S7-Ep 4 - Ghosttown

Kenny and Mark celebrate the return of the power ballad with Boy Culture himself (and author of the essential Encyclopedia Madonnica) Matthew Rettenmund!  Topics include: nepo babies, Celine Dion, potential cover albums, illegal downloads, the value of spite, Jason Derulo, My Two Dads, vocal “edging”, lyrical warnings and promises, bringing a golf club to an apocalypse, Stevie Nicks, Terrence Howard, Ariana Grande, mature dance breaks, resistant industry tides, Taylor Swift, the Ellen residency, Andy Cohen and Sandra Bernhard, and Matt makes a strong case for Rebel Heart as the ultimate embarrassment of riches.  Plus, Matt shares the inspiration behind Encyclopedia Madonnica, his evolving embrace (and flexibility) of the fandom ride, rejecting the binge mentality, and another encounter with the legendary (and witty) Liz Rosenberg.  “I don’t want to focus on the hair."

Matthew Rettenmund’s BoyCulture website & blog