Penny 4.1: Stand-Outs of 2024 by Penny Magazine

INTERVIEWS

Fat Dog Unleashed (4) Getting Into Dutch Interior (16)

Looking Back On 2024 with Liily (23)

Greg Freeman’s I Looked Out: A DIY Gem Finds New Life (32)

EDITORIAL

Wunderhorse’s Midas: Reimagined and Reinvigorated, A Triumph of a Band Coming into their Own (8)

In Review: Porter Robinson’s Smile :D (12)

GeeseFest 2024: A Recap (20)

CHROMAKOPIA: A New Reality Doctored by Tyler, the Creator (24)

Penny’s 2024 Albums of Note (28)

MJ Lenderman Takes Manning Fireworks to Williamsburg (36)

photo galleries

Slow Fiction (14)

Geese (20)

Model/Actriz (38)

Julien Baker (40)

EXTRAS

2025 Pop Culture Bingo Card (11)

Playlist: Modern Outsider Artists (19)

EIC Recommends: The Top 12 Tracks of 2024 (34)

WHO IS PENNY?

Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Graphics + lAY-OUT

Erin Christie

EDITORIAL CoNtributORS

James Ammirato - Writer (30)

Charlie Anastasis - Writer (23)

Erin Christie - Writer, Photographer (4, 8, 14, 16, 29, 30, 31, 33, 36)

Kate Christie - Writer (29)

Sara Collins - Writer (30, 31)

Anya Dakota - Writer (29)

Max Hartenstein - Writer (31)

Kelly Kerrigan - Writer (20)

Rachel Kerrigan - Photographer (20)

Maranda Leecan - Writer (24, 32)

Brian Mecinas - Writer (32)

Camryn Montebruno - Writer, Photographer (33, 40)

Christian Pace - Playlist Curator (19)

Jeremy Philip - Writer (29)

Delphine Winton - Writer (12)

** Photographers for Cover:

Fat Dog by Pooneh Ghana, Greg Freeman by Justin Gordon, Liily by Alex Baxley, Dutch Interior by Julien Sage

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Happy New Year! I hope all has been well x

I can’t remember the last issue I wrote more than three pieces for, so consider this issue a rarity! In all, I’m excited to present the end of 2024 print issue of Penny, including some rewarding interviews with artists such as Fat Dog and Greg Freeman, as well as our longest and most writer-heavy AOTY listicle yet (thank you to everyone who reached out about contributing to that!)

In truth, 2024 has been incredibly taxing but also very rewarding personally, and I’m very proud of everything that we’ve accomplished via Penny this year To avoid burn-out and general disillusionment, though, Penny print issues might enter a slight hiatus in 2025 - but I will be sure to keep you posted For now, I hope you enjoy this edition and would love to hear your thoughts <3 Thanks for sticking around!

Talk again sometime soon x

Erin Christie

Penny Founder + Editor-in-Chief

FAT DOG UNLEASHED

Interview by Erin Christie Press Photos by Pooneh Ghana

“Show me the fucking way!,” an enthused Fat Dog frontman Joe Love shouted into the maw of a frothing TV Eye crowd in Ridgewood, Queens at around 10 PM on a Tuesday, following he and his bandmates sauntering on stage with a “perplexing vibe,” as one of my friends described. Donning a tarnished but still stark white karate kit and bright blue trainers, Love surveyed the eagerly anticipating crowd of onlookers with a squinted eye and furrowed brow before he and the rest of the band launched into their debut LP WOOF.’s opening track “Vigilante. ” While the live version of the track did not include the recorded ideation’s pulpit-bound speech at the command of a doomsaying cult leader (aka British actor Neil Bell), it still perfectly introduced the snarling, propulsive, and utterly singular sound cultivated by the group in their short but action-packed career thus far, forcing the room into a swell of chaos in just under 2 minutes. Later setlist inclusions such as singles “Running” and “Wither” emitted a level of euphoric chaos that Ripley’s Believe It Or Not might’ve been interested in; it was truly one of the most joyinducing sets I’ve seen in a long time, even if it blew by faster than you can spit out “It’s fucking fat dog baby.”

But before members Chris Hughes (keyboards, synths) Johnny Dutch (drums), Morgan Wallace (sax, keyboards), and Jacqui Wheeler (bass) joined the Fat

The band first began as Love’s solo project, ideated during the initial COVID lockdown when he began crafting quite intense dance music and instrumentals on his laptop Soon, he presented his output during a brief stint of independent live shows once lockdown measures lightened, and word of mouth brought about a frenzy (“Have you seen those videos of William Shatner where he’s just sitting there smoking and speaking lyrics? That’s more of what it was like”, noted keyboardist Chris Hughes) After having experienced god at one of said live shows, Hughes got in touch with Love and quickly weaseled his way into the group permanently: “It was the first time that I’d heard music that - I wouldn’t necessarily call it tribal, but it hit me right in the stomach and it let me let loose more than any other music I’d heard before I was immediately hooked and went about figuring out any way I could to get into the band,” he recalled. Soon, other members followed suit and the rest was history.

"ItwasthefirsttimethatI'd heardmusicthathitmerightin thestomachanditletmelet loosemorethananyother musicI'dheardbefore"

-ChrisHughes

Early singles, including their debut deep-fried 8-minute sermon “King Of the Slugs” (created over a love-filled but exhausting 6 months with the support of their label, Domino), is where it all began, quickly striking a chord across oceans whether for good or bad upon their release. With the band’s eventual debut album WOOF further blending elements of European dance music, UK drumand-bass, primal industrial punk, and more into a melting pot of sheer insanity, consumers and analysts subsequently stood among one of two camps: to some, they’ve created the best thing since sliced bread, and to others, they’re truly confusing, if not impossible to describe: “The one that stuck out to us most recently, we were in Belgium and this radio presenter

described [our music] as ‘techno polka,’ which I don’t know if I agree with, but it was really funny,” Hughes laughed. “I used to say it’s like ‘rabbis on ecstasy,’ but techno rock is probably accurate ”

What also adds to the polarizing intrigue surrounding Fat Dog’s genre-defying recordings is the completely fantastical stories that shape each track, lending to their utter singularity When writing, Hughes and Love often sit down and ponder the most ridiculous scenarios they can imagine, intending to form songs that “sound like” cops sliding over cars and shooting at people, some kind of sci-fi alien scene, or even a POV of being kidnapped by Jeremy Clarkson. Across WOOF. inclusions such as “I Am the King” (a surprisingly cinematic single, corralled in with a choir of cherubs and evangelical strings, but levied with comical lyrics such as “I ain’t crying for you / I just watched Karate Kid 2”)

and “Clowns” (a transportive 80s synth video game soundtrack cut with just enough bark AND bite “You are what you eat now, baby, you’re shit to me”), they create an extremely visual and viscerally surreal landscape that you can easily get lost in Whatever your opinion of Fat Dog may be, you simply can’t say that they aren’t a good time without lying through your teeth.

