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Playlists: songs about fountains

August 27, 2025 Peter Kimpton

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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In African, blues, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, easy listening, electronica, exotica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, lounge, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, RnB, rock, rocksteady, samba, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, music, fountains, water, Jackie Wilson, Peter Perrett, Al Green, Echo and the Bunnymen, Jackson Browne, Alec Benjamin, Tracy Chapman, Lady Gaga, Grandmaster Melle Mel, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Indigo Girls, Jackie Leven, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Charlotte Church, Judikay, Playing For Change, Frank Sinatra, The Sweet, Arrested Development, Buffalo Tom, Doll By Doll, Georges Brassens, Elvis Presley, Leon Ware, Janis Siegel, Sufjan Stevens, King Crimson, Kate Rusby, Joe Bonamassa, The Byrds, Black Uhuru, Carl Perkins, PJ Harvey, Fleetwood Mac, Clamavi de Profundis, Jorge Ben, Jah9, Rolf Stimson, Gran-Lee Phillips, Tom Harrell, Carol Rosenberger, Duke Ellington, Los Pekenikes, Paco de Lucia, Cyrus Chestnut, Lyle Lovett, Laurence Juber, Mad Unity, Lloyd McNeil Quartet, Geffion, Franz Schubert, Shang Wen-Jie, The Choir Of Beijing Takah, Les Cailloux, Camille, Marco den Ouden, Marconius
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Playlists: songs about physical gestures

March 27, 2024 Peter Kimpton

Sound waves and beyond …

Pointing, clapping, nodding, waving, thumbs up, thumbs down, high fives and much more, there’s no end to the lyrical gesticulation on offer signalled from last week’s topic by guest playlister Loud Atlas, whose presentation and choices should attract a salute and long applause

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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, trip hop Tags gestures, psychology, human behaviour, AC/DC, Marvin Gaye, Little Simz, Obongjayar, Brenton Wood, Alanis Morissette, Jake Bugg, Sufjan Stevens, Loyle Carner, Stevie Smith, The Bevis Frond, Richard Thompson, The Meters, Alfred Apaka, The Chiffons, Little Eva, Neil Diamond, Henry Hall, BBC Concert Orchestra, Dan Donovan, Soft Cell, The Lowest Pair, Was (Not Was), Herbie Hancock, The Fairfield Four, Mama Cass Elliot, Vanity Fare, The Guess Who, Slobberbone, Beck, Don McLean, Wreckless Eric, The Ramones, United Bottles, Tom Lehrer, Kismet Original Broadway Cast, Alfred Drake, Dropkick Murphys, Ludovico Bource, The Black Crowes, Ben Platt, Loud Atlas
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Playlists: songs with unusual time signatures

February 7, 2024 Peter Kimpton

Tea time at the Bar? Alternative servings …

Pleased to meter? 5, 7, 11, 13, 15 or even 17? We’ve got all the strange signature numbers for you here in brilliantly arrhythmic playlists by guest of the week Barbryn, making it really count from last week’s topic nominations

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In African, avant-garde, calypso, classical, dance, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, metal, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, songs, soul Tags songs, playlists, time signatures, rhythm, The Smile, Radiohead, Deborah Conway, PJ Harvey, Elephant Gym, Georgie Fame, Juana Molina, Pachora, Cat Stevens, Yusuf, Planxty, The Grateful Dead, Sufjan Stevens, Aaron Parks, Uakti, Philip Glass, Bjork, JS Bach, Murray Perahia, Yes, Airto Moreira, Don Ellis, Jazzanova, Bill Bruford, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Dream Theater, Tricot, GoGo Penguin, Avishai Cohen, Shakti, Taylor Swift, The National, Aaron Dessner, Lamb, Barbryn
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Just count on this: songs with unusual time signatures

February 1, 2024 Peter Kimpton

After a short paws …what happens next?

