I thoroughly recommend this. The writing reminds me of Paul Auster in its combination of economy & mystery. The ploy of telling the story, Rashomon-like, from four perspectives is especially effective.

I tend to avoid anything that could be called "true crime" but London Falling by @praddenkeefe.bsky.social offers so much more. It is especially insightful on London's awkward relationship with dodgy Russian finance, as well as being compellingly written.

#5DebutAlbums2026 Kara Jackson - Why Does The Earth Give Us People to Love? Despite seeing lots of recommendations for this, shamefully I'd not checked it out until this week. It is sensational. Great voice & arrangements. A gut punch of a record.

#5DebutAlbums2026 Kim Deal - Nobody Loves You More While it retains the qualities that made her Pixies & Breeders releases such firm favourites, this sees her add new dimensions to her sound resulting in a fresher sound than could have been hoped for.

#5DebutAlbums2026 Maya Ongaku - Approach to Anima Lovely, gentle psychedelia.

#5DebutAlbums2026 Jockstrap - I Love You Jennifer B If the prize was for the act that sounds least like their name, these would win hands down. An unholy blend of gorgeous vocals, freak folk, dance & experimental.

I've consumed a lot of Beatles-related material recently but this book by @stuartmaconie.bsky.social has a different angle &, to me, new information. I especially enjoyed the story related to She's Leaving Home.

#5DebutAlbums2026 David Brewis - The Soft Struggles After numerous quality Field Music albums, his solo debut sees him profitably channel chamber pop.

#5DebutAlbums2026 Poor Creature - All Smiles Tonight A real slow burner. With its use of drone, this could be MBV doing country & Irish.

#5debutalbums2026 David Lance Callahan - English Primitive 1 After numerous tremendous albums as part of The Wolfhounds & Moonshake, his solo debut sees him developing his own mutant Eastern, Western blues, folk, post-punk style.

#5DebutAlbums2026 Anna B Savage - A Common Turn An introduction to an extraordinary voice. in/FLUX saw her go to the next level but, nevertheless, this is a very good debut.

#5DebutAlbums2026 Personal Trainer - Big Love Blanket Storming debut with bucketloads of memorable tunes.

#5debutalbums9599 Novak - s/t Simpler times when Novak was synonymous with a post-rock band rather than an anti-vax tennis player. The way they incorporate flute & glockenspiel into their sound separated them from other groups of the era. This still sounds wonderful.

#5debutalbums9599 Wonky, junkshop electro pop from Solex. One of the most inventive acts of the period & there's still nothing that sounds like it.

#5debutalbums9599 The dissolution of Rodan led to a varied range of offerings: Retsin's folk leaning, Rachel's neo-classical, June of 44's post-rock & The Sonora Pine's complete mishmash. Retsin & Rachel's most likely to feature on my list.

#5debutalbums9599 Beulah - Handsome Western States When Your Heartstrings Break may be my favourite album of the period. Until now, I'd thought it was Beulah's debut but it turns out this came earlier. It hints at the emotional power-pop perfection that was to follow but is not as fully realised.

A fascinating account of the fluidity between classical music, pop & the avant-garde with a side order of post-war history. A detailed guide but @elizabethalker.bsky.social wears her knowledge lightly.

#5debutalbums9599 A distinct take on indie pop. Stuart Murdoch's best collection of idiosyncratic songs. Guaranteed to be in my top five.

#5debutalbums9599 Helium - The Dirt of Luck Fuzzy post-punk with a pop sensibility. Likely to be in my top five.

A wonderful book by @robinince.bsky.social. Small doses of science but larger amounts of humour & empathy. It has certainly added to my understanding of ADHD & neurodiversity, especially of the devastating self-criticism that can go with it.

#5debutalbums9599 The Delgados - Domestiques They would become my favourite band of the late 90s / early 00s. While their debut isn't as fully realised as later works, the likes of Under Canvas Under Wraps & Sucrose are pretty mighty.

#5debutalbums9599 US Maple - Long Hair In Three Stages The title sums up this joyfully crazy collection of skronky, wayward guitar-led post-rock.

#5debutalbums7579 I've always loved the title track. Having finally checked out the album, it is of a uniformly high standard.

#5debutalbums7579 Such an important record in developing my music tastes and worldview as I entered my teens.

#5debutalbums7579 William Onyeabor - Crashes in Love Wonderful keyboard sounds, horns & grooves. Probably won't make my top five but it is a close contender.

#5debutalbums7579 This stands up so well. Wall to wall classics. Picking a top 5 is becoming ever more difficult.

#5debutalbum7579 Magazine - Real Life Another of the least orthodox post-punk entries that it took me ages to appreciate but which I now adore.

I loved this. Robyn Hitchcock's memoir of a formative year, 1967, the music & his time as an inmate at boarding school, how that music inspired the rest of his life.

If not at the level of Dead Man or Ghost Dog, this is still a very enjoyable Jarmusch movie. Love the motifs linking the three stories and the quiet humour.

#5debutalbums7579 It has taken me an absurd length of time to get into this but after 40+ years it is now highly likely to feature in my top five.