Sounding Bored

Sounding Bored Episode 36: The Top 10 Albums of 2018

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.

Sounding Bored Episode 35: The Robyn Episode + Pop Stars as Auteurs

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.

Sounding Bored Episode 34: Musical Nostalgia, Queen, Nadine Shah, Damian Abraham

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.

Sounding Bored Episode 33: Cover Versions in all their Glory; Mitski

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.

The Sounding Bored Interviews No. 5: Shire Folk supremos Graham Hobbs and Jonathan Roscoe

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.

Sounding Bored Episode 32: Superstar DJs, Pete Tong, Paul Oakenfold, Ross From Friends

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.

Sounding Bored Episode 31: Mercury Prize 2018, Leeds as a Music City, Sink Ya Teeth

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.

Sounding Bored Episode 30: The Vinyl Revival; Belly; Women in the Music Industry

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.

Sounding Bored Episode 29: Music and Social Media, Cardi B

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.

The Sounding Bored Interviews No. 4: Matthew Worley, author of No Future

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