Kenny Bringelson – KennyBloggins is Kenny Bringelson

Top 10 Must-Hear Albums of 2025 by Kenny Bloggins

Music is the soundtrack to my days, what helps me process the world, and makes life experiences even more memorable. As such, I put together a list of the best and most important records that made my year, in the hopes that you find something new to listen to.

Curated Playlist (standout tracks from each album):

Apple Music | Spotify

1. L.S. Dunes – Violet

Mental—absolutely mental. That’s really the only way to describe Violet, the second LP from L.S. Dunes, in a concise and impactful grouping of words.

Things start calmly enough on “Like Magick,” though you can feel the tension steadily building toward something far more frenetic. That release arrives immediately on the explosive “Fatal Deluxe,” as Anthony Green (of Circa Survive and Saosin) screams—no, shrieks:

“Burn, focus, with a thirst unnatural…”

From there the album only escalates. The center stretch becomes a force of its own, driven not just by the abrasive yet beautiful musical delivery from this supergroup—featuring members of Thursday, My Chemical Romance, and Coheed and Cambria—but also by the confrontational lyrical hooks in tracks four through six.

From “Violet”:

“Know that I forgive you but I never will forget
Unmoved by the attention so I retract the sentiment
The moment I forgave you, I regretted it.”

From “Machines”:

“Wild cry, eczema wreath, wild cry, eczema wreath
Tonight it can be anything you want
The right direction, right direction
Try again, try again, try again, try again.”

From “You Deserve To Be Haunted”:

“My delusion, resist the impulse, the futile cause
The final move, a haunted cross
Will the sickness spread with the witness gone?”

An absolute 10 out of 10 makes perfect sense as none of Violet’s ten tracks are skippable. There’s no doubt this album is helping someone work through very dark times. And it feels fitting that the record closes with “Forgiveness,” a song that simply asks the listener to keep their loved ones safe, far away from the enemy (which is the writer)—something that, at times, may be the hardest but most necessary thing to do.

When an album is this fearless, this cathartic, and this impossible to ignore, the top spot becomes less of a choice and more of a certainty.

2. Thrice – Horizons/West

Horizons/West arrives at a perfect time where AI-created songs are filling up playlists; it is proof that something so natural sounding, so vibrant, so alive could never be created using any type of artificial flavoring or assistance. You would think being the 12^th studio record from these Irvine, California natives that there wouldn’t be much left to say, especially given the tidy genre labels so ungenerously tacked to this band. But there’s no simple way to explain how the quietest and loudest moments, paired with themes of truth and spiritual clarity in the complex modern world, highlight Thrice’s ability to go once again beyond their preconceived boundaries.

The three-four-five track run of “Albatross” –> “Undertow” –> “Holding On” is a masterclass in album sequencing, each song building emotional and sonic momentum. Gnash snarls and slashes apropos to its name. On “Vesper Light,” Dustin Kensrue reaches falsettos that somehow make the chorus yowls hit even harder.

It would be easy to continue pulling out a standout moment from every track. Said differently, Horizons/West doesn’t rely on one, two, or even a group of tentpole songs; every piece finds its own to create an album, a true album at the core of the definition, that is immersive and entrancing from the first building note to the final descending rumble.

Few bands twelve albums deep can still sound this inspired, this purposeful, and this alive—and that’s exactly what makes Horizons/West such a remarkable runner-up.

3. Ben Kweller – Cover the Mirrors

Being sad isn’t supposed to sound this happy, it just doesn’t seem possible. Maybe it’s Ben Kweller’s forever-youthful voice, or the overt nerd-pop glow that immediately calls to mind Blue Album-era Weezer. Maybe it’s simply our instinct, as humans, to search for light in the darkness, especially when we know the real-life event that inspired this record, quietly tipping the half-empty glass toward something sunnier. There’s a temptation to hear joy where there should only be grief.

But no, it’s more than that. Cover the Mirrors is an exceptional piece of work. Kweller has always been good, but this is a different level entirely: Jeff Tweedy-level directness in the vocal delivery, immaculate yet crunchy power-pop craftsmanship, and lyrics that don’t just describe feelings but paint scenes you can’t forget, like those spots/afterimages you see when you close your eyes tight after looking at something bright. It’s music that understands sadness doesn’t have to be dour to be truthful, and that sometimes the brightest melodies are the most honest way to survive what hurts.

Albums like this have a way of settling deeper with time, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Cover the Mirrors quietly grows into the record I remember most from this year.

4. Deftones – private music

I’m what you’d call a late bloomer when it comes to Deftones. While I enjoyed some of the bigger songs on White Pony—“Digital Bath” still has one of the coolest drum sounds ever—and often heard their name mentioned alongside other favorites like Incubus, I initially wrote them off as poster boys for nu-metal. In doing so, I missed the insane growl-to-grace range of Chino Moreno’s voice, the thunderous guitar riffs that hit like clenched fists dripping with hot tar, and the unexpected dream-pop sensibilities that soften and contrast the band’s detuned, hazy moments.

Thankfully, I came to my senses over the past decade, working my way through their back catalog just in time for private music to become one of the first occasions where I could truly experience a new Deftones release in real time. There’s a rawness that runs through all of private music—even the lack of capitalization in the album and song titles feels intentional, like a quiet statement from the band: this is fully human art, no shortcuts, no gloss, and certainly no room for doubt.

5. Franz Ferdinand – The Human Fear

“Alright, here we go with riff one” appropriately opens the fabulous sixth studio album from Franz Ferdinand, the post-punk philosophers who hide behind danceable rhythms. Tight, angular riffs aid in the delivery of the band’s trademark swagger. They’ve famously said they make rock music to dance to—and let me tell you, we are dancing.

