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Playlists: songs about tricksters and trickery

September 2, 2025 Peter Kimpton

Foxy rock: the Megitsune portrayed by Babymetal

Untrustworthy, shapeshifting creatures from Japan and elsewhere, to a whole spectrum of deceitful and dodgy human behaviour spanning many genres from folk, rock, pop, funk and more, compiled in wily style by guest Suzi from last week’s topic

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In blues, avant-garde, comedy, country, dance, drone, dub, experimental, folk, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, music, metal, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, RnB, rock, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, tricksters, mythology, folklore, Babymetal, Paramore, The A's, Kelis, Blind Alfred Reed, Fairport Convention, Jethro Tull, John Jacob Niles, The Who, The Eagles, The Adicts, Fun Lovin' Criminals, Amos Lee, The Meditations, Old Blind Dogs, Lynx DeMuth, Hercules and Love Affair, Otis Taylor, Martin Carthy, Dave Swarbrick, Pentangle, Eliza Carthy, Jake Thackray, Oysterband, Suzi
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Playlists: songs with conditional phrases

January 10, 2024 Peter Kimpton

The Big If …

Where will it all lead? What are the conditions? Are they zero, first or second? All the ifs and thens are revealed in these wittily entertaining lists compiled by guest Severin, inspired by songs nominated in last week’s opening topic of 2024

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, folk, experimental, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags The Darling Buds, Barrington Levy, Janis Joplin, Fairport Convention, Lucinda Williams, Massive Attack, Roxy Music, Samara Joy, Ray LaMontagne, Kurtis Blow, ODESZA, The Staple Singers, David Holmes, Raven Violet, Spiritualized, Noel Gallagher, Badfinger, The Beatles, Captain Beefheart, Phoebe Bridgers, Tracy Chapman, Stephen Stills, Charlie Poole, Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators, George Harrison, Beverley Knight, Mica Paris, Leonard Cohen, AC/DC, Elvis Presley, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, Ian Dury, Basement Jaxx, Yola, severin, Severin
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Playlists: songs about reading

September 20, 2023 Peter Kimpton

Talking Heads - but what’s in the book?

Read all about it! Or in some cases, don’t believe a word. From books to letters to the media and more, guest of the week George Boyland picks out a classy selection from last week’s topic nominations. Browse and enjoy …

Read more
In blues, calypso, comedy, country, dance, disco, folk, funk, indie, jazz, music, musical hall, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, psychedelia, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags reading, books, letters, newspapers, news, media, Liverpool, songs, playlists, Billy Bragg, The Boomtown Rats, Edwin Starr, Johnnie Taylor, Pete Townshend, NIck Lowe, Talking Heads, Blind Willie Johnson, McCarthy, PJ Harvey, Joan Armatrading, Swell Maps, Gordon Lightfoot, Rocket From The Tombs, David Crosby, Fairport Convention, Belle & Sebastian, Grant Hart, Future of the Left, The Bevis Frond, Reggae George, Elvis Costello, Julian Cope, Western Promise, George Boyland
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Playlists: songs about legacy

August 23, 2023 Peter Kimpton

Stevie Wonder has a strong connection with the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr …

It runs within us all, but how is it expressed in song? From major moments and figures in history to personal stories, and even the legacy in our genes, guest Marco den Ouden covers a brought range in fine detail with playlists picked from last week’s topic

Read more
In African, avant-garde, blues, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, metal, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, legacy, inheritance, Christopher Jackson, Hamilton (musical), Josh Groban, George Washington, British Sea Power, First World War, Hitsujibungaku, Stevie Wonder, Martin Luther King, Jay-Z, Errol Walker, The Streets, Mike and the Mechanics, Melissa Etheridge, Linkin Park, Tim Buckley, Carole King, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Bob Marley, Oysterband, Belle & Sebastian, Patio, Carmen Twillie, Lebo M, Sheryl Crow, Elton John, Eminem, Polina, Christy Moore, Keith LeBlanc, Sarah McLachlan, Martyn Joseph, Martin Simpson, Sammy Hagar, The Corrs, Leslie Odam Jr, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Pulp, Arrested Development, Pierce Pettis, Fefe Dobson, Cindy Bullens, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Seth Lakeman, Fairport Convention, Fanny, Brooke Fraser, Olivia Newton-John, Lowen & Navarro, Andre Williams, The Rankin Family, Marco den Ouden
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Playlists: songs about orgasms

