STILL EDITING THIS
BEST SINGLES OF 2025
Courtney Barnett. "Lotta Love" (from Heart of Gold: The Songs of Neil Young).
Dropkick Murphys. "Sirens". This came out as a stand-alone single five months ago. I missed it then, but am appreciating it now. Mucho. An important (and fun) band.
Fountaines D.C. "It's Amazing To Be Young"
Tyler, The Creator. "That Guy"
Valerie June. "Joy, Joy!"
Vienna Vienna. "God Save The Queens"
Waxahatchee. "Mud".
Alex Orange Drink. "Everything Is Broken"
Brian Jonestown Massacre. "Makes Me Great" & "Out Of Body".
Bright Eyes & Cursive. "Recluse I Don't Have To Love"
Dropkick Murphys. "Who Will Stand With Us" (Unreleased Live) & "Sirens" & "Who Will Stand With Us"
Elias Ronnenfelt. "Carry-On Bag".
Fiona Apple. "Pretrial (Let Her Go Home)" & "Heart Of Gold" (Neil Young cover)
Fontaines D.C. "It's Amazing To Be Young" & "Before You I Just Forget" & "In Heaven"
The Hard Quartet. "Lies (Something You Can Do)" (feat Pavement's Stephen Malkmus)
Hurray For The Riff Raff. "Pyramid Scheme"
Janie Ian & Joan Baez. "One In A Million". Cool, new protest anthem.
Jill Sobule. "Underdog Victorious" (from a musical F*ck 7th Grade being developed by the late singer/songwriter, who died recently in a tragic house fire)
Juan Wauters. "If It's Not Luv"
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Alex Orange Drink "Queen Victoria".(feat Conor Oberst) & "Everything Is Broken"
Alison Krauss & Union Station. "Looks Like The End of The Road"
Ben Kweller. "Optimystic" & "Dollar Store" (feat Waxahatchee)
Bob Mould. "Here We Go Crazy" & "Neanderthal" & "When Your Hear Is Broken".
Bonnie "Prince" Billy. "Downstream" & "London May" & "Turned To Dust (Rolling On)"
The Hard Quartet. "Lies (Something You Can Do)" & "Coreopsis Trail" feat Stephen Malkmus
Hurray For The Riff Raff. "Pyramid Scheme"
jasmine.4.t. "Guy Fawkes Tesco Dissociation" feat Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus & Julien Baker.
Julien Baker & Torres. "Sylvia". & "Tuesday" & "Sugar In The Tank".
Manu Chao & Juliana Linhares. "Melo Do Bode"
Marianne Faithfull. "Burning Midnight".The Minus 5. "Blow In My Bag".
Peter Doherty. "Felt Better Alive". & "Calvados". Libertines/Babyshambles frontman solo.
Sparks. "Do Things My Own Way". & "JanSport Backpack". The Brothers are back.
Suzanne Vega. "Speakers' Corner"
Throwing Muses. "Summer Of Love".
Ty Segall. "Fantastic Tomb".
Kim Gordon. "Bye Bye 25!"
Kinky Friedman. "Poet Of Motel 6"
Lana Del Rey. "Henry, Come On" & "Bluebird"
The Lemonheads. "Deep End".
MJ Lenderman. "Dancing In The Club" (This Is Lorelei cover)
Manu Chao & Juliana Linhares. "Melo Do Bode" (Mestre Vieira cover)
Mavis Staples. "Godspeed" (Frank Ocean cover).
The Minus 5. "Blow In My Bag" & "Let the Rope Hold, Cassie Lee"
The Molotovs. "More More More"
Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts. "Let's Roll Again"
The New Pornographers. "Ballad Of The Last Payphone"
Pup. "Get Dumber" (feat Jeff Rosenstock)
Richard Ashcroft. "Lover". Inspired by Joan Armatrading's "Love And Affection".
Shame. "Cutthroat".
Sparks. "Drowned In A Sea Of Tears"
St. Vincent. "DOA" (Death Of A Unicorn soundtrack)
Suede. "Disintegrate".
Ty Segall. "Fantastic Tomb" & "Possession"
Vicki Peterson & John Cowsill. "A Thousand Times"
Wavves. "Goner" & "Lucky Stars"
Wednesday. "Elderberry Wine". (feat MJ Lenderman) & "Wound Up Here (By Holding On)
Wet Leg. "Catch These Fists" & "CPR"
The Beths. "No Joy". & "Mother, Pray For Me"
Bob Dylan & Barbra Streisand. "The Very Thought Of You"
Bright Eyes. "1st World Blues".
Elias Rønnenfelt, Fousheé, Jonatan Leandoer96. "Little Gods". BEST NEW SINGLE (TIE). I liked Iceage singing Dylan's "I'll Keep It With Mine". I also enjoyed Elias' solo debut Heavy Glory, especially "Worm Grew A Spine" and his collaborations with Dean Blunt (the album Lucre, as well as their new single, "Tears On His Rings And Chains"). This new song is an encouraging step in his evolution as an artist.
Juan Wauters. "Manejando por Pando"
Kim Gordon. "Bye Bye 25". Updated political version.
