The year 2024 was a busy one for music, and quite a few underrated releases have fallen through the cracks. Let's give them the exposure they deserve and explore some of the best (and most underrated) rock album releases of 2024!
The fourth release by emo outfit Gulfer is a surprisingly enduring one. Where many bands of similar ilk would fail to match the energy of their previous releases, Gulfer decided to get louder and crunchier with Third Wind.
The production of this album is excellent. Joe Therriault is at his very best, and his songwriting on this record is nothing to sneeze at, either. "Prove" is essential listening for the harmonies alone, as is "Clean".
If you've been craving something different this year, Elvis, He Was Schlager by Church Chords might just be what you're looking for. This record is an amalgamation of very interesting genres and elements, from krautrock to psychedelia. It's one of the most underrated rock album releases of 2024 by far.
"Apophatic Melismat" is essential listening and an excellent collaboration with Kristin Slipp of Dirty Projectors.
This is quite an underrated debut to come out of 2024, but we're glad we found it. Fields Of This by Chatterton is almost overwhelming in its mix of sound, from lo-fi essentials to emo screeching to almost psychedelic melodies.
Brock Pierce and Logan Scrivner really know how to make music together, and Trevor Edwards' bass and Jack Brown's saxophone stylings really pull the whole thing together. "Lakewood" is just one standout track from this particular release.
This Sleater-Kinney release is not only one of the best rock album releases of 2024, but a beautiful product of grief. Carrie Brownstein's mother and stepfather were killed in an auto accident while she and Corin Tucker were working on this album.
That tragedy served as a dark but meaningful backdrop to the album. Brownstein gets really cathartic on this record, especially on songs like "Six Mistakes" and "Say It Like You Mean It".
Photo by Lorne Thomson/Redferns