With the varied word-of-mouth chatter, it makes sense, then, that attendees at this year’s SXSW swarmed to their sets in packs, whether to indulge in the reverie or see what the fuss was all about. In general, said festival-goers had to have been hibernating the whole week if they escaped without hearing so much as an enthused whisper or incredulous groan about the British genre-shaping conglomerate and perhaps buzziest band of 2024. Hughes recalls that his favorite

"Youcankilltheman,butyou cannotkillthedog" "Youcankilltheman,butyou cannotkillthedog"

Favorite Tracks: Running, Wither, All the Same

attendee he met whilst in Texas was a man who resembled Larry David to a T he attended every one of their shows that week (as documented via the band’s socials)

Following the festival, Fat Dog “broke” in the States, with the jarring sonic blitz that ensued across their live shows becoming a big selling point of their’s. In the past few months alone, they have continued on an upward trajectory, with sold-out headliners and festival appearances across Europe and the UK, Japan, The Netherlands, and more.

Hughes laughs when he counters that their manic onstage presence decorated with swinging microphone cords, spontaneous dance breaks, and acts of physical fitness is quite separate from their demeanor on the outside (this is, however, ignoring the

fact that his favorite memory of the band’s first time in New York was pissing his pants after consuming 14 All Star pint-plushotdog combos at Birdy’s “This is truly the land of the free, I’ll give you that”). While touring as much as they have been, the van’s energy is surprisingly kept mellow and silent as a cathedral, leaving their energy to pour out onstage in the evenings: “Being British, we’ve already got tight shoulders, so being lit on stage is probably the perfect outlet for letting out our built-up tension,” he reasoned. “Especially Joe and I, we’re kind of like old men, sitting by the fire, reading the

newspaper, and drinking a pint; a comfortable twiddle of the old thumbs.”

Whether hunkering down and indulging in a cheeky beer at home, or unleashing unabashed mayhem in a dingy pub, Fat Dog thrive amidst the chaos, emerging unafraid and unbothered in hazmat-guarded glory. They carve a lane all their own, regardless of what anyone has to say about it, and in truth, you simply must respect them for it When asked what kind of dawg the collective has in them, Hughes thought carefully before choosing a bee-stung beagle with a huge nose and disoriented stare: “You can kill the man, but you cannot kill the dog.” God (or dog)-willing, this will hopefully remain true in anticipation of what’s next for the foursome Needless to say, however, it’d be nearly impossible to anticipate what distorted reality they’re preparing to present next.

Wunderhorse’s Midas:

Reimagined and Reinvigorated,

A Triumph

of a Band Coming into their Own

Review by Erin Christie Press Photos by Plocho

Wunderhorse’s “sophomore slump”evading Midas is a record that immediately drew me in As with frontman Jacob Slater’s monumental project debut, Cub (2022), this long-awaited second album crafted alongside his touring bandmates, now permanent Wunderhorse lineup fixtures similarly places a stamp on the former Dead Pretties bandleader’s emotionally evocative word-smithing, packing an emotional KO that lulls you into a heart-pumping yet cerebral hypnosis. The record’s storytelling, combined with Slater’s versatile, sentiment-laden vocal stylings, creates a deeply affecting experience, one that you’d be remiss to skip out on Even lead single “Midas” kicks off the record with the crack of a whip; it’s a no-holds-barred, self-aware reintroduction to the project unlike any of their previous material that says “we’re not playing around ”

Even if you’re consuming the album solely based on its cover, Midas’ title bears a heavy load regarding this aforementioned world-building It evokes imagery of the king of yore’s gold-tinged touch, bestowed upon him by Dionysius, with which he is initially thrilled but soon realizes is a curse “Be careful what you wish for,” as the saying goes It would make sense that the royal Midas himself and the doubleedged sword that is ‘reward’ would be

on Slater’s mind while working on this new album in the wake of the avalanching success of Wunderhorse’s debut. Against a backdrop of cacophonous guitar interplay and beefy,

smattering drums, the record is thusly weaved with an existential

throughline: a respect for the past, an attempted understanding of the present, and a fearful yet grounded acceptance of the future. This bold and

earnest songwriting approach, as seen here and on Slater’s solo material, is perhaps what makes Wunderhorse’s output resonate so deeply with me, hitting my chest like a speed train

I was coincidentally in London (Wunderhorse’s neck of the woods) for work when Midas’ third single “Silver” was unveiled over the summer A stranger to the city at the time, I spent a handful of

was experiencing a handful of growing pains myself, leading me to find solace in the record’s tender, yet abrasive quality and honest portrayal of personal reckoning To this day, inclusions such as “Girl Behind the Glass” and “Purple” decorate my commutes to nights walking back to the apartment I was sharing with my coworkers in Battersea with the track’s cooing plea, “hush now, baby, don’t you cry,” rever-berating in my skull. Those

London strolls evoked a similar feeling to that which I encountered in the wake of Cub’s release in 2022, a time that initiated Slater’s emerg-ence as a writer born from the

hallows of turbulent personal experience, composing songs in the context of growing older, adapting to change, and learning difficult lessons in the process. In 2022, I had just moved to New York and

Manhattan for work and back to down-town Bushwick for a variety of shows at low-ceiling, dimly-lit venues, adding a sense of cinematic contemplation to the journey Midas achieves a similar result, touching on my own inner dialog re: imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and doom, telling me that I’m not alone and serving as another safebet for sound-tracking my times staring out the subway window into blackness.

Shortly following Midas’ full release later in the year, I found myself at one of said dimly-lit shows, this time to see

Wunderhorse themselves at a soldout-in-minutes show at Union Pool in Williamsburg That evening, the crowd sloshed against the knee-height stage, praying before the altar forged

by the foursome. Onstage, Slater adorned sunglasses, his enthused head-bobbing throughout the set forcing said headwear into quiet calamity atop his nose bridge

Performed live, Midas’ infectious throughline of tsunami-like sonic mayhem, intercut with honest reflections on life, kept the crowd in a state of understandable levitation The night’s energy was levied, too, by the live debut of the record’s most sonically somber inclusion, “Superman,” where Slater strips things down with a pensive and soaring musicality, akin to Wunderhorse’s beginnings with Cub

Above all, in attempting to condense my thoughts on Midas into a handful of coherent paragraphs while also listening to it, I encountered a rare scenario in which I was unable to evade writer’s block for a good chunk of time – not because I wasn’t sure what to say, but because I was continually getting distracted by how truly ensnaring the music is in itself This speaks to the fact that this is a record that demands your attention and refuses to release it; it’s active and emotive listening material, at the expense of one’s ability to multitask while taking it all in (and in this case, it’s a good thing) More than just rivaling tourmates Fontaines D C ’s highly anticipated Romance (released a week prior), Midas establishes Wunderhorse as a heavyweight in 2024’s alternative music circuit, and sticks them at the top of the replay pile in my book

Favorite Tracks: Rain, Emily, Silver

Listen

to Wunderhorse’s Sophomore LP Midas, Out Now via Communion

2025 Pop Culture Bingo Card with

Predictions According to...

