Big Thief – Two Hands: New Album Review
Indie-folk band Big Thief started recording Two Hands five days after completing U.F.O.F. (released in May 2019). U.F.O.F. was recorded…
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Music Quiz: Are You Ready to Rock?
Congratulations to Rich Kamer(man I feel like a woman) who beat other perfect scorers Jim and Geoff1001 for the fastest…
The Highwomen by The Highwomen
In 1985, four male country superstars – Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson – teamed up to…
The Blue Nile's Best Album: Hats
The Blue Nile are famous for their lack of productivity. The Glasgow-based group were formed in 1981 and effectively broke…
Music Quiz: Not My Album Chain II
Congratulations to all the participants who scored 30/30 in last week’s solo artist quiz. Looks like Tony scored the fastest…
Engine by Neutral Milk Hotel: Great B-sides
Neutral Milk Hotel’s In The Aeroplane Over The Sea is one of the great cult records. Issued in 1998, it’s…
Music Quiz: Singers by Top 3 Songs
Rich Kamerman scored a decisive win in last week’s hits of the 1970s quiz – he didn’t stop until he…
Lana Del Rey – Norman F*****g Rockwell!: New Music Review
When Lana Del Rey emerged with the virally successful single ‘Video Games’ in 2011, she wasn’t someone who I had…
Music Quiz: Hits of 1979
Thanks to everyone who indulged me by participating in my piano clips challenge. The scoring was a little nebulous, but…
Lover – Taylor Swift: New Music Review
My expectations for Taylor Swift‘s seventh album, Lover, were low. Her previous album, Reputation, was disappointing, with its defensive lyrical…
Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young’s Best Album: Déjà Vu
Expectations were high for Crosby, Stills, and Nash’s second album. Their 1969 debut album was acclaimed, and their appearance at…
Music Quiz: Aphoristic Murders the Classics #2
Congratulations to jprobichaud and Rich Kamerman, who tied for first place with 22/26 in last week’s edible musician quiz. Welcome…
Igor – Tyler, the Creator: New Music Review
Tyler Gregory Okonma, better known as Tyler, the Creator, has enjoyed a rapid career evolution over the last decade. He…
I Want to Live in a Wigwam by Cat Stevens: Great B-sides
Cat Stevens‘ work has endured because his low-key songs are relateable and accessible. Stevens has explored different styles over the…
Music Quiz: Edible Musicians
Congratulations to the contestants who scored 100% in last week’s Connect the Dots quiz, with Tony recording the fastest score.…
The Ten Next Best Singer-Songwriters Ever
Welcome back for a listen to ten more talented singer-songwriters – you can read part one here. As before, Google’s…
Murder By Numbers by The Police: Great B-Sides
The Police were arguably the greatest singles band of their era. In the late 1970s and early 1980s they released…
Music Quiz: Connect The Dots Rock! Quiz
Last week’s rap lyric quiz stumped most of our entrants, with Geoff 1001 Stephen high-scoring with 11 This week we’re…
The Hold Steady – Thrashing Thru the Passion: New Music Review
I adored The Hold Steady in my twenties. The band had three different focal points – guitarist Tad Kubler was…
Shut Out The Light – Bruce Springsteen: Great B-Sides
American rock icon Bruce Springsteen celebrated his 70th birthday this week. This means it’s half a lifetime since he released…
Music Quiz: Rap Lyrics in More Scholarly Language
Congratulations to all of last week’s contestants, especially those with 100%. Special congratulations to Tony, who finished in a rasping…
Great B-Sides: Breakaway by The Cars
It’s the year of Our Lord 2019, and we’re rapidly approaching peak-rock-star-death era. The Cars’ mastermind Ric Ocasek passed away…
Music Quiz: Like a Song Lyric
Congratulations to JP Robichaud, who astounded us all with his musical instrument knowledge with a perfect 16 This week you…
New Music Review: Caught in the Middle by Aly Cook
Most successful musicians start their recording careers as young adults, but New Zealand country artist Aly Cook’s an exception. Cook’s…
