ALBUMBLE

28 Pop Couture by Youth Sector

Sorry for the delay but illness, school camp and technical issues got a bit in the way - but it's here !

This band from the south coast of England have been going for almost a decade it is seems that in this album they have tried hard to collate the best of what they have produced and show their point of view. Many of the conversation points that turn up in this album seem to revolve around the fact that a) they have a particular point of view which is very well articulated and that b) one should not be fooled by the  funkiness/dancey/positive instrumentation. This also leads to wonder what else they might come up with net

Not much of a news review as we have been far to ill to keep on top of it all!

To fully immerse yourself in the Albumble podcast, listen to the album yourselves (Hold On It Hurts AND Hold On It's Easy are on Spotify and possibly other places too) then listen to our appraisal. Remember to get in touch by tweeting us via @albumble and tell us what you think of Go West’s work and whether you agree with our views !!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!

In our first podcast of 2026 we start almost where we left off by looking at another album from the mid-90s but this one is seen and heard through a VERY different lens.

Seen by many (and wrongly) as a bit of a one-hit wonder, Leicester's Cornershop started off their album careers with this collection of ditties which at some points feel a little disjointed but leads us as reviewers down a lot of paths. What were they trying to do? Could we see where they were going? How much of this was the band and how much was down to John Robb...? The album incorporates a number of genres which skirt along the edges of punk, psychedelia, prog, Britpop fringed with south Asian influences. One interesting caveat to this album is that many, many MANY rears later the band revisited this album renamed "Hold On It's Easy" which also created more questions than answers!

Before we start though, we make a small brief allusion to the ESC 250 *yawn* as well as certain Dutchman's new material!

To fully immerse yourself in the Albumble podcast, listen to the album yourselves (Pop Couture is on Spotify and possibly other places too) then listen to our appraisal. Remember to get in touch by tweeting us via @albumble and tell us what you think of Youth Sectpr’s work and whether you agree with our views !!

27 Hold On It Hurts by Cornershop

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!

In our first podcast of 2026 we start almost where we left off by looking at another album from the mid-90s but this one is seen and heard through a VERY different lens.

Seen by many (and wrongly) as a bit of a one-hit wonder, Leicester's Cornershop started off their album careers with this collection of ditties which at some points feel a little disjointed but leads us as reviewers down a lot of paths. What were they trying to do? Could we see where they were going? How much of this was the band and how much was down to John Robb...? The album incorporates a number of genres which skirt along the edges of punk, psychedelia, prog, Britpop fringed with south Asian influences. One interesting caveat to this album is that many, many MANY rears later the band revisited this album renamed "Hold On It's Easy" which also created more questions than answers!

Before we start though, we make a small brief allusion to the ESC 250 *yawn* as well as certain Dutchman's new material!

To fully immerse yourself in the Albumble podcast, listen to the album yourselves (Hold On It Hurts AND Hold On It's Easy are on Spotify and possibly other places too) then listen to our appraisal. Remember to get in touch by tweeting us via @albumble and tell us what you think of Go West’s work and whether you agree with our views !!

Farty or Party 2025 ep4

It's the wrong time of year to be judging Eurovision songs (although national final season is already in full swing) but it *is* the right time for looking at this year's Junior Eurovision offerings!!! Ann and Marcus are here to decipher this year's 18 songs!

 

This year's JESC is being held in Georgia after they won the title (again) in 2024 and were given first refusal of hosting. A few countries have withdrawn but a few have also re-joined giving us a reasonable show of 18 entries. Although the songs showcase a range of genres and singing styles, the cast list (bar Cyprus) contains almost exclusively solo singers which is disappointing. This may reflect the state of the music scene with its proliferation of solo acts over group, as well as indicating the strictness of personnel and monetary budgets the individual delegations have to spend on the project.

 

By the time we started this podcast project, the running order had been set so we used this official order to structure our reviews rather than a random pick from a hat. 

Here, we review the final 4 songs AND crown our winner of winners!

15 Georgia - Anita Abgariani   "Shine Like a Star"
16 Cyprus - Rafaella & Christos   "Away"
17 France - Lou Deleuze   "Ce monde"
18 Albania - Kroni Pula   "Fruta perime"

 

Farty or Party 2025 ep3

It's the wrong time of year to be judging Eurovision songs (although national final season is already in full swing) but it *is* the right time for looking at this year's Junior Eurovision offerings!!! Ann and Marcus are here to decipher this year's 18 songs!

