Entitled White Guy Thinks You Should Care About His Opinions – Bad Dad’s Best of 2024

When I wrote out my end of year list last year, I shared my belief that we were headed for a positive change in 2024… Holy shit, did I get that one wrong, huh? 2024 turned out to be 52 mostly wretched weeks.  Jesus H Christ, I’d like to say 2025 can’t possibly get worse, but if the last 12 years have taught us anything… it’s that America’s new Manifest Destiny is a constant quest to sink lower.  Instead of using this election year to take a step forward our status quo has turned to fully fucked.  What a kick in the dick this year turned out to be. 

Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t ALL bad in 2024, there were glimmers of hope in the darkness, few and far between as they may have been.  Luigi Mangione brought people from both sides together in solidarity against a broken system. That was a beautiful fucking couple of days until the fast-food informant hambergled our hope for positive action surrounding our broken health care system.

I had a pretty great year, on a personal level. With TGEFM, in 2024, I was able to do 138 Interviews, including 2 series surrounding sick festivals.  I was able to partner on 16 album and single premieres, 3 long form and 71 short form reviews, anniversary reviews plus a review of a graphic novel… and that wasn’t even the best part of my 12 months as news editor with TGEFM. I made it out to 15 shows/concerts, seeing 90 total sets this calendar year across 11 different venues in 3 different states. 

None of that would’ve been possible without the (occasionally begrudging) unwavering support of my gorgeous spouse. My wife continued to prove (and correctly remind me) that I do not deserve such a great partner. She has also made very clear that she is disappointed in my not putting Tortured Poets Department as my number 1 because its hers and I should always agree with her on principle alone… I couldn’t agree less.

Our oldest found their groove in the arts program in their high school.  While I will always be impressed by everything they do, watching them perform “Science Fiction Double Feature” on stage and to take major speaking roles in 2 separate productions this Fall left me slack-jawed and full of pride.  In addition to finding the performance itch, our 15 year old accompanied me to day 2 of Camp Punksylvania, getting to watch The Karens, Catbite and 12 more acts, while also meeting Fred Mascherino of Taking Back Sunday.

Our youngest daughter saw Olivia Rodrigo with The Breeders in the Spring and then let us bring her to see The Get Up Kids and Smoking Popes at the legendary Stone Pony in October, she got to dance with some strangers, watch one of her favorite bands and see her 4th grade teacher in the wild. It was something else to witness. Outside of live music, she made the decision to move up a level, a year early in her travel softball and never once let herself believe she didn’t belong on that team. She carries herself at 11, with the confidence I wish I had at 43, and it’s been an honor to stand in her shadow in the dugout. 

Oh, and we added a new member to our little family; our rescue Molly. She is the goodest girl and prettiest most regal lady to ever exist and we are so lucky she chose us.

But enough about my tribe, let’s jump into the completely biased lists and super subjective awards you didn’t know you wanted, and now that you have them you probably want them less.  

Album Of The Year Honorable Mentions:

Top 24 of 2024

24. Sunday Morning – Forget Me Nots
This album is a start to finish blast of heartfelt lyricism and passionate riffs thanks to this Connecticut outfit breathing new life into the melodic hardcore genre. You can almost feel the dogpile crushing you at points thanks to the live energy bottled into the EP. Coming in under 20 minutes, this album feels like a tease (the best kind of tease): I left the record hoping there was more on the horizon.

23. Condition Oakland – Comedians
Gravel-voiced folk-emo with delectable pop sensibilities and lyricism to rival anyone in the folk-punk scene.  Think Chuck Ragan singing Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties tunes with some Bruce Springsteen and Brian Fallon co-writing; its dirt roads, rural truck stops and progressive beliefs on full display.

22. Kill Lincoln – No Normal
11 high energy, high passion, high brilliance from the flag-bearers in the modern Ska movement. You should know what Kill Lincoln is all about by now, but imagine Less Than Jake or Suicide Machines openly advocating for mental health awareness. If you’re listening to ska ironically or focusing only on that late 90’s silly ska sound, this ain’t it, but if you are ready to get on the latest wave and see what makes the scene continue to thrive… well, hop on, my friends.

