Steve Albini's work in Big Black and Shellac has influenced thousands of musicians. Meanwhile, he produced thousands of records in his lifetime. RIP to a legend. 

I've been playing this record a bit this year but, quite simply, not often enough.

One of the most important and distinct bands in heavy, independent music returned to action in full force this year. Not just with a surprise album, but live dates across the country too.

Kim Deal just continues to put out thoughtful, nuance music that balances rock elements with artistic flourishes. Her voice defined golden era Pixies material and, of course, The Breeders. Why haven't I given Nobody Loves You More a serious listen yet? 

Produced by the late Steve Albini.

It got rave reviews, but for some reason I just haven't picked it up yet. 

I knew this was coming out. I heard the rumors for like a year. Yet somehow I missed the actual release date until December, when I bought it as a gift. Which means it only got a few spins prior to Year End publish-time.

A very striking photo is featured on this cover. A photo that speaks to me. So much that when I had the opportunity for a 1 question interview I decided the question should be about the cover art (and I got a fascinating answer: One Question Interviews: Svdestada | Features | Scene Point Blank). The composition, the lighting and colourscheme are chosen superbly.

Back in the days I saw a cover for a Grinding Halt release and was struck with awe. I loved it (to be clear, both the music and the art). It was then that I became a bit of a Mara Piccione fanboy. It surprises me that the imagery that is so very clearly Mara Piccione is not featured more often in our annual list. Well, here we are correcting our past wrongs.

Earlier this year I was in Brussels and visited a museum with an exhibition dedicated to Magritte. I saw a couple of artworks that must have been a source of inspiration for the cover of this fantastic album. It is a modern execution of the ideas I saw in the museum and to be fair: it is so well done I think it deserves to be framed in a museum.

I am not 100% sure this artwork fits the music (Santacrue playing very evocative doomy post-metal), but Guillem Bosch made an cover for the album that caught my attention and got me to listen to the album, so I guess his work was successful. It is an piece of art that I can’ t stop looking at. It tickles my imagination: where are we? What is about to happen? Why do I feel it is going to be life changing? Very neatly executed!

This is the second time Regarde is featured in this list. This time with a different artist. It suggests to me that Regarde thinks the artwork of their releases is as important as their music. This artwork is not as striking to me as the art of The Blue And You, but the more I look at it, the more I like it. When I look at it, the (human?) figure steps in and out of focus, making the art change to something completely abstract. A nice effect that is harder to reach than one might think. 

This striking artwork reminds me of that whole deconstructed trend from not too long ago. Only now there is something wrong, something is broken. And that makes the art so much stronger. That bit of a mess also gives room to play. If the art isn’t perfect, there is no need to be afraid to make something that is not perfect. In fact, it makes this so much more striking and beautiful. Maybe I am reading way to much into this, but to me, this picture tells me making mistakes is not only OK, it can lead to the best results. 

This sounds like much more than a demo. It is near perfect youth crew EP. Standout track “Text Me When You Get Home” landed on the Youth Crew 2024 comp for a reason!

This is very old school, yet very new at the same time if that makes sense. At times it has a bit of a Kill Your Idols vibe. It is fast, it is obnoxious, it rips!

You know me, I love some grindcore from time to time. This Spanish band delivers nasty raw mincegrind. As far as I know they have two demo’s out, Demo I and Demo III. You should check both. And somebody please tell me what happened to Demo II…

These four tracks fly by and are over before you know it in true hardcore fashion. Five minutes are all these folks need, trust me. Nightstick Justice is a reference point. My advice: listen to it in a safe environment or prepare to buy new furniture.

This Porto based band plays Burning Spirits inspired hardcore. Fast and furious, lots of wailing guitars and screaming. That is in summary what to expect. You already knew that after reading Burning Spirits of course…

On this single Klint combines egg punk roots with music from the roaring twenties. Although I would think this could and should not work this release is one to treasure. Really great stuff! It is different from what Klint usually delivers which made me say: “I don’t know if this single is something of a one time experiment or a more permanent change of direction. I would not mind if this is not a one-time project but something the band will return to in the future.” 

I can't imagine a more fun show to cover. The last Weird Al tour was a stripped down production with more original songs in the set, so when he announced that his 2025 tour would be the full production with costumes and his hit parodies, my interest piqued to 11.

I'm a big Elvis Costello fan. I've seen him many times over the past few years, but I haven't leaned too hard on wanting to shoot his performance. With the recent announcement of his tour playing "early" songs in his catalog, and not knowing how many more years he has left in him to tour, I decided I'd love to cover his show while it's still a possibility.

