ph5

Halfway through 2026! You can listen to other podcasts for retrospectives of all the crazy shit that has happened so far this year, but the one thing I'm sure we all have in common is agreeing that so far, the year has....not been great! I'm talking about the music. As in the new music this year so far hasn't been great. Was that clear? Other podcasts that specialize in a topic... as, I guess, mos...

I'm almost as shocked as you are that this episode exists. I had to reach into my deepest depths to drag this one out of me. And I'm glad I did. Recording these is fun! Probably a lot more fun than actually listening to it anyway. I wouldn't know to be honest. Anyway, here we are. Let's talk about May. When I actually had an opportunity to listen to them, there were actually a lot of great albums...

Usually March is the month where winter finally decides to release its chokehold over us and give us long awaited reprieve. Unfortunately this was not the case this year. As I sit and type this on April 12, snow was still falling as of just a few days ago. Fortunately everything else in the world is going alright! Lol. But enough of that, how was the music? Mostly...fine...but one surprise release...

Welcome to the February 2026 edition of ph5. Please ignore today's date! It's irrelevant! Okay actually it's not. You'll learn why when you listen. That's not important though. What's important is that February was a killer month for new music. It was also a month that raised a few interesting questions for me, like what do we expect out of legends in their late careers? How important is being you...

It's cold outside. Like really cold outside. Is this the coldest January in a while? It certainly feels like it. January has been ice cold in terms of temperature, but to be honest, kinda also in terms of new music releases as well. So yeah, don't exactly go in expecting an all timer of an episode here. I did manage to salvage the episode though - barely - kinda like how vehicle owners were barely...

Lot of fun weird number stuff going on here. This is the last episode of the 5th season of ph5...5x5=25. This episode covers my top 25 record of 2025. So yeah! That's a thing I noticed. Cool right. But anyway that's it, the year's over, and that means a podcast about lists could only end with one thing - one more list, but a bigger one this time. Overall, 2025...pretty solid. Lots of great records...

Putting out a best of November episode in the midst of the week where every publication is releasing their year end lists makes this whole thing feel about as futile as you can imagine. But the year's not over yet!! Like I've seen so many pubs putting the Cameron Winter album and songs on their year end lists and its like yo! That album came out last year! Maybe if you hadn't jumped the gun on you...

The only thing spookier than Halloween is when Halloween falls on a Friday, adding another slate of releases for me to get through before I can sufficiently start recording. Not to make it sound like a chore or anything! In fact, October was one of the strongest months of the year in terms of new releases. I'm just making excuses for my lateness. I was doing so good for like, a month or two there....

I can't remember the last time I actually dropped an episode on the first of the new month. Is it because I'm that eager to talk about September's music? I just have nothing better to do? A healthy mix of both? I'm back in the right headspace to really enjoy new music again, so September's episode was a lot of fun for me! With only a few solid months of new releases left, each passing month has mo...

Timbaland voice It's been a long time...I shouldn't have left you....that's right folks after a delayed absence we are BACK! Why the absence? Well you'll just have to go ahead and listen to find out won't you? Given the delay I am a bit rusty, so what better way to shake that rust off by doing a deep dive on my favourite thing in the entire world to talk about. That's right, this month's episode i...

Insanely late again ok but at least I have a good excuse this time. What's the excuse? And what's this so called 'twist' I'm referring to in the episode title? Listen and find out! I can't be giving everything away in these little blurb things. I already tell you the albums I talk about which in my opinion is more than enough. I actually started doing that back in the first season of the show when...

Two things! Firstly, yes ok this episode is very late. Maybe the latest ever. But at least it's here ok? I'm busy! Sorry! Secondly, I have no idea where the Mentions soundbite has disappeared off to. I'ff track it down for next time. Ok now that we've got those out of the way, hi and welcome back to ph5! This time around we're talking about May 2025 releases. May is a special month for me because...

Wherein I go in way over my head and talk about shit that I have absolutely no business talking about. But that's part of the fun of this whole thing isn't it? How can you best articulate what is swirling around in your head, even if you barely understand it yourself? I had to bend some of the sacred rules in this episode and I'm sorry about that but I would have truly been remiss to not talk abou...

