The Year That Was: Local artists reflect on 2025 (Part Three)

Chad Beattie 

Orches Limita / Orches Aporrhais, yes selma, Aperture. Formerly: Organs and Blood on the Mercy Seat. 

5 Favorite Albums of 2025: I enjoyed Ata Kak’s new record, Batakari. That was my favorite and most listened to release of the year. Earl Sweatshirt’s Live Laugh Love was also very good. Billy Woods’ Golliwog I enjoyed a lot. I liked the new Sublime Frequencies release Tsapiky! Modern Music From Southwest Madagascar. That one was hype. And Another Perfect Day by Bill Orcutt. 
Favorite Local Release: I enjoyed listening to my bud Brett Naucke’s new release Ground Fault Matinee. I also enjoyed the instrumental acoustic guitar album Iron Goddess of Mercy by Shane McCord. Those are the ones that come to mind, but I’m sure there are many others. 
Local Song of the Year: I’m so bad with songs. I don’t know songs. 
Favorite New Local Artist: The members aren’t necessarily new to the music game, but the project is. Ellicott Hooligan is a really cool new project. They did a live cover of a Pharoah Sanders song at Harvest Records that really knocked me off my feet. 
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: I am grateful for Marcel and Primordial Void to release my newest solo album MAXIMALIMISERABLISM under the moniker Orches Limita. I feel very proud of that work, which consists of layers upon layers of dulcimer melodies, harmonies, overtones, etc., spliced on top of one another thematically. Another memorable personal music moment: my friend Charlie Boss and I opened up for TAKAAT at Ayurprana Listening Room. That was really special. They’re Mdou Moctar’s band without Mdou Moctar. Lightning Bolt energy with the loudest drumming I’ve ever heard.
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Speaking of which, seeing Lightning Bolt for the first time this year was awesome. I’d seen Black Pus countless times before, but never Lightning Bolt. I also enjoyed seeing Tommy Wright III at Fleetwood’s. That was a super uplifting night. Got to see my friends in MSRH twice this year, which is always a treat. 
Goals/Plans for 2026: I have a new yes selma record that my friend Michael and I have been working on for a while now. It’s the hardest I’ve worked on anything ever, maybe besides my occupational therapy degree. And it’s my most ambitious record to date by a long shot. Hopefully I’ll be able to release it this upcoming year. Other than that, my main goal is to continue staying alive. I’ve succeeded at this for 32 years now without failing once, so I think the odds are in my favor.

Scott McMicken

Dr. Dog, Scott McMicken and the Ever-Expanding, The Hypos, Gary and Linda

5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Floating Action - A Hand Carved Garden Tool; Okonski - Entrance Music; Tony Thomas Three - Get With This; Kevin Hambrick - Thin Black Halo; Eric Slick - Dragula
Favorite Local Release: Okonski - Entrance Music
Local Song of the Year: Floating Action - “One Of A Kind”
Favorite New Local Artist: Becca Leigh
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Dr. Dog Philly shows
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Coconut Cake at Eulogy
Goals/Plans for 2026: More new music. more new collaborations.

Andy Burns

Scribblers, Metallic Cocaine Be Bop, and Reggie Headen and Nighttime Noon

5 Favorite Albums of 2025: yowie - Taking Umbrage; Richard Dawson - End of the Middle; Imperial Triumphant - Goldstar; Sharp Pins - Radio DDR; Billy Woods - Golliwog
Favorite Local Release: Tanner York - Welcome To The Shower
Local Song of the Year: Tanner York - “Girlfriend”
Favorite New Local Artist: Supaheat
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Recording Asleep in the Fast Lane
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Lightning Bolt at Asheville Music Hall
Goals/Plans for 2026: Tour and record

Joe Esposito 

Scribblers, MCB, Reggie Headen and Nightime Noon 

5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Yowie - Taking Umbrage; Tortoise - Touch; SML - How You Been; Richard Dawson - End of the Middle; Makaya McCravan - The People’s Mixtape
Favorite Local Release: Supaheat - Honk
Local Song of the Year: Supaheat - “Texas”
Favorite New Local Artist: Supaheat
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Recording at Drop of Sun [Studios]
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Devo at Shaky Knees (Atlanta, GA)
Goals/Plans for 2026: Record another album

