The Ledge #697: Hudson's Best Albums of 2025

Sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I pull out all of my records that I've acquired over the past twelve months, along with my giant hard drive of files, and I put together a list of the 40 best albums of the year (along with another list of reissues).

Besides a box set of homemade CD's I hand to my friends, the results of this endeavor is my year end retrospective show. The following list (and broadcast) are my picks for the 40 greatest albums of the year. Like I say every year, this has been a fabulous year for music. There's some wonderful sounds that range from punchy power pop to garage rock to more experimental sounds to classic singer/songwriter fare. There's something here for everyone!

Personally, it's been an odd year, full of highs and lows. I became a grandfather, but also suffered a couple of health issues. If you've listened to this show, you're probably aware of all of this. But thanks to not only the bands that contribute tracks to the show, but each and every one of you that listen to The Ledge! I guarantee you that 2026 will be an even greater year for the show!

1. Sharp Pins, Balloon Balloon Balloon. 

It’s been quite the year for Chicago’s Kai Slater. He started the year releasing the physical version of his late 2025 Sharp Pins album, Radio DDR. This was followed by the debut full-length album of his other band, Lifeguard. November then saw the release of this instant classic. Imagine if Guided By Voice’s Robert Pollard was as influenced by 80s college radio as he was by garage rock and lo-fi recording practices. Every song here is short, catchy, and full of jangly goodness. 

2. Superchunk, Songs In The Key Of Yikes. 

Another year, another classic album by Superchunk. They really can do no wrong. Have they ever put out a bad album? Nope. 

3. Loose Lips, Last Laugh

The Unknowns, Looking From the Outside. (tie) 

Something strange must be happening in Australia these days as every week there seems to be yet another blast of good ol’ garage-based power pop from down under. And it’s also a bit of an incestuous scene, as some of the same musicians appear in multiple bands. In fact, Loose Lips shares personnel with The Prize, The Chat, Chubby and the Gang, and…The Unknowns, who are right up there with Loose Lips with their third album. 

5. Thee Headcoatees, Man Trap

Thee Headcoats, The Sherlock Holmes Rhythm ‘n’ Beat Vernacular. (tie) 

Yes, we have another tie. But how can I possibly choose between these two Billy Childish projects that were released on the same day. Thee Headcoatees is the all-female Medway group that Childish put together in the 90s, and this is their first album since 1999. Besides producing that album, Childish also brought Thee Headcoats back together for a fun romp through a clutch of old Childish songs that were originally recorded by other Childish projects. 

7. The Prize, In The Red. 

Maybe this record should have been bumped up a couple of notches to create a three way tie with Loose Lips and The Unknowns. Hell, on a good day (like tomorrow or yesterday), this Aussie power pop record would jump ahead of both of them. This record is probably the hardest rockin’ of the three, thanks to their triple guitar lineup, and drummer Nadine Muller’s vocals are reminiscent of the glory days of The Donnas.

8. Guided By Voices, Thick Rich and Delicious. 

What a year for Robert Pollard (but what year isn’t). It started with what was reported to be the final GBV album. A few months later saw a new Pollard project called Rip Van Winkle that carried on what we expect from Pollard. But then here comes yet another Guided By Voices album, and it’s quite possibly the best one in years. It actually feels like one of their albums from back in the day, which makes sense as many of the songs were reportedly unused ideas from their days on the Matador label.  

9. The Waterboys, Life Death and Dennis Hopper. 

This may be the craziest record of the year. A rock opera based on the life of Dennis Hopper? Honestly, it’s as messy as Hopper’s chaotic life was. Musically, it’s all over the map. Dance tracks, rockers, folk songs, ballads. There’s also a ton of guests. To be completely truthful, it’s an album that I find the greatest thing ever recorded on one play, but not so much the next time.  

10. Jeff Tweedy, Twilight Override. 

There’s no way this record should be so good. In this day of streaming playlists, who has time for a triple album? I mean, come on, I still see Reddit posts arguing that The Beatles’ White Album should have been edited down from a double album to a single record. Tweedy has always been prolific, though, and his fan base has always been supportive of his prolific ways. This is a Sunday morning album, although it will inevitably be the afternoon before you get through the entire thing. 