November 16, 2022 Peter Kimpton

Horn of plenty: Rosalía

Yes! Yes! Yes! After days of non-stop, multiple orgasmic musical nominations, it’s time to have a cigarette, sit back and relax as guest of the week magicman presents more than pleasurable playlists that reach even more climaxes …

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In African, avant-garde, dance, disco, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, psychedelia, punk, rock, songs, soul Tags songs, playlists, orgasms, sex, Frank Zappa, The Mothers of Invention, Fairport Convention, Sugababes, The Rolling Stones, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Major Harris, The Beths, Lil Louis, Starlight Vocal Band, Teddy Prendergrass, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Prince, Machine Gun Fellatio, Rosalía, Turbonegro, Blonde Redhead, Marvin Gaye, Bebe, Alex Puddu, Janet Jackson, Max Romeo, Magic Dirt, Destiny's Child, Apollonia 6, The Dukes of Stratosphear, Liz Phair, Millie Jackson, The Beatles, magicman
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Playlists: songs about playing cards

August 17, 2021 Peter Kimpton
Ace solos …

Ace solos …

What will be turned? High rollers to full houses, this week the deck, and the record player, is stacked with wonderful winners as guest George Boyland plays his hand from a selection of nominations from last week’s topic

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In blues, avant-garde, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, indie, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playing cards, games, The Cuban Brothers, Ronnie Lane, Slim Chance, Prefab Sprout, Ray Charles, Max Romeo, Etta James, The White Stripes, Little Feat, Stephen Stills, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Joni Mitchell, Offa Rex, Peter Hammill, Spirit, Boogie Down Productions, Anti-Nowhere League, Fairport Convention, And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Deadead, Sippie Wallace, Holly Golightly, Blind Willie McTell, XTC, Streetwalkers, George Boyland
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Playlists: songs about switches, buttons, knobs and levers

June 22, 2021 Peter Kimpton
Don’t adjust the dial. Stay tuned. All the buttons and songs are on this week’s Song Bar radio

Don’t adjust the dial. Stay tuned. All the buttons and songs are on this week’s Song Bar radio

Click! Radio to romance, computers to transport, even death and destruction, those switches are primed for all occasions, so stay tuned for super songs picked by guest Marco den Ouden from nominations that push all the right buttons

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, colours, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, drone, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, playlists, musicals, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, buttons, switches, radio, machines, weapons, romance, sex, computers, transport, Edwin Starr, Agnetha Fältskog, Paul Casey, Terri Hooley, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Newcleus, Kirsty MacColl, Heath McNease, Dresden Dolls, Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, Murray McLauchlin, Brother Rodney, Black Box Recorder, Graham Parker, Gemma Ray, Bobby Bare, Mark Knopfler, Fairport Convention, Norah Jones, Lil Johnson, Object One, R Kelly, Ninette, Joni Mitchell, Freddy Cannon, Cornelius, Kate Bush, Teddy Prendergrass, Tori Amos, Propellerheads, The Champs, Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, Phil Collins, Josh Ritter, The Dubliners, Kenny Burrell, English Beat, Van Morrison, Roomful of Blues, Royksopp, Lykke Li, Fats Waller, Cult With No Name, The Mountain Goats, Leroy Anderson, The Alan Parsons Project, Lena Horne, Earl Grant, Marco den Ouden
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Playlists: songs about roses

