A quick perusal of Mojo Magazine's 75 Best Records of 2025 shows me once again, they and I have very different tastes in music. I did see a few of my favorites on their list, though they were way down in the high 60's and low 70's. I also noticed a few records I absolutely despised way up in their Top 20.
I will admit to not having heard a good number of those 75 records, but that's mostly because I've been down that road before. Nothing by Tortoise, Bon Iver, Sharon Van Etten or Panda Bear has ever done a thing for me, and no one I trust is banging down my door with a plea to please listen to them. So, I am sticking with what I know, with a few records that even surprised me.
First up, Ten Really Good Records Of 2025.
Suzanne Vega- Flying With Angels
"Flying With Angels" was Vega's strongest outing in years, with Suzanne in an almost
rocking mood on several tracks, not to mention a surprising turn into
R&B. The arrangements on more than a few tracks jumped out at me in
the best ways, as well as reminding me on more than a few occasions, of her first couple or three records that put her on the map.
Lucy Dacus- Forever Is A Feeling
I enjoyed the boygenius record, but not as much as this Lucy Dacus record. As a matter of fact, I really haven't enjoyed much music by any of the members of boygenius until "Forever Is A Feeling," which does not skimp on lovely melodies and arrangements. I am not usually a fan of that whispery folk pop which to me always sounds like all involved agreed to not try so hard. But "Forever Is A Feeling" is very musical. It tries and succeeds, and it had enough to keep me coming back to it.
Gyasi- Here Comes The Good Part
Gyasi took all that he learned from binging on Bowie, Bolan and The
Sweet and made a record that is a total blast. This record is a glammy hookfest. And while it could feel
like parody at times, it mostly feels like The Dukes Of Stratosphear,
only with Bolan and Bowie as the honorees.
Lady Gaga- Mayhem
It took some time for me to "get" Miss Gaga. Maybe it's because "Mayhem" is not like anything prior. While I continue to have no use for the current crop of pop divas like Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Dua Lipa, etcetera, Gaga continues to keep me on my toes. "Mayhem" has it all from Nine Inch Nails inspired techno, to a litte bit of soul, a touch of glam and a little bit of rock and roll. I really enjoyed this record.
Davey Lane- Finally, A Party Record
Lane was the lead guitarist of Australian power pop legends You Am I, and his solo album, "Finally, A Party Record!" is a smart one. Not every song is a party stomper, but just about every song knocked
me out for one reason or another. Lane has worked with Todd
Rundgren a number of times, both in the studio, and as his musical
director and band mate when Todd toured Australia. You can hear the
influence all over this record, especially on "Not Expecting To Fly,"
which sounds like a lost 80's Utopia track. "He's A DJ" sticks
with the You Am I formula, and a few of the ballads wouldn't feel out of
place on a World Party or solo Macca record.
The Mommyheads- No Quietus
This band has been around a long time, an 11 year hiatus notwithstanding. Since the 80's, The Mommyheads have had some amazing ideas, but unfortunately for me, no record has ever stuck to my ribs. "No Quietus" changed that. On this outing, they take the prog meets XTC and Queen influence and finally, at least for me, have the songs to go with the ideas.
Say She She- Cut & Rewind
These two records share a vibe, one that evokes the late 70's/early 80's sound of soul, funk, and disco. Both records have a good number of songs that would have been blasting out of summer time boomboxes back in the day. Whether or not the nostalgia trip of both records was by choice, it works. Both records are great fun.
Miles Kane- Sunlight In the Shadows
Kane
is another artist who too often suffers from being all style and no
substance. He loves Bowie and Bolan, Lennon/McCartney and John Barry. He
didn't actually say all of that, I can hear it in all his music.
"Sunlight In The Shadows" ups the game with plenty of hooks and more
memorable songs than usual.
Brian D'Addario- Till the Morning
Another year, another D'Addario on my year-end list. This time, Brian goes solo, though brother Michael does make an appearance on "Till The Morning." This album is, in a word, gorgeous. Readers know I cover a lot of musical ground. Some of you are baffled by my love for both Bob Dylan and Motorhead, or Marvin Gaye and the Bad Brains. Well, there is something to love in almost all music, but in my heart, the root of all my listening begins with The Beatles, The Beach Boys and the great harmony of The Hollies, CSN and the Mamas & The Papas, and that's why Brian D'Addario and his brother Michael, together as The Lemon Twigs or apart, continue to push my buttons.
Next up, Ten Really Great Records Of 2025.
Van Morrison- Remembering Now
I had all but given up on ever listening to Van again. His ranting and raving during COVID lockdown was something I didn't need, and while I can separate the art from the artist, and often do, something about Van and Clapton seemed unforgivable. It probably didn't help matters by not releasing any worthy music to quell my anger, until "Remembering Now," a record as classic as anything in Morrison's long career. Where did this album come from? I don't have an answer, but it reminded me of why I've loved the man for so long.
