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Deer Tick – Art Isn't Real / Let's All Go To The Bar

December 8, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Deer Tick

Deer Tick

Song of the Day: Following on from our hooves, animal, and body parts band theme, we turn to two very contrasting tracks, from the versatile Rhode Island band who have variously been described as anything between alt-country and punk

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In 2007, 2011, alt-country, country, folk, pop, post-punk, punk Tags songs, song of the day, Deer Tick, John Joseph McCauley, Jonathan Richman, The Modern Lovers, The Ramones, The Replacements
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Bdy_Prts – Cold Shoulder / Take It To The Top

December 6, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Bdy_Prts's Jenny and Jill take it to the top, and beyond …

Bdy_Prts's Jenny and Jill take it to the top, and beyond …

Song of the Day: From our recent hoof-themed trot on SOTD, it's time to take a related sidestep to similar body parts in the from of the indie pop Glasgow band fronted by the twinkle-toed Jenny Reeve and Jill O'Sullivan

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In 2017, indie, pop Tags songs, song of the day, Bdy_Prts, Glasgow, The Reindeer Section, Sparrow and the Workshop, Arab Strap, Strike The Colours
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Chrome Hoof – Tonyte / Spokes of Uridium

December 4, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Chrome Hoof. From another time, another place …

Chrome Hoof. From another time, another place …

Song of the Day: Another selection made on the hoof, and today we're really pushing to the outer reaches of experimentation with the strange fusion of dance, psychedelia, prog-rock, jazz and electronica provided by London group from their second album, 2007's Pre-Emptive False Rapture

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In dance, electronica, glam rock, pop, prog rock, psychedelia, jazz, 2007 Tags songs, song of the day, Chrome Hoof, Leo Smee, Milo Smee, Shingai Shoniwa, The Noisettes
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The Hare and Hoofe - White Blindness

December 3, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Look out, it's the Hare and Hoofe …

Look out, it's the Hare and Hoofe …

Song of the Day: Scampering on from yesterday's Beth Jean Houghton and her Hooves, let's indulge in a bit of Sunday silliness in the beautiful shape of more fast moving animal feet, this Folkestone-formed  five-piece

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In 2017, pop, post-punk, prog rock, psychedelia Tags songs, song of the day, The Hare and Hoofe
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Beth Jeans Houghton & The Hooves Of Destiny - Atlas / Lilliputt

December 2, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Beth Jeans Houghton and her trusty Hooves

Beth Jeans Houghton and her trusty Hooves

Song of the Day: Following our recent mini series of goat-related acts, we trot along now to the lovely sound of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne born singer-songwriter and her Hooves, and two splendid number from the 2012 album Your Truly, Cellophane Nose

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In pop, 2012 Tags songs, song of the day, Beth Jeans Houghton & The Hooves of Destiny, Du Blonde, pop, Alison Goldfrapp, Neil Hannon, The Divine Comedy, animals
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Goat Girl – Country Sleaze

December 1, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Goat Girl

Goat Girl

Song of the Day: Continuing our hungry bearded quadruped theme, let's turn to the young and entertaining south London female group composed of Clottie Cream, Rosy Bones, Naima Jelly and L.E.D

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In pop, indie, 2016 Tags songs, song of the day, Goat Girl
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The Beat – Stand Down Margaret

November 26, 2017 Peter Kimpton
The Beat in 1980

The Beat in 1980

Song of the Day: A political, but prescient number from their debut 1980 album I Just Can't Stop It, this wonderful Birmingham ska-reggae outfit, best known for their hit Mirror In The Bathroom, was among the 2 Tone label's finest

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In 1980, pop, reggae, ska Tags songs, song of the day, The Beat, The English Beat, Dave Wakeling, Ranking Roger, Andy Cox, David Steele, Fine Young Cannibals, The Specials, Margaret Thatcher, nuclear war, unemployment, politics, privatisation, Conservative party, Ronald Reagan, Falklands War, 2 Tone
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Tall Poppies – Now

November 24, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Tall Poppies. Today's pick.