Kneecap. "The Recap".
Kurt Vile. "Classic Love" (feat Luke Roberts)
The Lemonheads. "The Key Of Victory".
Neko Case. "Wreck". & "Winchester Mansion of Sound"
The Molotovs. "Today's Gonna Be Our Day". & "Suffragette City".
Robert Plant. "Everybody's Song" (Low cover) & "Gospel Plough"
Shame. "Quiet Life". & "Sparktak"
Suede. "Dancing With The Europeans" & "Trance State"
Stella Donnelly. "Baths".
Tom Morello. "Pretend To Remember Me".
Toro Y Moi. "CD-R (unerthed)"
Wednesday. "Wound Up Here (By Holding On)" & "Pick Up That Knife" & "Bitter Everyday".
Wet Leg. "Davina McCall"
Woody Guthrie. "Deportees (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos)".
Zach Bryan. "Bowery" (feat Kings Of Leon).
Sugar. "House of Dead Memories". Bob Mould's band's first new release in three decades.
Babyshambles. "Dandy Hooligan". First new song in 12 years. BEST NEW SINGLE.
Charli XCX. "House" (feat John Cale). Velvet Underground vet helps out on the soundtrack to Wuthering Heights.
Dropkick Murphys. "A Hero Among Many". Tribute to Welles Crowther who died saving others on 9/11.
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.
Gorillaz. "The God Of Lying" (feat Idles). Follows collabs with Sparks and Trueno & Proof.
Joni Mitchell & Neil Young. "Raised On Robbery". Also this version by Jesca Hoop & Friends.
José González. "Pajarito".
Vienna Vienna. "Idle Hands". Follow-up to smash hit/queer anthem "God Save The Queens".
BEST ALBUMS OF 2025
Aesop Rock. Black Hole Superette. Something different and interesting and cool.
Alan Sparhawk. With Trampled By Turtles. Former Low frontman collab with Trampled By Turtles works on many levels.
Alpha Blondy. Rise. From Africa's Ivory Coast. He's the best. Loved his 1986 "Jerusalem" and love his 2025 iteration too.
Aterciopelados. Genes Rebeldes.
Bells Larsen. Blurring Time. Extraordinary document. Larsen is a trans male artist who recorded these songs once before hormone therapy, and once after, then mixed the two versions together. The gender-affirming treatment caused Larsen's voice to deepen considerably, so he is essentially duetting with his former self. The effect is mesmerizing.
Ben Kweller. Cover th
Bob Mould. Here We Go Crazy. Former Husker Du frontman back with a solid album.
Butler, Blake And Grant. Butler, Blake And Grant. Three Britpop legends hook up.
Car Seat Headrest. The Scholars.
Charlie Musselwhite. Look Out Highway. Legendary blues harmonica player still going strong.
Elbow. Audio Vertigo Echo (Elbow EP 5).
Femi Kuti. Journey Through Life. Another classic from Nigerian musical royalty, Femi Kuti, the son of Fela Kuti, featuring fresh, vibrant re-workings of previously released songs.
Garbage. Let All That We Imagine Be the Light.
Jenny Hval. Iris Silver Mist. Beautiful singing.
Julien Baker & Torres. Send A Prayer My Way. Best damned singin' lesbian cowgirls out there.
Lucy Dacus. Forever Is A Feeling.
Lyle Workman. Fight For Freedom. One of the most creative guitarists out there. I know him best from Frank Black's Teenager Of The Year, which had a wonderful reunion tour recently.
The Mars Volta. Lucro Sucio; Los Ojos Del Vacío. Cool, spacey.
Marianne Faithfull. Burning Moonlight [EP]
Martha Wainwright. 6 Songs.
The Minus 5. Oar On, Penelope! Love it!
Morcheeba. Escape The Chaos. British trip-hoppers are not my usual fare but this is cool.
Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts. Talkin To The Trees.
Pavement. Pavements. (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Peggy Seeger. Teleology. The 89-year-old legend returns with a strong new album.
Peter Doherty. Felt Better Alive. A Libertine goes solo with some cool new songs.
Sparks. Mad! The Brothers Are Back.
Suzanne Vega. Flying With Angels. Vincent Vega's folk-singing cousin.
Tune-Yards. Better Dreaming.
The Waterboys. Life, Death And Dennis Hopper.
Youssou N'Dour. Eclairer Le Monde (Light The World). Senegal's finest.
Alex G. Headlights.
The Armed. THE FUTURE IS HERE AND EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE DESTROYED.
Buddy Guy. Ain't Done with the Blues. This guy is 89 years old and is amazing.
Cass McCombs. Interior Live Oak. Lots of variety in the types of songs, several of them catchy and compelling.
Chaka Chawasarira. Useza. Zimbabwean master of the matepe. Interesting.
Dean Wareham. That’s The Price Of Loving Me. Good.
Dropkick Murphys. For The People. BEST NEW ALBUM. Digital out July 4, 2025. CD/LP out October 10, 2025.
Ethel Cain. Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You. Dreamy dream pop.
