The Year That Was: Local artists reflect on 2025 (Part Four)
Lila Richardson
Indigo De Souza
5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Water From Your Eyes - It's a Beautiful Place; Hotspit - (red wind), Winter - Adult Romantix; Joyer - On the Other End of the Line; Yves Jarvis - All Cylinders
Favorite Local Release: Tombstone Poetry/trust blinks/Hiding Places - Split X3
Local Song of the Year: star anise - “Shoreline II”
Favorite New Local Artist: Shining Abyss
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: I know there are loads, but one coming to mind for me now is my incredible friend Lauren's birthday house show where ROBAH (Runover By a Horse) and Melaina Kol played some sweet sets. It was so nice to celebrate Lauren through song, and ROBAH is just one of my favorite local bands so it's always great to see them and get pulled out of myself to join them in song.
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Aunt Ant & Dish at the AyurPrana Listening Room. Seeing those two bands, along with the friends that they bring out, is like watching a home birth — in which I mean to say that I've seen these bands many times, and each time it feels new. Their performance is present, their music infectious, and the people themselves so wonderful to be around!
Goals/Plans for 2026: I want to learn to record my own songs in my room and consequently release some of them.
Brendan Grove
Impending Joy, RUGG, Seismic Sutra (former)
5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Fomies - Limitality; Giant Moa - GM I // GNOM; Ty Segall - Possession; Frankie and the Witch Fingers - Trash Classic; Thee Oh Sees/Osees - ABOMINATION REVEALED AT LAST
Favorite Local Release: Paprika - Splitting at the Seams
Local Song of the Year: Seismic Sutra - “Eggward” (Live)
Favorite New Local Artist: Alla Prima
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Impending Joy playing at The Grey Eagle with Daikaiju in October. It was an awesome chance to engage with our community and get rowdy.
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Seeing A Place To Bury Strangers at Forestry Camp over the summer.
Goals/Plans for 2026: Releasing the music Impending Joy recorded in December 2025 and gearing up for tour in 2027!
Natalie Hill
Natalie Jane Hill
5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Flock of Dimes - The Life You Save; Hannah Cohen - Earthstar Mountain; Cameron Winter - Heavy Metal (technically released Dec 2024 but was in heavy rotation most of 2025); Thomas Dollbaum - Drive All Night; Friendship - Caveman Wakes Up
Favorite Local Release: Floating Action - A Hand Carved Garden Tool
Local Song of the Year: Weirs - “Doxology (I)” (These are my Durham friends, and it’s the best one-minute song out there, IMO.)
Favorite New Local Artist: Sham
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Doing a show as a trio for the first time with Seth Kauffman and Mat Davidson back in January at AyurPrana in Asheville. So, so fun to play my songs in that form.
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: I went on tour for a week opening for Flock of Dimes in November. Every performance I saw from them was so rich and captivating, especially the first show at Johnny Brenda’s in Philly — something in the air.
Goals/Plans for 2026: A couple *big things* — my new record Hopeful Woman comes out on March 6. Then in May, I’ll be heading to Ireland and the UK (for the first time) on tour supporting Ray LaMontagne. Some goals for next year: play more shows, more touring. Maybe make another record. Learn drums. Learn bass. Learn how to make danishes. Get back to North Haven, Maine.
Hana
I26 Connector, Star Anise
5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band - New Threats From The Soul; Moontype - I let the Wind Push Down on Me; Friendship - Caveman Wakes Up; Agriculture - The Spiritual Sound; Colin Miller - Losin’
Favorite Local Release: Shane Justice McCord - Tree of Heaven
Local Song of The Year: Tombstone Poetry - “Bear Down”
Favorite New Local Artist: Hook of Moon
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Playing my first out of town shows with i26 Connector, specifically our Charlotte show for the Motocrossed album release.
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: I work at a venue, so this is hard, but Moontype is incredible live, and runner up Landon George — he’s the homie and a really wonderful performer.
Goals/Plans for 2026: Release the i26 album; i26 spring tour; be able to do the splits.
Max
Madder Max
5 Favorite Albums of 2025: The Brokedowns - Let's Tip the Landlord; Pup - Who Will Look After the Dogs?; Destiny Bond - The Love; The Best of the Worst - New Dead Ends; Small Doses - Rodeo
Favorite Local Release: Small Doses - Rodeo
Local Song of the Year: Warmones - “Errormind”
Favorite New Local Artist: Exfoliator
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Seeing Jeff Rosenstock in the rain at Fest 23 (Gainesville, FL)
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Watching Paladin thrash it up at Eulogy.
