Culture

Suggested Listening 2025: Chris Pyle

By: Chris Pyle
Posted on: Wednesday, December 3, 2025

WOUB Culture’s Suggested Listening series highlights the music that resonated with WOUB Culture contributors and regional artists in 2025. Today we spotlight local music enthusiast Chris Pyle, owner of Donkey Coffee.

1. Phonetics On and On by Horse Girl

A bit different than their debut album in that they are going for a cleaner tone on the guitars and not using distortion. Their influences span from The Modern Lovers and the Velvet Underground to The Breeders and My Bloody Valentine with a loose lo-fi indie sound.

2. Hard Headed Woman by Margo Price

After dabbling in psychedelic rock and some left of center influences, this album is back to straight ahead trad country. It’s my favorite of hers so far.

3. Send a Prayer My Way by Torres/Julien Baker

Indie rock stars get together and “go country” – or at least their version of country. Fabulous feel to this record.

4. Balloon Balloon Balloon and DDR Radio by Sharp Pins

Two great albums in one year! Lo-fi jangle rock reminiscent of ’80s R.E.M. and melodic Big Star.

5. Necessary Fictions by GoGo Penguin

Weirdo instrumental music that pulls from rave, jazz, rock and many other influences into a truly original sound.

6. My Home Is Not In This World by Natalie Bergman

Not surprising that with such a resurgence of Fleetwood Mac and the 70’s in general that this album boasts an amazing craft in songwriting pulling from this era. Wonderful songs indeed.

7. To Depart The Waking World by SwanPalace

– Guitars, Guitars, Guitars! Perfect EP from start to finish – great lyrics as well. A must for anyone that wants big melodic noise with great melodies.

8. Getting Killed by Geese

The new “it” band of the moment. Very different than anything released this year – they have their own sound but you can also tell they pull from the great rock and roll canon such as Talking Heads, Velvet Underground and Radiohead to name a few.