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Playlists: songs with insults and sentiments that may offend

October 7, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Frank Zappa and the body beautiful

Frank Zappa and the body beautiful

Men, women, babies, society, people of statue, stardom or otherwise, this week no one escapes this week’s scattergun of superbly insulting songs inspired by last week’s topic, chosen with expert evil hilarity by guest Olive Butler

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In African, avant-garde, blues, comedy, country, dance, disco, electronica, experimental, folk, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, playlists, musicals, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, songs, soul, traditional, soundtracks, showtime Tags songs, playlists, insults, offensive material, Betty Davis, Fela Kuti, The Rolling Stones, Ceelo Green, Lana Del Rey, Ben Folds, Frank Zappa, Robyn Hitchcock, Morrissey, The Fall, Terminal Heads, Half Man Half Biscuit, John Cooper Clarke, Braindance, Chumbawamba, Ian Dury, Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, Mojo Nixon, NIck Lowe, The Jam, Richard Thompson, Steeleye Span, Randy Newman, They Might Be Giants, Adam Green, Machine Gun Fellatio, The Tiger Lillies, Olive Butler
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A sharper tone: songs with insults and sentiments that may offend

October 1, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Malcolm Tucker, insulter in chief, from The Thick Of It

Malcolm Tucker, insulter in chief, from The Thick Of It

Look sharp! This week we’re adjusting our tone with lyrics that really sharpen the spear, but capture the full spectrum from light, friendly jibe, gentle put-down, discourtesy, invective to scornful verbal attack in killer lines to whole songs

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In avant-garde, blues, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, jazz, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, rock, reggae, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, insults, Beethoven, William Shakespeare, Noel Gallagher, Liam Gallagher, Oasis, Malcolm Tucker, Peter Capaldi, The Thick Of It, television, satire, John Dryden, Kenneth Williams, Carry On films, Bette Davis, Epictetus, Louis Nazer, Mason Cooley, Cass McCombs, Billy Idol, Dorothy Parker, Katherine Hepburn, Mae West, Billy Wilder, Groucho Marx, Søren Kierkegaard, Victor Hugo, Napoleon Bonaparte, Mahatma Gandhi, Oscar Wilde, Winston Churchill, Frankie Boyle
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Move closer: slow, intimate, sexy love songs

September 24, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Marvin is on …

Marvin is on …

They might range from the cheesiest, mirror-ball last dance, to the most intimate, close-to-the-mic moments of music history. But this week, while raising the heartbeat, we’re going slow in pace and minimal in sound. Let’s get it on …

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In African, avant-garde, blues, classical, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, ska, songs, showtime, soul, traditional, soundtracks Tags songs, playlists, love songs, slow songs, intimacy, Marvin Gaye, Nicholas Sparks, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jane Austen, Motorhead, Phyllis Nelson, Barry White, Soul Train, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Al Green, FKA Twigs, Film, Witness, Harrison Ford, Peter Weir, Dirty Dancing, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Irving Berlin
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Playlists: songs about masks

September 23, 2020 Peter Kimpton
A signature cover version

A signature cover version

Whether current or the historic, for survival or entertainment, metaphorical, literal, medical, protective, theatrical, comical or disguise, inspired a sea of masks in last week’s topic, guest playlister severin has got it totally covered

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In African, avant-garde, blues, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, showtime, rocksteady, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, masks, Billy Bragg, The Ramones, Ruggero Leoncavallo, Jussi Björling, Iggy Pop, Nancy Wilson, Robyn Hitchcock, Loreena McKennitt, Captain Beefheart, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis, Kurangan, Peter Hammill, Clinton Fearon, Dave Matthews Band, They Might Be Giants, Grace Jones, The Skids, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Ditty Bops, Carolyn Crawford, Max Romeo, Graham Parker, Idles, Johann Strauss II, The Mountain Goats, Fugees, Lou Reed, Thaikkudam Bridge, George Benson, Susanne Sundfør, Rob Brydon, Severin, severin
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Playlists: songs about getting brighter

September 19, 2020 Peter Kimpton
This week’s lists will leave you beaming

This week’s lists will leave you beaming

As the days grow shorter, and especially for those who live in the further northern hemisphere and Nordic countries, guest DiscoMonster chooses lists from last week’s topic to more than brighten your day, brain, and mood

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, ska, showtime, songs, soul, traditional Tags songs, playlists, light, Roberto Fonseca, Stanton Davis' Ghetto, Abigail Washburn, Slowdive, Razorcuts, Engineers, Simple Minds, Culture, Shankar Mahadevan, Fun, Janelle Monae, Van Morrison, Bill Withers, Eula Cooper, Change, Luther Vandross, Sauti Sol, Soweto Gospel Choir, Active Child, Jim Croce, Habib Koité, Eric Bibb, The Grateful Dead, Novos Baianos, Tommy James & The Shondells, Lole y Manuel, Esperanza Spalding, Caimere, Daiae, Barrier, Sigala, Paul Janeway, Elsie Carlisle, DiscoMonster
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Face the music: songs about masks

