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100 Favorite Albums of 2025: 50-26

What a year for music, just like every other year. Here at PGMR we (I) love to celebrate as many albums as I physically have time for, hence a top 100 list curated and written entirely by one person with little time. We’ll continue with the third quadrant of the list shortly, but I am a little bit of a hater, so let’s briefly discuss some of the disappointments and duds. Truthfully, I’m doing this to dispel anticipation about the placement of one big album – Turnstile’s Never Enough. I very much enjoy Turnstile, and I will champion them as the faces of a thrilling and necessary hardcore revival. But, the album itself was a sleeper, full of either template hardcore or experimentations that half-worked. It currently sits at #238 on the list of 315 albums I’ve ranked – which doesn’t include 66 albums I didn’t get around to ranking.

In dead last is Arcade Fire, who again proved that it was Will Butler providing the good songwriting, not Win. Sure, Win’s allegations played a role in the ranking too. Taylor Swift shit out a potentially AI-abetted album that even the Swifties didn’t like, finding herself in my bottom 5 for a second year in a row. I can wager it a disappointment – an artist at this peak should be brilliant, and I’m not a Taylor hater. Lorde promised an album better than Solar Power, which was only marginally true. Maybe the biggest disappointment was David Byrne, whose follow-up to his rebirth American Utopia was a base-level alternative album with lyrics that sounded like second grade poetry. Finally, Car Seat Headrest’s first album in five years was so focused on the concept that it didn’t really have songs – though they still scraped themselves into my Best Songs List, ironically.

Alright, enough hating. Most music is good, so let’s talk about 25 great ones!

#50. Armand Hammer – Mercy

I mean, it’s Armand Hammer. Billy Woods and Elucid are unbelievable rappers when they’re working solo. Together, they’re unstoppable. Mercy is their second album done in full with production from The Alchemist, which isn’t just a name. He concocts some unique and gonzo backing beats for the two rappers. Their music is always experimental, without being too far out of the realm of conventionality. Their lyrics are always the strong suit: personal and political, more poetic than truly lyrical, and not without some fun too. It’s not a rap album for everyone, but for people who like things outside the norm, it’s a banger. In case you’re wondering, yes, more on Billy Woods later.

#49. Pile – Sunshine and Balance Beams

Pile! Pile! Pile! Boston’s best band is back, and they’re screaming again. Pile have always been great, but it’s been a while since they’ve been this energized. Their ninth album is dense and loud, some challenging rock music. They’ve mostly shed away the indie influences, opting for a sound I can only describe as cool dad. It hits, hard, and it’s super rewarding for the patient. This is just excellent songwriting, buried under guitars and Rick Maguire going nuts at the front and center. If someone tells you rock is dead, show them Pile. 

#48. Deep Sea Diver – Billboard Heart

With no ceiling on the number of people who can make music in an online world, there’s a massive bloat of indie bands. It’s fine, I’d rather too many similar bands than not enough, but alternative radio has become somewhat sterile. I put this record on expecting “yet another” pleasant, digestible indie record – but this kicks ass. It has the makings of today’s template indie, with catchy hooks and pleasant vocals, but they dial the guitars up in particularly every song. This feels more reminiscent of 90’s indie-rock, while still maintaining a distance from it. Loud, fun, catchy rock and roll music – an unbreakable formula.

#47. MIKE/Tony Seltzer – Pinball II

Pinball, the first collaborative album between MIKE and Tony Seltzer, was a shoo-in on last year’s list. It’s one of the best rap albums in years, full stop. It’s natural for successful rap collabs to do a sequel, but I wasn’t expecting a follow-up this quickly. The magic is still there, this is almost as good as the tentpole. It’s an effortless, low-key rap album that’s a ton of fun even through relatively minimalist songs. MIKE is one of our best lyricists, and his excellent cadence doesn’t hurt. When most of the rap that I like is on the bombastic side, it’s nice to enjoy a low-stakes one occasionally. 

#46. Deerhoof – Noble and Godlike in Ruin

Chances are, if you’re reading this, then you already know Deerhoof’s whole deal. They’re a legacy indie group by now, and one that’s never go to slip into any sort of complacent sound. I mean, this album is their 20th and it sees them making a concept record about Frankenstein that ropes noise and free jaz into their indie sound. They’ve always had their finger on the pulse, and I caught this unabashedly political album before they wiped all of their music off Spotify – among the first bands to do so in a growing wave. It’s one of the more challenging, and rewarding albums I listened to all year, a victory lap for a band already installed in the Indie Rock Hall Of Fame. 

