We have a special Caustic for you this week, folks! Being that everyone is off (hopefully) enjoying the extended weekend, we wanted to churn something out for everyone to sink their teeth into. This week, we revisit some of our favorite songs and albums featured on Caustic throughout the first half of 2024. Some you may recognize, and some are different tunes from previously highlighted LPs. We dug through the Caustic archives to find what we believe are the best twenty songs we’ve featured on Caustic Commentary this year. We hope you have a safe and relaxing holiday weekend!
Check out our picks for the best Caustic selections of 2024 so far.
Yard Act – “We Make Hits”
Where’s My Utopia
Released: January 15
Ironically, one of the best post-punk releases of the year is a sarcastic attack against the genre itself. Yard Act’s “We Make Hits” was an early single from their acclaimed Where’s My Utopia LP released in March. The bright pop sensibilities of the single are juxtaposed by the jagged vocal delivery, creating a danceable anthem that will most likely go down as one of the year’s best songs.
Elbow – “Lovers Leap”
AUDIO VERTIGO
Released: Feb. 6
The veteran indie rockers Elbow put together an expansive and captivating LP, and the single “Lover’s Leap” remains in our rotation. The whole album was released on March 22 to critical acclaim. The tenth album from Elbow showcases a seasoned band fearlessly entering new territory, and “Lovers Leap” is a hypnotic ballad with explosive crescendos and vivid imagery.
Brittany Howard – “I Don’t”
What Now
Released: Feb. 9
Brittany Howard has long established herself as a dominant force in the modern soul scene, and her sophomore effort cements this sentiment. What Now is a psychedelic outing that showcases Howard’s vocal diversity and songwriting prowess. “I Don’t” is a criminally smooth cut from the phenomenal LP with a lush vocal performance that sways like a flag in a light breeze.
IDLES – “Roy”
TANGK
Released: February 16
After an internet-shattering performance and this year’s Glastonbury Festival, the soulful post-punk of Idles’s TANGK feels all the more palpable. The post-punk golden child assembled a daring LP with frontman Joe Talbot experimenting with his voice to phenomenally moving results. “Roy” fully displays this experimentation as the band crafts a minimal yet whirling anthem with a vocal performance for the ages.
Bonny Light Horseman – “When I Was Younger”
Keep Me On Your Mind/See You Free
Released: Feb. 21
The folk trio Bonny Light Horseman had some lofty ambitions when creating Keep Me On Your Mind/See You Free, and all of them paid off beautifully. The sprawling LP seems to be in the rotation of every folk fanatic around, and for good reason. “When I Was Younger” is just one of those reasons. The elegant vocal tones navigate a stirring piano melody and deliver moving poetry for an epic folk-rock ballad.
ScHoolboy Q – “THank god 4 me”
BLUE LIPS
Released: March 1
It has been a terrific year for hip-hop, and ScHoolboy Q’s BLUE LIPS set the tone for the genre early in the year. The artist’s refusal to repeat himself resulted in an experimental LP with moments of vulnerability that sit comfortably next to chant-worthy choruses. “THank god 4 me” features triumphant lyrics just waiting to be yelled out of a window while a hectic instrumental brings an undeniable energy to the track.
The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis – “Fourth Wall”
The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis
Released: March 15
Punk furry meets relaxed jazz tropes on the self-titled effort from punk instrumentalist The Messthetics and saxophonist James Brandon Lewis. Clocking in as one of the better jazz releases to hit shelves this year, the 9-track outing with explosive fusion work. “Forth Wall” is the monstrous outro that slides into moments of jazz-rock just as quickly as it lets the rock take over for some sleek solos.
The Decemberists – “Joan in the Garden”
As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again
Released: March 19
The latest album from indie rock darlings The Decemberists is a risky concept album with a stirring narrative that unfolds over 13 tracks. As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again feels like one of those albums the artist made for themselves that ended up being a wild success with fans and critics alike. The epic twenty-minute closer, being a single for the album, should tell you all you need to know about the creative headspace of the band. “Joan in the Garden” is an epic outing in its own right. The track starts as an acoustic ballad and quickly transitions into what can only be described as ambient field recordings from another world.
Waxahatchee – “Lone Star Lake”
Tigers Blood
Released: March 22
Very few albums were as highly anticipated as Waxahatchee’s Tigers Blood, and it was worth every ounce of hype. The tight 12-track outing put the artist’s songwriting skills against twangy minimalism. The beauty of the album is in that simplistic approach. “Lone Star Lake” contains colorful imagery and moody acoustics.
Mount Kimbie – “Yukka Tree”
The Sunset Violent
Released: April 5
The electronic duo Mount Kimbie took pleasure in shocking fans with the raw organic post-punk of The Sunset Violent. The successful sonic shift resulted in a collection of guitar-driven tracks that rely on the silence between moments as much as it does the fuzzy guitars that drive the LP. “Yukka Tree” has the duo crafting an electro-rock arrangement as soft vocals attempt to work around the dense textures.
