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Playlists: songs about chosen solitude

December 9, 2025 Peter Kimpton

Some blissful solitary listening …

Among the many joys of solitude is being able to do exactly what you like. Guest playlister DiscoMonster does exactly that, throwing a personal party in splendid isolation, inspired by last week’s topic nominations, which we can all enjoy on our own too

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In African, avant-garde, blues, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, easy listening, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, indie, jazz, krautrock, lounge, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, ska, songs, soul, traditional Tags solitude, playlists, songs, The Chisel, Joan Armatrading, Macy Gray, David. Bowie, New Order, Generation X (band), The Electric Connection, Barbara Manning, Marijata, Altered Images, paul simon, Jill Scott, Rokia Traoré, Tame Impala, Wolf Alice, Fats Waller, Luna Li, Girl In Red, Cartola, Joanna Sternberg, Amy Gadiaga, Sophia Galaté, The Chameleons, True West, DiscoMonster
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Playlists: songs about getting older

October 22, 2025 Peter Kimpton

Paul Kelly: a perennial Song Bar favourite storyteller

Time waits for no one, but many songs are ageless. With perspectives looking back and forward, and many great stories, guest of the week Barbryn picks a fabulous selection inspired by last week’s topic

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Tags songs, playlists, ageing, David Bowie, Sage Francis, Chuck Berry, The Long Blondes, Game Theory, Skyhooks, Hank Williams, Jill Sobule, Amy Rigby, Pulp, Paul Kelly, John Mayer, Lori McKenna, Lee Hazelwood, Matraca Berg, paul simon, The Ramones, Kenickie, Françoise Hardy, Bonny Light Horseman, Dar Williams, Avett Brothers, The Modern Lovers, Eels, Idlewild, Edwin Morgan, The Kinks, George Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, Emily Breeze, Frida Hyvönen, Wolf Alice, Barbryn
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Playlists: songs about very specific or obscure numbers

October 15, 2025 Peter Kimpton

Doctor Steel and his robot band

How does it all add up? Is there any logic to it. There are thousands of songs that include numbers, but what about the very specific ones? Inspired by last week’s topic, see how it all took shape in this alternative Fibonacci sequence

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In avant-garde, African, blues, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, easy listening, electronica, exotica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, lounge, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, traditional Tags songs, playlists, numbers, mathematics, Paul Erdős, Doctor Steel, Wire, John Berberian & The Rock East Ensemble, Five Thirty, Tom Waits, Tennessee Ernie Ford, The Cure, Ansell Collins, The Rolling Stones, Chicago, paul simon, The Beatles, Toots and the Maytals, Geese, Brian Eno, The O'Jays, The Marvelettes, Wilson Pickett, Aphex Twin, Richard D James, Tropical Fuck Storm
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Playlists: songs about tickets, passes and invitations

January 22, 2025 Peter Kimpton

Get your AAA passes here to a full musical experience ….

Tickets to travel, alluring invitations to important passes come in all forms, and inspired by last week’s topic nominators, guest inspector Loud Atlas brings you access to all areas of musical enjoyment

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, country, comedy, 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, tickets, playlists, invitations, passes, Quincy Jones, The Marvelettes, The Beatles, Fanny, TootArd, Olivia Rodrigo, Gene Wilder, Film, film soundtrack, Della Reese, Half Man Half Biscuit, The Chats, paul simon, Aretha Franklin, Joe Cocker, Tyrone Davis, Silver Cooks & The Gondoliers, Wendy Waldman, The Magicians, Beck, The Kills, Passport, passports, Tracy Chapman, Big Star, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Cosmo Sheldrake, The Osmonds, Harry Nilsson, Gladys Knight, English Teacher, Loud Atlas
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Playlists: songs about thinking

January 7, 2025 Peter Kimpton

Descending deeper into the swirling vortex of our over-stimulated minds: Girls In Synthesis

Scratching your head? What makes the inner language and patterns of thought? Is there an art to thinking, of not thinking too much, or even dethinking? Guest writer Uncleben brings clarity and wonderfully crafted playlists inspired by last week’s topic

