Classic Album Sundays

Colleen ‘Cosmo' Murphy walks the Guyana-born musician through his career starting with co-founding the first British multi-racial band, The Equals, to his classic album ‘Walking on Sunshine', his Top 40 hit ‘Electric Avenue' and the founding of his own genre, ringbang, with many insights and anecdotes in between.

"Illmatic," the seminal debut album by Nas, is a magnum opus in the world of hip-hop, revered for its immaculate craftsmanship and profound cultural impact. Crafted under the watchful eyes of renowned producers like DJ Premier and Large Professor, it marries Nas' lyrical genius with impeccably sampled beats, creating a sonic landscape that epitomizes the gritty realism of 1990s New York. Its influence reverberates through generations, setting a gold standard for storytelling in rap. "Illmatic" isn't just an album; it's a timeless blueprint for hip-hop authenticity, a snapshot of an era, and an indelible cultural touchstone that continues to shape the genre today. Read more about your favourite albums here: https://classicalbumsundays.com/

We feature The Flaming Lips tenth studio album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots for our March Classic Album Sundays Worldwide Podcast. The album was well-received critically and commercially, helping the band break into the mainstream, and was adapted into a musical in 2012. Uncut declared that “even by their standards, Yoshimi is astonishing. Read more about your favourite albums: classicalbumsundays.com

On this episode of the Classic Album Sundays podcast, Colleen focuses on Off the Wall, the fifth studio album from American pop royalty Michael Jackson. The record demonstrates the departure from the Motown period of Jackson's career and the development of his pop, disco and funk melded sound, going on to define his career as a solo artist. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

We were delighted to be joined by harpist Alina Bzhezhinska for our latest Classic Album Sundays Podcast show focussed on Alice Coltrane ‘Journey In Satchidananda'. Alina recently performed the music of Alice Coltrane along with Pharoah Sanders Quartet & Denys Baptiste at London's iconic Barbican Centre so we were able to get her first hand insights on what it's like to perform this amazing music. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

We were recently lucky enough to be joined by legendary Detroit beat maker Amp Fiddler as he shared with us some tales from the early days of working with J Dilla at his basement in his Detroit home. Thanks also go out to Boiler Room's Raj Chaudhuri who interviewed Amp and also gave us his personal insights into Dilla's music. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Van Morrison's "Astral Weeks" stands as an ethereal masterpiece that transcends the boundaries of traditional music. Released in 1968, this seminal album takes listeners on a transformative journey through its introspective and poetic musings. Morrison's soulful voice blends seamlessly with a fusion of jazz, folk, and classical elements, creating a rich tapestry of sound. The album's lush instrumentation, intricate arrangements, and poetic lyricism evoke a sense of otherworldly beauty and introspection. Each track seamlessly flows into the next, creating a cohesive and immersive listening experience. "Astral Weeks" is a testament to Van Morrison's unparalleled artistry, cementing his status as a visionary and an enduring force in the realm of music. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

My Bloody Valentine's seminal album, 'Loveless,' stands as a groundbreaking masterpiece in the realm of shoegaze and alternative rock. Released in 1991, it encapsulates the band's visionary approach to sound and their pioneering use of textured layers and swirling guitars. The album's ethereal melodies and dreamlike atmospheres create a mesmerising sonic experience, where every track is a sonic journey. 'Loveless' defies traditional song structures, immersing the listener in a sonic haze of lush harmonies, distorted guitars, and intricate rhythms. The album's dense production and innovative use of feedback and effects showcase the band's meticulous attention to detail, resulting in a timeless and influential work of art that continues to captivate and inspire listeners to this day. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Recorded over two years, the album is arguably Stevie's finest hour and is also one of the greatest albums of all time as it contains hit after hit. “Sir Duke”, “I Wish”, “Pastime Paradise”, “Isn't She Lovely”, “As” and “Another Star” are all included making this truly a masterpiece. To make an album that doesn't contain an average song is hard enough, let alone doing it on a double album as Stevie has done here. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

