ALBUMBLE

Shite Or Alright is back for another year! On our return to review the 2025 Eurovision songs, we have a brief moment to recall the (mostly not so nice) events of ESC 2024 and frame the themes and memes we have in store in 2025. We begin with why there are 37 songs on the menu and not the expected 38, why we're only reviewing 35 of them and why some countries are on a final warning.... After each c...

In this last episode before a Eurovision break we review a brand new album!!! This is Antony Szmierek's second album although it has been four years since their debut effort. He has been on the scene making waves not in the form of releases but more in the form of live shows and tours. Former teacher Szmierek takes us for a ride (not like that!) to the world of the service station and is able to p...

In this episode we 'celebrate' the 40th anniversary of The Smiths only chart-topping number 1, Meat Is Murder. Known, but not as well known as some of their other releases, this album has a slightly unusual collection of songs in terms of song style, song meaning, song tempo and song length but is possibly more known for the 'political' nature of the lead song and the album artwork. This was their...

This episode sees us return to albums and back to the 90s, although for both of us, this wasn't something either of us had on our discmans (discmen?!?!) at the time of release Sleeper got swept in with the cool kids of Britpop and their debut album has lyrics that are very of their time but, as we discuss, there is a little more too it than that. Smart was certified gold and spawned 4 singles alth...

This EP, of sorts, has an amazing back story - a story I felt needed to be shared on the podcast. Boys Wonder was a short lived band during the late 80s but their music wasn't really the expected 80s fayre which probably led to the band's downfall. The London band released a small handful of songs during their tenure and although an album was mooted, it never materialised. But 35 years after their...

The run of EPs continue but this time a much more modern affair with the newcomers Adult DVD. This six-piece combo, who are originally from Leeds, have an abrupt and in-your-face (or should that be in-your-ears?) sound which embraces a realm of modern, quirky and retro edges.  The band were formed in Leeds at the turn of the 2020s and have a small but perfectly formed back catalogue of individual...

Happy New Year to you all! We start of this busy time of year by indulging in another EP this time by lesser known North-West indie band Mansun. The band were seemingly a fan of the EP format as they released a slew of them during their tenure; sequentially and numerically named all the way from 1 to 14!!!! Although they were around as a band for a fair while before and after the height of the fam...

Instead of albums, starting with this unpigeonhole-able release from the front man of Foals,  we are going to be whipping out a range of EPs for us to peruse over. It is a busy time for us (and most of you!) at this time of year and this allows everyone a break from without stopping the podcast. Yannis Phillippakis is joined on this recording by the drummer from the very first Afrobeat combo - Afr...

This month sees the first reviewed album on the podcast that is not by a set artist or act. This album from 1998, was not only a homage (I think...?!?!) to the Eurovision Song Contest but also a tie-in to the late night Channel 4 programme in the UK, Eurotrash. The album contains a range of Eurovision and Eurovision adjacent fayre and might have left many people watching the accompanying episode o...

In a strange Quantum Leap-esque straddle from the previous episode, we stay in Germany *and* with the Forever Young theme as Andy asks us all to listen to the mid-90s rave combo Interactive. Although not the most known electronic dance artists (especially outside of Germany), Interactive's work comfortably spans the realms of hardcore/techno/hard trance/commercial chart music and creates a sound t...

ALBUMBLE BONUS EPISODE ALERT !!! It's that time again! It is time for Junior Eurovision 2024! 17 countries will be looking to win the contest that is being held in Madrid, Spain. We quickly discuss why it's being held in Spain and the make up of this year's contest. Ann and Andy are joined by their 9 year old Marcus who, if you have listened to previous FOPs, has an extremely good track record in...

ALBUMBLE BONUS EPISODE ALERT !!! It's that time again! It is time for Junior Eurovision 2024! 17 countries will be looking to win the contest that is being held in Madrid, Spain. We quickly discuss why it's being held in Spain and the make up of this year's contest. Ann and Andy are joined by their 9 year old Marcus who, if you have listened to previous FOPs, has an extremely good track record in...

ALBUMBLE BONUS EPISODE !!! It's that time again! It is time for Junior Eurovision 2024! 17 countries will be looking to win the contest that is being held in Madrid, Spain. We quickly discuss why it's being held in Spain and the make up of this year's contest. Ann and Andy are joined by their 9 year old Marcus who, if you have listened to previous FOPs, has an extremely good track record in pickin...

We go back to 1980's West Germany as Ann unveils the totally underrated and under-the-radar band Alphaville and their 1984 debut album "Forever Young". Depending on where you are (or where you where in the mid 80s) you will probably know them for a different hit depending on what was released and pushed in your region! Their moniker of being a 'one hit wonder' really does not do this band justice...

Andy's choice this month takes us back to the Liverpool music scene and to the talents of Ian Broudie in the guise of The Lightning Seeds. Although best known for their jangly pop numbers and some '90s football/adjacent songs, their 5th studio album "Tilt" was their first new music LP after the release of their Greatest Hits album. It seems that the band were taking some risks and avenues that wer...

It's the start of the month so it was Ann's choice and sooner or later Eurovision had to come into it! We listened to "Fryslân" by Joost Klein Joost had been well known in his native Netherlands through his YouTube exploits as a teen. Slowly but surely he transitioned into using music to connect to the world and connect us to *his* world. Released in 2022, the album is a surprise mish-mash of styl...

It was Andy's choice this time, and he brought to the table our most recent and up-to-date album yet - "Killjoy" by British indie band Coach Party. Although the album is very much based in the 21st century there are definitely some call backs to the original emergence of the indie genre in the late 80s and 90s. It is a relatively short album which makes for a nice short and snappy podcast!  At the...

In episode 5 Ann chooses a modern RnB gem which not only tells, nay continues, a track-by-track story but also acts as a show reel of genre swishing singular songs.  Needless to say blues and soul is not usually our first choice of music and although this album has some mega highlights, neither of us are afraid to highlight its pinch points. We also start with a bit of a news round up regarding ne...

In our fourth episode Andy proposes a electronic, spoken word, hip hop album. As you will hear the "Angles" has some rather confronting themes which could be quite triggering but is balanced by some interesting musical choices and humorous viewpoints. To fully immerse yourself in the Albumble podcast, listen to the album yourselves (Angles is on Spotify and possibly other places too) then listen t...

In our third episode, we listen to the early 2000's phenomenon that was The Zutons' debut album. Although seen as a Scouse extension to the '90s Britpop era, we decide it is a lot more nuanced than that. To fully immerse yourself in the Albumble podcast, listen to the album yourselves (Who Killed... The Zutons is on Spotify and possibly other places too) then listen to our appraisal. Remember to g...

In our second episode proper, Andy asks me/us to listen to Belgian music superstar Daan's early 2000's album "Victory". He's a quite the well-known name in Belgium - and our house - but not so much elsewhere. To fully immerse yourself in the Albumble podcast, listen to the album yourselves (Victory is on Spotify and possibly other places too) then listen to our appraisal. Remember to get in touch...

In our first episode proper we go back to 1995 and listen to Pulp's seminal contribution to Britpop... although it was a little bit more than that, don't you think? Listen to the album yourselves before listening to our appraisal and remember to get in touch with your thoughts and feeling about Different Class or how you feel about our opinions!

In this clear-as-mud episode, I (Ann) collar my husband (Andy) and sound him out on my idea for a podcast. I envisage that there will be 2 episodes a month - one on the 1st of the month and another  roughly on the 16th - so come back on July 1st for our first episode proper!!! At the end I suggest the album which will be the focus of the first show so once you've listened to this intro - go and li...