21. Eevie Echoes & The Locations – The Cons Of Being A Wallflower
This album came out of nowhere on me and made sure 2024 started real fucking strong thanks to deeply personal lyrics, hints of grunge, ska, punk,power-pop and a full daily dosage of energy in just 33 minutes. If this is only the start of the Eevie Echoes story; I’m fucking stoked for the next chapters.  Like the Pokemon of a similar name, each track comes from the same entity but evolves into so many different and powerful tracks about the alienation, uncertainty and emotions of being young, queer and alive in spite of late-stage capitalism and the world’s obsession with douchebaggery and inequity.

20. Grumpster – Grumpster
Dual vocals, rainy day melancholia and earnest charm make this an album you just can’t help but scream along to. If there was an election for leader of the defend pop-punk movement in 2024, Grumpster deserves your vote.

19. The Lemon Twigs – A Dream Is All We Know
Summery 60s pop-rock sound done to absolute goddamned perfection. Do you realize how impressive it is to take a sound that’s been done to death for over 60 years and breathe fresh life into it? I do… because The Lemon Twigs put on a masterclass here.  I must warn you though.. if the pop-rock sounds of The Beach Boys and The Zombies unlock long buried trauma of your father shouting because you couldn’t read the map fast enough on a family road trip? This gem will unlock all that same shit.

18. Gen and the Degenerates – Anti-Fun Propaganda
Grab your dance shoes and discover the latest, greatest and ass-shakiest British post-punk act.  These kids are charming and disarming enough to take over the mainstream, smart and subversive enough to change the world when it does.

17. Doc Rotten – Doc Rotten
Jersey punks making Jersey punk sounds with huge heaps of singalongs and sneer, piss, vinegar and everything else that makes the Garden State grow. An absolute blast of good time raucous rock.  Unapologetically punk, unapologetically Jersey and fuck you if you don’t get it.  I meant it, I can’t explain why you wouldn’t be enjoying it, I just don’t want to be around you and your shitty taste if you aren’t on my page.

16. Say Anything – …Is Commited
Max Bemis is back and as emotionally unbalanced and musically brilliant as ever. This is the most manic and sincere Say Anything record in over a decade… the kind of record that will have you giggle-crying from start to finish; Bemis at his manic and sincere best… no pretending, no filter and no lack of self-awareness. Need some tough guy posturing and guttural screams to feel emotionally connected? Not here bub, keep walking.

15. MakeWar – A Paradoxical Theory Of Change
Take late 90’s skate punk and mix in early 00’s emo and MakeWar have crafted a raspy voiced delightful record full of smarts and heart. Tailor made for Warped Tour nostalgics and Fat Wreck romantics, this is the best record that label has put out in a long time. Pure fucking shred, Pure fucking heart, Pure fucking gritty perfection.

14. Tiny Ships – Peek
A trio (now a 5-piece) of NJ scene vets stepped out of the genre and created a jaunt of nostalgic 90s era grunge with post-harcore sensibilities laced with themes of mental health and PMA. The alt-rock masterpiece in seven parts serves as part beacon, part siren song enchanting all who sail the waterfront in search of musical deliverance.  

13. Nova Charisma – Metropolitan
Members of Hail The Sun, Eidola, Dance Gavin Dance and more team up to bring forth the most arena ready post-hardcore jams since the Relationship of Command. Unimaginably technical riffage underscores the soaring vocal acrobatics of Donovan Melero. Boundaries are pushed almost to their breaking point, this is a record that will make you uncomfortable in its brilliance.

12. Chaser – Small Victories
Ignore the album title, this record is a big, BIG fucking win for melodic punk rockers. Like the best from No Use For A Name, Chaser are certain to be Making Friends with More Betterness thanks to this slice of Sly. 

11. Half Past Two – Ya know Sour Patch Kids, how they are sweet then sour? Thats this record and I adore it!  With saccarine, glossy production and genius levels pop sensibilities the album will have you shaking your bon-bon before the lyrical content slaps you in the mouth with its depth and dark tones.  

