Today we're revisiting an episode inspired by a pair of classic VH1 shows: “Behind the Music” and “Where Are They Now?”
Our subjects are two songs representing the lunatic fringe of 90s culture, “Cotton Eyed Joe” and “How Bizarre.”
In the course of our musicological investigation, we uncover dark truths about these seemingly anodyne hits that will make you q ... Show More
Oct 27
The 'bummer hope' of midwest emo (ft. Yvette Young and Mike Kinsella)
A few months ago, Nate came across a glittering guitar riff unlike anything he had ever heard before; it managed to perfectly balance careful optimism with plaintive melancholy, stirring the spirit. That melody, played by guitarist Yvette Young, was a shining example of the “midw ... Show More
30m 20s
Feb 2023
100: "Smells Like Teen Spirit" vs. "Closer"
<p>OUR ONE HUNDREDTH NUMBERED EPISODE!! How have we gotten this far? We don't know, but we're going to celebrate it with a jumbo-sized podcast about two songs that are near and dear to our hearts, the alternative teen angst songs that changed the lives of so many '90s kids, espec ... Show More
1h 40m
Nov 2020
From "YMCA" to "Fortunate Son," Inside The Trump Era's Weird Musical Battles
Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield join host Brian Hiatt to discuss cultural battles over music over the last four years, plus the best and worst protest songs, the future of music under Biden, and more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
42m 55s
Oct 2020
100 gecs and the Mystery of Hyperpop
What is hyperpop? A movement? A meaningless label? A Spotify playlist? Whatever the answer, it surely has something to do with 100 gecs, the duo of Laura Les and Dylan Brady, whose songs sometimes sound like the last three decades of popular music happening all at once. On this e ... Show More
39m 57s
Jul 2016
When Great Artists Make Terrible Songs
You can blame bad Eighties production or a certain white powder, but even the giants of rock and pop sometimes hit a bad note; we delve into the most ridiculously entertaining examples, from musical heroes like Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan and more. Plus: new music from Wilco and the P ... Show More
34m 36s
Aug 2019
'I Don't Want To Be' by Gavin DeGraw (w/ Carl Tart)
Watch out Gavin Degraw, Carl Tart (@dammitcarl - Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Flagrant Ones podcast) and the punch babies are on the CASE, asking questions like how did an existential anthem become the One Tree Hill theme song? We don't answer any of these questions but I can tell you ... Show More
1h 9m