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Playlists: songs featuring the melodica

June 3, 2026 Peter Kimpton

Who else but the mighty master of the melodica himself …

Its gentle distinctive organ sound permeates and decorates a variety of genres with a catchy solo or drone sound. Inspired by last week’s topic, guest ParaMhor picks perfect playlists to bring the instrument out in highlights

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In African, avant-garde, blues, bossa nova, calypso, classical, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, easy listening, electronica, exotica, experimental, folk, funk, indie, jazz, krautrock, lounge, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, punk, reggae, rhythm and blues, rock, rocksteady, samba, ska, songs, soul, traditional Tags Augustus Pablo, Bobby Kalphat, King Tubby, Rockers Uptown, The Drum Club, Statik Sound System, The Go! Team, Soweto Stokvel Septette, The Hooters, Depeche Mode, Madeski Martin, REM, Steve Reich, John Mellencamp, Primal Scream, Boozoo Bajou, Ringo Sheena, Billy Preston, Bootsy Collins, Bootsy's Rubber Band, David Holmes, Gang of Four, Múm, Kotringo, The Handsome Family, Ultramarine, Keith Hudson, ParaMhor
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Playlists: songs about the number 9

February 26, 2025 Peter Kimpton

The Number 9’s getting up a head of steam this week …

Let us count the ways … distance, temperature, dates, states of being mind and muse, trains, rockets and other transports of delight all come in this wonderful cloud nine presentation by guest Nicko inspired by last week’s Song Bar Ninth Birthday topic

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, easy listening, electronica, exotica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, lounge, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional, trip hop Tags nine, numbers, Sun Ra, Linda Thompson, Albert Hammond, Suzanne Vega, Texas Gladden, Sisters of Mercy, Patti Smith, The Damned, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Wilson Pickett, Tarheel Slim, Pam Grier, Alt-J, Henry Cow, RIta Hayworth, Anita Ellis, Esperanza Spalding, Caetano Veloso, Nguyên Lê, Einstürzende Neubauten, REM, Moldy Peaches, The Now, The Robins, Woody Guthrie, Dickey Lee, Roxy Music, John Lennon, Plastic Ono Band, 3rd Line Butterfly, Gwen McCrae, The Seeds, Metá Metá, Edgar, Heliocentrics, Julius Daniel, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, The Monroe Brothers, Joe Simon, Nicko
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Playlists: songs defined or redefined by television

November 27, 2024 Peter Kimpton

Are you watching? The musical and visual chemistry of Breaking Bad

Sometimes the visual and audible become inextricable. From nostalgia to drama, guest of the week Loud Atlas channels nominations from last week’s TV topic into playlists that are must-sees and required listening

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In avant-garde, blues, calypso, African, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, easy listening, electronica, exotica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, lounge, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional, trip hop Tags songs, playlists, television, television themes, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Blind Boys of Alabama, Tom Waits, The Wire, The Lightning Seeds, Match of the Day, REM, The Bear, Sven Libaek, Inner Space, Los Jaivas, television news, Irma Thomas, Black Mirror, Barry White, Linda Ronstadt, The Last of Us, Modern English, Stranger Things, Kate Bush, Vince Guaraldi, Fonola Band, Charlie Brown, Colin Hay, Scrubs, The Polyphonic Spree, Lemon Jelly, Spaced (TV series), Badfinger, Breaking Bad, Gioacchino Rossini, The Lone Ranger, The Ventures, Hawaii Five-O, Nick Cave, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Peaky Blinders, Cream, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Alabama 3, The Sopranos, Delia Derbyshire, Doctor Who, The Decemberists, Manifest, The Cramps, Wednesday (TV series), Pérez Prado, advertising, Phil Collins, Booker T and the MGs, The Bee Gees, Baby Reindeer, Oasis, The Royle Family, John Willamson, Burke's Backyard, Blind Faith, 3 Body Problem, Gen Hoshino, Spy x Family, Nat King Cole, Fallout, CCS, Top of the Pops, Gabriel Fauré, Billy Walker, Lola Marsh, Beethoven, Nina Simone, Loud Atlas
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Playlists: songs about makeup and cosmetics

September 10, 2024 Peter Kimpton

Siouxsie Sioux

Lipstick, eyeliner, powder and more, it's all going in these beautifully made-up lists by guest of the week Suzi capturing all the looks, identities and the emotions and dreams behind the creams, inspired by last week's nominations