#45. Ty Segall – Possession

For a while, Ty Segall and Thee Oh Sees were neck-and-neck in the race to see who could release the most albums. Then, COVID hit, and both Segall and John Dwyer lost their minds. Both used the isolation downtime to explore more experimental, head-scratching paths. But Segall also slowed down, way down. This album, which is I believe his 16th solo album (which does not include dozens of other releases), is pretty back-to-basics. He already came back down to Earth on 2024’s all-timer Three Bells, but he sounds the most at peace here. These are pleasant, easily digestible psych-rock songs. It’s a far cry from the instrumental percussion he was doing just last year – this is just a nice album! He’s done acoustic, pared-down albums before, but he’s never sounded this content. If it’s a victory lap for Segall, it’s well-earned; he’s spent two decades exploring the spectrum of bruising garage rock to experimental pop. He has a lot to be content about. And it proves that sometimes, joyous complacency actually doesn’t hurt your songwriting. 

#44. Hayley Williams – Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party

Normally, when a frontperson releases a solo album, I want it to be something that’s a different direction from their primary band. But not every band is Paramore, who have probably a dozen skippable songs across their whole catalog. Williams’ solo career is taking off, separately, and this behemoth record is filled with both songs that sound like Paramore, and some new directions interspersed. It’s a daunting record for an artist so easy on the ears, but practically every song is brilliant or at least completely pleasurable. Hayley is quietly building one of the most solidified collections in American songwriting, and there are a lot of quiet surprises here. 

#43. Ho9909 – Tomorrow We Escape

Something you’ll find out about me through this post is I generally prefer hip-hop that is loud and full, whether it’s abrasive shit like Death Grips or just big beats like Cardi B. Ho99o9 is the former, some kind of moderately unquantifiable punk, experimental, horrorcore mix. It’s very loud and heavy, often adapting punk rock music for a hip-hop landscape. This is probably music that a lot of people will write off – and some horrorcore can be written off – but it’s really genius stuff. It’s loud enough to thrash but there’s so much mental anguish too. It’s depressing, downbeat music, and endlessly fascinating. 

#42. Black Country, New Road – Forever Howlong

There’s countless examples in music history of a key member leaving a group. What do you do next? Do you split up? Replace them? Use it as an opportunity to change your sound? Well, when singer Isaac Wood left the experimental indie group, the band tried something new: just have everyone else sing. The band’s pre-existing bassist, pianist and string player all sing lead on this album. Oh, and they mostly changed their sound, too. They largely ditched the heavier and more experimental elements in favor of melodic, baroque indie. At nearly an hour, it sounds like an exhausting concept, but it really never tires. It’s definitely more conventional than their previous albums – on a grading curve – and might not appeal to the same fans. It really isn’t similar to their excellent first two releases at all, but the songwriting juice is just as strong. Give it a chance!

#41. The Men – Buyer Beware

I’m a simple man; at the end of the day, I just love some whiplash garage rock. Doesn’t have to be good, just has to be fast and loud. Luckily, The Men are also good, and they’ve delivered another back-to-basics album after last year’s excellent New York. This is the band’s 100th or so album, incredible that they are still so locked-in. This band has done some more experimental or slower works, but they’re at their best with no-frills old-school rock. 

#40. Beach Bunny – Tunnel Vision

It’s no secret that I’m a huge Beach Bunny fan. Their mix of fun, fuzzy punk and squeaky-clean vocals and lyrics makes for a super unique band, even if there are tons of similar acts out there. I don’t even really care for power-pop most of the time, I want to shake power-pop artists and tell them to either quiet down or make it louder. But Beach Bunny have a spunk that many others don’t. Their third album doesn’t change the formula, thankfully, it just locks in and delivers some whipping indie-punk tunes with a saccharine touch. Fun fact: my partner and I’s song is “Cloud 9.” 