Aubrey Young 

Scribblers, Pool Holograph 

5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Sharp Pins - Radio DDR; Cate le Bon - Michelangelo Dying; Water Damage - Instruments; Michael Hurley -  Broken Homes and Gardens; Hell - Submersus
Favorite Local Release: Walkhome - Temptations
Local Song of the Year: Walkhome-  “Woke Up Too Soon”
Favorite New Local Artist: Tanner York
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Recording Asleep in the Fast Lane 
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Water Damage at AyurPrana Listening Room
Goals/Plans for 2026: Tour and record a new album

Eli Whitlow (Photo by Jonny Leather)

Eli Whitlow

Idle County, I26 Connector, Headringer, Blithe, Good Trauma, Sofia Pace band, Juca Camera Trio, Caelan Burris & the Laurels

5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Wednesday - Bleeds; Moses Yoofee Trio - MYT; Florry - Sounds Like…; Motocrossed - S/T; Old Star - Of the Highway
Favorite Local Release: Idle County - Offerings
Local Song of the Year: Tombstone Poetry - “Bear Down”
Favorite New Local Artist: Blithe 
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Recording the new Idle County Record at Drop of Sun with my best friends.
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Pedro Martins at NYC Jazz Fest
Goals/Plans for 2026: I hope to tour as much as possible and I’m really looking forward to recording LP2 for I26 Connector.

Rusty Sutton

Band Manager for Wednesday, MJ Lenderman, and The Dead Tongues

5 Favorite Albums of 2025: (Intentionally leaving out any records or artists I’m professionally involved with) Geese - Getting Killed; Audrey Hobart - Who’s the Clown; Deki Alem - Forget in Mass; Water from Your Eyes - It’s a Beautiful Place; Clipse - Let God Sort ‘Em Out
Favorite Local Release: Colin Miller - Losin’
Local Song of the Year: Colin Miller - “Porchlight”
Favorite New Local Artist: Idle County
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: On a cross-country trip back in November over the course of 72 hours, I got to watch Wednesday play one of their largest headline shows to date in Brooklyn and then witness MJ [Lenderman] play a couple solo songs to a room full of celebrities at the GQ Man of the Year gala at the Chateau Marmont in LA. I lump these two together because they were part of a single whirlwind trip where I was in constant amazement at the impact of these artists from right here in Western North Carolina. Witnessing them grow from shows at Static Age [Records[ and porch parties in Haw Creek to occupying these further flung spaces has been the ride of a lifetime. 
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Mannequin Pussy opening for Turnstile at Asheville Yards stands out. I’ve seen that band play clubs and festivals of all sizes and they consistently deliver. But to see them on a big stage just crushing a set to a huge crowd of another band’s fans was wildly gratifying. Really goes to show what you can accomplish when you have great chemistry as a band and are led by someone who is determined to take the audience on a journey. By the end of that set, it felt like everyone was converted to Mannequin Pussy fans. 
Goals/Plans for 2026: I’ve been really inspired by a lot of music Substacks this year. I think we’re all pretty fatigued by the algorithms that have occupied too much space in our culture lately and getting to read what actual human beings with hearts, souls, and taste think about art has been really gratifying. My goal in 2026 is to write more. Probably not for public consumption but more to just exercise that muscle and better develop language for discussing music. 

Luna 

Halogi

5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Lamp of Murmur - The Dreaming Prince in Ecstacy; Lady Beast - The Inner Alchemist; Visitant - Rubidium; Doomsday - Never Known Peace; Ossuary - Abhorrent Worship
Honestly, there are so many more favorites that it is very difficult to choose a top five because it really depends on my mood!
Favorite Local Release: All Hell - Sunsetter
Local Song of the Year: Widowed Light - "Ageless"
Favorite New Local Artist: Widowed Light 
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Our band, Halogi, opened for M.D.C., with our friends On the Block at The Odd in November. It was one of the best shows we have had! Dave Dictor was extremely friendly and even offered a group of friends and myself peanut M&M's from his hand. I politely accepted and stuck one in my pocket. Overall, it felt like everyone played their best, the crowd was fully engaged, and we all  had a blast!
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: I saw a band called Beton Arme with Poison Ruin and On the Block at Eulogy in February. The vocalist, Dan Prestone, did all kinds of acrobatics on stage and was one of the most exuberant vocalists I ever seen. Another favorite was seeing Groza at Eulogy with their black robes, ambiance, and immersive live performance.
Goals/Plans for 2026: Personally, I'd love to play at Eulogy and to get physical copies of our album out. I hope we write a lot of compelling songs and that I grow in depth as a lyricist and in my capabilities as a vocalist. 

