STAFF PICKS
our favorite MUSIC of
2025
GRIMEY
(founder/co-owner)
1. Wednesday - Bleeds
“That’s it… listen to ‘Pick Up That Knife.’”
DOYLE
(co-owner/vinylist)
Best albums of 2025? No idea. My favorite albums from this year, however, are as follows:
new stuff:
1. Guided By Voices - Thick Rich & Delicious
2. Stereolab - Instant Holograms on Metal Film
3. Sessa - Paquena Vertigem de Amor
4. Cindy Lee - Diamond Jubilee (and the other reissues. it was Cindy Lee's year!)
5. The Beths - Straight Line Was A Lie
6. Sharp Pins - Balloon Balloon Balloon
7. Tristen - Unpopular Music
8. Zé Ibarra - AFIM
9. Geese - Getting Killed
10. Melody's Echo Chamber - Unclouded
reissues & archive releases:
1. Sly & The Family Stone - The First Family Live at the Winchester Cathedral 1967
2. Pink Floyd - Live at Pompeii remix and first-ever stand-alone audio release
3. The Who - Live at the Oval (Who Are You box is pretty cool too)
4. Wilco - A Ghost is Born deluxe, expanded monster
5. Mr. Bongo Brazilian reissues in general. Making some of the most incredibly melodic, groovy music available in the States for the first time ever!
ANNA
(store manager/Indie Pop Princess)
studio albums
The Beths - Straight Line Was a Lie (Anti Records)
Artificial Go - Musical Chairs (Feel It)
Chime Oblivion - Chime Oblivion (DEATHGOD CORP)
Wednesday - Bleeds (Dead Oceans)
S.G. Goodman - Planting by the Signs (Slough Water/Thirty Tigers)
Pulp - More (Rough Trade)
Sharp Pins - Radio DDR (Perennial/K Records)
Stereolab - Instant Holograms on Metal Film (Duophonic/Warp)
reissues/compilations
Pink Floyd - Pink Floyd At Pompeii - MCMLXXII (Pink Floyd)
All Dressed Up! (1960s Girl Goodies Lost & Found) (Teensville)
Barnyard Beehive (Numero Group)
WILL
(assistant manager/receiving major domo)
transcendent:
Oklou - choke enough (True Panther Sounds)
Food House - two house (self-released)
venturing - Ghostholding (deadAir)
Jane Remover - Revengeseekerz (deadAir)
Girls Rituals - I'm It! (Black Squares Media)
James K - Friend (AD 93)
Nick León - A Tropical Entropy (TraTraTrax)
Austra - Chin Up Buttercup (Domino)
Disiniblud - Disiniblud (Smugglers Way)
Jay Som - Belong (Polyvinyl)
transformative:
FKA Twigs - EUSEXUA (Atlantic)
ROSALÍA - LUX (Columbia)
Editrix - The Big E (Joyful Noise)
Los Thuthanaka - Los Thuthanaka (self-released)
Colin Self - respite ∞ levity for the nameless ghost in crisis (RVNG Intl.)
Lucrecia Dalt - A Danger to Ourselves (RVNG Intl.)
Hatchie - Liquorice (Secretly Canadian)
Juana Molina - DOGA (Sonamos)
Maria Somerville - Luster (Matador)
Julien Mier - Gradually (Lapsus)
transportive:
PinkPantheress - Fancy That (Warner)
Sleigh Bells - Bunky Becky Birthday Boy (Mom + Pop)
Deerhoof - Noble and Godlike in Ruin (Joyful Noise)
Sudan Archives - The BPM (Stones Throw)
Hannah Jadagu - Describe (Sub Pop)
No Joy - Bugland (Hand Drawn Dracula)
Kali Malone + Drew McDowall - Magnetism (Ideologic Organ)
Yeule - Evangelic Girl is a Gun (Ninja Tune)
Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek - Yarın Yoksa (Big Crown)
Guedra Guedra - Mutant (Smugglers Way)
essential EPs:
Jane Remover - ♡ (deadAir)
Ari Bald & CJ Scott - Humble Jumble (Studio Barnhus)
Sofia Kourtesis - Volver (Ninja Tune)
JASON
(bookstore major domo/preloved music buyer/trickster sage)
New Albums:
Wednesday - Bleeds
Florry - Sounds Like...
