Abbi's Top Albums of 2024 & Songs of Good Hope

For Jordan's end of year album wrap up, I decided to put together my own top albums of 2024. We posted it over on his website and social media accounts a few weeks back but I wanted to share it here and also dig a little deeper into some of my favorite songs from the year.

Let's be real, 2024 was a doozy and 2025 has gotten off to an even rockier start for a lot of us big hearted people. So it's no surprise that right out of the gate, I got so attached to the soft lyrics & beautiful melodies of Andrea von Kampen who is probably my most favorite music discovery in the last 5 years! Her latest album Sister Moon was suggested to me in a Spotify Discovery playlist and when I tell you I was hooked, I mean it. I binged all her prior EPs and singles. What a gift her music was to me last year! Her album came in at number 3 so let's back track to my top two albums next.

Adrianne Lenker - Bright Future

My top album of 2024 is no surprise to literally anyone who came into our shop or paid any attention to the songs I shared in my stories this year. Adrianne Lenker's Bright Future is maybe the Abbiest of Abbi albums I have ever heard and it's chock full of childhood nostalgia - bittersweet memories, grief, but mostly this album is a long poetry book of love.

​The way we love ourselves, love our partner, love our family dog who has long passed, the way we try to love our community and the love that lies buried inside us all as we travel through the weary human experience.

It was hard to choose a favorite song from this album because I have them all memorized, but Free Treasure hits me right now because it's such a deep reflection of where Jordan and I are in our relationship at year 18 - he's cooking dinner, we're processing childhood pain, we are giving each other patience and pleasure - it's simply free treasure. And while I do feel like this album is about all encompassing love and some songs I cannot help but relate to my relationship, the album is mostly sung to a woman. So for my lesbian friends looking for a beautiful love album, this one is a must listen.

​Other special songs on the album for me are: Evol - probably the best written song on the album, Sadness is a Gift - a song for those grieving, and Real House which is the album opener will bring you to your knees with all the feels. Poetry to music, this album is simply incredible.

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My 2nd favorite album of the 2024, was Nick Cave's Wild God. This album is a continuation of a set of records Nick has been putting out as he processes the loss of his son who died tragically and had a crippling effect on Cave's life and his wife. 

This album seems to be a coming through it - there are crushing songs of grief but as the record builds, it ends with a triumphant exclamation of hope for carrying on despite the long, hard nights. 

If you are hurting. If you are grappling with your faith. If you are trudging through your day to day, this album is for your soul. My favorite song on the album is Joy. And maybe one of my favorite lyrics of the year comes from this song, it says:

"And all across the world they shout bad words, they shout angry words
All across the world they shout out their angry words
About the end of love, yet the stars stand above the earth
Bright, triumphant metaphors of love
Bright, triumphant metaphors of love
Blind us all who care to stand and look beyond
And care to stand and look beyond above"

I could unpack every single one of my top ten best albums, like John Moreland's Visitor which comes in close 4th on the top five and his song Silver Sliver which is such a song for how I feel right now in life and I wish more people knew about John and his incredible writing and talent.

​What a musical balm he has been to my bruised heart over the last several years.

You can find the rest of my list below along with my favorite songs from each of my top albums. Jordan and I made up a fun Tea & Records playlist that combines both of our favorite songs from our lists. You can see his full list on his Sudden Light Records blog, which is also where our playlist is housed, too!