Discord and Rhyme: An Album Podcast

Shut up, already. Damn! Prince was one of the most interesting popular artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and Sign o’ the Times from 1987 was the culmination of one of the most interesting periods in a career full of interesting periods. After various circumstances caused him to abandon a double album (Dream Factory), and other circumstances caused him to abandon a single album (Camille) that he didn’t plan to release under his own name, he initially tried to release a triple album before Warner Bros. made him cut it down to a double. Sign o’ the Times (the resulting double album) has its fair share of hits, yet it’s also messy in a way that appeals to many critics and fans but has also left many people puzzled by some of Prince’s decisions. This episode’s panel has three outright fans of the album (John, Mike, and Rich) and one moderate skeptic (Ben), and this combined with the album’s sprawl results in a lengthy but incredibly dense discussion. Prince was somebody who could appeal to many different people for many different reasons, and in this episode we make a case for why he’s worth digging into beyond a handful of ubiquitous radio hits. This episode covers Disc 2; find Disc 1 in your podcast app if you haven't already!Cohosts: John McFerrin, Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio, Ben MarlinComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/164-prince-sign-o-the-times-1987Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Shut up, already. Damn! Prince was one of the most interesting popular artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and Sign o’ the Times from 1987 was the culmination of one of the most interesting periods in a career full of interesting periods. After various circumstances caused him to abandon a double album (Dream Factory), and other circumstances caused him to abandon a single album (Camille) that he didn’t plan to release under his own name, he initially tried to release a triple album before Warner Bros. made him cut it down to a double. Sign o’ the Times (the resulting double album) has its fair share of hits, yet it’s also messy in a way that appeals to many critics and fans but has also left many people puzzled by some of Prince’s decisions. This episode’s panel has three outright fans of the album (John, Mike, and Rich) and one moderate skeptic (Ben), and this combined with the album’s sprawl results in a lengthy but incredibly dense discussion. Prince was somebody who could appeal to many different people for many different reasons, and in this episode we make a case for why he’s worth digging into beyond a handful of ubiquitous radio hits. This episode covers Disc 1; Disc 2 will be coming out later, so watch your podcast feeds!Cohosts: John McFerrin, Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio, Ben MarlinComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/164-prince-sign-o-the-times-1987Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

A quick State of the Podcast update and info on our release schedule for the rest of this year. Do not fret, we're not ending the podcast! We've just hit a scheduling logjam and need to slow down a bit in order to keep as cool as we can. 

Amanda has been fascinated with murder ballads for many years, so in this episode she's telling you (and Ben and Mike) all about them! This isn't an exhaustive overview of the genre, just the backstories behind a few great songs. From a couple of murdered girls in 18th-century England to a stolen hat in 20th-century America, these tragic stories have been transformed into compelling songs that we're still singing today.Some notes:Mike wishes to note that the phonograph era was well underway in 1911; he just meant there weren't exactly DJs yet.You really must read Paul Slade's book Unprepared To Die if you want the full stories, plus more! At the very least, check out his website.We'd really like to hear Skyclad or somebody similar do a cover of "Pretty Polly."Turns out "Matty Groves" isn't based on any real events, it's just a great story.Nick Cave did not include "Stagger Lee" in the shows Amanda and Mike saw, but Kylie Minogue did sing "Where the Wild Roses Grow" when Rich saw her at Madison Square Garden!The songs:The Louvin Brothers - Knoxville GirlSandy Denny - Pretty PollyLloyd Price/Nick Cave - Stagger LeeSam Cooke - Frankie & JohnnyNick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Where the Wild Roses GrowIntro: Nazareth - The Ballad of Hollis Brown (of course)Outro: A bit of dialogue from David Rawlings & Gillian Welch after their excellent rendition of "Pretty Polly"Cohosts: Amanda Rodgers, Ben Marlin, Mike DeFabioMore bonus episodes! https://www.patreon.com/discordpodDiscord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod

