Show Notes
Musician and podcaster Chris Tull (Weekend Quality) joins Bill and Brian for one final episode in the old studio to discuss XTC's landmark album, Skylarking. We talk about the contentious relationship between main songwriter Andy Partridge and producer Todd Rundgren, the album's overarching theme of birth, life, and death, Colin Moulding's generous songwriting contributions, and Dave Gregory's idiosyncratic guitar-playing all while going through the album track-by-track. This episode sponsored by Songfinch and Zip Recruiter.
More from The Great Albums
In this mail bag episode, Bill and Brian read some emails and messages from listeners. We talk about why we aren't on Spotify, what's the Millennial "Smells Like Teen Spirit," great pickle ball movies, get some input from European listeners on what the Are You Experienced track list is over there, and much more!
Bill and Brian get into all the things that make the Go-Go's Beauty & the Beat (1981, I.R.S. Records) a great album! Jane Wiedlin and Charlotte Caffey's songwriting, the band's punk rock attitude, what's the problem with Robert Christgau, and much more as we make our way through this album track by track!
Bill and Brian welcome Ryan Hanratty and Bill Greenwood. Ryan and Bill have been handling all the cool social media content everyone's been seeing recently. Ryan edits videos that make us look funny and Bill has been getting our names out in the press. Find out what music they love, the first albums they bought, and what was the best sandwich to get at the Rider University diner. Full episode at patreon.com/thegreatalbums
Bill and Brian talk about what makes Are You Experienced by the Jimi Hendrix Experience great! We examine how the power trio's debut expanded the possibilities of rock guitar, pairing blues and rock & roll foundations with psychedelic experimentation, unusual effects, and a wide emotional range. Working through the original 11-track U.S. edition, we dig into Hendrix's virtuosity and songwriting talent, Mitch Mitchell's kinetic drumming, the album's idiosyncratic production and stereo mix, and the way the album moves between enduring songs like "Purple Haze," "Hey Joe," "The Wind Cries Mary," "Fire," and "Foxey Lady."
Bill and Brian are very lucky to be joined by, not one, but TWO very special guests to discuss what we love about the Promise Ring's Very Emergency (1999, Jade Tree). First up is long time friend of the podcast Jim Hanke from the spectacular Vinyl Emergency podcast. Jim shares his experiences discovering the band while coming up in Milwaukee (Algonquin for "the good land") and loving the band all through its evolution from emo to power pop and beyond. Then, Jim got us hooked up with the Promise Ring's very own Dan Didier. Dan joins us to share stories about recording the album with J. Robbins in Washington, DC. Check it all out!