September 17, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Frank Sidebottom, aka Chris Sievey

Frank Sidebottom, aka Chris Sievey

From Ancient Greeks to pop personas, they are a fascinating indication of what it is to be human – wearing them, looking at them, putting on or removing, and what they do to the self - projecting, hiding or expressing. Here’s some inspiration …

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In African, avant-garde, blues, classical, calypso, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, theatre, music, TV, art, books, E.B. White, Marty Rubin, Frank Herbert, Oscar Wilde, Steven Magee, Emily Dickinson, Frank Sidebottom, Chris Sievey, The Freshies, Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Greek tragedy, Tony Harrison, George Eliot, Stanley Kubrick, Film, Tom Cruise, Alexandre Dumas, Voltaire, Marcel Carné, David Soul, Adam West, Batman, MF Doom, Kiss, Carlos Santana, Lordi, Papa Emeritus II and the Nameless Ghouls, Slipknot, Buckethead, Daft Punk, Jennifer Beals, Deadmau5, The Masked Singer, William Shakespeare, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Wilkie Collins, Agatha Christie, André Berthiaume, Robert Bloch, John Updike, George Orwell, Molière, Washington Irving, Victor Hugo, Robert Motherwell, Banksy, River Phoenix, R. J. Palacio, Hugh Laurie, Mike Tyson, Paul Valéry, Leonard Cohen
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How illuminating: songs about getting brighter

September 10, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Go towards the light. Inside James Turrell’s Roden Crater

Go towards the light. Inside James Turrell’s Roden Crater

This week is all about transition, contrast, and comparison. Less what’s always bright, such as stars or shiny objects, more the changeable things perceived through the prism of song – from places to people, seasons, atmosphere, moods and emotions

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, colours, 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, rock, reggae, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, light, perception, psychology, art, James Turrell, Neil Gaiman, Little Richard, Don Herold, DH Lawrence, Wassily Kandinsky, Yayoi Kusama, Elon Musk, Omar Khayyám, Oscar Wilde, Pablo Neruda, Brighter Later, Ron Sexsmith
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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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The remains of the day: songs about the evening

September 3, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Leading actors, but is the evening leading them? Thompson and Hopkins in The Remains of The Day (1993)

Leading actors, but is the evening leading them? Thompson and Hopkins in The Remains of The Day (1993)

As dusk falls, and the day changes clothing, there’s something about the light fade and mood. This week we are all about the evening, after work, and songs that mark that time in emotions, activities, sights and sounds

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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, showtime, rocksteady, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, evening, Oscar Hammerstein, TS Eliot, Dylan Thomas, Sophocles, William Blake, John Milton, poetry, Ann Beattie, Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Kazuo Ishiguro, books, Film, Charles Bukowski, Vladimir Nabokov, Jean de la Fontaine, RJ Lawrence, Joseph Joubert, Richard L Ratliff, Terry Gotham, Joseph Addison, Sappho, William Cowper, Charles Baudelaire, Federico Garcia Lorca, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Lord Byron, Al Stewart, Giovannie de Sadeleer
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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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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 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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Almost human: songs where instruments sound like the voice, and vice versa

July 23, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Leon Theremin demonstrates his new instrument in 1927

Leon Theremin demonstrates his new instrument in 1927

Brass, woodwind, string or electronic? From the gruffest, grumbliest, deepest, growl, mid-range yowl of a wah-wah vowel, to the purest, highest angelic tone, let’s explore where instruments seem to ‘sing’ or ‘talk' and voices play

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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, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, Leon Theremin, Stan Getz, Dick Dale, Louis Armstrong, Luka Sulic, Richie Blackmore, Tom Waits, Bette Midler, Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Stradivarius, Antoni Stradivari, Stjepan Hauser, Yo-Yo Ma, esraj, erhu, molima, Yu Hong Me, Colin Turnbull, Mercury Rev, BB King, AJ Ghent, Jimi Hendrix, Laurie Anderson, Yoko Ono, Nina Simone, Walt Disney, Silly Symphonies
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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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Playlists: songs about sand

July 15, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Made of soft rock? Far better to come on this week’s musical shoreline …

Made of soft rock? Far better to come on this week’s musical shoreline …

Songs about sand is a lot more than soft rock. These playlists, picked by skilful guest beachcomber George Boyland from waves of nominations, features a beautiful coast of styles from rock to reggae, postpunk to flamenco and electronica