11. Wreckless Eric, England Screaming. 

According to Eric Goulden, aka Wreckless Eric, this album is a set of songs that he initially released on a mid-80s album “that nobody liked, least of all me”. He felt the songs were strong, though, and decided to re-record them. Like his last few albums, Goulden is a master at creating sonic landscapes. Who can forget that wall of sound he created during his Total Drag appearances a few years ago? Well, they’re all over this album. 

12. Jacuzzi Boys, Too Cold to Tango. 

For their first album in almost a decade, the Miami band headed to Memphis to record in the same studio that was the birthplace of classics by The Cramps, John Prine, and Alex Chilton (and hundreds of others). Those influences certainly rubbed off on these loose and gritty garage rock tunes. 

13. Wednesday, Bleeds. 

2025 was the year I finally understood the talents of MJ Lenderman and Karly Hartzman. Lenderman not only has a number of solid solo albums, but has also played guitar in Hartzman’s band, Wednesday. They were also a couple until shortly before this album was made (although he still plays on it). Does that mean this  is Hartzman’s Blood On the Tracks? Not quite, but dark characters populate these songs that flow from country-ish murder ballads to hardcore-inspired rants. 

14. Bob Mould, Here We Go Crazy. 

Outside of his occasional forays into singer/songwriter confessionals (and a somewhat lengthy period where he favored dance music), Bob Mould’s sound in 2025 is not that much different than it was during his Husker Du or Sugar periods. Piercing walls of guitar accompanying surprisingly catchy melodies. Yet, like Superchunk, the consistent quality of his records never feels like a formula. 

15. Horsegirl, Phonetics On & On. 

When this Chicago-based trio’s first album came out, they were still in high school. Two of them are now attending college in New York, so recording in Jeff Tweedy’s Chicago studio was almost literally a winter vacation home. Producer Cate LeBon inspired the band to try out new sounds and instrumentation, and the result is definitely a giant step forward from their feedback-heavy debut. 

16. Untamed Youth, Git Up and Go. 

Sometimes you just need a rootsy rock and roll album full of songs about beer, cars, and girls. That’s exactly what you get from this veteran garage/surf band that was formed by Deke Dickerson way back in 1987. 

17. Personality Cult, Dilated. 

If you were ever a fan of Paint Fumes, Mind Spiders or Bad Sports (as I was) then you’re going to love Personality Cult as members of those bands (and others) are part of this record that is equal parts noisy, layered, and catchy as hell. 

18. Dead Bars, All Dead Bars Go To Heaven.

If you miss Twin/Tone era Soul Asylum or the Goo Goo Dolls before they discovered the cash flow advantages of writing power ballads, then this is the album for you. If I didn’t know better, I would have certainly predicted these guys gained their musical footing during residencies at late 80s Minneapolis venues such as the Cabooze, 7th Street Entry, or the Uptown Bar. 

19. The Dogmatics, Nowheresville. 

A few years ago, these Boston legends reunited for a few singles and EPs before finally putting out their first full length in almost 40 years. Nowheresville sort of feels to me like a look back at the history of underground Boston. One song reminds me of The Neighborhoods; another one gives a bit of a Dropkick Murphys feel. I could go on throughout the album with these comparisons. 

20. Hunx & His Punx, Walk Out On This World. 

Formed in 2009 by Seth Bogart (aka Hunx), Erin Emslie, and Shannon & the Clams leader Shannon Shaw, Hunx & His Punx put out a number of releases before going on hiatus in 2013. Now they’re back with this super catchy collection of kitschy garage pop that sort of creeps in on you via multiple plays until you’re suddenly singing along. 

21. The Peppermint Kicks, Pop Rocks In My Chewing Gum. 

The band name and album title is perfect for this collection of pure pop. Just imagine tossing big chunks of Cheap Trick, The Shoes, Sweet, Buzzcocks, and The Archies into a musical blender. It really is that tasty. 