#39. The Armed – The Future Is Here And Everything Needs To Be Destroyed 

This is the entry point to the upper echelon of this list, the all-time great albums. Every time I think I have a handle on the Armed, they do something new. The collective has neither a solidified line-up nor genre, and have in the past worked pop music into their explosive noise/post-hardcore/metal albums. Destroyed, however, is a cacophonous onslaught of sound, fiery guitar mixed in with horns mixed in with many various voices. They’ve never felt more like a collective, with seemingly every song having a different singer. Some tunes do resemble traditional post-hardcore songs, other songs delve far into untraceable noise. It reminds me of Liturgy and their efforts to make something as loud and confusing as possible. This isn’t for everyone, but it’s real damn exciting. 

#38. Obongjayar – Paradise Now

Obongjayar is Nigerian, grew up in England, and raised himself on American hip-hop. His music was bound to be a melting pot even if he didn’t want it to be, but he so clearly does. Paradise Now, the singer’s sophomore record, is just completely unpredictable, bouncing wildly between rap, indie, soul, spoken word and electronic, and never goes a beat that feels forced. It’s largely very fun, if only because you’re listening to an artist absolutely cook for 42 minutes, but also because some of these songs are big and boisterous. You should understand by now that I tend to prefer music that keeps one on their feet, and this does just that for 15 songs. There’s exactly one guest feature on the song “Talk Olympics,” which features British rapper Little Simz – more on her later. 

#37. Ada Rook – UNKILLABLE ANGEL & 59 NIGHTS & naiad

Triple threat! Ada Rook had a busy 2025, releasing two full-length albums and one EP. The noise artist is generally a shoo-in for my list, her music really hits me hard. It’s abrasive and intense, but usually manages to stay within the confines of traditional songwriting. Rook’s music is filled with genuine anguish, mixed with a desire to entertain. I don’t know how to classify it – industrial, or maybe hardcore punk, or maybe just noise – but it’s music I come back to regularly. Nights might be the achievement here, but all three are pretty equally great. If you like to upset your ears, go with Ada Rook. 

#36. Water From Your Eyes – It’s a Beautiful Place

Only a few days before writing this blurb, I learned that I didn’t know as much about this band as I thought. The blog I write for, Allston Pudding, hosted the experimental indie group’s show in Boston, and I kept telling people “I didn’t really like their first album, but I love this one!” Only to learn that “their first” and “this one” were in fact their sixth and seventh records. They’re starting to become more established, and they’re tapping into the zeitgeist. This record is littered with loud guitar and hypnotic rhythms, and the music is dense and unpredictable. It’s part of a growing trend in rock to make music as chaotic as this, look at heavier groups like Knocked Loose and Callous Daoboys. It finds the center between melody and experiment. It’s suave and fresh. It’s just big, loud, raucous fun. 

#35. Porridge Radio – The Machine Starts To Sing

2025 kicked off with some bummer news. I got to see Porridge Radio play their first and last ever Boston show, as they announced an impending break-up just as it seemed they were gathering steam. I have historically been a big fan and supporter, so it was melancholic to see that their final offering was just as good as the albums before it. This is only four songs and 15 minutes, but they left us with a final piece of brilliance. The moody, jangly indie has never been better and Dana Margolin’s vocals sound as hypnotic as ever. This is the closest to The Cranberries they ever sounded, which is a compliment. Best to go out on top. 

#34. Greg Freeman – Burnover

Tell your dads that there’s a new musician they might like. Freeman is what I imagine The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle would sound like it if it were made today. Freeman is officially listed as an alt-country musician, but he’s got a bluesy, lounge vibe to him, backed by a full band with a vibrant energy. He’s a raconteur at heart, these songs are full of characters and personal oddities. He’s got Neil Young lyrics in a 2016 Sturgill Simpson sound. It’s fun music that’s easy to listen to, but has a million little things going on at the same time. If he doesn’t blow up, the world isn’t just. 

#33. Big Thief – Double Infinity

The best band in the country are back. The indie band’s sixth album is scaled down in comparison to the gigantic Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You and the double-dip of albums we got in 2019. This album feels smaller in scale and scope, but the band balances it out by being bigger in sound. These are the closest to….rock? songs that the band has done to date. While quiet rhythms and holes in the sound have always been prominent in their music, these songs feel fuller and bigger. Might the good folks in Big Thief actually be happy? The lyrics aren’t as emotionally destitute as normal, and the music is livelier. It’s no complacency though, as these are still just perfectly-written tunes. 

