Delighted to see Foxwarren here! No Ripcord is the only publication to even include this on an EOY list this year, which I think is inexplicable - it's such a special record. I fully expect a folk-rock deep dive next year - "If you like Pentagle, you'll love X..."!
The McKinley Dixon album is also really good and just missed my list. It was nice to see what you culled on account of your rules too. I really appreciated the Rosalía album, but I didn't find myself returning to it much after the initial rush.
Love that your list is unique. I haven't seen that Umm, Jennifer on anyone else's list. It's a good one! Thanks for building this space for music nerds to talk about and learn about cool stuff!
I will check out as much as I can from this list. Maybe my picks from this year are too “old head,” but I really loved Jonathan Richman’s Only Frozen Sky Anyway, Marc Ribot’s Map of a Blue City, and The Waterboy’s Life, Death, and Dennis Hopper. While all these guys have been around for decades, I was surprised at how much I appreciated these three albums. I had kind of written off Richman as someone who put out one great album and a few silly but catchy songs. The Frozen Sky album is profound and moving in its simplicity, especially Frozen Sky, Night Fever (yes a BeeGees cover), and Little Black Bat.
I also never expected to hear from The Waterboys again. I have always liked Whole of the Moon and Fisherman’s Blues but gave little thought to their (really Mike Scott’s) work beyond that. I was blown away by the outlandish idea and brilliant execution of a Dennis Hopper tribute album!!
I was not a surprised that I would appreciate Ribot’s new album. It is an interesting companion to Richman’s Frozen Sky in that they are both minimalist, guitar-centered albums that explore themes of mortality, but from totally different perspectives. Daddy’s Trip to Brazil is my favorite song on the album, but When The World’s on Fire and Elizabeth are also great.
old heads still make great music!! i just personally try to showcase newer artists (again, on the assumption you guys already know the older ones). but lots of old dogs with new tricks for sure.
The Prewn record looks kind of interesting, considering that I did like Fetch the Bolt Cutters. I'll give it a listen this week.
My pick for the best record this year is Ethel Cain's "Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You". It is so visceral and "Nettles" rips through me much like Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here".
"Nettles" is probably my pick for song of the year, though Rabbitology's "Preybirds (The Watched Version)" is a close second.
curious what you think but I also need to warn you it's really a vibes comparison more than anything. not a great sound match (I'm generally better with that!)
Excellent stuff, Gabbie! So much to ponder! I am still reflecting on my year in music (lots of jazz there). Top of that pile would be Too Long, Didn't Read by TL; DR and Peter Knight. So much Brisbane, Australia music too , especially Lost In Space by the wonderful The Double Happiness, and a compilation of Brisbane shoegaze bands on 4000 Records called Gazed and Bemused. Succumbed to the charms of Wet Leg, Geese, Mcleay and Mogwai, but they are excluded by your rules. But very strong albums indeed. An embarrassment of riches once again! Thank you for 2025 and enjoy your break and here's to the promise of 2026 and more music, the gift that keeps on giving!❤
Give Too Long, Didn't Read by TL; DR and Peter Knight a go on Bandcamp and About Ghosts by Mary Halvorson a spin. She's a great contemporary jazz guitarist. They would be my picks for 2025. As to jazz in general (the past), see how you fare with those 2025 recommendations from me and I'll take it from there! Hope that helps.
i've been wanting to put shoulder song in an iv drip since i first heard it, so happy to see it make the cut!! can't wait to listen to everything else (i've rarely been so excited to go through a list of things i had never heard of)
Although it might be considered favoritism to choose a band from my hometown, I am continuing to immerse myself in These New Puritan's fifth album. Crooked Wing is a work of impressionist folk music, bound by church organ, steeped in gravitas and off kilter tension. It feels like it's been drawn up from English soil by some kind of weird capillary action. At times it reminds me of Rachel's or The Blue Nile, but it is far from derivative. At present I am ignoring the lyrics and absorbing it as an abstraction.
I also enjoyed Lael Neale's Altogether Stranger - its Catholic themes of man's fall from grace, and peevishness at modern existence while being complicit in it.
Hi Gabbie. I purposely released my fourth Mailman album in June with zero fanfare specifically to avoid making any of EOY lists. A strategy that I'm delighted to say has paid off. In hindsight, I think I might have got confused about what I'm actually doing. Anyhoo, here it is if you're not new music'd out: https://www.mailmanstan.co.uk/thelighthouseandtherocks.html
Delighted to see Foxwarren here! No Ripcord is the only publication to even include this on an EOY list this year, which I think is inexplicable - it's such a special record. I fully expect a folk-rock deep dive next year - "If you like Pentagle, you'll love X..."!
The McKinley Dixon album is also really good and just missed my list. It was nice to see what you culled on account of your rules too. I really appreciated the Rosalía album, but I didn't find myself returning to it much after the initial rush.
you know what I'm surprised! i really was so sure that one would be on every list
Wow i will NEVER unhear that Bittersweet Symphony comparison. Great catch! Delighted to see Smerz and Prewn here, and CMAT in the should have
it was a complete thought!!
I hit the send button too soon here but honestly? It works
Smerz and Foxwarren!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yessss
ugh so good
My top 10:
1. Deep Sea Diver - Billboard Heart
2. Rodeo Boys - Junior
3. Soot Sprite - Wield Your Hope Like A Weapon
4. Laura Stevenson - Late Great
5. CMAT - EURO-COUNTRY
6. Weakened Friends - Feels Like Hell
7. Momma - Welcome To My Blue Sky
8. The Criticals - S/T
9. Spellling - Portrait Of My Heart
10. The Backfires - This Is Not An Exit
Love that your list is unique. I haven't seen that Umm, Jennifer on anyone else's list. It's a good one! Thanks for building this space for music nerds to talk about and learn about cool stuff!
i always love your picks so much!
