2025 YEAR IN REVIEW: Pickled Priest's 50 Favorite Records of the Year

We know when we like something and we listen to a shit ton of music to find it. Here's our list of favorites from what we've listened to so far in 2025.

PICKLED PRIEST'S 50 FAVORITE RECORDS OF 2025

50

MOTORBIKE

Kick lt Over

(Feel It)

Blurb

One of the biggest surprises of 2023 was Cincinnati’s Motorbike, who made our Top 50 Records list with a collection of raw, punk-rock & roll rippers. Well, they've done it again two years later and this time they're an even better band with a more diverse set of songs. Better playing and more variety, in some cases, could be a horrible thing for a band like this, but no worries; they recorded the record in their basement with the throttle fully open, just as a band named Motorbike should. The songs peel out on the regular, but there's also some substantive lyrical content to be found. "What Have I Done" was inspired by the work of a Polish poet and ends with the thought provoking lyric,"Courage is red hot, survival is dead cold," which has to be deep, doesn't it? While the title of "Afraid of Guns" is self-explanatory, the awareness that "I don't want to get smart in a Walmart carpark" isn't common knowledge. Just be careful what battles you choose and when, people. They've even given us a song sung entirely in Polish about stealing their mom's motorcycle and not coming back ("Nie Wrócimy"), just in case you were worried about the band losing the motorcycle-centric focus that made their past record such a deliriously entertaining ride through the Queen City.

3 Songs

"Currency"

"Afraid of Guns"

"What Have I Done"

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49

CLIPSE

Let God Sort Em Out

(Roc Nation)

Blurb

I'm no expert to say the least, but I think I know a killer rap record when I hear one and Clipse's Let God Sort Em Out is brilliant front-to-back. Pitchfork gave it a 6.5, which must mean it's great. They're clueless and pretentious simultaneously, which to their credit is very hard to pull off. If there's one genre where critical opinions mean little to me, it's rap. I like what I like and I make no apologies and this new Clipse album has everything I want, excepting a John Legend cameo, in one place. Suffice it to say, brothers Pusha T and Malice can fucking rap, something long known by just about everyone, but now proven once again. It's rare for me to find a rap record with no skips, but here's one of them. It's pretty close to a masterpiece. But what do I know?

3 Songs

"The Birds Don't Sing"

"Ace Trumpets"

"Chains & Whips" (ft. Kendrick Lamar)

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48

PHIL COOK

Appalachia Borealis

(Psychic Hotline)

Blurb

This is one of my most-played albums of 2025 because it fits perfectly in my life's small spaces, when serenity is required. Cut in Wisconsin with Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) producing, both the remote location and the producer choice make perfect sense. This is a recording that requires extreme solace and few artists know the value of seclusion more than Vernon. His career was basically launched in such an environment. One listen to the record—one guy at a piano—might make you wonder why a producer was needed at all. It's a spare recording cut live with real birdsong accompaniment adding a natural accent. On the title track you can hear the rain in the background. It sounds easy, but getting it just right on tape is trickier than it appears, I'm sure. The added ambience gives the record an organic feel whose purity has acted the part of a stress reducer for me. If you need to drop your blood pressure about 20-points fast this will likely do the trick. There's a subtle soulfulness in his playing that doesn't sound overly practiced, nor classically trained.

3 Songs

Play the whole thing every time.

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47

THE BELAIR LIP BOMBS

Again

(Third Man)

Blurb

I like to listen to this record. It's as simple at that. Some flashy guitar work, strong basslines, and a great lead singer with a cool voice There's a drummer, too. The songs are accessible and catchy with most of the hits up front and some depth on the backside that'll sneak up on you over time. There were a lot of major records that I admire that didn't make this list because I know myself well and I won't listen to them as often. That's the final measure of what stays and what goes. I like to listen to this record. So it stays.

3 Songs

"Back of My Hand"

"Cinema"

"Don't Let Them Tell You (It's Fair)"

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46

SAME EYES

Love Comes Crashing

(Desperate Ones)

Blurb

When I make these lists, I usually choose records with my gut first (highly reliable) and then swap out some albums at the end when I realize I've run out of real estate much more quickly than expected. Surprisingly, this underdog band from Michigan survived the first cut and the last while many other worthy candidates got bounced. Even I was dumbfounded and I had complete control of the process! After all, I didn't love much of 80's pop in the 1980s, let alone 40+ years later. But here they are, thanks to an album deep with great synth-indebted pop songs, a great singer, and an original take on a period I'd long ago pronounced dead and gone.

3 Songs

"Those Around You"

"Idol"

"It's Casual"

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45 (Tie)

BIG FREEDIA

Pressing Onward

(Queen Diva Music)

ANNIE & THE CALDWELLS

Can't Lose My (Soul)

(Luaka Bop)

Blurb

If you don't love Big Freedia, we might have a problem. A New Orleans institution, her last record, Central City, made our Top 50 Albums list two years ago. This time, she gives us an uplifting, all-inclusive gospel record that brings the good news with the bounce you'd expect from the reigning queen of the genre. If there's a church that sounds like this, I might be back in the fold soon, at least for the music. I don't have to preach to the choir, but for those new to this force of nature, she doesn't do anything straightforward or half-assed. I've found the best gospel leaves you overjoyed and moved simultaneously and by the end of this album I guarantee you you'll feel some kind of light shining upon you.

No less inspiring, albeit a little more conventional (everything is more conventional next to Big Freedia, to be fair), is the debut record from Annie and the Caldwells, a self-described "disco gospel" group out of West Point, Mississippi, that's been together for forty years now, serving the Lord all the while. That's a long time to wait for a first record, but if Moses can wander around the desert for that long, I guess we can wait for our payoff, too. I don't hide my lack of religion on these posts, but that doesn't mean I don't seek divine intervention, and this is how I find it. Hell, I don't want to lose my soul either.

