My plan for 2025, as you recall, was to get myself out of the collector/completist mindset (or at least tone it down considerably) so I could then connect with the music in my library on a more personal level. I’d like to think that this worked out for the most part, as I did find myself returning to a lot of albums and songs as the year went on. There are still some albums that aren’t getting as much play as I’d hoped, but I’d kind of expected that to happen.

Given that I was still finding steady ground in which to make this change, the first couple of months of 2025 did go by in a bit of a blur. Some albums I listened to occasionally, some I tried out after hearing a single on KEXP, but it took me a few listens to latch on until I got used to this change in listening habit.

So without further ado…

Franz Ferdinand, The Human Fear, released 10 January. Good to see this band still going strong after several years and a few member changes, and while they’ve mellowed a bit, they’re still enjoyable.

tunng, Love You All Over Again, released 24 January. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a release from this band, and it was a pleasant return. They’re not quite folk but not quite indie either, just kind of off in their own little quirky universe, and they’re always a fun listen.

Mogwai, The Bad Fire, released 24 January. I keep expecting this band to be blisteringly loud like, say, Caspian and other post-rock bands — and they do, occasionally — but for the most part they’ve embraced their mellower and more atmospheric sounds, which fits well with their movie score works.

J Mascis, “Breathe” single, released 30 January. I was quite excited by this one, considering one of my favorite formerly-local musicians (the Dinosaur Jr singer, still a Pioneer Valley local as far as I know) covering one of my favorite Cure b-sides.

above me, above me EP, released 31 January. Slumberland Records has been brilliant over the last few years in releasing wonderful albums by local Bay Area bands, many of them coming from my own neighborhood! This one in particular caught my attention with its video and its several locations I was familiar with. [For instance, that first shot is taken on Lake Street and turning onto 17th Avenue heading south to California. A and I would walk this bit all the time after work, especially during the pandemic.]

Heartworms, Glutton for Punishment, released 7 February. This is another good example of a band I forget that I like! I posted about them last month after hearing “Jacked” on KEXP and dug out her debut album to listen to again. I really love how she manages to perfectly channel the 80s-90s goth and post-punk I grew up listening to back in the day!

Inhaler, Open Wide, released 7 February. Elijah Hewson really does sound like his dad Bono these days, doesn’t he? And the band is sounding more like the 90s-era U2 but with decidedly less bombast. Still, I’ve grown to really like their stuff and still pop this one on now and again.

Doves, Constellations for the Lonely, released 28 February. This here is probably the first Favorite Album of the Year for me. I mean, I’ve always loved this band, even though their releases have been rather sporadic over the last several years (partly due to lead singer Jimi Goodwin’s health), but this second return since 2020’s The Universal Want hit it out of the park. It’s got the atmospheric moodiness of their first two records Lost Souls and The Last Broadcast, and starting the record with the breathtaking “Renegade” captured my attention immediately. And yes, it became quite the favorite writing session soundtrack for me. I highly recommend this one!

Andy Bell, pinball wanderer, released 28 February. The Ride lead singer’s latest record was not what I expected at all, to be honest, and that’s a good thing. Quite unlike the stronger and noisier sounds of his main band, this solo work sounds surprisingly like he’d chosen to be inspired by unexpected bands like Boards of Canada. It’s more sedate and heavier on the electronics, even while retaining his signature melodic style. This was another frequent writing session soundtrack this year.

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Coming up: Favorites from March and April!