10 Best Songs by Sugar
After Hüsker Dü broke up, singer-guitarist Bob Mould dabbled with a solo career. In the wake of Nirvana’s success, he formed a new power trio with bassist David Barbe and drummer Malcolm Travis. Needing to come up with a band…
Aphoristical
Graham Fyfe has been writing this website since his late teens. Now in his forties, he's been obsessively listening to albums for years. He works as a web editor and plays the piano.
Music Quiz: Bands That Became Other Bands
Congratulations to Tony and Max, who tied in last week’s Chart Toppers in the 1980s quiz. Amazingly, Rich and EclecticMusicLover both knew Paul McCartney’s three number one singles in the 1980s. This week you need to identify 25 bands that…
The Velvet Underground: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best
The Velvet Underground began as a collaboration between frustrated songwriter Lou Reed and classically trained John Cale. Cale had worked with experimental composers John Cage and LaMonte Young, and Reed’s interest in alternative guitar tunings and drone notes provided common ground. The…
Nuggets: Follow Me by Lyme & Cybelle
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 to 1968…
Music Quiz: Chart Toppers in the 1980s
Congratulations to Rich Kamerman, who identified some obscure acts and scored 20/20 in last week’s quiz. This week’s challenge involves identifying acts who enjoyed a Billboard #1 single in the 1980s. Note that you don’t get disqualified for clicking a…
New Music Reviews: Amanda Shires, Black Midi, and Kabza De Small
It’s a diverse week – the folky American of Amanda Shires, the intensity of UK’s Black Midi, and the smooth amapiano of South African DJ Kabza De Small. Amanda Shires Take It Like A Man 2022, 8/10Texas-born fiddler and singer-songwriter…
That Time Todd Rundgren Predicted a Failed Auckland Mayoral Campaign
It’s local election season here in New Zealand. In my home city of Lower Hutt, we have the now standard blend of people running for mayor. Some pleasant community-minded citizens, interspersed with a few conspiracy theorists – a bush-faced gentleman…
Music Quiz: Band or Song? V
Congratulations to Tony, who scored the fastest competitor time in last week’s AI-Generated 1970s Song Quiz. This week, you are presented with four names – one is the name of the band and three are songs by that band. You…
Freedy Johnston: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best
Frederic Fatzer grew up in the small town of Kinsley, Kansas, notable for its equidistance between New York City and San Francisco. He sensibly adopted the stage name Freedy Johnston. His small town background initially constrained his music career –…
Nuggets: It’s Cold Outside by The Choir
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 to 1968…