3 Songs (Freedia)

"Holy Shuffle"

"Church"

"Celebration"

3 Songs (Annie)

"Can't Lose My Soul"

"Don't You Hear Me Calling"

"Wrong"

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44

SHARP PINS

DDR

(K/Perennial)

Blurb

A busy year for Kai Slater. He has a starring gig in the promising young Chicago band, Lifeguard (whose new record just missed the cut for this list), and his power-pop spinoff, Sharp Pins, has now released two records this year alone. The tart little foyer candies (unwrapped and sticky) found on Radio DDR are charmingly lo-fi, each with a memorable hook that seem to be in inexhaustible supply in Slater's brain. The album is destined to become a bit of a cult classic among nerds (like me) in the power-pop community, I'd expect, and you can never have too many of those. Good thing, too, for the second installment, titled Balloon Balloon Balloon, dropped in November, and there's more of the same to be had based on early exposure. Kid's got a gift.

3 Songs

"Lorelei"

"I Can't Stop"

"If I Was Ever Lonely"

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43

THE CORDS

The Cords

(Slumberland)

Blurb

The Cords, a brand new Scottish duo consisting of Eve and Grace Tedeschi (no relation to American blueswoman Susan), are an indie-styled, jangle-pop band that seems destined for big things when the songs from this charming new record start to spread like wildfire, which they should and will if things go according to plan. The great thing about the record is that the songs don't let up like most records of this ilk that usually front load the good stuff. While the style isn't particularly new, we will never tire of first-rate jangle-pop and this most certainly qualifies. In the jingle jangle morning...afternoon...evening...I'll come following you.

3 Songs

"Fabulist"

"October"

"Bo's New Haircut"

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42

THE BETHS

Straight Line Was a Lie

(Anti-)

Blurb

Not particularly innovative.

Not particularly original.

Not particularly cutting edge.

Not particularly dynamic.

Not particularly anything.

Yet I love every song on the album.

Hmmm.

3 Songs

"No Joy"

"Straight Line Was a Lie"

"Til My Hearts Stops"

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41

MCLUSKY

The World Is Still Here and So Are We

(Ipecac)

Blurb

Finally, a full record from Cardiff's Mclusky after some terrific advance singles dating back to last year ("Unpopular Parts of a Pig" made our Top Songs Mixtapes in 2024). This version of the band consists of original singer/songwriter/madman Andrew "Falco" Falkous along with new drummer Jack Egglestone and bassist Damien Sayell. Not to fear, the current lineup has lost none of the demented humor ("Kafka-esque Novelist Franz Kafka" has already been inducted into our song title HOF) and impulsive intensity that captured our attention back in 2002 with their masterpiece, Mclusky Do Dallas. Granted, the band's calling card has always been Falkous, a whirling dervish, David Yow-esque feral animal prone to spewing outlandish lyrics like Exploding kids, exploding kids, exploding kids can kill the mood / Can kill the mood, if kid explosions aren’t your heart’s desire ("People Person"). The beauty of his straight-jacket worthy rants is that there's some social and political heft to be had if you are so inclined. The way I see it, Mclusky may just be the perfect antidote to a very fucked up year.

3 Songs

"People Person"

"The Competent Horse Thief"

"Unpopular Parts of a Pig"

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40

SUNNY WAR

Armageddon in a Summer Dress

(New West)

Blurb

Sunny War's last two records have included the words "Anarchist" and "Armageddon in their titles," so let's just say she means business and she's got something to say. Her latest is evidence she's come a long way since being discovered busking on the boardwalk at Venice Beach just over a decade ago. She has released a string of increasingly impressive records over the years which have shown an artist not afraid to push her own boundaries. That trend continues this year with Armageddon in a Summer Dress (an objectively great title). Her messages are crystal clear but how she goes about delivering them is evolving rapidly. "One Way Train" opens the record with a single that's borderline New Wave. There's always some Tracy Chapman-styled folk, of course, but she adds new facets to her sound on almost every track. Gospel, soul, punk, you name it. She duets with Steve Ignorant of Crass, John Doe of X, and Valerie June along the way, but she's the thread that holds it all together. A force of one ready to take on the world.

3 Songs

"One Way Train"

"Bad Times"

"Cry Baby"

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39

JEREMIAH CHIU & MARTA SOFIA HONER

Different Rooms

(International Anthem)

Blurb

Chiu is a modular synth mastermind and Marta a viola ace with a creative bent toward the experimental. Add some field recordings (if the field was in the inner city), the occasional guest (a mandatory appearance by International Anthem mainstay Jeff Parker is a highlight), and you get a strangely beautiful, sometimes otherworldly, album of instrumentals that could soundtrack a future tech thriller. The title is a nod to their work process during the recording. Each would hole up in a different room within the studio working on their distinct contributions only to combine, cut, and edit them together later. The result is a fascinating hybrid of real and manipulated sounds that amount to far more when layered on top of each other.

3 Songs

"Mean Solar Time"

"Different Rooms"

"Speaking in Parallel"

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38

GWENIFER RAYMOND

Last Night I Heard the Dog Star Bark

(We Are Busy Bodies)

Blurb

Gwenifer Raymond is a guitar virtuoso that'll drop your jaw with her quick fingered dexterity. If you're currently learning the guitar I'm not sure this is the record you need to hear right now. There's a chance it inspires you, but there's also a chance you'll chuck your acoustic in the nearest dumpster after one listen. This is high level stuff here from the domain of the gifted. Her new album is an instrumental marvel that you'll have to hear to believe. If you told me this was a lost Jimmy Page acoustic album from the 70s, I might believe you. It's that good.

3 Songs

"Bonfire of the Billionaires"

"Jack Parsons Blues"

"Last Night I Heard the Dog Star Bark"

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37

RON GALLO

Checkmate

(Kill Rock Stars)

Blurb

Ron Gallo may never make another album quite like his debut record from 2017—the raw, witty, sarcasm-packed rock & roll masterpiece Heavy Meta—but it sounds like he's not interested in rehashing old sounds on his latest record anyway. In fact, this time he sounds like he's found love. In no way does that mean the lyrical unpredictability that has made him one of my favorite songwriters is held in check. Witness If there is one thing that I could say to everyone / It would probably be 'shut the fuck up'/ I do not mean it in a mean way / It comes from a place of deep silent love or We are better as a fantasy / We'd only be ruined by reality / Oh no, you don't believe me? | Have you seen this country? I love a songwriter who makes you wonder what is going to come out of their mouth next. Even in the context of a love song it keeps you on your toes.

