Albums of The Month October 2025

I love to play music and express myself with the bass, but sometimes I think I love listening to music more. If I could have a career spending quality time with my record collection, then I would. These albums are my friends and they have some many lessons, both musical and spiritual, within them.

Most of the advice I get about releasing my own music is to just put our singles, and that the idea of an album is “dead.” And I see a lot of musicians that I keep up with taking this advice. I’ve done singles myself as well, and maybe that is the best way to capture someone’s immediate attention the quickest, since a lot of music is now just another thing on someone’s phone. As a music listener, however, it’s a messier experience and, therefore, harder to keep with. Maybe I’m old, but I know myself and I believe this is the truth.

I still love albums. I appreciate the context that all the songs help each other create a mood for the listener. And they are usually like 30-50 minutes long. That’s nothing! That’s like 1/8th of an episode of the great British baking show (not exactly, but it feels like it sometimes).

I usually listen to at least one album a day, though very often this can become many. I wanted to keep track in October for the blog and write a little bit about each one. So if you are looking for some new records to check out, here you go!

Oct1: Willie Nelson “Shotgun Willie”

I wanted to start the month off with a record of mine that has long been a favorite. I’m a big fan of Willie and find myself coming back to this record often. I always respect and admire how Willie is always himself.

Favorite Track: Sad Songs & Waltzes

Oct2: Head Automatic “Popaganda”

This record has been on rotation since the day it came out (who doesn’t remember 6/6/2006? I saw the remake of The Omen that night at Phipps Plaza haha). So many great songs on this album. The guitars hit hard and the melodies soar. There is an all time great vocal performance throughout by Daryl Palumbo. But what really stands out to me as I get older is the energy of the tracks. It’s infectious. A great record to take on a ride in your car or on a run through the park.

Favorite Track: “Lying Through Your Teeth”

Oct3: Jackson Browne “For Everyman”

Jackson is one of the best people to ever strap on a guitar and one of the best at writing songs as we will ever see. His records are some of my favorite to throw on and read the lyrics while I listen. “For Everyman” is a classic, and a truly great autumnal listen. I love this record and, like a lot of his albums, it contains a really cool duality in the spirit of the songs and music. The music is very 1970s west coast folk/rock/Laurel Canyon inspired. But a lot of the lyrics are as paranoid as they are panoramic. The evenness of his vocals are in the spotlight here. His music is always here to help me work through things.

Favorite Track: Redneck Friend

Oct4: Fountains of Wayne “Self Titled”

There is something just effortlessly fun about this band and this record. You are probably pretty familiar with their song “Stacy’s Mom” off the record they released after this one. But if you haven’t checked out the rest of their catalogue, do yourself a favor. I love the self titled album. It’s a really excellent collection of songs that find a wonderful balance between pop and rock, with sarcastic and unusual for the genre lyrics that really make it memorable.

Favorite Track: Please Don’t Rock Me Tonight.

Oct5: Bill Frisell “Have a Little Faith”

Bill Frisell is probably the musician that I admire the most. He has some insane skill on the guitar but never seems to be trying to show off for ego’s sake. He plays unusual things and with a beautiful bell like sound. He performs songs he likes because he likes them, not because that’s what his genre expects. It’s the perfect so-out-there-it-is-in-there vibe. “Have a Little Faith” is an excellent place to start with his extensive catalogue. It’s a panoramic view of what I’d called American music from several eras, all done with the freedom of jazz improvisation and a killer band. The song selection is out of this world (where else do you get a guitar master covering Bob Dylan, Aaron Copland, and MADONNA).

Favorite Track: Have A Little Faith in Me

Oct6: Taking Back Sunday “self titled”

I was a huge Taking Back Sunday fan back in high school and saw them live many times (Masquerade 2005 on the Where You Want To Be tour is an all timer). I kind of lost track of what they were up to once Indigo Girls became my favorite double lead vocal group. This record was one I had never heard before, and it was a fun listen to take to the gym. Eric Valentine, who is one of my favorite current producers, makes everything sound so big and so present.

Favorite Track: Faith (When I Let You Down)

Oct7: The Beatles “A Hard Day’s Night”

If you are like me, you grew up listening to The Beatles 1 compilation album. So you know that they have a million great singles. The crazy thing about this band is that pretty much all of their songs are good, so their albums are an awesome place to hang out. “A Hard Day’s Night” is just a great great way to spend 30 minutes. The music is interesting and the grooves go hard. The melodies are what you expect from The Beatles…top top quality.

Favorite Track: “Tell Me Why”

Oct8: Weezer “The Blue Album”

Just simply one of the best records of its era with a sound that still sounds quirky and still sounds fresh. So many legendary tracks on this bad boy. It somehow manages to sound huge and lo-fi at the same time. I’d double feature this record with the Fountains of Wayne one for a great hour of listening.

