#5: Hey Cis, It's Christmas

The people, they've been crying out, writhing in agony for another Disasterpieces episode. What happened to that acclaimed podcast with an innovative format, hosted by two articulate voices of the culture, is a phrase we are often overhearing. Fear not: the long wait is finally over. Our first episode of 2024 was actually recorded way back in September of last year, though a combination of life getting in the way and meticulous editing has kept it in the vault for some time. Sidney and Joanna are joined by guest host and ska apologist Jamie, who helps the duo reconcile the biggest stain on the Clash's legacy, Cut the Crap (1985). The band's sixth and final studio, Cut the Crap was the brain child of maniacal manager-turned-bandleader Bernie Rhodes, who following the departures of Topper Headon and Mick Jones, decided to take the opportunity to realise his indulgent daydreams of punk rock stardom. The results were as successful as you are currently imagining them to be. Cut the Crap was widely derided by the UK music press upon release, with NME’s negative review titled "No Way, Jose" in reference to Rhodes’ pseudonym "Jose Unidos." Cut the Crap is often excluded from compilations of the Clash’s discography and is widely considered not only their worst album, but a major misstep in popular music history.

It's that time again! In an effort to try and replicate on the big name appeal of our last episode, your favourite bad music reviewers are back with another heavy-hitter: Kid Rock's breakthrough record, Devil Without a Cause (1998). Born Robert Ritchie, the son of a car dealership magnate, Kid didn't let his upper-middle class beginnings hold him back from embedding himself in the Detroit rap scene, and after a decade or so of false-starts his career finally kicked off with the release of this, his fourth studio album. Kid's melding hip hop's street cred with nu metal's counter-cultural edge (all in an affected Southern twang) proved an irresistible cocktail of meathead patriotism, with Devil Without a Cause going on to sell over 10 million copies stateside – it remains among the top 100 highest selling albums in the US. Despite riotous reception at the time (and two Grammy noms to boot), Kid Rock's pivot from libertarian rap rock to culture war country left a sour taste in many mouths, leading to this modern day reappraisal.

After a short break, your favourite irregular scheduled programming is back! On this episode, Joanna and Sidney tackle the bête noire of Weezer's discography – no, not Make Believe – no, not Pacific Daydream either – 2009's Raditude. The band's first album to bring in outside songwriters and their last on Geffen Records, Raditude marked the culmination of Weezer's steady 2000s decline, its juvenile misogyny and head-scratching stylistic choices (raga rock and a Lil Wayne feature??) emblematic of the creative rot behind frontman Rivers Cuomo. Despite selling well in their native US, the album was received poorly by critics, and has since garnered a reputation among Weezer-heads and Weezer-haters alike as the very lowest low-point from a band with several contenders. Making up for lost time, this bumper episode of Disasterpieces also features a review of a strong early contender for the worst song of 2023, as well as a definitely real, 100% not faked interview with Rivers Cuomo himself (real)!

After a break for the holidays, Disasterpieces returns with a look at the debut* album of indie** pop trio AJR. Formed of the brothers Adam, Jack and Ryan Metzger, AJR is the brainchild (as well as literal children) of architect-turned-music entrepreneur Laurie Marvald, who served as the manager of her sons' band from its inception right up until last year. To foster dreams of stardom, the living room of their parents' Manhattan apartment was turned into a home recording studio, where they recorded the albums Born and Bred and Venture, both released in 2010 on their own label LARJ (Laurie/Adam/Ryan/Jack) Productions. After little traction, the band wiped the albums from the internet and rebranded in 2013 with their "debut" single "I'm Ready", which became a completely grassroots hit after they tagged 80 celebrities in a tweet and Sia insisted someone should sign them. Wanting to keep their indie cred intact, the boys refused the offer of a major label contract, instead begrudgingly signing a marketing deal with Colombia Records with ex-labelhead Steve Greenberg joining Laurie as co-manager. Taking its name from the room where it happened, the subject of today's episode Living Room was AJR's bona fide announcement into the pop sphere, breathlessly spanning everything from The Beach Boys to Skrillex to The Beach Boys to Skrillex to The Beach Boys. Despite huge success in the States, their preppy American-ness has failed to translate into sales across the pond; we hope this episode cements their status as a non-transatlantic phenomenon. *citation needed **see previous star

