Summertime, and the listening is easy (Harry Chapin, Micah P Hinson) – and funky (Mirwais, Baxter Dury) and lots more. There’s vintage country (Connie Smith) and ska (Phyllis Dillon), there’s old soul (Jackie Day, Jackie Edwards) and nu-soul (Jordan Rakei), some powerful blues (Buddy Guy, Ruth Copeland), hip-hop old (Nas) and new (Kneecap) and much more.
The moment you first hear Jordan Rakei’s stunning voice, you imagine you must be listening to some long-lost soul singer from the Sixties or Seventies.
Here’s an Afro-techno party anthem from the Democratic Republic of Congo that should set your pulse racing and feet moving. Either that or you may be clinically dead.
I’m so sad to hear about the death of Kevin Campbell, a title-winning mainstay of Arsenal’s attack in the late Eighties and early Nineties – and a hero on Merseyside after he moved to Everton.
Kneecap are a hip-hop trio from Northern Ireland with a strong republican message in their raps, aided here by Grian from Fontaines DC.
Britain’s finest musical wordsmith winds up his extensive UK tour with a gig of two halves: dark songs of drinking and disaster from his time with I Am Kloot and harmony-drenched songs of happiness and hope from his solo repertoire.
Arab Strap put on their disco shoes for new single Bliss, calling out toxic masculinity, online violence and harassment of women.
I’ve liked Goat Girl ever since they emerged punkishly from the DiY scene at The Windmill nearly a decade ago. Their latest doesn’t disappoint.
Postpunk sextet Deadletter have been building up a fervent live following for some time. Today they preview their debut album with this song, Mother. (more…)
This month we’ve got garage punk and psych sounds from the ’60s,
some electro funk and classic country, a blend of rockabilly, noise and vintage French folk and some soothing neo-classical piano to end on a quiet note.