Goals/Plans for 2026: New costumes, new stage props, bigger shows!
Casey Willis
Monster Wave, Hex Wizard, The Big Sky
5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Goldstar - Imperial Triumphant; Frank Zappa - Cheaper than Cheap; Faun Fables - Counterclockwise; Messer Chups - The Incredible Crocotiger; Lunar Mistake - Lunar Mistake
Favorite Local Release: Bombay Gasoline - Chemistry
Local Song of the Year: Bombay Gasoline - “Chemistry”
Favorite New Local Artist: The William Bares Trio
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Monster Wave got to perform for the Messer Chups in Raleigh during their Halloween shows. The Messer Chups are a surf rock band from Russia and getting to open for them was a dream come true. They are truly heroes of ours!
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Daikaiju at Fleetwood's
Goals/Plans for 2026: Record our second full length album for Monster Wave all on our own!
Brett J. Kent (Photo by Jonny Leather)
Brett J. Kent
Powder Horns, The Silver Doors, Impending Joy
5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Turnstile - NEVER ENOUGH; Viagra Boys - viagr aboys; Panda Bear - Sinister Grift; Mechanical River - Parts Work; Secret Guest - Dead
Favorite Local Release: Tanner York - Welcome to the Shower
Local Song of the Year: Tanner York - “Baby Bloo”
Favorite New Local Artist: CHEEKS
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Getting my new LP pressed on vinyl from Donaldson Record Pressing. Impending Joy tour in August was incredible. Silver Doors recording an Echo Session and our headlining show at The Orange Peel.
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Too many, honestly!! Viagra Boys at The Orange Peel and Kendrick Lamar & SZA in Charlotte.
Goals/Plans for 2026: New Powder Horns LP (release show on Jan. 24 at Eulogy). Probably another new one by the end of the year, too.
New music from Impending Joy and The Silver Doors coming soon, too.
Inflate the Asheville scene with love and support!
Nic Jenkins
infinitikiss, Melanie Ida Chopko, Run Dan Run, Sally Anne Morgan
Favorite Album of 2025: Melanie Ida Chopko - Never Had A Love Like This
Favorite Local Release: Sleep Number - Sunspill
Local Song of the Year: “On The Fritz” by Melanie Ida Chopko
Favorite New Local Artist: Farewell Phoenix
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Drones In The Garden
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Zach Cooper’s Lamplight Residency (RUT - Repeat Until True)
Goals/Plans for 2026: Make an album with Avey Tare.
Elijah Raymer
Good Trauma, Tongues of fire, Trust Blinks, RestHome
5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Shigeo Sekito - special sound series vol. 1; John Fahey - The dance of death and other plantation favorites; Colin Miller - Losin’; Greet Death - New Hell; Pinback - Pinback
Favorite Local Release: Colin Miller - Losin’
Local Song of the Year: Tombstone Poetry - “Bear Down”
Favorite New Local Artist: Tanner York
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Playing SXSW as an official artist with Bummer Camp.
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Her New Knife in Austin during SXSW.
Goals/Plans for 2026: I am currently recording a new full album with Collin Miller, so getting that done is first on the list but I also have a four-song EP done at Drop Of Sun [Studios] with Lawson Alderson I plan on releasing as well! Other than that just to tour some more — maybe the west coast finally.
Jackie Gray Davis
Porcelain Parrot
5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Wednesday - Bleeds; Home Is Where - Hunting Season; Motocrossed - S/T; Weatherday - Hornet Disaster; Geese - Getting Killed
Favorite Local Release: Tanner York - Welcome to the Shower
Local Song of the Year: Tombstone Poetry - “Bear Down”
Favorite New Local Artist: Pharmacy (@drivethrupharma)
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Going on tour with my friends this summer, playing the 40-Watt Club in Athens, GA.
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Home Is Where at the Rabbit Hole, Oct. 9.
Goals/Plans for 2026: Finish recording on our upcoming album, tour for ~2 weeks in late May/early June!
Ethan Matthews
Porcelain Parrot, Juca Camera Trio
5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Florry - Sounds Like…; Sean Mason - A Breath of Fresh Air; Brian Felix Organ Trio - Level Up; Jeffrey Lewis - The Even More Freewheelin' Jeffrey Lewis; Tanner York - Welcome to the Shower
Favorite Local Release: Brian Felix - Level Up
Local Song of the Year: Tombstone Poetry - “Bear Down”
Favorite New Local Artist: Blithe
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Playing at Little Jumbo in the UNCA XTET
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Jacob Rodriguez Quintet at Little Jumbo, Sept. 22
Goals/Plans for 2026: Get a couple albums recorded.
