We’re predominantly an audio-medium website at present. Below are a mix of our [currently] two regular series, the Crash Chords Podcast (CCP) and Crash Chords: Autographs (CCA):
– The Crash Chords Podcast (CCP) airs every Thursday at noon EST.
– Crash Chords: Autographs (CCA) airs every *other* Tuesday at noon EST.
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This week we’re trekking back to Electronica — this time in the loosest sense with Alison Goldfrapp emerging more as a “crooness” in her and Will Gregory’s latest release. So, come and join us in this review of Goldfrapp’s Tales of Us, followed by a discussion on what a “hook” means to us and how the definition seems to fluctuate depending on who you talk to.
This week we’re joined by our guest, manic mandolinist Painless Parker, who invites us to explore the rich history of American Folk music. After starting us off with a treat performance, he introduces this week’s album review: Leaving Eden by Carolina Chocolate Drops. Then, after another performance, we get to talk about Painless as an artist, his background, and how he grew to attain a cult following within the Steampunk community and abroad. Oh, and for the subway enthusiast, be sure to remain all the way to the bumper block.
This week we’re delving into the calculative and communicative characteristics of Math Rock! Join us in our review of The Chronicles of Marnia by the ever-imaginative Marnie Stern. Then we revisit our old Song Scales discussions by taking stock of our rating systems as they stand today. First impressions notwithstanding, tastes are malleable and adaptive. A good rating system boils down to a careful balance of subjectivity and objectivity
This week we take on the Industrial sounds of Nine Inch Nails (fronted by Trent Reznor) and review their recent post-hiatus release, Hesitation Marks. Then we move on to discuss the logistics of “one-man bands” — and we don’t mean the street performing kind. We’re pitting the solo-or-bust composer/performer/producers against the more collaboratively suited; i.e. the lone wolves vs. the team players. Any preference? Enjoy!
Those episode numbers just keep on climbin’, don’t they? Well, for our 60th, we thought we’d vacation to a quiet corner of the world, rife with geologic wonder, cool air, and the soothing textures of ambient Post-rock. The place is Iceland, and the band: Sigur Rós. How did our trip go? Find out in this week’s review of Kveikur, the band’s latest album. Then be sure to join us in an intense discussion on the public education system, the fostering of creativity, and where music stands in the midst of it all.
For this week’s review, we take on Blue October and their latest LP, Sway. Then, we try to leave all connotations at the doorstep for a serious discussion on sympathy vs. empathy, or how we relate to the artist.
We might announce, “All aboard the crazy train,” but that would be a misnomer; Ozzy’s back, true, but not alone! The original Black Sabbath lineup of Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, and Ozzy himself have released their first studio album since 1978. It’s called 13, and we’re ready to review it. But don’t go anywhere, because then we pursue last week’s introduction to “the roles we assign to musical instruments” by starting us off with some familiar favorites.
Get ready to whip out your jazz hands, because this week we’re making good on our foray into the world of Jazz by checking in on one of the masters of cool, Chick Corea, returning with a new supporting group: The Vigil. Join us in our review of their fresh collaborative release, duly titled, The Vigil. Also, be sure to stick around for our preface to an upcoming discussion on the roles we assign, or shouldn’t assign, to certain musical instruments.
This week we peek in on Jimmy Eat World to review their latest LP, Damage. Then we follow through with Episode #54‘s “Intro to Live Music” segment by immersing ourselves into the subject. We discuss the logistics of playing live, the perks, the pitfalls, types of venues, and our singular kinship with experiencing real-time music.
This week we’re diving back into movie soundtracks by reviewing the score to the latest summer blockbuster, Pacific Rim, composed by Ramin Djawadi. Then we go on to discuss the applications of soundtracks in certain films, especially those cases when music makes the difference between mediocrity and masterpiece.
