20 ΑΛΜΠΟΥΜ ΓΙΑ ΤΟ 2025

Ήρθε και φέτος η ώρα της Λίστας! Γενικά ήταν μια πολύ καλή χρονιά για το ροκ, για αυτό και η παρακάτω λίστα φέτος είναι ίσως περισσότερο ροκ από άλλες χρονιές. Έχω επίσης την αίσθηση ότι δεν ήταν ιδιαίτερα καλή χρονιά για το metal αφού αγαπημένοι καλλιτέχνες του Geek που με προηγούμενα άλμπουμ τους είχαν πανηγυρικά μια θέση εδώ (π.χ. Propagandhi, Ghost, Machine Head, Night Flight Orchestra, Christian Mistress, Katatonia...) με τα φετεινά τους μένουν εκτός. 

Πριν πάμε στη λίστα, όπως κάθε χρόνο θα θέλαμε να εξηγήσουμε γιατί κάποιοι δίσκοι, τους οποίους πιθανότατα θα δείτε στη λίστα του Pitchfork, του Rolling Stone, του Uncut, του Mojo κλπ. δεν συμπεριλαμβάνονται στη δική μας:

• BAD BUNNY επειδή δεν έχω ακούσει ούτε νότα του. Σοβαρά.
• BON IVER επειδή δεν τον έβαζα στη λίστα το 2007, θα τον βάλω το 2025;
• GEESE επειδή θεωρώ το hype γύρω από αυτούς ίσως υπερβολικό, σίγουρα ενοχλητικό.
• JASON ISBELL επειδή τον προτιμώ με φουλ μπάντα παρά ακουστικό.
• ROSALIA επειδή ας είμαστε λίγο σοβαροί.
• RYAN DAVIS & THE ROADHOUSE BAND επειδή δεν μου "μίλησε".
• WEDNESDAY επειδή βλ. Geese. 
• WET LEG επειδή ωραίο αλλά ως εκεί.

Επίσης, να επαναλάβουμε ένα disclaimer – Οι παρακάτω επιλογές δεν είναι σε καμία περίπτωση "αντικειμενικές", και εκφράζουν μόνο το προσωπικό μου γούστο. Ο βασικός λόγος που τις παρουσιάζω είναι γιατί μου αρέσει να μοιράζομαι τις μουσικές με τις οποίες παθιάζομαι με άλλους, γνωστούς και αγνώστους, ελπίζοντας να συστήσω κάποιους καλλιτέχνες που αγαπώ σε λίγα άτομα που μπορεί να ανακαλύψουν κάτι καινούργιο για αυτούς. 

Ουφ, πάμε επιτέλους στην περιβόητη Λίστα. Love it, hate it, share it! 

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20. CAR SEAT HEADREST – The Scholars
Πριν από 10 χρόνια ήσουν η «νέα μεγάλη ελπίδα» του lo-fi indie rock αλλά στην πορεία αποξένωσες μέρος του κοινού σου με μία σειρά από δίσκους ολοένα αυξανόμενης πολυπλοκότητας. Τι κάνεις λοιπόν; Μα φυσικά κυκλοφορείς μία εβδομηντάλεπτη ροκ όπερα με πλοκή που δεν καταλαβαίνει κανείς, τι άλλο; Αυτό το άλμπουμ θυμίζει περισσότερο “Quadrophenia” παρά ο,τιδήποτε “lo-fi indie rock” και είναι ο τρίτος καλύτερος “gay rock” δίσκος της χρονιάς – επεξήγηση του όρου παρακάτω.

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19. DEAFHEAVEN – Lonely People With Power
Όταν πρωτοεμφανίστηκαν ήταν πραγματικά πρωτοπόροι. Όμως το 2025 ένα πάντρεμα black metal και shoegaze δεν ξαφνιάζει πλέον κανέναν, οπότε απούσης της καινοτομίας ο μόνος τρόπος να ακουστούν είναι η ποιότητα των συνθέσεων και φέτος οι Deafheaven μεγαλούργησαν – από τις Emperor-ικές εκρήξεις στα υπερβατικά My Bloody Valentine περάσματα, οι Καλιφορνέζοι μας έδωσαν τον καλύτερο δίσκο τους εδώ και τουλάχιστον μία δεκαετία. 

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18. SHARON VAN ETTEN & THE ATTACHMENT THEORY – Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory
H στροφή της Van Etten από την κιθάρα στα synths ως βασικό εργαλείο σύνθεσης δεν έπεσε ακριβώς σαν κεραυνός εν αιθρία, αφού είναι κάτι που έχει ξεκινήσει σταδιακά από το 2019. Φέτος όμως, και μάλιστα για πρώτη φορά επίσημα με μια κανονική μπάντα γύρω της, η Van Etten βρήκε επιτέλους τον ήχο που έψαχνε και ο οποίος θυμίζει περισσότερο Joy Division/New Order παρά τις indie folk ρίζες της. Αυτό που δεν έχει αλλάξει καθόλου είναι η μαγική της ικανότητα να χτυπά τις πιο ευαίσθητες χορδές του ακροατή.

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17. BOB MOULD – Here We Go Crazy
Κάπου ανάμεσα στο παρελθόν του (με τους Husker Du βασικά εφηύρε τους Nirvana) και το μέλλον του (η πολυαναμενόμενη επανασύνδεση των Sugar) είναι εύκολο να παραβλέψει κανείς το παρόν του Mould – ειδικά αφού μιλάμε για έναν άνθρωπο που βγάζει καλούς solo δίσκους τόσο αβίαστα και τακτικά ώστε να παίρνουμε κάτι τέτοιο ως δεδομένο. Όμως ακόμα και μέσα σε μία τόσο άρτια συνολική δισκογραφία με μισή ντουζίνα (και βάλε) all-time classic άλμπουμ ο φετεινός του δίσκος ξεχωρίζει, και είναι το solo άλμπουμ του που προσωπικά άκουσα περισσότερο από την εποχή του “Black Sheets Of Rain”.

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16. MAJOR STARS – More Colors Of Sound
Σε μία εποχή όπου είναι πολύ εύκολο να μάθεις τα πάντα για όλους, ένα συγκρότημα που υπάρχει 27 χρόνια κι έχει κυκλοφορήσει καμιά δεκαπενταριά δίσκους κατάφερε να μου είναι παντελώς άγνωστο. Κοιτάξτε, είμαι πλήρως συνειδητοποιημένος για το discovery effect – «το ανακάλυψα τώρα, δεν το ξέρει κανείς, ας το βάλω στη λίστα». Όπως και για το end year effect – το έχεις πιο φρέσκο στα αυτιά σου από άλλους δίσκους, οπότε επιλέγεις να βάλεις αυτό στη λίστα. Όμως πραγματικά πιστεύω ότι αυτό το ψυχεδελικό σκληρό ροκ με τρεις κιθάρες και γυναικεία φωνητικά αξίζει μία θέση εδώ. Θα ψάξω πάραυτα και τα προηγούμενα.

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15. GALACTIC & IRMA THOMAS – Audience With The Queen
Ένα πάντρεμα ιδανικό, μία από τις κορυφαίες funk μπάντες της Νέας Ορλεάνης και η Βασίλισσα της soul της πόλης, στα 84 της με φωνάρα 24-χρονης, σε ένα δίσκο ευφορικό από πλευράς ηχοχρωμάτων από τον οποίο όμως δεν λείπει ο αιχμηρός σχολιασμός της Αμερικανικής πραγματικότητας σήμερα. Ακούστε, χορέψτε, σκεφτείτε. 