Favorite Track: Buddy Holly

Oct9: Keith Jarrett “The Melody at Night, With You”

Keith Jarrett is a pianist with a massive catalogue which I enjoy getting lost in frequently. His touch on the piano is one of my favorites. His ideas are always fresh. This is a solo piano album and while the sound is very intimate, it always sounds completely full. There is so much passion and fullness in each track. It’s simply a beautiful record. I had it playing at 6am while drinking coffee and I’d recommend doing the same thing.

Favorite Track: Shenandoah

Oct10: Esbjorn Svennson Trio “Seven Days of Falling”

Oh man it doesn’t get much cooler than this record. Swedish musicians always bring it, and this trio is burning all throughout this record. It straddles such a fine line between jazz improvisation and cinematic ideas that is really hard to come by. I always think of this group as The Bill Evans Trio mixed with Radiohead. Give it a spin and see if you agree.

Favorite Track: Did They Ever Tell Cousteau?

Oct11: “Simple Dreams” by Linda Ronstadt

If you know me, you know I’m an all time Ronstadt head for life. Nobody has more power to their voice without the need to give it intense volume. Sometimes I feel like when she sings, it’s coming from inside my own soul. And she does all the simple things so right. My girl Linda is like the Tim Duncan of singers-call her The Big Fundamental. “Simple Dreams” is a classic from her and does all the things that I like. There is a folk/country/rock element to the music that makes me feel right at home. All the songs are incredible with a lot of variety in their sound and themes. I’m not ashamed to say I listened to this 3 times in a row.

Favorite Track: Poor Poor Pitiful Me

Oct12: Michael White, Bill Frisell “Motion Pictures”

This is a beautiful and peaceful record featuring a guitar and violin duo featuring the aforementioned Bill Frisell on guitar and Michael White on violin. It’s amazing to listen to these two musicians weave a tapestry of standards played in a very un-standard way. It’s all unconventional yet somehow familiar. For me, that’s the good stuff.

Favorite Track: Easy Living

Oct13: Bob Dylan “Blood On The Tracks”

I sometimes feel like Bob Dylan is the most popular and most divisive musician of all time. And that’s a cool place to be, to inspire so much reaction and response. A lot of his albums are, to me, the top of the tops and I love this one. Probably his kindest album lyrically, all these songs really hit at the feelings of loss and the wide range of emotions that come along with it. It’s my second favorite breakup album. So if you are going through a season of change in your life, throw this one and say goodbye to the past with style.

Favorite Track: You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When I Go

Oct14: The War On Drugs “Lost In The Dream”

I love love this band, and this record is gorgeous. If you haven’t listened to them, their music is like a combination of all the best parts of Bruce Springsteen and Death Cab For Cutie along with some subtle and tasteful elements of 80s arena rock. Synths, horns, ambient guitars, and hard grooving drums…say less! And the greatness of this record takes it time and unfolds just as it should. I took this album on a run with me as the sun was coming up and I felt more alive than I had in weeks.

Favorite Track: An Ocean in Between The Waves

Oct15: Lyle Brewer “Get It Together”

Lyle Brewer is a guitarist that I admire so much. And on “Get It Together” he absolutely crushes the vibe I often try to create when I play. I first heard this album when I was touring in Japan, and when I’d wake up with weird jet lag in the middle of the night, I’d take it for a walk through whatever city we were in. I’d often stop at a 711 (in Japan, these 711s are freaking legendary) and grab a coffee and listen to this record 2 or 3 times. I’d be jealous of Lyle if I didn’t just love this album so damn much.

Favorite Track: You Were Just a Kid

Oct16: Gabor Szabo “High Contrast”

Gabor Szabo is a Hungarian guitarist who just plays with such smooth passion. This is an exceptional instrumental record that never gets old. He has a firm grasp over American jazz style but with a Hungarian flavor that keeps you surprised over and over. A little bit of salt on the watermelon, as it were.

Favorite Track: If You Don’t Want My Love

Oct17: Lyle Brewer “Juno”

Another record from Lyle Brewer on this list. I’m clearly a big fan. This one is an acoustic offering that I really love. This is another great fall record. Think of it like a reflective Chet Atkins on a small dose of painkillers.

Favorite Track: If By Sea

Oct18: Pat Metheny “Watercolors”

Lord knows I’ve spent a literal decade laughing at Pat Metheny’s Orchestrion project and his hair. But I’ve also spent more time in that decade admiring and being wondered by his musicianship. There is such a high level of musicianship on this record, and yet it all flows and you never feel like you are being hit over the head with skill. Metheny’s catalogue is massive, but this is a great place to start.

Favorite Track: River Quay

Oct19: Wes Montgomery “A Day In The Life”

If you’ve ever visited my home, you know that there is like a 50% chance of a Wes Montgomery record being played. Nobody plays the guitar like him. It’s jazz improvisation, but you sort of feel like you are listening to a smooth af Bach. Every idea seems both instantaneous and fully formed and composed. I don’t have a clue how this guy does it. His version of “When a Man Loves a Woman” is so so good that it makes me want to try to find love again.

