I’ve been a big fan of M.I.A. ever since she made her debut with Galang back in 2024. Even though she’s as mad as a box of frogs.

(more…)

Traffic are one of those bands who somehow fell through the cracks of my musical journey. Consequently, Dave Mason was not a name that meant a great deal to me.

(more…)

The Bee Gees’ disco classic Stayin’ Alive interwoven with Gwen Stefani’s Hollaback Girl turns out to make the perfect mash-up marriage.

(more…)

Gregg Foreman, who looked and sounded every inch the rock star, was the founder of The Delta 72 and musical director for Cat Power.

(more…)

Andy Kershaw introduced me – us – to so much new music, making him second only to John Peel in terms of influence on my own formative tastes.

(more…)

The narcotic country twang and angelic vocal of Widowspeak put me in mind of Mazzy Star. And that’s never a bad thing.

(more…)

Family Stereo is the stage name of Blake Watt, son of Everthing But The Girl duo Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt.

(more…)

Dry Cleaning return to the style that first brought them to attention with their new single Sliced By A Fingernail.

(more…)

Here we go again: the usual mix of old and new and black and white and funk and soul and reggae and jazz and country and disco. And tributes to  to the dead in a busy month for the grim reaper: Country Joe, Chip Taylor, Mike Vernon, Terry Cox, Wayne Perkins and Wes McGhee. There’s even some Peruvian punk, which is a first for me (and surely you). 

Flea turns jazz trumpeter on his first solo album at the age of 63, and brings in his old Atoms For Peace bandmate Thom Yorke.

(more…)