Scott’s Top 10 Musical Items from 2025

By Scott

Emperor and Wolves In The Throne Room, live in New York City. 

WITTR were very good but seeing Emperor play all of In the Nightside Eclipse and a heaping of Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk was a god damn treat. 

Colter Wall, Memories and Empties (2025). 

An excellent follow-up to his last album, which I liked a lot; his singing just gets better and better. 

Leatherface, “Monkfish.” 

Thanks to SoDak for the recommendation. Something about this song just hit me the right way in 2025 and got me listening to Leatherface quite a bit.  

When We Were Good: The Folk Revival, by Robert Cantwell (1997).

This is not quite a history but an idiosyncratic study of the cultural forces that prepared the way for the 1960s folk revival. The writing in places is astoundingly good, and the chapter on Pete Seeger—an intriguing, challenging portrait—is worth the price of the book alone. 

A Complete Unknown (2024).

This is an often ridiculous Hollywoodization of the Dylan story, but pretty enjoyable if you accept it as that. During the famous electric Newport Folk Festival performance, when Pete Seeger, played by Edward Norton, blurts out, “I’m sorry, Odetta!,” I laughed out loud.

The Tubs, Cotton Crown (2025). 

The second album by one of my favorite bands to appear in recent years is as good as their first: catchy, rich, lively, and moving. I love’em. https://thetubs.bandcamp.com/album/cotton-crown

Black Sabbath et al., “Back to the Beginning” concert (2025). 

I watched this over the course of a weekend. There were highs and lows, and everyone was probably thinking about the bands they would have added or kicked off the bill, but it was still a pretty remarkable thing to behold. Imagine telling a 17-year-old Ozzy Osbourne that, someday, you’d be back in Birmingham with a stadium of people essentially worshipping you for a day, joined by who knows how many thousands of others all around the world. Unreal. And then that motherfucker went and died! That was hard to believe—still is hard to believe—but what a tribute. 

3:19 into “At Peace” by Propagandhi, from At Peace (2025). 

When I first listened to this song and realized he was quoting Bruce Cockburn, it gave me a chill and just about brought a tear to my eye. Like Cockburn, Propagandhi writes songs about the struggle to stay human in a time of ascendent fascist barbarism—songs I wish we didn’t need, but we sure as fuck do. 

“Death Valley Nights” and “I Love the Night,” Blue Oyster Cult, Spectres (1977). 

I was on a BOC kick this summer and for whatever reason, these two songs jumped out to me, as a pair—obviously because of the “night” thing, but something about the mood of them just worked together, too. “Death Valley” is a little more upbeat with a twinge of sadness, and “I Love the Night” is, uhh, about becoming a vampire? But it has some of Buck Dharma's finest guitar playing, I’d say. 

“Old Tom Bombadil” by Bear McCreary, vocals by Rufus Wainwright (2024). 

I’m not the biggest Lord of the Rings nerd by any stretch (although I do remember Old T. B. from the books, because he isn’t in the Peter Jackson movies) but damn, I love this song. Why? Who the hell knows. The TV show it’s from was just OK. I also listened to Rufus Wainwright’s album Folkocracy (2023) a lot this year, which is very good if a little slick. I should mention here that I saw Meshuggah with Cannibal Corpse and Carcass in 2025, a fantastic concert, and the singer for Meshuggah also contributed a song to this LOTR TV show—which is a funny coincidence, sorta. And yet I chose for this year’s list “Old Tom Bombadil” and listened to it probably dozens of times, which I am not ashamed to admit. In fact, I think I’ll play it again right now!

Jimmy “Explosive Diarrhea” B’s 2025 Musical Obsessions

By Jimmy

This past year, 2025, was an epically shitty year. I won’t go into detail about politics and economics; you have heard enough about those already. I also won’t bother you with my personal problems. Fortunately, there is always musical discoveries or rediscoveries to build a temporary wall between the shitstorm and me and hopefully you.

Led Zeppelin, II (1969). 

I had this album on CD for decades. I never devoted the time to it that it deserved. I decided to replace my CD with vinyl, and I was blown away (finally!) by what a great album this is. I believe it is Zeppelin’s best album.

Damo Suzuki & Spiritczualic Enhancement Center, Arkaoda (2022). 