Favorite Track: When a Man Loves a Woman

Oct20: Momo “ESPERANZA”

I don’t know much about Momo, but ever since I first heard this record, I was shook to my core. Yet another example of something that is so out there but doesn’t feel like it’s strange for the sake of being strange. This record sounds like Taoism to me. All the tracks are interesting, and a couple are so beautiful that they have brought tears to my eyes many times.

Favorite Track: Precious time with you in NYC

Oct21: Julian Lage “World’s Fair”

This acoustic record from Julian Lage is a knockout. This fella can play the guitar like a piano, and it is on full display here. I could listen to this all day, and on Oct 21st, I did!

Favorite Track: Ryland

Oct22: Ted Greene “Solo Guitar”

Another record from a guitar master. There aren’t a ton of Ted Greene recordings out there, so this album is very special to fans of his. You can literally hear the mastery of the instrument all over this record.

Favorite Track: Send In The Clowns

Oct23: The Strokes “Is This It?”

Another great running album. If you are around my age, you’ve probably heard this a million times. It’s still so cool and still grooves so hard. This is a record that kicked ass when it was released and has exponentially kicked more ass since then. I will always think its so cool how they distorted the vocals.

Favorite Track: Hard To Explain

Oct24: Carly Simon “No Secrets”

This is a pretty flawless record, but don’t take it to the gym at 630 to lift weights when you are going through a breakup unless you want to feel crazy. But I like to feel crazy. The best way I can describe this record is that it feels generous. It’ll break your heart into pieces, but you will feel so grateful that it did.

Favorite Track: We Have No Secrets

Oct25: Joe Pass “Intercontinental”

Joe Pass seems like a bored alien who decided to come to earth to just play the guitar as if he learned in another galaxy. Listening to him play is like sitting in the world’s most stimulating massage chair while listening to an audio book in another language that you somehow understand. “Intercontinental” is a great album of his to start with, featuring drummer Kenny Clare and bassist Eberhard Weber. This was the album he recorded right before the correctly titled classic “Virtuoso” but the virtuosity is on full display here.

Favorite Track: El Gento

Oct26: Bill Evans “New Jazz Conceptions”

Another one of my favorite artists, Bill Evans is always worth spending some time with. I own most of his records, and for many many years I’ve wanted to play the bass they way he plays the piano. It’s genius but its subtle; it’s expansive but quiet. This is his debut record as a solo artist, and he comes out of the gate saying that he is a major force in the jazz piano world. But also, this is a new sound.

Favorite Track: Easy Living

Oct27: Cartel “Chroma”

This record used to be one of my all time favorites to jam out in the car back in late high school. All the instruments sound huge, the songs are great, and for the genre, a main vocal that aged really well. I hadn’t heard this record in probably about ten years, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed listening to it. Pop punk will always be there in my playing and in my heart.

Favorite Track: Say Anything (Else)

Oct28: Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers “Damn The Torpedos”

Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to be a Heartbreaker. They are just absolutely one of the coolest bands, able to thrive between rocking fun and deeper moments. This record is an all timer for me-I love every song and every moment. I took this album on a nice run through a cold moody morning and was smiling and grooving the whole time. This is rock and roll that makes you believe in a brighter future.

Favorite Track: Here Comes My Girl

Oct29: Joe Pass “For Django”

Another Joe Pass record for you to love. “For Django” features Pass interpreting compositions from the great Gypsy-Jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. This record goes down so smooth and is such a fun listen. I listen to a lot of Joe Pass, and I am always a little bit happier when I put on his music.

Favorite Track: Insensiblement

Oct30: Randy Newman “Little Criminals”

I think this was the first record I bought for my collection, and I used to play it daily senior year of university (before I dropped out, and after). Everybody knows Randy Newman is a great songwriting with a divisive voice (I happen to love it). But I think what sometimes gets lost is that he is an out of this world pianist. Nobody voices pop songwriting chords like he does, and everything great about him is on full display in this album. The supporting musicians are absolutely crushing it all over “Little Criminals.” There are sarcastic songs, written from the viewpoints of various fictional characters. There are ballads that will break your heart into a million little pieces. It’s all right here.

Favorite Track: Jolly Coopers on Parade

Oct31: Mike Oldfield “Tubular Bells”

This is my forever Halloween record. Mike Oldfield created a record here that perfectly sounds like Halloween night. I listen to it with my eyes closed every year and I don’t see that changing any time soon.

Favorite Track: Tubular Bells

…well there you have it! Already chomping at the bit for November’s treasure chest. And if you have an album you love, comment or email me and I’ll check it out! I think one of the best things we can do for each other is share and recommend the things we love.

With open ears,

Benny St. Peixe