Chez Wombat

I'm flying tomorrow so may not catch the rest of this, be kind to Escala guys x

Oh my, I had no idea someone else was after Escala, sorry about that Bre, but at least it led to one of my favourites from the contest x I'm quite intrigued to hear their cover of Aerodynamic (they also had a version of Clubbed to Death on their album which was interesting). Thank you so much for these generous votes, amazed to be 2nd atm!

I thought I'd be pretty easy to guess, so I was pleasantly surprised to just get the one x I really had to think with this theme, but I did always love Escala's brand of epic classical music, Palladio went top 40 so I went with another random one from their album, and I do think their sound suits the epic riff of Kashmir very well (I mean it sounds straight out of a talent show result show opening x) Thanks for the votes so far, wasn't sure how well it would go down as it's quite different to most others here, I'm glad someone else also went with an instrumental entry as Tokio Myers is an inspired choice and Blood was also a really interesting sound, never expected something so good from The Voice x

I am pleased to see this but I would also like more time and resources to go into educating 16 and 17 year olds about the importance of voting and political education and making an informed decision. From working with this age in my job, I would be concerned as it stands that many either wouldn't be engaged enough to vote or be susceptible to misinformation.

Shame about Time, one of the very best classical soundtracks of recent years <3

Aww, Stacy's Mom is a classic x But this is a great final 5, going for KT Tunstall.

Run to win <3

Finished this now, I realise I didn't give my thoughts on S2, although they are fairly similar to my overall thoughts on the season...I didn't really think Squid Game needed a second season or whatever this split in half season was and this backed up that it didn't really, It was still mainly enjoyable, Episode 2 with the Hide and Seek game was right up there with the Marbles episode from S1 and the actual likeable characters like the boy and his grandmother, Hyun-Ju and Jun-hee were handled pretty well. But killing them all off before the final game just creates no suspense as literally every single character left is unlikeable and it's clear that we're just building up to their inevitable deaths, certainly true of Player 100 and of all the characters to keep to the end, Min-su and MG Coin?! They were both completely irredeemable after their actions earlier in the season so there was no chance of a redemption arc, and as dark as the show gets, they were never going to kill a baby. I thought Gi-Hun's end made sense as his story feels complete, but he just spent the whole season 3 silently death-staring at others, he seemed a bit sloppy overall considering how he started the season. VIPs still awful too, did not need so many cuts to them. And while the games were good, I concur with others that the other subplots just went nowhere, Jun-ho spent the whole season just on a boat aimlessly which wasn't great form for someone that's supposed to be such a good detective, and by the end, it just led to absolutely nothing! Il-nam got out fine (another great character that was really underused in the second part), just lives lost for nothing. The Korean defector's storyline had so much potential, but again she just coasted for half of the season and we didn't really find out anything mindblowing about the guards that we didn't already know. Ultimately, it just felt a bit empty and aimless, there wasn't any big revelations, new explorations of characters or world-building, it's reason for being just seems to be that Season 1 was popular, and tbf I don't think there is much to explore, it's a critique of capitalism that has turned into a capitalist product, bloody MrBeast ensured that much. A US remake doesn't surprise me in the slightest (they wouldn't get Cate Blanchett for nothing), but I can't say I have much interest as I think whatever anti-capitalist point it was trying to make has completely fizzled and Hollywood taking charge doesn't really give much confident it'll be back.

Well I am well known for my pop sensibilities x

The Korgis - Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime Bob Marley And The Wailers - Could You Be Loved Yellow Magic Orchestra - Computer Game ('Theme From The Invaders')/Firecracker Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart Kate Bush - Babooshka Those classics really came through at the end of the session x (and YMO a great discovery as they always are) Week 3 Tiebreak Blondie - Call Me

25; Lou Reed- Perfect Day 24; Woodkid- Run Boy Run 23; Hans Zimmer- Time 22; Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Heads Will Roll 21; Vampire Weekend- A-Punk 20; Talking Heads- Psycho Killer 19; John Denver- Take Me Home, Country Roads 18; Oasis- Morning Glory 17; Pink Floyd- Wish You Were Here 16; Alphaville- Forever Young 15; Stevie Nicks- Edge Of Seventeen 14; Queen- We Will Rock You 13; Blossoms- Charlemagne 12; The Waitresses- Christmas Wrapping 11; The Beatles- Blackbird 10; Kiss- I Was Made For Lovin' You 09; The Beatles- In My Life 08; Ben Howard- Keep Your Head Up 07; Van Morrison- Brown Eyed Girl 06; Daryl Hall & John Oates- You Make My Dreams 05; Rascal Flatts- Life Is A Highway 04; Rihanna- Kiss It Better 03; Taylor Swift- Delicate 02; The 1975- It's Not Living (If It's Not With You) 01; Oasis- She's Electric

