The year
started with such a grim all-out battle on woke, we might have expected sparse
and austere musical efforts in response, reflecting the gloomy landscape. Sure,
we got great political commentary from emerging TikTok/YouTube artists like
Jesse Welles, Martin Kerr, Dean Withers, and Randy Rainbow. We also got some
pretty frank confessionals from Kathleen Edwards, Amanda Shires, Stella
Donnelly, even Laufey. But the biggest surprise is what an explosive year for well-crafted
music it turned out to be. Can musicians keep this light blazing through at
least three more years of a disordered world? We’ll see.
My esoteric ground rules on physical
releases got tested to the max this year. You won’t find Snocaps, Lily Allen,
Lizzo, or Dry Cleaning in this list, because physical artifacts were not slated
to be released for these albums until early 2026. On the other hand, the latest
from Kendrick Lamar and Tyler the Creator, which were on many people’s 2024
lists, are on my 2025 list because the albums did not expand beyond streaming
until 2025. LP, CD, cassette, or butt-plug, or it didn’t happen.
Of the endless parade of deaths in 2025,
the most tragic one due to its drawn-out story and melodramatic elements, may
have been Todd Snider, the snide folk singer who was hospitalized, arrested,
and later died of pneumonia at the start of a national tour. Mavericks founder Raul Malo also had a long,
drawn-out farewell, finally succumbing to cancer in mid-December.
We also lost Osmond Brother Wayne Osmond,
country singer Chad Morgan, folk singer Ed Askew, Beej Chaney of The Suburbs, activist
singer Hope Foye, Peter Yarrow of PPM, Sam Moore of Sam & Dave, weird
film/music producer David Lynch, songwriter Melba Montgomery, Garth Hudson of
The Band, Edweena Banger of Slaughter & The Dogs, multi-decade chanteuse
Marianne Faithfull, Colin Earl of Mungo Jerry, Mike Ratledge of Soft Machine, Tommy
Hunt of The Flamingos, Snowy Fleet of The Easybeats, Jerry Butler of The
Impressions, singer Gwen McCrae, Notorious BIG’s mom Voletta Wallace, blues
singer Linsey Alexander, reggae musician Ken Parker, Isley Brother (honorary) Chris
Jasper, mega-hit soft soul singer Roberta Flack, soft-rock renegade Robert
John, NY Dolls founder and occasional Buster Poindexter David Johansen, hip-hop
singer Angie Stone, Joey Molland of Badfinger, Jeffrey Runnings of For Against,
Bop Rupe of The Silos and Cracker, vibraphonist Roy Ayers, R&B singer Randy
Brown, producer DJ Funk, Brian James of The Damned and Lords of the New Church,
D’Wayne Wiggins of Tony! Toni! Tone!, saxophonist Bill Ashton, reggae singer
Cocoa Tea, Les Binks of Judas Priest, solo artist and Youngbloods founder Jesse
Colin Young, Rod Clark of The Moody Blues, Leanne Cowie of The Scientists,
Larry Tamblyn of The Standells, Paul Wagstaff of Happy Mondays, rapper Young
Scooter, jazz guitarist George Freeman, songwriters Wayne Handy and Johnny
Tillotson, folk singer Michael Hurley, Dave Allen of Gang of Four, Blondie
drummer Clem Burke, Nino Tempo (ex-partner of April Stevens), Roger McLachlan
of Little River Band, country guitarist Mac Gayden, Kimble Rendall of Hoodoo
Gurus, Nashville session musician David Briggs, Pere Ubu founder David Thomas, jazz
family dynasty member Paul Batiste, jazz singer Andy Bey, Mike Peters of The
Alarm and Big Country, blues guitarist Joe Louis Walker, singer-songwriter Jill
Sobule, Nathan Jerde of The Ponys, James Baker of The Scientists and Hoodoo
Gurus, country singer Johnny Rodriguez, John Edwards of The Spinners, Billy
Earheart of Amazing Rhythm Aces, Klaatu drummer Terry Draper, Mark Greene of
The Moments, James Lowe of The Electric Prunes, Kenny Marco of Blood Sweat
& Tears, Simon House of Hawkwind, Michael Sumler of Kool & The Gang, Rick
Derringer of The McCoys and Johnny Winter And, jazz drummer Al Foster, Sylvester
“Sly” Stone, Beach Boys genius Brian Wilson, “Lightning Strikes” singer Lou
Christie, Ron Woodbridge of The Searchers, David Hamilton of Pavlov’s Dog,
Patrick Walden of Babyshambles, Mick Ralphs of Mott the Hoople and Bad Company,
bubblegum pioneer Bobby Sherman, score composer Lalo Schifrin, Young Noble of
Outlawz, Monster Magnet singer Tim Cronin, David Cousins of The Strawbs,
Colorado poet-laureate Andrea Gibson, pop singer Connie Francis, flugelhornist
Chuck Mangione, Black Sabbath founder Ozzy Osbourne, jazz singer Cleo Laine, singer
and satirist Tom Lehrer, Paul Mario Day of The Sweet and Iron Maiden, Flaco
Jiminez (IYKYK), British singer Terry Reid, jazz singer Nancy King, jazz
pianist Eddie Palmieri, Derek & Dominoes founder Bobby Whitlock, Oregon
folkie Joe Hickerson, Tom Shipley of Brewer & Shipley, pedal steel
guitarist Robby Turner, Bruce Loose of Flipper, Mark Volman of The Turtles and
Flo & Eddie, Rick Davies of Supertramp, Bobby Hart of Boyce & Hart, Sonny
Curtis of The Crickets, Danny Thompson of Pentangle, Chris Dreja of The
Yardbirds, John Lodge of The Moody Blues, neo-soul singer D’Angelo, folk singer
and activist Bob Franke, KISS founder Ace Frehley, Sam Rivers of Limp Bizkit, jazz
bassist Anthony Jackson, David Ball of Soft Cell, jazz drummer Jack DeJohnette,
Scott Sorry of The Wildhearts, United States of America founder Joe Byrd,
Grateful Dead singer Donna Godchaux, Thomas Klein of Warrant, Victor Conte of
Tower of Power, Gilson Lavis of Squeeze, Hilly Michels of Sparks, Mani of The
Stone Roses, Jellybean Johnson of The Time, reggae superstar Jimmy Cliff, Sara
Surkamp of Pavlov’s Dog, Steve Cropper of Booker T and the MG’s, Tetsu Yamauchi
of Free and Faces, jazz guitarist Phil Upchurch, Americana legend Joe Ely,
Jethro Tull founding guitarist Mick Abrahams, bluesy songwriter Chris Rea, jazz
fusion pioneer Michal Urbaniak, hat Cure guitarist Perry Bamonte. Sigh at the
size of this list, and wave as they all pass and the river continues….
