Friday, December 26, 2025

Team Sisson's Best of 2025

 Happy holidays from Team Sisson, and congratulations on receiving Chris Schuck's 24th Annual Surprise Birthday Bash for Jesus. As always, we've picked and exquisitely sequenced tracks from 23 of our favorite albums of 2025 for your listening pleasure. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.  Let's begin.

1. Celeste - "On With The Show"
Album: Woman of Faces


We kick things off with one of my favorite voices of 2025.  Celeste’s vocals may be an acquired taste for some, but I love her raspy warble. Back in December 2024 she released the single “Everyday” in anticipation of her upcoming sophomore album following 2021’s Not Your Muse.  “Everyday” was in heavy rotation at Team Sisson HQ all year, but when Woman of Faces was finally released in November, it wasn't on it!  Not a problem.  Here’s what the Guardian said about Woman of Faces: “If you had to pinpoint a flaw, it’s that the album’s near-uniform pacing and tone make it a challenge to consume in one sitting. .... That said, every song is individually stunning – excerpted on a playlist, they would stop you dead in your tracks.”  Every song is individually stunning?  I totally agree!  There are several standout track including “This Is Who I Am,” which is the theme song to a British show called “The Day of the Jackal.”  Now, on with the show.

2. Prewn - "System"
Album: System


I'm low key embarrassed to say Prewn was an algorithm find for me.  I can't remember exactly how it happened, but I think I was listening to the new Haley Heynderickx album and when it was over Spotify played something from Prewn's 2023 Through The Window and I was like.....I'm listening!  Some quick recon revealed she had a record out this year and oh my stars, it's so good! Y'all know I'm a sucker for cello in contemporary music so it checked that box, but it's also sweeping and grimy and rough around the edges, all of which are boxes I happily checked as well.  Prewn is the stage name of Izzy Hagerup who is originally from Glen Ellyn, IL.  Finley's!! You guys know her?? 
Also check out: "Dirty Dog," "My Side"

3. Water From Your Eyes - "Nights in Armor"
Album: It's a Beautiful Place


Water From Your Eyes is the Brooklyn by way of Chicago duo comprised of Rachel Brown and Nate Amos.  You might also know Nate Amos as the guy behind This Is Lorelei.  In fact, I saw an article a couple weeks ago proclaiming him as a "generational songwriter."  Pretty high praise, but I guess I like what I've heard so far. It's a Beautiful Place came out in late August and we added "Nights in Armor" to our playlist on Sept 3, but I have no idea where we first heard it.  I'm guessing this was another KEXP find.  BTW, this year I listened to KEXP in my office pretty much every day.  I listen at a low volume so often it's just like a groove or a high hat or something I can barely percept that makes me stop and take note of what's playing.  I gotta tell you though, that station is just absolutely killing it  I have even started contributing since I listen so much.  I love the Bridge here in town and if I'm listening to terrestrial radio it's my go-to, but if I'm streaming, it's probably going to be KEXP.  Ok, enough of that.  Please check out Water From Your Eyes.  I actually saw them at #1 on a Best Albums of 2025 list so it's not just me telling you. Jeff Tweedy also put them on his Best of 2025 list. More high praise!
Also check out: "Playing Classics"

4. Heartworms - "Jacked"
Album: Glutton For Punishment


One of the fringe benefits of the withering away of traditional music press (i.e. Rolling Stone, Pitchfork) is there seems to be less and less groupthink about what is good and what is not.  Without the traditional tastemakers corralling us toward their opinions, we're all more free to make our own decisions.  It seems to me this year's Best of 2025 lists are the most diverse I can remember.  Sure there are a few artists  you see more than others (Geese, Rosalia, etc.) but there doesn't seem to be any consensus on what we were all supposed to like this year.  All that being said, I'm floored and legit disappointed I haven't seen Glutton for Punishment on more best of lists.  For me this is either the best or second best album of the year.  I really want you guys to listen front to back and tell me I'm wrong.  It's all killer, no filler.  Here's the popmatters review tagline: "Heartworms’ Glutton For Punishment is a highly intelligent, essentially perfect album. At 37 minutes long, it’s a precision-cut diamond."  Essentially perfect album?  That's what I'm trying to tell you!  Heartworms is a one-woman show, that woman being Jojo Orme from North London.  She's known for a fascination with military history which at some point led her to a volunteer gig at the RAF museum in London and may explain her style, album artwork and even some song titles ("Extraordinary Wings," "Warplane").  Seriously guys, you will like this one. 

5. Errol Eats Everything - "Eye Said What Eye Said"
Album: Errol Eats Everything


For most of these songs, I listen to the album, like it, pick one or two standouts and add them to my running best of the year list.  Then sometimes after that I don't go back to the album until I'm putting the end of the year list together.  This was one of those and boy was I depriving myself.  This thing slaps from front to back!  Old school hip-hop beats, peppered with samples of John Henrik Clarke speeches...there's no filler on here.  From what I gather Errol (last name unknown) was born in Jamaica, moved to Toronto when he was two, played college football in North Dakota, then moved around eventually winding up in New York working a corporate job.  When he was passed up for a promotion by a less qualified person he decided to do his own thing, and if that thing was make a killer album, he has succeeded!   Also, an oddity I enjoy is on one track, the artist, the album, and the song are all called Errol Eats Everything.  That happens to be one of my favorite tracks so despite the lack of originality, have a listen!
Also check out: "Round N Round," "Mind"

6. Stephen Wilson Jr. - "I'm A Song"
Album: søn of dad (deluxe)


I can't remember how I came across this one, but I can tell you when it happened the first thing I did was text Josh Mankin, aka the biggest Seinfeld fan in my life to let him know there was an album out there titled Son of Dad. The only thing better would be if the album was titled  The Lopper, or Headso, or maybe even The Denogginizer!  Aside from the Seinfeld reference I really didn't expect much but whoooo boy am I glad I gave it a listen.  Turns out søn of dad was released way back in 2023, but got a re-release this year with some outtakes and two tracks recorded on "Live at the Print Shop" which is a YouTube live concert series.  One of those live tracks was "I'm a Song."  If you watch the video he says his dad told him in one of their final conversations this was his favorite song.  He said "this is one of those why don't you just sing it conversations and I told him no I don't do that.....so I'm gonna do that." In other words we're led to believe this is the first time he's ever played "I'm A Song" in public and man I hope that's true.  My favorite YouTube comment is “So I’m gonna do that” and then proceeds to drop the best country song ever."  Hard to argue.  Now, if you want something that was fully released this year, he did drop a four song EP called Blankets with covers of some well known 90's & 2000's alt rock songs.  His cover of "Something In The Way" is just so off the rails and unbelievably good!!!  As I'm poking around for info I just found out he did the National Anthem at the NFL Draft in Indy last year.  Interestingly, in almost every video he's wearing the same ornate baseball cap.  I don't know what that's about, but Cory and I are going to see him April 17th at The Midland so we'll see if he's still wearing it. Hope some of y'all can join us!
Also check out: "Cuckoo," "Year to Be Young 1994"

7. Sword II - "Halogen"


This was a November release that I believe we first heard about on All Songs Considered.  They were playing/gushing over "Even if it's Just a Dream" which I have to agree is just fantastic.  These guys are from Atlanta which apparently has a pretty vibrant music scene that I to this point have been unaware of.  The NPR crew was framing them as a shoegaze band, and that's certainly true, but I think there's a lot more in here.  From the Post Trash review: "Electric Hour is definitively Sword II’s most cohesive project to date, something that has solidified their identity as an underground force to be reckoned with. The sequencing and pacing is especially striking; an ebbing and flowing tide of pop, grunge, and edgy shoegaze. It’s an alternation that the band explores seemingly at will and is something that I could listen to forever without getting tired of. Through stripping back their sound, Sword II have full control over their resilient, variegated version of rock. They emerge into the present with a singular, science-fiction-esque, “easy to listen to uneasiness” that so subtly and succinctly captures the paranoid scrutiny of society today, while offering pathways towards collective resilience."  My thoughts exactly. 
Also check out: "Sugarcane," "Sentry"

8. Balu Brigada - "Backseat"
Album: Portal


Unlike most of these songs, I remember specifically where I was when I first heard "Backseat."  It was a beautiful late summer Friday afternoon at Rec Park here in Raymore.  All of Isaac's flag football coaches showed up for practice so there was no need for me to jump in which meant I had an hour to kill.  I hit Indieheads on Reddit to see what the chatter was on new releases that day and there was a post about Balu Brigada.  I popped it on and it hooked me immediately so I listened to the whole thing front to back.  So catchy.  So groovy.  For some reason, from that day until the time I'm typing this I thought these guys were from the Bay Area but it turns out they hail from New Zealand!  I was so close! I think this is the first New Zealand act we've featured since Flight of the Conchords back in 2008, but Birthday Bash real ones can correct me if I'm wrong. I will point out, the video for "Backseat" consists of the boys driving around the desert in an open top Jeep (or the NZ equivalent) in the FRONT seat.  Whatever.  The groove is too good to criticize.  So take my picture!  My picture picture!

