Sound Opinions

Latest Episodes:

The Cars are Underrated Plus Opinions on Sprints Nov 07, 2025

Show notes

Hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot talk about The Cars with Bill Janovitz, the author of a new book on the band. The book makes the case that The Cars are an underrated band. Plus, the hosts review the new album from Irish post-punk band, Sprints.

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Featured Songs:

The Cars, "Candy-O," Candy-O, Elektra, 1979

The Beatles, "With A Little Help From My Friends," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone, 1967

Sprints, "Descartes," All That Is Over, City Slangs and Sub Pop, 2025

Sprints, "Coming Alive," All That Is Over, City Slangs and Sub Pop, 2025

Sprints, "Something's Gonna Happen," All That Is Over, City Slangs and Sub Pop, 2025

Buffalo Tom, "Late at Night," Big Red Letter Day, Beggars Banquet, 1993

The Cars, "Just What I Needed," The Cars, Elektra, 1978

The Cars, "Good Times Roll," The Cars, Elektra, 1978

The Cars, "My Best Friend's Girl," The Cars, Elektra, 1978

The Cars, "Drive," Heartbeat City, Elektra, 1984

The Cars, "Heartbeat City," Heartbeat City, Elektra, 1984

The Cars, "Dangerous Type," Candy-O, Elektra, 1979

The Cars, "Let's Go," Candy-O, Elektra, 1979

Fleetwood Mac, "Dreams," Rumours, Warner Bros., 1977

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A Brilliant Soundtrack from One of This Year's Hit Films Nov 05, 2025

Show notes

In this bonus DIJ, Greg digs into the soundtrack from one of his recent film outings. The score comes from an innovative rock guitarist turned composer.

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Songs About the Moon Oct 31, 2025

Show notes

Hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot follow up a recent episode paying tribute to the sun with another set of songs about a celestial body. This time, they share their favorite songs about the moon — along with picks from the production staff.

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Featured Songs:

The Beatles, "Mr. Moonlight," Beatles for Sale, Parlophone, 1964

The Beatles, "With A Little Help From My Friends," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone, 1967

Wire, "A Mutual Friend," 154, Harvest, 1979

R.E.M., "Nightswimming," Automatic For The People, Warner Bros, 1992

Songs:Ohia, "Blue Chicago Moon," Didn't It Rain, Secretly Canadian, 2002

Credence Clearwater Revival, "Bad Moon Rising," Green River, Fantasy, 1969

Janelle Monáe, "Many Moons," Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase), Bad Boy, 2007

Brian Eno, "St. Elmo's Fire," Another Green World, Island, 1975

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, "Luna," Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Shelter, 1976

Mitski, "My Love Mine All Mine," The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, Dead Oceans, 2023

David Bowie, "Moonage Daydream," The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, RCA, 1972

Thin Lizzy, "Dancing in the Moonlight - Live," Live and Dangerous', Philips, 1978

Los Lobos, "Kiko and the Lavendar Moon," Kiko, Slash, 1992

The Rolling Stones, "Child of the Moon," Jumpin' Jack Flash / Child Of The Moon (Single), Decca, 1968

Nick Drake, "Pink Moon," Pink Moon, Island, 1972

Willie Nelson, "Darkness on the Face of the Earth," ...And Then I Wrote, Liberty, 1962

Emmylou Harris, "Luxury Liner," Luxury Liner (Expanded & Remastered), Reprise, 2003

Emmylou Harris, "Crescent City," Cowgirl's Prayer, The Grapevine, 1994

SOFT PLAY, "Punk's Dead," HEAVY JELLY, BMG, 2024

The Beach Boys, "Surf's Up," Surf's Up, Reprise, 1971

The Cars, "Drive," Heartbeat City, Elektra, 1984

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A Deep Cut Even for Krautrock Fans Oct 29, 2025

Show notes

In this bonus episode, Jim adds a song to the Desert Island Jukebox from a krautrock band so obscure they didn’t even make the cut in the definitive book on the genre he’s been reading.

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RIP D'Angelo Oct 24, 2025

Show notes

On October 14th, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist D'Angelo died at the age of 51. Throughout his too short life, he made three unforgettable albums and cemented his legacy as one of the great artists of his time. Hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot pay tribute to D'Angelo by talking about his life, career and musical impact. They'll also revisit their classic album dissection of D'Angelo's masterpiece, Voodoo.

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Featured Songs:

D'Angelo, "Untitled (How Does It Feel)," Voodoo, Virgin, 2000

The Beatles, "With A Little Help From My Friends," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone, 1967

D'Angelo, "Brown Sugar," Brown Sugar, EMI, 1995

D'Angelo, "Playa Playa," Voodoo, Virgin, 2000

D'Angelo, "Chicken Grease," Voodoo, Virgin, 2000

D'Angelo, "Devil's Pie," Voodoo, Virgin, 2000

D'Angelo, "One Mo'gin," Voodoo, Virgin, 2000

D'Angelo, "Africa," Voodoo, Virgin, 2000

D'Angelo, "The Root," Voodoo, Virgin, 2000

D'Angelo, "Send It On," Voodoo, Virgin, 2000

D'Angelo, "Feel like Makin' Love," Voodoo, Virgin, 2000

D'Angelo and the Vanguard, "Sugah Daddy," Black Messiah, RCA, 2014

D'Angelo and the Vanguard, "The Charade," Black Messiah, RCA, 2014

D'Angelo and the Vanguard, "1000 Deaths," Black Messiah, RCA, 2014

David Bowie, "Moonage Daydream," The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, RCA, 1972

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RIP Chicago Artist Tony Fitzpatrick Oct 22, 2025

Show notes

Tony Fitzpatrick was a Chicago artist, poet, actor, and someone who embodied the spirit of the city itself. Tony died on October 11, 2025, at the age of 66. In this bonus episode, Greg pays tribute to Fitzpatrick with a song from one of the artist's long-time collaborators, Steve Earle.

