By Henry Lipput
"The Lucky Thirteen."
That's what I'm calling my year-end list of my favorite albums of 2025, the ones I've most enjoyed listening to over the past twelve months. For each of them I've included a short description, my favorite song from the album, and a link to where you can find the album on Bandcamp (so that you can support these wonderful musicians and maybe bump into something else you can enjoy).
David Mead, January, San Fernando (Bandcamp)
David Mead is one of the best American singer-songwriters since his debut album, The Luxury of Time, was released in 1999. January, San Fernando fits comfortably in his catalog especially next to his album Indiana.
Favorite song: "Amelia"
Assistant, Certain Memories (Subjangle)
Certain Memories is a collection of sadly beautiful songs played by a band that makes a lovely, delicate jangly sound. The album is Assistant's first since 2022 and is a concept album of sorts dealing with the illness of a parent and how a family and friends get through it.
Favorite song: "Song for Jil"
Massage, Coaster (Bobo Integral Records)
Coaster is Massage's third album and the one where everything comes together. It's no coincidence that one of the members of this LA-based five piece was a co-founder of The Pains of Being Pure of Heart and you can hear this echoed in many of the songs on Coaster.
Favorite song: "When You Go"
The Bablers, Like the First Time (Big Stir Records)
Big Stir's release of Like the First Time was 25 years in the making as this album was only available in Japan and the band's native Finland in 2020. Full of power pop rave ups and ballads the album may have a different track listing but it's the way The Bablers want it heard now.
Favorite song: "You Are The One For Me"
Emma Swift, The Resurrection Game (Tiny Ghost Records)
If music has the power to heal, Swift has taken advantage of the opportunity to use the sounds of a swooning Nelson Riddle-like orchestra on her songs dealing with romance, desire, and a real-life nervous breakdown. And if the album is ever made into a musical the song "Catholic Girls Are Easy" would be a great Act 2 opener.
Favorite song: "Nothing and Forever"
Crossword Smiles, Consequences + Detours (Big Stir Records)
Consequences + Detours is the second album by the Michigan-based band led by Chip Saam, Tom Curless, and friends. The album is full of pop bliss and clever lyrics, a combination not usually found together but here found in spades.
Favorite song: "Millicent"
Tony Molina, On This Day (Slumberland Records)
Molina has been known for writing and recording songs that are less than two minutes long. None of these songs are throwaways or rough sketches. Some like On This Day's "Faded Holiday" barely hit the one-minute mark but he puts everything in them which only makes you want to visit them again..
Favorite song: "Faded Holiday"
SUPER 8 featuring Lisa Mychols, UNFINISHED MONKEY BUSINESS (Bandcamp)
SUPER 8 and Lisa Mychols have been making music together from opposite sides of the world since their 2019 single "Timebomb." Their new collection consists of previous released singles and album tracks as well as songs that are new to me.
Favorite song: "Falling For You"
Sunny Intervals, Swept Away (Bandcamp)
The album is described on its Bandcamp page as a "late night whisper." Swept Away was written over the course of a decade and recorded by Andy Hudson mostly in his kitchen at night. The Janglepophub blog called it "pristine sunshine pop."
Favorite song: "Waiting For Sunshine"
Shapes Like People, Ticking Haze (Jangleshop Records)
Ticking Haze is the debut album from the husband and wife team of Kat and Carl Mann. Following his work with The Shop Window it's not surprising that the songs are rich with melody as well as peopled with characters who yearn for love and a better life as well as an offering of hope and support to both lovers and friends.
Favorite song: "When The Radio Plays"
Tamar Berk, ocd, (Bandcamp)
Berk has described ocd, her fifth album in five years, as her most personal and intense. She continues to add new musical ideas and instruments to her sound and she has found new ways to address both real and imagined conversations that can present roadblocks in relationships.
Favorite song: "ocd"
Robert Forster, Strawberries (Tapete Records)
Since his time in The Go-Betweens and throughout his solo career Forster has mastered the writing of story songs. On Strawberries there are two: "Tell It Back To Me" and "Breakfast On The Train." "Train" is the one that has stuck with me because of its use of a novel storytelling device
Favorite song: "Breakfast On The Train"
Brian Bilston and The Catenary Wires, Sounds Made By Humans (Skep Wax)
Brian Bilston is a poet and The Catenary Wires are a pop group and their unique collaboration produced an album of "song-poems." Using Bilston's words, the band's Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey wrote the music for songs that are sung and performed by The Catenary Wires and others have Bilston fronting the band.
Favorite song: "Every Song On The Radio Reminds Me Of You"