Panda Bear - Sinister Grift
Tune-Yards - Better Dreaming
Joan Shelley - Real Warmth
James McMurtry - The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy
Big Thief - Double Infinity
Neil Young & Chrome Hearts - Talkin to the Trees
Craig Finn - Always Been
Sharp Pins - Balloon Balloon Balloon
Sharp Pins - Radio DDR
Patterson Hood - Exploding Trees and Airplane Screams
Horsegirl - Phonetics On & On
Hannah Cohen - Earthstar Mountain
Will Johnson - Diamond City
The Bobby Lees - Beauty Pageant
Alex G - Headlights
Archival/Reissues:
Husker Du - 1985: The Miracle Year
Jethro Tull -Still Living in the Past
The Who - Who Are You Super Deluxe Edition Boxset
The Who - Live at the Oval 1971
Marianne Faithfull - Cast Your Fate to the Wind: The Complete UK Decca Recordings
Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska '82
Ella Fitzgerald - Moment of Truth: Ella at the Coliseum 1967
Bob Dylan - Through the Open Window: The Bootleg Series Vol. 18
Lou Bond - S/T (Real Gone Music)
V/A - Gather in the Mushrooms: The British Folk Underground 1969-1975 (Sanctuary 2004, reissued via Ace Records 2025)
V/A - Jingle Jangle Morning: The U.S. Folk Rock Explosion (Cherry Red)
TYLER
(preloved music buyer/resident cinema expert/sound conductor)
1. Bill Fox - Resonance
2. Wednesday - Bleeds
3. Joan Shelley - Real Warmth
4. Jeff Tweedy - Twilight Override
5. Big Thief - Double Infinity
6. Pulp - More.
7. Caroline Spence - Heart Go Wild
8. Pino Palladino and Blake Mills - That Wasn't A Dream
9. William Tyler - Time Indefinite
10. Friendship - Caveman Wakes Up
Reissues/Non Album Things -
1. Wilco - Ghost is Born Deluxe Box Set
2. Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska 82
3. Bob Dylan - The Original Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
4. Beatles - Anthology 4
5. Bruce Springsteen - Tracks II: The Lost Albums
STEPHEN
(head silly goose/hardcore to pop girlie pipeline)
Albums
DARKSIDE - Nothing
End It - Wrong Side of Heaven
FKA twigs - EUSEXUA
Greet Death - Die In Love
Habibi Funk: A Selection of Music from Libyan Tapes
Yasmine Hamdan - I remember I forget بنسى وبتذكر
Carly Rae Jepsen - E•MO•TION (10th Anniversary Edition)
MIKE - Showbiz!
modest by default - APLOMB (للعدو: ولا حتى العدل)
MSPAINT - No Separation [EP]
Nisemono 偽者 - Nisemono 偽者
Oklou - choke enough
Pure Terror - Ehteram إحترام [EP]
Sword II - Electric Hour
V/A - All the Lonely People
Wednesday - Bleeds
YHWH Nailgun - 45 Pounds
Books
Naseer Aruri and Edmund Ghareeb (editors) - Enemy of the Sun: Poetry of Palestinian Resistance
Seth Harp - The Fort Bragg Cartel: Drug Trafficking and Murder in the Special Forces
Antonia Hodgson - The Raven Scholar
Liz Pelly - Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist
Dean Van Nguyen - Words For My Comrades: A Political History of Tupac Shakur
ALEX
(director of preciousness/chalkboard funnyman/computer magic)
1. Oklou - Choke Enough
2. Wednesday - Bleeds
3. James K - Friend
4. Barker - Stochastic Drift
5. Rochelle Jordan - Through the Wall
6. Nourished by Time - The Passionate Ones
7. Sudan Archives - The BPM
8. Rosalía - LUX
9. Smerz - Big City Life
10. YHWH Nailgun - 45 Pounds
11. Djrum - Under Tangled Silence
12. FKA Twigs - EUSEXUA
13. PinkPantheress - Fancy That
14. Oneohtrix Point Never - Tranquilizer
15. Jane Remover - Revengeseekerz
16. Nick Leon - A Tropical Entropy
17. Gelli Haha - Switcheroo
18. No Joy - Bugland
19. Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band- New Threats from the Soul
20. Colin Self- respite and levity for the nameless ghost in crisis
JACKSON
(media socializer/image wizard/voracious music eater)
MIKE - Showbiz!
They Are Gutting a Body of Water - LOTTO
Total Wife - come back down
Oneohtrix Point Never - Tranquilizer
Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru - Church of Kidane Mehret
This Is Lorelei - Holo Boy
Sword II - Electric Hour
Wednesday - Bleeds
Taxidermists - 20247
Bruce Springsteen - Tracks II
COSA
(K-pop connoisseur/concert collector)
25 of ‘25
PinkPantheress - Fancy That/ Fancy Some More?