Your Old Droog – “DBZ” (Feat. Madlib, Method Man & Denzel Curry)
Movie
Released: April 12
Your Old Droog’s Movie is among the most honed and thought-provoking LPs the New York emcee has ever released. The expansive album has the artist transitioning between opening his heart via tales of his childhood and witty wordplay over soulful instrumentals. The Madlib-produced single “DBZ” features one of Droog’s better verses on the album, as he rhymes with the legend Method Man and future hip-hop hero Denzel Curry.
Shabaka – “Insecurities” (Feat. Moses Sumney)
Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace
Released: April 12
The debut solo album from jazz master Shabaka Hutchings is an introspective spiritual jazz masterclass. Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace is not only one of the most rewarding jazz albums of the year, but it also has Shabaka entering a new flute-driven era of his already legendary career. “Insecurities” features the ethereal voice of Moses Sumney, nimble strings, and flute melodies that evoke the feeling of levitation.
Washed Out – “The Hardest Part”
Notes From a Quiet Life
Released: May 2
The lead single from Washed Out’s latest album is a sun-drenched, danceable electro-pop anthem. Notes From a Quiet Life is ten tracks of synth-pop bliss with the brains behind the operation, Ernest Greene, crooning over consistently groovy instrumentals. “The Hardest Part” accompanied the album’s announcement and introduced us to its catchy sonic direction. The song features acrobatic crooning from Greene as he effortlessly soars over toe-tapping electronics.
Jessica Pratt – “Better Hate”
Here in the Pitch
Released: May 3
Evoking the feeling of classic folk with equally nostalgic pop harmonies, Jessica Pratt released some of the most moving and stunning music of her career on Here in the Pitch. The album is an early contender for one of the best of the year with its delicate delivery and soulful backing vocals. “Better Hate” is a stand-out on an album brimming with pretty chords and warm tones. As harmonies cascade around the folksy minimalism, Pratt delivers an unforgettable performance that doesn’t just tug at the heartstrings; it rips them out and ties them into an unrecognizable knot.
Mach-Hommy & Georgia Anne Muldrow – “Sonje”
#RICHAXXHAITIAN
Released: May 17
Mach-Hommy has been left out of the greatest of all-time conversation in hip-hop for far too long, and his new album looks to end that injustice. #RICHAXXHAITIAN has Hommy reaching deep into his bag of talents and styles to present us with 17 mesmerizing displays of pure hip-hop that still manage to sound left-field. The Georgia Anne Muldrow-assisted “Sonje” has Hommy delivering otherworldly flows in a relaxed cadence over warping keys and thick basslines.
Phish – “Oblivion”
Evolve
Released: May 21
Phish’s Evolve is set to be released on July 12, but the single “Oblivion” makes the unreleased album sound like a landmark release for the band still looking for that elusive Ok Computer-type album statement. The warping psychedelia of the arrangement meets the equally trance-inducing vocal performance, giving it an extra oomph.
Chuck Strangers – “Polish Jazz” (Feat. Joey Bada$$)
A Forsaken Lover’s Plea
Released: May 22
As of now, Chuck Strangers’ A Forsaken Lover’s Plea is on track to be the most underrated hip-hop release of 2024. Not enough people are talking about Strangers’s booming voice cutting through dusty jazz-tinged loops, and something should be done about it. “Polish Jazz” has the artist reconnecting with long-time collaborator Joey Bada$$ as the pair trades miraculous wordplay over a hazy instrumental.
The Felice Brothers – “Flowers By The Roadside”
Valley of Abandoned Songs
Released: May 30
The Felice Brothers strung together 13 tracks of straightforward folk songs, each one its own microcosm of raw songwriting and acoustic solace. Valley of Abandoned Songs is an organic outing with the band taking seemingly forgettable life moments and spinning them into detailed and enticing narratives. “Flowers By The Roadside” brings the visions of a relaxing life into a new light as our main character peacefully examines the world around them.
King Hannah – “New York, Let’s Do Nothing”
Big Swimmer
Released: May 31
The third studio album from King Hannah is set to take over in 2024 as it blends the quaint vocals of 90’s indie folk with the gentle guitar strums of soft rock. Big Swimmer stretches the duo’s fuzzed-out simplicity into king-size chunks of modern rock that nod to the band’s wide-ranging influences. “New York, Let’s Do Nothing” features a spoken-word-style performance that accents the spurts of dense textures while still feeling free and experimental.
Wilco- “Hot Sun”
Hot Sun Cool Shroud – EP
Released: June 28
Wilco’s Hot Sun Cool Shroud EP comprises cleaned-up demos from the recording sessions for their 2023 Cousins LP, although the six songs here feel more like an exploration of the band’s artistic growth. The EP goes from challenging guitar instrumentals to toe-tapping acoustics, like “Hot Sun.” The track has frontman Jeff Tweedy crooning to the sky over sweetly strummed and twisting guitar melodies.