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14. ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF – Iconoclasts
Η νέα Βασίλισσα των Γότθων (Von Hausswolff είναι το αληθινό της όνομα, παρεμπιπτόντως) φέτος εκπλήρωσε απόλυτα τις υποσχέσεις που είχε αφήσει με τις προηγούμενες δουλειές της. Και το καλύτερο απ’ όλα είναι ότι το level-up δεν βασίζεται στους special guests, παρόλο που το ντουέτο με τον Iggy Pop υποθέτω τράβηξε κόσμο και αυτό με την Ethel Cain είναι σαν η Lana Del Rey να χορεύει στη Rebound: Απλά οι συνθέσεις της είναι πιο ολοκληρωμένες αυτή τη φορά, και η ατμόσφαιρα πιο 4AD. Από τους υπόλοιπους συμμετέχοντες στο άλμπουμ ο τίτλος του MVP πάει όχι στον Iggy ή την Cain, αλλά στον σαξοφωνίστα Otis Sandsjö ο οποίος χρωματίζει μοναδικά σχεδόν όλα τα κομμάτια του δίσκου. 

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13. CARDIACS – LSD
Το 1992 είχαμε πάει στην Αγγλία με φίλους για τα καλοκαιρινά φεστιβάλ, κι ένα βράδυ στο Λονδίνο βρεθήκαμε για προθέρμανση σε ένα κλαμπ ονόματι Camden Palace όπου έπαιζαν κάποιοι Cardiacs. Αυτή ήταν η πρώτη μου επαφή με το συγκρότημα, και είχα εντυπωσιαστεί τόσο πολύ ώστε το επόμενο πρωί κατέβηκα στα δισκάδικα της πόλης για να πάρω τα άλμπουμ τους (βρήκα δύο). Και περνάνε τα χρόνια, και το συγκρότημα διαλύεται, και ο Tim Smith πέθανε πριν 5 χρόνια, και δεν περίμενα ότι θα ξανακούσω τίποτα από αυτούς. Και όμως: Τα εναπομείναντα μέλη του συγκροτήματος, μαζί με κάποιους φίλους/οπαδούς του Smith, πήραν τις τελευταίες ηχογραφήσεις του και τις ολοκλήρωσαν συμπληρώνοντας όπου χρειαζόταν όργανα και φωνητικά. Είναι prog, είναι punk, είναι Cardiacs, είναι ο καλύτερος δίσκος του 2025 που ξεκίνησε να ηχογραφείται το 2007.

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12. THE DIVINE COMEDY – Rainy Sunday Afternoon
35 ολόκληρα χρόνια μετά το ντεμπούτο του ως Divine Comedy o Neil Hannon κυκλοφόρησε φέτος το καλύτερο άλμπουμ της καριέρας του, χρηματοδοτώντας την ηχογράφηση στα Abbey Road studios με την αμοιβή του από το soundtrack της ταινίας Wonka. Το “Rainy Sunday Afternoon” είναι επίσης το πιο προσωπικό/εσωτερικό του άλμπουμ και αυτό που πλησιάζει περισσότερο από ποτέ τους ήρωες του Hannon, Scott Walker και Jacques Brel. Αγάπησα αυτό τον δίσκο φέτος, πολύ.

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11. HIS LORDSHIP – Bored Animal
Το δεύτερο καλύτερο garage rock άλμπουμ της χρονιάς προέρχεται από δύο μουσικούς με θητεία στους Pretenders, οι οποίοι εδώ they dumb it down με τον καλύτερο δυνατό τρόπο. Δεν έχω συνηθίσει να ακούω psychobilly riffs από τέτοιους βιρτουόζους, συνήθως η κουλαμάρα είναι μέρος του appeal στο ιδίωμα, και όσον αφορά τους στίχους τους ο Bob Dylan μπορεί να κοιμάται ήσυχος. Και όμως, παρόλα αυτά, τα σπάει άσχημα.

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10. PERFUME GENIUS – Glory 
Το ’97-΄98 όταν κάναμε την εκπομπή “Μυστήριες Ιστορίες” στον ιστορικό ΡΟΔΟΝ FM με τον Ανδρέα Γιαννακουλόπουλο, την Αναστασία Καμβύση, την Τζέην Σαμπανίκου και τον Κωνσταντίνο Ζαχόπουλο, είχαμε ένα inside joke για ένα μουσικό ιδίωμα που είχαμε βαφτίσει “gay rock” που δεν είχε να κάνει ούτε με στιχουργική θεματολογία, ούτε με συγκεκριμένο ήχο: Βασικά, οποιοδήποτε συγκρότημα είχε gay μέλη και άρεσε στους gay συναδέλφους/φίλους μας το λέγαμε gay rock. Χαζομάρες, αλλά γελούσαμε. Το θυμήθηκα τώρα γιατί το 2025 ήταν μια εξαιρετική χρονιά για το gay rock και το “Glory” ήταν το δεύτερο καλύτερο gay rock άλμπουμ της χρονιάς, παντρεύοντας ιδανικά την art pop με σκληρότερες κιθαριστικές εξάρσεις.

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9. EZRA FURMAN – Goodbye Small Head
Όμως το καλύτερο gay rock άλμπουμ της χρονιάς είναι αυτό του/της (παρακαλώ ας μην αρχίσουμε κουβέντα για τα οριστικά άρθρα, θα εκνευριστώ) Ezra Furman, ο οποίος εδώ όχι απλά τα βάζει με τους προσωπικούς του δαίμονες, αλλά το κάνει μέσα σε ένα Τραμπ-ικό πλαίσιο που γίνεται ολοένα και πιο εχθρικό προς άτομα σαν αυτόν. Αν και βεβαίως τα sexual politics του Furman δεν θα είχαν καμία σημασία για αυτή τη λίστα αν δεν συνοδεύονταν από εξαιρετικά ροκ τραγούδια με μαξιμαλιστικές ενορχηστρώσεις, που μου θύμισαν γιατί παλαιότερα τον είχα χαρακτηρίσει ως τον “gay Εβραίο Springsteen”.

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8. RICHARD DAWSON – End Of The Middle
Είναι δύσκολο να εξηγήσεις σε κάποιον που δεν έχει ακούσει Richard Dawson γιατί σου αρέσει, κι επίσης είναι δύσκολο να εξηγήσεις στο 80% όσων ΕΧΟΥΝ ακούσει Richard Dawson γιατί σου αρέσει – η φωνή του είναι “acquired taste” που λένε και οι συμπατριώτες του, τα τραγούδια του δεν ακολουθούν παραδοσιακές δομές, δεν έχουν πιασάρικα ρεφρέν, συχνά δεν υπάρχουν καν ρίμες. Ειδικά αν δεν είσαι Βρετανός και δεν έχεις ούτε καν το κοινό κοινωνικοπολιτισμικό πλαίσιο, το “End Of The Middle” πιθανότατα είτε θα σε αφήσει παγερά αδιάφορο, είτε θα το μισήσεις. Όταν όμως «το πιάσεις», την ιδιοφυία των συνθέσεων που δεν μοιάζουν με ΤΙΠΟΤΑ άλλο και τη μαγική ικανότητα του Dawson να μετατρέπει μπανάλ λεπτομέρειες της καθημερινότητας σε επικά ψυχοδράματα, θα ανταμειφθείς πλουσιοπάροχα. 

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7. THE TUBS – Cotton Crown
O ήχος είναι jangle pop, γεμάτος καμπανιστές κιθάρες που παραπέμπουν στον Johnny Marr και μια φωνή που θυμίζει Richard Thompson. Ακούγεται χαρούμενο, ηλιόλουστο αν δεν προσέξεις τους στίχους όπου πέφτει πολλή μαυρίλα. Αυτή η αντίθεση όμως είναι που κάνει το άλμπουμ τόσο ελκυστικό, και βασικά αν είστε από αυτούς που πιστεύουν ότι το “If I Can’t Change Your Mind” των Sugar είναι το καλύτερο τραγούδι της δεκαετίας του ‘90 (είναι), τότε θα λατρέψετε το “Cotton Crown”.

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6. BUTLER, BLAKE & GRANT – Butler, Blake & Grant
Ένας δίσκος που πέρασε μάλλον απαρατήρητος και δεν μπορώ να καταλάβω γιατί: Όχι μόνο διότι πρόκειται για supergroup (o Bernard Butler από την αυθεντική σύνθεση των Suede, o Normal Blake από τους Teenage Fanclub, και ο James Grant από τους Love And Money), αλλά κι επειδή οι συνθέσεις είναι καταπληκτικές με ένα έντονο Crosby Stills & Nash vibe που συνήθως οι κριτικοί λατρεύουν. Υπέροχες φωνητικές αρμονίες, jangly κιθάρες, ένα όνειρο.