Celebrate the life of Tony Fitzpatrick on Sunday, November 23rd at Metro Chicago. 3730 N. Clark St

3pm - 6pm. Doors at 2pm.

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Rough Trade & Opinions on Geese Oct 17, 2025

Show notes

Hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot talk with Rough Trade collaborators Geoff Travis and Jeannette Lee about their contributions to the music industry and their new label River Lea, which focuses on Irish folk music. The hosts also review the buzzy new album from indie rockers, Geese.

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Featured Songs:

Lankum, "Cold Old Fire," Cold Old Fire, Self Released, 2014

The Beatles, "With A Little Help From My Friends," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone, 1967

Geese, "Taxes," Getting Killed, Partisan, 2025

Geese, "Islands of Men," Getting Killed, Partisan, 2025

Geese, "Trinidad," Getting Killed, Partisan, 2025

Geese, "Half Real," Getting Killed, Partisan, 2025

Brighde Chaimbeul, "An Léimras / Harris Dance," The Reeling, River Lea, 2019

Raw Bar Collective, "Baile Mhúirne (feat. Nell Ní Chróinín)," Ag Fogairt an Lae, Self Released, 2016

The Wolfe Tones, "Come Out Ye Black & Tans," Let The People Sing, Dolphin, 1972

Lankum, "Go Dig My Grave," False Lankum, Rough Trade, 2023

Lisa O'Neill, "All the Tired Horses," All the Tired Horses (Single), Rough Trade, 2022

John Francis Flynn, "Mole in The Ground," Look Over the Wall, See the Sky, River Lea, 2023

Poor Creature, "The Whole Town Knows," All Smiles Tonight, River Lea, 2025

Poor Creature, "All Smiles Tonight," All Smiles Tonight, River Lea, 2025

Ye Vagabonds, "An Island," Nine Waves, River Lea, 2022

Poor Creature, "Adieu Lovely Eireann," All Smiles Tonight, River Lea, 2025

Public Image Ltd, "Flowers of Romance," Flowers of Romance, Virgin, 1981

ANOHNI, "It Must Change," My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross, Rough Trade, 2023

Robert Wyatt, "The Age of Self," Old Rottenhat, Rough Trade, 1985

The Smiths, "Frankly, Mr. Shankly," The Queen Is Dead, Rough Trade, 1986

John Fogerty, "Zanz Kant Danz," Centerfield, Warner Bros, 1984

Swell Maps, "The Helicopter Spies," Jane from Occupied Europe, Rough Trade, 1980

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A Real Groovy Track Oct 15, 2025

Show notes

In this bonus episode of Sound Opinions, Jim gets "reaal!" about his love of disco with this groovy track.

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Producer of "Planet Rock" Arthur Baker, Plus Opinions on Wednesday Oct 10, 2025

Show notes

Hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot chat with record producer and author Arthur Baker about his new book, Looking for the Perfect Beat: Remixing and Reshaping Hip-Hop, Rock and Rhythms. The hosts also review the new album from Wednesday.

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Featured Songs:

Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force, "Looking for the Perfect Beat (Original 12" Version)," Looking for the Perfect Beat, Tommy Boy, 1982

The Beatles, "With A Little Help From My Friends," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone, 1967

Wednesday, "Elderberry Wine," Bleeds, Dead Oceans, 2025

Wednesday, "Candy Breath," Bleeds, Dead Oceans, 2025

Wednesday, "Townies," Bleeds, Dead Oceans, 2025

Wednesday, "Gary's II," Bleeds, Dead Oceans, 2025

Wednesday, "The Way Love Goes," Bleeds, Dead Oceans, 2025

New Order, "Confusion," Confusion, Factory, 1983

Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force, "Planet Rock," Planet Rock: The Album, Tommy Boy, 1986

Run-D.M.C., "It's Like That," Run-D.M.C., Profile, 1984

Thundercat, "Walk On By (feat. Kendrick Lamar)," Drunk, Brainfeeder, 2017

Marvin Gaye, "Sexual Healing," Midnight Love, Columbia, 1982

New Order, "Thieves Like Us," Thieves Like Us, Factory, 1983

Bruce Springsteen, "Dancing In The Dark (Blaster Mix)," Dancing In The Dark, CBS, 1985

Artists United Against Apartheid, "Sun City," Sun City, Manhattan, 1985

Warpaint, "Love Is to Die," Warpaint, Rough Trade, 2014

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RIP Sonny Curtis Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

In this bonus episode, Greg pays tribute to Sonny Curtis, the undersung artist who wrote the original version of "I Fought the Law" with The Crickets. Sonny died on September 19, 2025, at the age of 88.

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