May 25, 2021 Peter Kimpton
Roses of many colours decorate this week’s lists …

Roses of many colours decorate this week’s lists …

Whether wild or cultivated, on western plains to eastern mountains, country gardens or inner city, guest flower picker AmyLee creates a bloomin’ marvellous bouquet of music to display a fabulous selection of aural and lyrical colours

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, roses, flowers, The Smithereens, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Otis Taylor, The Temptations, Chris & Cosey, The Association, Elliott Smith, Oysterband, Neil Young, The Rolling Stones, Hope Sandoval, The Warm Invention, Waxahatchee, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Airto Moreira, The Maytals, Shawn Phillips, Peter Hammill, Gary Lucas, Van Morrison, Praetorius, Ben Webster, OutKast, Betty Harris, Dub Syndicate, Bobby Hebb, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, PJ Harvey, The West Coast Pop Art Experiment, Squeeze, Clear Light, Marianne Faithfull, television, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Jerry Garcia, Ray LaMontagne, Rosanne Cash, Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, Ben Harper, Tom Waits, Thin Lizzy, The Magnetic Fields, Pete Docherty, Them, Fairport Convention, Kaia Kater, Captain Beefheart, Nazareth, Bijan Chemirani, James P. Johnson, St. German, St Germain, Oscar Peterson, Johann Strauss II, Benjamin Britten, Handel, George Friederic Handel, Henry Purcell, Mouse on Mars, Virgil Fox, Tony Gould, Vangelis, Brian Eno, Roger Eno, AmyLee
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Playlists: songs about edges, ledges and thresholds

January 26, 2021 Peter Kimpton
Billy Mackenzie: a life on the edge

Billy Mackenzie: a life on the edge

From a thin razor to wide borders on the fringes of the world, from mental thresholds to frenzied fault lines, all inspired by many nominations on last week’s topic guest playlister Maki takes the topic to the musical cutting edge

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In blues, classical, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, edges, thresholds, Defunkt, Madonna, Billy Mackenzie, Einstürzende Neubauten, Radiohead, Peter Hammill, Vainica Doble, The Doobie Brothers, BB King, Yes, Richard Hawley, Fairport Convention, The Oysterband, The Grateful Dead, Culture, Los Mocosos, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, U2, XTC, The Go-Betweens, Milltown Brothers, Bernardo Bonezz
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Playlists: songs about stalking, following and chasing

November 6, 2019 Peter Kimpton
Follow the eyes … Annette Hanshaw

Follow the eyes … Annette Hanshaw

Innocent following to sinister stalking, this week’s guest magicman has got all the exits covered across two excellent playlists chasing down last week’s topic to cover all musical streets from romantic threats to thrilling car chases

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In avant-garde, blues, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, jazz, music, musical hall, playlists, musicals, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, following, stalking, chasing, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carole King, Al Campbell, Mindy Gledhill, Lorraine Ellison, Annette Hanshaw, Candi Staton, The Police, Sting, Albert King, AC/DC, Los Jaivos, Sam Sham & The Pharoahs, Film, film soundtrack, Aqualung, Dalbello, UNKLE, Eminem, Dido, Walter TV, The Bangles, Bob Marley, Blossom Dearie, Snow Patrol, Fairport Convention, Chuck Berry, Frances Nero, Cody ChestnuTT, Kacey Musgraves, magicman, Lalo Schifrin, Sam Sham & The Pharaohs, Los Jaivas
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Playlists: songs with and about ambiguity

July 17, 2019 Peter Kimpton
Stock image? Gazelle Twin – definitely, possibly otherwise

Stock image? Gazelle Twin – definitely, possibly otherwise

What indeed does it all mean? Weaving in and out of lyrics and songs like an outer-body radio station, inspired by last week’s nominations, guest magicman creates two mesmerising playlists that ask as many questions as they answer

