By Eleni P. Austin

And the hits keep coming. While 2024 will probably go down as the biggest bummer year of my life. 2025 is coming in a close second. This time, I know I’m not alone. This has been a tumultuous time for a lot of us. The world feels upside down and to say we have all been thrown for a loop, feels like an understatement.

Maybe it’s just my age, but doesn’t it feel like we’ve lost substantially more musicians this year? Beginning with Brenton Wood and concluding with Chris Rea, 2025 has served up the blows. From Wayne Osmond, Sam Moore, Marianne Faithfull, Roberta Flack, Jam bassist Rick Butler, David Johansen, Roy Ayers, Angie Stone, Alarm front-man Mike Peters, Flaco Jimenez and Mr. Superlungs, Terry Reid, to Eddie Palmieri, Mott The Hoople/Bad Co. guitarist Mick Ralphs, Mark Volman of the Turtles, Sonny Curtis, Soft Cell’s David Ball, Jack De Johynette, Squeeze drummer Gilson Lavis, Carlton Carter, Ace Frehley and Joe Ely.

Of course, the ones that cut to the quick include Jill Sobule, Sly Stone and Brian Wilson (in the same fucking week). Ozzy Osbourne, D’Angelo, Steve Cropper, Todd Snider and Raul Malo. It’s hard to wrap my mind around the fact that we’ll never get to hear new music from these people. Nothing to do but honor their legacies by playing the songs, and, to quote Curtis Mayfield, Keep on keepin’ on.

I have a friend who is as much of a music and Pop Culture obsessive as I am. Periodically, throughout any given year, he will update me on exactly what his #1 album might be. Why? Because he’s a record nerd (me too). We are equally passionate about music, and always in search of the next, newest, best thing.

I must confess, I knew what my #1 record for 2025 would be when the needle hit the groove.

  1. LUTHER RUSSELL “HAPPINESS FOR BEGINNERS (Curation Records) – I’ve listened to plenty of great music over the last 12 months, but this one continues to resonate.

I only discovered Luther about eight years ago. (He’s my newest, spiritual musical boyfriend, and he’s okay with that). He originally began making music in the late ‘80s, first in bands like The Bootheels and The Freewheelers, before embarking on a solo career in 1997. He’s managed to find the time to produce records for musicians like SBT (the artist formerly known as Sarabeth Tucek), and Fernando Viciconte, plus, he’s also half of Those Pretty Wrongs, which includes former Big Star drummer Jody Stephens.

“Happiness…” is his seventh solo album and is a sharp synthesis of everything that came before. His melodies and arrangements hit that sonic sweet spot of Jangle Pop, Psychedelia and Power Pop. Songs shapeshift from drowsy to dissonant, effervescent and incandescent. Lyrics toggle between moody and melancholy, complex and cogent. Luther can be playful, provocative or poignant, sometimes within the same song. His music cuts to the quick and it never lets me down.

  1. LUCY DACUS “Forever Is A Feeling” (Geffen Records) – Lucy released her first record nearly a decade ago and the Virginia native immediately created quite a buzz. Each successive effort has been met with critical acclaim and a growing and passionate following. Her profile was raised exponentially when she partnered with pals Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers to form the distaff indie super group, Boygenius. Their first official long-player, The Record arrived in 2021 and exceeded expectations.

Critical praise was now matched by massive commercial success. The three-piece were feted on the cover of Rolling Stone, performed on Saturday Night Live and received seven Grammy nominations, winning three. This year, Lucy returned with her fourth solo album. Forever Is A Feeling is a game-changing effort that drew comparisons to k.d. lang’s Ingenue album. This seemed wildly apropos since most of the songs contained bold declarations of same-sex love. Lucy wears her heart on her sleeve and the rewards are bountiful. The melodies and arrangements are lush, the harmonies are stacked. Lyrics limn the spine-tingling sensation of instant attraction, that thunderbolt that can’t be denied. They also navigate break-ups, mixed signals and happy endings. Funny, perspicacious and wise beyond her years, she has created a record that leaves the listener dizzy with delight.

  1. JILL SOBULE “Fuck 7th Grade” Original Cast Album jillsobule.com – Jill died so suddenly, so tragically, that many of us still can’t come to terms with that fact. 2025 was meant to be a big year for her. First, a 30th anniversary version of her self-titled album being released on vinyl for the first time, but more importantly, she was releasing the Original Cast Recording of her Drama Desk-nominated Off Broadway show, Fuck 7th Grade.

Wildly autobiographical, the album pivots between new songs like “Raleigh Blue Chopper” and “What Do I Do With Tongue,” specifically written for show and retro-fits Jill classics like “When My Ship Comes In,” “Mexican Wrestler” and the ebullient “I Kissed A Girl.” Ultimately, a beautiful and bittersweet journey that speaks to anyone who felt different or other, who endured the angst of adolescence and came out the other side understanding their own individual voice. My heart still cracks a little when I hear her sing, but at least she left us with this elegant parting gift.

  1. THE THIRD MIND “Right Now!” (YepRoc Records) – What began as a detour for Dave Alvin has now become a full-fledged voyage of discovery. Sidelining his solo career in 2020, he formed The Third Mind with pals like Victor Krummenacher, Michael Jerome and Dave Immergluck, along with Jesse Sykes and Willie Aron. The goal was to make music that is experimental and improvisational without ever crossing the threshold of musical onanism. With two studio albums and one live effort under their collective belts, Right Now is an expansive distillation of all the music that before. A cosmic kaleidoscope of mind-bending melodies, it features one original song and six trenchant covers. If it were possible for Sun Ra, Jefferson Airplane, Miles Davis, The Grateful Dead and Willie Dixon to conceive a musical love child, it might sound like The Third Mind. Their yin yang dynamic expertly coalesces, equal parts spontaneous and economical.
  2. PATTY GRIFFIN “Crown Of Roses” (PGM Records/Thirty Tigers Records) – Patty Griffin has always had the power to break your heart and uplift your soul, that gift hasn’t diminished. Her latest album sort of addresses the tsuris she experienced over the last decade. Between a a romantic break-up, a battle with cancer and the threat of losing her voice, she considered retirement. Instead, she regained her voice and repaired her strained relationship with her mother. As much as her 2013 album, American Kid paid homage to her dad after he’d passed away, this new one does the same for her mother.