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5. TURNSTILE – Never Enough
Όταν ο Dylan έπιασε για πρώτη φορά ηλεκτρική κιθάρα σε συναυλία του φωνάζανε από κάτω «Ιούδα!». Το 1913 στην πρώτη παρουσίαση της «Ιεροτελεστίας Της Άνοιξης» στο Παρίσι ο Στραβίνσκι είχε φάει τρελό κράξιμο. Είμαι σίγουρος ότι και ο πρώτος Νεάντερθαλ που χτύπησε ένα τεντωμένο δέρμα μαχαιρόδοντα με ένα κόκκαλο ύαινας για να συνοδεύσει ρυθμικά τα «ουγκ» του μπαμπά και των θείων του θα είχε φάει επίσης κράξιμο επειδή έκανε κάτι καινούργιο, οπότε δεν με εκπλήσσουν οι κραυγές περί «ξεπουλήματος» επειδή ο Turnstile δεν παίζουν πλέον hardcore. Αυτοί που παίζουν για το κοινό όμως είναι απλώς διασκεδαστές, oι αληθινοί Kαλλιτέχνες παίζουν για τον εαυτό τους και το κοινό ακολουθεί (ή όχι). Οι Turnstile λοιπόν είναι Καλλιτέχνες.

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4. ROBERT JON & THE WRECK – Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes
Αρχιδάτο southern hard rock από μια παρέα Καλιφορνέζων που ακούγονται λες και γεννήθηκαν 3000 χλμ. ανατολικότερα μέσα σε ένα μπαρ στη Λουιζιάνα. Ένα κι ένα τα τραγούδια του άλμπουμ, γεμάτα γκάζια και hooks – θα σας θυμίσουν Skynyrd, Allmans και όλα αυτά τα καλούδια σε σύγχρονη εκδοχή, ή θα σκεφτείτε πως κάπως έτσι θα έπαιζαν οι Rival Sons αν ήταν καλό συγκρότημα. Μάλλον το δεύτερο καλύτερο southern rock άλμπουμ της χρονιάς, επειδή....

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3. JAMES McMURTRY – The Black Dog And The Wandering Boy
... Ο όρος “Americana” είναι τόσο ευρύς που δεν ξέρω αν έχει πλέον νόημα. Ο McMurtry π.χ. μπαίνει κάτω από τη συγκεκριμένη ταμπέλα, στην πραγματικότητα όμως αυτό το άλμπουμ ροκάρει σκληρότερα από τις πιο ροκάδικες στιγμές του Jason Isbell, ας πούμε, με τον οποίο μάλιστα ο McMurtry φαίνεται να μοιράζεται τις προοδευτικές πολιτικές αντιλήψεις και τη στιχουργική/storytelling ευφυία (αν και του ρίχνει καμιά εικοσαριά χρόνια). Αν είναι λοιπόν καιρός για μια καινούργια ταμπέλα τότε αυτό εδώ θα το βάφτιζα “antifa country rock”, και μου κάνει μια χαρά.

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2. CORONER – Dissonance Theory
Στα 80’s υπήρχαν διάφορα είδη μεταλλάδων: Κάποιοι ακούγανε μόνο τα μελωδικά (Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, Def Leppard…), κάποιοι ακούγανε κυρίως τα παραδοσιακά (Dio, Judas Priest, Queensryche), είχαμε τους επικούς (Manowar, Warlord…), τους «μόνο Maiden», τους thrash-άδες... Και μετά ήταν και κάποιοι λίγοι βλαμμένοι, ξέρετε, αυτοί οι ιντελέκτουαλ που δεν είχαν ποτέ γκόμενα, που ακούγανε τα κουλά τεχνομπερδευτικά: Watchtower, Voivod, Last Crack... και βεβαίως Coroner. Τέλος πάντων, οι Coroner επέστρεψαν 30+ χρόνια μετά το “Grin”, έχοντας πατήσει φαντάζομαι τα 60, και ΓΑΜΗΣΑΝΕ ΤΟ ΣΥΜΠΑΝ με το καλύτερο metal άλμπουμ της χρονιάς. Χωρίς ανταγωνισμό στο ιδίωμα φέτος.

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1. SWAMI JOHN REIS – Time To Let You Down
Ισοβίτης punk rocker που οι παλαιότεροι ίσως θυμούνται από τους Rocket From The Crypt έβγαλε φέτος τρελή δισκάρα: Σε μια χρονιά που το garage rock είχε την τιμητική του με τρομερά άλμπουμ (His Lordship, The Hives…), o Reis στέκεται περήφανος στην κορυφή της πυραμίδας με 11 τραγούδια που κατεβαίνουν μονορούφι σε 28 λεπτά και σε κάνουν να νιώθεις 28 χρόνια νεώτερος. Κυρίες και κύριοι, το άλμπουμ που άκουσα φέτος περισσότερο από οποιοδήποτε άλλο. Και του χρόνου.

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Dec 25

 

THE AVETT BROTHERS & MIKE PATTON – AVTT/PTTN
In the strangest, most head-scratching collaboration of the year, arena folk-rockers team up with Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Fantomas…). The sound is much more AVTT than PTTN but you really can’t tell if Patton is sincere or just taking the piss, in other words it’s typical Patton. (8)

BARREN PATH – Grieving
Gridlink fans will appreciate this as the band is essentially Gridlink with a different vocalist. Relentless grindcore, 12 tracks in less than 14 minutes, the way it should be. (8)

CHEAP TRICK – All Washed Up
Cheap Trick is like pizza, even a not very good Cheap Trick album is a very good Cheap Trick album. (7)

FUZZY LIGHTS – Fen Creatures
English pastoral folk played with sludge metal intensity, better than you probably think it would be. (8)

MAJOR STARS – More Colors Of Sound
Major Stars could never be major stars as their brand of psychedelic garage rock hasn’t been the stuff of chart-topping hits since, probably, Jefferson Airplane of something, but they deserve to be – this is fuckin’ awesome. (8)

SABINE McCALLA – Don’t Call Me Baby
A New Orleans gumbo made with R&B, blues, samba, and everything in between. Dan Auerbach co-writes some stuff here. (8)

OLAN MONK – Songs for Nothing
Doom ‘n’ gloom goth shoegaze dirges influenced by the sounds and sights of his native Ireland. Not if you’re in a party mood. (7)

PEPE DELUXE – Super Sound 25 (Reissue)
I could make a case that 2012’s maximalistic “Queen Of The Wave” is probably the best album of the 21st century. Their debut from 2000 is quite a different affair – pretty good but a pure Big Beat album that owes a lot to then chart-topping artists like Fatboy Slim and the Chemical Brothers. (8)

NOURA MINT SEYMALI – Yenbett
The Queen of desert blues is finally back – it’s psychedelic, it’s exotic, it’s noisy and transcendent. (8)

JESSE SYKES AND THE SWEET HEREAFTER – Forever, I’ve Been Being Born
Is this Folky Psychedelia or is it Psychedelic Folk? Maybe it’s Cosmic Americana? In any case it sounds like something out of the “Truckers, Kickers, Cowboy Angels” 70’s Country Rock compilation series, like it was recorded in 1973 or something, and it’s beautiful. (8)

2025: The Metal List

 

While the Music Geek is putting the final touches on his annual genre-agnostic and quite Epic "Best Albums Of the Year" List, here's a quick one: 2025's 20 favorite metal and metal-friendly releases. 

Either this was not a particularly strong year for metal, or  after 45 years as a metalhead I finally stopped being one. Dunno, but only a couple of the below metal, punk, dark albums REALLY impressed me and will make the other List. I'm keeping the order here alphabetical to maintain the suspense. 

But feel free to share suggestions in the "Comments" area below on what I might have missed out on. Come on, change my mind. Hail Satan.

ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF – Iconoclasts
Her “pop” album is also her strongest and includes duets with Iggy Pop and Ethel Cain. The term “pop” of course only applies if we agree that stuff released on 4AD in the 80’s was “pop”.
BEHEMOTH – The Shit Ov God
A grandiose black/death metal statement, and probably their best since career-high “The Satanist”.
CORONER – Dissonance Theory
Their first album in 30+ years doesn’t disappoint, seamlessly blending quantum physics-level of prog into their brutal speed metal assault.
CRYPTOPSY – An Insatiable Violence
If you like technical virtuosity and a bit of melody thrown into your brutal death metal, you can do worse than this album.
DARON MALAKIAN AND SCARS ON BROADWAY – Addicted To The Violence
The closest we’re going to ever get to a new SOAD album, I guess.
DEAFHEAVEN – Lonely People With Power
They bring the metal back– you still have shoegaze-y guitars pop up here and there but this is their heaviest record in at least a decade, reminiscent in places of second-wave Norwegian black metal like Emperor and Enslaved.
DREAM THEATER – Parasomnia 
Portnoy’s return to the line-up coincides with a strong album that will thrill prog metal fans.
DROPKICK MURPHYS – For The People
The beloved Celtic folk-punks have demonstrated an AC/DC-like stylistic consistency throughout their career and this is one of the better albums.
GHOST – Skeleta 
Not as catchy and fun as “Impera", still has lots to offer.
HANDGEMENG – Satanic Panic Attack
The stoner bastard child of Turbonegro and Kvelertak.
HELLACOPTERS – Overdriver
A very welcome return for these guys and their brand of infectious, high-energy rock ‘n’ roll. 
LAURA JANE GRACE – Adventure Club 
One of the best punk rock records of the year was conceived and recorded in Athens, Greece with members of Vodka Juniors, and includes a song about espresso freddo. 
PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS – Death Hilarious
Doom/sludge metal band Pigs x7 instill a bit of Helmet into their formula and bring home the bacon.
PROPAGANDHI – No Longer Young
Canadian punk/metal heroes return with another solid slab of technical, thrashy social commentary.
RIVERS OF NIHIL – Rivers Of Nihil
Progressive death metal, not as adventurous as, say, Blood Incantation, but expertly written and executed.
SANHEDRIN – Heat Lightning
A lady you wouldn’t mess with on vocals and bass backed by a couple of hooligans on guitar and drums, this is traditional heavy metal in its purest form channeling early 80’s Riot and Maiden and all sorts of good stuff.
SPIDERS – Sharp Objects
Nordic rockers return and this time they pump up their Detroit/Australia-style garage punk rock with some late-70’s NYC vibes – I can hear traces of Blondie, The Ramones, even Richard Hell/Stiv Bators/Johnny Thunders in here.
TURNSTILE – Never Enough
If this is modern hardcore, I have to say that in places it sounds a lot like a cross between imperial era Chili Peppers and The Police. This is meant as a compliment.
WINO – Create Or Die
You’ll find the blue-collar doom metal riffs you expect here, but where Wino really shines on this solo outing is when he puts on his Townes Van Zandt hat, as on the magnificent “New Terms” and “Noble Man”.
WITCHCRAFT – Idag 
Better than “Black Metal” and “Nucleus”, probably better than “Legend” too, and as fuzzy and riff-tastic as their first three albums on Rise Above.

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Nov 25

THE BELAIR LIP BOMBS – Again
Australian band signed to Third Man Records releases sophomore album. Stronger and more streamlined than their debut, this is indie rock with a strong emphasis on the “rock” part. (8)

CREEPER – Sanguivore II: Mistress of Death
Over the top and campy, but also ridiculously fun – like “Floodland”-era Sisters Of Mercy doing songs written in 1987 by Desmond Child. (8)

DRINK THE SEA – Drink The Sea I & II
A supergroup featuring Peter Buck (REM), Barrett Martin (Screaming Trees), Alain Johannes (Eleven), and Duke Garwood (Mark Lanegan collaborator and impersonator) blending rock with Middle Eastern and Asian influences. When it works it’s spectacular, it sometimes gets repetitive (a trimmed-down single album rather than a double one would’ve worked better) but the pure love for making music together always shines through. (7)

ROBERT FINLEY – Hallelujah! Don’t Let The Devil Fool Ya
Gospel/funk by blind septuagenarian expertly produced by Black Key Dan Auerbach. (8) 

ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF – Iconoclasts
Her “pop” album is also her strongest and includes duets with Iggy Pop and Ethel Cain. The term “pop” is of course relative and applies only if we agree that stuff released on 4AD in the 80’s (Dead Can Dance, Clan Of Xymox, This Mortal Coil?) were “pop”. (8) 

MIDLAKE – A Bridge To Far
Sixth album from Texan psych/folk outfit is one of their strongest. (8)

JUANA MOLINA – Doga
Eccentric experimental pop from adventurous Argentinian artist. Lots of weird synths, ring modulators and loops, it sounds much more fun than it reads. (8)

SNOCAPS – Snocaps 
Critical darling Katie Crutchfield, aka Waxahatchee, reunites with twin sister Allison and they bring along a couple of guys for the ride (one of them is MJ Lenderman). Good songwriting, good fun. (8)

MAVIS STAPLES – Sad And Beautiful World
60’s gospel/blues/protest song icon still going strong and this is a great album, featuring interpretations of songs by Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Curtis Mayfield, Gillian Welch, Kevin Morby and others and guest musicians ranging from the legendary (Buddy Guy, Derek Trucks, Bonny Raitt) to the zeitgeist-y (Katie Crutchfield, Justin Vernon, MJ Lenderman). (8) 

FRANK TURNER – The Next Ten Years
Not quite sure how/when I became a Frank Turner superfanboy but this is great – a collection of b-sides, outtakes and live recordings covering the last decade of his career, several of which I haven’t heard before. It’s more on his poppier/acoustic side than on his punk side, but I like that too. (8)

WITCH FEVER – Fevereaten
They made The List with their debut a few years ago, and their second album fulfills the promise, genre-bending (Punk? Grunge? Doom? Riot Grrrl? Post-Hardcore?) and emotionally draining. Only the element of surprise is missing the second time around. (8)

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Oct 25 Vol II

THE LOUDER STUFF

CORONER – Dissonance Theory
Even the album title is perfect bait for 100-year-old metalheads such as myself who worshipped Coroner alongside Voivod and other thrash-adjacent weirdos back in the day, and their first album in 30+ years doesn’t disappoint, seamlessly blending quantum physics-level of prog into their brutal speed metal assault. (9)

ORCUTT SHELLEY MILLER – Orcutt Shelley Miller
Experimental/noise musicians form “traditional” power trio and record their first show together live. It’s all instrumental and manages to sound like Jesus Lizard warming up by playing Led Zep, locking into a groove and pummeling it to death. (8)

SERJ TANKIAN – Covers, Collaborations & Collages
Just what the title promises. It sounds nothing like SOAD, of course. (7)

WINO – Create Or Die
You’ll find the blue-collar doom metal riffs you expect here, but where Wino really shines on this solo outing is when he puts on his Townes Van Zandt hat, as on the magnificent “New Terms” and “Noble Man”. (8) 

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Can't Get Enough: A Tribute to Bad Company
The legendary band’s greatest hits performed by Halestorm, Myles Kennedy, Def Leppard, Blackberry Smoke etc. Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke guest on a few tracks. Most participants play it straight so you might as well listen to the originals? (7)


THE OTHER STUFF

AMADOU & MARIAM – L'Amour À La Folie
Posthumous addition (Amadou Bagayoko passed away earlier this year) to the duet’s catalog, one of the best ambassadors of West African music of the 21st century. Too bad they overdid it this time with the Autotuned vocals. (7)

THE BESNARD LAKES – Are The Ghost Nation
Spiritualized meets the Beach Boys. Epic, as always. (8)

