iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Ed Percival

Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

America right now is the maddest place on earth. Like watching a David Lynch film.

Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

D574. Sara Bareilles: Good Grief Lovely and assured collection of songs which cover all sorts of grown-up themes delivered with glorious melodies and arrangements. 8/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

D573. Andy Crofts: Melody Boy Strongly 60s flavoured, light-hearted pop songs. Ultimately a bit twee for my tastes. 6/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

D572. Steve Hackett & Steve Rothery: The Roaring Waves Soothing and satisfying guitar based instrumentals that provide a wealth of comfortable background music to whatever you’re up to today. 7/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

D571. The Durutti Column: Renascent I can’t compare with his 90s work, but this is atmospheric loopy, slightly trippy and jangling guitar stuff, with occasional breathy vocal interjections. Would make a good sound track for something slightly creepy and urban. 6/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

D570. The Frames: For the Birds Some nice gentle songs and arrangements, but a few too many had long fade-outs over repetitive chords. But I’ll listen to more. 6/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

D569. Izzie Derry: Til We Reach the Sun Don’t be put off by the truly awful typography of the cover, this is a sweet selection of songs delivered with delicate vocals. Another artist on what is looking to be a great bill in a small Windsor venue. 7/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

D568. The Strokes: Reality Awaits I felt a little sad listening to this. They seem to have lost their charm and spark. I hated the songs using the annoying auto tune feature. 5/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

D567. Willow: The Thread Short but very eclectic album at times jazzy other Flo & Machine, K. Bush etc. Gentle and melodic. Good vibes. 7/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

D566. Jana Varga: Chicory Listening in advance of seeing her perform in Windsor. There’s a strong Joni influence, but that’s no bad thing as she has the vocal and instrumental chops to make lovely songs. Looking forward to the gig! 8/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

D565. The Staves: Dead & Born & Grown Inspired by their appearance at the Prog Prom. This is a gorgeous album, packed with lovely 3-part harmonies. You don’t get better folk albums than this. 9/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

D564. Shania Twain: Little Miss Twain Bland AOR/Country fare. Entirely forgettable. 2/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Y2D198. Noah Kahan: Busyhead Lovely, upbeat and tuneful. He has an appealing voice and writes great songs. Easy to like. 8/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Y2D197. Panic! At the Disco: A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out Sparky pop/punk which fizzles along in a brash style. Reminded me of Hoosiers. Didn’t love it, but suspect it would improve with repeated listening. 7/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Y2D196. The Maccabees: Marks to Prove It First I’ve listened to of theirs and I liked it a lot. Very tuneful and tasteful. Will definitely return to this. Vocally it’s a little like Mumfords. 8/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Y2D195. Fred Again.. & Brian Eno: Secret Life Delicate blend of ambient music and noise with highly processed vocals. It is strangely enveloping, with the minimum of content seizing your attention. Terrific 8/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Y2D194. Fit for Rivals: Steady Damage Punchy pop/punk songs delivered with verve and vigour. A surprisingly mainstream suggestion from my son. Enjoyable and gets the toes tapping and the head banging. But lacks a point of difference.. 6/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Y2D193. Beth Orton: The Ground Above I’ve not listened to her before. I can’t say that I’m a fan of her voice- it’s emotional, but lacks musicality, range or much in the way of melody. Not the cheeriest of albums. Very samey. 4/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Y2D192. Rolling Stones: Foreign Tongues Opening track starts as Spirit in the Sky and ends as Jean Genie. After that it settles into very familiar territory, but remarkable given their advanced years. Doesn’t shift the needle on my disinterest in all things Stones. 5/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Y2D191. Jack White: Frozen Charlotte No surprises here, though it starts like a tribute to Led Zeppelin. If you like White Stripes, you’ll be happy. If you’re not a fan, this won’t convert you. 6/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Y2D190. David Byrne & Ghost Train Orchestra: Who Is the Sky? I’ve not listened to anything post Talking Heads. This is quirky and upbeat mixture of styles with no fixed genre. Surprisingly sing along choruses. Reminds me of TMBG at times. Fun 7/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Y2D189. Birdy: Portraits Her latest offering moves on from her plaintive style to embrace more mainstream pop, though influenced by Kate Bush in some of the arrangements and vocals. Somehow she loses what was her greatest point of strength, but pleasant nonetheless. 7/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Y2D188. Jason Aldean: Wide Open A solid collection of songs by a host of different writers. Pop rock production values, but it’s the vocals (and some pedal steel guitar) which mark it as Country rock. Nondescript voice and I’ve just read he’s a Trump supporter. Now I feel soiled. 7/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Y2D187. Eric Dolphy: Out to Lunch! Weird but strangely entertaining jazz. Made me think of Pink Panther cartoons. Cool. Thanks Martin. 7/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Y2D186. Lainey Wilson: Whirlwind Mainstream Country and Western. Recommended by my friend Brian. The slow songs are ok, but the line-dancing/ cowboy stuff sets my teeth on edge. 5/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Y2D185. Stephen Wilson Jr: Son of Dad part 2 More from this mammoth album. He’s convincing when they veer towards rock (almost grunge) and the quieter atmospheric, reflective pieces. His voice is very reminiscent of Willie Nelson. 7/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Y2D184. Birdy: Young Heart A beautiful collection of co-written songs of love and loss. A step up in maturity in the decade since her excellent debut. Lovely. 8/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Y2D183. Stephen Wilson Jr: Son of Dad part 1 Heartfelt modern American country folk. A voice which is world weary, but still melodic and backing which is either interestingly tuned acoustic or alt country. A monster collection of 22 songs so split into 2 servings. 7/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Y2D182. The Retrograde: That’s the Spirit American rockers teleport back to early 70s where they sound utterly convincing. Led Zeppelin reborn with Def Leppard vocals. 7/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Y2D182. The Retrograde: That’s the Spirit