3 Songs

"Checkmate"

"Fantasy"

"Free Advice"

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36

ALABASTER DEPLUME

A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole

(International Anthem)

Blurb

I’ve been waiting for another great album from Manchester poet/saxophonist Alabaster Deplume ever since he landed Gold in the #2 spot on our Album of the Year list in 2022. Well, he’s delivered a different, but equally affecting and inspiring album in 2025. He doesn't benefit from the element of surprise this time--I am not as taken aback by his musical approach as I was three years ago—but A Blade Because a Blade is Whole is similarly singular in its purpose, this time examining the nature pain and forgiveness. I'm simplifying to save space, but trust me, this album may get into your head in a good way if you allow it some time to establish itself.

3 Songs

"Thank You My Pain"

"Form a V"

"A Paper Man"

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35

AMANDA SHIRES

Nobody's Girl

(Silver Knight)

Blurb

Jason Isbell's ex, Amanda Shires, is a major songwriting talent in her own right, but nothing makes a songwriter dip their bucket deep into the well more than a catastrophic breakup. Her new album chronicles her life since their divorce like it's a still open wound. Who can blame her? Her agony is our gain in this case, because this ranks up there with the great breakup records I've heard. Interestingly, both sides of the equation made an album this year, but on my card, Amanda wins that battle of the exes on points. Her record is a knockout. It's honest, vulnerable, angry, devastated, and just plain crushing in equal doses. The songs flow out of her like blood from a finger that's been freshly run over a sharp blade (perhaps intentionally).

3 Songs

"Maybe I"

"The Details"

"Living"

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34

PACO CATHCART

Down On Them

(Wharf Cat)

Blurb

Paco Cathcart has been releasing tons of music over the years under the moniker the Cradle (50 albums and counting), but Down On Them is his first solo album. It has been described as a "New York album," the kind that captures the unique heartbeat of the one of the world's most mythologized cities. That is partly true—it is a New York album in that it was inspired by its surroundings—but Paco doesn't see New York like most outsiders do; he slows things down to get deep into the neighborhoods, not just the bustling Manhattan nightlife. You can still feel the pulse of the city here, but the heartbeat is a world away. There are no grand sentiments or anthems to be found and the Yankees won't be blaring any of its songs between innings. This is a more meditative affair, and it's a beautiful, understated one at that.

3 Songs

"Oh, Joy"

"Ella Vive Sola"

"Bottleneck Blues"

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33

JADE BIRD

Who Wants to Talk About Love

(Glassnote)

Blurb

Another Brit singer/songwriter who does Americana better than the Americans, Jade Bird (her given name) even titled her first EP Something American back in 2017. Her music isn't tied to any location, however; it's tied to human emotion, which is pretty much the same everywhere you go. As I sorted this record, I soon realized the normal frontloading of the best tracks did not apply. While there's standout tracks at the beginning, the real secret to this record's permanence arrives during its back half. I love when that happens.

3 Songs

"Who Wants"

"Stick Around"

"Save Your Tears"

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32

JAMES YORKSTON AND FRIENDS

Songs for Nina and Johanna

(Domino)

Blurb

Scottish folk singer James Yorkston is the longest serving artist on the stacked Domino Records roster, releasing 14 albums with the label since 2002. He's a local legend at this point and his latest record should only further his stature. As the title suggests, the album features songs written with his two duet partners in mind—the Cardigans' Nina Persson and First Aid Kit's Jöhanna Soderberg. Their presence makes the record special in itself, but it's the gorgeous, understated songs that make the record work first and foremost. This is a record that settles in like a wanted guest, over afternoon tea perhaps, and when it does you'll be happy you were invited to listen in. A wholesome respite for this cluttered, distracted world.

3 Songs

"A Moment Longer"

"Oh Sparrow, Up Yours"

"Love That Tree"

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31

RON SEXSMITH

Hangover Terrace

(Cooking Vinyl)

Blurb

The Ron Sexsmith I saw in concert back in 1997 touring behind his second album still sounds as boyish as ever at 61 years old and his songwriting chops are similarly undiminished by time. In fact, a quarter century later he's got even more to sing about than ever. The Canadian's wry observations and understated singing style are as endearing as they are humbly delivered. Ron (who buys his clothes from the same haberdashery as Jeff Tweedy) will never blow you off the map with his songs, but spend enough time with them and you'll soon realize what a gift they are. It was apparent back in 1997 in a small club in Minneapolis, MN, and it's obvious almost 30 years later outside of Chicago, IL. He's never lost it and likely never will.

3 Songs

"Cigarette and Cocktail"

"Damn Well Please"

"Camelot Towers"

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30

JIM GHEDI

Wasteland

(Basin Rock)

Blurb

If I've learned one thing from reading British music magazines like Mojo and Uncut, it's to not give too much credence to their folk music reviews. British folk music is rooted in a long, rich history—much longer than that of the US—and while these artists may strike a chord with the locals, much of the time the music doesn't translate to the common listener in the US of A. Brits don't care a lick about that irrefutable fact. They're not making music for us anyway. Which is not to say this traditional brand of music doesn't resonate with me at times. It most certainly does, just not to the tune of ten folk records a month rated four stars or more. That said, I do love a strolling minstrel in my gallery, with an acoustic guitar, fiddle, flute, pennywhistle or a set of bagpipes in accompaniment. It's the perfect way to commune with the past and learn some local lore in the process. Jim Ghedi is a folk artist from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, but he's not so in the traditional sense. He combines the tenets of folk with a more modern sensibility (plugged-in guitars, innovative production, other electronic accents) without losing the grounding in history so essential to his craft. His new album, Wasteland, is a spellbinding creation, albeit a wholly different listen than anything you've probably heard in a while. That's what makes it so appealing. This is pure folk for now people, and it's pretty fucking awesome to behold at that. 

