The Great Albums

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Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill (w/ guest Devon Moore) Feb 15, 2016

Show notes

Singer, songwriter, ukulele player Devon Moore from folk/pop/reggae band Fun While You Wait (fwywmusic.com) joins Bill And Brian to discuss Alanis Morissette's landmark international debut Jagged Little Pill (1995, Maverick). Alanis started her career as a Canadian teen pop idol, but shed that image, incorporating rock, grunge, and folk song styles into the confessional and starkly honest music on this album. Thanks to the success of several hit singles, the album sold over 16 million copies in the US. Devon relates how she discovered the album amidst her elder siblings' CD collection when she entered her early teen years, while Bill and Brian compare and contrast their own experiences hearing Alanis Morissette as a ubiquitous radio presence during their time in middle school. Brian, Bill, and Devon also discuss novice harmonica playing, grunge pop, supposed image-making, Flea being in his own world, Dave Coulier, a bit of a lesson on gating and comp'ing vocals, how Bill doesn't understand references to masturbation, the origins of Buddhism, why Brian's 7th grade was the worst, what irony really is, and a track by track review!

Bonus Song Thursday - Bob Dylan "Pay in Blood" Feb 11, 2016

Show notes

It's Bonus Song Thursday! Bill and Brian welcome back singer, songwriter, and musician Renee Maskin (lowlightnj.bandcamp.com) to continue talking about that guy/historical figure/musical genius Bob Dylan. Because it's Bonus Song Thursday, we focus on a single song, and this time it's "Pay in Blood" off Dylan's 2012 album Tempest. Brian, Bill, and Renee talk about the lyrics, the Christ and war imagery, how the song evokes a little bit of Tom Waits, songs about the Titanic that references the 1997 film, and how that reference is similar to songs about Westerns or political activism of the 60s.

Bob Dylan - Nashville Skyline (w/ guest Renee Maskin) Feb 08, 2016

Show notes

Singer, songwriter, and musician Renee Maskin (lowlightnj.bandcamp.com) joins Bill and Brian to discuss Bob Dylan's country-tinged Nashville Skyline (1969, Columbia). After becoming a historical icon in the progressive folk movement of the 60s, Dylan broke huge after "going electric" and embracing rock and other popular music. Tired of the spotlight, Dylan took some time off after a motorcycle accident sidelined him a while. He took that opportunity to revamp his sound too, culminating in this classic that eschews his usual rambling lyrics and froggy voice in favor of simple melodies and a lilting vocal tone. Renee, Brian, and Bill discuss Dylan's arrangements, his role as a historical figure, the sound of contentment on this record, arranging in the studio, George Harrison's influence and vice versa, the cult of personality around Dylan and how he interacts with fans, how Dylan maintained his fame without radio hits, and (as always) a track by track review!

Bonus Song Thursday - Queen and David Bowie "Under Pressure" Feb 04, 2016

Show notes

It's Bonus Song Thursday! Brian and Bill welcome back singer songwriter and musician Jeff Linden (jefflinden.bandcamp.com) to talk a little more about Queen and their collaboration with David Bowie, "Under Pressure." We talk about which Queen song we're sending to the aliens in outer space, legendary bass lines, "Ice Ice Baby" (briefly), the opening bass line to "Walk on the Wild Side," what the heck the song is about, and who came up with this bass line. Additionally, we have a little bit of a surprise at the beginning of the episode that you can listen to at soundcloud.com/thegreatalbums!

Queen - A Night at the Opera (w/ guest Jeff Linden) Feb 01, 2016

Show notes

Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Linden (jefflinden.bandcamp.com) of Rose Boulevard and his own solo work (backed by the Black Spot Society) joins Bill and Brian to discuss Queen's A Night at the Opera (1975, EMI/Parlophone/Elektra). Probably the definitive album in the band's career, it was a great leap forward both sonically and in composition. With all four members contributing songs, it was an eclectic mix of progressive, hard rock, folk, and vaudeville all anchored by the band's signature harmonies. Jeff talks about discovering Queen at a young age and later coming under their influence again after making his way through a period of listening to serious big songwriters rooted in cars and summer. Along the way, we also discuss how Queen evolved out of a band called Smile, Freddie Mercury's consistent voice, John Deacon's motivations for writing songs, gender roles and sexual identity in songwriting, what a canon is, theremin, Bohemian Rhapsody (of course), and what kind of show we think Roger Taylor and Brian May should be doing curating at Radio City Music Hall.

