Babies, If I Didn’t Have You by Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Great B-Sides
It’s challenging to write about Canadian sisters Kate & Anna McGarrigle without discussing their family connections. The nature of this…
Blog
Keep readingBabies, If I Didn’t Have You by Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Great B-Sides
Nuggets: Spazz by The Elastik Band
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Music Quiz: Songs to Badly Drawn Musicians II
Another week, another quiz. The defender of the crown this week is JB Robichaud from , who scored 27/28 in…
New Music Reviews: Cleo Sol, Squid, and Andy Partridge
Just over two years ago, I reviewed new releases by Cleo Sol, Squid, and XTC’s Andy Partridge. Coincidentally, Squid and…
Nuggets: Sweet Young Thing by The Chocolate Watchband
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Music Quiz: 7 to 1 Albums by Decade
Congratulations to Pierce from ThePress, who seems to have scored the fastest time in last week’s quiz. This week, your…
New Zealand’s 2023 election in five songs
General elections are held every three years in New Zealand and they’re due soon. Our electoral system is known as…
Nuggets: Incense and Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Music Quiz: Albums by Genre
Welcome back to this week’s music quiz. Congratulations to everyone who scored 28/28 last week. It looks like Rich Kamerman…
New Music Reviews: Jessy Lanza and Olivia Rodrigo
Two more female solo artists this week, and again they’re quite different from each other. Jessy Lanza, from Hamilton, Ontario,…
Music Quiz: Sorting classic rock squares
Welcome back to this week’s music quiz. It was a tough quiz last week, but Max from powerpop.blog and Rich…
New Music Reviews: Julie Byrne and Blondshell
Two very different female artists this week – a classy singer-songwriter record from Julie Byrne, and an attitude-fuelled rock album…
Nuggets: I Ain’t No Miracle Worker by The Brogues
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums VIII
Congratulations to 2loud2old and Tony, who both scored 20/20 in last week’s greatest hits VII quiz. It is with an…
I Wish You Wouldn’t Say That by Talking Heads: Great B-Sides
New York’s Talking Heads are one of my favourite bands of the new wave era. David Byrne was the nervy…
10 Best Tom Waits Songs
California’s Tom Waits is effectively the patron saint of this website. My Waits album ranking was the first post from…
Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums VII
We’re up to number 7 in our series. Can you identify the greatest hits by its cover? Congratulations to 2loud2oldmusic…
New Music Reviews: Meshell Ndegeocello and Carly Rae Jepsen
Today’s records are both eclectic – Meshell Ndegeocello demonstrates an uncanny ability to play anything, from dub to jazz to…
Nuggets: 7 and 7 Is by Love
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums VI
Things are getting predictable on Aphoristic Album Reviews this week, as we move onto the sixth installment of greatest hits…
10 Best Nic Jones Songs
Nic Jones emerged in the fertile folk scene of the late 1960s. While contemporaries like Richard Thompson, Sandy Denny, and…
Alabamy Right by Sparks – Great B-Sides
Ron and Russell Mael grew up in Pacific Palisades, California, surfing and modelling for mail order catalogues. They both studied…
Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums V
We had two 19/20 entries in last week’s quiz – 2loud2oldmusic had the fastest recorded time. This week your challenge…
New Music Reviews: Lankum and Amaarae
There’s a lot of stylistic range in these two albums – the dark and droning Irish folk of Lankum, and…
Nuggets: Time Won’t Let Me by The Outsiders
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums IV
Congratulations to Max, who won last week’s Great Hits Albums IV quiz. I also forgot to announce a winner the…
Randy Meisner’s Eagles Songs: Ranked from Worst to Best
Original Eagles bassist and vocalist Randy Meisner passed away last week. It wasn’t a surprise – he’d been battling physical…
Waterfall by 10cc: Great B-sides
The four members of 10cc were all veterans of the 1960s music scene. Graham Gouldman was a successful songwriter, penning…
Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums III
Just like the previous two weeks, you’re invited to join regular readers in identifying which artist a greatest hits collection…
New Music Reviews: Jason Isbell and The Japanese House
Americana stalwart Jason Isbell is back with a terrific new record, while The Japanese House continues to deepen her craft…
Nuggets: Going All the Way by The Squires
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums #2
There were a bunch of 20/20 scores in last week’s Greatest Hits Albums quiz, but Tony had the fastest reported…
