A J MacP
ospreysajm.bsky.social
A J MacP
@ospreysajm.bsky.social
Devotee of many music genres, exiled AFC Bournemouth fan of over 50 years' standing, supporter of women's sport. Early retiree, somewhere in the NW of England. Married to Fuchsia Elf.🍒🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
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Saturday morning soundtrack. Although I was aware of the band at the time - largely due to Paul King's ridiculous mullet! - I never knowingly heard any of their music. Pity - it's a fascinatingly quirky brew of influences and styles.

King: 'Bitter Sweet' (1985)
November 15, 2025 at 12:24 PM
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I streamed his 'Pressure Drop' a few days ago, and now here's RP 10 years on with his commercial breakthrough. Home of 'Addicted to Love', amongst others. Classy stuff.

Robert Palmer: 'Riptide" (1985)
November 15, 2025 at 1:01 AM
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When two geniuses meet....

Great fun.

Peter Blegvad and Andy Partridge: 'Gonwards' (2012)
November 14, 2025 at 11:49 PM
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The only 'Promise' I will give is that I will never, ever listen to this soporific yawnfest again.

Sade: 'Promise' (1985)
November 14, 2025 at 12:22 AM
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Those who argue that prog disappeared up its own arse (and there many such idiots) are very wrong - not least because, it could be argued, it always was! Evidence for the prosecution? Egg - and I bloody love them!

Egg: 'The Civil Surface' (1974)
November 13, 2025 at 11:33 PM
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I have a few of UFO's earlier LPs. This one's pretty good for a mid-80s mainstream rock album. And if that sounds like damming with faint praise... I'm just finding the more extreme rock/metal albums of the time rather more interesting.

UFO: 'Misdemeanour' (1985)
November 13, 2025 at 1:27 AM
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Linda's 'new wave/post-punk' album was a triumph, IMHO, proving yet again there was nothing she couldn't sing. As she would go on prove with torch songs, mariachi and Gibert & Sullivan!

Linda Ronstadt: 'Mad Love' (1980)
November 12, 2025 at 4:53 PM
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I dropped out of Team Elton after 'Blue Moves', so it was with some surprise that I found myself rather enjoying this, even though it usually rates low in Elton album rankings. A couple of duffers towards the end, though.

Elton John: 'Ice on Fire' (1985)
November 12, 2025 at 1:31 AM
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Billie and Finneas's 2nd album may be a more downbeat affair than their debut - perhaps inevitably, in the wake of Covid - but it still packs a punch. Less immediate than her other albums, it rewards repeated listening.

Billie Eilish: 'Happier Than Ever' (2021)
November 11, 2025 at 10:41 AM
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My favourite KC album, from my favourite iteration of the band. It'll be no surprise to learn that it was the 1st one I owned. On cassette, then on vinyl, then on CD, and currently on mp3. So obvs I just streamed it!🤣

King Crimson: 'Starless and Bible Black' (1974)
November 10, 2025 at 11:33 PM
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This was a disappointment. I've liked the two earlier Y&T albums I heard, but this is far too hair-metally for me. I presume they were chasing the market, but I'm sure they were capable of much better and more imaginative work.

Y&T: 'Down For the Count' (1985)
November 10, 2025 at 1:14 AM
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I know there's a market for such bland AOR, but I'm not part of it. Tediously mid-80s.

Christopher Cross: 'Every Turn of the World' (1985)
November 10, 2025 at 12:06 AM
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'Not Graceland' seemed to be a summary of contemporary reviews of this follow-up - typically lazy music journalism.

For my part, I actually prefer this. Not a weak track on it.

Paul Simon: 'The Rhythm of the Saints' (1990)
November 9, 2025 at 12:28 PM
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An unusually loud start to the day, with some LA metal. Not a band I was previously aware of, and they're clearly not a top level act, but I rather enjoyed this. Decent album cover, too.

Armored Saint: 'Delirious Nomad' (1985)
November 9, 2025 at 10:50 AM
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2 Clash-related albums tonight. (I've never really liked The Clash. ed.)

One of these is an unexpected, unalloyed delight. The other... isn't. I'm sure everyone can work out which is which.😊

'This is Big Audio Dynamite'; The Clash: 'Cut the Crap' (1985)
November 9, 2025 at 1:09 AM
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I really enjoyed this 2nd (and last) album on Chrysalis from R&L, but I fear not many others did! Yet there's some fine work on it, particularly from the great John Kirkpatrick. And 'Sisters' is gorgeous.

Richard and Linda Thompson: 'Sunnyvista' (1979)
November 8, 2025 at 5:45 PM
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To Nov '85. Now, hip-hop was never my thing, and I've only relatively recently heard a couple of classics. But, me and Mrs McP just had to cop an ear to the debut of NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna!

And we really liked it.😊

LL Cool J: 'Radio' (1985)
November 8, 2025 at 12:32 AM
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One classic follows another. It was on Virgin, so post-Tubular Bells,I give anything they released a try. So with my birthday '74 money, I invested in this. Mind blown, life changed.

Tangerine Dream: 'Phaedra' (1974)
November 7, 2025 at 4:09 PM
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Late night with the final album from Nov '75 I'll check out (probably). (There's a couple more I would have liked to gmhear, but they're not on Apple Music.)

Of course this album is great - the backing band is Little Feat!

Robert Palmer: 'Pressure Drop' (1975)
November 7, 2025 at 1:18 AM
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Every now and again, I feel the need to spin one of the all-time classics. Today is one of those day.

Yes: 'Close to the Edge' (1972)
November 6, 2025 at 11:52 AM
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This one really surprised me. I've heard, and liked, a couple of Rita's earlier albums as part of this exercise, but I was really disappointed by this. Bluntly, it's MOR mush. So, so dull.

Rita Coolidge: 'It's Only Love' (1975)
November 6, 2025 at 1:34 AM
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Had no access to Bluesky earlier, so here's a couple I streamed then. Although I probably shouldn't have bothered....

Chris De Burgh's debut is insufferable. That bloody 'Spaceman' is on it. Moving on....

Chris De Burgh: 'Spanish Train Other Stories' (1975)
November 6, 2025 at 1:25 AM
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I loved this Canadian band at the time; my band covered the brilliant 'Echo Beach'. I even bought the follow-up, 'Trance and Dance'. And then I completely forgot about them, until a few years ago.

This is a fine album.

Martha and the Muffins: 'Metro Music' (1980)
November 6, 2025 at 12:11 AM
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From the sublime to the deadly dull. I've never understood the popularity of The Band - no power on earth will force me to sit through 'The Last Waltz'! - and this album does nothing to convince me I'm wrong.

The Band: 'Northern Lights - Southern Cross' (1975)
November 5, 2025 at 4:08 PM
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Yet another album I used to have on cassette but haven't replaced, inexplicably. It's absolutely magnificent - maybe not their most influential album, but, I would argue, their best.

Kraftwerk: 'Radio Activity' (1975)
November 5, 2025 at 3:24 PM