Regular Studio Albums, 2025
1. Rosalia,
Lux – We all knew she was
up to something epic and transcendental, but singing in 12 languages in a style
approaching Chinese opera? And a penultimate track based on a 1975 Patti Smith
speech? This is the kind of reach from which albums of the year are made.
2. Madison
Cunningham, Ace – Sets herself off from young singer-songwriter
lyricists with tight compositions slightly reminiscent of Clairo. Cunningham
makes rich and layered arrangements seem easy. Amazing, really.
3. Lady
Gaga, Mayhem – Everyone loved the videos when they first came out in
early 2025, but somehow forgot the music tracks, even though this album may
represent her best work yet.
4. Squid,
Cowards – The British mania mavens may have subtly turned down energy on
their third album, but the interesting saxophone suites more than make up for
any mellowing.
5. Blondshell,
If You Ask for a Picture – L.A.-based Sabrina Mae Titelbaum was formerly
known as Baum, but launched the Blondshell persona in 2022 with a sound like a
sharpened 1990s Liz Phair. The songs live up to the attitude. An expanded
version of this album came out in late November, and you may want all the
Blondshell you can get.
6. Wet
Leg, Moisturizer – When the album first came out, I was pleased to see
few signs of sophomore slump, and figured it would likely be top of the list.
But Rhiannon’s body-building shtick for the live shows is a little distracting,
so it cut into the overall impact of the album.
7. Perfume
Genius, Glory – I found Michael Hadreas’ earlier albums touch and go,
but on this release, he and the band are burning on all cylinders.
8. Saya
Gray, Saya – This Toronto multi-instrumentalist’s eponymous album comes
three years after her debut, and her stunning lyrical and composition talents
are odd enough that many fans aren’t sure what to think. I think great.
9. BettySoo,
If You Never Leave – James McMurtry has his own great story-telling
album out this year, but the Austin musician who tours with him, BettySoo, has
her first album in a decade, and it’s packed with great tunes of heartache and
redemption.
10.
Wednesday, Bleeds – The reason Asheville-based
Wednesday has finally hit paydirt on the band’s sixth album is because singer
and songwriter Karly Hartzman simply dazzles in songs like “Elderberry Wine”
and “Townies.” As hilarious as it is serious.
11.
Sharon Van Etten, SVE and the Attachment Theory – Just
the thing Sharon needed at this point in her career -- a goth-influenced tough-as-nails ensemble that
can prove how enduring and enchanting her songs are.
12.
Tyler the Creator, Chromakopia and Don’t Tap
the Glass – It streamed in late 2024, but CDs and vinyl only came out in
October. A sprawling autobiographical story in the model of Kanye’s Beautiful
Dark Twisted Fantasy or Kendrick
Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly, but due to Tyler’s wider musical talent,
it’s much more than those. It was tough to know what to do with Don’t Tap
– various CD and LP versions were bundled with some Chromakopia copies,
but it still is not generally available as a standalone. I compromised by
counting two albums as one.
13.
Sudan Archives, The BPM – With each successive
album, LA-based Brittney Parks fuses her violin virtuoso status and jazz
compositional tricks with mainstream R&B – the mix occasionally brings to
mind Esperanza Spalding. Skeptics might say there’s less violin in this one,
but I just think it sounds great.
14.
Kathleen Edwards, Billionaire – There are some
really solid confessional albums in 2025, from Dar Williams, Stella Donnelly,
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Amanda Shires, Laufey, but Canada’s folkie heroine
sounds the most tired and bitter of all, yet combines the lyrics with great upbeat
melodies.
15.
Geese, Getting Killed – I get why some people
find vocalist Cameron Winter off-putting; he sounds a little like Alec
Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands. But he and band members craft some incredible
tunes around the whiny lyrics, and I’ll agree with anyone that has Geese in
their top slot for the year.
16.
Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter, Forever I’ve
Been Being Born – What a nice surprise for RSD Black Friday in November!
Jesse has been MIA for almost 15 years, and suddenly she gets together with
Marissa Nadler as collaborator and producer, and eclipses Marissa’s own new one
in 2025. So good to have Jesse back.
17.
Ethel Cain, Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You –
There was a lot riding on the mysterious Gothic romanticist who delivered
quite aptly for this album, but who also snuck out a “secret” experimental
album in January, “Perverts,” which ended up being my #1 in the Specials
section.
18.
Circuit des Yeux, Halo on the Inside – Haley
Fohr is always in my top ten, but she had a lot of competition this year. The
demonic images used for her tour gave the album a sheen of its own, but I liked
her last two studio albums better.
19.
Bad Bunny, Debi Tirar Mas Fotos – Again, the
decision to release new material on January 5 of the new year almost assured
many would forget the power of this album come December. That would be a
mistake, since Bad Bunny slams the Trumpian “born here” rhetoric with a
full-throated support of Puerto Rico (which is ”born here,” of course).
20.
Cheap Perfume, Don’t Care Don’t Ask – I’m so
happy to see Colorado Springs’ feminist punk band get a much-deserved national
audience. If you think most 21st-century punk doesn’t live up to
strident and society-damning roots, you need more Cheap Perfume in your life.
21.
Neko Case, Neon Grey Midnight Green – This album
is one of Neko’s finest, with some themes pulled from her recent autobiography.
Only a tight competition for Top Ten kept this one from making it further up.
22.
Lera Lynn, Comic Book Cowboy – I’ve been on a
decade-long campaign to get Lera better known in the country-rock/Americana
worlds, and this new album just sizzles and chimes with songs that are the
equal to, if not greater than, her best work.
23.
Laufey, A Matter of Time – The vast majority of
the audience for this Icelandic song stylist are there for her perfect 1940s chanteuse
tunes, and songs like “Lover Girl” give the audience what it wants. Laufey
writes most of her own material, and I think the best of the 40s-diva lyrics
rival those of Hoagy Camichael. But dig deeper, and you’ll discover Laufey is
addressing disappointment in a very interesting way.
24.
Craig Finn, Always Been – For the last few
years, I’ve thought that Finn’s solo albums were better than his work as lead
singer for The Hold Steady. This man is one of the world’s best storytellers,
and his chronicling of sad but redemptive lives is as good as the short stories
of Charles Bukowski.
25.
The Beths, Straight Line Was a Lie – A lot of
people are putting this in their Top Ten, because Elizabeth Stokes has hit a
new songwriting height for her New Zealand band. I agree, and am happy they are
getting so much airplay.