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In avant-garde, blues, country, disco, drone, easy listening, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, indie, jazz, lounge, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, psychedelia, reggae, rock, traditional, soul, songs Tags makeup, Big Joe Turner, Prince, Chai, X-Ray Spex, Soft Cell, No Doubt, REM, Lou Reed, Caro Emerald, Suzi Quatro, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Replacements, Black Box Recorder, Joe Ely, Dolly Parton, Jazmine Sullivan, TLC, The Exciters, Richard Thompson, Mecano, Cornershop, Abbey Lincoln, Ralph Myerz, Jack Herren Band, Jonathan Richman, Glen Lewis, Carla Bruni, WB Yeats, Dixie Chicks, Suzi
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Playlists: songs featuring superlatives

April 23, 2024 Peter Kimpton

A top shot at songcraft … LDR

Sweetest, biggest, baddest, punniest, funniest, spinniest, dreamiest, wooziest? Many more most ‘ests’ feature this week in the very best of superlative selections by guest playlister Uncleben, taking the very best shot from last week’s many nominations

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, metal, music, musicals, musical hall, playlists, pop, postpunk, psychedelia, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional, trip hop Tags songs, playlists, superlatives, language, George Olsen, Dilated Peoples, The House of Love, Nickel Creek, Jesus & Mary Chain, David Childers, The Modern Don Juans, Utah Phillips, Ani di Franco, Garbage, Christophe Maé, REM, Charlie Rich, Lana Del Rey, Sarah Vaughan, Aswad, The Wild Swans, David Bowie, Clifford Jordan, No-No Boy, Rare Bird, Barry Brown, McCarthy, Gene Clark, The Kane Gang, Weyes Blood, Jockstrap, Uncleben
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Playlists: songs about board games

December 12, 2023 Peter Kimpton

Take notes: the domino effect

Chess, Checkers or Cluedo, Dominoes, Monopoly to Scrabble and much more, the game is afoot, or possibly at hand. Inspired by last week’s playful topic, guest of the week an inspired Maki brings all the pieces to the table

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In African, avant-garde, blues, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, board games, High Llamas, Wu-Tang Clan, Syd Barrett, Junior Jein, Husker Du, King Creosote, The Free Design, Cadillac Jones, The Axis of Awesome, Long-Ge, Joss Stone, Hayes Carll, Urge Overkill, REM, Let's Eat Grandma, Amigo The Devil, Half Man Half Biscuit, Gnom, Laurie Anderson, Pete Wylie, The Mighty Wah, Ariana Grande, Victoria Monét, Young Killer, Bob Dylan, Procul Harum, Joaquín Sabina, Maki
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Playlists: songs and pieces featuring the cello

November 22, 2023 Peter Kimpton

Sheku Kanneh-Mason

Classical to classic pop, rock, folk, African, jazz and beyond, the instrument provides an unmistakably rich, powerful, emotional voice. Inspired by a beautiful, broad scope of nominations from last week’s topic, guest Loud Atlas presents out some equally wonderful playlists

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In African, avant-garde, classical, blues, country, drone, dub, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, music, musicals, musical hall, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, rock, songs, soul, traditional, soundtracks Tags JS Bach, Yo-Yo Ma, 2Cellos, Led Zeppelin, Beethoven, The Auteurs, Virgínia Rodrigues, Zak Abel, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, ELO, Fun Boy Three, Fatoumata Diawara, The Mountain Goats, The Beatles, REM, Mabe Fratti, Oasis, Edward Elgar, Jacqueline du Pré, The Singers Unlimited, Arthur Russell, This Mortal Coil, Apocalyptica, Cream, Roy Wood, Dessa, Yusef Lateef, Tom Waits, Belle & Sebastian, Spencer Davis Group, Tom Paxton, Ben Sollee, Honningbarna, David Darling, The Wulu Bunu, Ramin Djawadi, film soundtrack, Game of Thrones, Lindsay Mac, Michael Giacchino, Loud Atlas
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Playlists: songs about gravity

November 8, 2023 Peter Kimpton

One giant leap, Felix Baumgartner returns to Earth from 24 miles up, 2012

Recurring dreams, space, tides and the Moon, or perhaps a very weighty animal? Gravity t’s a major force that controls us all, but channelled into playlists by guest of the week George Boyland from last week’s topic, it’s sure to go down very well …

