squeezing in squeezing out 'Przecisk' seems to be the Polish for "pipe jacking", "moling" or "ramming" - all terms that were meaningless to me this morning. Apparently, they describe the trenchless method of constructing pipelines and tunnels, using machines that burrow underground like a mole. But, in this case, I think the colloquial meaning of…Read more Przecisk
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Tummy
The most famous tummy of the western world? If your streaming service thinks you might like a track with a funny name, by a band you have never heard of, you have to listen to it, don't you? And if it turns out to tickle the senses, it has to qualify for inclusion on the…Read more Tummy
Self Titled
Quite often, when an artist releases a new album, the reviews say "this is their most personal yet". Generally, though, you can take that with a pinch of salt. The writer may just be searching for something to say that would give you a reason to listen to it. In the case of Kae Tempest's…Read more Self Titled
Distorted Reality
Did we pick the wrong sort of mushrooms for our meal last night? If you like Muse, you will also like No Signal. The two bands are all but indistinguishable. Both offer classically-inspired keyboards, heavy rock guitar, choirboy voices and singable melodies. Distorted Reality is No Signal's latest album, released in digital formats in April…Read more Distorted Reality
Masters of Fog
It's been chilly, damp and foggy in most of the UK for the past few days. What more appropriate choice of topic for this week's blog, then, than an album called Masters of Fog? https://open.spotify.com/album/5RAZAzKGlhdLrwmV0p97UY?si=iafK0LIuQBWhBd89Iy-_gQ The 6th album by Tonbruket, released 27th September 2019 According to Discogs, Tonbruket is a Swedish music project whose sound…Read more Masters of Fog
Medicine Box
Image by the WordPress AI The latest edition of my university college magazine, the brick, dropped in my inbox the other day. In the Student Life section, there was an article whose headline picture was of a rock band. It was titled 'Girl Like That' | Lucy Peer, and I found my inner voice asking,…Read more Medicine Box
This Could Be Texas
The wind is picking up. A hurricane is coming. Run, Dorothy! There's been a lot going on in Crotchety Land recently, and I haven't been paying attention to what's happening in the wider world. In particular, I haven't been keeping an eye on the Mercury Music Prize. While I've been distracted, the winner of this…Read more This Could Be Texas
Lives Outgrown
I retired in the autumn of 2014. The calendar says that's less than 10 years ago, but it feels like a completely different life. Instead of writing software for a business making subsea welding robots, I now manage a website and provide I.T. support for a charity that offers educational opportunities to those in their…Read more Lives Outgrown
Oath Breaker
It's been a while since I used the track-of-the-week tag. I guess that's because there have been plenty of albums worthy of a spell in the spotlight here, and no one track has stood out above the rest. But, today, I'm going to feature a band called Alo̱r that, as far as I can see,…Read more Oath Breaker
Allhallowtide
Soul cakes and candle The track selector was rummaging around in the Indie bin when he came upon a relatively recent album by The Monochrome Set. It was released in March 2022, which is a strange time of year to be promoting a record with the title, Allhallowtide. The explanation is, probably, that the recording…Read more Allhallowtide
Crotchety Man 