26.
Pile, Sunshine and Balance Beams – Boston’s Pile
has a new album out, you say? And it’s their most diverse and accessible to
date? This band always has known great punk-pop composition, maybe the world
will start catching up.
27.
Mary Halvorson, About Ghosts – Jazz guitarist
Halvorson has jumped from one peak to another since the Code Girls album
of several years ago. It isn’t so much that Halvorson is a guitar virtuoso,
which she is, but that her compositions are downright amazing.
28.
Deep Sea Diver, Billboard Heart – Jessica Dobson
is known for touring work on guitar with Beck and other mega-stars, but she’s
had her own DSD band for nearly a decade now. Finally, playlists and
college-radio stations are taking notice, as well they should, as this is her
best album yet.
29.
Stella Donnelly, Love and Fortune – Perth,
Australia-based Donnelly is known for strident power-pop, so when she decides
to offer up plain-speaking angst, there’s reason to take notice. An
exceptional, if low-key, work.
30.
Clipse, Let God Sort ‘Em Out – Reunions of
hip-hop duos or collectives often aren’t such a good idea, but this intriguing
album is at least as interesting as their final two of the early 21st
century.
31.
Flock of Dimes, The Life You Save – This is Jenn
Wassner’s third outing in her side project separate from Wye Oak, and it’s
almost enough to make you forget the main event. Enchanting and captivating.
32.
Emma-Jean Thackray, Weirdo – This eclectic
Leeds-based jazz and funk composer has made my lists before, but suddenly
everyone is declaring for Emma-Jean! I’m so happy.
33.
Big Thief, Double Infinity – The band has been
so busy with touring and Adrienne Lenker’s solo work, this studio work at first
felt like a phoning-it-in obligation. Which is a shame, because it’s really a
decent addition to the rich Big Thief portfolio.
34.
Mogwai, The Bad Fire – Maybe the Scottish band’s
most majestic work since Hardcore Will Never Die…, and as is often the
case with Mogwai, it’s worth getting the bonus edition with demos and lost
tracks.
35.
King Princess, Girl Violence – A studio album
that strictly follows the rule of third time’s the charm. This treatise on the
hazardous side of lesbian love might not be as playful as earlier releases, but
it’s tense and strident in a way few albums this year are.
36.
Cate LeBon, Michaelangelo Dying – If you split
up Le Bon into pre- and post-Crab Day works, this new one is the most impressive
of her newer ethereal and apocalyptic style, though I sometimes miss the
silliness of earlier works.
37.
Sharp Pins, Radio DDR
38.
Sharp Pins, Balloon Balloon Balloon – Pick out
the best of late-1980s jangle-pop, add a bit of Under the Bushes-era
Guided by Voices, and you have Sharp Pins, as lovingly lo-fi as they are in psych-Beatles
references. It still doesn’t hit me enough for a Top Ten placement, but I’m
fully on board.
39.
Hayley Williams, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party –
Kudos to Hayley for making a partial pop turn and expanding beyond
Paramore. The lyricism is interesting,
but the songs don’t always have the riffs and arrangements that made recent
Paramore albums great. Still, a worthy effort.
40.
Of Monsters and Men, All is Love and Pain – This
Icelandic band has been a bit low key of late, but listen to Nanna’s guitar and
vocals, and follow the riffs of these complex songs, and you’ll know they’re in
top form.
41.
Little Simz, Lotus – Shame to see this one come
down the stack, as on its release date I was sure this was Little Simz’ finest
work. It is, it just faced brutal competition.
42.
Water From Your Eyes, It’s a Beautiful Place – Since
the last album from this Brooklyn duo, they’ve leaped from quasi-goth punk to a
bright electro-pop sound similar to Stereolab. Some fans absolutely go wild – I
love the evolution, but will leave it there.
43.
The Last Dinner Party, From the Pyre – Since you
can only do the all-female-Victorian-era Jane Austen thing once, LDP had to
expand styles. They did it by being snarky and clever, a perfect mix.
44.
Horsegirl, Phonetics On and On – This Chigago
women’s trio was the 2025 Wednesday equivalent, the band everyone wanted to
see. With an attitude mixing Sleater-Kinney and Linda Lindas, it’s no wonder.
45.
Dar Williams, Hummingbird Highway – We could
call this another dynamite confessional of the year, but with Dar, we expect
even more. Here, she relates her own failures and accomplishments to political
histories that might be from a decade past, or might be from 5000 years ago.
Before you tackle this album, know your history, then know your fervor.
46.
Yungblud, IDOLS – When the first album was
released, many wondered if Yungblud was the next Billy Idol, or a purveyor of
epic rock anthems in a self-conscious cyberpunk persona. This second album
veers to the epic delivery, with not many accelerated or nihilistic songs.
There are certainly good tracks here, but a lot of image development to go
along with them.
47.
The Mountain
Goats, Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan – An eclectic work
based on John Darnielle’s dream of a shipwreck on an island. Darnielle is
always a master storyteller, yet when his topic for an album involves
professional wrestlers or Goths, it’s hard to get a handle on the songs. That
is true here, but if you slip into his dream and let the story weave its own
magic, you’ll find there are great songs here.
48.
Jeff Tweedy, Twilight Override – Last year, when
I was complaining that Tweedy and Wilco have been repeating themselves, Tweedy
offered a short Wilco EP with the band’s most powerful music in years. This
year, he released a triple-disc of solo music which some fans are worshipping.
There are great tunes here, like “Lou Reed Was My Babysitter,” but Jeff
continues to offer up too much forgettable music.
49.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Phantom Island –
It’s so hard to compare this mystical Australian jam band with anyone, but
after seeing them perform this studio album with the Colorado Symphony
Orchestra, I’m all in.
50.
Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl – No, this
is not TS’s mediocre album. It follows a rash of jaw-dropping works, and is
Taylor’s way of wrapping up the Eras tours and providing a little
tongue-in-cheek comedic view of fame. A fun addition to her canon.
51.
Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill, Long After the Fire
– While this is their first album as a duo, you know their talents from The
Cowsills, The Bangles, The Continental Drifters, etc. Some excellent
country-influenced Americana tunes.
52.
The Waterboys, Life, Death and Dennis Hopper -- For the 21st(?) studio
release in the Scottish band’s 42-year career, Mike Scott creates vignettes
around the life history of Dennis Hopper. Maybe some period pieces are a bit
melodramatic, but the band calls on Fiona Apple, Taylor Goldsmith, Bruce
Springsteen and Steve Earle for some of the best music of their expansive
career, and besides, melodramatic may be what they were aiming at.
