Now listening to:

Ryan Adams - Prisoner

Now listening to:

Au Revoir Simone - The Bird of Music



Was introduced to these through Twin Peaks: The Return, as one of the many brilliant musical guests from the Roadhouse scenes. Reminds me a bit of Joanna Newsom. Very pretty.

I got into Chromatics through Twin Peaks: The Return, where they play the beautiful Shadow over the closing credits of the first double episode. I love their sound, which fits incredibly well on the Drive soundtrack. As always, Spotify provides an unbeatable access to new and unheard old music.

These are really, really good. I humbly suggest that Chance deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Drake, Kendrick and J. Cole.

Now listening to:





Chance The Rapper is probably my favourite rapper after Drake. He has, like Drake, a wonderful ear for melody, and his singing rapping style is super compelling and powerful. These are his first two mixtapes, which I for some reason never got around to getting a hold of. They are available for free, legal download here if you're interested in hearing some of the best rap being produced today.

Now listening to:

Haim - Something To Tell You



Loved their first album, so I am EXCITED for this. Great sound so far.

Love it. So great to see Brian working with great new talents.

Brian really needs to work with more super talented, relevant artists. This may be a small spot, but it's a lovely song and he sounds good on there. Still holding out hope that we'll get that Frank Ocean/Lana Del Rey collaborations in some shape or other.

Hi friends,

just wondering if anyone is aware if Ian from the old Smile Shop days/Record Room is about anywhere in particular? I would love to get a message to him, as he really helped me through my life. Thanks.

I fear Smart Girls may be the only Rap of high profile here

And a quick look at the great rappers of today: Drake, Kendrick, J. Cole and all the rest. Tells you that melody and good rap go hand in hand. Could have been a brilliant mash up of genres.

The “Ocean wanted to rap” perplexed me, considering he’s far better known as a singer. But I believe Brian: around the same time, the great rapper Earl Sweatshirt made some comments about how funny he thought it was that Ocean had begun considering himself a rapper. Must’ve been a phase. But when you’re getting a chance to sing with or for BW, I’d think you take it!

Yeah, maybe so, but I still would have loved to hear it. He's lyrically excellent, so it still could have been cool.

I don't know, I was excited for it. Am not sure if Brian was telling the truth there, as Ocean doesn't really rap much at all, and considering the influence of The Beach Boys on his style, I would have assumed he would want to sing in harmony with Brian. Frank Ocean has done more in his last two albums and mixtape than Brian has since SMiLE. Could have given him a jolt of vitality and creativity that he has been lacking of late.

I am very happy that Brian is doing something with someone current and good. It was a terrible shame that the Frank Ocean and Lana Del Rey tracks didn't happen, but I have a suspicion that it was possibly due to the quality of the material on the album, which was, let's be honest, not too hot. Am hopeful that Janelle Monae will get the best out of him.

I think Brian should be careful about guesting on a relevant, talented artist's work... we all saw what happened with Frank Ocean and Lana Del Rey.

Hello friends, I am a long time Beach Boys and Brian Wilson fan. I have been obsessed with their music for over twenty years now, and I have gone through all of my periods of loving hidden gems and underrated albums. I have seen Brian Wilson live in concert three times over the years, including in 2004 for his SMiLE live performance in Glasgow. I have been long curious as to why it is that many Brian Wilson/Beach Boys fans tend to think of Brian as a person who can't make decisions for himself. I don't just mean *now* either, I mean in retrospect looking back to the 60s when Brian was experimenting with drugs and many creative avenues. Nobody speaks of John Lennon or Paul McCartney or Bob Dylan like they needed to be protected from the harsh realities of the world, yet this is something that is brought up frequently with Brian. People even go so far to place the blame on the friends that forced him to take drugs, that he was incapable of making decisions for himself. This doesn't just condescend to Brian in terms of his life decisions, but also frequently carries over into the artistic choices he made. I am thinking especially of Smiley Smile, and the refusal to acknowledge it as a genuine artistic choice, rather than the product of a mental breakdown. Very few pine over what could have been with Sgt Pepper. They accept it as the end result of an artistic process. I still believe that SMiLE was more a work created by fans after the fact, than it was a genuine lost album. Things progress and change through the process and I am more than happy to take Smiley Smile as the end result of that process.

