Not to knock our own format but unlike the more structured setting of our year end lists we’re going to go even loosier! Goosier even! And just kinda blurb it up on here for 2025, okay? So no rankings at all with a simple A-Z format (Unless you count alphabetizing as ranking) of what you can look forward to in the new year from some of your faves around town gathered from social media posts, PR teams (Y’all are down with the Knyvet Network, right???), and the artists themselves so Happy 2025… now LFG:
American Ocelot-TBA (TBD): Having recently released their debut EP (Available here), you’d think that the Boston-based Alt Rawk outfit would take a break. But that’s where you’d be wrong! According to vocalist/keyboardist Joanie Lynch, AO has new music in the works that’s being recorded with the intention of being released in late spring/early fall but if you just can’t wait then your best bet is to get to a show to catch some of the upcoming material live! And to be in the know of upcoming shows and more, head here.
Cameron Keiber-NURSER (March 14th, Midriff Records): Okay, so this is our first “cheat” blurb here as we recently received the whole dang thing and will be playing coy in this write-up so we have something to type up when the record comes calling in mid-March. Oh who are we kidding! We can’t hide the fact that the first proper solo outing from the voice of Eldridge Rodriguez and The Beatings is expectedly pretty phenomenal. But don’t take our word for it as lead single “Habsburg Jaw” is out in the wild and is fairly indicative of what’s on the NURSER horizon. There’s one more track on the way before the album arrives if you’re unsure but trust us, you won’t wanna sleep on this release!
Canyons and Locusts-The Goal Gigolo (February 21st): The AZ/MA duo is back on the map with recent release “Anna Save A Life” reminding listeners of the raw fuzzed out power the pairing of Justin Keane and Amy Young bring to the table ahead of another new single on January 24th followed by the previously mentioned new full-length, The Goal Gigolo, on February 21st!
Damndest-No, Besides EP (January 24th): We dove into the Synth-flavored Post-Rawk Shoegaze Post-Rawk stylings of Damndest late last summer and can’t wait to hear what’s next which comes sooner rather than later as new tracks “Nesting Doll” and “Until You’re Free” are set to be unveiled on their upcoming release.
Dwelley-TBA (TBD): There’s a few people around town that, whenever we know they’re involved in a project, we know that we HAVE to check it out as more than likely it’ll be our new favorite thing. Jim Healey is one of those people as is Doug Sherman (Who conveniently teamed up in Blood Lightning). Also on that list? Chris Johnson of Summoner. But we’re not talking about Summoner today (Although y’all should check them out alongside the mighty Roadsaw as they support Worshipper for their 10th anniversary show at Widowmaker Brewing in Braintree on February 22nd!) because today is all about Dwelley who just wrapped a new record and is a far cry from the band formerly known as Riff Cannon (That’d be a Summoner reference if you didn’t already know) and Johnson’s work with Deafheaven. For reference, check out what they’ve got going on already by heading here.
Dyr Faser-Falling Stereos (Now!): There’s not a whole lot to say about the newest from Dyr Faser since we don’t wanna step on our own toes with a review forthcoming. What we will say is that if you were into what came before (Read: 10 albums, various EP’s, and singles)… you’re still going to be surprised by what the duo of Amelia May and Eric Boomhower have crafted with this fresh new batch of tunes.
Falsely Accused-Unbroken EP (January 31st): Falsely Accused vastly expanded their musical palette in 2024 with a pair of tracks (“Witches”, “A Drink Before the War”) that dove headfirst into diversity for the premier Boston rawkers so if what’s included on the early 2025 release is anything like what dropped recently then we’re all the better for it!
Ghost on TV-Mister Silence (February 21st): Ghost On TV might’ve only released one new song in 2024 but it sure was memorable! They’ll be following up the hypnotic Alternative/Trip-Hop stylings heard on “Daily Laws” with another new single releasing supah soon (January 24th) which leads into a proper full-length arriving on February 21st along with a spot already penciled into our 2025 year end list.
Glacier: The instrumental monsters in Glacier will be supporting 2024’s A Distant, Violent Shudder live with a genuine banger also featuring Wormwood and Chrome Over Brass at O’Brien’s on January 31st (Event info, advance tix available here) and in addition to that they’ll be doing a full album performance of the record a little later into the new year when they take part in the annual Post. Festival in Indianapolis from July 24th-26th. Also featuring album play throughs from This Will Destroy You, Pillars, and Pianos Become Teeth to name a few plus just announced sets from local loves Cave In and Converge, you can find out more on the rest of the bands on the bill and get your tickets and additional info by heading here.
Happy Little Clouds-“Higher” (Now!): HLC did not waste anytime in 2025 having already dropped “Higher” barely 3 days into the new year but, according to vocalist/guitarist Jac Mestel, that’s certainly not it for the trio with a “Higher” video in the works along with a proper release show tentatively slated for February or March at the moment. Mestel also adds “We’ll have other singles and an album drop later this year too. We are going to keep doing big things in 2025 and beyond.” So, as the kids say, get hype since it looks to be another fantastic year for Happy Little Clouds!