“Audacious” is the most Beatle-esque we’ve ever heard the Scots sound, though “Black Eyelashes” isn’t far behind, with harpsichord-laden hooks and pounding drums reminiscent of “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite.” Other highlights include pulsating rocker “The Doctor,” “Night or Day” (a song that could have easily been included among their early career hits), and the powerfully aching “Tell Me I Should Stay.”

I think the fear referred to in the title The Human Fear is intimacy, about wanting connection and being exposed by it, or the ache of needing someone while pretending you don’t.

Franz Ferdinand have a reputation for being cheeky (even a little silly), and don’t get me wrong, that label fits. But in time, I think they’ll be properly recognized for what they truly are: meticulously crafted songwriters, buoyed by Kapranos’s theatrical yet tender vocals, a rhythm-first approach, and a rare virtuosity of taste, control, and intent.

6. Inhaler – Open Wide

Inhaler have truly come into their own these past few years, filling a very specific hole in my music collection left by the disbanding of so many jangly indie-rock acts and anthemic guitar music saviors of the early aughts. I’ve been binging on their records this year, revisiting their excellent debut album, which I’ve adored for years, and working my way through the rest of their catalog.

Open Wide didn’t grab me at first; maybe it felt a little too ’80s-influenced or safe. But it eventually clicked once I heard it in context with the rest of Inhaler’s work, especially when it became clear they were aiming for a more dynamic, synth-driven pop sound. “X-Ray” is an exuberant rocker, built around a breathy, gentle, and unforgettable chorus that perfectly lands on the line “feels like heaven.” The subtle yet propulsive bass line on “Again” is a thing of beauty, as is the inward-looking and immediately immersive “Charms.”

7. Matt Embree – Orion

An album like Orion is hard to put into words, but here goes nothing: groove-driven songs that stroll rather than run, pairing spiritual, political, and personal reflections with the act of learning to sit peacefully with the cards you’re dealt. Every piece of music seems intentional—well considered, carefully crafted, and never rushed.

“Side Eye” stands out for the space its production leaves, allowing the roaming bassline and sticky melody to burn through. Many of the songs feel built for late nights and long days, like “Bad Actors,” with its rolling Mellotron and sneaky catchiness. The true apex, though, is “Miscellium,” which resembles capturing an idea before you know what it’s going to become—keeping momentum so nothing slows down, much like the act of sketching. Even so, the pre-chorus and chorus land with absolute precision.

The only real drawback is the album’s short length, but if rumors hold true and a new Rx Bandits record is on the horizon, that concern may soon be eased. Although, if haunting final track “Praying in the Dark” was the last thing we heard from this artist, it would be a standing-ovation worthy swan song.

8. Hayley Williams – Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party

I was really late to the Paramore party. But I think that puts me at an advantage (more on that in a minute).

Their first album came out in 2005 (All We Know Is Falling), and I didn’t start truly listening to the band until the self-titled record arrived eight years later in 2013. Eight years might not sound like much, but that’s two high schools, or a full high school plus a college. I think the reason Paramore didn’t hit that hard for me at the time was that by 2005 I was already moving past “scene” or emo music and deeper into college indie rock. This makes sense, as it was right in the prime of my formative undergrad years, when being a music taste-maker felt almost as important as graduating. The only music in that genre I kept listening to came from bands I’d already built an unhealthy obsession with, like Death Cab for Cutie (Plans), The Juliana Theory (Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat), and Copeland (In Motion), all of whom released great records that year.

But once I finally got into Paramore, in the same year Pope Francis was elected, during the Edward Snowden NSA revelations, and when Breaking Bad aired its legendary finale, it was on. My obsession started with the irresistible catchiness of songs like “Still Into You” and “Now,” plus the catastrophic energy of “Part II,” then slowly crept backward in time to the incredible “Decode,” and further still into earlier highlights like “Brick by Boring Brick” and the tremendous “That’s What You Get.”

Fast forward, and I got to experience Paramore glory in real time with 2017’s After Laughter, Hayley Williams’ incredible sleepy solo debut in 2020 with Petals for Armor (which in hindsight feels like a premonition for Ego), and the Grammy-winning This Is Why.

Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party somehow feels just as strong as a full Paramore release, but again, only because I was late to the party. The songs are dynamic, catchy as hell, and destined to be loved for years—something that becomes even clearer when diving into the catalog later (see, there’s my advantage) rather than during Paramore’s Hot Topic–crazed years. “Mirtazapine” is a dangerous ear worm, “Kill Me” would absolutely destroy at a ’90s roller-blading rink, and “True Believer” is next-level in terms of Hayley’s songwriting. At this point, it’s hard to imagine a world without Hayley Williams’ music and each new release somehow makes me look forward to the next even more.

9. The Favors – The Dream

I’ve been aware of Finneas O’Connell for some time, standing alongside his sister Billie Eilish as producer, co-writer, musical director, and more. But I didn’t fully appreciate his standalone abilities until I came across his outstanding cover of “Time of the Season” by The Zombies. His quietly powerful voice has a way of making you feel like you’re in the room with him, and it layers beautifully with other singers.

The Favors, his side project with vocalist Ashe, delivers a beautifully crafted pop record that echoes ’70s folk, baroque pop, and even the sweep of theatrical scores. The heartbreaking post-breakup song “The Little Mess You Made” is a perfect example of how well Finneas and Ashe work together to reach soaring emotional heights. “Times Square Jesus” is a gentler, slow-building tune that grows more dramatic as it unfolds. But the true magic appears on “The Hudson,” which makes you feel like you’re right there walking along the river late at night with this remarkable duo.

In a world of disposable pop, The Dream feels like something carefully built to last.