 

This year's JESC is being held in Georgia after they won the title (again) in 2024 and were given first refusal of hosting. A few countries have withdrawn but a few have also re-joined giving us a reasonable show of 18 entries. Although the songs showcase a range of genres and singing styles, the cast list (bar Cyprus) contains almost exclusively solo singers which is disappointing. This may reflect the state of the music scene with its proliferation of solo acts over group, as well as indicating the strictness of personnel and monetary budgets the individual delegations have to spend on the project.

 

By the time we started this podcast project, the running order had been set so we used this official order to structure our reviews rather than a random pick from a hat.

Here, we review the next 5 songs:

10 North Macedonia - Nela Mančeska   "Miracle"
11 Montenegro - Asja Džogović   "I tužna i srećna priča"
12 Italy - Leonardo Giovanangeli   "Rockstar"
13 Portugal - Inês Gonçalves   "Para onde vai o amor?"
14 Spain - Gonzalo Pinillos   "Érase una vez (Once Upon a Time)"

 

Farty or Party 2025 ep2

It's the wrong time of year to be judging Eurovision songs (although national final season is already in full swing) but it *is* the right time for looking at this year's Junior Eurovision offerings!!! Ann and Marcus are here to decipher this year's 18 songs!

 

This year's JESC is being held in Georgia after they won the title (again) in 2024 and were given first refusal of hosting. A few countries have withdrawn but a few have also re-joined giving us a reasonable show of 18 entries. Although the songs showcase a range of genres and singing styles, the cast list (bar Cyprus) contains almost exclusively solo singers which is disappointing. This may reflect the state of the music scene with its proliferation of solo acts over group, as well as indicating the strictness of personnel and monetary budgets the individual delegations have to spend on the project.

 

By the time we started this podcast project, the running order had been set so we used this official order to structure our reviews rather than a random pick from a hat.

Here, we review the next 5 songs:

5 Armenia - Albert    "Brave Heart"
6 Ukraine - Sofiia Nersesian    "Motanka"
7 Ireland - Lottie O'Driscoll Murray   "Rúin"
8 Netherlands - Meadow   "Freeze"
9 Poland - Marianna Kłos   "Brightest Light"

 

Farty or Party 2025 ep1

It's the wrong time of year to be judging Eurovision songs (although national final season is already in full swing) but it *is* the right time for looking at this year's Junior Eurovision offerings!!! Ann and Marcus are here to decipher this year's 18 songs!

 

This year's JESC is being held in Georgia after they won the title (again) in 2024 and were given first refusal of hosting. A few countries have withdrawn but a few have also re-joined giving us a reasonable show of 18 entries. Although the songs showcase a range of genres and singing styles, the cast list (bar Cyprus) contains almost exclusively solo singers which is disappointing. This may reflect the state of the music scene with its proliferation of solo acts over group, as well as indicating the strictness of personnel and monetary budgets the individual delegations have to spend on the project.

 

By the time we started this podcast project, the running order had been set so we used this official order to structure our reviews rather than a random pick from a hat

 

Here, we review the first 4 songs:

1 Malta - Eliza Borg   "I Believe"
2 Azerbaijan - Yağmur   "Miau miau"
3 Croatia - Marino Vrgoč   "Snovi"
4 San Marino - Martina Crv   "Beyond the Stars"

26 Indian Summer by Go West

In our final podcast of 2025 we look at a tricky album from the mid-90s which leaves us with rather more questions than answers regarding its release. On the plus side, its reason for being chosen for the podcast gives us a chance to share an interesting anecdote with you! We look into “Indian Summer” by Go West – an album released 5 years after their previous one AND containing a song which was a major hit 2 years previously. Without giving too much away there is an eerie imbalance in this album which leaves us… well you’ll have to listen and find out!

Peter Cox and Richard Drummie – who also co-wrote the majority of their output – started off as a pop-dance-rock outfit. However, by the end of the 80s their popularity had waned as the UK and US record buying public’s appetite veered towards the widening choice of dance from Europe and the vast array of pop personalities from the likes of PWL. All this and more pushed Go West's rather safe (nay bland) music to the fringes of the charts. This, seemingly twinned with their desire to be seen as a band with song writing and vocal nous, created this album which leans more into the Adult Contemporary/Blue-eyed soul sphere. Is this change of tact too much? Too little? Too late? Or does it leave them falling between two stools?

