The BBC World Have Your Say team hit Mexico city a couple of days ago. They went there to talk about the narco wars that have crippled the country and left more than a few people headless. Instead they walked into swine flu central which, just a few hours ago was followed by a 6.0 […]

You couldn’t create an album with less female appeal than this if you’d tried. What other men try to conceal beneath the periscope hood of ageing parkas, Mark John Hibbett proudly thrusts into the open. All of blokedom is on offer here from Linux to DIY. Hibbett’s mission in life is to pounce on the […]

SET BLOW OWN TRUMPET = ON A wonderful piece of radio courtesy of my programme World Update. If you’ve ever looked aghast at the use of Comic Sans and wondered why then here is the place to go. Featuring Vincent Connare himself.

Mamer, Eagle

April 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment

The production on this album is astounding. If folk music from the western Xinjiang province is not your bag then at least marvel at the rich sound of this Chinese gem. Mamer sings with a warm bassy croak while gentle guitar and lilting dombra fill in the gaps and if at times the morose low-fi […]

This is just brilliant. A warning to any budding or indeed established Jeremy Paxmans out there.

I came late to The Alarm, finally getting their best-of ‘Standards’ in 2005 or so.

Krautpod #4

April 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment

The fourth installment direct from the beating heart of Germany’s Musik scene with myself and Julian B. Download it here. Read on for the track listing.