Some of you realize that Damo Suzuki was the second vocalist for the krautrock band CAN. You might not realize that Damo, who is Japanese, didn’t speak passable English or German. The result of this is that much of what you hear on CAN records featuring Damo is gibberish that sounds like words. The band invented lyrics to put on the lyric sheets, which bore little resemblance to what Damo sang. This seems to be true of Arkaoda as well; I can’t pick out any words. On this album, Damo did not reinvent himself. The music is artistic and progressive and should appeal to CAN fans.

Supersister, Nancy Never Knew (2025). 

Supersister, in my self-centered opinion, is one of the great prog bands. They only put out a handful of records in their career, most of them in the early 1970s. Nancy Never Knew is their latest, and hopefully not last. This album is a little more modern (not quite as heavy on the prog) as their earlier releases, but it is damn good, and has better production if that matters to you.

Coroner, Dissonance Theory (2025). 

This is the metal release of 2025 for me. Until a few months ago, I didn’t consider myself a Coroner fan. I liked them, but not enough to bother buying their albums. I considered skipping this one, but there was so much hype around it that I felt like I would be missing out if I didn’t give it a shot. I am now a fan.

love unfold the sun, explode yourself (2025).  

This is one of those odd albums that seem to make my list every year; I am at a loss to describe the genre or who they might sound like. There is a guitar player who likes to play metal riffs; a drummer who, with every strike, is firmly embedded in jazz rhythms; a trumpet player who aids in the jazz feel, and a bass player who keeps a progressive rock groove going.

Evil Blizzard, The Dangers of Evil Blizzard (2013). 

One of the dudes in this band was in Hawkwind at some point, although I am not sure which dude. Evil Blizzard plays a slightly industrial style of hard rock. I think this is mostly due to the vocal phrasing, which reminds me of Jaz Coleman. All Evil Blizzard’s albums are good, but this one is my favorite.

Greg Foat, The Rituals of Infinity (2024). 

A friend sent me a YouTube link to this album. I chased down a physical copy. This album is atmospheric and a little light on the fusion that I normally look for in a jazz record. But it is fucking great. 

Unleashed, Fire Upon Your Land (2025) and Where No Life Dwells (1991). 

This isn’t the first time an Unleashed album has made my year-end list. They have joined a small group of post-1980s metal bands that I follow. Of the two albums, Where No Life Dwells is slightly favored.

Punkadelic, Run Whiteboy Run (2025). 

I have never been one of those guys who really cares about meeting musicians; I assume they are going to be assholes, and I only care about their music, not the personnel. Mike Dillon is among the nicest touring musicians I have had the pleasure to converse with. This alone is enough to make me a fan. But it doesn’t have to be enough because these energetic fuckers can play. If you think drums, vibraphones (Mike Dillon), and keyboards might interest you, then go see Punkadelic play live; you won’t regret it.

M. Chuzi, Papara (2023). 

If this album had been released in 2025, I would call it the jazz album of the year. I will instead call it the best jazz album I purchased in 2025.

Ring Van Mobius, Firebrand (2025). 

A band with this style and name has no business releasing an album in 2025. They are clearly influenced by Emerson Lake and Palmer, but unlike ELP they are not boring. This album is only going to appeal to listeners who progressive rock. 

The Goddamn Gallows, The Trial (2018). 

I have been a Jayke Orvis fan for a long time. I think he is one of the great young(ish) country/bluegrass artists. The Goddamn Gallows is not a country band, it is country adjacent. The Trial is also metal adjacent. This album is more varied and has better production than their previous records. If you like the more noisy albums by Hank III or the Phantoms of the Black Hills, this might appeal to you. It is definitely not for everyone.

Miasma and the Carousel of Headless Horses, Periles (2005). 

This is another one of those genre busting bands and albums that I am drawn to. It reminds me of Neurosis. It’s dark and brooding. Even where the band is seemingly attempting something light and bouncy, the darkness creeps in. 

Soft Machine, Original album classics (2010). 

I purchased this box set out of curiosity. Soft Machine are one of the more influential krautrock bands. This box set contains five of their classic records on CD. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I hoped for progressive rock like CAN, and not to be like Amon Düül’s noise albums. I was really pleased to hear five albums of jazz fusion. It is some of the better European jazz fusion in my collection.

