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.

Five-Inch Taint’s Favorite Music in 2025

By Five-Inch Taint

Here is my year-end list in no particular order:

Albums:

Blackbraid, Blackbraid III.

Wednesday, Bleeds.

Agriculture, The Spiritual Sound.

Drain, …Is Your Friend.

End It, Wrong Side of Heaven.

Margo Price, Hard Headed Woman.

S.G. Goodman, Planting By the Signs.

Corpus Offal, Corpus Offal.

Messa, The Spin.

Primitive Man, Observance.

Rwake, The Return of Magik.

Species, Changelings.

Testament, Para Bellum.

Militarie Gun, God Save the Gun.

Maruja, Pain to Power.

Destiny Bond, The Love.

Jason Isbell, Foxes in the Sun.

Ken Pomeroy, Cruel Joke.

Waylon Jennings, Songbird.

James McMurtry, The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy.

Kelsey Waldon, Every Ghost.

Dean Johnson, I Hope We Can Still Be Friends.

Willi Carlisle, Winged Victory.

Chat Pile and Hayden Pedigo, In the Earth Again.

Violent Testimony, Aggravate.

Hayden Pedigo, I’ll Be Waving as You Drive Away.

Concerts:

Bob Mould

Alice Donut, Victim’s Family, Nasal Rod

Alice Donut, Babe the Blue Ox, Very Pleasant Neighbor

Gang of Four

Weird Al

Pegboy

Power Trip, Gatecreeper, 200 Stab Wounds, Castle Rat, Nailed Shut

Willi Carlisle

Jawbreaker, Texas is the Reason

Decibel Metal and Beer Fest

Broncos Game Soundtrack

By Jack Stephen

My wife and I went to the Denver Broncos Game. What did we listen to?

Driving down to the game, we exited off I-25 to I-70 and got off on Pecos to sneak through the Highlands Neighborhood. I lived there for a bit when I was an undergraduate at Metro State University. It’s a pretty cool neighborhood. We crept down Federal and around the side streets looking for free street parking, as the paid parking can run $50 or more! 

What was on the radio? “Dream On” by Aerosmith. I guess this is a fairly cool Aerosmith jam, I don’t know? Aerosmith seemed like one of those bands that got a lot of airplay and had a lot of hits, but does anyone know why? That is, except for “Sweet Emotion,” which is classic rock at its finest! “Yes it diddd.” Overall, as far as power rock bands go, I’d say they sound pretty milquetoast. I don’t know if anyone has used that word to describe Aerosmith before, but right now I feel pretty good about it.  

It was a real nice day. As we moseyed through the neighborhood after parking, we could feel the energy build as the stadium rose in the east. The Broncos were playing the Green Bay Packers. We put this matchup together when noticing the cheese heads mixing in with all the Bronco fans walking to the game.

Waiting to go through the security line, they played: “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC. Yep, the easy choice, the fans love it. “Diddly diddly diddly diddly diddly diddly; aaah aaah uuhh uuhhh aaaaahhh uuuuuhhh; thunder.” I think I would still like this track more if the Iron Man movies didn’t ruin it for me. Even now, I start looking around for Robert Downey Jr. to come flying in. Yeah, I get it its cool to sellout, but it was different in the 1980s. I would say AC/DC and Aerosmith are a couple of sellouts, but what do I know. Who cares when you got rich from your songs? (More on AC/DC in the third quarter, and, yes, you can call me a moron.)

Possible joke idea: While waiting in the security line, I noticed some guy accidentally drop his box of anti-diarrheal medication. Although tempted to tell him, as he was unaware, I’m just not the kind of guy to point out such a thing to a stranger. I hope you enjoy the game, the overpriced refreshments, and the questionable lavatories! 

We had some pretty good seats. There were a lot of strange heavy rap songs—few were recognizable—but all had big, danceable intro beats. 

Around the 7:00 minute mark in the first quarter, they played, “Where the Freaks At?” by Timmy Trumpet and Savage.  

I knew nothing about the song, so I dug into the interwebs. The genre is called Melbourne Bounce—who knows what the hell that means. This song is a perfect example of the evolution of the music industry back around 2014, as they are tunes that didn’t even need to be on an album. These guys just had one song! It was some sort of viral sensation, which they made with a bunch of computer beats and a trumpet hook. While I thought this track was pretty stupid, the crowd was definitely into it. Not sure the crowd could list another Melbourne Bounce track—actually I’m pretty positive they couldn’t.

