GL.25.09: ERIK KRISTJANSON
GL.25.10: Curt Trnka
GL.25.11: Marisa Plaice
GL.25.12: Max Einstein
GL.25.13: Dillon North
GL.25.14: Darcey Lachtman
GL.25.15: Caseysimone Ballestas
GL.25.16: Ryan Joyce
GL.25.17: Desa Warner
***
(1) Geese - “Taxes”
It was cool to have such a hyped band this year with Geese where they caught the collective zeitgeist of indie rock fans and made an ‘important’ album (except for those ticket prices, geez!). This is what good rock music sounds like in 2025, I get major Velvet Underground vibes, and I am good with all of it. They leveled up bigtime!
(2) Wednesday - “Townies”
All the great things about Wednesday on display here. A master class in using your voice as an instrument!
(3) Dijon - “Automatic”
If you sound this much like Prince - and this fresh - you’re on my top songs of the year list, no questions.
(4) Alex G - “Afterlife”
I heard this and thought ‘instant classic.’ Sounds like it’s always existed.
(5) Turnstile - “BIRDS”
I got talked into attending a Monster Truck Rally this year. We were taking turns selecting ‘monster truck worthy’ songs, and I chose “BIRDS,” cranking it full blast into the parking lot. Everything was good and right in that moment.
(6) Water From Your Eyes - “Playing Classics”
This song pulled me in from the first high hat. I committed, and very much enjoyed the ride.
(7) Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band - “Better If You Make Me”
Definitely an album where it was hard to pick one song, but this one spoke to me. His lyrics and delivery are just so good, kept going back to this album time and again.
(8) Jay Som, Jim Adkins - “Float”
All the 90s rock vibes, great production, and it just works. Jay Som is a genius.
(9) Panda Bear - “Ends Meet”
One of my most listened to albums this year, Panda Bear is meeting me where I'm at these days.
(10) Lola Young - “Spiders”
Listened to more Lola Young than I probably would have without my 6 yr old daughter, and this emotional rock ballad struck me. More rock ballads Lola!
(11) Perfume Genius - “It’s a Mirror”
Everything Perfume Genius does is chock full of emotion, and this song is no different. Reminds me that a healthy thing to do every so often is stare into the mirror for a long time (preferably high) and see what you see.
(12) Viagra Boys - “Man Made of Meat”
Hands down the most fun show I went to in 2025 was Viagra Boys at The Fox in Oakland. Their lead singer is a force and every song rocked. I asked my buddy if he thought they would have more fans with a different band name. He said ‘it doesn’t matter - it’s a filtering mechanism to ensure they have quality fans, not quantity of fans’. I nodded my head in agreement.
(13) Addison Rae - “Fame is a Gun”
Listened to more pop in 2025 than probably ever before (Spotify said my listening age is 18 for God sakes!). I thought this track nails the worldview of an up-and-coming pop star with such clarity.
(14) Wet Leg - “catch these fists”
I would not mess with the lead singer of Wet Leg under any circumstances!
(15) Remi Wolf - “Soup”
Singing along to Soup was a thing in our household this year. So damn singable.
(16) Cain Culto, Sudan Archives - “KFC Santeria (Sudan Archives Remix)”
In my day, booty-shakin music just had fun & dumb booty-shakin lyrics. Now booty-shakin music has politically charged, protest worthy lyrics. I guess that’s progress!?
(17) Ribbon Skirt - “Off Rez”
What are the odds of two albums called Bite Down in back to back years that are both good?! Like many great songs, “Off Rez” has deeper, defiant meanings.
(18) Horsegirl - “2468”
Good jangly stuff here, great driving album.
(19) Bon Iver - “Everything is Peaceful Love”
Bon Iver was like “how can we make a song that is the embodiment of grinning ear to ear?”
(20) Ty Segall - “Fantastic Tomb”
We got a new dog this year to go with our two cats and watching that dynamic has been fun. I was singing ‘Get along, little dog, get along’ for days from this song. Good old fashioned classic rock vibes from the prolific Ty Segall.
(21) Spiritual Cramp - “True Love (Is Hard to Find)”
Love these local guys! This is like a love letter to SF and the lyrics really do it for me.
(22) Bill Fox - “Terminal Way”
It’s that John Prine or Bob Dylan simplicity: great lyrics, a guitar, and a harmonica is all you need (a neat whiskey and fire don’t hurt either).
(23) Momma - “I Want You (Fever)”
Sonically sharp and lyrically pointed - almost makes you feel bad for the ‘her’ that she commands you to pick up and leave.
(24) Tobacco City - “Buffalo”
I found myself going back to this Tobacco City album whenever I needed my twangy-country fix this year.
(25) No Joy - “Bits”
Saw this band randomly at Thee Stork Club in Oakland and it went off! This was a standout.
(26) Flock of Dimes - “Defeat”
Some people can just project so much emotion in their voice and Jenn Wasner is one of them. Set against these folk-tronica beats and you’ve got a winner in my book.
(27) Sudan Archives - “Noire”
I love how ambitious this track is, how much is going on sonically, and maybe it doesn't all work perfectly but you gotta love when an artist takes a big swing.
(28) The Belair Lip Bombs - “Don’t Let Them Tell You (It’s Fair)”
Excited to see these Melbourne rockers on their first US tour in March!
(29) Blood Orange, Tariq Al-Sabir, Caroline Polachek - “The Field”
I heard this for the first time on the BART leaving work and it relaxed me like a deep exhale at the end of a long day.
(30) Cory Hanson - “Bird on a Swing”
Not surprised to see the lead singer of Wand branch out, they had a strange on-stage dynamic when I saw them. Thankfully, the guy can still write great songs on his own.
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