22. Miss Georgia Peach, Class Out The Ass

Beebe Gallini, Begged Borrowed and Stealed. (tie) 

It’s been quite the year for Miss Georgia Peach. First came her second old school country collaboration with members of Nashville Pussy and Nine Pound Hammer. Then came Beebe Gallini’s wonderful tribute to the great Minneapolis garage bands of the 60s that was recorded in the very same tribute that “Surfin’ Bird” was laid down over 60 years ago. Both albums are wonderfully retro, and both are pure fun.

24. Swami John Reis, Time To Let You Down. 

“Junk shop punk” is the definition used by Reis’ record company, and it’s actually a perfect description of his entire decades-long career. Rocket From the Crypt, Hot Snakes, Drive Like Jehu, Plosivs, Night Marchers…the list of Reis projects goes on and on. Yet this was his second solo album in just eight months, and it’s as loud and proud as anything he’s ever released.

25. The Lemonheads, Love Chant. 

With an autobiography and the first album of new material by The Lemonheads in 20 years, it’s a big year for Evan Dando. But what’s the difference between a Lemonheads album and a solo record? To be honest, not much outside of marketing. Yet despite his personal issues, Dando is somehow still a master of creating catchy indie rock. 

26. Night Shop, The Beloved Returns. 

Best known as the drummer for the Flat Worms, Kevin Morby, and The Babies, Justin Sullivan’s third album under the Night Shop name is probably the best of the bunch. A little more rockin’ than the previous pair, the album was reportedly inspired by author Thomas Mann’s Lotte In Weimar, and its themes of passion and desire. 

27. Vista Blue, Clear Eyes Full Hearts

Friends of Cesar Romero, Spider Dreams Sweet Tooth. (tie) 

Yes, I know I have a lot of ties on this list, but hear me out on this one. Both of these bands are super prolific. Both offer the majority of their singles and EP’s for free on bandcamp. Both are pretty clever in their lyrical and musical themes. And both put out great full-length albums within a few days of each other. 

29. Ty Segall, Possession

Freckle, S/T. (tie) 

It’s another typical year for Ty Segall. Well, maybe not completely typical as he “only” released two records this year instead of his usual three or four. His solo record, Possession, was sort of a return to this trademark psych/glam/garage sound. In a perfect world, this would be the perfect template for a new sort of arena rock. Freckle, meanwhile, is a collaboration with Color Green’s Corey Madden. You can certainly recognize Segall’s presence on the record, but Green’s “cosmic country” background adds a color not normally represented in Ty’s music. 

31. Dropkick, Primary Colours. 

The world can always use more bands clearly influenced by the likes of Big Star, Teenage Fanclub, and The Jayhawks, and that’s exactly what this record is reminiscent of. Oh, and add Tom Petty to that ear salad. You know, jangly, Americana-influenced power pop. 

32. Muck & the Mires, Beat Revolution. 

Their discogs page describes them as a combo of The Beatles and The Ramones. That’s not wrong but let’s add a little bit of The Seeds, The Sonics, The Standells, and all of the bands from the fabulous 80s garage rock revival. There’s always room for good old guitar-based rock and roll, and this band are masters at that sound.

33. Smug Brothers, Stuck On Beta. 

Lo-fi, jangly power pop is the easy description here, but there’s also a fair amount of noisy riffs that sets them apart from the vast majority of today’s power poppers. 

34. Wet Leg, Moisturizer. 

Wet Leg’s debut album was a surprisingly refreshing pop record; a combination of mainstream production and hilarious, sometimes profane, lyrics. Their sophomore album actually expands their sounds. The musical backing is not always in your face, and elements of love and happiness actually interrupt some of their more typical snarky thoughts regarding the current state of the world. 