10. Perfume Genius – Glory

Perfume Genius has some serious legs to stand on with 2025’s Glory, a record packed with what I can only describe as a collection of “bests.” Blake Mills’s production (Feist, Fiona Apple, Alabama Shakes, etc.) and Jim Keltner’s drumming (John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Harry Nilson, anyone who’s anyone) elevate the inherent beauty of Perfume Genius’s songwriting, emphasizing just how strong these songs are without ever overwhelming them. That balance comes through most vividly on “In a Row,” which thumps along like a dying heart before erupting into sudden bursts of baroque power (proof that it isn’t quite ready to call it quits).

While “It’s a Mirror” was the first new song from any artist this year that truly obsessed me, it’s another track, “No Front Teeth,” that will ultimately stand as my song of the year. I loved it immediately, but it crossed into classic territory at exactly the right moment: about twelve minutes into a cold, dark January run, I turned a corner at the bottom of a hill as sunbeams crept through the pines, illuminating a cluster of steaming bushes. That image, paired with the song’s ethereal, soaring, and cascading vulnerability, landed with stunning force. Glory is a masterwork—one that feels certain to deepen and reveal itself even more with time.

Standout Tracks: No Front Teeth | It’s A Mirror | In A Row | Me & Angel | Clean Heart

About the author:

Kenny Bringelson lives in Woodinville, WA with his wife Kristi and two girls (Charlotte and Olivia). He is a music enthusiast who loves listening to records and playing guitar whenever he can. His background includes years studying education, and a master’s degree in journalism/mass communication. Additionally, Kenny recently completed studies at Washington State University in Viticulture and hopes to start his own wine grape vineyard in the future. As a professional, he has worked in educational technology, financial services, and more.

Book Review: The Running Man

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By Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman)

Finished 2/20/26

The Running Man is fast, enjoyable, and completely action packed, a dystopian near-future story built around an antihero named Ben Richards. Stephen King—writing under the Richard Bachman name—imagines a society dominated by something called the “Free Vee,” a nonstop television system that broadcasts various game shows, each varying in degree of difficulty and danger. The concept feels simple on the surface but becomes increasingly unsettling the more the story unfolds.

There appear to be two different types of societies in this future. Of course there are the well-off, and then there are the poor people living in places like Co-Op City. That’s where Richards lives with his wife and his very sick daughter. Desperation pushes him toward one of the most dangerous shows on the Network: The Running Man. The premise is brutal. Richards must survive for several weeks while being hunted by professional trackers across the country. For every hour he stays alive, money is sent back to his family. The only catch is that he has to deposit two videotapes every day describing where he’s been and what’s happening to him.

King uses this setup to create a story that moves incredibly fast while still painting an interesting picture of this dystopian world. There are descriptions of cars that can fly or hover above the ground, constant contamination in the air that people struggle to avoid, and a society that seems completely numb to violence as long as it’s entertaining. Richards makes a few friends along the way, though things mostly go from bad to worse as the Network slowly closes in. At one point he even blows up a YMCA where police are trying to capture him, a moment that perfectly captures the chaotic desperation of the entire situation.

Richards himself is an interesting character because he’s clearly an antihero. You’re not always sure if you actually like him. He’s sarcastic, rough around the edges, and obviously shaped by years of hardship in this unforgiving society. But that roughness makes sense given what he’s been through, and it becomes easier to understand why he makes the decisions he does as the story escalates.

The novel barrels toward an explosive ending where Richards commandeers a jet and essentially turns himself into a human missile, crashing directly into the Network’s building in a final act of defiance. It’s dramatic, destructive, and strangely fitting for a story about a world where entertainment and cruelty have become the same thing.

All in all, The Running Man is a very exciting book with lots of action and constantly moving pieces. The dystopian setting, the nonstop chase, and the morally complicated main character make it a gripping read that’s hard to put down once it gets going.

Rating: 8/10

Book Review: Carrie

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By Stephen King

Finished 1/22/26

Carrie is just a well-written—and honestly horrifying—story. It’s one of Stephen King’s most well-known books, so there’s probably no huge need to summarize the entire plot, except for my own memory. What stands out immediately is how simple the premise is and how effectively King turns that simplicity into something unsettling and tragic.

The novel centers on Carrie White, a quiet and painfully awkward high school girl who is brought up by an extremely religious mother determined to force Carrie to follow in her footsteps. That upbringing leaves Carrie completely unprepared for normal parts of life, including a now-famous scene early in the book where she experiences her first period in the girls’ locker room shower. The other girls mock her mercilessly because she has no idea what is happening. It’s a scene that is both uncomfortable and heartbreaking, and it really sets the tone for the rest of the story.

The cruelty from her classmates leads to consequences for some of the girls, including detention that threatens their ability to attend prom. One of them, Chris, refuses the punishment and becomes determined to get revenge on Carrie. Meanwhile another student, Sue Snell, actually feels guilty about what happened and encourages her boyfriend Tommy to take Carrie to prom as a genuine act of kindness. That decision creates one of the most emotionally interesting parts of the book because, for a brief moment, it seems like Carrie might finally be accepted.

Of course, this is a Stephen King story, and things don’t stay hopeful for long. What begins as a simple act of teenage cruelty eventually escalates into something far darker, especially once Carrie’s telekinetic abilities start to emerge. The famous prom sequence is chaotic and terrifying, and it transforms the novel from a story about bullying into something much larger and more destructive.

One of the most interesting aspects of Carrie is the way King structures the book. Instead of telling the story in a completely straightforward way, he jumps between multiple perspectives and formats—Sue Snell’s later reflections, excerpts from police interviews with survivors, and even newspaper articles examining what happened. That approach gives the novel a strange documentary-like feeling, as if the reader is piecing together the aftermath of an event that shocked an entire town.

Reading it now, it’s also fascinating to see such early writing from King. The voice isn’t quite as polished as some of his later work, but the ideas are already incredibly strong. You can clearly see the themes that would come to define much of his career: social cruelty, small-town pressure, and the terrifying consequences of power appearing in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Even decades later, Carrie still feels tense, tragic, and strangely sympathetic toward its central character. It’s easy to see why it became such an iconic story.