The fans sure were some characters. There was a guy walking around dressed like Hulk Hogan carrying the Broncos Ten Commandments?! I’m sure the Ten Commandments were sponsored by someone, maybe Frank Azar or BetMGM? This in-person game experience was completely interwoven with ads. It was out of control—the penalty flags were sponsored by Ramos Law? What the fuck is happening?

It was 3-0 with the Broncos leading at the end of the first quarter. 

What song did they play? “It’s Tricky” by Run DMC, which is a perfect song by the great crossover rap pioneers.

During the break between the quarters, the Denver Bronco Cheerleaders danced in the end zone, Fun! What song did they play? “Play Something country” by Brooks and Dunn. What a horrible choice, by a lame-o country band.

What would I have liked to hear? “Birmingham” by Shovels and Rope. This husband-and-wife duo from South Carolina leave it all on the stage every time. It would have been interesting to see the Cheerleaders dance interpretation of this track.

As the second quarter started, they spun the track “The Joker and the Thief” by Wolfmother. I thought this was a pretty excellent selection. My wife and I caught Wolfmother on tour after their first album. We sang and danced to every song, kind of what this Bronco crowd would like to do now, they but can’t quite put together a good dance move for this track. I get that. I would have gone with “Dimension” by Wolfmother, as it might have fit the mood a bit more, if you already got the album cued up?

We had some enthusiastic drunk Bronco fans in our seating area. It was pretty funny with their loud opinions complemented by F bombs. “You fucking suck it ref!” It was 14-13 Broncos, pretty good game so far. 

Next up, they played: “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns ‘n’ Roses. It seems that this track is de rigeur for any live sporting event. Good for them, as they are a fantastic band with some pretty good tracks. Appetite for Destruction was an incredible album! They probably should have packed it in before the tiresome “November Rain,” nonetheless.

Then they played, “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Metallica. Pretty good choice, but there’s a number of Metallica songs that would’ve fit fine here—say “Seek and Destroy” or “Sad But True.”

Next, it was “Hypnotize” by Notorious B.I.G. It was great to hear this song. I loved it, and the crowd loved it. Sucks that such a cool jam was cowritten and produced by P.Diddy.

During all the breaks, I would have liked to hear, “I’m Only Sleeping” by the Beatles, maybe once or twice.  

At the two-minute warning, at the end of the second quarter, they rolled into, “Get Low” by Lil Jon and the Eastside boys. No matter what I thought about this song, the crowd was ecstatic, even with just the thirty seconds or so that was played. People got up with heads bopping—a whole bunch of people, at least it felt like it, judging by the floor vibrations.  

I randomly wondered if Broncos part-owner, the former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, was having a nice time up in the owners’ box. I’d love to pop in the owners’ box and opine some song suggestions to improve this game day experience. I was pretty sure I could get her to agree that U2’s “Elevations” track wouldn’t be a good selection even on a Desert Storm soundtrack. Next, I would talk with the WalMart heirs, the Penners (Bronco majority owners), about some soundtrack ideas. Why not put “Lost in a Supermarket” by the Clash on the WalMart soundtrack? Just trying to help.  

When the Broncos got a big touchdown in the third quarter, they played some rap song with a sample from Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what this song was? This was another remix ruining an excellent song. We sat back down after cheering the score. I saw two guys walking around dressed to the nines as Denver Bronco-themed Mexican Elvises? Sponsored by T Mobile and Common Spirit health, I’d guess.  

By the mid third quarter, it was Denver up 24-23. The DJ rolled out “Paradise City” by Guns ‘n’ Roses—the Maximillion dance Remix. This was a heck of an effort to ruin a perfectly fine rock and roll jam, Maximillion.

At the end of the third quarter, there was an injury, time outs, delays, and a lot of down time to say the least. The injured player finally got up, and they played “Making My Dreams Come True” by Hall and Oates. This was a pretty good selection from the sweet 1980s pop duo. I would have picked a different song, perhaps “I Can’t Go for That,” as it is my favorite Hall and Oates song. I’m assuming Condoleezza Rice would go with either “Rich Girl” or “Private Eyes.”   

The Broncos got another touchdown, and they played “Whoo Hoo” by Blur. I thought this was a pretty good touchdown song from a mediocre band. Thinking about the Britpop genre, I would probably gone with the Stone Roses as the top band. This Broncos game soundtrack could use their track “Fools Gold” at one point, not sure when though?

Really every song they play was some kind of intro or walkup song, trying to capture the mood, if even just for a second or two. If they cut songs up, there’s some great choruses and hooks that would work as well. Maybe…each song could have a sponsor! Now there’s an idea! Here’s twenty seconds of “Hells Bells by AC/DC, sponsored by XCEL Energy! 

