In Your Mind by Bryan Ferry. Maybe it's the mention of 'the frozen chimes of winter', but this has always felt like Bryan's stab at the Christmas market to me youtu.be/X3bIFppm5VI?...

Some great choices. I don't know how well I can argue Christmassy for my choice but it feels very 'tis the season' to me youtu.be/mjclPo2WSzU?... Album version is good too, but this is my favourite rendition

Very enjoyable read from @petepaphides.bsky.social about #XmasAdjacent tracks, including the gloriously OTT reswizzle of @petshopboys.co.uk All Over The World from their Christmas EP from 2009. #NowListening

Family Life by the Blue Nile. Never fails to bring a lump to my throat..

"White Riot". It's only a Christmas song for me, I reckon. When I finally bought the single (many months after release, with money I'd been given for Christmas) Glasgow was covered with snow. That first play, in my wee icebox of a bedroom, with several inches of snow outside, has stayed in my head.

The other pogues christmassy song london your a lady is over looked by their earlier work l..

Do You Realize?? by Flaming Lips has got a big chunk Xmas in it.

That Elbow album is in fact my favourite Elbow album. There’s a coherence and atmosphere to it that’s haunting.

I nominate “Distant Snowy peaks” by Gruff Rhys and “Endlessly” by Mercury Rev for inclusion too 😊🎄❤️

Be nice to your postie at Christmas, they are doing a job you would probably find too difficult. 🙏

Catch Fesshole Live in Leicester, Luton and Leeds – tickets available now! We’re off to Sweden too, visiting Malmö, Göteborg and Stockholm, and bringing Anon Opin to Leicester. https://sites.google.com/view/fesshole

Suitably thoughtful writing from @petepaphides.bsky.social A worthwhile alternative to “doing the doomscroll”

If you know someone like me who isn't actually me and you're wondering what book to get them for Christmas, then this might help.

Rod Hull's Emu Game. Flip plastic discs into the Parky-botherer's beak and Rod is... involved somehow. timworthington.org/2019/07/11/a...

This whole post was mainly an excuse to talk about the Spooky Tooth song I've been smitten with ever since first hearing it a couple of years ago. www.patreon.com/posts/estran...

@steerpikeoh.bsky.social No, really. I will be needing you to explain.

I'm not sure I've ever been to a gig quite like Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn at The Moth Club last night. Here's why.

Tonight from 6pm on Soho Radio, I'm joined in session AND in chat by these excellent humans: Amelia & Rob from Heavenly/Swansea Sound/Catenary Wires/Talulah Gosh; and Pete Astor from The Loft, The Weather Prophets, Wisdom Of Harry and, um, Pete Astor. Spoiler: We did it already and it was GREAT.

To hell with modesty.

Thanks, I was looking around and sold out.

"A record put together with such care it's become for me one of the best *albums* of all time, never mind one of the best compilations. A glimpse into the world of 80s indie as valuable to pop history as "Right Back Where We Started From" or "Nuggets". An essential selection" Andy Lewis, Bluesky

It's utterly fantastic. I will be spending four happy hours with it tomorrow as I travel to Scotland.

If you do indeed have a preference out of Wilco or Son Volt, which is it and why?

No need to be modest, it’s a fantastic collection!

I went to university in Manchester partly because of “Brighter” by The Railway Children, partly because of Shelagh Delaney and partly because I worked out the the church across the road was called The Holy Name. This is a fantastic compilation. Hats off Pete x

Get it here folks…

You haven't got this already? What's the matter with you?! 😎 @needlemythology.bsky.social @petepaphides.bsky.social

To hell with modesty.

Close up with Broadcast in '96 and '97.

Thanks for this Pete. I’d never really clocked Valerie Simpson’s solo records before, and this was an enlightening appraisal piece. Suffice to say since reading it - and dipping into both the LPs via Spotify - there’s a couple of Discogs vendors a few quid better off now than they were first thing.

I've long been fascinated by the two albums that Valerie Simpson made for Motown in the early 70s. A truly incredible voice and obviously, alongside Nick Ashford, a world-class songwriter. So why does no-one know about them?

Valerie Simpson's early 70s solo albums are among the most under-celebrated in the history of Motown. I've written about their (and her) brilliance in tomorrow's Patreon piece. In the meantime, here's a similarly overlooked Ashford & Simpson gem from 1982: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qWr...

Good morning to Madness fans in particular.

That song and that album are a miracle. The greatest singles band of its era comes back after a decade-long creative hiatus with a - gasp - conceptual opus, a celebration of London which stands comparison with all others. It takes more than talent to do that, a lot of courage too.

A few loving words about Madness and one song in particular.

I just want to belatedly say that Pep Guardolia was completely wrong to say that Rayan Cherki ought to dial down the showboating fancy assists and keep it simple – even if they do occasionally result in sensational goals. And that's why I'm a middle-ranking 56 year-old music journalist.

Hey @gwr.com. Today I had a lovely chat with Jonny who did the trolley service on the 14.54 from Castle Cary to Paddington. With his car out of action, he walked 2hrs from Burnham to Slough at 2am to start his shift. Many would have thrown a sickie, probs me included. You have a hero in your ranks.

A few years ago, @petepaphides.bsky.social reviewed the Abba albums box for Record Collector. Here it is, & it's a great read. A quite extraordinary run of albums, containing some of the finest songs ever recorded. www.patreon.com/posts/145175...

What’s the best Christmas album that isn’t a Christmas album of all time and why is it this one?

My most recent Soho Radio show is now available to stream – and this link will take you right there. www.patreon.com/posts/ah-its...

Posted 17 hours ago… so..THIS IS TONIGHT!! 💥💥 Beyond thrilled. Cant wait to see Neil and the band! ❤️ #rileyandcoe @bbc6music.bsky.social

Jim, not sure if you are aware of this release from Care, coming Feb next year. Released on Needle Mythology records, founded by @petepaphides.bsky.social of this parish. burningshed.com/store/needle... Bought some great stuff from them, Robert Forster, Lilac Time etc needlemythology.com

This is why we do it! Thank you Mark! xx

Tonight from 6pm on Soho Radio, I'm joined by hot new lower case London jazz bastardisers oreglo AND the marvellous new project from Ollie Cash from Mr Cash's Midnight. Plus a stack of scorching new & pre-loved platters starting with this gem I bought from Sounds of the Universe but 10 mins ago.