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In blues, classical, comedy, country, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, gravity, Tankus The Henge, Erland Cooper, Ivor Cutler, John Mayer, Prince Far I, The Arabs, Tarpeian Rock, Gorillaz, Bootsy Collins, Kelli Ali, Nada Surf, James Brown, Desmond Dekker, XTC, Lau Nau, Peter Hammill, Ben Cox, Jesse Winchester, Gustav Holst, Robert Wyatt, Editors, King Crimson, Captain Chris Hadfield, Space, The Rolling Stones, Pylon, Frank Black, The Folk Implosion, REM, George Boyland, PJ Harvey
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Playlists: songs about pioneers

October 17, 2023 Peter Kimpton

Some of the groundbreaking cast of The Real Ambassadors, including Dave Brubeck and Louis Armstrong

Traversing not just wildernesses, this week’s topic celebrates those who found forms of new territory, land, sea, or space, to those who broke new ground in their specialist field. For these, guest of the week Marco den Ouden creates landmark playlists inspired by last week’s topic

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, metal, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, psychedelia, prog, reggae, rock, songs, soul, soundtracks, showtime Tags pioneering, history, Horrible Histories, Elton John, Mark Knopfler, James Taylor, Klaus Badelt, Public Service Broadcasting, John Stewart, John Denver, The Sweet, Dominique Moore, Katie Melua, Daft Punk, Syran Mbenza, Ensemble Rumba Kongo, Dave Brubeck, Louis Armstrong, Lambert Hendricks & Ross, Split Enz, Roxette, Fess Parker, Ron Goodwin, Phil Lynott, Ani di Franco, Utah Phillips, Neil Young, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Simple Minds, Procul Harum, Jon and Vangelis, Bruce Cockburn, Blakie & The Rodeo Kings, Jen Cloher, Paul McCartney, New Christy Minstrels, High Llamas, The Long Ryders, Nick Cave, Dion, Smokey Robinson, Gap Band, Stevie Wonder, Tapper Zukie, Etta James, Bob Dylan, Janis Martin, Chick Corea, Max Richter, Vangelis, Allan Holdsworth, REM, Bill Conti, London Symphony Orchestra, Laika and the Cosmonauts, Yuri Honing, Embryo, Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, Groove Collective, The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger
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Brief notes: songs inventively using acronyms

October 5, 2023 Peter Kimpton

Cat scan?

They’re a very common part of our language, but in lyrics or titles where are they consciously and creatively used? With meaning instantly recognisable or more cryptically unpacked, their sound might perhaps be used musically or to help create memorable lines or rhymes

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, 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 songs, playlists, acronyms, language, Dr Seuss, Milton Friedman, media, military, technology, Ancient Rome, religion, second world war, Film, Robin Williams, radio, lonely hearts ads, internet, Abba, XTC, Sparks, Franz Ferdinand, REM
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Playlists: songs with androgynous vocals

September 13, 2023 Peter Kimpton

The fabulous Ezra Furman and a famous fan …

Who is singing? It’s a magical moment of uncertainty. In a highly subjective topic, not only with non-binary artists but with those whose gender is better known, guest of the week ParaMhor picks perfectly balanced playlists of excellent and ambiguous gender vocals from last week’s topic nominations

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In African, avant-garde, blues, classical, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, metal, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, ska, songs, soul, traditional Tags songs, playlists, androgyny, gender, Massive Attack, Horace Andy, The Pointer Sisters, Suede, Brett Anderson, Secos & Molhados, The Clash, Salif Keïta, Cesária Évora, Prince, Ezra Furman, Moses Sumney, Colin Blunstone, Beach House, Nico, JS Bach, Michael Chance, Shamir, Bear In Heaven, Sweeny Todd, Lankum, Maria Bethânia, Gal Costa, Active Child, Gale Garnett, Cher, The Four Seasons, Eddie Holman, Peter Ivers, Thirty Pounds of Bone, Slapp Happy, Henry Cow, REM, This Mortal Coil, The Delays, Jeff Buckley, Mozart, Emma Kirkby, ParaMhor
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Playlists: songs about the vertebral column and neck

September 13, 2022 Peter Kimpton

Back in the bar: Erykah Badu

Lumbar numbers to vertebral verses, it’s time to run all the way up the spine to the nape of the neck in playlists that place all those discs without a single slip, musically massaged and written about by guest Loud Atlas from last week’s topic

