Jan 1, 2021
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: 2020 IN ALBUMS
Rather inconveniently, today is the first day of a new year rather than the last day of the old one. It might have been neater to do some...
Dec 25, 2020
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: DUSTING OFF 10 ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS SONGS
Christmas being Christmas, you can be forgiven for making the odd list. Cards, presents, food & drink, films to catch on TV, memorable...
Dec 18, 2020
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: NOT THE BEST OF
This month I have been mostly reading ‘Best of’ lists. I find myself drawn to them, however I try to turn the printed page quickly or...
Dec 11, 2020
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: IN SEARCH OF THE LOST CHORD
So, it is just 14 days to Christmas Day. Today I find myself pushed for time and in search, if not of the lost chord, then of a theme (2...
Dec 4, 2020
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: WISH IT COULD BE CHRISTMAS?
Trundling around Sainsbury’s this morning I was once more struck that all the great Christmas songs are the old ones. That’s not the same...
Nov 27, 2020
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: IS THIS THE REAL LIFE
One of the pleasures of writing this column is that scarcely a week goes by when I am not entranced by an artiste or two entirely new to...
Nov 20, 2020
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: A CHRISTMAS COMMERCIAL
It’s that time of year again. The Christmas TV ad is back in abundance offering nice warm feelings in exchange for shifting stock....
Nov 15, 2020
A TRIBUTE TO SOPHIE MCGEORGE: A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE SPIRIT
I came across Sophie McGeorge when she entered the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition in January this year. The annual contest...
Nov 13, 2020
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: PARASKEVIDEKATRIAPHOBIC? ME?
So, Friday the Thirteenth: a seemingly endless horror franchise from the 80s or just plain unlucky for some? Not one for the...
Nov 6, 2020
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT
So, is love but a second-hand emotion? It goes without saying that without love a deep seam would be missing from the songwriting mine....
Oct 30, 2020
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: PARTY LIKE IT’S 2018
How the years do roll on. I think back to 2018, the first year I properly attempted a ‘Best of…’ Spotify playlist as opposed to a...
Oct 23, 2020
FIFTY3 FRIDAYS: KEEPING UP
How faithful are you? Keeping up with musicians whose work you love is always the intention but less often the reality. The ephemeral...