So I am curious, why do you think people have become so attached to the idea that Brian isn't all there and should have his decisions made for him by those more capable? Why are his artistic choices even now second-guessed and assumed to be the product of some other guiding hand? Or more than that, why we assume that he needs/needed that parental guidance?

I am absolutely obsessed with Love by Kendrick Lamar, one of the most beautiful rap songs I've heard in forever. Also, Try Me by The Weeknd, maybe my favourite song that he has ever recorded. That chorus is just sublime.

Not sure about Taylor Swift, but Kanye will most likely be remembered as one of the most important producers/performers of his generation. Anyone with even a passing interest in Rap and R&B have a lot to thank him for. Yeezus is a masterpiece, and my vote for best Rap album of the new Millennium.

Some music I've been enjoying lately:

FKA twigs - LP1



FKA twigs has one of the best sounds right now. I love Video Girl and Lights On.

FKA twigs - M3LL155X



Just finished listening to this now. Again, great sound and I particularly enjoy the closing Mothercreep.

The Weeknd - My Dear Melancholy,



His best work since 2013's Kiss Land, and in my opinion as urgent and compelling a work of Noir R&B as has ever been recorded. Personal, staggering production and performance, with an emotional wallop that floors me. Try Me might just be the best song he's ever recorded. What a chorus! Check out that sneaky synth that comes in on the final chorus.

Tinashe - Joyride



Tinashe is one of the most impressive new R&B stars, and this album follows up very nicely on her last two LPs. Top tier production throughout. Check out Me So Bad.

Kelela - Take Me Apart



One of my favourite albums of last year. Kelela may just be the best new R&B talent since The Weeknd. Has something of Janet in her vocals. Sublime production, writing and performance. Onandon is a favourite.

Drake - Nice For What (single)



A devastating production, that nearly cuts the flesh, so hard and driving is it. Drake's trademark singing rapping style is as potent as ever. Great hook/sample. Very excited for the new album coming in June.

George Michael - Older



My favourite George Michael album by far. A real masterpiece of atmosphere and introspection. The title track is amazing, as are Fast Love and Star People.

Calvin Harris - Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1



A similar project to Mark Ronson's last one, lining up an A list collaborators and working in a production environment that is at the front of the game. Feels featuring Pharrell is the top track here, but I also love Nuh Ready Nuh Ready featuring PARTYNEXTDOOR, who sings in a beautiful Jamaican patois. This was released as a single and is unfortunately not on the album.

They are like The Band and The Beach Boys had a lovechild! Their harmonies are incredible, and Robin Pecknold has such a beautiful voice. They were really, really great live. When did you see them undercover-m?

Listening to the great Nick Drake today. Writing something good about him. I wish he was still alive today. I'm sure he would still be producing great music.

HELLO. Your old pal Muggins here. Lost my login and email a while back so I created a new account. Let's jam on brews, beats and buddies!

Martin Landau was amazing in Ed Wood, my favourite picture about pictures.

George Romero was savagely good at Horror. I think my favourite zombie movie of all time is Day of the Dead. It is so bleak, so beautiful. Love it. He lost his touch in later years but his work will be remembered for as long as there are zombies populating our consciousness.

Looking forward to the new Tyler, The Creator album. I am a pretty big fan of his stuff. Great sound.

Am loving the new Fleet Foxes, Crack-Up. Went to see them in concert the other day and they were incredible. Made me feel like I was seeing The Band or something special like that. They have such a way about them. I love Third of May. My favourite of the year so far.