Features / Series: Table Talk

Discussing the state of the music business at the kitchen table

Browse all 18 features in this category

Table Talk #18 – Preparing For Year End Lists

Regular Columns / Table Talk • November 22, 2024

I’ve talked about having a writer’s block this year. So when I set myself down (after a stern talk to motivate myself) I looked at this blank page thinking: what on earth should I discuss this time around? At first I thought I would put another couple of labels in the spotlight. I still like how my previous column turned out. I have decided against that idea for now, although I will probably revisit it in the near future. As I am having some reconstruction going on at home (the kitchen this time) I played with the idea of building a column around that theme again. But that that is more of a one-off kind of idea. So, for now I will just share a couple of albums and EPs with you that really struck a chord with me this year. I may have had trouble with writing about music, but I had no trouble discovering more music and I have listened to a boatload of records this year. There are a couple of real gems which I think you should check out too. So brace yourselves! The Greek Connection First up is Khirki with their second album Κυκεώνας. This album is where I got to know this band. I had read some raving reviews of their previous album, but never checked them out as I figured the combination of hard rock, classic metal, and folk wouldn’t appeal to me. Not long after their second album was released, I read … Read more

Table Talk #17 – Struggling Through Writer's Block

Regular Columns / Table Talk • May 22, 2024

Lately I have been struggling with something of a writer's block. But what better way to deal with that than writing about it, huh? I started this year off with … Read more

Table Talk #16 – New Year's Resolutions?

Regular Columns / Table Talk • February 26, 2024

Last year was a strange year. A lot happened in my private life which led to me not doing as much as I wanted to do. Some negative, but mostly … Read more

Table Talk #15 – Changes

Regular Columns / Table Talk • October 18, 2023

It is that time of the year again, that time of changes. The seasons change. For some reason I am much more aware of this when summer transitions into autumn … Read more

Table Talk #14 - The trip to France

Music / Table Talk • August 7, 2023

No, this is not like the movies, ok. I am not going to a restaurant and do a lot of impressions. I am just stealing a catchy title for my … Read more

Features / Series: Table Talk: browse all

Browse all 18 features in this category

Our series

We post a variety of features in recurring series – click below to browse them.

  • Against Orthodoxy

    A regular series by Robert F.

  • Beyond Casual Observation

    A wide-ranging guest column written by BJ from Ancient Shores, mainly covering film but extending into philosophy and aesthetics too. Check out BJ's work on the A389 podcast.

  • Don't Quit Your Day Job

    How an artist spends their time by day will influence the creative process at night. In Don’t Quit Your Day Job, Scene Point Blank looks at how musicians split their time, and how their careers influence their music.

  • era vulgaris

    Guest column by T of Vegas

  • Feast with the Famine

    A cookery column by Nick, vocalist with metal band The Famine. Veggie/vegan friendly!

  • Fest 11

    A roundup of coverage of the annual punk rock festival held in Gainesville, Florida

  • Fest 12

    Our annual roundup from Gainesville, FL's famous Fest.

  • Fest 13

    SPB's coverage of the annual festival in Gainesville, Florida.

  • Fest 16

    Our coverage of the annual Fest extravaganza.

  • Fest 19

    Our coverage of the 19th edition of the Fest – an independent multi-day, multiple-venue music festival held annually in Gainesville, Florida.

  • Fest 20

    All our coverage from the long-running music festival

  • Fest 21

    Articles about the Fest 21

  • Fest 22

    Our coverage of the 22nd edition of the FEST.

  • History 101

    We dive into the back catalog of a record label and ask them to nominate their most memorable releases from their label's history–with a few suggestions of our own.

  • Jukebox Jury

    An interview format where we ask a band to rate and review a bunch of music

  • On The Air

    A radio DJ profile series created by Christopher D & Matt Hutchison.

  • Only Death Is Real

    There’s so much music released, whether physically or digitally, that keeping up with what’s going on becomes almost like a full time job. With Only Death Is Real, the aim is to bring you something new.

  • Remember that one time...?

    A life lived and lessons learned by Eddie Spaghetti of Supersuckers.

  • Running on Nothing

    Welcome to Running on Nothing, the latest addition to our stable of columns at Scene Point Blank. Running on Nothing offers a look at the world through the eyes of Kole, bassist of The Lippies, guitarist of The Bloody Lips, and gigposter artist.

  • Scatenato Ma Non Troppo

    We survey some of the other music releases out there.  Results may vary...may get weird, but hopefully something covered here piques your interest.

  • Scene Point Local

    A semi-regular column where we choose a specific area and give a local scene report.

  • Table Talk

    Discussing the state of the music business at the kitchen table

  • The Greatest Story Ever Told

    A brief but englightening chat with an artist who reveals an interesting or unexpected story from their career

  • The Set List

    A collection of items grouped by topic, eg. "Top 5 Worst Beatles Songs" or "Top 10 best '77 punk releases".

  • What's That Noise?

    One-question interviews with artists where we find out about the gear and equipment they use to achieve their sound.

  • Year End 2012

    A collection of coverage rounding up the year 2012, covering our favorite albums, shows, bands, and more, as well as asking record labels and bands about their past twelve months in music

  • Year End 2013

    It's the end of 2013, so here's our best-of roundup for the last twelve months.