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In avant-garde, blues, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, experimental, electronica, folk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, metal, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, rock, reggae, songs, soul Tags songs, playlists, ambiguity, Tedesci Trucks Band, Townes Van Zandt, Boeing Duveen & The Beautiful Soup, Electric Light Orchestra, Nona Hendryx, The Kinks, Rosa Leon, paul simon, Gazelle Twin, Dana & Karen Kletter, Harry Nilsson, Todd Rundgren, Chris Bell, Yola, Adrian Belew, Steely Dan, Wire, The Beatles, Peter Hammill, Aldous Harding, Sam Sham & The Pharoahs, REM, Fairport Convention, Dead Can Dance, Frank Zappa, Vampire Weekend, Laurie Anderson, magicman
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Playlists: songs and music featuring the violin

January 31, 2018 Peter Kimpton
The violin bridges many a genre …

The violin bridges many a genre …

Bridging huge swathes of musical genre from folk to classical, reggae to hip hop, India to China, it's time for our guest writer amylee to take a 'bow' for superb playlists inspired by last week's huge and fiddly topic

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In blues, classical, country, dance, folk, hip hop, indie, music, playlists Tags Songs, playlists, violin, Rod Stewart, The Raconteurs, Jack White, James Blood Ulmer, The Raincoats, The Paragons, Fairport Convention, It's A Beautiful Day, Hawkwind, La Bottine Souriante, Mahavishnu Orchestra, The Gloaming, Nigel Kennedy, Edward Elgar, dEUS, Echo and the Bunnymen, String Driven Machine, Tindersticks, Marianne Faithfull, Peter Hammill, The Levellers, UK Subs, The Triffids, Karen Dalton, Houndog, Dixie Chicks, Iva Bittová, Vladimir Václavek, Seatrain, Laurie Anderson, Wu-Tang Clan, Jules Massenet, AmyLee
Comment

Playlists: great tracks to begin albums, mixtapes or radio shows

January 10, 2018 Peter Kimpton
Blast off: many bright openings illuminate this week's playlists …

Blast off: many bright openings illuminate this week's playlists …

Is it best to set light slowly or start with a big bang? In what turned out to be topic of epic proportions and suggestions, this week's guest ParaMhor creates a superb selection of illuminating playlist openings 

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In soul, songs, rock, reggae, punk, pop, playlists, music, metal, indie, folk, electronica, dance, classical, blues Tags Songs, Music, playlists, opening tracks, Fairport Convention, Iggy Pop, Little Richard, The Temptations, Britney Spears, The Monkees, The Sweet, Meatloaf, Tom Petty, Bryan Ferry, Miles Davis, Massive Attack, Horace Andy, Richard Strauss, Thin Lizzy, Ty Segall, The Jacksons, Charles Mingus, The Gourds, Stevie Wonder, Echo and the Bunnymen, Crosby Stills & Nash, The Allman Brothers Band, Nick Drake, The Emotions, Intl Illimani, Inti-Illimani, John Barry, The Triffids, ParaMhor
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Playlists: songs about channelling mental and physical pain

March 29, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Antony Hegarty, now known as ANOHNI 

Antony Hegarty, now known as ANOHNI 

Through the haunting voices of Antony Hegarty and Karen Dalton to memories of Syd Barrett and racing with the Boss, this week's guest writer ParaMhor plays through the pain barrier with perfects lists inspired by last week's topics 

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Tags Pink Floyd, songs, playlists, pain, PP Arnold, Orange Juice, The Brilliant Green, They Might Be Giants, Susan Cadogan, Noah And The Whale, Dexys Midnight Runners, Anthony and the Johnsons, Karen Dalton, The Folk Implosion, Bruce Springsteen, Curved Air, Nazareth, Fairport Convention, REM, M.A.S.H., Richard Thompson, Mary Coughlan, Dusty Springfield, Propaganda, Culture Club, Judas Priest, Alter Bridge, Eric Clapton, Florence and the Machine, The Sonics
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The Song Bar's Musical Tribute: Celebrity Deaths of 2016

