Once again I must start with an apology (yes, it has happened before…) – actually two apologies. First, sorry for being late with new music. Second, sorry for having to be very brief this time around. These are busy times, but I vow to come back stronger and make it up to readers and listeners. What I can promise, is that there’s a lot of great music in this blog playlist! So listen, read my ultra-short notes on each album, enjoy the singles, the classic and the 50-yearold and yes – the best of Eurovision Song Contest. New list as soon as I can get my head around it. Promise.

The Short List: New Tracks

The Long List: Previous Tracks

From to left to bottom right. Click on the almum to listen to it.

AUDIO VERTIGO – Elbow. Indie band/Alternative rock from England. One of the best.

Bright Future – Adrianne Lenker. Indie folk. Quiet and marvellous.

Deeper Well – Kacey Musgraves. Needs no introduction. Nu-country, New brilliant album.

Iechyd Da – Bill Ryder-Jones. Welch whisper-singer. The songs are magnificent, but a little disturbing with the whispering. But you get used to it.

Leslie Stevens – Leslie Stevens. LA sound, reminding one of Lana del Rey, perhaps. Love the sound.

Liam Gallagher & John Squire – Liam Gallagher & John Squire. Need no introduction either. The return of Oasis in many ways.

Natural I – ALEPH. Japanese chanteur. Quiet and fragile. Great songwriting.

The Pendelum Swing – Katherine Priddy – English folk drifting in to pop. Again, this woman can write.

Salvage Enterprise – The Polyphonic Spree. Rich pop music. Summery and kind.

Tigers Blood – Waxahatchee. American verging into rock. One of the best vocalists in the business.

Until We Meet Again – Sy Smith. Soul and jazz. Maybe not be to everyone’s taste, but I find it interesting and cool.

Singles

Barefoot . Jo Benoit

Don’t Forget Me – Maggie Rogers

Heavy Rain – Richard Hawley

On the Corner – Charlie Rowe

So Sick of Dreaming – Maggie Rogers

TEXAS HOLD ‘EM – Beyoncé

Tokyo Laundry – Keaton Henson

Used to Lovin’ You – Diane Birch

Young Days – Annprincess

Bridge over Troubled Water – Simon & Garfunkel. Can you believe it took me so long. Thankfully I never said I would do them in order of importance. There’s not a weak track on this album. If you get a chance, watch the documentary about how it was made. You’ll be even more dazzled. My favourite track is Song for the Asking, I can’t listen to it without sensing a tear on its way.

50 years ago Queen released the worst album in their career, in my view. The only reason it was worth listening to, was because it portended what brilliance was waiting for us out there in the future. There are some half decent tracks on the album – I have hidden away the rest, but click on the cover if you want to listen to the whole thing.

This month’s earworm is actually an ESC-entry, from France, the song by Slimane that perhaps should have won. When I have listened to it, it sticks to my brain for at least a day. It is annoyingly simple, but beautiful and moving in its simplicity. Here’s the rest of the decent entries from ESC:

La Noia – Angelina Mango – Italy

Fighter – TALI – Luxembourg

Pedestal – Aiko – Czechia

Hollow – Dons – Latvia

Jako – Ladaniva – Armenia

Always on the Run – ISAAK – Germany

And the winner, of course. Switzerland. The Code. With Nemo. Had you forgotten?