Clay White
The High Divers, Slow Runner, Scott McMicken & the EVER-EXPANDING, The Explorers Club, The Powers Ensemble, Powder Horns, Śūnyatā Ensemble, plus live collaborations with Infinitikiss, Secret Guest, Charlie Boss Orchestra, Julie Odell, Bask, Lyle de Vitry, Mechanical River, etc, and many more studio collaborations. I curate the music series at Zadie's in Marshall and the Golden Folk events at The Grey Eagle under my Friendship Valley Productions brand.
5 Favorite Albums of 2025:
СОЮЗ (SOYUZ) - KROK. Dreamy, lush, and airy Belarusian pop music. Their first album written in their native Belarusian.
Blake Mills & Pino Palladino - That Wasn't a Dream. Pushing the boundaries here with some of the best players in the world pulling out all the stops.
Saintseneca - Highwalllow & Supermoon Songs. Nobody writes like Zac Little. I love the dusty and chaotic textures that he conjures and the way he strings syllables together. They also played one of my favorite sets I saw all year at Eulogy.
Sven Wunder - Daybreak. Incredible writing and arranging all the way down. The definition of lush. Sven can do no wrong.
Cuddle Magic - Underwater. These guys consistently churn out some of the most clever and beautiful pop tunes being made anywhere.
Bonus nepotism pick - Scott McMicken & the EVER-EXPANDING - NEW PURPLE DRESS. Probably my most listened-to album this year. What a vibe Scott created with this one.
Bonus bite-sized live video album pick: Andris Mattson - FLUGEL. Andris quite literally changed the game for brass players with this one. Insanely creative conceptually, technically, and compositionally. Endless inspiration. Watch the live album on YouTube here.
Favorite Local Release: Okonski - Entrance Music. We threw this on often in the car or when relaxing at home. It's the best kind of music to soundtrack your life. Call Blue Ridge Piano Company and get Steve to tune your piano!
Bonus nepotism pick - The Resonance Sessions, a collection of many of my favorite musical friends, handpicked by me, recorded in a special setting for a good cause. Of course I love it!
Local Song of the Year: Tanner York - “Girlfriend.” This was the first track I heard from Tanner's record and it made me do an auditory double-take, starting it over and listening again immediately.
Favorite New Local Artist: Tanner York. Bedroom power pop gold. Melted my face from the moment the record dropped, and Tanner's a real nice dude. It takes a lot of talent to be able to write such concise yet hooky tunes. I reckon he'll have a big 2026!
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: It was a highly memorable year, personally. I think this was the busiest year of my life yet, musically speaking.
in the studio: Improvising horn parts for the Ever-Expanding album NEW PURPLE DRESS in mostly one take without having heard any of the songs before. It was like trying to solve a puzzle live on the spot!
Live: Playing a set of Dr. Dog songs with Scott McMicken and a killer band at Eulogy, more or less unrehearsed, playing off of each other's energy and responding to musical cues on the fly.
Runners up: The Resonance Sessions release show at Zadie's, where the love and support for Marshall and our project was overflowing. Also, when Eric D. Johnson of Fruit Bats and Angela Autumn made a surprise appearance at our September Golden Folk event at The Grey Eagle, confirmed less than an hour in advance.
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025:
Local: Peace, Love, & Light: A Concert for Brain Cancer Awareness feat. John Shuler, Night Walks, Slow Packer, Zack Kardon, and Kismet at AyurPrana Listening Room. This performance brought many of my favorite musicians in town together to sing their songs to raise awareness of brain cancer at a beautiful venue, in honor of John Shuler, who has since passed away. John stole the show with his joy and confidence singing duets with his family, and the love in the room was palpable. There wasn't a dry eye in the room by the end of the evening, and it felt like a real triumph. I send all my love to Maddie and the Shulers.
Local runner up: Asheville Sessions at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium: River Whyless, Tyler Ramsey, Toubab Krewe, and Floating Action. A dream bill! Jeff Whitworth knocked it out of the park putting this one together and continues to be an inspiration. Looking forward to the return of AVL Fest in 2026.
Touring artist: Saintseneca at Eulogy, where one of the best bands out there delivered a masterclass on how to put on a tight and dynamic performance, with a generous set spanning their discography.