Hard to beat? Not necessarily. While most songs are in 4/4 time, and others in 3/4 waltz, there are many fascinating variants that push the boundaries, often in a catchy way. It’s not necessary here to name the numbers, just how it feels when you count …

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In African, avant-garde, blues, classical, calypso, comedy, country, dance, 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, songs, soul, soundtracks, trip hop Tags time signatures, songs, playlists, instrumentals, William Gibson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Albert Einstein, Emily Dickinson, Mark Helprin, Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Nick Drake, Islet, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Christopher Walken, Peter Gabriel, Genesis, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Chemical Brothers, Q-Tip, Captain Beefheart, Bjork, Fiona Apple, Sufjan Stevens, PJ Harvey, Frank Zappe, King Crimson, Yes, Robert Fripp
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Playlists: single-minded songs

November 14, 2023 Peter Kimpton

Single-minded pursuits: Roxy Music

It might mean concentration, determination, persistence, relentlessness, and even obsessive behaviour, but while that perhaps thinking of one thing, or one person, but this is a topic has gathered a broad range of music and ideas. Guest Sidecar Shiv reveals more in fabulous playlists picked from last week’s topic

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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, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, showtime, rocksteady, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, Primal Scream, The Fugees, Muhammad Ali, A Tribe Called Quest, Busta Rhymes, John Forte, Nico Wayne Toussaint, The Impressions, David Holmes, Raven Violet, Taylor Swift, Roxy Music, Animals That Swim, Dave Hause, Fountains of Wayne, Fiona Apple, The Animals, Dean Parrish, Nocturnal Emissions, U2, The Sound, Talking Heads, The Temptations, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Boogie Down Productions, Giant Crab, Kevin Coyne, PJ Harvey, Bobbie Gentry, Amy MacDonald, Sufjan Stevens, Neil Young, The Triffids, Iris DeMent, Julian Cope, Husker Du, Eurythmics, The Eurythmics, Ronnie Lane, Slim Chance, Della Reese, ShivSidecar, Sidecar Shiv
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The feel of the wheel: ideal driving songs

April 6, 2023 Peter Kimpton

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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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, Film, film soundtrack, road songs, cars, travel, Jack Kerouac, Douglas Adams, Edgar Wright, Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, The Doobie Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel, Talking Heads, The B52's, Roxette, The Cardigans, The Cars, Steppenwolf, Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson, Wim Wenders, Terrence Malick, Carl Orff, Ridley Scott, Hans Zimmer, Ingrid Bergman, George Sanders, Roberto Rossellini, French New Wave, Jean-Luc Godard, Sufjan Stevens, Steven Spielberg, George Miller, Mad Max films, Jim Jarmusch, John Lurie, David Lynch, Angelo Badalamenti
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Playlists: songs about winter sports and pastimes

December 13, 2022 Peter Kimpton

The classic Netherlands Elfstedentocht event. But what songs made the finish for this week’s theme?

Skating, skiing, ice hockey and other sliding, the big freeze inspired musical outdoor winter activity. But which songs made it to the finish line, and which were left on ice? Check out in this winter wonderland of playlists by guest Marco den Ouden

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In classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, playlists, musicals, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, winter, sport, snow, ice, Jackie Leven, Bill Morrissey, Laura Veirs, Tom Waits, Public Service Broadcasting, Tungtvann, Papaoke, Stompin' Tom Connors, The Weakerthans, The Raggamuffins, Bob Andy, Sufjan Stevens, Emmy The Great, Tim Wheeler, Count Basie, The Decemberists, The Ronettes, The Louvin Brothers, Eddie the Eagle, Elliott Smith, Katzenjammer, Warren Zevon, Cocteau Twins, Chad Mitchell Trio, Lorraine Bowen, Jughead, Bjork, Loreena McKennitt, Kate Rusby, Fleet Foxes, Kate McGarrible, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, The Boils, Heino, The Beach Boys, Vince Guaraldi, Emile Waldteufel, Daniel Herskedal, Timothy J Fairplay, Francis Lai, Sidney Torch, Jean-Jaques Perrey, Harrey Breuer, Ennio Morricone, The Ventures, Albert Collins, Idiosync, David Foster, The Blazers & The Yodelin' Guides, Ylvis, Nicolay Ramm, Nils Fredrik Røren, Frank Sinatra, Marco den Ouden
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Mission? Songs about the impossible

June 30, 2022 Peter Kimpton

Evel Knievel attempts to jump 13 buses in London, 1975. What could possibly go wrong?

Love, death, survival, creativity – at times they all seem impossible or insurmountable. After a seemingly inconceivable recent world history, it’s time to play with the idea of impossible in song, and work out what really is from what isn’t. Is it all down to perception?

