Here it is: my definitive Top 15 rundown of the best albums (and Top 5 vinyl reissues) of 2025. It has been an absolute monster of a year for music: indie darlings dropping career-best records, legends roaring back with fire in their veins, surprise drops that shook the game, and […]
The Smiths’ explosive title track “The Queen Is Dead” traces its origins from an impromptu live ad-lib in 1985 to a ferocious six-minute studio masterpiece that opens their 1986 landmark album. Beginning with a subversive sample of a nostalgic World War I music-hall tune smashed by howling feedback and thunderous […]
It’s time to count down my top 25 most played vinyl records of 2025. Here’s the thing about vinyl—it’s not just about collecting pretty records; it’s about living with them, spinning them until the grooves tell your story. Every year I keep meticulous track of my plays, both all-time and […]
“Frankly, Mr. Shankly” is arguably The Smiths’ funniest song, not just on their 1986 masterpiece The Queen is Dead, but in their entire catalog. While the band is renowned for their sharp melancholy and poetic despair, this breezy, music-hall-inspired gem bursts through with pure cheeky comedy: a hilariously passive-aggressive resignation […]
Ten years after his passing, it’s time to tackle the ultimate question: Does David Bowie still matter? The answer is a resounding “YES” as we take a look back at his life, music, and legacy in just 30 minutes. From his overlooked beginnings to achieving global icon status, we uncover […]
Today I’m unboxing my copy of The 1975 Sire Demos by Ramones released on Record Store Day 2024. The legendary punk band released this great set of early demos on RSD 2024 to commemorate forming 50 years ago, and I share what the vinyl includes and my initial thoughts after […]
From Grief to Greatness: this is a history of Arcade Fire’s album ‘Funeral’ and how it changed indie rock. Funeral was released in September 2004, birthed from the collective grief of the band after losing many family members. Finding joy in the sorrow, the album resonated with many across the […]
Today we explore The Kinks’ 1967 hit “David Watts” and the inspiration (and inside joke) that inspired Ray Davies’ lyrics from their album ‘Something Else.’ We’ll explore the song’s themes of envy and social hierarchy, it’s suspected homoerotic undertones, and unpack The Kinks’ influence on rock music. Poetic Wax is […]
I know. You’re probably thinking it’s not possible. But today I’m sharing a CD that I found that CAN be played on a turntable, just like your vinyl records! This comes from a little series from a label called People In A Position To Know (aka PIAPTK Records). Links below… […]
Morrissey has never been one to keep quiet. He seemed to know this as far back as 1985, when he and Johnny Marr wrote “Bigmouth Strikes Again.” This is the history of that song, the Rolling Stones song that inspired Marr’s guitar riff, and the subtle nod to the Ancoats […]
