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The sum of its parts: songs featuring choirs

August 27, 2020 Peter Kimpton
The Red Army Choir gives it some welly

The Red Army Choir gives it some welly

Time to sing out! This week, in any genre, music and songs featuring choirs, whether they are the main performers, or come alongside other musicians or singers and then play a prominent or pivotal role

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, folk, funk, gospel, indie, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, soul, songs, soundtracks, traditional, showtime Tags songs, playlists, choirs, choirboys, Paul McCartney, Vladimir Mayakovsky, John Keats, Brian Eno, Fred Allen, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Keith Richards, The Rolling Stones, Mavis Staples, Florence Welch, Tom Jones, Treorchy, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Mississippi Mass Choir, Red Army Choir, Russia, Mieskuoro Huutajat, Finland, The Number Nine Chorus, Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson, Mouths of the Tyne Community Choir, whales, Bill Drummond, Vokal Ansambl Gordela, Georgia, Werner Herzog, György Fehér, Kate Bush, Le Mystere des voix Bulgares, Reverend James Cleveland
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Playlists: songs about the rhythm, beat or boogie

August 26, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Grace Jones swings it …

Grace Jones swings it …

Three keywords that have inspired legions of songs from disco to reggae, pop to hip hop, blues to rock and more. Guest AmyLee compiles a sequence of brilliant beating heart playlists that refer to them all from huge wave of nominations

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In African, blues, dance, country, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, rock, reggae, punk, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, rhythm, beat, boogie, The Go-Go's, Blur, Van Der Graaf Generator, Mott The Hoople, Serge Gainsbourg, Madonna, DeBarge, Us3, Peter Broggs, Grace Jones, A Tribe Called Quest, Bomb The Bass, The Rolling Stones, Kool & The Gang, John Lee Hooker, Sonny and Cher, Stone Poneys, The Happenings, The Cascades, Mark Kozelek, Slapp Happy, Electronic, The Cro-Magnons, A.D.O.R., Salt-N-Pepa, Public Enemy, Mantronix, The Slits, Betty Davis, Willie Mitchell, Major Lance, Thin Lizzy, Little Feat, Happy Mondays, Lou Reed, The Clash, Parliament, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, AmyLee
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Hear, hit or blame? Songs that lyrically refer to rhythm, beat or boogie

August 20, 2020 Peter Kimpton
They get down and do it. Earth, Wind and Fire your inspiration …

They get down and do it. Earth, Wind and Fire your inspiration …

You got it, get down on it, it goes on, maybe it’s a wonderland or perhaps there’s blame pinned on it. This week we’re seeking songs where in whatever genre, in lyrics, one or more of these words are spoken, shouted or sung

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, musical hall, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, showtime, rocksteady, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags Maya Angelou, Henry David Thoreau, John Lee Hooker, Gloria Estefan, Miami Sound Machine, Peter Gabriel, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Earth Wind & Fire, Albert Ammons, Clarence PInetop Smith, Rosie Perez, Peter J Silvester, Jerry Lee Lewis, Louis Jordan, James Brown, Chuck Berry, Mose Allison, Jimmy Yancey, Meade Lux Lewis, Igor Stravinsky, Yehudi Menuhin, Gabrielle Roth, Edith Wharton, Dame Edith Sitwell, Nelly Mazioum, George Crumb, Charles Dickens, Bjork, Jimi Hendrix, Dr John, Ken Burns, Casey Kasem, Van Morrison, Ike Turner, Johnny Otis, Eric B & Rakim
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Playlists: songs about eggs

August 19, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Humpty lends in hand this week’s lists

Humpty lends in hand this week’s lists

Eggs aren’t just eggs. This week, as handpicked by guest Hoshino Sakura are two dozen perfectly shaped oval-shaped gems presented in two boxes of joyful entertainment out of huge tasty scramble of suggestions by readers