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In African, avant-garde, blues, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, easy listening, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, lounge, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, showtime, ska, soul, songs, soundtracks, traditional, trip hop Tags songs, playlists, thinking, psychology, Lyn Collins, X, Seun Kuti, Fela Kuti, Fela's Egypt 80, John Moreland, Ralph Myerz, Jack Herren Band, Roky Erickson, Ron Moody, Lionel Bart, paul simon, Avett Brothers, Girls In Synthesis, Pere Ubu, Mclusky, Swans, The Beatles, The Charlatans, The Lemon Twigs, Londonbeat, UB40, The Smiths, Albert Collins, Parliament, Aretha Franklin, Robert Glasper, Talib Kweli, Beck, Kevin Ayers, Bob Dylan, The Byrds, Boards of Canada, Uncleben
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Playlists: songs featuring humming

August 27, 2024 Peter Kimpton

Prime humming: Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes

It’s a sound that draws you into the melody and can sometimes say more than words. Inspired by last week’s topic, guest ParaMhor picks a hum-dinger of a collection spanning many genres and eras. Hum along if you don’t know the words

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In African, avant-garde, blues, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, easy listening, electronica, exotica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, jazz, lounge, music, playlists, musicals, pop, postpunk, psychedelia, rock, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, humming, Johnny Cash, Rod Stewart, John Lee Hooker, ZZ Top, De La Soul, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Giacomo Puccini, Margo Guryan, Thurston Harris, Teenage Fanclub, Richard Hawley, Billie Eilish, Van Morrison, Simon & Garfunkel, paul simon, Skott, Roy Ayers, The Four Tops, Cream, Modern English, Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros, Joe Strummer, The Folk Implosion, Wendy Waldman, Moby, James Last, Connie Boswell, Carla Bley, Dionne Warwick, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, ParaMhor
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Playlists: songs about indecision

March 8, 2023 Peter Kimpton

So, do you want this, or not? Well, let’s see …

Ever felt in two minds? Caught between two stools? Stuck between a rock, pop, and hardcore place? All the wobbles and vacillations about everything in life are expertly and entertainingly captured by guest Olive Butler, chosen from nominations for last week’s topic. But which list will it be?

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, reggae, rock, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks Tags indecision, playlists, songs, Talking Heads, The Who, Janis Joplin, Elvis Costello, French Kicks, Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald, Marcel Zanini, Tame Impala, The Heptones, La Sonora Matancera, Dionne Warwick, Peter Hammill, Al Bowlly, Tony Bennett, Heatwave, Wet Leg, The Zombies, The Rolling Stones, The Lovin' Spoonful, Los Bravos, The Three Degrees, The Young Rascals, Simon & Garfunkel, paul simon, The Harptones, Sonny and Cher, The Clovers, Olive Butler
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Playlists: songs about using your imagination

March 1, 2023 Peter Kimpton

Aldous Harding: intense imagination … about her man

Childhood dreams to grownup fantasy, emotional flowering to practical, creative necessity, this week’s playlists, picked from last week’s topic by guest Shiv Sidecar, perfectly stimulating our brains and ears, cerebrally and musically

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In African, avant-garde, blues, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, indie, hip hop, instrumentals, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, songs, soul, traditional Tags songs, playlists, imagination, Superorganism, Sweet Baboo, Simon & Garfunkel, paul simon, Milton Nascimento, Lupe Fiasco, Jill Scott, Everly Brothers, The Everly Brothers, Aldous Harding, Talking Heads, Wednesday Campanella, Lou Reed, John Cale, Bob Dylan, Peter Blegvad, Everclear, Johnny Cash, Kaleidoscope (US), bread, Crosby Stills & Nash, Okkervil River, Lucinda Williams, Ty Segall, Will Powers, David Bowie, David Werner, Prince, Robert Glasper, H.E.R., Me'Shell NdegéOcello, The Cranberries, Foster The People, Leon Rosselson, The Salvation Army, The Green Pajamas, The Long Ryders, Argosy, The Teardrop Explodes, Swell Maps, Ian Dury, ShivSidecar
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Playlists: songs about everlasting love

