The Album Files

Latest Episodes:

We're Back//Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl Oct 22, 2025

Show notes

Bet you thought we were done. Well, surprise, surprise! We're back, baby! A new Taylor Swift album was just what we needed to resurrect the Album Files. After sitting with The Life of a Showgirl for a little while, Abby, Matt, and Iain sat down to discuss it.

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Album Files! We will return (probably) to discuss Abby's pick: 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' by The Beatles.

We'd love to hear your thoughts, if you want to send us a voice memo to include in the show you can find our social media links below.

What we've been listening to lately...

Matt: ⁠⁠⁠Jacob Collier - The Light For Days

Iain: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Morten Lohne - Sleeping for Years

Abby: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hayley Williams - Ego Death At a Bachelorette Party, Role Model - Kansas Anymore (The Longest Goodbye)

You can find us on social media ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@abimickey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@iaintreloar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@climbingcyclist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Matt//Ceres, Drag It Down on You Nov 25, 2024

Show notes

"I came across Ceres’ 2016 album Drag It Down on You by accident. The Spotify algorithm thought I’d like it, and I did. A lot. Ever since I heard the raucous drums that kickstart Happy in Your Head, this album has been one I’ve returned to often and always enjoyed. It’s heavy, it’s dark, and it’s raw, but it’s also a thing of great beauty – guitars and drums hit hard, as do the lyrics, and the vocal melodies are frequently sublime. An underrated gem of an album." - Matt

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Album Files! We will return to discuss Abby's pick: 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' by The Beatles.

We'd love to hear your thoughts, if you want to send us a voice memo to include in the show you can find our social media links below.

What we've been listening to lately...

Matt: p.g. lost - Oscillate, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lizzie McAlpine - Older and Wiser, Ceres - Magic Mountain

Iain: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sadness - i love you, Fionn Regan - Farewell, Christian Lee Hutson - Paradise Pop 10

Abby: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The original cast recording from Wicked

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠You can find a ⁠⁠playlist of the music we discussed in episode 29 of The Album Files ⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠ You can find us on social media ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@abimickey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@iaintreloar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@climbingcyclist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Iain//Arooj Aftab, Night Reign Sep 16, 2024

Show notes

"Arooj Aftab's most recent album, Night Reign, is a fascinating merging of styles with the Pakistani-American singer's breathtaking voice floating over the top of it. Something about Aftab's work has really struck a chord with me and I was excited to share it with the rest of the crew – to see whether Abby and Matt were able to find the beauty in this haunting music." - Iain

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Album Files! We will return in two weeks to discuss Matt's pick: 'Drag It Down on You' by Ceres.

We'd love to hear your thoughts, if you want to send us a voice memo to include in the show you can find our social media links below.

What we've been listening to lately...

Matt: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Post Malone, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard ⁠, Eminem⁠, Lizzy McAlpine doco

Iain: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cassandra Jenkins, Alcest, ⁠Christian Löffler, Charli XCX

Abby: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sabrina Carpenter

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠You can find a ⁠⁠playlist of the music we discussed in episode 28 of The Album Files ⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠ You can find us on social media ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@abimickey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@iaintreloar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@climbingcyclist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Abby//Last Dinner Party, Prelude to Ecstasy Jun 26, 2024

Show notes

"From the moment I heard My Lady of Mercy I knew 'The Last Dinner Party' was a band I wanted to introduce to this podcast. The over-the-top, grandiose, almost theatrical nature of the band, not just their music but also their overall aesthetic, was attractive from the first music video and the story behind the band and the rapid trajectory of their last two years makes the whole picture all the more impressive. When I'd finally heard the whole album there was no doubt in my mind I would pitch it, it was only a matter of when." - Abby

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Album Files! We will return in two weeks to discuss Iain's pick: 'Night Reign' by Arooj Aftab.

We'd love to hear your thoughts, if you want to send us a voice memo to include in the show you can find our social media links below.

What we've been listening to lately...

Matt: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft, Dua Lipa - Radical Optimism, Fanning Dempsey National Park, Led Zeppelin - IV

Iain: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Abba - Conociendome, Conociendote, Trhä

Abby: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sabrina Carpenter - Please, Please, Please and Espresso

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠You can find a ⁠⁠playlist of the music we discussed in episode 27 of The Album Files ⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠ You can find us on social media ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@abimickey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@iaintreloar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@climbingcyclist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Bonus!//Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology May 08, 2024

Show notes

Yes, we were supposed to talk about The Last Dinner Party's Prelude to Ecstasy this week, but we couldn't stop listening to Taylor Swift's new album The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology.

Don't worry, we'll be back to our regular episodes next time! For now, please enjoy this bonus episode that could have lasted another 54 minutes.

Bonus!//Lizzy McAlpine, Older Apr 24, 2024

Show notes

"Lizzy McAlpine’s sophomore album, ‘Five Seconds Flat’, was one of the first albums we reviewed here at The Album Files. It made an immediate impression on all of us and has been an album we’ve come back to again and again in the year and a bit since. So when she released her third album, ‘Older’, earlier this month, we knew we had to get together and talk about it." - Matt

We will be back next week with a regularly scheduled (what does that even mean with us) episode. Thank you for listening!