Rating: 8.5/10

Book Review: Stardust

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By Neil Gaiman

Finished 5/7/25

Pure fantasy, through and through.

This one had all the ingredients of a charming fairy-tale adventure, but for whatever reason it felt like a bit of a slog for me. The world is whimsical and imaginative in the way Gaiman does best, but it almost felt too enchanting—like everything was wrapped in velvet and moonlight without much bite underneath.

The story centers on Tristran Thorn, a young guy from a small town who promises a girl he’ll retrieve a fallen star for her. If he succeeds, she says he can have whatever he desires. So off he goes beyond the wall into the magical land of Faerie to find it.

Of course he’s not the only one searching for the star. There’s an ancient witch who wants it to restore her youth, and there are rival brothers from the royal family of Stormhold who need the star as part of their claim to the throne. The Stormhold storyline was probably the most fun part for me. The brothers slowly getting picked off one by one—and then returning as ghostly observers commenting on events—is a clever and funny touch.

The witches plotline, on the other hand, felt a little more predictable. It’s the kind of fantasy trope you’ve seen before, and it never quite rises above that.

Eventually Tristran does succeed in finding the fallen star, though things don’t unfold the way he expected. The journey ends up reshaping what he actually wants out of life. There’s also a late reveal about Tristran’s own lineage that ties everything together in a pretty classic fairy-tale way.

For me, the biggest strength of the book is its tone. It reads like a story someone might tell you by a fireplace—playful, strange, and full of little magical detours. But that same dreamy quality is also what made it drag a bit. I kept waiting for something sharper or darker to cut through all the whimsy.

Still, there are moments of cleverness and charm throughout, and you can see why it’s such a beloved Gaiman book.

Probably my least favorite of his so far—or maybe my tastes have shifted a bit since the last time I was deep in his stuff. Hard to say.

Rating: 7.25/10

Top 10 Must-Hear Albums of 2024 by Kenny Bloggins

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Curated Playlists:

Find these albums on a streaming service or use these playlists to listen to just the best songs (standout tracks):

Apple Music | Spotify

1) Phantogram – Memory Of A Day

I sat there floored after listening to the entire album end-to-end, taking a few seconds to think about what I just heard before leaping up to hit start on the first song again. Phantogram have been a favorite of mine for years, and with this year’s under-the-radar Memory of a Day they have released a full collection of songs that left me in deep thought—its vampiric grip sinking deeper with every listen. Co-founder and lead vocalist Sarah Barthel is equal parts ethereal and haunting, writing songs that deal with some of the heaviest life experiences (some of which I can relate to myself), often veiled by the band’s distinctive pop-infused sound which blends elements of trip-hop, electronic and indie rock. ‘All A Mystery’ sounds like a 1950s doo-wop song reimagined for 2050, ‘Attaway’ and ‘Happy Again’ beg you for a shoulder to cry on, and ‘Come Alive’ lives up to its title’s namesake. Here’s one for the long late-night drives, spontaneous bedroom dancing, and the future listeners who become just as captivated as me.

2) Nada Surf – Moon Mirror

Claiming the second spot for 2024 is Moon Mirror by Nada Surf, an album brimming with heart and purpose. Each moment is filled with signature elements that define the band—90s alt-rock roots, jangling guitars, and melodies that resonate deeply. These songs masterfully balance introspection and optimism, with music crafted to be emotionally stirring and thought-provoking. With poetic lines like, “I am drifting, I’m a cloud… I am bending, I am bowed… I’m just atoms in the air… Dissipating and I don’t care,” Nada Surf challenges listeners to explore existential themes through beautifully wrought, immersive storytelling. Moon Mirror is just the type of thing we need in order to bring balance and resilience to our lives in the face of modern-day challenges.

3) The Smile – Cutouts

The Smile make their return to my list with Cutouts, climbing higher this time to surpass 2022’s A Light for Attracting Attention, which landed at #4 (and they almost nabbed a third spot with Wall of Eyes, another outstanding 2024 release). Tracks like ‘Foreign Spies’ could easily soundtrack a scene from Stranger Things, while ‘Zero Sum’ and ‘Eyes & Mouth’ showcase some of Jonny Greenwood’s most mesmerizing, wandering guitar lines from anything Radiohead-related. This album brings a loose, sprawling energy, blending funky grooves with strong rhythmic depth. Thom Yorke is unmistakable, but this time his voice feels drier, more grounded, and somehow less alien than ever before.

4) Guster – Ooh La La

The bridge in ‘When We Were Stars’ is one of those super rare moments where a song gives you goosebumps, but Guster’s latest album, Ooh La La is filled with countless other instances that truly showcase the magic of recorded music. The hooks on tracks like ‘The Elevator’ sink in deep and refuse to leave, but that’s far form a complaint, given how irresistibly captivating these songs are—drenched in reverb, warmth, and profound contemplation. While I typically gravitate towards their poppier tracks, it’s the softer songs like ‘Black Balloon’ and ‘Maybe We’re Alright’ that I think will go down with the best of their already illustrious catalog.

Standout Tracks: When We Were Stars | All Day | Black Balloon | Keep Going | The Elevator

5) Dustin Kensrue – Desert Dreaming

Imagine driving through the desert, the scent inside your rental car hinting of past journeys, a paperback copy of “All the Pretty Horses” sitting in the back seat, and the road ahead looming of promise with a cotton candy sunset. Desert Dreaming became the perfect soundtrack for a roadtrip my wife and I took to The Modernist Mecca, Palm Springs, for a wedding this spring. Dustin Kensrue talks about legends of treasure in the west, paints a picture of what his granddad’s upbringing may have been like in the heart of the Sedona desert, tells the story of “high scalers” (AKA Hoover dam construction workers) and colorfully illustrates the beauty of “Joshua trees flaunting their silhouettes” on this modern folk country masterpiece.