35. Naim Amor & Kid Congo Powers, Tucson Safari. 

Naim Amor is a Parisian songwriter who has collaborated with various Giant Sand members since his move to Arizona many years ago. Kid Congo Powers is a legendary guitarist who spent time with The Gun Club, Cramps, and Nick Cave’s Bad Seeds before starting a prolific solo career. These two met shortly before the pandemic, and during lockdown they came together to record a project that blended Suicide’s dark synth sound with Link Wray’s legendary swampy guitar leads. 

36. Snocaps, S/T. 

The surprise supergroup release of the year is this reunion of sisters Katie and Allison Crutchfield, accompanied by rising songwriter M.J. Lenderman and producer Brad Cook. The record sort of splits the difference between the sounds the sisters are known for. It’s a little bit more rockin’ than a typical album that Katie makes as Waxahatchee, and it’s definitely quieter than what Allison is known for in Swearin’. 

37. Florry, Sounds Like. 

Despite my hard-earned reputation as a curmudgeon that hates everything, I can be a pretty easy mark for a record store clerk who understands my taste. That was the case with the third album by this Philly-based band. The album was put on shortly after walking into a local store a few months ago, and I was captivated by the first track, mainly because I couldn’t completely put my finger on it. It was sort of country, sort of jam band-ish, but also had a Stones-ish swagger. Yes, I walked out of the store with it.  

38. The Liminanas, Faded. 

This French band has combined psych-influenced garage rock with 60s French pop for close to 20 years, and their signature sound has yet to sound tired. The latest album features collaborations with the likes of Jon Spencer and Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie, and was “inspired by all the female fallen stars who have been left behind, or have ‘faded’ away in the harsh wake of time”. 

39. Black Lips, Season Of The Peach. 

This is a band that gets harder and harder to describe with each new album. Yes, the garage rock sounds of the early days are still present, but there’s also a tiny bit of soul and a whole lot of country. There’s even some elements of those fabulous 60s spaghetti western soundtracks. 

40. Lambrini Girls, Who Let the Dogs Out. 

While there was no new Amyl and the Sniffers album this past year, that slot for angry, noisy, profane punk rock was taken up by the debut album by this Brighton duo.  

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(Note: Tracks from the countdown albums were played in reverse "Casey Kasem" order)

1 Lambrini Girls - Cuntology 101

2. The Black Lips - Zulu Saints

3. The Limiñanas - Prisoner of Beauty

4 Florry - First it was a movie, then it was a book

5. Snocaps - Brand New City

6. Naïm Amor & Kid Congo Powers - Murder We Wrote

7. Wet Leg - liquidize

8. Smug Brothers - Paper Jane

9. Muck And The Mires - Beat Revolution

10. Dropkick - Snowflakes

11. Freckle - For the Last Time

12. Ty Segall - Possession

13. Friends of Cesar Romero - To Quell Your Starlite Mist

14. Vista Blue - Can't Lose

15. Night Shop - Let Me Be the Lamb

16. The Lemonheads - Deep End

17. Swami John Reis - Time To Let You Down

18. Beebe Gallini - Hold Tight 

19. Miss Georgia Peach - You're The Reason Our Kids Are Ugly

20. The Peppermint Kicks - Number One Record

21. Hunx And His Punx - Wild Boys

22. The Dogmatics - Key of B

23. Dead Bars - Last Call Alarm

24. Personality Cult - Not Ready

25. The Untamed Youth - Git Up and Go

26. Horsegirl - In Twos

27. Bob Mould - Breathing Room

28. Wednesday - Townies

29. Jacuzzi Boys - Instant Separation

30. Wreckless Eric - Home & Away

31. Jeff Tweedy - Lou Reed Was My Babysitter

32. The Waterboys - Live In The Moment, Baby

33. Guided By Voices - Phantasmagoric Upstarts

34. The Prize - Connie

35. Thee Headcoats - And The Band Played Johnny B. Goode

36. Thee Headcoatees - The KKK Took My Baby Away  (Ludella vocal)

37. The Unknowns - All Grown Up

38. LOOSE LIPS - Too Late To Call

39. Superchunk - No Hope

40. Sharp Pins - Popafangout