9. Yugen Blakrok - "Being Here"
Album: The Illusion of Being


When you do this sort of thing, over the years you develop a deep bench of bands you come to love, and if you're not careful, these lists can just turn into a bunch of the same artists over and over again. We have always tried (and largely failed) to keep our list as free of previous Bash participants as possible.  THIS year however we almost achieved the impossible, with a list featuring only ONE returning artist, that artist being the South African phenomenon Yugen Blakrok.  As I'm sure you recall, we brought you the amazing "Mars Attacks" back in 2019. In the back half of this year, we were disappointed with the amount of hip-hop on our list and went searching for what we might have missed.  That's when we came across The Illusion of Being.  As Tim Robinson said in the Dan Flashes sketch on ITYSL, Yugen's producer, Kanif the Jhatmaster creates beats that are MY EXACT STYLE!  Bass heavy, slow, creepy synths.  Just perfection.  Despite what I said earlier, don't be surprised if you see another Yugen track on a future Bash. Especially if the pattern is complicated!  Here she is performing three songs from The Illusion of Being live.  
Also check out: "Osiris Awakens"

10. Jolie Laide - "Holly"
Album: Creatures


My #1 album of the year is a dead heat between the Heartworms record and Creatures. If you judge by my Spotify wrapped though it’s not even close.  I think I might have listened to Creatures more than any other creature on this planet this year.  As I write this, “Old Collapser” only has 1963 plays on Spotify.  I’m pretty sure I’m responsible for 500 of those. I submitted “Old Collapser” to my Music League (RIP) one week this summer when the theme was something like 'your favorite song right now.'  Sadly, but I guess unsurprisingly (given <2000 plays worldwide) I think it came in last place. In case it’s ringing a bell, Jolie Laide is a French phrase meaning “pretty-ugly” or a “good-looking ugly woman.” What a fitting name for a band like this!  The band formed in the mid 2000s when Nina Nastasia and The Cape May both happened to be recording at Steve Albini’s studio.  The Cape May ended up filling in as her backing band for a tour soon after.  Then many years later in 2020 they reconnected through some tough circumstances and eventually combined forces as Jole Laide.   It looks like they played the Calgary folk festival July 24th so I just missed them by a week when I was stranded in Calgary overnight while my plane waited on a part to arrive.  Hope to see them tour the US this year.
Also check out: "Creatures"

Album: Remscéla


Now things are getting weird!  Remscéla came in #16 on the Quietus Albums of the Year 2025 list.  Here's how they describe the band; "Milkweed make recognisably folk music of the type you might hear played at a folk club, but dragged through all sorts of post-production mangles so the vocalist’s Appalachian-sounding lilt – tackling lyrics which don’t really use meters as such, leading to occurrences of extreme syllable crammage – and her bandmate’s acoustic accompaniment is forced to reckon with wow, flutter, flotsam and jetsam."  It's haunting and ancient sounding and at the same time refreshingly unique.  All ten songs on Remscéla are based on the opening segment of the Táin Bó Cúailnge, which I don't have to tell you is  the great canonical work of medieval Irish literature. Are the members of Milkweed Irish?  No!  Though they to this point have mostly remained in the shadows so I haven't gleaned much about them.  We considered Milkweed's Folklore 1979 for the 2024 Bash, particularly the track "My Father's Sheep is Dead."  Be careful searching for them as there's an Americana band from Binghamton, NY also calling themselves Milkweed. I'm sure they're great too, but I doubt they draw on as much 1st century literature for inspiration. 
Also check out: "How Conchobor was Begotten"

Album: bones


These guys and gals have been kicking around since 2013.  We've been on the periphery of RKS fandom for a long time, but never really pulled the trigger until we heard "Dang" this September. What a super catchy tune!  Like it?  The rest of bones is chock full of earworms just like it!  Now, as soon as I realized I was in love with this record I texted the only other person I know to be a RKS fan and he responded with something like "they're different now."  I did a little Binging and found out there was a pretty major change with the lead singer vis a vis gender identity.  I know that makes people uncomfortable so I won't get into it (also no idea if that's what my buddy was referring to), but if you have them rocking in your headphones it really doesn't matter does it?  BTW, you may have been thrown by my use of the word "Binging."  Have you guys noticed how bad google sucks these days?  I've recently realized I get better search results with Bing so I'm trying to use it more.  Anyway, RKS is  playing Starlight Theater July 27th.  That's going to be a hot show!  I may just have to sweat it out with them.  Anyone else interested?  Here's them covering "Sugar, We're Goin Down" at Red Rocks. I mainly bring this up to say, the Song Exploder episode about this song was one of my faves all year. 
Also check out: "Tropics," "100 Summers"

13. Lambrini Girls - "You're No From Around Here"
Album: Who Let The Dogs Out


I’m not sure where I first heard the Lambrini Girls, but it very well could have been on Sound Opinions.  Both Jim and Greg had Who Let the Dogs Out on their Best of 2025 lists.  This was one album where I really struggled to pick which song to include.  You really can’t go wrong though.  They keep up the frenetic energy and DGAF attitude throughout. Who Let The Dogs Out is one of the few Bash selections that I’ve seen pop up somewhat regularly on Best of 2025 lists. If anyone local is interested, they’re playing the Granada in Lawrence on May 5th.  Cory and I had an adventure trying to get to the Granada a couple of months ago to see one of Team Sisson's all-time favorites, Murder By Death on the last leg of their farewell tour.  After my Tundra very nearly dropped a wheel in Olathe we eventually made it, said goodbye to MBD and even met Zentz after for a beer afterward.  That drive home was brutal though.  As Roger Murtaugh once said, well you know.  Nevertheless, given proper transportation and a healthy night's sleep beforehand I would entertain the prospect.  Takers?   Oh, and if you're on the fence, Lambrini Girls have a song called "Cuntology 101."  There we go.  The phones are ringing off the hook!
Also check out: "Company Culture," "Big Dick Energy"

14. Courting - "After You"
Album: Lust for Life, Or: 'How To Thread The Needle And Come Out The Other Side To Tell The Story'


Guys, I tried and tried to take Liverpool's Courting off the final Bash playlist this year.  I added "Pause at You" to my Best of 2025 list in March and liked it but didn't love it all year.  Toward the end of the year I pivoted to "After You" and kind of the same thing.  I really like it, but I wasn't ga-ga for it. I don't know though, something about this record just makes me feel good.  Like it feels like this is the kind of thing I was hearing on CMJ samplers back in the late 90's when I was first getting into less mainstream music. This comparison makes absolutely no sense musically but still it reminds me of Jonathan Fire Eater for some reason. Obviously I gravitated to the more guitar heavy tracks, but this record rewards those who appreciate variety.  It starts with a nice string intro and rolls into a Chemical Brothers style track that after eating a meal eventually shifts into more of what the record will sound like.  Then the last track loops the rhythm and violin part of the first track.  So cool!  As I listen while I'm writing this I'm actually starting to fall in love with this record!  God this is so good!  I will tell you, in the end it came down to either a Courting song or something from The Wytches (probably "Black Ice") as the final addition to the list. I think we made the right choice. This album rips!
Also check out: "Stealth Rollback"

15. McKinley Dixon - "Magic, Alive!"
Album:  Magic, Alive!


Y'all know we love horns around here right?  This record is just an absolute joy to listen to. Rapping over live jazz is tough to pull off but it's done very well on Magic, Alive!  Y'all also know we also love a good concept record!  The theme on Magic, Alive! is three kids mourning a friend who passed and trying to come up with ways to bring him back to life through some magic. This was another one we struggled to pick which song to include.  You almost got "Crooked Stick" featuring Ghais Guevera, who also released an excellent album this year (Goyard Ibn Said) that was in contention for the Bash (check out "The Old Guard Is Dead"). Anthony Fantano over at The Needle Drop had this as his #9 best album of the year.  If you don't take our word for it, here's another dad who loves Magic, Alive!