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Y3D181. Jessie Buckley: Wild Rose Splendid country. I listened to her collaboration with Bernard Butler last year, but this one is a belter- revealing a glorious voice. I’ll have to watch the film. A mixture of covers and original songs. Beautiful. 8/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Y2D180. Steve Winwood: Nine Lives Most recent album from a man who’s back catalogue is extensive and stellar. The muse was clearly still strong in 2009 when this came out. Great playing, of course. But there are congas everywhere, like everywhere, man. 7/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Y2D179. Greg Brown: Covenant Country/blues from 2000 from an improbably deep voiced talk/singer. Suits sitting in the sun in a countryside setting. Sounds like he’s lived a long life. 6/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Y2D178. Phoebe Bridgers: Stranger in the Alps After an amazing surround listening to Hand Cannot Erase, most albums would come up short, but this is a corker! Soulful country vocals haunt plaintive songs with delicious instrumentation. 9/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Y2D177. Muse: The Wow! Signal Bleep, thunk, grunge pop/bombast with breathy falsetto vocals. I got to seriously dislike the clicky drum sound and lots of songs that sounded the same. Apparently the singer cares very deeply about something or other, but for the life I couldn’t tell you what. 2/10

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Reposted by Ed Percival

Dcmfox @dcmfox.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

China is eating our lunch in almost everything. (no sound needed) China builds solar parks over reservoirs. This design improves the efficiency of the panels by keeping them cooler and lowers water loss from evaporation

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Y2D176. Queen: News of the World Surprises me that I don’t think I ever heard this before, beyond the big singles, though I had the albums ether side of it. It’s a mixed bag of less layered songs than hitherto, often missing band members. A bit like the White Album. Freddie’s voice is raw. 6/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Y2D175. Mudcrutch: Mudcrutch 2 Final one of albums inspired by my late brother. We both enjoyed Tom Petty. This is perhaps less country than their previous album, often just sounding like the Heartbreakers, but allowing other writers and vocalists to have their share in the spotlight. 7/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Y2D174. Mary Fahl: Love and Gravity So my oldest living brother passed this morning. We used to send each other things to listen to. This was his final recommendation: Dawning of the Day. R.I.P Richard Percival 1/7/1945-23/6/2026

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Y2D173. Eliza Gilkyson: Paradise Hotel My niece has been playing music to my big brother Richard who is close to death after a long fight with cancer. The last track, When You Walk On, is particularly appropriate. Elsewhere it’s a rather wordy country album.

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Y2D172. Rialto: Neon & Ghost Signs Newish album from discovery of two weeks back. Less Britpop, more stylish magpie scavenging across classy pop- Stephen Duffy, Lightning Seeds even Gary Glitter. It’s beautifully crafted and has some cracking songs. 8/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

Y2D171. Corella: Once Upon a Weekend Bursting with indie pop/rock energy with hints of Killers and Kaiser Chiefs. Very consistent style, such that the constant wall of compressed instruments becomes a bit wearing. 6/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Y2D170. The Veils: Fragile World An appropriate title for the sound of the band, with their latest take on delicate songs with a wisp of The The or Nick Cave. There’s such tenderness in the delivery. 7/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Y2D169. Violet Grohl: Be Sweet to Me Unmistakably grunge influenced, as you might expect, but frankly it’s much better than the recent Foo’s record. More interesting vocals and atmosphere. Would it get released without the nepotism? Probably not, but it’s good. Loved quieter closing tracks. 8/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Y2D168. John Coltrane: A Love Supreme I occasionally look for another jazz record to add to my very short list of favourites. Only a Kind of Blue, so far. I wasn’t keen on the atonal piano chords, but gradually the sax lines draw you in and the individual breaks give your ears to recover. 7/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Y2D167. Leoni Jane Kennedy: New World Woman A pretty niche idea- a female covering Rush songs in acoustic style. But it works. Terrific vocals (rather better than Geddy) and excellent guitar playing. 7/10

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Ed Percival @edpercival.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Y2D166. Leoni Jane Kennedy: Synthetic Aside from an album of Rush songs, this her debut. A very talented singer/songwriter/guitarist that I saw doing a solo acoustic set 18 months ago. Different Kind of Woman is the standout track. It has a very consistent tone, which is unusual these days. 7/10

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Reposted by Ed Percival

Carole Cadwalladr @carolecadwalla.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

This morning scrolling Bluesky, there is nothing at all in my feed about Putin’s barbaric attack on the Ukraine’s holiest site, the UNESCO protected Lavra so I’m posting this here.

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