P E N N Y

Charli xcx Partners with Hillshire Farms on Trademarked brat Brats (To Launch Next Summer)

Mk Gee's 'MkDonalds' Collab Meal Drops

Hayley Williams Writes an Autobiography

Trisha Paytas Stars in A24 Film Loosely Based on the 'Vlog Squad'

Sabrina Carpenter Goes Brunette (Espresso, Even) for New Era

Warped Tour Is Cancelled Again, Citing Poor Ticket Sales and 'Rancid Vibes' Amongst Billed Bands

The Boy Boy West Coast Announces His Indefinite Retirement from Clubbing, "We was at [my] home"

Robert Mapplethorpe x

Patti Smith Biopic Enters PreProduction

Any Band with 'Horse' or 'Beach' in their Name Must Legally Pay A Fine as of 2025

Gracie Abrams Guest Stars on Sesame Street (Should the Program Persist)

The Rise of Bootgaze (it's like Shoegaze, but Country)

FREE

Jojo Siwa's Energy Drink Hits Shelves, Immediately Recalled Due to Sugar Content

Lin Manuel Miranda Composes a Jukebox Musical Based on Kamala Harris' "Coconut Tree" Speech

Morrissey FINALLY Retires, Leaves Public Eye (Robert Smith Reigns Supreme)

The Masked Singer's Next Season Features Martha Stewart

Sean Evans Finally (yet unfortunately) Gets Food Poisoning, Hot Ones Pivots

Declan McKenna Constructs Next Viral TikTok Trend (if TT Survives)

Addison Rae Cuts Ties with Pepsi Co, Looks Toward Relationship w/ Poppi

DJ Khalid Takes a Cleanse from Social Media, Returns Having Written a Memoir x Poetry Book

Big Thief Rob a Bank

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Headline Lollapalooza Chicago

Rock-Climbing / Swimming Shoes as Street Wear

David Byrne Hosts SNL and Returns as Musical Guest, Solo

Next Big Music Industry Beef: Oasis vs Everybody

Keep track as we go!

In review: Porter robinson’s smile :D

Written by Delphine Winton

I started listening to Porter Robinson when I was sixteen I was a huge fan of the Dungeons and Dragons podcast The Adventure Zone, and host and DM Griffin McElroy, who also composes the music for the podcast, cited Porter Robinson’s ‘Worlds’ as one of his inspirations for part of the campaign. I had fallen so hard for this podcast that I immediately went to go listen to ‘Worlds,’ and was pulled into the universe that Robinson created on that album immediately. ‘Worlds’ was like nothing I had ever heard before. I was raised on the music of George Frideric Handel and Paul Simon, and on my own, I had explored the worlds of divorced dad music (Bright Eyes) and gay teenager music (Hayley Kiyoko). ‘Worlds’ was expansive; its soaring synths and ambitious subject matter enchanted me. When his next project ‘Nurture’ came out in 2021, it felt like a breath of fresh air, and I once again fell in love, notably with the danceability of “Musician”, the earnestness of “Look At The Sky”, and the pitch-shifted vocals that slip in and out throughout the album Robinson has been very open about the creative block he went through

between the releases of ‘World’ and ‘Nurture,’ though He’s essentially been a public figure since the age of 18, when his song “Say My Name” garnered attention from the dance music world. From there, he released his first EP, ‘Spitfire,’ then “Language”, a song with a notably different sound ‘Worlds’ was released in 2014, and then Robinson hit a wall. He still released music - “Shelter” with Madeon, some music under the Virtual Self moniker, but it would be seven years before Robinson’s next release, ‘Nurture ’

All of this background is vital for understanding his newest project, ‘Smile :D,’ an album dealing with fandom, creation, and being a person who is very much in the public eye It deftly jumps from tone to tone, sometimes ironically funny, sometimes dripping in self-depreciation, sometimes earnestly proclaiming its love for Robinson’s listeners.

First and foremost, ‘Smile :D’ is an absurdly fun album. Robinson learned how to play guitar after the release of ‘Nurture,’ citing a desire to create “a Killers record”, but he came out the other end with an album brighter, more colourful, and more drenched in irony (but somehow more sincere) than anything he had created before. ‘Smile :D’ is as tongue-in-cheek (“Wouldn’t know how to brush my teeth without asking my team” / “Don’t kill yourself, you idiot”) as it is sincere (“I’ve been trying to change but I don’t know how to change you” / “I guard my soft mind, ‘cause I have to”), pulling off this juxtaposition with a deftness that not every artist could.

The album splits the difference between a lot of things, too — genre-wise it’s heading in the direction of indie rock, is not quite keyed-up enough to be hyperpop, and is too acoustic to be EDM. It lives in the middle of genres, perfectly situated to get its ideas across For example, “Knock Yourself Out” and “Russian Roulette” make incredible use of their crushedout hooks. Moreover, the synth line in “Cheerleader” is addictive to the point that I listened to it 250 times this year, according to my Spotify Wrapped The song is equal parts funny and heartfelt, perfectly straddling the line that ‘Smile :D’ embraces. The wry

self-deprecation of “Kitsune Maison Freestyle” (“Ugly pretty boy on the cover”) almost masks the crushing feeling of hearing the reality of our beauty-obsessed society stated so plainly in lyrics like “Everybody’s just trying to look good, trying not to feel bad,” and “Everything you thought you wanted was made out of nothing.”

The back half of the album takes on a softer tone, but isn’t without its higher energy moments. The end of “Mona Lisa” is the song equivalent of smashing into a wall, sparing absolutely nothing from the vocals to the drums to the instrumentation. “Is There Really No Happiness” has some of the most beautiful lyrics Robinson has ever written — he tends towards plainly stated truths, but that song proves that he can get metaphorical when he wants to, pulling in imagery that’s equal parts nostalgic and fantastical

The most stark example of Robinson’s growth as an artist is at his live shows. The Smile :D tour has a lot of production elements, but they’re in support of Robinson’s performance instead of overshadowing it. There are, at times, overpowering levels of the colour pink There’s a giant blow-up cat There’s an incredibly competent live band. There are three separate sections, plus an encore. It’s excess that allows you to indulge without feeling guilty, invoking the same feeling that much of Robinson’s music does His songs seem to appeal to everyone from ravers to anime fans, to League of Legends players to hardcore kids (if the circle pit that formed at the second Toronto show is anything to go by). Robinson knows how to connect with a crowd, and the amount of time he’s poured into performing live gets to shine.

You can most clearly feel the love that was poured into the album in the closer, “Everything To Me” The album takes a playful tone with the idea of parasocial relationships, but “Everything To Me” drops that humour entirely in favour of a genuinely heartfelt piece about Robinson’s love for playing shows and his time spent not just in the public eye, but creating art that connects with people

In the end, that’s the juxtaposition within ‘Smile :D.’ Robinson isn’t famous with nothing to show for it - he’s gotten to where he is now because his music genuinely means a lot to so many people, and that’s certainly something that’s worthy of an album.