#32. Model/Actriz – Pirouette

Coming in at #32, the second Model/Actriz album is a bit of a step down from their debut. It’s still one of the best albums I heard all year. The band’s first album was a mix of staccato dance music and existential industrial. It was somehow heavy and funky all at once. Pirouette sees the band embracing the poppier side more, shaving away some of the heaviness in favor of clearer vocals and more fluid rhythms. To level the weights though, the lyrics get crazily personal. There’s a section in “Cinderella” – my favorite song of the year – where singer Cole Haden sums up years of therapy sessions in one verse, and you absolutely cannot avoid it as the instrumentation dips away. This album challenges you to face your biggest regrets while dancing involuntarily. Feels bad man. I can see this one climbing up this list on further listens, even now I feel this is too low.

#31. Lambrini Girls – Who Let The Dogs Out

A riotous, raucous debut from England that was set to be the punk breakthrough of 2025 before Bob Vylan got censored for truth. Dogs hearkens back to riot grrrl in spirit, blending it with the punk of 2025. It’s a load of fun, and also viciously satirical and angry. Songs like “Company Culture” and “Filthy Rich Nepo Baby” have specific targets behind them. Some of it feels a little like 2010’s-era Tumblr feminism, but when the songs are this good, that doesn’t matter. 2025 saw a lot of punk upstarts and breakthroughs, which has to be a sign of a global vibe shift.

#30. SPELLLING – Portrait of My Heart

Spellling is one of those artists that’s been on my radar for years, but I had never really checked out. Glad I finally amended that! I had Spellling pegged as an indie-R&B singer in my head, and while that’s accurate, she’s very rock too. The songs on Heart pull from equally from Motown and Subpop, diving headfirst into sultry R&B or double-bass drums on a whim. The only constant factor is energy, the rest is entirely unpredictable. Really had fun listening to this. Three L’s in the name but none to be found on the record. 

#29. clipping. – Dead Channel Sky

On the flipside of Spellling is artists I’ve loved for years. The experimental rap group clipping. are a personal favorite, and their fifth album delivers on all fronts. The band’s abrasive music mixed with Daveed Diggs’ lightspeed rapping make for consistently thrilling tunes. There isn’t necessarily anything new here, but the formula still works – heavy, fast rap songs that very rhythmic but still shun any radio-friendly elements. Second-straight present-tense verb artist, which is a huge coincidence.

#28. Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – Death Hilarious

I found myself surprisingly disappointed with Pigsx7’s previous album, 2023’s Land of Sleeper. They remained one of my favorite metal bands, but I was worried that their continued trajectory from doom metal into psychedelic rock would render them boring. Alas! Their fifth album is just as good as albums 1-3. Heavy riffs and dense songs abound. There’s classic, doom-y Pigs (“The Wyrm”) and there’s entirely new ideas (“Glib Tongued” which features El-P of all people). This band is about as much fun as you can have in metal. Plus, it’s fun to tell people what band you’re listening to. I saw these guys over the summer, and it was a hell of a live show.

#27. Baths – Gut

I hadn’t kept up with Baths after his first two records, both electro-indie albums that presented two sides of a coin; the debut was fun and bubbly, the sophomore record much gloomier. I wasn’t sure what to expect with Gut, but I really wasn’t expecting a Perfume Genius record. This is a set of vulnerable, pretty, shaken and queer indie songs, written in the same manner as Michael Hadreas does. You can make the argument that the album’s front half is too similar, but there’s a lot of open space for this kind of thing. It’s gorgeous, I was floored. Grab the tissues. And surprisingly, this was necessary, as Perfume Genius himself released his first ho-hum record since his earliest days and missed the cut here. 

#26. DARKSIDE – Nothing

This one caught me way off-guard. I only really knew on Darkside song prior to this, “Liberty Bell,” and I really love it. But the band’s atmospheric, electro-indie is akin to a handful of other bands that I appreciate but don’t really like. The same goes for Nicholas Jaar’s solo music. But this album is just a blast. These songs are light and vibe-y, but they’re still funky and fun. I listened to this on a morning commute and it really set my brain in a righted mood for a workday. Definitely an album I’d revisit, and I rarely do that. Summer music!

