Monocle on Culture
367 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago - ★★★★★ - 30 ratingsRobert 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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Episodes
‘Wild and Crazy Guys’
May 20, 2019 19:02 - 32.4 MBWe look back at the golden age of US small-screen comedy through the lens of the stars of Saturday Night Live in the 1980s: Chevy Chase, Dan Ackroyd, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin and John Belushi.
The Sessions at Midori House: From the archives: Anna Calvi
May 16, 2019 18:16 - 20.4 MBWe revisit Anna Calvi’s 2018 performance at Midori House. Armed with just her electric guitar, she played from her album ‘Hunter’.
Faber and Faber: the untold story
May 13, 2019 19:02 - 41.2 MBWe learn about 90 years of one of the most important independent publishers, which has printed works by everyone from Sylvia Plath to Sally Rooney. Robert Bound sits down with Toby Faber, grandson of the publishing house's founder, and Faber author Alex Preston.
The Sessions at Midori House: Noga Erez
May 10, 2019 10:30 - 22.1 MBListen back to our 2017 session by Israeli musician and producer Noga Erez who played us a few tracks from her album “Off The Radar”.
May music
May 06, 2019 19:02 - 41.2 MBLaura Snapes and Georgie Rogers give Robert Bound their top tips for albums released this month, including records by Carly Rae Jepsen, The National, Hayden Thorpe and Holly Herndon.
The Sessions at Midori House: Ryan Bingham
May 03, 2019 11:30 - 24 MBThe Americana star plays from his new album, ‘American Love Song’, and discusses how his life in the US, not least the current political climate, inspired him to write a state-of-the-nation record.
‘Machines Like Me’ by Ian McEwan
April 29, 2019 19:02 - 41.2 MBRobert Bound is joined by Susannah Butter and John Mitchinson to talk humanoid love triangles and a reimagined Britain in ‘Machines Like Me’ by Ian McEwan.
The Sessions at Midori House: Rodrigo y Gabriela
April 25, 2019 16:10 - 24.5 MBMexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela wow us with their strumming skills as they play from their new album ‘Mettavolution’ and discuss a career that’s taken them from busking in Dublin to playing at the White House.
Mid90s
April 22, 2019 19:02 - 41.2 MBThe actor Jonah Hill makes his directorial debut with “Mid90s” – a coming-of-age film about a group of teenage skater boys in LA. But how does he do in the director’s chair? Robert Bound discusses the film with critics Simran Hans and Tim Robey.
The Sessions at Midori House: Weyes Blood – from the archives
April 19, 2019 11:30 - 21.9 MBAs Natalie Mering, aka Weyes Blood, releases her new critically acclaimed album “Titanic Rising” we revisit some tracks she played for us in two previous sessions from 2015 and 2017.
The art of design
April 15, 2019 19:02 - 41.2 MBDuring Milan Design Week we look at projects where the worlds of art and design collide: a furniture collection by Matthew Day Jackson and a living installation for Jil Sander created by Australian artist Linda Tegg. Plus: we discuss how you show design on-screen with filmmaker Gary Hustwit.
The Sessions at Midori House: Luke Sital-Singh
April 11, 2019 14:30 - 21.7 MBUK singer-songwriter Luke Sital-Singh tells us why a Californian road trip inspired both his new album 'A Golden State' and his relocation from Bristol to Los Angeles. He also discusses the power of a sad song as he performs a few tracks from his new LP.
Spring lookahead, 2019
April 08, 2019 19:02 - 41.2 MBRobert Bound is joined in the studio by culture writer Lucy Scholes, music columnist Leonie Cooper and film critic Anna Smith to discuss the books, songs and films worthy of your time over the next few months.
The Sessions at Midori House: From the archives: Middle Kids
April 05, 2019 12:15 - 20.8 MBWith Australian indie trio Middle Kids about to release a new EP, we revisit their 2018 session almost a year to the day after they recorded it at Midori House.
Agnès Varda
April 01, 2019 19:02 - 41.2 MBAgnès Varda, who died last week, was a key figure in 1960s French new wave film. We pay tribute to her by listening again to an interview she recorded with Robert Bound last year.