Great B-Sides: That Girl, Black Girl and Rock 'n' Roll Friend by The Go-Betweens
Aside from their debut, each of The Go-Betweens’ studio albums follows a set formula – exactly ten songs with five…
Music Quiz: 16 Little Musical Instrumental Pictograms
Congratulations to all the participants in last week’s music jokes quiz. Rich from KamerTunesBlog, helped by his job in music retail, scored…
The Ten Best Singer-Songwriters Ever
Google’s dictionary defines a singer-songwriter as “a person who sings and writes popular songs, especially professionally.” The term’s come to…
The Velvet Underground's Best Album: The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground began as a collaboration between frustrated songwriter Lou Reed and classically trained John Cale. Cale had worked…
Music Quiz: 1987 Albums Picture Click
Congratulations to all the participants in last week’s music jokes quiz. Tony from Mumbling About… scored the fastest time among…
Jenny Lewis – On The Line: New Music Review
Jenny Lewis has been a fixture in indie rock for two decades, firstly with Rilo Kiley and then a solo…
10 Best Kate Bush Songs
English art-pop artist Kate Bush is a creative genius, who siphoned her influences into her own unique blend. The folk…
Music Quiz: Music Jokes
Last week’s first and last song quiz created a logjam. The highest score was 13/16, and Michael Jackson seemingly tricked…
Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?: New Music Review
Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell recently became the first musician born in the 21st century to score a number one…
Music Quiz: Artist by First and Last Song
Congratulations to the four contestants who scored full marks in last week’s 1990 album quiz. In order of fastest time:…
Semi Detached by Split Enz: Great B-Sides
In 1978 New Zealand art-rockers Split Enz were in crisis. The group had lost key original members like Phil Judd…
David Bowie’s Best Album: Station to Station
By 1976, David Bowie had already enjoyed a glittering career. His majestic 1969 hit ‘Space Oddity’ established his career, after…
Music Quiz: 1990 Albums Picture Click
Last week’s quiz generated a bunch of scores in a narrow range – congratulations to Rich, Max, and Bruce all…
Big Thief – U.F.O.F.: New Album Review
Big Thief are an indie rock band with prominent folk and Americana influences. They’ve been prolific in their short career,…
Pearl Jam’s Best Album: No Code
The Seattle rock band Pearl Jam were formed from the remnants of Mother Love Bone. Bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist…
Music Quiz: Classic Album Titles in Song Lyrics
Congratulations to Geoff, jprobichaud, and Tony who all scored 100% in last week’s time quiz – looks like Geoff had…
Music Quiz: Song Time
Tony loaded up on the coffee to score a very fast 24/24 last week – congratulations to Max and Rich…
Sugar Mountain by Neil Young: Great B-Sides
Neil Young first rose to prominence in 1960s folk-rock group Buffalo Springfield, playing lead guitar on their breakthrough hit ‘For…
The Clash’s Best Album: The Clash (U.S. Version)
The Clash were a key band from the first wave of British punk in the 1970s. Built around the songwriting…
Music Quiz: Four Decades of Music Hits IV
Last week’s quiz featured the closest fought competition I’ve ever seen on this blog. There were a healthy number of…
Aldous Harding – Designer: New Music Review
Aldous Harding was born in Auckland, New Zealand, as Hannah Harding, the daughter of a blues singer father and a…
Todd Rundgren’s Best Album: A Wizard, a True Star
Philadelphia uber-talent Todd Rundgren started his recorded career with The Nazz, acting as songwriter and guitarist. When The Nazz broke…
Music Quiz: Black Albums
Well done to Rich Kamerman, who scored full marks in last week’s quiz, driving like Jehu and imagining dragons. This…
James K. Polk by They Might Be Giants: Great B-Sides
