Sounding Bored: Recent Episodes
Niall Kennedy, Rob Langham & Ben Woolhead
In Episode 36 of Sounding Bored, a team comprising of host Rob Langham, Amy Laurens, Josh Wells and David Cox pick their albums of 2019 including discussion of Kanye West & Kid Cudi, Idles, Mitski, Hookworms, Sauna Youth and Let’s Eat Grandma. Recurring topics include pop stars’ morals, politics and the #metoo movement while there is an important announcement at the close of the show.
Episode 35 of the podcast revolves around the release of the album Honey from Robyn, the Swedish popster’s first solo release since 2010. Rob Langham and Amy Laurens build up to their discussion of the LP by assessing the notion of pop star as auteur, bringing the likes of Kanye West, Joy Division, Britney Spears, Beyonce, Taylor Swift and the Pet Shop Boys into the conversation.
In Episode 34 of Sounding Bored, Rob Langham and Niall Kennedy survey the current trend for nostalgia to influence music and culture more generally with nods to Queen and the new movie Bohemian Rhapsody, Ghost Box recordings, Rewind and Simon Reynolds’ book Retromania. Album of the month is Fucked Up’s Dose Your Dreams while performances from GNOD and Nadine Shah at the recent Ritual Union festival are also highlighted.
In Episode 33 of the podcast, Rob Langham is joined by Amy Laurens and Josh Wells to debate the ins and outs of cover versions with namechecks for Johnny Cash, The Pet Shop Boys, The Fall, Madonna, The Futureheads, Elbow, Limp Bizkit and Catfish & the Bottlemen. Album of the month is Mitski’s fifth long form platter, Be the Cowboy.
In the fifth of the Sounding Bored interview podcasts, Rob Langham speaks to Graham Hobbs and Jonathan Roscoe, the twin svengalis behind Shire Folk, one of the leading folk magazines in the UK and a broad church that features traditional English Folk music, Americana, more than a few fiddles, folktronica and experimental forms. There are mentions on the pod for Seth Lakeman, Tunng, The August List, Little Red, Fairport Convention and Emily Morgan among many others.
In the 32nd episode of the pod, Rob Langham is joined by David Cox to reflect on the late 1990s heyday of the superstar DJ. Pete Tong, Paul Oakenfold, Carl Cox and Sasha are held up as the exemplars of a curious period where the ability to operate a turntable ruled the roost. The Superclubs and club nights including Ministry of Sound, Gatecrasher and Cream are recalled along with the artists that shaped an era such as The Chemical Brothers, Faithless and Leftfield, as well as the comedown. Fittingly, album of the month is Ross From Friends’ Nineties-inflected Family Portrait.
In Episode 31 of the pod, co-founder Niall Kennedy returns to join host Rob Langham in appraising three topics: the announcement of the 2018 Mercury Prize short list, some of the best albums of the year so far and Leeds as a music city. Album of the month is Sink Ya Teeth’s eponymous debut while the work of Hookworms, The Sisters of Mercy, Gang of Four, The Wedding Present, Nadine Shah, Young Fathers, King Krule and Chumbawamba is debated.
In episode 30 of the podcast, host Rob Langham is joined by newcomers Karlyn King and Gavin Barber to discuss the ins and outs of vinyl – both back in the day but also the format’s current strong revival. Karlyn also talks about the upcoming workshop on women’s employability in the music industry which is taking place in Edinburgh in June 2018 while the album of the month is Belly’s comeback effort Dove.
This episode of the pod sees host Rob Langham joined by Amy Laurens and Josh Wells to run the rule over musicians' varying use of social media with the discussion revolving around Rihanna, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, Kanye West and other megastars. Another prominent user of the genre, Cardi B recently released her debut LP, Invasion of Privacy and it's this release that occupies the album of the month slot.
In the fourth of the team’s interview pods, Rob Langham talks to author Matthew Worley, Professor of History at Reading University and author of the new book, No Future: Punk, Politics and British Youth Culture, 1976-1984. In a wide ranging discussion, the pair touch on Margaret Thatcher, Far Right politics, Red Wedge, Malcolm McLaren and Garry Bushell as well as musical artists such as The Jam, The Sex Pistols, Crass, Billy Bragg, The Pop Group and Scritti Politti. Follow the pod on twitter at @soundingbored69
For Episode 28 of the pod, Rob Langham is joined by Londoners Terry Duffelen and Del Mantle to look back on the life and times of the New Musical Express which finally called time on its print edition in March 2018. There are mentions for The Smiths, Billy Bragg, Public Enemy, Keith Richards and Danny Baker while new albums from Concretism and David Byrne are anticipated and appraised respectively. Follow the team on Twitter at @soundingbored69
In the latest podcast, Rob Langham is joined by David Cox and Josh Wells to run the rule over the soundtrack to mega-movie and cultural watershed Black Panther, curated by Kendrick Lamar and featuring Jorja Smith, Ab-Soul, James Blake, SZA, Future, The Weeknd and others. There's also time for a discussion of the film itself while Ned's Atomic Dustbin, the Mexico City Olympics and the town of St Albans all receive mentions. Follow the pod on twitter at @soundingbored69
In the podcast’s twenty sixth episode, Rob Langham, Amy Laurens and David Cox ponder the future of the Grammys after the annual awards came under fire for their lack of inclusivity and relevance. Mentions for Bruno Mars, U2, Sting, Jay-Z and SZA are followed by a discussion on the current state of music podcasting featuring the York Times Popcast, All Songs Considered and the Slate Hit Parade.
