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LCD Soundsystem – Losing My Edge / Killing Joke – Change

May 7, 2018 Peter Kimpton
The sleeve for LCD Soundsystem's debut first single

The sleeve for LCD Soundsystem's debut first single

Song of the Day: After our previous Eric B. and Rakim number, Know The Ledge, it's a different, double-edged song, and a debut by Brooklyn's James Murphy and co satirising the fear of not staying in vogue

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In 2002, 2005, 1980, electronica, dance, post-punk, psychedelia, krautrock Tags songs, song of the day, LCD Soundsystem, James Murphy, Killing Joke, Daft Punk
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Parquet Courts – Almost Had to Start a Fight / In and Out of Patience

April 29, 2018 Peter Kimpton
Parquet Courts – Wide Awake in 2018

Parquet Courts – Wide Awake in 2018

Song of the Day: Yesterday's Bodega song was a cri de coeur against passivity, today's by another great New York band is the opposite - capturing the reactionary side of our fractious times in a two-part number

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In 2018, indie, post-punk Tags songs, song of the day, Parquet Courts, Danger Mouse, indie, postpunk, psychology, anger
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Bodega – How Did This Happen?

April 28, 2018 Peter Kimpton
Bodega

Bodega

Song of the Day: It's a question many ask in the current state of world affairs, but this terrific song by the New York band manages to pose political questions and still be enormously engaging in both music and lyrics

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In rock, post-punk, 2018 Tags song of the day, songs, Bodega, New York, LCD Soundsystem, Woody Guthrie
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Flat Worms – Pearl

April 25, 2018 Peter Kimpton
Flat Worms: playing fast as greyhound

Flat Worms: playing fast as greyhound

Song of the Day: After the exuberant joy of The Damned's New Rose, we move four decades forward to an equally blistering sound from the LA post-punk trio with a song that has a similar theme

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In 2017, post-punk, rock, indie Tags songs, song of the day, Flat Worms, Castle Face Records, Will Ivy, Justin Sullivan, Tim Helman, Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall
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The Libertines – Don't Look Back Into the Sun

April 20, 2018 Peter Kimpton
The Libertines in 2003

The Libertines in 2003

Song of the Day: Possibly the shining pinnacle of the indie rock quartet's repertoire this 2003 never appeared on an album, but a searing anthem to a refreshing new postpunk English sound

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In 2003, indie, post-punk, rock Tags songs, song of the day, The Libertines, Carl Barât, Pete Doherty, Bernard Butler, Suede, Mick Jones, The Clash, drugs, Oasis, The Velvet Underground
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XTC – You And The Clouds Will Still Be Beautiful / We're All Light

March 31, 2018 Peter Kimpton
Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding on the inside cover of Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2).

Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding on the inside cover of Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2).

Song of the Day: To brighten up a grey Easter weekend, two upbeat, romantic and typically eccentric numbers written by Andy Partridge from t 2000 album Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume 2)

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In post-punk, rock, pop, 2000 Tags songs, song of the day, XTC, Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding
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David Byrne – Everybody's Coming to My House / Talking Heads – Once In A Lifetime

February 9, 2018 Peter Kimpton
David Byrne

David Byrne

Song of the Day: That's not my beautiful house! Or is it? Today we may find ourselves comparing two sublime songs, two houses, one brand new and a classic from the Talking Heads Remain in Light album of 1980

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In 1980, 1981, 2018, indie, pop, post-punk Tags songs, song of the day, David Byrne, Brian Eno, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth
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The Fall – Blindness (and farewell Mark E Smith)

January 24, 2018 Peter Kimpton
Mark E Smith 1957-2018

Mark E Smith 1957-2018

Song of the Day: With the sudden news of the passing of Mark E Smith, how can we choose a song to exemplify this force of nature, this difficult genius, this guttural great, this prince of post-punk lyricists inspired by HP Lovecraft, William Blake, Wyndham Lewis, Gene Vincent and krautrock

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In 2005, indie, post-punk, punk Tags songs, song of the day, The Fall, Mark E Smith, HP Lovecraft, William Blake, Wyndham Lewis, Gene Vincent, The Monks, krautrock, punk, postpunk
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!!! (Chk Chk Chk) - Must Be The Moon / Dancing Is The Best Revenge