3 Songs

"Sheaf & Feld"

"Wasteland"

"What Will Become of England"

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29 (Tie)

SUEDE

Antidepressants

(BMG)

THE CHARLATANS

We Are Love

(BMG)

Blurb

Two British bands that made their names in the early-90s are coupled together here in a shameless space-saving maneuver under the auspices of the dreaded double-review, a classic and hated ploy used by Rolling Stone magazine back when they still had some relevancy to popular culture. Both records deserve their own real estate, but putting them in a two-flat really got me out of a legitimate list-making pickle, if you'll pardon the pun.

Suede took a break for a dozen years in the aughts, but when they reconvened in 2013 they were arguably better than ever. This may be a controversial statement, but I like the second coming of Suede just as much, if not more, than their so-called peak period with Bernard Butler in 93-94. They sound as invested and energized as they've ever been and have a freak-of-nature lead singer in Brett Anderson, who sounds gloriously preserved on Antidepressants, a record with no outright skips. I'm not surprised because I've been saying the same thing since 2013's Bloodsports was released. If you can reorient your brain to accept an album of arena rock standards into your life, you must check this album out ASAP. They don't make them like this anymore.

Next up, the CharIatans, a band that never really went away but simply drifted outside of America's aperture at some point in the mid-90s. Admittedly I, too, lost sight of them, only catching up after a double-CD compilation was released in 2022. That's when I realized what I was missing—a reliably excellent band with appealing songs that deserved better from the States. Even that eye-opening exposure didn't prepare me for this year's We Are Love, however, an album that shows the band in fine form and with a whole album of well-constructed songs and not a bum track in the bunch.

So there you have it. Two British bands from the 90s, both that had to alter their names for the US market (which I refuse to acknowledge here), both still going strong and doing their best work. Perhaps combining them here was the right move after all.

3 Songs (Suede)

"Disintegrate"

"Trance State"

"Sweet Kid"

3 Songs (Charlatans)

"We Are Love"

"For the Girls"

"You Can't Push the River"

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28

BONNIE "PRINCE" BILLY

The Purple Bird

(No Quarter)

Blurb

As much as I try, I just can't keep up with some prolific artists and B"P"B is one of them, not that I don't check in with him from time to time for one reason or another. This time, it was because of "Tonight with the Dogs I'm Sleeping" which I discovered as I was working out the kinks in my back caused by my 69-pound blind pittie mix who insistently wedges his anvil-like body against mine all night long as I sleep, leaving me with virtually no personal space in the process. The repercussions on my aging body profound, I must admit to kinda liking it in a way. If it makes him feel connected and safe, I'm willing to suffer for him. While in the neighborhood, I poked around The Purple Bird for a while and was beyond pleasantly surprised. The record is more accessible than usual, with a pleasing country gait and several truly great songs, especially deep on side two. Good job, Mr. Oldham, but next time, all dog songs, please.

3 Songs

"Boise, Idaho"

"Guns Are For Cowards"

"Downstream"

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27

GALACTIC AND IRMA THOMAS

Audience with the Queen

(Tchoup-Zilla Records)

Blurb

Galactic has been a New Orleans mainstay for almost thirty years because they are a constantly evolving creative force. They’ve made the most of their home city, blending a vast array of cultures, styles, and sounds into one big gumbo pot and it has served them well over the years. It turns out that immense talent, impeccable influences, and deep historical appreciation is one way to build up a Rolodex of big-name collaborators like Macy Gray, Allen Toussaint, Boots Riley (The Coup), Corey Glover (Living Colour), and Mavis Staples, to name just a few or their past hookups. So it’s no surprise the band would jump at the chance to work with The Soul Queen of New Orleans, Irma Thomas. If there was ever a match made in heaven, this is it, and the band doesn’t waste their chance to work with the 84-year-old Nawlins legend. Miraculously, Irma is in great voice throughout (not just the usual hyperbole, either; listen for yourself), showing wear but not weakness, and the song selection is fantastic. You can feel the love in the room on these tracks and much of that love is emanating from Irma herself. She's clearly happy to be alive, still singing, and thankful for all of her many blessings...and it shows. I know I’m glad I found this record; an album of pure intention and bursting heart.

3 Songs

"How Glad I Am"

"Lady Liberty"

"Puppet On Your String"

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26

THEON CROSS

Affirmations: Live at Blue Note New York

(New Soil/Division 81)

Blurb

Our take: Theon Cross, one of the world's most brilliant tuba players (and we would know), has released the best jazz record of the year with Affirmations, an LP that captures him live, accompanied, and inspired at the Blue Note in New York City. A dream gig for him and for us. The things he can do with his tuba are otherworldly and his crack band is in lock-step with him the whole show. Although he defers to other instruments to take the lead throughout (Isaiah Collier is unreal on sax), I recommend hyper-focusing on Theon's role in each mix at least once. If you do, you'll soon understand his impact on each song's foundation. You could build a small house on his parts, that's how deep and rich they can be. With that, I've reached the end of my of my jazz criticism chops, which is novice-level on my best days, but when I hear something amazing like this, I feel compelled to spread the word anyway. Plus, I've found that the best critics are often not critics at all. In fact, I'm counting on it.

3 Songs

"Affirmations"

"Radiation"

"Confidence in Your Ability"

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25

FLORRY

Sounds Like...

(Dear Life)

Blurb

Sprawlin', bawlin', and drawlin', the new Florry record, Sounds Like..., conjures vivid images of a hot, humid, ambling gig in a dive bar down South, despite the fact the band actually formed in Philadelphia—just one of several things that doesn't quite add up here and what makes their brand of twangy rock & roll so engaging. It's got an informal feel to it, like it was improvised on the spot. Francie Medosch sings like she's telling a story in a corner booth and plays her guitar with the casual looseness of someone who has been doing this far longer, even slipping in a "Check this out" in the middle of a song when she feels the need to showboat a little bit.

If you didn't know better, you might think she's kin of Lucinda Williams or something ("Sexy"). What I really like is that the album has the confidence to lay back and the ability to thrill from one song to the next and ends up, as the title suggests, sounding like no other band I can think of right now. The more I listen to Florry, the more I like the way they sound. It makes me want to hang out with them for a while.

