I’m still catching up with 2024 releases. Guatemalan cellist Mabe Fratti’s excellent Sentir Que No Sabes slipped out in June. But Lauren Mayberry (from CHVRCHES) only released her solo debut this month. Mabe Fratti Sentir Que No Sabes 2024, 9/10Guatemalan…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the two-album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from 1965-1968, and was a major influence…
The observant among you may have noticed that the quiz is a day later than usual. I figured people had better things to do than a music quiz on Christmas Day. I scored 23/24 – I could have scored…
It’s another diverse week of new releases. We have: Two of these records feature church bells, befitting for Christmastide. Read on for details. Godspeed You! Black Emperor No Title as of 13 February 2024 28,340 Dead 2024, 7.5/10 Montreal’s instrumental…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was…
I don’t normally run a Christmas music quiz, but let’s try it this year. I may have an advantage here, since I’ll probably be playing some of these songs on Christmas Eve. I scored 27/28 – I missed ‘Home…
School holidays are just starting. This means I must review the albums with inappropriate language before my girls are home for the summer. Kendrick Lamar and Tyler, the Creator are both hip-hop superstars who stretch the boundaries of the genre.…
4 Somethin’ Stupid by Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman Topped the NZ chart: for 4 weeks from 23 December 2001. New Zealand’s 2001 Christmas number one was a cover of a 1960s chestnut, recorded by a famous actress and a…
I promise not to run 26 of these Hide Your Albums quizzes in a row, but I’m enjoying them. We’re up to C this week – can you tell your Clash from your Chemical Brothers? Are you crazy, sexy, or…
It’s the heaviest week of new reviews in this site’s history. Blood Incantation’s Absolute Elsewhere has been the most acclaimed metal release for years. Foxing’s throat-shredding indie rock has become even more intense. Foxing Foxing 2021, 8.5 Louis’s Foxing have…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the two-album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years from 1965-1968 and was…
Last week we hid our A albums, this week it’s time to hide your B albums. I scored 24/24, although I had to guess between Blink-182 and Jimmy Eat World at the end. I had 5:04 remaining – can…
It’s a 1990s revival week but with sneaky aliases. The leaders from two of the 1990s most beloved guitar bands are back. Pavement’s Stephen Malkmus has released an album with The Hard Quartet. Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood and Thom Yorke are…
3 Wind It Up by Gwen Stefani Topped the NZ chart: for 2 weeks from 25 December 2006. Gwen Stefani was already an established star before she went solo. She sang for California ska-punk band No Doubt, fronting hits like…
I don’t know what we will do with our lives now that almost 50 rounds of compilations are done. But we could try linking albums to artists. Even if you don’t know the albums, you should be able to link…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the two-album set Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from 1965 to 1968 and was a major influence…
Curtis Lee Mayfield started his recording career in the 1950s. He was a member of The Impressions, whose first single, ‘For Your Precious Love’, was released in 1958. He emerged as a songwriter in the 1960s with hits like ‘People…
It’s the final quiz in the series. It’s dedicated entirely to Beatles compilations. It’s a weird quiz, with some gimmes like 1 and The Blue Album, but also some tricky ones. Even people who know every Beatles song probably don’t…
This week’s selection of albums is dark but enjoyable. Soccer Mommy confronts loss on Evergreen, while an ageing Robert Smith wrestles with mortality on The Cure’s fourteenth album. Soccer Mommy Evergreen 2024, 8.5/10Evergreen feels like a return to basics for…
9 Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO (featuring Lauren Bennett & GoonRock) Topped the NZ chart: for 11 weeks from 4 April 2011. The two members of LMFAO are descended from musical royalty. Redfoo is the youngest son of Motown Records founder…
Welcome back to the final conventional week of this epic series. There’s a number 50, but it’s dedicated entirely to Beatles’ compilations. Does anyone know why 49 isn’t IL in Roman numerals? I scored 13/20 this week. I struggled…
Two English-based artists this week. Australian Nick Cave is back for another album of piano ballads, albeit less doom-laden than usual. Kelly Lee Owens explores her pop-oriented side on her fourth album Dreamstate. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Wild…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the two-album set Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from 1965 to 1968 and was a major influence…
We’re almost through this epic series. It’s getting a little obscure – I know little of P-Square or Half Japanese. Lots of country artists this week. Can you beat my score of 15/20? Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who top-scored with…
