All podcasts begin on a whim or a gamble, and most of them will remain obscure. Still, none of this changes our firm belief in the project we’ve embarked on. If you’re a veteran listener of CCP, please skip ahead and promote us to NPR by filling out a brief form. If you’re a newcomer, or need some gentle coaxing, then keep reading!
What Is CCP?
The Crash Chords Podcast is a weekly series devoted to in-depth studies of a wide range of albums. One episode … one album — tackling key elements such as arc, theme, complexity, lyrical quality, form, texture, and emotional impact. We then supplement these discussions with a broader topic concerning the intersections of music, art, and culture.
Our extensive, often 2 hr.-long album studies center on the notion that ALL art is meant to inspire higher levels of thought and analysis. The instant we cast aspersions and dismiss albums as “a waste of our time,” we rob ourselves not only of knowledge, but perhaps of a potential treasure. Filling in the vast expanse we call “taste” is our long-adored maxim: “Everyone listens to music differently.” Thus, the goal of the series is NOT to preach or make pretensions, but to summon as earnest and conscientious an analysis as possible in pursuit of truly objective discourse. Ultimately, we hope to inspire others to do the same.
We believe these 135 weeks have seen many bursts of improvement, such as our constant endeavors to amass adequate research, to forge a code of etiquette, and to refine our presentation & entertainment values. To be sure, the current iteration of the podcast takes a lot of time and a lot focus, yet the rewards have been substantial by way of our expanding, if eternally niche, fanbase, and by way of the artists who’ve stepped forward to acknowledge and promote our work, including: Tommy Walter of Abandoned Pools, Welsh prog trio Godsticks, Neil Cicierga (of Lemon Demon fame), Mike Lamm of [DARYL], and electronic artist, Kangding Ray.
FROM THE ARTISTS:
“Hey guys, I played drums for this band. I just finished the episode and want to tell you how insane you guys are for spending 2 hours of your life dissecting this album. Plus, the week you spent listening to it. You spent more time with this album then everyone in my family combined! I’m so glad this world has psychos like yourselves that still have this kind of passion for music … It was amazing how much you got out of the tracks with only having the tunes, not knowing us, not even having a physical copy of the album! Truly amazing!”
– Mike Lamm of [DARYL]
(in response to CCP Ep. #114)
FROM THE FANS:
“I’ve been listening to your musical dissections of albums on and off for about a year now … I find the intelligent chemistry and argument etiquette between you all very appealing and it makes me come back for more.”
-Jose (Nokjaw)
“Hi. I’ve been listening to your podcast for about half a year now, and have been quite enjoying it. I discovered it kind of by accident on another site via a “Related Videos” link to the YouTube video of your review for “Mouth Sounds”. Your detailed analysis and discussion of various types of music provides me with an intriguing listen. There are many times when there are opinions expressed that do not necessarily reflect that of my own, times in which I am left scratching my head or mildly cringing in horror, but I keep listening on with an open mind because sometimes a different opinion will make you think about things in ways you haven’t thought of before.”
– Mark H.
All of these kind words exemplify the fanbase and artists’ reach we strive for. Artists deserve the knowledge that their work is being thought of in a grander sense, while fans deserve the forum and outlet we provide. Of course, not every episode is for everyone. Most of them require some semblance of patience and baited breath as our analyses slowly and delicately unfold. For some, the entertainment is in the journey, for others it’s in the controversy! Or, perhaps our topics and guests are more your speed. Whatever your reasons are for enjoying the Crash Chords Podcast, we hope you’ll take some time to satisfy this lengthy and shameless plug by promoting our series to NPR:
PROMOTE US TO NPR
NPR Asks: What’s Your Favorite Podcast Episode
Simply tell them:
1) Our name (Crash Chords Podcast)
2) Your favorite episode*
3) Episode link*
4) Why ya like it!
5) Who you are
*Need help sifting through it all? Use our “At-A-Glance” Podcast Archive. Sort by artist, album, rating, or topic, find something that appeals to you, then click the hyperlink in the left column and copy & paste the episode title and post-URL to the NPR form.
All your support is warmly received. And remember: Music is life… and life is good!