December 31, 2016 Peter Kimpton
Some of the fallen of 2016. Picture credit: @christhebarker

Some of the fallen of 2016. Picture credit: @christhebarker

Muhammad Ali to Mose Allison, David Bowie to Prince, George MIchael to Victoria Wood, enjoy our list of the greats who left us in 2016 , all with a musical twist. We shall remember them

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Tags Muhammad Ali, Mose Allison, Prince Be, Pete Burns, Prince Buster, David Bowie, Fidel Castro, Guy Clark, Leonard Cohen, Ronnie Corbett, Phife Dawg, A Tribe Called Quest, Holly Dunn, Keith Emerson, Carrie Fisher, Pete Fountain, Glenn Frey, Juan Gabriel, Christina Grimmie, Merle Haggard, Sonny James, Sharon Jones, Paul Kantner, Jane Little, Greg Lake, David Mancuso, Sir George Martin, Denise Katrina Matthews, Nick Menza, George Michael, Chips Moman, Scotty Moore, Emilio Navaira, Prince, Lou Reed, Debbie Reynolds, Matt Roberts, Leon Russell, Frank Sinatra Jr, Ralph Stanley, Dave Swarbrick, Fairport Convention, Vi Subversa, Rod Temperton, Heatwave, Toots Thielemans, Bobby Vee, Alan Vega, Suicide, Colin Vearncombe, Viola Beach, Papa Wemba, Maurice White, Terry Wogan, Victoria Wood, Bernie Worrell, Obituaries, Lemmy
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Playlists: songs featuring male names

August 10, 2016 Peter Kimpton
HI! I'm Andy Kaufman. Where am I? Who sang about me?

HI! I'm Andy Kaufman. Where am I? Who sang about me?

Andy to Billy, Carey to Terry, this week's guest writer treefrogdemon does a roll call through hundreds of your song suggestions from last week's topic to show how lyrics define far more than just a name

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Tags songs, treefrogdemon, The Coasters, Pearl Jam, Joni Mitchell, Drive-By Truckers, Veda Hille, REM, T Rex, Twinkle, Goosehouse, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, Dusty Springfield, Fairport Convention, Del Shannon, Abba, NoMeansNo, Dillinger, Band of Horses, Andre Williams, The Fall, Wunmi, Patti Smith, Johnny Otis, Simon & Garfunkel, Sister Sledge, Tom Petty
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New Albums …

Featured
Spíra by Ólöf Arnalds.jpeg
Dec 5, 2025
Ólöf Arnalds: Spíra
Dec 5, 2025

New album: A gorgeous, delicate, ethereal first release in a decade by the Icelandic singer-songwriter, acoustic instruments and her gentle, high, pure voice, all in her native language, caressing this listening experience like pure waters of some slowly trickling glacial stream

Dec 5, 2025
Melody's Echo Chamber - Unclouded.jpeg
Dec 5, 2025
Melody's Echo Chamber: Unclouded
Dec 5, 2025

New album: A fourth album, here full of delicious uplifting, dreamily chic, psychedelic soul pop by the French musician Melody Prochet, with bright, upbeat, optimistic numbers and a title lifted from a quote by the acclaimed Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, about achieving equilibrium

Dec 5, 2025
Devotion & The Black Divine by anaiis.jpeg
Dec 2, 2025
anaiis: Devotion & The Black Divine
Dec 2, 2025

New album: Following a summer Song of the Day - Deus Deus, a review of the autumn release and third LP by the London-based French-Senegalese singer-songwriter of resonantly beautiful, dynamic, sensual soul, gospel, R&B and experimental and chamber pop, with themes of new motherhood, uncertainty, religion, self-love and acceptance

Dec 2, 2025
De La Soul - Cabin In The Sky.jpeg
Nov 26, 2025
De La Soul: Cabin In The Sky
Nov 26, 2025

