CCP Ep. #191: Run the Jewels 2 by Run the Jewels | Feat. the Wall Street Playaz

Two-thirds of the Wall Street Playaz—the hottest “financial rap” trio you’ll likely ever hear about (not to mention distinguished first-ever guests of the Crash Chords Podcast)—are back for their third appearance! Together with Future Money and the Profit Prophet, we hold an interview discussing the group’s music & comic influences along with a detailed origin of their concept. (Also keep an ear open for some track previews/throwbacks.) Soak ’em up!… because at [00:41:51] we tackle the guests’ pick of the week: Run the Jewels 2 by Run the Jewels (a collaboration between rapper-producer El-P and Atlanta-based rapper Killer Mike). Enjoy!

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CCP Ep. #190: Everything You’ve Come to Expect by The Last Shadow Puppets

The April 1st comeback of the 2007 supergroup The Last Shadow Puppets (formed by Alex Turner and Miles Kane) has unveiled Everything You’ve Come to Expect, an album brought to us courtesy of listener José (Nokjaw). Let’s all dive into the album together before confronting our topic [at 1:41:15], which explores the physical limitations of musicians and how certain artists have managed to overcome them.

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CCP Ep. #189: Metal Resistance by BABYMETAL

Ever hear of BABYMETAL? Well, you have now. A Japanese “idol metal” band fronted by three pop singers — and supported by a killer metal ensemble (Kami Band) — BABYMETAL’s unique blend of heavy metal and J-Pop continues to rock out their fans, and perhaps confuse others, in their latest album Metal Resistance. Let’s meander through the album together, and then tackle our topic of the week: the function of the “death metal growl.” The pinnacle of catharsis? A blight on your music? Let’s bat around some thoughts.

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CCP Ep. #188: Post Pop Depression by Iggy Pop

Let’s see what Iggy Pop is up to! In his new album called Post Pop Depression, Iggy is joined by collaborators Joshua Homme and Dean Fertita (both of Queens of the Stone Age fame), as well as drummer Matt Helders of the Arctic Monkeys. Join us in a discussion of how the album fares and feel free to comment at leisure. And don’t forget about our topic… Retirement: or When to Call it Quits & Why. Enjoy!

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CCP Ep. #187: Everybody Wants by The Struts | Feat. Kati Delaney

Today, Crash Chords is pleased to welcome guest Kati Delaney (visual artist, voice-over artist, and former Way Station bartender extraordinaire)! She joins us to discuss her voice-over work, the development of her drawing style, and–segueing into the album of the week–her many MISadventures experiencing music as a bartender. Finally we come to her album of choice: the 2016 reissue of Everybody Wants by the glam rock insurgents from the U.K., The Struts. Help us break down the album, and let us know your thoughts below!

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CCP Ep. #186: In the Magic Hour by Aoife O’Donovan

Today we’re exploring the latest release by indi/folk singer-songwriter Aoife O’Donovan called In the Magic Hour. Bear with us as we slowly peel back the onion that is In the Magic Hour and discover it for ourselves, right before your very ears. Contribute to the discussion in the comments below! What was your experience with the album? Plenty to mull over, indeed, especially in our topic, at [1:42:04], on the nature of obscurity in music. Is obscurity a true literary/musical device? Is it a fault? Or do we invent it when our comprehension fails us? Questions, theories, questions, theories… Hop in the circle!

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CCP Ep. #185: Heron Oblivion by Heron Oblivion

Come and join us on an excursion through the debut, self-titled release, Heron Oblivion by, you guessed it, Heron Oblivion. Composed of seasoned musicians Charlie Saufley, Meg Baird, and former Comets on Fire members Ethan Miller and Noel Von Harmonson, Heron Oblivion lies on the fringes of psychedelic rock… and we want to see what makes it tick! Bear with us for this full album analysis and let us know your feelings below. Also, stick around ’till [1:19:50] for an interesting conversation on the concept of mood music (sometimes derisively called “musak”). Is society guilty of isolating, partitioning, and oversimplifying moods in music, or rather of condemning the confidently one-dimensional? These questions — and some scary predictions — on this week’s Crash Chords Podcast!

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CCP Ep. #184: Death of a Bachelor by Panic! at the Disco

This week we take on the latest release by pop rock mainstays Panic! at the Disco: their 2016 album Death of a Bachelor. We dissect the album top to bottom and, as always, invite some active contributions in the comment board. After that, you’ll DEFINITELY want to tune in for our topic at 1:36:03 to hear us discuss the concept of “newness”. That’s right… new, novel, fresh, creative… whatever you call it, “newness” seems to be at the heart of what we’re after when our “comfort art” is all but spent. But is this always the case? After all, what makes something NEW anyway? Can anything be truly new? Or, are all things new, and we’re just scraping to recognize patterns? Come and join us in this timeless critics’ crisis! We’d love to hear from you.

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CCP Ep. #183: Donker Mag by Die Antwoord | Feat. Nasty Canasta

At last we’ve snagged the veteran Burlesque artist, producer, and all-around conceptualizer, Nasty Canasta. To kick off the episode, we talk about all things Nasty; we hear about the esteemed performer’s turbulent journey toward her chosen art form and how it coincides with her love of theater, script writing, and production work. Nasty also brings us our album of the week! Join us in a discussion of Donker Mag by Die Antwoord, a rap-rave duo out of South Africa… a “Nasty” analysis, indeed. And of course, don’t forget to check out the curiously named 2 DESKS show at the Way Station, Thursday March 10th.

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CCP Ep. #182: PARA by Lord RAJA

This week we’re diving deep into the world of Lord RAJA (the solo project of New York-based producer Chester Raj Anand) and his latest release, PARA. Join us as we dissect the trials and triumphs of this eclectic album and stick around for our topic (at 1:28:48): an honest discussion of the two-headed monster called “Feedback”. What do we want out of it? Should we want anything? And can it can make the world a better place? Press play to find out!

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