NASTY LITTLE MAN: BEST OF 2024

NASTY LITTLE MAN: BEST OF 2024

As the year winds down and the holidays swiftly approach, nasty little man is here to refresh your memory on some of 2024’s best releases and tours…time to sit back and pour your favorite beverage (might we suggest a Blackened neat?) and reflect on the best of the best of 2024! 

But before we do, we’d like to look back at the incredible whirlwind years Vampire Weekend and St. Vincent had.

Expanding an unmatched streak of critical and commercial successes, Vampire Weekend’s 5th album, Only God Was Above Us, released on April 5th via Columbia Records was met with unanimous rave reviews across the globe: 

“Vampire Weekend has never made a bad album, but ‘Only God Was Above Us’ is one of its best.” â€“– THE NEW YORKER

“…Vampire Weekend isn’t getting older, it’s getting better, and ‘Only God…’ is one of the group’s best” â€“– VARIETY

“Masterful” â€“– PITCHFORK, Best New Music, “Best Albums of the Year So Far”

“One of the defining albums of early 2024.” â€“– BILLBOARD, “Best Albums of the Year So Far” 

“…an album full of startling changes and wild sonic upheavals, all packed into 10 songs.” â€“– THE NEW YORK TIMES

The OGWAU tour launched on April 8th in Austin, TX under an eclipsed sky—a transcendent performance that the Austin American Statesman called â€œremarkable,” The Austin Chronicle called â€œpummeling” the Austin Monthly called â€œUnforgettable” and Variety hailed as â€œawe-inspiring.” 

From there the band went on to grace stages everywhere from a surprise set at Coachella, sold out shows at the Hollywood Bowl and Red Rocks, as well as amphitheater and arena stops across the country highlighted by a two show stand at the famed Madison Square Garden, selling out both shows with attendance totaling 36,000 tickets. Throughout the tour a few special guests surprised fans including Paris Hilton, Tim Robinson and Heather Gay (Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.)

Along the way, Ezra Koenig, Chris Baio and Chris Tomson performed on The Daily Show, Saturday Night Live, and The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. Koenig also appeared alongside his pals, Phoenix, at the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in Paris and  made friends with Conan O’Brien and Rick Rubin.

St. Vincent released her highly anticipated seventh album All Born Screaming on April 26th via Total Pleasure Records in partnership with Virgin Music Group. Her first entirely self-produced effort was brought to life with the aid of a highly curated dream lineup of friends–– Rachel Eckroth, Josh Freese, Dave Grohl, Mark Guiliana, Cate Le Bon, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Stella Mogzawa and David Ralicke. The album’s release was met with rapturous critical praise including:

“A work of art…thrilling” â€“– BILLBOARD

“Singular…uncompromisingly countercultural.” â€“– THE NEW YORK TIMES

“A pure, bold presentation of St. Vincent…exultant and defiant.”––  STEREOGUM 

“Angry, aggressive, raw, urgent, and yet also sensual, and down to have a good time. One of her best yet.”– VOGUE
 
“Primal…thrilling…satisfyingly urgent” â€“– ROLLING STONE

“Genius” â€“– WHO WHAT WEAR

“Visceral and surreal…simultaneously a return to form and a bold departure” â€“– AV CLUB

“Excellent…a delicate dance between complete control and self-immolation.” â€“– ASSOCIATED PRESS

“Cathartic, compelling and propulsive, it’s a fully felt masterwork.” â€“– KXT

In addition to speaking with Terry Gross for Fresh Air, St. Vincent graced the cover of Billboard’s digital June Pride issue, spoke with Architectural Digest about the stunning visuals of All Born Screaming and made her Criterion Collection Closet Picks debut.

Dripping in â€œrock-star irreverence” (Slant) and treating fans to â€œa devilishly good time” (Uproxx), St. Vincent dominated stages on her All Born Screaming tour, which included powerhouse performances at LA’s Greek and two sold out nights at Brooklyn Paramount. Delivering one kinetic rock masterclass after the other, St. Vincent’s tour proved to be â€œas glorious an experience as you’d expect…it’s hard to imagine a much more high-spirited show…she might actually have made everyone feel a little bit born again.” (Variety)

St. Vincent will close out 2024 on an even higher note with All Born Screaming, having just earned four GRAMMY nominations for Best Rock Performance, Best Rock Song, Best Alternative Music Performance and Best Alternative Music Album, as well as cracking the top 20 of Metacritic’s Best Albums of the Year.

Albums
Alkaline Trio: Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs
Amyl and The Sniffers: Cartoon Darkness
Blur: Live at Wembley Stadium
Ghost: Rite Here Rite Now (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
St. Vincent: All Born Screaming, Todos Nacen Gritando
Vampire Weekend: Only God Was Above Us

Singles 
Amyl and The Sniffers: “U Should Not Be Doing That”/“Facts”
LCD Soundsystem: “x-ray eyes”

Reissues
Beastie Boys: Ill Communication 30th Anniversary
Paul McCartney & Wings: Band on the Run 50th Anniversary, One Hand Clapping

Movies
Ghost: Rite Here Now Rite Now 
Paul McCartney & Wings: One Hand Clapping 

Live
Alkaline Trio: Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs Tour
Amyl & The Sniffers: Summer 2024 Tour
Arcade Fire: 20th Anniversary of Funeral at Red Rocks
Beck: Orchestral Tour 2024
Foo Fighters: Everything or Nothing at All Tour
Metallica: M72 World Tour
Jenny Lewis: Joy’All Ball Tour
Postal Service & Death Cab for Cutie 20th Anniversary Co-Headline Tour
St. Vincent: All Born Screaming Tour
Vampire Weekend: Only God Was Above Us Tour