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?
Tim Krug began touring with a reformed Brainiac in 2022, but had already been a fixture in Ohio scene as a member of Oh Condor and Halicon. Before the band embarks on their 2025 West Coast tour, Tim was kind enough to share some of his favorite records from the last year.
BELONG – REALISTIC IX
exactly the dose of distorted “Isn’t Anything” tinted noise i hadn’t realized i needed.
ALESSANDRO CORTINI – NATI INFINITI
always ready for a new Cortini record to drown out the world with a heavy dose of emotional resonance
THE CURE – SONGS OF A LOST WORLD
this one’s for the real fans in that it took me a few listens before i really connected with it. i have an entire stand-up special about what i hate about this record, but i love it.
DIIV – FROG IN BOILING WATER
soul-net.co really brought me back to a simpler version of the internet where we could spend hours reading timecube.com instead of the ravings of lunatics with tangible influence over the world
JULIE – MY ANTI-AIRCRAFT FRIEND
probably the biggest surprise for me this year, somehow only discovering them at a sold out show in NYC because TAGABOW was opening. adore this record in all of its detuned shoegazey / sonic youthy influence
LES SAVY FAV – OUI, LSF
while the world probably really needed a new “party record” from LSF, i find myself drawn to the more introspective and mellow cuts on this one. am i getting old?
SHELLAC – TO ALL TRAINS
it’s hard to separate this record from the obvious loss of Steve, and also from the “shovel event” that occurred on our tour immediately before hearing this record for the first time in its entirety.
SKEE MASK – RESORT
maybe my expectations are high, or too specific, but i didn’t connect with many electronic albums this year. love his ability to shed and morph styles as he goes. bonus props to the ongoing series of multiple 12″s and free band camp releases this year.
THE SMILE – CUTOUTS
windows 95. windows 95
TRAUMA RAY – CHAMELEON
nearly judged by it’s cover, it turns out to have more in common with Hum than Human Remains and has been in heavy rotation the past month.
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/