February 15, 2023 Peter Kimpton

A whole lotta love: the great Barry White

Feel the huge embrace: following last week’s Song Bar seventh Birthday celebration that brought a huge heap of thematic nominations, guest of the week magicman plucks out an excellent, all-loving array of songs that capture those everlasting feelings

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In African, calypso, classical, country, dance, disco, electronica, dub, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, ska, songs, soul, traditional Tags songs, playlists, love songs, eternity, Barry White, Jockstrap, Johnny Ace, Joy Crookes, Barbara Lewis, Eddi Reader, Randy Newman, Stromae, Cabilla Cabello, Earth Wind & Fire, Suede, The Love Affair, Adele, Heatwave, Choir of Trinity College, The Bangles, Jon Lucien, Whitney Houston, Sault, Elbow, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Randy Travis, Shirley Bassey, Captain & Tenille, Hozier, Los Chunguitos, Al Green, Nina Simone, Barbra Streisand, Wynonna Judd, Ray Charles, Van Morrison, John Legend, Aaron Neville, paul simon, magicman
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Playlists: songs about higher education and graduation

May 11, 2022 Peter Kimpton

Results are in the air tonight

Applications have been made, papers marked, but from last week’s many entries, which made the grade and will reach graduation to make the playlists? Examiner Marco den Ouden reveals the full results …

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, reggae, punk, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, further education, university, college, education, The Rover Boys, Suzy Bogguss, Rudy Vallee, Smoking Popes, Jefferson Starship, Jimmy Rushing, The Isley Brothers, Timbuk 3, David Bazen, Vampire Weekend, Pat Green, Griot B & School Yard Rap, Chris Webby, Madi Wolf, Speedy Ortiz, The Bolshoi, Clifford T Ward, Belle & Sebastian, Tom Lehrer, Asher Roth, The Verve Pipe, Townes Van Zandt, Albert Hammond, Indigo Girls, Franz Ferdinand, Derailers, The Specials, Anita O'Day, Luke Haines, Sam Adams, Dub Syndicate, Andy Fairly, Prince Buster, Terence Boylan, The Beach Boys, paul simon, Elvis Presley, Phil Ochs, Malvina Reynolds, Rhiannon Giddens, Waring's Pennsylvanians, Harry Reser and His Six Jumping Jacks, The Kinks, Van Morrison, Chris Isaak, David Roth, Vitamin C, Weird Al Jankovic, Marco den Ouden
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Playlists: songs about cetaceans

April 19, 2022 Peter Kimpton

Tails of the unexpected: whale dive

Tales of tragedy and adversity, death, survival and joy, from folk, rock, experimental and beyond, this week’s guest captain George Boyland steers us on a fabulous music journey, a deep dive to follow tales of whales and dolphins

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In avant-garde, blues, classical, country, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, psychedelia, prog, rock, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags whales, dolphins, porpoises, cetaceans, marine biology, Sting, Lou Reed, Jim Capaldi, Tulku, J.B. Lenoir, Tom Waits, Eddi Reader, Dennis Wilson, Connan Mockasin, Massive Attack, Bronski Beat, Seth Lakeman, The Byrds, Jeff Beal, paul simon, Elton John, Leon Russell, Crosby Stills & Nash, Gordon Lightfoot, Adrian Belew, Louis Armstrong, Billy Bragg, Country Joe McDonald, The Pogues, Nic Jones, George Boyland
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Picture, practice and pitch: songs about perfection

February 17, 2022 Peter Kimpton

Evolution’s purest clickbait: kitten in field

Nothing’s ideal, no one’s impeccable, nothing’s completely pure, but this week it’s time to search for the beautifully formed, the perfectly pitched, the adorably flawless and more as the lyrical focus. Or that’s the plan …

