2025 is closing out, and we're taking a look at music that we loved from the year, as well as sharing holiday and year-end messages from some of our contributors. Big thanks to Nate Runkel, Drew Harris, Phillip reese, and John Vettese for sending messages this year, and thanks to all the contributors at 25 O'Clock in 2025. We couldn't make this happen without everyone involved. Enjoy the ever-standard clickable playlist below, and have great holiday and a happy new year.
The Maks are a trio of veteran Philadelphia musicians who were just starting to maybe think about being a band when they ended up as the opener on a sold out show, and everything just took off from there. Long standing supporter of the podcast Maggie Poulos (and founder of boutique PR firm Mixtape Media) talks with all three Maks: Melissa Menago, Angelique Zuppo, and Karina Patricelli, as well as their manager, Wendy Rollins. The band talks about things moving fast, how they write, produce and perform, and what they want to see happen for them in the next year. They break down how they wrote their song, “The Boulder”, for the WXPN 24 Songwriting Contest, and what each of them brings to the table in the trio.
The Maks have multiple singles out now wherever you get your digital music, and are working hard at a full length for 2026. They'll be playing a benefit show called Hope In Harmony, benefitting Women In Transition, a domestic abuse treatment center in Philadelphia, at 118 North on December 21st with Alexis Cunningham and Stone Cold Grace.