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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, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, impossible, Evel Knievel, Lewis Carroll, Gustave Flaubert, Victor Hugo, Friedrich Nietzsche, Oscar Wilde, MC Escher, history, politics, economics, psychology, media, popularism, Jair Bolsonaro, Donald Trump, Boris Johnson, Charles MacKay, Audrey Hepburn, Nelson Mandela, Napoleon Bonaparte, Francis of Assisi, Charles R Swindoll, Robert H Goddard, Frank Sonnenberg, Amelia Earhart, Bette Davis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Stephen Hawking, time travel, Richard Dawkins, alien life, aliens, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C Clarke, HL Mencken, Sir David Attenborough, Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Abraham Lincoln, Jean de la Fontaine, Mary Wollstonecraft, Douglas Adams, David Cronenberg, Woody Allen, Monty Python, death, Francis Bacon, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Joe Moore, Miguel de Cervantes, Herman Melville, Sufjan Stevens, Beethoven, Billy Joel, Alan Moore, Tom Cruise
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Playlists: songs about sisters

March 2, 2022 Peter Kimpton

Martha, my dear: Rufus Wainwright with his beloved fellow singer sister

Deep affection, solidarity, loyalty, but also a variety of bittersweet melanges, this week, after a tsunami of perceptive suggestions, guest of the week George Boyland picks songs of deep emotion and variety that sing out for the sister

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In blues, calypso, country, dub, electronica, folk, funk, gospel, indie, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, reggae, rock, ska, songs, soul, traditional Tags songs, playlists, sisters, relatives, family, Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Ursula Rucker, Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, Marianne Faithfull, Judy Mowatt, Lenny Kravitz, Jake Thackray, Elvis Presley, MC5, Sam and Dave, Bonnie Raitt, Maddy Prior, Standard Fare, The Sonics, Kaizers Orchestra, Slobberbone, The Juliana Hatfield Three, Juliana Hatfield, Camera Obscura, Terence Trent D'Arby, Nico, Tracey Thorn, Corinne Bailey Rae, Sufjan Stevens, Roberta Flack, Little Richard, Nicodermus, Lori McKenna, Tom Waits, The Edgar Broughton Band, George Boyland
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Playlists: songs about tradition

December 21, 2021 Peter Kimpton

British and German troops buck tradition, but also honour it, during the Christmas Day truce of 1914, to play football instead of war

Ancient religions to strange festivals, drinking rituals to counting sheep to chasing cheeses, small slices of history to long formed social behaviour, enjoy wonderful stories and playlists picked by guest Marco den Ouden from last week’s topic

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In blues, comedy, country, experimental, folk, instrumentals, jazz, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, rock, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, tradition, Topol, Fiddler On The Roof, musicals, Steeleye Span, Jake Thackray, Giorgio Moroder, The Maccabees, Die 3 Besoffskis, Takashi Hirayaus, Bob Brozman, Les Innocents, Shikata Akiko, Lila Downs, Mike Harding, Tim Minchin, Nat King Cole, Hen Ogledd, Samingad, Dadawa, The Saw Doctors, Show Of Hands, Sea Power, B Movie, Billy Idol, The Fantastics, Richard Thompson, Linda Thompson, Joni Mitchell, NIck Lowe, Careg Lafar, Heilung, Peter Gabriel, Waylon Napadogan, John McCutcheon, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Chloe Adams, The Kickstands, Stan Getz, Stanley Clarke, Jon Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Sufjan Stevens, John Coltrane, Alex Khaskin, Swing Out Sister, Peter Green, Simani, Big Crosby, The Irish Rovers, National Lampoon, Marco den Ouden
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And the beat goes on: songs about wings

July 29, 2021 Peter Kimpton
Hum that tune …

Hum that tune …

Birds to insects, bats and angels to Icarus and aeroplanes, myth and reality, metaphor and literal, it’s time to let your musical imagination take flight and soar with the senses in songs that feature these supreme super-limbs in lyrics

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, birds, insects, animals, animal behaviour, Plato, William Blake, Paul McCartney, The Beatles, Robert Ardrey, Mae West, Greek mythology, Icarus, Sufjan Stevens, Wim Wenders, Film, Ray Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut, Sir David Attenborough, Uli Emanuele, base jumping, wingsuits, George Herbert, William Shakespeare, Shakespeare, bats, mammals
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Playlists: songs from or about Italy

December 9, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Benvenuti in La Taverna Cantata!