New album: The hip-hop veterans return with their first without, yet including the voice of, and a tribute to, founding member Trugoy the Dove, AKA Dave Jolicoeur who passed away in 2023, alongside many hip-hop luminary guests, with trademark playful skits, and all themed around the afterlife

Nov 26, 2025
The Mountain Goats- Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan.jpeg
Nov 26, 2025
The Mountain Goats: Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan
Nov 26, 2025

New album: An evocative musical journey of a concept album by the indie-folk band from Claremont, California, fronted by singer-songwriter John Darnielle, based on a dream of his in 2023 about a voyage to a fictional island by the titular captain, charting adventure, wonder and tragedy

Nov 26, 2025
Allie X - Happiness Is Going To Get You.jpeg
Nov 26, 2025
Allie X: Happiness Is Going To Get You
Nov 26, 2025

New album: A hugely entertaining, witty, droll, inventive, chamber and synth-pop fourth LP with a goth twist by the charismatic and theatrical Canadian artist Alexandra Hughes, who brings paradox and dark themes through sounds that include string quartet, harpsichord, classical and pure pop piano with killer lyrics

Nov 26, 2025
Tortoise - Touch.jpeg
Nov 25, 2025
Tortoise: Touch
Nov 25, 2025

New album: A welcome return with a cinematic and mesmeric groove-filled first studio LP in nine years, and the eighth over all by the eclectic Chicago post-rock/jazz/krautrock multi-instrumentalists Dan Bitney, John Herndon, Douglas McCombs, John McEntire and Jeff Parker

Nov 25, 2025
What of Our Nature by Haley Heynderickx, Max García Conover.jpeg
Nov 24, 2025
Haley Heynderickx and Max García Conover: What of Our Nature
Nov 24, 2025

New album: Beautiful, precise, poignant and poetic new folk numbers inspired by the life and music style of Woody Guthrie as the Portland, Oregon and New Yorker, now Portland, Maine-based singer-songwriters bring a delicious duet album, alternating and sharing songs covering a variety of forever topical social issues

Nov 24, 2025
Tranquilizer by Oneohtrix Point Never.jpeg
Nov 24, 2025
Oneohtrix Point Never: Tranquilizer
Nov 24, 2025

New album: Ambient, otherworldly, cinematic, mesmeric, and at times very odd, the Brooklyn-based electronic artist and producer Daniel Lopatin returns with a new nostalgia-based concept – constructing tracks from lost-then-refound Y2K CDs of 1990s and early 2000s royalty-free sample electronic sounds

Nov 24, 2025
Iona Zajac - Bang.jpeg
Nov 24, 2025
Iona Zajac: Bang
Nov 24, 2025

New album: A powerful, stirring, passionate and mature debut LP by the 29-year-old Glasgow-based Scottish singer with Polish and Ukrainian heritage who has toured as the new Pogues singer, and whose alternative folk songs capture raw emotions and the experience of modern womanhood, with echoes of PJ Harvey, Patti Smith, Aldous Harding and Lankum

Nov 24, 2025
Austra - Chin Up Buttercup.jpeg
Nov 19, 2025
Austra: Chin Up Buttercup
Nov 19, 2025

New album: This fifth studio LP as Austra by the Canadian classically trained vocalist and composer Katie Stelmanis brings beautiful electronica-pop and dance music, and has a bittersweet ironic title – a caustically witty reference to societal pressure to keep smiling despite a devastating breakup

Nov 19, 2025
Mavis Staples - Sad and Beautiful World.jpeg
Nov 18, 2025
Mavis Staples: Sad and Beautiful World
Nov 18, 2025

New album: A timelessly classy release by the veteran soul, blues and gospel singer and social activist from the Staples Singers, in a release of wonderfully moving and poignant cover versions, beautifully interpreting works by artists including Tom Waits, Curtis Mayfield, Leonard Cohen, and Gillian Welch

