Gotham leads the way
watch a reverse domino
play out: eyes of hope
when winter sun shines
all becomes right with the world
hope for tomorrow
For all of you audio (and video) loving peeps out there, you know how much music you listen to across genres, times, places, you know it can be difficult to distinguish between music that is new and music new to your ears and eyes. It would take me too long to sort them all out. What I did was look through my playlists and try to nab just the 2025 ones, but at least one of these will be from another year. They are not ranked. Each one dinged the ineffable bell of quality and soulbits that put them on this by no means complete list.
The first song is one I just listened to a couple of days ago. Kieran West is the son of blogger, Steve, at Song of the Day for Today. Back in 2023, Steve covered Kieran’s album, “Dark Little Ones,” song by song. “Grenadier” is the last cut on the album. Important to note is that the song is about Kieran’s Grandfather.
Mavis Staples needs no introduction. She is a musical icon and a national treasure. “Human Mind,” from her new album, “Sad and Beautiful World” touches me with its beauty, both in music and in lyrics.
I’ve heard a couple of songs from Julianna Riolino’s new album, “Echo in the Dust” and liked both of them. “The Less I Know” is a trajectory of feelings one may feel for people, places, and things. We are not meant to be fixed statues. Philosophical daoists from ancient times talk about the teacup needing to be emptied enough on an ongoing basis in order for fresh hot tea to fit into the cup.
Robert Loud, aka Robbie Connolly, has been a sideman for The Killers since 2017, on keyboards, rhythm guitar, and backing vocals. Loud’s song, “Congratulations,” is from his album, “Bitter Optimist.” Brandon Flowers, lead singer of The Killers, sings with Loud/Connolly on today’s selection. Looking a little deeper, Connolly is also lead vocalist and guitarist for the band Fictionist.
“A Certain Girl,” (featuring Chrissie Hynde) is the 4th track on Ronnie Wood‘s 4-track EP, “Fearless,” released in September of this year. The author/composer is Naomi Neville. There is something so delicious about this song, I was instantly hooked by it. While at YouTube, I also saw Ronnie just released a “Fearless Anthology: 1965 – 2025” that includes the 4 songs from the EP.
“Tiempo Violentos” by St. Vincent, featuring Mon Laferte, was released as a single this year. I love the lush, Phil Spector-like production on it. The horns always do it for me.
“With My Swagger,” by NoTrace and Kendra Dantes is a song that I pay attention to every time it comes up in my playlist. There is something about the timing of the song and the goodness of the singing that lifts me up. With My Swagger was released as a single, but 2 versions, one with vocals and one an instrumental.
“Staff Party” is the opening cut of Big Wreck’s album “The Rest of the Story.” From wiki:
Big Wreck are a Canadian-American rock band formed by Ian Thornley and Brian Doherty in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1992. The band was rounded out with David Henning and Forrest Williams. They disbanded in 2002 and Ian Thornley pursued a solo career with his own band Thornley. In 2010, Ian Thornley and Brian Doherty reunited for a cross-Canada tour, playing both Big Wreck and Thornley songs. In 2012, under the name Big Wreck, the band released their third studio album, Albatross. The band has since released the albums Ghosts in 2014, Grace Street in 2017, …But for the Sun in 2019, 7 in 2023, and The Rest of the Story in 2025.
The more I listen to this song and this album, the more I love what I’m hearing. The guitars, the bass, the drum, and oh my word, singer Ian Thornley. Do others hear Chris Cornell and Soundgarden?
I have already posted about Lucius’ “Gold Rush” off of their self-titled album HERE. I could dance to this song all night long.
And now we have come to my favorite 2025 song, IDLES’ “Rabbit Run,” from the “Caught Stealing” movie. Looking for it at Spotify I see there are multiple remixes of it but I didn’t listen to them. There’s a whole soundtrack out on Spotify. Joe Talbot & Crew, you are GODS to me.
Tao Talk 