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In avant-garde, comedy, blues, classical, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, rock, songs, soul, ska, rocksteady, reggae, traditional Tags songs, playlists, eggs, Little Jackie, Mr Bungle, Hot Lips Page, Aimee Mann, Dean Martin, Helen O'Connell, Madness, Lunachicks, Macka B, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, The Ground Floor People, Jill Sobule, Dead Can Dance, A Tribe Called Quest, The Nightcrawlers, The Spiders, Humbert Humbert, Cab Calloway, The Nicholas Brothers, Ethel Merman, Ray Bolger, Betty Clooney, Brian D'Arcy James, Tenor Saw, Dafydd Iwan, Cosmo Sheldrake, Jonathan Coulton, Pan
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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 featuring steel guitar

August 12, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Smooth liquid sound: a 1947 Rickenbacker

Smooth liquid sound: a 1947 Rickenbacker

Smoothly glidin’, slidin’, pickin’, these playlists with players from the US to India, Hawaii to Sweden picked by guest Marco den Ouden, are a treasure chest of beautiful sounds and genres spanning blues, rock, country and way more across the big neck

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In avant-garde, blues, classical, country, folk, instrumentals, jazz, music, playlists, pop, rock, songs Tags songs, playlists, steel guitars, Sheryl Crow, The Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, Judy Collins, Steely Dan, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Barbara Mandrell, Cindy Cashdollar, First Aid Kit, Jerry Garcia, Ricky King, Bob Brozman, Ledward Kaapana, Luke Vibert, B.J. Cole, Harry Manx, Bill Frisell, Greg Leisz, Lucky Oceans, Paul Kelly, Larkin Poe, Gaby Jogeix, Kimberly Murray, Junior Brown, George Harrison, Son Lux, Christopher Wray, Elmore James, Tammy Wynette, Pete Drake, John Hiatt, Ry Cooder, The Byrds, Lloyd Green, Susanne Sundfør, Taj Mahal, Sandy Denny, Sneaky Pete Kleimow, Juicy Lucy, Glen Ross Vampbell, Neil Young, Ben Keith, Jonathan Richman, Tom Brumley, Matthews Southern Comfort, Gordon Huntley, Alvino Rey & His Orchestra, Chris Rea, Bill Bottrell, Dave Stewart, Orianthi, Kacey Musgraves, Bucky Baxter, K.D. Lang, The Siss Boom Bang, Zoe Muth & The Lost High Rollers, Mudcrutch, Josh Jove, Julius Rucker, Dan Dugmore, Dr. Nico, L’African Fiesta Sukisa, The Notting Hillbillies, Nashville Chamber Orchestra, Gary Morse, Emily Burridge, Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Jerry Douglas, Doug Beaumier, Santo & Johnny, David Hartley, John Russell, Zane King, Brian Eno, David Rothon, The Waikikis, Convergence, Bob Dylan, Marty Rifkin
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Slide this way: songs featuring steel guitar

August 6, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Resonator, pedal and lap steel guitar are three of the types most often used in this playing technique

Resonator, pedal and lap steel guitar are three of the types most often used in this playing technique

Lap, pedal, resonator or other models, using metal bars, bottles or more, it’s all about the technique. You can do it sitting down, standing up, or sideways, and especially if you close your eyes it’s smooth and, well, so undeniably sexy

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In blues, country, experimental, folk, funk, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, playlists, pop, prog, rock, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, guitars, steel guitars, lap steel, pedal steel, resonator guitars, Bonnie Raitt, Santo & Johnny, Jerry Lordan, Joseph Kekuku, Frank Fairfield, Brownie McGhee, Dobro, Fender, Rickenbacker, Larkin Poe, Ken Hensley, David Lindley, Ry Cooder, Junior Wells, Robert Nighthawk, Bob Whitlock, The Allman Brothers Band, Duane Allman, Sonny Landreth, Steve Miller Band, George Harrison, Jimmy Page, Foghat, Rod Price, Rory Gallagher, Johnny Winter, Derek Trucks, Elmore James
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Playlists: songs about being or feeling fat

