Neil Meehan’s Albums Of The Year 2025
1 Suede – Antidepressants
London Britpop trailblazers Suede have now released 10 albums, five each before and after their 2003-2010 hiatus. There is an argument that more-recent records exceed those from their 90s ‘hits’ period, with Antidepressants strengthening the case. Better still, Suede retain a knack of sounding comfortingly familiar, yet never dull or repetitive. From the opening stomp of ‘Disintegrate’, the album is as instant, urgent, powerful and introspective as any of their previous work, with Brett Anderson’s vocal soaring to new heights.
2 Andy Bell – Pinball Wanderer
2025 was a big year for Bell, returning to bass duties for one of the most talked-about tours of all time. Before the Oasis shows had got underway, Bell had already released Pinball Wanderer, an 8-track psychedelic swirl of guitars, electronic beats, and hazy vocals.
3 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Howl (20th anniversary re-issue)
A latecomer to the list, on account of catching three dates of the accompanying European tour. The band stated not being able to play the album live as intended initially (a few were performed acoustically over the years), but an upright piano, trombone, and occasional helping hand on guitar allowed the folk-country of cult album Howl to reach sold out audiences. BRMC had the confidence to close live shows with ‘Open Invitation’, final track on the record, singing, “And we may never play here again.” Let’s hope not.
4 Deep Sea Diver – Billboard Heart
Seattle band’s 4th album, and their first signed to Sup-Pop, sees Jessica Dobson and co power through 11 tracks of indie-dream pop. Billboard Heart is packed with energy, force, and a string of good old-fashioned choruses, the riff-driven ‘Emergency’ stomps through the guitars with the urgency befitting its title.
5 Ethel Cain – Willoughby Tucker
Released as the prequel to 2022’s Preachers’ Daughter, Hayden Silas Anhedönia – aka Ethel Cain – adds more drone, more space, more reflection. The live shows dialled up the intensity, often just a prolonged feedback or organ sound, Cain standing motionless behind a crucifix. So intense, in fact, many sold-out UK performances were paused to allow for medical assistance in the encapsulated audiences.
6 Just Mustard – We Were Just Here
Irish shoegazers Just Mustard’s third album, We Were Just Here, bolsters their signature sound of noise, fuzzy guitars, reverb, and a distant drumbeat building a platform for Katie Ball’s echoey, dream-like vocal. No more so than on aptly-titled ‘Dreamer’, “I wanna feel something/hold it in my hand”.
7 Ribbon Skirt – Bite Down
This record combines the sound of a guitar/drums duo, with some modern, electronic flourishes (including vocoder vocals). The band’s name, lyrics and whole ethos stem from Tashiina Buswa’s indigenous Anishinaabe heritage, the sense of purpose unrelenting throughout. Thumping single ‘Wrong Planet’ recalls mid-2000s NME garage rock, whilst ‘Mountains’ morphs from the reflective and heartfelt into an overdrive rock blitz. Glorious.
8 Jadu Heart – POST HEAVEN
Fourth album POST HEAVEN was made as the duo behind it broke up, although thankfully maintaining their musical relationship. The record swaps genres frequently, as it does vocalists, with the live show adding the frequent switching of instruments. It makes Jadu Heart difficult to pin down, but all the better for it.
9 The Dirt – Monkeypunch
Garage-psych guitars, looping beats, and emphatic, pulsating rhymes delivered on top. (“My black sheep fingers burnt/But still placed on a trigger/darkened silhouette/yeah lonely standing figure… but i’m bigger!” – Demon Seed). Manchester’s The Dirt have dug out their own niche throughout this relentless record. Welcome to the Monkeypunch.
10 NewDad – Altar
Quick to follow 2024’s excellent debut Madra, Galway’s NewDad served up more splendid indie post-punk. Between the power of Roobosh, the intricacy of Other Side, to the melodies of Everything I Wanted, there is plenty to worship at the NewDad Altar.