John Flansburgh and John Linnell have been making nerdy pop music as They Might Be Giants since 1982. The Massachusetts…
Fairport Convention’s Best Album: Liege and Lief
Bassist Ashley Hutchings and rhythm guitarist Simon Nicol formed Fairport Convention in 1967. They named the band after Nicol’s father’s…
Music Quiz: Complete Sentence Bands
Congratulations to Geoff, who dominated last week’s piano quiz with a 20/28, clearly ahead of the rest of the field.…
New Music Review: Soccer Mommy – Clean
In New Music Review, I usually cover records released in the last few months, but I’ve been enjoying this 2018…
The White Stripes Best Album: Elephant
Detroit based married couple Jack and Meg White started playing music as a duo in 1997. Jack White played bluesy…
Music Quiz: Aphoristic Mangles the Pop Classics
Here are the final results for the 6 week challenge – we had 10 contestants who participated every week. Average…
10 Sophisticated Pop Songwriters
The chords underpinning a song are like the tune’s bones. Some genres, like country or punk, routinely have very simple…
Townes Van Zandt’s Best Album: Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas
Townes Van Zandt was born into a prominent Texas family and had a high IQ, so his family groomed him…
Music Decades Quiz: Week 6, 1980s
Welcome back to the last episode of the 6 week decade challenge. Let’s check the leader-board. Average Paul 61% Badfinger…
New Music Review: Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride
Vampire Weekend’s first three records collided indie rock into African guitars. The New York four piece emerged with their debut…
Slint’s Best Album: Spiderland
The two main creative forces in Slint, vocalist/guitarist Brian McMahan and drummer/guitarist/vocalist Britt Walford, both played in the Louisville punk…
Music Decades Quiz: Week 5, 1990s
The 1970s quiz last week threw out some divergent scores, and the leader board now looks like this: Average J…
I Don’t Know What You’ve Got But It’s Got Me (Part 2) by Little Richard: Great B-Sides
Little Richard emerged in the first wave of rock and roll in the 1950s, with hits like ‘Tutti Frutti’ and…
Music Decades Quiz: Week 4, 1970s
Welcome to week 4 of the Music Decades Challenge. Of the contestants who’ve completed all 3 challenges so far, the…
New Music Review: Charly Bliss – Young Enough
Brooklyn power-pop band Charly Bliss impressed with their 2017 debut Guppy. Their energetic power-pop was indebted to the 1990s, with…
XTC’s Best Album: Skylarking
Background Andy Partridge, bassist Colin Moulding, and drummer Terry Chambers started playing in a band together in 1972, opening for…
Music Decades Quiz: Week 3, 2000s
Welcome to week 3 of the music decades challenge. Of the contestants who’ve completed both week’s challenges so far, the…
10 Favourite Guitarists
The guitar was the dominant instrument in popular music from the 1960s to the new millennium. Many acts even had…
Nick Drake’s Best Album: Bryter Layter
Background English folkie Nick Drake barely created a ripple during his lifetime. He recorded three albums of beautiful acoustic folk,…
Music Decades Quiz: Week 2, 2010s
Congratulations to Jim S. and Bruce who both scored 49/50 in the first week of the decades quiz, putting them…
New Music Review: Carly Rae Jepsen – Dedicated
Carly Rae Jepsen’s 2015 album Emotion wasn’t a big seller, but it was critically adored and became a cult favourite,…
The Best Byrds Album: The Notorious Byrd Brothers
Background Californian folk-rock band The Byrds enjoyed immediate success in 1965 with their first single, a cover of Bob Dylan’s…
Music Decades Quiz: Week 1, 1960s
For the next 6 weeks, you’re invited to join a decades quiz – as well as having a weekly winner,…
New Music Review: Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
Weyes Blood was born Natalie Mering, in California, and grew up in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. She derived the name Weyes Blood…
Yr City's A Sucker by LCD Soundsystem – Great B-sides
James Murphy always intended to be a drummer or a sound technician, but ended up fronting a dance-rock band New…