Ozzy Osbourne (1948-2025)

By SoDak

In my essay about the first time listening to Black Sabbath, (https://tickleyourtaint.blogspot.com/2025/07/we-sold-our-soul-for-rock-n-roll-my.html), I mentioned that my older neighbor Tim introduced me to many hard rock and metal bands in the 1970s and early 80s. Just over a year after he loaned me his copy of We Sold Our Soul for Rock ‘n’ Roll, which got me hooked on Sabbath, he had me come over to his house to listen to Ozzy Osbourne’s Blizzard of Ozz (1980). As the record spun, Tim excitedly told me about the guitar player Randy Rhoads, emphasizing that he was as good as Eddie Van Halen. I just nodded, as I did not have an opinion on this matter. Plus, I had learned that to question such statements often resulted in getting punch. Tim was tightly wound, impulsive, and aggressive. Nevertheless, he loved music. I appreciated having someone older around who listened to different genres. Tim flipped through rock magazines, searching for a photo of Ozzy and Randy, to show me how cool they looked together. We repeated this experience a year later when Dairy of a Madman (1981) was released. 

Over a couple years, we spent hours listening to these records, both on vinyl and cassette, as we shot hoops in the driveway, played catch in the backyard, or read Circus and Hit Parader. Tim tried to regale me with stories about Ozzy’s buffoonery. I did not care too much about this, as I was more interested in the music. Like in Black Sabbath, Ozzy sang along to the guitar riff, creating wonderful melodies, which helped create distinct hooks within songs. His ability on this front is quite captivating, given the different guitar players through the years. He established a distinctive voice, which also stretched and varied in accordance with the guitar players. The first two Ozzy records hold a special place for folks my age and older, as they marked the continuation of Ozzy following Sabbath and the brief ascendancy of Randy. The guitar work is excellent, as the riffs are catchy. Randy throws in plenty of additional licks within songs that are delightful. 

Both records start strong, with the most memorable songs. On Blizzard, it is “I Don’t Know” and “Crazy Train.” On Dairy, it is “Over the Mountain” and “Flying High Again.” These songs rock and generally have a propulsive energy (“Flying High Again” is more mid-tempo). It is clear why these were the hits on these records. Like Sabbath records, Ozzy’s early records include slow/ballad songs (“Goodbye to Romance” and “Tonight”), plodding songs (“Suicide Solution” and “Believer”), mid-tempo songs without much drive (“Mr. Crowley,” “You Can’t Kill Rock and Roll,” “Little Dolls,” and “S.A.T.O.”), and rock ‘n’ roll songs (“No Bone Movies”). The variation contributed to peaks and valleys on the records, which also made them distinct. I like plenty of the additional songs, but the records are not masterpieces. On Blizzard, the additional gem is the closing song “Steal Away (The Night).” 

The first non-Sabbath Ozzy record that I bought was Bark at the Moon (1983). On this transition record, Jake E. Lee was the guitar player. Don Airey’s keyboards and synths were much more present. The production is more polished, and the sound was more mainstream. As usual for Ozzy, the record starts with a strong song—the title track. The “Bark at the Moon” video was regularly played on MTV, depicting Ozzy’s “comical” madness, as a scientist who becomes a werewolf. Anyhow, Jake’s guitar riffs on this song are infectious. The song builds momentum and is catchy. Ozzy sounds great. The record is often dismissed as inferior to the previous two solo albums. Nevertheless, it has a similar variation in types of songs. It is also uneven, with both peaks and valleys. In many ways, I think it has a stronger side one than the first two records. The title track, “You’re No Different,” “Now You See Me,” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Rebel” are all solid rock songs, even if the last one gets tiring. On side two, I am fine with the ballad “So Tired,” as I like Ozzy’s vocal inflections when he sings more serious and tender songs. Plus, the ballads reveal his love of the Beatles in interesting ways. “Slow Down” is a very strong rock song, and “Waiting for Darkness” is interesting. I have soft spot for this record, and I listened to it a lot when I was young. Perhaps, this colors my assessment, but I think Bark at the Moon is a stronger record than the first two. I still enjoy listening to it. 

Over the decades, I continued to buy each Ozzy record, finding enjoyable moments and good songs throughout the catalog. I continue to like his most pop record The Ultimate Sin (1986), despite the poor production, perhaps because it is quite different, and the songs remain distinct from each other. Following this, Ozzy records generally sound okay, except the songs start to sound very similar throughout the record. Part of this is due to how Zakk Wylde, the guitar player on most Ozzy records, incorporates pinch harmonics into almost every song. Once noticing how often Zakk employs this guitar technique, it became distracting and annoying, interfering with listening pleasure. Many years ago, I played a later Ozzy record and hit skip forward on the CD the first time I heard a pinched harmonic in each song. The listening time was about a minute. 

