The Echo Reviews: Your Best Albums of 2024
Ryleigh Johnson | March 4, 2025
2024 was a landmark year for music, from pop culture bending to the unique vision of pop stars to rap songs becoming the center of legal disputes. It was also a great year for music–-one of the best in recent history. In this first installment, The Echo listened to some of your favorite albums to revisit the best and brightest of the past year and found some gems to carry into 2025 along the way.
Streetwise- Pretty Sick
You said: “Teenage older sister”
We said: “Streetwise”, indie-rock band Pretty Sick’s 2024 EP, is primarily defined by its more DIY elements. Sparse production and simple lyrics lend the EP a rough sound that could be described as unfinished or authentic given one’s individual predilections. At times overly reliant on cliches, the collection truly shines in its moments of vulnerability. When lead singer Sabrina Fuentes wonders, “Imagine one day I get down to the bottom of myself/And I find you” on the standout “Miami”, the EP finally grounds itself in something that feels true.
Listen to: “Miami,” “Headliner” and “Streetwise”
Manning Fireworks- MJ Lenderman
You said: “Sincere, goofy, sweet”
We said: Instantly catchy and exceedingly willing to engage in self-flagellation, “Manning Fireworks” is full of songs about sad sacks and losers that even Lenderman himself can’t take seriously. Lending an empathetic gaze and scattered with witty pieces of wisdom to its characters, the album unfolds as a Southern rock journey through the heart of the worst men in America. Self-pity has never been as instantly ear-worm-inducing.
Listen to: “Manning Fireworks,” “Wristwatch” and “You Don’t Know The Shape I’m In”
Fruit for Flies- The Army, The Navy
You said: “Whimsical, dreamy, slow”
We said: The Army and the Navy’s gorgeously constructed harmonies are both the backbone and most compelling aspect of “Fruit for Flies”. Intricately woven and perfectly executed, these warm vocals pair with gentle finger-picked guitar to create a beautiful, if monotone, sound. Despite this richness, the album can feel repetitive and flat, except for the closer, “Wild Again.” When the music crescendos, its sound finally matches the intensity of singers Maia Ciambriello and Sasha Goldberg’s emotions.
Listen to: “Vienna (In Memoriam),” “Persimmon” and “Wild Again”
GNX- Kendrick Lamar
You said: “West Coast Triumph”
We said: From the first seconds of “GNX”, it’s wildly apparent that Lamar knows he has listeners on his side. After the scorched-earth success of “Not Like Us” in the summer of 2024, even a surprise release album like “GNX” was destined to be a hit. “West Coast triumph” is an apt description of the album, which acts as an extended victory lap of Lamar’s blockbuster year. When the music is sonically compelling, it’s easy to get on board with his braggadociousness, but when the production is lacking, Lamar’s boasting wears thin.
Listen to: “hey now”, “tv off” and “dodger blue”
What a Relief- Katie Gavin
You said: “Girlhood, nostalgia, sapphic”
We said: Gavin’s first solo album is rooted in a lot of history: her own, of course, but also the sonic history of folk singers and country starts before her. Pulling inspiration from the likes of Fiona Apple and Ani DiFranco, Gavin weaves a simple, nostalgic tapestry of personal stories and sweet melodies. Complex, her music is not, but poetic lyricism and lush instrumentation will give listeners plenty to chew on.
Listen to: “Casual Drug Use”, “As Good As It Gets” and “Keep Walking”