August 5, 2020 Peter Kimpton
The Banjo Players by Beryl Cook

The Banjo Players by Beryl Cook

Roll up, roll it up! Tired of Tinder? Bored with Bumble? Had it up to here with Grindr? Listen up, Blubbbr is where it’s at! Check out this week’s top ten profiles and a whole bevvy of musical beauties as chosen by guest philipphilip99

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In blues, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, indie, jazz, instrumentals, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, punk, reggae, rock, ska, songs, soul Tags songs, playlists, fat, Larry Williams, Jimmy Rushing, Carl Malcolm, The Commodores, Lee Pickett and The Screamers, Howlin' Wolf, Billy Stewart, Post Modern Jukebox, AC/DC, Katzenjammer, The Beautiful South, Sheppard, The Smiths, K.D. Lang, Bull Moose Jackson, Joe Tex, Sir Mix-a-Lot, Myren Lee and The Caddies, Ernest Tubb, Big Dee Irwin, Thin Lizzy, philipphilip99
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The bigger picture: songs about being or feeling fat

July 30, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Let it all hang out …

Let it all hang out …

It’s partly perception, partly physical reality, an ongoing health and cultural issue affecting mind and body. So let’s go large on the lyrical portrayal of fat in people, with a dishful of tragedy, humour, self-consciousness, cruelty, pathos, and glory

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, soundtracks, soul, songs, ska, showtime, traditional Tags songs, playlists, fat, health, mental health, obesity, George Eliot, George Orwell, Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Paul McCartney, The Beatles, Mika, Boris Johnson, Covid-19, Donald Trump, McDonalds, Fats Domino, David Perlmutter, Natalie Imbruglia, Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks, wrestling, Elvis Presley, Lillian Russell, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Hurley, Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Rivers, Les Dawson, Anthony Liccione, PJ O'Rourke, Dennis Miller, Margaret Atwood, Edith Wharton, Barry White, Caitlin Moran, Film, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Laurel and Hardy, The Simpsons, Stevie Nicks, Suzi Quatro, Luciano Pavarotti, Montserrat Caballé, Peter Hook, Alison Moyet, Adele, Beth Ditto, Lizzo, Jo Brand
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Playlists: songs about eyes

July 22, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Angèle has got an eyeful

Angèle has got an eyeful

From last week’s eye-popping number of nominations following the eye introduction, guest playlister Maki has put his choices into sharp focus, from the 60s to the present day with selections optimally optical and aurally excellent

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In African, avant-garde, blues, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, indie, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, ska, songs, soul Tags songs, playlists, eyes, biology, Spirit, Angelique Kidjo, Billie Eilish, Rosalía, Angèle, Magazine, Thirty Pounds of Bone, Comsat Angels, Lykke Li, Erykah Badu, Mike Brooks, The Lovin' Spoonful, Velvet Underground, Kate Bush, Jackson Browne, Talking Heads, The Eagles, Half Man Half Biscuit, Dusty Springfield, Soft Cell, Mavis Staples, Altered Images, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Peter Gabriel, The Naxalites, Maki
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Sound and vision: songs about eyes

July 16, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Something to reflect on …

Something to reflect on …

Lens me your ears! This week we take more than a passing glance at eyes in song lyrics, whether as metaphor, as objects of beauty, as windows to the soul, and especially in the mystery of how what they see differs from how they are seen

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, musical hall, postpunk, pop, playlists, musicals, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, eyes, biology, evolution, animals, William Shakespeare, Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, Groucho Marx, Martin Buber, Pete Townshend, The Who, Albert Einstein, Mark Twain, Thomas Carlyle, Virginia Woolf, Goethe, Friedrich Nietzsche, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, George Herbert, James Turrell, Samuel Richardson, Allen Ginsberg, Cicero, Charlotte Bronte, Leonardo Da Vinci, photography, Audrey Hepburn, ee cummings, Arthur Conan Doyle, Sophia Loren, David Bowie
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That sinking feeling: songs about sand

July 9, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Jimi Hendrix sandcastle. It was bound to appear here eventually

