Stay ConnectedThe Radio Ga Ga Podcast is a weekly album review podcast that explores why we like the music we like. Host Justine Piehowski dives into each album in depth, with artist backgrounds, song-by-song meanings, and notes from the recording studio. The goal of the Radio Ga Ga Podcast is to help you as the listener feel more knowledgeable and connected to the music you love, and maybe even music you didn’t know you would.
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https://radiogagapodcast.com/
We've all had those songs that lodge themselves into our brains and refuse to get out. Why are we so prone to this happening, and what certain types of songs are more commonly sticky? We'll discuss a number of factors, plus the science behind what's happening in our brain when a song gets stuck, and how repetition in music feeds into a basic human need for comfort and safety. We'll also talk about supposed cures for earworms - and one thing that is scientifically proven to get rid of them.
"Southeastern" is a stunningly beautiful album, one that will grow with me as I go through life. In this episode, we talk about Jason's upbringing in Muscle Shoals, living hard in the Drive-By Truckers, and getting sober with the help of his now-wife, Amanda Shires. We talk love songs, family, the South, Pedialyte, anchors, and redemption. I'm so happy to welcome Kevin Van Valkenburg again to the podcast! We saw Isbell in concert together, and he's the biggest fan I know. This one's a must-listen.
In Pt. II of our series, we talk about all the new characters and concepts introduced on Side B of "Village Green" and how the album became so popular after commercially failing upon release (on the same day as the Beatles' White Album, too.) We'll also discuss the Kinks' career after "Village Green," including "Lola," their transition to arena rock, and final show in the mid-90s. It's also possible we'll see a rare Kinks revival by the end of 2019, so I'm sharing details on that as well!
In the two years Ray Davies took to write this album, the Kinks went from global stars to has-beens. By 1968, focus had shifted to Jimi, The Stones, and the Beatles, and there was no place for the twee "Village Green." So how has the album since become so legendary? In this episode, we'll talk about the rocky history of the Kinks, and why they got banned from playing in the U.S. at the peak of the British Invasion. We'll also meet the characters on Side A of "Village Green" and explore the place a bit.
In this episode, we dive deep into the viral hit "Old Town Road" and how it has become the most popular song of 2019. We'll discuss the artist, Lil Nas X, how he used the power of internet memes to get this song off the ground, and what happened when Billboard unfairly pulled "Old Town Road" from the Country charts a few months ago. Get some Wranglers on your booty, pour some Yeehaw Juice, and get ready to fall in love with this song if you haven't already.
Today, we're opening our third eye and covering one of my all-time paradigm shifters, "Lateralus" by the progressive metal band Tool. In this episode, we'll talk about frontman Maynard James Keenan's upbringing and how that led to founding Tool, the connection of this album to sacred geometry and the planets, and all the ways this band - made up of four virtuosos - consistently operates on another plane entirely. We'll also talk about what to expect on Tool's new album, coming next month.
It's a grab bag episode to celebrate the start of summer 2019! We'll discuss the annoying similarities between Taylor Swift's new branding and the one Kacey Musgraves has long been curating, King Crimson's unprecedented move to streaming services, and a guide to the recent Radiohead hack. I'm also sharing some RGG-approved additions to a sunny summer playlist, the six album releases I'm most looking forward to this summer, and why I'm so massively excited for the 40th episode of The Radio Ga Ga Podcast.
With "Jagged Little Pill," Alanis Morissette found a way to use her anger as a vehicle for personal and social change, contributing to a world in which we all - not just women - feel supported and understood. In this episode, we discuss her start as a pop star in Canada, the moments on this album that really surprised me, and why we may see an Alanissance in 2019. And yes, we're addressing the lack of irony in "Ironic," and her well-known relationship with Dave Coulier, which inspired "You Oughta Know."
"Bringing Down The Horse" is a fresh Americana album that somehow avoids the trendy sounds of the mid-90s while also not sounding like a 60s or 70s throwback. It's exactly what frontman/songwriter Jakob Dylan was going for. Though his last name is familiar, the path for the son of a generational musician wasn't easy - but he wanted it that way. We'll talk about the role the Hammond B3 organ plays on this album, the involvement of producer T-Bone Burnett, and what all the Wallflowers are up to now.
Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" is one of those songs that seems like it's always been popular, but it hasn't always been that way. Its use in an iconic film scene brought it back to the forefront in 2000 and helped make it the pop staple it is today. We'll talk about who the Tiny Dancer is, how the song chronicles Elton's first adventure in America, and the small details that make this song so beautiful. We'll also discuss some other songs that got their second act thanks to Hollywood.
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