Benvenuti in La Taverna Cantata!

This week, it’s the full Italian job! And there’s far more to it than exploding cars – a whole queue of hooting horns, gesticulation and finest food and wine in musical form, all picked by excellente playlister philipphilip99 from a fleet of nominations

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In avant-garde, blues, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, electronica, dub, folk, funk, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, musicals, playlists, musical hall, pop, songs, showtime, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, Italy, Matt Monro, Don Black, Quincy Jones, film soundtrack, Film, The Italian Job, Gianfranco & Gian Piero Reverberi, Gianna Nannini, Lush, Tullio De Piscopo, Fred Buscaglione, Renato Carosone, Rosemary Clooney, Stephen Bishop, Billy Joel, Super Furry Animals, Jovanotti, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Mark Knopfler, Klein & MBO, New Order, Domenico Modugno, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Sufjan Stevens, Giuliano Sorgini, Jonathan Richman, Alice, PFM, Chris Rea, philipphilip99
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Playlists: biographical and autobiographical songs

October 4, 2017 Peter Kimpton
James Boswell. The biographer and man of letters helps draft this week's list of canticles … Portrait: Sir Joshua Reynolds

James Boswell. The biographer and man of letters helps draft this week's list of canticles … Portrait: Sir Joshua Reynolds

It began with a letter. Schoolboys to murderers, fist-fighting ruffians to race horses, from last week's voluminous nominations, peruse these superbly compiled playlists by guest biographer Uncleben through the muse of James Boswell

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In music, playlists, songs, soul, country, folk, indie, reggae, rock Tags songs, playlists, biography, autobiography, James Boswell, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, The Mountain Goats, Russell Morris, The Temptations, Tyla J Pallas, The Fall, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Emmanuel Jal, Sufjan Stevens, Jason Isbell, Steely Dan, Charles Bradley, Tom Petty, NIck Lowe, Laura Cantrell, Lightnin' Rod, Grace Jones, Billy Childish & The Blackhands, Boston, Eric Burdon & The Animals, France Gall, Ani di Franco, Utah Phillips, Eliza Gilkyson, Sage Francis, Nick Cave, Peter Hammill, Papa Levi, Uncleben
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Winter is coming … in the form of song

November 24, 2016 Peter Kimpton
Winter? It's cold, but it's all about warmth.  I just thought penguins were too obvious ...

Winter? It's cold, but it's all about warmth.  I just thought penguins were too obvious ...

Snow, ice, frost, storms, survival, and darkness? Well, it’s not all bad. Hunker down in the Song Bar snug, and get cosy with the culture and wonders of a musical winter

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Tags songs, music, film, Kate Bush, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Sufjan Stevens, winter, Lewis Carroll, Thomas De Quincey, George RR Martin, Game of Thrones, Film, hygge, Denmark, Japan, monkeys, HBO, Billy Connolly, Scotland, Thanksgiving Day, Gil Scott-Heron, Prince, Henry Rollins, paul simon, Raymond Briggs, Whyte Horses, books, Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Gravenhurst, Arcade Fire, snow, The Revenant, Leonardo DiCaprio, Richard Harris, A Man Called Horse, Canada, Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, Doris Day, The Shining, Jack Nicholson
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Playlists: elegies and other remembrance songs

November 16, 2016 Peter Kimpton
Andy. Remembered by Lou ...

Andy. Remembered by Lou ...

Soaring soul to gentle lament, Ray Davies on his sister to Lou Reed's farewell to Andy Warhol, guest writer barbryn's beautiful playlists inspired by last week's elegy topic will leave you moved and inspired

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In playlists, songs Tags songs, remembrance, elegies, Maurice Ravel, Ólafur Arnalds, Shura Cherkassky, Sufjan Stevens, Sun Kil Moon, Guy Clark, Tim Rogers, Lou Reed, John Cale, The Kinks, Sheila Chandra, Hollie Cook, Virginia Astley, Jean Redpath, Ibeyi, Mark Hollis, Shearwater, Trash Can Sinatras, Southpaw Jones, The Cure, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Paxton, Mayte Martin, Emmylou Harris, Jesu, Peter Broderick, Barbryn
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Playlists: songs with a gripping or intriguing narrative

