November 2024 Roundups: The Best Albums of the Month
Featuring Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, and Michael Kiwanuka, here are the best albums that came out in November of 2024.
Well. November was a lot. Unpredictable is the word to use. Let’s get into this list.
Jon Batiste: Beethoven Blues
Jon Batiste showcases his versatility by interpreting well-known pieces by Beethoven alongside original works influenced by the composer. He fuses his jazz and classical backgrounds on Beethoven Blues, an intimate and spontaneous project. Batiste, who grew up playing jazz in New Orleans, studied classical music extensively, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Juilliard. He also composed a symphony, highlighted in the 2023 documentary American Symphony. Although Batiste could easily produce a more traditional classical album, he chooses a different path—playing each piece with a sense of freedom, as if recalling it from memory, allowing space for improvisation and reinterpretation.
Cavalier & Child Actor: Cine
Continuing their collaboration from Different Type Time, Cavalier and Child Actor demonstrate strong artistic chemistry on Cine. The album’s title and cover art draw inspiration from a 1975 Jean-Paul Goude photograph, hinting at the visual nature of Cavalier’s lyrics. Cine is a nostalgic yet clear-eyed look at Brooklyn, balancing personal anecdotes with broader observations about urban life. Child Actor provides a diverse sonic backdrop, shifting between jazzy boom bap and more experimental, psychedelic sounds. His beats adapt to each track’s mood, providing a fitting soundscape for Cavalier’s reflections. The album’s cohesive vision and execution make it a strong follow-up to Cavalier’s earlier 2024 releases. Cine solidifies Cavalier’s place as a skilled storyteller in the underground rap scene.
Kiana Ledé: Cut Ties
Kiana Ledé establishes herself as an R&B powerhouse on Cut Ties, an album that dives fearlessly into the tempestuous waters of love and emotional exposure. “LTF” sets the stage, contrasting past reservations with a newfound openness, while “Too Many Strings” likens romantic intricacies to the snares of substance dependence. Ledé’s supple vocals alternate between conveying steely resolve and mournful admissions of susceptibility, mirroring the instinctive struggle between our need for intimacy and self-preservation. “Outta Luck” flips the script, finding Ledé the one who moved on from a relationship others deemed irreplaceable. Her frank, near-taunting delivery underlines the folly of losing something precious for fleeting distractions. Ledé crafts a compellingly honest portrait of modern love’s labyrinthine landscape through raw, unfiltered storytelling and vocal agility.
Kendrick Lamar: GNX
Drawing on his status as a trailblazer in the hip-hop world, Kendrick Lamar’s surprise release GNX challenges expectations by veering away from his typical conceptual framework. This time, the album lacks a central theme or narrative, opting for a collection of tracks that spotlight his West Coast roots without relying on the iconic sounds of classic local legends. The album’s production is laden with modern underground LA influences, giving it a distinctly gritty feel that contrasts with the polished sounds Lamar is known for. “Wacced Out Murals” and “Reincarnated” exhibit Lamar’s introspective and aggressive lyrical style, while collaborations with new voices attempt to bring local flavor. Standing in thematic opposition to its predecessor, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, his sixth release takes a more straightforward approach, with Lamar asserting his cultural dominance and talents through bold tracks. Songs such as “Man at the Garden” and “Hey Now” reflect a mix of self-aggrandizement and commentary on legacy, featuring moments where Lamar remains rooted in his strengths—contemplative storytelling, boundary-pushing production, and commanding performances—yet also hints at reaching for themes and relationships that don’t quite align with his established identity.
Maxo Kream: Personification
Released independently under his own label after departing RCA, Maxo Kream took complete control over the album’s direction. Personification is much more than a simple compilation of 15 tracks from Maxo’s recent work. He purposefully omitted several solid tracks from the final cut, reflecting his clear vision for the album. The cover art for his fourth album features Maxo gazing at a triptych of his personas—Trigga Maxo, Punken, and Emekwanem—hinting at a fragmented identity, a man caught between multiple selves. The album emerges from a time of turmoil and hardship for Maxo, though that theme runs through much of his work. Maxo’s background is tough, filled with trauma and loss. He doesn’t resort to flashy antics or forced narratives. Instead, he collaborates with rising Texas street-level artists, making it a thrill to hear him exchange gritty lines on “Smokey” with BigXThaPlug or rapid-fire bars on “Talkin In Screw” with That Mexican OT. In Personification, Maxo crafts his art more like a short story collection than an extensive novel.
