To celebrate the release of the KVSC Top 88 of 2024, we asked the hardworking members of our music department to share thoughts on their personal top five lists for the year.

We can’t really tell the story of KVSC without telling the story of John Drake. A fixture at KVSC going back to his days as a St. Cloud State University student, there are no parts of the station, physical or conceptual, that don’t bear his fingerprints. For the past several years, he’s brought a wealth of accumulated knowledge to his role as a music consultant, working with our student music directors to maintain the station’s commitment to the most innovative, compelling, and often underappreciated artists. You can hear him on the air every week hosting Whole Lotta Blues (Wednesdays, starting at 7:00 PM) and Thriving on a Riff (Sundays, starting at 9:00 AM).

Top 5 Albums of 2024 – John Drake (Music Consultant)

1) Flavor Crystals Gone Six (mpls. ltd.) Released November 15, 2024.

            From my first listen I had strong feelings about Flavor Crystals sixth album. The Minneapolis four-piece is led by St. Cloud resident Josh Richardson, who brings lyrics and vocals—along with heavily affected guitar—into the recording. Josh is reflecting on some heavy times along with gravity and the pull that can take things out of his control.

            Richardson and Vince Caro wind guitars and distortion pedals throughout Gone Six. The free fall begins with opener “Databass.” Soft and controlled, the song belies the feeling of having the rug pulled from out under you. The mood darkens on “He Screamed as He Fell to the Soil,” featuring pounding bass from Nat Stensland.

            Groovy “Correspondence” catches the vocalist unaware as more trouble disrupts contemplating the clouds in the sky. Ruminations on time are the theme on two strong songs, “Shaking Hands With Time” and “1:15 am.” Clear vocals and guitar emerge on the latter.

            The format expands on the next two tracks, with the spaghetti western-like title track and “Your Dreams Are Still With Me,” each taking advantage of the 6:30-plus time frame. Things contract and expand again heading into the home stretch. Can vocalist Damo Suzuki is invoked on “Pragma” while a fanciful night on the town happens on “Outside the Dragon.”

            The double LP closes with a seventeen-and-half minute medley “Ponds Above the Trees / One Long Touch.” Hypnotic sounds and group chemistry assure a safe landing. Gone Six was produced by Nick Tveitback at Pachyderm Studios and mastered at the venerable Abbey Road in London.

2) John Cale POPtical Illusion (Double Six/Domino Recording Co. Ltd.) Released June 14, 2024

            Legendary Velvet Underground co-founder John Cale wrote 80 songs during the pandemic, a splurge that had already produced the album MERCY in 2023. The composer claims there are two additional albums in the can from that cache.

            For his 18th solo studio album, Cale focused on most of the instruments himself, working at his private ARM Studios in Los Angeles. Additional instrumentation came from studio engineer and Cale band member Dustin Boyer, and manager and co-producer Nita Scott. This is a departure from the guest features and multiple studios used to create MERCY.

            The songs range from soft, confident and uplifting, including the opening pair “God Made Me Do It (Don’t Ask Me Again)” and “Davies and Wales,” a song reflecting on not repeating the mistakes made as a youth. Things turn more menacing in the middle of the album with the experimental, orchestral “Company Commander” and the more futuristic “Setting Fires.”

            Two strong tracks have a self-referential feel in the “Waiting For the Man”-like “How We See the Light” and “Edge of Reason.” In a song that addresses the breakdown of society, Cale sings, “Justice, rage, fear is a man’s best friend”—as if nothing’s changed since 1974.

            POPtical Illusion features a Justin Raisen mix on the funky “Shark-Shark.” Classical influences and interesting synth melodies flesh out the thirteen songs. An as-to-be expected exercise in mature songwriting for Cale who is forever more making it happen in the future.