What's that you hear? The sound of slay bells? Yes, that's right! For this festive edition of the podcast, Joanna and Sidney revisit a personal least favourite of theirs: RuPaul's Christmas Party. Mama Ru's third Christmas album to date, Christmas Party  was a companion piece to the 2018 Drag Race Holi-slay Spectacular and has remained, to its credit, largely ignored by the critical establishment. Joanna and Sidney first covered Christmas Party on their old radio show in an episode titled "Share the Best So Bad It's Good Album", ultimately concluding that it was so bad it's bad. Two years on and have the tides of their opinions turned? Coming in to bat for the album is special guest Ben, who just a few hours before recording, secured the rare credentials of being someone who has listened to Christmas Party.

In 1977, the Bee Gees were at the height of their powers, with their soundtrack to international blockbuster Saturday Night Fever becoming one of the best-selling albums in music history. Two years later, disco was pronounced dead. So what happened in '78?  Enter the soundtrack to the film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, a jukebox musical starring a veritable who's who of disco royalty, led by the Bee Gees alongside forgotten cultural artifact Peter Frampton. A thinly-veiled vehicle for Frampton to indulge in Beatles cosplay, the soundtrack regurgitated the Fab Four's most digestible output into covers that range from the banal to the baffling. Ever wondered what "Mean Mr. Mustard" would sound like if performed by a choir of robots? Or "When I'm Sixty-Four" as sung by a gleeful pervert? Neither did we! The record dashed Frampton's hopes of a career on the silver screen, while the Bee Gees wouldn't be repatriated by youth culture until sped-up versions of their songs were set to TikTok dance trends several decades later. Panned by contemporary critics, the record made history as the first to "return platinum", with over four million copies recalled from stores and hundreds of thousands systematically destroyed by the label. Modern day critics Joanna and Sidney meanwhile, have described the album as "sexual in an upsetting way". Does it have to be heard to be believed? Unfortunately, yes.

On this third episode of Disasterpieces, Joanna and Sidney receive a time-travelling mission statement from intergalactic synth-botherers the Black Eyed Peas. Comprising of will.i.am, Fergie and the other two, Black Eyed Peas endeared themselves to turn-of-the-century audiences with their blatant samples ("Pump It") and ableist slurs ("Let's Get R*tarded"), both returning features on their fifth studio album The Energy Never Dies. Inflicted in 2009, the album was initially received with mixed reviews, though in the years since its release, the sharp decline in the quality of its deep cuts has come under increased scrutiny, even from the nostalgia-tinted lens of your two esteemed co-hosts.

They say sequels are never as good as the original, and this second episode of Disasterpieces is probably no exception. This time Sidney and Joanna immerse themselves in the psycho-sexual pathology that is Liam Payne's mind, wrought bare in his debut (and thankfully only) album LP1. Having made his name as a member of the world's biggest boy band One Direction, Liam Payne released his solo debut in December 2019, peaking at No. 17 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 111 on the US Billboard 200. Despite its late release date, it achieved a Metascore of 44 out of 100, making it the worst reviewed album of that year.

In this inaugural episode of Disasterpieces, Joanna and Sidney subject themselves to the oeuvre of self-described "former child actor" Corey Feldman.  Best known for his roles in the 80s flicks The Goonies (1985), Gremlins (1984), Stand by Me (1986) and Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984), in 2016 Feldman released his third solo album Angelic 2 the Core – despite the project's Indiegogo crowdfunder failing to reach its target by almost $100,000.  A 90 minute fever-nightmare, Angelic 2 the Core envisioned how Y2K-era pop might sound were it performed from memory by a Michael Jackson tribute act. Following its release the album was universally panned, and in the years since it has earnt a cult status as one of the worst albums of all time.