Posted in Album of the Month, New Albums, podcast

Podcast Episode 32 | Raven | Kelela

EP. 65 | Zach Bryan | With Heaven On Top This Is Not Happening – An Album Of The Month Podcast

Welcome to Episode 65 of This Is Not Happening. An Album of the Month podcast. In Part 1, we review our Album of the Month. This month Nolan brings a big chunk of country (or is Heartland Rock?) with Zach Bryan's latest release 'With Heaven On Top'.In Part 2, we play Spin It or Bin It, we pick a theme and all pick songs that represent that theme. This month the theme is 'New Music', tracks released since January 1st.__________Part 1 | Album of the Month | Zach Bryan | With Heave On Top ____________Zach Bryan is a relatively divisive, country artist who is HUGE in the states but can his latest album help him become (even more of) a global superstar? At 25 tracks and 1hr 18 mins he's giving the album every chance of making an impact.This album has genuine, authentic heart. It's length is a big talking point, so is it's genre, is it country? Americana? Something else?Listen to the original album here.Listen to the acoustic version released 3 days after the original here.Watch an interesting conversation with Bryan and Springsteen here.       ___________________Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | New Music _____________________Every 3 months we pick the theme 'New Music' and each pick 4 tracks that have been released in the last 2 month. Listen to our 16 track play list that we created for the New Music theme.We then each pick select 1 track and ask the simple question 'Spin It Or Bin It'?Joey chose 'Aperture' by Harry Styles.David chose 'Miami' by Pigeon.Nolan chose 'Milk, Blue' by Pem.Guy chose 'Out of Phase' by Alexis Taylor and Lola KirkeWe've been writing the blog for years come and have a look – https://thisisnothappening.net/
  1. EP. 65 | Zach Bryan | With Heaven On Top
  2. EP. 64 | Rosalia | LUX
  3. EP. 63 | Our Top 10 Albums of 2025
  4. EP. 62 | Juniper | Joy Crookes
  5. EP.61 | Blood Orange | Essex Honey

In Part 1 we explore the mesmerising (but opinion dividing) 2nd album by Kelela, ‘Raven’.   In Part 2 we play ‘Spin it or bin it?’ … but do we really? The theme this month is our favourite De La Soul tracks … is anyone really going to bin a De La Soul track?

Part 1 | Album of the Month | Kelela | Raven

It’s Joey’s choice this month and we’re focusing on an intriguing, vibe of an album called Raven by Ethopian-American artist Kelela. It’s 15 tracks, over an hour and plays out like a late-90s, early-00’s post club mix tape. There’s lots of opinions on this album, in the critical sphere they’re almost universally (really) positive, the album being on of the best reviewed albums of the year. However, its a 100%, unquestioning love-in on This Is Not Happening.

  • Go listen to the album – Here
  • Go watch some videos – Here
  • Go buy some of their stuff – Here

A few ‘Raven’ that we highly recommend checking out;

  • A really interesting review of the album by BPM – Here
  • ‘Unmistakably Black’ interview with Mixmag – Here
  • Live Jimmy Fallen performance of ‘Enough for Love’ – Here

Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | De La Soul tribute

After the sad passing of Trugoy the Dove, we pay tribute to De La Soul. This is the 1st time that the question ‘spin it or bin it’ is completely redundant.

  1. Nolan chose – Stakes is High
  2. Guy chose – So No Go
  3. David chose – Trying People
  4. Joey chose – I am I be

Check out our 16 track De La Soul tribute playlist (4 tracks each) can be found – Here (this is a good one!)

Next Month

In part 1Nolan brings ‘Fuse’ by Everything But the Girl as our Album of the Month, in Part 2 we play ‘Spin it or bin it’ with new tracks for the last 3 months.