My favorite part of the year is writing these, my least favorite is compiling everything into blog form. Thanks for reading! The grand conclusion is tomorrow, and promises some Welsh punk, some jazz-indie, two punishingly heavy black metal albums, African rock, and four regional Boston releases.

Five more albums I regret having to cut off the list: Lonnie Holley – Tonky | Preoccupations – Ill At Ease | Gelli Haha – Switcheroo | Pulp – More | Fleshwater – 2000: In Search Of The Endless Sky

25 For ’25: Best Albums Of The Year (So Far)

It’s early July…..it’s mid-July, which means it’s time to gush about the best stuff of the year so far. I’m behind my normal numbers, but I’ve still listened to 169 new releases (counting EP’s and live albums). Since I have a tendency to overload myself at the end of the year, I’m limiting my midyear post to just 25 albums. It’s a mix of perennial favorites and new surprises, and hopefully you’ll find something new and wonderful too! If your favorite isn’t here, well there’s currently 130 on my list to listen to as well. I’m sure I’ll write my favorite 1000 at the end of the year or something tedious. Let’s go!

25. The Men – Buyer Beware

I’m a simple man; at the end of the day, I just love some whiplash garage rock. Doesn’t have to be good, just has to be fast and loud. Luckily, The Men are also good, and they’ve delivered another back-to-basics album after last year’s excellent New York. This is the band’s 100th or so album, incredible that they are still so locked-in. This band has done some more experimental or slower works, but they’re at their best with no-frills old-school rock. 

24. Beach Bunny – Tunnel Vision

No secret that I’m a huge Beach Bunny fan. Their mix of fun, fuzzy punk and squeaky-clean vocals and lyrics makes for a super unique band, even if there are tons of similar acts out there. Their third album doesn’t change the formula, thankfully, it just locks in and delivers some whipping indie-punk tunes with a saccharine touch. Fun fact: my partner and I’s song is “Cloud 9.” 

23. Model/Actriz – Pirouette

The first Model/Actriz album was like nothing I’ve heard before – electro-noise that counts as dance music, but for an indie crowd, with music based largely on staccato notes, and lyrics and vocals that are raw and often frighteningly vulnerable. Their sophomore album digs more into the dance side, more melodic and less noisy, to almost equally good outcomes. The lyrics are more of a focus here, and they’re a lot clearer – this album is a therapy session, and it feels uncomfortable to dance to it. But damn do you have to.

22. Lambrini Girls – Who Let The Dogs Out

A riotous, raucous debut from England that was set to be the punk breakthrough of 2025 before Bob Vylan got censored for truth. Dogs hearkens back to riot grrrl in spirit, blending it with the punk of 2025. It’s a load of fun, and also viciously satirical and angry. Songs like “Company Culture” and “Filthy Rich Nepo Baby” have specific targets behind them. Some of it feels a little like 2010’s-era Tumblr feminism, but when the songs are this good that doesn’t matter.

21. SPELLLING – Portrait of My Heart

This has already been a solid year of me checking out artist I’ve heard of but never heard. I had Spellling pegged as an indie-R&B singer in my head, and while that’s accurate, she’s very rock too. The songs on Heart pull from equally from Motown and Subpop, diving headfirst into sultry R&B or double-bass drums on a whim. The only constant factor is energy, the rest is entirely unpredictable. Really had fun listening to this. Three L’s in the name but none to be found on the record. 

20. clipping. – Dead Channel Sky

On the flipside is artists I’ve loved for years. The experimental rap group clipping. are a personal favorite, and their fifth album delivers on all fronts. The band’s abrasive music mixed with Daveed Diggs’ lightspeed rapping make for consistently thrilling tunes. There isn’t necessarily anything new here, but the formula still works – heavy, fast rap songs that very rhythmic but still shun any radio-friendly elements. 

19. Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – Death Hilarious

I found myself surprisingly disappointed with Pigsx7’s previous album, 2023’s Land of Sleeper. They remained one of my favorite metal bands, but I was worried that their continued trajectory from doom metal into psychedelic rock would render them boring. Alas! Their fifth album is just as good as albums 1-3. Heavy riffs and dense songs abound. There’s classic, doom-y Pigs (“The Wyrm”) and there’s entirely new ideas (“Glib Tongued” which features El-P of all people). This band is about as much fun as you can have in metal. Oh by the way, covered them.

