The older I get the harder it is to find new music that stands out. It's like prime numbers; there are infinitely many of them, but they get harder to find the further you go. Just once in a while, though, mathematicians find a new prime and sometimes, in my wanderings through the soundscape, I stumble…Read more Reflektor
Album
Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2
Every two years since 1978 the BBC has staged a Young Musician of the Year competition. I watched the final in 1982. One of the finalists was an 18 year old pianist. I liked her. Well, of course I liked her, she was a young woman with poise and confidence, and she was about to play my…Read more Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2
Satanic Majesties
For some of you what I'm about to say will be heresy, so sit down and take a deep breath before reading on. The Rolling Stones only made one album worth listening to: Their Satanic Majesties Request. Well, that and their very first compilation album, Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass), which only a few…Read more Satanic Majesties
Feels Good To Me
I was going to have All Heaven Let Loose by Bill Bruford's Earthworks as my album of the month for March but it's not available on Spotify and there's not much point writing about music my readers can't listen to. So, instead, I'm going back to Bill Bruford's first release as a solo artist, Feels Good To…Read more Feels Good To Me
Live in Dublin
One of the albums on my wish list for last Christmas was Leonard Cohen's Live in Dublin. It wasn't in my stocking then but I did get a generous helping of iTunes vouchers for my birthday at the end of January so I bought it as a download. It's a live album recorded in September…Read more Live in Dublin
Back Door
We're half way through January already, so I think it's time to start the Album of the Month. Here's one for jazz fans, although there's nothing quite like it - not even in the infinite space of the Internet. Whatever your musical tastes are your education won't be complete until you've listened to Back Door's eponymous…Read more Back Door
The Black Lamps
An ex-colleague of mine from work plays bass in the Barnsley post-indie/rock band The Black Lamps which has just released its first album. The music is pleasant, if unexceptional. Nice album cover, though.
Crotchety Man 