#ExitMusic #MusicChallenge Day 6️⃣ 🎵 Whatever You Want Not the Quo song (but there’s a thought… 🤔), instead Lucy Rose from her 2024 LP, This Ain’t The Way You Go Out. David Dyson’s drumming on this outro, and throughout Lucy’s fab gig at Birmingham’s Town Hall last night… 👏🏻 youtu.be/a7gw9K24hqg

#NewMusicFriday Released 27.02.26, Lucy Kitchen’s new Americana / contemporary folk LP from the UK’s south coast has been playing here too. On #BandcampFriday it’s in my collection, and I’m looking forward to playing the record 😊 🎵 Winter King, The Boatman lucykitchen.bandcamp.com/album/in-the...

#NewMusicFriday 💿 Pale Fire Catch Me 🎤 Man At Sea Released today, the first of two #BandcampFriday adds. This singer-songwriter’s elegant debut LP will appeal to fans of Beirut, Rufus Wainwright and Leonard Cohen. 🎵 In Love With Your Being, Sunday Evening manatseaman.bandcamp.com/album/pale-f...

#ExitMusic #MusicChallenge Day 5️⃣ 🎵 Who’s Crying Now 🎤 Journey 💿 Escape (1981) The first of several hard rock / soft rock favourites in my 30. Written by Steve Perry & Jonathan Cain, guitarist Neal Schon takes over with a memorable solo for the last minute and a half 🎸 1/2 youtu.be/EX-_WkUxyLU

#5DebutAlbums8589 #MusicChallenge 💿 Wonderful Life (1987) 🎤 Black Colin Vearncombe was a wonderful, wonderful songwriter. The title track, Everything’s Coming Up Roses, Paradise and the mournful Sweetest Smile are the highlights 🥹 1/2

#ExitMusic #MusicChallenge Day 4️⃣ 🎵 Wuthering Heights 🎤 Kate Bush 💿 The Kick Inside (1978) Common characteristics in my list are last songs on albums, long songs and guitar solos. Kate’s debut single is in the last category. Ian Bairnson played the memorable solo 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 youtu.be/-1pMMIe4hb4

#ExitMusic #MusicChallenge Day 3️⃣ 🎵 Howland (2024) 🎙️ Public Service Broadcasting ⏱️ 8:43 The Last Flight of Amelia Earhart. The last couple of minutes of the track - radio contact having been lost - is mostly silence. A moving piece of art. 🗣️ The tide rises, the tide falls youtu.be/XMWFUGI2Gd4

#ExitMusic #MusicChallenge Day 2️⃣ 🎵 Herstmonceux 🎤 Harp 💿 Albion Tim Smith & Kathi Zung. For the instrumental outro, as awesome and inspiring as the lyrics that come before it. 🎶 Every part of your stone Was a thundering voice In the woods alone 🎶 1/2 youtu.be/tEUhj0SCdjY

#ExitMusic #MusicChallenge Day 1️⃣ 🎵 Comforting Sounds 🇩🇰 Mew 💿 Frengers (2003) The glorious outro is signposted at 4:36 in this live performance video not only by the crashing sound of the guitars, but also at a sublime technicolour moment. One of my all-time favourite songs 😊 youtu.be/pJZAj9pZic0

#ArtistFaveLP #MusicChallenge 💿 Where The Wild Horses Roam (2020) 🎤 Rowan Godel 🥇 Songbird (cont.) A ballad of staggering beauty, performed here by Rowan in a home environment. Her CD is visible on the piano. 🎶 Feel her wings beating 🎶 1/2 youtu.be/uCdZXPR95os

#OrchestralManoeuvres #MusicChallenge Day 2️⃣8️⃣ 🎵 Token Of My Appreciation 🎤 Man At Sea Staying in Bristol and a singer-songwriter whose debut album Pale Fire Catch Me is out on Friday 06.03.2026. 🎻 Brookspeare String Quartet Great video too 👨🏻 Ty @tansleyjames.bsky.social 🙏🏻 youtu.be/Z_0YkXlNDJg

#ArtistFaveLP #MusicChallenge 💿 Where The Wild Horses Roam (2020) 🎤 Rowan Godel 🥈 These Things Take Time (cont.) In that typewritten note however, I heard a call to action. To share Rowan’s songs in the hope that someone else will be touched by her music… rowangodel.bandcamp.com/track/these-...