The Black Sabbath records with Ozzy, including the last one, 13 (2013), highlight Ozzy’s best work. Every year, I regularly listen to them. But, from time to time, I appreciate listening to his solo records, especially the first four albums, and remembering the excitement of hearing new songs by him. Regardless of whether he acted as a clown, from time to time, his music still gives me pleasure. 

Todd Snider (1966-2025)

By Kloghole

Todd Snider Official Website

“Eat shit, liver!” I mumble as I stumble over to get my computer, having consumed my three fingers in honor of my Mom who died on this day 16 years ago. I tell myself that she stuck it out for one more day so as not to die the same day as her sister, my brother’s birthday, but poor people don’t have that kind of agency.

I am of the age that people just fucking die. Half of my parents are dead, well three of them. 

So it is with the consummate songwriter Todd Snider. Felled by god knows what. I have not had the emotional strength to look further into it, but there were whispers of an assault, a hospital visit, a run-in with police, and pneumonia. Leave it to Todd to make it fucking interesting.

Todd Snider is only a few months older than I am, but that fact only drives home how little I have accomplished in this nearly 60 years of stomping around this planet. His song, “Class of 85” reminds me that I missed my 40 year reunion. Well, I missed all of them, but there’s always the 50th.   

For those of you who do not know, Todd (he’s dead now, so I can talk about him like I know him) wrote and sang about pretty much everything under the sun. He pondered the mundane as well as the political.

“Alright Guy” sums up how we think about ourselves, but not necessarily how people think about us. I am sure we all have those stories, but one of mine is about some folks who bullrushed into an organization where I had a leadership role. They came in all barrels blasting, but took no responsibility for anything. When they blew up at the prior leadership for who the fuck knows what, they refused to take on the responsibility for communications. Well, they sent a message to the membership where someone responded with some racist bullshit. Because they somehow sent the message in a way that allowed replies and did not take ownership of the list management, the discussion spiraled in a way that I told them would happen if they kept on the path they did. Later, I said to one of them that they needed to own what they did. That did not go over well. In all that, I know I am an “Alright Guy” despite the response. There is more to the story, but for the sake of pacing, let’s move on.

Snider seems to have a critical view of U.S. politics, “Conservative Christian, Right-Wing Republican, Straight, White, American Males.” His “You Got Away With It” appears to be a not-so-veiled jab at Bush the dumber. Privilege, especially the privilege to be able to harm others without consequences, is enraging. The other day, something prompted me to begin pontificating about my high school experience. My nephews are both able to showcase their musical and theatrical talents and have their choice of schools with thousands in scholarships. While they actively make use of the opportunities laid at their feet, my own reality was very different. When a friend of mine and I had test scores in the top percentile in the state, we were brought to the vice-principal’s office to be informed of the fact, very quietly. We were not the model students, and hence did not rate public accolades. In contrast, the friend of mine who helped students cheat on a history exam and was detained for drinking before graduation was celebrated publicly at graduation - something about a model citizen award. This is a “friend” who would fuck with me, poke me with a pencil, etc., until I responded. When I did, I was sent to the principal’s office. He, however, just got to sit in class with a stupid fucking smirk on his face. After a while, I just stopped going to the principal’s office. Once after being kicked out of class for some reason, I convinced the friend who also got the high test scores to go to the library to do homework. When the announcement over the loudspeaker called for our heads, he was a bit panicky. I could give a shit less. What the fuck were they going to do to students who went to the library to study instead of reporting directly to the principal’s office? I am pretty sure that we were sent there because of the dude who was always fucking around. He “Got Away With It.” Not me. There is a much longer story, but it ends with my brother throwing a textbook at my former math teacher because my reputation followed my brother into that classroom.

Todd Snider is one of the few folks who I thought maybe I should go see. I would mention him to neighbors and friends, and they would regale me with stories about his shows. There is one song that has tickled my funny bone, but you have to listen to the live version - the “Balled of the Devil’s Backbone Tavern.” It showcases his songwriting and live banter skills. I will not give away the ending. Hopefully, you get a good belly laugh as I did.

Some of the songs that stick with me are truly the singer/songwriter style of storytelling. He tells a captivating story of how Dock Ellis threw a no-hitter on LSD. Another memorable story is a fictionalized conversation with D.B. Cooper after he jumped out of a plane with a duffle of cash. There are so many more, but feel free to discover them yourself. He is the kind of artist that is very easy to listen to while you are in nearly any kind of mood. During a recent trip back to my hometown, I listened to every album of his in my collection. With some artists, I cannot bear such immersion, but with Todd Snider, I am still eager to listen again.