3 Songs

"First It Was a Movie, Then It Was a Book"

"Dip Myself in Like An Ice Cream Cone"

"Pretty Eyes Lorraine"

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24

ANNAHSTASIA

Tether

(Drink Sum Wtr)

Blurb

Annahstasia's Instagram motto is "Take what I give you," and based on her debut album, Tether, I'll take whatever I can get. I don't think she meant it that way necessarily, but it works for this listener. I'm not above being told what to do. Especially when receiving my marching orders from someone with such a deep, husky, expressive voice like hers. Nina Simone is the name that always jumps to mind when I hear her sing and in the pantheon of comparisons that one is used with the greatest of care. Her range goes beyond her low end, but no matter where she's at on her scales, her voice dominates, be it the most intimate moments or the most orchestrated. pretty This is a vocal masterclass that gets better the more you allow it space in your life, like a fine whisky in a comfortable chair.

3 Songs

"Silk and Velvet"

"Villain"

"Overflow"

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23

ORCUTT SHELLEY MILLER

Orcutt Shelley Miller

(Silver Current)

Blurb

Guitar genius Bill Orcutt is a prolific SOB, cranking out solo records and collabs at a brisk pace, especially in recent years. As we went to press, he had just released another solo record, Another Perfect Day, which I bet is fantastic. I almost wish he'd slow the fuck down for a while and let me digest the meals I've already been served (I wrote this around Thanksgiving, so apologies). Here, on offer, is his live-to-tape collaboration with Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley and Comets on Fire bassist Ethan Miller (also of Howlin Rain). If you were in the market for an intriguing power trio, you've just found it, with the only negative being its short, 31-minute run time. I preach the merits of brevity on the regular, but not from talents this formidable. Take all the time you need, boys, especially when it sounds like this. Orcutt is simply on fire, with Shelley and Miller helping him mold his primitive, strangled chords into a shape resembling a real, albeit still avant-garde, rock band. The record is particularly thrilling when the band becomes a little disjointed, but I'm also digging the occasional fireside noodling, too. In fact, I'm down for anything they lay down, now, and hopefully again in the near future. This certainly deserves to be more than a one-off hang.

Side Note: Also check out this year's HausLive 4 (cassette-only for now), the second live recording of Orcutt's Music for Four Guitars (released in 2022), recorded at Chicago’s Constellation performance space as the Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet project, which as you might guess, features three additional genre-pushing counterparts, all known for their improvisational abilities and out-of-the-box creativity. You might recognize Ava Mendoza's name , but the combo also includes Wendy Eisenberg and Shane Parish, no slouches in their own right. Orcutt’s playing is always mesmerizing, but here the Quartet fills out the clanging, metal-twisting industrial sound of the original album perfectly. Essential listening, which pretty much goes for any Orcutt release at this point.

3 Songs

"Unsafe at Any Speed

"A Long Island Wedding"

"A Star is Born"

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22

TORTOISE

Touch

(International Anthem/Nonesuch)

Blurb

Millions of bands now living will never die. That's unfortunate. Some will die that you want to stay alive. That's a bummer. Others will hover in limbo until they deem it the right time to reappear. Tortoise, always welcome, move at their own pace, much like their band name implies, delivering new records with increasing infrequency. We waited seven years for their last album, The Catastrophist, and it's been a nine year wait for Touch, but to the band's defense, the boys have been busy with other things--their list of credits, recordings, and side projects is vast so I won't list them here--but they're an impressive bunch. Their return this year was celebrated as usual, particularly by rock critics who fawn over their every move. Critical favorite or not, they've come back with a really cool record this time--that comment intentional in its simplicity. That's really all I require. The band's intuitive chemistry remains undiluted and I love that they've kept the pieces relatively short (no "Djed" in sight).

3 Songs

"Rated OG"

"Axial Seamount"

"Vexations"

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21

POPULATION II

Maintenant Jamais

(Bonsound)

Blurb

This headphone taxing record comes from our favorite French-Canadian psyche rockers, Population II (verbally, "Population Two"), whose EP, Serpent Echelle, topped our Best EPs list in 2023. In other words, this record's quality is not a surprise to us. On the Montreal band's latest, Maintenant Jamais (Now Never), they deliver on the promise of their early work, sounding even more deliriously unpredictable and expansive than they have previously, which is saying something. This one has to be heard to be believed.

3 Songs

"La Trippance"

"Le thé est prêt""

"Prévisions"

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20

NADIA REID

Enter Now Brightness

(Chrysalis)

Blurb

What kind of voices do you respond to? Some singers are universal; so amazingly gifted the masses align. But then there are more personal voices that grab hold of you from the inside out almost like they are singing just for you. When I first heard Nadia Reid's voice five years ago on Out of My Province, I knew I had found one of those special singers that I connected with on a subdermal level. Not soul music, per se, more like music to heal the soul. There's a difference. The New Zealander captivated me from moment one with songs like "Oh Canada" (our #40 song of 2020). Her voice, natural and pure with just a dusting of grit, makes her lightly adorned songs seep into my subconscious a little more each time I hear them. It's a subtle talent she possesses and there are a bunch of gems strewn throughout her new record, Enter Now Brightness, of which I will never tire. I can't guarantee it, but maybe, just maybe, she'll do the same for you. Also check out her single "Moment By" which was released later in 2025. It's similarly divine.

3 Songs

"Baby Bright"

"Emmanuelle"

"Moment By" (non-album single)

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19

HORSEGIRL

Phonetics On and On

(Matador)

Blurb

Credit where credit is due. Cate Le Bon took the production reigns on Horsegirl's second album and stripped down their sound to the studs. It was a wise move, but not the only move, butd it really highlighted many of the band's best qualities. I really respond to minimalism, especially when the songs are memorable. This isn't the Shaggs, that's for sure. What it is is an album that doesn't sound like anyone else but Horsegirl. Bringing out their best tendencies and putting all the weight right there in plain sight was pure genius. I really like when everything present has a distinct and logical purpose. That's this Chicago band in a nutshell.