10. Sabrina Carpenter – Short N Sweet
This is just an absolute great time to listen to. In a world where young pop stars have started to take themselves more seriously, ostensibly maturing gracefully, it’s refreshing to see Sabrina get more playful and embrace the silly. 

9. Pom Pom Squad – Mirror Starts Moving Without Me
If 2021’s Death of A Cheerleader was Pom Pom Squad‘s coming out party, Mirror is sinking back into self-doubt and anxiety, an outstanding jaunt into self doubt and imposter syndrome that’ll keep your head down and your toe tapping.  A sincere pop masterpiece with all the dark emo influences to make it stand out amongst the bubblegum brainrot that exists on TikTok.

8. Cursive – Devourer
Domestica, The Ugly Organ and Happy Hollow have long felt like Cursive’s Holy Trinity… but maybe they are more of a Gospel and Devourer is the 4th in the Gospel According to Tim. Angular and structural, dissonant and melodic, this examination of middle age shows Tim Kasher and company continuing to grow while revisiting their classic sound. 

7. The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World
It is so nice to hear Robert Smith and company with new tunes..  especially when they are this good.  Ever notice has certain artists can be huge for decades but never have their talent or integrity questioned? There’s a reason, and this album proves The Cure‘s staying power is no mistake and will only continue to grow.

6. Backyard Superheroes – Mass Hysteria
Without a doubt, this is the best ska record of the year.  It has all the makings of perfect ska, jubilant melodies behind lyrics of a world gone mad.  Musicality that is top notch, from powerful horns to shredding guitars and multi-vocalist approach that keeps each track fresh and new. Go. Listen. Now.

5. Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology
It’s Taylor Swift, y’all.  Thats the selling point you need. My wife says I’m an asshole for not having this as my number 1… then again my half-wit uncle believes she is an anti-American, psy-op plant created in a lab to steal elections, eat your children and infect the NFL with woke mind virus… so she’s got that going for her which is nice. 

4. Townies – Of This I Am Certain
Smart, melodic, fun turn-of-millenium style pop-punk… I’m sure there are plenty of people that wouldn’t be into it, I just don’t want to know them.  This is a tight and perfectly balanced injection of lyricism and musicianship in the vain of The Movielife and Reach The Sky but like… new and somehow more fun because of its newness. With its clever turns of phrase and technical brilliance, its a lot like listening to Brand New… without the need to “separate the art from the person” (we hope).

3. Alkaline Trio – Blood, Hair, And Eyeballs
What a return! What a swan song! Derek Grant leaves his drum duties behind on this one and he goes out on an absolute high.  Matt Skiba has returned full-time and for the first time in too long, the Trio and specifically Skiba are back with their killer tunes a bloodlust that feels sincere and fresh. If this is what happens when you get let go or are on your way out of pop-punk giants, its well worth it.  11 delightful songs of beer gone so good you don’t want to put it down and love gone so wrong you almost spilled your beer stuffing an ex in your trunk. (BTW: Fuck an oxford comma)

2. Frank Turner – Undefeated
Folk-punk troubadour doesn’t hold anything back as he takes the next steps after the “coming to grips” self-reconciliation of FTHC.  How does one face the kick in the dick of the last few years?  Well, if you’re Frank Turner, you put out an ass-kicker of smarts, sense and sincerity to confront your own place in the shitshow we’ve come to accept as normality.

1.Aaron West And The Roaring Twenties – In Lieu Of Flowers
Every album review, no matter how well or poorly written, follows a few basic bullet points: personal connection, musicality, strongest track, weakest track… but this bully of an album is a slap in the face of that stylistic approach.  You want to know how I connected to this fucker? Well, I can’t point out any individual example because every song slapped me across the mouth and sent me spiraling into the most optimistic existential crisis one can go on, every track is flawless in production and musicality (plus the fucking horn lines across this record are beautiful and perfectly balanced with the string-accompanied motifs).  What’s the strongest cut on this son of a bitch? Its whatever one is playing at the time you ask me because they are all fucking perfect.  How god damned dare they do this to me?

