aka Low 2. It’s the layers on The Idiot that makes this album so special. Some songs almost have two separate narratives taking place, but somehow still manage to stay on track. The China Girl original adds a little more malice than Bowie’s cover. But ultimately it’s Bowie who shines through on The Idiot. He’s across every track, bringing the best out of Iggy. A dirty, messy album. But much needed.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Bob Dylan’s Infidels. Originally released in 1983, first came to my attention in 1983, finally bought a copy in 2026. I am nothing if behind the curve. My introduction to this most un-Dylan of Dylan albums came first through my obsession with hiring CD’s (ha!) from the local village library, and then buying bulk TDK D90’s to record them. Somehow the cassette copy and the memory of the album was lost. And then last month, following the passing of Sly Dunbar, I heard Jokerman once again as Robert Elms played it. Blimey. I had no idea that Sly and Robbie were involved with Infidels. A quick spin and reminder on Spotify, and yep, I’ll have a cheapo CD copy of that please. Dylan is sometimes at his best when he is most un-Dylan.

Did me nut in. Bailed after the first track.

⭐

Here’s a half decent find for early 2026: the debut release by Momooko Gill. It came via Gilles Petereson, natch. It’s very much of its time, coming out of the Total Refreshment Centre. What I love about the growing N Ldn jazz scene is the inclusivity. Powerful females, cool as fuck, blowing away all the old hairy bollocks about what jazz should represent. It’s not strictly jazz, either. It’s without a doubt a sound that is very much 2026, and one that could only come out of N Ldn right now. Superb.

A genuine UK soul classic. Look beyond the brilliant pop, and you have a stunning voice that doesn’t hold back with the emotions. Some of the duets with Helen Terry raise the levels of heartbreak further. Black Money pulls at the emotions. As the album title suggests, Colour By Numbers is a melting pot of what brought the band to where they were at the time. They’re proud of their UK soul, reggae, pop backgrounds. They’re all on show here, often at the same time. A classy, heartfelt, mainstream album.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Another B.A.D cap. It’s not quite one of the incredibly rare corduroy editions from the late 80’s. On the few occasions these crop up on ebay, prices usually start at around £100. No baseball cap is worth £100. Instead here we have a 2011 version from the B.A.D reunion tour. Job’s a good ‘un.

B.A.D were a fantastic band. Mick managed to reinvent himself post-Clash, and then continually keep on reinventing the band as the line up and technology around him changed. They were very much of their time, reflecting street style and then the early days of rave. Yet at the core was always the same punk spirit.

Beggars would work far better without the distraction of Sympathy. Sure, it anchors the whole album. But after opening with what is undoubtably a monument, there’s nowhere else to go. But without the Sympathy, then Beggars is a really interesting, ragged, almost kooky collection of songs. It captures the comedown of ‘68. Street Fighting Man should be the lead track. It shows that The Stones were once a very dangerous band.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

This is clearly a serious album. It wasn’t recorded with TOTP appearances in mind. It was slightly tedious, tbh. Nothing offensive in there, but it didn’t half drag. Worthy, laboured, lengthy.

⭐ ⭐

A very mixed bag. First up is The Meteors. I was always on the edge of the psychobilly scene in ‘84 into ‘85, without ever fully living the lifestyle. Sure, I had the flat top. I even had the brothel creepers. But I still had a soft spot for Spandau Ballet and so couldn’t quite LIVE the dream.

I’m being drawn closer to all things psychobilly and rock ‘n’ roll in general as I approach my seventh decade. The flat top has long gone. I’ve been building up a collection of brothel creepers over the past six months or so. The Meteors are pure rock ‘n’ roll with a punk attitude. I wish the psychobilly scene would make a comeback.

The Ozrics meanwhile are never going to be assessed favourably when it comes to style. There’s always been a secret prog love to my musical tastes. I find this music ideal as the working soundtrack. I can take it all in, without being distracted by the lyrics. It floats over you, whilst still being able to create some very different moods.

A bit like Abdullah Ibrahim’s Water from an Ancient Well. I knew nothing about Abdullah until this dropped in the 1,001 albums list one morning. It’s South African jazz, and a most joyous sound. Anything that puts a smile on my face these days is welcome in my CD collection.

This album oscillates up and down, both in mood and on the musical scale. The guitars are so stretched out that it must be impossible to score what is being played on a music sheet. I think that is the least of concerns of the Mondays. It’s all about the attitude. Pills, Thrills has bucket loads of front. It swaggers from start to finish. Walk it like you talk it. Not a musical masterpiece, but certainly an album to turn to if you want to puff your chest out.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