what i’ve been listening to
it’s the list no one asked for. these ten albums kept me company this year. some are recent releases, others i have either found through some willing exploration or a revisit that caused such an impression that I returned back to that album more than a handful of times this year. a number of these, in fact, caused such a stir in me that I was physically forced to find that physical form of said album at high-voltage records the very next day.
let’s give you a lay of the land. the ground rules are, admittedly, a little loose. i’m not counting any albums i didn’t complete. i will include albums that made an impression on me this godforsaken year , regardless of is release date. and before you ask, yes, i did listen to Sabrina Carpenter’s new album. no, she did not make my cut.
without further ado, here lies the ten albums i’ve been listening to that stuck to me like gum on a shoe.
radio ddr (2025) | sharp pins
some record store guy with pretty blue eyes recommended this album which prompted my first listen. upon my second listen, I realized my enjoyment stemmed from the jangly, guitar-forward sound that reminded me of house shows back when I lived in Chicago. sometimes feels like the Beatles, sometimes a bit like Whitney, we end up with a beautiful mix of noise that feels familiar and melancholic.
this album feels like reminiscing on another fleeting Chicago summer: blurred memories of meeting up at dive bars with your friends (flat iron when that was still a thing), diy shows in some guy’s basement, and gearing up for Pitchfork festival season. feeling like you’re constantly searching through your pockets for the time you already spent.
Genres: indie, rock
Favorite tracks: Chasing Stars, Storma Lee
Rating: 7.5/10 bones
radio ddr (2025) | sharp pins
some record store guy with pretty blue eyes recommended this album. not to me, just the internet. begrudgingly, I gave it a listen to have an opinion and to see if he was full of shit. upon my second listen, I realized my enjoyment stemmed from the jangly, guitar-forward sound that reminded me of house shows in Chicago. sometimes feels like the Beatles, sometimes a bit of Whitney, we end up with a beautiful mix of noise that feels familiar and melancholic.
this album feels like reminiscing on another fleeting Chicago summer: blurred memories of meeting up at dive bars with your friends (flat iron when that was still a thing), diy shows in some guy’s basement, and gearing up for Pitchfork festival season. this album bundles all of that up and spits it back at you.
Genres: indie, rock
Favorite tracks: Chasing Stars, Storma Lee
Rating: 7.5/10 bones
radio ddr (2025) | sharp pins
some record store guy with pretty blue eyes recommended this album. not to me, just the internet. begrudgingly, I gave it a listen to have an opinion and to see if he was full of shit. upon my second listen, I realized my enjoyment stemmed from the jangly, guitar-forward sound that reminded me of house shows in Chicago. sometimes feels like the Beatles, sometimes a bit of Whitney, we end up with a beautiful mix of noise that feels familiar and melancholic.
this album feels like reminiscing on another fleeting Chicago summer: blurred memories of meeting up at dive bars with your friends (flat iron when that was still a thing), diy shows in some guy’s basement, and gearing up for Pitchfork festival season. this album bundles all of that up and spits it back at you.
Genres: indie, rock
Favorite tracks: Chasing Stars, Storma Lee
Rating: 7.5/10 bones
radio ddr (2025) | sharp pins
some record store guy with pretty blue eyes recommended this album. not to me, just the internet. begrudgingly, I gave it a listen to have an opinion and to see if he was full of shit. upon my second listen, I realized my enjoyment stemmed from the jangly, guitar-forward sound that reminded me of house shows in Chicago. sometimes feels like the Beatles, sometimes a bit of Whitney, we end up with a beautiful mix of noise that feels familiar and melancholic.
this album feels like reminiscing on another fleeting Chicago summer: blurred memories of meeting up at dive bars with your friends (flat iron when that was still a thing), diy shows in some guy’s basement, and gearing up for Pitchfork festival season. this album bundles all of that up and spits it back at you.