CHARLES LLOYD – Figure In Blue
87-year old jazz saxophonist pays tribute to Duke Ellington, Billy Holiday, Leonard Bernstein and other heroes of his youth. Drummerless, just him, a pianist and a guitarist, and gorgeous. (8)

CARSON McHONE – Pentimento
An ambitious folk-rock record with plenty of hooks laced by rich instrumentation and spoken word/poetry. Better that the last few spouse/collaborator’s Dan Romano records, which are pretty good to begin with. (8) 

THE NECKS – Disquiet
I love The Necks and their ambient jazz thing and they have made The List several times in the past, but this one, at over three hours long, can put anyone’s attention span to the test. (7)
 
TODD SNIDER – High, Lonesome And Then Some
I love Snider from his debut album in the mid-90’s onwards, but this album sounds like a departure from his trademark joke-laced heartland country rock – it’s much quieter and lyrically darker. I hope he’s doing OK. (7)

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – Nebraska '82: Expanded Edition
4-disc reissue including the original album remastered, live versions, and demos/outtakes. The meat in the sandwich of course is disc 2, “Electric Nebraska”, recorded back in the day with a small band including assorted E-Street Band members, which gives you an idea of what this classic Springsteen album would have sounded with a full band. Required listening? No. Will it make fans drool? Yes. (8)

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Telepathic Fish: Trawling The Early ’90s Ambient Underground
Legendary underground London chill-out party that launched the career of several big-name 90’s DJs gets its own compilation of favorite tracks from the era, featuring the likes of Nightmares On Wax, Tranquility Bass, No-Man etc. (9)

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Oct 25

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)

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Sep 25: Giant End Of Summer Update

THE LOUDER STUFF

DEFTONES – Private Music
Their trademark sound hasn’t changed much, and you wouldn’t expect it to. But this batch of songs is one of the best in many years for that most shoegaze-y of nu-metal bands. (8)

HALESTORM – Everest
An excellent heavy rock album full of bangers and tremendous power ballads, the way this sort of album used to be. Probably their best, 16 years after the debut, which is an impressive achievement in itself. (8)

HIS LORDSHIP – Bored Animal
A couple of guys from later incarnations of The Pretenders play sleazy garage punk rock ‘n roll, and they do it extremely well. (8)

THE HIVES – The Hives Forever Forever The Hives
A garage rock juggernaut, catchier than VD and certainly more fun. (8)

ROBERT JON & THE WRECK – Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes
Based in California but recording with producer Dave Cobb in Georgia, these guys just released the best, toughest, meatiest southern rock album of the year. (8)

RÚN – Rún
A tremendous and terrifying aural experience by three Irish artists blending pagan folk with electronica and sludge metal. It scared the shit out of me, TBH. (8)

SPINAL TAP – The End Continues
The joke’s never funnier the second time you hear it, but of course this one goes to (11).

YEAR OF THE GOAT – Trivia Goddess
Occult heavy rockers return with anther solid effort. (8) 


THE OTHER STUFF

EVE ADAMS – American Dust
A very American and quite dusty sound somewhere between folk, goth, and country. (8)

BIG THIEF – Double Infinity 
Indie folk rock darlings will certainly make a few year-end lists in a few months’ time with this one, but personally, I think they’re a bit overrated. (7)

THE BLACK KEYS – No Rain, No Flowers
The Keys try to rebound from a bad 2024 (even though last year’s album was actually pretty good) by going pop. It works, sometimes. (7)

CASE OATS – Last Missouri Exit
A nice debut for this Chicago-based alt-country band centered around a promising female vocalist and featuring Spencer Tweedy, son of the Wilco guy. (7)

TYLER CHILDERS – Snipe Hunter
As the boundaries between country and rock become blurrier each day, it was about time we got a country artist who sounds like John “Cougar” Mellencamp. Produced by Rick Rubin. (8)

RODNEY CROWELL – Airline Highway
Another strong effort from one of the best country/americana singer-songwriters of his generation. (8)

DR. FEELGOOD – Stupidity
One of the best live albums ever and a surprise hit at its time gets the remaster treatment almost 50 years after its original release. Pub rock rules! (10)

KATHLEEN EDWARDS – Billionaire
Canadian singer-songwriter returns with a solid album of country rock, Americana, call it what you like. Jason Isbell co-produces and plays guitar, brings most of his band The 400 Unit along for the ride – a good hint of what this sounds like. (8)

ETHEL CAIN – Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You 
The goth Taylor Swift. (8)

FAITHLESS – Champion Sound
I’ll always have a soft spot for these guys even if the hits have dried up. (7)

TAV FALCO – Desire On Ice
This is one cool dude who has been creating an anarchic blend of surf, blues, rockabilly for decades. If you don’t know him, then this album is the perfect way to start as he revisits a bunch of songs from his back catalogue with a little help from guests including Jon Spencer, Reverend Horton Heat, Bobby Gillespie, Jim Sclavunos, and Kid Congo Powers. (8)

GUERILLA TOSS – You’re Weird Now
They’ve always been weird, it’s not just now. These experimental dance/punks actually manage to streamline their bonkers sound a bit and enlist high-profile collaborators from Pavement and Phish. It’s actually tons of fun, sort of like The Cardiacs doing LCD Soundsystem. (8)

LERA LYNN – Comic Book Cowboy
Having first discovered Lynn through her recurring gothy, torchy character on “True Detective” Season 2, I still find it hard to understand why her later albums sound sunnier than that, but if you’re into country-leaning stuff with a strong pop sensibility, you’ll enjoy this. (7)

ASHLEY MONROE – Tennessee Lightning
After a four-year hiatus to (successfully) battle a cancer diagnosis, Monroe is back with one of the best country music albums of the year. Also includes covers of tunes by Leonard Cohen and Jeff Lynne, showing off the diversity of her influences. If she had trimmed it down from 17 tracks to maybe 13 by throwing out a few tracks from the second half of the record, it would certainly make The List in a few months. (8) 

MARGO PRICE – Hard Headed Woman
Price returns to old-school country after her psychedelic experiments. Very nice, if you enjoy a tear in your beer at the honky-tonk. (8) 

MOLLY TUTTLE – So Long Miss Sunshine
Master guitarist, queen of bluegrass, and multiple Grammy winner Tuttle goes pop, and (unsurprisingly) it’s really good. (8) 

SHRUNKEN ELVIS – Shrunken Elvis
Interesting experimental ambient rock – across nine instrumentals, the trio gently floats above a discreet rhythmic background with airy guitars and ethereal synths. Perfect for chilling out. (8) 

WOLF ALICE – The Clearing
I really love 2021’s “Blue Weekend”, arguably the best album of that year, but this one’s a much poppier affair, closer to Fleetwood mac than to anything remotely “indie”, and doesn’t really fulfill the promise even though it has its moments. (7)

VARIOUS ARTISTS – I Wanna Be a Teen Again: American Power Pop 1980-1989
A really fun compilation. 3 CDs, 78 tracks, all the expected suspects from The Ramones to The Romantics, plus a whole bunch of stuff you didn’t know existed. (9)

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Time! Gentlemen! Pub Rock Rhythm ‘N’ Grooves: Classic Cuts and Rarities 1974-1982
A really fun compilation. 3 CDs, 72 tracks, all the expected suspects from Dr. Feelgood to Elvis Costello, plus a whole bunch of stuff you didn’t know existed. (9)

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Aug 25

THE LOUDER STUFF

COFFIN BREAK – Revival 
Wow, this is a name I never thought I’d hear again. Not exactly grunge, but formed in Seattle in the late 80’s and sharing rehearsal spaces (and Jack Endino) with the likes of Alice In Chains and Nirvana, these guys return with their first album in 33 years and it’s a solid slab of hook-laden punk with song titles like “Kill The President”. Cobain loved them and so will you. (8)

ENUFF Z'NUFF – Xtra Cherries
You know I love these guys and consider them criminally underrated, right? This time the album’s chock full of guests from Journey, Cheap Trick etc., they’ve even dug up Steven Adler. In a parallel universe they’re selling out arenas. (11)

