Ben Hogwood

YouTube video by TheCoralVEVO The Coral - Pass It On

A breezy travel recommendation from the Wirral - Pass It On, by The Coral:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=17Hz...

YouTube video by Tom Jones - Topic Thunderball

#ExitMusic
Day 4

Tom Jones - Thunderball

Of all the James Bond songs I think this is my favourite - the whooping horns, the furtive strings...all capped by Tom's incredible vocal. The final note and storming coda under John Barry are incredible. What a powerhouse!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYNz...

This is really excellent news, the latest in a line of excellent LPO conductor appointments...really looking forward to the musical results

YouTube video by Linkin Park Crawling [Official HD Music Video] - Linkin Park

#ExitMusic
Day 3

Linkin Park - Crawling

I was knocked out by this song when I first heard it, especially the bit late on (from 3'05") where the verse dovetails back into the chorus. Still an exceptional album!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd9O...

Looking out over the A21 Tonbridge bypass on the approach to Leigh

Looking south from the train with music from kwes. - some lovely immersive ambience on his Kinds album on Warp Records #commuterworld

Extraordinary. I tried playing some of the Op.11 set once, I didn't last long!

Was Scriabin anticipating streaming, I wonder? 45 preludes on a single album!

YouTube video by Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac - The Chain (Official Audio)

#ExitMusic
Day 2

Fleetwood Mac - The Chain

Timeless...and still close to pole position. The thrilling bass line run from 3'04" never loses its edge!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwTP...

Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground, looking west, with flood waters nearly drained at last!

A bright outlook to start the week with the beats of Octavcat, their new one Ailurophobia (which ironically means fear of cats!) #commuterworld

YouTube video by Morrissey Morrissey - Dagenham Dave

#ExitMusic
in no particular order...

Morrissey - Dagenham Dave

Harmonically a bonkers song, but I've always had a soft spot for it. The coda, from 2'39", heads off in all sorts of directions but somehow makes sense by the end!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmKd...

Started assembling some songs for the #ExitMusic challenge through March, have found some surprising candidates!

Wow, that's rather special!

So good to watch Norwich these days - attacking options, invention and some much-needed steel at the back. Great away performance #ncfc

Hoping to take part...and thanks for #OrchestralManoeuvres, which I've enjoyed immensely!

YouTube video by SmashingPumpkinsVEVO The Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight, Tonight (Official Music Video)

#OrchestralManoeuvres
No.28

Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight, Tonight

My no.1...not just a brilliant song but a tour de force from the Chicago SO strings with Audrey Riley, playing in the fiendish key of F# major. Thrilling from beginning to end:

m.youtube.com/watch?v=NOG3...

Gorillaz - The Mountain | Album Of The Week, Album Reviews | musicOMH Album Of The Week, Album Reviews: Gorillaz - The Mountain

In an eclectic musical week, I've also been writing about the new Gorillaz album for @musicomh.com: www.musicomh.com/reviews/albu...

In Concert – Marianne Crebassa, The Mozartists / Ian Page @ Wigmore Hall: Mozart & Haydn Marianna Crebassa (mezzo-soprano), The Mozartists / Ian Page Mozart Lucio Silla K135 (1772): Dunque sperar poss’io…Il tenero momentoHaydn Symphony no.34 in D minor Hob.I:34 (1765)Mozart Idome…

My review of last night's @wigmore-hall.org.uk vocal treat - Marianne Crebassa and @themozartists.bsky.social under Ian Page, with Mozart arias and Haydn symphonies: arcana.fm/2026/02/27/c...

YouTube video by björk björk : isobel (HD)

#OrchestralManoeuvres
Day 27
no.2

Björk : Isobel

One of my top two...could have chosen many examples from the Post album but this is my favourite, a beautiful fairy tale of a song with an arrangement to die for from Nellee Hooper:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGPY...

Marianne Crebassa and Ian Page at the end of their Wigmore Hall concert with The Mozartists

Fortunate to have been at @wigmore-hall.org.uk tonight - wonderful Mozart from Marianne Crebassa and a pair of suitably turbulent Haydn symphonies (34 & 26) from the Mozartists, all under the baton of Ian Page

YouTube video by Downtown Records Miike Snow - "Animal"

However my favourite of all #5DebutAlbums0509 is the unusual pop of Miike Snow’s self-titled debut. Some weird and rather wonderful songs here, headed by the insanely good ‘Animal’:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=niKT...

YouTube video by Lady Gaga - Topic Just Dance

An obvious pick, maybe, but the songs on Lady Gaga’s The Fame are both brilliant and lasting. Songs that sound unique, with musical and lyrical invention #5DebutAlbums0509

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACNw...

YouTube video by MGMT - Topic Time to Pretend

My next #5DebutAlbums0509 is from MGMT, Oracular Spectacular a statement of intent from a band who have comfortably delivered on their initial promise. Time To Pretend, Kids and Enjoy Yourself still sound epic!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUKy...

YouTube video by Holy Fuck - Topic Super Inuit (Live)

Second in my #5DebutAlbums0509 selection is the rabble rousing self-titled album by Holy Fuck, a brilliant and messy spectacular. Great memories of their gig in the 100 club around the time of their second album:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkFM...

YouTube video by The Juan MacLean - Topic AD2003

After a good think, my #5DebutAlbums0509 begin with The Juan MacLean – Less Than Human, a futuristic thriller with low-slung disco from the DFA label. Still pressing all the right buttons over 20 years on!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H-Z...

YouTube video by BethOrtonVEVO Beth Orton - She Cries Your Name (Video)

#OrchestralManoeuvres
Day 26

Beth Orton - She Cries Your Name

Introduced by the haunting violin of Beki Doe, who arranged the strings with Oliver Kraus. A memorable first single from a criminally underrated performer

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFZc...

Tonbridge Castle

Walking past the fortress earlier with Nick Schofield's Blue Hour album, a chance to explore a jazzier outlook #commuterworld

YouTube video by MassiveAttackVEVO Massive Attack - Sly

#OrchestralManoeuvres
Day 25

Massive Attack - Sly

By a whisker, my top Massive Attack choice - made on account of Craig Armstrong's arrangement craft. That's before we even get to Nicolette's vocals! One of many truly sublime moments on the Protection album

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsv2...

YouTube video by Richard Hawley Richard Hawley - Tonight The Streets Are Ours

#OrchestralManoeuvres
Day 24

Richard Hawley - Tonight The Streets Are Ours

As welcoming as a warm bath or an overdue cup of tea...the voice and Jon Trier's strings are a perfect match here!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jGJ...

Looking south as the train leaves Penshurst

Office-bound with a repeat play of Nathan Fake's evocative Evaporator album #commuterworld

YouTube video by TOTO - Topic I Won't Hold You Back

#OrchestralManoeuvres
Day 23

Toto - I Won't Hold You Back

Richly orchestrated by James Newton Howard...and used to brilliant effect by Roger Sanchez 20 years or so later. A soft rock special!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQys...