Unplugged Proved Nirvana Was More Than Distortion

Arctic Monkeys were already one of the biggest bands in the UK before AM, but this was the album that made them a global phenomenon. Powered by songs like "Do I Wanna Know?," "R U Mine?," and "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?," AM arrived at a time when guitar bands rarely dominated popular music and somehow cracked the code.In this episode, I explore the making of AM, break down the album track by track, and discuss the stylistic shift that helped Arctic Monkeys become arguably the biggest guitar band in the world. I also wrestle with the tension at the heart of this record: why I admire it so much, even though it isn't my favorite album in their catalog.What do you think? Is AM the band's masterpiece, or do you prefer their earlier work? Let me know.

In 2004, Modest Mouse released Good News for People Who Love Bad News, an album that transformed the band from indie favorites into mainstream stars. While "Float On" became one of the defining songs of the decade, the album itself is far richer, stranger, and more emotionally complex than many people remember.In this episode of Self Titled, Seth Sparks and Jordan DeWeese revisit Good News for People Who Love Bad News more than twenty years later. We discuss the album's turbulent creation, Isaac Brock's remarkable songwriting, the band's unlikely rise to commercial success, and break down every track to find out whether this classic still deserves its legendary reputation.Whether you've loved this record for years or only know "Float On," we hope you'll revisit one of the most distinctive rock albums of the 2000s alongside us.What are your favorite songs from Good News for People Who Love Bad News? Let us know in the comments and follow the podcast:Chapters:00:00 Intro01:45 Our history with Good News05:54 Isaac Brock as a lyricist08:08 The background of Good News14:23 What was happening in 200416:31 Track-by-track breakdown58:44 Modest Mouse's work after Good News

Phish might be one of the most polarizing bands in modern music — loved by millions, loathed by millions more. In this episode, Seth, Josh, and Ethan defend one of their most formative bands from decades of hate and hilarious online takedowns. From jam band clichés to “bong boy” memes, we unpack why Phish’s musicianship, community, and studio work still matter — even if you don’t want to sit through a 30-minute version of “You Enjoy Myself.”Topics include:• The Internet’s best (and worst) Phish insults• Why studio Phish might be underrated• Jam bands, fan culture, and overlong solos• The beauty of “Billy Breathes” and “Story of the Ghost”• What Ween’s Dean Ween once said in Phish’s defenseIf you’ve ever loved, hated, or just been confused by Phish — this one’s for you.

Thirty years later, Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop still feels like a left turn nobody saw coming.In this episode of Self-Titled, Seth and Josh revisit Stone Temple Pilots’ boldest and most adventurous album — the record that pushed the band far beyond the “grunge” label and revealed just how inventive they really were.From the swagger of “Big Bang Baby” and “Pop’s Love Suicide” to the strange beauty of “Adhesive,” “Daisy,” and “And So I Know,” we break down the album track by track and talk about:-Why Tiny Music felt so different in 1996-The DeLeo brothers’ underrated musicianship-Scott Weiland’s evolution as a vocalist and frontman-The album’s glam, psychedelic, lounge, and classic rock influences-Why the back half of the record deserves more attention-How STP grew beyond the criticism that followed them early onWe also revisit our memories of hearing this album as teenagers, discuss the MTV era that surrounded it, and talk about why Tiny Music still sounds fresh decades later. If you love alternative rock, Stone Temple Pilots, or albums that took creative risks and aged beautifully, this one’s for you.#StoneTemplePilots #TinyMusic #STP #AlternativeRock #90sMusic #ScottWeiland

Few albums feel as alive, mysterious, and forward-thinking as Marquee Moon by Television. Released in 1977 at the dawn of the CBGB era, the album somehow still sounds futuristic nearly 50 years later.In this episode of Self Titled, Seth and Jordan dive deep into the story behind Marquee Moon — from the early days of the New York punk scene and CBGB to the singular guitar chemistry between Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd. Along the way, they explore how the album blurred the line between punk, art rock, and post-punk before most of those labels even existed.The conversation includes:-Why Marquee Moon still sounds unlike almost anything else-The influence of Television on bands like Wilco, Pavement, The Strokes, and more-The myth and reality of the CBGB scene-The hypnotic guitar interplay that defines the album-A track-by-track discussion of songs like “See No Evil,” “Venus,” “Friction,” and the towering title track “Marquee Moon”If you love adventurous guitar music, atmospheric records, or albums that seem to exist outside of time, this one’s for you.

