Staff Picks

What’s up Sorry State readers? I can’t believe it’s already time for another end of the year roundup. 2025 was a pretty solid year. I got to see some awesome live shows and also travelled to some cool new places. What more could you ask for? Anyways, I’ll be highlighting my top releases of last year. As per usual for me, there’s lots of reissues of older stuff that I’ve included, but I’ve tried to limit those to reissues that actually came out in 2025. In no particular order, here are my top ten releases I picked up last year.

Necron 9 - People Die 12”

Probably my favorite new punk release of last year, all killer no filler. Fast and raw as hell. Unlawful Assembly unleashed this beast back in March, and I’ve been blasting it since. A super high-quality release that included a giant poster and a really nice lyric booklet that features some sick art. I’m sure all of you reading this have heard this by now, but if for some reason you haven’t, stop reading right now and play this as loud as you can.

Go-Go’s - Demos and Outtakes 1979-80 12”

I think out of all the records on this list, I’ve listened to this one the most. I never get sick of it; it’s too damn catchy. The version of Lust To Love on here is so amazing. Played way faster than the studio version and the drums are absolutely kickin. Surfing and Spying also sounds incredible here, and Cool Jerk will get stuck in my head every time. I never realized how much I liked the Go-Go’s until I listened to this.

Stereolab - Cloud Land / Flashes In The Afternoon 7”

I was pretty excited to finally get to catch a Stereolab show back in September at the Haw River Ballroom and they did not disappoint. They were selling this tour-exclusive 7” so I had to pick one as a nice memento of the show. This totally sounds like classic Stereolab. If you played this for me blind, I’d say they put this out in the 90s. Great artists never lose a step.

Grateful Dead - All Eyes 12”

Long live bootlegging. The Grateful Dead and bootlegging culture go back a long ways together, and I’m happy to see that tradition continue in the modern day. This double LP features four different versions of the song Eyes of the World, which has always been one of my favorites, spread across different years and eras of the Dead. It includes a nice insert that gives a little rundown of each version and why they included it on there. I just love shit like this, someone taking the time to put this release together and get it out to the people. A true labor of love. Big fan of the ‘78 version on this.

Old & In The Way - Live At Sonoma State 12”

An excellent RSD release from last year, I was pumped to see this one on the list when it was released. Old & In The Way was the bluegrass supergroup that Jerry Garcia was a part of, and they sure knew how to pick. There’s not much of their material available on vinyl so I knew I had to snag this one. This show features an awesome set list with a bunch of my favorites: Catfish John, Pig in a Pen, White Dove, and pretty much everything else on here. Essential listening for any bluegrass fan.

Charles Mingus - Mingus at Monterey 12”

You know I’m a sucker for a great live RSD release and this one fits the bill. Just a great show to sit down and listen to. Excellent sound quality that makes you feel like you’re traveling back in time and right there at the show. Love me some Mingus.

Billy Strings - Live At Rosemont / EP 12” & Live At The Legion 12”

I didn’t want Billy to take up three sports on my list, so I figured I’d kinda just fit them all into one spot. Third Man Records released Live At Rosemont / EP as part of their Vault subscription a couple months back. The live album is a 4xLP release taken from a show back in 2024. I’ll probably buy any live Billy release they put out, so bring em on. I gotta say though, the packaging and everything left a little bit to be desired, but that’s a complaint for another time. What matters is the music on here, and it’s killer as always. The EP that was included with it is the first vinyl release of his debut 2016 EP that was only available on CD, so it’s nice to add it to the collection. Next we have the Live At The Legion album that features a live show recorded back in Nashville in 2024 that I was lucky enough to attend in person. This show was different from most Billy shows as it’s stripped back of any and all psychedelic jams. Just Billy joined by fellow guitar virtuoso Bryan Sutton trading licks back and forth on bluegrass and folk staples. One of the coolest evenings of my life that I now get to hold a physical piece of.

Takaat - Is Noise Vol. 1 & 2 10”s

Another great live show I got to see this past year. I think I heard about them cause I saw someone post a video or something from a show and I thought to myself, “Man that sounds really cool. I’d love to check them out.” I looked at their tour schedule and lo and behold, they were playing at King’s here in Raleigh the very next week. Love when stuff works out like that. Takaat is the rhythm section from Mdou Moctar, and they play loud and fuzzed out. Writing this is making me think I’m gonna have to try and make it to another show of theirs this year cause it was one of my favorites that I attended last year.

