Gold Soundz: The Best of July 2024
Highlighting the best music releases from July 2024
With Brat Summer in full swing, we’ve seen the total switch from Barbie Pink to electric neon green as the color of the year and it’s been amazing to see the rise of the underground pop star overtake the reigning queens (and kings) of the genre. While the jury may still be out on the song of the summer, the attitude is firmly locked in. As for the rest of the new releases of the month, July was a bit slower than the rest of the year, but the hits delivered with as much conviction as anything that came in the past six months and the back-half of the year has slowly been gaining momentum. Whether you’re looking for spaced-out jazz, dance-punk infused indie rock, or breezy folk-pop, you’re sure to find something you’ll keep on repeat until the heat dies down.
Album of the Month:
CASSANDRA JENKINS | My Light, My Destroyer
Taking us on journeys from Aurora, IL to the cosmos and everywhere in between, the new album from Cassandra Jenkins is a glowing collection of songs that make us ponder our existence not just on this planet, but throughout all of time and space. There are moments of lush, tender guitar alongside field recordings that capture the conversations between the artist and her mother as she learns more about the planets and the stars. Mixing gentle and soothing ambient moments with alt-rock inspired power-pop bangers in addition to a down-tempo lounge inspired tune as well, she maximizes her sound without compromising her warm, and intimate style making this one of the more personal, yet inviting records of the year.
EP of the Month:
HOTLINE TNT | Somersault (Remix) EP
Last year, Hotline TNT released the fantastic record Cartwheel which brought forth the powerful sounds of ‘90s radio-rock, Britpop, and shoegaze in a triumphant display of talent. Now, the band has pulled out the stems from songs of that record’s best tracks and given them the remix treatment. Naturally, they’ve called this EP Somersault and at its heart lies the Sabrina the Teenage DJ version of their standout song “I Thought You’d Change,” which now takes on a dance persona without losing any of its tremendous momentum.
Live Album of the Month:
BILL CALLAHAN | Resuscitate!
The ever-prolific singer-songwriter Bill Callahan has been making standout music for nearly three decades, both under his own name and under his former moniker Smog. On his new live album Resuscitate!, Callahan sticks mostly to songs from his most recent albums and forgoes some of his classic tunes, but that’s not to say this isn’t worth a listen. Rather, hearing him breathe new life into these already new songs demonstrates his incredible ability to shake things up and give his songs newfound purpose and meaning. Stretching things out beyond their basic structures, he adds sharper textures and noisier elements that may sound out of place on studio recordings, but will surely have you eager to see how he pulls it off live the next time he rolls through your town.
Don’t miss:
BLUR | Live At Wembley Stadium
CHRIS COHEN | Painting A Room
DAVE HARRINGTON | Skull Dream
FONT | Strange Burden
TOTAL BLUE | Total Blue
Concerts (in review)
MDOU MOCTAR at Union Pool // 7.8.24
JANET JACKSON at Barclays Center // 7.10.24
FOO FIGHTERS at Citi Field // 7.17.24
PITCHFORK MUSIC FESTIVAL in Chicago, IL // 7.19-21.2024