Episode 367: Angel Dust - Faith No More [Discologist]
After finally finding their "voice" on The Real Thing, there was nowhere to go but up for Faith No More, which makes it all that more remarkable that an album like Angel Dust exists. Considered by many to be the weirdest album ever released on a major label, Angel Dust fused rap-ish, metal, grindcore, juvenilia, psychedelia, The Commodores - basically everything but the kitchen sink - into what many consider to be one of the defining masterworks of the 1990's.
We're putting that praise to the test as three Faith No More devotee's and Kevin dig deep into an album that thrashes, howls, croons, and, most importantly has the cajones to play a song called "Jizzlobber" straight. Strap in, on, or whatever you damn well please for our latest and greatest episode of ChunkyGlasses: The Podcast!
Episode 366: Sparkle Hard - Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks
Sparkle Hard, Stephen Malkmus' seventh album with his band The Jicks, finds the indie-rock icon/god experimenting with a more "mainstream" palate, slinging some prerequisite Pavement vibes, and even recording one of the most political songs of his career. On our latest podcast, Kevin, Drew, and (Malkmus-superfan) Eduardo are dissecting the new LP to find out if Malkmus has still got "magic," or if his particular brand of indie-rock has seen it's better days.
PLUS! Whether they're from a far-away universe or somewhere deep within your mind (it is unclear, tbh), the Austin, Texas-based Golden Dawn Arkestra is inviting YOU along on their journey with the first single from their upcoming LP, Children Of The Sun!
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 364: The Prodigal Son - Ry Cooder
Over the past fifty years and more than thirty-five albums and soundtracks, guitarist Ry Cooder has pushed boundaries, made history, and proved time and time again why many consider him to be one of the greatest musicians of all time.
On The Prodigal Son - his first album in five years - Cooder is going back to the crossroads to deliver a scathing (and often hilarious) indictment the times we're in through gospel and blues songs that have spoken to our condition for generations. Join Kevin, Eduardo and Drew as they dig into this remarkable artist's past, present, and what his legacy may mean for the future of music worldwide.
Episode 363: The Horizon Just Laughed - Damien Jurado
On his 15th album, Damien Jurado is coming back down to earth and leaving the cosmic vibes of Maraqopa for more familiar territory. The self-produced The Horizon Just Laughed finds the singer/songwriter coupling the more straightforward folk influences that could be found in his prior work with a 60's/70's pop sensibility to produce one of the most engaging and heartfelt albums of his career.
PLUS! Nashville's Erin Rae has a killer new album (Putting On Airs) coming in June, and we're spinning it's latest, heart-wrenching single "Bad Mind."
Episode 362: Dirty Computer - Janelle Monáe
Even in the darkest of timelines, Janelle Monáe has always been the most triumphant of superstars, and five long years, Janelle Monáe is finally returning to music to claim her throne.. Featuring the likes of Grimes, Brian Wilson, and everyone in between, Dirty Computer lets its freak flag fly higher than fuck, and the results represent a landmark achievement in pop, hip-hop, funk, and whatever the hell else Monáe feels like proving she's better than the rest of us at.
PLUS! The Australian psych scene is on the rise again and Turtle Skull may be leading the charge. Check out a dank new track "Eden" from their upcoming self-titled EP.
Episode 361: Mr. Jukebox - Joshua Hedley
Over the past few decades Country has dominated the music industry by embracing pop and hip-hop sensibilities, which makes Joshua Hedley's debut album Mr. Jukebox all that more refreshing. Forget "saving" country music, Hedley is merely laying down some great storytelling with a little twang, a time-tested recipe for feeling good, even if you're feeling bad. Kevin, Marcus, and Eduardo are taking a spin with this surprise hit of 2018, so come along for the ride and feel the love!
PLUS! Philadelphia, PA's Hop Along is back with a new record - Bark Your Head Off, Dog - and it's giving Eduardo ALL of the feels so we're spinning a track to get your heart swelling along with him.
Episode 360: The Sounds of Washington, DC, Part 4
Known to most of the world as a political playground, Washington, D.C. is a city where decisions that shape the course of, not just American, but HUMAN history, are made every day. More than that though, D.C. is a city where cultures collide resulting in a creative class that produces some of the most compelling and diverse art in the world. Built on the legacy of jazz and go-go, D.C. is on the cusp of a creative explosion and bringing everything from hip-hop to indie rock into the fold.
In part four of our Sounds of Washington, DC series, we're dipping our toes into the DIY space, traveling back in time for some homegrown jazz/funk, and getting serious about what needs to be done to protect and revive this city's native culture for not just a day, but all year long.
Episode 359: The Sciences - Sleep
Stoner metal legends Sleep are back with a surprise new album - their first in almost twenty years - that dropped on that highest of holidaze, 4/20. Are the heady trio's new jams worth the wait, or are they skunked like so many lost bags of dirtweed? Kevin and Paul have got the hookup and aim to find out.
PLUS! Joachim Cooder's new album Fuchsia Machu Picchu confirms that genius runs in the family and we're spinning it's tasty new single for you to get lost in!
Episode 358: Port Saint Joe - Brothers Osborne
On their sophomore LP Port Saint Joe, Brothers Osborne has pulled off the rare feat of being EXACTLY as good as the hype makes them out to be. Good times, sick jams, with copious amounts of whiskey, weed, and Willie all make this "country" album one of the years best releases whether you believe in Nashville or not.
PLUS! We've got some thoughts on the current state of Country Music journalism, Kendrick's Pulitzer, and Washington state's The Moondoggies are back from the cosmos with a new album and a new single to go along with it!
