Discord and Rhyme: An Album Podcast

John enjoyed taking part in the episode on Songs in the Key of Life so much that he demanded to host his own Stevie Wonder episode. This week, John leads Ben, Rich, and Phil in a discussion on Innervisions, Stevie’s 1973 masterwork that showed him capable of making music that could not only entertain but also speak to weightier matters of racism, spirituality, and philosophical introspection. Come join us as we admire an album that hits every bit as hard today as it did upon release, and whose presentation of the full range of human emotions suggests that, no matter how terrible things may seem, there’s always cause to have some hope.Cohosts: John McFerrin, Ben Marlin, Rich Bunnell, Phil MaddoxComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/stevie-wonder-innervisions-1973Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Time for another episode of discussing Never Mind the Mainstream! During which Amanda came down with a mild case of COVID-19 and was therefore unable to come up with a pithy description. The Jesus and Mary Chain - Head On Echo and the Bunnymen - The Killing Moon Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart New Order - The Perfect Kiss Depeche Mode - Personal JesusCohosts: Mike DeFabio, Phil Maddox, Rich Bunnell  Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod  Opening music: The Hector Collectors https://thehectorcollectors.bandcamp.com/ Closing credits music: Kenneth Kraylie https://kennethkraylie.bandcamp.com/https://casinos.bandcamp.com/

So you like samples, huh? Well, have all the samples in the world! In our Deltron 3030 episode, Producer Mike waxed poetic that hip-hop “can contain the whole world,” and the Beastie Boys tried to do exactly that on Paul’s Boutique. Seeking to level up as artists, the Beasties broke with Def Jam, moved to Los Angeles, and teamed up with producers and seasoned crate-diggers the Dust Brothers. The result is a miasma of light-speed references and samples, with a sonic palette drawing from ‘70s funk, old-school hip-hop, and whatever else the Dusts had lying around. It blew Mike’s mind as a teenager and budding producer, and this week he’s leading Rich, Phil and hip-hop noob John through a true bouillabaisse of an album, and a great hip-hop gateway drug for rock fans. Shake your rum-PAH!Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox, John McFerrinComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/048-beastie-boys-pauls-boutique-1989Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Back to ignoring the mainstream! In which we analyze R.E.M., criticize Morrissey, and learn that this is not a love song.R.E.M. - Orange Crush Public Image Ltd. - This Is Not a Love Song Ramones - Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio? X - Burning House of Love Ministry - Stigmata Morrissey - Everyday Is Like SundayCohosts: Mike DeFabio, Phil Maddox, Chris Willie Williams Get early access to bonus episodes on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod Opening music: The Hector Collectors https://thehectorcollectors.bandcamp.com/ Closing credits music: Kenneth Kraylie https://kennethkraylie.bandcamp.com/https://casinos.bandcamp.com/

Far from any road, husband-and-wife duo The Handsome Family create beautiful indie folk/country that uses centuries-old musical traditions as a vehicle to explore, mourn, embrace, or giggle at human nature (and folly) from a perspective all their own. On this episode, Will enlists Amanda, Dan, and Rich to discuss the Handsome Family's sixth and oddest album, Singing Bones. Join us as we examine the way these songs shimmer and simmer, and attempt to determine if that's a result of heat rising from the boiling Albuquerque terrain or because we're listening through the murk of disconsolate ghosts.WARNING: We said some bad words in this episode, in case that is something you are concerned about.Cohosts: Chris Willie Williams, Rich Bunnell, Amanda Rodgers, Dan WatkinsComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/047-the-handsome-family-singing-bones-2003Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

We usually take a week off between comps, but one of our favorite songwriters, Adam Schlesinger, passed away in April from complications related to COVID-19, and we wanted to do his career justice. Schlesinger is most famous for the retro soundtrack cut "That Thing You Do" and Fountains of Wayne's 2003 Cars pastiche "Stacy's Mom," but the songwriter was a workhorse, and his career had a truly wild level of variety. Ben, Rich, and Will know Fountains of Wayne the best, so most of the episode is focused on their songs, but we hit on the full kaleidoscope of Schlesinger's career, from his work for the CW sitcom Crazy Ex-Girlfriend to an oddball power pop supergroup fronted by Taylor Hanson.

Jethro Tull started their career as a hardcore blues band. Within a few years, they were a hardcore progressive rock band, writing album-long suites of extraordinarily complex music. While both of those eras are interesting, the brief period between the two - where the band had moved away from the blues, but hadn’t yet completely progged out - is some of the best music of its era. Sadly, it doesn’t get discussed nearly enough these days. In this episode, Phil, along with Ben, John, and Mike, dive into this era with 1969’s Stand Up - a contender for the best album Tull ever released. So - don your codpiece, jump on one leg, and join in the fun as we discuss one of the best (and most overlooked) rock albums of 1969 (along with several contemporary singles that, while not on the album proper, are far too good to ignore).Cohosts: Phil Maddox, Ben Marlin, John McFerrin, Mike DeFabioComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/046-jethro-tull-stand-up-1969Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Motown time is here again! In which we learn the bonkers recording history of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine," equate the Supremes to the Beatles again, and despair at what we've done with our lives compared to Stevie Wonder.Diana Ross & the Supremes - Love Child Marvin Gaye - I Heard it Through the Grapevine Stevie Wonder - For Once in My Life Diana Ross & the Supremes & the Temptations - I'm Gonna Make You Love Me Jimmy Ruffin - What Becomes of the Brokenhearted Brenda Holloway - You've Made Me So Very Happy Get early access to bonus episodes! https://www.patreon.com/discordpodCohosts: Rich Bunnell, John McFerrin, Amanda RodgersTheme music: "The Motown Song" by Rod Stewart feat. the TemptationsClosing credits music by Kenneth Kraylie, originally composed by Andy Partridge with new lyrics by Adam Smith of the Hector Collectorshttps://kennethkraylie.bandcamp.com/https://casinos.bandcamp.com/https://thehectorcollectors.bandcamp.com/

Returning guest Dave Weigel lived in England in the late ‘90s, the era of Tony Blair, New Labour, ecstasy, the European Union, and, most importantly of all, the Pet Shop Boys. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe met in a hi-fi shop in the early ‘80s and went on to make beautiful, quintessentially British dance music together for the next four decades (and counting!). For this episode, Rich leads Dave, Phil, and Will track by track through the duo’s 1996 album Bilingual, where Tennant and Lowe were inspired by a recent tour of Latin America, as well as a rapidly globalizing post-Cold War world. It’s not one of the group’s more celebrated albums, but it’s so, so dense with all of the tight, grandiose, literate popcraft that they do so well. NOTE: Rated Explicit for occasional language.Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox, Dave Weigel, Chris Willie WilliamsComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/045-pet-shop-boys-bilingual-1996Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

It's Motown Time! In which we learn more heartbreaking stories of Motown artists, praise the magical voice of Smokey Robinson, and FINALLY get to the marvelous Marvin and TammiSmokey Robinson & the Miracles - I Second That Emotion The Temptations - I Wish it Would Rain Stevie Wonder - Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing The Temptations - I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You) Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - You're All I Need to Get ByCohosts: Ben Marlin, Phil Maddox, Amanda Rodgers Get early access to bonus episodes! https://www.patreon.com/discordpodTheme music: "The Motown Song" by Rod Stewart feat. the TemptationsClosing credits music by Kenneth Kraylie, originally composed by Andy Partridge with new lyrics by Adam Smith of the Hector Collectorshttps://kennethkraylie.bandcamp.com/https://casinos.bandcamp.com/https://thehectorcollectors.bandcamp.com/