Jenny Lewis Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best
Jenny Lewis’ musical career is the second act in her working life. She first achieved fame as a child star,…
10 Best Jeff Buckley Songs
Jeff Buckley is best known for his sensitive reading of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’. It’s well done, but taken alone it…
Music Quiz: Greatest Hits Albums #1
Congratulations to the Punk Panther and to Rich Kamerman, who both scored 20/20 in last week’s Classic Rock Cover Match…
The Chronicles of Prydain: Ranked from Worst to Best
Lloyd Chudley Alexander was stationed in Wales during the Second World War. He was inspired by the country’s scenery and…
Nuggets: I’m Gonna Make You Mine by The Shadows of Knight
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Music Quiz: Album Cover Match Classic Rock
There were plenty of healthy scores in last week’s hard-to-Google band quiz – noone’s score could be described as “paltry”,…
New Music Reviews: Arlo Parks and Paul Simon
One of this week’s artists is almost four times as old as the other – 81-year-old veteran Paul Simon has…
10 Best Laura Nyro Songs
Despite writing hit songs in the late 1960s and her induction into the rock and roll hall of fame, Laura Nyro is…
Music Quiz: Hard to Google Bands #2
Congratulations to James Kalyn, who scored 18/18 in less than a minute in last week’s Hard to Google Bands quiz…
New Music Reviews: Brandy Clark and Susanne Sundfør
This week, we have two female songwriters, both from the northwest. Country/Americana artist Brandy Clark is from the Pacific Northwest…
Nuggets: The Trip by Kim Fowley
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Music Quiz: Hard to Google Bands #1
Tony last week’s last Last Last Last quiz lasted less than one minute, making him the last from last place.…
Gloria by Them – Great B-Sides
Van Morrison’s enjoyed a long and prolific career. Like Neil Young, he’s continued to released a new studio album almost…
10 Best Buffalo Springfield Songs
Californian folk-rock band Buffalo Springfield were short-lived but signicant. They recorded one of the defining protest songs of the 1960s, ‘For…
Music Quiz: Last Last Last #1
Well done to Tony, who just pipped EclecticMusicLover for the best score in last week’s music quiz. Last week’s quiz…
New Music Reviews: Avalon Emerson and James Holden
This week I cover two solo artists – neither of whom I was familiar with before this year. It’s my…
Nuggets: Can’t Seem To Make You Mine by The Seeds
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Music Quiz: Last Last Last #2
Welcome back! Last week, quite a few people managed to score 21/21 in the Last Last Last #3 quiz, but…
10 Best Grant McLennan Solo Songs
In tandem with Robert Forster, Grant McLennan was a vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for literate Australian jangle-pop band The Go-Betweens.…
Music Quiz: Last Last Last
Last week’s debut album quiz proved a little tough – Tony snuck through with a 19 This week your challenge…
New Music Reviews: Anna B Savage and The New Pornographers
For better or worse, there’s far less sex and violence this week than the names New Pornographers and Anna B…
Nuggets: Why Do I Cry by The Remains
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Music Quiz: Pick the Debut Album
Congratulations to Rich from KamerTunesBlog, who scored the only 30/30 in last week’s quiz. This week, your challenge is to…
New Music Reviews: Tiny Ruins, Rosalía, and Fever Ray
It’s a week of milestones this week – we have marriage and motherhood and an engagement. Meanwhile, Fever Ray’s Karin…
10 Best Chairlift Songs
Caroline Polachek has enjoyed a breakout year, enjoying critical adoration for her second solo album, Desire, I Want to Turn…
Music Quiz: Clickable Sporcle Jeopardy
Congratulations to Tony, who scored 20/20 in last week’s quiz. This week’s quiz perhaps requires a bit less musical expertise…
Jazz according to the 1932 Everyman’s Encyclopedia
Published in 1931–32, with 12 volumes, 7 million words, 9,000 pages and 50,000 articles, the second edition of Everyman’s Encyclopedia…
Nuggets: Laugh, Laugh by The Beau Brummels
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Music by First Three Songs V
Congratulations to Tony, who scored the fastest 19/20 in last week’s quiz. This week, it’s more of the same –…
New Music Reviews: Eddie Chacon and Arooj Aftab/Vijay Iyer/Shahzad Ismaily
Both artists this week have links to Faith No More. Eddie Chacon played in a band with FNM drummer Mike…
10 Best Songs by Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians
In 1979, The Soft Boys released their debut album, A Can of Bees. By 1985, the members of the now-defunct…
Music Quiz: Album by First Three Songs #6
Congratulations to Tony, who just pipped EclecticMusicLover in last week’s First Three Songs #10 quiz, both scoring 19 It’s another…