Jimi Hendrix sandcastle. It was bound to appear here eventually

This week’s lyrical topic offers a broad, varied landscape of metaphor and colour, of passing time, of instability and mutability, of the solid and the fluid, of the barren and the beautiful. Let’s dig deep for some treasures …

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, pop, playlists, postpunk, prog, punk, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, sand, geology, science, art, books, Film, William Blake, Tom Waits, Octavia Spencer, Talib Kweli, Mozart, Sahara Desert, architecture, Brutalist, Elvis Presley, Bob Marley, David McCord, Sir James Hopwood Jeans, Rachel Carson, Henry David Thoreau, Emperor Augustus, Dixie Waters, DW Griffith, Nancy Sinatra, Machiavelli, Robert Black, Raquel Cepeda, Jorge Luis Borges, Frank Herbert, Magnus Larsson, Peter Hammill, Joni Mitchell, Lindsey Buckingham, Fleetwood Mac, Robert Service, Joaquin Lowe, Elmore Leonard, Herbie Mann, Alain Bremond-Torrent, Oksana Rus, Munia Khan, Lawrence of Arabia, TE Lawrence, Ice Cold In Alex, Planet of the Apes
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Playlists: songs where old and new eras combine

July 8, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Spread of styles? Swan Lake Madness …

Spread of styles? Swan Lake Madness …

Intercutting genres with anything from musical saws to theremins, from electric to acoustic, jazz to hip hop, this week’s playlists, picked by guest Nilpferd, inspired by last week’s topic, truly traverse the ages

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, metal, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, traditional Tags songs, playlists, Orkestra Obsolete, Slowhawk Duo, Angelique Kidjo, Jimi Hendrix, GoGo Penguin, Richard Cheese, The Rolling Stones, Queen, Madness, Swan Lake, Anais Mitchell, Richard Thompson, St Germain, Ernest Ranglin, Portishead, Ibrahim Ferrer, Omara Portumondo, Nico, The Allman Brothers Band, Dick Dale, Miles Davis, The Ukelele Orchestra, Herb Albert, Vintage Postmodern Jukebox, Haley Reinhart, Mulatu Astatke, The Auteurs, Run DMC, Brian Eno, Jake Blount, Esperanza Spalding, Wayne Shorter, Sun Ra, Nilpferd
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New meets old: songs where different-era elements combine

July 2, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Carrying the ages, via The Simpsons. Insert any music you like …

Carrying the ages, via The Simpsons. Insert any music you like …

This week we seek strange combinations from starkly different times – old songs covered on new instruments, new songs played on old instruments, traditional musicians playing with younger, or old styles mashed up with the new

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, country, comedy, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, fusion genres, The Simpsons, Ralph Waldo Emerson, TS Eliot, Bertolt Brecht, Kate Bush, Nalini Priyadarshni, technology, The Beatles, Joseph Parry, Arvo Pärt, Prince, Little Richard, Orkestra Obsolete, New Order, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, SsingSsing, Akdan Gwangchil, 이날치 Leenalchi, PJ Harvey, Eigenharp, Korg, Rudyard Kipling, Stephen King, Malcolm Muggeridge, Henry David Thoreau, Jimi Hendrix, Radiohead, Colin Greenwood, John Maynard Keynes, Robert Bresson, William James, Humble The Poet
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Playlists: songs about fallen 'heroes'

July 1, 2020 Peter Kimpton
A new American discovery. Columbus, not as heroic as once thought, kisses the dirt again

A new American discovery. Columbus, not as heroic as once thought, kisses the dirt again

Political figures to perverted pop stars, sport stars gone sour to disappointing dads, guest ShivSidecar picks playlists that bring a whole rogues’ gallery of favourites perfectly into perspective, all inspired by last week’s nominations