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?Second album I've listened to from the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Are You Experienced? was the debut studio album released and compared to Electric Ladyland which initially confounded critics, was an instant success both critically and commercially, introducing the world to the unique songwriting and pioneering psychedelic guitar sounds. After Hendrix struggled to gain a career on the R'n'B circuit as a rhythm guitarist, the band was put together to showcase Hendrix's talents and were signed by Track, a new record label by The Who's managers. It peaked at number 2 in the UK and 5 in the US and contains some of Hendrix's best known hits, it is still deemed by many critics as one of the best rock albums of all time. Following the last very trippy and intriguing experience from Jimi Hendrix, this one felt a bit simpler by comparison which I suppose was influenced by less chaotic and drug-fuelled recording sessions and there actually being some structure present to the songs. There are some well known classics here which I already knew - Hey Joe and Purple Haze (and I did recognise Foxy Lady as well but wouldn't have been able to name it), which I can't add much to that hasn't already been said except that I don't object x As expected, there are a lot of excellent guitar riffs here that work wonderfully with Hendrix's confident, free-spirited style, I Don't Live Today is one of my favourite examples of this. The psychedelia shows it's head the most in Third Stone from the Sun, a near seven minute instrumental with spoken-word and jazz-influenced sections, referencing the position of Earth as the third planet from the Sun and reflecting Hendrix's interests in psychedelia. It is really quite an inspired epic and was a highlight, the title track also made use of Indian instruments and drones. It's an album that never settles for sounding like atypical rock and melding many more influences in and it's all the better for it. He's not afraid to show his emotional side as well, The Wind Cries Mary is a very effective ballad. The official version now includes what was initially the deluxe version released in 1997 so to be complete, I listened to these which does add a bit of a bloat on. I've gotta be honest, none of them really made a huge impression on me or did anything especially different to what was already made clear in the first half, except exemplifiying his free-spirited, anti-commitment approach to relationships in some of the lyrics. So while I could've done without those, this is an overall impressive piece of work that does show you in case you weren't already convinced, how influential Hendrix was. I did prefer the loose, experimental feel of Electric Ladyland, but did appreciate the clear structure and focus here so I don't have a huge preference, and both I think give you a pretty good overview of the legend he was. 8.0

Cesaria Evora - Miss PerfumadoI seem to be getting all the world music ones at once, we go over to Cape Verde now for the fourth album from Cesaria Evora, who was known for popularising the home grown music and dance Morna genre. The 1992 album was the fourth release following a hiatus as Evora's music career was not raising enough money for her to look after her children. It was her biggest commercial success, selling over 300,000 worldwide and popularising her in many countries outside of her native one including Portugal and France (where she met the producer for the album) where she developed large followings and became a point of influence for western singers like Madonna. She was known for performing barefoot and smoking and drinking in stage intervals, her lyrics were often devoted to themes of love, homesickness, nostalgia, and the history of the Cape Verdean people. She was would eventually win a grammy in 2004 and continued touring and recording until retirement due to poor health shortly before her death in 2011. Not someone I knew a grand deal about in case you mistake that Wikipedia blurb for genuine knowledge, but I have a fair bit of time for world music so am always up for diversity. I had never heard of Morna before but it sounds quite timeless, with an array of classical instruments and some pleasingly Portuguese style guitars, all held together by her calm but powerful voice, Sodade has lyrics that reflect the longing that Cape Verdeans feel when away from their homeland and you can definitely feel the personal connection and heart in the vocals even if you can't understand the lyrics. There's a lot to admire throughout, the excellent piano on Luz Dum Estrela and Angola is nice little change of pace with some addictive hand-claps throughout, and actually resurfaces again at the end of the album seguing in from the ballad Tortura, I guess that was intentional in some ways, but it makes for a nice ending on an upbeat note on what is generally quite a downbeat sound throughout. I say 'admire' just because that's where I'm ultimately at, this is a very unique album and it's wonderful hearing a distinctly cultural form of music, but I can't say I'd return to it much just because it just doesn't change tempo, is quite a long listen and doesn't have enough musical distinction to ultimately keep my attention, but the album was clearly designed with a specific cultural focus and genre in mind so it's a difficult one to review as pointing out shortcomings in a type of music I know so little about is pointless. So I will default to saying the lazy 'it is what it is' and giving it a respectable 7, it is definitely one to check out if you're on a world music fix and want to see a unique cultural music genre. 7.0

Hooray Completely benefitted from that draw there, I think I'd have most likely been out or only narrowly through elsewhere, but great to be in a BuzzFest final for the first time not being taken over by lobsters (iykyk x) Love seeing Rolloland qualifying as well, and I enjoyed all of the other three Qs too. Jupiterdonia and Land of DW got my 2 and 6 respectively, a shame to lose them, very fun foreign language bops x

This story has been insane to follow, I do hope Netflix pick it up at some point for their next true crime documentary.

