Robert Bound is joined by the chief rock & pop critic for ‘The Times’, Will Hodgkinson, and the writer and broadcaster Kate Hutchinson to round up the best albums of 2020 so far – from forgotten 1970s folk music to the brightest new pop

New year, new music

Robert Bound and his guests discuss what has piqued their interest in our one-stop shop for lively reports and in-depth interviews on the newest and finest in art, film, books and the media business.

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Places & Travel

We meet American singer-songwriter and producer Maggie Rogers, who shot to fame after a 2016 video showed her wowing Pharrell Williams with her track ‘Alaska’. In the years since, she has released two albums, amassed a legion of fans and a Grammy nomination. Her third record, ‘Don't Forget Me’, was written with co-writer and co-producer Ian Fitchuk over five days. Rogers discusses the process of making the album, its road-trip feel and the notion of genre. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maggie Rogers

Toby Earle, Susannah Butter and Natty Kasambala join Robert Bound in the studio to discuss the best upcoming releases of this season in TV, books and music. These include the latest work from one of the UK’s most popular romantic novelists, the long-awaited debut album from an indie-pop darling and a drama starring Kate Winslet as the leader of an unnamed Central European nation.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spring preview

In the course of her 50-year career, British artist Maggi Hambling has made a name for herself with her dynamic, expressionist paintings and often controversial public sculptures. Hambling joins Robert Bound in the studio to discuss everything from her new show in Hong Kong and her very first cigarette to the elusive nature of the muse.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maggi Hambling

Jessica and Camilla Staveley-Taylor, the sisters behind English indie-folk band The Staves, join Robert Bound in the studio. Their John Congleton-produced fifth LP, ‘All Now’, is lyrically rich and full of moments of euphoria. They discuss how to work with your siblings, finding the confidence to make bold decisions and why they always return to an early influence: ‘Sister Act’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Staves

Cultural critic and novelist Lauren Oyler’s essays and reviews have caused a stir online. She joins Robert Bound in the studio to discuss her new book of essays, ‘No Judgement’. Oyler muses on gossip, Goodreads, expat life in Berlin and her experience of trying ‘jaw yoga’ to ease her anxiety-fuelled teeth-grinding. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New year, new music

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