53.
Sabrina Carpenter, Man’s Best Friend – Yes, her
sexual taunting is hilarious, yes, the cover art was intended to infuriate, but
Sabrina’s ability to polarize her audience is part of her charm. A much more
fun side of pop than folks like Addison Rae.
54.
Florence and the Machine, Everybody Scream – After
a couple albums where Florence Welch has demonstrated her fine lyricism in
mellower veins, Florence returns with fierce declarations and a manspread cover
art. It may follow a familiar pattern when an artist approaches middle age, but
I never doubted for a minute Florence’s ability to go back to a shout.
55.
Amanda Shires, Nobody’s Girl – We’d been waiting
to hear her side of the split with Jason Isbell. Finally, it comes in a single
heartbroken and powerful album. I try not to take a particular side in a
breakup, but Jason definitely has some ‘splainin’ to do. A stunning work.
56.
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Personal History – Carpenter
had been taking her time to write a life review of both performance and
relationships. Nothing in this album is maudlin or overblown, it’s just an
endless sucker-punch. Worth hearing again and again.
57.
Glitter Porn, Polari – Colorado Springs’
gender-splatterific clown troupe offers live performances beyond description,
so it’s no surprise the debut studio work resembles a Gilbert & Sullivan
light opera, with hints of Firesign Theatre and 69 Love Songs.
58.
Brandi Carlile, Returning to Myself – After
Carlile’s work as a curator and collaborator, it makes sense for her to do a
stripped-down album of self-analysis. But if we compare her effort with albums
from MC Carpenter, Stella Donnelly, Amanda Shires, or Kathleen Edwards, we have
to admit that Carlile’s is a little too self-aware and melodramatic. Of course,
given how popular she is now, that’s sort of what the public demands.
59.
Zoh Amba, Sun – The Tennessee free-form sax miracle
worker has gone back to a semi-ascetic life this year after a couple seasons of
wild collaborations, but even in mellow moments, Amba remains completely on.
60.
Julien Baker and Torres, Send a Prayer My Way – Of
course these two remarkable women could pull off a country duets album of
original material. It’s only a shame Baker’s illnesses have prevented more than
a handful of live dates.
61.
Christina Carter, Like a Bayou to its Gulf – Hooray!
Christina Carter is back releasing music with an outside producer, an important
milestone in experimental work.
62.
Alison Krauss and Union Station, Arcadia – First,
it’s good to see Union Station back, second, bring up “Arcadia” and you’d
better have strong lyrical backup. Of course, Alison does.
63.
Beach Bunny, Tunnel Vision – If you ever thought
Lili Trifilio might be just a flash in the pan, the stir caused in college
radio markets by songs like “Vertigo” or the title track, is proof that Beach
Bunny is an act with staying power.
64.
Lucy Dacus, Forever is a Feeling – You know that
old saw about how it’s hard to be pointed and poetic when you’re happy? Dacus
proves it wrong, but the songs of devoted love do cast a lesser shadow than
some artists’ seasons of anguish. But the fact that her live shows have
featured same-sex marriage ceremonies among fans indicates Dacus really means
it.
65.
Tunde Adubimpe, The Black Boltz – Interesting
that this solo album came out just as TV on the Radio got back together. Adubimpe
provides all the power and imagination that could make this album a true TVotR
effort.
66.
Indigo D’Souza, Precipice – I’ve been intrigued
with D’Souza’s compositions since I saw her open for Caroline Polachek.
Apparently she was upset this year when her new release didn’t capture a lot of
attention. I’ll be the first to say this
deserves a LOT of attention, even if I rank it below the 50 slot.
67.
Brian Eno and Beatie Wolfe, Lateral
68.
Brian Eno and Beatie Wolfe, Luminal
69.
Brian Eno and Beatie Wolfe, Liminal – Eno makes
it clear he’s taking back stage to the young experimental artist Beatie Wolfe,
but the two take different roles and different approaches in each album. A
dazzling trilogy.
70.
May Be Fern, Three of Swords – Because this
Denver band approaches their gay tribe with riff-filled novelty numbers, it’s
startling to hear a lush production of disco-pop here. Not disappointing, more
like hearing Bowie’s Young Americans when you’d prepped yourself for Ziggy
Stardust. Nevertheless, tracks like
“Midnight” and “Blood Beach” are jaw-droppers.
71.
Bon Iver, Sable Fable – Many people had this in
their top ten. I like every project Justin Vernon is involved in, but there
wasn’t a specific reason to favor this one.
72.
Guided by Voices, Thick, Rich and Delicious – This
was clearly the more inspired GbV album of 2025. Some people thought Bob was
trying too hard to create a 1990s-era GbV sound, I just think it rocked and was
a lot of fun.
73.
Bill Orcutt, Another Perfect Day – The master
speaks, you listen. Lather, rinse, repeat.
74.
Momma, Welcome to My Blue Sky – Yeah, that
single “I Want You Fever” made many people think of Veruca Salt, but there’s
more here than that. A worthy new effort.
75.
Cosey Fanni Tutti, 2t2 – Given the wild side of
many experimental years, this is a subdued and beautiful bit of electronica
from the genius behind Throbbing Gristle, Psychic TV, Chris & Cosey……
76.
Bob Mould, Here We Go Crazy – The founder of
Husker Du and Sugar proves decades on that one can chart a course on “growing
older gay,” and remain relevant to many.
77.
My Morning Jacket, Is – One might call this the
Jim James mysticism album, which alone sets it apart from many others in the
band’s catalog.
78.
Marissa Nadler, New Radiation – The packaging on
the physical album might tell you this is a milestone in Nadler’s career, but
the work she did with Jesse Sykes broke more boundaries than this one, which is
nevertheless a fine eerie-folk document.
79.
Bridget Hayden and the Apparitions, Cold Blows the
Rain – As close as we will get to the ghost of Vibracathedral this year.
80.
The Weather Station, Humanhood – Usually
anything Tamara Lindeman is involved with shoots to the top, but maybe the fact
this came out in January 2025 and is less insistent than many albums made me
sort of forget it was around.
81.
The Cody Sisters, All the Quiet People – The
most impressive new Rocky Mountain bluegrass group.
82.
Sports Team, Boys These Days – The horn section
and Arctic Monkeys-like sound may scream that Sports Team have sold out, but I
really like this new and fuller sound.
83.
Haley Heynderickx and Max Garcia Conover, What Of
Our Nature? – After two introspective solo albums, Heyndrickx teams with
folk singer Conover to give a review of what 21st century protest
music should be like.
84.