In the fourth quarter, the soundtrack wrapped things up with a few gems.

“Misirlou” by Dick Dale, which was recognizable probably from Pulp Fiction soundtrack. I love how Dick Dale worked the Fender Stratocaster, as he finessed such a cool sound out of it.

“All the Small Things” by Blink 182. I am not really a fan of the band, but this selection worked okay.

“Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by Jet. This is a cheesy song, but a great choice!

Solid tracks wrapped things up. During quarters one through three, I’d say Condoleezza Rice would agree there were areas in need of improvement. For one, work in “And the Beat Goes On…” by the Whispers—the fans wouldn’t see that coming!

The top played tracks of the day were the intro to “Hells Bells” by AC/DC three or four times (#2), the intro to “Elevation” by U2 about 4 or 5 times (#1), what horrible songs. I am so done with U2 at this point, I still have the dumbass Songs of Innocence on my old iPhone LE and don’t know how to get it removed. Suck it Bono! Or as I call you, Boner!

Suggestions to improve the soundtrack:

During an incomplete pass: “I Missed Again” by Phil Collins. Solo Phil Collins is about as good as the 1980s ever got; he never sold out. This change isn’t going to happen, because the fans got the in-com-plete chant locked down. But think about it; Phil Collins would be a fresh change!

During a Broncos punt: “The Way It Is” by Bruce Hornsby and the Range. Bruce Hornsby is a crusher if only just for this one song—not sure if I have ever played this song just once at a time.

During a sack from the Broncos D: “Ms. Jackson” by Outkast. God, I love Outkast. Fuck all those other sellout rappers from earlier in this essay. Andre 3000 and Big Boi define the genre in such a “dope” way.

During a Broncos touchdown: “Get Up Offa That Thing” by James Brown. I caught James Brown at a LoDo fest in Denver back in the day with my college roommate, let’s call him Griffen. We were so hung over from partying the night before at the Cruise Room we didn’t have much of a good time. Neither did James Brown, it looked like, watching him struggle through those dance moves. As I write this, I can relate to those hip problems.

After the Broncos got a big touchdown, late in the fourth quarter, we decided to leave. It looked like the game was pretty sewn up at this point, as the Packers fan sitting next to me seemed pretty despondent. We still had a thirty-minute walk to the car and an hour drive home, so getting a jump on the crowd seemed like the best idea. As we were almost to our car walking through the neighborhood directly west of the stadium, we heard one more song. It sounded like the whole crowd of 80,000 or so were belting out “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver! There was about a minute or so left in the game, from what we saw on somebody’s TV as we walked by. The Broncos were going to win, nice. What a great way to bring this game to a close, let’s all sing a song together! Pretty cool to hear this song. My dad was friends with John Denver when they were at Texas Tech in the 1960s. 

 

We got home and watched the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Important plot point:  The whole town’s holiday singing pushed him over the line, to where “That’s it,” he had to steal Christmas. Nevertheless, hearing all those Broncos fan’s singing “to the place where I belong,” felt pretty great, no offense to the Grinch.  

What’s a great Christmas movie? How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966). 

Gory Zaver’s Favorite Music in 2025

By Gory Zaver

Below are my favorite records of 2025. Most of them came out in 2025, but a few are older. I think there’s 20, not in any particular order.

Poison Idea, Pearls Before Swine.

Hot Load, Fate Unknown.

Alienator, Meat Locker.

Negative Charge, Negative Charge.

Malakili, Malakili.

Judas Priest, Painkiller (reissue).

Hellshock, XXV.

Wolfbrigade, Life Knife Death.

Tormented Imp, Tormented Imp.

Morbikon, Lost Within the Astral Crypts.

The Hell, The Hell.

Illiterates, Does Not Compute.

Still No Peace, Still War compilation.

Kontusion, Insatiable Lust For Death.

Ex Parents, Failure.

Ossuary, Abhorrent Worship.

Nightfeeder/Verdict split.

Goetia, Otherworldly Agency.

Victim of Fire, The Old Lie.

War//Plague, The Rot Thickens.

Beert’s 2025 Year-End List

By Beert

Man, getting a year-end list done in a timely manner is always a challenge for me. At the beginning of the year, I thought I would be proactive and start a list of things. And I did, for a few months. Today, I sat down with a cup of cheap coffee and tried to wade through the cobwebs of my memory to see what I could recall, as far as who I saw this past year and what my favorite records were.