#OrchestralManoeuvres #MusicChallenge Day 2️⃣7️⃣ 🎵 Stories 🎻 boci 💿 we are each other, this will set us free (2022) First of two indie artists from Bristol, UK. Stately instrumental with violin loops from her debut LP. The piano appears at 1:46 like sunlight through the trees 🥹 youtu.be/DrgG94uhO9E

#ArtistFaveLP #MusicChallenge 💿 Where The Wild Horses Roam (2020) 🎤 Rowan Godel 🥉 The Flower Girl (cont.) There was a return address. I have often considered writing to Dr Godel, but I’ve been lost for words… Also #OrchestralManoeuvres 🎻 2️⃣6️⃣ fiddle/cello. rowangodel.bandcamp.com/track/the-fl...

#ArtistFaveLP #MusicChallenge 💿 Where The Wild Horses Roam (2020) 🎤 Rowan Godel 4️⃣ All That I Want (cont.) Inside the sleeve, I found another note, this time from Rowan’s family, who take comfort knowing that her music continues to be shared and enjoyed… rowangodel.bandcamp.com/track/all-th...

#OrchestralManoeuvres #MusicChallenge Day 2️⃣5️⃣ 🎵 For Henry 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Astrid Williamson A bleak but beautiful instrumental from the Shetland singer-songwriter’s 2022 Into The Mountain album. Ruth Gottlieb plays the violin 🎻 youtu.be/bPKNLgx6P0c

#OrchestralManoeuvres 🎻 #MusicChallenge Day 2️⃣4️⃣ 🎵 Adagio For Strings (Ferry Corsten Remix) 💿 Pieces In A Modern Style (2000) Samuel Barber’s gentle piece with string synths opens William Orbit’s first collection of classical adaptations, but I’ve chosen this euphoric remix 😵‍💫 youtu.be/D07eiMcy_cs

#ArtistFaveLP #MusicChallenge 💿 Where The Wild Horses Roam (2020) 🎤 Rowan Godel 5️⃣ September Skies (cont.) In 2024, hopeful that Rowan’s Bandcamp store was still being managed, I ordered her September Skies EP. The title track later featured on the album… rowangodel.bandcamp.com/track/septem...

#OrchestralManoeuvres #MusicChallenge Day 2️⃣3️⃣ 🎵 Crimson Skies 💿 The Crimson Wing: Mystery Of The Flamingos (2008) 🎻 The Cinematic Orchestra Also featuring the unmistakable voice of Lou Rhodes, once one half of Lamb. Music as graceful as the creatures that it portrays 🦩 youtu.be/NFN_GGqpv0M

#ArtistFaveLP #MusicChallenge 💿 Where The Wild Horses Roam (2020) 🎤 Rowan Godel 6️⃣ Lullaby (cont.) Rowan was 50 yo. Her voice continues to be heard often in our home. Her thank you note has a poignancy that I could never have foreseen when I bought the CD… rowangodel.bandcamp.com/track/lullab...

#NowPlaying #MusicSky Alanis Morissette’s 2020 album, Such Pretty Forks In The Road, is a recent addition. It’s a glorious record which I somehow overlooked first time around. 🎵 Smiling, Sandbox Love #AlanisMorissette 🇨🇦 1/2 youtube.com/playlist?lis...

#OrchestralManoeuvres 🎻 #MusicChallenge Day 2️⃣2️⃣ 🎵 Gracie’s Recapture Second of three soundtrack selections. From Peter Gabriel’s Long Walk Home (2002), music from the film Rabbit-Proof Fence. #MusicSky #FilmSky #MovieSky youtu.be/RCLEgeMAQQs

#ArtistFaveLP #MusicChallenge 💿 Where The Wild Horses Roam (2020) 🎤 Rowan Godel 7️⃣ Lily (cont.) By 2022, I was hoping to find new music. I was shocked and saddened to discover that Rowan had passed away that February. I was unaware that she had been unwell… rowangodel.bandcamp.com/track/lily

#OrchestralManoeuvres 🎻 #MusicChallenge Day 2️⃣1️⃣ 🎵 For Elena From Ennio Morricone’s beautiful soundtrack to Cinema Paradiso, one of my favourite films. That final scene… 🎥🥹🇮🇹 #MusicSky #FilmSky #MovieSky youtu.be/JuxK2uwOJ6A

#ArtistFaveLP 💿 Where The Wild Horses Roam (2020) 🎤 Rowan Godel 8️⃣ Wayfaring (cont.) In 2021, my wife & I looked at Shropshire’s Beardy Folk Festival. Rowan was performing at the event. I can’t recall why we didn’t go, but I regret not getting tickets… rowangodel.bandcamp.com/track/wayfar...

Ed Harcourt is collaborating with @jjlovegrove.bsky.social on her new, eagerly-awaited album, History Is The Struggle Of Becoming, due May 29th. Next month, JJ releases Celandine, the second single from the record. Lots of great new music to look forward to from independent artists in 2026! 😊

#OrchestralManoeuvres 🎻 #MusicChallenge Day 2️⃣0️⃣ 🎵 First Light 👨🏻 Ed Harcourt 💿 Monochrome To Colour (2020) Cello performed by Amy Langley. Ed’s drums too in the second half of the song are spectacular 😊 youtu.be/Phy6Oie00a4

#NewMusicFriday #MusicSky 💿 The Cross Sea (self-titled) 🗓️ 13.02.2026 The debut album from a folk-rock trio from Toronto, ON 🇨🇦 Raw, unpredictable and dark, fans of Big Thief will find much to enjoy here. 🎵 There’s No Way, Alien (Hold On To What You Love) thecrosssea.bandcamp.com/album/the-cr...

#ArtistFaveLP #MusicChallenge 💿 Where The Wild Horses Roam (2020) 🎤 Rowan Godel 9️⃣ Cloudy Day (cont.) The album features nine originals, the others being traditional songs with new arrangements. Slipped inside the CD sleeve, I found a handwritten note… rowangodel.bandcamp.com/track/cloudy...

#OrchestralManoeuvres #MusicChallenge Day 1️⃣9️⃣ 🎵 In Another Lifetime 🎻 The Blackheart Orchestra 💿 Mute (2021) Cinematic prog rock from a collection of reworked instrumentals performed by an “orchestra” of two 😊 youtu.be/l6vpcJ_xk_Y

#ArtistFaveLP 💿 Where The Wild Horses Roam 🎤 Rowan Godel 🔟 (title track) I stumbled upon Rowan Godel’s debut album in 2020, having disappeared down another Bandcamp rabbit-hole with a couple of reliable search tags, most likely including contemporary folk… rowangodel.bandcamp.com/track/where-...

This time around, I’ll be celebrating Where The Wild Horses Roam (2020), an album by the late folk singer-songwriter, Rowan Godel. #ArtistFaveLP

#OrchestralManoeuvres 🎻 #MusicChallenge Day 1️⃣8️⃣ 🎵 Brighthelmstone 💿 A Shade Under Thirty (2018) Austere contemporary classical from Stray Ghost aka composer Anthony Baden Saggers. Brighthelmstone is the historical name for the town of Brighton, UK, a hotbed of great music 😊 youtu.be/TM_0y8IbLl0

#OrchestralManoeuvres 🎻 #MusicChallenge Day 1️⃣7️⃣ 🎵 Song For Viola A singer-songwriter from Birmingham, AL, the last track on Peter Bradley Adams’ gentle 2008 Leavetaking album features just the titular stringed instrument and piano. Desolate, yet beautiful 🥹 youtu.be/GGPh3gTwlQM

#OrchestralManoeuvres 🎻 #MusicChallenge Day 1️⃣6️⃣ 🎵 Any Day Now I discovered Joshua Radin’s music on Zach Braff’s wonderful The Last Kiss soundtrack compilation (song: Star Mile). His Underwater CD (2012) is a recent addition to my collection. An exceptional singer-songwriter. youtu.be/mLUmFyxPdCo

#OrchestralManoeuvres 🎻 #MusicChallenge Day 1️⃣5️⃣ 🎵 Shadowfeet 🇳🇿 Brooke Fraser 💿 Live with the Auckland Philharmonia Recorded in Auckland, 2024. Albertine is one of my fav 21C albums. This song was originally on that LP. Third of three live symphonic collaborations in my list. youtu.be/Bw9_ek2rhes

The Besnard Lakes performed in Birmingham, UK tonight. Olga Goreas was seated bc of a broken ankle. I didn’t really see her until the end, but her voice is unmistakable and her bass guitar like a great thunderstorm 😊 And You Lied To Me and the epic Silver Shadows 👇🏻 closed an amazing two-hour set.

