This week we’re discussing every album by French electronic group Martin Dupont. While they never achieved mainstream success, they undoubtedly contributed to the advancement of electronic music in the mid 80s. Led by Alain Séghir, who was in medical school to become a surgeon at the time, Martin Dupont’s influence on the genre is obvious. Underrated, underappreciated, and aged better than you’d expect.
Read MoreEpisode 136: Call Me Lightning
This week we’re discussing every album by Call Me Lightning. From Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Call Me Lightning was manic indie band (closer to noise rock) made up of core members Nathan Liley on guitar/vocals and Shane Hochstetler on drums. The band was short-lived and there isn’t a whole lot of info on them, but they have a cult following and some insanely good tunes. If you’re a fan of early 00s indie and noise rock in any way, these guys are a must.
Read MoreEpisode 135: Lauryn Hill
This week we’re discussing the only album by Lauryn Hill. Hill, who originally left her mark with hip-hop group the Fugees, changed the landscape of R&B/soul music with her album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. However, the immense success of the record led to a laundry list of scandals and drama. Love triangles, lawsuits, potential cult leaders, and eventually Hill doing actual time in jail. There are few artists with this insane of a story.
Read MoreEpisode 134: Septic Death
This week we’re discussing every album by Septic Death. If you aren’t familiar with the band, you’re definitely familiar with their singer, Pushead (aka Brian Schroeder), who is most known for his incredible artwork. Everything from Metallica, to the Misfits, to having his own limited edition Nike sneaker, Pushead’s style is unmistakable. Septic Death, however, is one of the most absolutely insane hardcore punk bands to ever exist. Words do not do them justice. They’re weird, folks.
Read MoreEpisode 133: Jim Croce
This week we’re discussing every album by the great Jim Croce. Known by most as the guy who did “Time in a Bottle” and "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown," Croce was an exceptional songwriter and folk musician. The man struggled every minute of his career until his tragic and unexpected death in 1973, just days before the release of what would be his last record. Good stuff, sad stuff, real stuff.
Read MoreEpisode 132: Saint Vitus
This week we’re discussing every album by Saint Vitus. Led by guitarist Dave Chandler, Saint Vitus pretty much invented doom metal in the early to mid 80s after being signed to Greg Ginn’s (of Black Flag) record label, SST. While the band has gone through numerous vocalists and lineup changes, the infamous Scott Wino Weinrich left his mark on this band with some of their best albums. Heavy stuff, but definitely not for everyone.
Read MoreEpisode 131: Scratch Acid
This week we’re discussing every album by Scratch Acid. Formed in Austin, Texas, Scratch Acid were one of the very first noise rock bands and coined the style associated with Touch & Go Records. Although they are most famous for being one of Kurt Cobain’s favorite bands, Scratch Acid is a group unlike any other. You simply have to hear them. After they disbanded, singer David Yow and bassist David Wm. Sims went on to form The Jesus Lizard.
Read MoreEpisode 130: The Sugarcubes
This week we’re discussing every album by The Sugarcubes. In addition to being Björk’s first band, The Sugarcubes were one of the biggest things to come out of Iceland in the late 80s. They were featured on Saturday Night Live, as well as had legends David Bowie and Iggy Pop attend their shows. Poppy, fun, and made even better by Björk’s voice.
Read MoreEpisode 129: Steely Dan
This week we’re discussing every album by the one and only Steely Dan. Led by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, Steely Dan is known for pioneering yacht rock, as well as being one of the most recognizable dad rock bands on the planet. People love these guys. People also really hate them, too. Let’s just say we have a healthy mix of both on this episode.
Read MoreEpisode 128: Death (from Detroit)
This week we’re discussing every album by Death, the proto-punk band from Detroit, Michigan. Such an incredible band with one of the most fascinating and tragic backstories. Death was formed in the early 70s by brothers David, Bobby, and Dannis Hackney. The group somehow accidentally invented punk, but was lost to obscurity because no record label would touch the name Death. Fast forward 35 years and their recordings were discovered and reissued, along with the documentary A Band Called Death. Awesome band, and awesome story.
Read MoreEpisode 127: XTC
This week we’re discussing every album by XTC. Led by Andy Partridge, few bands have the creative journey that XTC did. They started out as blistering post-punk, grew into an accessible 80s pop act, went on to pioneer modern alternative, only to end up tossing in a bunch of orchestras, wasting all their money in the process. By the end of their journey, the band was whittled down to two members who hated each other. This is a good one, so strap in.