Books

Rebel Girl – Kathleen Hanna
Listening to this audio book, read by the riot-est Riot grrl herself, i wasnt surprised to enjoy the stories told… What i was surprised by was the way there were so many moments of “oh… no shit!” and oh no… shit!” The life lived and described in detail here is the stuff of horror stories and fairy tales, which too often end up being the same yarn woven at different eras.

Down With The System – Serj Tankian
Part history lesson, part memoir, all enthralling narrative of the life of one of the most intriguing, intelligent and introspective artists of our lifetime.

Missed connection

Night Fury – Go Wild
This year at Camp Punksylvania, one of the best new additions was the Waxpax Records’ Stage Open Mics. From vendors singing Sturgill Simpson to Weftin performing the Spongebob Squarepants “Campfire Song Song,” the highlight to me came when Nat Freener took the stage and performed an Audioslave cover. I was blown away by the power of her voice and later found out that she fronts the Philly rock act Night Fury. Guess what? Their 2023 album Go Wild makes me so fucking happy. Imagine the drama kids at your high school got way into Blondie and The GoGos and used the theatrical and poppy-punk influences to put out a progressive and powerful bop… it’s like that but better.

Anthony Green “Does this guy ever sleep award”

In 2022, I gave all the credit on earth to Anthony Green because I don’t think he gave himself enough time away from the creative and touring process to take a nap. This year, I’ve decided to christen the award in his honor. The incomparable Weftin. A quick look at his output this year, and I can’t imagine this young man finding a moment to simply yawn, let alone sleep.

Weftin is a full-time member of The Chemical Imbalance, The End Times and Long Distance Friends. In 2024, he also performed as a touring or one off member of The What Nows?! and The Squalors. Somewhere between the insane touring and practice schedules that comes along with 5 separate bands, this sumbitch also dropped 13 singles as a solo artist (1 every month of the year, 2 in November). Oh you thought that was insane enough? Not Weftin, because he also released a box set of every solo piece from the last 3 years. Oh yeah, and he helped reunite the recently defunct Fat Chance during The What Nows?! set at Camp Punksylvania plus performed at the WaxPax Records Stage during their open mic, where he crushed the “Campfire Campfire Song.”

Film

1. Challengers –  This 3-person tango across courts, confronting romance, failure and wasted potential completely kept me enthralled and edge of seat. Before this film, I didn’t think I’d ever give a shit about tennis players or their sex lives (excepting of course 12-year-old me’s crush on Jennifer Capriati). 
2. Red One – Maui from Moana and Captain America join forces to defeat Sabrina the Teenage Witch and rescue the yellow M&M as Santa (He does exist).  The best kind of fever dream.
3. Hot Frosty – Of all the cheesy movie tropes, one of my favorites has to be hot person born yesterday mysteriously arrives and falls in love… this one fits that bill.  This is the best Netflix original film since The Knight Before Christmas.

Live performances

10. SOJI (6 July, Camp Punksylvania, PA)
The Philly 4-piece are an experience to take part in. The individual aesthetics of each member (anime hair, bandit mask, cat eyes sharp enough to kill a man and a gorgeous Donnie Darko tattoo) come together with full parcels of energy, anger and melodies. Even in the blazing heat, SOJI never once slowed down their set.

9. Amora (6 July, Camp Punksylvania, PA)
With a sound different from much of the Camp Punksylvania performers, the post-hardcore act were a welcome change to the ska-punk heavy sounds. The band took their chance to stand out and made the most of it with performance perfection, great sound, tight musicianship and a charismatic presence. I can not wait to see and hear all the great things inevitably coming the way of these dudes.

8. Taking Back Sunday (6 December, Starland Ballroom, NJ)
For a band that blew up 20 years ago, whose fans years ago traded their carabiners for car seats, this could have easily felt like old hat, but you could sense an energy in the line, at the bar, in the crowd, it was as if we all took a trip back in time and relived the great romance.  Nostalgia won out, and for a bunch of 30-40 something weirdos who had once glommed onto the idea of saying sorry for someone else’s act of violence, this holiday gathering was cathartic and perfect and every other superlative that’s escaping my pen.