Standout Tracks: The Heart of Sedona | Treasure In The West | High Scalers | Desert Dreaming | Death Valley Honeymoon

6) Fontaines D.C. – Romance

Romance is a captivating blend of driving beats, 90s influence, psychedelic flourishes, and charged anthems from Fontaines D.C, the Irish post-punk band formed in Dublin. Front man Grian Chatten has a raw and distinctive vocal delivery that is addictive and seductive, with a clarity that’s anchored in both palpability and a slacker mentality. Listening feels like an exercise in push and pull mechanics, with as much punk intensity as there is compelling poetry–there’s hardly a skippable track for those of us still reeling for the next REM, Smashing Pumpkins or even Interpol.

Standout Tracks: Here’s The Thing | Desire | Bug | Sundowner | Motorcycle Boy

7) Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard And Soft

There are plenty of other reviewers covering Billie Eilish and Hit Me Hard and Soft this year or talking about her part in Charlie XCX’s unavoidable Brat Summer with their collab ‘Guess’. Instead, my focus is on what sets this apart from her contemporaries: Billie’s voice which continues to be haunting and breathy with incredible range, and Fineas’ minimalist, immersive, and unconventional production/playing techniques. I don’t fall into the age group of people Billie wrote these songs for nor relate to the lyrics on the same level, but that doesn’t take anything away from how quickly I latched onto how amazing and rich they sound—it makes me wonder how other independent artists with similar writing chops could benefit from similar access to top-tier studios and professionals to amplify their records.

Standout Tracks: Chihiro | Lunch | Wildflower | Skinny | The Greatest

8) The Early November – Self Titled

The Early November’s self-titled album released in the summer of 2024 highlights a stripped-back, punchy sound propelled by immediacy. Catchy and intense, it’s like an “ear worm” on fire (watch out cochlea). What really excels are the moments that build gradually like on ‘We Hang On’ or the unexpected bursts such as the soaring chorus of ‘Tired of Lying’. These alt-emo New Jerseyans did lots of playing around in the studio with elements of electronic production to lift their already excellent songwriting to the next level, resulting in one of the best post-hardcore albums of the year.

Standout Tracks: What We Earn | We Hang On | Tired Of Lying | About Me

9) Abandoned Pools – The Haunted House

Tommy Walter, the multi-instrumentalist, composer and singer/songwriter behind the moniker Abandoned Pools steps into new territory with The Haunted House. This album marks his most cohesive and inviting record yet, weaving together threads as previous work with fresh blends of electronic, alternative rock, and pop. The result is a tapestry of reflective lyrics and moody vibes—lively, thoughtful and enchanting.

Standout Tracks: In Your House | Big Eyes | Going South | Only So Many Days

10) Snow Patrol – The Forest Is The Path

On their eighth studio album, Northern Irish-Scottish ensemble Snow Patrol have reimagined their soundscape with a refined lineup while enlisting the fabulous Fraser T. Smith to co-produce. The Forest Is the Path marks a triumphant return to their signature indie-rock sound, weaving haunting melodies with raw, evocative storytelling. Softer tracks like ‘What If Nothing Breaks?’ and ‘Talking About Hope’ echo the poignant simplicity of early Snow Patrol, while ‘All’ and ‘Years That Fall’ chart a bright path to come—there should be no worry about the future of this band that means so much to so many.

Standout Tracks: All | Talking About Hope | What If Nothing Breaks | Years That Fall

Best Music of 2023

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We are dusting off our blouse, satin scarf, and glowing orb to bring you Kenny Bloggins’ 10 albums you absolutely need to hear—all released in 2023. Here are the best and most important records of the year (according to a recovering music addict).

Curated Playlists:

Listen to just the best songs (standout tracks): Apple Music | Spotify
Listen to the all the best albums of 2023: Apple Music | Spotify

01) The Coral – ‘Sea Of Mirrors’

With their eleventh album, baroque/merseybeat rockers The Coral have long left behind any comparisons to ‘90s Brit-pop, and rightfully so. ‘Sea Of Mirrors’ flows like a long forgotten soundtrack to a non-existent film that could have been equal parts 007, Western, and Sci-fi; case in point, the track ‘Wild Bird’ bounces like an eclectic mix of a much sweeter variation of The Doors covering the title track from classic Spaghetti Western ‘Fistful Of Dollars’. The syrup-drenched country piano stomping through ‘Faraway Worlds’ gives way to slide guitars and stacked harmonies to present an impressive arrangement, a blueprint adopted throughout the album’s entire triumphant sonic assault that is short but stunning at 38 minutes, leaving us wanting so much more.

Standout tracks: Wild Bird | Faraway Worlds | The Way You Are

02) Noah Gundersen – ‘If This Is The End’

Seattle adjacent singer-songwriter Noah Gundersen continues to establish himself as a master of eloquently wrestling with the human condition on this year’s exhilarating ‘If This Is the End.’ On songs like ‘Better Days’, Gundersen delivers what starts as a gentle push that eventually builds into a thrashing uppercut, helping us come to terms with what it’s like living after losing someone; ‘Painted Blue’, meanwhile, lingers like an earworm thanks to an unforgettably beautiful chorus melody. This monumental record is as much a lesson in great songwriting as it is a scripture conveying how to make quiet anthems hit hard like the heaviest of rock songs.

