New (to me) Music - 2025 Round-up

For those who have been following my New (to me) Music series this year, a hearty thank you!

I started drafting a post which contained links to every review I’d written for the individual albums but… it was getting rather lengthy, and I’m not sure if you’d appreciate two-thirds of it being a long list of links! Instead I’ve linked to every month below for easier access.

Since this has been a fun series in which I discovered my favourite band (no need to say who if you follow this blog) and enjoyed lots of new (to me) music, I plan to continue in 2026!

If you're after some stats, here's a few:

• January - Franz Ferdinand, Elvis Costello, CMAT

• February - Chris Difford, The Jam, Madonna

• March - Peter Gabriel, XTC, Mental As Anything

• April - Peter Capaldi, The Bangles, Neil Innes

• May - Sparks, The Kinks, Robyn Hitchcock

• June - Pulp, The Vapors, Andy Partridge

• July - Pugwash, Jen Olive, Terry Hall

• August - ABBA, ELO, The Monkees

• September - Björk, The Style Council, Tears For Fears

• October - Martin Newell, Haircut 100, Gorillaz

• November - Pet Shop Boys, Field Music, Tubeway Army

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1960s

Love Forever Changes • The Moody Blues Days of Future Past • The Monkees More of The Monkees • The Rolling Stones Their Satanic Majesties Request • The Bonzo Dog Band The Doughnut in Granny’s Greenhouse • The Zombies Odessey and Oracle

1970s

The Kinks Lola vs The Powerman and the Moneygoround • The Velvet Underground Loaded • Roxy Music Roxy Music • Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road • Neil Innes How Sweet To Be An Idiot • Buckingham Nicks Buckingham Nicks • Roxy Music Country Life • ABBA Arrival • Patti Smith Horses • Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here • Slade Slade In Flames • Be-Bop Deluxe Sunburst Finish • ELO Out of the Blue • Peter Gabriel Peter Gabriel • Peter Gabriel Peter Gabriel 2 • Lene Lovich Stateless • Elvis Costello This Year’s Model • Talking Heads More Songs about Buildings and Food • Joe Jackson I’m The Man • Joe Jackson Look Sharp! • Simple Minds Life In A Day • Tubeway Army Replicas • Japan Quiet Life • Nick Lowe Labour of Lust • XTC Drums and Wires

1980s

The Beat I Just Can’t Stop It • Elvis Costello Get Happy • Klark Kent Klark Kent • The Pretenders The Pretenders • Split Enz True Colours • Teardrop Explodes Kilimanjaro • XTC Black Sea • Elvis Costello Trust • Men At Work Business As Usual • Sparks Whomp That Sucker • The Vapors Magnets • Elvis Costello Imperial Bedroom • The Jam The Gift • Duran Duran Rio • Captain Sensible Women and Captains First • XTC English Settlement • Haircut 100 Pelican West • Orange Juice Rip It Up • Madness The Rise & Fall • Eurythmics Touch • Eurythmics Sweet Dreams • Fun Boy Three Waiting • Depeche Mode The Singles: 1981-1985 • Scritti Politti Cupid & Psyche 85 • Graham Fellows Love at The Hacienda • Prefab Sprout Steve McQueen • The Style Council Our Favourite Shop • Mental As Anything Fundamental • Pet Shop Boys Please • The Dukes of Stratosphear Chips From The Chocolate Fireball • The Housemartins The People Who Grinned Themselves To Death • The Bangles Everything • Crowded House Temple of Low Men • Erasure The Innocents • Deacon Blue When The World Knows Your Name • Elvis Costello Spike • Robyn Hitchcock Queen Elvis • XTC Oranges and Lemons

1990s

They Might Be Giants Flood • Erasure Chorus • XTC Nonsuch • Martin Newell The Greatest Living Englishman • Kirsty MacColl Titanic Days • Björk Debut • Edwyn Collins Gorgeous George • Terry Hall Home • Pulp A Different Class • Supergrass In It For The Money • The Mighty Mighty BossTones Let’s Face It • Catatonia International Velvet • The Verve Urban Hymns • The Divine Comedy Fin de Seicle • Madonna Ray of Light

2000s

The Beautiful South Painting It Red • Goldfrapp Supernature • The Clint Boon Experience Life in Transition • Dirty Vegas Dirty Vegas • Andy Partridge Fuzzy Warbles Vol 1 • Turin Brakes Ether Song • Pink Try This • Andy Partridge Fuzzy Warbles Vol 6 • Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand • Tears For Fears Everybody Loves A Happy Ending • Gorillaz Demon Days • Field Music Field Music • KT Tunstall Eyes To The Telescope • Andy Partridge Fuzzy Warbles Vol 7 • Chris Difford South East Side Story • Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain The Secret of Life

2010s

Jen Olive Warm Robot • Robyn Body Talk • Tin Spirit Scorch • Space Attack of the 50ft Kebab • Pugwash Silverlake

2020s

Badly Drawn Boy Banana Skin Shoes • James Dean Bradfield Even In Exile • Andy Mort Raise A Glass EP • CMAT Crazymad, For Me • Jessie Ware That! Feels Good! • The Junipers Imaginary Friends • Lime Cordiale Enough of the Sweet Talk • The Zutons The Big Decider • Billy Nomates Metalhorse • Franz Ferdinand The Human Fear • Garry Abbott Last Week In Limbo • Manic Street Preachers Critical Thinking • Mogwai The Bad Fire • Peter Capaldi Sweet Illusions • Pulp More • Barbara Barbara • Ron Sexsmith Hangover Terrace • The Divine Comedy Rainy Sunday Afternoon • Innocents Abroad Late Spring • Lily Allen West End Girl

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There’ll be one more post before the end of the year. A round-up of my 2025 and what to look forward to in 2026. There’s a lot of lovely things to write about next year!