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In African, blues, calypso, dance, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, indie, jazz, instrumentals, music, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, sand, geology, beaches, coasts, Jonathan Richman, The Modern Lovers, The Who, family, The Drifters, Freddie McGregor, Bomb The Bass, El Camaron de La Isla, Paco de Lucia, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, The Whiskey Rebellion, Misty in Roots, Taska Black, Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, Bonobo, Bill Nelson, The Bees, Temples, Donald Fagen, B-52s, Brain Ticket, The God Machine, Maggie Holland, The Youngbloods, Wire, Beyonce, Squeeze, George Boyland
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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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DRINK OF THE WEEK

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New Albums …

Featured
Wendy Eisenberg by Wendy Eisenberg.jpeg
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
LuxJury - Giving Up.jpeg
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
Snail Mail - Ricochet.jpeg
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
Dark Sky Reservation by LYR.jpeg
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
Birding by deary.jpeg
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
Vol.II by Angine de Poitrine.jpeg
Apr 4, 2026
Angine de Poitrine: Vol. II
Apr 4, 2026

New album: A weirdly wonky hot sensation on social media, the mysterious Quebec duo are instantly recognisable by their oddball, masked polka dot disguises, but this second release of mostly instrumental prog-rock bendy loops and riffs between guitar and drums remain just as mesmeric in their musical skill and complexity

Apr 4, 2026
Thundercat - Distracted.jpeg
Apr 4, 2026
Thundercat: Distracted
Apr 4, 2026

New album: Rich, deep, squelchy grooves and high falsetto in the distinctively funky-jazz-soul-afrofuturistic-cosmic-rock return of the outstanding Los Angeles bass player with his first LP for six years, and an impressive array of collaborators, including Mac Miller, Tame Impala, Flying Lotus, A$AP Rocky, and The Lemon Twigs

Apr 4, 2026
Memorials - All Clouds Bring Not Rain.jpeg
Apr 1, 2026
MEMORIALS: All Clouds Bring Not Rain
Apr 1, 2026

New album: Innovative, eclectic fusion of psychedelia, folk, dub, krautrock, 60s soul, garage rock, prog, pop, electronica and 70s spiritual jazz by the Canterbury experimental duo of Verity Susman and Matthew Simms

Apr 1, 2026
 Against the Dying of the Light by José González  2.jpeg
Apr 1, 2026
José González: Against The Dying Of The Light
Apr 1, 2026

New album: A gentle, reflective, meditative, but quietly defiant fifth LP by the Swedish-Argentine indie-folk guitarist and singer-songwriter, following his last, Local Valley, broadening his perspective in an urgent call to preserve the light of humanity as technology advances in ironically darkening world

Apr 1, 2026
Raye - This Music May Contain Hope.jpg
Apr 1, 2026
RAYE: This Music May Contain Hope
Apr 1, 2026

New album: A highly entertaining, exuberantly stylish, cross-genre 17-track, 73-minute odyssey by the London popstar, with a huge musical show of a second LP, spanning swing-era jazz to soul, R&B, house music, pop, dance, gospel, classical and the full kitchen sink, with orchestral band, family members, Hans Zimmer, and even Al Green

Apr 1, 2026
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Mar 30, 2026
Pitou: P2
Mar 30, 2026

New album: Brilliantly quirky, original second LP of experimental folk pop by the Amsterdam artist, who has the free spirited musical adventurousness reminiscent of Tune-Yards’ Merrill Garbus and Fiona Apple in this clever, playful, stop-start work with oodles of vocal loops and layering, electronica and unusual field recordings across themes of freedom and restlessness

Mar 30, 2026
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Mar 29, 2026
Robyn: Sexistential
Mar 29, 2026

New album: After a break of seven years, the hugely influential 46-year-old Swedish pop star returns with a new burst of alternative, electro-pop bangers, in this ninth LP, now subverting themes of romantic love in another context since having gone through having IVF and becoming a single parent

Mar 29, 2026
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Mar 29, 2026
The Twilight Sad: It's The Long Goodbye
Mar 29, 2026

New album: The Glasgow indie rockers fronted by vocalist James Graham and guitarist Andy MacFarlane return with a tempestuous, highly emotional and moving sixth LP, their first for seven years, with musical input from The Cure’s Robert Smith, fuelled by the illness and passing of Graham’s mother and his subsequent mental health struggles

Mar 29, 2026
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Mar 28, 2026
Courtney Barnett: Creature of Habit
Mar 28, 2026

New album: The Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist returns after a five-year gap to bring more of her witty, indie-country-rock, but with a bittersweet flavour, and an emotionally resonant record that explores change and the central question: how to get out of your own way so you can truly feel your life