Mulatu Astatke - The Story of Ethio Jazz 1965 - 1975 12”

Okay I was thinking this was a reissue from 2025, but upon further investigation it’s not. Nevertheless, I heard it last year, so it’s going on the list. This is the record that sent me on my Ethiopian Jazz journey last year, and I’m better off for it. So many different moods on this one but all pleasant to the ear. I still think Tezeta is my favorite track on here and I stand by that it sounds like the end credit music for a cool ass old movie. Perfect Sunday afternoon listen right here.

Punk Junk VHS

I’m cheating a bit here on my last pick since it’s not actually a record, but I had to get it on my list. It’s got music on it at least! One of the coolest things that I picked up last year was this VHS featuring performances by tons of great bands: Personal Damage, Tozcos, People’s Temple and Rixe just to name a few. I was obsessed with VHS and the culture around it a few years ago, so when this came into the store I was stoked. More VHS shit in the future please!

Well, there’s my roundup for 2025. Thanks for reading, and hopefully you maybe even found something cool here you haven’t checked out yet. Here’s to 2026 being another year full of good music and all the other things that make life worth living!

What’s up Sorry State readers? I hope everyone is having a good week. Depending on where you’re reading this, you may be preparing for some winter weather this weekend. I wouldn’t mind getting snowed in for a couple days, just chilling out and listening to records and watching movies all day, but we’ll see what fate has in store for us here in Raleigh. The city shuts down from half an inch of snow, so if the predictions are even half correct, it could get crazy around here. Stock up on beer, whiskey, and herbs now! I’ve picked up enough new records lately to keep me entertained as long as we don’t lose power. Last week, I wrote about that live Bill Evans record I picked up this past Black Friday, and today I’m writing about another live record I snagged that same day, B.B. King - Broadcasting The Blues: Live From Germany and Sweden. This double LP features two live recordings: one from Germany in 1968 and one from Sweden in 1973. Not too huge of a gap between shows, but 5 years is enough for them to have their own unique flair to them. The first show featured is actually from a TV studio in Cologne, which is pretty cool. I just imagine some German kid going with his parents to this television studio and just getting his mind blown by the King of the Blues and it opening his whole world up. You can hear the German crowd clapping along the whole performance, so you know they’re digging it. How could you not tho? I could probably sit around all day and listen to live B.B. shows. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to one and not loved every minute of it; it just always hits the spot no matter what. This is another high-quality RSD release, a nice gatefold jacket and insert that features some cool-ass photos from the shows and interviews, including one with Derek Trucks that I thought was pretty awesome. Of course, most importantly, the records themselves sound amazing… real crispy. Like I said earlier, every song on here is just amazing and worth your time, but if I had to highlight one of my favorite tracks on this release, it would be the 16 minute version of That’s Wrong Little Mama on the first side. You know I love me a long jam, and this one delivers on all fronts. If you’re needing some more blues in your life, this release is definitely worth seeking out. That’s it for this week. I hope everyone stays warm and safe this weekend wherever you are!

What’s up Sorry State readers? It’s been quite some time since the last staff pick! I hope everyone had a nice end to their 2025 and has been enjoying the new year. The demo cassette from local rippers Plastique Pigs came out and, as expected, it’s killer. Definitely snag one of these bad boys if you haven’t already. RSD Black Friday also came and went, which brought some cool new releases. Per usual, I picked up a couple of the live releases cause there are always some cool ones in the mix. The one I wanted to highlight today is Bill Evans’ Portraits At The Penthouse, a live recording from 1966 featuring Eddie Gomez on bass and Joe Hunt on drums. I wasn’t really planning on picking this one up, but at the end of the day, there was still a copy or two left, so I decided to grab it, and I’m glad I did. An excellent release with lots of love put into it. It has a nice gatefold jacket with a cool photo on the inside, the track listing and other info, and a really nice booklet that has a ton of awesome photos, posters and interviews. I’ve had some pretty lackluster, barebones new releases lately, so this was very much appreciated. The music speaks for itself: an incredible-sounding recording that makes it sound like you’ve been transported back in time and are sitting right there at the Penthouse in Seattle. It’s hard to highlight a specific track on here cause I kinda just like to take it in as the entire show but I love any version of Nardis and I also really enjoy Detour Ahead on the B side. The perfect soundtrack to a chilly winter evening. All around, a great release. If you’re a Bill Evans fan, this one is worth adding to your collection. That’s all for this week. I have some other records I’ve picked up over the last two months that I’m sure you’ll see me writing about here. Thanks for reading everyone. It feels good to be back!