Tall Poppies. Today's pick.

Song of the Day: Continuing our ongoing standing theme, a different take by these pop indie Australian identical twin sisters about being stood up by a date – on a weekday evening – and not wanting to wait until Friday …

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In pop, indie, 2017 Tags songs, song of the day, dating, Tall Poppies, Australia, relationships
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Beyoncé - Crazy In Love / The Chi-Lites – Are You My Woman?

November 14, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Beyoncé's Crazy In Love, but where does the inspiration come from, other than Jay-Z?

Beyoncé's Crazy In Love, but where does the inspiration come from, other than Jay-Z?

Song of the Day: You ready? Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, oh, no, no. An uncharacteristically commercial behemoth to be appearing on SOTD, and while it's hard to resist a song that is so undeniably catchy and brilliant, passionate pop, where does the inspiration, and indeed music, come from?

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In 2003, 1970, funk, pop, soul Tags songs, song of the day, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, hip-hop, soul, R&B, funk, The Chi-Lites, Rich Harrison, Eugene Record
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Gnarls Barkley - Crazy

November 13, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Gnarls Barkley

Gnarls Barkley

Song of the Day: From one crazy song to another, another by a great singer, this time the Atlanta-born CeeLo Green in collaboration with New York producer Danger Mouse from their acclaimed 2006 album St Elsewhere

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In 2006, funk, dance, pop, soul Tags songs, song of the day, Gnarls Barkley, CeeLo Green, Danger Mouse, soul, hip-hop, Ennio Morricone
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Kevin Morby – Dorothy / I Have Been To The Mountain

November 10, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Kevin Morby and co from the video to I Have Been To The Mountain

Kevin Morby and co from the video to I Have Been To The Mountain

Song of the Day: Two splendidly uplifting tracks from the 2016 album Singing Saw by the American singer-songwriter, born in Kansas but living in Brooklyn

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In folk, indie, pop, rock, 2016 Tags songs, song of the day, Kevin Morby, indie, folk, rock, death, The Babies, Woods
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Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Multi-Love

November 7, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Multi-dimensional life: from Unknown Mortal Orchestra's Multi-Love video 

Multi-dimensional life: from Unknown Mortal Orchestra's Multi-Love video 

Song of the Day: From yesterday's Unknown by Clem Snide to the title track to the third 2015 album by New Zealand-US band started and fronted by Ruban Nielson. Multi-layered and uncategorisable, this prog-rock, pop and psychedelia work concerns a tricky love triangle which turns into a polyamorous situation

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In prog rock, psychedelia, pop, 2015 Tags songs, song of the day, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Ruban Nielson
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The Cardigans – My Favourite Game / Lovefool

November 3, 2017 Peter Kimpton
The Cardigans, with singer Nina Persson

The Cardigans, with singer Nina Persson

Song of the Day: Two wonderful 90s tracks from the Swedish band, both looking at relationship problems in wry and musically inventive ways

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In 1996, pop, soul, 1998 Tags songs, song of the day, The Cardigans, love songs, Nina Persson, Peter Svensson
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Halloween/goth bonus: The Sisters of Mercy / Lambchop – This Corrosion

October 31, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Sisters of Mercy: Andrew Eldritch

Sisters of Mercy: Andrew Eldritch

Song of the Day: A Halloween and goth-style classic bonus track today, but with a twist, showing how a cover version can almost become a whole new song

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In goth, pop, rock, 1987 Tags songs, song of the day, Sisters of Mercy, Lambchop, Andrew Eldritch, Halloween, goth, Jim Steinman, The Mission, Wayne Hussey
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alt-J – 3WW

October 29, 2017 Peter Kimpton
alj-j cover for 3WW

alj-j cover for 3WW

Song of the Day: alt-J’s third album is full of oddities and wonders, but today’s pick is the album’s opener, the sort of fusion of disparate elements that we love at the Song Bar, mixing PlayStation imagery with Shakespeare and folk