18. Baths – Gut

I hadn’t kept up with Baths after his first two records, both electro-indie albums that presented two sides of a coin; the debut was fun and bubbly, the sophomore record much gloomier. I wasn’t sure what to expect with Gut, but I really wasn’t expecting a Perfume Genius record. This is a set of vulnerable, pretty, shaken and queer indie songs, written in the same manner as Michael Hadreas does. You can make the argument that the album’s front half is too similar, but there’s a lot of open space for this kind of thing. It’s gorgeous, I was floored. Grab the tissues. And as for Perfume Genius himself, well I haven’t worked up the willpower to listen to his new one yet. Expect it on the EOY list. 

17. DARKSIDE – Nothing

This one caught me way off-guard. I only really knew on Darkside song prior to this, “Liberty Bell,” and I really love it. But the band’s atmospheric, electro-indie is akin to a handful of other bands that I appreciate but don’t really like. The same goes for Nicholas Jaar’s solo music. But this album is just a blast. These songs are light and vibe-y, but they’re still funky and fun. I listened to this on a morning commute and it really set my brain in a righted mood for a workday. Definitely an album I’d revisit, and I rarely do that. Summer music!

16. Billy Woods – Golliwog

Another perennial favorite of mine, his presence on this list shouldn’t be surprising at all. It’s also one of the most acclaimed albums of the year in general. The indie rap hotshot has already released a number of great records both solo and as a member of Armand Hammer, but this is his magnum opus. A tough record about a tough life, an autobiography the artist’s fascinating life and his experiences in NYC. Sure, that album’s been done a million times, but if it’s earnest then it’s justifiable. This is not only earnest, it’s raw, nervous, and at times still redacted, as if Woods immediately regrets telling the listener something. 

15. Smerz – Big city life

It’s rare in today’s music melting pot that you hear something that sounds totally new. This sounds totally new. The best I can surmise Smerz is that they are trip-hop indie, with a little extra -hop, and some jazz. Short, funky blasts that sound like the coolest thing this side of Jon Spencer. I’ve already deep-dived their previous albums – their two prior full-lengths are ones where they serve as a backing band for an indie-pop singer, and an avant-garde choir. This band is hitting originality on all fronts. 

14. Paris Texas – They Left Me With A Gun

You may be noticing a trend in the rap that I like the most. Intense but vibrant indie-rap is my go-to; if Denzel Curry drops anything this year then it’s gonna be a heyday. The new PT release is just an EP, and I’m always hesitant on ranking EP’s against LP’s, but when something is this good it’s worth it. A quick, nonstop collection of fast rhythms and big beats, and all without the boisterousness of top 40 rap. 

13. Bad Bunny – Debí Tirar Más Fotos

I pity the people who don’t listen to music in languages they don’t speak. I don’t understand a word of this album and, as a pasty white man in Boston, I’m not exactly the target audience. But Bad Bunny has such an inherent skill at taking reggaeton – a genre that comes off as exceedingly repetitive to a pasty White – and making every song feel important and special. Reggaeton, rap, R&B, pop, there’s a touch of everything popular here. And even at 62 minutes, it doesn’t feel overstuffed or tedious. Put this on at a party – any party – and you’ll get everyone moving in no time. 

12. Ela Minus – DIA

I went into this one totally blind, having heard one song from it many weeks prior. Obviously, I was floored. I was expecting some light-electro indie, and probably “just another indie album” like the influx I’ve already heard this year. It’s electro-indie, for sure, but it’s very experimental and not afraid to take risks. Pop songs are meshed with ambient drone, and enough dense electronica to make Dave Gahan smile. It’s a truly unpredictable album and had me clapping my hands like a seal. 

11. ameokama – i will be clouds in the morning and rain in the evening

The first of three regional Boston* discs to make the list, this is another entry in the “wildly unpredictable” canon. But instead of sticking in the world of electro-indie, this cements itself in black metal. ameokama, who is also the singer for metal group A Constant Knowledge of Death, explores every boundary of black metal, and pushes past them. They’re confrontational at points, atmospheric at others. The defining focus of this album is existing as something you can get lost in. You know how Deafheaven went from black metal to ambient? Imagine all of that across one album (more on them later). There’s still time for some doom and shoegaze elements too, because it simply can’t stay contained. 