16. Chartreuse - "More"
Album: Bless You & Be Well


Ok, I've said my two favorite records of 2025 were Heartworms and Jolie Laide.  #3 is almost certainly Bless You & Be Well.  Not sure how it found it's way to our ears, but I was enchanted by it when we first gave it a spin back in April.  This summer I was mesmerized by the making of documentary that showed the band traversing all across Europe (including Team Sisson dream destination Iceland!) to record this masterpiece.  I've watched a lot of these 'making of' docs but for some reason this one resonates as the best I've ever seen.  Maybe it's the earnestness they all have, the single minded focus on creating the best possible sounding music, with absolutely no guarantee of anyone ever listening or caring. Well I for one have listened, and I care.  This album is incredible and I hope you all give it a chance.  
Also check out: "Sequence of Voices"

17 Sam Barber - "Dust and Smoke"
Album: Music for the Soul


Lot more twang than usual on the Bash right?  Sam Barber will have to count as our local artist for this year. We're told he hails from Frohna, MO which is a river town just north of Cape Girardeau, population 245.  My  hometown's population has hovered around the 400 mark for my entire life so I can sort of relate to that environment.  I can tell you though, nobody that has come out of Henry County in the past 40 years has  made a record as good as Music for the Soul.  After dropping out of State Technical College in Linn, MO this baby-faced virtuoso moved to Montana (eschewing advice to move to Nashville), to write and record music. Don't believe me?  Check out the gorgeous backdrop of every one of his videos.  Those were not filmed in the boot heel!  You gotta appreciate him avoiding that Nashville hit-factory scene and making hits on his own.  This is probably the closest thing to modern radio country music we've ever considered for the Bash.  Not sure if he gets radio play but I know he's a bit of a TikTok star after a couple popular duets with Avery Anna.  Now that I look more closely, "Indigo" has 331 MILLION plays on Spotify so yeah, some of you may already be familiar.  Oh, "Straight and Narrow" has 385 MILLION plays.  Jeez. I think we're late to the party on this one!
Also check out: "Man of the Year," "Music for the Soul" 

18. The Murder Capital - "Moonshot"
Album: Blindness


It wouldn’t be the Bash without some Irish guitar rock right? While the two main contenders for the Bash from Blindness were “Moonshot” and “Words Lost Meaning,” the album does take some interesting turns into softer, more melancholy territory in the second half.  In fact, looking back at my best of 2025 playlist, I added "The Fall" and "Can't Pretend To Know" before anything else I just mentioned.  So obviously we like Blindness a lot.  Hope you do too. 
Also check out: "Words Lost Meaning"



Grand Rapids, MI favorites La Dispute have been turning it up to 11 and screaming into mics since 2004, but we just discovered them this year.  Better late than never.  We're certainly fans of other speak singing over aggressive guitar acts so we were initially hopeful and ultimately rewarded with a full listen of No One Was Driving The Car.  In fact I listened to the full album three times back to back to back while cutting back some vegetation on our expansive property this fall (no, it was just a stubborn, fast growing bush next to our heat pump).  We initially wanted to bring you "The Field," but had to trim time so you get the also excellent MwHaAB. If you like what you hear though I do recommend a full listen.  There's a lot of great stuff on here.  And isn't it refreshing to hear an American rock band?  These guys are playing the Granada in Lawrence April 18th if anyone is interested.  If so bring some extra socks because the pair you wear are most likely going to be blown right off. 

20. Atmosphere - "Locusts"
Album: Jestures


Minnesota hip-hop finally makes its return to The Bash!  For a while there when I was listening to a lot of The Current we featured a Land of 10,000 Lakes rapper on our list nearly every year, from Brother Ali to Dessa to Sims, etc.  During that stretch though we never gave the Minneapolis/St. Paul O.G.s  Atmosphere their props.  Slug and Ant have been making killer music for three decades now, and with Jestures they don't seem to be slowing down at all.  Atmosphere is comfort music in this house.  We should make that into a wooden sign.  Hope y'all dig it too. 
Also check out: "Sean," "Kilowatts"

21. MSPAINT - "Angel"
Album: No Separation EP


Dude, as the kids say, MSPAINT hits different. One of the comments that stuck with me from the "Angel" video on YouTube was "So proud that one of the coolest punk bands these days is from Mississippi. Heck yeah."  Actually I think it was in that moment I realized 1) this band is from Mississippi, and 2) MSPAINT is a clever way of expressing that fact! If you're a college football fan you spent a lot of time thinking about the Magnolia State this year, but I can't recall off the top of my head a lot of artists outside the blues genre that have made it big from there. Not saying MSPAINT have "made it big" yet, but a nod from the Birthday Bash opens a lot of doors!  
Also check out: "Drift"

22. Haley Heynderickx, Max Garcia Conover - "Boars"
Album: What of Our Nature


Last one in!  “Boars” caught my ear when I was listening to KEXP in my office just a few weeks ago.  I usually listen and a pretty low volume, and this is a pretty low volume song, but something about it caught my attention.  I predict this will be the earworm you keep humming after you listen to my list.  The rest of the album is great too.  Check it out! 
Also check out: "Fluorescent Light"

23. Sorry - "Waxwing"
Album: COSPLAY


By my count this is the 8th UK artist on the Bash this year.  Not sure if that means anything but here we are.  My favorite (or shall I say favourite?) thing about prepping for the Birthday Bash is when I come across something I get absolutely obsessed with.  Usually that obsession just lasts a few days, but it burns white hot!  Often those obsessed over records end up not making the final cut though, maybe because by the end of the year I've become sick of them.  COSPLAY was the last of those obsessed over records this year, and maybe you're only hearing it right now because it came out in November so I haven't had a chance to get sick of it.  If so, lucky you!  We had Sorry on the maybe pile in 2023 with "Screaming In The Rain Again," but I was not expecting to love COSPLAY as much as I do.  The first half of the record is quite good, but the second half is simply sublime!  Tracks 7-10 are all on my Best of 2025 list.  I really struggled with which killer track to include, but with a 23 track Bash in the end it came down to run time.  I'm also cognizant that I've been using the word "killer" way too much this year.  Hopefully I'm gifted a thesaurus for Christmas so I can learn to use synonyms like butcherer, slaughterer & massacrer, though those don't sound right in this context.  Maybe I'm using the thesaurus wrong.  Anyway, please listen to COSPLAY.  And if the thing holding you back is you think it's a stage production written by the Cos himself (Bill Cosby), let me disabuse you of that notion right now.  It is not!  Just listen! 
Also check out: "Life In This Body," "Into The Dark," "Jetplane" 

And that's how it's done folks!  By my count that's 4716 words on this year's Birthday Bash artists.  Here are a few more words.  As referenced a few times above there were many other albums we loved that just barely missed the cut.  Please give the following a spin if you like things that are good. 

Great Grandpa - Patience, Moonbeam
Spiderwebs & Foam - Something Sometime
Perfume Genius - Glory
Squid - Cowards
Orla Gartland - Everybody Needs a Hero
Suzzallo - The Quiet Year
The Men - Buyer Beware
Annie DiRusso - Super Pedestrian
MĀ - Blame It On The Weather
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs - Death Hilarious
Deep Sea Diver - Billboard Heart
Getdown Services - Crumbs 2 (EP)
Kae Tempest - Self Titled 
Revival Season - Formless (EP)
Viagra Boys - viagr aboys
Big Thief - Double Infinity
Cash Langdon - Dogs
Hotel Lux - The Bitter Cup
Dead Gowns - It's Summer, I Love You, and I'm Surrounded by Snow
Mhaol - Something Soft
Rainwater - Yesturday & Tamarlow
Samantha Crain - Gumshoe
Mt. Joy - Hope We Have Fun
MRCY - Volume 2
Foxwarren - 2
THUMPER - Middle Management (EP)
Buck 65 - Keep Moving
McClusky - the world is still here and so are we
supermodel* - supermodel* ep 
Jesse Welles - Middle
Hesse Kassel - La Brea
Jim Ghedi - Wasteland
John Glacier - Like A Ribbon
Wet Leg - moisturizer
Sudan Archives - THE BPM
Shame - Cutthroat
bar italia - Some Like It Hot
Georgia Knight - Beanpole
Ghais Guevara - Goyard Ibn Said
The Wytches - Talking Machine
Sam & Louise Sullivan - Sweet Enough

With this year’s Birthday Bash, this annual project has now officially spanned more than half my life.  Crazy right?  How long will we keep doing it?  No idea.  The past few years I’ve had in my head we would at least get to 25.  A quarter century of doing anything seems like a decent accomplishment. The thing is though I just really love making it so right now I can't imagine turning it off. At this point it will probably be way harder for me to stop than to just keep going.  I guess the real answer is I will have to stop when my Epson Artisan 710 with the CD print function stops working.  You guys remember the old days when I would print CD sized stickers instead of printing directly onto CDs?  How they would get stuck in your cars' CD players?  I guess that's much less of a problem now since none of you have CD players anymore. Maybe partially because I ruined them with these dumb CDs!  In any case, if you received a Birthday Bash this year you can expect to get one next year. Like it or not. 

