As 2025 draws to a close, I find myself looking back on what I’ve done. In past years, I’ve highlighted what used to be called the quantifies life, like miles run, books read, albums heard, etc. And while I could share that with you if you’re interested, I want to get back to something I used to do a lot more regularly: talk about my favorite records released this year.
In order to be eligible for this list, I have a few criteria:
They had to have a physical release in the 2025 calendar year. This one seems obvious, but sometimes the stream is available before the vinyl comes out, so I just want to be specific that streaming-only releases aren’t eligible, in my book.
I had to listen to it at least three times. I call this my Kid A rule. The first time I heard that Radiohead gem, I hated it. I didn’t understand what everyone was going on about. I thought it was unsettling. It was unusual. Not my style. But I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Because it was unsettling. And unusual. And definitely not my style. Eventually, I revisited it. Now, it’s included in my non-existent but probably mythical perfect “Top 100 Favorites Ever” list. So, I give everything at least three listens to make an impression on me now.
I wait until the last minute to put this together. This happens any year I’ve done this. Realistically, I could probably put one of these together at the end of November because most of my December listens are from a growing set of Xmas-related playlists I impose on my family. Theoretically, I could uncover some additional layers with another trip through those eligible in December, but then that would leave less time for “Dominic the Christmas Donkey’, and I just can’t allow that.
If you want to see everything which was eligible to me this year, I listed them all at the end of this post.
One last point before I get to my favorites for this year. I want to take a moment to talk about why I always choose 11. The short answer is because of “This Is Spinal Tap.” I’ve done yearly top 11 lists in years gone by, but this year it seems more important to return to the habit. Thank you, Rob Reiner.
So with all that preamble out of the way, I bring you my favorite 11 releases of 2025.
11) Pelican- Flickering Resonance
This a welcome return to form, in my book. I’m not unconvinced this is thanks to the return of Laurent Schroeder-Lebec, but I’m thankful to hear one of my favorites able to still get it right after all these years. Equal parts contortionistic riffs and hummable grooves, this showed up in heavy rotation, especially when I needed a distraction from headlines.
10) Hotline TNT- Raspberry Moon
The first time I saw this band, they were heavy. Like Pelican or Cave In heavy. But the records didn’t translate this, so I was disappointed. With this new effort, they’re still not a heavy as that first show, but the layers still draw me in. There’s also enough nods to favorites like early Teenage Fanclub and Swervedriver to remind me it’s sometimes fine to just gaze at your shoes.
9) Wet Leg- Moisturize Her
Everyone should hear this record at least once. It’s like the perfect blend of Elastica’s catchiest hooks with Billie Eilish’s most nihilistic whispers. See, something for everyone! Take it for a spin and let one of those hooks pull you out of your current stream.
8) Ethel Cain- Perverts
Remember COVID? And the lockdowns? And that constantly unsettled discomfort based on not being to understand what the fuck was happening in the world? Well, you can revisit that same uneasiness here! But I mean that in the best way possible. For me, that first lockdown year was most accurately scored by Nine Inch Nails with Ghosts V and Ghosts VI. This feels like the perfect soundtrack to the first year of Trump’s second term — uncomfortable, scary, and disturbing. Quite an accomplishment.
7) Shannon Wright- Reservoir of Love
I’m a sucker for this. I was lucky to be in bands that played with Crowsdell a lifetime ago in Florida, and have been a fan of here’s ever since. Her thick guitar tones. Those measured backbeats. That unmistakable timbre. Let that first track sit with you for a bit. It sets the mood, readying you for a melancholy trip down roads of regret, but about two minutes in, the spirit of Sonic Youth’s most driving grooves sweep you up and dare you not to nod along.
6) Slow Crush- Thirst
File this one under truth in advertising. Each track highlights their apt name, piling waves of distortion and emotion onto you and never letting you up for air. Highly recommended if you are waiting for a new one from Nothing. Or if your therapist isn’t returning your calls.
5) Wednesday- Bleeds
What a great balance of favorites. This has enough Lucinda Williams to make me feel sweaty. Enough Breeders to make me feel a little buzzed. And enough Veruca Salt to get me to sing along. It’s like an anthology from a decades’ long career, with ballads and hits and obscure b-sides, but created moments ago, specifically for your immediate needs.
