This gentle, lilting tune is a classic example of the niche genre called Palm-wine and comes from an album with the memorable title Dead Men Don’t Smoke Marijuana. I think we can all agree with that.

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I’ve never heard of this band and I’m sure you’ve never heard of them either. Listening now, I’m not sure why 99 Tales didn’t make a bigger name for themselves.

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If I believed in guilty pleasures I’d list one of mine as cod reggae. Especially electro-reggae like this. But I don’t, so I’m very happy to own my love of this.

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The Blue Aeroplanes, led by the Langley brothers from Bristol, emerged in the early 1980s and are still going strong four decades later.

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Here’s one of the great one-hit wonders. And a song that would pop into my head at random points whenever I was – you guessed – Drinking In L.A.

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I have to admit that, like most others, I was initially attracted to this tune by its sampling of Lou Reed’s Walk On The Wild Side. But there was much more to the New York rappers than that – though Reed got all the money and the teenage rappers never saw a penny.

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This is the opening track from Gillian Welch’s debut album, presaging the revival of old-time music and the emergence of Americana. (more…)

Much as I dislike comedy songs, and as much as I disdain punk revivalists, it’s hard not to smile when you hear this novelty hit by Irish band Sultans Of Ping FC.

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The night The Yellow Monkey made their UK debut in front of a fervent Japanese crowd… supporting future superstars Travis.

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I’m often drawn to a band by their name, their song and album titles and their artwork. So it was no surprise I loved Death In Vegas when they released their debut album Dead Elvis.

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