To fully immerse yourself in the Albumble podcast, listen to the album yourselves (Indian Summer is on Spotify and possibly other places too) then listen to our appraisal. Remember to get in touch by tweeting us via @albumble and tell us what you think of Go West’s work and whether you agree with our views !!

25 F.L.M. by Mel & Kim

In this month's offering we analyse one album in order to review a whole slew of albums under the PWL umbrella. "F.L.M" was the only studio album by the duo Mel & Kim and was almost entirely produced and written by (Mike) Stock (Matt) Aitken and (Pete) Waterman whose signature pop/dance/electronic sound can be heard through many a UK chart act in the 80s and 90s.

The Appleby sisters were one of the few duos/groups in the PWL stable that stood out from the mainly solo crowd and, although their tenure as a pop act was incredibly short, they left behind a striking aural and visual legacy. Kim went on to have a few solo hits in the early part of the 90's, but it does make one wonder what *might* have happened if they had continued as a duo for even just a few more years. This said, we note that the Mel & Kim back catalogue has not really been touched on or covered very much but we come up with exactly the right platform to do it!

To fully immerse yourself in the Albumble podcast, listen to the album yourselves (F.L.M. is on Spotify and possibly other places too) then listen to our appraisal. Remember to get in touch by tweeting us via @albumble and tell us what you think of Mel & Kim's work and whether you agree with our views !!

24 Pretty On The Internet by The K's

Hello and welcome back to ALBUMBLE and as you might hear we may be sounding a *little* different to normal!

In this pod we look at a very recent UK number one album - but by a band very few people may have actually heard of! This northern band seems to have a dedicated and stalwart fan base which was able to vote with their feet - or should that be purchase with a few clicks - enough copies of this album to make it top the charts.

The K's are, as Ann would describe 'Wools' - meaning that they come rom the area betwixt the metropolises of Liverpool and Manchester and it seems like the musical legacies of both conurbations (as well as many more further afield) has influenced their music. In terms of song writing the lyrics seem rather personal and the boys are not afraid to lift the lid on their own particular worries including physical and mental health situations. In 'Pretty On The Internet', the boys seem to linger not too far from the indie-pop songs from their first album but dip their toes into some slightly different genres.

To fully immerse yourself in the Albumble podcast, listen to the album yourselves (Pretty On The Internet is on Spotify and possibly other places too) then listen to our appraisal. Remember to get in touch by tweeting us via @albumble and tell us what you think of The K's work and whether you agree with our views !!

23 Spiral Scratch [EP] by The Buzzcocks

Hello and welcome back to ALBUMBLE! Apologies for the wait for this episode to come out but we do profusely apologise and go through why we waited before doing the podcast properly!

In this pod we turn back the clock to a time - before both of us were actually born - where musical tastes and technology we in flux. Although the EPs run was extremely finite, it has been re-released on a couple of occasions to celebrate this records status as being one of the first 'punk' releases.

Without giving way too many spoilers about our views, I think it is safe to say that the recording is rather ramshackle, whihich in itself gives the record a rather edgy tone which might seem immediate to one but amateur to another. The Buzzcocks themselves (including Devoto who left the band) went on to hone their sound and the next year produced hits like "What Do I Get?" and the evergreen "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)" Everyone - and every sound - needs to start somewhere!!!!

To fully immerse yourself in the Albumble podcast, listen to the album yourselves (Spiral Scratch is on Spotify and possibly other places too) then listen to our appraisal. Remember to get in touch by tweeting us via @albumble and tell us what you think of The Buzzcocks' work and whether you agree with our views !!

22 Look At Us Now by Gustaph

In a strange turn of events, Andy - not Ann - chose an album with Eurovision connotations, furthermore with Liverpool Eurovision connections. Stef Caers AKA Gustaph could well be described as the Nico Hulkenberg of Belgian pop: almost 20 years after their first foray into showbusiness they finally got the success they deserved.

The album uses the catapult of the Eurovision hit to explore the wider corners of the dance/pop genre with a generous dollop of  LGBTQIA+ storytelling on  top.  Discussions also look into which people and songs possibly influenced the song writing, possible reasons for the track order and the superb clarity of Gustaph's vocals. Listen out also for bonus Eurovision stats as well as some Belgian pop collab wish lists !

Our news round-up is bypassed this week as there was so much news last week we were newsed out!