4) Pneu- Get Old or Die Tryin’
I have no idea how I stumbled onto this French duo, but I’m sure glad I did. This band sounds like what happens in my head when I am left without distractions. I know that doesn’t really help describe them, but when you give them a listen, it will definitely give you more insight into why I am the way that I am most days. They remind me of a more chaotic Battles. Or what people think they are describing when they talk about Geese.
3) mclusky- the world is still here and so are we
With apologies for not knowing about them sooner, good lord was this fun to find. I assume the title is a nod to the more than 20-year gap between full-length releases, but this fits in nicely with my penchant for the FIDLAR, Metz, and Wavves of the world. Glad we’re all still here to witness this.
2) Lambrini Girls- Who Let the Dogs Out
Good lord was this one a revelation. It’s primal, urgent, and poignant with our being pompous. I love the fact that they could say so much and still be so much fun. This was definitely my favorite of the year, right up until early October. Get out your swear jar and turn this one up.
1) Taylor Swift- Life of a Showgirl
I usually have a tough time narrowing my favorite release of the previous 12 months. I look at how many times I heard it (you knew I’d have a spreadsheet, right?). I check to see if I bought a physical copy. I think about how much of my attention it demanded. This year, there was no debate. Life of a Showgirl was my top release, by far. Yes, I heard it more than most, thanks to living in a house with a 12-year-old Swiftie. Yes, I bought it on vinyl. Twice. But the most important aspect for me was the attention it demanded. And how that attention was rewarded with so much joy.
On October 3rd, we woke up a 6 a.m. to make sure we could hear it as soon as it was available to stream here in Stockholm (where she recorded the record!). From the opening notes, I knew this would be a moment I’d never forget. My daughter was giddy. She was catching phrases she loved. Commenting on instrumentation choices. Dancing with abandon to songs she’d never heard before. It was ecstasy for her. And for me.
Meanwhile, I was picking apart the production. Listening to the riffs which felt new, yet familiar. Trying to define both the inspirations and the innovations. I loved the guitars in “Actually Romantic”. The drum sound on “Ruin the Friendship”. And even the lyrical nods to Sabrina Carpenter’s more risqué efforts. But, honestly, even if I wasn’t as drawn in by all there was to sonically chew over, this would still be my number one release this year because of how much joy it brought into this house during a year which desperately needed more of it. So, for 2025, my favorite record — and my eternal gratitude — go to Taylor Swift, Max Martin, and Shellback. Thank you for this gift, a reminder that despite all the brutalities of realty, we can still have sanctuaries of beauty.
Eligible releases (in the order I discovered them)
• Lambrini Girls- Who Let the Dogs Out [Lambrini Girls UK] • Pneu- Get Old Or Die Tryin’ [Bandcamp] • Hotline TNT- Raspberry Moon [Third Man Records] • Pelican- Flickering Resonance [Bandcamp] • mclusky- the world is still here and so are we [Blixt Merch] • Sumac and Moor Mother- The Film [Thrill Jockey] • Melvins 1983- Thunderball [RSD MRKT] • Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs- Death Hilarious [Bandcamp] • Shannon Wright- Reservoir of Love [Bandcamp] • Ethel Cain- Perverts [Daughters of Cain Records] • Public Enemy- Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025 [MVD Shop] • John Zorn- Impromptus [Tzadik Records] • John Zorn and Dave Lombardo- Memories, Dreams, and Reflections [Tzadik Records] • Wet Leg- Moisturize Her [Domino] • Matt Jencik & Midwife- Never Die [Relapse Records] • Local H- reFISTED [Brutal Panda] • Mogwai- The Bad Fire [Temporary Residence] • Deftones- Private Music [Deftones] • Deafheaven- Lonely People with Power [Deafheaven] • Lucy Dacus- Forever is a Feeling [Lucy Dacus] • Slow Crush- Thirst [Pure Noise] • Shiner- BELIEVEYOUME [Bandcamp] • Taylor Swift- Life of a Showgirl [Taylor Swift] • Agriculture- The Spiritual Sound [Bandcamp] • Faetooth- Labyrinthine [Flenser] • Greet Death- Die in Love [Greet Death] • Wednesday- Bleeds [Bingo Merch]
11 for 25
31 December 2025
As 2025 draws to a close, I find myself looking back on what I’ve done. In past years, I’ve highlighted what used to be called the quantifies life, like miles run, books read, albums heard, etc. And while I could share that with you if you’re interested, I want to get back to something I used to do a lot more regularly: talk about my favorite records released this year.