3 Songs

"2468"

"Switch Over"

"Frontrunner"

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18

THE TUBS

Cotton Crown

(Trouble in Mind)

Blurb

Makers of our #1 album of 2023 (Dead Meat), the Tubs are back with their second full-length and it’s a worthy follow up to that instant classic, if not as immediately penetrating. Plenty of what I loved about that record resurfaces again on Cotton Crown, which is a good thing. Great vocals with just the right amount of resignation to the fates and a band that opts for a little distortion and muddiness in lieu of crystal clarity. It suits the overall mood, which is a little downtrodden and desperate at times. As I settled into my smoking jacket for list-making season, I gave this one last cursory spin around the turntable and it sounded better than ever to my ears. That's the sign of a good record. It gets better as you get to know it.

Side Note: Also check out Ex-Vöid's new album, In Love Again, a bit of a companion record to this one as it features the Tubs' main man Owen Williams and Tubs' contributor Lan McArdle collaborating once again under a different band name. It's a bit redundant, but I'll take all the songs the pair have got. Perhaps next time they take the best songs from each and make one amazing record?

3 Songs

"Chain Reaction"

"Narcissist"

"One More Day"

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17

PULP

More

(Rough Trade)

Blurb

Jarvis Cocker's pseudo-spoken singing style, thanks to songs that don't overtax his vocal chords, has been kind to his voice. He sounds like the same droll bastard he's always been, so making a comeback album and touring after 20+ years dormant isn't a big stretch. Slightly amazing is that they've made one of the best records of 2025. There's not a bum song in the bunch. It ranks below Different Class, but above pretty much everything else in their already impressive discography.

3 Songs

"Tina"

"Spike Island"

"Grown Ups"

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16

JUANA MOLINA

DOGA

(Sonamos)

Blurb

The always enigmatic, always fascinating Juana Molina is beloved in her Argentina home, but she's built up a reputation worldwide as a master groove merchant, able to combine electronics, real instrumentation, and her subtle vocal stylings into a hypnotic hybrid of exotic percolating rhythms of her own unique creation. This is a record to live with for a while. Let it get into your bloodstream. Let it soundtrack your daily comings and goings for a few weeks. It reveals itself both immediately and over time. Soon, if you're like me, you'll be craving it. You'll use it as an all-purpose stress reducer, a spine loosener, a muscle relaxer. Or, if you smoke a little weed beforehand, a mind expander.

3 Songs

"Miro Todo"

"Siestas Ahí"

"Rina Soi"

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15

CIVIC

Chrome Dipped

(ATO Records)

Blurb

Melbourne's Civic has quietly landed all three of their albums on our Top 25 Album lists (Future Forecast #22 in 2021 and Taken By Force #23 in 2023) and they’re back with another ripper in 2025. This time, however, they’re mixing things up a bit. Their core punk sound has gotten heavier and more dense, establishing a new direction for the band without losing the raw punk appeal that made them local legends to begin with. Great bands can and do evolve. At this point, I'll go anywhere with them. One of my favorite bands on the planet over the last five years.

3 Songs

"Chrome Dipped"

"The Hogg"

"The Fool"

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14

WATER FROM YOUR EYES

It's a Beautiful Place

(Matador)

Blurb

Water From Your Eyes titled their new record It's a Beautiful Place to highlight how deeply flawed beauty can be. In reality, our world is deeply fractured, almost irredeemably so. Is it too late for humanity to win out in the end? While we mull such deep thoughts, there is plenty to perseverate on musically. I know I wasn't ready for so much guitar from the Brooklyn via Chicago band, but Nate Amos brings some serious crunch on these tracks and Rachel Brown's blasé vocals complement the noise perfectly, making them one of the most distinctive sounding young bands in America at the moment.

3 Songs

"Life Signs"

"Nights in Armor"

"Playing Classics"

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13

LUKE BELL

The King is Back

(All Blue Recordings)

Blurb

Luke Bell died tragically in 2022 of a fentanyl overdose, the likely result of a battle with mental illness during his life. There's no way to cut that story any other way; it's just a gut-punch for anyone who knew him, his music, or both. Time hasn't healed the wound, but his family has now collected 20 fully-completed, previously unreleased tracks for the posthumous record, The King is Back, released just this November. They also tacked on eight tracks that were previously "released" on an impossible-to-find album funded on Kickstarter to round out the double-LP collection. He never broke through to the big time, but everyone who did hear his music agreed that he was a promising talent with massive potential. The King is Back proves that claim definitively with one timeless, understated, old-school country gem after the next, each perfectly preserved like they were made yesterday or fifty years ago. Luke was more than just another a hat act, though, even though he wore one. The record shows he can rock, he can yodel, he can ballad, he can funny, and, of course, he can country. You'd think a 90-minute run time would be too much of any country singer, but the guy was so endearing and so convincingly genuine, I found myself sad when the record came to an end. I recommend getting this one on vinyl, too. It's a beautifully assembled package with liner notes by his proud, but still mournful mother, and if there ain't a tear in your beer when you finish reading, I don't know what to tell ya, but you ain't right.

3 Songs

"Hand to Hold"

"Rattlesnake Man"

"The King is Back"

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12

HEDVIG MOLLESTAD TRIO

Bees in the Bonnet

(Rune Grammofon)

Blurb

Norway's Hedvig Mollestad reunites with her power trio once again for Bees in the Bonnet and there's enough thunderous guitar riffs per square inch to thrill the average Kerrang! subscriber while also not alienating her jazz audience in the process. Straddling that line is neat trick, but it's not entirely surprising considering the prevalence of Norwegian death metal in her home country. She simply has the need to bring the hammer down every once in a while and I hope she never gets it out of her system.

3 Songs

"See See Bop"

"Golden Griffin"

"Apocalypse Slow"

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11

HOTLINE TNT

Raspberry Moon

(Third Man)

Blurb

NYC's Hotline TNT made waves this year by announcing their vision for "a cooler world," one that did not involve giving their music away on Spotify for micro-pennies per play. So support the worthy cause and buy their new LP, Raspberry Moon, instead of getting it fed to you by some profit-minded algorithm. You'll make a statement that music should be valued and not viewed as just a commodity. The title of their record might sound like a sub-par, late-period Prince album, but it's actually an accessible shoegaze album for people who like to look up rather than down.

3 Songs

"Julia's War"

"Was I Wrong?"

