English Teacher – This Could Be West Yorkshire

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English Teacher, a 4-piece indie rock band from Leeds, England, was one of my favorite discoveries of 2024. (more on them on my 2024 Top-20 page). I remember discovering this band quite by chance as I was going down yet another YouTube rabbit hole. I found myself watching a few bands on Later… with Jools Holland when this performance of English Teacher’s latest single, “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab”, started playing. That was it; that day’s search for new sounds was over as I had found what I didn’t even know I was looking for…

Of course when the video ended I clicked on another link for English Teacher and was taken to a live in the studio version of “Mastermind Specialism” off of the same album. While the first song was full of energy and momentum, this next number was much more of a slow burn that builds intensity as it goes along. Both songs are fantastic and display English Teacher’s musical agility and singer Lily Fontaine’s wide ranging vocals and clever, evocative lyrics.

I won’t recreate the entire 90 minute English Teacher binge I then went on but I will share this imaginative video created for “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab”

Ekko Astral – pink balloons

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Here’s Ekko Astral, a punk/indie band from Washington DC that has a lot to say if you’re ready to listen. Also, they seriously rock the fuck out!

Here’s “baethoven” off their 2024 debut album, pink balloons…

This band goes well with Amyl and the Sniffers and Mannequin Pussy, though if they ever shared a bill I’m not sure the audience would survive, or at the least have any hearing left!

Here’s the same song played live in Austin for a Stereogum showcase event. This simultaneously snarling, defiant, noisy and incredibly catchy song becomes a different animal when played on stage.

Porridge Radio – Clouds In the Sky Will Always Be There For Me

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So what do you do when you’ve spent a couple of weeks reviewing and listening to all the records you’ve heard during the year to come up with a nice list, and then you publish that list – basically putting the year to bed – and then on the last fucking day of the year you discover a band that would have easily been a contender for the list? Seriously, someone please send me an answer.

I just discovered this band, Porridge Radio, about two hours ago and I like everything about their sound, the lyrics and the intensity of their performances. I’m just going to count Porridge Radio’s latest, Clouds In the Sky Will Always Be There For Me, as the first record as 2025 (even though it was released in October of 2024). Here’s another song from my first favorite album of 2025 “Sick of the Blues”

Queen • A Night at the Opera Tour Program

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Here’s the program I’ve saved from the first Queen concert I attended. I was 15 on the night of this show at the San Diego Sports Arena on March 12, 1976. This was my fourth concert ever and I remember the experience being almost overwhelming. Queen had a great and varied career, but early Queen was by far my favorite era of my favorite band.

Here’s the setlist for the concert.

Nick Cave vs Nell Smith- The Ship Song

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I’ve always enjoyed cover versions of songs, especially when an artist takes an already great song and makes it their own. Here is an example that shows the artistry and talent of both the original performer and the cover artist. The Ship Song, from the 1990 Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds album The Good Son is Cave at his best, with a song that is a soaring demonstration of intense love. Likewise the Flaming Lips teamed with a young singer, Nell Smith, who brings a different, though completely compelling voice to the song.

The Ship Song – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

The Ship Song – Nell Smith & The Flaming Lips