Starting with live shows (that I can recall):

In April 2025, I brought Sorcia and Mother Root, from Seattle, to town. Both were touring the upper west of the United States, culminating at the annual April event, Rocky Mountain Riff Fest in Kalispell. They made it a point to jog a little farther east and hit Rapid City. And Rapid City was so glad they did. The show was phenomenal. Both Mother Root and Sorcia really brought some solid heaviness to the area. You could tell the bands liked the crowd we had that night. And, really, you couldn’t find a nicer group of people. While the show was great, my favorite part of any booking is hosting the bands at our home, cooking some food, and getting to know the people. I certainly was not let down. Their time in town was even better for me with good conversation and sharing meals. I believe I was hugged more by Mother Root than any other band in my history. As a lover of hugs, I was thriving in it and sharing love with good folks. Plus, Jessica from Sorcia brought beers from Black Raven Brewing, where she works. Stoked on sharing beers as well!

Sorcia: https://sorcia.bandcamp.com/

Here is terrible quality video of their set in Rapid City: https://youtu.be/uROzK3OOkco

Mother Root: https://motheroot.bandcamp.com

Here is poor quality video of their set in Rapid City: https://youtu.be/orUdh4ZD9I0

Earlier in the year, my favorite Black Hills brewery, Lost Cabin Beer Company, reached out and wanted to chat about an idea they had. To my joyous surprise, they wanted to start doing a monthly music event called Lost Cabin After Dark, where they would have “heavier” bands play (they usually had bluegrass artists at the tap room). They figured I’d be the guy to ask. I was excited to join this venture. I mean, I get to bring bands in, and the brewery won’t let me pay for beer during the shows (dangerous for me).

In May, we kicked of the first Lost Cabin After Dark with Living In (local solo acoustic artist who is just amazing), Howling Embers (heavy, psyche-y, instrumentalism created by true musicians), and local Enviro-Black Metal legends, Woman Is The Earth, who rarely play out.

The turnout was incredible, the vibe was fantastic, and all three acts were superb. It was a really great night.

Living In: https://livinginrcsd.bandcamp.com

Living In video: https://youtu.be/GlfB9OElmJs

Howling Embers: https://howlingembers.bancamp.com

Howling Embers performance: https://youtu.be/x2zEsPhCOpk

Woman Is The Earth: https://womanistheearth.bandcamp.com

Woman Is The Earth performance: https://youtu.be/MfSJT6HhNZs

In July, we were thrilled to host the heavy acid rock duo known as Burning Sister. They played with a new local band, Chongo, made up of long-time musicians. An ominous (and omenous?) night, indeed, as storms raged around the area. It may have been foreshadowing by non-existent gods, as the show was amazing. Chongo was just fun and heavy; they definitely had a groove. I’m down to see those fellas anytime. Denver’s Burning Sister was just an aural experience. Relentless volume and layers, in a good way. It gave the sensation of being crushed like an aluminum can, that appreciates the crushing. Everyone in attendance was blown away. Burning Sister was just as stoked on playing our little burgh.

Burning Sister: https://burningsister.bandcamp.com

Burning Sister performance: https://youtu.be/rbXXF8lHGRw

August 9, another local brewery, Cohort, which recently purchased a former brewery’s taproom in the Black Hills (Hill City to be precise), wanted to start doing shows, outside, under the full moon. My band was asked to play this show, along with locals Mildred and the ever-amazing Zeis. Both were great, as they always tend to be. Us, not too much. 

Mildred: https://milkdread.bandcamp.com/album/ep

Zeis: https://zeis.bandcamp.com/ 

Cohort Full Moon Series Volume 1 video:

Zeis: https://youtu.be/W5MdpciRbuA

Mildred: https://youtu.be/FyaWAargsNo

In mid-August, Denver’s pop-power-punk trio, Tuff Bluff played. I was very excited to have them in town, as I was a fan after seeing them play in Denver, opening for Off With Their Heads, a few years back. I loved their set then, and I couldn’t wait to hear some of the songs from their self-titled LP, which was vying for album of the year for me in 2024. The show was one for the ages with two amazing Rapid City local bands playing, Friends of Cesar Romero opened the show and Dead Marthas closed it down. The crowd was huge and engaged, and it was just a fun night all around. Again, hanging out after the show was just a bonus.

Tuff Bluff: https://tuffbluff.bandcamp.com/album/tuff-bluff

Friends of Cesar Romero: https://friendsofcesarromero.bandcamp.com/

Dead Marthas: www.deadmarthas.com

Show videos:

Friends of Cesar Romero: https://youtu.be/1YoR77v5NIM

Tuff Bluff: https://youtu.be/fTepRl3q2pY

Dead Marthas: https://youtu.be/lVGuO0RbnwI

In October, we brought in M.A.N. (Mass Annihilation Now) to give some grindcore action to people of Rapid City. I can honestly say, that it was one of the funniest and most amazing shows I have seen in recent memory. Luckily, it was captured for posterity. 

