Our Top 10 Lists have been named in honor of late Blog Director and DJ Clarence Ewing, who pioneered and published this annual feature for nearly a decade.
Our first list is from DJ Chris Siuty. Please note, Chris' list is unranked, but their favorite album of the year is number 1.
10. Funk Kraut by Zombie Zombie (Born Bad Records)
The title of the album is pretty much dead on with what this sounds like. It's funky instrumental Krautrock. I first heard this group decades ago with their cover of Sun Ra's "Rocket Number 9," which is absolutely fantastic and worth your time. If you've listened to the Freakout, you've likely heard that track as well as several from this record. If you haven't, explore Zombie Zombie's discography—it's fantastic.
Listen: Bandcamp
9. Who Let The Dogs Out by Lambrini Girls (City Slang)
Mixing dancey post punk with the fire and politics of Riot Grrl gives us what I'd probably argue is my favorite album to come out this year, but I don't like ranking records. I was supposed to see them last May when they played the Empty Bottle, but the show landed on my kid's birthday, so we sometimes have to make choices. I'm not so sure when they come back it will be in an as intimate of a venue. Great for them, bad for me. Either way, this record has so much energy and makes me think of Huggy Bear and early Gossip or maybe the Slits if they didn't play reggae.
Listen: Bandcamp
8. Watch It Die by Home Front (LA VIDA ES UN MUS DISCOS)
As of this writing, this album has been out for exactly one week. I have listened to this album multiple times every day since receiving it in the mail. I can't stop and I likely won't stop. These Alberta new waver punks continue to expand on their sound that is somewhere between the almost punk synth pop of early-to-mid INXS and the raw but catchy oi of early Cock Sparrer. Call it "cold oi," call it "post punk," call it whatever you want, but as an aging punk, this entire album is relatable. Most of the lyrics are about mortality and "growing up" and accepting our existence—all things we think about as we get older. Maybe I was wrong—maybe this would be my favorite of 2025.
Listen: Bandcamp
7. Percepticide: The Death of Reality by Pixel Grip (self-released)
Local heroes Pixel Grip are back with more dark dance beats and goth adjacent synth punk. As a Chicagoan, I'm super proud of these folks, because they're doing this on their own in the truest DIY fashion and selling out venues wherever they go. I feel like just yesterday, they were playing Sleeping Village and are now selling out the Metro. If you're a fan of Wax Trax! or Chicago Research, Pixel Grip is probably up your alley. When I first heard this album, I kind of chuckled, because the lead off track sounds like it could have been in the blood rave scene in BLADE, but I mean that as a compliment. It's just so good. They're able to hit these little pings of nostalgia by borrowing from the past, but they deliver it in such a modern and uniquely Pixel Grip way. They're probably my favorite Chicago band right now.
Listen: Bandcamp
6. Coming With The Strap by Bussy Kween Power Trip (Gilded Queen)
Chicago duo writing songs that are both universally relatable, but also hyper local. It's hard to pin down what they sound like, because they take all of their influences and dump them into the blender and honestly, that's what I love about them. If pressed, I'd probably say their most adjacent current band would be Lambrini Girls, but at times they remind me of Scottland's BIS—at least the first album, "New Transistor Heroes." The only difference is where BIS were singing about counter culture issues, Bussy Kween is taking a full frontal attack on CPD, Rahm Emanuel, boot lickers and racial issues. This was one of the albums I spun regularly this summer with the windows open while having crazy dance parties with my kid. It's fun and educational.
Listen: Bandcamp
5. Sounds The Color Of Grounds by Three-Layer Cake (RareNoiseRecords)
Mike Watt is arguably my favorite bassist and this record really highlights his weirder side. While it doesn't sound like Mr. Bungle, it definitely lives in the neighborhood. It's bizarre, kind of all over the place and is overall chaotic. Through the chaos, it's rooted in jazz featuring a fairly conventional set up—bass, drums/percussion and guitar/banjo—nothing terribly unique, but the players pull off so much with a simple "power trio" configuration. My partner said, "This is what I imagine your brain sounds like at any given time," and I don't think she's wrong and probably why I connected with it so quickly. Three-Layer Cake also features drummer/percussionist Mike Pride who has worked with everyone from Anthony Braxton and Tim Berne to Millions of Dead Cops and The Boredoms; also Brandon Seabrook from Black Host, Golem and Brandon Seabrook trio on guitar and banjo.
Listen: Bandcamp
4. Ripped And Torn by Lifeguard (Matador)
Chicago punks doing what Chicago punks do best: Making genre bending music that makes you ask, "Is this even still a punk record?" The answer is yes. The record is noisy, loud, angular, straight forward, emotional and honest. This was the record I think I was looking forward to the most this year and it didn't disappoint. Chicago is the greatest city in the world and our music scene here is so so so good.
Listen: Bandcamp
3. Chime Oblivion by Chime Oblivion (Deathgod)
John Dwyer has been on a tear these last few years between the OSEES, Chime Oblivion and several other projects. Chime Oblivion also features David Barbarossa from Adam & The Ants, Chicago ex-pat Weasel Walter of Flying Luttenbachers and Lydia Lunch Retrovirus, and H.L. Nelly of Naked Lights and it really does feel like a sum of its parts. It's noisy, screeching, melodic, catchy.... it's over all fantastic.
Listen: Bandcamp
2. Worldwide by Snooper (Third Man Records)
The thing that I most loved about early 90s Lookout! Records bands was that the songs were fast, melodic and bratty. While Snooper doesn't sound like those bands, they absolutely channel that spirit, which is what made me fall in love with this record. The songs are fast, lo-fi and fuzzy, sugar fueled punk rock. Whether intentional or not, there is a direct lineage starting from bands like The Vindictives, Sloppy Seconds, The Queers and Screeching Weasel that ends with Snooper. Along with these influences, there's also a heavy dose of Devo in their music, which makes this, dare I say a Ser"perfect storm." Hell yeah.
Listen: Bandcamp
1. Serene Demon by Art D'Ecco (Paper Bag)
My friends, I've been lying to you this entire time. I do have a favorite album this year and it's Serene Demon by Canada's Art d'Ecco. This is an absolutely perfect album that draws influence from fellow gender bending queers like David Bowie, The Cure, Lou Reed, Queen, early Roxy Music and traditional rock n roll. Every song is a killer, dare I say the album is a murderers row of songs and its title track might have catapulted itself into one of my absolute favorite songs of all time. His previous albums are equally great, but the textures and care that went into the composition on Serene Demon really punches you hard in the feelings bone.
Listen: Bandcamp