Nakedly Examined Music Podcast

Since 1988, Ken has put out several sparkly/grungy albums with The Posies, more under his own name and in various collaborations, played in the revived version of Big Star and in the touring band for R.E.M., and much more. He's a busy guy! We discuss "The Sound of Clouds" by the Posies from Solid States (2016), "Shittalkers!" and "Jesus Was an Only Child" from his solo album Danzig in the Moonlight (2012), and "Turn My Back on the Sun" from Big Star’s In Space (2005). We close by listening to "Whatever Hell" by Holly and Ken from The Record (2015). Opening/closing music: "Solar Sister" by The Posies from Frosting on the Beater (1993). Hear more at kenstringfellow.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page.

Jonathan played in the '80s with Camper van Beethoven and has since put out 40+ solo albums, sometimes with songs, sometimes guitar improvisations, or instrumental music for dance or film. We discuss his lengthy art-rock songs with political content: "Sleep for a Hundred Years" and the title track from Superfluity (2017), then look back to "Civil Disobedience" from Edgy not Artsy (2003). End song: "Hey You (I Know You Know Me)" from All Attractions (2012). Opening music: "Auspicious Circles" from Site (2008). Closing music: "Still Wishing to Course" from Camper Van Beethoven (1986). Learn more at jonathansegel.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page.

Nik had some huge hits in the '80s (e.g., "Wouldn't It Be Good") and has been described by Elton John as "the best songwriter of a generation." We discuss "These Tears" from his most recent album EI8HT (2012), "Lost" from You've Got to Laugh (2006), and the acoustic re-recording of 1984's "The Riddle" for No Frills (2010). Closing song: "Men United" (2016), written for Prostate Cancer UK's A Gift for Men United. For more, visit nikkershaw.net. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page.

Robbie has recorded 12 solo albums of crafty-lyric, country-folk music since 1996, including the new, Grammy-nominated Upland Stories. We discuss "America is a Hard Religion" and "Fare Thee Well, Carolina Gals" from that album, then look back to "Where There's a Road" from Georgia Hard (2005) and conclude with "I Told Her Lies" from South Mouth (1997). Opening/closing music: "Hamilton County Breakdown" a 1989 live recording released on The Very Best of Robbie Fulks. Learn more at robbiefulks.com.

The singer/guitarist shifted gears many times through Bauhaus, Tones on Tail, Love and Rockets (which shifted from acoustic to electric to electronica), and has since put out five distinctive solo albums. We discuss, from the collection Freedom I Love (2017), the title track and "Indie Boys"; and then "Christian Says" from Stripped (2014). End song: "Flame On" from the Hog Fever soundtrack (2016). Intro music: "So Alive" from Love and Rockets. Learn more at www.danielashmusic.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page.

Todd held down the beat and wrote some songs for Grand Rapids, MI's Molly in the '90s through 2003, then wrote more songs and sang a bit for Dutch Henry for about ten years, then pushed forward to sing and write all the songs for his projects The Star Darts and now Cartorson. Featuring Cartorson's "The Last Time" and "Hearts on the Highway" from the new Richfield Skyline EP, "Say It" from Shooting Star Darts (2014) and "44 Days" by Dutch Henry from All That Space (2007). Opening music: Molly's "Another Day of Regrets" from The Finger (2002). Learn more at toddlongmusic.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page.

Asif led Canadian band MIR from 1998 to 2008, and has since recorded with real instruments for commercials and films, and released a one-man-band Police-influenced album Synesthesia in 2013. We discuss the title track and "Electrical" from that album, also MIR's "A Day in Your Life" from 7 Directions (2004). We conclude by listening to "The Chosen One" from MIR's A Soldier's Carol Christmas EP (2008). Intro music: "No Taxidermy," produced for Empire Theaters. Learn about Asif's music at asifillyas.com and his studio at theshire.ca. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page.

Bradley fronts the Bay Area band, The Bye-Bye Blackbirds, which inhabits the niche of Byrds-influenced "power pop" even though Bradley really doesn't like that term. We discuss the band's 2016 boogie single "Let Your Hair Fall Down," the country ballad "Hats" from Fixed Hearts (2011), and a pre-Blackbirds song eventually recorded for Fixed Hearts, "Elizabeth Park." End song: "All in Light" from We Need the Rain (2013); opening music: "The Ghosts Are Alright" from Houses & Homes (2008). Visit byebyeblackbirds.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page.

Michael has played on 500+ recordings; he was the house bassist for the Windham Hill label in the '80s and has put out seven solo albums. He expands what electric bass can do by using many tunings, even retuning on the fly using a custom-built system, using his bass as a percussion instrument, and sometimes playing multiple basses at once. We discuss "Excuse Me, Mr. Manring" from Soliloquy(2005), and "My Three Moons" and "The Enormous Room," both from Thonk (1994). The opening music is "Thunder Tactics" from Unusual Weather (1986), and we wrap up with "Unclear, Inarticulate Things" by Attention Deficit from Idiot King (2001). Learn more at manthing.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page.

Seven-time Grammy winning drummer Paul Wertico and his multi-talented cohort David Cain are two-thirds of Wertico, Cain and Gray, an improvisational, "impressionistic" jazz trio who have released five albums since 2013. We discuss six tracks from Short Cuts: 40 Improvisations (2016) and "Where Brush Meets Flow (Go Van Gogh)" from Sound Portraits (2013). Intro music: "Destroy the Box" from Organic Architecture (2014). Hear and see more at werticocainandgray.com. Hear more conversation and tunes with Paul and David by becoming a member of our site. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page.