"So, let us not be blind to our differences - but let us also direct attention to our common interests and to the means by which those differences can be resolved. And if we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal." JFK, June 10, 1963.
Flea."A Plea". Famed bass player is on his trumpet here. Half the track is a jazz meditation, the other half a screed on the world today. And the video is, uh, one of a kind.
Geese."This Must Be The Place" (Talking Heads cover). The Talking Heads & David Byrne seemed to be very present this year. Geese also did a cover of The New Radicals hit "You Get What You Give". And Geese appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel" to perform the song "Taxes" from their 2025 hit album "Getting Killed".
Jill Sobule."Underdog Victorious" (from a musical F*ck 7th Grade being developed by the late singer/songwriter, who died this past year in a tragic house fire)
Aesop Rock. I Heard It's A Mess There Too. His second album this year. Hip hop for people who don't like hip hop? Well it is refreshing to hear clever smart rhymes instead of mere bragging. Aesop Rock. Black Hole Superette. Something different and interesting and cool.
Bob Mould.Here We Go Crazy. Former Husker Du frontman back with a solid album.
The Beths.Straight Line Was a Lie.
Big Thief. Double Infinity.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy.The Purple Bird.
Bright Eyes.Kids Table EP.
Cate Le Bon. Michelangelo Dying.
Dropkick Murphys. For The People. The digital version of this fine album came out in July, but the recently released vinyl version contains 5 bonus tracks, including the powerful "Sirens".Maybe the best political band out there today. I like the Woody Guthrie connection too. And their version of Ewan MacColl's "School Days Over" with Billy Bragg is just stunning.
Elias Rønnenfelt. Speak Daggers. Former Iceage singer.
Fucked Up.Grass Can Move Stones Part 1: Year Of The Goat. Only two songs but they are each nearly a half an hour long, suites actually, bizarre and interesting.
Ganser.Animal Hospital.
Geese. Getting Killed.
Glimmer. Get Weak.
The Hives. The Hives Forever Forever The Hives. As you were.
Jehnny Beth. You Heartbreaker, You. Tough.
Julien Baker & Torres. Send A Prayer My Way. Best damned singin' lesbian cowgirls out there.
Kneecap.Kneecap Original Soundtrack. The film, which is great, has a soundtrack that collects many of Kneecap's formative, seminal singles which were not included on their debut album. A great showcase for the talents of the bilingual Irish/English rappers from West Belfast. The movie is a must-see for anyone interested in Irish and The North. It's a blast. Three cheers for Michael Fassbender (and Gerry Adams) for their roles in the fil-lum.
Mavis Staples.Sad and Beautiful World. Love her.
Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts. Talkin to the Trees. Surprisingly strong album from this icon.
Neko Case.Neon Grey Midnight Green. Amazing. Also been listening a lot to case/lang/veirs, her 2016 collab with K.D. Lang and Laura Veirs. She's great.
Orcutt Shelley Miller.Orcutt Shelley Miller. Being a word-oriented guy, I hate instrumentals, but for some inexplicable reason, I find Bill Orcutt's guitar instrumentals, full of feedback drone and fuzz, incredibly compelling. He's suddenly all over the place, an unlikely rock star, but fresh and exciting. He's helped here by bassist Ethan Miller and drummer Steve Shelley from Sonic Youth.
Peter Doherty. Felt Better Alive. A Libertine goes solo with some cool new songs.
Portugal. The Man. Shish. Very different. Very interesting.
Shame. Cutthroat. Verygood album.
Snocaps.Snocaps. Surprise album from new group feat Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee and her twin sister Allison Crutchfield, (along with MJ Lenderman and Brad Cook) has indie rock, jangle pop, and hints of Americana, all with great harmonies.
Sprints.All That Is Over. Irish punk band with a female singer are uncompromising.
Suede. Antidepressants. The Original Britpop royals return. The Deluxe Edition has three extra tracks and Mojo curated a cool rarities collection called Outsiderswhich is quite good.
Superchunk. Songs In The Key Of Yikes. Very solid album. Catchy songs.
Toro Y Moi.Unerthed (Hole Erth Unplugged). Nice.
Ty Segall. Possession. Very good album from the master.
Tyler Childers. Snipe Hunter. Rick Rubin-produced country gone wild, genre-bending, etc.
Tyler, The Creator. Don't Tap The Glass. He's a creative little bastard, innit he?
Wednesday.Bleeds.