Jed Willis/Bask (Photo by Jonny Leather)

Jed Willis

Bask, Khandroma

5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Blackbraid - Blackbraid III; Der Weg einer Freiheit - Innern; Agriculture - The Spiritual Sound; The Far Sound - To Heart, To Earth; Watchhouse - Rituals
Favorite Local Release: Colin Miller - Losin’
Local Song of the Year: Wednesday - “Elderberry Wine” 
Favorite New Local Artist: Tombstone Poetry 
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Bask’s The Turning album release show at The Orange Peel with guests Ashlee Booth and Clay White and other local acts Cliff B Worsham, Secret Shame, and Tombstone Poetry.
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Magnolia & Johnson Electric Co. with MJ Lenderman at The Grey Eagle. 
Goals/Plans for 2026: Play and record more music!

Scott Middleton 

Bask, Khandroma

5 Favorite Albums of 2025: James Holden and Waclaw Zimpel - The Universe Will Take Care of You;  Bitchin Bajas - Inland See; Car Bomb - Tiles Whisper Dreams, Agriculture - The Spiritual Sound; Between the Buried and Me - The Blue Nowhere; Deafheaven - Lonely People with Power
Favorite Local Release: Sleep Number - Sunspil; Chandra Shukla - Hima हिम
Local Song of the Year: Fliora - "Adjacent"
Favorite New Local Artist: Orches Limita
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Playing Bask's new album The Turning in full at The Orange Peel along with guest musicians Ashlee Booth on cello and Clay White on trumpet. 
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Godspeed You! Black Emperor outdoors at Pisgah Brewing, Deafheaven at The Orange Peel, various drum performances at PASIC's 50th anniversary.
Goals/Plans for 2026: Write new music, play cool shows with my buds, and hopefully more travel. 

Doss Church

Doss Church & the Unholy Noise

5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Joshua Singleton - The Promised Land; The Heavy Heavy - Live; Charlie Crockett - Dollar A Day; Jeff Tweedy - Twilight Override; Bon Iver- SABLE, fABLE
Favorite Local Release: Scott McMicken and the Ever-Expanding - New Purple Dress
Local Song of the Year: Floating Action - “Diamond Store”
Favorite New Local Artist: Jason Curtis
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Seeing Scott McMicken and friends play acoustic on the porch at Zadie's Market in Marshall this fall.
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: The Heavy Heavy at The Grey Eagle
Goals/Plans for 2026: Release at least three new songs and record our band's second full album.

Sophia Corinne

Sophia Corinne, Crescent Choir/Moon Choir

5 Favorite Albums of 2025: Florist - Jellywish; Lily Talmers - It is Cyclical, Bad Posture Club - Missing You, Affinity; Thanya Ayer - Tide/Tied; Reni Conti - Reni Conti 
Favorite Local Release: Weirs - “Diamond Grove”
Local Song of the Year: Julie Odell - “Disappearing Act”
Favorite New Local Artist: Lemonbalm 
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Every aspect of participating in the crankie production of The Swan and The Loon with Murmuration. 
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: House show organized by corduroyavl featuring Johanna Warren and Lavender Blue. 
Goals/Plans for 2026: I am building Crescent Choir, a project that brings original music by local artists to life. You can check it out here. I also plan to tour and play more full band shows in town. It would be a dream to sing backup vocals in more peoples projects too. 

David

Colossal Human Failure

Favorite Local Release: East Ritual - Whatever She Wants
Local Song of the Year: The third song in [East Ritual’s] set is the best local song. I wish I knew the name.
Favorite New Local Artist: East Ritual
Most Memorable Personal Music Experience of 2025: Max from Blistering Dissonance’s stage dive at the Whores show at Eulogy
Favorite Live Performance by Another Artist of 2025: Viagra Boys [at The Orange Peel] was the best of my life. Mannequin Pussy was good, too.
Goals/Plans for 2026: Stop being dipshits and play music again.

(Wednesday photo by Ashley Kouri)