Joshua David Thayer-“Beginning To See The Dark”/”Tempest (Acoustic)” (January 17th): if you prefer your locals a little quieter then Joshua David Thayer has got a pair of tunes for you!!! Hot on the heels of the release of the critically acclaimed debut solo album It Will Still Keep Feeling Rough, Thayer keeps the momentum going with “Beginning To See The Dark” which was recorded during those sessions and a reworking of the album’s lead track “Tempest” that’s much different than the original. We’ve heard both and highly recommend you set an alert for the 17th so you can be among the first to hear the new tracks!
Junius-TBA (TBD): This one made it on last year’s “Most anticipated” list and while that hope may not have manifested it is looking more and more likely that the follow up to 2017’s Eternal Ritual for the Accretion of Light will finally arrive this year especially with recent live outings around town focusing on the newer material.
Linnea’s Garden-TBA (TBD): The one and only Linnea’s Garden is sashaying into the new year with plans in motion for new music following 2024’s Looking forward to the moment release. Current live dates include a February 8th date with CATWOLF and Tiger Bomb at Geno’s Rock Club in Portland, ME and then, on February 21st, LG will take part in a sick show at Arlington’s Capitol Theatre that also features Battlemode and a 10th Anniversary screening of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Think there’ll be any Sex Bob-Omb covers that night???) which you can find more about by heading here.
Mission To Sleep-TBA (Early 2025/Mind Over Matter Records): And here’s another one where we’ve heard the entirety of what we’re previewing and, without hearing anything to do with a new Junius record, declared that this one may have out Junius’d Junius (Totally a real phrase, btw). Take that as you will. Anyway! Late 2024 single “Designer Graves” was just a taste to get you ready for what’s to come from Mission To Sleep in 2025.
Neverless.am-TBA (February): We know we said we weren’t ranking here (And we’re not) but if we had to pick one that was our most anticipated it’d be this one. Sorry! It’s a blog! We can have opinions! Anywho, the band formerly known as Lurid Purple Flowers made an impact late in 2024 with a pair of singles that didn’t necessarily shed that LPF skin as much as it gained a suit of armor over the foundation if that makes any sense to you. That said, we promised to include both tracks as the opener and closer of our recent year end local playlist and that’s exactly what we did because we believe in the tunes. And we hope you do, too.
Oh The Humanity!-Ground To Dust (January 24th/Thousand Islands Records): What. A. Fun. Record. And we can say that because we’ve heard it (And swear we’re not trying to rub it in!) and are now envisioning Ground To Dust being a staple go-to comfort album from this moment forward. This is the kind of record that, when in our Retail Warrior daze/days, we would’ve put on to placate the often very diverse musical tastes of the staff and something that wouldn’t cause the customers to riot. Not to date ourselves but some choice ones from that era include Fall Out Boy’s From Under a Cork Tree, Cave In’s Jupiter, Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Fever To Tell, and At The Drive-In’s Relationship of Command to name a few. Take that as you will in reference to Oh The Humanity! but add in the fact that they’ve been touring relentlessly and have helped out fellow MA outfit One Fall by way of OTH!’s Kyle Paradis assisting on bass occasionally (As well as recording, mixing, and engineering their Spine First release) is cause enough for us to stay tuned. Now speaking of One Fall…
One Fall-TBA (TBD): 2023 Rock & Roll Rumble champs haven’t put out anything since Spine First! which arrived later that same year but that’s not to say the Salem outfit has been slacking by any means. Multiple tours happened including a summer overseas run with fellow MA heavies Oh The Humanity! (See above) as well as continued well deserved accolades (Another Boston Music Awards nom this year among those!) According to their socials, they’ve been in the studio recently so hopefully when they re-emerge for some scheduled shows (Like the one on May 9th at Middle East Upstairs with Type 66, DNA’s Evolution, and The Mighty Suicide Squirrels which you can buy advance tickets for here) there’ll be some new music to promote as well!
Other Brother Darryl-Roll Shine Roll (February 28th): Legit a hot off the presses announcement! We already had a spot for Boston’s preeminent Alterna-Folk-ry (Alternative, Folk, & Country and definitely not a term we’ll ever use again) on here but as we were finishing up on final edits the news dropped that the debut full-length had a solid release date! See! Procrastinating works sometimes! Anyway, Other Brother Darryl had a stellar 2024 with a plethora of captivating singles released, solid live performances including a spot in the ’24 Rock & Roll Rumble, and then topped that all off with a win at the Boston Music Awards for “Country Artist of the Year”. While some might say the upcoming full-length is a culmination of that work, we think it’s only getting started…
Paper Tigers-East Coaster (Early 2025): According to Paper Tigers’ resident mouthpiece Michael Medlock, the upcoming new LP from the Boston is “going to be more indie and less alternative than our last record Charmer [and] quirky AF”! The band’s debut LP Charmer was one of our favorites when it landed in 2023 so regarding the new record we just have this to add: Color. Us. Intrigued.