Viagra Boys made a party album about paranoia.On the surface, Cave World is chaotic, funny, and completely unhinged—shrimp references, absurd lyrics, and grooves that feel like they belong in a sweaty club at 1 a.m. But the deeper you go, the more it starts to feel like something else entirely.This is an album about conspiracy, social breakdown, masculinity, and the strange headspace a lot of people found themselves in coming out of the pandemic. It’s satire, but it doesn’t always announce itself that way. Sometimes it’s obvious. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable. And sometimes it’s both at once.In this episode of Self Titled, Seth and Jordan break down Cave World track by track—talking about the band’s sound, their live shows, the humor, the paranoia, and why this might be one of the most fun (and quietly sharp) records of the last few years.Also… we try to make sense of the shrimp thing.Topics covered:Why Cave World works as both a party record and a critiqueViagra Boys’ place in the modern post-punk waveThe band’s obsession with devolution, paranoia, and absurdityLive show experiences (and why they matter for this band)Track-by-track highlights and standout momentsIf you’ve never listened to Viagra Boys, this might be the perfect place to start.If you have, you probably already know—this band doesn’t sound like anyone else.

We set out to do something simple: pick our top 5 Wilco songs. It turns out… that’s almost impossible.With over a dozen albums and a catalog that spans everything from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot to Sky Blue Sky to A Ghost Is Born and beyond, narrowing it down to just five songs each turned into a much bigger challenge than we expected. What started as a fun exercise quickly became a deep dive into what makes Wilco one of our all-time favorite bands.In this episode, we each share our personal top 5 Wilco songs—along with the stories, memories, and musical moments that made them stick. There’s no definitive list here. Just three fans trying to make sense of a catalog that means a lot to us.If you’re a longtime Wilco fan, we’d love to hear your list. And if you’re newer to the band, this might be a good place to start.Chapters:00:00 Intro07:40 Number 5s13:41 Number 4s18:29 Number 3s23:05 Number 2s29:20 Number 1s

What do you even say about an album like The Mollusk?On the surface, it’s ridiculous. Sea creatures. Polka dot whales. Songs that sound like children’s music… until they suddenly don’t. But the more time you spend with it, the more it reveals itself as something surprisingly cohesive—and absolutely brilliant.In this episode of Self Titled, we dive into The Mollusk by Ween—a record that blends nautical folklore, psychedelic weirdness, and real emotional weight into one of the most unique albums of the ’90s.We talk about:-Why this album can feel impenetrable at first—and why it eventually clicks-The strange (and very real) story behind how it was made-Songs like “Mutilated Lips,” “Buckingham Green,” and “Ocean Man”-Whether this is actually Ween’s masterpieceIf you’ve ever bounced off Ween—or if you’ve loved them for years—this is one worth revisiting.Chapters:00:00 Intro03:20 Listening to Ween around non-Ween fans05:52 Our history with Ween and The Mollusk15:18 Where does The Mollusk rank among Ween albums19:40 The making of The Mollusk25:00 Track-by-track breakdown01:21:04 The aftermath of The Mollusk01:31:58 What makes Ween special

In this episode of Self-Titled, we dive into Nirvana’s legendary MTV Unplugged in New York. Recorded at the height of the band’s fame, the performance revealed a different side of Nirvana—stripped down, intimate, and deeply emotional.We talk about the atmosphere of the show, Kurt Cobain’s song choices, the surprising covers, and why this performance proved Nirvana was always more than distortion.More than thirty years later, it still stands as one of the most powerful live albums ever recorded.Chapters:00:00 Intro01:58 Remembering Nirvana and Unplugged12:30 In context of the band's career20:50 Track-by-track breakdown01:23:28 The aftermath and Kurt's death

What if one of the most important albums of the 2000s almost didn’t get released at all?In this episode of Self Titled, we dive into Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco—an album born out of creative tension, internal conflict, and a level of experimentation that pushed it beyond what their label was willing to support.Famously rejected before its release, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot has since become one of the most beloved and influential albums of its era. But what actually makes it work?We talk about:-The chaos behind the recording process-Why the album confused people at the time-How its “weirdness” reveals itself over repeated listens-The story of its rejection—and what that really says about the music-And why it still feels so different more than 20 years laterFrom fractured beginnings to lasting impact, this is an album that rewards patience—and challenges expectations.Chapters00:00 Intro01:43 Our personal history with YHF05:35 The tension behind the making of YHF10:59 The eerie 9/11-ness of the album16:59 This is an amazingly weird album32:29 Track-by-track breakdown01:23:36 Wilco after YHF01:28:30 Jeff Tweedy, Patron Saint of the Creative Process