The Sessions at Midori House: Night Works
March 29, 2019 10:20 - 32.5 MBNight Works is the solo project of Gabriel Stebbing – ex-Metronomy and Christine and the Queens guitarist. After his first album in 2013 he’s revived the project for a new EP, followed by an album later this year. Stebbing is at Midori House to talk synth pop, collaboration and to play some new songs.
‘Van Gogh and Britain’
March 25, 2019 19:02 - 41.2 MBTate Britain is unveiling its first Vincent Van Gogh exhibition for more than 70 years, exploring his early adulthood spent in the UK and the events that saw him become one of the most famous artists in history.
The Sessions at Midori House: Nick Waterhouse
March 22, 2019 16:30 - 22.1 MBRhythm-and-blues musician Nick Waterhouse makes his return to Midori House to play some toe-tapping tracks from his new eponymous album and talk to Daphne Karnezis about making American music.
‘Lanny’ by Max Porter
March 18, 2019 19:02 - 41.2 MBWe immerse ourselves in the world of suburban England with Porter’s excellent new novel. Robert Bound is joined in the studio by Susannah Butter and John Mitchinson, who draw comparisons to John McGregor and Russell Hoban.
The Sessions at Midori House: Vök
March 14, 2019 16:58 - 20.1 MBAs the Icelandic band Vök release their new album ‘In The Dark’, we revisit their 2016 performance at Midori House.
March music
March 11, 2019 19:02 - 41.2 MBAmong other releases, March sees the return of early noughties hit-makers Dido and David Gray. The two sold millions of records back in 2000 but can they replicate that success in 2019? Robert Bound is joined in the studio by Liv Siddall and Will Hodgkinson to discuss and round up some other albums they’re enjoying this month.
The Sessions at Midori House: Robert Forster
March 07, 2019 21:30 - 21 MBRobert Forster, founding member of Australian band The Go-Betweens, returns to Midori House to play some new songs and chat to Andrew Mueller.
Alan Partridge
March 04, 2019 19:02 - 41.2 MBAs everyone’s favourite fictional broadcaster returns in a new BBC series, Robert Bound discusses his enduring appeal with Scott Bryan and Toby Earle.
The Sessions at Midori House: Emily King
March 01, 2019 08:30 - 26.6 MBGrammy nominee Emily King tells us why buying a car and moving upstate from her native New York City to the Catskills provided the inspiration she needed to write her new album ‘Scenery’. She also plays us a few tracks from it.
Oscars 2019
February 25, 2019 19:02Ben Rylan and film critics Tim Robey and Karen Krizanovich dissect the highs and the lows of this year’s Academy Awards ceremony.
The Sessions at Midori House: Sasami
February 22, 2019 11:30Los Angeles-based musician Sasami plays songs from her new self-titled album and talks inspiration, analogue recording and how to bribe your brother into playing on your record.
‘A Private War’
February 18, 2019 19:02Photojournalist Paul Conroy and film director Matthew Heineman join Robert Bound to discuss the making of ‘A Private War’ – the new biopic of the late war journalist Marie Colvin.
The Sessions at Midori House: The Drums
February 14, 2019 15:50Jonny Pierce of The Drums drops by to play us some tunes from ‘Brutalism’, his upcoming record about self-care and pulling yourself out of the dark.
Don McCullin
February 11, 2019 19:02Tate Britain has opened its first-ever photography retrospective: a 60-year survey of work by Don McCullin, famed for his depictions of conflict around the world. Robert Bound is joined by Zed Nelson, Kathlene Fox-Davies and Eddy Frankel to discuss it.
The Sessions at Midori House: Seu Jorge
February 07, 2019 12:00Brazilian samba legend Seu Jorge revisits the David Bowie tracks that he famously covered for the 2004 Wes Anderson film ‘The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou’.
‘Out of the Woods’ by Luke Turner
February 04, 2019 19:02Robert Bound and the writers Dan Richards and Alex Preston discuss the music, nature and sex in the pages of ‘Out of the Woods’, the new memoir by Luke Turner.
The Sessions at Midori House: From the archives - Sunflower Bean
January 31, 2019 16:10American indie-rock group Sunflower Bean paid us a visit in 2016. We listen back to the three tracks they played for us from their debut album, ‘Human Ceremony’.