Mar 28, 2026

new songs …

Featured
Surfbort - Hot Dog.jpeg
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
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Apr 8, 2026
Song of the Day: Beth Orton - The Ground Above
Apr 8, 2026

Song of the Day: The British singer-songwriter returns with a profound and beautiful new 8-minute eclectic folk-rock number about how humans are “all vulnerable beings living out invincible lives”, suffused with piano and trumpet, and out on Partisan Records

Apr 8, 2026
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Apr 7, 2026
Song of the Day: Liz Lawrence - Black Ulysses
Apr 7, 2026

Song of the Day: A beautifully moving, melodic and poignant acoustic indie-pop single by the acclaimed British singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, from the upcoming album fifth album Vespers, out on 5 June via Chrysalis Records

Apr 7, 2026
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Apr 6, 2026
Song of the Day: Angelo De Augustine - Empty Shell
Apr 6, 2026

Song of the Day: Beautiful, delicate, tender, elegiac indie folk with chamber strings, by the California singer-songwriter, and friend and associate of Sufjan Stevens, who is an inspiration, heralding his upcoming fifth album Angel in Plainclothes, out on 24 April via Asthmatic Kitty Records

Apr 6, 2026
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Apr 5, 2026
Song of the Day: U2 - Easter Parade
Apr 5, 2026

Song of the Day: After February’s politically themed protest EP Days of Ash, another surprise single and EP, Easter Lily, by the veteran Irish rock band, seasonally themed and reflecting the band’s beliefs, with a classic sound harking back to the past, guitar and synths, and a number described as a devotional song, a celebration of new life, rebirth and resurrection

Apr 5, 2026
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Apr 4, 2026
Song of the Day: Bedouine - Long Way To Fall
Apr 4, 2026

Song of the Day: A beautiful, tender, poignant return by the Syrian-American singer-songwriter Azniv Korkejian, with a strings and piano-based indie-folk number heralding her fourth album Neon Summer Skin, out on 5 June via Bedouine Music/ Thirty Tigers

Apr 4, 2026
Jack White - G.O.D and the Broken Ribs.jpeg
Apr 3, 2026
Song of the Day: Jack White - G.O.D. AND THE BROKEN RIBS / Derecho Demonico
Apr 3, 2026

Song of the Day: The acclaimed rock guitarist-singer-songwriter of White Stripes fame returns with this punchy, scorching catchy organ-backed, biblical-modern-fable-apocalypse-themed number alongside another, the Led Zeppelin-esque Derecho Demonico, out on his label Third Man Records

Apr 3, 2026
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Apr 2, 2026
Song of the Day: Julia Cumming - Please Let Me Remember This
Apr 2, 2026

Song of the Day: Lush, classic, piano-pop by the New York–born multi-instrumentalist and Sunflower Bean singer and bassist, influenced by Burt Bacharach, Carole King, and heralding her debut solo album, Julia, out on 24 April via Partisan Records

Apr 2, 2026
Jessie Ware - Automatic.jpeg
Apr 1, 2026
Song of the Day: Jessie Ware - Automatic
Apr 1, 2026

Song of the Day: Infectiously catchy, funk-soul-disco pop by the charismatic singer-songwriter featuring a deep-voiced spoken intro by actor Colman Domingo, and the latest single heralding upcoming sixth album, Superbloom, out on 17 April via Interscope

Apr 1, 2026
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Mar 31, 2026
Song of the Day: Mount Palomar ft. Enola Gay - Feeding Frenzy
Mar 31, 2026

Song of the Day: Pulsating, dark, hard-hitting dance and hip-hop by the Northern Irish music producer, DJ and live electronic hardware artist Neil Kerr, joined by the Belfast indie-noise-punk quartet, on this title track of a new four-track EP, out on Ursa Minor

Mar 31, 2026
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Mar 30, 2026
Song of the Day: Jungle - Carry On
Mar 30, 2026

Song of the Day: Swoonful, beautiful, but also bittersweet and vulnerable, old-fashioned soul-pop by the British band featuring the vocals of Lydia Kitto in a number co-penned with producer Joshua Lloyd Watson, heralding the upcoming album, Sunshine, out on 14 August via Caiola Records / AWAL Recordings

Mar 30, 2026
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Mar 29, 2026
Song of the Day: The Ocelots - Motor Hotel
Mar 29, 2026

Song of the Day: Beautiful, reflective, uplifting alternative folk with banjo, guitar, flute and more by the Wexford Irish twin brothers Brandon and Ashley Watson, from their new five-track EP, Revisions, a mix of new and re-worked, re-recorded numbers

Mar 29, 2026

Word of the week

Featured
Undine - Novella.jpeg
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
Snail on a wall.jpeg
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
Swordfish.jpg
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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