"The Scene"

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10

THE EX

If Your Mirror Breaks

(The Ex)

Blurb

I’m no Ex-pert on the band, but they seem to have Ex-panded their sound since they first formed in the Netherlands in 1979. Yes, 1979! These days, forty-five years hence, we can just about classify them as post-everything and leave it at that. Ex has more Ex-members than your average band over their long lifespan, with enough former bandmates to populate a small town in the Dutch countryside. For their first record in seven years, they’ve given us If Your Mirror Breaks, a vital sounding, drum-driven record (Katherina Bornefeld an absolute revolution on the kit) that makes an airtight case for the band’s continued relevance. Sure, their lead singer (G.W. Sok) of 30 years is long gone, but this record doesn’t sound like a band that’s hanging on to past glory. It's creating new glory in real time.

3 Songs

"Great!"

"Monday Song"

"The Evidence"

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09

DES DEMONAS

Apocalyptic Boom Boom!

(In the Red)

Blurb

Notice to all readers: Washington D.C.'s Des Demonas are not getting their proper due. After logging a song at #6 on our Top Songs of 2018 mix ("The South Will Never Rise Again"), they returned in very late-2024 with a new album I’ve classified as a 2025 release since it was released well after our year-end deadline and was virtually ignored until early 2025. I make this exception because I can’t fathom a great record like Apocalyptic Boom Boom! not getting the love it deserves. So far, most of their critical affection has come from cult rags and a random blogs like this one. I have no idea why. They're amazing, are geniuses at titling songs, and have one of the most galvanizing lead singers extant, the phenom Jacky "Cougar" Abok. I didn't add that nickname either, if you're wondering, but a name worth remembering nonetheless.

3 Songs

"Miles Davis Headwound Blues"

"Obsession"

"Fascist Discothéque"

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08

HIS LORDSHIP

Bored Animal

(Psychonaut Sounds)

Blurb

The British duo His Lordship (great band name) have delivered the most frenetic 27-minutes of the year with Bored Animal, a mad, full-throttle, occasionally eccentric rock & roll record like they didn't even make back in the day. The product of current Pretenders lead guitar phenom, James Walbourne, and drummer Kris Sonne, there's an accelerant added to almost every song that sets a breathless pace that's nearly impossible to keep up with (until the final song, that is, which is also great). If you attended the latest Pretenders tour, you witnessed Walbourne routinely stealing the spotlight from Chrissie with his guitar and stage theatrics. Here, he kicks it up several notches and Sonne propels the whole thing forward from behind his kit like he's got a flight to catch. Animal Control is no match for this band, so you'd better just let them run wild.

3 Songs

"Old Romantic"

"Derek E. Fudge"

"The Sadness of King Kong"

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07

MARLON WILLIAMS

Te Whare Tīwekaweka

(Self Released)

Blurb

File this record under unexpected pleasures. I've been a fan of New Zealand singer/songwriter (the second NZer on my Top 25!) Marlon Williams since 2018's Make Way for Love, which contained one of the best songs ever written about the titular subject, "Love is a Terrible Thing." Williams returned in 2025 with a record nobody expected him to make, him included I bet; a full LP of songs sung in Māori, the language of the indigenous people of New Zealand. The language isn't completely foreign to me as Australian Jen Cloher released a great record with several Maori tracks on I Am the River, the River is Me, from 2023. our #41 record from that year. Some languages just work well when sung and some don't. While German always falls gesplät on its face, Maori has an inherent rhythmic cadence that sounds like it developed to thrive on hot exotic nights in Polynesia. Here, Marlon's dour, melancholy voice often sounds just the right amount of cheerful—not annoying, not a bummer—so consider Te Whare Tīwekaweka (translated as "The Messy House") the ultimate warm weather record. It's been one of the joys of my year and while it plays best in the summer heat, I'm finding it works to fight off the winter blues as well. And don't worry about the language barrier. This album is all about feel. For you pop fans, please note Lorde makes a cameo on one song.

3 Songs

"Pōkaia Rā Te Marama"

"Kei Te Mārama"

"Me Uaua Kē"

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06

PANDA BEAR

Sinister Grift

(Domino)

Blurb

If you haven't bought a ticket on the Panda Express yet, this is a great place to board. Sinister Grift was the record of the summer for me, despite being perplexingly released in late-February. Who made that decision? It's also the best album Noah Lennox's Animal Collective sidecar has released, Person Pitch—gasp—included. It shimmers with the usual Brian Wilson-inspired harmonies, but effectively straddles the line between saturating the listening field and pulling back on the controls enough to allow the songs to radiate in open space. If you dissect the lyrics, which can carry some serious heft, it still has the feel of a beach record. Which doesn't mean this is background music, far from it. I suppose what I'm saying is you have to listen closely both musically and lyrically to best appreciate it. Remember when we used to do that?

3 Songs

"50mg"

"Just As Well"

"Ends Meet"

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05

WITCH

Sogolo

(Desert Daze Sound)

Blurb

Zambia's WITCH pulled a Pickled Priest shocker in 2023 by placing their album, Zango, at #28 on our year-end list also adding "Unimvwesha Shuga" to our top song list to boot. Pretty impressive. Well, they're back for more this year and they ain't settling for the low-20s this time. They've added a nasty bite to their music and sound more wicked than ever as a result. WITCH stands for We Intend To Cause Havoc, and this time they lived up to that mantra.

3 Songs

"Kamusale"

"Nadi"

"Set Free"

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04

PHILL MOST CHILL & DJAR ONE

Deal With It

(Beats House)

Blurb

I didn't know how in the mood I was for a classic old school rap record until I heard Phill Most Chill and producer Djar One's new record, Deal With It, which is loaded with quick-witted, refreshingly-retro raps that wouldn't have sounded out of place in the mid-80s to the early-90s. I wouldn't have discovered them if the cover of the album wasn't a stylistic homage to Otis Redding and Carla Thomas's Stax Records classic, King and Queen, from 1967. It immediately drew my eye and I rewarded it with a test drive. I haven't stopped riding with it ever since. It's an endlessly amusing, uproarious record with great beats, killer vocals, and dope rhymes (do we still say that?). What started as a bit of a lark on my part turned into something entirely different. It's the perfect record to put on when you need a little fast-flow injection with enough solid bars to build a maximum security prison.

