Album Book Club

In this short episode, Joey looks back over the previous season and plays tracks from each record that we explored. If you missed an episode, or are just curious what the records we listened to this season sounded like, you can check those out here. Our themes for season 2 were: -Musical Disruptors (records that changed music for you) -The Album I've Listened to the Longest -Go Green (records with Green album art) -the 2023 record I want to talk about the most We will be taking a short break and will see you soon with several more theme cycles in season 3! Thank you all so much for listening!

In the final episode on 2023 albums worthy of discussion, Darvil selects the album "Gigi's Recovery" by the Irish post-punk band The Murder Capital. In this episode we try to nail down what it means to be a "post-punk" band, talk about Darvil's vocal prowess in the genre, and conclude that Alvin and the Chipmunks is the best post-punk act of all time.

For the 2023 album that Joey wanted to talk about the most, he selected the record “Spine” by former black metal artist turned folk pop singer Myrkur. In this episode we discuss what is or isn’t black metal, hidden messages in lyrics, and get into the weeds on music theory. That’s right, it’s a metal episode heavy on music theory nerdery. Fans of the Lorna Shore episode, we got you!

For our new category "2023 record you want to talk about the most," James selects the record "10,000 gecs" by the band 100 gecs. In this episode we talk about hyperpop v. digicore, why frogs are funny, TikTok's impact on music, and we actually pay attention to lyrics for once.

The final record in "Go Green" is both green in cover art and theme... It's about nature! Joey selects the symphonic metal album "Mother Earth" by the band Within Temptation. In this episode we talk about whether or not records should get the George Lucas treatment, the overlap of metal and renaissance fairs, and Darvil's existential crisis that came from the lyrics on this record.

Content warning: explicit language, discussions of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and gun violence. For the theme, "Go Green," or albums with green cover art, James selects the 2002 album "Sing Sing Death House" by the punk rock band The Distillers. In this episode we talk about the many flavors of punk, the impact of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater on music, the evolution of the music press, and the remarkable courage it takes to sing about one's trauma.

In this special episode, each host takes turns discussing their favorite Christmas record. Featuring the music of Leslie Odom Jr., Bad Religion, Jimmy Eat World, and children's favorites The Muppets and Pee-Wee Herman.

Starting our new theme of "Go Green," albums with green cover art, Darvil selects the 2004 hit album "Good News for People Who Love Bad News" by the band Modest Mouse. In this episode we discuss how perception affects boredom, weird instruments like the Mellotron, Modest Mouse's influence on bands that followed them, and whether or not this album is actually three different projects stitched together. We have sixteen tracks, so this is a long one.

Continuing our theme "the album I have listened to the longest," James selects the album "Wish You Were Here" by the band Pink Floyd. In this episode we talk about the baggage that comes with being a legendary act, what guitarists have wrong about tone, how much easier recording is today, and unveil the theme for the next three episodes.

By far our most popular episode from season one, this remixed edition of the episode featuring Lorna Shore's "Pain Remains" has been edited in our new style to feature clips from the record along with other referenced material. As a bonus for longtime listeners, Joey's wife Julie who was referenced in the original episode was kind enough to have a short interview in which she clarifies her positions on extreme metal, our podcast in general, and the value of listening to music one doesn't necessarily like. Original episode description: Starting the theme, "2nd Pick of 2022," James selects the album "Pain Remains" by the deathcore band Lorna Shore. This record is over an hour long, so we had a very lengthy conversation. As such, the episode has been heavily edited for runtime. Recorded on January 19, 2023.