D'Angelo's 2000 album, ‘Voodoo', is a timeless masterpiece that redefined the sound of neo-soul music. With its seamless blend of funk, jazz, and soul, ‘Voodoo' is a stunning showcase of D'Angelo's impeccable musicianship and his unique approach to songwriting. At its core, ‘Voodoo' is an album that celebrates the rich musical heritage of black culture. From the infectious grooves of "Devil's Pie" to the haunting balladry of "One Mo'Gin," D'Angelo infuses every track with a sense of raw energy and soulful authenticity. But what truly sets ‘Voodoo' apart is its use of live instrumentation and lush arrangements. From the thundering drums to the soaring horns and strings, every element of the album feels meticulously crafted and perfectly placed. It's a testament to D'Angelo's incredible talent as a producer and his deep understanding of the nuances of black music. ‘Voodoo' is a true masterpiece of modern music, a stunning achievement that continues to inspire and influence musicians to this day. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Nightmares on Wax's 1999 album ‘Carboot Soul' is a classic in the trip-hop genre. The album features a perfect blend of downtempo beats, soulful samples, and chilled-out vibes. Tracks like "Les Nuits" and "Survival" showcase the unique sound and style that Nightmares on Wax is known for, making "Carboot Soul" a must-listen for any trip-hop fan. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Talk Talk's 'Spirit of Eden', released in 1988, is a seminal album in the realm of experimental rock. It's an introspective and haunting work that features atmospheric, jazz-influenced arrangements, with sparse instrumentation that allows for Hollis' emotive and haunting vocals to shine through. The album marked a departure from the band's previous more commercially-oriented sound, but it remains a timeless and influential work, continuing to inspire and captivate listeners. With its complex compositions and ethereal ambience, 'Spirit of Eden' is a must-listen for fans of innovative and genre-defying music. Read more about your favourite albums here.

On this edition of the Classic Album Sundays Podcast Colleen explores The Rolling Stones‘s Exile on Main Street, the tenth studio album from the English rock band which mixes unexpected various styles and genres. Despite receiving mixed reviews on release, the album is now celebrated as the band's best album and is consistently cited as one of the greatest albums of all time. Read more: classicalbumsundays.com

By the middle of the 1980s Kate Bush had reached the apex of her career with Hounds of Love. The album featured the most powerful and intriguing songs of her discography thus far, demonstrating just how incredible her sonic storytelling had become. Resisting the frenetic pace of a typical major label release schedule, Bush would spend another four years crafting her followup, with only sporadic singles and collaborations bridging the commercial gap. She found inspiration in the literary world again, scouring the pages of James Joyce's landmark 1920s novel Ulysses to find Molly Bloom's closing monologue, in which the character steps from the pages of the book and revels in the real world. Bush was delighted to find that the rhythm and sound of the words fit perfectly with the music she had been working on. Read more: classicalbumsundays.com

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy is joined by the 80-year-old Queen of Brazilian Jazz, Flora Purim, from her home in Brazil to discuss her iconic 1973 LP 'Butterfly Dreams'. Influenced by both traditional Brazilian singers and the improvisations of American jazz divas like Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, Flora Purim was one of the most adventurous singers of the 1970s. After meeting and marrying her husband, percussionist Airto Moreira, in their native Brazil, Purim moved with him to the U.S. in the late '60s. Though she worked with Stan Getz and pianist Duke Pearson before the decade ended, it wasn't until joining Chick Corea, Joe Farrell, Stanley Clarke, and Moreira in the original Return To Forever in 1972 that she became well known in the States. Purim showed considerable promise on Forever classics like '500 Miles High' and 'Light As a Feather' and lived up to it when she went solo with 1973's 'Butterfly Dreams'. Read more about your favourite album here classicalbumsundays.com.

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy celebrates the incredible polymath, innovator and musical thinker Brian Eno for the 30th anniversary of his experimental album, 'Nerve Net'. In this never-before-broadcast interview with Brian recorded back in 1992, Colleen and Brian get into everything from Maoism and Chinese opera, to Shostakovich and organic instruments, to Jeff Koons and Shamanism in music. So sit back and enjoy an hour spanning the mind and music of Brian Eno. Read more about your favourite album here: www.classicalbumsundays.com.

Grace Jones recorded her fifth album (and her second New Wave inspired departure from her 70s disco recordings) in Bahamas with a stellar set of musicians known as the Compass Point Allstars. The musicians included Jamaican chart toppers, Sly & Robbie, keyboardist and silent member of Level 42, Wally Badarou, among others all under the direction of Island Records founder, Chris Blackwell and in house label producer, Alex Sadkin. The 9 song collection, 3 of which Grace co-wrote, became the biggest selling album in the Grace Jones catalog and features her most successful US single, “Pull Up To The Bumper”. Fashion, Art and Music became one and left a heavy impression for many future pop and rock superstars to take note of. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

