July 2025 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of the trailer for Glyndebourne’s production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff by There Stands the Glass.

The Top Ten Albums of July 2025
1. Clipse- Let God Sort Em Out
Culturally inappropriate.

2. Tyler, The Creator- Don’t Tap the Glass
Provocative.

3. Dom Salvador, Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad- JID024
Miraculous samba.

4. Charlie Hunter and Ella Feingold- Different Strokes for Different Folks
My kind of party.

5. Dino Saluzzi- El Viejo Caminante
Heartbreaking bandoneon.

6. Teddy Abrams- Preludes
A new form of pianism.

7. Myke Towers- Island Boyz
Endless summer.

8. Burna Boy- No Sign of Weakness
Muscular pop.

9. Theon Cross- Affirmations (Live at Blue Note New York)
Hilariously loud.

10. Freddie Gibbs and the Alchemist- Alfredo 2
Old school.

The Top Three Reissues and Reimaginings of July 2025
1. Nick Drake- The Making of Five Leaves Left
Deep in the weeds.

2. Cecil Taylor and Tony Oxley- Flashing Spirits
Live in 1988.

3. Paul Weller- Find El Dorado
Covers of premium obscurities.

The Top Ten Songs of July 2025
1. MC Yallah- “Tunyedde”
Straight outta Kampala.

2. John Glacier- “Fly With Me”
Moonshot.

3. Cécile McLorin Salvant- "Oh Snap"
Kitchen sink.

4. Syd- “Die for This”
Alive.

5. Olivia Dean- “Lady Lady”
Groovy groovy.

6. Jorja Smith- "With You"
Bliss.

7. Che- “Ba$$”
Molly anthem.

8. DJ Snake featuring J Balvin- “Noventa”
Siren song.

9. Pino Palladino and Blake Mills featuring Chris Dave- "Taka"
A-team.

10. Trio of Bloom- "Queen King"
Nels Cline, Craig Taborn and Marcus Gilmore.

The Top Ten Performances of July 2025
1. Woody Guthrie Folk Festival (Okemah)
My notes.

2. Steve Cardenas, Forest Stewart and Brian Steever at Westport Coffee House
My Instagram clip.

3. Elvis Costello & The Imposters at the Uptown Theater
My Instagram clip.

4. Crystal Gayle at Ameristar Casino
My review.

5. Nick Hmeljak, Henry Scamurra, Isaiah Petrie, Jordan Faught and Jaylen Ward at Westport Coffee House
My review.

6. Made in France at the Market at Meadowbrook
My Instagram snapshot.

7. Summerfest at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
My notes.

8. Stan Kessler, Aaron Sizemore, Craig Akin and Taylor Babb at the Music House
My Instagram snapshot.

9. Michael August and Nell Levin at the Woody Guthrie Center (Tulsa)
Instagram snapshot.

10. Matt Hopper, Gerald Spaits and Todd Strait at Green Lady Lounge
My Instagram snapshot.

The previous monthly recap is here.

March 2023 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of the trailer for Deutsche Oper Berlin’s production of Richard Strauss’ Arabella by There Stands the Glass.

Top Ten Albums of March

1. JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown- Scaring the Hoes

Noise devolution.

2. Morgan Wallen- One Thing at a Time

My review.

3. Cécile McLorin Salvant- Mélusine

Peculiar chansons.

4. Eddie Chacon- Sundown

Quiet storm.

5. London Brew- London Brew

Restorative.

6. Slowthai- Ugly

Life is hard.

7. Willie Nelson- I Don’t Know a Thing About Love: The Songs of Harlan Howard

Nor do I.

8. Laura Schuler Quartet- Sueños Paralelos

My review.

9. MSPAINT- Post-American

Punk progression.

10. Wadada Leo Smith- Fire Illuminations

Conflagration.

Top Ten Songs of March

1. Shay Lia- "Takutá'"

Hopscotch.

2. RP Boo- "B.O.T.O."

Fancy footwork.

3. Baaba Maal- "Freak Out"

Chic.

4. Kassa Overall featuring Nick Hakim and Theo Croker- "Make My Way Back Home"

Prodigal.