LAURA JANE GRACE & THE TRAUMA TROPES – Adventure Club
One of the best punk rock records of the year was conceived and recorded in Athens, Greece, with a local pick-up band (the Trauma Tropes are basically the rhythm section from Vodka Juniors), and includes a song about espresso freddo. Sort of makes me proud of my hometown. (8) 

KAYO DOT – Every Rock, Every Half-Truth Under Reason
File Under Uneasy Listening. (6) 

DARON MALAKIAN & SCARS ON BROADWAY – Addicted To The Violence
The closest we’re going to ever get to a new SOAD album, I guess. It’s really good. (8)


THE OTHER STUFF

NATALIE BERGMAN – My Home Is Not In This World
An album that sounds like a sample compilation of the best “quality” pop music of the 60’s and 70’s, from solo McCartney to Dusty Springfield. (8)

RYAN DAVIS & THE ROADHOUSE BAND – New Threats From The Soul
Think David Berman, Bill Callahan, Will Oldham, i.e. country-influenced indie rock where the lyrics are probably more important than the tunes. You'll see this on several year-end lists, probably not on mine. (7)

PATTY GRIFFIN – Crown Of Roses
I’m a sad bastard and this is top-shelf sad bastard music. With sparse instrumentation and deep lyrics about loss, you can call it Americana, I just call it great. (8) 

CORY HANSON – I Love People
If you follow this blog then you know I love this guy, and I love the left turn he’s taking with this album moving from a guitar-based to a piano-based sound, like a Harry Nilsson on edibles or a psychedelic take on the 70’s Laurel Canyon sound. (8)

MF TOMLINSON – Die To Wake Up From A Dream
London-based Australian art rocker attempts to find the Venn diagram between 70s prog and 80s Talk Talk, or something. (7) 

FRANK TURNER – Show 3000
The title is self-explanatory, he is unstoppable. Sort of a live “greatest hits” setlist and some solid performances, both on the full-band and the solo-performed tracks. (8)

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, July 25

THE LOUDER STUFF

CRYPTOPSY – An Insatiable Violence
If you like technical virtuosity and a bit of melody thrown into your brutal death metal, you can do worse than this album. (8)  

DEADGUY – Near-Death Travel Services
Cult hardcore band returns with a 30-year delay with a sophomore effort even more ferocious than their debut which influenced the likes of Converge and Dillinger Escape Plan. These guys will still fuck you up in their 50’s. (8)

DROPKICK MURPHYS – For The People
The beloved Celtic folk-punks have demonstrated an AC/DC-like stylistic consistency throughout their career but just like AC/DC the fans just know if a Murphys album is one of the better ones, and this one is! (8)

FISHBONE – Stockholm Syndrome 
35 years since they first shocked and delighted us with their ska/funk/punk/metal thing, they’re still firing on all cylinders. (8)


THE OTHER STUFF

BC CAMPLIGHT – A Sober Conversation
Quirky, melodic indie rock with some unsettling lyrical themes from Manchester UK-based American expat singer-songwriter. (8)

BONNIE DOBSON & THE HANGING STARS – Dreams 
84-year-old Canadian folk singer joins forces with English cosmic Americana revivalists in an unlikely but charming combination. (7)

FRIENDSHIP – Caveman Wakes Up
If you’re think David Berman is God and you like his latter-day saints like MJ Lenderman, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this. (8)

CHARIF MEGARBANE – Hawalat
Retrofuturistic, cosmopolitan Arabic disco/lounge, like the soundtrack to an imaginary spy adventure/comedy shot in Beirut in the 70’s. (8)

POOR CREATURE – All Smiles Tonight
Members of Lankum and Landless join forces for something that sounds like an Irish folk version of The Cocteau Twins. (8)

ROBERT RANDOLPH – Preacher Kids
Elements of blues, funk, gospel, and southern rock and hooks galore, with Randolph’s blistering pedal steel front and center. Guitar afficionados should dig this. (8)

WET LEG – Moisturizer 
They pass the “difficult second album” test with flying colors and prove they’re not a one-hit wonder, British indie-pop-punk at its best. (8) 

Back To The Beginning: Some Quick Thoughts / Comments

Not in the mood to write a proper, full concert review, really. Not now, anyway. Too soon for so much to process, and I'm sure you can read that sort of thing on a million websites today. But I did make it to Villa Park and I've got a couple of hours to kill on a train now, so I might as well jolt down what comes to mind:

• Birmingham is not as ugly as I expected it to be, as a matter of fact I found it quite pleasant. But of course I was there for a limited amount of time so I only saw downtown and Villa Park, I'm sure there are dodgy neighborhoods as well. But aren't there in every city?
• I've never been to a better organized major concert in my life. Everything was perfect, the schedule was kept like clockwork (except the last band to appear, but more on that later), decent toilets without long waiting times, no lines for food and drink either. Kudos.
• Live Aid-style, everyone played 15-30 minute sets with 10 minute breaks (possible through the use of a rotating stage - one band playing on side A, next band's road crew setting up on side B).
• Best proper band appearance of the day, Ozzy/Sabbath excluded: Metallica. Literally in a league of their own.
• Worst proper band appearance of the day: Guns 'N' Roses. The good thing is Axl can still hit the notes, the bad thing is that he hit all of them in the wrong places. Throughout the set he was 5 seconds ahead or behind the rest of the band, and he totally ruined three Sabbath covers and his own band's two greatest hits.
• Most indifferent band appearance of the day: Rival Sons. I mean, their poor man's Zeppelin-style hard rock is pretty decent, but I can think of a million other bands that would have fitted the bill better.
• Best proper band appearance of the day, Metallica/Ozzy/Sabbath excluded: A three-way tie between Mastodon, Gojira, and Tool. Mastodon had the difficult job of opening the festivities and did a great job, Brett Hinds will not be missed. They also threw us the first surprise of the day by having the drummers from Tool, Gojira and Slipknot on stage with them playing percussion on a blistering version of "Supernaut". Gojira proved once again that they are world-class. Tool was impressive and made "Hand Of Doom" their own.
• Did I mention Slipknot? One of them was DJ-ing between band sets in an Aston Villa shirt. Did a decent job.
• Tom Morello's kid can also shred.
• Jason Momoa started as the MC of the evening, but we lost him sometime around Pantera's set as he simply joined the fans in the pit and never came back up.
• The supergroups with rotating singers and musicians? A great experience to watch, despite the ups and downs. The downs - Sammy Hagar who was sort of a momentum ruiner, and that guy from Disturbed who seemed bored singing "Shot In the Dark" and "Sweet Leaf". He also got booed, probably not for his performance but most likely for his public pro-Israeli stance. The ups? Definitely the fun silliness of Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins doing "Breakin' The Law" with KK Downing, Tom Morello, Adam Jones, Danny Carey and Rudy Sarzo. Also Ron fuckin' Wood from the Rolling fuckin' Stones jumping on stage to do "Train Kept A Rollin'" with Steven Tyler. Papa Perpetua on "Bark At The Moon". Surprisingly, a non-metal guy called Youngblud I wasn't familiar with doing "Changes" and winning over the whole stadium - if we compare this event with the Freddie Mercury tribute concert, he was this year's George Michael doing "Somebody To Love". And Nuno Bettencourt as the anchor of the rotating supergroup line-ups - he was perfect.
• Ozzy: What can I say. Ozzy had to sing sitting down (BTW the picture above is not mine, it's by the great Ross Halfin, I stole it off the internet, I hope he doesn't mind). His voice started breaking during "Mr. Crowley" and kept getting worse, but he never gave up, not for a second. And the crowd stepped up taking lead vocals and singing all the words. Zakk Wylde, while playing his brains out, kept walking over to Ozzy's chair to make sure he's OK. And there was a video of Randy Rhoads showing behind him, synced to Zakk's playing. Thousands of people (myself and my mate included) were literally crying - tears of joy for being there, tears of sadness because it's obvious Ozzy's saying goodbye to more than just the stage, tears of general fuckin' emotional overload.
• Sabbath: The only delay between bands of the evening, obviously because the doctors backstage were trying to get Ozzy back in shape to do a few more songs. Most people actually started getting worried if he would make it back out there after his solo set or if the concert would have to close with Iommi/Geezer/Ward fronted by someone else from the day's line-up (my money's on Steven Tyler being the contingency plan, but I'm glad we'll never find out). But he made it to the stage and managed to sing four songs from the first two albums, and it was triumphant. Iommi is timeless, Geezer was a monster, and Ward received the warmest welcome and even took his shirt off to play better (at 77! Not even Iggy Pop can pull off that shirtless thing anymore!). 
• As I said, still too much to process but if I had to sum it up, I'd say that this was one for the ages, the perfect send-off, and a day I'll remember forever. Thank you Sabbath, for everything.