Spellling, Portrait of My Heart -- Chrystia Cabral adds some post-punk and
nu-metal sounds to her lush delivery, in order to make this album more autobiographical.
85.
Bartees Strange, Horror – There is a certain
hoarse voice and distorted guitar sound that now counts as classic Bartees
Strange, and the subject matter is on personal and societal terrors.
86.
Suzanne Vega, Flying with Angels – Some critic
said this new album was full of half-finished thoughts. I thought the
single-word titles of tracks spelled volumes, and even the “Last Train from
Mariupol” was not too corny. Well done, Suzanne.
87.
Todd Snider, High, Lonesome, and Then Some – Should
I have given the mad lyricist higher ranking for a swan song? I liked this
album, but it is a study in minimalism like some of Tom Waits’ works. I’m good
with that being Todd’s last will and testament, but don’t want to call it more
than that.
88.
Jesse Welles, Middle – Welles had four
self-released vinyl collections this year, of which I could only find this one.
His songs have that Dylan Blonde on Blonde feel, and cover important
topics like ICE, though this album is simply to enjoy his songwriting style.
89.
McLusky, The World is Still Here and So Are We – Indeed,
with a bullet. After an absence of a decade or so, McLusky is back sounding
like IDLES or better!
90.
Tortoise, Touch – It might sound funny to call
this a breakthrough when it’s down in the 80s, but really, this is a different and very vibrant sound
for Tortoise, a little scary at times, but always full of adventure.
91.
Molly Tuttle, So Long Little Miss Sunshine – An
ideal coming of age album, and now that she’s getting married to her
co-instrumentalist, it seems like a new Sunshine era (older, wiser) will begin.
92.
Haim, I Quit! – The Haim sisters must be getting
to the point that many artists around fifth or sixth albums experience – I put
my heart into this, was anyone paying attention? Your fans are, Haim, and let
the rest of the world be damned.
93.
Hamilton Leithauser, This Side of the Island – Maybe
my favorite solo album by the founder of The Walkmen, maybe because he traded
in a bit of the supper club tuxedo for relaxed dad-duds.
94.
Tune-Yards, Better Dreaming – Merrill is back to
explain life and etiquette in a populist world. You’d better listen to the
Garbus.
95.
David Byrne, Who Is the Sky? – Byrne no doubt
planned this to be a wistful appendix to American Utopia, but a lot of
it seems forced. Still plenty of Byrn-isms, but not a lot of staying power.
96.
Black Country New Road, Forever Howlong – At the
time of the live album, I was one of the advocates for a woman-dominated BCNR,
but with the new studio effort, I have to admit the ideas have deflated a bit.
97.
Jenny Hval, Irish Silver Mist – Hval is
following a path similar to fellow experimentalist Julia Holter, continuing to
innovate while diving into some aspects of traditionalism.
98.
St. Etienne, International – If this is really
the band’s swan song after 35 years , they went out with a bang.
99.
Mumford and Sons, Rushmere – In some ways, a
real attempt by Marcus Mumford to break the mold, in other ways, another
Mumford and Sons album. The fact that they have a sixth studio album, Prizefighter,
planned for February 2026 could mean a sudden rush of creativity, or too
much too soon.
100.
Midlake, A Bridge Too Far – I keep hoping
Midlake some day will get the audience it deserves. Meantime, they keep
releasing fine albums.
101.
Matt Berninger, Get Sunk – Probably my favorite
solo effort of Berninger’s work outside The National, particularly the “Bonnet
of Pins” single.
102.
Lucius, Gold Rush – These two woman do studio
session work with everyone, and their albums are consistently excellent. They
sell out concert halls, so why don’t they come up in conversation more often?
103.
Viagra Boys, Viagr Aboys – Many folks consider
VBs the kings of post-punk. I find them occasionally interesting and
occasionally trite, so I’m splitting the difference.
104.
James McMurtry, The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy
– The storytelling here is so fierce and multi-layered, it’s almost a shame
this got outshone by the new one from his bandmate, BettySoo, but McMurtry is
used to not always being in the limelight.
105.
Japanese Breakfast, For Melancholy Brunettes and Sad
Women – I’m sure Michelle Zauner thought this would have greater mass
appeal, but hey, she has cornered the markets on the melancholy women who read
“Crying in H-Mart,” so I figure that’s a pretty good score.
106.
Cass McCombs, Interior Live Oak – Always a
master of metaphor and self-disclosure, McCombs keeps it up with this one.
107.
Franz Ferdinand, Human Fear – Franz Ferdinand’s
sound was beginning to resemble a British version of Kings of Leon – too much
repetition. This one represents a new burst of energy for the band, but it came
out so early in the year, I almost forgot it.
108.
Gwenno, Utopia – Maybe Gwenno’s insistence on
singing half her songs in Cornish/Welsh lessens her appeal, but her studio
albums are wondrous.
109.
Mavis Staples, Sad and Beautiful World – Mavis
proves not only that she can kick out album after album in her 80s, but that
she can handle grief as well.
110.
Rip Van Winkle, Blasphemy – Nice to know that
Robert Pollard not only has the energy for multiple Guided by Voices albums per
year, but for fun side projects as well.
111.
Superchunk, Songs in the Key of Yikes – Mac and the gang are back to
deliver redemption anthems to save us from our local and global apocalypses.
112.
Califone, Visitor’s Companion – Califone has
entered a strange freak-folk space in recent years, but the music is actually
honed and quite good for those willing to take the time to dive deep.
113.
Car Seat Headrest, Scholars – Will Toledo said
he was ready to try a concept album, and I was psyched to hear the CSH version
of such. But except for a couple tracks like “Gethsemane,” the album feels like
an undercooked souffle.
114.
Sam Robbins, So Much I Still Don’t See – Robbins
can fool folks at times with the aura of the soft-spoken early-20s folkie with
a heart of gold, but these songs are deceptively deep and multi-faceted.
115.
Panda Bear, Sinister Grift – I tend to be much
less excited about solo albums from Animal Collective members than some
are. This new one is like others from
Panda Bear, intriguing, but not captivating.
116.
FKA Twigs, EUSEXUA – The swirling sounds are
fading, since the album came out in very early 2025, but Twigs has graced us
with an expanded edition, so this really does bear hearing.
117.
Plosivs, Yell at Cloud – The leftover crew from
Drive Like Jehu and Pinback are back for Round 2, more focused in many ways
than the debut album.
118.
Trimdon Grange Explosion, Dreams Buried Under the
Sea – This British post-modern folk group changed a bit without the violin
of Alison Cotton, but this is still a great sophomore effort.
119.
