Steve Nagel – Page 8 – Crash Chords

Articles posted by Steve Nagel (Page 8)

CCP Ep. #221: “Awaken, My Love!” by Childish Gambino

Happy New Year from Crash Chords! Due in part to the holidays, but mostly to flu season, we took a short break and now it’s time to play catch up! It’s the race to Ep. #225 as we kick off the year with FIVE consecutive days of the Crash Chords Podcast. Today we commence with the first in the lineup by following through with our December guest’s own listener pick. Many thanks to Mike Rugnetta for spurring us to tackle the third signed album by Childish Gambino—that is, the stage name and alias for actor and comedian Donald Glover—euphorically titled “Awaken, My Love!” Come join us for an analysis of the album and also for a discussion on music suggestions that always seem to come with warnings and caveats.

Ep. #62 – Feat. Gary O

Today Matt welcomes Gary O: podcaster, producer, and nerd hailing from NYC. As the holidays are upon us, this episode of Autographs is a bit more casual with Matt and Gary delving into a lengthy conversation on pop culture as a whole. They chat about Gary’s experience with conventions, interviews, and creating content; they chat about his previous appearance on the Crash Chords Podcast; and then they cover the top 10 movies of 2016 according to Box Office Mojo. And so, from Disney, to superheroes, to gaming and more, here’s presenting Matt Storm and Gary O.

CCP Ep. #220: ‘Without My Enemy What Would I Do’ by Made in Heights | Feat. Mike Rugnetta

Here’s a proposition: a three-hour long Mike Rugnetta extravaganza! In the wake of his appearance on ‘Crash Chords: Autographs’, in CCA Ep. #43, we’re pleased to re-introduce the one, the only, Mike Rugnetta for the full Crash Chords experience. Famed for hosting the PBS Idea Channel, a popular internet series that examines “the connections between pop culture, technology, and art”, Mike sits in for a 30 min. follow-up interview, during which we prod into some new features on the Idea Channel, Mike’s long-held interest in critical theory, the re-launch of his Reasonably Sound podcast, and fittingly, his own compositions. Finally, @ 0:29:20, we commence with the big tamale: quality time spent in a succulent critical analysis of Mike’s album of choice, Without My Enemy What Would I Do by Made in Heights. With Mike fully in his element (and the rest of us seated & caffeinated), all that’s missing is a dutiful audience! To join in, just chew on the album a bit, strap in, ponder, and play.

Ep. #61 – Feat. Jeff Baker

Today, Matt welcomes Jeff Baker, a pop singer/songwriter hailing from Brooklyn, NY. Jeff’s latest single—the “I Am” single—was recently released with an accompanying lyric video. In addition to YouTube, you can sample Jeff’s music on Soundcloud. With Matt, Jeff chats about his origins in pop punk and his decision to go solo. He also chats about the time he spent overseas in Thailand and how the music scene differs in that part of the world. And finally, he discusses his plan to release consecutive singles as opposed to a full LP. And so, with some added bonding over mutual favorite bands, here’s presenting Matt Storm and Jeff Baker.

CCP Ep. #219: Monument Builders by Loscil

Let’s have a look at an album called Monument Builders by Loscil, a project by composer Scott Morgan. An ambient/electronica work at its core, Monument Builders was inspired by the Philip Glass score to the experimental film Koyaanisqatsi. The album spurs us to tackle a rare form of composition—the Vancouver native’s unique brand of structured ambient minimalism—before entering our follow-up discussion on the importance of volume in music. (Hint: it’s pretty important.)

CCP Ep. #218: 50 by Rick Astley

We just wanna tell you how we’re feeling; gotta make you understand…. the power of analysis. As the title suggests, Rick Astley is 50! After taking an extended hiatus in order to raise a family, he’s finally back to celebrate his age and other fortunes in his new album, aptly titled 50. Join us for a breakdown of 50, and also for a hefty discussion [@ 1:36:40] on the ‘memification’ of music, comedy, and social media art. So please, don’t give us up, and don’t let us down… because we know the game, and yes, we’re gonna play it.

Ep. #60 – Feat. Magical Girl Burlesque

In the mood for some girl empowerment? And girls? Well today, Matt welcomes Raina Sinclair, Betty Brash, and Paige Literati as the three producers of Magical Girl Burlesque (and as performers in their own right). Inspired by a genre of manga that focuses on the power and inner strength of girls and women, Magical Girl Burlesque joins Matt to discuss their origins as a burlesque troupe and how they all got their start, individually. From the details on how they create their acts, to discussions on Matt’s involvement as a host, and even their activities outside of burlesque, here’s presenting Matt Storm and Magical Girl Burlesque.

CCP Ep. #217: Eno by Second Relation

We’ve got an exciting project lined up for you today: the Austrian rock band Second Relation and their third album Eno. Peppered with the perks of pop music and the soul-satisfying rewards of art rock, Eno is a must-experience for progressive rock fans and music lovers in general. You know the drill; listen to the album yourself first, then join us in a track-by-track analysis of Eno and Second Relation’s fascinating attempt at musical portraiture. Afterwards, stick around for some brief theorizing on whether we, as people, have personal “themes”—simple narratives that the media we consume could easily, or not so easily, portray.

Ep. #59 – Feat. Three Pints Shy

Today, Matt interviews all four members of the band Three Pints Shy—Jonathan Siregaar, David Anthony, Robbie Taylor, and David Mikofsky—all who identify themselves as a Celtic pub band from New York. With their latest release The Burlap Album now available, Matt chats with the guys on their band origins and their music & performance background. They also chat about their live shows, their songwriting process, and the fun they have with friends and fans. And so, here’s presenting Matt Storm and Three Pints Shy.

CCP Ep. #216: You Want It Darker by Leonard Cohen

Clear your day for Leonard Cohen. (Well, a least a portion of it.) With his soft vocals and poetic flair, Leonard Cohen has been speaking to a generation of poets as well as musicians ever since the 1960s. Today we’ll be speaking to both camps as we take on Cohen’s latest album You Want It Darker. Also, stick around for a brief compare & contrast discussion on universality and general appeal vs. the personal effect and specificity.

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[Edit: This episode was released three days before Leonard Cohen’s unfortunate passing. We are deeply saddened by his loss and we hope this episode is taken as a celebration of his work, despite its ill-timed release. The following interpretations of his final album and life’s work are opinion-based and, we hope, considerate of his legacy.]

Music is Life… and Life is Good!