Punk Rock Record Reviews: The Best of 2025, Part Fifteen.
I listen primarily to punk, with my preferred subgenre being street punk. Speed rock, garage, skate punk, hardcore, pop punk, oi!, ska, grindcore, and even rockabilly fit the bill if done right. If I can catch a live show, it gives the release an edge. Here are a few releases from 2025 that I recommend you check out. These are in no particular order; however, I’m only reviewing releases that are in contention for the best release of the year. If I’m reviewing it, I liked it. When the New Year rolls around, I’ll put them in order and do a final article of the best of the best. Drop a comment at the bottom if there is a 2025 release you think I should check out; I most definitely will.
Teenage BottleRocket can be called Ramonescore, but honestly they have forged out their own place in punk rock history. Relentless touring, energetic shows, and fast, catchy punk rock have kept them very near the top of the list of my favorite bands. I've seen them live many times, at Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival, Punk In The Park, and club shows in Las Vegas and Detroit. They never disappoint, and if they were playing tonight, I'd be going to see them again. So I don't have to tell you how much I have been anticipating this album (it was maybe my most anticipated release of the year, after The Casualties). I'll admit that it's their fast songs and their humor that really make me a fan (check out "I Wanna Die," "Headbanger," "Why The Big Pause," and "Strung Out On Stress"). This one isn't quite as fast or even as humorous as I would have hoped, but they make up for it in other ways. "She's the Shit," "Post Mortem Depression," and "High Speed Yoga" were the first singles, with the songwriting and production being top-notch. They also took time to produce a ton of great art and merchandise to go with the release. With just those songs I would already be giving this a stellar review, but the full 14-song album takes it to another level.