M.A.N.: https://mantheband.bandcamp.com

M.A.N. Performance: https://youtu.be/Z7TnVe1sMQw

For the last live music in 2025, I took a short trip to Kalispell, Montana, in early November to see Wizzerd play their last U.S. show of the year (and on home turf to boot!), before they headed to Sweden to play a set at Fuzz Fest. Surf Bat opened, and they were phenomenal. I was told that they were playing a heavier selection of their songs, since they were opening for Wizzerd—they alter sets depending on the night. I’m really hoping to be able to bring them in to Rapid City at some point in the future. Of course, as always, Wizzerd was just a great time. They are a great group of very talented humans, and they know how to put on a show, whether it be on stage at a huge Swedish festival, or on the floor at the Kalispell VFW. If you don’t have a good time, it’s your own fault.

Wizzerd: https://wizzerd.bandcamp.com

Surf Bat: https://surfbat.bandcamp.com

As for notable music for 2025, in chronological order (and totally incomplete, I’m sure), here’s what stood out:

February 2025

Year of the Cobra, Year of the Cobra. 

*Album of the year contender.

https://yearofthecobra.bandcamp.com/album/year-of-the-cobra 

Autogramm, Randy EP.

If you write a song from a cat’s perspective, I’m in.

https://autogramm.bandcamp.com/album/randy 

June 2025

Public Enemy, Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025.

New Public Enemy. And it’s really, really good!

https://publicenemy.bandcamp.com/album/black-sky-over-the-projects-apartment-2025 

July 2025

The Long Hunt, Natural Order.

Fantastic, heavy instrumental music. 

https://thelonghunt.bandcamp.com/album/natural-order

August 2025

Ladrones, Combustión.  

Get in to this, if you like some attitude driven punk.

https://radgirlfriendrecords.bandcamp.com/album/combusti-n 

September 2025

Sprints, All That Is Over.  

I mean, it’s Sprints. You can’t go wrong.

https://sprintsmusic.bandcamp.com/album/all-that-is-over 

October 2025

Monkeys On Mars, Monkeys On Mars. 

It is a joint venture, merging Mars Red Sky and Monkey3. This two-song album puts you on another world. I was looking forward to this one since I heard about it happening. *Album of the Year contender.

https://monkeysonmars.bandcamp.com/album/monkeys-on-mars 

Howling Giant, Crucible & Ruin. 

Howling Giant continues to get better and better. This album is the current pinnacle of their power, in my opinion. You’d be hard pressed to find a better band, recorded or live, right now. *Album of the Year contender.

https://howlinggiant.bandcamp.com/album/crucible-ruin 

Year of October, I’ve Given You Everything. 

Another Tennessee band that just continues to grow and grow. If you imagine heavy music with soul, you get Year of October. I’ve been harassing them for years to come to Rapid City, and my wish will come true this coming summer. This album may be their best recorded effort yet, and that’s saying quite a bit, as I’ve really enjoyed everything they’ve released. *Album of the Year contender.

https://yearofoctober.bandcamp.com/album/ive-given-you-everything 

Nervous Twitch, The Day Job Gets In The Way.

Great pop/wave punk out of Leeds, United Kingdom. I was hoping to write up a review for this album, but time never seems to be on my side. Definitely worth checking out!

https://nervoustwitch.bandcamp.com/album/the-day-job-gets-in-the-way 

November 2025

Burning Sister, Ghosts. 

The first album released as a duo, after their guitarist moved away. Just solid and heavy and brooding and heavy and heavy. Did I mention heavy? Not plodding, but solid and planted for sure. *Album of the Year contender.

https://burningsister.bandcamp.com/album/ghosts 

Eight Foot Manchild, Who Hash. 

Doom, mixed with brass instruments, doing holiday(ish) songs, with proceeds benefiting families in Gaza. What is not to love about this? I’ve dug Eight Foot Manchild ever since I was introduced to them by my son. Just the idea of doom and brass combined intrigued me. And, after following them on social media and seeing them call out nazis, homophobes, and transphobes, and just being of a common mindset, I seem to love them more and more on the daily. Plus, with this EP, there are some brilliant surprises you should enjoy. *Funnest release of 2025.

https://eightfootmanchild.bandcamp.com/album/who-hash-charity-ep 

There you have it. Indecipherable ramblings about what I could remember about 2025. Will I do better in 2026? Probably not. But who can tell! Go check out these bands and support your local scenes!