Standout tracks: Better Days | Haunted House | If This Is The End

03) Rival Sons – ‘LIGHTBRINGER’

In the age of algorithms making quick stars out of bedroom musicians, no one today does it “the old fashioned way” better than the Rival Sons by touring the country to grow their fan base while taking an innovative artistic approach to mid-sixties soulful rock. ‘LIGHTBRINGER’ has scarcely a dull moment; kicking off with the nearly 9-minute epic ‘DARKFIGHTER’ that crawls through an acoustic intro and then rips into a massive Zeppelin-esque chorus, hitting with enough ferocity to peel the paint off the walls, all the way through tender closer ‘Mosaic’. But the true glory here is on songs like ‘Sweet Life’ and ‘Before The Fire’ that feature huge, bluesy guitars with unapologetically catchy vocal hooks.

Standout tracks: DARKFIGHTER | Sweet Life | Before The Fire

04) Paramore – ‘This Is Why’

‘After Laughter’ might have been Paramore’s poppiest effort yet, and the 2013 ‘Self-titled’ their most straight-forward rock endeavor, but ‘This Is Why’ feels like their cooler and more mature older cousin. Especially on playful songs like ‘Big Man Little Dignity’ and title track ‘This is Why’ the core group of Hayley Williams, Taylor York and Zac Farro present a sound that proves what their fans have long known to be true–Paramore write spectacular pop songs (a fact which may have been overshadowed by associations with less “dynamic” emo acts, either skewing opinions or preventing weary listeners from ever fully diving in). The highlights are the seemingly ambitious, yet well-executed soulful ballads ‘Liar’, ‘Thick Skull’, and ‘Crave’ that foreshadow a long future of highly anticipated work.

Standout tracks: This Is Why | Crave | Liar

05) Manchester Orchestra – ‘The Valley of Vision’

On ‘The Valley of Vision’, Manchester Orchestra make innovative use of electronic elements to attach a veil of mystery atop their signature heavy indie-rock sound. As the album artwork might suggest there are plenty of gut-wrenching (or face-melting) lyrics on ‘Valley’ like “I think I’m losing my mind / fear became the Fentanyl / hungry like the animal / I’ve been sleeping in”--yet they come across as a little less devastating coming from the euphonic voice of Andy Hull. The record hits like a lit matchstick, burning bright and then slowly engulfing itself with a light that will eventually sputter out, feeding on an oxygen supply that will end up causing its own demise.

Standout tracks: The Way | Letting Go | Quietly

06) Queens of the Stone Age – ‘In Times New Roman…’

“Nothing / nothing / nothing inside / and there’s no reason to cry / just fade away like love” starts the song ‘Carnavoyeur’, a reminder that sometimes it’s better to lean into pain versus trying to fight it back–a theme central to this ferocious record. Here we have The Queens continuing to get better with age; less like a fine wine and more like a well-seasoned cast iron skillet bludgeoning you over the back of the head. ‘In Times New Roman…’ will likely forever be packaged with anecdotes about Joshua Homme’s personal and health related battles that surrounded its release, but this is truly a force to be reckoned with all on its own.

Standout tracks: Carnavoyeur | Negative Space | Emotion Sickness

07) Nickel Creek – ‘Celebrants’

The architects of Nickel Creek, armed with nothing more than a few traditional Americana instruments (mandolin, fiddle, acoustic guitar) and quite the itch for innovative songwriting, have returned after nearly a decade with their most thrilling work yet. ‘Celebrants’ is a collection of oxymorons: intimate and expansive tones, both expected and surprising changes, sometimes comforting and other times anxious. For example, ‘Holding Pattern’ crackles similar to a frozen lake slowly fracturing under pressure; while middle track ‘Where the Long Line Leads’ plays out like a raucous barn burner. Here’s a record folks will come back to for years to come.

Standout tracks: Holding Pattern | Where the Long Line Leads | To the Airport

08) Cut Worms – ‘Cut Worms’

The third, self-titled album from New York based Cut Worms initially seems like an homage to late-fifties/early-sixties groups like The Every Brothers, Buddy Holly & The Crickets, or The Hollies; that’s not meant to be reductive as with songs and production this vibrant it’s more adoration than anything, sounding completely fresh and new. ‘Take It And Smile’ is a definite highlight with one of the most enchanting melodies as of late; ‘I’ll Never Make It’, however, is a heart-breaking ballad that begs and pleads to pull on someone’s heart strings with the help of weaving reverb and tremolo. Timeless themes and backing from The Lemon Twigs (also on this list in their own right) don’t hurt the chances of this standing the test of time just like its honorable predecessors.

Standout tracks: Take It And Smile | I’ll Never Make It | Let’s Go Out On The Town

09) Butcher Brown – ‘Solar Music’

Listening to ‘Solar Music’ is like taking a trip on a steam-powered train barreling down a track as you pass by stations with speakers blasting out grooves laced with funk, boogie, R&B, hip-hop, neo soul, and jazz. But don’t let that description throw you off because this is not a hodge-podge of genres haphazardly cut together. Instead, Virginia-based group Butcher Brown deliver a timelessly produced record that successfully hits so many different marks, making it tough to pin down with a single label. ‘Espionage’ is a fierce instrumental that seems fit for a spy film while the rhythmic ‘No Way Around It’ explodes with a dancey, bass heavy beat. It shines from beginning to end if you’re willing to hang on for the ride.

Standout tracks: Espionage | It Was Me (Car Chase) | No Way Around It

10) The Lemon Twigs – ‘Everything Harmony’

‘Everything Harmony’ is about as skillful an adaptation of sixties/seventies record collections as one could imagine; ‘When Winter Comes Around’ echoes with elements of Simon & Garfunkel, ‘Still It’s Not Enough’ feels like a lost song by The Association, and ‘What You Were Doing’ more than hints at Big Star with jangling guitars. They don’t need to do anything too groundbreaking because there is something unique in The Lemon Twigs ability to entwine listeners with a real knack for stories and sounds. Hooky, gentle, and dreamy all at once.