Orcutt Shelley Miller, s/t -- Bill Orcutt’s touring threesome, great
in studio, but the live set at Tubby’s is really special.
120.
Sparks, MAD! – The Mael brothers are back for
another drink at the well of madness, with an EP to augment the main event.
121.
Guided by Voices, Universe Room – A much more
reserved work in 2025 than the later TR&D, but at least we get two
doses of Robert Pollard this year (four, counting the live set and Rip Van
Winkle).
122.
I’m With Her, Wild and Clear and Blue – Even if
there wasn’t a single special track that drove me crazy, any time Jarosz and
O’Donovan and Watkins get together is a chance for a celebration.
123.
Laura Jane Grace, Adventure Club – An explosive
and fun set, only mildly hindered by the more sloganeering parts of the punk
ethos.
124.
Kesha, Period – At first, the lyrics seem to be
taking Kesha to the sex-beyond-sex dimension, but as the album progresses, you
are pulled into the joke a la Sabrina Carpenter. So why did this album
disappear after its July 4 release? Kesha can still draw a crowd, can’t she?
125.
Deerhoof, Noble and God-Like in Ruin – Deerhoof
had such a long-standing reputation for anime-like antics, the new
geographically-dispersed band has to work at proving to people they can be grim
and serious too.
126.
Heavy Diamond Ring, Wildflower Lane – I can
never get tired of Sarah Anderson’s voice, even if most songs on this third
album are sort of typical Americana in style.
127.
Jensen McRae, I Don’t Know How, But You Found Me – The
album title was lifted, unintentionally or not, from a Panic at the Disco
spinoff band, but McRae should not be overlooked, a wonderful new pop
songwriter.
128.
Beaches, No Hard Feelings – This women’s
garage-rock band has to be careful not to copy its own 2024 mega-hit, “Blame My
Ex,” but Beaches have all kinds of good ideas.
129.
Destroyer, Dan’s Boogie – Dan Bejar has an
impeccable sense of style, but sometimes it seems he’s recreating the same
Destroyer album over and over.
130.
Joan Shelley, Real Warmth – After her impressive
EP last year, I was expecting Joan to have some great tunes on tap, but this
album was essentially treading water.
131.
Florist, Jellywish – Emily Sprague has developed
an ethos of being the most twee-oriented songwriter in Brooklyn, and she
continues to put the reputation to good use.
132.
Garbage, Let All That We Imagine Be the Light – Garbage
already was losing my attention, then Shirley Manson gets all bent out of shape
about beach balls, and yes that colors my perception, because Manson takes
herself way too seriously.
133.
Valerie June, Owls, Omens, and Oracles – I like
the way that instrumental traditionalist Valerie June has been digging deeper
into mysticism and the subconscious.
134.
Nation of Language, Dance Called Memory – This
Brooklyn trio is all the rage, deservedly so, but their uber-chill atmosphere
brings to mind Khruangbin, or even Cocteau Twins (not that there’s anything
wrong with that).
135.
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Carpe Diem, Moonman
136.
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Pogo Rodeo – If
someone figures out what this Perth band of jokers is up to, explain them to
me. Seems like a more comical King Gizzard, with a penchant for multiple
releases per year, but there may be method in this madness.
137.
The Weeknd, Hurry Up Tomorrow – After several larger-than-life
releases, this one seemed a placeholder somehow.
138.
Beirut, A Study of Losses – Zachary Francis
intended this as a European grand-tour of grief, evoking the grand tours of 16th
and 17th centuries. Fascinating vignettes in the album, though the
crazy Beirut days of loud brass in Zapoteca town squares are gone.
139.
Lapsley, I’m a Hurricane, I’m a Woman in Love – With
each succeeding album, I wonder why this Merseyside electronica singer isn’t
more famous (remember Duffy?).
140.
Earl Sweatshirt, Live Laugh Love – After tough
albums on Covid and broken families, it’s nice to hear some pure fun from Earl.
141.
Turnstile, Never Enough – Many folks are happy
at Turnstile’s “breakthrough” album, though the band was once considered
hardcore, and this is closer to power-pop. Which is a good thing in my book.
142.
Pulp, More – Nice to hear Jarvis Cocker
spotlight some new material, though they’re still a nostalgia act.
143.
Swearing at Motorists, 31 Seasons in the Minor
Leagues – Dave Doughman is back! Nah, he’s still living in Germany, but the
long-running Dayton project is alive and well in the EU.
144.
Cyrus Pireh, Thank You Guitar – A guitar-prodigy
discovery by Bill Orcutt for his Palalia label, we’ll be hearing more from
Cyrus.
145.
Swans, Birthing – When M. Gira said this was the
last of this Swans instantiation, I’m not sure what he meant, but the era of
overblown double-CD collections had hit its practical end.
146.
Throwing Muses, Midnight Concessions – Kristen
Hersh continues her campaign of keeping the band alive, whether others pay
attention or not.
147.
Charlie Crockett, Lonesome Drifter – He’s the
perfect cowpoke for a Red Rocks show, you can like or hate the style, but his
songs often are fun to listen to.
148.
Frankie Cosmos, Different Talking – Greta Kline
now has had 13 years to hone the Frankie Cosmos persona, she has a lot more to
say than the waifish delivery might suggest.
149.
Margo Price, Hard-Headed Woman – Price billed
this as her “return to country roots,” but the last two or three albums were so
good, this just seemed a bit flat.
150.
Rocket, R is for Rocket – An exciting L.A. band
led by Althea Tuttle, who we will be hearing more from later.
151.
Sasami, Blood on the Silver Screen – Sasami
Ashworth, formerly of Cherry Glazrr, has shifted from ethereal indie to metal
to the uncategorizable, and has maintained an interesting front throughout the
changes.
152.
Tame Impala, Deadbeat – This was billed as Kevin
Parker’s attempt at sort of an EDM beat to cheer for family life. I am glad to
hear a new side of Tame Impala, but lost interest in this particular studio
album.
153.
Pink Fuzz, Resolution – Denver’s prime
psychedelia outfit gives lessons on avoiding the brown acid.
154.
Sleigh Bells, Bunky Becky Birthday Boy – Much of
the post-pandemic output of Sleigh Bells has been pretty cool, but this seemed
sort of vague.
155.
Patty Griffin, Crown of Roses – This was
supposed to be Patty’s reconciliation with mother and family, but coming in a
year of intense confessions, it just doesn’t hit the levels of Carpenter,
Shires, Donnelly, Williams, or Edwards.
156.
Oakland Rain, Twin Flames Part 1 – These two
Norwegian sisters have been touring with Judy Collins, and the compositions
they’ve turned out at a young age suggest some international recognition soon.