Matt//Neutral Milk Hotel, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea Apr 18, 2024

Show notes

"Neutral Milk Hotel’s second and final album, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998), is an indie rock cult classic, a weird and wonderful journey through the mind of a reclusive genius, and an album that’s as provocative as it is intriguing. Sonically it’s rough and unpolished; lyrically it’s largely impenetrable and often unsettling. Ultimately, this is a fascinating and important piece of art and one that’s deserving of all the attention it’s received in the past quarter century." - Matthew

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Album Files! We will be back in two weeks to discuss Abby's pick: Prelude to Ecstasy by The Last Dinner Party. Next week we will have a special episode about Lizzy McAlpine's Older

We'd love to hear your thoughts, if you want to send us a voice memo to include in the show you can find our social media links below.

What we've been listening to lately...

Matt: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jacob Collier - Little Blue (Mahogany Sessions), Lizzy McAlpine - Older (Jimmy Fallon)

Iain: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sadness - Lana, Sylvaine - Dagsens Auga Sloknar Ut

Abby: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beyoncé - Blackbiird

⁠⁠⁠⁠You can find a ⁠⁠playlist of the music we discussed in episode 26 of The Album Files ⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠ You can find us on social media ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@abimickey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@iaintreloar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@climbingcyclist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Iain//Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago Mar 09, 2024

Show notes

"Before the Taylor Swift and Kanye West collabs, Bon Iver's debut album is an insular, inward-looking reflection on its frontman Justin Vernon, originally intended as a demo before going on to sell in its hundreds of thousands and birthing a new generation of singer-songwriter. It's a fascinating record not just because of what it says but what it doesn't - and the considerable mythology behind it." -Iain

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Album Files! We will be back in two weeks to discuss Matt's pick: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel.

We'd love to hear your thoughts, if you want to send us a voice memo to include in the show you can find our social media links below.

What we've been listening to lately...

Matt: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jacob Collier - Bridge Over Troubled Water breakdown of how he made the song, Jacob Collier - Bridge Over Troubled Water

Iain: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alcest - L'Envol

Abby: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nothing this week :)

⁠⁠⁠You can find a ⁠⁠playlist of the music we discussed in episode 25 of The Album Files ⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠ You can find us on social media ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@abimickey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@iaintreloar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@climbingcyclist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Alt-J, Camp Cope, and Japanese Breakfast Feb 24, 2024

Show notes

For this episode, we asked our listeners for their suggestions of albums that are worth listening to. The three that we landed on were Japanese Breakfast's Jubilee (suggested by Escape Collective member jlb1705), Alt-J's An Awesome Wave (suggested by Brooke Lendvay), and Camp Cope's How to Socialise and Make Friends (suggested by Andy Gerrie).

We had a blast listening to all three and as always are super grateful you all listen to this podcast, it means the world to us.

We will be back in two weeks to discuss Iain's pick: For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver.

We'd love to hear your thoughts, if you want to send us a voice memo to include in the show you can find our social media links below.

What we've been listening to lately...

Matt: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Older - Lizzy McAlpine, Little Simz - SOS, Lil Dicky - HAHAHA

Iain: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ratatat - Wildcat, Wild Beasts - Wanderlust

Abby: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sofiane Pamart - Seoul, Beyoncé - Texas Hold 'Em

⁠⁠⁠You can find a ⁠⁠playlist of the music we discussed in episode 24 of The Album Files ⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠ You can find us on social media ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@abimickey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@iaintreloar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@climbingcyclist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Abby//Green Day, American Idiot Feb 09, 2024

Show notes

"Apart from that I love it, and in a lot of ways it was the first album that I fell in love with without influence from my family, it also feels weirdly “too close” in the current political climate. John Colapinto of Rolling Stone wrote about the album that it "gives voice to the disenfranchised suburban underclass of Americans who feel wholly unrepresented by the current leadership of oilmen and Ivy Leaguers, and who are too smart to accept the "reality" presented by news media who sell the government's line of fear and warmongering." And If that’s not the world we are living in now…It was an album that changed me as a person, a freshman in high school in a lot of ways discovering who I was for the first time, this album became my anthem for a time and was the soundtrack behind a new version of myself and my departure from youth." -Abby

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Album Files! We will be back in two weeks to discuss the latest round of listener picks: Japanese Breakfast's Jubilee (suggested by jlb1705), Alt-J's An Awesome Wave (suggested by Brooke Lendvay), and Camp Cope's How to Socialise and Make Friends (suggested by Andy Gerrie).

We'd love to hear your thoughts, if you want to send us a voice memo to include in the show you can find our social media links below.

What we've been listening to lately...

Matt: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Green Day - Bobby Sox, Green Day - Saviors (full album), Green Day in the NYC subway

Iain: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Olhava, Violet Cold, Mono

Abby: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠René Rapp - SNL Snow Angel, Boygenius - Not Strong Enough, The Last Dinner Party - Caesar on the TV Screen

⁠⁠You can find a ⁠⁠playlist of the music we discussed in episode 23 of The Album Files ⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠ You can find us on social media ⁠⁠⁠⁠@abimickey⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠@iaintreloar⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠@climbingcyclist⁠⁠⁠⁠.