I will check out as much as I can from this list. Maybe my picks from this year are too “old head,” but I really loved Jonathan Richman’s Only Frozen Sky Anyway, Marc Ribot’s Map of a Blue City, and The Waterboy’s Life, Death, and Dennis Hopper. While all these guys have been around for decades, I was surprised at how much I appreciated these three albums. I had kind of written off Richman as someone who put out one great album and a few silly but catchy songs. The Frozen Sky album is profound and moving in its simplicity, especially Frozen Sky, Night Fever (yes a BeeGees cover), and Little Black Bat.
I also never expected to hear from The Waterboys again. I have always liked Whole of the Moon and Fisherman’s Blues but gave little thought to their (really Mike Scott’s) work beyond that. I was blown away by the outlandish idea and brilliant execution of a Dennis Hopper tribute album!!
I was not a surprised that I would appreciate Ribot’s new album. It is an interesting companion to Richman’s Frozen Sky in that they are both minimalist, guitar-centered albums that explore themes of mortality, but from totally different perspectives. Daddy’s Trip to Brazil is my favorite song on the album, but When The World’s on Fire and Elizabeth are also great.
old heads still make great music!! i just personally try to showcase newer artists (again, on the assumption you guys already know the older ones). but lots of old dogs with new tricks for sure.
1. *Heet Deth - Bad Reading
2. *M(h)aol - Something Soft
3. *La Dispute - No One Was Driving The Car
4. *Cucuy - People Talking
5. *Black Eyes - Hostile Design
6. *Sorry - COSPLAY
7. *Deadguy - Near-Death Travel Services
8. *Florence + The Machine - Everybody Scream
9. Aya - Hexed
10. Wednesday - Bleeds
11. *Mclusky - The World Is Still Here And So Are We
12. Um, Jennifer? - Um Comma Jennifer Question Mark
13. *YHWH Nailgun - 45 Pounds
14. *Sprints - All That Is Over
15. *Brian Damage - All Hell Broke Loose
(* just means I own a physical copy)
Prewn is near the top of my next tier.
amazing list!!
Oh my gosh. We have one of the same no 1 albums. Foxwarren is one of my fav bands ever. 🤩
yay I'm so in love with that record
The Prewn record looks kind of interesting, considering that I did like Fetch the Bolt Cutters. I'll give it a listen this week.
My pick for the best record this year is Ethel Cain's "Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You". It is so visceral and "Nettles" rips through me much like Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here".
"Nettles" is probably my pick for song of the year, though Rabbitology's "Preybirds (The Watched Version)" is a close second.
curious what you think but I also need to warn you it's really a vibes comparison more than anything. not a great sound match (I'm generally better with that!)
Excellent stuff, Gabbie! So much to ponder! I am still reflecting on my year in music (lots of jazz there). Top of that pile would be Too Long, Didn't Read by TL; DR and Peter Knight. So much Brisbane, Australia music too , especially Lost In Space by the wonderful The Double Happiness, and a compilation of Brisbane shoegaze bands on 4000 Records called Gazed and Bemused. Succumbed to the charms of Wet Leg, Geese, Mcleay and Mogwai, but they are excluded by your rules. But very strong albums indeed. An embarrassment of riches once again! Thank you for 2025 and enjoy your break and here's to the promise of 2026 and more music, the gift that keeps on giving!❤
i need somebody to put me on to jazz! lmk what I should check out
Give Too Long, Didn't Read by TL; DR and Peter Knight a go on Bandcamp and About Ghosts by Mary Halvorson a spin. She's a great contemporary jazz guitarist. They would be my picks for 2025. As to jazz in general (the past), see how you fare with those 2025 recommendations from me and I'll take it from there! Hope that helps.
Best albums 2025 no order:
Alan Sparhark w TBT
Antlers "Blight"
Beths "Future Hates Me"
Destroyer "Dan's Boogie"
Foxwarren "2"
Friendship "Caveman Wakes Up"
Jacob Alon "In Limerence"
Palmyra "Restless"
Water From Your Eyes "It's a Beautiful Place"
Wednesday "Bleeds"
Extra: Snocaps
great list! you mean straight line was a lie for the beths?
Oops...Yes Straight Line... Though Future is great too :)
yes future me hates me is one I prefer actually!
Phenomenal work again! I look forward all year to reading your lists!
you're a real one Patrick!!!
Box for buddy box for star by This Is Loralei The newer version so that it’s 2025. Second choice for me is Snocaps or Double Infinity by Big Thief.
i've been wanting to put shoulder song in an iv drip since i first heard it, so happy to see it make the cut!! can't wait to listen to everything else (i've rarely been so excited to go through a list of things i had never heard of)
thank you so much and merry everything!
heck yeah
Although it might be considered favoritism to choose a band from my hometown, I am continuing to immerse myself in These New Puritan's fifth album. Crooked Wing is a work of impressionist folk music, bound by church organ, steeped in gravitas and off kilter tension. It feels like it's been drawn up from English soil by some kind of weird capillary action. At times it reminds me of Rachel's or The Blue Nile, but it is far from derivative. At present I am ignoring the lyrics and absorbing it as an abstraction.
I also enjoyed Lael Neale's Altogether Stranger - its Catholic themes of man's fall from grace, and peevishness at modern existence while being complicit in it.
Hi Gabbie. I purposely released my fourth Mailman album in June with zero fanfare specifically to avoid making any of EOY lists. A strategy that I'm delighted to say has paid off. In hindsight, I think I might have got confused about what I'm actually doing. Anyhoo, here it is if you're not new music'd out: https://www.mailmanstan.co.uk/thelighthouseandtherocks.html