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In 2017, indie, folk, pop Tags alt-J, Joe Newman, Gus Unger-Hamilton, Thom Sonny Green, Ellie Rowsell, William Shakespeare, folk, Wolf Alice, PlayStation
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Grace Jones – Slave To The Rhythm / Pull Up To The Bumper

October 27, 2017 Peter Kimpton
The unmistakable Grace Jones

The unmistakable Grace Jones

Song of the Day: To mark the release of the revealing, insightful and at times hilarious documentary film, Bloodlight and Bami, directed by Sophie Fiennes, a couple of Grace's finest, with two sample live performances capture her ferocity, style, sexiness, humour, and above all, consummate skill as an artist

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In 1985, 1981, pop, funk, reggae Tags songs, song of the day, Grace Jones, Trevor Horn, Chris Blackwell, film, music documentary
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The Cure – A Forest

October 24, 2017 Peter Kimpton
The Cure

The Cure

Song of the Day: Continuing our arboreal theme, an otherworldly classic from the Cure's early goth days from their second album of 1980, Seventeen Seconds, which, on limited budget was recorded on only a week. Robert Smith's ghostly vocals and guitar effects (before his trademark long hair) combine eerily with Simon Gallup's echoing bass

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In pop, goth, 1980 Tags songs, song of the day, The Cure, Robert Smith, Simon Gallup, trees
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Carla dal Forno – The Garden

October 22, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Carla dal Forno

Carla dal Forno

Song of the Day: Sculptured, sparse, dark and melancholic, this title track is from a new four-song EP by the London-based Australian artist who has also worked in Berlin. The title is nod to Einstürzende Neubauten, but here day becomes night, a place of refuge, glissando bass and brittle effects, but also fear and fragile emotion, and echoes of Massive Attack's Protection

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In pop, psychedelia, 2017 Tags songs, Carla dal Forno, Einstürzende Neubauten, Massive Attack
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The Cesarians – She Said

October 20, 2017 Peter Kimpton
The Cesarians …

The Cesarians …

Song of the Day: Glorious, theatrical pop from the north London group fronted by singer Charlie Finke and keyboard player Justine Armatage

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In indie, pop, rock, 2015 Tags songs, The Cesarians
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Foxygen – San Francisco / Follow The Leader

October 8, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Foxygen

Foxygen

Song of the Day: Particularly known for their theatrical, extravagant performances, the Californian duo of Jonathan Rado and Sam France can sound, as on these tracks, like a throwback to early-70s hippy psychedelia or stage musicals, but these are some of many styles they can play with

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In 2013, 2017, pop, psychedelia, soul Tags songs, song of the day, Foxygen, California, soul, pop
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Sing out, act on CLIMATE CHANGE

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CONDEMN RACISM, EMBRACE EQUALITY


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DRINK OF THE WEEK

Napue dark gin


SNACK OF THE WEEK

crudités platter


New Albums …

Featured
Favourite Albums of 2025 - Part 3.jpeg
Dec 18, 2025
Favourite albums of 2025 - Part Three
Dec 18, 2025

Welcome to the third and final part of Song Bar favourite albums of 2025. There is also Part One, and Part Two. There is no countdown nor describing these necessarily as “best” albums of the year, but they are chosen by their quality, originality and reader popularity

Dec 18, 2025
Favourite albums of 2025 - Part Two.jpeg
Dec 17, 2025
Favourite albums of 2025 - Part Two
Dec 17, 2025

Welcome to the second part of Song Bar favourite albums of 2025. There is also a first part and a third part this week. There is no countdown nor describing these necessarily as “best” albums of the year, but they are chosen by their quality, originality and reader popularity

Dec 17, 2025
Favourite albums of 2025 - Part 1 updated.jpg
Dec 16, 2025
Favourite albums of 2025 - Part One
Dec 16, 2025

Welcome to the first part of Song Bar favourite albums of 2025. There will also be a second and third part this week. There is no countdown nor describing these necessarily as “best” albums of the year, but they are chosen by their quality, originality and reader popularity

