Natalie Merchant recently released her sixth solo album, Keep Your Courage. It’s a good opportunity to revisit her catalogue. On this countdown, I rank her albums as a solo artist and as the lead singer of 10,000 Maniacs. I only…
We’re sticking in Mother England and her colonies this week. Enjoy the urban narratives of Real Lies, the art-rock of These New Puritans, and Lorde’s intimate pop-poetry. Real Lies We Will Annihilate Our Enemies 2025, 8/10It’s always tough following a…
Every New Zealand #1 single… 8 I Want to Hold Your Hand by The Beatles Topped the NZ chart for 4 weeks from 26 December 1963 The Beatles enjoyed 14 #1 singles in New Zealand between 1963 and 1970 –…
This week’s challenge is to sort historical events by which version of ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’ they appeared in. It helps to remember that Billy Joel recorded his version in 1989, while Fall Out Boy’s is from 2023. …
Jimmy Webb enjoyed a sterling career as a songwriter in the 1960s – his website bills him as “America’s Songwriter”, and it’s not an unreasonable title given his rich catalogue of hits like ‘Wichita Lineman’ and ‘By The Time I…
Hopefully there’s something for everyone – the smooth pop/rock of California’s HAIM, Ezra Furman’s intense psychedelia, and The Mars Volta’s jazzy Latin rhythms. HAIM I Quit 2025, 7/10It’s been five years since HAIM’s last record. In the meantime, Alana Haim…
Brazil’s Os Mutantes’ ‘Bat Macumba’ is a fascinating hybrid of tradition and psychedelia. Credits 4 BAT MACUMBA – Os Mutantes (Brazil)(Gilberto Gil/Caetano Veloso) PERSONNEL/RITA LEE: vocals, flute, percussion * ARNALDO DIAS BAPTISTA: vocals, bass, keyboards * SERGIO DIAS BAPTISTA: vocals,…
I’m finally unleashed on the world again, consistently able to compete in these quizzes. Here’s one about the original versions of famous covers. I was surprised not to see Otis Redding with ‘Respect’, although he’s included with another song. …
James Marshall Hendrix was born in Seattle. After his discharge from the army he became a musician, spending years gigging with acts like Little Richard, Sam Cooke, and Ike & Tina Turner. Despite his immense talent, it wasn’t until he…
The Bangles’ work has two facets. There’s the 1960s garage rock sound of their early singles and reunion work. And there’s the mainstream pop/rock of ‘Manic Monday’ and ‘Eternal Flame’. Susanna Hoffs formed a band with lead guitarist Vicki Peterson…