MCR just announced their Black Parade tour. Here in California, it's coming to Dodger Stadium. I'd like to try and push myself to cover larger shows this year. A task I find very daunting, but feel it's something I need to try. This is bound to be one of the biggest Alt-Rock shows of the year with a promising "once-in-a-lifetime experience." Why wouldn't I want to try and cover it?

Cursive was one of the first bands I ever shot and one of the bands I've covered the most when taking Tim Kasher's solo performances into account. I find them to be my gauge for progress as a photographer and would love to see what kind of, if any, progress I've made since the last time I covered them as well as compare to some of my earliest shots.

One of the worst things that could happen to me as a photographer, happened last year. My hard drive with hours of work and hundreds of photos became corrupted and I lost much of my work. Fortunately, much of it is documented right here on SPB, but it was still a rough loss. Amongst the photos I lost were my AFI photos. AFI are a special band to me, as well as to this webzine, and I would love to cover them again to kind of makeup for what I lost. I also feel I have improved since those shots and would love to see what I come up with this go around. While the band doesn't have a US tour announced yet, they do have shows lined up in other countries, so I hope The US is not far behind.

I had never shot an arena show before and was feeling ill-equipped for the shoot. Top it off with a frontman that stands within the shadows in the back and it becomes even more challenging. However, I managed to get a shot that I was proud of. It also reminds me of an iconic Spider-Man (big fan) comic book cover, which adds to the bias. Spectacular Spider-Man 101 for any of the comic nerds out there.

Photos of the crowd or front row sometimes come as an afterthought. Sometimes I get the shot, but more often than not I end up catching the fans at the wrong moment. While I have taken a few that I felt captured the excitement and intensity of a live show, none struck me quite like this fan holding up a "Give it All" song request for Rise Against while literally giving her all.

There's a warmth and authenticity that you get from Chuck Ragan that I don't think you'll find in anybody else. When he speaks about anyone he's known or toured with for years, you can feel the love he has for those people and how much he values those relationships. This is one of my favorite shots because when I look at it, I sense those decades of friendship come through the photo when I gaze at Chuck singing along with Tim Barry as they perform Avail's classic, "Simple Song."

This was another difficult shoot. Much like Tool's MJK, Sisters of Mercy like to be heavily backlit, which makes for more silhouetted photos. Not that opportunities don't pop up, but more often than not, the light was all behind them. Sometimes it just takes the right timing, and somehow I managed to get a shot of Andrew Eldritch dead on, in a curious pose, with enough light striking to highlight his signature glasses. One of my favorites just for the sheer luck.

This is one of those "pictures you can hear" situations for me. There were many shots from this show that I was content with, but there's something about this particular one that kept me coming back to it. From Jordan Billie's motion to his screaming face, I can hear The Blood Brothers coming through the photo. I can sense the intensity that he puts into his shouts/screams. Given it'd been 10 years since their last reunion, I never thought I'd get a chance to cover them. One of the most exciting shoots I've done this year.

This is the story of the band The Gits. The focus is not on Mia Zapata's tragic murder but on the story behind how the band formed and all they achieved through their short career. The fact that we are still talking about them today shows the power, influence, depth and lasting power that still resonates with people in the present times.

What is not to love about driving across North American soil in a well-used van, drinking copious amounts of beer, blaring Hall and Oates and passing a well-used copy of Catcher In the Rye amongst sweating, stinking punk rock brethren? The answer is contained in Mike Magraan's "Miles Per Gallon" book. It is a delectable tale of Punk Rock pioneer camaraderie carving paths for future generations and establishing well-travelled routes whether playing to hundreds or a handful. It is a well-written lore that establishes Magraan as a top-seeded punk rock laureate. I had the opportunity to chat with Mike about his travels with his well-established and loved band Channel 3 and their merry prankster adventures (minus the hippies)!

There is perhaps no bigger music fan than Peter Jesperson. His passion for music translated to jumping feet first and not eschewing situations but embracing them, constantly creating, supporting, and believing in himself and others. Peters's ebullient personality was a touchstone for many who experienced the contact musical highs that emanated enthusiasm. With a down-to-earth personality and a comprehensive knowledge of music history, he always explores pathways on his musical journey. Join Peter in his entertaining and informative adventures.