Dec 16, 2025
Juliana Hatfield.jpeg
Dec 16, 2025
Juliana Hatfield: Lightning Might Strike
Dec 16, 2025

New album: Personal upheaval, grief, powerlessness, trauma, sudden change inform the title and colour the lyrics of this latest LP by the seasoned Boston indie artist but her songs are packed with brutally honest, candid, concise reflections and warm, catchy, stirring riffs and melodies

Dec 16, 2025
Dove Ellis - Blizzard.jpeg
Dec 9, 2025
Dove Ellis: Blizzard
Dec 9, 2025

New album: An extraordinarily mature, passionate, poetic, and outstandingly powerful debut by the Manchester-based Galway-born singer-songwriter, whose soaring delivery has instant echoes of Jeff Buckley and lyrics that go above and beyond

Dec 9, 2025
Spíra by Ólöf Arnalds.jpeg
Dec 5, 2025
Ólöf Arnalds: Spíra
Dec 5, 2025

New album: A gorgeous, delicate, ethereal first release in a decade by the Icelandic singer-songwriter, acoustic instruments and her gentle, high, pure voice, all in her native language, caressing this listening experience like pure waters of some slowly trickling glacial stream

Dec 5, 2025
Melody's Echo Chamber - Unclouded.jpeg
Dec 5, 2025
Melody's Echo Chamber: Unclouded
Dec 5, 2025

New album: A fourth album, here full of delicious uplifting, dreamily chic, psychedelic soul pop by the French musician Melody Prochet, with bright, upbeat, optimistic numbers and a title lifted from a quote by the acclaimed Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, about achieving equilibrium

Dec 5, 2025
Devotion & The Black Divine by anaiis.jpeg
Dec 2, 2025
anaiis: Devotion & The Black Divine
Dec 2, 2025

New album: Following a summer Song of the Day - Deus Deus, a review of the autumn release and third LP by the London-based French-Senegalese singer-songwriter of resonantly beautiful, dynamic, sensual soul, gospel, R&B and experimental and chamber pop, with themes of new motherhood, uncertainty, religion, self-love and acceptance

Dec 2, 2025
De La Soul - Cabin In The Sky.jpeg
Nov 26, 2025
De La Soul: Cabin In The Sky
Nov 26, 2025

New album: The hip-hop veterans return with their first without, yet including the voice of, and a tribute to, founding member Trugoy the Dove, AKA Dave Jolicoeur who passed away in 2023, alongside many hip-hop luminary guests, with trademark playful skits, and all themed around the afterlife

Nov 26, 2025
The Mountain Goats- Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan.jpeg
Nov 26, 2025
The Mountain Goats: Through This Fire Across From Peter Balkan
Nov 26, 2025

New album: An evocative musical journey of a concept album by the indie-folk band from Claremont, California, fronted by singer-songwriter John Darnielle, based on a dream of his in 2023 about a voyage to a fictional island by the titular captain, charting adventure, wonder and tragedy

Nov 26, 2025
Allie X - Happiness Is Going To Get You.jpeg
Nov 26, 2025
Allie X: Happiness Is Going To Get You
Nov 26, 2025

New album: A hugely entertaining, witty, droll, inventive, chamber and synth-pop fourth LP with a goth twist by the charismatic and theatrical Canadian artist Alexandra Hughes, who brings paradox and dark themes through sounds that include string quartet, harpsichord, classical and pure pop piano with killer lyrics

Nov 26, 2025
Tortoise - Touch.jpeg
Nov 25, 2025
Tortoise: Touch
Nov 25, 2025

New album: A welcome return with a cinematic and mesmeric groove-filled first studio LP in nine years, and the eighth over all by the eclectic Chicago post-rock/jazz/krautrock multi-instrumentalists Dan Bitney, John Herndon, Douglas McCombs, John McEntire and Jeff Parker

Nov 25, 2025
What of Our Nature by Haley Heynderickx, Max García Conover.jpeg
Nov 24, 2025
Haley Heynderickx and Max García Conover: What of Our Nature
Nov 24, 2025