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, June 25

THE LOUDER STUFF

GHAALS WYRD – Braiding The Stories
Ex-Gorgoroth frontman tries to pull an Ihsahn and to a large extent he succeeds. (8)

THE HAUNTED – Songs Of Last Resort
Thrash with melodeath tendencies, no experiments. This is The Haunted most people love. (7)

KATATONIA – Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State
Anders Nystrom’s departure does not affect the vibe, which is still aligned with the prog of Katatonia albums from 2006’s “The Great Cold Distance” onwards. But there is something missing, or maybe that’s just me. (7)

RIVERS OF NIHIL – Rivers Of Nihil
Progressive death metal, not as adventurous as, say, Blood Incantation, but expertly written and executed. This one will appeal to people outside the metal ghetto too. (8)

SWANS – Birthing  
In the same vein as all their post-2010 crescendocore releases, this is meant to be played at tinnitus-inducing levels and at two hours long it will test your patience, but if you have the attention span to stick around you’ll be richly rewarded. (8)

TURNSTILE – Never Enough
If this is modern hardcore, I have to say that in places it sounds a lot like a cross between imperial era Chili Peppers and The Police. This is meant as a compliment. (8)

VOLBEAT – God Of Angels Trust
Nothing unexpected or surprising here, just the usual entertaining Metallica-meets-rockabilly shtick. (7)


THE OTHER STUFF

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER – Personal History
Intimate and autobiographical country folk songs from a singer-songwriter who’s been excelling at this sort of thing for decades. Produced by Josh Kaufman at Peter Gabriel’s studio. (8)

S.G. GOODMAN – Planting By The Signs
Americana’s rising star explores her inner Lucinda Williams on strong third album. (8)

ELIJAH JOHNSTON – Stupid Soul
Somewhere between modern-day Americana and 90’s-style indie rock you’ll find Johnston, writing tunes about everyday life and all that makes it sad and beautiful. (8)

JAMES McMURTRY – The Black Dog And The Wandering Boy
This is supposed to be folk/americana, but it sounds more like Jason Isbell’s harder rockin’ uncle. (8)

WILLIE NILE – The Great Yellow Light
A true rock ‘n’ roll lifer, as much a dedicated New Yorker as Lou Reed and musically sitting within the Dylan/Springsteen Venn diagram, Nile continues to release excellent albums at the age of 77. If you like him, you love him. (8)

TY SEGALL – Possession
A return to the everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach of 2018’s magnificent “Freedom’s Goblin”, Segall’s new album is what most fans will see as a return to form: Power pop, glam rock, psychedelia, it’s all here. (8) 

METAL: Halftime

OK, so I don't normally do this, but since we're halfway through the year here's a list of the year's 20 best metal and metal-friendly albums to date. The list is alphabetical, if you think I missed something I really don't care:

BEHEMOTH – The Shit Ov God
A grandiose black/death metal statement, and probably their best since career-high “The Satanist”.
CRYPTOSIS – Celestial Death
An interesting combination of prog, blackened death metal, and thrash, with keyboards. People will make comparisons to Vektor and Blood Incantation but I’m old enough to remember Nocturnus.
DEAFHEAVEN – Lonely People With Power
They bring the metal back and it’s a triumph – you still have shoegaze-y guitars pop up here and there but this is their heaviest record in at least a decade, reminiscent in places of second-wave Norwegian black metal like Emperor and Enslaved.
DREAM THEATER – Parasomnia 
Portnoy’s return to the line-up coincides with a strong album that will thrill prog metal fans, but whether this sound can still be described as “progressive” after 35 years of it is debatable.
GHAALS WYRD – Braiding The Stories
Ex-Gorgoroth frontman tries to pull an Ihsahn and to a large extent he succeeds.
GHOST – Skeleta 
Even though it’s still one of the better heavy rock releases of the year, shows the first signs of tiredness? Certainly not as catchy and fun as “Impera".
HANDGEMENG – Satanic Panic Attack
The stoner bastard child of Turbonegro and Kvelertak.
HELLACOPTERS – Overdriver
A very welcome return for these guys and their brand of infectious, high-energy rock ‘n’ roll. Now, where’s Gluecifer so they can tour together?
IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT – Goldstar
Masked technical death metal virtuosos on their most accomplished album to date, their avant-garde-leaning compositions finally resembling songs rather than just aiming to impress.
MACHINE HEAD – Unatoned 
This album will certainly make the haters say that they’re just trying to align their sound with what’s going on today, but it’s really a solid late-career album that kicks the ass of what most younger thrash/metalcore bands are capable of.
MELVINS – Thunderball
They throw another curveball at us with a revised line-up, bringing back the original drummer from 1983 and adding a couple of electronic/noise artists into the mix. It sounds exactly like the Melvins without sounding much like the last 25 Melvins albums.
PENTAGRAM – Lightning In A Bottle
How’s it possible that this guy's still around? In any case even with a new line-up backing him Liebling can still kick the ass of any young doomster, and this new album is groovier – not exactly Clutch, but think Trouble’s “Manic Frustration”.
PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS – Death Hilarious
Doom/sludge metal band Pigs x7 instill a bit of Helmet into their formula and bring home the bacon.
PROPAGANDHI – No Longer Young
Canadian punk/metal heroes return with another excellent slab of technical, thrashy social commentary.
RIVERS OF NIHIL – Rivers Of Nihil
Progressive death metal, not as adventurous as, say, Blood Incantation, but expertly written and executed. This one will appeal to people outside the metal ghetto too.
SANHEDRIN – Heat Lightning
A lady you wouldn’t mess with on vocals and bass backed by a couple of hooligans on guitar and drums, this is traditional heavy metal in its purest form channeling early 80’s Riot and Maiden and all sorts of good stuff.
SPIDERS – Sharp Objects
Nordic rockers return and this time they pump up their Detroit/Australia-style garage punk rock with some late-70’s NYC vibes – I can hear traces of Blondie, The Ramones, even Richard Hell/Stiv Bators/Johnny Thunders in here.
TURNSTILE – Never Enough
If this is modern hardcore, I have to say that in places it sounds a lot like a cross between imperial era Chili Peppers and The Police. This is meant as a compliment.
VENAMORIS – To Cross Or To Burn
Mrs. Lombardo releases strong goth/trip hop album featuring her husband and his friends (Alex Skolnick, Gary Holt) like you've never heard them before.
WITCHCRAFT – Idag
It’s much better than “Black Metal” and “Nucleus”, probably better than “Legend” too, and as fuzzy and riff-tastic as their first three albums on Rise Above.
 