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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, rocksteady, showtime, songs, ska, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags perfection, songs, playlists, Immanuel Kant, David Berman, Silver Jews, Leonard Cohen, Aristotle, Margaret Atwood, Anais Nin, Oscar Wilde, Stradivarius, Bechstein, Les Paul, Martin Guitars, Blüthner, Bösendorfer, Leonardo Da Vinci, George Best, Ronnie O'Sullivan, football, snooker, sport, Bob Marley, Leo Tolstoy, Jeannette Walls, Shakespeare, William Shakespeare, Salvador Dali, Voltaire, Taylor Swift, Ada Lovelace, Audrey Hepburn, Sylvia Plath, paul simon, Simon & Garfunkel
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Playlists: songs about eternity

January 18, 2022 Peter Kimpton

Round and round: a timeless track coming up from Signs of Life by Penguin Cafe Orchestra …

Space, time, the rhythms of life, expressions of the divine, love? Eternity in its many permutations is to be found in these captivating playlists picked by guest ajostu, inspired by the near-endless nominations from last week’s topic

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In African, avant-garde, classical, colours, calypso, comedy, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, eternity, The Rheingans Sisters, These New Puritans, Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Bill Fay, George Friederic Handel, Handel, The Divine Comedy, Jim Croce, Wilco, Bjork, Emily Hall, Yes, Roy Wood, paul simon, Moloko, Half Japanese, Linda Lewis, New Order, Shoukichi Kina, The Mystic Revealers, Sergio Mendes, India Arie, The Black Keys, Pom Pom Squad, Super Furry Animals, Massive Attack, Anne Dudley, Jaz Coleman, Elyssa Samsel, Sakamoto Maaya, cosmo@bouso-P., ajostu
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Playlists: songs about fun

May 5, 2021 Peter Kimpton
Koko Taylor: fun at work …

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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In African, blues, calypso, comedy, dance, country, disco, dub, experimental, funk, hip hop, indie, jazz, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, fun, Iggy Pop, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Willie Dixon, The Monkees, Kevin Coyne, Belle & Sebastian, Prince, The New Power Generation, Betty Davis, Koko Taylor, Floetry, Shirley and Lee, Billie Holiday, Elton John, Yul Ogura, First Class, Prince Buster, Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, Fred Lane, Modern Jazz Quartet, Jimmy Giuffre, paul simon, Fleetwood Mac, Terry Jacks, Shirley Bassey, Peggy Lee, The Photos, Sparks, Julie London, Olive Butler
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Playlists: songs about surprise encounters

March 9, 2021 Peter Kimpton
You never know who will turn up … Paul Robeson meets a fan or two in Moscow in 1958

You never know who will turn up … Paul Robeson meets a fan or two in Moscow in 1958

You never know who you might encounter on these playlists - lovers, angels, snake oil salesmen, spaceships, ghosts, brigands, the supernatural, the suicidal and the ecstatic - all artfully picked by guest Suzi from a week of nominations

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In blues, calypso, country, comedy, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, gospel, funk, indie, jazz, music, playlists, musicals, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, songs, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, encounters, meetings, Paul Robeson, The Pretenders, Paulinho da Viola, Nancy Wilson, David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Parliament, Sparks, Bert Jansch, The Sugarcubes, The Louvin Brothers, Victor Wooten, The Book of Mormon, Andrew Rannells, Sonic Youth, Marshall Chapman, Half Man Half Biscuit, Rush, The Jolly Boys, Billy Bragg, Wilco, The Burning Hell, Mulatu Astatke, paul simon, The Boyoyo Boys, Ella Fitzgerald, The Dogs D'Amour, The Pogues, Martin Simpson, Andy Cutting, Nancy Kerr
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Dynamic duos: songs with just two performers

November 12, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Fragile, insecure synchronicity. Simon & Garfunkel.

Fragile, insecure synchronicity. Simon & Garfunkel.

What makes for a great duo and how does is that dynamic expressed? Perfect balance of sound? Unspoken understanding and harmony? Symbiosis of roles? Contrast in character? Fragility, insecurity and tension? It’s time for two’s company …

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, musicals, playlists, pop, prog, punk, reggae, rock, songs, ska, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, duos, duets, Simon & Garfunkel, paul simon, Art Garfunkel, Carl Jung, Dolly Parton, film soundtrack, Film, John Boorman, Eric Weissberg, Steve Mandell, Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith, Everly Brothers, The White Stripes, Jack White, Sleaford Mods, Pet Shop Boys, Daft Punk, Eric B & Rakim, Thelonius Monk, John Coltrane, Richard Thompson, Linda Thompson, The Black Keys, Suicide, Sparks, First Aid Kit
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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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Let's get cracking: songs about eggs

August 13, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Egg-centric playing style?