Wreckless Eric. England Screaming. We know and love him from his 1977 punk classic "Whole Wide World", but he's still at it in 2025. This album is actually pretty good and worth checking out.
BEST ARCHIVAL ALBUMS & RANDOMS
The Beatles.Anthology 4. A cool retrospective, starting with their earliest days. And a documentary too. The Beatles. Anthology 4 is out November 21, 2025 feat "Helter Skelter" (2nd version, Take 17).
Bob Dylan.Through The Open Window, The Bootleg Series Vol 18, 1956 - 1963 feat "Boots Of Spanish Leather".. Focus on Bob's early career and his transition from Minnesota teen to NYC folkie "unwashed phenomenon".
Bruce Springsteen. Lost And Found (Selections From The Lost Albums). Some of this is really good but doesn't sound at all like the Springsteen we're used to. Bruce Springsteen. Electric Nebraska 1982 (Expanded Edition). Out October 24, 2025 feat"Born in the U.S.A.".
Buckingham Nicks. Buckingham Nicks. This 1973 release, long out-of-print, a musicians' favorite and cult classic. Soon after its release, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac (you can hear their future here) and the rest, as they say, is history.
Chambawamba."Bella Ciao". Anti-fascist song in the news.
Curtis Mayfield.The Makings Of: A Curtis Mayfield Collection. The soundtrack of the Curtis documentary is a nice overview of his amazing career.
David Bowie. "Waterloo Sunset" A cover of The Kinks' classic 1967 single, released as bonus track on Reality (2003). "Terry meets Julie at Waterloo Station every Friday night...".
Devo.Energy Dome Frequencies: Songs From The DEVO Documentary. Classic.
Faces.Early Steps. Rhino (love them!) just released this collection of alternate takes for the first Faces album First Step (1970) feat Rod Stewart (voice), Ronnie Wood (guitar), the late Ronnie Lane (bass), the late Ian McLagan (keys), and Kenney Jones (drums), recorded shortly after the band formed from the ashes of The Small Faces (feat Steve Marriott) and The Jeff Beck Group. Now we're waiting for the rumored NEW Faces album and tour feat Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, and Kenney Jones to emerge in 2026.
Hüsker Dü.1985: The Miracle Year. Husker Du live in 1985 feat their cover of "Eight Miles High".
Jimi Hendrix.Bold As Love - The Axis: Bold As Love Sessions.Simply great!
John Lennon, Yoko Ono, The Plastic Ono Band & Elephant’s Memory. Power to the People (The Ultimate Collection). I love this era of John. The Sometime In New York City era. Pure gold. There's a 9-Disc boxset of everything and also a 2-Disc version focusing on the 1972 "One To One" concerts.
Neil Young.Tonight’s the Night (50th Anniversary). Classic. With six bonus tracks of alternate takes.
Patti Smith. Horses.The 50th anniversary (if you can believe it) of her classic debut album, feat outtakes and alternate takes and this demo of "Gloria" (Demo, Cover of Van Morrison, kinda).
Sweet."Ballroom Blitz"(1973). On many minds lately as Trump demolished The White House East Wing for a fancy ballroom, just like in Cinderella.
Sly & The Family Stone.Sly Lives! (AKA The Burden Of Black Genius). Mega-Classics. The First Family: Live at the Winchester Cathedral 1967. Early appearance by the ensemble. Great stuff.
Ted Lucas.Ted Lucas. Interesting folkish album from back in the day, rediscovered.
Thin Lizzy. 74-75 - Night Life/Fighting.Their first two albums feat the classic line-up, with several bonus tracks. All these years later, the twin guitar attack of Thin Lizzy, along with their frontman, the immortal and singular Black Irishman, Phil Lynott, still rings strong in the valleys and on every mountainside. Feat"She Knows" from a session withJohn Peelin 1974.
The Who.The Best Of & Greatest Hits Live Broadcast Collection. Who Are You (Super Deluxe). This 1978 classic was the last album The Who did with psycho drummer with a heart of gold Keith Moon. The Super Deluxe version contains lots of extras including some live rehearsals and concerts showing the band trying to plot a path forward from tragedy. The Who. Live At The Oval 1971.
Woody Guthrie. Woody At Home, Vol. 1 + 2. Twenty-two previously unreleased recordings by an American master. Some of the songs we've heard before, but others are completely "new". Guthrie made these recordings at home for a publisher and the intimacy is powerful. A new classic.