#OrchestralManoeuvres #MusicChallenge Day 1️⃣4️⃣ 🎵 My First Name 🇮🇪 Soda Blonde 💿 Dream Big | Live with the National Symphony Orchestra (2025) Second in a series of three live, symphonic collaborations in my list. One of my fav bands. What a night in Dublin that must have been 😊 youtu.be/9dORv0JUhaA

#NewMusicFriday 💿 Julia 🎤 Ásgeir 🗓️ 13.02.2026 I discovered Ásgeir Trausti’s music drinking espresso in Reykjavík’s iconic 12 Tónar record store 🇮🇸 Gentle yet insistent, mostly midtempo folk-pop, an album as rewarding as your morning coffee ☕️☺️ 🎵 Quiet Life, Against The Current asgeir.lnk.to/julia

#OrchestralManoeuvres 🎻 #MusicChallenge Day 1️⃣3️⃣ 🎵 A Cello Sings In Daventry (Live) 🎙️ Public Service Broadcasting | BBC Symphony Orchestra | Jules Buckley feat. Seth Lakeman 💿 This New Noise (2023) First in a sequence of three live, symphonic collaborations in my list. youtu.be/DfHBq7qMb5s

#5DebutAlbums0509 #MusicChallenge 💿 The Thief & The Heartbreaker, Alberta Cross (2007) Anglo-Swedish blues. The title track and Hard Breaks are two highlights. A top five certainty and very much a contender for my top spot. Image: 2024 “Reimagined” version of the LP 😊 youtube.com/playlist?lis...

#OrchestralManoeuvres 🎻 #MusicChallenge Day 1️⃣2️⃣ 🎵 Chances 🎤 Athlete I’ve really enjoyed revisiting the band’s 2005 Tourist album. This is the opening track. 🎶 Those first steps that I can't calculate 🎶 youtu.be/S7qOEgy3k9A

If you’re familiar with Amelia Baker and her Cinder Well project then you might recognise her voice from the theme to the BBC’s gentle comedy #SmallProphets - another wonderful Mackenzie Crook creation 😊 Released in the last 24 hrs, available on Bandcamp and the usual places. youtu.be/aMozPZ7-GzA

#OrchestralManoeuvres 🎻 #MusicChallenge Day 1️⃣1️⃣ 🎵 Cadence (2023) 🎤 Cinder Well ⏱️ 6:47 Dark folk from California. From the album of the same name. youtu.be/ON5Qndvrbns

#5DebutAlbums0509 #MusicChallenge 💿 Manners (2009) 🎤 Passion Pit Delirious, infectious electro pop, bursting with intent. Another highly probable top five pick 😎 🎵 To Kingdom Come, Sleepyhead youtube.com/playlist?lis...

#OrchestralManoeuvres 🎻 #MusicChallenge Day 🔟 🎵 Song Of Songs (2024) 🎤 @anastasiaminster.bsky.social Staying in Canada, and a Toronto based singer-songwriter, neo-classical and gothic. Title track. Arrangements by Felipe Tellez, performed by the Canadian Studio Symphony 🇨🇦 youtu.be/jkWFXnbOLPA

Whispering singer-songwriter William Fitzsimmons has been a favourite of mine for the last twenty years. Until When We Are Ghosts is a certainty for my #5DebutAlbums0509 😊

#OrchestralManoeuvres #MusicChallenge Day 9️⃣ 🎵 Half Awake 🎤 Paper Beat Scissors 💿 Parallel Line (2019) Born in Burnley 🇬🇧 made in Montréal 🇨🇦 Tim Crabtree’s falsetto accompanied by acoustic guitar and strings. Lush, orchestral folk. youtu.be/m2mr0LWMN9U

#OrchestralManoeuvres #MusicChallenge Day 8️⃣ 🎵 And You Know I Care (2022) 🎻 Fiona Brice From her most recent album, of the same name. A modern classical composer and former Placebo collaborator, signed to the Bella Union label, she recently toured the US & Canada with Elbow. youtu.be/wiIjx0355qQ

#OrchestralManoeuvres #MusicChallenge Day 7️⃣ 🎵 In Regards To Marriage 💿 NINA A beautiful song 🥹 Jacob Pavek is a quarter of alt-country A Piano In Every Home, but his most recent solo album, in my top ten of 2024, is contemporary classical, just piano & strings. 🎻 Milo Weil youtu.be/Z2PtnF2WLUA