Episode 59 - 21st Century Synths

Sure, we used to listen to synth bands in the 80s - but, hey look now, there’s a rainbow of sub-genres this century. Get on the bus and take a tour. For a full tracklist, please divert here.

We know about the golden age of early 80s synth bands, but let's take a tour round the world of 21st century synth artists.

Episode 58 - Songs called 'Love Song'

Love songs called ‘Love Song’. Pretty simple concept, but a pleasing amount of diversity in genre. For a full tracklist, please divert here.

A mix of love songs all titled 'Love Song' (more or less) from a mix of genres. Apologies to anyone who has already downloaded the episode earlier. It was withdrawn after the discovery of technical flaws.

Episode 57 - Nick Drake and His Legacy

As the blossom on the apple trees I planted flowers in my backyard, let’s take a look back at the king of nature in folk music, Nick Drake, and the bands that he influenced.

A look back at some classic tracks from Nick Drake, tragically neglected in his own lifetime, and the bands that he influenced.

Episode 56 - Let's all meet up in the year 2000

It was twenty years ago today (well, this year)! How much hope we held in our hearts (though watch out for that Y2K Bug). The last century went out in a flurry of great tunes at least. For a full tracklist, please divert here

Let's do as Jarvis once asked us and meet up in the year 2000 for a look back at that year's best music.

Episode 55 - Listeners Recommend

A long-overdue opportunity for listeners to have their say of what should get played, including a couple of listeners’ bands. For a full tracklist, please divert here.

Listeners have their say on bands the podcast should feature. A couple of bands featuring listeners also feature.

Episode 54 - Tribute Songs to Musicians

As it says on the tin, this is band-on-band action at its hottest, so to speak. Panegyrics from a range of artists, most of whom have never featured on the pod before. For a full tracklist, please divert here.

Herein we take a listen to musicians paying tribute to other musicians who are their influences or who deserve especial respect. Or usually both. Plus one anti-tibute, for good measure.

Episode 53 - Ordinary Lives

In this year of all years, time to celebrate all of us eking out our humdrum existence on this lonely planet: our hopes, our fears, our paranoias and our tiny triumphs. For a tracklist, please divert here.

As some of us re-enter a brutal lockdown phase, time to celebrate the ordinary lives of everyday heroes.

Episode 52 - A Kiwi Special! The Dunedin Sound and the Flying Nun label

It’s New Zealand’s time to shine! A celebration of the Flying Nun label, the ‘80s sounds (mostly) from the far south of the South Island - and some examples of the legacy they left elsewhere. For a tracklist, please divert here.

A Kiwi celebration of the 80s music known as The Dunedin Sound, the Flying Nun label and its influence on the embryonic indie scene in the UK and US.

Episode 51 - First album, first tracks

Let’s start all over again with our second half-century. And so: debut LPs, first cuts. For us, a chance to make a first impression for a second time. For a full tracklist, please divert here.

Choice cuts from first cuts on debut albums kick off our second half century of episodes.

Episode 50 - The Fallout 50, Part Three, 2004-2019

Our 50th episode: a look back at the music of the last period in human existence, one year and one track at a time. For a tracklist, please divert here.

A celebration of different genres of alternative music, choosing one track a year from the last 16 years. Our 50th episode!