBOY CARTER  

Waxahatchee - Bored/Tigers Blood 

The Hard Quartet - Our Hometown Boy/self-titled 

Cassandra Jenkins - Petco/My Light, My Destroyer

Fontaines D.C. - Favorite/Romance  

Rosali - On Tonight/Bite Down  

The Umbrellas - Gone/Fairweather Friend 

Jessica Pratt - World on a String/Here in the Pitch  

Kate Bollinger - Lonely/Songs From A Thousand Frames Of Mind 

xo, 

Julie 

Happy Thanksgiving!

In case you need a playlist for your Thanksgiving dinner or cocktail hour, I've got you covered. I created this playlist for Atelier Armbruster's November newsletter which is the architecture and interior design firm where a work. It was such a thrill to share my love of music with a new audience. This playlist is an eclectic mix of music released this year - including songs from Beyoncé, Charli XCX, Remi Wolf - alongside some timeless favorites from INXS, Brian Eno and John Cale, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Arthur Russell, Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield, Chaka Khan and David Bowie.

You will also find a more recent but older track from Caroline Polachek and one from Argentinian artist Juana Molina. Of course, there are some indie favorites here too like Feist, Blood Orange and Stereolab. I hope this playlist adds a little extra joy to your Thanksgiving. Wishing you a warm and happy holiday!

Feist - Mushaboom

Beyoncé - BLACKBIIRD

Blood Orange - Best to You

INXS - The One Thing

Charli XCX - Apple featuring the japanese house

Brian Eno & John Cale - Spinning Away

Juana Molina - Cosoco

Ryuichi Sakamoto - energy flow

Arthur Russell - That's Us/Wild Combination

Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield - What Have I Done to Deserve This?

Remi Wolf - Soup

Caroline Polacheck - So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings

Stereolab - Wow And Flutter

Chaka Khan - Fate

David Bowie - Sound and Vision

xo, Julie

Y2K

Apparently, Y2K is back. This was completely unknown to me until my teen asked if I had any Y2K clothes that I had kept. What did Y2K clothing even look like? I think my brain merged early Aughts fashion with '90s looks because all I could think of were crop tops and baby tees. Y2K music is much more in my lane. In fact, the only Y2K clothing I kept are t-shirts from artists that I worked with at the time. So in honor of Y2K’s big comeback, here is my latest playlist. 

The intro track is from the Liverpool band, Clinic, whose acclaimed debut album Internal Wrangler was released in the UK in 2000. I first saw them live opening for another band on this playlist, Radiohead, in Victoria Park in London in the fall of 2000. I would have never guessed that a year later I would be part of the press team working on this record in the States. Musically, Broadcast transition seamlessly from Clinic. Their mix of electronic and psychedelic music are a mood. Their album, The Noise Made By People, is beautiful and haunting as is the track “Echo's Answer.”

Another debut album released in 2000 is Australian band The Avalanches' Since I Left You which features the innovative track “Frontier Psychiatrist,” built from a seemingly infinite blend of unique samples. “The Crystal Lake” is from Grandaddy’s highly acclaimed sophomore album The Sophtware Slump. 

The next three artists and songs are feminist favorites.  “All Hands On The Bad One” is the title track from the fifth album by Sleater-Kinney. Chicks on Speed and Peaches are two of the three Y2K t-shirts that I still have. I was part of the press team on both these releases as well. Munich-based electronic art collective Chicks on Speed’s cover of Malaria!’s song “Kaltes Klares Wasser” and “Sucker” is from the Canadian artist Peaches from her beloved album Teaches of Peaches.  

Outkast’s Stankonia blew everyone away when it was released in 2000. “B.O.B. - Bombs Over Baghdad,” was the explosive first single from the album and is an exciting blend of musical styles. PJ Harvey’s Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea and the track “Good Fortune” is her sonic homage to New York City. Many of the songs from the album were inspired by the English artist’s time living here. 

Scotland's The Delgados and their song “Accused of Stealing” kick off the indie pop portion of the playlist, followed by “Way You Walk” from Boston’s Papas Fritas and “Once Around The Block” by English singer-songwriter Damon Gough, better known as Badly Drawn Boy. 

Bringing the mood down for a couple songs are Mojave 3 with the melancholy folk of “Return To Sender” followed by Johnny Cash’s poignant cover of Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s “I See A Darkness” with Will Oldham (a.k.a Bonnie) providing backing vocals. 

Closing out my Y2K playlist is “Mastermind” from Deltron 3030, the project of Dan the Automator, Del The Funky Homosapien and Kid Koala. The group's self-titled concept album features an impressive line up of guest artists, including Blur’s Damon Albarn, Prince Paul and Sean Lennon. Yo La Tengo’s album And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out is probably my favorite of their brilliant and extensive body of work. I chose the song “Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House” not only because it is amazing amazing but also because my husband did drum programming for the track. Playlist favoritism? Perhaps.

2000 was really a great year for music. There were so many more songs that I could have included. Sorry Britney, The Sea & Cake & Smog. At 17 tracks long, it is pretty clear that I struggled whittling this playlist down. Now it is your turn to share your favorite Y2K songs and albums. 

Clinic - The Second Line

Broadcast - Echo's Answer 

The Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist 

Grandaddy - The Crystal Lake 

Sleater-Kinney - All Hands On The Bad One 

Chicks On Speed - Kaltes Klares Wasser 

Peaches - Sucker 

Outkast - B.O.B. - Bombs Over Baghdad

Radiohead - Idioteque 

PJ Harvey - Good Fortune 

The Delgados - Accused Of Stealing 

Papas Fritas - Way You Walk 

Badly Drawn Boy - Once Around The Block 

Mojave 3 - Return To Sender 

Johnny Cash - I See A Darkness 

Deltron 3030 - Mastermind 

Yo La Tengo - Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House

xo, Julie