In the third of our dedicated interview pods, Rob Langham and Ben Woolhead pitch up at Pop'n'Hops vinyl and craft beer emporium in Cardiff to chat with Trev McCabe, founder of said operation and also the head honcho of Odd Box Records, purveyors of top quality music for almost a decade now. Trev reflects on the economics of running both operations, the process of choosing which music to release and a third venture that has seen him start a burgeoning club night in the Welsh capital.
For the first pod of 2018, Rob Langham and Ben Woolhead are joined by Trev McCabe of Odd Box Records to assess what’s in store for the year musically. Established acts such as My Bloody Valentine, Vampire Weekend and No Age jostle for attention with Nilüfer Yanya, Shame and Rainbow Reservoir while album of the month is Shopping’s The Official Body.
Following an unbearably tense period of voting and lobbying, the Sounding Bored team, here represented by host Rob Langham, David Cox and Niall Kennedy, are pleased to announce their rundown of their favourite LPs of 2017 as well as some of the near misses. There are mentions for Mount Eerie, Public Service Broadcasting, Richard Dawson, Childish Gambino, Lorde, St. Vincent and Mark Lamarr. As ever, you can follow the pod on twitter at @soundingbored69.
For episode 23 of the podcast, Rob is joined by Amy Laurens and Brian Guerin to reflect on the musical heritage of the nordic regions. Acts both massive (ABBA, Whigfield, a-ha) and less well known (The Radio Dept., Motorpsycho and The Sound of Arrows) are placed under the spotlight while there is also space for discussion of the lurid Norwegian death metal scene and whether there is a Scandinavian cultural continuum. Album of the month, appropriately enough, is Fever Ray's Plunge.
In the second of the Sounding Bored interview pods, Rob Langham chews the fat with Steve Reynolds, the mastermind of topnotch indie/alternative club night Darklands. Steve provides an insight into how to steward a popular club night and the tunes to spin with mentions for The Jesus and Mary Chain, New Order, Camper Van Beethoven, Pixies, the Psychedelic Furs, Jane Weaver and Public Image Limited. After listening to the podcast, get yourself down to Reading's South Street Arts Centre for the next installments of Darklands on November 25th and December 16th, 2017 while you can keep up to date on the event at @darklandsUK
Episode 22 of the pod sees Rob reconvene with dream team Amy Laurens and David Cox to discuss music's sacred cows. The reputations of The Smiths, Britney Spears and Radiohead are wrenched through the mangle while this month's new album is Pink's Beautiful Trauma. Follow the pod on twitter at @soundingbored69
In the twenty first edition of the podcast, Rob is joined by Maria and Richie from Oxford band The Other Dramas to assess the 2017 Mercury Music Prize won by Sampha as well as the history of the award. Album of the month is LCD Soundsystem's American Dream.
Elvis Presley died at Graceland 40 years ago this month and in Episode 20 of the podcast, Rob and David Cox devote the bulk of their discussion to the King and his legacy, concentrating on 5 key points in his life - his birth and upbringing in East Tupelo, the release of Heartbreak Hotel in 1956, the pivotal year of 1958 which saw the death of his mother and entry into the US army, the 1968 comeback special and his sad demise nine years later. To close, the duo focus on Arcade Fire's newly released fifth album, the hotly debated Everything Now.
In the nineteenth episode of the regular pod, Rob Langham is joined by Amy Laurens and David Cox to look back to the chart music of the 1980s. The trio discuss Wham!, Madonna, the Human League, Michael Jackson, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Phil Collins and others while Live Aid, MTV, Radio 1, politics, hairspray, shoulder pads and the 'Hobsbawmian Long 1980s' also fall under the microscope. Album of the month is Haim's decidedly 1980s referencing Something To Tell You.
For the first in a series of podcasts that will run parallel to the main show, we interview Simon Bailey, head honcho of Future Perfect and a man whose company has done wonders in bringing quality acts to Oxford, Leicester, Wolverhampton and elsewhere. Acts that Simon has promoted have included Slowdive, Slaves, Ghostpoet, Deap Vally, The Big Moon and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart while he is also currently masterminding the saliva inducing Ritual Union one day festival that will take place in October 2017. The interview provides a fascinating insight into the ins and outs of music promotion, the wheeler-dealing, the creativity, the teamwork and the immense emthusiasm and hard work required.
