Mike Harmeier, singer/chief-songwriter for Silverada (fka Mike and The Moonpies), crafts country songs that feel timeless, reminiscent of 90’s country and Outlaw Country, yet never retro. On this edition of Discologist, Eduardo and Kevin discuss Mike’s songwriting journey, the new self-titled album, the band’s new identity, and more!

Austin, TX's Mike and The Moonpies have come a long way from playing the dancehalls of their native Texas. On their new LP, Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold, the quintet is leaving the honky-tonk behind and exploring the sounds of smoothed out 70's Country with the help of their friends the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Recorded at the famed Abbey Road Studios, Cheap Silver is bringing countrypolitan "back" in a big way, and the results are a timeless listen that is also one of the years best.  

Hailing from Dallas, Texas, this group of rock and roll veterans (between them they've recorded and toured with the likes of St. Vincent, The Apples in Stereo, The War on Drugs, The Deathray Davies, Baboon, Daniel Johnston, and more) got together and decided to form "greatest band in the world. Maybe." and so it was that Motorcade was born. Armed with an ear for the past and a heart for writing great f@#@ing songs, Motorcade's debut defies expectations and is one of the best albums of 2018. 

Before they were country music's most "controversial" superstars, the Dixie Chicks ruled the charts with their savvy mix of bluegrass, country, and pop. On our latest episode, we're digging into the trios finest hour and the record that jump-started their career, 1998's iconic Wide Open Spaces. 

What was the legacy of this monster crossover hit on not just country music, but pop and rock? Why has endured as not only a classic, but a standard-bearer for excellence? Eduardo, Marcus, and Kevin are asking these questions and more as we dive deep into one of the biggest albums in country music history. 

If Country Music is king in 2017, then the gentlemen of Midland have got their eyes on the throne. Kevin and Marcus K. Dowling (Vice, Decades) are diving deep into the debut album from one of Nashville's latest, and greatest exports. They've got the song of the year ("Drinking Problem") but are Midland one-hit-wonders, or is there more to this band than the machine that they are a product of typically turns out.

PLUS: Positive No is BACK, and sounding better than ever. Hang out as we spin "Y.A.A.Y.Y.," their most excellent new single from their most excellent new album, Partners In The Wild!

Streaming radio mainstay Pandora has finally revealed their Spotify/Apple Music competitor. Built on the ashes of Rdio, and released well into these streaming wars, will Pandora Unlimited change the game or is it too little, too late? We've got some thoughts.

Sunny Sweeney has made some damn fine country music in her relatively short career. On her latest LP Trophy, she's walking the fine line between growing up and keeping her "bad girl" edge and the result is her strongest album yet. 

PLUS! Senders hail from VALHALLA..err...Boston, and features our good friend Casey Ray on vocal duties. Get ready to rock with a taste of their new self-titled LP.

With 2011's Photograph and 2014's The Lights From The Chemical Plant, Robert Ellis established himself as one best singer-songwriters working today. 

Robert Ellis, his third major release (and one of the best albums of 2016) builds on that foundation, but refuses to be constrained to any genre, country or otherwise. 

On a recent visit to Washington, DC, Robert stopped by the basement to talk about his new album, life on the road and how great songwriting beats all. 

You deserve this podcast. You earned it. 

Since 2008, the Austin, Texas collective known as MOTHER FALCON have been making rock, quite literally, the old fashioned way. With instrumentation that you’re more likely to see in a symphony orchestra or jazz quartet, the [currently] seventeen piece group turns out soaring, triumphant songs that challenge the notion of what “pop” can be as much as they fit comfortably into that tradition.

Recently the band staged a run of East coast shows and, several of the members stopped by the basement to talk about the history of the band, the challenges of touring with a small army of musicians, and the ambitious Summer Camp program launched in 2011 that teaches younger musicians the ins and outs of songwriting, arranging, and pretty much everything else you would want to know on how to “make it” in a band.

In this episode Andre and Kevin sit down with Midlake’s Eric Pulido before their recent gig opening for Neil Finn at the Lincoln in DC to talk about their new album Antiphon, the beginnings of the band, their recent split with front man Tim Smith, and more. PLUS! Kevin and Adam review the Afghan Whigs first new release in sixteen years, Do To The Beast. How does it measure up to classics like Gentleman and Black Love? Listen in and find out!