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, jazz, music, psychedelia, prog, postpunk, pop, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, backs, vertebrae, necks, anatomy, biology, The Guess Who, REM, Faye Webster, Elvis Presley, Erykah Badu, The Vandals, The Delta Rhythm Boys, Shriekback, Rufus & Chaka Khan, Parliament, Sam Cooke, Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, Jimi Tenor, The Riga Symphony Orchestra, Ashton Gardner & Dyke, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Dickies, Captain Beefheart, Smokey Robinson, The Miracles, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Paragons, The O'Jays, Willie Bobo, The Fiestas, Alpha Blondy, Van Morrison, AC/DC, Lena Wilson, Joe Duffy and Whatever's Clever, Thee Deadtime Philharmonic, Chris Lujan, Electric Butter, Rathergood, Loud Atlas
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Playlists: songs about crowds

December 7, 2021 Peter Kimpton

La Foule: Edith Piaf sings to an enraptured gathering in 1951

Forming an orderly queue or going mob-handed in an unruly bunch, it’s time to join the throng in enjoying these fabulous selections by guest Loud Atlas, picked from an even bigger crowd of numbers from last week’s topic

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In African, avant-garde, blues, country, classical, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, jazz, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, crowds, society, psychology, Blue Oyster Cult, Joni Mitchell, The Human League, James Taylor, XTC, Edith Piaf, The Jam, The Ink Spots, Little River Band, Betty Everett, bread, Mbongeni Ngema, REM, Regurgitator, Bryan Ferry, The Grateful Dead, Kaiser Chiefs, Alice Donut, The Cramps, The Saw Doctors, Lesley Gore, The Kinks, Johnny Cash, Burning Spear, Ben Folds Five, Kimya Dawson, The Ruts, Mickey Gilley, The Har-You Percussion Group, Ramsey Lewis, Ramsey Trio, Joe Satriani, Tom Odell, Allison Pontier, Ashleigh Frieze, Loud Atlas
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Playlists: Boastful songs

November 17, 2021 Peter Kimpton

Flash, brash and bulging with talent: Grandmaster Melle Mel with the Furious Five

Bombastic braggadocio to self-applauding swagger, sexual prowess and stamina to super-clever slick, non-stop self-description, guest playlister ShivSidecar picks supremely sharp and entertaining sets of songs from early rock’n’roll to soul, hip hop and beyond

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In blues, disco, funk, hip hop, indie, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, rock, soul, songs, comedy Tags boasting, arrogance, playlists, music, songs, Billy Ward & The Dominoes, Wilson Pickett, James Brown, Rasputin's Stash, Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five, Roxanne Shanté, Joe Walsh, Brakes, Cat Power, The Temptations, Thee More Shallows, REM, Death In Vegas, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, EPMD, Young MC, The Third Bardo, The Warlocks, Utopia, Candye Kane, Manic Street Preachers, Virgin Prunes, Tom Waits, Juicy Bananas, Eminem, Chance The Rapper, Chelmico, Munchausen, Captain Beefheart, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, Cerys Matthews, David Bowie, The Lower Third, Bette Bright & The Illuminations, The Pipettes, The Beat, Klark Kent, Steve Burns, The Flaming Lips, Sidecar Shiv
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Take a piece: songs that quote or offer advice

May 6, 2021 Peter Kimpton
Handing out key advice …

Handing out key advice …

Reported or direct, the practical or philosophical, the benevolent or biased, critical or contradictory, from parent to child, expert to novice, or general, this week it’s all about useful instruction, ignored or taken and ideally as detailed and unusual as possible

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, funk, folk, 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, advice, William Shakespeare, Bruce Lee, Maya Angelou, Oscar Wilde, John Steinbeck, PG Wodehouse, Lemmy, Aretha Franklin, The Staple Singers, Christina Aguilera, Michael Jackson, REM, Bobby McFerrin, Harry Chapin, parental advice, childhood, children, Baz Luhrmann, Mary Schmich, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Charles Bukowski, Josh Billings, Erica Jong, Henry Wheeler Shaw, Helen Fielding, Shirley Temple, Noel Coward, Gore Vidal, musicals, Thomas Tusser
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Playlists: songs about eureka moments, realisation, discovery and enlightenment