157.
Durand Jones & The Indications, Flowers – More
mood-setting and less soul-stylism, but still a keeper.
158.
Stereolab, Instant Holograms on Metal Film – Great
to have them back, and equally great to find out how little dated the band
sounds.
159.
Lilly Hiatt, Forever – The Nashville-based
daughter of John Hiatt has released several albums on New West in the past five
years. This may not be my favorite of the bunch, but it establishes her bona
fides in a big way.
160.
The Hives, The Hives Forever, Forever The Hives – This
Swedish band adopts kind of a rockabilly-Teddy-boy vibe while making music that
is much more high energy. Like other albums, this can be formulaic, but it’s
great at parties.
161.
Boy Harsher/Safe Mind, Cutting the Stone – This
is billed as both a Boy Harsher album and not, being a duo spun from BH. If you
like the ethereal electronica of BH, you’ll like this.
162.
Jehnny Beth, You Heartbreaker You – Since the
demise of Savages, Jehnny Beth has released a string of solo and duo works
emphasizing sexual politics. This release is good, but the live album at Rough
Trade East is better.
163.
US Girls, Scratch It – It’s a shame Meghan Remy
hasn’t preserved much of her former experimentalism, because that is what made
US Girls truly interesting.
164.
Goose, Everything Must Go – Don’t feel sorry for
the singular Goose being confused with the critics’ darling Geese. Goose has
enough jam-band fans to make up for it, though they’re stuck in the jam-band
box, which they probably love.
165.
Knox Chandler, The Sound – The guitarist for
Psychedelic Furs and Siouxsie and the Banshees delivers an instrumental album
and related work diving into transcendentalism.
166.
Steven Wilson, The Overview – Porcupine Tree’s
founder releases his latest solo work, which charts higher than most PT albums.
Finally, an audience that gets it.
167.
Patterson Hood, Exploding Trees and Airplane Screams
– Given how much I like Drive-By Truckers, and given that Lydia Loveless is
in his touring band, I thought I’d like Hood’s latest solo album better than I
do. OK, not earth-shattering.
168.
Wolf Alice, The Clearing – In which the band
makes a turn to mainstream rock star greatness. Can’t fault them for that.
169.
Lorde, Virgin – No, Solar wasn’t a fluke.
Lorde has somehow grown tedious. And it makes me sad.
170.
Kendrick Lamar, GNX – Whether you had this
listed as a 2024 or 2025 album, it felt sort of dashed-off in the overall
Kendrick scheme of things.
171.
Jason Isbell, Foxes in the Snow – Since this was
a solo album without the band, this was always going to be a special release,
but then I heard Amanda Shires’ album, on what a dickhead Isbell was to her,
and all of a sudden I am down on Mr. Isbell, fair or not.
172.
The Head and the Heart, Aperture – For the last
couple albums, I’ve seen H&H move to more commercial strategy development,
like an Avett Brothers for more general Americana. That could turn them into a
Coldplay or Imagine Dragons, eventually.
173.
Tennis, Face Down in the Garden – Wow, the last
Tennis album, and they leave as almost a forgotten entity.
174.
Besnard Lakes, Are the Ghost Nation – Besnard
Lakes always hover between true multi-instrumental greatness and ethereal
mumblings. This one tended to the latter.
175.
Career Woman, Lighthouse – Melody Caudill of
L.A. is just getting her indie-folk show on the road, and this is a nice debut
album.
176.
Gina Birch, Trouble – I’ll just go ahead and say
it – after two albums, it seems Gina waited too long after her Slits career to
go solo. You’ll like it if you’re a fan, but it’s tough to give it credit.
177.
Purity Ring, s/t – Nice to have the Edmonton
electro-duo back, though their music doesn’t always seem as relevant now as in
2012.
178.
Robert Scheffler, Truce – An Americana album
covering the forgotten topics of compromises and ceasefires. Sorely needed.
179.
The Swell Season, Forward – When Glenn and
Marketa toured in the summer of 2023, I figured there’d be new Swell Season.
But after all this time and heartache, a lot of the magic is gone.
180.
The World is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer
Afraid to Die, Dreams of Being Dust – World decided to reinvent
themselves as modern hard-emo, which has its moments, but sounds too much like
things Coheed & Cambria or Mars Volta have done previously and better.
181.
Morgan Wallen, I’m the Problem – No matter what
you may think of Wallen himself, it’s impressive to issue a double-album on
masochistic self-pity. The problem is, it becomes a sprawling work like some of
Beyonce’s and Taylor Swift’s works, too large to be impressed with all of
Wallen’s self-flagellation.
182.
Neil Young, Talk to the Trees – Neil is still a
stunning live artist, and his back catalog is exhausting. But I am not afraid
to point out his crappy ones. Here’s one on home and hearth and being
grandpa. Zzzzzzz…….
183.
Blonde Redhead, Shadow of the Guest – I keep
listening to this band, remembering the days they were a Sonic Youth
follow-along, but now they’re into pure romanticism. OK, OK….
184.
Salami Rose Joe Louis, Lorings – This songwriter
is a true character, and my main reason for picking up this album is the title,
which is never quite explained. Since I have an album by the Finnish band
Wirbel, my life is now complete.
185.
Black Keys, No Rain No Flowers – Those of you
who have followed my list for a while know I really have it in for Black Keys,
and not in a good way. I still keep them on the list. Maybe some day they will
rank higher again.
186.
The Arcade Fire, Pink Elephant – I kept this band’s
latest album on based on the contribution of Regine, but she and Win Butler are
getting a divorce, so….. Congratulations, Win, on destroying a band.
187.
Tate McRae, So Close to What – If music were
dance alone, McRae would be Kylie Minogue. As it is, she is the Canadian 21st-century
version of Paula Abdul, which is not without merit, but solely for
choreography.
188.
Addison Rae, Addison – I keep this on the list
as a curiosity for further study. Some folks of otherwise sound mind put
Addison in their top ten or 25. I can deal with various kinds of bubble-pop
like Sabrina Carpenter, Beabadoobee, Gracie Abrams, even late-period Katy
Perry. Addison Rae does not have that much originality or talent. Yet W magazine
has her adorning its “art issue.” What am I missing here?
DQ – If y’all are feeling
sorry for Addison Rae, at least she counts as pop music. We won’t count Benson
Boone as being worth a discontinued penny as either a singer or trapeze artist.
Boone should just go away.
Special
Albums (Live, Compilations, Splits, CD-Rs, MP3, etc.)
1.