There are a few songs you may recognize, some of which Snider wrote and some he didn’t. “Beer Run” is a co-written anthem with a catchy chorus: “B double E, double R, U, N - Beer Run.” Snider would chose some great songs and make them his own. “Betty Was Black” is a historical narrative about intermarriage. Todd also chose a Fred Eaglesmith standard, “Alcohol and Pills,” doing it so well you may imagine it as one of his own.

While his death certainly was not the direct result of alcohol and pills, it had the tragic resonance of a talented artist taken far too early. There are a lot of good people taken far too early, and it is always painful. It is also a bit odd how affected we are by the passing of someone we do not know. Perhaps it is because they still have a profound affect on us despite not knowing them personally. The emotions they engender in us create a connection.

As you may have surmised, I do not believe that things “happen for a reason” in the way that most people excuse. Some shit happens for a reason, usually because some fucking privileged asshole made it happen. Other shit is just fucking random or a cacophony of bad shit all coming together at once. This seems to be the case with Snider. I have always found life to be grievously unfair. “Good people” die, and horrible people fucking live forever, cough...Kissinger, cough...Reagan.

While at the record store on my birthday, I passed up the chance to buy his new album. For some reason, I just could not bring myself to pick it up new after he had passed. It wasn’t right, in the moment. Perhaps later, I will not feel that way, but I usually forget that there is new music out there until I find it used.

For those not familiar with Todd Snider, he is worth a go. Perhaps, as with many artists, the live material is always a good entry point. Then, work your way out by picking up those albums with the songs you like. Or, if you are not a fucking fossil that still draws breath, get on the streaming and cherry pick your way through song by song, however you youngsters fucking do it these days.

Todd Snider, on the whole, has always been a three sweet sticky balls artist for me. He gets heavy rotation with Fred Eaglesmith, Ben Harper, Shooter Jennings, Koko Taylor, Alejandro Escovedo, among others. There are some artists who the world is a little poorer for not getting more from them, but I think the world could live without a new Metallica album, or another painful offering from what’s her name. I truly just forgot. Shut up, brain; it’s not fucking Tiffany something. Fuck. Oh well. I am getting fucking old.

Sweet Dreams Motherfuckers!

Anita Papsmear’s Best of 2025

By Anita Papsmear

This year brought us many cool releases from an array of talented artists. Of note, there was a lot of good, topical punk rock. I gravitated to female led bands—so many refreshing voices out there. In this crazy world, there’s a lot to sing about. Here’s my picks for 2025. Of course, all have received the coveted 5 out of 5 Papsmear rating. These musical gems are malignant and may possibly cause ear worm-age.

Favorite Songs:

Pulp, “Spike Island.” 

By far, this is the best song of the year for me. So catchy, comes from the gut, full of human longing and finding your purpose.

Matt Berry, “I Gotta Limit.” 

While well known for his Lazlo character in What We Do in the Shadows, Matt is a man of many talents. His music catalog is varied, and his 2025 release is chocked full of gems like this duet with Kitty Liv.

Holy Death Temple, “Algo-Rhythm Is Gonna Get You.” 

Truly a song for these times.

Edwyn Collins, “The Heart Is a Foolish Little Thing.” 

Former Orange Juice frontman; it is so refreshing to hear Edwyn’s voice on a new track this year

Kid Cudi, “Submarine.” 

Such an earworm.

Corlyx, “Witches Dance.” 

Gothy, dance-y—all the things you want. 

Nine Inch Nails, “As Alive as You Need Me to Be.” 

Classic Trent #soneeded.

Adrian Crowley, “Cherry Blossom Soft Confetti.” 

It’s warm and dark at the same time.

Laufey, “Lover Girl.” 

Lounge perfection. Laufey hails from Iceland, mixing light jazz, pop, and bossa nova elements. I find a filthy dirty martini pairs well #extraolives.

Ty Segall, “Shoplifter.” 

Love this tune!

The Nightingales, “The New Emperor’s New Clothes.” 

British band that formed in 1979 and still putting out amazing stuff. From the album, The Awful Truth.

NightCrawl, “Lost Highway.” 

Gothy goodness from Ireland.

MIEN, “Evil People.” 

Title says it all.

Lael Neale, “Wild Waters.” 

Great lyrics. Her voice is pure.

Marie Davidson, “Demolition.” 

