Curious what notable personalities in the scene think was great this year? So is TGEFM! So we reached out to some of our favorite luminaries ranging from musicians, label personnel, and more for their “Best of 2024” lists. Now, listen: TGEFM is not a taskmistress. Contributors can write these out however they want. So if it doesn’t actually look or read like a list… and sometimes it really is just a list with no other observations! Who cares?
Despite having only been a band for about a year, Massive Nightmares have already garnered quite a following based on their outstanding September self-titled release. Today TGEFM is happy to share the Boston quartet’s best of list for 2024.
2024 was a big year for Massive Nightmares. We released an EP we’re really proud of, we played some great shows, and met a ton of new bands along the way. If you’re unfamiliar with the Boston/NHish indie music scene, you should know it’s pretty good. And when I say good, I mean we’re teeming with punk bands that could become famous just from playing their music. As luck would have it, many of these “Almost Famous” bands released records this year, some of which we think are spectacular and worth listening to. In no particular order, here’s a list of our favorite records of 2024!
Hey I’m Outside – S/T: We played one of our first shows with them at the Sil. They play a twangy alt/country Americana that’s original and easy to fall into. Overall, it’s a great record to listen to if you have friends over to play a game but you’re still getting shit set up or you’re trying to impress your date with your musical taste. Patrick does a lot of cool guitar slides and I believe he has a goat or likes to take pictures of goats, which either way is pretty cool. The vocals are warm and pretty and have an indie-move soundtrack vibe. Pretty much any song on this accompanies the Smashing Pumpkins music video for “1979” if muted and played at .5 speed. While it’s not mid-Western Emo, it might be its cousin, so check it out.
Leisure Boys – About Time: Leisure Boys is made up of a bunch of misfits who’ve been in a few bands you may have heard of and would love if you haven’t (Tied to a Bear, Bundles, Daniel Striped Tiger, just to name a few). Leisure Boys put out About Time earlier this year and the record blends an alt-indie-punk sound with velvety rich vocals, memorable hooks and chorus’ that drop a little something in your coffee that makes you want to jump on the couch playing a broom like a guitar. Branding themselves as New England Comfy Core, it’s not hard to imagine sitting around a campfire with your best buds, sipping whiskey, belting songs like Nothing Grows on an acoustic. If you’ve ever had a bathroom stereo this is the tape you would listen to every time you showered. Try to frown after listening to this record, I dare you! Pressed Hams is still stuck in my head, by the way.
The Promised End – For The Buried and Broken: Comprised of another Tied to a Bear alum along with members of Choke Up, Cape Crush, Landmines, Skytigers……alright we don’t have all day here, but you get the picture. The one thing to know here is The Promised End knows how to write punk bangers. With vocals that feel ripped from the late 90’s melodic-hardcore scene, blaring leads, and powerful breakdowns, Paulie could teach a class at Berklee called “How to lay tile and write the perfect hardcore-punk record.” If you’re nostalgic for a new Strike Anywhere record blended with Off With Their Heads, this should be your next list.
Hedge – Better Days (Bloated Kat Records; Midnight Werewolf Records): Serial-creating awesome power-pop bands (The Young Leaves, Christopher Leaf, and Angus), guitarist Christopher formed Hedge this year with Pete and Julian, and immediately pumped out one of the best power/pop/punk records of the year. The record’s lyrics beautifully describe the tedium and anxiety that comes with modern adulthood over catchy pop-punk hooks, from feeling hopeless to making muffins, to how rad it feels to ride your bike without using your hands. If you like The Ergs, Greenday, Superchunk, or just about any band, you’ll really love this record.
Ezra Cohen and the Big City Band – Worse For Wear (Dead Broke Rekerds): Maybe the least difficult choice on the list, Ezra Cohen and The Big City boys have been playing for a years and have released a few EPs, but with Worse For Wear we finally get a full length that reflects the energy and emotion of their live shows. If you’re new to Ezra and the gang, you’ll find it hard to believe they aren’t on tour opening up for Gaslight Anthem or doing collaborations with Ben Nichols, but all in due time. The single, “Fire Escape” is a beautifully written mid-tempo indie-pop jam that’s as complete as anything you’ll find in your record collection. It’s a treat to experience Ezra’s vocal range effortlessly flow across the suble genre shifts, from 90’s indie sing-a-longs in Get a Fix to dynamic alt-country-pop falcettos in No Saint. It’s pretty clear that Ezra and Big City Boys have captured something special with Worse for Wear, not just a collection of catchy songs, but a truly one-of-a-kind album from a band that would be blowing up WFNX in 1994.
Pretty Out – No Good, All Worries: Pretty Out formed in 2024 and quickly put out a memorable, 6 song EP, packed to the gills with 90’s vibes. EP. Aside from having a great title, No Good, All Worries is what the hunky skateboarders in your highschool would probably listen to, with a Pulley mixed with Silverchair vibe. Eric’s signature spacey tone nicely compliments Darryls commanding vocals, with rhythmic starts and stops that transition into driving sing-along choruses. Pretty Out are THE BAND playing the VFW you just got kicked out of for accidentally kicking out a few ceiling tiles after drinking 11 miller lites and trying to jump the crowd to sing along with Darrly to the chorus.
Hell Beach, Beachworld (Uncle Style records): Power-pop that nearly blew out Ryan Agate’s Achilles tendon at The Fest. Their live set has ska shows at the Knights of Columbus energy, and their record perfectly captures this (without any Ska). After seeing them live and hearing the single Poison Mind was enough for me to pre-order. Toe tapping, hand clapping, and finger pointing is going to happen if you listen, so wear breathable clothes and comfortable shoes when you listen. As a Bonus Meagan From Work plays keytar in Hell Beach and also just released a record this year (Girl Suit), which I’ve slacked on giving a deep listen to, but her singles are super catchy, so check them out, too!
Bonus! What we’re looking forward to in 2025!!!:
Oh The Humanity released a few singles for their record that’s dropping January 24th, which I’m super excited for. I just pre-ordered and you should, too!
MK Naomi also has a new record coming out in 2025 which I can confirm is amazing and you will love it.
Unseemlier: Is playing in the basement of a pizza place near you. Catch them before they’re on tour with a cool metal band you haven’t heard of but sells out the Paladium. FFO small brown bike, melodic hardcore punk.
Little Low are back from the West Coast and have been working on a new record with Trevor Reilly. I’ve been told by reliable sources that the record sounds great! Can’t wait.
Cape Crush who we played one of our favorite shows of the year with has some new tunes coming out that sound killer! Looking forward to the new album. Cody’s last show is coming up (depending on when this gets released) so go to BitBar on 12/28!
The Pomps! One the best bands out there, putting out a new record in 2025.
Sadlands, not Boston area but have a connection with Harley. They put out a new single “Bandits” which rips! New tunes coming out 2025 and we can’t wait.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed’s musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he’s self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/
