Podcasts Archive by category "Crash Chords Podcast" (Page 10)

Category: Crash Chords Podcast

The Crash Chords Podcast is an eternal war for artistic scrutiny. Follow along with our intensive album analyses by diving into the album yourself first — using our Spotify play buttons, when available — and then join us in asking the hard questions. Expect guest panelists, broader topics concerning music as an art form, episode specials, and surprise performances.

Sift through this archive more efficiently by checking out our “At-a-Glance” sub-menu, complete with episode hyperlinks, albums, topics, and our final rating chart.

CCP Ep. #161: Beat the Champ by The Mountain Goats | Feat. Anja Keister

Today we welcome special guest Anja Keister, a producer & performer at D20 Burlesque gifted with a rich musical background. More than prepared to discuss her album choice, Anja starts by sitting down for a warm-up interview. Join us as we discuss Anja’s uniquely-conceived acts, her trials, and her inspirations. Then, join us once more as we dive into Anja’s album pick of the week (20:37). Anja’s choice: Beat the Champ by The Mountain Goats. As The Mountain Goats’ 15th studio release, Beat the Champ is actually a journey through songwriter John Darnielle’s childhood love of dirt cheap, small circuit wrestling. For more details, you’ll just have to experience it. Then visit us for the analysis, and thank Anja for the selection!

CCP Ep. #160: Emergence by Godsticks

The day has arrived! After 109 episodes, we are finally returning to the band that once delivered us the highest rated album of the podcast’s history. Ever since Episode #51, when we saw Godsticks break the mold with The Envisage Conundrum, we’ve been waiting to put their third studio release, Emergence, to the test. Biases notwithstanding, today we’re freezing the fanfare for an objective analysis of what this newly-released and highly acclaimed work has to offer. (Needless to say, if you haven’t yet heard of Godsticks, we’re determined to fix that.) And then, at last, for our topic, we address the elephant in the room: what’s a critic to do when they’re being watched? While many artists are resigned to the fact that all eyes are on their work, a critic’s corner is more ancillary. Looking briefly at the publicist–critic relationship, how can critics keep their real opinions separate from the “business” of it all? More to the point, should they?

CCP Ep. #159: Magnifique by Ratatat

This week, join us for an analysis of the latest work by an onomatopoeia Rocktronica favorite, the duo known as RATATAT (composed of Mike Stroud and Evan Mast). The album, Magnifique, is their fifth studio release. Also, stick around afterwards as we psycho-analyze the nightclub! Is there an impenetrable barrier or constant overlap between social mood-setters and works of substance? Is background music an art form of its own? Does a critic have any place in the debate?! These questions and not too many answers on today’s episode of CCP!

CCP Ep. #158: The Great Pretenders by Mini Mansions

Many thanks to José (Nokjaw) for today’s fan-pick, The Great Pretenders by Mini Mansions! The fans of two other bands will also be pleased as the Mini Mansions ensemble was forged out of the hiatus of Queens of the Stone Age (bringing over bassist Michael Shuman), while today’s album, The Great Pretenders, has seen the addition of Alex Turner (from Arctic Monkeys). Influences aside, let’s see how this latest project compares! Finally, stick around for a discussion on the importance of ‘challenging music’—that is, music that confronts us head-on and forces us to do a little more work than we’d like to. What are the benefits of a challenging work, and how to quantify it?

CCP Ep. #157: Benjamin Booker by Benjamin Booker | Feat. Nelson Lugo

For the third and most ear-piercing occasion on the Crash Chords Podcast, it’s NELSON LUGO! That’s right, our resident magician and comrade-in-mic (from the EPIC PIEcast) joins us once again, this time with an album called Benjamin Booker, a debut LP by the artist of the same name. For the bulk of the show, we tear into the lauded work and see what makes it tick — but not before discussing Nelson himself! Soak in the updates on his “Gathering the Magic” act (previewed in Ep. #72), and hear us commiserate with Nelson over his latest “YouTube blues” — the artist’s struggle with the deadening woes of the medium. Finally, we close out the episode with some thoughts on the application of music in performances and routines. Enjoy!

CCP Ep. #156: Coma Ecliptic by Between the Buried and Me

This week we explore the latest work by the progressive rock & metal band, Between the Buried and Me. The album is called Coma Ecliptic. As the title might suggest, the album’s central theme focuses on a man who is stuck in a coma, journeying throgh his past lives. With each song intended as its own Twilight Zone-esque “episode”, Between the Buried and Me has certainly laid out a challenging structure for Coma Ecliptic. Question is, can it sustain itself? Let’s begin the analysis and find out! Afterwards, listen on for a discussion that pits genre-rooted music against theme-rooted music—that is, types of songs that bind their genres together, while at the same time brazenly rising from their genre’s

CCP Ep. #155: Sing It All Away by Walk Off The Earth

Today we revisit a group that we skirted past (way back in CCP Ep. #36) called Walk Off The Earth. In that episode, we discussed a smattering of topics: the origins of the band, their history of covering pop hits, and their then-new EP, R.E.V.O. Well this time we’re correcting the books by looking at their full album, Sing It All Away, to see what it has to say. Afterwards, stick around for a discussion on titles, names, designations — literally, whatever you want to call it. How do song titles (or lack thereof) form preconceptions about the works they characterize?

CCP Ep. #154: Amour t’es là? by Banda Magda | Feat. Joe Benjamin

A special album and a special guest, today we welcome Joe Benjamin (from Joe Benjamin and a Mighty Handful). Steeped in the larger-than-life sounds of big band & swing, the 11-piece ensemble performs the work of the German-born singer, composer, and conductor Joe Benjamin. Listen for some samples of his work, an exclusive interview with the man himself, and finally for the album he brought to place under our microscope (starting at 37:22). That album is called Amour t’es là?, the 2013 release by another massive ensemble, Banda Magda (fronted by Greek native and French speaker Magda Giannikou). More samples from Joe and a Mighty Handful throughout, so listen through!

CCP Ep. #153: Damogen Furies by Squarepusher

Acid techno. Need clarification? Unfortunately, clarity is hardly the aim of today’s artist: Squarepusher (the long-time alias of UK-based electronica artist, Tom Jenkinson). Although his music isn’t always dowsed in acid, Squarepusher’s penchant for spasmodic, lightning speed breakdowns has been a steady lure for the intellectually curious for up to 20 years. His work is hardly for everyone, but today we accept the challenge as we peer into his latest experiment, Damogen Furies. Then stick around for a discussion on how monetary transactions might actually impact our enjoyment of music. From concerts to streetside performances, do our endorphins jump ship the deeper we dig into our pockets?

CCP Ep. #152: Twin Danger by Twin Danger

Feelin’ jazzy? Today we look at the duo formed by Stuart Matthewman and Vanessa Bley, and their self-titled debut, Twin Danger. Also joined by an entourage of other prominant jazz figures, Twin Danger hearkens back to jazz’s golden age, pursuing themes of desire, conflict, love… and, well, all that jazz! Afterwards, stick around for a discussion on aesthetic aversions and genre connotations, true or false.

Music is Life… and Life is Good!