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In blues, country, avant-garde, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, songs, soul, traditional, ska, rocksteady, rock, punk Tags songs, playlists, heroism, scandal, Randy Newman, Dick Gaughan, 10000 Maniacs, Woody Guthrie, The Herd, Wolfgang Press, Luke Haines, The Impressions, Mark Lanegan, The Who, John Lennon, Plastic Ono Band, Paul Kelly, The Redskins, Willie Nile, The Bangles, Felt, Sonic Youth, Opal, Tahures Zurdos, Johnny Cash, Big Mama Thornton, Ann Peebles, Teenage Fanclub, The Mountain Goats, Microdisney, XTC, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Ed Banger
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You let me down: songs about fallen ‘heroes’

June 25, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Joseph Stalin: hero turned villain. Statue torn down in 1956 in Budapest during Hungary's October Revolution

Joseph Stalin: hero turned villain. Statue torn down in 1956 in Budapest during Hungary's October Revolution

Whether it’s figures of public renown in music, film, politics or history, or private – mentors, relatives and even lovers, this week we look into songs about how the once admired and revered can seriously disappoint and fall from grace

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, folk, experimental, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, musicals, musical hall, playlists, pop, prog, postpunk, punk, reggae, rock, showtime, ska, rocksteady, soul, songs, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, heroism, disgrace, scandal, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Diane Sawyer, Jean Cocteau, Nicanor Parra, Georg Büchner, Aesop, television, childhood, childrens' TV, Gary Glitter, Jimmy Savile, Black Lives Matter, racism, slavery, Edward Colston, Robert Milligan, Thomas Guy, Sir Francis Drake, Winston Churchill, Saddam Hussein, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Mark Twain, WH Auden, Yoko Ono, Walter Scott, Samuel Goldwyn, Tiger Woods, Bill Clinton, Harvey Weinstein, #MeToo movement, Michael Jackson, Bill Cosby, Kevin Spacey, Jerry Lee Lewis, Whitney Houston, Morrissey, Kanye West, Richard Nixon, Charles I, Marie Antonette, Billie Holiday, Buzzcocks
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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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Not following? Spin this fish, biscuit: songs with non sequiturs

June 18, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Herd this? Non sequiturs are instrumental in this week’s musical zoo

Herd this? Non sequiturs are instrumental in this week’s musical zoo

Often poetic, strange, vivid, but definitely illogical, this week we explore lyrics that don’t really follow what preceded it, but somehow their meaninglessness masquerading as meaning, can also end up being something highly musical

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In avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, experimental, electronica, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, musicals, playlists, pop, prog, postpunk, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, language, non sequiturs, logic, psychology, media, Lewis Carroll, John Lennon, The Beatles, Marc Bolan, T Rex, Bob Dylan, Shaun Ryder, Happy Mondays, Black Grape, Brian Eno, David Bowie, Jay-Z, Joseph Heller, Samuel Beckett, politics, Donald Trump, The Simpsons, social media, newspapers, Bill Bryson, John Llewellyn, The Amoeba People
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Playlists: songs and music in three-four time signatures

June 17, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Spanning the ages in 3/4: OMD’s Maid of Orleans

Spanning the ages in 3/4: OMD’s Maid of Orleans

Beethoven to Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin to Funkadelic, Joe Cocker to Cocteau Twins, it’s time to waltz into a set of lists that swing across time and genres, picked expertly by guest playlister DJ Bear from a mass of nominations

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In African, avant-garde, blues, classical, calypso, comedy, country, dance, disco, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, musicals, playlists, musical hall, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, showtime, ska, songs, soul, traditional Tags songs, playlists, waltzes, time signatures, Beethoven, Lee Ashley, Patsy Cline, Bob Dylan, Amadou & Mariam, Estrella Morente, Mall Muzak Orchestra, Max Roach, Funkadelic, Queen, OMD, Juana Molina, Aretha Franklin, Eric Bogle, Maddy Prior and the Girls, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Françoise Hardy, Grethe & Jørgen Ingman, Jackie Deshannon, Tom Jones, The Rascals, Etta James, Joe Cocker, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, The Eagles, Billy Joel, Waylon & Willie, Paul McCartney, Wings, Cocteau Twins, George Michael, Metallica, Seal, Deanna Carter, Goo Goo Dolls, D'Angelo, Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Audrey Hepburn, Dale Watson, Abba, The Prodigals, DJ Bear
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Waltz this way: songs and music in three-four time signatures