Listen to smile :D, Out now

Photographedby ErinChristie

Getting Into Dutch Interior

For once, Spotify’s Discover Weekly algorithm got it right when they threw Dutch Interior onto one of my weekly rotations this year

The LA County-based band composed of Jack Nugent, Conner Reeves, Davis Stewart, Noah Kurtz, and brothers Shane and Hayden Barton is the fruit of the unique creative synergy and unwavering trust weaved throughout the members’ 20+ years of friendship

Following their spontaneous COVID lockdownborn 2021 debut album Kindergarten, the group shared their sophomore effort Blinded by Fame in 2023 While Dutch Interior thusly existed as a welcome addition to the indie sleaze or altcountry circuits via these previous full-length projects, the group’s innovative musical inclination more accurately spills out of any preestablished box, with forthcoming music peppering their growing discography with a wide array of influences across indie rock,

droning ambient noise, buzzy dance beats, and southern roots This, in turn, makes them one of the most exciting bands I’ve come across as of late while their sound is familiar, it also beckons you to wonder, ‘what’s next?,’ and for this band, there really doesn’t seem to be a limitation to that question’s answer.

Making their return to DSPs earlier this year, Dutch Interior shared a new single straight of out left field, “Ecig, ” a scuffed-up slowcore banger, contorted via sludgy basslines and glittering shoegaze riffs As with this former track, the band’s Fall release “Sandcastle Molds” simulates the continuance of a new and adventurous era for the band, existing as their version of a “fucked up Fleetwood Mac song.” 2025 is set to receive more new content from Dutch Interior, and your guess is as good as mine regarding what it’ll sound like. All I know is that it’s going to be epic, and induce a good amount of positive head-scratching

I recently caught up with Dutch Interior via e-mail to dig into more of their lore and possibly learn a bit about what is soon to come from their camp. See that conversation below.

---

I like to begin by giving artists an opportunity to describe themselves genre-wise, as so many journalists (myself, included) tend to get it completely wrong. That said, if you were to describe Dutch Interior to someone who hasn’t heard any of your music, how would you?

Rock, we guess. Our approach from the beginning has been to never bog Dutch Interior down with genre definition, so this question is always tough to answer There are six songwriters in the band and we all bring a wide range of influences to the table, so when a song gets given over to the band to make into a Dutch Interior song, anything can happen Selfprescribing genre before letting a song form on its own often kneecaps our process and feels uninspiring.

A good amount of press have also declared that there’s an air of “mystery” surrounding

Dutch Interior as a project and as a collective of individuals in choosing to hold your cards close to your chest, do you think this aids in letting your music speak for itself? Or do you have a different intention?

No one is centered in the band, so we don’t center ourselves for our audience. Our visual aesthetic and music is what makes Dutch Interior what it is, and that might be different for each person Allowing people to instill our art with their own meaning is the only way for us

Everyone in this group had been creating music independent of one another prior to Dutch Interior’s beginning. Did elements from those other projects/pursuits help shape the direction you’ve gone down here, or was this project more of an opportunity to start from scratch, with wholly new influences and methods?

We all have been making music together for a

really long time in various projects and collaborations. Dutch was definitely an opportunity to put our ideas together (still allowing each member their own voice) and dive into something new.

How would you best describe the creative collaborative process fostered here? Do you guys tend to jam and work it out from there, or does everyone come in with their own ideas to share among the group?

Our process is: someone individually writes a song or an idea (no matter how complete) and gives it over to the band (via a rough demo, voice memo, or in a jam atmosphere) to restructure, bend, challenge, experiment with, etc.. We try to record quickly, arranging and tracking everything in a day or two, embracing mistakes and new directions along the way

The newest Dutch Interior album, Blinded by Fame, was released in 2023. Reflecting on that record now, how would you best describe it? Does anything stick out to you most fondly when you think about the behindthe-scenes process? Were there any particularly rewarding or difficult moments?

The intentions were wholesome and light we look back on that time fondly. We took the 8track tape machine that we recorded Kindergarten with on the floor of our shared apartment during covid into a detached garage behind Shane and Hayden’s house and set to work as an actual “band” Every song was arranged, recorded, and mixed in a single day in mid-late 2022. We lost a lot to tape malfunctions and lack of adequate hardware, but in hindsight, we wouldn’t have had it any other way. The mixer we used caught on fire halfway through the record because water dripped into it from a pink himalayan salt lamp (strictly for vibes) which had absorbed moisture from the air after a storm

Since the release of that record, what would you say are the most important lessons you’ve learned that you have taken into this next era of the band, whether in terms of songwriting, production, live performance, or otherwise?

We’ve learned and grown as individuals, bandmates, and friends so much since then that it’s hard to quantify We found a certain magic in all putting our heads together in a free creative environment and letting ideas develop on their own.

After recording and releasing BBF, we rented a space and set to work building a proper recording studio. With this change, we shifted into digital recording and, for the very first time, allowed ourselves the freedom to put more than eight tracks into the recording of a song (we also couldn’t afford cabling to integrate the tape machine)

We still pay a lot of mind to the self-imposed limitations and rules that drive our creativity. An example of this is recording with only tape, recording live without a click and tracking overdubs as if it was live, or trying to integrate a specific weird sound into a song that it wouldn’t traditionally exist in there’s always something We self-recorded our last two singles digitally in our new studio while still keeping this ethic alive

Speaking of a new era, your summer single “Ecig” introduced a wholly new side of Dutch Interior, incorporating a welcome dose of distortion and brainscratching droning to your repertoire. What inspired this switch, if anything, and does this sonic template point toward your future material’s “vibe”?

The tonal shift that came with “Ecig” was a product of keeping an open mind with new ideas “Ecig” was once a completely different song (we even played it live a few times, and there are some recordings on YouTube if you dig around).

One day at practice, Conner started playing it faster, with a bunch of distortion, and the current version of “Ecig” materialized out of thin air on the first playthrough The song was suddenly exciting again, and we committed to making that

the new version

The noisiness and nonlinear development of “Ecig” reflects our live set, which tends towards everchanging, experimental reimaginings of our songs.

While currently approaching 2025, what are you guys looking forward to most? And do you have any big plans you hope to see through re: Dutch Interior (especially with Fat Possum’s help) and/or in your own personal lives?

