“There’s a great Irish philosopher called John Moriaty who talks a lot about the importance of doing things that don’t make any sense, what they can actually do for your life.” Glen Hansard: 1970-2026. “Darling, you simply must, I insist, come and see The Frames. I won’t forgive you if you don’t but you will thank me. They are simply divine.” In the second half of 2002, my friend Gaynor Crawford, promoter, publicist, woman of impeccable taste, holder of great loves and even g

PERRY KEYES The Alison Bend (EH Records) MOMENTS DON’T TELL YOU EVERYTHING; too many things happen, have happened, can still happen to be definitive. We know this, right? See someone at their worst and that’s not them; catch a slice of bad luck and that can’t be the only luck you’ll get; a word hurled mid-fight isn’t the way you really feel, or not all the time, or not the only thing you’re feeling anyway; mistakes you’ve made are not impossible to recover from, won’t be he

Ross Wilson as captured by Stuart Spence Here we have the next instalment in What Comes To Mind, an alternative series in the Wind Back Wednesday space, based on the work of the brilliant photographer Stuart Spence, whose not-so-secret goal was to dig into my brain or soul or what might pass for both. Each time, he pulls out a photo from his archives going back almost 50 years and challenges me to respond with what comes to mind when I look at that image. It might be serious

BUDJERAH Gentleman (Warner) THIS IS A CLASSY debut album from Budjerah Slabb, a Coodjinburra man from the Bundjalung nation up north in NSW, who has been on the radar for three years and a set of increasingly more confident singles but wisely chose not to rush into a big statement too early. Not that you’d call this a big statement exactly, more a declaration of interests that sets his direction. What Slabb is offering is contemporary-ish R&B (tinged with gospel and Stevie

It will take heavier chemicals and deep cleansing to remove the evidence, but we can make a start. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN More playlists to deep-clean countries by at Spotify. Look for my name.

Two Phils for the price of one (item shown not as promised in the Australian show). The creative genius is evident from the very start of the email, questionable use of ellipses and all: Su.. Su.. Sussudio..! it positively screams at us. Yeah baby, that’s a headline. Then there is the name of the show which will hit the heights of Wyong Leagues and Liverpool Catholic Club later this year: Phil x Phil. Oh yes, two Phils for the price of one, a multiplication that surely gives

Too many early mornings/late nights watching football. catches up with you. You need a pick-me-up. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN More moods, more energy in more playlists by me at Spotify.

Archie Roach - by Stuart Spence Here we have the next instalment in What Comes To Mind, an alternative series in the Wind Back Wednesday space, based on the work of the brilliant photographer Stuart Spence. Each time, he will dig out a photo from his archives going back almost 50 years and challenge me to respond with what comes to mind when I look at that image. It might be serious or ridiculous, personal or historical but it will be inspired by a photo I’ve not seen before,

VARIOUS ARTISTS Pop Boomerang Presents: Shake Yer Pop Boomerang Volume 4 (Pop Boomerang) UNLIKE THE FORTUNE FLAKES on the cover, being poured out into and over a bowl in a shower of cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and tooth rot, this is an album which will do you no harm. No harm at all. Better yet, it will bring joy to your house and alleviate symptoms of the common cold, raise your heartbeat enough to activate almonds but not enough to blow your heart monitor, and it will ba