*- ameokama dropped this album and promptly moved away, but it counts as a Boston album.

10. Little Simz – Lotus

It’s always a safe assumption that Little Simz will make my lists whenever she releases something, but Lotus is excellent even on a grading curve. After the monumental, unexpected success of her album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, she stepped away a bit and released some cold, confrontational albums. But Lotus is plain old fun. The UK rapper sounds like she’s having a blast, with big beats and bouncy rhythms. It’s a different and somewhat relieving direction, as it sounds like Simz has learned to leverage her platform (a guest appearance on last year’s Coldplay album hinted at this too). As expected, there’s a lot of quick, flowing ideas and most of them work very well. 

9. mclusky – the world is still here and so are we

And thank your god for that. mclusky could release an album of fart noises and I’d find a way to justify putting in on my list, but luckily I don’t have to. The band’s first album in 21 years picks up exactly where they left off, and why shouldn’t it? The things they satirized so heavily in the early 2000’s have only gotten worse! This is full of short, heavy post-hardcore songs that could easily get mistaken as punk. And as expected, the lyrics range from corny and silly to deeply political and courageously specific. I was a huge fan of Future Of The Left, Andy Falkous’ band he formed after mclusky’s initial break-up, but this album scratches a slightly different itch. 

8. TAKAAT – Is Noise, Vol. 1

Remember when I said I always debate whether to include EP’s? This is the same boat. But let me say that this is the exact type of thing I’m into. This 4-track is the first music released by the band, but you may be familiar with them already – it’s Mdou Moctar’s backing band, without Moctar himself. These four songs mix African rhythms with dense, heavy noise production to make something wholly unique and separate from the artist they’re associated with. I saw these guys play a very early show and they managed to stretch these four songs into an hour-long set, it was face-melting stuff. I can’t wait for more. 

7. Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power

The kings reclaim the throne. Deafheaven’s Sunbather is arguably the best metal album of the last 20 years, whether you like it or not, and they’ve been on a tear ever since then. But where each subsequent album has explored a different facet of their sound, Lonely People With Power combines everything into one. It’s their best since Sunbather. Pulverizing black metal, blissful ambient, riffs, beautiful lyrics completely lost through guttural screaming, and occasionally just…rock music? Also these are shorter songs than normal, which gives the band more branches to show themselves off. It’s like a Greatest Hits of all new tracks. Bring earplugs. 

6. nurse joy – can i say something…?

The second local act to make the list – yes, there’s still another one here. I caught nurse joy by chance at a festival last year when I had downtime, and their set in a cramped Rockwell was a damn party. Their debut full-length is a dance-punk whirlwind, a bunch of raucous loose anthems that transcend genre but never stray too far from being -punk. It’s fun as hell. I’ve seen them twice more since last summer, always a fun show. 

5. Backxwash – Only Dust Remains

Another shoo-in, every Backxwash album I’ve listened to has made my best-of lists. There was never any doubt here. The Zambian-Canadian rapper is freed from her now-concluded trilogy of dark, religious albums, but Dust isn’t a whole lot different. We do see some different and more experimental sides of her, making this her most well-rounded album to date. But it’s also dark, heavy, conscious and sometimes just plain nasty. This isn’t something for everyone, it’s deliberately off-putting at points; but it’s yet another triumph in a catalog full of them. 

4. Laura Stevenson – Late Great

Laura Stevenson’s classic “Master Of Art” is my all-time favorite song. She’s got one of the best singing voice I’ve ever heard. It’s not necessarily a given that she shows up on these lists, but it’s likely – and Late Great is her best album in a long while. Touching, gorgeous indie songs that can stretch into “fun” or “haunting” territory real quick. Stevenson is excellent at making songs that are drawn-out and dense, and following it up with something minimalistic and catchy. Everything is all under the guise of Stevenson’s beautiful vocals. She’s one of my favorite artists and she’s back even stronger than she has been in many years.