Egg-centric playing style?

Please add your song egg-samples to this rich and delicate topic, whether in the context of eating, idioms, metaphor or the full cycles of life. Once the all the song suggestions are unscrambled the results will no doubt be egg-cellent

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, instrumentals, indie, jazz, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, eggs, birds, reptiles, biology, JRR Tolkien, Denis Diderot, Zora Neale Hurston, Samuel Butler, Bernard Meltzer, language, Hermann Hesse, George du Maurier, Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, PG Wodehouse, paul simon, Christopher Paolini, Pamela Hansford Johnson, Jodi Picoult, Coco Chanel, Alex Honnold, Easter Island, Film, The Great Egg Race, documentary, Cool Hand Luke, Devandra Banhart
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Playlists: songs about the brain

April 8, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Einstein’s brain and music. Always connected.

Einstein’s brain and music. Always connected.

Albert Einstein to neuroplasticity, this week’s topic mixes the clever, complex cerebellum with music. Taking in last week’s many nominations, guest Marco den Ouden created a trio of mind-blowing playlists to educate and entertain

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In African, blues, avant-garde, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, metal, music, jazz, instrumentals, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, rock, reggae, soul, songs, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, the brain, psychology, Albert Einstein, René Descartes, Gilbert Ryle, Norman Doidge, Edward Taub, psychiatry, Bessel Van Der Kolk, Weird Al Jankovic, Young MC, African Head Charge, Imogen Heap, Blue Oyster Cult, Ezra Furman, Robyn Hitchcock, Richard Thompson, Joe Diffle, Rihanna, Bill Withers, Madness, Marco den Ouden, The Amboy Dukes, The Waifs, Katie Lee, Willie Nelson, Gabby Young and Other Animals, paul simon, Admiral Freebee, Philip Jeays, Willie Dixon, Enigma, deLillos, Eminem, Laurie Anderson, Matthew Trevino, Elvis Costello, Markley, a Group, Oasis, Tizzy Bac, Banks, Weezer, Starcrawler, Vangelis, Burning Spear, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Sun Ra, Leo Kottke, Mogwai, Stanley Clarke Trio, Shakti, Renegade Soundwave, Henry Cow, Chick Corea, Alphonse Mouzon, George Duke, David Alexrod, Nine Inch Nails
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Playlists: songs about footwear

October 16, 2019 Peter Kimpton
Betty Davis has got the boots

Betty Davis has got the boots

Sweet sole music! This week’s lists are talking the talk and walking the walk with beautiful steps brilliantly picked by this week’s guest DJ Bear, using as a platform the huge pile of footwear songs piled up from last week’s nominations

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In avant-garde, blues, country, comedy, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, indie, hip hop, instrumentals, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, punk, prog, rock, ska, songs, soul Tags playlists, footwear, Eric Bibb, Gladys Knight, Willie Bobo, Betty Davis, Mere Dead Men, Rhythms Del Mundo, Arctic Monkeys, The Cramps, Joe Jackson, Eric Donaldson, James Taylor, Kellie Pickler, Lucinda Belle Orchestra, !Action Pact!, Cleo Brown, Gretschen Hofner, paul simon, Franz Ferdinand, Amy Winehouse, Drive-By Truckers, The Auteurs, Kirsty MacColl, Leon Rosselson, Manolo Garcia, Run DMC, Kiss AMC, Paolo Nutini, Sandra Boynton, Carl Perkins, Mark Knopfler, Jane Siberry, The Black Sparrows, Blur, The Nipple Erectors, Paul Kelly, Gerry Mulligan Quartet, Reina Republicana, Bronski Beat, Eartha Kitt, Whitney Rose, The Black Sorrows
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DRINK OF THE WEEK