On the latest Classic Album Sundays podcast, we step back to Camp Bestival from a few years ago when Nick Drake's producer Joe Boyd joined us to discuss ‘Five Leaves Left' in length with Colleen. Alongside Joe's production the album features Richard Thompson (of Fairport Convention) and Danny Thompson (of Pentangle) as well as the beautiful string arrangements of Robert Kirby. Despite being championed by John Peel, the album initially sold less than 6,000 copies. Now, over four decades since Drake's death, Five Leaves Left is seen as an iconic album in British Folk music and his songs are cited as an influence by Peter Buck of REM and Robert Smith of The Cure. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Dennis Bovell joins Colleen ‘Cosmo' Murphy to look back at his incredible career and his new compilation The DuBMASTER: The Essential Anthology which charts Dennis' career from the Seventies up to the present day. Dennis Bovell remains a pioneering artist and popular mainstay in both music and culture. Widely regarded as Britain's reggae maestro, with a 40 year career that spans a number of musical eras and genres, his new anthology will celebrate both his unique ear for music, which continues to incorporate a rich array of references, as well shining a light on his unique sound that is still so loved by his legion of loyal fans from across the globe. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com/

Brian Jackson joins Classic Album Sundays founder Colleen ‘Cosmo' Murphy for a deep dive into his 1977 collaboration with Gil Scott-Heron Bridges. Brian will share stories of recording the album and his personal memories of working with Gil Scot-Heron. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy is joined by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark founder members Andy McCluskey Paul Humphreys for a deep dive into their seminal 1981 album Architecture & Morality. Recorded live at The British Library for a special Classic Album Sundays event, this is a a deep dive into the history, inspirations and legacy of OMD's third album. 'Architecture & Morality' took the electronic stylings of Kraftwerk and NEU! and combined them with a pop sensibility and punk ethos that still sounds fresh today. In this programme we hear how the band made their own synths and became a huge success despite having no musical training. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

TYSON joins Classic Album Sundays' Tina Edwards for a deep dive into ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'. Born and raised in London – via Stockholm, Spain and (briefly) New York – to a mixed musical family, singer TYSON had an unusual upbringing on the road. Her music draws from these experiences, the outcome a celestial, interplanetary R&B that is both reflective and soulful, yet futuristic. Read more about your albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Louie Vega, one half of the Masters at Work, the man behind Elements of Life and one of the greatest club DJs in the world joins Colleen ‘Cosmo' Murphy in conversation at The British Library to discuss his trademark soulful house sound, the jazz and Latin influence of his Bronx upbringing and a playback of his favourite tracks on a world class audiophile soundsystem. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

On the latest Classic Album Sundays podcast Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy is focussing on DJ Shadow's classic 1996 album ‘Endtroducing'. Colleen is joined by Mo'Wax label boss James Lavelle for a deep dive into the history, production and legacy of the album. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Meet a man who was there at the birth of Ziggy Stardust, legendary record producer Ken Scott who joins Colleen ‘Cosmo' Murphy to discuss the making of the album that shot Bowie into inter-galactic fame. David Bowie was a musical and cultural phenomenon whose significance only seems to increase with every passing year. He rocketed to stardom 50 years ago, in the summer of 1972, with the release of the album 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars'. His appearance on Top of the Pops a month later, dressed as an alien rock star and performing ‘Starman', was an event that changed many lives. Ken not only produced Bowie's 'The Rise and Fall…' but also the preceding 'Hunky Dory' and the following 'Aladdin Sane'. Furthermore he was one of the five main engineers for the Beatles, engineered for Elton John, and produced Mahavishnu Orchestra, Billy Cobham, Supertramp and Missing Persons. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Goldie joins Classic Album Sundays' DEBONAIR for a deep dive into his groundbreaking album Timeless. A musician, music producer, DJ, visual artist and actor, Goldie was a pioneer of the 1990s UK jungle, drum and bass and breakbeat hardcore scenes. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Classic Album Sundays founder Colleen ‘Cosmo' Murphy is joined by chart-topping singer-songwriter with the phenomenally successful band Texas, Sharleen Spiteri, at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the National Album Day 2021 celebrations with Bowers & Wilkins. 2021's National Album Day spotlighted women artists and their huge contribution to music and culture through the art of the album. Sharleen discusses her favourite women in music and how they have influenced her, culminating in choice cuts from the new Texas album Hi. Texas' 10th album, Hi is a stunning result of looking back with eyes fixed firmly on the future. Collaborations include Dark Fire, written with Richard Hawley, Look What You've Done, an intoxicating, classic duet with Clare Grogan of Altered Images, and a swaggering collaboration with the Wu-Tang Clan on the record's title track.