3. Paper Lady – Idle Fate

The third and final local release on this list, this album is nuts. Another debut full-length, this one is somewhere in the realm of heavy alternative/shoegaze, even just rock music. These tunes are dense and unpredictable, sometimes putting everything upfront and other times opting for a slow-burning bruiser. Their live show is feral even as the songs are patient. If you’ve been missing some heavy alternative, then have no fear, Paper Lady is here. 

2. Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory – Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory

Time to get the tissues out. I mentioned my favorite song, but SVE’s “Seventeen” is close behind it, and the song guaranteed to make me to weep. SVE’s first album crediting her backing band is her best in a long while. It’s apparent that the band were more involved in the songwriting, as these tunes are denser and more instrumental. Guitars are largely ditched for synthesizers, itself a big change for her traditionally folk-inspired indie (and usually a kiss of death for me). But her gorgeous voice still prevails and makes these songs vulnerable, shakeable. Remarkably beautiful indie record. 

1. Bartees Strange – Horror

I’ve been a fan of Bartees for a while, but I never predicted that he would put out a record this good. Horror does indeed dig into the macabre, adding yet another element to his already-stewing melting pot. The indie/rock/rapper delivers a chaotic album of high-speed rap, pretty R&B and catchy indie songs. It’s fun, wildly so, and delivers from start to finish. It’s easy to see an influence of TV On The Radio here, although the more macabre parts come from elsewhere. Some of these songs absolutely boom, but not all of them do, it’s a very well-rounded affair. Fun as hell. 

Note: While compiling and writing this list, I did listen to two more releases that would probably slip in somewhere here, so let me do two little flashes. You had to know this wouldn’t actually stay at 25:

Songs By Jonas – “The “Everything Is Wrong” Album” – I know nothing about this artist, but this was a whirlwind of bedroom emo and experimental noise. Most songs are short and acoustic,  and make clever use of double-tracking to make it sound like a full band instead of one person. But there’s plenty of fuzz and glitch, too – it’s wildly unpredictable.

The Croaks – Menagerie – Another favorite local band (and one that features Paper Lady frontwoman Alli on bass), this is some Ren Faire indie. A 4-track EP of songs with full minstrel influence, even though some of them go off the rails into punk territory. Seen them live multiple times, one of the most fun bands you’ll find in Boston. 

Baths – “Obsidian”

Photo Credit: CMJ

Photo Credit: CMJ

Grade: A-

Key Tracks: “Incompatible,” “No Eyes”

Baths, the moniker for solo musician Will Wiesenfeld, received mass critical acclaim for his 2010 debut, “Cerulean.” The album was lo-fi alternative, recorded entirely in Wiesenfeld’s bedroom. Musically, the album was a bouncy dose of electronica, often fun and reminiscent of Passion Pit. His follow-up, however, is not any kind of status quo. Wiesenfeld was already setting out to make an album completely independently, which suggests the idea of a darker tone. Soon after, he became rundown with an awful case of E Coli (!) that left him bedridden and unable to perform even basic functions. Meaning, as a musician, he was left unable to express his inner emotions. “Obsidian” is a dark record, and even when it sounds danceable, it still feels dreadful and foreboding.

Musically, Wiesenfeld is on the same level as his debut. Most of the tracks feature just him on vocals and various keyboards and piano. It still sounds as if it were recorded in a bedroom, and may have been. The music, at times, takes a darker tone than his first album. There is little fun here. Tracks like “Worsening” and “Earth Death” suggest darker, personally destructive times. Some songs, like “No Eyes,” have more of a bouncy rhythm, only to get interrupted by noise for a few beats, before returning. The dark tone is not necessarily consistent, as occasionally Wiesenfeld will let more of a fun sound slip in. “No Past Lives” is built around a very original, fun rhythm, but one that really does not fit on the album.

Lyrically, Wiesenfeld is expressing his inner anguish at his post-debut troubles. “Earth Death” centers around the line “Kill me / I see so clearer.” The album opener, “Worsening,” features the darkly comic line “Where is God when you hate him the most?” Religion, death, and meaningless sex are topics on the album, marking a vast departure from his debut. There is some brilliant, dark lyricism here. Disgruntled 90’s alternative bands are re-imagined as a pained solo musician, recording alone. Artists in any genre often have trouble with their sophomore albums, but Baths has found a way to make something wholly different from his debut. “Obsidian” is an intensely pounding and completely satisfying listen.

-Andrew McNally