New album: Beautiful, precise, poignant and poetic new folk numbers inspired by the life and music style of Woody Guthrie as the Portland, Oregon and New Yorker, now Portland, Maine-based singer-songwriters bring a delicious duet album, alternating and sharing songs covering a variety of forever topical social issues

Nov 24, 2025
Tranquilizer by Oneohtrix Point Never.jpeg
Nov 24, 2025
Oneohtrix Point Never: Tranquilizer
Nov 24, 2025

New album: Ambient, otherworldly, cinematic, mesmeric, and at times very odd, the Brooklyn-based electronic artist and producer Daniel Lopatin returns with a new nostalgia-based concept – constructing tracks from lost-then-refound Y2K CDs of 1990s and early 2000s royalty-free sample electronic sounds

Nov 24, 2025

new songs …

Featured
Deadletter - To The Brim.jpeg
Dec 19, 2025
Song of the Day: DEADLETTER - To The Brim
Dec 19, 2025

Song of the Day: A moody, mysterious minute-long intro with gentle bursts of brass and woodwind veils what becomes a punchy new lead single by the Leeds post-punk band heralding their second LP - Existence is Bliss out on 27 February via SO Recordings

Dec 19, 2025
Greentea Peng - Prisoners Round.jpeg
Dec 18, 2025
Song of the Day: Greentea Peng - Prisoners Round
Dec 18, 2025

Song of the Day: Following March 2025’s acclaimed album, Tell Dem It’s Sunny, the south-east London artist (aka Aria Wells) returns with another smoky, dark, track with hues of blues, dub and soul and Portishead-esque trip-hop, focusing on the trappings and challenges of modern life

Dec 18, 2025
Kaitlyn Aurela Smith - I Miss The Way You Swim.jpg
Dec 17, 2025
Song of the Day: Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - I Miss the Way You Swim
Dec 17, 2025

Song of the Day: Beautiful modular synths and intermingling orchestral sounds ripple in this work by the American composer, performer and producer in a piece shaped by loss of someone loved, taken from an upcoming instrumental album Thoughts On The Future, out on Nettwerk Music

Dec 17, 2025
The Paper Kites - If You Go There.jpeg
Dec 16, 2025
Song of the Day: The Paper Kites - Change Of The Wind
Dec 16, 2025

Song of the Day: A beautiful, reflective number by the alternative folk-rock band from Melbourne fronted by Sam Bentley, heralding their seventh studio album If You Go There, I Hope You Find It, out on 23 January via Nettwerk Music Group

Dec 16, 2025
Courtney Marie Andrews - Valentine.jpeg
Dec 15, 2025
Song of the Day: Courtney Marie Andrews - Little Picture Of A Butterfly
Dec 15, 2025

Song of the Day: Beautiful, delicate, fluttering, eclectic, heartbreak folk and Americana by the singer-songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona, heralding her forthcoming new album, Valentine, out on 16 January via Loose Future

Dec 15, 2025
Peter Perrett - Proud To Be Self-Hating.jpeg
Dec 12, 2025
Song of the Day: Peter Perrett - PROUD TO BE SELF-HATING (irony and provocation)
Dec 12, 2025

Song of the Day: The veteran British artist, originally frontman of The Only Ones, and now with three solo albums, who actually has Jewish heritage, releases a gently powerful, nuanced, pro-Palestine acoustic number as a response to ongoing genocide by the Israeli government, out on Domino Records

Dec 12, 2025
Maddie Ashman - Jaded.jpeg
Dec 11, 2025
Song of the Day: Maddie Ashman - Jaded
Dec 11, 2025

Song of the Day: Magical, delicate, eclectic, intricate, experimental microtonal music by the London musician and singer, released alongside a longer track, In Autumn My Heart Breaks

Dec 11, 2025
Ye Vagabonds.jpeg
Dec 10, 2025
Song of the Day: Ye Vagabonds - The Flood
Dec 10, 2025