Standout tracks: When Winter Comes Around | In My Head | What You Were Doing

Best Albums of 2022

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After taking a year off, now’s the time to dust off the danger zone and bring Kenny Bloggins back with 10 albums you absolutely need to hear—all released in 2022. Without further delay, here are the best and most important records of the year (according to a recovering music addict).

Curated Playlists:

Listen to the Best Songs (Standout Tracks) of 2022: Apple Music | Spotify
Listen to all the Best Albums of 2022: Apple Music | Spotify

1) The Mars Volta – The Mars Volta

Standout tracks:

Blacklight Shine
Graveyard Love
No Case Gain
Equus 3

The Mars Volta have a history. Those who need a quick lesson can continue reading here, while TMV theologians can fast forward to the next paragraph. In 2000, the band At The Drive-In released a critically acclaimed post-hardcore album and were on the precipice of becoming widely successful when suddenly, they called it quits (seemingly out of nowhere, but tensions in the band had been brewing for some time). Out of the ashes were born a pair of bands, splitting the group into two factions hereafter known as The Mars Volta and Sparta. The Mars Volta became well known for exploring complex storylines, atypical time signatures, and unique melodies while Sparta chose to produce more straightforward post-hardcore rock.

22 years later, The Mars Volta have released a new self-titled album, the first in 10 years (Sparta also put out a new record in 2022, which is also self-titled, and also great). Shimmering with golden album art, this is easily the most accessible collection of The Mars Volta songs, with listeners being rewarded by the bands ability to be more direct as the occasional oddity hits even harder than on previous work. Yet, this is not The Mars Volta “lite” nor does it travel down the same path as Sparta. Plenty of rapturous convolutions lurk from beneath the floorboards, likely since the material was born out of anger, danger, and fear stemming from trauma experienced by lyricist/singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s family as portrayed via a public trial of assault, Scientology, and conspiracy caused by a has-been 90s sitcom actor making very poor life decisions. This is dramatic, poignant, Latin-infused progressive rock at its best.

2) Anthony Green – Boom. Done.

Standout tracks:

So It Goes
Pleasure of the Feast
Center of It All
Maybe This Will Be the One

Boom. Done. dances in arduous circles around addiction—tales of how the entanglement of dark thoughts can break us down, how overindulgences can be used to heal, and how we can find light on the other side through the love of healing. While chemical dependency might be the primary muse, the lyrics can be interpreted through the lens of any form of addiction. There is pain throughout but also much to celebrate. Anthony Green’s heavy words are crooned with heady falsetto, creating tension. Masterful instrumentation coming from Tom Goodwin and Tim Arnold (longtime collaborators of Green’s, from the band Good Old War) then help to revitalize. Boom. Done. is a challenging excursion, especially if you pay close attention to the stories being told, but it’s ultimately an astonishingly rewarding undertaking for those who take a ride.

3) St. Paul & The Broken Bones – The Alien Coast

Standout tracks:

Bermejo And The Devil
Minotaur
The Last Dance
Love Letter From A Red Roof Inn

St. Paul & The Broken Bones are new to me. All I knew was how groovy and unique their sound was (imagine if Cee Lo Green could actually rock and could get as gritty as Tom Waits, with backing from a band nearly good enough to give The Funk Brothers a run for their money). I recently learned that St Paul & co. are an eight-piece group from Birmingham, Alabama and have been around for some time, releasing their first record in 2014 and appearing on nearly all the late-night shows. What makes The Alien Coast stand out from other more traditional funk rock records are the uses of psychedelic textures, fuzzed-out synths, modern hip-hop production, and ultra-heavy rhythms. This is an explosive, soulful rock record from front to back.

4) The Smile – A Light for Attracting Attention

Standout Tracks:

The Smoke
We Don’t Know What Tomorrow Brings
Free in the Knowledge
Pana-vision

Endless magic seems to consistently flow from the boys in Radiohead. But with only two-fifths of the Kid A stalwarts here to form The Smile, you might expect a partially guillotined Radiohead. That’s just not the case—A Light for Attracting Attention may echo past work but with a more limited roster, including jazz drummer Tom Skinner, Johnny Greenwood’s arpeggiated genius shines even brighter without being abstracted, and perhaps Thom Yorke is able to deliver his classic howls more candidly in a groovier, less melancholic manner. It might seem like a patchwork group of songs upon first listen, but culminates into a spellbinding and cohesive collection of music over time.

5) Bartees Strange – Farm to Table

Standout tracks:

Heavy Heart
Mulholland Dr.
Hold the Line
Escape This Circus

Let’s clear the air—the hype surrounding Bartees Strange is justified. Listening to all of Farm to Table takes just 34 minutes and comes through like a journey across a vast valley of musical lexicons; rock, neo-soul, R&B, and even Midwest emo. This means Bartees carefully chooses which form each song should take based on the story he wishes to tell, and he does it well. Listeners who can break down the compartmentalization of styles will most enjoy Farm to Table for what it is—a fantastic genre-bending album from an artist who is just getting started. The resulting beauty of Farm to Table is heard in how full these songs sound, with moments of vulnerability ending in grandiose exclamations, and cautious falsettos leading to invigorating choruses.

6) Death Cab for Cutie – Asphalt Meadows

Standout tracks:

Rand McNally
Fragments From the Decade
Pepper
Here to Forever

Existing fans of Death Cab for Cutie will love Asphalt Meadows (you can even stop reading now and put the record on if Transatlanticism or Plans are still in your constant rotation). It’s been accurately hailed as a mature midlife work that’s among their best. I’ve personally been watching Ben Gibbard grow from quirky indie rocker during the early aughts into a well-respected songwriter, which has been one of my favorite music encounters—all this in parallel with finishing college, starting a family, and moving away from California to make my homestead in Death Cab’s stomping grounds near Seattle, Washington. Asphalt Meadows became the perfect soundtrack for my daughter and I this winter while driving her to school on white snow-covered streets, smiling at horses covered in heavy blankets as we passed, and breathing in the cold winter air. These songs bring me back to the first time I heard Death Cab but also benefit from Gibbard’s improved songmanship over the years, and are sure to be at the top of the DCFC cannon.

