A beautiful fall day at Lutz City of Templemore. Perfect vibe for my music. Photo by Kat.
I always find out about my upcoming shows at Lutz City of Templemore in the most unexpected moments imaginable. As I've said many times before, it's long been one of my favorite collection of live music venues in Second Life... visually stunning, great community, everything you'd want as a performing musicians in a virtual world.
That being said, some random number of months will go by and then someone from Templemore — this time being Katsumi Ayashi — will pop up, perhaps in my Facebook messages, and ask if I'm available on some random date and time. And I can't remember once where I didn't instantly accept, and then rearrange my scheduling conflicts accordingly. It's just a terrific gig. I'm always happy to play there.
What Else Is Up?
So much shit is going on in the world that I'm hesitant to bring up any of it. Here's all I'm gonna say: every day, you face a battle, but it might not be what you assume it is. There are the day-to-day aspects of earning a living, being a responsible person for yourself and your loved ones, and generally getting through this thing called life under normal and typical circumstances. That, in and of itself, can be a big challenge.
And then there are bigger picture things, like doing your part — however small it might be — to assist in saving the whole-ass world from fascism and bigotry and authoritarianism and injustice. And once you take on that battle, it's far too easy to ignore your important day-to-day life, along with the other things that make life worth living.
I'm not immune from feeling overwhelmed... but I'm never hopeless. Despite all the madness of the world, I remain a pretty optimistic and generally happy person. And part of that stems from not giving up or giving in. The very act of fighting back is what helps the most.
So part of the battle is with yourself... doing what you can to stay informed and awake, and to make the world a better place in which to live for all people, and still not allowing yourself to be in despair as a result. I don't know if it's comforting or not to know this, but every person of conscience faces the same conundrum. The key — as is the case for much of life — is balance. And if you're like me, you'll find yourself making constant adjustments so that all important aspects of your life (and that of the people who depend on you) get taken into consideration. It ain't easy!
How Was The Show?
I'll start by saying it had been a good while — like, years — since I had a morning show in SL, and I forgot that I actually enjoy getting up, getting my ass ready, and jumping onstage. You have a good sense of accomplishment when it's not even noon and you already were being a rock star for an hour. So that's hoe this Sunday morning went... out of bed, showered and dressed, caffeinated, warmed up, and next thing you know I was getting onstage.
Me onstage, doing my thing. Maali basically insisted that I put on a Santa hat, and I suppose that was the right thing to do for a mid-December show. Pohot by Kat.
One nice thing about Templemore: they have a terrific community, and I can almost always count on a good-sized crowd popping up at my shows there... even at 10am on a Sunday morning. Photo by Kat.
And — as I've raved about many times before — Templemore is one of the most artistic and detailed builds in the virtual world of Second Life. My respect to Luis Lockjaw and his design team is through the roof. Photo by Kat.
My only notes in that regard... I know that from mid-December on, it is very much expected to do holiday music. And I really do like doing traditional Christmas songs. It's just really easy to burn out on them as a performer. So what I do is spread them out over however many Christmastime shows I end up doing (as opposed to repeating the same ones over and over), and that way I don't feel like a jukebox at the North Pole.
The final note is that it had been so long since I'd done my own song "Lines On Your Eyes" that I had to get on YouTube and listen to it so I could relearn how to play it. I just checked my show archives, and the last time I played it live was in May 2015, over ten years ago. It went well, and I think I'll bring it back into the set list a little more often.
Not that I want to start doing a bunch of morning shows, but one thing that any online performer can tell you: there are people in various time zones around the world, and simply by doing a set at a different point in the day, you'll see people in your crowd who'd never typically be able to make it to your show. Photo by Kat.
I actually enjoyed getting up early on a Sunday, getting myself ready, and getting onstage. I used to do that from time to time for shows in SL, and I'd forgotten that there's an appeal to starting your whole day by performing live music. I felt pretty good for the remainder of my Sunday after the show was done. Photo by Kat.
Templemore set list...
