On the night of 13 May 2017, with the cheers and encouragement of the packed International Exhibition Centre in Kiev, Ukraine ringing in his ear, and the landslide votes of Europe propelling him to a resounding victory, Salvador Sobral secured an historic first victory for Portugal in the Eurovision Continue Reading
Music
Now this is Australian music: The Presets, Bajillionaire, GAUCI, Stella Donnelly, India Sweeney
It’s Australia Day and while there is considerable, very much necessary debate about the validity of observing our national day on a date seen as Invasion Day by indigenous people, it is still a good day to reflect on what makes this country great. (For the record, I think Continue Reading
Now this is music 101: Yung Lean, Gabriel Black, Said the Sky & FRND, Pale Waves, Sir Sly
I love listening to music. (If you haven’t figured that out yet, then clearly you haven’t been paying attention.) But more than that, I need the music to say something meaningful to me, to dig into the marrow of life and really think about what makes it tick, what Continue Reading
Now this is music: Scandipop special 2 – Bishat, EIRIK, Blissful, Louam, Stockholm Noir
I remain, as always, a devotee of all things Scandinavian. It started as a child with books and TV shows – obviously at that age I had no idea they were Scandinavian; I simply loved the quirk and storytelling idiosyncrasies of the material – and continued on with ABBA Continue Reading
Download. Play. Dance. Sing. My favourite songs of 2017
Music powers my life. Every last part of it in fact. Whether I’m commuting, exercising, sitting and working – but not when I’m writing alas; I’m one of those people who must write in monastic silence or the worlds will not flow – or simply sitting and watching the Continue Reading
Happy Christmas everyone! May pop culture bless you every one …
What a big year it has been! Horrible in some respects – Trump, Australia’s treatment of refugees and North Korea sending off missiles I’m looking at you – but also delightful, wonderful, warm, funny and good for the heart, soul and spirit. Much of that joy has come from Continue Reading
On 12th day of Christmas … I listened to Warmer in the Winter by Lindsey Stirling
There are quite a few festive things that, right at home in the depth of a northern hemisphere winter, are almost comically out of place in a southern hemisphere summery Christmas. Take chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Or walking in a winter wonderland perhaps? Or even dashing through the Continue Reading
Now this is Christmas music: 10 favourite festive tracks + 5 fab indie covers
When you’re a Christmas tragic such as myself, one of the key ingredients to falling headfirst, and utterly, completely and absolutely so into the festive spirit – it begins sometime around the end of November, ending only on Boxing Day or in my case, considerably after that – is music, Continue Reading
On 9th day of Christmas … I listened to Gwen Stefani’s “You Make it Feel Like Christmas”
As a recording artist, it makes sense that you’d be tempted to go Full Throttle Retro Festive when it comes to putting together a Christmas album. After all, consumers of festive tunes know what they like, and what they generally like is for your album of Christmas songs to Continue Reading
On 4th day of Christmas … I listened to Sia’s Everyday is Christmas
Let’s be honest – when it comes to Christmas albums, and I will be the first to admit that I am a slave to these expectations more often than not, there are two major rules that must be followed. 1. The album must feel Christmassy. Granted this is a Continue Reading