Nov 18, 2025
Stella Donnelly - Love and Fortune 2.jpeg
Nov 18, 2025
Stella Donnelly: Love and Fortune
Nov 18, 2025

New album: Finely crafted, stripped back musical simplicity combined with complex melancholic emotions mark out this beautiful, poetic, and deeply personal third folk-pop LP by the Australian singer-songwriter reflecting on the past and present

Nov 18, 2025
picture-parlour-the-parlour-album.jpeg
Nov 17, 2025
Picture Parlour: The Parlour
Nov 17, 2025

New album: Following last year’s EP Face in the Picture, a fabulously stylish, smart, swaggering glam-rock-pop debut LP by the Manchester-formed, London-based band fronted by the impressively raspy, gritty, vibratro delivery of Liverpudlian vocalist and guitarist Katherine Parlour and distinctive riffs from North Yorkshire-born guitar Ella Risi

Nov 17, 2025

new songs …

Featured
The Lemon Twigs - I've Got A Broken Heart.jpeg
Dec 4, 2025
Song of the Day: The Lemon Twigs - I've Got A Broken Heart
Dec 4, 2025

Song of the Day: Despite the title, this new double-A single (with Friday I’m Gonna Love You) has a wonderfully uplifting guitar-jangling beauty, with echoes of The Byrds and Stone Roses, but is of course the brilliant 60s and 70s retro sound of the Long Island brothers Brian and Michael D'Addario, out on Captured Tracks

Dec 4, 2025
Alewya - Night Drive.jpeg
Dec 3, 2025
Song of the Day: Alewya - Night Drive (featuring Dagmawit Ameha)
Dec 3, 2025

Song of the Day: A sensual, stylish, dreamy electro-pop single by the striking British singer-songwriter, producer, multidisciplinary artist and model Alewya Demmisse, musically influenced by her rich Ethiopian-Egyptian heritage and early childhood upbringings in Saudi Arabia and Sudan

Dec 3, 2025
Rule 31 Single Artwork.jpg
Dec 2, 2025
Song of the Day: Radio Free Alice - Rule 31
Dec 2, 2025

Song of the Day: Stirring, passionate indie postpunk by the band based in Melbourne, Australia, with echoes of The Cure’s core sound, new wave, and 90s indie-rock influences, and out on Double Drummer

Dec 2, 2025
Sailor Honeymoon - Armchair.jpeg
Dec 1, 2025
Song of the Day: Sailor Honeymoon - Armchair
Dec 1, 2025

Song of the Day: Catchy, punchy, fuzz-guitar indie rock with a droll lyrical delivery and some echoes of Wet Leg come in this new single by the trio from Seoul, South Korea, out on Good Good Records

Dec 1, 2025
Ellie O'Neill.jpeg
Nov 30, 2025
Song of the Day: Ellie O'Neill - Bohemia
Nov 30, 2025

Song of the Day: A beautiful, poetic finger-picking debut folk single with a mystical, distantly stormy twist by the Dublin-based Irish singer-songwriter from County Meath, out now on St Itch Records

Nov 30, 2025
Danalogue.jpeg
Nov 29, 2025
Song of the Day: Danalogue - Sonic Hypnosis
Nov 29, 2025

Song of the Day: A full flavour of future-past with mesmeric, euphoric retro acid house and electronica in this new single by Daniel Leavers, producer and the founding member of The Comet Is Coming and Soccer96, out now on Castles In Space

Nov 29, 2025
Cardinals band.jpeg
Nov 28, 2025
Song of the Day: Cardinals - Barbed Wire
Nov 28, 2025

Song of the Day: Another striking, passionate, punchy, catchy single by the Irish postpunk/indie-folk-rock band from Cork, heralding their upcoming debut album, Masquerade, out on 13 February via So Young Records