Happy holidays from Team Sisson and have a great 2026!
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Tuesday, December 24, 2024

Team Sisson's Best of 2024


Happy holidays from Team Sisson, and congratulations on receiving Chris Schuck's 23rd Annual Surprise Birthday Bash for Jesus. As always, we've picked and exquisitely sequenced tracks from 20 of our favorite albums of 2024 for your listening pleasure. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

1. The Smile - "Bending Hectic"
Album: Wall Of Eyes
Vinnie (aka DJ Luppa) aand I caught The Smile at the Midland in the summer of 2023 and that was one helluva show!  If you're somehow not aware, the Smile is Thom and Johnny from Radiohead and the drummer from Sons of Kemet,  Tom Skinner.  I spent most of that show with my jaw on the floor watching Tom Skinner, appreciating the crazy stuff Johnny was doing with pedals and general noisemaking and barely making out anything Thom said (maybe the sound was better in the middle of the theater, but we couldn't understand a word he was saying).  "Bending Hectic" was released as a B-side single just a day or two before that show so it's been around for a while, but luckily for you it wasn't included on a proper album until this year's Wall of Eyes.  W of E is superb front to back and "Bending Hectic" came in #1 on my Spotify wrap for most plays in 2024.  I just love how it's a gentle Radiohead song for the first 5:27, then turns into a cacophony of unpleasant noise a la the There Will Be Blood score (which was done by Johnny Greenwood) and finally that drop at 5:58.  Oh my god that's so good. I should also mention they released a second album, Cutouts this year which is also worth a listen. Pretty good right? Guess what?  We're just getting started baby!
**Also, speaking of singles, last year we kicked off the Bash with a single by Party Dozen, "Wake In Might."  Usually I would wait until the following year when the album is released to add it to the Bash playlist, but it was so damn good I just couldn't wait.  They finally did release a proper album, Crime in Australia, in September of this year and whoooboy is it good!  The sounds and grooves they pull out of just drums and a sax are really impressive.  I hope you check it out.  Here's "Coup De Gronk."**
Also check out: "Wall of Eyes", "Friend Of A Friend", "I Quit" 

2. Cloud Cult - "I Am A Force Field"
Album: Alchemy Creek
This is a weird one for me.   There was a brief time about ten years ago when I was really into Cloud Cult, having been introduced to them while streaming 89.3 The Current out of Minneapolis.  The problem is when I discovered a lot of their music was centered around the lead singer, Craig Minowa, overcoming the death of his two year old son Kaidin in 2002 I just couldn't handle it anymore.  I had a two year old son at the time of that discovery and I just couldn't imagine what that must have been like, but actually I could because every time I heard one of their songs it took me to that place or fear and dread and misery and mourning.  It's interesting because as music fans we (or at least I) always want to know what songs are "about."  Lyrics are often so abstract you don't know what if anything they mean.  This is a case where I wish I'd never found out the meaning.  So, what has changed?  I don't really know.  Maybe nothing.  Even as I type this I'm listening to Alchemy Creek and there are lyrics that are borderline destroying me.  It's a beautiful record though so I hope you guys all get a chance to hear it. 

3. bby - "hotline"
Album: 1
"hotline" was the first track we added to our Best of 2024 list way back in January.  In fact, it was a single that was released in August 2023 so I guess we might have considered it for last year's Bash but there wasn't an album until this year.  Often, the first few tracks we add to the Best of ___ list don't end up on the Bash because they get the most plays throughout the year and when the end of the year comes around I'm kind of sick of hearing them.  bby was in that same boat as I was really not feeling them when I started to finalize the track listing, but then I watched the video for "hotline" and I was hooked all over again.  The youthful exuberance of these guys is one of the things I love most about music.  From what I can gather, they formed in 2023 and have quickly cultivated an existence that includes weekly "hang-outs" in their "HQ" (practice space?) which is in a warehouse in east London.  Per Deon (the bassist) "You sign up online and get chosen – not everyone that RSVP’d gets in. Then – lucky you! – when you get here, someone from the band will greet you and sign your name off the list and take you to our room. The actual space itself is a warehouse and massive. We walk you through and it’s more of a party or gathering than a gig."  So basically instead of hauling gear all over London to play random shows, they host their own intimate shows every week.  What a great idea!  We're only three tracks into the Bash and you've already heard two UK artists.  How many more will there be........
Also check out: "Kinky", "Breathe"

4. Swamp Thing - "SOS"
Album: Slap Slap
I'm honestly not sure how I came across Slap Slap, but I'm glad I did.  This kind of sound is totally my jam!  "SOS" has become a bit of a running gag at our house.  On Halloween, after Isaac and I got back from trick-or-treating in our neighborhood (Charlie had peeled off to run around with his friends at this point), we were sitting by the fire pit and doing a you pick one I pick one thing with the Bluetooth speaker.  I had just discovered Slap Slap that day and I picked "SOS" every time, partly to drive him crazy (which it did), but also because it's just a great Halloween track.  Now I play it every chance I get to see his reaction, which is usually to fly into a rage and attack me!  I had never heard of  this Canadian hip-hop trio, but it turns out they "have a ritual of delivering dark, b-movie inspired, heavy duty thunderclaps every Halloween."  Looking back at their discography it looks like they've released an album around Halloween every year since 2014, and there were a couple more before that.  Looking at the play counts on Spotify it doesn't look like any of this effort has led to anything resembling a hit, yet they continue to do it every year.  Kind of sounds like the Birthday Bash doesn't it?  It's been years since anyone was interested in this thing yet here I am year after year sweating it out to try to make a cool thing for you guys. Much respect Swamp Thing!
Also check out: "Pure Quality"

5. Idles - "Gift Horse"
Album: TANGK
One of my goals every year is to make a Bash playlist that includes as few repeat artists as possible.  For a while I thought this might be the year I'd have zero repeats, but here we are, track 5 and we're hearing from Idles...AGAIN.  Don't be too sad though.  TANGK rocks and so do Idles. Oh, and if you're counting, there are five repeat appearances this year.  Hmmm, that might make a pretty good trivia question!
Also check out: "Dancer," "POP POP POP"

6. Nathan Jacques - "Words of Caution"
Album: Dark Wanderer and the Bounty Heart
Now we move on to a very ambitious effort by the Massachusetts born, LA based independent Americana artist Nathan Jacques.  Dark Wanderer is a double album whose concept is as follows (from his website): "In the mid 1900s, singing cowboy movie star Nathan Jacques released his second film...Dark Wanderer and the Bounty Heart. Convoluted and dreary subject matter not found in singing cowboy movies at the time led to Jacques' negative critical response. Nevertheless, that didn’t knock the skip from his step nor the shine from his smile."  The initial Bash track listing featured "Loveless Country" which we consider the standout track, but there were a lot of great options.  Overall we're really smitten by this album so I hope you give it a listen!