December 20, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Unstoppable … !!! work up a sweat on stage

Unstoppable … !!! work up a sweat on stage

Song of the Day: It is hard to find any material more energising than the music of the New York dance-postpunk band originally from Sacramento, California, who have been delivering blistering live performances for more than 20 years

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In 2007, 2017, dance, funk, pop, post-punk, psychedelia, disco Tags songs, song of the day, !!! (Chk Chk Chk), dance, postpunk
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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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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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Patti Smith – Horses

October 17, 2017 Peter Kimpton
Patti Smith, 1975

Patti Smith, 1975

Song of the Day: "Three-chord rock merged with the power of the word" is how the Chicago-born New York singer and poet described the 1975 debut album that galloped on the music scene with such impact, combining poetry with early punk and krautrock

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In punk, post-punk, krautrock, 1975 Tags songs, song of the day, Patti Smith, John Cale, Jim Morrison, The Doors, Van Morrison, Lou Reed
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The Transplants – Diamonds and Guns

October 2, 2017 Peter Kimpton
The Transplants

The Transplants

Song of the Day: Following yesterday's Fall number, a track from a very different origin but with its own brand of shouty catchiness, and a superb piano hook. This 2003 release from Tim Armstrong (Rancid), Rob Aston (Death March) and co from their first eponymous album, and bizarrely, was used on a Garnier Fructis TV commercial

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In 2003, hip hop, post-punk, punk, rock Tags songs, song of the day, The Transplants, punk, hip-hop, postpunk, metal, advertising, Tim Armstrong, Rancid, Rob Aston, Death March, Gorillaz, The Rolling Stones, Del The Funky Homosapien
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The Fall – Touch Sensitive

October 1, 2017 Peter Kimpton
The Fall, with one of many of Mark E Smith's lineups.

The Fall, with one of many of Mark E Smith's lineups.

Song of the Day: So many to choose, but few match this one for sheer catchy, direct, repetitive brilliance. From 1999's The Marshall Suite, and co-written with Canadian guitarist and keyboard player Julia Nagle, as riffs and choruses go it's up there with the very best

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In post-punk, indie, 1999 Tags songs, song of the day, The Fall, Manchester, Mark E Smith, Julia Nagle
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DUDS – No Remark / Signal, Sign

September 30, 2017 Peter Kimpton
DUDS' new album Of A Nature Or Degree

DUDS' new album Of A Nature Or Degree

Song of the Day: Post-punk pop meets prog meets jazz? Manchester's cutting-edge northern lathe has turned out another bunch of true originals, bringing short-sharp songs of jagged guitar, percussion, cornet, and vocal

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In 2017, post-punk, indie Tags songs, song of the day, DUDS, Manchester, postpunk, Fire Engines, XTC, Castle Face Records, Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall
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DRINK OF THE WEEK

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SNACK OF THE WEEK

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New Albums …

Featured
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
Iona Zajac - Bang.jpeg
Nov 24, 2025
Iona Zajac: Bang
Nov 24, 2025

New album: A powerful, stirring, passionate and mature debut LP by the 29-year-old Glasgow-based Scottish singer with Polish and Ukrainian heritage who has toured as the new Pogues singer, and whose alternative folk songs capture raw emotions and the experience of modern womanhood, with echoes of PJ Harvey, Patti Smith, Aldous Harding and Lankum

Nov 24, 2025

new songs …

Featured
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
Flea - A Plea.jpeg
Dec 5, 2025
Song of the Day: Flea - A Plea
Dec 5, 2025

Song of the Day: A striking, powerful new single by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers bassist (aka Michael Balzary), who brings a fusion of jazz and spoken word with a fabulous band on an impassioned number about the state of the US in a culture of hatred, social and political tensions, out now on Nonesuch Records

Dec 5, 2025
The Lemon Twigs - I've Got A Broken Heart.jpeg
Dec 4, 2025
Song of the Day: The Lemon Twigs - I've Got A Broken Heart
Dec 4, 2025

Song of the Day: Despite the title, this new double-A single (with Friday I’m Gonna Love You) has a wonderfully uplifting guitar-jangling beauty, with echoes of The Byrds and Stone Roses, but is of course the brilliant 60s and 70s retro sound of the Long Island brothers Brian and Michael D'Addario, out on Captured Tracks

Dec 4, 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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