Shit was looking pretty dicey for a minute there I'm not gonna lie. The very fate of ph5 podcast hung by a thread...would it survive or would it perish after four long, fruitful years? Thankfully, March came ready with the goods. March was easily the best month for new music yet in 2025, with the return of some old favourites and some promising new upstarts. It was also the month with the most sig...

Who named this dumbass month though? Seriously? I stand by February is the worst month of the year and its ridiculous name doesn't really help its case. Did the music of February redeem it? Well...kind of. There were a bunch of good to pretty good records out this month but we're two months into the year and I can't honestly say I've heard anything GREAT yet. Really selling this episode aren't I!...

We're back! And we're late! But we're back. ph5, one or two people's favourite monthly music roundup show returns with some big life updates and some good old fashioned music chats. Some of the biggest artists in the world are featured in this month's episode. After drifting further and further into obscurity has Phil finally sold out? Yeah probably! Can you blame him! Albums discussed below. asky...

Originally this episode was going to be at least an hour longer and begin with a really stupid drawn out bit about Santa Claus but all those recordings ended up being unusable so you're getting this instead! You're off the hook this time. It's always fun to look back on a full year of music and attempt to arbitrarily rank them to see how your thoughts and feelings towards records shift as time goe...

Episode 50. What the hell. Make it make sense. In this episode, I attempt to do so, along with talking about my favourite records of November. It's been a wild ride, thanks for sticking with me. Here's to the next 50. Albums discussed below: The Body - The Crying Out of All Things Boldy James - The Bricktionary The Cure - Songs of a Lost World Paysage D'hiver - Die Berge Kendrick Lamar - GNX Mitoc...

Too much going on! There was no way I was going to be able to contain October's episode to the standard 8 album format so I went a bit overboard. Don't blame me, blame all the artists releasing thought provoking music last month. I'm a victim of circumstance. Lots to talk about this month so stop reading this stupid episode description and start listening! Albums discussed below: Better Lovers - H...

September! The kids go back to school, the months all start ending in 'ber'...I wonder if that's because it gets colder out, so everybody is always saying 'brr'. Could be. Anyway here's a new episode of ph5. This episode almost didn't happen as I wasn't feeling great but it's okay. I'm feeling better now. Appreciate your concern. Lots of great records this month that moved me both physically and e...

August is over, which means the world is growing dark and cold and all the leaves are falling from the trees and the cold that chills your bones is about to set in. Just kidding - that's next month. August was a wild wonderful month with a goldmine of new releases to accompany it. Let's talk about them. Albums discussed below: Concrete Winds - Concrete Winds Doechii - Alligator Bites Never Heal Fo...

Yeah yeh yeah I know I'm so late. But to make up for it I'm giving you my shortest episode in...years? To be honest this episode almost didn't happen, if it weren't for a few very special records and people urging me on. Also shout out New Friends Fest. Also I'm not going to name names but if you were one of the people who told me to check out the new Eminem album, consider yourself disowned from...

It's been really hot lately and I haven't been sleeping well and my voice kinda sounds like a duck. Thanks for tuning in to the June 2024 edition of ph5. This episode has me running down my favourite records of June through a hazy fog of sweat and heat exhaustion. I hope it makes sense. Along with the records, I talk about the importance (and rarity) of consistency in music and reflect on why I wa...

First off, RIP Steve Albini. Isn't it wild that that only happened last month? Time isn't real. What IS real is ph5 podcast, and we've got a hot and steamin' brand new episode ready to go for you. Sorry for the wait - I've been busy. I made up for lost time by talking for way too long about things that don't really matter. I'm sure you're used to that at this point. May 2024 was a particularly exc...

Still out here, still doing this. April didn't reach the absurd heights of March, but was still full of fantastic new releases by some old friends (literally in some cases. Well I guess just one). I tried not to talk about you know what but it ended up happening anyway. She is unescapable. Also yeah I know the recording sounds weird on this one. I think I might need a new mic. It sucks. Album's di...