British DJ and journalist Greg Wilson joins Colleen to discuss Wendy Carlos' score to the film ‘Clockwork Orange'. Wendy Carlos is what you might call a true genius in the world of twentieth century music. She has always been ahead of her time…expanding boundaries and challenging listeners and herself. Her dramatic score for the legendary Clockwork Orange motion picture is an interesting collection of solid, dark, electronic proto-new age music. Greg began DJing in 1975 and is regarded as one of the most important figures on the UK dance scene. He enjoyed hugely popular residencies in the early eighties at Wigan Pier and Manchester's majorly influential Legend, having originally started out in his hometown of New Brighton. He was a pioneer of mixing in the UK and in 1983 he became the first ‘dance music'specialist hired for a regular weekly session at Manchester's now legendary Haçienda club. Greg was instrumental in breaking the new electronic, post-disco records coming out of New York, a sound he has dubbed ‘Electro-Funk'. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

For the latest Classic Album Sundays podcast we have a special session, recorded at We Out Here, where Tina Edwards spoke with A Certain Ratio's Martin Moscrop about the album ‘Sextet', the band's creative process and their influences. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Sherelle joins Classic Album Sundays' Raj Chaudhury to dig deep into Sbtrkt Sbtrkt. Sherelle is leading a new generation of high-speed ravers who are addicted to jungle, drum ‘n' bass, footwork and juke. Through her DJ sets, radio shows and record label she gives a platform to both scene elders and new talent and is committed to pushing 160bpm+ dance music into the future. Here, she discusses her love of Sbtrkt and the influence the album had on her. ‘My Classic Album' is a series of free-to-view artist interview streams created with support from the Arts Council England Cultural Recovery Fund. Interviews have featured artists such as Steven Wilson, Goldie, The Kooks, Emma-Jean Thackray, Moses Boyd, Nitin Sawhney and many more. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Featuring influences from a variety of music styles such as 1960s pop, cabaret, folk and electronica, Felt Mountain was described as "simultaneously smarmy and seductive, yet elegant and graceful" upon its release in 2001. While certainly not "poppy," it never has a truly weak moment. And while the songs aren't all that different from one another, the flow from track to track makes perfect sense. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com.

We were lucky enough to be joined by Horse Meat Disco's Luke Howard and Princess Julia for our Grace Jones Warm Leatherette album launch party at the all new Eagle London. Grace Jones teamed with the great reggae production duo of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare on this 1980 album, and made the transition from straight dance and club act into quasi-pop star with reggae and urban contemporary leanings. The single "Private Life" was one of her best, and the overall album had more energy and production gloss than previous LPs that had been aimed completely at the club market. It helped that Jones seemed enthused about the session and really put herself into the songs. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Black Midi's Morgan Simpson joins Classic Album Sundays' Raj Chaudhury at The Room Studios to dig deep into D'Angelo's Black Messiah. Formed in 2018, Black Midi made an immediate mark on the scene with their blend of experimental rock, math rock, noise rock and post-punk, culminating in a Mercury Music Prize nomination in 2019. Read more about your favourite albums here: https://classicalbumsundays.com/

The latest Classic Album Sundays podcast is taken from our series of events at Royal Albert Hall when we were delighted to be joined by The Zombies Rod Argent, Colin Blunstone, Chris White and Hugh Grundy to discuss their 1968 classic album Odessey and Oracle. The album is considered to be one of the most significant British psychedelic records, and including the iconic hit song Time of the Season.

Lisa Stansfield joins Colleen ‘Cosmo' Murphy to celebrate the 30th anniversary release of her debut solo album ‘Affection' as part of the ‘Venus Unwrapped' series at Kings Place in London. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Turner Prize winning artist Mark Leckey joins Classic Album Sundays' DEBONAIR for a deep dive into the ‘Jesus Christ Superstar' album musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, on which the 1971 rock opera of the same name was based. Mark Leckey is a British contemporary artist, working with collage art, music and video. His found object art and video pieces, which incorporate themes of nostalgia and anxiety, and draw on elements of pop culture, span several videos including Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore (1999) and Industrial Light and Magic (2008), for which he won the 2008 Turner Prize. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com/

Vince Guaraldi's music brought the Peanuts to life. He scored 17 animated Peanuts television specials and the first was this Christmas classic, the evocative ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas'. Colleen ‘Cosmo' Murphy and her special guest Guaraldi fan and pianist Neil Cowley tell Vince Guaraldi's story and his relationship with Charles Schulz's gang of children who see life through the world-weary eyes of adults in this edition of the Classic Album Sundays Podcast. And of course, there is amazing music to get you in the holiday spirit! Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

The post-minimalist composer and the world renowned conductor discuss the blurring of boundaries between electronic and classical music in conversation with Colleen ‘Cosmo' Murphy at Spitalfields Music Festival. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com/