Strong release from Canadian singer and producer.

Assemblage 23, “Lunatics.” 

Amazing song and lyrics:

Robber barons, ketamine cowboys 

Vulture capital parasites

Unearned vanity, silicon sadists 

Sharks with gluttonous appetites

Arrogant halfwits, nepotist failures

Trust fund vagrants, indigent kings

Dead weight desperates, amateur tyrants

Gilded goats with gossamer wings

The lunatics have taken the asylum

The wolves are left to guard the lambs

The inmates are governing the prison

And time is slipping through our hands

The lost are acting as a lighthouse

The blind are left to lead the blind

The ship careens without a rudder

And all of this is by design.

Favorite Albums:

Wet Leg, Moisturizer. 

It’s perfect—every single track. Great live show too!

New Candys, The Uncanny Extravaganda. 

So fucking good. Really would love to see this band live. Check out “Regicide,” “Crime Wave,” “Night Surfer,” and “Cagehead.”

Viagra Boys, Viagr Aboys.  

Another great release from this amazing band. Songwriting cuts to the bone, and I expect nothing less. Great live show too. Favorites: “Man Made of Meat,” “Uno II,” “Waterboy,” and “Pyramid of Health.”

Automatic, Is It Now? 

One of the strongest releases of the year from this Los Angeles band who takes their name from The Go-Go’s track. The Go-Go’s album, Beauty and the Beat, was a formulative album for me so no wonder I heart this band so much. Catchy melodies, good songwriting, so many great tracks on this CD. This three-member band features Izzy Glaudini, Halle Saxon, and Lola Dompe (daughter of Kevin Haskins/Bauhaus). Check out “Black Box,” “The Prize,” and title track.

Emi Pop, No Te Voy A Extranar. 

Puerto Rican born, Seattle-based musician. This album is filled with catchy, Latin-flavored power pop. Favorites include: “Quiero Bailar Rocanrol,” “Amigos Vampiros,” and “Psicopata.” #so good.

Sprints, All That Is Over.   

Another solid release. Check out: “Need,” “Rage,” and “Coming Alive.”

Raveonettes, Pe’ahi II.  

Dark and yummy. “Killer,” “Lucifer,” and “Blackest” are highlights.

Garbage, Let All That We Imagine Be the Light.  

Shirley is on fire with her lyrics here—one of their best releases ever and that is saying a lot. My favorites include: “There’s No Future in Optimism,” “Hold,” “Radical,” and “R U Happy Now.” #shirleyforpresident.

Lola Young, I’m Only Fucking Myself.  

Excellent. Listen to: “Can We Ignore It?” and “D€aler.”

White Rose Motor Oil, Merry Crisis.  

Best holiday album in years! So fun, so good. Check out their version of a holiday classic with “The Feminist Santa Baby,” “Hooray for Santa,” a great cover of Dolly’s “Hard Candy Christmas,” and “Sublime Majestic Orb”—every track is a must have for your holiday playlist.

Favorite Bands to Check Out:

The Vultures.  

Not to be confused with another band of the same name. The only thing I can find on this band is that they are originally from London and formed in 2013. Check these musical gems, “I Go Ape,” “I’ll Kill That Girl,” and “Jack the Ripper.”

Panic Shack. 

Listen to: “Girl Band Started Pack” and “We Need To Talk About Dennis.”

The Pill. 

Check out: “Scaffolding Man” and “Posh.”

Be Your Own Pet. 

Highlights include “Erotomania” and “Never Again.”

Gallus. 

Favorites incude: “Cool To Drive” and “Depressed Beyond Tablets”

Society of the Silver Cross. 

Wiccan gothic #enterthecircle.

Frankie and the Witch Fingers. 

Listen to “Eggs Laid Brain.”

The Cocks. 

“Sugar on the Rim” is fucking excellent.

Jesika Von Rabbit. 

So impressed with the range and abilities on “Gotta Keep My Buzz Going.” There are some great covers too. #onetowatch.

38 Coffin. 

Some super cool dark rockabilly. Listen to “Jacknife” and “666 Route.”

Church Burglars. 

Favorites incude: “Invisible Man” and “Dr. Frankenstein.”

Great to Hear From:

Stereolab, Instant Holograms on Metal Film. 

So lovely to hear Laetitia and Tim together and spinning some great songs: “Vermona F Transistor,” “Aerial Troubles,” and “Melodie Is A Wound.”

Buddy Guy, Ain’t Done With The Blues. 