5. Meshell Ndegeocello- "Virgo"

Back to the stars.

6. Moor Mother- "We Got the Jazz"

From strength to strength.

7. Las Marias- "Ismael"

Spring has sprung.

8. EST Gee- “Pray You Die in Surgery”

Cursed.

9. Sleaford Mods featuring Perry Farrell- "So Trendy"

Shouty.

10. Atmosphere- "Bigger Picture"

The relentless march of time.

Top Ten Concerts of March

1. Ghais Guevara, Tricky Youth, Student 1, Midwestern, Tabby, Defo, Laaee Uzumak and Young Mvchetes at Farewell and Howdy

My review.

2. Boston Camerata’s “Dido & Aeneas” at Community Christian Church

My Instagram photo.

3. Bill Frisell at 1900 Building

My impressions.

4. Artemis at the Gem Theater

My review.

5. Austin Plaine, Katie Toupin and the Pinkerton Raid at the Monarch (Louisville)

My Instagram clip.

6. CRAG Quartet, Joshua Gerowitz with Vinny Golia and the Extemporaneous Music and Arts Society of Kansas City at the Bunker Center for the Arts

My review.

7. Cynthia van Roden at the Market at Meadowbrook

My Instagram photo.

8. Te Deum’s “Solemn Vespers” at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

My Instagram photo.

9. Electronic Music Midwest Festival at Kansas City Kansas Community College (concerts one, five and eight)

My review.

10. Kristina Gaddy, Nadia Ramlagan and Blakeley Burger at Carmichael’s Bookstore (Louisville)

My Instagram clip.

The previous monthly survey is here.

February 2022 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of Abbey Lincoln in the trailer of Nothing But a Man by There Stands the Glass.

Top Ten Albums (Released in February)

1. Joyce DiDonato- Eden

Serpent repellent.

2. The Kahil El'Zabar Quartet- A Time for Healing

My review.

3. Binker and Moses- Feeding the Machine

England swings.

4. Sofía Reyes- Mal de Amores

A Mexican mélange of Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande.

5. Big K.R.I.T.- Digital Roses Don't Die

The graying of the Dirty South.

6. Del McCoury- Almost Proud

My related essay.

7. Gidon Kremer- Weinberg: Sonatas for Violin Solo

Eastern European angst.

8. The Adam Larson Trio- With Love, From Chicago

My album and concert reviews.

9. Rokia Koné- Bamanan

Metropolitan Malian music.

10. Bad Boy Chiller Crew- Disrespectful

Cretin hop.

Top Ten Songs (Released in February)

1. Jana Rush featuring DJ Paypal- ​​“Lonely”

Ornette Coleman gets the Chicago footwork treatment.

2. Claire Rousay and More Eaze- “floor Pt. 2”

Android dreams of electric sheep.

3. Rosalía- “Saoko”

Transformation.

4. Cécile McLorin Salvant- "Until"

Time stands still.

5. Pusha T- “Diet Coke”

“That’s a joke, right?”

6. $not and A$AP Rocky- “Doja”

Wildcatting.

7. Maren Morris- “Background Music”

Nashville existentialism.

8. Robert Glasper featuring Yebba- "Over"

My favorite Black Radio III track.

9. Willie Nelson- “I’ll Love You Till the Day I Die”

Backatcha, Willie.

10. Lívia Nestrovski and Henrique Eisenmann- "Sete Estrelas"

My concert review.

Top Ten Movies, Television Broadcasts and Streaming Programming (viewed for the first time in February, in lieu of a full resumption of live music)

1. Jeen-yuhs (2022)

My notes.

2. Donda Experience Performance (2022)

“Do I look happy to you?”

3. Nothing but a Man (1964)

Ivan Dixon and Abbey Lincoln star in an excruciating study.

4. Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles

Hypnotic.

5. Cathie Wood interview on CNBC

A robust defense of poor performance.

6. Houston at Wichita State

Bruising double-overtime men’s basketball thriller.

7. Puccini's Madama Butterfly

Timeless heartbreak at Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia.

8. Rosita (1923)

Mary Pickford as a Spanish street singer.

10. Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show (2022)

Forgot about Dre.

Last month’s survey is here.