Episode 365: Johnny Fantastic of Stronger Sex
Synth-rock provocateurs Stronger Sex have gone through several lineup changes over the past few years, but on their debut LP There Is No Stronger Sex the (now) duo of Johnny Fantastic and Leah Gage (both veterans of the DC DIY scene) have found their "final form," and the result is an electric and aggressively danceable album that is one of the most exciting releases of 2018. On our latest episode, Johnny Fantastic is joining Kevin in the basement for a frank discussion about the band's history, the importance of queer representation in the arts, dog-walker life, the value of personal identity, and the ultimate inevitability of Seán Barna.
PLUS! Luna Honey's debut LP Peace Will Grind You Down is landing in July, but we've got a taste of what the latest addition to the Blight Records has in store for you right here and right now!
Episode 347: By The Way, I Forgive You - Brandi Carlile
On her latest LP, Brandi Carlile isn't so much returning to her roots as she is challenging the idea of what folk and Americana can be, and maybe should become. Sonically and stylistically diverse, the Dave Cobb produced By The Way, I Forgive You is a seemingly unconnected collection of songs that, taken together, packs an emotional wallop unlike anything in Carlile's career.
PLUS! Eduardo goes crate digging and comes back with a killer track from Italian singer/songwriter Pino Daniele that Steely Dan fans are gonna love!
Episode 321: Turn Out The Lights - Julien Baker
To say Julien Baker wears her heart on her sleeve would be an understatement. On Turn Out The Lights, the Memphis, Tennessee native (now based in Nashville) turns up the feels on an emotional roller coaster of an album that drags the listener down to the bottom and doesn't offer a clear way back from the depths.
Kevin, Eduardo, and Marcus are spending some time with this elegiac powerhouse of an album and considering the truth in "downerism" and if it's OK to feel oh-so-not-OK.
PLUS! Soul Man Gregory Porter is back and hitching a ride with Nat King Cole to make you "Smile" on his latest LP, Nat King Cole & Me.