Chaeyoung - LIL FANTASY vol.1
Sudan Archives - The BPM
Hayley Williams - Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party
Yasmine Hamdan - I remember I forget بنسى وبتذكر
Wednesday - Bleeds
Little Simz - Lotus
Venturing - Ghostholding
Nathy Peluso - Malportada EP
Rochelle Jordan - Through the Wall
Adéla - The Provocateur
Japanese Breakfast - For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women)
Amaarae - Black Star
Karol G - Tropicoqueta
Milena Casado - Reflection Of Another Self
Hannah Jadagu - Describe
KeiyaA - hooke’s law
FKA TWIGS - Eusexua
Nourished by Time - The Passionate Ones
Bad Bunny - DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
Oklou - Choke Enough
Rico Nasty - Lethal-er
Destin Conrad- Love On Digital/wHIMSY
Ninajirachi - I Love My Computer
Babebee - all that heaven allows
Honorable Mentions
spill tab - ANGIE
Jane Remover - Revengeseekerz
Olivia Dean - The Art of Loving
Isaiah Huron - Concubania
Joey Valence and Brae - HYPERYOUTH
Favorite Singles
Zara Larsson - Midnight Sun
Kehlani - Folded
Concerts that rearranged my molecular structure🧬
Poppy @ Brooklyn Bowl
Lucy Dacus @ Frist Museum
Japanese Breakfast @ Ryman Auditorium
Raveena @ The Basement East
Nico Play @ Drkmttr
Psychedelic Furs @ Brooklyn Bowl
Blondshell @ The Basement East
Samara Cyn @ Bobby Hotel
Destin Conrad @ The Basement East
Magdalena Bay @ Marathon Music Works
Nourished by Time @ The Blue Room
Rico Nasty @ Brooklyn Bowl
Dijon @ Marathon Music Works
Erykah Badu @ The Pinnacle
JULIA
(joy-spark/bubblegrunge queen)
FAVORITE ALBUMS:
Blondshell, If You Asked for a Picture
Samara Cyn, backroads
Lucy Dacus, Forever is a Feeling
Olivia Dean, The Art of Loving
Dijon, Baby
Earl Sweatshirt, Live Laugh Love
Greet Death, Die In Love
Halima, SWEET TOOTH
Isaia Huron, CONCUBANIA
Japanese Breakfast, For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)
Kelela, In the Blue Light
Khalid, after the sun goes down
kwn, with all due respect
Amber Mark, Pretty Idea
Terrace Martin, Albion Files
Men I Trust, Equus Caballus
Julia Michaels, Second Self
Not For Radio, Melt
Nourished by Time, Passionate Ones
Oklou, choke enough
Panchiko, Gingko
Salimata, The Happening
Venna, MALIK
Wednesday, Bleeds
Wet Leg, moisturizer
Wisp, If Not Winter
yeule, Evangelic Girl is a Gun
LOCAL SPOTLIGHT:
Billy!, Holding On
Horsehell, Nothing, An Infinity
Jeun, aatwidui
Kyleigh, Almost Everything
Mahal Kita, Dragging Me Back
FAVORITE SINGLES:
Elmiene, “Useless (Without You)”
Kehlani, “Out the Window”
the Marías, “Back to Me”
Terrace Martin & Ogi, “Not Sharing”
Young Miko, “WASSUP”
FAVORITE LIVE SHOWS:
Lucy Dacus (Frist Art Museum)
Japanese Breakfast (the Ryman)
Nourished by Time (the Blue Room)
Panchiko (Cannery Hall)
Raveena (the Basement East)
BEKAH
(bat whisperer/rave goblin)
2025 Albums I Played So Much I Sing The Next Song Before It Starts:
Debí Tirar Más Fotos - Bad Bunny
Sharon Van Etten and the Attachment Theory - Sharon Van Etten and the Attachment Theory
MAYHEM - Lady Gaga
Welcome to My Blue Sky - Momma
The Spin - Messa
Fancy That - PinkPantheress
Die in Love - Greet Death
The Passionate Ones - Nourished by Time
Bleeds - Wednesday
Fate Euphoric - Twen
Singles I Replayed An Alarming Amount of Times:
“Boy Crazy” - Kesha
“Apologia” - General Trust
“Throw Yourself to the Sword” - Die Spitz
“Not Hell, Not Heaven” - Scowl
“Spheres of Virulence” - Fugitive
“Bound 2 the Rhythm” - Ronnie Stone
“Allnighter” - Twen
“Pity party” - makthaverskan
EPs:
Ecos- Twin Tribes
KEVIN
(quality control)
Favorite Albums (in no particular order):
Billie Marten- Dog Eared
Darkside - Nothing
Dean Johnson- I Hope We Can Still Be Friends
Bon Iver - Sable, fable
Ólafur Arnalds & Talos - A Dawning
Youth Lagoon - Rarely Do I Dream
Arny Margret - I Love You, I Do
Lou Hazel - Riot of the Red
Little Simz - Lotus
The Vernon Spring - Under A Familiar Sun
Hannah Cohen - Earthstar Mountain
Mavis Staples- Sad and Beautiful World
Other Lives- Volume V
Will Stratton- Points Of Origin
HYUKOH & Sunset Rollercoaster - AAA (Live)
Favorite Reissues
Alison Krauss + Union Station - Live
Pink Floyd - Pink Floyd at Pompeii MCMLXXII
AIR - The Virgin Suicides Redux
Imogen Heap - Speak For Yourself
Bill Evans - Haunted Heart: The Legendary Riverside Studio Recordings
Buckingham Nicks - Buckingham Nicks (Rhino Hifi)
Tom Petty -Wildflowers (One Step)