To fully immerse yourself in the Albumble podcast, listen to the album yourselves (Look At Us Now is on Spotify and possibly other places too) then listen to our appraisal. Remember to get in touch by tweeting us via @albumble and tell us what you think of Gustaph's work and whether you agree with our views !!

21 Cupid & Psyche 85 by Scritti Politti

It was Ann's choice of album this time and we delve into the back catalogue of a band that was lightly weaved into the fabric of 80s - and 70s and 90s - music but has never truly received the plaudits they deserve. In this iteration we see the band evolve from communist punkers to slick funk samplers.

During the episode we talk (not in much detail as we would be here for weeks) about how, on the surface, this album seems like a radio friendly slice of sturdy funk-pop but below the surface there are philosophical statements galore. There are also some interesting points to be made abut Green's unique voice and how, on some of the tracks, it is complemented by the clever use backing vocals to the point its almost a duet.

Our news round-up is compact although we do have a bit of fun regarding the Glastonbury 'news'.

To fully immerse yourself in the Albumble podcast, listen to the album yourselves (Cupid & Psyche 85 is on Spotify and possibly other places too) then listen to our appraisal. Remember to get in touch by tweeting us via @albumble and tell us what you think of Scritti Politti's work and whether you agree with our views !!

20 Partie Traumatic by Black Kids

Welcome back to a more modern episode of ALBUMBLE.

We look back to the late 2000's and a bit of American indie pop rock with more than a shake of Britishness on the top. Black Kids hailed from Jacksonville, Florida and the band's multi-ethnic and mixed-gender make up seemed to give their music a unique edge and viewpoint culminating in this album which was the band's second release.

The album has a definite sound, without feeling too samey - although we feel some themes and ideas could have been pushed through little bit more. We discuss the "British Feel" of the production, what might have been the band's purposeful (or accidental) musical inspirations as well as putting forward theories as to why the singles were the singles and why some of the said singles did not fare very well when they really should have!

Also, big apologies for the technical glitches but we tried (within the time constraints) to give you a decent podcast with what we had left AND what we could remember !

To fully immerse yourself in the ALBUMBLE podcast, listen to the album yourselves (Partie Traumatic is on Spotify and possibly other places too) then listen to our appraisal. Remember to get in touch by tweeting us via @albumble and tell us what you think of Black Kids and if you agree with our views !!

19 Headquarters by The Monkees

We are back!!!!

After our short yet slightly stressful Eurovision break we look back over the last few weeks and have a quick round up of news regarding some of our past ALBUMBLE alumni. On the subject of this podcast, we delve into the 60's with an album by The Monkees. "Headquarters" was the band's third album - and the third that reached number 1 on the Billboard album chart - although it contained a lot of firsts for the band as musicians.

Mickey, Peter, Mike and Davy were originally cast as a fictional band for the TV series of the same name. The foursome, however, at the start of their career had very little say in the music they performed and brought out even though they *could* actually play instruments and had the nous - together or singularly - to write a decent song and an entire hit album! Although they were a band very much of their time, their TV shows have been repeated all over the world and still can be found on satellite schedules this very day. 

To fully immerse yourself in the ALBUMBLE podcast, listen to the album yourselves (Headquarters is on Spotify and possibly other places too) then listen to our appraisal. Remember to get in touch by tweeting us via @albumble and tell us what you think of The Monkees' work (music Or television!) and whether you agree with our views !!

SOA2025-6

Welcome back to the final Shite Or Alright for 2025!
We start off this last - and hopefully exciting - episode by noticing if the similarity between seemingly disparate jingles may actually be by design. Ann also dumps the idea of Eurovision Tariffs because the EBU might be able to get some extra funding and expertise by appearing on a certain BBC business show...

Once we have our final show winner we look at all six heat winners and decide who is our "champion of champions" who will surely - almost definitely - will not be winning in Eurovision this year.

We hope you have enjoyed this Eurovision specials. We will be back bright-eyed and bushy tailed with the regular bi-monthly ALBUMBLE shows in June by reviewing "Headquarters" by The Monkees ! 

SHOW SIX - MONOGRAMMED COMMODE

Australia, Ireland, Montenegro, San Marino, Spain and Ukraine

Not even Blümchen... 
A performance they believe in 
Just wish it went somewhere
Never knew Jimbo and the Jet Set were so popular
It *should* be a shoo-in
Not serving subtlety