November 25, 2020 Peter Kimpton
To the cosmos and beyond …

To the cosmos and beyond …

Has it ever occurred to you that …. life, the universe and everything could be captured in playlists? This question is answered perfectly by guest ajostu, who picks some profound revelations inspired by last week’s nominations

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In African, avant-garde, blues, classical, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, reggae, rock, soul, soundtracks, traditional, songs Tags songs, discovery, eureka moments, Studio Killers, 10000 Maniacs, Carly Simon, Ella Fitzgerald, Suzanne Vega, Peter Gabriel, Carl Sagan, Stephen Hawking, Boswell, Beastie Boys, Miho Hatori, REM, The Sundays, Moby, Julia Holter, Angel Olsen, The Police, The Moody Blues, The Grateful Dead, Clem Snide, The Headhunters, Sun Ra, Earth Wind & Fire, Norman Connors, Ultramarine, Lonnie Liston Smith, John Legend, The Roots, Alice Coltrane, Carlos Santana, Bat For Lashes, Laurie Anderson, Bruford, Annette Peacock, ajostu
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Playlists: songs about written correspondence

October 28, 2020 Peter Kimpton
davidbowiewritingyletter.jpg Letter to Hermione Lyrics.jpg

Love, hate, broken hearts, glad tidings, bills, rejections, congratulations – here came many sackfuls of mail in response to last week’s topic, and sorting through it all was guest postmaster Maki, down to two splendid playlists

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In blues, avant-garde, comedy, country, disco, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, indie, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, ska, songs, soul Tags songs, playlists, Dean Friedman, John Prine, David Bowie, Siobhan Wilson, Fleet Foxes, Macy Gray, Pastor López, Prince Buster, Lorraine Bowen, Wire, The Ink Spots, Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, Blondie, REM, Brothers Johnson, Kevin Ayers, Burning Spear, The Police, The Soft Machine, The Who, Tim Buckley, Celtas Cortos, Niña Pastor, Juan Luis Guerra
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Playlists: songs about the evening

September 9, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Twilight delight with The Platters

Twilight delight with The Platters

It begins gently, through twilight’s transition, but then, slipping into darkness, anything can happen. From serene solitary scenes to excitement, dancing and sex, the evening is brought in brilliantly with playlists by this week’s guest philipphilip99

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In avant-garde, blues, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, rock, songs, showtime, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, evening, Esborn Svensson Trio, The Ink Spots, The Platters, Young Marble Giants, The Weakerthans, Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians, Feist, paul simon, Donna Summer, Petula Clark, Jack Jackson & His Orchestra, John Zorn, Enya, Eels, Led Zeppelin, Django Reinhardt, REM, Julie London, Roy Rogers, Seth Lakeman, Shirley Collins, The Albion Band, The Zombies, David Sylvian, Geoffrey Orvema, Sandie Shaw, Richard Hawley, The XX, Roy Harper, Jimmy Witherspoon, Ezio Pinza, philipphilip99
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Playlists: songs with non sequiturs

June 24, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Sparks are eating apparently nothing to do with what their song is about …

Sparks are eating apparently nothing to do with what their song is about …

From the witty to the weird, the irreverent to the irrelevant, the poetic to the potty, after a huge outpouring of nominations, guest playlister severin serves up a superb menu of cutting-edge and classic musical conundrums

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In blues, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, music, jazz, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, songs, soul, traditional Tags songs, playlists, non sequiturs, Wanda Jackson, Barenaked Ladies, Sparks, Homeboy Sandman, The Beatles, Beth Orton, Aldous Harding, Bob Dylan, The Go-Betweens, Shriekback, Captain Beefheart, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Nick Cave, Chambers Brothers, Velvet Underground, Half Man Half Biscuit, Glenn Yarborough, Hombres, The Wind In The Willows, The Marvelettes, The Soft Machine, Cream, Guided By Voices, REM, Luke Westaway, Nirvana, David Bowie, Robyn Hitchcock, Memphis Jug Band, Skids, Sex Pistols, Santosh Narayanan, ABC, Wire, Suburban Lawns, The Sleepy Jackson, Talking Heads, Massive Attack, T Rex, The Flaming Lips, Stevie Wonder, Echo and the Bunnymen, Simple Minds, Brian Eno, Willie Colon, Jah Wobble, The Flys, Severin, severin
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Playlists: songs about stars

April 1, 2020 Peter Kimpton
David Bowie of course. Star from start to finish.