October 26, 2016 Peter Kimpton
James Joyce knew how to riff on a narrative …

James Joyce knew how to riff on a narrative …

Leading us first into the magical world of an Irish boozer via the portal of the great James Joyce, this week's guest writer Uncleben plays out a prize-winning tale of supreme storytelling in song

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In music, playlists, songs Tags songs, playlists, Giuseppi Verdi, Courtney Barnett, John Wesley Ryles, Sufjan Stevens, Bill Morrissey, Plan B, Lupe Fiasco, Barenaked Ladies, 10cc, The Grateful Dead, June Tabor and the Oyster Band, John Prine, Genesis, Mary Gauthier, Helen Reddy, Bad John, Kate Bush, Brian Eno, Ultimate Painting, The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing, Big Audio Dynamite, New Model Army, Tom Waits, Earl Zinger, Josh Ritter, Darrell Scott, Moon & The Album Leaf, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Uncleben
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DRINK OF THE WEEK

Constant comment tea

SNACK OF THE WEEK

black-eyed peas

New Albums …

Featured
Tyler Ballgame - For The First Time Again.jpeg
Jan 30, 2026
Tyler Ballgame: For The First Time, Again
Jan 30, 2026

New album: With that sublime, soaring, soulful voice, and echoes of Roy Orbison, the Rhode Island-raised singer-songwriter’s truly gorgeous debut LP captures all the range of of the love – warmth, longing, tenderness and heartbreak through classy and crafted retro sound of 60s and 70s rock

Jan 30, 2026
Tessa Rose Jackson - The Lighthouse.jpeg
Jan 29, 2026
Tessa Rose Jackson: The Lighthouse
Jan 29, 2026

New album: Beautiful, intricate, understated, poetic and intelligent, this warm, inviting experimental folk by the Dutch-British singer-songwriter is the first LP under her own name, having previously released three as the artist Someone

Jan 29, 2026
Lucinda Williams - World's Gone Wrong.jpeg
Jan 28, 2026
Lucinda Williams: World's Gone Wrong
Jan 28, 2026

New album: The acclaimed veteran country, rock and Americana singer-songwriter and multi-Grammy winner’s latest LP has a title that speaks for itself, but is powerful, angry, defiant and uplifting, and, recorded in Nashville, features guest vocals from Norah Jones, Mavis Staples and Brittney Spencer

Jan 28, 2026
Clotheline From Hell.jpeg
Jan 27, 2026
Clothesline From Hell: Slather On The Honey
Jan 27, 2026

New album: His moniker mischievously named after a wrestling move, a highly impressive, independently-created experimental, psychedelic rock debut the the Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Adam LaFramboise

Jan 27, 2026
Dead Dads Club.jpeg
Jan 27, 2026
Dead Dads Club: Dead Dads Club
Jan 27, 2026

New album: Dynamic, passionate, heart-stirring indie rock in this project fronted by Chilli Jesson (formerly bassist of Palma Violets) with songs spurred by the trauma of losing his father 20 years ago, retelling a defiant and difficult aftermath, with sound boosted by producer Carlos O’Connell of Fontaines D.C.

Jan 27, 2026
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Jan 25, 2026
The Paper Kites: If You Go There, I Hope You Find It
Jan 25, 2026

New album: Warm, tender, gently-paced, calmly reflective, beautifully soothing, poetic, melancholic alternative folk and Americana by the band from Melbourne in their seventh LP in 15 years

Jan 25, 2026
PVA - No More Like This.jpeg
Jan 24, 2026
PVA: No More Like This
Jan 24, 2026

New album: Inventive, alluring, sensual, mysterious, minimalistic electronica, trip-hop and experimental pop by the London trio of Ella Harris, Joshua Baxter and Louis Satchell, in this second album following 2022’s Blush, boosted by the creativity of producer and instrumentalist Kwake Bass

Jan 24, 2026
Imarhan - Essam.jpeg
Jan 20, 2026
Imarhan: Essam
Jan 20, 2026

New album: A mesmeric fourth LP in a decade by the band from Tamanrasset, Algeria, whose name means ‘the ones I care about’, their Tuareg music mixing guitar riffs, pop melodies and African rhythms, but this time also evolves slightly away from the desert blues rocky, bluesy influence of contemporaries Tinariwen with electronic elements

Jan 20, 2026
Courtney Marie Andrews - Valentine.jpeg
Jan 20, 2026
Courtney Marie Andrews: Valentine
Jan 20, 2026