Don’t Let It Pass (Junip)
River Man (Nick Drake)
Hannah Sun (Lomelda)
Long December (Counting Crows)
Among the Leaves (Sun Kil Moon)
Alison (Elvis Costello)
Lines On Your Eyes (Zak Claxton)
Sour Girl (Stone Temple Pilots)
Ironic (Alanis Morrisette)
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Blane/Martin)
Closer (Nine Inch Nails)
How Soon Is Now? (The Smiths)
It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Andy Williams)
Massive thanks to everyone who hung out for my show at Templemore bright and early on Sunday, with super extra thanks to the following who helped support it!
Amaya Mavinelli, , Chloe Smythe, Katsumi Ayashi, Rhia Janick, Tera Vanilla, Maya Lockjaw, Semiiina Resident, Celtic3147 Resident, Kat Claxton, my terrific manager Maali Beck, and most of all to Luis Lockjaw and all the people who keep the stages at Templemore rumbling!
Welcome back reader. Every year around this time, I go through a fuck-ton of music that I've noted through the 12 previous months, and try and boil it down to a list that I present here for no reason at all. Of note: of all the years I've done this list, I think this one has the least amount of crossover with the best-of lists I see from the well known music and culture magazines and blogs. That either means I'm cooler than them, or getting less cool each passing year. I don't give a shit about it either way.
Of note: there are many places to check out the alleged best in pop music. This isn't one of them. My tastes lean toward indie rock, alt-rock, shoegaze, dream pop, art rock, and the many sub-sub genres betwixt and between. Most of my picks are on respected small labels; others are self-released. None in this year's list are on major labels, though that wouldn't preclude a great song from making the list. It just usually works out that way.
Finally, this list is presented in alphabetical order by artist/band, because I don't rank music. That's a silly thing to do.
Bleary Eyed Easy (Born Losers)
Bleary Eyed is a shoegaze/dream pop band out of Philadelphia that I’ve been following for a few years. Their new album Easy is probably their strongest yet both in terms of songwriting and excellent production. Within its indie rock/dream pop vibe, it’s got the grungy riffs, complex synth textures, and atmospheric soundscapes that get my musical dick hard.
Hailing from New Orleans, The Convenience are an art rock/indie pop duo of Nick Corson and Duncan Troast. I wasn't a big fan of their 2021 debut album; this one floats my boat. This album — and the follow-up single “Angel” — are tasty treats for anyone into the tight, urgent, and concise sounds of the post-punk genre. Great vibe.
Key tracks: “I Got Exactly What I Wanted” “Western Pepsi Cola Town” “Target Offer” “Angel”
Fib Heavy Lifting (Julia’s War Recordings)
Fib is an art rock/indie rock/post-punk band out of Philadelphia (which, as you’re already seeing, was probably my favorite city in the world for new music in 2025). If you’re a fan of bands like Palm and Television — and I surely am — you’ll like Fib. They don’t sacrifice musicianship for the simplicity of their genre, either. Great guitars!
Key tracks: “PS” “You Ruined Everything” “Right out the Window”
Alex G Headlights (RCA Records)
I generally don’t label any artist or band — or the music they put out — as my favorite at any given moment. That said, the only artist on this list I actually went and saw live this year was Alex G, the singer-songwriter out of Philly (yup). He's been an outstanding artist for years, and I’ve enjoyed his stuff going back to when he was some kid in a bedroom popping out albums on Bandcamp. Now he’s a well-known guy; the same week we saw him at the Greek Theater in LA, he was the musical guest on Kimmel. But Headlights deserves the kudos; it’s adventurous and great post-genre music. The fact that the attendees of his show ranged in age from 12-70 tells me that Alex G is music for people who like interesting shit in their lives. Count me in.
Key tracks: “Afterlife” “June Guitar” “Real Thing” “Oranges” “Headlights” “Beam Me Up” “Far and Wide”
Goon Dream 3 (Born Losers Records)
LA-based Goon has made my list every year for the past few years, and it’s because they’re fucking great and keep getting better. Frontman and main creative force Kenny Becker just seems to get more and more focused as he matures, and the resulting third LP is chock full of artful psych-shoegaze which is inherently listenable while never getting boring. If you’re a fan of bands like Elliott Smith, Radiohead, or Nirvana, I’ll bet you find something enjoyable on this album.