David Bowie of course. Star from start to finish.

An astronomically huge topic resulting in a galaxy of nominations. This week’s guest playlister Amylee not only listened to them all, but turned them into a stellar set of songs spanning the musical universe

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In blues, classical, avant-garde, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, gospel, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, stars, astronomy, Oliver, Jimi Hendrix, The Parisians, Prince, REM, Radiohead, Drugstore, Grinderman, Nick Cave, Rose Royce, Dub Syndicate, T Rex, David Bowie, Stan Tracey Quartet, Henry Purcell, Michael Askill, Primal Scream, Opal, Michel Polnareff, Kula Shaker, Van Morrison, The Chieftains, Billy Bragg, Wilco, Robb Johnson, Nina Nastasia, The Zephyrs, Bran Van 3000, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Freeheat, The Primitives, Superdrag, The New York Dolls, Andre Williams, The Art Attacks, Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her, Jean Paul Sartre Experience, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, The Cranberries, Iggy Pop, Ty Segall, Mushroomhead, Dark Lotus, Pras, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Mya, Counting Crows
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New Albums …

Featured
The Landfill by Fruit Bats.jpeg
June 17, 2026
Fruit Bats: The Landfill
June 17, 2026

New album: Written as usual with his first-thing-in-the-morning, stream-of-consciousness technique, the singer-songwriter Eric D. Johnson, also one-third of the folk trio Bonny Light Horseman, returns with a new collection of melodic, often beautiful, and profound, reflective, gentle, folky rock now 30 years since the first album

June 17, 2026
Demand to Be Taken to Heaven Alive! by Horse Lords.jpeg
June 17, 2026
Horse Lords: Demand to Be Taken to Heaven Alive!
June 17, 2026

New album: The Berlin-based, Baltimore quartet return with their special brand of mesmeric, experimental rock, weaving a rich maze of African polyrhythmic patterns and fascinating tessellations of percussion, guitar, bass, saxophone, microtones, electronic and voice loops

June 17, 2026
Roses by WIDOWSPEAK.jpeg
June 17, 2026
Widowspeak: Roses
June 17, 2026

New album: Deliciously gentle-paced and languid, warmly twangy and romantically nostalgic, poetic indie-country-rock by the New York band of spouses vocalist Molly Hamilton and guitarist Robert Earl Thomas, with delicate musical echoes of Tom Petty, Rolling Stones, REM, Neil Young, Yo La Tengo and Cat Power in this finely crafted seventh LP

June 17, 2026
Olivia Rodrigo - You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love.jpeg
June 16, 2026
Olivia Rodrigo: you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love
June 16, 2026

New album: The 23-year-old American singer-songwriter, actress, and evidently big fan of The Cure returns with consummately crafted, smart, witty pop and indie rock, featuring an appearance by Robert Smith, and charting the arc of a romantic relationship from unbridled joy to bitter aftermath in her third LP

June 16, 2026
Bingo! by La Sécurité.jpeg
June 15, 2026
La Sécurité: Bingo!
June 15, 2026

New album: Fabulously fun, vibrant, feisty, catchy, wittily droll post-punk, new wave and art-punk in this pacy, vivacious sophomore LP by the Montréal collective with themes from mental health, dysfunctional relationships, food to enjoyable elderly activities, with styles reminiscent of The B-52s and Devo

June 15, 2026
So Help Me God by Kelsey Lu.jpeg
June 13, 2026
Kelsey Lu: So Help Me God
June 13, 2026

New album: Luxuriant, ethereal, dramatic and passionate experimental and chamber dream pop by the American singer-songwriter and cellist, with their second LP, seven years since 2019 debut Blood, with guests including Sampha, Kamasi Washington, Kim Gordon, and co-producer Jack Antonoff

June 13, 2026
Cry Baby by Vince Staples.jpeg
June 10, 2026
Vince Staples: Cry Baby
June 10, 2026

New album: The Compton/ Long Beach, Californian rapper returns with a potent, punchy, overtly political rock-hip hop seventh LP that heavily critiques American society and power, racism, police violence, gun culture, media and the music industry, largely accompanied by a tight, riff-heavy electric guitars, bass and drums