Jon Cleary- The Bywater Sessions
Cleary
is one of my very favorite artists out of New Orleans. I have seen him
perform, quite possibly 50-60 times since I first discovered his
"Moonburn" album in 1999. He has been playing tracks from "The Bywater
Sessions" for a few years now. And as much as I love Jon and his band
The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, I have never been a fan of the "novelty"
tune. There is so much to love about New Orleans music with an endless
supply of great music to be heard, I can take a pass on the songs that
seem to cater to the casual fan. Give me some deep cuts from Irma
Thomas, James Booker and Ernie K. Doe and save the "Mardi Gras Mambo"
for Bourbon Street.
(I love "Mardi Gras Mambo," by the way. That's not my point.)
The "new" tracks that Cleary had been performing live, all had a slightly too cute vibe to them. "Been A Little Minute Since We Did The Diddly Doo" or "Uptown, Downtown, Round Town, Backatown." Or the one about his "Zulu Coconuts," which demands that you "take your hands off my nuts. COCO-nuts!"
Yes, it's all in good fun. I get it. But Jon Cleary has written some fantastic R&B tunes and I simply wanted more of that. When the track list for "The Bywater Sessions" was finally announced with a release date just in time for Jazz Fest, I was somewhat crushed. Half were those silly tunes and half were remakes of songs from past Cleary albums. There would be no new R&B or funk originals.
I should have known better.
"The Bywater Sessions" is one of the best records out of New Orleans in years.
The band was captured live in the studio for this release and with the additional musicians added to the original trio, the songs jump out with new life. If you have never seen Jon Cleary & The AMG live, this record is about as close as you'll get to the electrifying performances he and his killer band have been putting on for the last 25 years.
The playing is mind-blowing. The arrangements are anything but basic. And those "silly" songs I mentioned earlier are hardly novelty once this band blows them up. My expectations were low and maybe that helped. I can say from the heart, "The Bywater Sessions" is one of the best records of Jon Cleary's career, and certainly the most fun you'll have NOT being in New Orleans for Jazz Fest.
Ricky Byrd- NYC Made
Every song on "NYC Made" is a trip through the glory days of rock and roll, A.M.
radio and growing up, with singalong choruses, "bop-shoo-bop" backing
vocals, and street corner harmonies. It's a collection of rock and roll
memories put to song, with Ricky's influences shining bright. I heard
Dion, the New York Dolls, the Beach Boys and the E Street Band in every
song. It's hard not to get lost in this record. As someone
who is NYC made, I can relate to almost every track.
Brad Mehldau- Ride Into The Sun
I have been following Brad Mehldau's career since the "Introducing" album was released in 1995. But it was 2002's "Largo" that made me a fan for life. This was not your mother's piano jazz record. This was the genius of producer Jon Brion coupled with Mehldau's love of Black Sabbath, The Beatles, Jobim and Radiohead to create a truly unique listening experience. But on "Ride Into The Sun," Mehldau stuns in a different way. The hype sticker on the album says, "Brad Mehldau performs songs of and inspired by Elliott Smith with Chris Thile and Daniel Rossen" and it is one beautiful ride. If you're not a fan of jazz, or classical, or pop music, or Elliott Smith, don't let that stop you from experiencing this record. As much as it is all of those things, it's also none of those things. It's music and it needs to be heard.
Batiste has jumped genres since the beginning, but never as comfortably as he does on "Big Money." From the gorgeous R&B burner that opens things up, a duet with Andra Day called "Lean On My Love," to the country gospel raves of "Pinnacle" and the title track, "Big Money" wastes none of it. And if you want to hear Jon play the piano, listen to "Do It All Again," or what might end up being my favorite song of the year, "Maybe," a chilling, one take heartbreak stunner, that left me frozen. When I said that to Jon, he said, "I sat down and let that song flow through me onto the tape." I knew it. I felt it as I was listening. It has a primal Lennon/Plastic Ono Band vibe to it. "Maybe" is special, and so is "Big Money."
The Lemon Twigs & Friends- Written By Ronnie D'Addario
This was released just in time for inclusion. The idea? The father of The Lemon Twigs is a singer and songwriter with an all but forgotten catalogue, and so the sons, stars in their own right, decide to bring these songs to life with the help of Todd Rundgren, Mac DeMarco, a couple of Wondermints, and another famous son, Sean Ono Lennon. The result? Ear candy! Like I said in the Brain D'Addario blurb above, my love of music began and will surely end with The Beatles, The Beach Boys and three part harmony, and all of that is present in just about every song here. I can do without "Be Like Him," a lovely arrangement but a bit too Jesus-ey in the lyrics. Aside from that minor quibble, these songs took no time to wrap themselves around my brain and heart.