In order to be eligible for this list, I have a few criteria:
They had to have a physical release in the 2025 calendar year. This one seems obvious, but sometimes the stream is available before the vinyl comes out, so I just want to be specific that streaming-only releases aren’t eligible, in my book.
I had to listen to it at least three times. I call this my Kid A rule. The first time I heard that Radiohead gem, I hated it. I didn’t understand what everyone was going on about. I thought it was unsettling. It was unusual. Not my style. But I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Because it was unsettling. And unusual. And definitely not my style. Eventually, I revisited it. Now, it’s included in my non-existent but probably mythical perfect “Top 100 Favorites Ever” list. So, I give everything at least three listens to make an impression on me now.
I wait until the last minute to put this together. This happens any year I’ve done this. Realistically, I could probably put one of these together at the end of November because most of my December listens are from a growing set of Xmas-related playlists I impose on my family. Theoretically, I could uncover some additional layers with another trip through those eligible in December, but then that would leave less time for “Dominic the Christmas Donkey’, and I just can’t allow that.
If you want to see everything which was eligible to me this year, I listed them all at the end of this post.
One last point before I get to my favorites for this year. I want to take a moment to talk about why I always choose 11. The short answer is because of “This Is Spinal Tap.” I’ve done yearly top 11 lists in years gone by, but this year it seems more important to return to the habit. Thank you, Rob Reiner.
So with all that preamble out of the way, I bring you my favorite 11 releases of 2025.
11) Pelican- Flickering Resonance
This a welcome return to form, in my book. I’m not unconvinced this is thanks to the return of Laurent Schroeder-Lebec, but I’m thankful to hear one of my favorites able to still get it right after all these years. Equal parts contortionistic riffs and hummable grooves, this showed up in heavy rotation, especially when I needed a distraction from headlines.
10) Hotline TNT- Raspberry Moon
The first time I saw this band, they were heavy. Like Pelican or Cave In heavy. But the records didn’t translate this, so I was disappointed. With this new effort, they’re still not a heavy as that first show, but the layers still draw me in. There’s also enough nods to favorites like early Teenage Fanclub and Swervedriver to remind me it’s sometimes fine to just gaze at your shoes.
9) Wet Leg- Moisturize Her
Everyone should hear this record at least once. It’s like the perfect blend of Elastica’s catchiest hooks with Billie Eilish’s most nihilistic whispers. See, something for everyone! Take it for a spin and let one of those hooks pull you out of your current stream.
8) Ethel Cain- Perverts
Remember COVID? And the lockdowns? And that constantly unsettled discomfort based on not being to understand what the fuck was happening in the world? Well, you can revisit that same uneasiness here! But I mean that in the best way possible. For me, that first lockdown year was most accurately scored by Nine Inch Nails with Ghosts V and Ghosts VI. This feels like the perfect soundtrack to the first year of Trump’s second term — uncomfortable, scary, and disturbing. Quite an accomplishment.
7) Shannon Wright- Reservoir of Love
I’m a sucker for this. I was lucky to be in bands that played with Crowsdell a lifetime ago in Florida, and have been a fan of here’s ever since. Her thick guitar tones. Those measured backbeats. That unmistakable timbre. Let that first track sit with you for a bit. It sets the mood, readying you for a melancholy trip down roads of regret, but about two minutes in, the spirit of Sonic Youth’s most driving grooves sweep you up and dare you not to nod along.
6) Slow Crush- Thirst
File this one under truth in advertising. Each track highlights their apt name, piling waves of distortion and emotion onto you and never letting you up for air. Highly recommended if you are waiting for a new one from Nothing. Or if your therapist isn’t returning your calls.
5) Wednesday- Bleeds
What a great balance of favorites. This has enough Lucinda Williams to make me feel sweaty. Enough Breeders to make me feel a little buzzed. And enough Veruca Salt to get me to sing along. It’s like an anthology from a decades’ long career, with ballads and hits and obscure b-sides, but created moments ago, specifically for your immediate needs.