June 10, 2026
Liz Lawrence - Vespers.jpeg
June 9, 2026
Liz Lawrence: Vespers
June 9, 2026

New album: More acoustic, stripped back and lo-fi than her previous four albums, yet with deeply powerful and moving songwriting and performance, the British artist’s latest is suffused with grief, reflection and devotion for the premature loss of her sister Jessie, capturing life and death, poetically expressing devotion and reflection

June 9, 2026
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June 9, 2026
Bedouine: Neon Summer Skin
June 9, 2026

New album: A serenely beautiful, but also nostalgically sorrowful fourth LP by American singer-songwriter Azniv Korkejian who has Armenian-Syrian heritage, with songs about displacement and identity, very mindful of Middle Eastern conflicts, atrocities and her family history, while broadening her sound into the lush mould of 1970s Carole King and Laurel Canyon

June 9, 2026
Spatial, No Problem. by Lee %22Scratch%22 Perry & Mouse on Mars.jpeg
June 8, 2026
Lee "Scratch" Perry and Mouse on Mars: Spatial, No Problem
June 8, 2026

New album: This wondrously eclectic and entertaining final official album project by the legendary Jamaican producer and artist, made before his passing in 2021, is a collaboration with the German electronic duo Jan St. Werner and Andi Toma, mixing reggae, krautrock, ambient, dub, jazz, New Orleans brass and more, alongside Perry’s distinctive voice

June 8, 2026
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June 7, 2026
Jalen Ngonda: Doctrine of Love
June 7, 2026

New album: Following his acclaimed 2023 debut Come Around And Love Me, the American UK-based impressive soul singer’s second LP is another classy collection of beautifully uplifting, sublime Northern soul and Motown-era love songs

June 7, 2026
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June 7, 2026
Death Cab For Cutie: I Built You A Tower
June 7, 2026

New album: Elegantly expressed emotional turmoil unfolds across 11 cleverly crafted songs in this 11th album by the Seattle indie rock band fronted by Ben Gibbard and produced by the brilliant John Congleton around a metaphor for post-marriage grief

June 7, 2026
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June 6, 2026
Zoh Amba: Eyes Full
June 6, 2026

New album: The NY-scene free jazz saxophonist forms an indie-folk-country-rock-muddy-blues trio with fabulously strong results in this passionate, raw, free-flowing debut as guitarist-singer-songwriter, lyrics themed around their original hometown of Kingsport, Tennessee, and coloured by Appalachian roots

June 6, 2026
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June 5, 2026
ear: Rumspringa
June 5, 2026

New album: Minimalistic, introverted, nuanced quirky laptop experimental electronica by the New York duo Jonah Paz and Yaelle Avtan, following last year’s debut The Most Dear and the Future, this one named after a a rite of passage for Amish adolescents translated as "running around" in Pennsylvania German

June 5, 2026

new songs …

Featured
Hanna Tuulikki.jpeg
June 17, 2026
Song of the Day: Hanna Tuulikki and Tommy Perman - We Came Out (Lesser Horseshoe bat)
June 17, 2026

Song of the Day: A pair of wondrously striking experimental electronica tracks infused with field recordings of the nocturnal winged mammal by the experimental artists and designer based in Scotland

June 17, 2026
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June 16, 2026
Song of the Day: Surusinghe - FRIED
June 16, 2026

Song of the Day: A mesmeric, eclectic opening track by the Naarm/Melbourne-raised, London-based electronic artist, DJ and producer aka Suze Gurusinghe, from her recently released EP, Cutting Thread, out on Dh2

June 16, 2026
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June 15, 2026
Song of the Day: L'Rain - Soulless Cycle
June 15, 2026

Song of the Day: A whoosh of thunderous, mesmeric alternative rock marks this striking new single by the Brooklyn experimental composer, musician, artist and singer Taja Cheek, heralding her upcoming fourth album Fata Morgana, out on 14 August via Mexican Summer

June 15, 2026
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June 14, 2026
Song of the Day: Fenne Lily - Uh Huh
June 14, 2026

Song of the Day: Beautiful, banjo accompanied, reflective wistful indie folk-pop by the the Brooklyn-based British singer-songwriter with this first single heralding her upcoming fourth album, Win Win, out on 23 October via Nettwerk Music

June 14, 2026
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June 13, 2026
Song of the Day: Interpol - See Out Loud
June 13, 2026