We’re looking forward to lots of things More touring; playing festivals; new music videos; a new single that, at the time of writing this, is now out in this world (“Sandcastle Molds”); and, most importantly, making more and more music as Dutch becomes a bigger and bigger part of our lives. We have a bunch of new music coming out through Fat Possum in the coming months, too. Mostly, we can’t wait to get back into the studio space where we feel this most at home

PressPhotobyJulienSage

Modern Outsider Artists

A Playlist Curated by Christian

Pace

With the rise of streaming and accessible recording tech it's easier now than ever to write record and release whatever strange ideas you have brewing in your skull to whomever it is that wants to listen

This playlist includes, but is not limited to: a 5-year-old singing about COVID, a crazy religious substitute teacher and a vlogger

01 Toy - Ottilie Wallce

02 Anything - M Dot R LV GENERAL

03 Bass Man - Joey Breaux

04 I Know You Feel - Musik vom P

05 Fortnite Anthem - Danny P

06 Die 4 U - Skeletonprince

07 Revelations, Dawg - Dr Lisa Kurtz

08. Emily montes (Corona is Crazy) - Emily Montes

09 Ohio Orgasm - Big Daddy Marc

10 Freaky With You - Bo Daddy Harris

11 The Christian Poop Song - The Odd Man Who Sings About Poop Puke and Pee

12 Roaring Thunder - Daniel Larsen

Write-UpbyKellyKerrigan

GeeseFest 2024: A Recap

PhotographybyRachelKerrigan

LOOKING BACK ON 2024 WITH

The very first print issue of Penny Magazine features a cover story on one of my favorite bands, Liily, completed with the words and help of bassist Charlie Anastasis (who I truly feel honored to call a close friend).

For those yet to be introduced, Liily is one of those once-in-a-generation bands that you can’t help but admire, from their origins in the San Fernando Valley alt circuit to the long-awaited release and subsequent praise of their debut record in 2022 (‘TV or Not TV’). This year, though, the band transcended to new heights, capitalized with the release of their self-titled EP over the summer.

On ‘LIILY,’ the band presented themselves in a new, advanced state, combining daring sonic choices with confident exhibition of their collective

prowess, honed over years of friendship and musical partnership The collection of 6 tracks is some of their strongest material to date from their brash, claims-taking action statement “MORE”, to their whiplashing blink-and-you’llmiss-it “BOOM BOOM” and brit-pop adjacent slow-burner “TALLER.” Baring their teeth and flashing a smile, Liily reintroduce themselves and point toward their highly empowered future (one which I, personally, am excited to witness).

In a bit of a Penny throwback, I tasked Charlie with writing a short reflective essay on 2024 in the context of his own personal journey this year and in terms of his growth with Liily, which you can read below. Moreover, stay tuned for more from Liily, to come in the new year. (@liilytheband / www.liilytheband.com).

It’s always a little frustrating for me to contextualize a year, especially being kind of an adult now Most days and months bleed into one another, but when l think about this year l feel like a crazy person. Liily was in a dark and isolated place in 2023 and at the beginning of this year we felt like we had nowhere to go I was scared that it was just going to fizzle out and became super terrified to make any kind of decision Then in March, my dad died, and through the nightmare of that, l felt this sense of ambition and autonomy that I hadn’t felt in years. Not that you need to lose a parent to feel any kind of motivation but ultimately, I think it pulled me out of a hole. Since then, we put out l think what is the best collection of songs we have ever done and restructured the entire band. It feels like a brand new moment for us and l think the future is bright for the first time in a while

-Charlie Anastasis

A New Reality

Doctored by tyler, the creator

Written by Maranda Leecan

From the start, CHROMAKOPIA was an album unlike any previous Tyler, The Creator albums As a longtime fan, it’s a long-known fact that Tyler has put out his albums two years after each other since Goblin However, Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale was the first time we’d seen a deluxe version of an album, not just the instrumentals of the album added on It arrived two years after the standard’s release and made fans unsure when Tyler might actually be dropping a new album in his typical tradition

CHROMAKOPIA was then teased a little over a year later - with a video first, the album announcement the next day, and the album itself out in full a little over a week later The album also arrived on a Monday morning, completely disregarding the industry standard Friday at midnight release Its release was also paired with an industrial green truck that drove across the US, and was tracked on a map as it traveled to a few lucky cities for fans to interact with

All this to say, it was clear even before the music was out that CHROMAKOPIA was going to stand out from the rest in his discography As someone who’s been following Tyler since his first album, he is one of those artists that you can literally hear and see their growth with each release. From lyricism to sonic and visual inspirations, each album is a step up from the next Whether you have a favorite or not is a personal choice but it’s no coincidence that every time Tyler releases an album, we’re always pondering if it’s his best one

Each album also takes us deeper into Tyler’s world on his own terms If you’re an actual fan of Tyler and his music, I would argue that you have no desire to find out anything about his personal life outside of what he

puts in the music, considering he uses it to share as much as you should know about someone you don’t actually know Flower Boy was the album in which Tyler really started to open up more about who he, the person and not just the artist, actually was and feeling - instead of a character like in Wolf or Cherry Bomb He left the brass, edgy (and sometimes really offensive) lyrics of his beginnings behind in favor of more inner reflection That openness to allow us as listeners in then led to the earnesty of Igor and CMIFGL, where Tyler talked about and through specific and detailed relationships, and also let Tyler break out into the mainstream

CHROMAKOPIA now could be seen as the peak of that openness as he’s completely opened the window to us as listeners Even though the storytelling is behind a character, St. Chroma, the character is just a mask as he talks about his real life Tyler’s mother doesn’t speak on just one song, but throughout multiple songs in the album - narrating to us, when in actuality she’s speaking to Tyler and he’s allowing us to hear “Like Him,” is a song that sticks with you from the first listen, especially if you’ve been here. She literally tells him, after 20+ years, that she’s the reason his father hasn’t been in his life As listeners, we’ve heard Tyler talk about his father being absent and like him, we believed it was his father’s choice To be let into that fact, in the same way he was - from his own mother’s mouth - is a moment I have not been able to stop thinking about this year

The first time I heard “Hey Jane,” I couldn’t believe that Tyler was speaking so openly about something so personal, like trying to decide to keep a child or not. Similarly to another green album of this year, the lyrics on here aren’t metaphorical, they are conversationalthey sound like you’re intruding on a conversation that you shouldn’t and it makes the music so personal

In a year where Chappell Roan gets hate for setting boundaries, a song like “Noid” - along with its visualizer that sees Ayo Edebiri as a crazed fangives us insight into how the shoes are on the other foot “Take Your Mask Off" is a standout for long-time listeners - as Tyler talks through many people needing to take their mask off before looking at himself The literal ‘taking your mask off’ terminology also takes us back to “Running Out of Time” from Igor, where he originally talked about wearing a mask when ironically, Tyler as the artist doesn’t start actually wearing that mask until CHROMAKOPIA The callback is there lyrically and sonically as well.

