Get familiar with our team’s favorite local albums released in 2024, from Reading Room’s Tried Relaxing to Latrell James’ Running in Place and everything in between.
BRICKLAYER by BRICKLAYER
BRICKLAYER’s debut album combines catchy vocal, guitar, and synth melodies with ravenous punk energy. The Western MA/Boston group channels the storytelling and intensity of vocalist Emily Carter into songs that stick in your head. More than anything, the album is fun. It’s the perfect soundtrack to play before you need to do something big; whatever that thing is, you will be ready after a few songs. And their live show is even better, with two drummers making sure the intensity never dips. That said, the drums never overpower the vocal and instrumental melodies. Favorites include “Gay Breakfast” and “Bloodsucker,” which were on repeat all year. Play the album for yourself and find your own favorites, then go outside and take on the world.
Patron Saint by Photocomfort
Whether glued to her vast soundscapes anchored by ambient piano strokes, or wrapped up in her vocal cornucopia of Angel Olsen, Jessica Pratt, and Lana Del Rey, one needs only a minute to observe the many places from which Boston-rooted pop artist Justine Bowe—the engine behind the stage name Photocomfort—pulls on her latest LP, Patron Saint. From the opening line on the opening track, “Take It On” (“Take off your shoes along with your heavy, heavy heart/And leave them at my door), Bowe warmly lulls the listener into a meditative 37-minute session rife with loving and letting go. While her knack for formulating distinct, yet interconnected emotive ballads cannot be overstated, it is in the well of embellishments that diverge from the formula—the electronic blips signaling the transition into an entrancing flute solo on the second half of “Delicate Machine,” the build into the brisk drum pattern on “Let It Ride,” and close collaborator Cliff Notez’s rapped verse on “Close to the Sun,” to name a few—where Bowe’s multimodal musicianship and boundless potential reside. – Eben Cook
Tried Relaxing by Reading Room
Reading Room keeps a low profile, but their debut album is difficult to forget. The Boston-based DIY trio finally released Tried Relaxing last March, taking aspects from indie rock and indie folk to make a 10-track record that never gets old. Despite the slight melancholy that pervades the album, locals will find it hard not to crack a smile at the scattered references to Boston and the surrounding area, like on “Long Bridge,” where lead singer Chris Gandolfo-Lucia laments, “I’ll move to Allston and still not solve the problem.” The instrumental track “Casing the Joint” is addicting, upbeat, and almost nostalgic, reminiscent of surf rock but with a softer feel. A few songs from their previous EP, “Triptych,” made their way onto the album, now more polished and with a less folksy sound. The rerelease of “Job” felt like a completely different song, with dreamy lo-fi vocals and fuzzy guitars. This record is endlessly replayable and a go-to for easy listening to unwind or focus. – José Zamora
Running in Place by Latrell James
Winner of Best Album/EP at the Boston Music Awards, it’s easy to say that the praise is not unwarranted for Boston’s own Latrell James, who gave fans an instant classic with his long-awaited album. Running In Place is everything fans of the rapper and producer have been waiting for, from clever and thought-provoking lyricism to dynamic beats. The album starts strong with the lyrical onslaught in “Tedd Talk,” where James sets the tone of self-reflection and vulnerability, asking listeners, “what’s your drug of choice when it’s time to cut the noise?” Things pick up on tracks like “Tap Water,” where James drops smooth bars and a catchy chorus over a self-produced wavy beat. He consistently keeps things interesting, like the unexpected beat switch at the end of “Rare Candy,” giving an otherwise mellow song into an energetic and infectious outro. With suave beats and lyricism that balances storytelling and flow, “Running In Place” will be staying in the rotation. – José Zamora
I Watched The Ribbon by ribbon
ribbon’s debut album, I Watched The Ribbon, is a melancholic and delicate masterpiece. River Pfaff, Bradley Robertson, and Will McGovern make up the Brighton-based band, and their talents come together in the most breathtaking ways. This album feels poignantly timed, as the themes of togetherness, community, and friendship are crucial to each track. “Climb Your Tree” feels like the most genuine synopsis of I Watched The Ribbon; it encourages a certain self-regard and love that is very rarely acknowledged so bravely in music. The gentle guitar strumming and angelic vocals truly make the track a one-of-a-kind, and entice the listener to come back for more. This debut album has certainly made its waves in the indie world as well as the Boston music scene, and it has fans looking forward to new releases from ribbon. – Aine Hoye
