Best Music 🎵 of 2025!

Alright..

My apologies in advance to anyone who gave this album a shoutout on here already, because I obviously missed it.. I'm just now checking out the new Panda Bear album, Sinister Grift (dropped Feb 28th). And, uh, yeah, it's pretty fucking great. I never had really gotten into Animal Collective or Noah's other solo albums as Panda Bear, and I'm just gonna say that's why I wasn't very gung-ho about checking this one out initially. At 10 tracks, 44 minutes, and with several guest appearances, including Cindy Lee, Rivka Ravede, and even his Animal Collective band mates, Sinister Grift just scratched an itch I didn't know needed scratching. It has a strong feeling of nostalgia, too, as I listen, and I haven't yet put my finger on where that's coming from.. Most of the songs are more upbeat and feel-good, giving me some summertime beach vibes. But my three standouts tracks right now are tracks 7, 8, and 9 ("Venom's In", "Left In The Cold", and "Elegy for Noah Lou", respectively), and those are a bit slower and just seemed to pack a bit more of a punch. So, yeah, a little late to this one, but this would definitely fall among my top albums from February (and of the year right now).



Also, as a fan of AC and Panda Bear, if you dig this you should also check their back catalogue and like @wokeupnew stated, Definitely Person Pitch.
Oh boy. If you haven’t listened to Person Pitch @musicjunkiegreg you are in for a treat. The 1-2 punch of “Take Drugs” and “Bros” is top tier stuff.
Not so much, but i get those vibes with this album
Maybe they’re time for a revisit? The Beach Boys influence is undeniable with Panda Bear. I’d give their middle period starting from “Pet Sounds” through “Surf’s Up” which is way more psychedelic. That doesn’t include the unreleased “Smile” album but give that a listen first.

Beach Boys are overrated but also I think slightly underrated because they have tunes like this which may have been the first chillwave song ever written before


Never listened to AC and I do not care for Person Pitch at all. Would this album be a good album to retry with him or no?
It’s a little bit more structured than Person Pitch, I really like it but it may not be your cup of tea.
 
Oh boy. If you haven’t listened to Person Pitch @musicjunkiegreg you are in for a treat. The 1-2 punch of “Take Drugs” and “Bros” is top tier stuff.

Maybe they’re time for a revisit? The Beach Boys influence is undeniable with Panda Bear. I’d give their middle period starting from “Pet Sounds” through “Surf’s Up” which is way more psychedelic. That doesn’t include the unreleased “Smile” album but give that a listen first.

Beach Boys are overrated but also I think slightly underrated because they have tunes like this which may have been the first chillwave song ever written before



It’s a little bit more structured than Person Pitch, I really like it but it may not be your cup of tea.

Thanks for the detailed response!

I'm familiar with the Beach Boys enough to know that they aren't really my cup of tea. Like, if I was given the aux cord I'd never choose to put on The Beach Boys, but if they were on in the background of a restaurant I'd be fine with it.

I'll have to give Person Pitch a go for sure, as well as brush up on my AC. I do remember Merriweather Post Pavilion being fairy enjoyable back in the day.
 
Oh boy. If you haven’t listened to Person Pitch @musicjunkiegreg you are in for a treat. The 1-2 punch of “Take Drugs” and “Bros” is top tier stuff.
Just finished Person Pitch and I, unfortunately, was not impressed like I was with Sinister Grift. 🤷‍♂️ The style really isn't my taste, but there's just something about the new album that keeps pulling me back.
 
I've literally never listened to Jason Isbell before but decided to give this new album a shot since I love a good guitar + vocals album. This is great. Getting some strong Tallest Man on Earth vibes with it especially the guitar melodies. I can dig it.

EDIT: apparently I listened to him way back in 2017, but I don't remember that at all

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I've literally never listened to Jason Isbell before but decided to give this new album a shot since I love a good guitar + vocals album. This is great. Getting some strong Tallest Man on Earth vibes with it especially the guitar melodies. I can dig it.

EDIT: apparently I listened to him way back in 2017, but I don't remember that at all

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A little over 24 hours and I've listened to this album 5 times already. This is some GOOD SHIT. WOW. Just bought the LP.
 
Just going to put this together so I can keep track of things on an ongoing basis!

I have nothing on my best of 2025 list right now

Anticipated albums from:
  • Bob Mould
  • Caroline Rose
  • The Cure
  • Deafheaven
  • Florist
  • Hamilton Leithauser
  • Japanese Breakfast
  • Julien Baker & Torres
  • Lucy Dacus
  • Momma
  • The Murder Capital
  • Panda Bear
  • Perfume Genius
  • Porridge Radio
  • Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory
  • Tunde Adebimpe
  • Viagra Boys
  • Youth Lagoon
Best of 2025
  1. Jason Isbell - Foxes in the Snow
  2. The Murder Capital - Blindness
  3. Squid - Cowards
  4. Youth Lagoon - Rarely Do I Dream
  5. Bob Mould - Here We Go Crazy
  6. Panda Bear - Sinister Grift
  7. Sharon Van Etten - Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory
  8. Nadia Reid - Enter Now Brightness
  9. Hamilton Leithauser - This Side of the Island
  10. Horsegirl - Phonetics On and On

Anticipated albums from:
  • Caroline Rose
  • The Cure
  • Deafheaven
  • Florist
  • Japanese Breakfast
  • Julien Baker & Torres
  • Lucy Dacus
  • Matt Berninger
  • Men I Trust
  • Momma
  • Perfume Genius
  • Porridge Radio
  • Tunde Adebimpe
  • Viagra Boys
  • Youth Lagoon
 
Best of 2025
  1. Jason Isbell - Foxes in the Snow
  2. The Murder Capital - Blindness
  3. Squid - Cowards
  4. Youth Lagoon - Rarely Do I Dream
  5. Bob Mould - Here We Go Crazy
  6. Panda Bear - Sinister Grift
  7. Sharon Van Etten - Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory
  8. Nadia Reid - Enter Now Brightness
  9. Hamilton Leithauser - This Side of the Island
  10. Horsegirl - Phonetics On and On
We currently share (1) of the same Top10 albums 👀
 
Best of 2025
  1. Jason Isbell - Foxes in the Snow
  2. The Murder Capital - Blindness
  3. Squid - Cowards
  4. Youth Lagoon - Rarely Do I Dream
  5. Bob Mould - Here We Go Crazy
  6. Panda Bear - Sinister Grift
  7. Sharon Van Etten - Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory
  8. Nadia Reid - Enter Now Brightness
  9. Hamilton Leithauser - This Side of the Island
  10. Horsegirl - Phonetics On and On

Anticipated albums from:
  • Caroline Rose
  • The Cure
  • Deafheaven
  • Florist
  • Japanese Breakfast
  • Julien Baker & Torres
  • Lucy Dacus
  • Matt Berninger
  • Men I Trust
  • Momma
  • Perfume Genius
  • Porridge Radio
  • Tunde Adebimpe
  • Viagra Boys
  • Youth Lagoon
Not a surprise but we share 3 in our Top Ten. Though none of my 3 are in your top five.
 
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