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
indie
Prelude to Ecstasy
The Last Dinner Party were formed in 2021 in the midst of the Covid lockdown. They exploded onto the indie/pop scene in April 2023 reaching no. 19 in the UK pop charts with the single, Nothing Matters. Their debut album, Prelude to Ecstasy, was released on 2nd February 2024, and it's a corker. As a…Read more Prelude to Ecstasy
I Inside the Old I Dying
Looking back; looking forward. Times past; times still to come. Those are the thoughts that occupy our minds as one year fades away and the tick-tocking clocks beckon another. Was '23 a good year for you? Will '24 be any better? Let's ponder this with PJ Harvey as she sings the enigmatically titled track, I…Read more I Inside the Old I Dying
Wrapped Up
On Friday (1st Dec), The Guardian carried an article about the Spotify Wrapped personalised listening summary, which is delivered to Spotify subscribers as an animated video every year. In the announcement email, Alex Petridis wrote: "The annual summary of your listening habits has become a phenomenon – but aside from being a marketing wheeze, Wrapped…Read more Wrapped Up
The Navigator
"You are the Navigator", said Max, the alien machine pilot of the spacetime ship. It's a frustrating job at times. The charts are in your head. You know the way to go. You know the quickest way; and you know the scenic way. But the captain has the wheel, and we must go where he…Read more The Navigator
People
Nat Ural and Art I. Ficial The older I get, the more I worry about the human race. We are supposed to be a rational species, but I hear people making absurd statements and claiming they are undeniable truths all the time these days. Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity. And…Read more People
Fairlies
'Fairlies', it seems, can refer to a type of yacht, a double ended steam locomotive, or a place. Or it could just be someone's name. In fact, this song by Grian Chatten is about none of these; it's about the unfairness of life. The fairies get their fingers and they spin your wheelAnd they make…Read more Fairlies
Presidentially Yours
This week's mind tickler came once again from my Spotify Release Radar playlist. A track called Presidentially Yours caused the cog wheels in the mental gearbox to suddenly shift up a notch. The title alone was enough to disengage the clutch. The unmistakable voice of Simon Armitage, our Poet Laureate, selected a higher gear ratio.…Read more Presidentially Yours
3-Piece Suite
Mid-winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Short days. Too cold to go out much. So let's pass the time curled up on the sofa and listen to some music. Here's a short playlist taken from my latest Spotify Release Radar. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2aZ3sl0wRJB4Y3N7BxzeUf?si=b43206d7e12d4c90 The first piece looks forward to the month ahead. It probably won't be any warmer…Read more 3-Piece Suite
Wild Grey Ocean
If your name is Fender, it would be hard not to be a musician. Fortunately, Sam is a rather good pianist, guitarist, singer and songwriter. In fact, he is one of the biggest stars in the pop/rock/indie style around today. And he deserves to be. This song came up on my Spotify Release Radar last…Read more Wild Grey Ocean
Crotchety Man 