This week’s acts have toned down their idiosyncrasies as their careers have progressed. Nadia Reid has transitioned from a serious-minded singer-songwriter to warm pop songs. Squid’s music has become less edgy and experimental. Nadia Reid Enter Now Brightness 2025, 8/10Dunedin…
Christian Benson (Luude) is one half of the Australian electronic dance music duo Choomba. The other member is his cousin, Timothy Benson. Luude topped the New Zealand charts for nine weeks in 2022, remixing Men At Work’s 1981 hit ‘Down…
Let’s take a break from album sorting this week. This week’s challenge is to link nine artists to their song with “call” in the title. I scored 9/9 with 2:15 remaining. I wasn’t completely in control, but when there…
There are two prominent Sam Phillipses in popular music. This list isn’t about the Sun Records producer who worked with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Rather it’s about the idiosyncratic female singer-songwriter who launched her career in…
One Third? The Majority? Does not compute…. Credits 4 ONE THIRD – The Majority (U.K.)(Barry Graham) PERSONNEL/BARRY GRAHAM (aka WIGLEY): vocals * ROGER FRANCE: lead guitar * BOB LANG: rhythm guitar, vocals * KEN SMITH: bass * DON LILL: drumsProduced…
When Martin Phillipps passed away in 2024, the world lost a terrific, yet overlooked, songwriter. Phillipps, the son of a Methodist minister, formed The Chills in 1980. They signed to the Flying Nun label but were more sophisticated than most…
Even more album sorting. Can you match the songs to the albums starting with O? Are you on the beach or out to lunch? I made this quiz, so I’m not eligible to enter. Can you score full marks…
To what extent was punk rock an expression of dissent?
George Michael’s second post-Wham! single was a worldwide smash. Wham! Wham! evolved from a partnership into a vehicle for George Michael. So it wasn’t surprising when Wham! disbanded and Michael went solo. As previously noted, Wham! topped the chart once…
If you’re an old man, shouting at the clouds about how modern music isn’t the same as it was in your heyday, you’ll probably enjoy the Americana of Jason Isbell. Isbell’s music could have been made any time in the…
