Alright, time to start tracking on some 2025 releases.
We're adding two new titles to our rankings this Tuesday, August 26th, including FKA Twigs fantastic Eusexua, which has a strong hold on McQ's top 2025 spot with just four months left in the year. I was never as big a fan of her earlier albums as the critics, but I just love this one - a little more energy, a little less cryptic, but still stylistically broad and inventive.
Also a fan of Stereolab's return to form Instant Holograms On Metal Film. Like all Stereolab albums, it just delighfully meanders and flits here and there, sometimes receding into the background, but then surprising with a super colorful musical stretch a few moments later.
Of recent first listens, fell right in with Valerie June's latest Owls, Omens, and Oracles just as I have her previous few full lengths (she's got to be one of the most underappreciated artists working today - just consistently fantastic on record and nobody talks about her), and also really intrigued by Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band's lyrically dominated country-rocker New Threats From The Soul, which possesses some of enigmatic ramshackle charm of acts like Lambchop and The Silver Jews.
From now until early 2026, McQ's Best Of will be tracking on and rating some of 2025's most buzz worthy releases.
Highest Recommends
1. Eusexua - FKA Twigs
Solid Recommends
3. Instant Holograms On Metal Film - Stereolab
Mild Recommends
None to date.
2025 Albums In The Pool (# Listens In / • = good early impression)
A Complicated Woman (1) - Self Esteem
Birthing (1) - Swans
Bloodless (1) - Samia
Can't Lose My (Soul) (1) - Annie and the Caldwells
Caroline 2 (1) - Caroline
Constant Noise (1•) - Benefits
Cowards (1) - Squid
Close To The Bone (1) - Tommy Castro
DeBI TiRAR MaS FOToS (1) - Bad Bunny
Drive to Goldenhammer (1•) - Divorce
For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) (1) - Japanese Breakfast
Forever Howlong (1) - Black Country, New Road
Glory (2•) - Perfume Genius
GOLLIWOG (2•) - Billy Woods
Halo On The Inside (1•) - Circuit des Yeux
Iris Silver Mist (1) - Jenny Hval
Lonely People With Power (1) - Deafheaven
Lotus (2•) - Little Simz
Moisturizer (1) - Wet Leg
More (1•) - Pulp
Mortal Primetime (1) - Sunflower Beam
Never Enough (1) - Turnstile
New Threats From The Soul (1•) - Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band
Owls, Omens, and Oracles (1•) - Valerie June
Phonetics On and On (1) - Horsegirl
SABLE, fABLE (3) - Bon Iver
Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory (4•)
Time Indefinite (1) - William Tyler
Viagr Aboys (2•) - Viagra Boys
Virgin (1•) - Lorde
Who Let The Dogs Out (1) - Lambrini Girls
Last Updated 08.02.25
PAST UPDATES
8.02.25 - So we've got our first official placement of 2025, Heartworms stirring Goth/Darkwave/Alt-rock melange Glutton For Punishment, a very tight, thirty-seven mood-rocker with nary a wasted moment.
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