Album: Foxing
Foxing hail from just down I-70 in St. Louis.  While I've heard of them for a long time, I've never really heard them until I happened upon their new self-titled album this summer.  I've seen Foxing described as post-rock, Midwest emo, industrial, etc. but I would say this album defies singular classification.  I will say, the first thing I noticed was there's a lot of screaming on it, which is usually an automatic skip for me, but  I stuck with this one and by the end I was hooked.  This might be the most interesting and ambitious album I heard all year.  If that's not glowing enough praise, here's what the Sputnikmusic review said: "When Foxing stake their name to something, they fucking mean it. There’s no way to delve into the band’s self-titled, self-produced album without immediately discussing how heavy and unhinged this thing is. It’s arguably the most powerful and complex record I’ve heard since mewithoutYou’s masterful [Untitled] career finale, and it’s also the most off guard I’ve been caught by a release’s sheer fury since ‘Vices’ barged down the doors to Daisy. This is the kind of company I’d place Foxing in: it’s an immediate tour de force that goes full throttle instantly and unrelentingly, battering listeners with its sheer intensity. Remember how 2018’s Nearer My God oscillated between panicked, earth-shattering climaxes and emotive anthems on its way to establishing itself as the band’s de facto classic? Consider this: Foxing is Nearer My God in even fuller crisis, with no guard rails, wavering on the brink of complete mental collapse. It’s the best release I’ve heard – regardless of genre – in at least half a decade. Welcome to Foxing’s real magnum opus." I also have to give it up to the humor of this band.  The video for the first single, "Greyhound," is set up as a press conference the band called at an event space in St. Louis where none of the media outlets that they ACTUALLY INVITED showed up.  I really hope you guys give Foxing a listen. 
Also check out: "Greyhound", "Hell 99"

Album: Memorial Waterslides
One thing you will notice on this year's Bash is a shocking lack of saxophone!  That's what makes the 3:00 mark of "Cut It Like A Diamond" maybe my favorite moment on the whole playlist.  From their bio: "MEMORIALS is Verity Susman (Electrelane) and Matthew Simms (Wire, Better Corners, It Hugs Back, Uuuu, Fitted). The duo channel the spirit of free jazz to create cosmic journeys through the garden shed into psychedelic rock, far out folk and wild analogue electronics."  I will point out this is already the fourth UK band on the list, with many more to come....
Also check out: "Lamplighter"


9. Kendrick Lamar - "reincarnated"
Album: GNX
Who had a better year than Kendrick?  It's one thing to be Team Sisson's Best Rapper of the 21st Century.  For most that would be enough, but for Kendrick?  That's just icing on the cake!  If you were living in a cave this year you might not know Kendrick and Drake got into a bit of a hip-hop kerfuffle this summer that effectively was won with Kendrick's virtual defenestration of Drake on "Not Like Us," which for our money is hands down, without a doubt the song of the year.  Holding true to the best album of the year format, "Not Like Us" wasn't eligible for the Bash, but days before we firmed up the final track listing K-Dot surprise released GNX.  If you haven't heard it check it out.  There are like two tracks produced by the same producer of "Not Like Us" (Mustaaaaaard!) that sound verrrrry similar.  There's also some production by Taylor Swift's go-to producer Jack Antonoff.  But whoever is producing, Kendrick is over the top with his usual inventive, captivating, shape-shifting style.  "reincarnated" sounds a lot like an homage to Tupac because that's what it is!  If I wasn't irrationally worried about kids being in the room when the Bash was being played I would probably had given you the opener "wacced out murals."  GNX is all killer no filler though.  Now, that being said, I would still rank it above Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, but below GKMC, TPAB & Damn, so I'm not saying it's K-Dot's best work, but Kendrick's mediocre work is better than the best work of most.  As Kendrick would say about me, "he a fan, he a fan, he a fan." .....oh wait, maybe not like that!
Also check out: "squabble up"

10. Honeyglaze - "Don't"
Album: Real Deal
I'm not sure how I came across this south London trio but I was smitten when I hit play on the first track, "Hide".  These guys and gal aren't really breaking any new ground with their sound, but what they do, they do extremely well.  There are a lot of great tracks but to me the standout is clearly "Don't"  Hope you like it!
Also check out: "Pretty Girls"

11. Wilco - "Hot Sun"
Album: Hot Sun Cool Shroud
Our affinity for Wilco has been well documented.  Among my best friends growing up were two dudes that moved to my tiny town from St. Louis (NOBODY moved to my tiny town so this was a big deal) who also happened to be Uncle Tupelo fans.  Because of those guys my first ever live show was Golden Smog.  One of my first dates with Leanna was to a Wilco show at the Blue Note.  Our first dance was to "I'm the Man Who Loves You."  I spilled a beer all over Gabe at the Midland the last time they were in town. So yeah, we go way back.  That said, recent albums have not necessarily received white glove entry to the Bash.  In recent years, while strong, Schmilco, Ode To Joy & Cruel Country have all been left off the final track listing.  However, we really enjoyed Cousin last year, and we really really enjoyed their EP Hot Sun Cool Shroud this year. Recently they've did three night residencies in Austin, Tulsa & St. Paul where they did a completely different setlist each night.  Austin and St. Paul I get.  Tulsa?????  I'm trying not to be offended here, but do they know I don't live in Tulsa?  Anyway, hope you like "Hot Sun."
Also check out: "Annihilation"

Album: Miracle Focus
Sharp-eared listeners may remember we included Strand of Oaks' "JM" on the 2015 version of the Birthday Bash.  To be honest we had lost track of SoO since then, but were re-acquainted when I listened to episode 180 of Allen Epley's podcast Third Gear Scratch featuring an interview with Timothy Showalter (aka Strand of Oaks). I may have said this last year, but if you haven't already done so, please check out Third Gear Scratch.  Allen Epley has some KC connections, having attended William Jewel and playing in some local bands, most notably Shiner, before moving to Chicago where he now tends bar and has a regular musician gig with the Blue Man Group.  The guests on TGS aren't what you might call heavy hitters, but that's sort of the point.  If you've ever wondered what it would have been like if you'd tried to be a rock star, this show might make you feel better about your decision to be an accountant instead, although I'm invariably inspired by the sacrifices professional musicians make, not because they want to, but because they have to in order or follow their muse.  It's an incredibly honorable pursuit and we're all better for it, but it rarely leads to fame and riches.  All that being said, maybe it did lead to some fame outside of music for Timothy Showalter who acted in a show called Mayans MC (apparently a Sons of Anarchy spinoff?).  Anyway, the SoA we used to know was more guitar heavy while "Communication" is way more synth heavy, but the songwriting is still superb.  Superb, one of the great words in the English language.  
Also check out: "Party At Monster Lake" 

Album: Mahashmashana
For an artist that has been in our collective consciousness for over a decade, FJM still manages to sound fresh with every release.  Like a lot of you, we first became acquainted with Joshua Tillman after he left Fleet Foxes and released his first solo album, Fear Fun in 2012.  As I recall "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings" was in the running for the Bash that year.  As for Masashmashana, if there were unlimited time we would have brought you the title track.  Unfortunately that effort clocks in at 9:19 so you get "She Cleans Up," which is a freaking fantastic song, but I fear some of you may already be sick of it as I'm guessing if you've already heard it, you've been compelled to play it over and over and over again like we have.  What a great song!  FTJ is touring the US in early 2025 before heading over to Europe in the Summer.  I don't see any tour dates anywhere near KC, but if you mosey on over to Bandcamp you can buy his performance at the Midland Theater from 8/9/22.  Looks like he has a few live shows available there but not a lot so there must have been some magic in the Midland that night!  Next time he comes around you can bet we'll be there. 

14. OldBoy Rhymes - "Strange Kids"
Album: The Sane Asylum
This summer I remember wondering whatever became of my favorite Rhode Island rapper Sage Francis, but I saw something shiny and moved on.  Less than a week later "American Pyramids" by OldBoy Rhymes appeared on the Spotify Release Radar playlist.  Mr. Lif and Sage were features on the track which caught my eye, and the sick beat and gravel voiced OldBoy Rhymes caught my ear.  Turns out this guy was newly signed to Strange Famous which is Sage's record label.  Pretty random right?  I honestly have had a hard time finding out any info about OldBoy.  From his bio: "From the dark tundra of Alaska to the heaving jungles of Papua, OldBoy Rhymes has experienced a lot -- from terrorist attacks to home invasions. He's befriended billionaires, kids in "third world" slums, and people at all levels in between,   OldBoy Rhymes has lived a crazy, multi-polar life, and his lyricism is drenched in the love and angst he soaked up along the way....OldBoy’s journey includes a visit to a mental health ward and a life-and-death street scuffle. It almost ends in a plane crash."  Sounds like a crazy life.  During all of that he somehow developed some serious skills with a mic and the beats are sick.  No idea how he was discovered, but I'm sure glad it happened.
Also check out: "American Pyramids", "Somehow", "Liftoff" 

15. SPRINTS - "Heavy"
Album: Letter to Self
Dubliners SPRINTS have been around since 2019, but only released their first full album in January of this year.  We've been rocking out all year to this one so we struggled to pick which track to include. " Initially you were going to hear "Adore Adore Adore", but then we changed our minds and picked "Cathedral" before making a last minute switch to "Heavy."  You really can't go wrong with anything on Letters to Self though. 
One cool thing about these UK rock bands is they don't wait forever between releases.  SPRINTS already has a single out ("Feast") with a pretty kickass video that presumably will be on their next record