Blondie - Call Me Sky - Toccata Kate Bush - Breathing The Cure - A Forest Lipps Inc - Funky Town Kate Bush and The Cure's songs were unfamiliar to me prior to this so great to hear those (does mean I have no room for Jona Lewie and Gary Numan though </3)

Ooh that's not a bad draw actually, hope you're all up for a German sea shanty x

I don't think anything's going to happen, incitement needs to be specifically aimed at imminent lawless action, like at an individual at a certain time and place, it was directed at an army in a different country with no one that was there, plus no matter how the media try and frame it, it's not anti-semetic and the IDF are not a protected group (and it's much more so trying to conflate the IDF with Judaism). They said it themselves beautifully - all of this is pure distraction for the government and media so they don't have to deal with the fact that they're actually totally fine with a genocide happening and Israel can just carry on as they please.

Looks like 10 years at most then, and it won't be that much as he's a first time offender. Deserved far, far more but honestly, I'm relieved he was at least found guilty of some charges, I was seriously concerned he'd get off scot-free. Even though he won't be spending his whole life behind bars, it's not like he can look forward to anything. He'll be in his 60s when released and his reputation and career has absolutely no hope of revival, hopefully he'll just silently waste away.

25; Pink Floyd- Comfortably Numb 24; Oasis- Champagne Supernova 23; Simon & Garfunkel- The Sound Of Silence 22; Tame Impala- Let It Happen 21; Pixies- Where Is My Mind 20; Lykke Li- I Follow Rivers 19; The Beatles- Here Comes The Sun 18; Blondie- One Way Or Another 17; The Beach Boys- Wouldn't It Be Nice 16; Petit Biscuit- Sunset Lover 15; Rihanna- Love On The Brain 14; Kendrick Lamar- Swimming Pools (Drank) 13; Empire Of The Sun- Walking On A Dream 12; Dolly Parton- 9 To 5 11; Fleetwood Mac- The Chain 10; Frank Ocean- Lost 09; Arctic Monkeys- Mardy Bum 08; The Rolling Stones- Gimme Shelter 07; Aerosmith- Dream On 06; Bryan Adams- Summer Of '69 05; The XX- Intro 04; Elton John- Tiny Dancer 03; Adele- Rumour Has It 02; Paramore- Ain't It Fun 01; Sam Fender- Hypersonic Missiles

Jon Pertwee - Worzel's Song* Blondie - Atomic David Bowie - Alabama Song Martha And The Muffins - Echo Beach Siouxsie And The Banshees - Happy House The Jam - Going Underground John Foxx just missing out, another great discovery from him x

Music has always been political in the sense it is influenced what is happening in our culture and is about indiviual expression, it's so dystopian seeing this censorship and politicians limiting what can be said, it's sad we're at a point where it needs to be the musicians that call out this injustice because the government are too much in Israel's pocket but here we are. Calling it 'Appaling' and a police investigation...seriously just f*** off, why is this language not used to describe what the IDF are doing to Gaza? Streisand effect and all, I now really want to check Bob Vylan out, hopefully the set materialises somehow on YouTube x

Great top 5 here, Stan is indeed a real watershed moment for songwriting and hip hop music, both All Saints number 1s with William Orbit were phenomenal, and the other three are great dance number 1s - there was so much great dance around at the turn of the century and I loved that they could sometimes get turns at the top, just wish there was room for the likes of Darude, Artful Dodger and Zombie Nation amongst others x And yeah, I'll also do my own (rough) top 10 because why not x U2 - Beautiful Day All Saints - Pure Shores Eminem - Stan Spiller - Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) Modjo - Lady (Hear Me Tonight) All Saints - Black Coffee LeAnn Rimes - Can't Fight the Moonlight Destinys Child - Independent Woman Part I Madison Avenue - Don't Call Me Baby Robbie Williams - Rock DJ Actually a pretty good year overall despite so many of them, most of them have aged decently.

Aww I almost gave Kansas my 30 pointer as I was worried it wouldn't advance and sure enough I'm it's only voter, I'm hoping my actual 30 wouldn't have got enough points without mine so it made it worth it x It's a Guitar Hero classic. I did throw points to a few of the classic Disney songs, admittedly a bit hard to rank them alongside my favourite songs here.

Saw this today and really enjoyed it. I didn't expect it to take the tonal direction it did, but I thought it worked well as a bit of a contrast to the brutality of the evil of man in the first two films, without spoiling anything, this one brought to mind the Wizard of Oz most closely! Of course, there was a lot of great action too, I really liked the train encounter with the infected and the corresponding images between the modern day cult and ancient roman images was well done. There was a hell of a lot of commentary they could've, ahem, sunk their teeth into in a post-Brexit/Covid Britain, but I like that they kept it nuanced. The ending was certainly something, I suppose we'll have to see how the sequel turns out before we can say how effective it was (the person being evoked is certainly a choice and I'm really wondering how they'll frame that, surely for sinister reasons, I wanna say a bit more but I don't know how to use spoilers here x) The camera work remains really great and love the iPhone stands they used to make the quick cuts, still very distinctive. Amazing soundtrack from Young Fathers too and was great to hear that classic East Hastings soundtrack from Godspeed You Black Emperor! <3