Gems include: “Upside Down” and “Swamp Poker.”

Rosetta Stone. 

Gothy covers of “The Chain” (Fleetwood Mac) and “Sweet Emotion” (Aerosmith).

Kerala Dust, An Echo of Love.  

London band band with expansive, atmospheric, yet deeply melodic, tunes—hard to describe but this is what you want to listen to when you are driving late at night or hanging out by an evening fire.

The Orb, Buddhist Hipsters.  

Of note is “Doll’s House.”

Becky Black. 

A couple new solo songs out from this half of The Pack AD—“Slow Burn” and “Body.”

The Pack AD. 

Previously recorded in 2011 but just released this year on vinyl—a handful of great tunes. They are a must catch live. Got to see them again this year—even picked up Maya Miller’s new book, Genius Words.

Late to the Party:

Paul Cauthen. 

Just found him—he has one of those voices. Check out “Cocaine Country Dancing” and “Cut A Rug.” #phenomenal.

Null’s Musical Obsessions in 2025

By Null

I listened to many of the usual suspects this year—punk rock to save my life, jazz and instrumental music to sort out my head, and what have you. What follows are the albums and artist who wouldn’t leave me alone.

As I get older, I don’t really feel like I am presenting a list of music suggestions. It’s more a list of musical viruses, which attacked my musical sensibilities. Sure, I did make these choices and I wanted to listen to these records, but in the past my obsessions seemed more willful. 

I feel like this is more a list of muses that I didn’t necessarily choose. These are albums that happened to me.  

Dead Can Dance, Dionysus (PAIS. 2018).

An absolutely, mentally transforming masterpiece. Dionysus is right up there with the live album Toward the Within and Peter Gabrial’s Passion. 

Feeder, Torpedo (2022), Black/Red (2024), Tallulah (2019), All Bright Electric (2016), and Best of Feeder – 3 CD Box Set (2017). 

I probably listened to Feeder more than any other band this year. More specifically, I became obsessed with the later, or more mature, version of the band. I don’t really know their albums made before 2016, other than the newly remastered and expanded Comfort in Sound, as well as all the early tracks that show up on the Best of Feeder Box Set.

The later albums all suffer from overproduction, specifically the “loudness wars,” resulting in a muddy wall of noise. However, after repeated listening, I found my way through the sludge and wouldn’t change the sound now. It has become a part of their identity and an aspect of my love for these albums. Likewise, if one were to just randomly hear a Feeder song, it probably wouldn’t jump out as distinguishable from the rest of the commercial noise out there.

Still, I kept coming back to the songwriting, the melodic British strumming punctuated by Seattle “grunge” riffage. As the lyrics began to settle in, I found Feeder to be very healing and therapeutic. I needed to hear these albums, like I needed vitamins and leafy greens. I know this is partially due to my age and the things I think about on a daily basis. The albums were also an elixir for my tendency toward melancholia and cynicism. Somehow this band delivered that, as well as familiar mantras that I have had to tell myself every day for the last 45 years to stop myself from stepping in front of a bus. Life is precious and short. Take heed. Put love into the world. 

The album Torpedo was my foot in door, but my life raft was the double album Black/Red. It was the best soundtrack for spending two weeks this summer driving around Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula—vast expanses, heavy glaciers, a dying Arctic, and an emotional response to impermanence. Don’t blink and don’t be afraid to cry.

Chris Cornell, Chris Cornell Deluxe 4 CD Box Set (2019).

This box set is beautifully packaged and highlights Chris Cornells various bands and projects throughout his life. It was a revealing and touching journey to wander though this retrospective. 

I’ve been a fan of Soundgarden since the late 1980s. I also loved Temple of the Dog, but this box set gave me a glimpse into his solo work, various projects, and Audioslave songs. It was worth every penny.

Neil Young, Official Release Series #6. 

This volume covers the years 1992 - 1995 and includes the albums Harvest Moon (1992), Unplugged (1993), Sleeps with Angels (1994), and the album Neil recorded with Pearl Jam, Mirror Ball (1995).

When Neil Young swings for the fences, he usually misses by a log shot. However, once in a while he creates a masterpiece. In the early nineties, he was on a role. The four albums included in this box set are some of my favorites. I have a lot of history with these records. I especially enjoyed revisiting Sleeps with Angels. Shortly after the release of Mirror Ball, he released the Dead Man soundtrack, which is also one of my favorite albums. Dead Man was reissued separately. I think this was the last great Neil Young creative period.