  • Year End 2014

    Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2014.

  • Year End 2015

    Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2015.

  • Year End 2016

    Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2016.

  • Year End 2017

    Our annual round-up of the best music of the year 2017.  

  • Year End 2018

    Our summary of the best music (and more) of 2018.

  • Year End 2019

    Our wrap-up of the best music and more from 2019

  • Year End 2020

    Our wrap-up of the best music and more for the year we'll all want to otherwise forget, 2020.

  • Year End 2021

    Our roundup of the best music from the worst year (since the previous one, anyway).

  • Year End 2022

    Our favorite music and more from the year 2022

  • Year End 2023

    Our roundup of the best music of the year 2023

More recent features — Series: Table Talk

Table Talk #13 – The home renovation blues

Music / Table Talk • May 16, 2023

Welcome back! I hope you don’t mind the mess this time. I dislike it when people say this when you enter their house, as it usually means their house is ten times cleaner than mine. However, this time my house really is a mess. We are in the midst of a big renovation as we speak so everything is dusty … Read more

Table Talk #12 – It's a new year, let's go!

Music / Table Talk • March 29, 2023

It is when browsing through a boatload of year’s end lists that I begin to suffer from a strange form of FOMO. It is not so much the fear of going to miss something, but the fear of having missed something. Although I enjoy browsing those lists a bit too much to actually call it a fear. It is perhaps … Read more

Table Talk #11 - Genre hopping

Music / Table Talk • December 7, 2022

The kitchen table is the place in my home where I have spent a lot of time lately. Shortly after I finished my last column I didn’t feel too well. That quickly changed to feeling very ill as I ran high fevers. A couple of tests later and I knew I had COVID. Well, I had managed to escape that … Read more

Table Talk #10 - Discussing grind culture

Music / Table Talk • October 17, 2022

Here in the northern hemisphere the seasons are changing. Europe is finally getting some rain. I don’t know about you, but this really does change my mood and the kind of music I want to hear. The time for music I associate with spring and summer is over. So I am playing less and less ska, skatepunk and hardrock/melodic heavy … Read more

Table Talk #9 - Looking back at the first six months

Music / Table Talk • August 5, 2022

July is a month I really enjoy. It is too hot to really do that much, which makes it a good time for reflecting on the past half year. Our year so far lists are a good point for me to look at what I missed. This is also a good time to look back at all the releases I … Read more

Table Talk #8 - A playlist for my commute home

Music / Table Talk • June 7, 2022

Sometimes I wonder how I will look back at the time I am living in. Like right now, as the world is opening up again, how will I think of this spring in 10 or 20 years’ time? I know right now I think it is one of the weirdest times in my life. Lockdown was really weird, but I … Read more

Table Talk #7 - Further and further down the rabbit hole

Music / Table Talk • March 14, 2022

Nostalgia Do you at times dwell in nostalgia? I know I do. One music related subject is how much I miss record stores. When I grew up I would go to the record store every weekend. Not that I would buy something every week, I would just browse through their collection. Just to check out what is new. Every couple … Read more

Table Talk #6 – Falling in Love with New Music Again

Music / Table Talk • August 25, 2021

I listen to loads and loads of new music. Every now and then I take a break from that and I revisit music that I bought a while ago. The past few months were one of those breaks. I finally took the time to appreciate some albums I bought, but hardly listened to. I unearthed a couple of gems from … Read more

Table Talk #5 – Formats, Genres and Doom

Music / Table Talk • March 16, 2021

Just a question for you lot: what carrier do you prefer for your music? Personally, I still highly prefer to own physical products. I am old school in that sense. I don’t really have a preference for vinyl or cds. And while I am telling you this it crosses my mind that 90 percent of my hardcore and punk collection … Read more

Table Talk #4 – The Healing Quality of Music

Music / Table Talk • November 14, 2020

As we (in Europe) have entered the second wave of Corona infections and life is getting more and more restricted I have to admit I feel a bit down. One day I am more affected than the other, but it is something that is on my mind a lot. I find solace in rereading books on stoic philosophy. I am … Read more

Table Talk #3 – The Positive Things in Life

Music / Table Talk • August 6, 2020

There we are again, back for another round. I don’t know how you are doing, but I am trying to focus on the positive things in life. The fact that it is summer does really help. I mean, a bit of sunshine can really brighten up your day, doesn’t it? Summer record of the year? Every summer I have this … Read more

Table Talk #2 – The state of the music business

Music / Table Talk • May 3, 2020

Discussing the state of the music business at the kitchen table Welcome back to my kitchen table. Especially welcome in these strange times. I need some distraction to steer my mind away from thoughts that turn dark in an instant. Working from home full-time means I’m spending way too much time at this table. Perhaps I should reclaim my home … Read more

Table Talk #1 – What I learned about last year

Music / Table Talk • February 14, 2020

To me this is the most exciting time of the year. It is also a very expensive time of the year. Yeah, I spend a lot on gifts around Christmas, but this is when I catch up with everything I have missed. Every music site is publishing lists of the best music of the past year (including ours, have you … Read more