THE LOUDER STUFF
AUTHOR & PUNISHER – Nocturnal Birding
Terrifying industrial/doom noise that makes Fear Factory sound like Taylor Swift, with a few more organic flourishes this time around. (8)
CASTLE RAT – The Bestiary
A NWOBHM/doom hybrid that could easily sit on a heavy metal playlist between Grand Magus and Green Lung. The swords & sorcery shtick is a minus, but the fact that the frontwoman is easy on the eyes balances things out. (8)
CATHEDRAL – Society’s Pact With Satan
Doom metal legends back from the grave with a long-lost 30-minute epic recorded way back in 2012. This one brought a tear to my eye. (11)
THE LIVING END – I Only Trust Rock ‘N’ Roll
Australian high-energy punk rock ‘n’ roll band returns with a lean, mean, fat-free album full of bangers that Green Day wish they could still come up with. (8)
VERNON REID – Hoodoo Telemetry
Not your typical guitar shredder’s solo album, this effort from Living Colour founder explores a lot of ground from hard rock to hip hop to jazz fusion. (8)
SUPERSUCKERS – Liquor, Women, Drugs And Killing
These American punk rock ‘n’ rollers are always fun to listen to – the new album covers a lot of ground from Motorhead-type noise to country-tinged ballads plus a cover version of “Rocket 69”, an awesome song we hadn’t heard since sometime Supersucker Rick Sims recorded it with the Lee Harvey Oswald Band. (8)
THRICE – Horizons/West
Post-hardcore is quite a wide genre and Thrice have repeatedly proven they want to explore all of it. This one’s darker, quite claustrophobic, and melodic. (7)
THE OTHER STUFF
SIR RICHARD BISHOP – Hillbilly Ragas
If you remember the Sun City Girls, you will know this guy as a one-of-a-kind guitar player. On this album he blends American Primitivism with Indian scales using just an acoustic guitar, and he will blow your mind. (8)
THE BOOMTOWN RATS – The First 50 Years: Songs of Boomtown Glory
Most likely nobody would remember them if it wasn’t for Geldof’s charities, but here they are with a celebratory “greatest hits” double CD. The songs from the debut are charming in their rough way, and of course “I Don’t Like Mondays” is a classic, but there are quite a few tracks that haven't stood the test of time. (7)
CARDIACS – LSD
25 years in the making, this posthumous release is actually one of the strongest in The Cardiacs’ catalog – if you’re not familiar with this legendary underground band’s sound, a thrilling blend of prog, art pop, and punk, this is as good a starting point as any. (8)
THE DIVINE COMEDY – Rainy Sunday Afternoon
Just a comment on the state of the music industry: In order to be able to finance the creation of such a beautiful chamber pop album that won’t make any money, Neil Hannon has to write music for children’s films. Get the deluxe version, it includes a live LP. (8)
GEESE – Getting Killed
The most hyped indie-rock release of 2025, and I can see why: This is unlike anything else you’ll hear this year, a chaotic, cacophonous, maximalistic collection of songs rooted in 70’s classic rock but offered from the perspective of four young people whose parents probably weren’t born yet then. However, I’d rather have more hooks than weirdness. (7)
UTE LEMPER – Pirate Jenny
She’s probably the greatest living interpreter of the Kurt Weill repertoire, and I do enjoy radical Weill cover versions myself, but I found this electronica/jazz offering somewhat lightweight. (7)
SARAH McLACHLAN – Better Broken
McLachlan will always hold a special place in my heart, and this comeback album is as welcome as a dear old friend you haven’t seen in a while. (8)
ROBERT PLANT WITH SUZI DIAN – Saving Grace
Golden God puts together a proper band consisting of largely unknown (but excellent) English musicians to play folk, blues, country, gospel, with superb results. (8)
JOAN SHELLEY – Real Warmth
Shelley moved from Kentucky to Michigan prior to recording this album and this move reflects on the sound of the album which is more indie rock-adjacent compared to her previous folkier efforts. But there’s real warmth here. (8)
AMANDA SHIRES – Nobody’s Girl
There’s a lot of pain in this album, and some bitterness, and pride. Not necessarily the Americana album you HAVE to hear this year, but definitely the one Shires HAD to make. (7)
SLOAN – Based On The Best Seller
Almost 25 years with the same line-up, 14th album, and these Canadian power popsters (think covering the whole gamut from Big Star to Cheap Trick) still sound like they’re having a blast playing together. (8)
TAYLOR SWIFT – The Life Of A Showgirl
Oh shut up, it’s fine. (7)
WEDNESDAY – Bleeds
They used to be a country-tinged band mainly influenced on multiple levels by the Drive-By Truckers, but this album is more aligned with 90’s post-grunge. You’ll see this topping several year-end lists in a couple of months and I can see the appeal, even though I feel the hype's a bit exaggerated. (8)