Simple Minds, Once Upon a Time Box Set (2025).

Originally released in 1985, this album was a big hit for the band, but I didn’t know it from a hole in the wall. I loved “(Don’t You) Forget about Me” from The Breakfast Club soundtrack, but that is where my knowledge of this Scottish band ended. I tried to listen to them over the years, but nothing stuck. For some reason, I got sucked into this box set, which contained the album, The Breakfast Club hit, B-sides, and a live show. I became obsessed with the song “Jungleland.” I’m sure there was something nostalgic about the sound that drew me in. I even got the album on vinyl too, where they added “(Don’t You) Forget About Me” to the end of side one. It fits perfectly.

Superchunk, Songs in the Key of Yikes (2025).

Over the last several albums, Mac and company have distilled the thoughts and feelings of aging punk rockers while living through our current social and environmental catastrophes and nightmares. Welcome to the new normal.

Bruce Springsteen, Inyo (2025).

Whenever I talk to someone about Bruce Springsteen, I have to figure out what person I am talking about, which depends on the knowledge of the person I am talking to. There are the popular images and mythology of Springsteen as the one-dimensional cartoon character, and then there is the Springsteen who represents a vast body of complex and nuanced work. Who are we talking about? I’m only interested in the second.

This year, Tracks II: The Unreleased Albums was released, containing seven fully formed unreleased albums. It was priced grotesquely high. However, it contains some of the greatest Springsteen albums ever recorded. Inyo is an absolute masterpiece with heartfelt lyrics, poetic beauty, and powerful social commentary. It contains mariachi instruments, violins, and drama. It is moving and cinematic. It reminds me of The Ghost of Tom Joad, but more above ground. Another album, Perfect World, feels like a sister album to Letter to You. I haven’t heard Bruce as pissed off as he is in the song, “Another Thin Line,” in quit a while. The Streets of Philadelphia Sessions is a bleak, but hopeful, internal meditation in the modern world with drum loops and keyboards. Twilight Hours is Bruce as a crooner singing original songs. He nails it. There are other albums in this box set that I haven’t had the time to spend with yet.

The breadth and quality of Springsteen’s work is astonishing. If you know, you know.

I hope these albums are released separately so wage slaves don’t have to throw down a ton of money for all of this.

Various Artists, The Fall of America II (2023).

I love the poet, Allen Ginsberg. I have most of the recordings of Ginsberg reading his own poetry. This new compilation, released by Allen Ginsberg Estate, combines a wide variety of artists who provide musical accompaniment to recordings of Ginsberg, and sometimes artists read his work themselves. A compilation like this could go either way. This one hits it out of the ballpark. It is an atmospheric and powerful display of his poetry presented in a cinematic way, which seems to enhance the poems’ meanings instead of distracting from them.

The Gaslight Anthem, The ‘59 Sound Sessions: 10 Year Anniversary Retrospective (2018).

I was rocking’ this CD in the car when I pulled into a parking space. I had to give myself a few minutes to wipe the tears from my eyes before I could enter the store. It is rawer than the original album and it only has nine songs. It also rocks.

Chicago, X (1976).

I don’t even like Chicago. I always skip the first song. My girlfriend wouldn’t stop singing “If You Leave Me Now.” I couldn’t stop listening to “Mama Mama.” 

Notable mentions:

Jesse Welles, Middle (2023).

Dio, Lock Up the Wolves (1990).

Obituary, Frozen in Time (2005).

The Jerry Garcia Band, Live at the Warfield Box Set (2025).

Live Shows and happenings:

Black Dots It is a joy I get to see this band as often as I do.

Superchunk in Denver, Colorado. 

Englebert Humperdinck in Las Vegas, Nevada.

At 89 years old, I was worried I might not ever get to see The Dinck. However, SoDak lit some fires and made it happen. Dreams do come true. Thank you.

Hanging out and talking with Keith Morris at The Punk Rock Museum. He was kind, gracious, honest, and generous with his time.

Standing in front of the Joe Strummer exhibit at The Punk Rock Museum and losing my shit. I do not have heroes. All people are human. However, looking at Joe’s beat up guitar, his hand written lyrics to “Comma Girl,” and his petit shirt was too much for me. I was standing alone in the room and tears just poured from my eyes. Joe’s lyrics and creative output had an enormous effect on my emotional, intellectual, political, and social life. He was just a small little man with a hole in his heart, no different than any of us.