New album: Emotional, beautiful, stirring, Americana, folk and indie-pop by singer-songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona, in this latest studio LP in of soaring voice, strong melodies, love, vulnerability and heartbreak, longing and bravery

Jan 20, 2026
Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore - Tragic Magic.jpeg
Jan 18, 2026
Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore: Tragic Magic
Jan 18, 2026

New album: Delicate, beautiful, ethereal, meditative new work by the two American experimental composers in their first collaborative LP, with gentle understated vocals, classic synth sounds, and rare harps chosen from from the Paris Musée de la Musique Collection

Jan 18, 2026
Sleaford Mods- The Demise of Planet X.jpeg
Jan 16, 2026
Sleaford Mods: The Demise of Planet X
Jan 16, 2026

New album: The caustic wit of Nottingham’s Jason Williamson and Andrew Fearn return with a 13th LP of brilliantly abrasive, dark humoured hip-hop and catchy beats, addressing the rubbish state of the world, as well as local, personal and social irritations through slick nostalgic cultural reference, some expanded sounds, and an eclectic set of guests

Jan 16, 2026
Sault - Chapter 1.jpeg
Jan 14, 2026
SAULT: Chapter 1
Jan 14, 2026

New album: As ever, released suddenly without fanfare or any publicity, the prolific experimental soul, jazz, gospel, funk, psychedelia and disco collective of Cleo Sol, Info (aka Dean Josiah Cover) and co return with a stylish, mysterious LP

Jan 14, 2026
The Cribs - Selling A Vibe.jpeg
Jan 14, 2026
The Cribs: Selling A Vibe
Jan 14, 2026

New album: A first LP in five years by the likeable and solid guitar indie-rock Jarman brothers trio from Wakefield, now with their ninth - a catchy, but at times with rueful, bittersweet perspectives on their times in the music business

Jan 14, 2026
Dry Cleaning - Secret Love.jpeg
Jan 9, 2026
Dry Cleaning: Secret Love
Jan 9, 2026

New album: This third LP by the London experimental post-punk quartet with the distinctive, spoken, droll delivery of Florence Shaw, is packed with striking, vivid, often non seqitur lyrics capturing life’s surreal mundanities and neuroses with a sound coloured and polished by Cate Le Bon as producer

Jan 9, 2026

new songs …

Featured
Robber Robber band.jpeg
Jan 30, 2026
Song of the Day: Robber Robber - The Sound It Made
Jan 30, 2026

Song of the Day: Striking, dynamic, noisy stop-and-start, stylish experimental post-rock and post-rock by the band from Burlington, Vermont, fronted by Nina Cates, heralding their new album, Two Wheels Move the Soul, out on 3 April via on Fire Talk

Jan 30, 2026
Holly Humberstone - To Love Somebody.jpeg
Jan 29, 2026
Song of the Day: Holly Humberstone - To Love Somebody
Jan 29, 2026

Song of the Day: Shimmeringly catchy and singalong, effervescent Abba-esque and Fleetwood Mac-ish piano and synth pop with an eye-catching, vampiric-themed video by the British singer-songwriter from Grantham, heralding her second album Cruel World out on 10 April via Polydor/Universal.

Jan 29, 2026
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Jan 28, 2026
Song of the Day: Nathan Fake - Slow Yamaha
Jan 28, 2026

Song of the Day: Hypnotic electronica with woozy layers of smooth resonance and a lattice of shifting analogue patterns by the British artist from Norfolk, taken from his forthcoming album, Evaporator, out on InFiné Music

Jan 28, 2026
Charlotte Day Wilson - Lean.jpeg
Jan 27, 2026
Song of the Day: Charlotte Day Wilson - Lean (featuring Saya Gray)
Jan 27, 2026

Song of the Day: Stylish, striking, sensual experimental electro-pop and R&B in this fabulous collaboration between the two Canadian singer/ multi-instrumentalist from Toronto, out on Stone Woman Music/ XL Recordings

Jan 27, 2026
Lime Garden - 23.jpeg
Jan 26, 2026
Song of the Day: Lime Garden - 23
Jan 26, 2026

Song of the Day: Wonderfully catchy, witty, quirky indie pop about age and adjustment by the Brighton-formed quartet fronted by Chloe Howard, heralding their upcoming album Maybe Not Tonight, out on So Young Records on 10 April

