Ben Preece

Laid Bare: Inside James’ Strange, Tender Masterpiece

Everybody knows 'Laid'. Far fewer know Laid. We go beyond James’ immortal title track to discover the strange, intimate Brian Eno-produced album hiding behind the hit.

Benjamin Bahr

Skeleten's Mentalized: Interior Dance Music for a Fractured World

A Waxx Lyrical deep dive into our January 2026 Record of the Month — a record of disconnection, hypnosis and human groove.

Ben Preece

Rebellion, Resurrection, and Rock ’n’ Roll: The Story of Iggy Pop’s Lust For Life

A deep dive into Iggy Pop’s Lust for Life — the snarling, swaggering 1977 comeback album born of chaos, camaraderie, and resurrection.

Ben Preece

Counting Crows' August & Everything After: The Sound of Uncertainty

August and Everything After didn't arrive with swagger. It arrived with uncertainty. In this Waxx Lyrical deep dive, we explore the stories, songs and emotional honesty that transformed Counting Crows' debut into one of the defining albums of the 1990s.

Ben Preece

Wounded Rhymes: Lykke Li’s Ritual of Power, Control, and Survival

A Waxx Lyrical deep dive into Lykke Li’s Wounded Rhymes — exploring desire, damage, control, and the album that reshaped modern pop heartbreak.

Benjamin Bahr

Nina Simone’s I Put A Spell On You: Where Beauty Meets Defiance

Released at the height of the civil rights era, I Put a Spell on You reveals Nina Simone in transition — elegant, defiant, and impossible to pin down.

Ben Preece

Midnight Oil's Self-Titled Debut Was The Sound of A Band Already Setting Fires

It didn't produce a major hit, but it introduced one of Australia's most important bands with astonishing confidence. We explore the stories, songs and legacy of Midnight Oil's extraordinary debut.

Ben Preece

Loneliness, Reinvention and the Long Way Back: The Story of Paul Kelly’s Post

A deep dive into Paul Kelly’s Post — the 1985 album that rebuilt his career and shaped the next 40 years of Australian songwriting.

Ben Preece

Wolf Alice, The Clearing Interview: Out of the Woods, Into Their Boldest Album Yet

Wolf Alice return with their fourth album, The Clearing — a bold, cohesive reinvention that proves Britain’s best band are only getting stronger.