How do you demonstrate the craft of crooning? It brings a broader range than you imagine. After the many nominations springing from last week’s topic, defining as all about style and using the microphone, guest playlister ParaMhor brings some perfect performance picks …
Read morePlaylists: songs about prayers and praying
From Africa to Jamaica, punk, to soul to jazz and church choirs, the act of prayer in song covers many styles and gods, and sometimes isn’t even about religion. Guest playlister Severin picks a heavenly selection from last week’s theme
Read moreWhat's going on? Songs with more questions than answers
Inspired by the recent death of a creative great and the movement he spurred, this week it’s time to pose questions of the listener, existential or otherwise, perhaps found lyrics or titles, but more than just in a random line, and perhaps also in often in form, structure and sound
Read morePlaylists: songs about tradition
Ancient religions to strange festivals, drinking rituals to counting sheep to chasing cheeses, small slices of history to long formed social behaviour, enjoy wonderful stories and playlists picked by guest Marco den Ouden from last week’s topic
Read moreDynamic duos: songs with just two performers
What makes for a great duo and how does is that dynamic expressed? Perfect balance of sound? Unspoken understanding and harmony? Symbiosis of roles? Contrast in character? Fragility, insecurity and tension? It’s time for two’s company …
Read moreCan you hear it? Songs with notable key changes
No technical knowledge required. Michael Jackson to the Beatles, they've all done it. From a single step up to lift or alter the mood, to more complex modulations, if you can feel or hear a significant change in the song, it could be a key one
Read morePlaylists: songs about equality
Conflict to the Equals, Peggy Seeger to the Pointer Sisters, Kamasi Washington to John Coltrane, this week’s playlists chosen by guest pejepeine from a wonderful week of egalitarian-spirited nominations, are a dream come true
Read morePlaylists: spiritual and sacred songs
Gospel, soul, blues, Hindu, reggae, jazz, country, folk to old church, our guest writer magicman creates some divine and sublime lists spanning the centuries and the globe from last week's yuletide topic
Read moreFork handles to four Handels: songs about tools
From hand-held hammering to skilful sawing, sewing, screwing, or searching, take a good look in your musical shed for top tool-related tunes and place them in the suggestion box below
Read morePlaylists: songs about the colour or term green
Siouxsie to XTC, Cure to Coltrane, this week's guest writer severin picks and musical colour scheme from your songs suggestions with a full range of shades. It will definitely grow on you
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