Reading · Manual Dexterity Music Zine

2025 was a weird year for music for me. Looking back, I didn’t listen to nearly as much new music as I had in previous years, but I saw more live music than I have in the last 5 years combined. The latter was motivated by my teenage son, Mikah, who has quickly grown over the last couple years to be the one to turn to to find out about what new emo bands I should be listening too and which bands are coming to town.

Below are our picks for our favorite releases of 2025.

Adam’s Picks

Stay Inside - Lunger (Tiny Engines)

By far, this was the album that I listened to the most in 2025. It builds on the ideas Stay Inside displayed on their previous album, Ferried Away, and is a perfect compliment to that album as well. Lunger is upbeat and fun while being weird and strange at the same time in a way that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The increased inclusion of the perfectly placed horn arrangements really made this album shine. Those horns hit when needed and never make the music feel too crowded.

Algernon Cadwallader - Trying Not to Have a Thought (Saddle Creek)

I think if I had more time with this album, it would have been in the number one spot, but for some reason I unintentionally ignored this album until we went and saw them live in Minneapolis in November. I remember listening to the first single, “Hawk”, when it was released but not clicking with it. Hearing the songs live in a small sold out room of fans going bonkers was the jump start I needed and bought the album the very next day.

First Day Back - Forward (Self Released)

I feel like this album encapsulates the whole musical history of emo within it’s 34 runtime. Feels old and fresh at the same time and the production reminds me of seeing emo/hardcore shows in random coffee shops and bookstores in the late 90’s/early 00’s.

Greet Death - Die In Love (Deathwish Inc.)

Not much to say about this one, but I was a big fan of New Hell back in 2019 and they hit it out of the park again with Die In Love. Stellar album.

Kerosene Heights Blame It On The Weather (SideOneDummy)

I had been hearing about Kerosene Heights here and there for a while, but I never really got into them. We saw them live as the opening act for the Thoughts On Bowling, Sports, and TRSH Catalina Wine Mixer Tour in November and while the show was sparsely attended during their set as people were still petering in, they put on a memorable performance.