16. Chris Fox & the Beasts - "How It Blows"
Album: Rubatosis
This fall I was listening through my Best of 2024 list and lamented the severe lack of anything I would call lovely.  Shortly thereafter I came across Rubatosis and exclaimed, Eureka! What a lovely album!  According to his Spotify bio, "Chris Fox & the Beasts if the moniker for folk songs written b  Fox and recorded with the help of his friends.  Splitting time between New Jersey and the Catskills, the "band" features friends of Fox adding their charms to song about lovelorn ghosts and the dog days of Summer."  Looking at the number of YouTube subscribers the band has (4.....yeah, 4), I'm pretty sure we're the only Best of 2024 list to feature Rubatosis.  Pass it along, these are some good tunes!
Also check out: "Ghosts (Out in the Night)," 

17. Deerlady - "Believer"
Album: Greatest Hits
From Wikipedia, "Deer Woman, sometimes known as the Deer Lady, is a spirit in Native American mythology whose associations and qualities vary, depending on situation and relationships. Generally, however, to men who have harmed women and children, she is vengeful and murderous and known to lure these men to their deaths. She appears as either a beautiful young woman with deer feet or as a deer."  Deerlady's "Masterpieces" was featured on an All Songs Considered episode sometime this year and I immediately added it to my Best of 2024 playlist.  As I recall it was a Lars pick but who has the 10 seconds it would take to confirm that?  Not me.  I'm living in the moment, and in this moment I'm all in on "Believer." Deerlady is Mali Obomsawin, Magdalena Abrego.   Mali Obomsawin is a bassist/singer-songwriter from Odanak First Nation, and Magdalena Abrego, is a Chicago-born guitarist whose parents migrated from Mexico and Puerto Rico.  Mali Obomsawin is a Berklee-trained bassist and composer who tours the jazz festival circuit as the leader of the Mali Obomsawin Sextet. In 2022, she released an acclaimed free jazz album called Sweet Tooth, which she sang entirely in the Abenaki language.  Magdalena Abrego also studied jazz guitar performance at Berklee before moving on to the New England Conservatory of Music, where she’d eventually become a faculty member.  Those are some serious bona fides!  It seems like the Bash is not complete without at least one female sung track featuring a simple 4/4 beat and simply strummed guitars that may or may not get heavy.  It  took us 17 tracks to get there this year but if you were waiting for it, there was the drop!  
Also check out: "There There"

18. Starflyer 59 - "909"
Album: Lust for Gold
There's always room for a little shoegaze!  Starflyer 59 have been around since I was a freshman in high school although somehow I only found out about them this year.  Yet another example of why I continue to do this every year.  Imagine how many awesome bands that you would probably love that you've simply just never heard of simply due to circumstance?  Anyway, Starflyer 59 is the project of Jason Martin who hails from Riverside, CA which is the home of Barry Bonds, Reggie & Cheryl Miller, Don Imus and of course, say it with me, Skee-Lo.  If you like "909," and I'm confident you do, you'll like the rest of Lust for Gold.  
Also check out:  It's linked above but I'll link it again.  The "909" short film is  really something to behold!

19. Been Stellar - "Start Again"
Album: Scream from New York, NY
Been Stellar were critical darlings this year, or so I thought.  I'm surprised I actually haven't seen them on many year end lists, but man oh man did we wear out Scream from New York, NY this year.  Most of the press on this band centers around them being the "it" band from NY right now, filling shoes formerly owned by Sonic Youth, The Strokes, Interpol, etc.  Given the album title I guess they're embracing this role.  Wherever they're from though the songs are freaking fantastic. They spent the September & October opening for former and very nearly 2024 Bash artist Fontaines DC on their North American tour.  Man I wish they would have come through here. Oh wait, upon further research they DID come through here!  They played the Granada in Lawrence Oct 4th.  Sounds like it was a great show.  As another "it" NY band LCD Soundsystem put it, "I'm Losing My Edge."  
Also check out: "Pumpkin," "Passing Judgement," "Sweet," Their KEXP Live Session

20. Bill Ryder-Jones - "This Can't Go On"
Album: Iechyd Da
I'm pretty sure I first heard of BRJ while perusing the Quietus Best Albums of the Year So Far list. Apparently iechyd da means good health in Welsh. Sorry guys.  I'm running on fumes here.  I just re-listened to this album and it might be my overall favorite of the year.  I really wanted to move "This Can't Go On earlier in track listing because there's a lot of sameness in the middle that this one would break up, but it just fits perfectly here at the end.  As the song title goes, the Bash can't go on any farther.  At least for this year!

Damn!  That was pretty good right?  Here are some of the albums we also considered this year.

Faye Webster - Underdressed at the Symphony
Alejandro Escovedo - Echo Dancing
Mannequin Pussy - I Got Heaven
Fontaines DC - Romance
Sadistik - Oblivion Theater
Wishy - Triple Seven
Brittany Howard - What Now
Sego - Two Boys
Dirty Three - Love Changes Everything
Milkweed - Folklore 1979
Japandroids - Fate & Alcohol
Captain Howdy & The Sunset Serenaders - Howdy Reigns
English Teacher - This Could Be Texas
Dustbunny - Machinery
Geordie Greep - The New Sound
MAITA - want
Amyl & The Sniffers - Cartoon Darkness
Yard Act - Where's My Utopia
Warmduscher - Too Cold To Hold


Once again, happy holidays from Team Sisson and have a great 2025!



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Sunday, December 24, 2023

Team Sisson's Best of 2023


Happy holidays from Team Sisson, and congratulations on receiving Chris Schuck's 22nd Annual Surprise Birthday Bash for Jesus. As always, we've picked and exquisitely sequenced tracks from 22 of our favorite albums of 2023 for your listening pleasure. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

1. Party Dozen - "Wake In Might"
Album: n/a
Let’s kick things off with some gnarly key/sax/percussion from Party Dozen.  I first became aware of Party Dozen this summer when they did a session at KEXP that I happened to be streaming in my office.  What first caught my ear was when they introduced the band one of the members was Jonathan Boulet.  Sharp eared listeners may recall we featured the Jonathan Boulet track “You’re A Animal” on the 2012 Bash.  This was, and remains one of my favorite songs we ever featured on the Bash, but we haven’t heard anything from this Aussie since then.  It appears he’s been keeping busy with other projects though and we’re glad to be re-introduced.  Their Spotify bio states Party Dozen is “a sonic partnership of saxophonist Kirsty Tickle and percussionist Jonathan Boulet, Party Dozen is a project loosely based around improvisation.” Truth be told they didn’t actually release an album this year.  Digging into their back catalog I highly recommend you check out 2022’s The Real Work.  As far as I can tell all they’ve released in 2023 is the single “Wake In Might” which we’re just too excited about to wait for it to be included on an album so here you go.  Hope you like it.  

2. The Gaslight Anthem - "Positive Charge"
Album: History Books
Today we right a wrong committed 14 years ago.  My biggest Birthday Bash regret is completely missing “The ’59 Sound” back in 2009 and failing to include it in that year’s still very strong Bash. I remember buying The ’59 Sound from eMusic the following year and I’ve been loving it all these years since.  You guys remember eMusic?  The model was you paid them $10/month and you got to download 30 songs per month.  It was a better deal than iTunes which was $1/song, but they had a pretty limited catalog of available music which worked great for me since I was trying to find cool unknowns at the time.  Now we pay $10/month for every song ever recorded.  What a world.  Have you heard Gary Gulman’s phone bit?  Anyway, Cory invited me to see the Gaslight Anthem this summer and they put on a fantastic show at the Midland. History Books is their first album since 2014’s Get Hurt and we’re super glad they’re back. 
Also check out: "History Books", "Spider Bites"

3. Sufjan Stevens - "Goodbye Evergreen"
Album: Javelin
You guys know we've been long time Sufjan fans.  I'm sure you all are too.  I mean what's not to love? We found out the day of Javelin's release that Sufjan's long-time and secret partner had passed away, and that's the context of "Goodbye Evergreen" and perhaps the whole album.  If you haven't heard it yet it's as pretty as you're imagining so just click play and thank me later.  
Also check out: "Will Anybody Ever Love Me?"