It’s a midlly disappointing week of new releases (keep in mind I’m generally a couple of months behind the rest of the world). Nilüfer Yanya and Caribou have both made better albums in the past, although both of their 2024…
9 Into the Groove by Madonna Topped the NZ chart: for 6 weeks from 11 August 1985. Madonna was one of the best singles artists of the 1980s. Between 1985 and 1990, ‘Into the Groove’, ‘Like A Prayer’, and ‘Vogue’…
We’re almost at the end of this epic series – just three more to go after this quiz, one of which is dedicated entirely to The Beatles. You probably know the drill by now – link the artist to the…
It’s easy to imagine both of these two acts residing in late-1960s Los Angeles. Beachwood Sparks adopt a Byrds-ish jangle with warm harmonies. MJ Lenderman pitches his music somewhere between Neil Young and Pavement. MJ Lenderman Manning Fireworks 2024, 8.5/10Asheville…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was…
We’re up to quiz 46 in our greatest hits sequence – congratulations for sticking it out so long. This week’s seemed the easiest for a while – I could guess based on genre conventions. I scored 15/20 but probably…
There are some fun classic rock Easter eggs in this week’s pair of new releases. Bruce Springsteen duets with Zach Bryan on ‘Sandpaper’ from The Great American Bar Scene. Meanwhile, Magdalena Bay pay tribute to Love’s ‘The Red Telephone’ on…
Every New Zealand #1 single… 8 Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars Topped the NZ chart: for 2 weeks from 4 October 2010. Peter Hernandez was born in Honolulu to parents with Filipino, Jewish, and Puerto Rican heritage.…
We’re up to quiz #45 in the series. 45AD was the year the Roman senate consulted about real estate speculation in Rome. Can you score 20/20 in this quiz. I’d be impressed if you can. I scored 11 I got fixated…
It feels a little exotic this week – Brazilian jazz pianist Amaro Freitas plays music inspired by a recent trip to the Amazon. Bristol’s The Fauns blend shoegaze with pop sounds on their most recent record. Amaro Freitas Y’Y 2024,…
Counting Crows bridged the gap between alternative and classic rock when they appeared in 1993. The band were clearly indebted to stalwarts like The Band and Van Morrison. But lead singer Adam Duritz channelled angst like his alternative contemporaries. The…
Welcome back for more quizzing. We’re up to #44, and the artists are getting ever more obscure. I scored 13 It quickly got difficult after Bert and Ernie. Can you beat me? Congratulations to Deke and Rich Kamerman, who…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was…
Every New Zealand #1 single… 10 Crazy by Gnarls Barkley Topped the NZ chart: for 7 weeks from 29 May 2006. Producer Danger Mouse and vocalist CeeLo Green were already well known before they released their first single as Gnarls…
We’re up to quiz #43. I found this one tricky with many artists I wasn’t familiar with. Can you tell Samantha Fox from Hilary Duff? I scored 13 I liked Squeeze’s witty album cover though. Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who…
Two solo artists this week. Former White Stripes frontman Jack White dropped a surprise record in August. Singer-songwriter Cassandra Jenkins is back with another album of pretty new age ramblings (not an insult). Jack White No Name 2024, 8/10I’m probably…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was…
We’re back into the normal rhythm of greatest hits albums. There are a few I haven’t heard of this week. Is anyone into Guano Apes? Or N-Dubz? I scored 16 Can you beat me? Congratulations to Tony, who scored…
For someone born in New York City, Gillian Welch has the uncanny ability to evoke the pastoral music of a bygone America. Part bluegrass and part Appalachian folk, she’s able to sound authentic. She’s accompanied by guitarist Dave Rawlings, who…
Every New Zealand #1 single… 10 A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum Topped the NZ chart: for 1 week from 11 August 1967. Gary Brooker sang with The Paramounts, who enjoyed the UK top 40 hit ‘Poison Ivy’…
There’s a changeup this week after 40 quizzes of the same format. Your challenge is to locate the greatest hits album based on two songs from it. I somehow scored 16/16, with a series of educated guesses. I had…
Two very different female solo artists this week. Arooj Aftab inhabits a space between folk and jazz on Night Reign. Sabrina Carpenter is between country and 1980s pop on her breakout album Short ‘n’ Sweet. Arooj Aftab Night Reign 2024,…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was…
We’re up to greatest hits quiz 40. According to my maths, we had a five-way tie for first at 14/20 last week – congratulations to all the winners. It’s another tricky one this week. The 1960s male bands (as well…
Stranded in Australia during the COVID pandemic. Stranded in the US after a coup in Niger. This week’s theme is dislocation, with the power pop of Charly Bliss and the guitar rock of Mdou Moctar both affected. Charly Bliss Forever…