4) Pneu- Get Old or Die Tryin’
I have no idea how I stumbled onto this French duo, but I’m sure glad I did. This band sounds like what happens in my head when I am left without distractions. I know that doesn’t really help describe them, but when you give them a listen, it will definitely give you more insight into why I am the way that I am most days. They remind me of a more chaotic Battles. Or what people think they are describing when they talk about Geese.
3) mclusky- the world is still here and so are we
With apologies for not knowing about them sooner, good lord was this fun to find. I assume the title is a nod to the more than 20-year gap between full-length releases, but this fits in nicely with my penchant for the FIDLAR, Metz, and Wavves of the world. Glad we’re all still here to witness this.
2) Lambrini Girls- Who Let the Dogs Out
Good lord was this one a revelation. It’s primal, urgent, and poignant with our being pompous. I love the fact that they could say so much and still be so much fun. This was definitely my favorite of the year, right up until early October. Get out your swear jar and turn this one up.
1) Taylor Swift- Life of a Showgirl
I usually have a tough time narrowing my favorite release of the previous 12 months. I look at how many times I heard it (you knew I’d have a spreadsheet, right?). I check to see if I bought a physical copy. I think about how much of my attention it demanded. This year, there was no debate. Life of a Showgirl was my top release, by far. Yes, I heard it more than most, thanks to living in a house with a 12-year-old Swiftie. Yes, I bought it on vinyl. Twice. But the most important aspect for me was the attention it demanded. And how that attention was rewarded with so much joy.
On October 3rd, we woke up a 6 a.m. to make sure we could hear it as soon as it was available to stream here in Stockholm (where she recorded the record!). From the opening notes, I knew this would be a moment I’d never forget. My daughter was giddy. She was catching phrases she loved. Commenting on instrumentation choices. Dancing with abandon to songs she’d never heard before. It was ecstasy for her. And for me.
Meanwhile, I was picking apart the production. Listening to the riffs which felt new, yet familiar. Trying to define both the inspirations and the innovations. I loved the guitars in “Actually Romantic”. The drum sound on “Ruin the Friendship”. And even the lyrical nods to Sabrina Carpenter’s more risqué efforts. But, honestly, even if I wasn’t as drawn in by all there was to sonically chew over, this would still be my number one release this year because of how much joy it brought into this house during a year which desperately needed more of it. So, for 2025, my favorite record — and my eternal gratitude — go to Taylor Swift, Max Martin, and Shellback. Thank you for this gift, a reminder that despite all the brutalities of realty, we can still have sanctuaries of beauty.
Eligible releases (in the order I discovered them)
• Lambrini Girls- Who Let the Dogs Out [Lambrini Girls UK]
• Pneu- Get Old Or Die Tryin’ [Bandcamp]
• Hotline TNT- Raspberry Moon [Third Man Records]
• Pelican- Flickering Resonance [Bandcamp]
• mclusky- the world is still here and so are we [Blixt Merch]
• Sumac and Moor Mother- The Film [Thrill Jockey]
• Melvins 1983- Thunderball [RSD MRKT]
• Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs- Death Hilarious [Bandcamp]
• Shannon Wright- Reservoir of Love [Bandcamp]
• Ethel Cain- Perverts [Daughters of Cain Records]
• Public Enemy- Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025 [MVD Shop]
• John Zorn- Impromptus [Tzadik Records]
• John Zorn and Dave Lombardo- Memories, Dreams, and Reflections [Tzadik Records]
• Wet Leg- Moisturize Her [Domino]
• Matt Jencik & Midwife- Never Die [Relapse Records]
• Local H- reFISTED [Brutal Panda]
• Mogwai- The Bad Fire [Temporary Residence]
• Deftones- Private Music [Deftones]
• Deafheaven- Lonely People with Power [Deafheaven]
• Lucy Dacus- Forever is a Feeling [Lucy Dacus]
• Slow Crush- Thirst [Pure Noise]
• Shiner- BELIEVEYOUME [Bandcamp]
• Taylor Swift- Life of a Showgirl [Taylor Swift]
• Agriculture- The Spiritual Sound [Bandcamp]
• Faetooth- Labyrinthine [Flenser]
• Greet Death- Die in Love [Greet Death]
• Wednesday- Bleeds [Bingo Merch]