Best of 2025 with David Goldman (S5 | E269)
Lester the Nightfly: The 2026 New Year Special with David Goldman
We kick off 2026 by welcoming a familiar voice and long-time friend of the show, David Goldman, for our sixth annual “Year in Review” special. This episode marks a cherished tradition where David, a “mainstay” and the show’s first-ever guest, shares his curated list of favorite tracks from the previous year, 2025. Host PJ Ewing highlights the unique chemistry of this collaboration, noting that while their musical sensibilities often diverge—with David exploring eclectic, geographic varieties and PJ leaning toward jazz or house—the breadth and intelligence of David’s selections are always impressive.
The playlist begins with a dive into the “lo-fi” and “DIY” sounds that captured David’s ear this year. He introduces Horse Girl, a Chicago-based trio channeling a “Velvet Underground” and “shoegaze” vibe, reminiscent of nineties power pop. The journey continues to the West Coast with Automatic, an LA band offering a funkier, “Talking Heads” inspired sound, featuring a drummer whose father played in the legendary band Bauhaus. The segment rounds out with Model Actriz, a Brooklyn-based group originally from Boston, noted for their “speak-singing” style and a driving, disco-dance track titled “Cinderella”.
Shifting gears, the episode explores a vast array of genres, from the guttural garage punk of Ian Svenonius’s Escapism to the warm, dub-reggae breezes of Puerto Rico’s Pachyman. David and PJ also discuss established heavyweights who released compelling work in 2025. This includes Bon Iver, led by Justin Vernon, whose sparse, hymnal sounds continue to captivate after twenty years, and Florence + The Machine, whose emotional, sweeping vocals PJ compares to a “laser” cutting through the fog.
Best of 2025 with David Goldman (S5 | E269)
| Track Name | Album Name | Artist Name(s) | Release Date | Record Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrified Teenybop! | Instant Holograms On Metal Film | Stereolab | 5/23/25 | Duophonic UHF Disks / Warp Records |
| Where’d You Go? | Phonetics On and On | Horsegirl | 2/14/25 | Matador |
| Switch Over | Phonetics On and On | Horsegirl | 2/14/25 | Matador |
| Bela Lugosi’s Dead | Bela Lugosi’s Dead | Bauhaus | 6/1/05 | Small Wonder Records |
| Black Box | Is It Now? | Automatic | 9/26/25 | Stones Throw Records |
| Cinderella | Pirouette | Model/Actriz | 5/2/25 | True Panther Records |
| Last of the Sellouts | Charge of the Love Brigade | Escape-ism | 3/7/25 | Radical Elite |
| Calor Ahora | Another Place | Pachyman | 5/23/25 | ATO |
| THINGS BEHIND THINGS BEHIND THINGS | SABLE, fABLE | Bon Iver | 4/11/25 | Jagjaguwar |
| Perfume and Milk | Everybody Scream | Florence + The Machine | 10/31/25 | Florence + The Machine |
| Melodie Is A Wound | Instant Holograms On Metal Film | Stereolab | 5/23/25 | Duophonic UHF Disks / Warp Records |
| REBIRTH OF SLICK (COOL LIKE DAT) | CREAM | Kassa Overall | 9/12/25 | Warp Records |
| TAMBOR | LA BOA MEETS TONY ALLEN | Tony Allen;La BOA | 2/7/25 | Comet Records |
| CUENTO | LA BOA MEETS TONY ALLEN | Tony Allen;La BOA;Bejuco | 2/7/25 | Comet Records |
Thank you thank you stations we love!
WHO’S ON OUR PLAYLIST
A significant portion of the show is dedicated to jazz and international fusion, a genre PJ has become increasingly passionate about9. The duo discusses Stereolab, the nineties French-pop electronic band that returned to the stage sounding as fresh and unique as ever. They also highlight Kassa Overall, a jazz drummer and producer who skillfully blends jazz standards with hip-hop classics, and La Boa, a Colombian orchestra that collaborated posthumously with the father of Afrobeat, Tony Allen, to create a vibrant mix of Nigerian and Colombian rhythms.
The episode concludes with a reflection on the unifying power of music. PJ observes that, aside from perhaps the World Cup, music is the singular force that brings the world together, allowing people to celebrate and sing despite their differences. David agrees, emphasizing the importance of gathering in person to reduce isolation and socialize, noting that ultimately, our similarities far outweigh our differences. We hope you enjoy this musical journey and take a moment to share a song you love with a friend.
