Nakedly Examined Music Podcast - TopPodcast.com

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

Nakedly Examined Music Podcast — Music
Nakedly Examined Music Podcast

Song Analysis with the Songwriter

Latest Episodes:

NEM#28: Jill Freeman on Fairy Tales and Psychological Truth Nov 12, 2016

Show notes

Jill was part of a 3-woman vocal band in the '80s called The Life is Grand Band, and then in 1995 released Songs About Sex & Depression, and only in 2015 unveiled her long-awaited study of the dark psychology of fairy tales, A Handmade Life. We focus on this most recent project, discussing "Letters from Murdertown" and "Eyes of Fire," and playing at the end "Walking on Glass." Our third discussion song goes back to the previous album with "Everything Makes Me Cry." Opening music is The Life Is Grand Band's "Harry’s Song" from Feel Like Makin' Art (1989). Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page.

NEM#27: Peter Knight (Steeleye Span): Free Fiddlin’ in the Face of Death Oct 30, 2016

Show notes

Peter's violin was a key part of Steeleye Span's updating of traditional folk songs from 1971–2013. His original songs were among the group's most heartfelt. We talk about being creative with traditional music, authenticity, and finally getting the hang of songwriting late in his career. We discuss "We Shall Wear Midnight" from Steeleye Span's Wintersmith (2013 with Terry Pratchett), "Bows of London" from Gigspanner's Layers of Ages (2015), and "From a Lullaby Kiss" (2014 solo). End song: "Who Told the Butcher" from Bedlam Born (2000 Steeleye); intro: "The Butterfly" from Lipreading the Poet (2008 Gigspanner). For more info, see peterknight.net and gigspanner.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music.

NEM#26: Pat Doty: Tubas Unite! Oct 23, 2016

Show notes

This orchestral tubist and pop songwriter has composed fun new additions to the solo tuba repertoire and classically influenced piano-vocal songs. We discuss "Mendota" and "Love for My Own" and listen to "Disco Tubas" from Dare to Entertain (2015), and also discuss some of his "Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra." More at patdoty.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music.

NEM#25: Bill Bruford: Drumming Matters Oct 02, 2016

Show notes

Bill was the original drummer for Yes, a default member of King Crimson, and briefly played with Genesis and the late '70s supergroup U.K., but most of his output has been with his own jazz-inflected Earthworks and Bruford, as rock proved too confining for his rhythmic and tonal creativity. We discuss King Crimson's "One more Red Nightmare" from Red (1974), "Thistledown" from If Summer Had Its Ghosts by Bill Bruford, Eddie Gomez and Ralph Towner (1992), and "The 16 Kingdoms of the 5 Barbarians" from Every Step a Dance, Every Word a Song by Bill Bruford/Michiel Borstlap (2004). We also hear "Hell's Bells" and the title track of One of a Kind by Bruford (1979), plus "Five Per Cent for Nothing" from Fragile (1972) by Yes. Learn more at billbruford.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music.

NEM#24: Tyler Hislop (Sacrifice): Copious Rhymes Sep 26, 2016

Show notes

Tyler (editor of this podcast!) can rap endlessly, and has filled up ten albums with his machine-gun musings on life and politics. A great intro to indie hip-hop for the ignorant (like me)! Songs: "Negative Space," "Long Way Down," and "Ciphers" (feat Grimm) from Long Way Down (2015), and "Kids of the Earth" from Quest for Meaning (2008). Hear more at soundcloud.com/sacrifice. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music.

NEM#23: Sean Beeson’s Two-Minute Hi-Tech Symphonies Sep 18, 2016

Show notes

Sean writes music for video games. He uses five computers, with massively realistic orchestra sounds, and he performs every part with a breath controller for expression. We discuss "Beyond the Desert" (from Empires Apart), "Mega Adventure Time" (from Adventure Time: Magic Man’s Head Game for Gear VR), and "Celestial Light" (from Stellar Wanderer). We conclude by listening to a non-video-game tune, "Salve Regina" featuring Fr. Gabriel. Opening music is "Dr. Evil’s Lair of Doom." Hear more at seanbeeson.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music.

NEM#22: Jon Langford (Mekons) on “Natural” Art Aug 15, 2016

Show notes

Jon has been a key member of art collective The Mekons since 1977, injecting country/folk/reggae/etc. influences into a seminal punk band to create an inimitable melange that has put out 19 albums, plus he puts out solo albums and is involved with many side projects including the country-punk Waco Brothers. We discuss "Lil' Ray O' Light" from his solo album Here Be Monsters (2014) and two Mekons songs: "This Funeral Is for the Wrong Corpse" recorded in 1991 and released on I Have Been to Heaven and Back: Hen's Teeth and Other Lost Fragments of Un-Popular Culture, Volume 1 in 1999, and "Cockermouth" from Natural (2007). We conclude by listening to the title track from the 2016 Waco Brothers album Going Down in History. Intro/outro music is from "Mephis Egypt" from The Mekons Rock 'n' Roll (1989). Hear more Nakedly Examined Music.

NEM#21: Trey Gunn and the Discipline of Tap Guitar Aug 08, 2016

Show notes

Trey is master of a many-stringed type of guitar that you play by tapping with both hands at the same time. His mentor was Robert Fripp, with whom he played in the seminal progressive rock band King Crimson. He has also released over a dozen exploratory solo albums. Learn more at treygunn.com. We talked about "Kuma" from his solo album The Third Star (1996), "Level Five" from King Crimson's The Power to Believe, and "God's Monkey" from the David Sylvian/Robert Fripp album The First Day (1993). We conclude by listening to Trey's current touring group The Security Project, as they play the Peter Gabriel classic "No Self Control" from Live 1 (2016). Beginning and end music is from Trey's Live and Hugo House EP (2015). Hear more discussion and songs by signing up for a recurring donation, then clicking here. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music.

NEM#20: Dave Nachmanoff Crafts Specific Yet Universal Stories Jul 29, 2016

Show notes

Dave is a consummate craftsman in the acoustic singer-songwriter vein, but with the added bonus that he's an amazing guitar player, who for 15 years or so has acted as sideman for '70s Brit-legend Al Stewart, i.e., filling in the entirety of the musical palette apart from Al's singing and strumming. And Dave has a philosophy Ph.D., and put that to use in crafting his most recent album Spinoza's Dream (2016), where each song reflects a particular philosopher. We talk about the title track from that album, plus two songs from Step Up (2011): "Sheila Won’t Be Coming Home" (a duet with Al Stewart) and "Descartes in Amsterdam" (originally written and recorded in 1997). We finish by listening to "All Good" from the new album. The opening music is Dave's instrumental version of Al's hit "Year of the Cat" from Wordless Rhymes (2005). Learn more at davenachmanoff.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music.

NEM#19: Chad Clark (Beauty Pill): Smart Went Electro-Soundscapey Jul 07, 2016

Show notes

Chad's 2015 album Beauty Pill Describes Things As They Are has received heaps of nice reviews, with its carefully crafted, groove-oriented soundscapes and cinematic lyrics. We discuss "Afrikaner Barista" and "Steven & Tiwonge," and then go back to Beauty Pill's first release with "The Idiot Heart" from the Cigarette Girl from the Future EP (2001). We close by listening to "The Prize," a cover of an Arto Lindsay song. The opening music is “A Good Day” by Chad's previous band, Smart Went Crazy, from Con Art (1997). Learn more at www.beautypill.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music.

Related Podcasts