7. H2O (13 September, Crossroads, NJ)
Our bands look out for us and our family. Every opportunity to see H20 you should do just that, even if you don’t think you enjoy the music, you’ll leave full of optimism, you’ll leave feeling better about yourself and walk with a spring in your two-step for the next couple of days.  One would expect a band that’s been doing this for 30 years to be tighter than the shirt i got at my first H2O show (1997/98 at L’Amours, I believe), but the passion and energy were still a shock to even the most tenured fans.

6. Bad Cop Bad Cop (7 July, Camp Punksylvania, PA)
What a god damned inspiration BCBC are! From the moment these four rockers took the stage, the crowd was captivated and charmed by their stage presence and musicianship. As a father of young girls, fuck just as a human, it was an empowering experience to watch these rad ladies tear through a flawless set and make the world a better place with every song. The high energy set was an absolute masterpiece that we were all lucky to witness.

5. Less Than Jake (7 July, Camp Punksylvania, PA)
LTJ have done the near impossible, being a ska band with a tenure, and performances like this guarantee the Floridians will never be without growth in the audience.  As soon as the first chord of set opener “Last One Out Of Liberty City” kicked in, the pit was filled in like a wholesale club’s can of sardines.  With nary a movement possible, the crowd had no choice but to join in the fun.  And join it they did. I felt the crowd energy feed into my own and reignite the fire that used to burn, bringing me back to ‘99. 

4. Mary Shelley (7 July, Camp Punksylvania, PA)
This… this right here is exactly the reason I do everything in my power to never miss an opening act or side stage performer. This set was hands down the most unexpected and greatest performance from Camp Punksylvania. The quartet did not simply perform, they put on a goddamned master class in wowing a crowd thanks to ungodly levels of talent, charisma and storytelling. For real, this was a game-changer, check out the band’s tour dates and get yourself out to one of their shows. You will not regret it.

3. Olivia Rodrigo (6 April, Madison Square Garden, NYC)
Epic isn’t a big enough descriptor, magical doesn’t convey the feeling of what that stage show pulled off, even for those of us deep into the nosebleeds of The Garden. In nearly 30 years of seeing live music, I don’t believe I’ve ever been to a show this loud, thanks to the contagious singalongs of the crowd. Having a fly by on a moon was a impressive piece of.magic that will be forever etched in my memory. Godammit this was fun!

2. Gatsbys American Dream (27 April, Gramercy Theater, NYC)
For the first time in 13 years, Gatsbys American Dream was back to slap NYC silly. Beyond the charisma, beyond the amazing performance and beyond the nostalgic joy of the reunion, tonight, Gatsbys’ performance was centered on humility and gratitude. Gratitude of the opening acts, who seemed genuinely elated to be there with us tonight. Gratitude of the crowd, stoked beyond words to catch GAD return after 13 years away from the northeastern US. Gratitude from the band as Nic and Kirk, at different times, spoke about how grateful they were for people to buy tickets tonight in spite of current economic downturns. It was a scene of community that reminded me of why I fell in love with the music.  Its a night that will never escape our minds and hearts. And, most importantly, it was an experience I will go out of my way to experience any time I see an opportunity. 

1. Thursday (24 February, Irving Plaza, NYC)
Thursday has always been a beacon for this community, and its a delight to see that hasn’t changed in the last few years.  If Thursday originally connected with my feeling of being lost in the wake of Columbine, 9/11, fake wars and economic collapse, their shows and the accords struck in their crowds helped me feel a part of something.  At this show, they reconnected and reignited those feelings despite the attacks on sexual freedoms, treason and commonality of school shootings we’ve lived through; a triumph in spite of the trials and tribulations of the 2020s.  Of the dozens of times I’ve seen Thursday, in countless venues as small as a New Brunswick basement and as large as Madison Square Garden, this one was the best… and that’s saying a whole goddamned lot.

2025? Do we have to?

So I guess here is where I post some positive thoughts and hopes for 2025? That’s a negative from me pal… I’ve learned my lesson far too many times and plan to try to skate through 2025 with minimal scarring, but I’m not tempting the fates with expressions of hope. Not me, not this time.