HCTF's best of 2025 (20-16)

• 20-16
• |
• 15-11
• |
• 10-6
• |
• 5-1

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HCTF's annual list of the 20 albums that will be in regular rotation for many years to come. As per usual many genres are represented. Here Comes The Flood covers a lot of ground and it shows in this eclectic, final tally. Caveat: only albums that got a review are in these listings. I listen to a lot more music than I have time to write about.

Today: countdown from number 20 to 16.

Please shop at your local record store. Most of the stores have a pretty good website where you can order your stuff. It might even be cheaper than the big ones on the 'net. The folks who work there know their stuff and can recommend artists you might like.

Buy directly from the artist, attend live shows and stop by the merch table. And be sure to tell your friends about that great new act you discovered. Word-of-mouth can't be beat as the prime source to discover new music. Algorithms always play it safe, which is fucking boring.

Sex Faces: "Feed Machine" video

Watch the Sex Faces video for Feed Machine, a track from their new album Bad Vibes OST: "There is plenty of distortion and feedback, but dig a little deeper and it turns out that can spin a catchy song. Imagine with Sonic Youth having a lot of drinks with the Bad Seeds and Sleater-Kinney, before heading to the studio to cut a full albums, using only a couple of takes for each song to get it right." The clip was directed by Jonathan Howard.

Sex Faces: Bad Vibes OST

16

Something good coming out of Washington, DC, is rare nowadays, but there are still people fighting the good fight. Punk band Sex Faces are loud and abrasive, and they have an above average need to pay tribute to their influences (The Smiths, Iggy Pop, Anthony Burgess). There is plenty of distortion and feedback, but dig a little deeper and it turns out that they can spin a catchy song. Imagine with Sonic Youth having a lot of drinks with the Bad Seeds and Sleater-Kinney, before heading to the studio to cut a full albums, using only a couple of takes for each song to get it right.

Flaws and bum notes are welcomed with open arms. Narrow minded Carly Simon fans make get mad about Special-Lame, a frankly hilarious update of her You're So Vain classic. And yes, S.C.U.M. is about Valerie Solanas, who came to haunt guitarist Sal Go in a chemically enhanced dream. Bad Vibes OST is a feelgood album, albeit a very twisted one. 47 fans will hate it, anyone else with half a brain will love it.