Frank Secich-Musician (Blue Ash, Stiv Bators, Club Wow and Deadbeat Poets) songwriter & author of "Circumstantial Evidence" & "Not That Way Anymore"

When you have written one book what is there to do next? Well, write another one of course. 

Frank continues in "Not That Way Anymore" to further explore his musical adventures taking us on another ride through his rich history. Any fans of Blue Ash and Stiv Bators band will find this is an essential read. 

Often deemed the funniest band in hardcore, A.O.D. were a staple in the heart of hardcore: laughing their way out of New Jersey into nearby towns, cities and into many a filthy punks hearts. A.O.D. was full of piss and vinegar, ready with a quick quip up the side of the head and into an unsuspecting mohawked punk’s multi-pierced ear.

David has written a hilarious book from the perspective of being a drummer. While A.O.D. might not be a household name, their influence has impacted many current bands. I had the opportunity to talk to David about the book, the history of A.O.D., statues, and meat products.

Album opener “head empty blues” emerges out of a television static landscape with a juicy bassline. Vocals bounce through the song with an urgency that makes me want to run into the pit. The pit, by the way, that I’m hypothetically running into is sweaty and glittery and, ow, I think I just took an elbow to the head.

One of my favourite local Vancouver bands, Night Court consistently churn out punk masterpieces. “Happy Birthday” is a lo-fi lilting tune with a guitar melody just repetitive enough to give you anxiety. The spoken word introduction breaks into existential lyrics coated liberally with Night Court’s signature fuzz. Despite its short runtime the track packs a punch.

Electronic meets hardcore meets punk meets, well, loud. A pulsing beat runs through the track holding down the veritable cacophony slithering atop. While the vocals aren’t necessarily lost in the mix, they’re pretty deeply inset. On a track with so much going on it’s nice to hear the instrumentation, in its abundant volume, taking centre stage. 

Hardcore band Wastoid released their third album and topped my person bands to see live in 2025 list. A track that screams swamp monster reincarnate, the guitars are nothing short of sludge perfection on “Radioactive Drug Machine”. Are the lyrics incomprehensible or are you not listening hard enough? No matter- here come the drums! It’s short and loud, or whatever Sabrina Carpenter said. 

Fresh off the back of Intermezzo by Sally Rooney, I informed my girlfriend that I “love miserable Irish people”. To be clear, I don’t want Irish people to be miserable, and, in fact, have nothing against them, Sally Rooney just has a knack for the topic. My girlfriend suggested the new Fontaines D.C. album based on my proclamation. I mean, she’s not wrong. While not strictly a song recommendation, the entire album is a delightfully dreary post punk landscape. “Bug” topped my most played songs of the year with its melancholy guitars and lyrics that I couldn’t quite place on the scale of sarcastic to genuine.  

A piece of ambient, beautiful piano, which softly swirls around your speakers as you try to lull an angry toddler into a soothing headspace of sleep and restfulness. Let the gentle keys wash over you as you struggle to wrestle the baby into her nightclothes. Smile wistfully as the peaceful refrain repeats again over the seven minute duration, as your child punches you painfully in the eye. 

An often-overlooked track from the "River Dawn: Piano Meditations" album, Part 8 is what we parents may consider a "deep cut". Sometimes I like to let the shuffle algorithm do its work when I'm on bedtime duty, and skip the obvious follow-up to Part 1. Child development isn't linear, and neither is this album.

River Dawn, Part 3 clocks in at fifteen minutes, which means it's the perfect accompaniment to a bedtime which isn't going so well. You know when you hear the unmistakable sound of its relaxing-yet-poignant keys, that this isn't going so well. 

But let the gentle grace and melodies relax and soothe you, as your tiny child wriggles and protests in abject anger as you hum soft melodies and try to check your phone. Sleep is on the way. Probably.

We all need a breather. River Dawn is great and all, but sometimes you start to hear its melodies and tones in your own sleep. Being a parent is hard work – so why not treat yourself? In my case, I like to sometimes switch it up and play the "Peaceful Piano" playlist on Spotify. When track 3—Glance Out A Casement Window—hits, I feel myself begin to relax even deeper, if that's possible while holding a child who firmly does not want to go to sleep. On this song, you'll appreciate the sound of the piano pedals and the ASMR-friendly breaths and movements captured by the closely-mic'd recording. Hopefully your child will also be breathing softly and happily by this point.

But we can't forget about the classics. River Dawn: like the music they pipe in to day spas and those little shops that sell scented candles, this album will soothe you and continue to placate your furious offspring, probably. Why fight it?