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, May 25 Vol. II

EZRA FURMAN – Goodbye Small Head
Defiant and vulnerable, Ezra’s new album finds the artist expand the sound palette by re-introducing strings and electronica elements to the beloved “trans/gay Springsteen” formula. (8)

GANAVYA – Nilam
If you appreciate Arooj Aftab’s work then you should definitely check out Ganavya, and “Nilam” is an excellent starting point. (8)

GRAILS – Miracle Music
Cinematic post-rock from the masters of the genre. If you haven’t yet discovered the ultimate chill-out band, now’s the time to do so. (8)

TOM HICKOX – The Orchestra Of Stories
I have no idea who this guy is and what else he’s done so far in his career, but discovering this album has been a great gift: Excellent character-based storytelling reminiscent of Richard Dawson, sung in a beautiful rich baritone and supported by a full orchestra. It sounds like absolutely nothing else. (8)

THE MAYFLIES USA – Kickless Kids
I love jangly power pop, and these guys are really good at it. An unexpected but welcome return. (8)

PELICAN – Flickering Resonance
Instrumental post-metal from the masters of the genre. If you haven’t yet discovered, etc. (8)

MARC RIBOT – Map Of A Blue City
One of the great, unique guitarists of the last fifty years explores singer-songwriter territory that reminds me of his sometime boss, Tom Waits – not so much in sound or subject matter, but definitely in originality and out-of-the box-approach to making music. (8)

SLOW MOTION COWBOYS – Wolf Of St Elmo
A new take on cosmic country/americana by a really talented songwriter. If you’re into Sturgill Simpson, Margo Price etc. you should definitely give this one a spin. (8)

STEVE VON TILL – Alone In A World Of Wounds
Neurosis guy goes back to gothic Americana after 2024’s three dub albums as Harvestman. It’s a beautiful, dark, haunting piece of work. (8)

WITCHCRAFT – Idag
It’s much better than “Black Metal” and “Nucleus”, probably better than “Legend” too, and as fuzzy and riff-tastic as their first three albums on Rise Above. (8)

VARIOUS ARTISTS – The Magic Forest: More Pastoral Psychedelia & Funky Folk 1968-1975
Another one of those really fun Cherry Red compilations – three CDs chock-full of what the title implies, featuring a few recognizable names (Sandy Denny, Family, Pentangle, Roy Harper…) and a whole bunch of people you’ve never heard of unless you’re a 70-year-old crate-digging hippie from the East Midlands or something. (9)

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, May 25

 

THE LOUDER STUFF

BEHEMOTH – The Shit Ov God
A grandiose black/death metal statement, and probably their best since career-high “The Satanist” which had made The List. (8)

PROPAGANDHI – No Longer Young
Canadian punk/metal heroes who have made The List in the past, repeatedly, return with another excellent slab of technical, thrashy social commentary. (8)
    
PUP – Who Will Look After The Dogs?
A slight departure from the sound of their previous albums, the Canadian pop-punk quartet’s fifth sounds a bit like Jeff Rosenstock (who also guests on a track here) or a punkier Weezer. (8)

SWAMI JOHN REIS – Time To Let You Down
Ass-kicking pedal-to-the-metal blasts with a very strong sense of melody from a punk rock lifer (he fronted the excellent Rocket From The Crypt in a previous century). This rules! (9)

RODEO BOYS – Junior
A fantastic hard-rocking heartland punk record that falls somewhere between Mannequin Pussy’s “I Got Heaven” and The Distillers’ “Coral Fang”. (8)

SLEEP TOKEN – Even In Arcadia
Look. I do understand the appeal to a certain demographic, of course, and they do have some interesting stuff in here such as the delicate/crushing dynamics of album opener “Look To Windward”. But I find the Auto-tuned R&B vocals annoying, the saxophone solo funny (not in a good way), the backstory/mythology boring, and the lyrics too emo. (6)  

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Yeah Man It’s Bloody Heavy!!
Rise Above digs really deep for demo tapes and one-off acetate discs recorded between 1969-1976, featuring 10 UK proto-metal bands you’ve never heard of before – I certainly hadn’t. (11)


THE OTHER STUFF

CAR SEAT HEADREST – The Scholars
Former lo-fi indie darlings embrace their inner arena rock stars and go full-on “Quadrophenia” with an awesome, explosive rock opera. (8)

COUNTING CROWS – Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets!
I really loved these guys back in the 90’s but then lost touch with their work – until now with this, a wonderful album that seamlessly blends Americana-flavored melodies, a Beatlesque pop sensibility, and “Born To Run” epicness. (8)

LOTTI GOLDEN – Motor-Cycle (Reissue)
A lost 1969 cult classic and one of the first concept albums ever recorded, this is a semi-autobiographical tale of life in the bowels of the NYC counterculture of the period. The music is an epic mix of rock, soul, and avant-garde, sort of like Dusty Springfield doing Jesus Christ Superstar in the style of the Velvet Underground. I love this! (8)

SŌON – Actions Made Audible
Electronic music legends Jack Dangers (Meat Beat Manifesto) and Adi Newton (Clock DVA) join forces and use lots of samples and analog sounds for something really trippy and hallucinogenic. (7)

KASSI VALAZZA – From Newman Street
Her name might sound like a high-end brand of espresso coffee but her music is not a jolt of energy – it’s rather subdued country folk with some psychedelic guitars scattered here in there, more like a really nice cup of herbal tea. (8)

Short Attention Span Record Reviews, Apr 25 Vol. 2

THE LOUDER STUFF

ALIEN WEAPONRY – Te Ra
A strong album that sounds like a Maori version of Gojira. (8)

RUSS BALLARD – Songs From The Warehouse / The Hits Rewired
A double CD from a 79-year-old who plays all instruments himself and is sort of Desmond Child’s granddaddy, having provided hits to everyone from Rainbow to Hot Chocolate. The first disc is all new material and it’s OK (he does sound like a 79-year-old sometimes), the second one is Ballard re-recording all those songs made famous by other people and it’s a delight. (7 for disc 1, 9 for disc 2)

GHOST – Skeleta
Their previous three albums all made The List but this one, even though it’s still one of the better heavy rock releases of the year, shows the first signs of tiredness? Certainly not as catchy and fun as “Impera”, let’s hope they bounce back quickly. (8)
 
HANDGEMENG – Satanic Panic Attack
The stoner bastard child of Turbonegro and Kvelertak. (8)

MACHINE HEAD – Unatoned
They’ve been repeatedly accused of jumping on bandwagons and these accusations have not been entirely unfounded. This album will certainly make the haters say that they’re just trying to align their sound with what’s going on today, but it’s really a solid late-career album that kicks the ass of what most younger thrash/metalcore bands are capable of. (8)

MELVINS – Thunderball
They throw another curveball at us with a revised line-up, bringing back the original drummer from 1983 and adding a couple of electronic/noise artists into the mix. It sounds exactly like the Melvins without sounding much like the last 25 Melvins albums. (8)

MELVINS & NAPALM DEATH – Savage Imperial Death March
Collaborative mini-album (not split – they play together) ahead of a co-headline tour, this meshes together the best of what each legendary band has to offer in 2025. It’s released on Amphetamine Reptile, which has always been a mark of quality in noise. (8)

UKANDANZ – Evil Plan
Ethiopian jazz meets hard rock in a highly entertaining hybrid. Includes a stellar cover of Sabbath’s “War Pigs”. (8)


THE OTHER STUFF

JULIEN BAKER & TORRES – Send A Prayer My Way
Lucy Dacus went pop, now Julien Baker goes country. I assume Phoebe Bridgers’ next album will be doom metal or something? (8)

BEIRUT – A Study Of Losses
If you like Beirut you’re going to like this, as it sticks relatively close to the formula of pop/rock played on non-pop/rock instruments and cheap drum machines and enriched with multilayered vocals. (7)

KRIS DELMHORST – Ghosts In The Garden
Who is this woman? How can I describe this beautiful, haunting music she makes without calling it “Americana” or “folk” because it wouldn’t do her justice? (8)

RHIANNON GIDDENS & JUSTIN ROBINSON – What Did The Blackbird Say To The Crow
Giddens reunites with a former collaborator and pays tribute to her roots: North Carolina black string music of past ages. This is recorded live, outdoors, just banjo and fiddle, so it’s a rather niche thing. (7)

WILLIE NELSON – Oh What A Wonderful World
I’m writing this on his birthday, the guy just turned 92 and he still releases albums every five months or so! May he live forever. Anyway, this one features a crack band backing Nelson on 12 great covers of songs written by Rodney Crowell. (8)

WU-TANG CLAN – Black Samson, The Bastard Swordsman
A collective that revolutionized hip-hop in the 90’s, still sounds very much like the 90’s. (7)