Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Randy Newman parlayed a budding songwriting career into being a successful recording artist on 1972's Sail Away . With his offbeat singing style and clever songwriting, he's now known best as the musical voice of Pixar. The fellows discuss vocal affect, Toy Story money, and wryness. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playli...
Oct 10, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 73
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. The Mars Volta headed to Rick Rubin's Laurel Canyon "Mansion" to produce their debut album Deloused in the Comatorium . What they made is wild and ambitious by any definition, but is it a must listen? The team discuss Flea's bass playing, "slap" guitar, and the state of prog rock today. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion pl...
Oct 03, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 72
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Kanye West went into seclusion and considered quitting music all together after his very public storming of the VMA stage in 2009. Instead he regrouped in Hawaii and painstakingly recorded a comeback record in My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy . The boys discuss larger than life egos, vulnerability in hip-hop, and the maximalist approach to production. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) ...
Sep 26, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 71
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Gang of Four were trying hard to break the mold of punk music on 1979's Entertainment! , and their wide influence persists to this day. The boys discuss guitar tones, melodic bass, and topical political lyric writing. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we referenced on this episode) here: ...
Sep 19, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 70
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. D'Angelo's debut album Brown Sugar saw the young multi-instrumentalist experimenting with 1970s tropes and helping to kick off neo-soul in the 1990s. The gents discuss vamping, synth bass, falsetto vocal stacks. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we referenced on this episode) here: https:...
Sep 12, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 69
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Bob Dylan was a folk hero popular with the politically-conscious youth of the early sixties when he decided to switch things up and "go electric" on 1965's Bringing it All Back Home . The team discuss slam poetry, unrehearsed studio bands, and the folly of decoding (any) artistic expression. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode compani...
Sep 05, 2022•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 68
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Weather Report is the preeminent jazz fusion supergroup of the 1970s, but what happens when one of the most talented bass players of all time joins the band and starts composing? The fellas discuss musical forward-thinking into the regrettable 1980s, playing the bass like it was a horn section, and the evolution of the "fusion" genre. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at 1001AlbumCompla...
Aug 29, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 67
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Fleetwood Mac had the momentum of smash hit Rumours behind them when they went into the studio to record the followup, Tusk . The boys discuss the value of late night experimentations, the Mick Fleetwood drum sound plugin, and Stevie Nicks' songwriting lane. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the so...
Aug 22, 2022•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 66
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Belle and Sebastian recorded their first two records nearly back to back and since then If You're Feeling Sinister has become a cult classic. The boys discusses bouncy British melodies, out-of-tune string sections, and the "rules" of songwriting. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we refer...
Aug 15, 2022•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 65
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Metallica were a well-established touring act when they went into the studio to record their 5th album, but they wanted more. The boys welcome a special guest and discuss rhythm guitar mic'ing techniques, memorable drum fills, and bringing the blues back into heavy metal. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Thanks to our special guest Nick Morrison, tourin...
Aug 08, 2022•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 64
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Lorde made her debut at age 16 and her sophomore effort Melodrama was a critically acclaimed step forward in her young career. The team discuss different singing styles, tension-building arrangements, and the slow throb of modern pop music. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we referenced ...
Aug 01, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 63
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. English singer-songwriter Billy Bragg found himself with unprecedented access to Woody Guthrie's unfinished songs and asked up and coming band Wilco to collaborate with him to create Mermaid Avenue . The team discuss the challenge of re-interpretation, vocal harmonies that do and don't communicate in the moment, and Wilco's most common encore. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at 1001Al...
Jul 25, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 62
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Prince had swagger and style in spades, but he set his sights on Hollywood with the film (and soundtrack) for Purple Rain . The gents discuss 80's image curation, Eddie Van Halen, and the perils of being a prolific songwriter. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we referenced on this episod...
Jul 18, 2022•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 61
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. System of a Down burst onto the LA scene in the 90's sounding like nothing before or since. In this episode, the boys discuss blast beats, rifle manufacturers, and the Armenian genocide. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we referenced on this episode) here: https://open.spotify.com/playli...
Jul 11, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 60
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Bruce Springsteen skyrocketed to pop stardom in 1984 with Born in the USA , one of the best-selling records of all time. The team discuss under-developed melodies, snare drum sound characteristics, and subversive song lyrics. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we referenced on this episode...