‘Vice’
January 28, 2019 19:02Robert Bound, Ben Rylan and Karen Krizanovich discuss the politics and prosthetics of ‘Vice’, Adam McKay’s new biopic of former US vice-president Dick Cheney.
The Sessions at Midori House: From the archives: Blue Hawaii
January 24, 2019 16:10We revisit our 2017 session with Canadian electro duo Blue Hawaii, who played tracks from their second album ‘Tenderness’.
Sharon Van Etten: ‘Remind Me Tomorrow’
January 21, 2019 19:02Liv Siddall and Will Hodgkinson join Robert Bound to discuss ‘Remind Me Tomorrow’, the fifth album by American singer Sharon Van Etten.
The Sessions at Midori House: Ohtis
January 17, 2019 17:00Sam Swinson is the frontman of American trio Ohtis who, despite having been formed more than 10 years ago, are about to release their debut album, ‘Curve of Earth’. It’s an exploration of the religious cult that Swinson grew up in, his battles with drug addiction and the recovery process that followed. Swinson plays three tracks and chats to Holly Fisher.
‘Colette’
January 14, 2019 19:02We discuss sexuality, period drama, and Keira Knightley and Dominic West’s starring roles in our review of Wash Westmoreland’s ‘Colette’, with film critics Anna Smith and Tim Robey.
The Sessions at Midori House: Dave Keuning
January 10, 2019 10:00This year the founding member and guitarist in The Killers, Dave Keuning, is going solo. He chats to Kieron Banerji and plays us a few tracks from his new record ‘Prismism’.
Lookahead 2019
January 07, 2019 19:02Robert Bound is joined by Peter White, Anna Smith and Gareth Harris to look at the year ahead in film, TV and art.
Culture review 2018
December 31, 2018 19:02We review the best books, music and film of 2018 with Kate Hutchinson, Tim Robey and Katie Law.
The Monocle Culture Quiz
December 24, 2018 19:02Robert Bound hosts the first Monocle Culture Quiz, featuring panellists Alice Vincent, Jason Solomons, Simran Hans and John Mitchinson.
The Sessions at Midori House: The Christmas edition
December 20, 2018 16:00In this bumper festive special we relive some of our favourite sessions from 2018, including Sam Evian, Anna Calvi, Jess Williamson and Charles Watson, and get into the Christmas spirit with New Zealand duo Broods who play us their cover of ‘Silent Night’.
‘Middle England’ by Jonathan Coe
December 17, 2018 19:02Robert Bound is joined by John Mitchinson, publisher at Unbound, and Susannah Butter, deputy features editor at ‘The Evening Standard’ to discuss ‘Middle England’, the new state-of-the-nation novel by Jonathan Coe.
The Sessions at Midori House: Best of 2018
December 13, 2018 16:48We take a trip down memory lane and relive some of our favourite performances from the past year, including tracks by Cults, Yazmin Lacey, Cub Sport and Tiny Ruins.
The Sessions at Midori House: Broods
December 07, 2018 09:00Live music from Kiwi brother-and-sister pop duo Broods, who will release their album ‘Don't Feed The Pop Monster’ next February.
Commercial Christmas
December 03, 2018 19:02With the annual battle for the best Christmas advert well underway we take a look at this year’s offerings and work out where festive TV commercials can go next. Robert Bound is joined by Toby Earle and Scott Bryan. Plus: what are Christmas ads like elsewhere in the world? We put the question to the Monocle team.
The Sessions at Midori House: Julia Jacklin
November 29, 2018 15:55Making her return to the Sessions, Australian musician Julia Jacklin plays from her upcoming album and chats to Andrew Mueller about the making of it and dealing with writer’s block.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
November 26, 2018 19:02Up for discussion this week is the latest film by The Coen brothers, a series of beautiful Western vignettes. Robert Bound is joined by film critics Tim Robey and Terri White.
The Sessions at Midori House: Joey Dosik
November 22, 2018 09:28LA jazz and soul singer Joey Dosik plays from his debut album ‘Inside Voice’ and talks about writing love songs about basketball.
Suspiria
November 19, 2018 19:02Film critics Simran Hans and Jason Solomons review Luca Guadagnino's remake of the 1977 supernatural dance-school horror ‘Suspiria’ to see if it lives up to the original.