Nov 28, 2025
Frank-Popp-Ensemble and Paul Weller.jpeg
Nov 27, 2025
Song of the Day: Frank Popp Ensemble (with Paul Weller) - Right Before My Eyes
Nov 27, 2025

Song of the Day: A strong, soaring, emotive, soulful release by the German artist co-written by British singer and former Jam frontman who here sings and plays guitar, the lyrics about witnessing the increasing injustices and demise of the world, out on Unique Records / Schubert Music Europe

Nov 27, 2025
Tessa Rose Jackson - Fear Bangs The Drum 2.jpeg
Nov 26, 2025
Song of the Day: Tessa Rose Jackson - Fear Bangs The Drum
Nov 26, 2025

Song of the Day: Using a musical metaphor, beautiful, crisply rhythmical, soaring piano and atmospheric indie-pop-folk about facing your fears by the Dutch/British singer-songwriter, heralding her forthcoming new album The Lighthouse, out on 23 January 2026 on Tiny Tiger Records

Nov 26, 2025
Melanie Baker - Sad Clown.jpeg
Nov 25, 2025
Song of the Day: Melanie Baker - Sad Clown
Nov 25, 2025

Song of the Day: Catchy, candid, cathartic indie-grunge-pop by the British singer-songwriter from Cumbria in a melancholy but oddly uplifting emotional work-through of depression, love and exhaustion, out now on TAMBOURHINOCEROS

Nov 25, 2025
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Nov 24, 2025
Song of the Day: Holly Humberstone - Die Happy
Nov 24, 2025

Song of the Day: Luxuriant, breathy, femme-fatale dream pop with a dark, southern gothic, Lana del Rey-inspired, live-fast-die-young theme, and stylish video by the 25-year-old British singer-songwriter from Grantham, out on Polydor/Universal

Nov 24, 2025
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Nov 23, 2025
Song of the Day: These New Puritans - The Other Side
Nov 23, 2025

Song of the Day: A delicate, tender, and unusually minimalist single, their first since this year’s acclaimed album Crooked Wing, by the Southend-on-Sea-born Barnett twins, here with Jack on improvised piano and George on drums and a soprano register wordless vocal, out on Domino Records

Nov 23, 2025

Word of the week

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Dec 4, 2025
Word of the week: crapulence
Dec 4, 2025

Word of the week: A term that may apply regularly during Xmas party season, from the from the Latin crapula, in turn from the Greek kraipálē meaning "drunkenness" or "headache" pertains to sickness symptoms caused by excess in eating or drinking, or general intemperance and overindulgence

Dec 4, 2025
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Nov 20, 2025
Word of the week: discalceate
Nov 20, 2025

Word of the week: A rarely used, but often practised verb, especially when arriving home, it means to take off your shoes, but is also a slightly more common adjective meaning barefoot or unshod, particularly for certain religious orders that wear sandals instead of shoes. But in what context does this come up in song?

Nov 20, 2025
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Nov 6, 2025
Word of the week: erythrophyll
Nov 6, 2025

Word of the week: A seasonally topical word relating to the the red pigment of tree leaves, fruits and flowers, that appears particularly when changing in autumn, as opposed to the green effect of chlorophyll, from the Greek erythros for red, and phyll for leaves. But what of songs about this?

Nov 6, 2025
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Oct 22, 2025
Word of the week: fennec
Oct 22, 2025

Word of the week: It’s a small pale-fawn nocturnal fox with unusually large, highly sensitive ears, that inhabits from African and Arab deserts areas from Western Sahara and Mauritania to the Sinai Peninsula. But has it ever been seen in a song?

Oct 22, 2025
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Oct 9, 2025
Word of the week: gongoozler
Oct 9, 2025

Word of the week: A fabulous old English slang term for someone who tends to stand or sit for long periods staring at the passing of boats on canals, sometimes with a derogatory or at least ironic use for someone who is useless or lazy. But what of songs about this activity and culture?

Oct 9, 2025

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