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New Albums …

Featured
Book of Churches.jpeg
Mar 19, 2026
Book of Churches: Book of Churches
Mar 19, 2026

New album: Beautiful, tender, melancholic and poetic, a walking-pace acoustic folk and Americana debut solo release by the singer-songwriter Felix Mackenzie-Barrow, co-lead singer with the Nottingham alternative indie band Divorce

Mar 19, 2026
A Pound of Feathers by The Black Crowes.jpeg
Mar 18, 2026
The Black Crowes: A Pound of Feathers
Mar 18, 2026

New album: Following 2024’s resurgent release Happiness Bastards, Atlanta, Georgia brothers Chris and Rich Robinson return with their 10th album in four up-and-down decades, with a belting release packed with Stones/ Keith Richards-style riffs, and a full-blooded, full-throttle classic and catchy rock

Mar 18, 2026
 Paris In The Spring by Alexis Taylor.jpeg
Mar 18, 2026
Alexis Taylor: Paris In The Spring
Mar 18, 2026

New album: The clarity and high range of the distinctive Hot Chip lead singer returns with his seventh solo LP, packed with personal, candid, philosphofical and sometimes melancholy lyrics allided with bright, melodic leftfield electro-pop, a dash of country, elegant disco-house, and Vangelis-inspired soundscapes, and a title echoing a psychological test where things are not as they seem

Mar 18, 2026
Madeleine by Diagonale des Yeux.jpeg
Mar 18, 2026
Diagonale Des Yeux: Madeleine
Mar 18, 2026

New album: Wonderfully weird, wonky, woozy, avant-garde, absurdist oddness by the French duo of Laurène Exposito and Théo Delaunay, with their lo-fi, ramshackle, DIY postpunk and retro-electronica, sharing sung and spoken vocals across French, German, English and Spanish

Mar 18, 2026
Yebba - Jean.jpeg
Mar 18, 2026
Yebba: Jean
Mar 18, 2026

New album: Following 2021’s Dawn, a second LP by the American singer and songwriter from West Memphis, Arkansas, aka Abigail Smith, moves towards an eclectic mix of gentler, more understated pop, folk, gospel, R&B, and soul, is named after her late grandmother, and has candid, personal themes of mourning and spiritual healing

Mar 18, 2026
The Sophs - Goldstar.jpeg
Mar 17, 2026
The Sophs: Goldstar
Mar 17, 2026

New album: A fairytale story of a debut for the Los Angeles six-piece fronted by Ethan Ramon, who cold-emailed demos to Rough Trade Records before even playing a live gig and were signed – that instinctive leap of faith rewarded by this stylish, bold, mercurial, confident, darkly humorous, eclectic debut leaping between rock, indie, pop, hoedown country, delta blues and beyond

Mar 17, 2026
Kim Gordon - Play Me album.jpeg
Mar 13, 2026
Kim Gordon: Play Me
Mar 13, 2026

New album: Following 2024’s The Collective, the former Sonic Youth frontwoman’s fourth solo LP continues her extraordinary experimental, innovative journey, moving to more melodic beats and shorter tracks with a motorik krautrock-style driven coloured by strange sounds, intense emotions and sharply angled, dark, droll social commentary

Mar 13, 2026
ELIZA - The Darkening Green.jpeg
Mar 11, 2026
ELIZA: The Darkening Green
Mar 11, 2026

New album: The London artist Eliza Caird (formerly under the mainstream pop moniker Eliza Doolittle) returns with more of the cool, slow, sensual, gentle, sophisticated experimental soul-funk style evolving from her 2022 album A Sky Without Stars, here with particularly polished, silky, stripped back grooves and vocals

Mar 11, 2026
Irreparable Parables by Andrew Wasylyk.jpeg
Mar 11, 2026
Andrew Wasylyk: Irreparable Parables
Mar 11, 2026

New album: The Scottish multi-instrumentalist and composer returns with a new selection of soothing, meditative mix of experimental classical and jazz, but this time joined with six different singers represented by the birds on the album artwork