4. Petite Noir - "Blurry" feat. Sampa the Great
Album: MotherFather
Spotify says I added "Blurry" to my best of 2023 playlist on April 14, but I feel like it's been in my life forever. It just feels like one of those timeless songs that would have been just as good 30 years ago and will be as good 30 years from now.   According to his Spotify bio, "Petite Noir is the architect of Noirwave - a musical and cultural movement that draws creative energy from punk aesthetics and the fragmented identity of today's African diaspora."  Duh. 
Also check out: "Finding Paradise", "777" 

5. Lila Blue - "Sweet Pea"
Album: Sweat Pea
In November I was on a long early morning walk to Firestone where I was to pick up our mini-van with a new set of tires.  Earbuds were in and I was searching 2023 releases for something that might appeal to the Mankin boys.  To that point my best of 2023 playlist was dominated by gnarly guitar rock bands and sleazy hip hop.  I needed something softer and gentler to provide balance.  On that walk I found both Daneshevskaya ("Somewhere In The Middle" was a late cut) and Lila Blue.  Not sure either fit my criteria but damn were they both good.  
Also check out: "Changeling"

6. FIGHTMASTER - "Bad Man"
Album: Violence
One of the Sound Opinions producers introduced me to "Bad Man" on their fall Buried Treasures show.  I've been unable to get it out of my head ever since.  I don't think there's anything groundbreaking about the playing but the lyrics are so earwormy!  Plus, can you think of a better name for an artist than FIGHTMASTER?  Go ahead.  I'll give you a year and you won't be able to top it.  Speaking of a year, I think that's how long it will take for this song to escape your head.  "I've got one hand free, the other's on you knee"!!!!!!!
Also check out: "Wild One", their cover of "I Will Follow You into the Dark"

Album: Since I Have A Lover
I've had "Inwood Hill Park" and "Talkback" on my list since March.  I think 6LACK was mentioned on All Songs but I really don't remember.  Looking at the reviews Since I Have A Lover doesn't appear to have made a big impression with the critics, but I've been loving it for nine months and I guarantee you're loving what you're hearing too.  
Also check out: "Temporary (ft. Don Toliver)"

8. Geese - "2122"
Album: 3D Country
I really can't tell you how I got into Geese.  I'm pretty sure I investigated and wrote off a band called Goose as a potential Birthday Bash track last year or the year before.  Interestingly, just yesterday both Geese and Goose announced they had each lost a member of their respective bands.  Anyway, now that I poke around YouTube I think you can blame The Needle Drop for cluing me into this weird af Connecticut jam band.  I usually hate this kind of music but something about 3D Country has me dancing in the aisles.  
Also check out: "Cowboy Nudes", "I See Myself"

9. Lisa O'Neill - "All Of This Is Chance"
Album: All Of This Is Chance
Now that you're listening to "All Of This Is Chance," it should come as no surprise that my Spotify year-end wrap up listed it as my most played song of the year.  Lankum is getting all of the critical acclaim (#1 album on Loud & Quiet’s list) but we turned to Lisa O’Neill this year to satisfy our Irish folk/drone needs. 


10. Wilco - "Infinite Surprise"
Album: Cousin
Surprise surprise.  It's no secret Wilco has a special place in the hearts of Team Sisson.  My first concert ever was a show at the Blue Note in Columbia my junior year in high school.  I was dragged to it by the Kesterson boys who had moved to our tiny town a couple of years before from St. Louis.  They wanted to see these bands I had never heard of.  The opener was the Geraldine Fibbers and the headliner was Golden Smog which was an alt-country supergroup of sorts featuring members of Big Star, Soul Asylum, The Jayhawks along with Jay and Jeff from Wilco.  It was an amazing show and years later I realized the guy in the Geraldine Fibbers who was playing an upright bass with an electric mixer was Nels Cline (who has since joined, and remains in Wilco). One our our first dates was to a Wilco show.  Our first dance was to a Wilco song ("I'm the Man Who Loves You").  She got me an picture autographed by the entire band as a pharmacy school graduation present.  Yeah, we go way back.  All that being said, I have to say I haven't been gaga for the last couple of Wilco albums.  Cousin though?  I think it's their best work since The Whole Love. Gabe and I caught them at the Midland a couple of months ago and it was a stellar show.  
Also check out: "Evicted", "Ten Dead", "Pittsburgh"

11. Wednesday - "Hot Rotten Grass Smell"
Album: Rat Saw God
I was just thinking, when I was in college there was this emo band called Thursday that I liked a little but not a lot.  This made me think, "has a band/artist been named after every day of the week?"  The answer is yes (go ahead, see for yourself), but by faaaaarrrrr the most successful so far has been the Ashville, NC quartet, Wednesday.  I had "Bull Believer" on my best of 2022 list but the full album wasn't released until this year.  I was blown away when I first heard Rat Saw God, but it turns out I'm not the only one who noticed.  Rat Saw God has been DOMINATING year end best of lists.  Speaking of "Bull Believer," check out this passage from the Sputnik Music review; "Bull Believer” may end up being one of the most important songs of the year. With its two-part narrative, the first half of the song tells the sad vision of watching someone you know succumb to addiction while the latter half embraces a bittersweet reflection on teenage years. With every passing line and gritty guitar passage, the sadness builds and tension grows thicker. Yet all of this tension is released at once as the gut-wrenching screams of ”Finish Him!” pierce through the cacophony of instrumentation as the narrator comes to terms with the person they are today. It’s beautiful, emotional, and resolute – and it perfectly captures the essence of Rat Saw God."  That's a lot of info about a song not even on the Bash, but seriously, check it out.  And seriously, the whole album is great.  Looks like they're playing Omaha May 30th.  In one of the live performance videos I saw, Karly told the crowd before the last song, they "don't do encores because encores are goofy."   I totally agree!  Zentz, you in?  
Also check out: "Quarry", "Got Shocked"

12. Briston Maroney - "Body"
Album: Ultrapure
The past couple of years I’ve felt compelled to include the song I hear on repeat on The Bridge that makes me think, “oh, what is this?” even though I’ve already heard it a bunch of times.  Last year it was “Growing/Dying” by The Backseat Lovers.  This year it’s Briston Maroney’s “Body.”  I mean you can’t blame me right?  This song is catchier than chicken pox. In fact, I just searched the YouTube video to link it and the top comment was "I just heard this song today for the first time May18, 2023.  It hits really hard when you’re 71 years old and you feel most of your life has just been used up. I can only hope and pray that I have some more time on earth… So that I can start living."  I mean damn, that's powerful. There's a lot more good stuff on Ultrapure too, though it doesn't look like the major publications/sites noticed.  The third search result I found when searching for Ultrapure reviews was a review in the Mizzou student newspaper, The Maneater (Briston Maroney’s ‘Ultrapure’ is a tranquil masterpiece).  Obviously it was an exceedingly well written piece and it was a real blast from the past for me to be reading The Maneater again. Apparently this dude was a semi-finalist on American Idol in when he was 15 years old. 
Also check out: "Sunburn Fades", "Chaos Party", "Breathe"

13. Palehound - "The Clutch"
Album: Eye On The Bat
This summer, Tim, The Mankin boys and I stumbled upon a killer music festival in rural Utah where we just happened to be camping and hiking (and very nearly dying but that's a story for another time).  One of the bands we saw was Houndmouth and those dudes were awesome.  Why am I brining this up? I don't really know aside from the fact that both Houndmouth and Palehound have the word hound in their names.  Plus that Utah trip was one of the highlights of my year so I had to find a way to get it in here.  Anyway, Eye On The Bat is so freakin' good you guys.  Palehound have been around since 2014 and I've seen the name before but this is the first album I've really listened to and I'm excited to dig into the back catalog. They're playing The Truman March 25!  I may set aside my disdain for that venue and go get my face blown off.  Let me know if you want to join!