7) Anchor & Bear – No More Nights On the Roof

Standout tracks:

I’ll Give You Fire
Red Ink
Glad It’s Over
Red Letter Days

There’s no need to hide my connection to Anchor & Bear, a band created by my older brother and sister-in-law, which I have also had the opportunity to play in. There’s also no need for me to feel obligated to include their latest release No More Nights On the Roof on this list other than the fact that this is a masterwork in power pop that deserves significant recognition. No More Nights sees the California outfit painting a portrait that takes the best elements of their previous works (beautiful bridges, tasteful echo/reverb, crafty songwriting) and lifts them to new textures on a canvas that is uniformly enjoyable and unbelievably catchy, sometimes brilliantly so. This is the record for late nights, on the roof or not.

8) Andrew Bird – Inside Problems

Standout tracks:

Underlands
Never Fall Apart
Make a Picture
Faithless Ghost

I’m new to Andrew Bird and it’s clear to see I’ve been missing out on an extraordinary artist. Inside Problems is chock full of some of my favorite folk-rock musical elements; featured throughout are punchy and warm 60s bass, smooth drumming, string accompaniment (the violin playing is handled by Andrew himself), and well-constructed melodies. This would be much higher on the list had I discovered Bird earlier in the year and I’m sure this vinyl will eat away at my record player needle in the decades to come.

9) Brent Faiyaz – Wasteland

Standout tracks:

Price of Fame
Dead Man Walking
Role Model
Bad Luck

Wasteland is a brutally honest R&B album from Columbian-born artist Brent Faiyaz with heavy beats and frictionless vocals. The guest spots (Alicia Keys, Drake, The Neptunes) are notable but aren’t particularly even album highlights. Wasteland really excels when Brent Faiyaz’s soulful, smooth, and slippery hymns are front-and-center in the mix, sliding alongside remarkably fresh production.

10) Frontperson – Parade

Standout tracks:

Ostalgie (Fur C. Bishoff)
Messy Roomz
Parade
I Fall Out

Parade comes off like a Sangria Lemonade, or maybe a fresh Bellini during Sunday Brunch. Kathryn Calder (The New Pornographers) and Andrew Hamilton (Woodpigeon) make up the Canadian indie pop duo Frontperson; they are like two simple ingredients that when mixed together create something fizzy and refreshing. The songs here twinkle and shine, but are by no means simple, having enough underlying rock tension to keep you curious about what’s to come after Parade.

Lovedrug – Wild Blood : It’s A Killer, Not A Filler

July 12, 2012July 12, 201216 Comments

What makes an album great? Is it the slick production that gets you? Maybe it’s the goosebumps that show up when you’re cruising down a dark highway and you hear a melody that just wont escape your head.

For me, it can be simple at times to tell when an album is great. The instruments will blend together like they were born for each other. In the same sense, vocals will sound like they don’t need any instrumental accompaniment to make sense and the lyrics that make an instant impact.

But usually, it takes a much more complicated scenario combined with the above to formulate what I consider to be a “great” album. Sometimes it’s a carefully choreographed soundscape consisting of one crunching guitar resounding through my left ear – while my right side is treated to a glistening lead guitar riff full of reverb and treble. One factor that remains consistent is the need for me to listen to the album over and over (when I wake up all I want is to hear that one part of that one song).

This “complicated” scenario can be found all over Lovedrug’s latest release titled Wild Blood. To categorize Lovedrug as an alternative band or even put them somewhere near the rock genre immediately places restraints on a group of artists that have developed an album worthy of being described as entrancingly ingenious. Wild Blood combines beauty, sadness, virtue, energy and hope into an album that constantly blurs genres and rules.

One of my favorite tracks of the last year can be found on this album, the prehistorically named Dinosaur. It starts with the bold lyric, “Fever – drugs – money – blood. Is it bad for love?”. Dinosaur is a very different song both lyrically and musicaly compared to what I would usually consider to be my favorite cut on an album. The chugging rhythm guitar is answered with a clean lead guitar melody that gets you prepared for the chorus. “We were dinosaurs in the end…like we’d opt out of survival in lieu of some survival pretense”, referring to a companionship doomed from the start for extinction – something every romantic can relate to with a past relationship. In the middle of the song lead singer Michael Shepard whispers “we were”, making sure you are still listening and ready to be haunted for the rest of the cut.

Listen to Dinosaur here:

Another standout track, Pink Champagne, begins with circling cymbals and solid snare drum snaps. Everything feels like a pop song trudging through molasses until the chorus hits and everything changes. “Sure shot – you were always my sure shot” – describes someone whose guaranteed plans fell completely apart. As with every song on Wild Blood, this track combines solid rhythm work with a remarkable vocal melody. Happiness can be found in the sadness (at least for the listener) because of the melancholic beauty trembling from this track.

Listen to Pink Champagne here:

Other notable tracks include the simplistically epic Premonition, the insanely catchy Your Country and the tender ballad Girl where Shepard’s vocals have never sounded better.

Overall this album contains some serious guitar work coupled with impressive drumming and solid bass backing. The vocals are on a whole different level as most songs could be listened to with no instrumentation needed. While Shepard previously resembled a young Billy Corgan, on Wild Blood he has found a home for his voice. That home is right at the point where beauty and chaos meet.

*Recommended if you like: Muse, Thrice – Beggars, and anything from piano rock to 90’s alternative

Download this album here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/wild-blood/id496739871

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