Suede- Antidepressants
I stopped listening to Suede after "Coming Up." I liked the band, especially their singles up to that point. I just didn't love the band enough to follow through. A few suggestions of more recent records made by some Suede fan friends didn't help much. But the reviews of this new one were hard to ignore. And guess what? The reviews nailed it. I love this album more than I love their first three. It still sounds like Suede, though there is something a bit Goth-like happening too. I'd go as far as saying, "Antidepressants" sounds like a succesful collab between Suede and The Cult. Your miles may vary, but I stand by it. It is what made me love the album.
Cheap Trick- All Washed Up
It's
no secret, I love this band. And unlike most, I didn't give up after
"Dream Police." I have a record dealer friend from the band's hometown
of Rockford, Illinois who thinks the first five Cheap Trick records are
greater than some of the most obvious choices of all time great records.
But even he stopped listening after "Dream Police." I don't get it.
Five of my ten favorite Cheap Trick records were released in the last 15
years, and "All Washed Up" might be the best of their last five.
Do
they cover new ground? Thankfully, no. Does Robin Zander still sound
like he's 25? Thankfully, yes. Is Rick Nielsen still a riff machine?
Absotively! What's not to love here? Oh wait, they do cover new ground.
The very last song "Wham Boom Bang" is right out of a British dancehall
and it's one of the best tracks on the album.
Wet Leg- moisturizer
When exactly did the term "sophomore slump" originate? I ask because I
was about to write "it's rare when a smash debut is followed
by an even better record," until I started thinking about it. The
Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Led Zeppelin,
The Beach Boys, David Bowie, The Kinks, Prince, Lou Reed, Roxy Music
& Simon & Garfunkel all made better second records, and that's
just off the top of my head.
That said, Wet Leg's debut was huge and many loved it. Listeners who don't usually go for this brand of offbeat rock and roll fell hard as well. It pushed a lot of buttons people didn't know they had. Now after three years of what seemed like relentless touring, Wet Leg is back with "moisturizer" and it's not just better, it feels like a different band. There's more singing, more music, different instrumentation, so much so that to my ears, that debut sounds like a collection of demos in comparison.
The leap isn't as jarring as say, Elvis Costello going from "Trust" to "Almost Blue," but "moisturizer" sounds more like a band on their fourth or fifth record. Maybe that's because I just expected the "sophomore slump" and this is far from it. Songs like "CPR," "mangetout," "jennifer's body" and "pokemon" kept me on my toes. The album is more musical than the first and the band did not skimp on the hooks. "moisturizer" is a very happy surprise.
Galactic & Irma Thomas- Audience With The Queen
First, let me say this about Galactic.
2025 will mark the band's 30th year together. This premier New Orleans funk band has evolved from five talented guys jamming around the grooves of their forefathers, to an in-demand quintet of musicians that can adapt to any musical situation. Rich Vogel, Jeff Raines, Robert Mercurio, Ben Ellman and my favorite living drummer who isn't Ringo Starr, Stanton Moore, have solidified their place alongside some of the greatest New Orleans musicians, as well as musicians from all over the world, because they have never forgotten the music of the people that came before them. Galactic is delivering modern music without abandoning their roots, with each new record exploring new ground from techno to New Orleans bounce, as well as rap, soul and Carnival. They have never rested on their laurels.
Do I need to say anything about Miss Irma Thomas? The answer is no, but I will anyway. Irma Thomas recorded her first single in 1958 when she was 17 years old. Now, at 84, and 60 plus years of solid R&B and gospel music later, Thomas is singing better than ever.
So what do we get when these forces join together?
"Audience With The Queen" is a record so special, it just might be the best release of both artists' careers.
The set opens with a cover of the Nancy Wilson hit "How Glad I Am," a song that has been covered countless times since 1964, by everyone from Aretha Franklin and Chrissie Hynde to Kiki Dee, Maria McKee and Sandie Shaw. But the reading here is not just another cover. This is church, baby. This sets the table for a menu of tight, soul lifting songs, some of which could rightly be called "protest songs." Just listen to "Lady Liberty."
Irma Thomas is fired up. At 84, she sounds like a singer of 44, delivering the goods with a now or never passion. Credit must go to producers, Galactic members Ben Ellman and Robert Mercurio. When you've got the Queen Of New Orleans soul coming to work, the task must be daunting. But you'd never know it from the joy that exudes from these grooves.
"Audience With The Queen" is a slim and graceful 31
minutes long, and it sure flies by. There are no missteps here. This
record is a perfect ten and I just hope Irma has at least one more
record in her, especially if it's a sequel to this gem. If I had a ton of money, I'd make sure Irma Thomas got to make a record a year. Miss Thomas will be 85 next February, and her voice is as affective as ever. And again, thanks must go to the members of Galactic for creating an album that is exactly the record it should be. The band gets to funk it up, get soulful, and get groovy, without ever overshadowing the Soul Queen Of New Orleans. It is a perfect collaboration.