Sonically, Tyler knows exactly what he’s doing and he always has - that’s why the instrumentals for Cherry Bomb and Wolf are able to stand on their own. Tyler is one of the few artists that have clearly emerged as the product of studying and being a nerd about music while simultaneously creating a world and style that is completely his own He doesn’t just try to replicate the music that he grew up on, he creates albums that serve that role for the next generation For those of us in the same generation as Tyler, his music is a treat as fans of the music he grew up on, and as fans who grew up with him

The vocals on “St. Chroma,” genuinely feel like affirmations from above “I Killed You” has wonderful use of backing vocals, especially towards the end of the song that act like instruments for the song itself, reminiscent of songs that my parents would play and told me I knew nothing about It’s clear that the use of real instruments - drums, strings, horns, etc. - are important to the flow of his lyrics I could almost imagine being in the studio and seeing the drums on “Judge Judy” being laid down while he’s laying the vocals - that’s how tight they go together “Sticky” was clearly formulated with care for its ability to be replicated by big bands, to be played by seas of black instrumentalists at HBCUs and more The feeling that those performances and soulful music like this created in the black community gets bottled up in this absolute anthem

CHROMAKOPIA as an album feels like another window into the world of Tyler but this room also has mirrors, and because of that, we see how different things in Tyler’s life (which we’ve learned about in all of his previous music) all reflect and bounce off of each other. We hear traditional collaborators like Santigold, Solange, Teezo Touchdown, and Schoolboy Q, as well as lyrical and sonic callbacks to older albums. We also see how he’s rearranged what we’ve known from him in new ways with new collaborators like Doechii, Sexyy Red, Glorilla and Lola Young.

He’s found new ways to share and put exactly what he wants in the music and leaves it there The album ends with “I Hope You Find Your Way Home” which is an inspiration for those of us who have seen and literally heard an artist we love grow from release to release Though we know Tyler as a confident, self-

-aware artist today, being self-aware means knowing your insecurities and faults, too Instead of only boasting his accomplishments - like the collaborations he’s secured, the money he’s made, and the cars he owns - we get to also hear his reflection on this and it’s a treat, as a listener, to be able to hear him be so real and open. As the album starts and ends with the chanting of the title, CHROMAKOPIA becomes a loop, a full circle moment in his career that is now synonymous with taking your mask off, really looking at yourself, and transcending because of that What a treat that we get to hear Tyler do that every single time we listen to this album.

Favorite Tracks: St Chroma I Hope You Find Your Way Home Balloon

Greg Freeman’s

I Looked Out

A DIY Gem Finds New Life

Interview by Brian Mecinas

Press Photos by Justin Gordon

When Greg Freeman released his debut album I Looked Out back in late 2022, the budding artist didn’t anticipate the attention it would still be receiving over two years later. Following his recent signing to Canvasback/Transgressive Records, the Vermont-grown DIY gem has found new life within a winter rerelease that features two additional tracks that draw listeners deeper into the album’s already gripping orbit. It’s a small taste of what’s to come in the new year and a mellow reminder that Freeman is here, working hard to bring new music out into the world

The expanded version of the project comes right on the heels of a packed year of touring and live performances that saw Freeman spread his gospel across North America, laying the foundation for a career-defining 2025

As I chatted with Freeman over the phone on a quiet Monday morning, he described the process of revisiting the album as both exciting and funny. “It was weird to be working on the new record while also figuring out the rerelease,” he shares.

The re-release itself offers listeners two bonus tracks: an acoustic rendition of "Long Distance Driver" featuring Merce Lemon, and a sound collage titled "Sound Tests, Scraps, Lists. " Freeman describes the latter as “ a bunch of little ideas” woven into a single track, capturing the occasionally fragmented yet cohesive nature of his creative process. Meanwhile, the

acoustic duet infuses a more intimate spirit into the song with layered vocals by Freeman and Lemon being gracefully underscored by a reoccurring harmonica track in between verses.

The stripped-down, acoustic nature of the rendition is something Freeman notes could have been a bigger part of the original record.

“There’s no acoustic songs on the original album, so this adds another element that could have been there in the first place,” he says

In regard to what drew him to invite Lemon onto the song, it seemed that with their familiarity with one another’s music, it just made sense “We were in Pittsburgh and she had a friend that had a studio there We had done some tours together and she already knew the song We came up with this nice slow, subtle harmonica for it It was pretty organic,” Freeman recounts

As we spoke, it became apparent to me that this sense of familiarity was more akin to camaraderie. Looking across all of Freeman’s endeavors, the common throughline is the community he’s become immersed in throughout his time living in Burlington, Vermont. Freeman’s journey with I Looked Out, and his music as a whole, is deeply intertwined with the city’s music scene. Specifically with the people he’s come to know within it.

“There’s definitely a communal element to the albums that comes with living in a tight-knit place like Burlington,” he reflects. “A lot of the same musicians are on the first record and the new one, and they bring their own unique sounds and experiences from their own projects.”

As he prepares for what was implied to be a full sophomore LP in 2025, Freeman has taken inspiration from this community as he pushes his sound to new lengths. Working with producer and friend Benny Yurko, Freeman speaks with pride as he describes how the duo have been creating a record with higher production value and a freer, more experimental energy

“A lot of the new album was recorded the same day we learned [to play] the song Me, Zack, Benny, us three,” Freeman recounts “It’s not like we rehearsed for a million years before we recorded So a lot of it is free-flowing, it has that energy of- not everything is overly practiced or choreographed I wanted there to be room for experimenting ”

This raw, dynamic approach to creating music seems to define Freeman’s work to some extent. If it was this approach that gave us the triumph that was his debut album, one can only imagine how breathtaking the new record will be.

For Freeman, the re-release of I Looked Out isn’t just an opportunity to look back; it’s a chance to connect with new audiences while staying rooted in the same independent spirit that made the record special in the first place.

“I’m excited just to get it out. Keep writing new songs I’m excited for people to hear the new stuff The opportunity to keep playing music feels like a privilege,” he says “To have people help you book shows and support your work those are things I’m really grateful for ” Stay Tuned for New Music from Greg Freeman, Coming This Year.

2024 ALBUMS OF NOTE

W R I T T E N B Y P E N N Y S T A F F + F R I E N D S

Continuing our yearly tradition, we’ve come together to compose a list of some of our favorite releases of 2024, listed in no particular order. See below and let us know what we missed! (Note: each photo included on this page, of our mentioned artists, was taken by Penny contributors!)

Magdalena Bay PC: Ethan Lam

MannequinPussy PC:CamrynMontebruno

Amyl and the Sniffers PC: Erin Christie

MAGDALENABAY-IMAGINALDISK

Picked by Anya Dakota

Imaginal Disk by Magdalena Bay was my favorite album this year It’s incredible from the production, to the storytelling and the visual aspects Fun pop music is so back!

