On this final episode of 2025, Trevor and Shane each select 5 albums and together compile their top 10 albums of the year. The ground rules were simple and were the same this year as prior years:

1. They couldn't select an album from 2025 that already had a "deep dive" episode.

2. They wouldn't be ranking their top 5 or the final top 10 in any particular order

3. They couldn't both select the same album.

Finally, at the end of the episode, Shane and Trevor each announce their #1 album of the year, information they have not previously shared with one another until this moment recording.

With these self-imposed rules in place, Trevor and Shane took turns sharing their picks for the year one by one. The list is as follows:

Trevor: Tunng - Love You All Over Again, Sam Fender - People Watching, Perfume Genius - Glory, Turnstile - Never Enough, Reny Conti - Renny Conti

Shane: Oklou - Choke Enough, Joshua Burnside - Teeth of Time, Lily Seabird - Trash Mountain, Alan Sparhawk - With Trampled by Turtles, Djon - Baby

For each pick they discuss musical style, production choices, lyrical themes, notable tracks, and personal reactions — from cathartic indie-folk storytelling to experimental pop, hardcore energy, and reflective heartland anthems.

Key themes emerge across the selections: parenthood and new beginnings, grief and loss (including a personal connection to Perfume Genius during a family bereavement), communal writing and collaboration, regional scenes and influences, and the thrill of discovering lesser-known artists. The hosts also highlight standout production details (Blake Mills on Perfume Genius; Adam Granduciel’s influence on Sam Fender), spontaneous recording approaches (albums captured quickly with minimal overdubs), and the ways subtle production touches reward repeat listens.

Guests and contributors include Renny Conti (who provides a short message about his self-titled debut), and Mike Lindsay of Tunng (who records a voicemail about Love You All Over Again). The hosts also mention friends and collaborators like Billy Shields and Katie Darby Mullins, note encounters with artists at festivals, and describe seeing live music together for the first time in a while.

Did your favorite album make our list? Write us and let us know what we forgot!

________________________________________________________________________________________________

HOW TO CONNECT WITH ALBUM DIVERS:

*You can submit your questions or comments about this episode or anything else on your mind here via our text line at:

425-287-6832

*Leave us an audio message here:

https://www.speakpipe.com/AlbumDivers

We promise to respond and may even feature your thoughts on a future episode.

*Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Album Divers

*Email us at Albumdiverspodcast@gmail.com

*Please subscribe and review wherever you get your podcasts!

For this episode, Trevor and Shane are joined by acclaimed writer James Campion, author of Revolution: Prince, the Band, the Era, whose deep well of knowledge on Prince proves invaluable as he selects Around the World in a Day for a full track-by-track dive. Coming on the heels of Purple Rain, this album represents one of the boldest pivots in Prince’s career and an intentional left turn away from blockbuster expectations and toward psychedelic color, whimsy, and artistic autonomy.

With Campion as guide, the conversation explores how Around the World in a Day functions not as a retreat, but as a statement: Prince asserting that commercial dominance would never come at the expense of curiosity. Trevor and Shane unpack the album’s playful textures, spiritual undercurrents, and surprising emotional weight, while Campion contextualizes each song within Prince’s broader mythology, creative restlessness, and refusal to be pinned down.

More than a reaction to fame, this record emerges as a crucial hinge point in Prince’s discography bridging eras, expanding his sonic palette, and reminding listeners that unpredictability was always the point. Anchored by Campion’s mastery and passion, this episode celebrates Around the World in a Day not as an odd detour, but as a fearless declaration from an artist determined to stay ahead of himself.

check out James Campion’s patreon “Profunde Musique” so you don’t miss out on anything James puts out next: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ProfondeMusique

_______________________________________________________________________________ HOW TO CONNECT WITH ALBUM DIVERS: *You can submit your questions or comments about this episode or anything else on your mind here via our text line at: (502) 792-8080 *Leave us an audio message here: https://www.speakpipe.com/AlbumDivers We promise to respond and may even feature your thoughts on a future episode. *Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Album Divers *Email us at Albumdiverspodcast@gmail.com *Please subscribe and review wherever you get your podcasts!

For his latest pick of a 2025 album, Shane selects the striking debut album Drive to Goldenhammer by Nottingham’s genre-defying band, Divorce. Balancing grit and vulnerability, Divorce delivers a bold introduction with their unique blend of alt-country, art rock, and post-punk flair. Shane and Trevor explore the raw emotional terrain of this album — from heartbreak to self-destruction — and appreciate how the band’s dual vocal dynamic deepens the storytelling. Whether dissecting lyrical nuance or nodding along to a groove-heavy breakdown, Trevor and Shane find plenty to love in this eclectic and unpredictable debut.

_______________________________________________________________________________ HOW TO CONNECT WITH ALBUM DIVERS: *You can submit your questions or comments about this episode or anything else on your mind here via our text line at: (502) 792-8080 *Leave us an audio message here: https://www.speakpipe.com/AlbumDivers We promise to respond and may even feature your thoughts on a future episode. *Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Album Divers *Email us at Albumdiverspodcast@gmail.com *Please subscribe and review wherever you get your podcasts!