Ethel Cain, Perverts – Sure, Ethel’s standard
new studio release for 2025 was good, but at the beginning of the year, she
released the downloadable experimental-noise album that proves a pop queen can
be weird if she wants to.
2.
Jeremy Facknitz, Wildcards: Singles 2024-25 – When
anyone else releases singles collections, it might be a hit or miss
proposition, but this is Facknitz. Don’t dare skip a track.
3.
Olivia Rodrigo, Live from Glastonbury – Note
that this year, the mega-stars like Rodrigo and Lipa have the better live
albums. This is not due to differences in production costs, but due to artists
asking themselves, “What makes a good live album?” Part of Olivia’s answer is
that you sell the duets with Robert Smith of The Cure as their own overpriced
colored-vinyl EP, but those who waited until the end of the year saw Geffen
Records/BBC flood a double CD of the entire concert at prices as low as $12. Best
bargain in town.
4.
Dua Lipa, Live at Royal Albert Hall – This lush
work was manufactured at the end of 2024, but only really hit the stores in
early 2025. This offers the best of Lipa’s most recent songs, with the
obligatory full orchestra treatment. And Elton John.
5.
Bruce Springsteen, Tracks II – I’m assuming only
obsessive Boss fans would opt for the multiple full albums from the vaults he
released last summer, but this worthy sampler collects the very best of the
leftovers. I’m especially impressed with Springsteen’s efforts to emulate pop
in a Burt Bacharach vein.
6.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Live God – It was
perhaps inevitable that Cave would tour the Wild God album in memory of
his son, with a choir and string ensemble. This double album features all the
songs of Wild God and other career favorites, with pomp and bombast
occasionally on high, but that’s usually OK.
7.
Jehnny Beth, Live at Rough Trade East – Jehnny’s
best, distilled to a live performance, and the best post-Savages material you
can hear.
8.
Cate Le Bon, Live at Barbicon – An exceptional
interpretation of the tracks from Michaelangelo Dying and more. Cate’s
live shows define her of late.
9.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Official Bootleg
from Athens ’25 – No, you will never be a King Gizzard completeist, and
yes, it’s hard to figure out what to get in the dozens of fan editions, live
shows, and studio works out there. This is one worth getting.
10. Mitski,
The Land: The Live Album – I might have put this near the top, since the
arrangement of songs from The Land is Inhospitable are exquisite, but
frankly, I’m pissed off at either Mitski or her marketers/handlers. Making both
a vinyl record and streaming options available for a limited time only
encourages the activity of record scalpers and FOMO frantic behavior among
fans. Just say NO to controlled scarcity.
11. Soda
Blonde, Dream Big Live with the Irish National Symphony Orchestra – The
concept was a fine one that many bands have used lately: Prepare orchestral
arrangements of songs from the newest album, and dream big. If the work had
proceeded as a whole, it would have been enchanting. But the band wanted to
insert commentaries (probably for the benefit of the related video
documentary), and it cut into the flow of the performance. But hey, Faye
O’Rourke’s vocals are exceptional.
12. Various
Artists, Colorado Springs Underground Vol. 3 – Kudos to Danny Stewart for
continuing this wonderful series. The third time features notes and interviews
with Jeph Jerman (Blowhole, Hands To) and Chuck Snow (The Auto No).
13. Guided
by Voices, Goodnight El Dorado – GbV has so many damned live bootlegs,
it’s hard to rank the best, but this legit release features very recent songs
from the band, which apparently won’t be heard live any more.
14. Squirrel
Flower, Live at Top Note – Ella O’Connor Williams can be an acquired
taste, but if you haven’t deciphered any of her studio releases, this might be
a good place to start.
15. Adrienne
Lenker, Live at Revolution Hall – A great artifact of the 2024 tour, and
maybe more exciting than the new Big Thief studio album.
16. Orcutt
Shelley Miller, Live at Tubby’s November 2025 – Hews to the studio
release pretty closely, but that’s OK, getting this trio in a live setting is a
special treat.
17. Rhiannon
Giddens/Justin Robinson, What Did Blackbird Say to Crow? – With all the
modernist experimentalism Giddens has been up to lately, going back to deep roots
of the 19th and 20th century is fascinating.
18. M.J.
Lenderman, Live and Loose – I can’t help but think this double album was
made a big feature of the April Record Store Day to cash in on the “all things
Lenderman” trend, but hey, it’s a decent enough set.
19. Mary
Chapin Carpenter, Julie Fowlis, Karine Polwart, Looking for the Thread – Released
in the same year as Carpenter’s life review, this trio recording combines
Scottish traditional songs and originals from all three women.
20. Goose,
Live at Madison Square Garden
21. Goose,
Live in New York – Never let it be said that jam-band Goose doesn’t
believe in freedom of choice. You can drop a few hundred bucks on a seven-LP box
spanning many tracks of Goose’s career (MSG), or opt for a two-LP Live at Luna
package consisting of one long track.
22. Beabadoobee,
Live and Acoustic – This one definitely was a Record Store Day
exploitation of popularity, because Beabadoobee can be tough when she wants to
be, but this album was mixed oddly, and seems completely bubbly and plastic,
worthy for shopping-mall muzak.
Singles and EPs
1.
Emma Harner, Taking My Side – Who’s that shy rural
redheaded Nebraska waif who went to Berklee with Adrienne Lenker, and is
touring with Trace Bundy? Oh, just a lyrical and arrangement powerhouse of a
singer-songwriter.
2.
Knuckle Pups, San Panino – What if you were a big
fan of the harmonies and songwriting of former Colorado band Paper Bird, but
you also liked to have sloppy-drunk interactions with your audience? Well, you
might sound like Knuckle Pups. Bravo!
3.
Post Malone, Long Bed – The leftover tracks from
2024’s F-1 Trillion are collected in RSD vinyl with a submerged F-150 on
the cover. A decent set of studio outtakes.
4.
Lera Lynn, True Sessions – One year with a full
studio album and 10” EP from the incomparable Lera Lynn. Oh boy.
5.
Bright Eyes, Kids’ Table – There’s such a thing
as too much Conor Oberst in your life, but the mere fact he’d give a special EP
such a title was good enough for me.
6.
Lucy Dacus, Bus Back to Richmond – Not just a nice surprise to flesh out her
studio album, but a good sign that Dacus wants to keep the 45 rpm format alive.
7.
Sparks, Madder – True, they could have combined the full-length and EP, but the Mael
brothers often do things for theatrical reasons.
8.
Harry Pussy, LOST LOST LOST LOST LOST – Harry Pussy is like Tupac Shakur, there will
always be archival material to be dug up, and Bill Orcutt is doing his best to
find recordings that got left behind.