Episode 357: Loma - Loma
The best art happens when like-minded creatives get together with the simple goal of sharing and exploring a moment or feeling. For their debut album, Loma - the band made up of Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg and Cross Record's Emily Cross and Dan Duszynski - headed to the Texas countryside to craft their shared vision and returned with one of the best albums of 2018 to date. Intimate, but sonically sprawling, Loma depends as much on the sounds of the locale where it was created as it does the grandiose soundscapes of Peter Gabriel and exacting folk of Fairport Convention.
We're here for it, and you should be too, so let's hang out for a few and talk about this remarkable first step for a band we hope will be around for years to come.
PLUS! Motorcade loves that 80's sound ERGO we love Motorcade and have got a track to turn you on to them too!
Episode 356: Stain - Living Colour
Living Colour is one of the most important bands in music history. On their third release Stain, the black rock innovators dug deep into the history of their culture, the dysfunction of America, and the sounds of underground rock and roll and came back with violent, high-volume exploration of love, hate, identity, and deep humanity that resonates maybe even stronger in 2018 then it did twenty-five years ago.
Join Kevin and Marcus along with special guest Timothy Anne Burnside as they work through this intense, complicated masterpiece, it's legacy, the questions AND answers it poses, much, much more.
Episode 355: The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs - Wye Oak
Over twelve years and six albums, Wye Oak's Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack have proven time and again that their talents know no boundaries. Their new LP The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs, finds the experimentation that the duo has been pursuing over the past few years - both within the constraints of Wye Oak and through various solo projects (Flock of Dimes, El Vey, Dungeonesse) - coalescing into a real evolution of the band that isn't just their strongest release to date, but one of the best albums of 2018. Join us as we try to suppress our fanaticism and explore what makes this record so singular, and such a milestone for one of indie rocks greatest bands.
PLUS! Phil Cook is BACK and here to help you through this life with the first track off of his upcoming LP, People Are My Drug.
Episode 354: Ryan Walsh, author of 'Astral Weeks: A Secret History of 1968'
Creation doesn't happen in a vacuum, and in Astral Weeks: A Secret History of 1968, author (and Hallelujah The Hills frontman) Ryan Walsh explores every weird, fantastical nook and cranny of Boston that surrounded and seeped into Van Morrison's soul-bending masterpiece. We're sitting down with Walsh to discuss how he brought this story to life, the eternal value of having your mind blown, and a history of his hometown that has remained largely untold…until now.
Episode 353: Golden Hour - Kacey Musgraves
On Golden Hour, Kacey Musgraves is dialing back the humor and turning up the heart to deliver what many are saying is her best work to date. Is this latest collection of genre-defying, lane-shifting "country" songs the future of Musgraves, or just a stepping stone on the way to something better? We've assembled a panel of Musgraves superfans to find out.
PLUS! Jazz Bassist songwriter Nicole Saphos is classing up the #DCMusic joint and we've got a taste of her groovin' new EP Buzz and Bloom to get you hip.
Episode 352: Everything's Fine - Jean Grae and Quelle Chris
Jean Grae and Qeulle Chris are both musical forces to be reckoned with in their own rights. Put em together, and you get what is sure to be one of the best albums of 2018. A heady shot of high-concept outrage, hip-hop, and heart, Everything's Fine is an unmitigated masterpiece that will serve as a lightning rod for anyone who rages against the insanity of modern existence for years to come.
Marcus J. Moore, Senior Editor at Bandcamp and author of the upcoming book The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America, joins us as we dive into this pièce de résist to find out if everything is, in fact, fine, and if it isn't, how are we gonna make it better?
Episode 351: The Sounds of Washington, DC, Part 3
Known to most of the world as a political playground, Washington, D.C. is a city where decisions that shape the course of, not just American, but HUMAN history, are made every day. More than that though, D.C. is a city where cultures collide resulting in a creative class that produces some of the most compelling and diverse art in the world. Built on the legacy of jazz and go-go, D.C. is on the cusp of a creative explosion and bringing everything from hip-hop to indie rock into the fold.
In part three of our Sounds of Washington, DC series, we're joined by Blight Records label-head Benjamin Schurr and Mystery Friends guitarist Dave Mohl for a synth-heavy hang with some serious discussion about the DC scene thrown in for good measure.
Episode 350: Neil F$^ing Diamond
After a recent diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease, legendary singer/songwriter Neil Diamond announced that after Fifty Years of sold-out crowds all over the world he was retiring from the road. But NEVER from creating music.
Andrew Wright (Blankus Larry) and Marcus K. Dowling (Iconoclasm) are joining Kevin in the basement to celebrate the career of this living legend, how his music shattered boundaries to become benevolently ubiquitous, and some awkward truths about Diamond's finest hour, the 1980 film The Jazz Singer.
Episode 349: R-Son and Rench of Gangstagrass
On our latest podcast, we're turning over our mics to Marcus K. Dowling as he explores the intersection of hip-hop and country with R-Son and Rench of Gangstagrass. It's a (mostly) Kevin-free conversation that you're not gonna want to miss.
Episode 348: What A Time To Be Alive - Superchunk
What happens when one of the most revered indie-rock bands of all time gets fed up with the state of the world around them? On What A Time To Be Alive, Superchunk answers that question the only way they know how: with shrieking guitars, wit, and fury. On our latest episode, musician/photog/cat dad PJ Sykes is joining Kevin via teh interwebs to dive into this minor masterpiece of righteous outrage that may just save us all.
PLUS! Richmond, VA's DOLL BABY has a throwback sound that sounds all their own, and we're spinning one of PJ's favorite tracks for your education and enjoyment.