This week we’re discussing every album by The Jesus Lizard. These guys are one of the wildest, most talented, and most beloved noise rock bands to ever exist. Made up of David Yow and David Wm. Sims (Scratch Acid), Duane Denison (later of Tomahawk), and Mac McNeilly, The Jesus Lizard were special, plain and simple. Tight and punishing rhythm section, strange and haunting guitar lines, and David Yow screaming, slobbering, and breathing all over the mic. Listen to them now, please.
Read MoreEpisode 141: The Sound
This week we’re discussing every album by post-punk band The Sound. Led by the late Adrian Borland, who tragically committed suicide in 1999, The Sound is easily one of the most underrated post-punk bands to exist. They began as garage rock-inspired punk and quickly made their way toward the new wave side of things, but with a few surprises along the way. Interesting and ultimately heartbreaking story this band has.
Read MoreEpisode 140: MF DOOM
This week we’re discussing every album by MF DOOM. Known for his incredibly unusual samples, complex and clever lyrics, and his stainless steel gladiator mask, DOOM (real name Daniel Dumile) opened up an entirely new layer of hip-hop. There is so much to say about this dude—he was truly something else. We’re pretty sure he died in 2020, but we’re not certain.
Read MoreEpisode 139: Portishead
This week we’re discussing every album by Portishead. Credited with pioneering trip-hop, as well as being one of the biggest bands of the 90s, Portishead released only three albums, yet managed to evolve alt music exponentially with each one. While they’ve never officially broken up, they are in no rush to put out records and only do so when they have something to say. A rare and impressive trait from a band with their level of success.
Read MoreEpisode 138: Mercury Rev
This week we’re discussing every album by Mercury Rev. Led by Jonathan Donahue and Grasshopper (with huge contributions by Dave Fridmann), Mercury Rev left their mark on indie rock with their 1998 album, Deserter’s Songs. But they have so many other albums that are either insanely underrated or overlooked completely. Their friendship with the Flaming Lips explains the stylistic similarities between the two, but their songwriting stands on its own.
Read MoreEpisode 137: Martin Dupont
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.
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