The Weeknd

January 2025 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of the trailer of Houston Opera’s production of Giacomo Puccini’s La bohème by There Stands the Glass.

The Top Ten Albums of January 2025
1. Bad Bunny- Debí Tirar Más Fotos
My review.

2. Ambrose Akinmusire- honey from a winter stone
Bittersweet.

3. Carl Allen- Tippin'
My review.

4. Mike- Showbiz!
Like no business I know.

5. Ebo Taylor, Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad- JID022
Highlife.

6. James McVinnie- Dreamcatcher
My review.

7. François Couturier and Dominique Pifarély- Preludes & Songs
Duo français.

8. Ethel Cain- Perverts
Pop star drones.

9. William Basinsky and Richard Charter- Aurora Terminalis
Drone star drones.

10. The Weeknd- Hurry Up Tomorrow
Thriller.


The Top Three Reissues, Repackagings and Reimaginings of January 2025
1. Mary Halvorson Quartet- The Bagatelles, Vol. 1
Zorn-y.

2. Mac Miller- Balloonerism
Wavy highs and lows.

3. Iggy Pop- Live at Montreux Jazz Festival 2023
Still your dog.


The Top Ten Songs of January 2025
1. Marshall Allen featuring Neneh Cherry- “New Dawn”
Sunshine.

2. Damon Locks- "Holding the Dawn in Place (Beyond pt. 2)"
Ra.

3. Khadija Al Hanafi- "Let It Bump"
Right here.

4. Larry June featuring 2 Chainz and the Alchemist- “Bad Choices”
Decisions, decisions.

5. Celeste- "Everyday"
All day.

6. Ledisi- "Love You Too"
Always.

7. Skiifall featuring Jorja Smith- "Her World"
Gregory Isaacs lives.

8. TheBabeGabe and the Human- "PSA"
My review.

9. Zach Bryan- “Blue Jean Baby”
Out in the street.

10. Bonnie “Prince” Billy- “Turned to Dust (Rolling On)”
This too shall pass.


The Top Ten Performances of January2025
1. Traxman and Dewey at miniBar
My review.

2. Garibaldi Quartet at the 1900 Building
My review.

3. Carl Phillips at Arrupe Hall
My Instagram snapshot.

4. Kristina Reiko Cooper with the Kinnor Philharmonic at White Theatre
My review.

5. Emmanuel Pahud’s masterclass at Helzberg Hall
My review.

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

7. Matt Hopper and Gerald Spaits at Green Lady Lounge
My Instagram clip.

8. Rich Wheeler, Jackie Myers and Sebastian Arias at the Market at Meadowbrook
My Instagram snapshot.

9. Marvin Gruenbaum Quartet at the Market at Meadowbrook
My Instagram clip.

10. Cynthia van Roden at the Market at Meadowbrook
My Instagram snapshot.



The previous monthly recap is here.

January 2022 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of the trailer of The Face of Another by There Stands the Glass.

Top Ten Albums (released in January)

1. The Weeknd- Dawn FM

My podcast analysis.

2. Andrew Cyrille, William Parker and Enrico Rava- 2 Blues for Cecil

My review.

3. Earl Sweatshirt- Sick!

My review.

4. Tony Malaby’s Sabino- The Cave of Winds

My review.

5. Silvana Estrada- Marchita

Not unlike peak k.d. lang.

6. Modern Nature- Island of Noise

Jazz-stained freak-folk.

7. Lise Davidsen and Leif Ove Andsnes- Edvard Grieg

My review.

8. John Mellencamp- Strictly a One-Eyed Jack

My review.

9. Pan Daijing- Tissues

Industrial opera.

10. FKA twigs- Caprisongs

Peculiar pop.


Top Ten Songs (released in January)

1. The Smile- "You Will Never Work in Television Again"

Static.

2. Big Boss Vette- "Heavy"

The weight.

3. Christina Aguilera- "La Reina"

I knew she had it in her.

4. Barbara Hannigan- "Youkali"

Well done Weill.

5. Che Noir- "Split the Bread"

Food for thought.

6. The Streets- "Wrong Answers Only"

“I am a God: I can turn wine into vomit.”

7. Banda Los Recoditos- "Me Siento a Todo Dar"

Drinking and dancing.

8. Love Regenerator featuring Sananda Maitreya- "Lonely"

Terence Trent D’Arby!

9. Sebastián Yatra featuring Rosario and Jorge Celedón- "Dharma"

Dance, laugh, cry.

10. Benny the Butcher and J. Cole- “Johnny P’s Caddy”

The Butcher arrives.

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

1. The Face of Another/他人の顔 (1966)

Freaky Japanese psychological thriller.

2. Jeopardy! (2022)

Amy Schneider’s remarkable 40-game streak ends.

3. Handsome Serge/Le Beau Serge (1958)

Très barbare.

4. Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs (2022)

The NFL is made for TV.

5. Mary Lou Williams and Carline Ray- At Les Mouches (1978)

My associated review.

6. The Lost Daughter (2021)

Grief in Greece.

7. The Royal College of Music’s Die Zauberflöte (2021)

My review.

8. The Catered Affair (1956)

Ernest Borgnine, Bette Davis and Gore Vidal.

9. Winter JazzFest (2022)

A handful of the virtual performances are stunning.

10. From Vienna: The New Year's Celebration 2022

Life goal.

Links to previous monthly surveys begin here.