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Sol Y Sombra- The Rose City Band (Thrill Jockey Records) I’ve said previously that I’m a sucker for cosmic country and quite honestly they don’t come any more cosmic and country than The Rose City Band. Their 2025 release, Sol Y Sombra which means sun and shade when translated to English is a laid back
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Dreaming In Stereo- The Jellybricks (Wicked Cool Records) How does a band survive for almost 30 years in relative obscurity and still manage to sound alive, vibrant and F.U.N. after all of those years? Well The Jellybricks have found a way and with their 8th full length LP since their creation back in 1996, Dreaming
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Send A Prayer My Way- Julien Baker & TORRES (Matador Records) I first heard this album live when Julien Baker & TORRES played a surprise pop up show at New York City’s tiny Mercury Lounge. This was back in December of last year, four months before Send A Prayer My Way would be released. They
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Horses- Tobacco City (Scissor Tail Records) I’m a sucker for cosmic country going back to my days of following The New Riders of The Purple Sage and any kind of year end run down that didn’t include such a cosmicana kind of record just wouldn’t be complete. This year’s winner, by far, was from Tobacco
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(Snocaps and Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Gang @ Bowery Ballroom: 2025-12-08) Despite some teasing on their socials back in early October that something might be afoot, it came as fairly shocking news when sisters Crutchfeld (Allison & Katie) along with MJ Lenderman and Brad Cook dropped a new album on Halloween under the
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In Tongues – Bob Lefevre & The Almost Gone (BLATAG Records) Truth be told this was a late addition to my list of 25. I only learned of this July release last week and quite honestly have been listening to it almost non stop since. The more I listen, the more I love this album
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Watermelon/Peacock- Exploding Flowers (Meritorio Records) Five years since their last release, Stumbling Blocks, seems like a long wait but compared to the 9 years between their debut in 2011 and 2020 when Stumbling Blocks was released, it’s not all that bad. Watermelon/Peacock is filled with upbeat danceable jangle pop highlighted by 12 string guitars and
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Whispers in The Speech Machine – The Laughing Chimes (Slumberland Records) The Laughing Chimes are a 4 piece outfit based out of Athens. One would assume from my general musical tastes that when I’m pimping a band out of Athens, I mean Athens, GA, that bastion of modern southern rock and home of The University
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Nothing’s Wasted On The Soul – Joey Kneiser (Young Buffalo Records) What can I possibly say about Joey Kneiser which I haven’t said over and over again. Joey’s one of the best songwriters out there and it goes without saying that it’s a damned shame that he and his oeuvre of material, both from his
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Night Number Two of Massive Nights 10 (AKA Separation Sunday Thursday) I make no claim to be a tried and true fanatic (in the literal sense of the word) of The Hold Steady. Make no mistake, however, I do love the band and without fail will always attend one of the Massive Nights shows at
W.S. Walcott Medicine Show 