You might think we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel by choosing The Present for our annual Moody Blues episode, but that’s not true at all. Even though the band themselves hated it, and it’s quite polarizing among Moody Blues fans, all of us here at Discord and Rhyme think it’s terrific. As with Long Distance Voyager, you need to be prepared for the ultra-slick ‘80s production, but underneath that gloss there are some top-notch Moody Blues songs and super great instrumental details, including Patrick Moraz’s keyboards. If you’re a The Present skeptic, we hope you’ll listen to this episode and end up convinced that it’s a truly great album. Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox, John McFerrin, Amanda RodgersComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/163-the-moody-blues-the-present-1983Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

This podcast delves into the iconic 'Rated R' by Queens of the Stone Age, exploring its unique blend of desert rock, psychedelia, and punk. The hosts share personal anecdotes about discovering the band and dissect songs like 'Leg of Lamb' and 'In the Fade,' noting their unconventional structures and emotional depth. There's a fascinating discussion on the influence of drug culture within the album, alongside a reflection on Mark Lanegan's contributions. Expect whimsical banter and a soundscape journey that highlights the album's lasting impact on rock music.

Whether you’re a fan of ‘60s jazz, ‘70s funk, ‘80s electro, or things inspired by any of the above (or you just watched a lot of Sesame Street growing up), the music of Herbie Hancock has probably affected your life in some way. So Mike thought it was time to take us all on a good old fashioned head hunt. 1973’s Head Hunters redefined the course of Hancock’s career, was enormously influential on music as a whole, became the first jazz album to ever go platinum, and to this day remains a blast to listen to. If you’re a rock fan who’s long been intimidated by jazz, this warm, funky, colorful album just might be the one that captures your head.Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, John McFerrin, Dan WatkinsComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/161-herbie-hancock-head-hunters-1973Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Nick Drake was an outstanding artist: a gifted songwriter, a wonderful singer, and one of the greatest guitarists you’ll ever hear. But his personality was entirely unsuited to the world of popular music, and his art didn’t gain the popularity it deserves until decades after his death. Ever since he unwittingly helped Volkswagen sell cars in 1999, more and more music lovers have discovered his beautiful sincerity, and he’s more popular now than ever. Amanda, Mike, and Rich are among Nick Drake’s many fans and we’re here today to talk about what makes his music so special.Cohosts: Amanda Rodgers, Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabioComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/160-nick-drake-bryter-layter-1971Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

In this episode, Phil takes Discord & Rhyme further down the spiral with an album that is a harrowing descent into one man’s decaying psyche. If that sounds like a blast, you’re in good company with the millions of people who bought Nine Inch Nails’ The Downward Spiral in 1994. It’s one of the bleakest, most pitch-dark albums to ever achieve massive commercial success, and it still sounds great in 2025, owing to the coherence of Trent Reznor’s sonic vision and ingenious production by Flood. Reznor has gone on to become an Oscar-winning soundtrack composer in the decades since this album, but it still stands as one of his signature achievements, and Phil has invited Rich and Mike along to talk about an album that, from top to bottom, sets out to make you hurt. Now doesn’t that make you feel better?Cohosts: Phil Maddox, Mike DeFabio, Rich BunnellComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/159-nine-inch-nails-the-downward-spiral-1994Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Rich, Ben, and John answer a super-sized mailbag of listener questions, with subjects including jukebox musicals, James Bond themes, songs that give them the happy chills, sample-based hip-hop producers, the usual suite of Moody Blues questions, and a philosophical discussion on how we all listen to music and how this has changed as we've gotten older. This episode also features an interlude on experimental music from Producer Mike, and a listener-submitted puzzle! Co-hosts: Rich Bunnell, Ben Marlin, John McFerrin, Mike DeFabio Spotify playlist of the songs clipped in this episode: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2ew48yCf2JAnroOVFlaLCv?si=yPstIGylTUOanMidd-cPlA