June 11, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Fred and Ginger

Fred and Ginger

You can count on this, as easy as one, two, three. While four or eight beats to the has been the dominant form, this week we swing over to three or six beats to the bar, and it's surprising just how many artists have used it

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In African, classical, country, dance, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, time signatures, waltzes, Sarah MacLean, André Rieu, Frédéric Chopin, Johannes Brahms, Maurice Ravel, Shostakovich, Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss, Johann Strauss II, Maurice Jarre, Film, film soundtrack, Stanley Kubrick, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Jerome Kern, Eric Coates, Robert Stolz, Ivor Novello, Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter, Thelonius Monk, Sonny Rollins, John Barry, Toots Thielemans, Fred Neil, Jeff Buckley, Aretha Franklin, Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Al Stewart, Simon & Garfunkel, Lou Reed, The Stranglers, David Bowie
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New Albums …

Featured
Tomora - Come Closer.jpg
Apr 20, 2026
TOMORA: Come Closer
Apr 20, 2026

New album: A striking, dynamic collaboration between Norwegian experimental pop sensation Aurora and Tom Rowlands, one of half of Chemical Brothers, with a sensual, otherworldly energetic fusion of mystical, sensual ambience, and block-rocking dance beats

Apr 20, 2026
Jessie Ware - Superbloom.jpeg
Apr 20, 2026
Jessie Ware: Superbloom
Apr 20, 2026

New album: Following 2020’s What’s Your Pleasure? and 2023’s That! Feels Good!, as well as the successful food podcast Table Manners she hosts alongside her mother, the British pop singer continues to ride the 70s disco ball train, catering to the clever, kitsch and catchy with an ironic wink, adding also a luxuriant garden metaphor

Apr 20, 2026
Evergreen In Your Mind by Juni Habel.jpeg
Apr 16, 2026
Juni Habel: Evergreen In Your Mind
Apr 16, 2026

New album: Exquisite, delicate, ethereal finger-picking folk by the Norwegian singer-songwriter in this third album, one that poetically and musically inhabits a mysterious half-dream state flitting between two worlds

Apr 16, 2026
Gretel - Squish.jpeg
Apr 16, 2026
Gretel: Squish
Apr 16, 2026

New album: After several years of excellent EPs and singles such as Drive, a much anticipated and strong rock-pop debut by the London singer-songwriter who delivers catchy, energising numbers, here themed around wanting the warmly craved feelings of love, lust and relationships, but also finding overwhelming of being squashed and consumed by them

Apr 16, 2026
Kammerkonzert by Squarepusher.jpeg
Apr 15, 2026
Squarepusher: Kammerkonzert
Apr 15, 2026

New album: An eclectic, dramatic, polyrhythmic mix of jazz, modern classical and drum’n’bass by the experimental British musician and producer Tom Jenkinson, in this dramatic, abstract, cerebral and cinematic release featuring a host of instruments from bass to chamber strings and harpischord

Apr 15, 2026
Pictish Trail - Life Slime.jpeg
Apr 15, 2026
Pictish Trail: Life Slime
Apr 15, 2026

New album: Mesmeric, slow-build, mid-tempo, woozy, psychedelic-electronica folk of gentle, personal, reflective dark humour, profundity and melancholy by the Isle of Eigg-based Scottish musician Johnny Lynch in his sixth LP, here produced by Mike Lindsay of Tunng and LUMP themed around metaphorical ooze, transformation, exhaustion, hope, guilt, and renewal

Apr 15, 2026
Flea - Honora.jpeg
Apr 14, 2026
Flea: Honora
Apr 14, 2026

New album: The Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist turns his skills to another passion – trumpet – and the result is an absorbing, eclectic, fusion of experimental jazz, electronica, spoken word of six originals and four covers, with collaborators including Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, Tortoise’s Jeff Parker, and Nick Cave