Song of the Day: Pulsating indie rock by the seasoned New York band fronted by singer Paul Banks and guitarist Daniel Kessler, heralding their upcoming eighth album This Mirror Weighs a Ton, out on 28 August, and newly signed to Partisan Records

June 13, 2026
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June 12, 2026
Song of the Day: Jack White - Dollar Bill
June 12, 2026

Song of the Day: The White Stripes man returns with a blistering, bluesy rock guitar, Led Zeppelin-ish single, heralding his upcoming seventh solo album, Frozen Charlotte, out on 10 July via Third Man Records

June 12, 2026
Hot Slob by Sylvan Esso.jpeg
June 11, 2026
Song of the Day: Sylvan Esso - Hot Slob
June 11, 2026

Song of the Day: A proudly messy, rowdy, pointed and punchy new indie rock single embracing the spirit and chaos of living in the glitch by the North Carolina duo of Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn, here featuring Jenn Wasner and TJ Maiani and out on Psychic Hotline

June 11, 2026
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June 10, 2026
Song of the Day: Rodrigo y Gabriela - Monster
June 10, 2026

Song of the Day: The hugely popular and Grammy-winning Mexico City-raised guitar duo return with a dextrously brilliant new single mixing acoustic and rock styles, heralding their new upcoming new album OurHome out 18 September via ATO Records

June 10, 2026
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June 9, 2026
Song of the Day: JJerome87 - Mr. Alligator
June 9, 2026

Song of the Day: A bluesy, smooth, luxuriantly produced Americana number about a dubious authority figure by the British songwriter and musician Joe Newman, frontman of the Mercury winning band alt-J, in this latest single from his debut solo album, The Canyon, out on 26 June via Mushroom Music/ Virgin

June 9, 2026
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June 8, 2026
Song of the Day: Baalti & Lapgan - Romance / Ipa Ma
June 8, 2026

Song of the Day: Vibrant, rhythmic, experimental electronica and dance music sampling Bollywood, Bengali disco, Hindustani classical and Gujarati folk by the NY-based pair Jaiveer Singh, Mihir Chauhan, joined by producer Gaurav Nagpa, from their recent album, Threads, out on Azal/FADER

June 8, 2026
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June 7, 2026
Song of the Day: Margaret Glaspy - Michigan
June 7, 2026

Song of the Day: A beautiful finger-picked acoustic single by New York-based Californian singer-songwriter about escaping the big city post breakup, heralding her upcoming album I Am Both out on 7 August via ATO

June 7, 2026
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June 6, 2026
Song of the Day: LA Priest - Into The Sky
June 6, 2026

Song of the Day: High-octane electronica and euphoric, dance music by the eccentric, eclectic US artist Sam Eastgate with his first music for two years, and a highly entertaining video, out on Domino Records

June 6, 2026

Word of the week

Featured
Flying saucer.jpeg
June 11, 2026
Word of the week: phialiform
June 11, 2026

Word of the week: This rare but oddly beautiful rare adjective means "saucer-shaped" or having the form of a small, shallow cup or vessel, from the Latin root phiala (a shallow bowl or phial) and the suffix -iform, meaning shape

June 11, 2026
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June 4, 2026
Word of the week: quamoclit
June 4, 2026

Word of the week: Also known as cypress vine, cardinal creeper, cardinal vine, star glory, star of Bethlehem or hummingbird vine, this striking climbing flower, Ipomoea quamoclit, is native tropical regions of the Americas and has a distinctive trumpet with five-point star-shaped petals

June 4, 2026
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May 21, 2026
Word of the week: riqq
May 21, 2026

Word of the week: An appropriately onomatopoeic noun for name for Middle Eastern tambourine, able to produce a range of percussive sounds, and commonly heard in traditional Egyptian, Arab, Greek and Turkish music

May 21, 2026
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May 7, 2026
Word of the week: salpinx
May 7, 2026

Word of the week: This very imposing, loud, resonant noun is an ancient Greek, trumpet-like instrument used as a tactical signal on the battle field, as well as to signal the beginnings of gatherings, or of races in sport

May 7, 2026
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April 23, 2026
Word of the week: throstle
April 23, 2026

Word of the week: An archaic, evocative noun with two connected meanings, originally for the song thrush, then later a textiles industrial frame for spinning, twisting and winding machine for cotton, wool, and other fibres simultaneously

April 23, 2026

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