Hello friends! This week, I'll be discussing and highlighting my favourite singles of 2024. If you're wondering why I used the latin spelling of "favorite", it's a subtle nod to my absolute favorite single of the year. If you've listened to college radio for any length of time this year, you already know what #1 will be.
And yes, I know I already did a "best songs of 2024" list, but the difference here is that these are bands that are brand new to me completely. 

8. Momma- "Ohio All the Time"
Sure, they have a silly band name, but who am I to judge? The Brooklyn, NY-based band have been touring non-stop for the past two years, and evoke a polished and studied vintage indie rock sound, reminiscent of The Breeders, with just the right amount of creative production techniques to evoke their shoegaze influences. Their sweet sounds are only enhanced by the angelic yet effective vocals of Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten.

7. Work Drugs- "Dirty Dreams"
Another funny band name. Work Drugs is a synth pop duo from Philadelphia, founded by Thomas Crystal and Benjamin Louisiana. Unlike this track, which is more in line with MGMT, Passion Pit, or other electronic pop-leaning alternative rock, their previous albums were homages to sexy, romantic, 80s pop played with a complete straight face and zero irony at all. "Counterclaims" is a perfect example of that. While I personally prefer the 80s Richard Marx/Steve Perry solo-album sounds, "Dirty Dreams" is a great track too.

Edit: I just found out that "Dirty Dreams" is 12 years old. Oh well, it's still new to me.

6. Jon Baptiste- "Calling Your Name"
"Calling Your Name" delivers everything a person could ask for in a perfect single, all under 2 minutes. I love when artists "cut the fat". Just because something sounds good doesn't mean it needs to be dragged out ad nauseam. Hollywood could learn something from this economical approach, but I'm sure they will continue to put out sequels to movies that came out 39 years ago, and poach the past via AI. But, I digress. Jon Baptiste has accomplished more in his musical career than most will in their lifetime; seriously, check out his wiki, and more importantly, listen to this track loudly!

5. Cannons- "Dancing in the Dark"
This is by far the best cover I have ever heard. I have nothing to gain by lying about that. Cannons came to prominence with their track "Fire for You" began showing up in tons of Tik-Tok videos. Even though the song is three years old, it experienced a small renaissance in 2024. The reason I chose this cover over that one is for it's execution. It's loyal to the original, understated, and fits into a genre all of it's own. Check it out!

Top 5 coming next week folks.

Chris Frantz
Palm Trees In Moscow
11/27/24
 

During my travels in Colorado this past week, I encountered a vibrant local music scene in unexpected places. I then thought to myself, "what famous artists are from Denver?", and for the life of me, i couldn't name one off of the top of my head. If you know me, this is shocking, because I am a trivia geek, especially when it comes to bands and their origins. I did some digging and was shocked and delighted to not only discover new artists from Denver, but find out that some very well-regarded artists are from there as well. Here is 4 of them, in the order of how much I dig them:

4. Descendants- The legendary band is originally from Manhattan Beach, CA., but drummer Bill Stevenson built a studio in Fort Collins, CO., where the band recorded their classic album "Everything Sucks" in 1996. In addition, 3 of the band members moved to the Colorado Springs area and still reside there. "Coffee Mug" is an iconic and ferocious piece of classic punk rock, and the music packs as much punch as the beverage it's named after.

3. OneRepublic- This one may surprise you. However, if you know me, you know that I am a sucker for a great pop song, especially if it's a sad pop song. OneRepublic fits all of those qualifications and then some. Sure, if I never heard "Counting Stars" on the radio again it wouldn't be soon enough, but there is no denying the production values and overall quality of their R&B inspired first hit, "Apologize", as well as the unstoppable dancefloor anthem "Love Runs Out",  one their more recent singles).

2. Earth, Wind, and Fire- They are absolute legends whose music transcends generations, genres, and cultures, but they are not my "favorite genre-adjacent favorite"artist, if that makes sense. That band will be mentioned next. They still perform to this day and deserve massive respect, and more importantly, some listens. Colorado being such an earthy and nature-oriented state added to my appreciation of the band name as well in these travels. "September" will be played at weddings for (conservative estimate) the next 5 centuries.

 1. Big Head Todd and the Monsters- I love a good band name! In fact, for better or worse, their band name walked so that Hootie and the Blowfish's band name could sprint. Just my opinion. 

Todd and his gang flew slightly under the mainstream radar through the 90s, but through years of touring and televison/media placements, they have amassed a huge cult following. They explore the rootsy side of alternative rock with just enough grit and introspective (and quirky) lyrics. My personal favorite is the grunge flavored "Resignation Superman" (shocker, I know). 

What sealed my love for them was this appearance on THE MOST HILLARIOUS/BEST LATE NIGHT TALK SHOW OF ALL TIME. The previous statement may not be a scientific fact, but believe me, I am not in the minority on this opinion. Anyway, check out the full performance here.

I hope everyone is appreciating this bi-weekly blog cadence. It has been beneficial in a variety of ways, for example, I was reminded to listen to some Big Head Todd on my flight back to Baltimore as I wrote this at the airport. 

Until next time friends!

Chris Frantz
Palm Trees In Moscow
11/23/24