Jul 04, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 59
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Bob Marley was a star in his native Jamaica but had yet to breakthrough to the rest of the world when he recorded Natty Dread. The fellows discuss politically-charged songs, hammond organ attack dynamics, and the insanely far reach of this music into nearly every corner of the world. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playl...
Jun 27, 2022•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 58
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Gang Starr were a hugely influential rap duo in the 1990s New York scene, and Step in the Arena is considered by many to be their first masterpiece. The boys talk about DJ craft, vocab words, and the legacy of the gritty sample. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we referenced on this epis...
Jun 20, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 57
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Thelonius Monk felt misunderstood for most of his career, but had a breakthrough on Brilliant Corners. The boys discuss notoriously difficult songs, an all-star backing band, and what it's like to be clenching your jaw through Take 24 in the recording studio. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the s...
Jun 13, 2022•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 56
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. The Flying Burrito Brothers had a rotating cast of star players and a pocketful of Byrds royalties cash to spend on The Gilded Palace of Sin. The boys discuss hard panned harmonies, overly busy bass lines, and eating too much Mexican food while drunk. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we ...
Jun 06, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 55
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Lenny Kravitz was born cool as the only son of a hugely successful sitcom actress and a jazz promoter. He spent years honing his abilities on various instruments and his talents eventually converged on his debut album "Let Love Rule". The boys discuss the burden of having famous friends, SNL saxophone riffs, and Lenny's "rock and roll voice". Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at 1001Alb...
May 30, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 54
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Kid Rock had had a few swings at stardom already when he finally hit a home run with "Devil Without a Cause" in 1998. The boys discuss single chord songs, lowest common denominator songwriting, and the "carnival of bravado" on display here. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we referenced ...
May 23, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 53
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Super Furry Animals emerged from the Welsh "Cool Cymru" scene in 1990s and have become a cult favorite in the decades since. The team discuss studio indulgences, perfectly stacked harmonies, and the meaning of celebrity album cameos. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we referenced on this...
May 16, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 52
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. We continue our celebrations of 50 episodes by voting for, then counting down the BEST and WORST songs we've covered so far. Apart from our definitive rankings, we discuss other surprises and random extrapolations from the voting ballots. The data does not lie. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Our official Top 50 songs playlist: https://open.spotify.com...
May 09, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 51
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Pink Floyd stepped into the studio to layout a concept record about LIFE itself. We celebrate a momentous occasion (our 50th episode) by analyzing an undisputed classic album: Dark Side. The discussion is long and rangy as the boys touch on Abbey Road drum sounds, suspended chords, and the importance of patience. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen ...
May 02, 2022•2 hr 6 min•Ep. 50
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Willie Nelson broke all the rules and retained full creative control on his country-western concept album "Red Headed Stranger". The boys discuss lead vocal phrasing, murderous preachers, and bass harmonicas. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we referenced on this episode) here: https://o...
Apr 25, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 49
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. A Tribe Called Quest sprung from the rich artistic history of St Albans, Queens and skyrocketed to stardom with "The Low End Theory". The boys discuss the creative use of samples, deep crate-diving habits, and Q-Tip with a cold. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we referenced on this epis...
Apr 18, 2022•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 48
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Alanis Morissette gets her third shot at pop stardom (and nails it) with the mega hit "Jagged Little Pill". The boys discuss Dorian modes, tasteful bass, and bad harmonica. The true meaning of irony is not discussed. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we referenced on this episode) here: h...
Apr 11, 2022•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 47
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Black Sabbath arrive in Los Angeles and order in excessive quantities of cocaine to create "Vol 4". The boys discuss guitar riff overdubs, dueling solos, and Ozzy's singing voice. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we referenced on this episode) here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Byx...
Apr 04, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 46
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. Steven Seagal sought to reinvent blues music. He succeeded on this album On a special bonus episode, the boys (finally) discuss a true classic. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we referenced on this episode) here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0bKbj0hIP6RoVxRkSpX6d4?si=6a94a0ff75e34d...
Apr 01, 2022•52 min•Ep. 45
Musicians recount the strange and unexpected story behind the making of your favorite albums. John Martyn experiments with British folk and 70s space rock on "Solid Air". The boys discuss echoplexes, Dave Matthews, and the album's far-reaching musical descendants. Email us your complaints (or questions / comments) at [email protected] Listen to our episode companion playlist (compilation of the songs we referenced on this episode) here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/69Vetp16c7rUS...
Mar 28, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 44