Heartless Things – Rachel Sumner
Heartless Things and its southern belle charm seamlessly tied the 2024 summer up into a beautiful bow. Rachel Sumner did wonders with this American-folk music inspired album, effortlessly lending us the rose-tinted glasses of a heartbroken, yearning cowgirl. Staples of the collection are songs like “Bygone Times,” which takes listeners on a passionate ride of love and regret. Heartless Things is not just a musical masterpiece, but a poetic, emotional experience rich with storytelling. Sumner’s voice and lyrical composition make this album absolutely mesmerizing, building an addiction with one song after the other – there’s no need to pay for hypnotherapy when there’s Heartless Things. – Noor Abdulla
Up On The Hill by Otis Shanty
On their sophomore album, Somerville’s Otis Shanty gives a short and sweet gift of indie-rock gems for the socially anxious.The record is an ode to the outsider, perfectly capturing the complicated feelings of being young, lost and misunderstood. On “Outrage”, lyrics of “Something has me looking for the wrong things / I can’t see/ Through the folds/ Of my eyes/ Where I hide away/” provide comfort and relatability, with the gentle vocals of Sadye Bobbette quietly promising listeners they are seen. But like the album cover itself, Up On The Hill is also a lush landscape of sounds. The guitar melodies set the tone for each track, veering between grunge on tracks like “Seasonal Apprehension” and softer folk on “Nobody’s Party.” Fans of Frankie Cosmos and Courtney Barnett will be drawn in by Up On The Hill, and should be excited to see where these Somerville shapeshifters go next. – Julia Bernicker
Somebody’s Favorite by Beeef
After a five year hiatus, the legendary Allston band Beeef is back with their third record, Somebody’s Favorite. From meeting as roommates at Boston University, to starting local music blog Allston Pudding, and forming a band that played its first show at O’Brien’s, it makes sense that Beeef’s music would be an homage to the city that birthed them. And chock-full of Boston references it is — from discussions of the murky Charles River on “Something in the River” to a shoutout for Red Sox legend Nomar Garciaparra on “Bedhead Boy,” this album would make even the most hesitant Boston local proud. But far from a gimmick, this lyrical imagery is in service of the larger theme of nostalgia: the harmonies are wistful and the melodies are reflective, with thumping drumlines and expansive synths tugging listeners between daydreaming in the clouds and crashing back down to earth. Despite these nostalgic tones, Beeef also looks to the future on Somebody’s Favorite, returning from a long break with a fresh twist on their signature sound. – Julia Bernicker
Champion Sound by DeevoDaGenius
Fresh off of a Producer of the Year victory at the 2024 Boston Music Awards, Lowell-raised hip-hop producer DeevoDaGenius has picked up serious steam as a leading architect of Mass rap. Within the volume of projects he pumped out in 2024 alongside other innovators in the local hip-hop scene, CHAMPION SOUND stands out as the most ambitious statement of the bunch. Featuring a “Dream Team” of Mass-based MCs mirroring the dominant 1992 Olympic USA Basketball team, CHAMPION SOUND emanates a competitive, yet collective spirit from front to back, each featured artist a player itching for their number to be called by Deevo — the coach orchestrating the Xs and Os of it all. Whether tethered to the rawness of a cypher on “ALL ON ME,” or pulled in by R&B fusion on cuts like “EXCUSE ME (DANCE)” or “DIAMONDS,” it is evident that Deevo composed CHAMPION SOUND with a level of care and craftsmanship that deserves nothing short of a gold medal. – Eben Cook
Michelin Star by Cakeswagg
Roxbury-rooted hip-hop artist Cakeswagg oozes unbridled confidence. If you were unable to catch her sparkplug of a set at last year’s Boston Calling, consider her latest project Michelin Star a sample platter of the versatility Cakeswagg brings to the mic. High-octane moments spanning the album like “Big Plays” and “Shots Fired” showcase Cakeswagg’s commanding delivery that sits in the hard-to-reach sweet spot between menacing and understated, while less bar-intensive parts of the tracklist such as “Band Aid” and “Dreaming” exhibit her ear for melodies and a knack for creating hooks that broaden her sound. Even if you are a vicarious attendee of the “Bad Bitch Link Up,” Michelin Star implores you to kick your sandals up, sip an (at least slightly) sweet cocktail, and bask in the sunlight you single-handedly brought out. – Eben Cook