Ruby Grove-Ripple EP (TBD): Ruby Grove truly gained momentum in 2024 following up debut single “Maybe It’s Time” by rounding out the main duo of Melissa Nilles Cedric Lamour with drummer Reed Farhat and guitarist Sergio Romero, dropping the divine “Crystal Land” and accompanying video, and venturing out on some mini-tours while garnering accolades galore like earning a spot in the 2024 Rock & Roll Rumble. Next up: More shows (Like the one you just missed at The Middle East on January 8th) and the release of their debut EP called Ripple!
Sapling-TBA EP (February): Kicking off 2025 in grand fashion, The Worcester/Rhode Island trio will be celebrating the birth of bassist/vocalist Rainy Maple Sugar Candy with a newly recorded batch of songs to coincide with the bash happening on February 15th at Electric Haze in Worcester featuring performances from Nicholas Burgess, Dwelley, Cheap City, and of course Sapling (Get yer tix in advance here). As for the new music, according to a recent post on Bluesky (Follow the band here) the outing will be made up of two brand new tracks and two remasters with one of those being a track previously only available as part of a compilation. Oh, and Rainy started a blog that we can’t recommend enough called High-Pass Filter which you can learn more about (And subscribe to) here.
SOM-Let The Light In (March 14th, Pelagic Records): If you made it this far then you already read our feelings on the new Mission To Sleep record and the fact that we’re now closer than ever to the next Junius album. So how do you top that news? By another entry from what we’re thinking is this great big Boston Post-whatever Mount Rushmore (Who’s the fourth??? Maybe Glacier??) as SOM is following 2022’s The Shape of Everything with the recently announced Let The Light In that’s already making some lovely noise thanks to singles “Give Blood” and “Nightmares” (The latter of which dropped just this week).
Sunday Junkie-TBA new single (February 7th): Okay, so we don’t have the title of the upcoming new single from Worcester’s Sunday Junkie but that doesn’t mean we can’t be excited for what’s to come regardless! SJ seemingly came out of nowhere (But not really with the duo made up of members from the previously established Not Bad Not Well) with a slew of releases in 2024 that offered a diverse foundation of Alternative Rawk to grow from and we can’t wait to hear what’s to come in 2025.
Temptress-Mother (January 17th): This is the last one we’re going to humblegrag on hearing the whole thing ahead of time but the cool thing about Temptress’ upcoming release, Mother, is that you don’t have that long to wait to hear it for yourselves with the release date barely a week or so out as of this typing. There’s six tracks total on the newest from Manchester, New Hampshire’s resident mavens of modern Electro-tinged heaviness and color us biased but we have a feeling that if you’ve dug what’s come before then you’ll certainly dig this!
Travels With Brindle-No. 1 in Heaven Starring Travels With Brindle (March 7th): We’re not sure there’s a more unique artist in the Bay State right now than Travels With Brindle. Can you name another ukulele-centric artist around town? Thought not. Anyway! The latest endeavor from TWB, following 2023’s Notes From Undergrad full-length, is a reimagining of Sparks’ No. 1 in Heaven (Did the header give that away?) that was partially helped along by a recent Kickstarter campaign and will see the light of day in early March. First single “Tryouts for the Human Race” (Which we reviewed here) was but a taste of what’s to come but if you’re still not convinced there’ll be one more single release in early February to get you ready.
Tysk Tysk Task-“Shrine” (January 17th): Following a year highlighted with many a highlight including a coveted spot in the Boston Calling lineup, a new EP surrounded by lots of new singles, a Boston Music Awards nomination and more, TTT show no signs of letting up starting the year with another brand new single ahead of live shows that’ll take the band to New Jersey for the first time and culminating with a trip to Sonia on March 29th with 2024 fellow Rumble alumni (And 2024 winnahs!) The Ghouls! Stream the new TTT track below and keep up with the rest of their touring plans and more by heading here.
Wayward Vine-TBA (Spring): We’ve been enjoying the hell out of what’s come from the “Indie-folk Americana collective” and the four tracks that have dropped thus far with the gorgeous most recent effort, “Hannah”, debuting in late December. If you were not aware, this steady stream of singles that started last fall has been building toward the eventual new Wayward Vine full-length with a tentative release date planned for Spring as of now and we are here for it! And! Hot off the presses! Or hotter off the presses? Wayward Vine has a new show happening on February 1st where you might get to hear some unreleased tuneage live from the aforementioned on-the-way full-length at the Cantab Underground in Cambridge which also features Sailor Down and Three at Home. For advance tix to that, head here.