Goals/Plans for 2026:
Improve my skills on my secondary wind instruments, upright bass, and my singing
Continue to expand and nurture my network of collaborators
Grow my Friendship Valley Productions brand and events by putting on another great year of Golden Folk sessions at The Grey Eagle, another great season of music at Zadie's, and other events here and there
Hopefully have a bit more time allotted to leisure and personal projects this year
Alex Cox
The Silver Doors, Alexander's Light Band
5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Twen - Fate Euphoric; Frankie and the Witch Fingers - Trash Classic; Deep Sea Diver - Billboard Heart; Wednesday - Bleeds; LA LOM - Live at Thalia Hall; Runner up: Ty Segall - Possession
Favorite Local Release: Losin' by Colin Miller is pretty fantastic. The lyrics and writing are so vivid and evocative.
Local Song of the Year: "Phish Pepsi" by Wednesday is pretty hard to beat.
Favorite New Local Artist: Cheeks. We got to play with them at Fleetwood's and they blew my mind. I went in with no expectations and it was amazing.
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Going on my first tour that I played and didn't photograph. We self-booked and managed a seven show run to NYC and it was so much fun. I'm so proud of us for pulling it all together and making it happen. Sleeping on floors, couches, in attics; playing record stores, DIY spots. — the full tour experience. Playing in a DIY spot in Virginia with people dancing in the rafters above a rock climbing wall while we're jamming will stick with me. Shout out Babe Lewis in Harrisonburg.
Runner up: playing The Orange Peel with other local legends Tanner York and Fashion Bath.
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: I truly don't know if I can pick one, since they are for different reasons. Deep Sea Diver at Eulogy was one of the tightest bands I've ever seen and Jessica [Dobson] is a killer singer and guitar player. Band of Skulls at Eulogy because I've been listening to them for years and years, and they're extremely influential to me musically, so that was gratifying in that way. All Them Witches in Prague then again at the Peel — their new material is so excellent. On the local side, seeing Hypos by the river at Zadie's in Marshall was pretty magical. Talk about a supergroup!
Goals/Plans for 2026: Lots of plans. Aiming to finish a new record with The Silver Doors, and try and play some more shows as well. Also planning on putting out an album with another project I'm working on called Alexander's Light Band. And also looking forward to seeing all these other excellent Asheville bands keep crushing it.
Caelan Burris (Photo by Jonny Leather)
Caelan Burris
Tombstone Poetry, i26connector, Caelan Burris & The Laurels, Idle County, Headringer, Good Trauma, Pivot
5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band - New Threats From the Soul; Colin Miller - Losin’; The Beths - Straight Line Was A Lie; Wednesday - Bleeds; Geese - Getting Killed
Local Song of the Year: Colin Miller - “Porchlight”
Favorite New Local Artist: Blithe or Nawal
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Magnolia & Johnson Electric Co. at The Grey Eagle. I think I cried eight times.
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: GZA at Eulogy was mesmerizing.
Goals/Plans for 2026: I’m hoping to put out three albums with the help of my friends, plus be more financially stable while still creating as much as possible.
Laney Barnett
Laney Barnett Band, Mt. Kili
5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Not all of these are 2025 releases, but they were my ear worms all year. Wednesday - Bleeds; Geese - Getting Killed; Colin Miller - Losin’; Laney Jones and the Spirits - s/t; Lucinda Williams - World Without Tears — powerful stuff here.
Favorite Local Release: Gonna have to go with Sophia Corinne - Let’s Just Pretend
Sophia has been a good friend of mine for a long while, and she never ceases to amaze me with her very tender and heartfelt writing. She creates such beautiful melodies that make me think of something different every time I listen.
Local Song of the Year: Colin Miller - “Little Devil” — I listened to this song hundreds of times while driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I can always lean on Colin for ripping one liners and soothing melody.
Favorite New Local Artist: Quinn Bee, hands DOWN! One of the most creative and driven new musicians in Asheville, in my opinion.
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: My favorite experience was working on our new EP, Roxalana Dunbar, with the LB band up at Out There Studios. We got a whole weekend to focus on five tracks that I cannot wait to share, including the beloved “Riverside.” I’m so blessed to have a band of my best friends.
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Dec. 14 at Static Age [Records] — Evan Veasey’s first full band set. I was playing on this bill, but when I heard Evan start to play, my jaw was on the floor. He played an unreleased song called “Middle Aged Guilt” that I think about 6,000 times a day.
Goals/Plans for 2026: My goals are to get this EP out, go on tour, and to spend my time with the people I love most, playing tunes together.
(Lila Richardson/Indigo De Souza photo by Connor Burchett)