Mar 11, 2026
waterbaby - Memory Be A Blade.jpeg
Mar 10, 2026
waterbaby: Memory Be A Blade
Mar 10, 2026

New album: A delicate, experimental, understated soulful chamber pop debut by the pure-voiced Stockholm-born singer-songwriter (aka Kendra Egerbladh) in 25-minute, eight-track release of lo-fi, lyrically semi-improvised numbers about heartbreak and self-renewal in a world of gorgeous musical sensations

Mar 10, 2026
Joshua Idehen - I Know You're Hurting ....jpeg
Mar 10, 2026
Joshua Idehen: I know you're hurting, everyone is hurting, everyone is trying, you have got to try
Mar 10, 2026

New album: With a strikingly long title, a euphoric and honest full debut LP by the British-born Nigerian poet, spoken word artist and musician based in Sweden, working with his musical partner Ludvig Parment’s sonic layers, packed pacy dance and hip-hop grooves, clever sampling, slower reflections, and articulate expressions of positivity through the ups and downs of grief and hope

Mar 10, 2026
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Mar 10, 2026
Gnarls Barkley: Atlanta
Mar 10, 2026

New album: Finally, after an 18-year gap since their last collaboration in the heady days of the hit Crazy, with the St Elsewhere and The Odd Couple LPs a third and supposedly final album from fabulous singer CeeLo Green and producer and musician aka Brian Burton with a mix of soaring soul, hip-hop, pop and RnB with songs filled with vivid lyrical memories and strong, emotive melodies

Mar 10, 2026
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Mar 9, 2026
Various: HELP(2) - War Child Records
Mar 9, 2026

New album: Not only a timely and topical milestone charity record following the first in 1995 to help bring aid and wide variety of support to children in war zones around he world, but an impressive double-LP array of stellar British and international talent and powerful, poignant 23 songs from Arctic Monkeys to Young Fathers

Mar 9, 2026
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Mar 9, 2026
Bonnie “Prince” Billy: We Are Together Again
Mar 9, 2026

New album: Just over a year after 2025’s The Purple Bird, but from parallel recording sessions and familiar co-musicians, the veteran Louisville-Kentucky singer-songwriter Will Oldham returns with another collection of exquisite, intimate, gently defiant lo-fi folk to troubled times, an ode to community with a beautiful array of acoustic instruments and his poignant, insightful lyrics and delivery

Mar 9, 2026

new songs …

Featured
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Mar 20, 2026
Song of the Day: Jorja Smith - Price Of It All
Mar 20, 2026

Song of the Day: Sumptuous, soaring, classic soul/R&B/pop by the British smooth-voiced singer-songwriter from Walsall, West Midlands, in this number from the soundtrack for new TV series, Bait, starring Riz Ahmed, and released on FAMM

Mar 20, 2026
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Mar 19, 2026
Song of the Day: Liza Lo - Birdsong
Mar 19, 2026

Song of the Day: Following her acclaimed debut album Familiar, a beautiful, warm, intimate, tender folk number featuring guitar, fiddle and double bass by the Amsterdam-born, London-based producer and singer-songwriter, Liza Lo Hoek, out on Gearbox Records

Mar 19, 2026
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Mar 18, 2026
Song of the Day: Rostam - Like A Spark
Mar 18, 2026

Song of the Day: A beautiful new acoustic folk-pop single with echoes of early 70s Van Morrison by the US musician, producer and former member of Vampire Weekend, heralding his upcoming third solo album American Stories out on 15 May via Matsor Projects

Mar 18, 2026
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Mar 17, 2026
Song of the Day: Kacey Musgraves - Dry Spell
Mar 17, 2026

Song of the Day: A catchy, witty, innuendo-filled new number about being and single and lonely, with some stylistic echoes of Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac, heralding the acclaimed Grammy-winning Texas country singer-songwriter’s upcoming seventh album, Middle of Nowhere, out 1 May on Lost Highway

Mar 17, 2026
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Mar 16, 2026
Song of the Day: Jaakko Eino Kalevi - Black Diamond
Mar 16, 2026

