Best Music of 2025 - Part 4

10. Mike Reid & Joe Henry - Life and Time

Continuing the 30th year celebration theme, my inaugural list featured Joe Henry's Trampoline as the #1 album of 1996. He hasn't made an appearance in the top ten since, until this year. This album is also the best thing to come out the Penn State football program this year. 



9. Heartworms - Glutton for Punishment

I owe a little of my interest in this album to my pal el squared's obsession with Wet Leg. When I first heard it, I thought it would be a good album to recommend to him, because they were both produced by Dan Carey (not the Tool drummer) and seemed to have fans in common. But, with each subsequent listen, it continued to grow on me and became a bit of my own obsession. 



8. Laura Stevenson - Late Great

This year's top five is all familiar faces, but this round of five is mostly newcomers, with Laura Stevenson being one of two solo artists to make their first top ten appearance. 



7. The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes are the Ghost Nation

The Besnard Lakes join some pretty select company with their third consecutive top ten album. 



6. Lucy Dacus - Forever is a Feeling

Come to think of it, Lucy Dacus is not a first timer to my top ten, having appeared here with boygenius in 2023, but this is Lucy's first time as a solo artist.