Podcasts and Albums to Stream and Tech to Buy This Month
Songs to Stream, Albums to Listen to and Tech to Buy
60 Songs That Explain the ’90s
’90s music journalist and enthusiast Rob Harvilla dissects the sound of the 90s to discover just what made it so influential and diverse. From Radiohead to Wu-Tang Clan, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into here.
The Beautiful Brain
Jeff Astle, FA Cup winner and West Brom’s legendary 137-goal striker, died in 2002 after spending years living with dementia-like symptoms – which coroners deduced was due to head trauma from the heavy leather balls of the day. This four-part podcast relives this story through a series of informative and gripping interviews, asking the essential questions of who’s to blame, and how we can do better to protect our athletes and ourselves.
The Fault Line: Bush, Blair and Iraq
In a world of brinkmanship and international strong arming, learning from the mistakes of our past has never been more important. This recently finished podcast hosted by Ex-Question Time presenter David Dimbleby tries to do exactly that – chatting with ex-prime ministers, spies, and politicians about what really went on during the lead up to the Iraq War.
The Lazarus Heist
A deep dive into the (unsurprisingly) seedy underbelly of the North Korean state – the Lazarus Group of expert hackers. The hacking ring attempted to steal a billion dollars from Sony Pictures in 2014. It was almost the perfect crime. Pyongyang denies involvement, investigators claim otherwise. Where does the truth lie?
A Light for Attracting Attention, The Smile
The debut album by legacy rock band The Smile – this new outfit is made up of Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, with Sons of Kemet’s Tom Skinner on drums.
Oochya! Stereophonics
A mix of new tracks and unused archive singles from previous albums, the kings of dad rock are back with their 12th studio album – celebrating their 25th anniversary. Sonically it’s at times jarring thanks to the use of archived tracks, but all round it’s a fun, upbeat entry into their discography.
The Tipping Point, Tears for Fears
This is iconic pop outfit Tears for Fears’ first album in 18 years – it’s an understatement to say we’ve missed their presence in British music. The record’s striking intimacy resonates more deeply with each listen.
The Earbuds
Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay EX wireless earbuds are a sleek and premium entry into the competitive bluetooth earbud market. While compact, they pack a punch thanks to impressive bass boosting. They’re also sweat-proof, making them a versatile option from work to gym. Beoplay EX Wireless Earbuds, £349 at Peter Tyson, Kingston Park
The Headphones
Sony’s latest WH-1000XM5s are their best noise-cancelling headphones yet – both stylish and functional, producing a clear sound that either matches or outperforms leading competitors. Sony WH-1000XM5, £379 at Curry’s, branches regionwide
The Speaker
The Sonos Move portable smart speaker is top of the line. It has a great wide-reaching sound thanks to its circumference, it’s shock-resistant, IP56 weather-resistant (that’s ruddy good to you and I), and it doesn’t look half bad either. Sonos MOVE, £415 stockists regionwide
