Tracks

When you think about your favourite albums of all time, what first pops into your head? Is it the chorus that set you alight the first time you heard it? Is it the bonus track your mates didn't even know about but you did? Or is it, in fact, the artwork?

We think it may well be the latter. For us it often is, anyway. Sleeve art can make or break a release, and a mistep in this area can lead to immediate rejection, no matter what glories lay within.

Well for a while we've felt like we may be falling down in this area, like Tracks itself needed a little refresh. So we've given it one, put our (admittedly heavily stylised) faces right front and centre, and we're really happy with the results. So happy, in fact, that we're celebrating the fact with a whole episode on album artwork. Not the most obvious subject matter for an exclusively non-visual medium, but we like to do things differently around here.

Big thumbs up to everyone who downloaded, and a big thumbs down to everyone who didn't. Until next week, Tim & Harry x

We do not claim ownership of any of the music played in this episode. Our theme tune is Ice Cold by Audionautix and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Artist: http://audionautix.com/

This week's episode is something of a doubleheader, with each half taking place in very different parts of this beautiful country we call home.

First up, we headed to Wiltshire. It was wet. It was windy. It was WOMAD 2018. We had the most amazing time at 'The World's Festival' in Malmesbury thanks to the lovely, lovely people at Borkowski, and this week we're delivering you our tales from the front line.

Next, a return to sun-soaked Brighton was very much in order as one of our favourite events of the year took place. It was, of course, Pride weekend and we were so, so proud to welcome so many bold, beautiful and brilliant people to our hometown to not only dance the night away but, more importantly, promote equality and diversity, and advance education to eliminate discrimination against our mates in the LGBTQ community.

It truly was a special, heartwarming, hope-inducing time and, in honour of it, the bulk of this week's episode comes in the form of a rainbow playlist. So get your flags out, tell someone you're proud of who they are and, above all, enjoy the podcast.

Until next week, Tim & Harry ❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜

We do not claim ownership of any of the music played in this episode. Our theme tune is Ice Cold by Audionautix and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Artist: http://audionautix.com/

Hello again listeners. How's it going? Having a good summer? Enjoying the heatwave? Yeah. Been nice, hasn't it? Beautiful.

Anyway, now that the formalities are out of the way, we should probably address the fact that we've been away for a little while. Well, a long while actually. An unplanned Tracks hiatus has been in place and, while we feel dreadful for depriving you all of our dulcet tones for so long, we're not going to waste anyone's time with endless apologies. Instead, we're back this week to 1) explain what the hell was going on and 2) get this show back on that damn road.

It's truly such a great feeling to be here in Tracks HQ once more, and we want to say a huge thanks to every single one of you that has stuck with us. You're the best. Tim & Harry x

We do not claim ownership of any of the music played in this episode. Our theme tune is Ice Cold by Audionautix and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Artist: http://audionautix.com/

The sun. The shades. The slang. The Scottish voiceover man. The sexy, sexy people in sexy, sexy Spain. Everyone's favourite summer guilty pleasure is back, and this week we're paying our own little tribute to the national treasure that is, of course, Love Island.

Deep down we all love ITV2's runaway phenomenon. Even if we don't think we do, the fact is that every evening come 9pm we'll be tuning in. And when we see a podcast suggestively named to relate to the biggest hit on UK television at the moment, we're all going to want a little bit more and download that too. Well, that's what we're hoping anyway.

So welcome one and all to what is absolutely, categorically guaranteed to be our most downloaded episode of all time. Doesn't it feel good to be part of a crowd of millions? It sure feels good to be in front of it, we can tell you that for nothing.

So it's a big thanks from us to everyone who has coupled up with us today. We're sure it's going to be the start of something beautiful. Tim & Harry x

We do not claim ownership of any of the music played in this episode. Our theme tune is Ice Cold by Audionautix and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Artist: http://audionautix.com/

It's coming home. It's coming home. It's coming. Football's coming home. Or at least it's off to Russia for a month-long bonanza, and we are beside ourselves with excitement.

Yes, this week it seems like everyone is talking about the World Cup, but we just had to join in. Our brave English boys have touched down ahead of a tournament that offers much hope, and we needed to give them a soundtrack to carry them through.

If you're not a football fan, don't worry. There's still plenty here for you. Bangers from the likes of Boy Azooga, Parquet Courts, Eagles of Death Metal and FEWS shine through our sporty chat, and we're looking back at a pretty momentous weekend at the inaugural Utopia All-Dayer too.

It's a big episode, and we're delighted you're here to join us for it. Have a good week and, of course, COME ON ENGLAND!! Tim & Harry x

We do not claim ownership of any of the music played in this episode. Our theme tune is Ice Cold by Audionautix and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Artist: http://audionautix.com/

As Fairport Convention quite rightly said, who knows where the time goes? 2018 is whizzing by faster than any of us can actually cope with, but we're going to soldier on regardless. Who needs the last 6 months anyway?

Well, it turns out, we do. Without them, we wouldn't have anything to talk about in this week's episode, as we're taking the opportunity to look back on the first half of the year and pick out some musical gems that may have passed you by.

With bangers from artists ranging from Courtney Barnett to (of course) Kanye West, it's a genre-spanning episode we're sure you're going to love. And if you don't, listen to one of our last 101 episodes. They may or may not be better.

Thanks so much for tuning in, and we'll see you next week. Tim & Harry x

We do not claim ownership of any of the music played in this episode. Our theme tune is Ice Cold by Audionautix and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Artist: http://audionautix.com/

Apologies listeners, but there will be no new Wednesday episode this week as we recover from our exploits at this year's Great Escape Festival.

If you haven't already, why not catch up on our four brilliant episodes from last weekend, or even delve back into the archives for your midweek dose of us? You know you want to.

We'll be back next Wednesday as usual. Until then, have a good one. Tim & Harry x