Jan 26, 2026
Madra Salach - It's A Hell Of An Age - EP.jpeg
Jan 25, 2026
Song of the Day: Madra Salach - The Man Who Seeks Pleasure
Jan 25, 2026

Song of the Day: A powerful, slow-simmering and gradually intensifying, drone-based original folk number about the the flipsides of love and hedonism by the young Irish traditional and alternative folk band, with comparisons to Lankum, from the recently released EP It's a Hell of an Age, out on Canvas Music

Jan 25, 2026
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Jan 24, 2026
Song of the Day: Adult DVD - Real Tree Lee
Jan 24, 2026

Song of the Day: Catchy, witty, energised acid-dance-punk with echoes of Underworld and Snapped Ankles by the dynamic, innovative band from Leeds in a new number about a dodgy character of toxic masculinity and online ignorance, and their first release on signing to Fat Possum

Jan 24, 2026
Arctic Monkeys - Opening Night - War Child - HELP 2.jpeg
Jan 23, 2026
Song of the Day: Arctic Monkeys - Opening Night (for War Child HELP 2 charity album)
Jan 23, 2026

Song of the Day: A simmering, potent, contemplative new track by acclaimed Sheffield band, their first song since 2022’s album The Car, with proceeds benefiting the charity War Child, heralding the upcoming HELP (2) compilation out on 6 March with various contributors

Jan 23, 2026
White Denim - Lock and Key.jpg
Jan 22, 2026
Song of the Day: White Denim - (God Created) Lock and Key
Jan 22, 2026

Song of the Day: The Austin, Texas-formed LA-based rockers return with an infectiously catchy groove fusing rock, funk, dub, soul, and down-dirty blues with some playful self-mythologising and darker themes, heralding 13th album, 13, out on 24 April via Bella Union

Jan 22, 2026
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Jan 21, 2026
Song of the Day: Holy Fuck - Evie
Jan 21, 2026

Song of the Day: The Canadian experimental indie rock and electronica quartet from Toronto return with a pulsating new track of thrumming bass and shimmering keyboards, heralding their forthcoming new album Event Beat, out on 27 March via Satellite Services

Jan 21, 2026
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Jan 20, 2026
Song of the Day: KAVARI - IRON VEINS
Jan 20, 2026

Song of the Day: Exciting, cutting-edge electronica and hardcore dance music by innovative the Birkenhead-born, Glasgow-based artist Cameron Winters (she), with a stylish, striking video, heralding the forthcoming EP, PLAGUE MUSIC, out digitally and on 12-inch vinyl on 6 February via XL Recordings

Jan 20, 2026
Asap Rocky - Punk Rocky.png
Jan 19, 2026
Song of the Day: A$AP Rocky - Punk Rocky
Jan 19, 2026

Song of the Day: The standout catchy hip-pop/soul/pop track from the New York rapper aka Rakim Athelston Mayers’ (also the husband of Rihanna) recently released album, Don’t Be Dumb, featuring also the voice of Cristoforo Donadi, and out on A$AP Rocky Recordings

Jan 19, 2026

Word of the week

Featured
Zumbador dorado - mango bumblebee Puerto Rico.jpeg
Jan 22, 2026
Word of the week: zumbador
Jan 22, 2026

Word of the week: A wonderfully evocative noun from the Spanish for word buzz, and meaning both a South American hummingbird, a door buzzer, and symbolic of resurrection of the soul in ancient Mexican culture, while also serving as the logo for a tequila brand

Jan 22, 2026
Hamlet ad - Gregor Fisher.jpg
Jan 8, 2026
Word of the week: aspectabund
Jan 8, 2026

Word of the week: This rare adjective describes a highly expressive face or countenance, where emotions and reactions are readily shown through the eyes or mouth

Jan 8, 2026
Kaufmann Trumpeter 1950.jpeg
Dec 24, 2025
Word of the week: bellonion (or belloneon)
Dec 24, 2025

Word of the week: It sounds like a bulbous, multi-layered peeling vegetable, but this obscure mechanical musical instrument invented in 1812 in Dresden consisted of 24 trumpets and two kettle drums and, designed to mimic the sound of a marching band, might also make your eyes water

Dec 24, 2025
Hangover.jpeg
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
Running shoes and barefoot.jpeg
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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