3 Songs

"Back 2 Rhymes"

"Deal With It"

"Born to Rock"

Homage appreciated.

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03

MAVIS STAPLES

Sad and Beautiful World

(Anti-)

Blurb

Mavis, 85 years young, is a voice for all times, but she's particularly needed when things seem bleak, when we all need a reset and a spiritual overhaul. She delivers just that on Sad and Beautiful World, interpreting and inhabiting the words of others with her own soothing and sage countenance, like a wise grandmother who everyone counts on to put things in the proper perspective. There she sits on the cover, alone at her kitchen table, almost as if she is waiting for her next customer to arrive. Some lost soul who needs her counsel. Based on this soul reviving album, I suggest you sit down for a spell and hear what she has to say.

3 Songs

"Beautiful Strangers"

"Sad and Beautiful World"

"Human Mind"

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02

GUIDED BY VOICES

Thick Rich and Delicious

(GBV Inc.)

Blurb

It's a rare GBV album where I love every single track. My normal protocol is to parse out the proceeds, grab my favorites for my massive ongoing playlist (now well into triple digits!), and then move on to the next one in a few months. That wait is never excruciating to say the least. This time, however, it's all top-tier Pollard. Every song, even the instrumentals, has its own identity, from the Tommy-esque "Replay" (which would've fit perfectly on the soundtrack) to the mysterious complexity of "Xeno Urban" (a fellow high priest, no less!), I'm down for all of it. Every single glorious second.

4 Songs

"A Tribute to Beatle Bob"

"Replay"

"Xeno Urban"

"(You Can't Go Back to) Oxford Talawanda"

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01

THE BOOJUMS

The Boojums

(We Are Busy Bodies/Having Fun Records)

Blurb

We just want people to listen to it loudly and we hope it becomes someone’s favorite record.

-Will Stratton, The Boojums

Well, mission accomplished, Will! You are Pickled Priest's favorite record of 2025! Do you believe in love and rock and roll? asks the record's final song, "Yellow Lines," and the answer from anyone with both a pulse and a passion for the genuine article will be a resounding FUCK YES! Especially based on the eleven songs that just preceded it. This record makes me feel overjoyed to be alive and holder of a valid driver's license. You don't listen to this record passively, you engage with it at top volume on open roads, singing along at the top of your lungs with the windows down, pushing the limits, and riding on the adrenalin provided by this joyous Canadian power trio (of which we cannot have too many). One thing is obvious after hearing this record, and that's that the Boojums play for the love of it and that energy is contagious. I'll crawl over a hundred critically-sanctioned buzz bands to get to one inspired, low-budget garage band that digs in their couch cushions for change just so they can play one more gig, write one more song, and release one more album. No pretense, just the joy of playing together. That's how we prefer our rock and roll and that's exactly what we get from the (unfortunately-named) Boojums.

The Boojums named themselves after a fictional animal species from Lewis Carroll's 19th century poem, The Hunting of the Snark, but the Nova Scotia trio sounds anything but what you might expect them to based on their literary inspiration. One look at the cover of their debut album will tell you that this is a low budget, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants, DIY operation. On top of that, there's nothing in the band photo that would indicate what you are about to hear when needle hits vinyl. They strike a positively harmless pose, one that's about as threatening as a group of parents populating the sideline at a kid's soccer game. Inside, however, things take on a different turn. Some say that rock died years ago, but the Boojums seem to have discovered it again in the lost and found of a Royal Canadian Legion Hall somewhere along a remote Northern highway, buried under some stray mittens, scarves, and spectacles. Can I keep this? The band has captured the true believer spirit of rock and roll on this record and I am defenseless when faced with such a pure expression of raw rock and roll energy. That it is far from perfect only makes it more appealing. Our flaws are what make us human, after all, and everybody admires those with the guts and determination to overcome them and put themselves out there in the world. The Boojums strip their music down to the bare essentials because they have no other choice—in the garage, recorded live to tape, without the possibility of overdub—and not a whiff of a "We'll fix it in post" mentality. What you hear is what you get.

Right from the start, on the cacophonous "Outta My Head," the band adds an "Everybody clap your hands" exhortation, as if they're in the middle of playing a live show at a packed club. It's an audacious first song and makes you anxious for what else might be in store the rest of the way. Next up, "Wings of Fire," which wouldn't have sounded out of place on the Japandroids' Celebration Rock back in 2012, accelerates with a recklessness a song with this title requires; destination anywhere. This will likely be the band's calling card from this point forward. From there, the raw bolts of lightning continue at a quick pace. "Stick Together" dials it back a touch leading to a rousing chorus of "Stick together, baby!" that would make Jon Spencer proud. "Burnin'" evokes a younger Springsteen vibe at the beginning, even copping Bruce's "Hey little girl is your daddy home" overture for good measure. Let's face it, rock & roll is a big ripoff and always has been, so no harm no foul, especially since the song revs up like a deuce, another runner in the night. "Meet Me in the Middle" rages like a classic punk song and "Like It" erupts with a Black Sabbath metal riff out of nowhere ending concerns the band might be a one-trick pony. And that's only side fucking one! I had the record ordered off Bandcamp well before this side even ended. Side two, more of the same rock & roll glory, is merely gravy. Literally. There's a great song titled "Gravy" on the flip, which reminds me of the Modern Lovers in a good way. "Football" brings those early Gaslight Anthem rockers to mind. While guitarist Will Stratton takes most of the vocal duties, bassist Sara Johnston takes lead on late-album highlight "Dan's Transmission." More Sara next time, please. From there we arrive back where we started, in love with rock & roll and wearing our hearts on our sleeves. Suffice it to say, no skips along the way, unless you count the poor pressing of my vinyl, which must be a flimsy 100 grams at best. I suppose the imperfect sound fits the album, so I'll forgive them. As long as it sounds like this, I'll still ride shotgun every time it plays.

Songs

All

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Next week: Our Annual Favorite Songs of 2025 Mixtapes are revealed. Four mixtapes, 26 songs each, a total of 104 songs. It's all happening right here, right now. Except in a different post and next week.

Cheers,

The Priest