Caspar David Friedrich – Der Wanderer über dem Nebelmeer (Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog), c. 1818
At the Threshold: The Dreamer, an Autumn Song and the Scorpio New Moon, the new post at The Polymath , explores the threshold between Autumn and Winter, where music, the Mayan calendar and the Scorpio New Moon meet in a meditation on dreams, hidden connections, Monadic Twins and what is beginning to emerge. You can read At the Threshold: The Dreamer, an Autumn Song and the Scorpio New Moon on The Polymath site.
At the Threshold: The Dreamer, an Autumn Song and the Scorpio New Moon connects with my radio programme Amazing Songs & Other Delights #102 An Autumn Feeling edition An Autumn Feeling edition.
The evening opened with Manga Cava, a Porto-based quartet whose sound combines indie pop, punk and alternative rock. Characterised by contrasting vocal approaches, unpolished guitar textures and an impulsive songwriting style, the band brings a distinctly youthful perspective to the local underground scene.
Their debut release, Retrato da Menina Abandonada no Lixo, released in August 2026, captures this identity through songs that balance melodic immediacy with a playful, sometimes abrasive edge. Tracks such as Tás a Gozar Comigo?, Cabeçada and Botão de Autodestruição reflect the band’s irreverent approach to lyrics and its willingness to move between humour, frustration and introspection.
Manga Cava’s appearance provided an introduction to another strand of Porto’s independent music scene before The Black Wizards took the stage to present their latest album.
The Black Wizards returned to Porto on October 22nd to present their fourth studio album released on September 4th through British label Hassle Records, marking a new chapter in a career shaped by heavy psychedelia, garage rock and an increasingly direct approach to songwriting.
The RCA Radio Clube Agramonte in Porto hosted the live presentation that marked an important moment for the local trio, whose latest work represents a clear shift towards a rawer, more immediate sound.
Following Reflections (2019), the new record arrives after a seven-year gap between studio albums. During that period, the band went through significant changes, eventually consolidating its current line-up: Joana Brito on guitar and vocals, José Gomes on bass and vocals, and Helena Peixoto on drums.
The decision to embrace the trio format has helped define the direction of the new material, with the musicians prioritising the directness and physical impact of their music.
On Force Majeure & The Acts of God, The Black Wizards move away from some of the extended psychedelic passages associated with their earlier work, favouring sharper arrangements, more immediate riffs and a stronger garage and proto-punk influence. The result retains the weight of their previous material while placing greater emphasis on rhythm, dynamics and concise songwriting.
Tracks such as Killing The Buzz and Loose illustrate this change in direction. The former confronts political spectacle and the growing frustration surrounding contemporary society, while the latter explores anxiety, repetitive thought patterns and the feeling of being trapped inside one’s own mind. Both songs demonstrate the band’s ability to connect personal concerns with a wider sense of social unease.
Beat, takes a different approach to composition, having been built around a drum pattern rather than the guitar riff that traditionally serves as the starting point for a rock song. This shift places Helena Peixoto’s rhythmic work at the centre of the arrangement, with the guitar and bass developing around its pulse.
Wishing Well and 9 to 5 where among the numerous songs on the setlist.
Joana Brito’s voice moves between melodic phrasing and a more abrasive, confrontational delivery, while José Gomes’ contributions add another dimension to the band’s vocal arrangements. Peixoto’s drumming provides the foundation for this interplay, maintaining a sense of forward momentum throughout the record.
The album was recorded at Arda Recorders in Porto with Cooper Crain, known for his work with CAVE and Bitchin Bajas, and mastered by Mikey Young, whose credits include Amyl and the Sniffers and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. The production preserves the rough edges and immediacy that distinguish the new material, reinforcing the band’s preference for a sound that translates naturally to the stage.
The ten-track Force Majeure & The Acts of God balances muscular riffs and driving rhythms with lyrics rooted in the realities of contemporary life. Its approach reflects a band willing to reconsider its established formula while retaining the essential characteristics of its sound.
For The Black Wizards, the record represents more than a return after an extended absence from the studio. It documents the consolidation of the trio’s current line-up and a renewed commitment to making music that addresses the world around it without losing its sense of humour, energy or defiance.
Following the Porto presentation, the band is scheduled to continue its European activity around Spain, Belgium, Germany, Luxemburg, Croatia and Austria, including na iberian tour alongside French experimental rock band SLIFT, with dates in Porto, Lisbon, Madrid and Barcelona.
With Force Majeure & The Acts of God, The Black Wizards reaffirm their place within Portugal’s independent rock landscape while pushing their music towards a leaner, more confrontational sound.
It’s Dia de Finados/Día de Muertos/All Souls Day. I picked The Spirit Carries On by Dream Theatre for Mondo’s today afternoon song. Have a peaceful, soulful day.