Every New Zealand #1 single… 4 Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat) Topped the NZ chart: for 8 weeks from 29 June 2020. Historically, the top of the US charts has been rarefied air for NZ artists. Crowded House reached…
It’s spring here in New Zealand, which means insanely high winds most of the time. It’s lovely when the winds stop though. This is one of the tougher Greatest Hits quizzes, at least for me. There weren’t many artists I’m…
Porter Robinson has added some swagger to his electro-pop. St. Vincent has added some industrial textures to her art-rock. Read on for details. Porter Robinson Smile! 😀 2024, 8.5/10Porter Robinson grew up in Chapel Hill, the same town in North…
Kate Bush exploded into popular music with her first single, 1978’s ‘Wuthering Heights’. The folk music from her Irish mother, the progressive rock that her older brothers listened to as teenagers, and radio-friendly pop like Elton John are all melded…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was…
Welcome to the future (if you’re reading this in the Americas). It’s already 29 August here, and it’s time for some quizzing. We’re up to #37 in this long-running series. This week you need to tell the difference between the…
Neil Finn grew up in Te Awamutu, a provincial town in New Zealand. As a teenage guitarist, he joined his brother Tim in the art-rock band Split Enz. When the Enz switched gears to new wave pop, Neil provided their…
Every New Zealand #1 single… 7 Black or White by Michael Jackson Topped the NZ chart: for 8 weeks from 24 November 1991. Michael Jackson Michael Jackson was the eighth of ten children, growing up on Jackson Street in Gary,…
The Decemberists rode the wave of early 21st-century Indie to success, attracting attention with their predilection for historical epics and olde English folk music. They hail from Portland, Oregon, but the band was named for the Decembrist Revolution in 19th-century…
Pointing out bad lyrics in a tween fantasy Disney series feels like shooting fish in a barrel. But this quartet of movies features some of the most ridiculous wordsmithery I’ve ever heard. I’ve had this post sitting in my draft…
It’s just another day of quizzing. Can you match 20 disparate artists to their greatest hits? I could do it with 85% efficiency, scoring 17 The overall results were interesting – Adam Lambert is apparently more recognisable than Freddie…
Creedence Clearwater Revival released their first album in 1968. They seemingly emerged from a Florida swamp but actually came from El Cerrito in California. Rebelling against the psychedelic rock of the late 1960s, Creedence began their career playing stripped-down and…
Neil Finn’s Crowded House has become a family firm, with his two sons officially in the band, while his wife and older brother Tim also contribute backing vocals Meanwhile, singer-songwriter Jessica Pratt is back with a record where Phil Spector…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was a major influence on…
Number 36 in the series, and as we know, the sum of the integers from 1 to 36 is 666. Can you match the artist to the cover of their greatest hits? I find it difficult to believe that Sandi Thom…
We dive into a couple of female-fronted indie records this week. Glasgow twee-pop band Camera Obscura are back for their first record in over a decade. I’d never heard of Itasca before, but it’s one of my favourite new releases…
Every New Zealand #1 single… 9 Blue Velvet by Bobby Vinton Topped the NZ chart: for 3 weeks from 17 October 1963. Bobby Vinton was born in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, the son of a bandleader. He learned the clarinet and studied…
We’re up to installment number 35 of Greatest Hits. Can you link these artists to their compilation covers? I scored 18 It would have helped if I’d known Conway Twitty’s gender…. Can you beat me? Congratulations to HeavyMetalOverlord and…
Two veterans this week. Portland literate folk-rockers The Decemberists are back with their ninth album while Portishead’s Beth Gibbons releases her first solo album. The Decemberists As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again 2024, 7.5/10The Decemberists’ ninth album…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was a major influence on…
We’re still slogging through greatest hits collections. There were many artists I care deeply about in this edition. The Flaming Lips, Cheap Trick, Bo Diddley, Talk Talk, Tom Waits, Ariana Grande, and the Delfonics are all worthwhile. Despite my…
Every New Zealand #1 single… 9 19 by Paul Hardcastle Topped the NZ chart: for 5 weeks from 7 July 1985. I was surprised that there’s a 5-week number-one hit from the 1980s that I’d never heard before. But I’d…
British pop maverick has enjoyed her most successful album release cycle yet with her eighth album Brat. It’s sold well in the UK and US and enjoyed critical acclaim. It’s even become part of the US political landscape – democratic…