Favorite Tracks: tunnel vision, cry for me, killing time

MJLENDERMAN-MANNINGFIREWORKS

Picked by Jeremy Philip

After the quiet triumph of 2021’s stellar Boat Songs, MJ Lenderman firmly steps into the role of unlikely guitar hero and storyteller on Manning Fireworks. Harry Crews-esque tales of sordid men unfold over squealing southern guitars and wistful lap steel The protagonists may be slimey, but the songs here pulse with a vivid, and unforgettable sincerity

Favorite Tracks: You Don’t Know the Shape I’m In, Joker Lips

Write-Ups by James Ammirato, Erin Christie, Kate Christie, Sara Collins, Anya Dakota, Max Hartenstein, Maranda Leecan, Camryn Montebruno, Jeremy Philip 04

CLAIRO-CHARM

Picked by Kate Christie

I have always enjoyed Clairo’s music but I particularly liked this album because of its references to music of the past The song I liked the most was “Glory Of The Snow” because of its references to “Seabird” by the Alessi Brothers; the melody is very calming. I was able to see her concert where she performed almost the entire album in full and I really loved how she expanded on each track so there were long interludes between each song I thought that that was very powerful

JULIE-MYANTI-AIRCRAFTFRIEND

In some cases, what I really NEED is a ‘multi-tasking record’, and I’ve found such in julie's my anti-aircraft friend

Off the bat, I totally understand how praising a record for its ability to seamlessly blend into the background of your life while you complete your silly little tasks such as laundry and writing your mindless little emails might seem derogatory; like the music is not compelling enough for active listening or that t’s lower-tier in the grand scheme of piquing interest. However, to me, this is a great quality in a record this means it’s not super disruptive, has no skips, and is consistent! From my perspective on top of this hill I’ve chosen to die on, that’s pretty commendable and not necessarily easily done. So yes, it's a compliment (to me!).

Beyond fitting into this category, my anti-aircraft friend is also, simply, a good album; it perfectly fits into my preexisting shoegaze-heavy autumnal rotation. I also weirdly saw julie live before I got really into them (back in 2022), and that experience blew me away the compelling on-stage synergy that I found that night is easily translated into their recordings, and I’m reminded again of that here

Favorite Tracks: tenebrist, feminine adornments, i’ll cook my own meals

Picked by Erin Christie

05 TROPHYWIFE-GETUGLY

Picked by Erin Christie

I think it’s generally the norm for people to, in the grand scheme of social politics, adopt a nonchalant “congrats, dude” type of energy when your peers and/or friend-of-a-friend acquaintances release a new album, but I’m genuinely not into subscribing to that if we’re friends even a little bit and I admire what you’ve put out into the world, you’re going to know and I might even be a little bit embarrassing about it!

In turn, I’ve been an unapologetic champion of the band Trophy Wife since my Boston college days, and I’ve been fairly vocal about how truly cool I think they are (notably, their debut album Bruiser is featured in Penny's third print issue and "Knife Fight" was my most-listened-to track in 2021) Cringey to admit or not, it’s honestly been really inspiring as a peer and a music fan to witness their trajectory in real-time, and this is especially true with the recent gargantuan release of their debut album, Get Ugly, this fall

Despite any bias I may have, Get Ugly is truly masterful in many respects, not only succeeding as a tracklisting composed of infectious and absolutely NASTY passages of distorted guitar and propulsive drum patterns (RIYL artists such as Blondshell or Momma), but also as a heartwrenching, gut-spilling portrayal of 20-something turmoil via moments of hot-girl lustiness and ghostly lamentations on growing pains. It presents an unafraid snapshot of this aptly 'ugly' period in life, written from the depths of learned experience decorated with falling-down-thestairs-and-pretending-you-didn’t-bruise-your-tailbone and sending-that-horny-drunken-textand-regretting-it-immediately-after temperament If you're not yet convinced, listening to the record's full 40-ish minutes is sort of like listening to Wunderhorse's Midas if frontman Jacob Slater was a sexy lady belting from a void of rotted limerence inhabiting her soul (see: “Again” and “I Will Be Here”) To me, this is literally the ideal listening experience

Favorite Tracks: Spit, I Will Be Here, Magnet

06 JUSTINDEENER-MULLIGAN

Picked by Sara Collins

The album is a collection of songs written by Justin 10+ years ago that had never been properly recorded. There’s an authenticity that leaks out of the album.

Favorite Tracks: Today Is Gonna Be A Good Day, Like I Used To

07

JESSICAPRATT-HEREINTHEPITCH

Picked by James Ammirato

In 2024, it’s easy to be bogged down by tedious discussions, whether that be about microgenres or which TikTok artist is getting their fifteen minutes of fame Jessica Pratt’s Here in the Pitch is unconcerned with belonging in the current era, and in fact sounds like it could be a long lost record from the ‘60s, perhaps a production from the mind of Phil Spector. Pratt’s vocals on the record are crystal clear and right at the forefront of every mix, typically accompanied only by guitar or piano, the sound of a drum here and there, though it sounds like the kit may be in the next

room Such a stripped-down record is vital at this point in time, when music is so heavily saturated with influences and can easily be waterlogged by sounds that pull the composition every which way like a raggedy ann doll. A record like this reminds me that the less there is to hear, the more focus each sonic element receives by the listener, and on Here in the Pitch, every second deserves the utmost attention

Favorite Tracks: Nowhere it Was, The Last Year

NILÜFERYANYA-MYMETHODACTOR

Picked by Erin Christie

If you could have a crush on an album, I might have one on this one My Method Actor presents a visage of British singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya in advanced, contemplative form, recognizing her previous reservations in 11 tracks that are utterly sincere, self-assured, and subtly beautiful There's a quietly venomous sting to its tracklisting despite its ethereal and silky quality, as well Amidst Yanya's wispy vocals, lush harmonies, and sparsely intricate rhythms, she portrays a sharp-tongued yet melodically tender critical prognosis of her own innermost self-critic;

a cohesively powerful and introspective confrontation of her intrusive doubts, fears, and woes Where you might find yourself swaying along to the record's deeply infectious yet not-too-in-your-face oscillating alt-R&B / purely indie-rock hooks and getting lost in Yanya's heavenly vocal delivery, you might also feel compelled in cultish fashion to follow in her unabashedly earnest footsteps. While we can't all be cool-girl musicians crafting contenders for AOTY, we can still take a page out of Yanya's book in our everyday lives: perhaps 2025 should be all about admitting our faults, gassing ourselves up, and also calling out our naysayers If anything, I'll keep it in mind and do my best! PS: The strings on "Faith's Late" ... dude ...

Favorite Tracks: Binding, Just A Western, Faith's Late

10 09 RYDERTHEEAGLE-AUTOTANGO

Picked by Sara Collins

It’s a very romantic album and I like picturing my life while listening to itbeing in love, worrying, and trying to make myself someone I want to be.

Favorite Tracks: Autotango, There’s Always Another Me

MANNEQUINPUSSY-IGOTHEAVEN

This was a year of nonsense, as AI-generated content swelled an already oversaturated information landscape and politicians ran recordbreaking campaigns without so much as a platform. No one is capable of even writing an email without ChatGPT anymore, never mind something as arduous as a creative essay or personal as an obituary only a coded program could string together the exact buzzwords to build a statement with such little substance. We are saturated in platitudes, in ‘In This House We’ signs, and in the bio pronouns of people working in buildings with bathroom bans Where every virtue is a signal, there is nothing to be

Picked by Max Hartenstein seen behind the flashing Perhaps this is the natural conclusion to the age of social media platforms, wherein everyone has everything to say and suddenly there is nothing more to However, in this age of slop, Mannequin Pussy cuts the shit.