Ego Ella May joins Classic Album Sundays' Tina Edwards as part of our new series ‘My Classic Album' for a deep dive into Sade's Diamond Life. Ego is a songwriter and vocalist. Hailing from South London, she has an all-encompassing love of music, which she channels into her own neo-soul and contemporary jazz compositions. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com/

Check out the full interview as Colleen ‘Cosmo' Murphy and DJ Yoda dig deep into the most inventive, assured, and playful debut in hip-hop history De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising which not only proved that rappers didn't have to talk about the streets to succeed, but also expanded the palette of sampling material with a kaleidoscope of sounds and references culled from pop, soul, disco, and even country music. Read more about your favourite albums here: https://classicalbumsundays.com/

Recorded between 1999 and 2000 at Electric Lady Studios in New York and released by Motown Records, Mama's Gun incorporates elements of funk, soul, and jazz styles. It has confessional lyrics by Badu, which cover themes of insecurity, personal relationships, and social issues. Critics have also noted that while Baduizm contained its share of cryptic lyricism, Mama's Gun is much more direct in its approach, and places the artist in a subjective position more than its predecessor. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com/

The former Ash Ra Tempel guitarist Manuel Göttsching joins Colleen ‘Cosmo' Murphy to discuss the creation of an album that almost wasn't an album, yet went on to inspire influential dance producers such as Sueno Latino, Carl Craig, Juan Atkins and Derrick May. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

The Kooks' Luke Prichard and Hugh Harris join Classic Album Sundays' Tina Edwards to celebrate 15 years of their debut album ‘Inside In/Inside Out'. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Celebrated jazz musician Gary Crosby OBE was a founding member of the group Jazz Warriors in the 80s and was awarded an OBE in 2009 for Services to Music, and in 2018 became the first jazz musician to be awarded the Queen's Medal for Music. Here, he digs deep into one of the albums that influenced his career the most, Charles Mingus' The Black Saint and The Sinner Lady. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Slave to the Rhythm is an audio biography of Grace Jones produced by Trevor Horn, it's a sonic treat along the lines of Yes's 90125 or Frankie Goes to Hollywood's first album. The music ranges from slick R&B runaway grooves to striking audio montages, interrupted occasionally by conversation about Jones's life. Serious ear candy. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

The John Peel Archive and Classic Album Sundays teamed up to present an immersive album experience that Pulp and Peel fans will forever remember. CAS founder Colleen ‘Cosmo' Murphy spoke with special guest Jarvis Cocker about John Peel's influence, Pulp's Peel sessions and their classic album ‘Different Class'. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

Multi award winning saxophonist and compose Nubya Garcia joins Classic Album Sundays' Colleen ‘Cosmo' Murphy for a deep dive into Wayne Shorter ‘The Soothsayer'. Her debut album, ‘SOURCE', released August 2020 under the iconic label Concord Jazz, has been received with wide critical acclaim. Following her album release, the London-based jazz player debuted on NPR's Tiny Desk (Home) Concert, coming off the heels of a Pitchfork ‘Best New Music' honour and a Rolling Stone ‘Album of the Month' mention. The New York Times described ‘SOURCE' as “a life's worth of experiences into an hour-long listen.' Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com/

Spoken word performer, poet and recording artist Kae Tempest reveals the impact Roots Manuva's Brand New Second Hand has had on their own work in a compelling interview with Raj Chaudhuri that will inspire viewers to give the album a spin themselves. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com/

Celebrate 25 years of Smokers Delight  with Colleen ‘Cosmo' Murphy and special guest George Evelyn of Nightmares on Wax. They will discuss his musical roots and the evolution of Nightmares on Wax alongside playing some of the samples Evelyn excavated from some of his most cherished LPs. Nightmares on Wax' sophomore LP was a defining moment of '90s trip hop and downtempo sound along with other heavy-hitters including Massive Attack's Blue Lines, Portishead's Dummy and Tricky's Maxinquaye. The LP fused together a cornucopia of sound: “It was all the things that turned me on: reggae, soul, and through sampling and digging, hip hop was the backbone,” Evelyn said of the samples on Smoker's Delight in Joe Muggs' book Bass, Mids, Tops. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com

This album was voted as the greatest folk album ever by the listeners of BBC Radio 2 back in 2006, press play and enjoy producer Joe Boyd reliving the making of the album with Colleen at Camp Bestival. Read more about your favourite albums here: classicalbumsundays.com.

Yorkshire-raised, London-based jazz musician Emma-Jean Thackray joins Classic Album Sunday's Tina Edwards as part of our ‘My Classic Album' series for a look back at The Beach Boys ‘Pet Sounds'. Read more about your favourite albums here: https://classicalbumsundays.com/