Almanac Music: Top Albums of 2025

 

 

 

1. THE LIVING END – I ONLY TRUST ROCK N ROLL
A back to basics rockabilly album that harks back to the band’s earlier releases. As always, the singles were strong. First release ‘Alfie’ is a super catchy, hard rocking track that has already become a live favourite. ‘Strange Place’ is a driving rock tune with plenty of contemporary social commentary that also appears in plenty of other places on the record. The title track is a magnificent anthemic song.
It’s been a long seven years between albums for The Living End, hopefully this strong ninth album leads quickly into a tenth. I was lucky enough to see the lads in November at the Botanical Gardens, yet another magnificent gig from as good a live act as Melbourne (and Australia) has produced. My album and gig of the year.

Songs to add to your playlist- Alfie, I Only Trust Rock N Roll, Strange Place, Roller, Misery

 

 

2. SEVERE CLEAR – EMILY ULMAN
After a decade of promoting others, running the Brunswick Music Festival, Isol-Aid and Always Live as well as championing Australian artists on the Evening show on ABC Melbourne, Ulman returned with the stunning ‘Severe Clear’, her first album since 2015’s ‘Wear It Well’. Ulman, a massive Western Bulldogs supporter, sings about the ritual of attending games while a loved one is in hospital in the wonderful ‘Fans In the Stands’, my favourite track from the album.
On her instagram, Ulman stated “severe clear is an aviation term describing skies so pure and bright, the unlimited visibility makes it almost too perfect to look at. Pilots describe these conditions as disorientating and dazzling and sometimes dangerous.”
Ulman delivers a pure, bright and dazzling listen on ‘Severe Clear’. She deserves to keep focussing on her own music for now.

Songs to add to your playlist- Fans In the Stands, Mountains Mountains Mountains, Every Hillside

 

 

3. OUR ETERNAL GARDEN – MELODY POOL
The first full length album from Melody Pool since 2016’s ‘Deep Dark Savage Heart’. Full of emotion and sadness, the songs are uplifting despite the often heavy lyrical content. A beautifully crafted record that is a loving tribute to her father, well known country musician Alby Pool, who has had health issues in recent years. An eclectic mix of folk pop and alt country, Pool ventures into psychedelic folk in ‘Will Not Let You Down’, the standout track on this flawless album.

Songs to add to your playlist- Will Not Let You Down, Fantasy Girl, Unbreakable Chain

 

 

4. FINALLY, A PARTY RECORD – DAVEY LANE
The coolest man in Australian rock. Loved this record from the very first listen. ‘Over, Over & Out’ is as good a catchy pop/rock song as any released in 2025. A massive highlight is the duet ‘An Absent Lover’, a soaring, duelling, escalating track featuring young Melbourne singer Nitida Atkinson. As with any Davey Lane release, the riffs are many and well done. A strong addition to Lane’s already impressive catalogue of work.

Songs to add to your playlist- Over, Over & Out, An Absent Lover, Not Expecting to Fly

 

 

5. MILK POOL – MERPIRE
The second album from Melbourne’s Merpire (Rhiannon Atkinson-Howatt) is a darker indie pop-rock album than her debut. Full of great guitar hooks, Merpire continues her knack for writing sharp, poignant and at times witty lyrics, highlighted in lead single ‘Premonition.’ A huge talent who like many Australian artists deserves a higher profile.

Songs to add to your playlist- Premonition, Bigger, Leaving With You

 

 

6. HYPERVERSE – LIAM FINN
The super energetic Liam Finn released his fourth solo album in 2025, and best since 2007’s ‘I’ll Be Lightning’. Finn plays every instrument on a record that moves from catchy pop rock to garage rock to melodic tunes. ‘The Howl’, a Liam Finn track from the 2024 Crowded House album ‘Gravity Stairs’, is in it’s original, stripped back form here and loses nothing. ‘Suspicious’ is a disco rock banger, ‘Living Daylights’, ‘Spiraling’ and ‘Con Man’ rock hard while if you close your eyes ‘Purple Dress’ could be a 1990’s Neil Finn song. An album that grows with each listen in true Finn style.

Songs to add to your playlist- The Howl, Purple Dress, Living Daylights

 

7. LIKE LOVE – BALL PARK MUSIC
As Smokie Dawson said in his review of the best albums of 2025 Ball Park Music’s eighth album is the best from the Queensland band. The harmonies and mature songwriting stand out, with earworm ‘Please Don’t move to Melbourne’ one of the best Australian tunes of 2025.