In the year 33AD, a financial crisis hit Rome. In Greatest Hits XXXIII, you have another selection of 20 increasingly obscure artists to guess. Can you tell The Zombies from The Yardbirds? Connected to The Yardbirds, John Mayall passed…
Two notably prolific acts this week. Neil Young’s back with his 47th studio album, an archival project recorded in 1969. Sault have their 13th release, dating back to 2019’s 5. Neil Young and Crazy Horse Early Daze 2024, 8.5/10Neil Young…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was a major influence on…
Welcome back for another week of quizzing. We’re up to round 32 of greatest hits. Can you distinguish between Jimmy Somerville and Blake Shelton? I scored 16 I was confused by sixties star Sandie Shaw, who looked like a…
Every New Zealand #1 single… 1 I Swear by All-4-One Topped the NZ chart: from 10 July 1994 for five weeks The third quarter of 1994 may be the most toothless in the history of the New Zealand singles chart.…
Singing drummer Andy Sturmer and keyboardist Roger Manning started playing together at high school in Pleasanton, California. They formed their own power-pop band in 1989. Jellyfish were never commercially successful and only lasted half a decade. But they’re the most…
Welcome back for another week of quizzing. Can you link 20 (increasingly obscure) artists to their greatest hits albums? There seem to be increasing numbers of artists I don’t care about (sorry Gareth Gates) but I scrounged my way…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was a major influence on…
My nine-year-old daughter recently had a school assignment to write down her favourite similes in songs. It looked fun, so I’ve also taken on the challenge. Just to remind you, if you’ve forgotten since school, a simile is: a figure…
Good morning (NZ time), and I hope you’re ready for another round of quizzing. Like before, you need to link 20 greatest hits albums with their artists. I scored 14/20 – can you beat me? Apart from Ron Mael’s…
Two solo artists are back from unusually long hiatuses this week. Kamasi Washington’s tenor saxophone-driven jazz fusion is back for his first solo album since 2018’s Heaven and Earth. Husky-voiced British pop vocalist Dua Lipa is also back. Enjoy! Dua…
Every New Zealand #1 single… 3 Just Lose It by Eminem Topped the NZ chart: from 5 November 2004 for five weeks I’ve never devoted much thought to Eminem. I was almost through my teens when his breakthrough The Slim…
Welcome back for #29 in a series that seemingly never ends. Well done to EclecticMusicLover, who top scored with 19 I scored 17/20, which I was happy with. I’d never heard of Letters to Cleo, Baccara, or Katherine Jenkins.…
It might sound like another brace of female solo artists this week. But Cindy Lee is the stage name for Canadian musician Patrick Flegel, formerly of Women. It’s a strong batch this week – the mainstream maverick Billie Eilish, and…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was a major influence on…
No one scored more than 19/20 in last week’s quiz. I’m not sure if this week’s task is any easier – I thought it was one of the tougher ones of the series. I scored 15/20 – there were…
Every New Zealand #1 single… 10 Killing Me Softly by Fugees Topped the NZ chart: from 2 June 1996 for three weeks The Fugees topped the New Zealand singles charts with their cover of ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’.…
English folk singer-songwriter Nick Drake barely sold a record during his lifetime. But since his premature passing in 1974, at the age of 26, his acclaim and legend have grown. His gentle delivery, virtuoso fingerpicking, poetic lyrics, and sophisticated lyrics…
You know the drill – 20 more greatest hits albums to identify. Can you match the heroics of Tony, who scored 20/20 with more than 2 minutes remaining in last week’s quiz? I scored 20/20 this week (with 41…
Two mononymous female artists this week – the Americana of Waxahatchee and the smooth Afrobeats pop of South Africa’s Tyla. Waxahatchee Tigers Blood 2024, 9/10Indie artist Katie Crutchfield keeps getting better with each album. Tigers Blood dips back into the…
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years 1965-1968 and was a major influence on…
Taylor Swift is a megastar, and her celebrity profile sometimes overshadows her musical abilities. Opinions on Swift are wildly diverse. In some quarters, she’s dismissed as disposable music for teenage girls. In others, she’s highly respected as a songwriter and…
Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover who had the only perfect score in last week’s quiz. My performance this week is a little controversial. I was interrupted 3/4 of the way through, forgot to pause, and had to restart. I tried to reconstruct…
Two very different female solo artists this week. Mary Timony is a thirty-year indie veteran, having made her name in the 1990s with Helium. Portuguese-born Erika de Casier makes breezy R&B Mary Timony Untame the Tiger 2024, 7.5/10I only discovered…