Song of the Day: Wonderfully warm, rich, lively fiddle-driven Irish folk by the award-winning band fronted by Carlow brothers Brían and Diarmuid Mac Gloinn with a heartbreaking number about the housing crisis, heralding their upcoming new album, All Tied Together, out on Rough Trade’s River Lea Recordings on 30 January

Dec 10, 2025
DBA! band.jpeg
Dec 9, 2025
Song of the Day: DBA! A Poet And A Clown
Dec 9, 2025

Song of the Day: Catchy fuzz-guitar indie rock with a swagger by the Liverpool-formed trio of Sam Warren, James Lindberg and Joshua Grant in a song described as “a confessional story of desire tangled with religious guilt”

Dec 9, 2025
Puma Blue - Croak Dream.jpeg
Dec 8, 2025
Song of the Day: Puma Blue - Croak Dream
Dec 8, 2025

Song of the Day: A dark, esoteric, mysterious and stylish title track with a hint of Radiohead and playing with the idea of knowing your future death, from the experimental indie/goth/ambient London artist Jacob Allen’s forthcoming album out on 6 February via Play It Again Sam

Dec 8, 2025
ELIZA - Anyone Else.jpeg
Dec 7, 2025
Song of the Day: ELIZA - Anyone Else
Dec 7, 2025

Song of the Day: Stripped-back, bluesy, fuzzy funk with slight echoes of Prince and alt-R&B are conjured up in this love song by the London-based singer-songwriter Eliza Caird, her first single for two years, now off the mainstream and out on Log Off Records

Dec 7, 2025
SILK SCARF by Tiga & Fcukers.jpg
Dec 6, 2025
Song of the Day: Tiga (featuring Fcukers) - Silk Scarf
Dec 6, 2025

Song of the Day: A fun, sensual, quirkily oddball electronica dance single with a slick, fetish-flirtatious ode to a favourite smooth material by the Montreal musician (Tiga James Sontag) joined here with vocals by the New York band (Shanny Wise and Jackson Walker Lewis), and heralding Tiga’s upcoming album Hotlife, out in April on Secret City Records

Dec 6, 2025

Word of the week

Featured
Hangover.jpeg
Dec 4, 2025
Word of the week: crapulence
Dec 4, 2025

Word of the week: A term that may apply regularly during Xmas party season, from the from the Latin crapula, in turn from the Greek kraipálē meaning "drunkenness" or "headache" pertains to sickness symptoms caused by excess in eating or drinking, or general intemperance and overindulgence

Dec 4, 2025
Running shoes and barefoot.jpeg
Nov 20, 2025
Word of the week: discalceate
Nov 20, 2025

Word of the week: A rarely used, but often practised verb, especially when arriving home, it means to take off your shoes, but is also a slightly more common adjective meaning barefoot or unshod, particularly for certain religious orders that wear sandals instead of shoes. But in what context does this come up in song?

Nov 20, 2025
autumn-red-leaves.jpeg
Nov 6, 2025
Word of the week: erythrophyll
Nov 6, 2025

Word of the week: A seasonally topical word relating to the the red pigment of tree leaves, fruits and flowers, that appears particularly when changing in autumn, as opposed to the green effect of chlorophyll, from the Greek erythros for red, and phyll for leaves. But what of songs about this?

Nov 6, 2025
Fennec fox 2.jpeg
Oct 22, 2025
Word of the week: fennec
Oct 22, 2025

Word of the week: It’s a small pale-fawn nocturnal fox with unusually large, highly sensitive ears, that inhabits from African and Arab deserts areas from Western Sahara and Mauritania to the Sinai Peninsula. But has it ever been seen in a song?

Oct 22, 2025
Narrowboat.jpeg
Oct 9, 2025
Word of the week: gongoozler
Oct 9, 2025

Word of the week: A fabulous old English slang term for someone who tends to stand or sit for long periods staring at the passing of boats on canals, sometimes with a derogatory or at least ironic use for someone who is useless or lazy. But what of songs about this activity and culture?

Oct 9, 2025

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