Songs to add to your playlist- Please Don’t Move to Melbourne, As Far As I Can Tell, Like Love

 

 

8. LIVE FOREVER – DOG TRUMPET
“Sometimes I am afraid
Of everything in the world
And sometimes I am ashamed
To be a human it’s a shame
I‘m afraid of beautiful sunsets
A cottage in the woods
I’m afraid of beautiful people
They all look so good
That it makes you want to live forever
But would you want to live forever”
The magnificent opening to the title track of the ninth Dog Trumpet album ‘Live Forever’. Aussie music legends and brothers Reg Mombassa and Peter O’Doherty have crafted another sharp folk rock album full of humour and positive vibes. Interestingly the brothers, founding members of Mental As Anything, are leading the reformation and return to live shows of that iconic band in 2026.

Songs to add to your playlist- Live Forever, High On the Rocks, Marianne

 

 

9. NIGHTWRITER – CHARLIE COLLINS
When esteemed music journalist Jeff Jenkins names this as his album of the year in August, you know it’s a record worth checking out. A deeply personal album dealing with Collins’ battle for sobriety, with much of it written in rehab. Recorded at Neil Finn’s Roundhead Studios in Auckland, these exquisite pop rock songs are wonderfully crafted with Collins’ superb voice front and centre.

Songs to add to your playlist- The Hardest Part, Rock Bottom, Nightwriter

 

 

10. WAY TO THE SUN – MINOR GOLD
The second album from the duo of Dan Parsons and Tracy McNeil delivers a sunny, americana sound as good as their first record together did. Quality songs and harmonies from beginning to end with no filler. Both renowned artists in their own right, the magic together as Minor Gold should keep their solo careers on the backburner for the time being.

Songs to add to your playlist- Way to the Sun, Leave a Light On, Hair Hang Down

 

 

11. LOVE BALLOON – OCEAN ALLEY
A sunny, breezy surf rock/reggae record, the fifth by the band from Sydney’s Northern Beaches. ‘Left Of the Dealer’ is the most fun song of all, with an equally fun video clip. But possibly the band’s greatest achievement in 2025 was the release of the collaboration with Coopers brewery, the Coopers Brewery Ocean Alley Ale, a sessionable tropical pale ale perfect to drink on a hot summer night listening to ‘Love Balloon’.

Songs to add to your playlist- Left Of the Dealer, Down the Line, Tangerine

 

 

12. ALEXANDRIA SUNSET – ASH NAYLOR
A dreamy, lush album, the busy musician finds time to play and sing everything on this recording. There’s 60’s and 70’s sounds here but it all comes together with a modern feel, often channeling Naylor’s band Even. Like Davey Lane, Naylor is one of Australia’s pre-eminent guitarists and his guitar work is a standout aspect of the record, especially on album opener ‘Alexandria Sunset’ and album closer ‘Alexandria Sunrise’.

Songs to add to your playlist- A Blue Sky, Alexandria Sunset, Alexandria Sunrise

 

 

13. PHANTOM ISLAND – KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD
Despite a massive year of overseas touring, King Gizzard found time to release their 27th album in 2025. Adding orchestral arrangements made for another diverse sounding record from a band that has already covered most genres. The result is a big and fresh sound for the band. Some songs are leftovers from their 2024 album ‘Flight b741’ that really benefit from the orchestral treatment, with lead single ‘Deadstick’ the highlight. As always, an incredible band to follow.

Songs to add to your playlist- Deadstick, Grow Wings and Fly, Silent Spirit

 

 

14. JIMMY BARNES – DEFIANT
There’s no breaking new ground here but that doesn’t mean this is an album to be overlooked. Well produced as you’d expect, it’s a strong collection of Barnsey rock. If this was released in the late 1980’s or early 1990’s it would have been massive. Lead single ‘New Day’ will hold it’s own on any future Barnsey compilation. The great man is nothing but consistent in his output and we should continue to celebrate him and his incredible legacy.

Songs to add to your playlist- New Day, The Long Road, Beyond the River Bend

 

 

15. OLD MERVS – OLD MERVS
The debut album from the West Australian duo consisting of Dave House and Henry Carrington-Jones who hail from Kojonup, 250km south-east of Perth. Kojonup is better known as the home town of star footballers Stephen Michael and Peter Bell. The self titled album is a very enjoyable and very Australian sounding indie rock record full of catchy, upbeat tunes.

Songs to add to your playlist- What You’ve Lost, Parched, Everyone Will See it

 

Luke’s best of 2024
Luke’s best of 2023
Luke’s best of 2022
Luke’s best of 2021
Luke’s best of 2020
Luke’s best of 2019
Luke’s best of 2018
Luke’s best of 2017
Luke’s best of 2016

 

Link to most songs on this list-

 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3IlroW6M9J0IliS2fpeMCv?si=bzQGZd6NTsaTQ1299EQkSw&pi=qCzNipq5QeWiw

 

*Note- King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and Liam Finn have removed their albums from Spotify.

 

 

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