Quite the year; it kinda drained me of all my pith, among other things. I just noticed that many of my picks rely more on atmosphere, noise, and repetition more than clever or poetic lyrics. A few sound like noises coming from the next room. Not gonna comment much.
1. EDVARD GRAHAM LEWIS – ALREET?
“I have run out of meds, the doctors are powerless.” My first LP of 2025, and it set the tone for the year.
2. PRAED ORCHESTRA! – THE DICTIONARY OF LOST MEANING
3. THE BUG CLUB – VERY HUMAN FEATURES
4. KITCHEN CYNICS, MARGERY DEW, GREY MALKIN – TO THE GREEN ROUND
5. MORWAN – VSE PO KOLU, ZNOVU
6. OPTIC SINK – LUCKY NUMBER
7. WRECKLESS ERIC – ENGLAND’S SCREAMING
8. MILKWEED – REMSCÉLA
9. KUUNATIC – WHEELS OF ÖMON
10. MAMUTHONES – FROM WORD TO FLESH
11. MEKONS – HORROR
12. CIRCUIT DES YEUX – HALO ON THE INSIDE/AHLO ON THE INSIDE (DIRETOR’S CUT)
13. FREEZING HANDS – GHOULS OF 22ND STREET. Finally, some American power pop/garage rock.
14. BIG BLOOD – ELECTRIC VOYEUR/MOONLIGHT AGAIN
15. LEN PRICE 3 – MISTY MEDWAY MAGIC
16. LOOSE LIPS – LAST LAUGH. Finally, some Australian punk, power pop.
17. MICHAEL HURLEY – BROKEN HOMES AND GARDENS
18. CLICKBAIT – AT YOUR LEISURE
19. EARTHBALL – OUTSIDE OVER THERE
20. CATE LE BON – MICELANGELO IS DYING
Bubbling under, or I didn’t devote enough time absorbing them
SPARKS – MAD!
THE DWARFS OF EAST AGOUZA – SASQUATCH LANDSLIDE
NEKO CASE – NEON GRAY MIDNIGHT GREEN
HOLLY GOLIGHTLY – LOOK LIKE TROUBLE
QUINIE – FORFAWK, MIND ME
SHOPFIRES – WE ARE NOT THERE, BUT WE ARE HERE
MENDOZA/FLUKE MOGUL/PEREZ – MAMA KILLA
JACOB GARCHIK – YE OLD 2
OSMIUM – S/T
ADDED DIMENSIONS – JANE FROM PREOCCUPIED AMERICA
LIGHT SPACE MODULATOR – THE RISING WAVE
HALF MAN HALF BISCUIT – ALL ASIMOV NO FRESH AIR
ORVA & REVERSE DEATH – REFLECTORS VOL 1
RICHARD DAWSON – END OF THE MIDDLE
THE CLIENTELE – STRANGE GEOMETRY
MARY HALVORSON – ABOUT GHOSTS
THE SICK MAN OF EUROPE – FADE/FORM
GUIDED BY VOICES – THICK, RICH AND DELICIOUS
ORCUTT, SHELLEY, MILLER – S/T
GWENIFER RAYMOND – LAST NIGHT I HEARD THE DOG STAR BARK
ВЕЩЬ [VESCH] – PASSPORT
REISSUES/ARCHIVES
V/A – PROMISES PROMISES – BORDERS AND MID – WALES PUNK/POST PUNK
EMPIRE – EXPENSIVE SOUND
WORLD OF POOH – TIGHT AND LOOSE
SHIRLEY COLLINS – SWEET ENGLAND
HENRY BADOWSKI – LIFE IS A GRAND
HUSKER DU – 1985: THE MIRACLE YEAR
That’s all I got. I’ve already glanced at a few other lists and see some titles that I’ll have to try out. Can’t wait to see how many of my top 20 make the final list!!!