Music Quiz: Will, Won't, Can, Can't
Congratulations to Jim, Rich, Badfinger20, and Tony who all scored perfect marks in last week’s 1970s quiz. This week’s challenge…
Led Zeppelin Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best
Led Zeppelin were the archetypal hard rock band. They streamlined the sound of 1960s rock bands like Cream and The…
Child of the Moon by The Rolling Stones: Great B-Sides
In 1967, The Rolling Stones followed The Beatles into baroque psychedelia. While the resulting album, Their Satanic Majesties Request, has…
Music Quiz: 1970s Lyrics Match
Congratulations to Rich Kamerman and 2loud2old, who both scored 25/25 in last week’s quiz, with Rich scoring the slightly faster…
The Ten Sexiest Men in Music
Music’s ultimately about the recorded product, but being handsome certainly doesn’t hurt when you’re trying to launch a career in…
The End of the Affair by Prefab Sprout – Great B-sides
There are b-sides that are of high quality, that should never have been left off their parent albums. And then…
Music Quiz: 1980s Artists on Their Album Covers
Congratulations to Tony, who scored 48/50 in a 2000s music quiz that produced wildly divergent scores. Since we competed in…
Neil Finn's Five Best Albums
Until the emergence of Lorde, song-smith Neil Finn was New Zealand’s most recognisable pop export. Born in Te Awamutu, Finn…
Velvet Goldmine by David Bowie: Great B-sides
Rock chameleon David Bowie experienced two separate career peaks. Most artists improve with experience then run out of ideas, but…
Music Quiz: Acclaimed Music's Top 50 Artists of the 2000s
Happy ANZAC day in New Zealand (and happy 75th birthday to my dad). Congratulations to Enthusiastic Music fan Jim S,…
New Music Review: Ariana Grande – thank u, next
Ariana Grande is currently the world’s biggest pop star. She headlined Coachella the past two weekends and she’s broken numerous…
Needle Hits E by Sugar: Great B-Sides
I spent many happy hours in my late teens and twenties trawling used bins for CD bargains. I gained a…
Music Quiz: 3 'Flops', 1 Act: 1960s
Greetings from Lower Hutt, New Zealand, where we are currently experiencing a bumper feijoa crop. Congratulations to Tony, proprietor …
Fever by Carly Rae Jepsen: Great B-Sides
The b-side is largely a 20th century commodity – from around 2005, singles charts began to count digital downloads, and…
Music Quiz: Song Prequels
Last week’s quiz was general knowledge oriented and a little tough. Two players joined me on 12/14 – congratulations WDEOD…
10 Best Cat Stevens Songs
Cat Stevens launched his career as a teen idol, scoring hits with heavily arranged songs like ‘I Love My Dog’…
Great B-Sides: How Soon is Now? by The Smiths
It’s counter-intuitive to include The Smiths‘ most iconic song in a b-side series, but it was first released as the…
Music Quiz: Music… By 14 Other Categories
Congratulations to all of our participants in last week’s quiz. We had a lot of perfect scores, and a lot…
Great B-sides: Find the Cost of Freedom by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
So far, in this b-sides series, there have been four scenarios in which good songs find themselves languishing on the…
Music Quiz: Complete the '80s Song with a Picture
Welcome back to this week’s quiz. Last week we looked at the covers of the Rolling Stone, and everyone pummelled…
New Music Review: Julia Holter – Aviary
It’s tempting to conclude that, in the era of streaming, the album is merely a mechanism to garner extra plays…
Great B-sides: Daytime Nighttime Suffering by Wings
As much as I love The Beatles, their solo careers have always mildly disappointed me. If you put ten years…
Blogging Community Question: Review Requests
Hi everyone! Occasionally my blog receives requests asking me to review albums from emerging artists. The rhythm of my blog…
Music Quiz: Cover of Rolling Stone
Congratulations to Jim S. and Rich, who both scored 100% in last week’s Rock song quiz. Rich scored the fastest…
