It all sounds fantastic too, I think the combination of the playing and the production means that something that could sound really muddy... doesn't. Expect it to show up on best of 2026 lists.

Wikipedia says Hiroa pulled back from the band in May 2024, his last work with the band seems to be the track "Burning." Ex- Chai drummer Yuna not only took over live duties but plays on most of the new album.

Hopefully he's doing OK.

The rest of Gen Hoshino's stuff skews closer to pop/soul, but eg "Comedy" is a track Don Fagan wouldn't be ashamed of and "Life" is as good as any classic 70's piano-based rock track. "Create" has an almost Zappa-ish intro so for a pop album there's a good mix of influences.

Well the three guests are American... the two Sams have made or played on some great jazz/ adjacent stuff, and Louis Cole (also the drummer here) has a vibrant career with Knower and his solo stuff- eg check out his album with Metropole Orkest.

Completely agree with your comment on Patricia Brennan. I never tire of her playing.

#jpop Gen Hoshino's album "Gen" was a solid pop/soul effort, for me not every track landed but the great far outweighed the lesser and I enjoyed it a lot. Worth buying for "Mad Hope", "Comedy" and "Life" alone.

This one just out. It's terrific.

Good article. Humiliating Marles is the best thing that could have happened.

Hopefully the US will keep doing it.

Maybe one day he'll learn.

It's an underlying thread in several of Higashino's "Detective Kaga" series.

Give yourself time to grind down obstacles.

God, if Barnaby finds out, he might start drinking again.

Would I be right in guessing you haven't be to Australia?

Our birds scream blue murder.

I love Kaohsiung, glad you got to make it there.

Off to Alishan?

The Southern Extension of the National Palace Museum is a short shuttle bus ride from the HSR station; I liked it a lot.

Worth a trip: Yinhe cave+waterfall, it's a 2 km walk from the top of the Maokong gondola.

(went to Taiwan for 6 weeks last year)

Now that Labor's win looks to be comprehensive, is it to much to ask that Albo gets a spine?

On the other hand, it's always hard to tell the difference between complicity and cowardice.

The electorate has shown it doesn't want RWNJ rubbish; teals did well= mandate for more climate action.

Good to see that Monique Ryan has definitely held Kooyong and it looks like- for now- Zoe Daniels has held Goldstein.

Unfortunately Tim Wilson's primary vote up slightly and I'm sure he's narcissisic enough to see that as an endorsement and that he should try again.

Early days in Gilmore with only 8% counted but Fiona Phillips well ahead- on primary votes too. Constance -10% on primaries I suspect climate independent Kate Dezarnaulds may have eaten some of that.

Maybe now we can have a sensible discussion on offshore wind.