Dream Theatre – The Spirit Carries On lyrics
Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where do we go when we die? What lies beyond And what lay before? Is anything certain in life? They say, life is too short The here and the now And you’re only given one shot But could there be more Have I lived before Or could this be all that we’ve got? If I die tomorrow I’d be all right Because I believe That after we’re gone The spirit carries on I used to be frightened of dying I used to think death was the end But that was before I’m not scared anymore I know that my soul will transcend I may never find all the answers I may never understand why I may never prove What I know to be true But I know that I still have to try If I die tomorrow I’d be alright Because I believe That after we’re gone The spirit carries on Move on, be brave Don’t weep at my grave Because I am no longer here But please never let Your memory of me disappear Safe in the light that surrounds me Free of the fear and the pain My questioning mind Has helped me to find The meaning in my life again Victoria’s real I finally feel At peace with the girl in my dreams And now that I’m here It’s perfectly clear I found out what all of this means If I die tomorrow I’d be alright Because I believe That after we’re gone The spirit carries on
Amazing Songs & Other Delights #102 An Autumn Feeling edition is broadcasted Monday 02 & 09 November, 3-4pm London time, on Yé Yé Radio: yeyeradio.com to (or on the app).
Amazing Songs & Other Delights #102 An Autumn Feeling edition is a simple, cozy, gentle, seasonal programme with songs and instrumentals that mention Autumn or feel autumnal. Along with a few more upbeat ones.
As it tends to be common on my Amazing Songs & Other Delights the songs arrive from different decades and have different genres, although one could say Amazing Songs & Other Delights #102 An Autumn Feeling edition leans towards indie, indie folk, with a few dance and rock vibes. Of course a couple of orchestral presences appear too.
The Bluestones were an extremely recent re-find. My friend Wayne and his son were going to their concert in London. I was surprised, not having following the band in years. Wayne told me they had a new album, I said I will check it. And here it is Lux Interior.
A song written in homage to Lux Interior of the Cramps, that is also perfect for a time between Halloween & Samhain – the beginning of the Celt Winter – All Saints Day, All Souls Day and the New Moon in Scorpio November 9, the day Amazing Songs & Other Delights #102 An Autumn Feeling edition has its second broadcast.
A perfect season to be with our inner light.
Tracklist: 01: Laura Veirs – Little Deschutes 02: The Kinks – Autumn Almanac 03′ The White Stripes – Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground 04: A Certain Ratio – Who’s To Say (3rd Peel Session) 05: Eve Cassidy – Autumn Leaves with The London Symphony Orchestra 06: Queens of the Stone Age – Sunday 07: The Bluetones – Lux Interior 08: Vince Guaraldi – The Great Pumpkin Waltz 09: Everclear – Fire Maple Song 10: Led Zeppelin – Ramble On 11: Erica Buettner – When It Goes 12: The Adventure Babies – Camper Van 13: Prickly Pear – At The End 14: Oh Bobby – Water
The Bluetones
The Bluestones – Lux Interior lyrics
Time ran out On all that flailing about And the need to live Well something had to give It was some punchline Had the stars and planets aligned? So I played along Let the cosmos sing its song
And I knew nothing was true
And here you are In the shotgun seat of the car And it’s me at the wheel Don’t mean that seals the deal If I hold my nerve And I surf just ahead of the curve Might I hear you say You miss me when I’m away
And it proves nothing was true Until you
And your name Cuts through the din Like a guillotine Like a tambourine And your taste Cuts through the space Like a guillotine Like a tambourine
And it proves nothing was true Until you
And your name Cuts through the din Like a guillotine Like a tambourine And your taste Cuts through the space Like a guillotine Like a tambourine
And your name Cuts through the din Like a guillotine Like a tambourine
We went to the press rehearsal of Esquecimento Global (Global Forgetness) a purpose written play with libretto by Luca Argel and José Nunes, music by Luca Argel for Teatro Municipal de Matosinhos Constantino Nery.
Esquecimento Global is based on The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht with music by Kurt Weill, and A Ópera do Malandro by Chico Buarque.
Esquecimento Global is a tragic-comedy set in current times – it was written just a few months ago – in which a love story meets social and political critique.
We will soon have a more thorough preview of the play.
Esquecimento Global is performed Novembro 06 & 07, 9:30pm; 08, 4pm
Good morning with our Middle of the Week Song the fabulous Prince Stash by David J, Nick Zimmer, Zumi Rosow.
There are songs, and there are songs. What David J (Bauhaus/Love and Rockets), Nick Zimmer (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Zumi Rosow (Black Lips) created in Prince Stash belongs to the second. A psychedelic incantation about 1960s counter-culture Prince Stash. In the 60s he toured with Vince Taylor Band, worked with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, and more. He is an artist, alchemist, esoteric writer.
Prince Stash – Prince Stanislas Klossowski de Rola is the son of painter an artist Balthus (Count Balthasar Klossowski de Rola) and Baroness Antoinette de Watteville.
And, as the song’s lyrics say, he does indeed lives in an Italian castle. If you’re as curious about him you as I am you can take a look at his site https://princestash.com/ It’s as fascinating as he is.
There’s also a very interesting interview in The Guardian.
If there’s a song I would have liked to have written, this is one of them. Prince Stash is a true gem of a song.
