Steven Hydens Favorite Music Of May 2025

Published: Friday, May 30, 2025 at 2:24 pm

Steven Hyden's May 2025 Music Picks: Friendship & Counting Crows Shine

Music critic Steven Hyden has unveiled his favorite tunes from May 2025, and two artists stand out: Friendship and Counting Crows.

Hyden highlights **Friendship's** album, *Caveman Wakes Up*, as a standout release. He praises the band's connection to the "Wednesday/MJ Lenderman Cinematic Universe," noting the band's ties to the indie label Dear Life Records. Hyden draws comparisons to David Berman, praising Dan Wriggens' songwriting for its "wryly literate indie-country" style, filled with wit and insight. He calls the album "one of the best of 2025's first half."

Next on Hyden's list is **Counting Crows** and their album, *Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets!*. Despite his love for the band, Hyden is critical of the album's title and cover art. However, he champions the music itself, highlighting tracks like "With Love, From A-Z" and "Boxcars" as strong examples of Adam Duritz's consistent songwriting. Hyden, a self-proclaimed super-fan, believes Duritz remains one of the most consistent artists of the alt-rock generation. The album expands on a 2021 EP with five new tracks.

In summary, Hyden's May 2025 favorites showcase a blend of indie-country charm from Friendship and the enduring alt-rock prowess of Counting Crows.

Keywords: Steven Hyden, music review, May 2025, Friendship, Caveman Wakes Up, Dan Wriggens, indie-country, Wednesday/MJ Lenderman, Dear Life Records, Counting Crows, Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets!, Adam Duritz, alt-rock, music critic, new music, album review, best albums 2025

Full Story