Bonus Song Thursday - The Strokes "Juicebox" Jan 28, 2016

Show notes

It's Bonus Song Thursday! Bill and Brian follow up our episode on the Strokes' Is This It by talking about "Juicebox," off the band's third album First Impressions of Earth (2006, RCA). Representative of the turning point in the band's sound, the song is muscular and driving, a stark contrast to their earlier work. Brian and Bill discuss David Kahne's production and career, how the Strokes and the Gaslight Anthem have had the same problem, the Strokes side projects, Brian's discovery of the band, and a tweet that (thankfully) corrected who the characters are in Jack Kerouac's On the Road.

The Strokes - Is This It (w/ guest Cassidy Robinson) Jan 25, 2016

Show notes

From the Jabber and the Drone podcast (jabberandthedrone.podbean.com), Cassidy Robinson joins Bill and Brian to discuss the final installment of Debut Album January, the Strokes' Is This It (2001, RCA). Coming together in New York City and first gaining a following in the UK, the Strokes were a breath of fresh air during a period of nu metal, boy bands, and emo. We talk about when Cassidy first discovered the band, listening to them while riding the bus to school, and how it changed his outlook on the aural landscape available to him as a fan of music. Before we get to our track by track review, we discuss the lasting impact the band made even though they were unable to maintain the level of quality on their first few releases. Additionally, we cover the possible reasons for starting an album with a low key song, which song sounds the most like a Velvet Underground song, stabby guitars, the unique production style of Gordon Raphael, which song sounds like the best song Weezer didn't write, the "conversation" between musicians when a song is being arranged, and more!

Bonus Song Thursday - Warren Zevon "Werewolves of London" Jan 21, 2016

Show notes

It's Bonus Song Thursday! Brian and Bill welcome Patrick from the Almost Education and Make Dad Read Comics podcasts to continue talking about Warren Zevon. This time we eschew the long conversation about a whole album to talk a Zevon's biggest and most memorable song "Werewolves pf London" off of the album Excitable Boy (1978, Asylum). We discuss how to rationalize this song as part of Zevon's whole career, whether or not this is a novelty, Kid Rock sampling the song, what happens when you put two Lynyrd Skynyrd live CDs on shuffle, and when Zevon drifted away from the mellow mafia. We also read some listener emails and share their music, podcasts, and trivia about Dennis Wilson and SNL!

Warren Zevon - Self Titled (w/ guest Patrick from Almost Educational and Make Dad Read Comics) Jan 18, 2016

Show notes

Patrick from the Almost Educational and Make Dad Read Comics podcasts joins Bill and Brian as we continue Debut Albums January to discuss Warren Zevon's self titled album (1976, Asylum). Often a misunderstood artist, the eclectic singer songwriter found success after falling in with like minded individuals in the mid-70s LA scene, including the producer for this album Jackson Browne. We talk about how Warren Zevon helped teenage Patrick expand his musical palette, why some people view him as kind of a hokey songwriter, and as always a track by track review. Along the way, we discuss Zevon's storytelling balladry, the reliability of oral histories, if Warren Zevon fits in with the mellow mafia, what brunch with Warren would be like, what podcasting in hell would be like (hint: Satan is an Eagles fan), what it takes to be the world's most successful jug player, and the secret to Brian's listening habits!

Bonus Song Thursday - Elvis Costello "Oliver's Army" Jan 14, 2016

Show notes

It's Bonus Song Thursday! Singer, songwriter, musician Jesse Elliot (jesseelliot.com) joins Brian and Bill once again to discuss Elvis Costello. We jump a couple albums into the artist's discography to discuss his single "Oliver's Army" from Armed Forces (1979, Radar/Columbia), the second album to feature backing band the Attractions. We discuss the polish and improved production on this album, Costello's move into New Wave, what the song's lyrics refer to, irony, the use of controversial lyrics, and when Costello recently addressed that topic.

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