I Got Heaven is the culmination of every sound the band has been touching on since their 2010 screaming basement punk debut, and through the 2019 success of their wrenchingly vulnerable breakup single “Drunk II.” The album moves between artful melodic pop and headbanging riffs with no effort at all as frontwoman Marisa Dabice uses masterful vocal control to convey a slew of emotions, each as piercing as the last Growling and whispering, the album oscillates between fear and desire until they blur into one sense of ecstasy Each song is on the brink of desperation, but still grounded by the Dabice’s effortless swagger. On I Got Heaven, not only does Mannequin Pussy have something to say, but they know you’re going to listen. Themes of the album center on sex, power, and religious oppression and in is performance, there’s an emphasis on a lack of shame Dabice may be on her knees, begging, but it’s really your pleasure

The album was highly anticipated, and rightfully so Mannequin Pussy is one of the bands often cited in notations of the ‘90s punk revival. They’re hot, they’re angry, and they can open up a pit. But almost more importantly, the band fosters an atmosphere of genuine inclusion. Seeing Mannequin Pussy live cements a sense of awe in their showmanship and authenticity Everything the band does is performed deeply Dabice struts around the stage with intoxicating confidence and infuses each lyric with intent, both organic and focused. When bassist Colin “Bear” Regisford takes the mic, my favorite part of every show, he screams with a rage that makes my vision red in turn. Banter with the crowd is flirtatious and then serious, as Dabice gives a fuck-you to sexual oppression or announces unwavering support of bodily autonomy Everyone is welcome under Mannequin Pussy, unless you’re a hateful bigot. They know that openness does not mean neutrality, that love and rage are often one in the same, and that the whole point of being alive is to do something. I Got Heaven is infused with the rage of life, and from its lyrics to instrumentals to live performances to recorded mixes, Mannequin Pussy expresses it wholly Simply put, it’s the most real thing I heard all year

Favorite Tracks: Loud Bark, Sometimes, OK? OK! OK? OK!

AMYLANDTHESNIFFERSCARTOONDARKNESS

Picked by Maranda Leecan

Lately, when I look at the state of the world, sometimes I think I’m stuck in a bubble made of material in which I can see the terrible things that others don’t. I don’t want to be painfully aware of the wrongs that are plaguing the world right now, that others seem to think are coming in years But in times of social turmoil, it’s the art and community that comes out in spite of it that makes you feel seen and not alone - Cartoon Darkness is an album that encapsulates that feeling sonically, lyrically and artistically. It’s an album of

not just acknowledgment of the bad but also resistance against succumbing to it.

The brash instrumentals of this album get you up and rowdy - which is not new for Amyl and the Sniffers Their rowdy, racing, energetic sound has flawlessly navigated three albums now without sounding overwhelming or stale. The lead vocals of Amy Taylor are rally cries for a girl like me. Beyond ‘girls to the front’ calls at shows, her message is spat at you from the first song on the tracklist to the last “Jerkin’”, which was also fittingly a single, finds a paced guitar riff that perfectly matches Taylor’s cheeky and catchy drags of her critics Whether that be literal critics or the men in the world who spend their precious time criticizing women they have no chance with, none of them are spared. In all, the fight that ensues from being a woman in a man’s world (or really, being a minority in any world that is catered to a specific majority) is a strong theme throughout the album

In the world of Cartoon Darkness, wearing a “Tiny Bikini” is an act of resistance, as Taylor sings, “If I didn’t show up in something spicy, the cold world would feel even more icy ” When those in the minority (women, people of color, people who are queer or trans) show up unapologetically, we give ourselves the space that the majority would never make for us With our tiny bikinis, our shorts, our hair, our makeup - we have the courage to demand for the space to be authentically ourselves, as we deserve. A similar theme is in “U Should Not Be Doing That,” where the lyrics almost sound like a manifestation of starting to learn and know yourself and doing whatever you want to do, despite what other people think or say It addresses the internal fight we have within ourselves, often resulting from others' opinions and standards. Knowing our worth and knowing we deserve space gives us freedom that others could never provide.

One of the biggest standouts on this record for me is “Big Dreams ” It chronicles a story that many people can relate to as we look toward even more cost inflation on everything we need to survive in the new year, while we’ve barely been able to get by on this year’s prices. As the instrumental builds up in the background, Taylor’s vocals relay a personable level of encouragement, so much so that it almost sounds like someone close to you personally trying to help you remember who you are when the world feels hopeless. She reminds us of what we can accomplish and where we can go, as the build-up blows into a folky, inspiring chorus of strings.

Taylor is a front woman of an all-male band, noticing the rapidly changing world around us and vocalizing the fears and concerns that we’re experiencing all the time. In turn, this album feels like it’s for those who can, and those can’t, see the effects of this right now. Dystopia isn’t a foreign concept,

though. Oftentimes, we’re expected to be and act in one way if we care about worldly issues why are you crying over your personal strife when people are dying elsewhere? On the contrary, Cartoon Darkness serves as a mission statement that in spite of it all, we’re persisting, and we should: while we’re digesting it all, we’re still going through heartbreak, going out with our girls, and wearing our cute outfits. In the world of Cartoon Darkness, we see the dark and we care about it, but it doesn’t mean we’re dark, too. In fact, we can be the light that comes out of such a devastating time. Like Taylor sings, “Don’t you know the best roses are always grown out of cow shit?”

Favorite Tracks: Big Dreams, Jerkin’, Tiny Bikini

Picked by Erin Christie

Not to sound like every other person on the planet, but this year, I became truly ensnared by Mk gee After hearing whispers about him for years but still not necessarily giving his music a chance (not for lack of want, but truly lack of time), I was inspired to change my ways with this record, finally, after it became nearly impossible to avoid In truth, it’s a godsend that I did Over the past few months, I found tranquility in the record’s twinkling undertones, soaring riffs, and delicate moments of silence; and I found an emotional spark in its ear-prickling innovation. At least from where I’m sitting, the hype is warranted ten-fold

Favorite Tracks: I Want, Alesis, You got it

13

Picked by Camryn Montebruno

Tiger’s Blood has been in the upper ranks of countless best of 2024 lists and rightfully so Katie Crutchfield’s sixth album as Waxahatchee feels like a look into a world held close but at risk of slipping away at any moment. In 2020, Saint Cloud marked a stark shift from indie rock to Americana for Waxahatchee, a shift that brought a new life to Crutchfield’s music, and Tiger’s Blood has solidified her position as one of the greatest artists around

The Cure - Songs Of A Lost World

Doechii - Alligator Bites Never Heal

Mount Eerie - Night Palace

Elias Ronnenfelt - Heavy Glory

Clarissa Connelly - World of Work

Sharp Pins - Radio DDR

Talk Show - Effigy

Chanel Beads - Your Day Will Come

Astrid Sonne - Great Doubt

Ultra Q - Empty Eddy

DIIV - Frog In Boiling Water

Kim Gordon - The Collective