Key tracks: “Closer To” “Patsy’s Twin” “Apple Patch” “This Morning Six Rabbits Were Born” “Fruit Cup”
Hand Habits Blue Reminder (Fat Possum Records)
I am an unabashed fanboy of Meg Duffy, the LA musician who creates and performs music as Hand Habits. I first became aware of them as a side musician to many artists whom I also respected, and their guitar playing is fucking phenomenal. But as a singer and songwriter, Duffy is at their best. This folky, experimental album is at time soft, at times crunchy, both sparse and heavy, cold and emotional. It’s fucking great, is what it is.
Japanese Breakfast For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) (Dead Oceans)
J Brekkie — aka Michelle Zauner — has built quite the multi-faceted career. Her 2021 book "Crying in H Mart: A Memoir" was a best-seller. I've been impressed by her on various food channel shows. And yes, of course, her work as Japanese Breakfast has been outstanding, and remains so with her fourth album. I'll also state that you don't have to be a woman to understand and appreciate her emotive singing, music production, and poignant lyrics.
Key tracks: “Honey Water” “Orlando In Love” Mega Circuit”
Jouska How Did I Wind Up Here? (Koke Plate)
This is the second album for Oslo, Norway-based artist Marit Othilie Thorvik. It's got a lot going on... electronic pop, trip-hop, and shoegaze influences are abundant. This artful alt-pop collection explores themes of grief, guilt, and shame. I find it both enjoyable and cathartic.
Key tracks: "California” “Should Have Seen It Coming”
Pile Sunshine and Balance Beams (Cooper Records)
Okay, I'll just say that I fucking love Pile. This Boston-based band's sound harkens back to the real post-hardcore era of the late '70s and early '80s... sparse and intense. This is their ninth album and, frankly, my favorite of anything they've ever done. The band started as Rick Maguire solo project in 2007, and there's something about his voice — very present, very earnest — that makes you sit up and take notice.
Key tracks: “Deep Clay” “Born At Night” “Bouncing In Blue” “Uneasy”
Runo Plum Patching (Winspear)
This Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter has released a batch of EP's and singles, but this is her first full-length... and it was worth the wait. Written after a big breakup, it is packed with emotional turmoil and turbulent feelings. The resulting soft-edged, introspective, indie rock is superb... as is the production by Lutalo Jones.
Prewn is Northampton, MA-based singer-songwriter Izzy Hagerup, and System is her second album. Gritty and melodic, I liked it at first listen. If you like rawness, experimentalism, and vibe, you'll probably like it too.
Key tracks: “System” “Cavity”
Retail Drugs Reckless Driving (Angel Tapes)
Again, outstanding vibe from this Brooklyn-based band and its frontman Jacob Brooks. Grungy, lo-fi, and raw, the albums has a vibe of hitting "record" on a tape machine and playing... probably because that's exactly what this band did. I get off on realness.
Key tracks: “manny” “little dog” “just the thing” “Anti-Lonely”
Sex Week Upper Mezzanine (Grand Jury Music)
I like Sex Week, another Brooklyn-based band. I like their atmospheric indie rock sound. I like the melancholy mixed with warmth and emotional depth. This EP is the second for art pop duo Richard Orofino and Pearl Dickson after last year's self-titled collection, and I'll be on the lookout for more as it comes.
Key tracks: “Coat” “Coach” “Lone Wolf” “Moneyman”
SLEEP CLUB (Self Released)
Ahhhh... grungy shoegaze puts me in my element. Sleep Club is the solo project of Boulder, CO-based Matt Jones of The High Lines, and while he's put out a batch of great singles this year, they don't seem to have as yet coalesced into an album. That's fine; a rose by any other name smells as sweet. This is good shit. Matt claims that recording music is his answer to horrible insomnia. I wish him well in getting better rest, even if it means missing out on these cool tunes.
Key tracks: “When I Close My Eyes” “Skyline” “People On TV” “Take These Hands, Show Me How To Feel” “Bellows” "The Water Runs Cold”
Spill Tab ANGIE (Because Music)
I've been a fan of Spill Tab — aka singer-songwriter Claire Chicha — for quite some time based on previous singles and multiple EPs. This is her first full-length, and it runs the gamut from noisy lo-fi to swampy psych-pop, and it's both interesting and inherently listenable to the point that I didn't feel the slightest bt bad about adding her to this list.
