Once upon a time I was falling apart, now I'm always falling in love The Beta Band's debut album proper - A shambles, but much better than the band would have you believe.

Does anyone know how much involvement, if any, the KLF have with this project? klfrscommunications.bandcamp.com/album/year-1

Sunday lunchtime listening: Body and Soul by Joe Jackson. Not necessarily his best album, but certainly one of his best sounding and best looking albums.

Sunday morning listening: Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch Even if you like/dislike a Frank Zappa album, it can be difficult to decide whether it is objectively any good. This one for example. I like it and it was one of his better selling albums, but is it any good?

Just finished reading this book - subtitled "Vince" - about the early years of Depeche Mode up to the release of their debut album. Just given the album a relisten and it still sounds fantastic. The production is spot on.

Nevermind The Beatles pretending to be another band for Sgt Pepper, in 1968 The Turtles released "The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands", where each of the 12 songs was performed by a different band. A photo the bands graces the gatefold sleeve - some of these would NOT be allowed nowadays.

Sunday Morning Listening: Grown Backwards by David Byrne At rock, classical, opera, tropicália, chamber pop, Americana and more. It still sounds like a David Byrne album. Describing this album is almost as difficult as trying to photograph the reflective sleeve.

A lot of people are talking about the new Lorde album being released as a transparent CD like it's something new, but look at this, released in 2003... Nag Nag Nag: Archiv 1: A Transparent CD mooseic.blogspot.com/2013/08/arch...

Gift from Australia - cheery socks that nicely match Fontaines DC's most recent album, which was coincidentally in the background when I took the photo

Warning: don't take your 11 foot tall child to Manchester's Legoland! They won't be allowed in the soft play area

Thursday afternoon listening: All The Young Droids. Things I didn't realise I needed in my life: A compilation of lost and obscure electropop from the late 70s and early 80s, of which there is only one track that I know. Fantastic stuff.

Live Aid was 40 years ago. It may have its critics, but what a day. I watched it all and recorded the whole thing onto 5 Betamax tapes.

We listened to There's A Riot Going on at Album Club today but, to be honest, the kids didn't really get it. We maybe should've played Life or Stand instead. Anyway, I needed to give it a proper listen when I got home without the sound of chatty teenagers

Pulp - More. "South Yorkshire Sunset" vinyl

Niche music trivia of the day: The Sabres of Paradise took their name from the b-sides to Haysi Fantayzee's wonderfuly daft 80s hit, John Wayne is Big Leggy

Planned to make some calming music today but I'm getting stressed out by cables.

Sunday afternoon, post record fair listening. Mingus by Joni Mitchell. Very jazz.

New cassette. The excellent Memory Amplified EP by @speedforlovers.bsky.social

Saturday morning listening: Instant Holograms on Metal Film by Stereolab First album since 2010. If their last couple of albums were good but showing signs of The Groop in a creative cul-de-sac, then this sounds like a band rejuvenated and remembering what made them so grear in the first place.

Sunday afternoon listening: Voodoo Party by James Last Easy listening bandleader takes on tropicalia, funk, psychedelia, folk and soul - often at the same time. Expect Santana, Marvin Gaye and Sly Stone covers.

Sunday morning listening: Forever Changes by Love When I saw Shack last week they did an excellent cover of A House Is Not A Motel, which reminded me that they were briefly Arthur Lee's backing band. Time to enjoy the original though. Perfect listening for a sunny day (or any day for that matter).

Sunday morning listening: Resonance by Yumiko Morioka Japanese ambient/new age piano music from 1987. Tranquil.

I wouldn't try and argue that this is one of the greatest albums of all time, but it's certainly one of my most enjoyed albums of all time. Finally released on vinyl and at last with a full length version of Beat Goes On Question: does he sing walk like a panther, walk like a panda, or both?

Friday afternoon listening. Tone Float by Organisation Kraftwerk before they called themselves Kraftwerk. It doesn't sound anything like the Kraftwerk we know and love, in fact for the most part it doesn't really sound like music. Still, at least it gave OMD a title for their second album.

Talk Talk - It's My Life Yes, their last two albums are the ones that everyone likes to talk about, but there's still a lot of quality on all their earlier work.

Easter Monday listening. Solas by Adwaith. Fantastic double album of Welsh language melodic prog-post-punk. Contender for my album of the year so far.

Sunday morning listening. Peel Sessions 1979-1983 by OMD

Sunday morning noise. The Jesus and Mary Chain >45s>84>85<

A bunch of people with nothing better to do 2025

Monday night at the Plaza watching Black Country, New Road

Saturday morning listening. Wherever You Are is the new album from John Foxx Although it's not breaking any new ground, it does the solo piano and ambience thing exceptionally well.

Ribbit

Mogwai with the KNDS Fairey Band for the 6 Music festival. The bass was in danger of drowning out the brass band at times, but it was still a fantastic experience.

Sunday evening listening. Drive to Goldenhammer by Divorce. New purchase during an excellent weekend in London

Put my glasses down somewhere and now I can't find them

Album club at school yesterday was our first chance to have a Rick Buckler tribute. We listened to All Mod Cons. The year 9s in particular gave it a firm thumbs up. Which album would you have chosen?

"It's okay to not be okay" Sunday morning listening: the latest Manic Street Preachers is unlikely to win over any new fans, but it's still a good listen. Bonus marks for mixing things up and handing lead vocals to Nicky on three songs.

There's probably a great comment to go with this photo, but I can't think of it right now.

Sunday morning listening. Altar by The Gift. Portuguese alt pop from 2017 produced and co-written by Brian Eno #nowplaying #vinyl #recordcollection

Another soundtrack for today. This time it's Popol Vuh's sitar-heavy music for the 1979 version of Nosferatu.

Sunday listening. I've still not watched Top Boy, but Brian Eno's soundtrack to the series is an excellent way to spend 75 minutes

Music for Space Age Shopping by David A Jaycock. Electronic album with a photo of the Hole In The Road on the front cover? Yes please.

The Big Express by XTC. Great album, novelty sleeve

Happy New Year all. Here's some great vinyl albums from 2024 Plenty of great CD and digital albums too, but the photo of them isn't impressive. What were your favourites (old or new) during 2024?

Merry Christmas

Christmas, Yeah! Merry Christmas all. youtu.be/WxP5ddEZNVc?...

The full vinyl advent calendar 2024 #vinyl #adventcalendar

Vinyl advent calendar day 24: Tijuana Christmas by The Torero Band The perfect way to finish. The sound of many a childhood (and adult) Christmas day for me #vinyl #adventcalendar

Vinyl advent calendar day 23: Ring Out Solstice Bells by Jethro Tull Wonderful Yuletide song arriving two days late #vinyl #adventcalendar

Vinyl advent calendar day 22: A Very Special Christmas About half of this album is great (Christmas in Hollis!) but it does suffer from too many 80s rockers trying too hard to play some Rock'n'Roll and the blues #vinyl #adventcalendar