It’s a bitter pill to swallow that we have to go through this fuckery all over again. But somehow, incredibly, it’s even worse now than the first time around. What the actual fuck? How did we get so stupid? Thankfully, as always, there are still good people out there, doing good work, who keep us tethered, including the artists, musicians, and writers, who continue to create and inspire.
Sit Down I Think I Love You
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1. Big Special – National Average: I’m not a big Sleaford Mods guy, but I have to thank them for introducing me to Big Special (through their “Good Life” video). Imagine if IDLES and LCD Soundsystem got booked on the same studio schedule (with a Black Country madman ranting on the street out front), and it might come out sounding something like Big Special. Their debut album, Postindustrial Hometown Blues, from 2024, also kicks (listen to “Black Dog/White Horse”).
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2. Viagra Boys – Viagr Aboys: Blistering and gutbusting ramblings, with a few gonzo takedowns of modern societal norms for the bizarre foolishness they are. As my favorite first generation punk Joe Strummer said “This is a public service announcement … with guitars”! Indeed.
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3. Darkside – Nothing: The fever dream has broken and all I got was this great indie rock album. More structured than their previous albums and with different influences worn on their sleeves, but still identifiable as Darkside. The chaotic, fractured brilliance is gone, but I still love it.
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4. Facing – Temporary Bodies: In the same realm as Darkside; dark and skeletal dubwise art-rock.
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5. The Orb – Buddhist Hipsters: while initially reluctant, I’ve really come around to this album.
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6. Tortoise – Touch: After a ten year hiatus, Tortoise is revived, and they remain a phenomenon.
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7. Juana Molina – Doga: A comeback of sorts, eight years on from Halo; still strange and amazing.
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8. Dummy – Bubbelibrium DLC: ‘90’s influenced remix album of last year’s great Free Energy.
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9. Stereolab – Instant Holograms on Metal: Yet another great return from former champions.
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10. Elijah Minnelli – Clams as a Main Meal (EP): Cumbia-infused dub reggae with chanted vibes.
11. Adrian Sherwood – The Collapse of Everything: Cinematic dub that satisfies the curious.
12. Alina Bzhezhinska – Whispers of Rain: Atmospheric harp drifts and swells majestically.
13. Midlake – A Bridge To Far: A refined overview of their career so far; Laurel Convention?
14. IDLES – Caught Stealing OST: not the usual IDLES fare, but still good enough.
15. The Cure – Mixes from a Lost World: an album’s worth (of three) of great remixes.
What I Like About You
16. Lankum – Ghost Town (single): if there was an album’s worth of music like this, it would definitely be in my top ten. Lankum transcends the Specials’ evocative 1981 ska/skank hit into a beautiful, minimalist Irish dirge that then melds into a dark-trance club mix. Truly brilliant.
17. Tunng – Love You All Over Again: Tunng keep on working their quiet magic.
18. FACS – Wish Defense: suffocating post-punk that pulls all the air out of the room.
19. Geese – Getting Killed: Over-hyped NYC alt-rock. Pretty good, notwithstanding the hype.
20. Goon – Dream 3: Homegrown (almost) shoegaze with nice lo-fi production.
21. Mogwai – The Bad Fire: a fair Mogwai album.
22. Preoccupations – Ill at Ease: queasy vibes for your post-punk pop fix.
23. Mark Pritchard & Thom Yorke – Tall Tales: I was hoping for more from this album, but it’s pretty strange ‘80s’ inspired synth weirdness, so it’s good enough.
24. Gogo Penguin – Necessary Fictions: status quo from gogo.
25. Robert Plant – Saving Grace: I’m not totally inspired by the song selection, but both Plant’s voice and the production sound great and there are some haunting mood pieces.
26. Flying Vipers – Off World / World Inversion: traditional instrumental/dub style reggae.
27. ProtoU – Dark Orbit: an Eno-inspired astral journey.
28. Space Blanket – Sonic Balms for Soothing Souls: as described.
29. Brandee Younger – Gadabout Season: more harp atmospherics (but jazz inflected here).
30. Panda Bear – Sinister Grift: Lennox opens up and creates his most accessible album yet.
We’re Going to Be Friends
31. pôt-pot – Warsaw 480km: low fidelity, old-fashioned drone-rock akin to the Velvets.
32. Lambrini Girls – Who Let the Dogs Out: razor-sharp, outraged feminist punk.
33. Brian Eno & Beatie Wolf – Liminal: third of three albums this year; ambient pop mix.
34. Bitchin’ Bajas – Inland See: trippy, instrumental drone-rock.
35. Gwenifer Raymond – Last Night I Heard the Dog Star Bark: Welsh primitive guitar.
36. Alina Bzhezhinska – Cala Pada (single): again with the harp.
37. Ashley Jackson – Take Me to the Water: even more harp music, gospel-like.
38. Mum – History of Silence: another return of orchestrated beauty.
39. Brian Eno & Beatie Wolf – Lateral: first of three albums this year; pure ambience.
40. Grails – Miracle Music: moody, progressive instrumentals.
41. Natural Information Society & Bitchin’ Bajas – Totality: minimal, drone-jazz.
42. Newdad – Altar: kind of middle of the road indie rock.
43. Sprints – All That is Over: wonky sludge-punk.
44. Donny McCaslin – Lullaby of the Lost: maximal, spazz jazz-rock.
45. Beatie Wolf & Brian Eno – Luminol: second of their three albums; mostly mellow pop.
Another Time, Another Place
Alabaster DePlume – A Blade Because a Blade is Whole
Alsarah & the Nubatones – Seasons of the Road
Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes are the Ghost Nation
Benjamin Booker – Lower
Neko Case – Neon Grey Midnight Green
Mekons – Horror
Modern Nature – The Heat Warps
Hayden Pedigo – I’ll Be Waving As You Drive Away
Maria Somerville – Luster
Chip Wickham – The Eternal Now
Give Me Just a Little More Time
Mulatu Astatke – Mulatu Plays Mulatu
Sir Richard Bishop – Hillbilly Ragas
Blue & Red – Hidden Dubs 3
Mark Ernestus Ndagga Rhythm Force – Khadim
Will Epstein & Dave Harrington – Wine Pictures
James Holden & Waclaw Zimpel – The Universe Will Take Care of You
IE – Reverse Earth
mega:oba – 001
Nala Sinephro – the Smashing Machine
Total Wife – Come Back Down
Archival
David Gilmour – Luck & Strange Concerts
Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (50th Anniversary reissue)
Radiohead – Hail to the Thief (live recordings)
Bruce Springsteen – Electric Nebraska ‘82
Talking Heads – More Songs About Buildings and Food (deluxe edition)
Let Down
Bon Iver – Sable, Fable
Deftones – Private Music
Steve Gunn – Daylight Daylight
Taper’s Choice – Prog Hat
Wisp – If Not Winter
Special Mention
Thanks to the fun Netflix series “House of Guinness” for basically introducing me to both Kneecap and the Scratch; I now love both these Irish bands. No new music in 2025 from either though, sadly.