Key tracks: “Angie” “Assis”
Teethe Magic Of The Sale (Winspear)
I'm a slowcore guy, at least when I'm in a certain mood. And that mood goes back to bands like Low, Codeine, Red House Painters, Duster, and many others. So I have a background for Teethe, the Texas-based band who put out their excellent second album in 2025. Of note: some of the guests on this album include Xandy Chelmis of Wednesday and Charlie Martin of Hovvdy. I was pleasantly surprised to find this out well after I'd started in as a Teethe fan. It meant I liked them without the awareness of these other fine artists' involvement.
Key tracks: “Hate Goodbyes” “Holy Water”
Terraplana natural (Balaclava Records)
Hailing from Curitiba, Brazil — making them one of the few non-US based entry on my list this year — Terraplana is killer indie rock and shoegaze with a mix of lo-fi. This album is packed with great sonic textures and the outstanding vibe of bassist/vocalist Stephani Heuczuk. I have yet to hear anything from them that I don't like, and I'm a picky fucker.
Key tracks: "charlie” “hear a whisper (feat. Winter)” “amanhecer”
They Are Gutting A Body Of Water LOTTO (ATO Records)
Holy fuck, I absolutely love this Philadelphia-based shoegaze band. And I'm sorry to say that I slept on them for their three previous albums since their debut in 2017. I plan to rectify that with some retroactive backwards discography experiences soon enough. LOTTO offers dense and raw layers of guitar and bass betwixt sections of quiet-loud-quiet, and TAGABOW — which started as the solo project of vocalist/guitarist Doug Dulgarian before blossoming into a full four piece — is everything I like in the world of alternative sounds.
Key tracks: “american food” “trainers”
Triathalon Funeral Music (Lex Records)
I've liked this New York-based lo-fi shoegaze band for a good while. I liked their previous outing (2022's Spin), and I'm happy to say I like this one as well. Is it dark? Yes. Is it vibey and fuzzed-out? Yes and yes. If you want some atmosphere as your soundtrack for insightful moments or late-night drives, you could do a lot worse than Funeral Music.
Key tracks: “RIP” “Chevy” “Salt”
Twen Fate Euphoric (Self Released)
Who the fuck is Twen? It took a little bit of searching to learn more about this Nashville-based duo, but I will tell you that it took me roughly 0.3 seconds to decide that "Godlike" was going to be one of my favorite songs of the year. I hear a lot of genre and era crossing in these songs, ranging from '60s garage rock to '80s college radio to '00s alt-pop. Catchy, fun, energetic, at times hooky as fuck, I really enjoy these people.
Key tracks: “Godlike” “Tumbleweed” “The Center”
Unknown Mortal Orchestra CURSE (Jagjaguwar)
Of all the bands on this year's list, I am most intimately acquainted with UMO. I got into this Portland-based band led by frontman/guitarist Ruban Nielson all the way back to the self-titled debut in 2011, and have seen them at such diverse locations as the Troubadour and at Payy & Harriet's. CURSE is an EP that's the first release of new songs from Unknown Mortal Orchestra since their very impressive album V in 2023, and I truly enjoyed the new outing's theme that reflects the cursed times in which we live, with song titles pulled from Italian horror films of the 1970s and 1980s.
Key tracks: “BOYS WITH THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WOLVES” “ONE HUNDRED BATS”
Wishy Planet Popstar (Winspear)
I enjoyed last year's full-length from Wishy, an Indianapolis-based dream pop/shoegaze/indie rock band, and their new EP Planet Popstar lives up to its name with a bright and upbeat vibe. Normally I'm into more melancholic music that occasionally makes me want to jump off a bridge, but Wishy's new stuff is more of an optimistic shot of '90s/'00s alt rock from a more innocent time.
Key tracks: “Fly” “Over and Over”
Wombo Danger in Fives (Fire Talk)
I truly enjoy this quirky little Louisville-based trio. Call it whatever you want... art-pop, post-punk, psych rock, it doesn't really matter. I love the tightness and urgency of the songwriting and production. I love Sydney Chadwick's voice, and her bass playing too. Danger in Fives is a collection of bangers without a mediocre song on it. Well done.