Songs like “Born In A Cage” and “All The Way Home” explicate the feeling of isolation and captivity that grip women who have lost their sense of self in service to their family. Something of a restless farewell, the record waves adios to the woman who gave Patty life and set her on her own path to independence.

  1. JON CLEARY “The Bywater Sessions” (FHQ Records/Well-Kept Secret) – Jon Cleary has been a driving force on the New Orleans music scene for nearly 40 years. The British native first relocated to The Big Easy from his hometown in South East England back in the ‘80s. His recording career took off in 1999 and he hasn’t looked back. His modern spin on New Orleans tradition gained plenty of high profile fans, and he went on to share stages with Eric Clapton, B.B. King, D’Angelo, Eric Burdon and Taj Mahal. Bonnie Raitt was so impressed, she invited Jon and his four-piece band, The Absolute Monster Gentlemen to hit the road with her.

His latest effort, The Bywater Sessions, is guaranteed to lift your spirits as it brings both the Funk and the noise. The record unfurls like an extended jam session that harnesses the piquant musical gumbo that characterizes New Orleans’ vibrant sound.

  1. NEKO CASE “Grey Midnight Green” (ANTI-Records) – Seven years after her last solo effort, Neko made a welcome return this year with her eighth record. Shapeshifting from opulent to homespun, the songs were inspired by her stunning memoir, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You. But she also characterized it as a love letter and testimony to musicians. The record includes songs like “Rusty Mountain” and “Ice Age,” which recall her hardscrabble childhood. Meanwhile, “Winchester Cathedral Of Sound” and “Match-Lit” pay homage to the late-great Dexter Romweber (Flat Duo Jets) and Dallas Good (The Sadies) respectively. Threading through this rich musical tapestry is Neko’s powerhouse voice, which cannot be denied.
  2. VICKI PETERSON and JOHN COWSILL “Long After The Fire (Label 51 Records) – The Cowsills are the musical gift that keeps on giving. Not only did the family band (which charted a few Top 5 singles back in the late ‘60s) return to the spotlight three years ago with Rhythm Of The World, their first album in nearly a quarter of a century, they have been quietly rereleasing long out-of-print records like Global and Cocaine Drain. Most importantly, this year saw the debut album from Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill. The former Bangle and John have been a married couple for a couple of decades and have made music (informally and as part of the Action Skulls with their pal, Billy Mumy), for years. But Long After The Fire marks their first official outing as a duo.

A labor of love, the record shines a spotlight on songs written by John’s elder brothers, Bill and Barry. Both are gone now, Barry was a casualty of Hurricane Katrina and Bill succumbed to health issues in early 2006. Both were incredible songwriters, but somehow, their music has always flown under the radar. Vicki and John selected 12 favorites and got down to business. They split lead vocals down the middle. On Bill’s “Is Anybody Here,” John’s vocals echo Roy Orbison’s melismatic croon and Buddy Holly’s Texas drawl. Meanwhile, Vicki takes command of Barry’s “Ol Timeless,” giving her flawless mezzo-soprano free-rein. Vocals coalesce on both “The Embers” and A Thousand Times.” Paying homage to the brothers by sharing their music with the world was the priority in 2025. Hopefully, recording an album of original songs from Vicki and John is next up on their to-do list.

  1. PETER HOLSAPPLE “The Face Of 68” (Label 51 Records) – Back in the late ‘70s, Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey formed the dB’s, a rockin’ combo that managed to alchemize Power Pop, Punk and New Wave. The band has reunited on and off over the years, but it’s Peter’s solo albums that truly satisfy. That’s especially true of his latest effort, Face Of ’68. His lyrics deftly grapple with aging and mortality. His tart melodies and crisp arrangements are, by turns, spiky, loose-limbed and sure-footed.
  2. BOB MOULD “Here We Go Crazy” (Granary Music/BMG Records) – Perhaps the only thing cooler than Bob Mould’s latest solo album is the announcement that he is reuniting with Sugar, his ‘90s Power-Punk trio in 2026. It’s been close to 50 years since Bob formed Minneapolis’ seminal Punk three-piece, Husker Du. Along with The Replacements and Soul Asylum, Husker were part of the Holy Triumvirate of the Twin Cities’ music scene.

Although the band broke up in the late ‘80s, Bob has made equally compelling music as a solo artist and with Sugar. Halfway through his sixth decade, he retains the same snarly and scabrous swagger that he displayed at the start of his career. His 15th solo effort, Here We Go Crazy, splits the difference between melancholy and marauding. A rollicking see-saw of emotions are bookended by fuzz-crusted guitars, wiry bass lines and explosive drum salvos. More than ever, his music remains adventurous and uncompromising.

Well, that’s my Top 10, were I willing to bend the rules, some records that “went to 11” (R.I.P. Rob and Michelle Reiner), -and beyond, include The Lemonheads Love Chant, Paul Weller’s Finding El Dorado, David Lowery’s Fathers, Sons And Brothers and Bird Streets’ The Escape Artist. See you in 2026.

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