Apr 14, 2026
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Apr 12, 2026
Lime Garden: Maybe Not Tonight
Apr 12, 2026

New album: Zesty, fresh, infectiously catchy, smash-and-grab synthy indie-pop-rock by the Brighton quartet, packed with fabulous riffs and melodies and droll, tongue-in-cheek lyrics that engagingly chart the highs and lows, the joys and insecurities of a big night out

Apr 12, 2026
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Apr 11, 2026
My New Band Believe: My New Band Believe
Apr 11, 2026

New album: A superb, rapturous swirl of energy, invention, passionate emotions and originality, this debut album by Cameron Picton, the bassist of the acclaimed British experimentalists Black Midi, features shapeshifting structures with a host of acoustic instruments, all originating from a hotel room fever dream of weird imagery and scrambled text

Apr 11, 2026
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Apr 9, 2026
Wendy Eisenberg: Wendy Eisenberg
Apr 9, 2026

New album: An absolutely gorgeous, delicate, subtle, brilliantly inventive LP of folk-rock-country-pop by the Brooklyn-based guitarist, improviser, composer and singer-songwriter, themed around the artist’s newfound queerness and love, all coloured by a sense of personal awe and reinvention

Apr 9, 2026
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Apr 8, 2026
LuxJury: Giving Up
Apr 8, 2026

New album: Catchy, funky, witty, insightful and candid soulful indie-pop debut by the London trio fronted by Nicole ‘Lux’ Fermie, with songs inspired by a formative first queer relationship and subsequent exploration of identity

Apr 8, 2026
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Apr 7, 2026
Snail Mail: Ricochet
Apr 7, 2026

New album: American indie singer-songwriter Lindsey Jordan returns with a third LP, awash with natural tendency for shoegaze-y melancholy, but also with a warm embrace of jangly and acoustic guitars in this introspective release about time, fading friendships, mortality, the afterlife, and the quiet terror of watching the things you love slip away

Apr 7, 2026
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Apr 6, 2026
LYR: Dark Sky Reservation
Apr 6, 2026

New album: Filled with beautiful stillness and vivid, intricate images, gentle wit, lilting profundity and contemplative moments, this gorgeously illuminating third experimental LP by the trio of UK poet laureate Simon Armitage and musicians Richard Walters and Patrick J Pearson begins on the constellatory contradiction that the furthest points of light in our skies can only be seen in the dark

Apr 6, 2026
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Apr 5, 2026
deary: Birding
Apr 5, 2026

New album: A shimmering, sparkling, ethereal dream-pop and shoegaze debut by the London trio with an ornithological theme in the context of human impact, and significant echoes in flight of their key influences Cocteau Twins, Lush, My Bloody Valentine, and Slowdive

Apr 5, 2026

new songs …

Featured
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Apr 20, 2026
Song of the Day: Jesca Hoop - Big Storm
Apr 20, 2026

Song of the Day: Catchy, quirky experimental indie folk-pop by the innovative Manchester-based California artist, featuring a clever video that old footage and Hoop in various vintage guises, heralding her upcoming album Long Wave Home, out on 1 May via Last Laugh / Republic of Music

Apr 20, 2026
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Apr 19, 2026
Song of the Day: Gia Margaret - Alive Inside
Apr 19, 2026

Song of the Day: Delicate, dream-like, reflective experimental folk-pop by the American singer-songwriter and producer from Chicago, heralding her upcoming fourth album, Singing, out on Jagjaguwar

Apr 19, 2026
Prima Queen
Apr 18, 2026
Song of the Day: Prima Queen - Crumb
Apr 18, 2026

Song of the Day: Catchy, playful, gently humorous, self-deprecating experimental indie pop by the inventive transatlantic duo of Louise Macphail and Kristin McFadden, with a number about having a fragile crush on someone, and their first new music of 2026, out on Submarine Cat Records

