Looking through my recent 'likes' I see several pieces worthy of a mention in these pages. So it's time for another playlist, methinks. But how do you choose the order of the tunes? Are there any rules? Or does it just come down to personal preference? And what happens if you get them horribly out…Read more Order! Order!
The Phantom of the Opera
On the whole Crotchety Man doesn't like musicals. I have seen a handful, either on stage or as a film, but they usually leave me cringing with embarrassment for the writers, the cast and the poor, long suffering audience. There are exceptions: Hair had some good songs and a decent storyline; The Little Shop of…Read more The Phantom of the Opera
The Trouble With Angels
It's no secret that King Crimson is one of my very favourite bands. They are also the archetypal prog rock band; they practically invented the genre as the swinging sixties dissolved into the sickly seventies. But it would be a lie to label this track from King Crimson's vocalist and second guitarist, as prog rock.…Read more The Trouble With Angels
Stimela
National Railways of Zimbabwe class 15A 4-6-4+4-6-4 'Garratt' steam locomotive no. 410 'Inkolomi' (built by Beyer Peacock in 1950) at Heany Junction, Zimbabwe, with a coal train, 29th July 1992. Never use two words where one will do. That's what they tell aspiring writers. So let's use the South African word for "coal train" -…Read more Stimela
Vandringssång
We met a Swedish prehistoric beast for the first time in September when this blog featured Trippar Runt Dig, a single released ahead of Urtidsdjur's forthcoming eponymous album. It was just a short exploratory trip then but those guys are on a much longer journey now. Here's the first single taken from the album itself,…Read more Vandringssång
It’ll All Work Out In Boomland
At the Boomland Festival It's a scary time of year. We've just had Halloween, when ghosts roam abroad and witches ride on flying broomsticks. And, in a few days time, there will be cacophonous firework displays in the UK in remembrance of Guy Fawkes' unsuccessful attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605.…Read more It’ll All Work Out In Boomland
Silver Pendulum
So, I was thinking about time shifts: from British Summer Time to Greenwich Meantime, or the paradoxes of space-time rifts in Science Fiction stories. And I wondered if I could find some music on that theme. It's not as easy as you might imagine but, eventually, the naïve search algorithm chanced upon a title that…Read more Silver Pendulum
The Rite of Strings
When we talk about a string trio we usually mean violin, viola and cello: acoustic instruments playing chamber music in a broadly classical style. But substitute a guitar for the viola and a double bass for the cello and you get a stringy creature with a rather different complexion. Then, if you electrify the violin…Read more The Rite of Strings
Mediterranean Sundance
For some of us the social distancing rules that Covid-19 has brought about are torture and the self-isolation rules are a prison. The virus itself is a black cloud that dampens our spirits and darkens our moods, a devilish presence that constantly haunts our souls. But there is a silver lining. We have had to…Read more Mediterranean Sundance
Five Rooms
A crowded 5-room house I should say straight away that this post has nothing to do with the band called Crowded House - unless they are fans of the Norwegian prog rock outfit, Wobbler (which seems unlikely). The headline photo is just an amusing illustration of Five Rooms, which is the title of the recently…Read more Five Rooms
Crotchety Man 