14. feeble little horse - "Freak"
Album: Girl with Fish
You like fuzz?  You like guitars?  You will like feeble little horse!  You know how the last two or three years of the Bash have been dominated by UK post-rock/experimental/jazz guitar bands?  2023 is the year of the female fronted gnarly guitar rock band baby!  From the Pitchfork review: "Half a decade or so ago, the electric guitar received a wellness check. As sales plummeted and legacy manufacturers slogged through financial straits, concerned parties blamed the popularity of pop, hip-hop, and electronic music, genres more often built from synthesizers and drum machines. Even Paul McCartney chimed in, telling The Washington Post in 2017 that young people lacked “guitar heroes.”  Safe to say that the four members of Feeble Little Horse, most of whom were still in high school at that point, were not tuned into this conversation. The Pittsburgh noise-pop band’s second record, Girl With Fish, speaks to the idea that a younger generation of musicians would recognize the confluence of guitar music and digital sounds as a doorway rather than a death knell. It’s a familiar story, but Feeble Little Horse’s wall of influences—textured shoegaze guitars, exacting pop hooks, idiosyncratic production flourishes—has been wheat-pasted with such vim that it feels fresh and, just as importantly, emotionally resonant.
Also check out: "Tin Man", "Steamroller" 

15. Paris Texas - "BULLET MAN"
Album: MID AIR
Wanna feel old?  In their Lemonade Stand interview the guys are asked what music they listened to growing up and the first album mentioned was Outkast's Idlewild.  Not Southernplayalistic, not Stankonia, not Aquemini.  Idlewild. This gives me a great idea.  Instead of listing birthdays on drivers licenses, they should list the first Outkast album you listened to.  I would argue this information would be far more relevant than a random date with no context.  Don't you think?

16. The Rural Alberta Advantage - "CANDU"
Album: Conductors
You know, the idea of my "favorite ____" used to seem so important. Hopefully I'm not the only one but when when I was younger it seemed like your favorite whatever was a huge part of defining you as a person.  That need to constantly be ranking things has never really left me, although at this point I'm intellectually aware that as a 40 something year old no one will ever again ask me what my favorite anything is.  It doesn't matter anymore.  It probably never did.  That being said, if you were to ask me over the past ten years what my favorite bands have been, I'd say Wilco, Drive-By Truckers and The Rural Alberta Advantage.  What I'm trying to say is I think The RAA is about as good as it can get.  For years though I thought they were done. Their last album was 2017's Brother.  That year we featured "Dead/Alive" but have since heard crickets from our darling Canadians. This year though they released Conductors with little fanfare.  No matter.  We still found it and we love the hell out of it.  You will too!
Also check out: "Plague Dogs", "AB Bride" 

17. Yves Tumor - "Echolalia"
Album: Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
Did you know Yves Tumor is from Tennessee?  I was almost positive they were from outer space. I feel like I have no idea what is going on with this music, but I love it anyway.  I can't put it any better than the Pitchfork reviewer did.  "Yves Tumor began their career in the low-ceilinged world of experimental noise, but from the outset, their yearning—for bigger stages, sweeping statements, limitless horizons—was palpable. “I only want to make hits,” they said with a laugh in 2017. “What else would I want to make?” Since signing to Warp, Yves Tumor has scaled upward so quickly that it sometimes seemed their own music was racing to contain their ambitions. As 2018’s darkly sensuous Safe in the Hands of Love gave way to the sex-god theatrics of 2020’s Heaven to a Tortured Mind, the only true constant was Tumor’s near-religious devotion to the possibilities of recording—for the careful placement of perfect sounds within implied space. For Tumor, headphone space is holy space, a sanctuary in which all sorts of transfigurations become possible.  With Praise a Lord Who Chews but Does Not Consume (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds), Tumor reaches an inflection point in their arms race with their own talent and ambition." Headphone space is holy space.  I love that.  I also read that passage and know I could never be a music writer (though I try every year with this dumb blog).  In some rare agreement with this publication, "Echolalia" came in #45 on The Quietus' top 75 tracks of 2023 list.  

18. Kate Davis - "Consequences"
Album: Fish Bowl
I have no idea how Kate Davis ended up on my Best of 2023 playlist but I freakin' love "Consequences."  The rest of Fish Bowl is great too.  
Also check out: "Call Home", "Fish Bowl"

19. KAMAUU - "advantages"
Album: LACUNA in The House Of Mirrors
KEXP's Don Yates had this to say about LACUNA; "This Maryland rapper’s official debut full-length is a potent blend of hip hop, funk and R&B, combining a variety of adventurous, often-densely produced beats with rhymes of struggle, escapism, spirituality and community." I added "don't play with my money" to the Best of 2023 playlist in June and have been intrigued by KAMAUU ever since.  This one I'd say was more of a grower but we're all in now.  Looking at the Spotify plays "advantages" seems to be the most popular track but there is a ton of good stuff on here.  Do yourself a favor and listen to LACUNA a couple of times...and call me in the morning! 
Also check out: "switch up", "flings", "antidote" 

20. Jolie Holland - "Feet on the Ground"
Album: Haunted Mountain
We've been Jolie Holland fans for almost 20 years now.  At some point I put the song "Old Fashioned Morphine" on an early mix CD for Leanna and we've been loving her ever since.  This year both she and Buck Meek (from Big Thief) released albums called Haunted Mountain.  In the great Haunted Mountain vs Haunted Mountain battle of 2023, we preferred the Jolie Holland offering, though probably the best song on it ("Highway 72") is actually duet with Buck Meek.  What a world!  The last edit to the 2023 Bash playlist was to swap "Highway 72" with "Feet on the Ground" which saved us  47 seconds and got us under the 80 minute compact disc ceiling.  Which probably brings up an obvious question.  Why am I STILL making this as a CD?  I wonder that myself every year.  It's just one of those things I do.  To just make a playlist seems way too simple.  Anybody can do that.  Lots of people make playlists.  They take no time at all and require about as much thought.  Hopefully when you get the Birthday Bash you understand it took a lot of time and effort to make. Which I guess is sort of the point.  This year I've been repeating to my kids, my staff, whoever, the phrase "if it were easy it wouldn't be any fun." I guess that's the point.  Nothing ventured nothing gained.  Not that I'm gaining much besides personal satisfaction, but that's enough.  Ok, that's enough about that!
Also check out:  "Orange Blossoms"

21. Maruja - "Thunder"
Album: Knocknarea (EP)
Wikipedia says "Maruja is a Spanish given name, a diminutive form of the baptismal name María."  I say Maruja is yet another killer rock band from the UK. The past few years of the Birthday Bash have been dominated by two things.  Bands from across the Atlantic and saxaphones.  Maruja checks both of those boxes.  From their bandcamp bio: "From obscurity to notability, Manchester four-piece Maruja’s continual rise has yet to meet its upward limit. The convergence of vocalist and guitarist Harry Wilkinson, drummer Jacob Hayes, bassist Matt Buonaccorsi and saxophonist Joe Carroll makes for a formidable end result."  Formidable indeed!  These guys have released an album's worth of material over the past two years but Knocknarea is the only collection of songs so you get the stand out from that offering.  I considered bringing you the single "One Hand Behind The Devil," also released in 2023, but you'd be happy with any of their tracks.  These guys absolutely rip. If they release an LP next year I predict you'll see it on the end of year lists.  Remember though, you heard them here first!

22. Buck 65 - "Mono No Aware"
Album: Super Dope
Looooong-time Birthday Bash listeners might remember we included Buck 65's "1957" on our 2007 list.  After that we lost track of him, but it seems he's been keeping busy.  Super Dope is actually just one of three albums Buck 65 released this year after recently returning to the game following a 7ish year hiatus from music.  In researching this blurb I found a pretty good long form interview podcast called Kreative Kontrol where Buck did his first interview in 10 years.  This dude is fascinating.  First of all, he was an Anticon rapper back in the day and was the first one to sign a major label deal.  He was also a damn good baseball player growing up and as an adult, which explains why he mentions baseball in almost every one of his songs.  He's taken up the impossible task of finding and cataloging every drum break ever recorded and has an anonymous Instagram account where he features seven breaks every week and has earned the attention of some heavy hitting music producers who have no idea who he is.   Dude is fascinating.  Check it out if you can, and for sure check out Super Dope! 
Also check out: "Turf Rider" 
 
Here are some other albums that were in contention and deserving of recognition this year.

Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy
Pile - All Fiction
Black Belt Eagle Scout - The Land, The Water, The Sky
Lucero - Should've Learned by Now
MIRRROS - Motion and Picture
100 gecs - 10,000 gecs
The Tallest Man On Earth - Looking For Love
Cusp - You Can Do It All
McKinley Dixon - Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?
Far Caspian - The Last Remaining Light
Noname - Sundial
Cherry Glazer - I Don't Want You Anymore
Slowdive - everything is alive
Lifeguard - Dressed in Trenches 
Hotline TNT - Cartwheel
Daneshevskaya - Long Is The Tunnel
Glen Hansard - All That Was East Is West Of Me Now

Once again, happy holidays from Team Sisson and have a great 2024!
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