Read MoreEpisode 126: The Walker Brothers
This week we’re discussing every album by the Walker Brothers. Made up of core members Scott, John, and Gary Walker (their last names are Walker in the same vein as the Ramones), the Walker Brothers began as a baroque pop, country western-influenced cover band in the 60s. Their hits “Make It Easy on Yourself” and “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore” are gut-wrenching ballads that everyone should hear. However, their last album is entirely original and takes the band in an insane and unexpected direction.
Read MoreEpisode 125: Necrophagist
This week we’re discussing every album by the insane Necrophagist. Led by guitarist, vocalist, and main songwriter Muhammed Suiçmez, Necrophagist is one of the most beloved technical death metal bands. Partly because of their brutal and endlessly complex songs, and partly because of their sheer mystery. The band released two albums and is rumored to have recorded a third nearly a decade ago. However, Muhammed has abandoned the project and all plans to release it for seemingly no reason. Necrophagist isn’t for the faint of heart—they’re possibly the most brutal band we’ve covered yet.
Read MoreEpisode 124: Unwound
This week we’re discussing every album by Unwound. Formed in Olympia, Washington by Justin Trosper and the late Vern Rumsey, Unwound really came together after drummer Sara Lund joined the group. Although they began as a fairly straightforward post-hardcore band, their musical evolution was profound. By their final album, they were an intense and brilliant post rock band. Amazing stuff here.
Read MoreEpisode 123: Digable Planets
This week we’re discussing every album by Digable Planets. Considered by most to be a one-hit-wonder (the “cool like dat” song), Digable released two solid records in their short career. Made up of Ishmael Butterfly Butler, Mariana Ladybug Mecca Vieira, and Craig Doodlebug Irving, they are one of the greatest examples of jazz hip hop. Mellow, smooth, and yes, cool like dat.
Read MoreEpisode 122: Sparklehorse
This week we’re discussing every album by Sparklehorse. Composed solely of singer/multi-instrumentalist Mark Linkous, Sparklehorse specialized in the most gentle, heartbreaking indie you’ve ever heard. Eventually Linkous was joined by guest appearances by Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, Iggy Pop, and Danger Mouse—whom he collaborated with on two albums—as well as others. Linkous later committed suicide in 2010.
Read MoreEpisode 121: Rapeman
This week we’re discussing every album by Rapeman. These guys were a noise rock supergroup made up of Steve Albini on guitar/vocals (Big Black, Shellac), David Wm. Sims on bass (Scratch Acid, Jesus Lizard), and Rey Washam on drums (Big Boys, Scratch Acid, Ministry). Rapeman took the buzz saw noisiness of Big Black and coupled it with one of the most incredible rhythm sections in all of rock. A power trio that sounded ten times bigger than they actually were. While they are the most obscure out of all of Steve Albini’s projects, their brutal lyrics and provocative band name landed them in trouble just as much as you’d expect.
Read MoreEpisode 120: Melvins Pt. 3
This week we’re discussing the last remaining albums by the Melvins. This is the most current era of the band, spanning from 2012 to 2021. Easily the least predictable batch of albums compared to the rest, due to the revolving door lineup changes. Countless guest appearances, the introduction of Steve McDonald, as well as a bona fide Butthole Surfers supergroup. As usual, Buzz and Dale continue to not disappoint.
Read MoreEpisode 119: The Pogues
This week we’re discussing every album by The Pogues. Led by the world’s most infamous set of teeth, Shane MacGowan, The Pogues pioneered Celtic punk. If you’re not sure what that sounds like, just imagine the most Irish music you can, speed it up to 100bpm, and you’ve nailed it. Which is a bit ironic since they’re from London and not Ireland. This definitely isn’t a band for everyone, but they’re fun, snarly, and talented as all hell. Grab a pint and sit back, this is a fun one.
Read MoreEpisode 118: Mother Love Bone
This week we’re discussing every album by Mother Love Bone. Credited (along with Green River—check out our episode on them) with pioneering grunge, Mother Love Bone’s promising career was cut short after the sudden death of frontman Andrew Wood. As a result, members Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard went on to form Temple of the Dog (as a tribute to Wood) and eventually Pearl Jam. While Mother Love Bone’s music sounds more alternative metal than grunge, they were still paramount to the scene in Seattle. Good stuff.
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