A year and a half into the lifetime of Sounding Bored, Rob Langham and Ben Woolhead convene in Cardiff to assess the health of the local music scene while casting an eye back to famous Welsh acts of the past including Los Campesinos!, Manic Street Preachers, Shirley Bassey, Anhrefn and the Super Furry Animals. Album of the month is Sweet Baboo's Wild Imagination.
In Episode 17 of the podcast, Rob is joined by Brian Guerin and electronic artist Peter Lloyd aka Kid Kin to discuss the broad sweep of music that combines traditional and electronic elements to a lesser or greater degree - with mentions for Muse, David Bowie, Battles, Animal Collective, Burial, Brian Eno, Tim Hecker, Mogwai, Radiohead and many more. Album of the month is Forest Swords' Compassion.
In Episode 16 of the podcast, Mike Gibbons, author of Euro 96 chronicle When Football Came Home and Tom Sutton join host Rob to discuss Britpop: the anthems, the albums, the halfwits and the hullaballoo. Album of the month is 2017's decidedly Britpop tinged Love in the 4th Dimension from The Big Moon.
The latest edition of the pod sees Tom Sutton join Rob Langham and Niall Kennedy to look back to the 2000s and a musical landscape upon which Bill Callahan, LCD Soundsystem, Interpol, Franz Ferdinand, Fleet Foxes, Arcade Fire, Pitchfork and the New York borough of Brooklyn all made their mark. Album of the month is Dirty Projectors' eponymous eighth album.
In the fourteenth edition of the pod, Rob Langham is joined by David Cox and newcomer Josh Wells to discuss the phenomenon that is Hip Hop, twenty years on from the slaying of The Notorious B.I.G. LP of the month is Sleaford Mods' English Tapas.
In the latest episode of the podcast, Niall Kennedy and Amy Laurens return to join Rob Langham in pondering the musical possibilities for 2017 with mentions for Acid Arab, Japandroids, the Magnetic Fields and Abattoir Blues among others. Album of the month is the third long player from The xx, I See You while the panel reflect on the passing of George Michael.
To round off a first year in the business, Amy Laurens joins Rob and Ben to run through the list of the Sounding Bored team's top 10 LPs of 2016.
In the penultimate episode of 2016, Ben and Rob welcome Brian Guerin to discuss the current state of live music from the personal, cultural, socal, economic and performance point of view. LP of the month is Honeyblood's Babes Never Die.
Episode 10 of the pod sees Mike Gibbons join Ben and Rob to talk about Manchester as a music city;Joy Division, The Smiths, Take That, Northside and more. Album of the month is Aussies Jagwar Ma's Every Now and Then.
In Episode 9 of the pod, Ben Woolhead and Rob Langham are joined by fervent Nirvana fan David Cox to reflect upon the band's landmark release Nevermind after a quarter of a century. Album of the month is Angel Olsen's My Woman.
In Episode 8 of the pod, the team take the opportunity to assess the impact of online streaming on music by placing Spotify and other providers under the microscope. Are they a force for good? LP of the month this time out is Toronto band Pup's The Dream is Over.
For Episode 7 of the pod, Amy Laurens joins Ben and Rob to discuss the enduring influence of The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds after half a century and the importance of production to music, concentrating on some of the masters of the art. Album of the month is Bat For Lashes' The Bride.
In the sixth episode of the pod, the team assess the current festival scene and how it compares to those of yesteryear while highlighting the variety of experiences on offer including glamping, posh nosh, poetry and nary a mention of a toilet. The album of the month up for discussion is James Blake's The Colour in Anything.
In the fifth installment of the podcast, the team welcome Ronan Munro, founder and editor of Oxford music magazine Nightshift and use a wider discussion of the city's musical impact to lead into analysis of Radiohead's ninth album, A Moon Shaped Pool.
In the pod's fourth episode, the team run the rule over Wire's 15th LP Nocturnal Koreans, pick their favourite albums of the year so far and bemoan the cancellation of Drive Like Jehu's curation of the All Tomorrow's Parties event. Follow us on twitter at @soundingbored69 and subscribe on iTunes.
In Episode 3 of Sounding Bored, Niall Kennedy, Rob Langham and Ben Woolhead run the rule over Anna Meredith's stunning album Varmints, pause to reflect on the death of Prince and discuss the future of the record store in the wake of 2016's Record Store Day. Follow the team on twitter at @soundingbored69
In our second episode, Ben, Niall and Rob discuss Field Music's new LP, Commontime, analyse the impact of Primal Scream's Screamadelica after 25 years and use the latter as a launch pad to discuss Glasgow's rich contribution as a music city.
In Episode 1 of Sounding Bored, Niall Kennedy, Rob Langham and Ben Woolhead review the new album from Savages, Adore Life, reflect on the passing of David Bowie and assess the end of year top 10 albums across a range of media.