Nuggets: The Little Black Egg by The Nightcrawlers
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Music Quiz: Album by First 3 Songs X
Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who scored a perfect 20/20 in last week’s quiz. I found this week’s quiz tough – it’s…
New Music Reviews – boygenius and Kate NV
It’s an all-female week, from both sides of the Cold War. Russia’s Kate NV on one side of the Bering…
10 Best Parry Gripp Songs
My 8-year-old daughter decided that it was her turn to write this weekend, offering to prepare a post about Parry…
Music Quiz: First 3 Songs #9
Geoff Stephen won last week’s First 3 Songs VIII quiz, narrowly beating out EclecticMusicLover. This week’s challenge is the same…
The Hold Steady: Albums Ranked from Best to Worst
For me, The Hold Steady were the last gasp of a prolonged musical adolescence that reached into my mid-twenties. My…
Nuggets: I Wonder by The Gants
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Music Quiz: First 3 Songs VIII
I think boppinsblog won last week’s challenge, although it’s hard to compare it with kingclover’s “pretty fast”. This week you…
New Music Reviews: Kelela and Manchester Orchestra
It’s a notably mellow week of new releases. Kelela’s Raven is minimalist and beautifully sung, while the Manchester Orchestra deliver…
Blues for George Michael by The Boo Radleys: Great B-Sides
The Boo Radleys emerged in the shoegaze scene of the late 1980s. They came from Wallasey, a town just across…
Music Quiz: Live Albums
Congratulations to James, from KeepsMeAlive, who scored the fastest time in last week’s 5 Letter Words in 1990s Songs quiz…
Nuggets: I See the Light by The Five Americans
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Music Quiz: 5 Letter Words in 1990s Songs
The Fyfes have always been strong spellers, but not as strong as the Robichauds, one of whom dominated last week’s…
New Music Reviews: Yves Tumor and Kimbra
This week, new releases from Turin’s Yves Tumor and Hamilton’s Kimbra. Enjoy! Yves Tumor Praise A Lord Who Chews But…
Aneurysm by Nirvana – Great B-Sides
The classic lineup of Nirvana – Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl – first recorded together on the first…
Music Quiz: Bands Spelling Test
Jim, music enthusiast, won last week’s quiz, blitzing the hall of fame backing bands quiz in exactly one minute. This…
Nuggets: Who Do You Love by The Woolies
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Music Quiz: Hall of Fame And Bands
EclecticMusicLover dominated last week’s quiz, with the only 20/20 score. This week, your challenge is to link the hall of…
New Music Reviews: Margo Price and Iris DeMent
They’re a generation apart, but Margo Price and Iris DeMent have a lot in common. They both play socially conscious…
The Cars: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best
The members of The Cars were all experienced musicians when they formed. Drummer David Robinson had already played with another…
Music Quiz: Who Sang Which?
Congratulations to EclecticMusicLover, who scored 21/22 in last week’s band hometowns quiz. This week, your challenge is to differentiate between…
Nuggets: Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love) by The Swingin’ Medallions
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Late for the Sky by Jackson Browne
My favourite Jackson Browne song is the title track to his third album, 1974’s Late for the Sky. I’ve never…
Music Quiz: Hometowns of Musicians
There were a lot of strong entries in last week’s British or American quiz. But JP Robichaud emerged supreme, blitzing…
New Music Reviews: Caroline Polachek and Robert Forster
It’s the first proper batch of new album reviews for 2023. Former Chairlift vocalist Caroline Elizabeth Polachek is onto her…
Paramore Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best
Hayley Williams moved to Franklin, Tennessee, in 2002, to escape from her abusive stepfather. She formed Paramore at the age…
Music Quiz: British or American Bands
Most contestants performed impressively in last week’s synonyms and antonyms quiz. The fastest time came from keepsmealive’s James Kalyn, who…
Nuggets: Live by The Merry-Go-Round
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
10 Best Tori Amos Songs
Tori Amos was the youngest ever person admitted to the prestigious Peabody Institute before she was asked to leave for…
Music Quiz: Synonym or Antonym
Welcome to this week’s music quiz. Success in last week’s secondary colours quiz was primarily determined by contestants’ familiarity with…
Nuggets: Steppin’ Out by Paul Revere & the Raiders
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Victoria by The Dance Exponents
They’re barely known outside New Zealand, but The Dance Exponents were reliable hitmakers in the 1980s. They kept enjoying success…