Eric Andersen. Dance of Love and Death. 82-year-old folkie's new material is quite striking.
Haims. I Quit. I had the lowest of expectations but it's pretty good, actually.
James McMurtry. The Black Dog And The Wandering Boy. Great stories, great songs.
Jason Isabel. Something More Than Free.
Jonathan Richman. Only Frozen Sky Anyway. Quirky smart funny songs? Yep. In spades.
Juan Wauters. Mvd Luv. Nice, gentle songs in Spanish and English.
Ken Boothe & Jah Wobble. Old Fashioned Ways. A fresh look at\ some reggae classics.
Kurt Vile. Classic Love EP.
Laura Jane Grace. Adventure Club.
Lord Huron. The Cosmic Selector Vol. 1. Dreamy little epics.
Ma'de' Kuti. Chapter 1: Where Does Happiness Come From? New Nigerian offering from Femi Kuti's son (Fela Kuti's grandson). The Beat Goes On.
Mike Polizze. After the Deluge. Cool songs.
Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts. Talkin to the Trees. Surprisingly strong album from this vet.
No Joy. Bugland.
North Mississippi Allstars. Still Shakin'. Worth listening to. Fresh takes on classic blues.
Open Mike Eagle. Neighborhood Gods Unlimited. Smooth hip hop.
Queens Of The Stone Age. Alive In The Catacombs. Intriguing.
Patti Griffin. Crown Of Roses.
Paul Weller. Find El Dorado. Super Famous in England, Little Known in America.
Peter Rohan. Tales of the Free Mexican Airforce. Tribute to the sound of The Texas Tornados, featuring Flaco Jimenez on a couple of songs.
Pile. Sunshine and Balance Beams.
Robert Randolph. Preacher Kids.
Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band. New Threats From The Soul.
Slick Rick. Victory. The Return Of The Master Storyteller.
Steve Gunn. Music For Writers.
The Swell Season. Forward. Solid offering from folk duo Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová
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?
Wavves. Spun. They're back and gooder than ever.
Wet Leg. Moisturizer. Sophomore slump? Not here....
Willie Nile. The Great Yellow Light. Good rockin'
Anna Tivel. Animal Poem.
Baxter Dury. Mockingjay.
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.
The Avett Brothers & Mike Patton. AVTT/PTTN. Cool Americana-ish collaboration between The Brothers and the innovative Mr. Mike Patton.
De La Soul. Cabin In The Sky. Pretty good.
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.
Mavis Staples. Sad and Beautiful World. Love her.
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.
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. Check it out. BEST NEW ALBUM.
Willie Nelson. Workin' Man: Willie Sings Merle. Willie's Tribute to Merle Haggard.
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.
Sly & The Family Stone. Sly Lives! (AKA The Burden Of Black Genius). Mega-Classics.
Ted Lucas. Ted Lucas. Interesting folkish album from back in the day, rediscovered.
The Who. The Best Of & Greatest Hits Live Broadcast Collection. The Best.
Jeff Bridges. Slow Magic, 1977-1978. The actor, best known as "The Big Lebowski", recorded this in 1977-1978 with some friends (including actor Burgess Meredith) and it's pretty good.
Black Sabbath. The Legendary California Jam, 1974 (Live). RIP Ozzie.
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.
Heatmiser. Mic City Sons (30th Anniversary). The punk band that gave us Elliott Smith.
Husker Du. Jan. 30, First Ave Pt.1. & Nov. 3, Salt Lake City. The first two in a batch of "new" archival releases. Past releases have suffered from poor audio quality, but that's not a problem here. Nice to hear a band at its peak (1985) who would still totally slay today easily.
The Kinks. The Journey, Pt. 3. Great Kinks collection of their later period, songs from the late 70s and 80s and some classic hits from a live show in 1993. I already had The Journey, Pt 1 & Pt 2 (both highly recommended). Actually any excuse at all to listen to old friends like The Kinks, The Who, The Yardbirds, Small Faces, Faces, Jeff Beck Group, et al is welcome.
Nick Drake. The Making Of "Five Leaves Left". His debut album. A good excuse to also give another listen to his classic third album Pink Moon, which brought him posthumous fame. Contemporary fans, like Fontaines D.C., (they covered his "Cello Song"), continue to sing his praises and carry his memory.
Oasis. Unplugged. Like most Americans, I was never a huge fan. I like their hits and liked some of their solo stuff and listening to this is my way of participating in Oasis Mania 2025.
Sly And The Family Stone. The First Family: Live at the Winchester Cathedral 1967. Early appearance by the ensemble. Great stuff.
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. BEST "NEW" ARCHIVAL RELEASE.
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".
Curtis Mayfield. The Makings Of: A Curtis Mayfield Collection. The soundtrack of the Curtis documentary is a nice overview of his amazing career.
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!
Neil Young. Tonight’s the Night (50th Anniversary). Classic. With six bonus tracks of alternate takes.
Sweet. "Ballroom Blitz" (1973). On many minds lately as Trump demolished The White House East Wing for a fancy ballroom, just like in Cinderella.
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 with John Peel in 1974.
The Who. 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.