Song of the Day: A splendidly rousing eight-minute retro-style electro-pop baroque melodrama by the Finnish artist with the deep, rich voice, one that stylistically and in his own fashion, draws a pentagram between Goblin, Rondo Veneziano, Cerrone, Doris Norton and Lindstrom, out on Domino Records

Mar 16, 2026
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Mar 15, 2026
Song of the Day: Hannah Lew - Sunday
Mar 15, 2026

Song of the Day: An appropriate day to highlight this classy latest single of shimmering 80s-style synth-pop with echoes of OMD, with themes about pain, love and grief from the upcoming debut album by the Richmond, California artist, out on 10 April via Night School Records

Mar 15, 2026
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Mar 14, 2026
Song of the Day: Mei Semones - Tooth Fairy (featuring John Roseboro)
Mar 14, 2026

Song of the Day: A charming cross-genre fusion of bossa nova, jazz, folk and chamber pop sung in English and Japanese by the Brooklyn-based American musician with a tale of losing a tooth on the subway and friendship, from the upcoming album Kurage, out 10 April on Bayonet Records

Mar 14, 2026
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Mar 13, 2026
Song of the Day: Robyn - Blow My Mind
Mar 13, 2026

Song of the Day: Quirky, sensual electro-pop with a dash of Kraftwerk by the acclaimed Swedish singer, songwriter and producer Robin Miriam Carlsson, in this latest from the upcoming album Sexistential out on 27 March via Konichiwa / Young Records

Mar 13, 2026
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Mar 12, 2026
Song of the Day: Lava La Rue - Scratches
Mar 12, 2026

Song of the Day: The latest single by the London singer-songwriter is punchy, powerful psychedelic rock number with tearing riffs and lyrics about damage from troubled relationship, abuse and self-harm, from the forthcoming EP Do You Know Everything?, out on BMG

Mar 12, 2026
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Mar 11, 2026
Song of the Day: Alewya - City of Symbols (featuring eejebee)
Mar 11, 2026

Song of the Day: A stylish fusion of electronica, soul, hip hop and Ethiopian rhythmic influences centring on themes of heritage, family by London singer, songwriter, producer and multidisciplinary artist, with drums from eejebee and guitar from Vraell, heralding from the forthcoming new debut Zero out 22 June via LDN Records / Because Music

Mar 11, 2026
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Mar 10, 2026
Song of the Day: Huarinami - Carried Away
Mar 10, 2026

Song of the Day: Explosive, stylish, gritty, restless indie-psychedelic punk with angular, angry guitars, driving bass and wonderfully arresting vocals by Pauline Janier (aka Cody Pepper) fronting the French London-based four-piece in this single fuelled by the frustration of big-city life, and heralding their sophomore EP Nothing Happens, due for release on 6 June

Mar 10, 2026
Avalon Emerson - Written Into Changes album.jpeg
Mar 9, 2026
Song of the Day: Avalon Emerson & The Charm - Written into Changes
Mar 9, 2026

Song of the Day: Following the singles Eden and Jupiter and Mars, another stylish, experimental indie synth-pop release by the New York artist with the title track of upcoming second Charm moniker album, out on 20 March via Dead Oceans

Mar 9, 2026

Word of the week

Featured
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Mar 12, 2026
Word of the week: wallfish
Mar 12, 2026

Word of the week: It sounds like the singing finned picture ornament Big Mouth Billy Bass that became popular in the late 1990s, but this is a much older noun, derived in Somerset, England, pertains to the climbing gastropod that can slowly climb up any surface

Mar 12, 2026
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Feb 25, 2026
Word of the week: xiphias
Feb 25, 2026

Word of the week: Get the point? This is the scientific name for the swordfish, in full Xiphias gladius (from the Greek and Latin for sword), that extraordinary sea creature with the long, pointy bill. But what of it in song?

Feb 25, 2026
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Feb 12, 2026
Word of the week: yanggeum
Feb 12, 2026

Word of the week: A form or hammered dulcimer, this traditional Korean instrument, with a flat and trapezoidal shape, has seven sets of four metal strings hit by thin bamboo stick

Feb 12, 2026
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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
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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

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