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Aesop Rock, master of the mini sub-claws …
It’s a creative, freeflowing form that may well be as much crafted as straight from the imagination, but also one that distorts narrative and logic. Inspired by last week’s nominations, guest ajostu presents an associative, brainstorming set of lists with a real ‘vibe’
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Spin the music: this week’s playlists pull in a swirl of superb stories
Yaaaaar, me hearties! Troubled waters to dire straits, the world is full of hazardous seas from bad weather to human folly and war. Inspired by last week’s topic nominations, guest Captain Marconius tells many a rich tale with his canticle pickings …
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Into the mix …
Midnight sun to marmalade skies, octarine to racing green, it’s a who’s who of hues - with guest playlister Loud Atlas mixes up inspiration from last week’s topic into something a shade different
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Songs pour out …
A fluid topic, fountains strike a deep emotional chord, while sometimes reflective and philosophical, cover a range from loneliness and sorrow to exaltation and celebration. Marco den Ouden turns on the the tap, inspired by the past week’s nominations
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Time to grab a different instrument …
Revamped and newly performed by the original artists or as covers by others, the unplugged, undistorted and stripped back acoustic version can bring new feeling, meaning, audible lyrics and sometimes a sense of a whole new song
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The great Dinah Washington enjoyed slipping one in
Various professions, food and all seemingly innocent activities get the full suggestive double meaning dose this week in a splendidly entertaining set of lists picked by Marco den Ouden from last week’s hot topic
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Frank Zappa: a big fan of throwing grammar to the wind
Eyebrow-raising errors or mischievous messing with facts? Inadvertent or otherwise, songs are strewn with wonky signposts of syntactical or other wrongness, and guest Maki rightly finds fun in it, inspired by last week’s topic
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The full works …
Need to nail down that job you’ve been putting of? Short of tools and other materials? Inspired by songs nominated from last week’s topic, guest TatankaYotanka has a superb musical shopping list and gets it all stylishly done
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Tricky Ricky …
Lookin' for trouble? Then you've found the right place. Lotharios, vamps, tramps and troublemakers are truly in force as guest of the week tincanman brings us a brilliantly badass selection inspired by last week's topic
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It’s an open road for songs and music that capture the experience of driving and the journey …
This is not so much songs about roads and cars, instead those that best accompany the journey, shows not tells, enhances the sensations and capture that strangely magical movement of human and vehicle through a landscape. Enjoy here some road movies for inspiration …
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Koko Taylor: fun at work …
From various locations – in the bar, on the beach, down the street, and many forms – reggae to soul, rock to new wave. From a huge wave of fun nominations guest picker Olive Butler has a blast with brilliant set of playlists
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There’s only one direction to go in 2021, and Derrick shows the way …
From party bangers to soulful sensitivity, guest playlister DJ Bear aka PopOff! kicks off the new year with poignancy and positivity inspired by a tonne of nominations. After all what other way is there to go but up?
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Monkey business: once wise, now denies …
Politics, climate change, racism, health or personal relationships, all this and more can can come under the umbrella of denial, and in song lyrics it’s a potent area for nuance, irony, emotion, and things that bite back
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Jimi Hendrix sandcastle. It was bound to appear here eventually
This week’s lyrical topic offers a broad, varied landscape of metaphor and colour, of passing time, of instability and mutability, of the solid and the fluid, of the barren and the beautiful. Let’s dig deep for some treasures …
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Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers
A funktastic, upside perspective set of playlists chosen by guest DJ Bear from hundreds of nominations by readers sets the new year of 2020 where it needs to be on the energetic, positive good foot
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Hound of love? Indirect delivery
Through a third party, on scribbled letters left, sent or hidden, on answering machines or other means, even via prayer, this week let's look at songs about communication to an individual sent via a roundabout route
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Either/or? Reflections on more than one thing at once
Lyrics, people, behaviour, situations, morals, images, and sound, ambiguity is an essential part of all art. This week we delve into all sorts of types, enjoying the balance of nuance and different, oscillating meanings as shown in songs
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He nose, but does she? Cyrano de Bergerac
Clandestine cravings and crushes? To spice up a romantic tradition, this week’s topic is all about secret love longings expressed through song, here inspired by real-life examples of musicians, alongside film, books and theatre
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Not much time? Ari Up! The Slits
It only takes a minute (or a second) to click on this link, but once you do, your brief encounter with these pithy, witty playlists by guest picker Severin will make you linger on lyrical gems about love’s fast passing and much more
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Last four couples in a 1930s dance marathon
We’re not leaving, but showing endurance, fortitude and steadfastness. There’s a whole lot of staying power going on in this week’s topic, from physical to mental strength …
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