Genres: indie, rock
Favorite tracks: Chasing Stars, Storma Lee
Rating: 7.5/10 bones
radio ddr (2025) | sharp pins
some record store guy with pretty blue eyes recommended this album. not to me, just the internet. begrudgingly, I gave it a listen to have an opinion and to see if he was full of shit. upon my second listen, I realized my enjoyment stemmed from the jangly, guitar-forward sound that reminded me of house shows in Chicago. sometimes feels like the Beatles, sometimes a bit of Whitney, we end up with a beautiful mix of noise that feels familiar and melancholic.
this album feels like reminiscing on another fleeting Chicago summer: blurred memories of meeting up at dive bars with your friends (flat iron when that was still a thing), diy shows in some guy’s basement, and gearing up for Pitchfork festival season. this album bundles all of that up and spits it back at you.
Genres: indie, rock
Favorite tracks: Chasing Stars, Storma Lee
Rating: 7.5/10 bones
radio ddr (2025) | sharp pins
some record store guy with pretty blue eyes recommended this album. not to me, just the internet. begrudgingly, I gave it a listen to have an opinion and to see if he was full of shit. upon my second listen, I realized my enjoyment stemmed from the jangly, guitar-forward sound that reminded me of house shows in Chicago. sometimes feels like the Beatles, sometimes a bit of Whitney, we end up with a beautiful mix of noise that feels familiar and melancholic.
this album feels like reminiscing on another fleeting Chicago summer: blurred memories of meeting up at dive bars with your friends (flat iron when that was still a thing), diy shows in some guy’s basement, and gearing up for Pitchfork festival season. this album bundles all of that up and spits it back at you.
Genres: indie, rock
Favorite tracks: Chasing Stars, Storma Lee
Rating: 7.5/10 bones
radio ddr (2025) | sharp pins
some record store guy with pretty blue eyes recommended this album. not to me, just the internet. begrudgingly, I gave it a listen to have an opinion and to see if he was full of shit. upon my second listen, I realized my enjoyment stemmed from the jangly, guitar-forward sound that reminded me of house shows in Chicago. sometimes feels like the Beatles, sometimes a bit of Whitney, we end up with a beautiful mix of noise that feels familiar and melancholic.
this album feels like reminiscing on another fleeting Chicago summer: blurred memories of meeting up at dive bars with your friends (flat iron when that was still a thing), diy shows in some guy’s basement, and gearing up for Pitchfork festival season. this album bundles all of that up and spits it back at you.
Genres: indie, rock
Favorite tracks: Chasing Stars, Storma Lee
Rating: 7.5/10 bones
radio ddr (2025) | sharp pins
some record store guy with pretty blue eyes recommended this album. not to me, just the internet. begrudgingly, I gave it a listen to have an opinion and to see if he was full of shit. upon my second listen, I realized my enjoyment stemmed from the jangly, guitar-forward sound that reminded me of house shows in Chicago. sometimes feels like the Beatles, sometimes a bit of Whitney, we end up with a beautiful mix of noise that feels familiar and melancholic.
this album feels like reminiscing on another fleeting Chicago summer: blurred memories of meeting up at dive bars with your friends (flat iron when that was still a thing), diy shows in some guy’s basement, and gearing up for Pitchfork festival season. this album bundles all of that up and spits it back at you.
Genres: indie, rock
Favorite tracks: Chasing Stars, Storma Lee
Rating: 7.5/10 bones
radio ddr (2025) | sharp pins
some record store guy with pretty blue eyes recommended this album. not to me, just the internet. begrudgingly, I gave it a listen to have an opinion and to see if he was full of shit. upon my second listen, I realized my enjoyment stemmed from the jangly, guitar-forward sound that reminded me of house shows in Chicago. sometimes feels like the Beatles, sometimes a bit of Whitney, we end up with a beautiful mix of noise that feels familiar and melancholic.
this album feels like reminiscing on another fleeting Chicago summer: blurred memories of meeting up at dive bars with your friends (flat iron when that was still a thing), diy shows in some guy’s basement, and gearing up for Pitchfork festival season. this album bundles all of that up and spits it back at you.
Genres: indie, rock
Favorite tracks: Chasing Stars, Storma Lee
Rating: 7.5/10 bones