3) Charlie Parr Little Sun (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings) Released March 22, 2024

            Duluth’s Charlie Parr normally records solo and leaves in the rough edges. For his 18th album, he tossed out his well-worn playbook and entered the studio with a full band. Mainly working with Tucker Martine at Portland’s Flora Recording and Playback, the band included Camper Van Beethoven’s Victor Krummenacher on bass and backing vocalist Anna Tivel.

            Parr’s Smithsonian label debut—whose records he discovered at eight years old—pays tribute to Minnesota harmonica legend Tony “Little Sun” Glover with the title track. Dylanesque, with Willie Murphy-like tack piano, “Little Sun” carries on the idea of memory from the opening track “Portland Avenue.”

            Contemplative, extended songs “Bear Head Lake” and “Pale Fire” display good composition and strong production. Hypnotic dobro resonates over full vocals on “Bear Head Lake.” “Pale Fire” pairs Parr with Tivel, while drummer Andrew Borger coaxes the song along, building and rescinding as the fire fades.

            Single “Boombox”—a twangy rag—features synths from Asher Fulero. Little Sun pays tribute to the common people on songs such as the folky “Stray,” about expressing empathy to the homeless. Overall observant and fully formed, Parr delivers a unique installment to his storied catalogue.

4) Iron & Wine Light Verse (Sub Pop Records) Released April 26, 2024

            Songwriter Sam Beam struggled with words during the pandemic, though he regained his muse after touring with Andrew Bird and working collaboratively. With a group of sympathetic ears, Beam focused on making a human statement on Light Verse. On Iron & Wine’s seventh album—the first since 2017’s Beast Epic—Beam finds the ability to find dry humor in certain human tragedies, even death.

            The 50-year old North Carolina musician set up shop in Los Angeles for the first time, at a studio owned by engineer Dave Way, who mixed the album. Contributors included guitarist David Garza and Griffin Goldsmith. Most notably, Fiona Apple added duet vocals on the old-timey, sing along “All in Good Time.” Fiona’s band mate Sebastian Steinberg adds bass to the album. Strings dominate throughout Light Verse, with violin and arrangements by Paul Cartwright.

            Standout songs include opening single “You Never Know,” rootsy with strings and bright, soft guitar. “Anyone’s Game” features outstanding Beam lyrics and vocals, along with strong rhythm. “Sweet Talk” takes a Buddhist perspective on a wonderful life, with Everly Brothers-like harmonies.

            Closer “Angels Go Home” feels as if Beam is emerging from the darkness into the light. Upon the image of sons and daughters throwing stones into holy water, Beam concludes with “All our true believers break like fever” and “All our mercy leaves us unaware.” Another well-versed passion play from Iron & Wine.

5) Wishy Triple Seven (Winspear) Released August 16, 2024

            The debut full-length release from the Indianapolis quintet, led by songwriters Kevin Krauter and Nina Pitchkites, Triple Seven delivers in multiple ways. From the opener “Sick Sweet” to the third track “Persuasion,” Wishy brings pop sensibilities with strong guitars and energetic Krauter vocals, pausing in between with the more subdued title track. The band is hitting on all cylinders on “Persuasion,” with a unique melody and interesting guitar turns. Krauter and Pitchkites lock in with tight vocal harmonies.

            Wishy travels into crunchy pop and shoegaze through the remaining seven tracks. “Game” takes the volume up a notch, with noisy drums by Connor Host. Triple guitar from Krauter, Pitchkites and Dimitri Morris bring depth and dimension to songs such as the majestic “Little While” and synthy, romantic “Just Like Sunday,” both sung by Nina. Suspended guitar lines support strong melodic ideas on Krauter’s “Busted.”

            With a strong closing pair, Triple Seven displays the band’s best aspects on pillowy, poppy “Honey” and grungy “Spit.” Passionate vocals and powerful guitars are integrated by co-producer Ben Lumsdale, who helps to mix the album into a cohesive whole. Varied and unpredictable, Wishy shows it takes more than luck to land a quality album.

To see all this year’s lists, go to the Music News section of our website.