Adrian Younge: São Paulo
Adrian Younge revitalized the Linear Labs label with the release of São Paulo. The set opens with “Esperando por Você,” offering a glimpse of the upcoming sequel to Something About April. Younge plays multiple instruments, accompanied by Jack Waterson on electric guitar and the Linear Labs Orchestra. The vocal ensemble features Brazilian artists Céu, Luiza Lian, Manu Julian, and film composer Antonio Pinto from Rio. The production merges psychedelic soul, MPB, and library music, creating a hazy, atmospheric vibe. Though brief, São Paulo draws us into a complex and fascinating musical world. The Linear Labs collection delivers a rich, engaging experience that invites you to discover new musical layers.
Michael Kiwanuka: Small Changes
In his new album Small Changes, Michael Kiwanuka dismantles orthodoxies by shedding the expansive arrangements of his past work for a stripped-back sound. Collaborating again with Danger Mouse and Inflo, he creates music that allows his voice to shine. It might not command attention as swiftly as Love & Hate and Kiwanuka, but the title track and others offer a comforting, timeless warmth.
The Cure: Songs of a Lost World
Returning after a 16-year hiatus, The Cure presents Songs of a Lost World, an album steeped in melancholy and introspection. Robert Smith’s distinctive voice remains unchanged, delivering the emotional depth fans have come to expect from the band. With a cohesive dark atmosphere throughout, the record eschews pop sensibilities in favor of moody, mid-tempo compositions that harken back to the band’s earlier works. Opening with the atmospheric “Alone,” the album sets a somber tone that carries through to the closing track, “Endsong.” Standout songs include the romantic “And Nothing Is Forever,” the relatively upbeat “A Fragile Thing,” and the deeply personal “I Can Never Say Goodbye,” which recounts the night of Robert Smith’s brother’s death. The moon, a recurring motif, features prominently in the final two tracks, reflecting Smith’s childhood fascination with the Apollo 11 moon landing. “Songs of a Lost World” showcases The Cure’s ability to create emotionally resonant music while staying true to their established sound, offering longtime fans a satisfying addition to the band’s discography.
Ab-Soul: Soul Burger
Infused with cinematic overtones, the opening of Soul Burger finds Ab-Soul in a reflective state. “9 Mile” and “California Dream” act as the perfect one-two punch, as the latter captures the contrasting aspects of his love for his home state and the accompanying struggles and desires. Among the album’s most impactful tracks is the Lil Wayne-influenced “B.U.C.K.O. Jr.,” which illustrates Ab-Soul’s talent for merging sharp storytelling with bold, unfiltered energy. The song displays his expertise in rhythm and wordplay, showing that his writing has grown even more refined. The collaborative pieces on Soul Burger are just as remarkable. On “I, Myself, Me,” Ab-Soul partners with Doechii to create a track that feels like the meeting of two distinct energies, with Doechii’s dynamic presence providing a counterbalance to Ab-Soul’s contemplative lines. “Don Julio,” featuring Fre$H, is an anthem to living autonomously, characterized by a smooth, easygoing vibe that offsets the album’s heavier lyrical themes. Soul Burger is a layered album that establishes Ab-Soul as an artist who can hold his own among the top tier of rap.
Westside Gunn: Still Praying
Still Praying finds Westside Gunn closing out a banner year for Griselda and characteristically completing his prayer-themed album trilogy. Gunn’s unvarnished, reminiscent rhymes navigate a landscape of lush, sample-driven beats, a juxtaposition that has become his trademark. The presence of DJ Drama, though not universally embraced, amplifies the defiant spirit that defines the album. “Beef Bar” and “Max Caster” highlight Gunn’s penchant for wrestling allusions and graphic storytelling, while “Dr. Britt Baker,” “Free Shots,” and the star-studded title track demonstrate the potency of his Griselda partnerships. Though it may not rank among his most transcendent offerings, Still Praying nonetheless bears witness to Gunn’s inimitable flow, ear for exceptional production, and the unfiltered perspective that has earned him a loyal fanbase.
Contour: Take Off from Mercy
Steeped in the traditions of Southern blues and neo-soul, Khari Lucas’ third album as Contour, Take Off from Mercy, explores suffering, self-worth, and transcendence. The Charleston singer and producer builds his songs primarily around the guitar, an instrument he views as a tool for storytelling and preserving generational tales. Working with co-producer Omari Jazz, Lucas creates dream-like atmospheres with his fingerpicking, complementing his earthy tenor vocals. The album’s opening track, “If He Changed My Name,” showcases Lucas’ ability to tackle complex ideas through spare, detail-rich production. Throughout the record, Lucas’ speakers seek various forms of escape, including substance use, ambition, romance, religion, and death. Drawing inspiration from Toni Morrison’s novel Song of Solomon, Lucas structures Take Off from Mercy in three acts. He also channels the character of the itinerant Southern bluesman in his songwriting process. The album continues Lucas’ practice of situating his work within a distinct historical and artistic lineage, following his 2022 release Onwards!, which incorporated samples from films by the L.A. Rebellion collective of Black filmmakers.