Apr 18, 2026
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Apr 17, 2026
Song of the Day: Olivia Rodrigo - Drop Dead
Apr 17, 2026

Song of the Day: A bright, shimmering, effervescent, soaring new single by the American pop superstar, with stylistic parallels to Chappell Roan and ABBA, heralding her upcoming third album You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, out on 12 June via Geffen

Apr 17, 2026
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Apr 16, 2026
Song of the Day: Massive Attack with Tom Waits – Boots on the Ground
Apr 16, 2026

Song of the Day: Now 35 years since the hugely influential Blue Lines, and 16 since their last LP, Robert Del Naja and co return, joined by the unmistakeable voice of the American musician, with a powerful, poignant, topically political number portraying the perspective of a boorish, monstrous warmonger

Apr 16, 2026
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Apr 15, 2026
Song of the Day: The Gnomes - Magic Man
Apr 15, 2026

Song of the Day: Fresh, energised, guitar-driven 60s-style retro garage-rock-pop fun from the young Melbourne four-piece taken from their the new EP, More, out on 13 May

Apr 15, 2026
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Apr 14, 2026
Song of the Day: Getdown Services - The Radiator
Apr 14, 2026

Song of the Day: Weirdly wonderful and oddly mesmeric, catchy, surreal and silly groove electro-pop by the Bristol duo of Josh Law and Ben Sadler, best known for the single Dog Dribble and their joyous, comedic, frenzied live shows, out on Breakfast Records

Apr 14, 2026
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Apr 13, 2026
Song of the Day: Tamikrest - Imanin
Apr 13, 2026

Song of the Day: A stirring, evocative song of defiance and resistance to the repression of northern Mali people by the acclaimed Saharan rock band, from their upcoming sixth album, Assikel, out on 15 May via Glitterbeat Records

Apr 13, 2026
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Apr 12, 2026
Song of the Day: Royel Otis - Sweet Hallelujah
Apr 12, 2026

Song of the Day: Soaring, strident, anthemic rock about a bittersweet farewell and enriched with stirring orchestral backing in this latest single by the Sydney, Australia duo of Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic, out on Ourness/Capitol Records/UMG

Apr 12, 2026
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Apr 11, 2026
Song of the Day: Kelela - Idea 1
Apr 11, 2026

Song of the Day: Sensual, smoky, stripped back soul, R&B dream-pop and electronica about facing an uncertain world by the acclaimed American singer-songwriter of Ethiopian ancestry with first new music since her second album Raven (2023), out on Warp Records

Apr 11, 2026
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Apr 10, 2026
Song of the Day: Lambrini Girls - Cult of Celebrity
Apr 10, 2026

Song of the Day: Taking a punchy shot at the sinister, dark underbelly of global elites and backdoor dealings of notorious super-wealthy inner circles who prey on the young and innocent, a fabulously feisty new single by the Brighton British punk duo of Phoebe Lunny and Selin Macieira, out on City Slang

Apr 10, 2026
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Apr 9, 2026
Song of the Day: Surfbort - Hot Dog
Apr 9, 2026

Song of the Day: Tasty, catchy, satirical fun, suggestively themed around the popular fast-food snack, with an even more entertaining video filled with colourful characters by the Brooklyn punk band, taken from their recent third album Reality Star, out on TODO

Apr 9, 2026

Word of the week

Featured
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Apr 9, 2026
Word of the week: undine
Apr 9, 2026

Word of the week: It might sound like the act of abstaining from food, but this noun from derived from undina (Latin unda) meaning wave, refers to mythical, elemental beings associated with water, such as mermaids, and stemming from the alchemical writings of the 16th-century Swiss physician, alchemist and philosopher Paracelsus

Apr 9, 2026
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Mar 27, 2026
Word of the week: veena
Mar 27, 2026

Word of the week: This ornate, curvaceous, south Indian classical instrument, the saraswati veena, is a special bowl lute with a rich, resonant tone, has 24 copper frets with four playing strings and three drone strings, and is used for Carnatic music

Mar 27, 2026
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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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