This was a new discovery for me in 2025. Based here in the LA area, Worthitpurchase is a dup who does experimental electro-pop that is somehow still organic. The album is extraordinarily well produced for an alleged lo-fi project, which is no surprise; Nicole Rowe and Omar Akrouche were both staff engineers at Tiny Telephone, where (like many of us in the world of music production and audio engineering) worked on their own music in between projects for other artists.
Yeule Evangelic Girl is a Gun (Ninja Tune Records)
I never know what to make of Yeule, the musical project of Singaporean songwriter and producer Nat Ćmiel. I don't love everything Yeule does, but it's always interesting as fuck. It's kinda pop (but not), it's sometimes trip-hop (but not really). I can say that this album kept surprising me, which is nice in a world of blandness and derivative sounds.
Key tracks: “Skullcrusher” “Evangelic Girl is a Gun” “Dudu” “The Girl Who Sold Her Face”
Honorable Mentions
“The Mauves” by Bistro Plate
“Long Gone” by Ford Chastain
“Summer Sweat” by Hannah Cohen
“Silver and Red” by Helena Deland
“Bigger Pieces” by Helena Deland
“Shining” by Mac Demarco
“Home” by Mac Demarco
“Asking” by Finnish Postcard
“Atom” by Finnish Postcard & Short Frenzy
“Cathode Ray” by Folk Bitch Trio
“Go on, move your body” by Jana Horn
“Julie” by Horsegirl
“Final Generations” by Raisa K
“Affectionately” by Raisa K
“777” by L.A. WITCH
“The Lines” by L.A. WITCH
“I Figured” by Lutalo
“Shadow Answers the Wall” by Lutalo
“Ostinato” by Masako Ohta, Matthias Lindermayr
“Open Sky” by The Ophelias
“Just Because” by Peaer
“Mind Loaded” by Blood Orange (ft. Caroline Polachek, Lorde, and Mustafa)
“The Train (King's Cross)” by Blood Orange ft. Caroline Polachek
“On The Beach” by Caroline Polachek
“Maelstrom” by Skullcrusher
“Stay” by Sea Lemon
“Blue Moon” by Sea Lemon
“These Days” by Small Forward
“I Only Feel Love When It's Missing” by Small Forward
See, here's what happened. I grabbed the pics that Kat had nicely taken for this show at Hotel Chelsea, along with several other sets of pics at the same time. And while I was scooting stuff around, I accidentally deleted these pics before using them. Perhaps she won't notice, he said, knowing that someday she likely might.
You Can Still Tell Us About The Show Though, Right?
I mean, yes. But also no. I can tell you that it was a good show. I can also tell you that it was the very first show I'd played after learning the very sad news about having lost my buddy Lyndon Heart to Parkinson's disease in late November.
Initially, I had planned this show to be a sort of tribute to Lyndon, until finding out the I'd have the privilege of performing at his memorial event in SL the following day. That's why I chose to hold off on a number of the songs that I'd have otherwise lined up in my set to honor this great musician and great man. We will discuss more about that when I write up that show.
So as it was, I just picked one tune — James Taylor's "Fire & Rain" — as a way to honor Lyndon at this show. We had an outstanding crowd, and my shows at Hotel Chelsea have been uniformly excellent as of late. I always look forward to the next one, every single time.
Hotel Chelsea set list...
Pretty Pimpin’ (Kurt Vile)
Swirl (Charlie Martin)
Long December (Counting Crows)
Pink Moon (Nick Drake)
Abrasion (They Stole My Crayon)
Jane (Barenaked Ladies)
Perfect Day (Lou Reed)
Carry Me Here and There (They Stole My Crayon)
Fire & Rain (James Taylor)
Allentown (Billy Joel)
Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth (Traditional/David Bowie)
Holly Jolly Christmas (Burl Ives)
*Messy Chelsea Improv (Zak Claxton)
Big thanks to everyone who came out and spent some time with us at Hotel Chelsea, with mondo thanks to the following who helped support it!
Weats Fairelander, Bloozegirl Resident, Pattye Caproni, Trouble Streeter, Kalie Indigo, Neon Cerise, Kat Claxton, Sangreal Arnica, my terrific manager Maali Beck, Hotel Chelsea manager Shyla the Super Gecko, and Chelsea's great staff!
