Completely Conspicuous 250: Pictures and Sound

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling as we discuss movie soundtracks. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:
- Recorded at Chez Breitling
- John Hughes championed synth-pop in his movies
- Cameron Crowe's Singles was timed perfectly with the emergence of Seattle scene
- The Repo Man soundtrack featured some classic punk tracks
- Concert soundtracks can be hit or miss
- Pink Floyd's The Wall soundtrack differed a bit from the album
- This is Spinal Tap is a classic
- Floyd's music appeared on some late '60s/early '70s soundtracks
- Wang Chung did the soundtrack for To Live and Die in LA
- Soundtracks can bring out some truly awful songs
- Bryan Adams/Sting/Rod Stewart did "All For Love" from Three Musketeers soundtrack
- Plenty of bad soundtrack songs from Cheap Trick, Seger, ex-Eagles
- Dirty Dancing was a monstrous success
-  Kumar: Reality Bites was annoying
- Breitling recommends Urgh! A Music War

Music:
Parquet Courts - Borrowed Time
Two Gallants - My Love Won't Wait
Lefty's Deceiver - Horizon is Faster
Sonic Youth - Dirty Boots

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Parquet Courts song is on the album Light Up Gold on Dull Tools Records. Download it for free at RCRDLBL.
The Two Gallants song is on the album The Bloom and the Blight on ATO Records. Download the song for free as part of the ATO Records 2012 Fall Music Sampler (in exchange for your email address) at ATO Records.
The Lefty's Deceiver song is on the album Process Junior on My Pal God Records. Download the song for free from Epitonic.
The Sonic Youth song is on the album Goo on Geffen Records. Download the song for free from Epitonic.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian; check out his site PodGeek.

Completely Conspicuous 249: The Sound and the Fury

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling as we discuss movie soundtracks. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:
- Recorded at Chez Breitling
- Breitling: The Rocky soundtrack was big in his childhood in Philly
- Soundtracks went from simple scores to multiple artists
- Hulk Hogan's sex tape nearly ruined the Internet
- "Rock Around the Clock" made its mark
- Elvis, Beatles both used soundtracks well
- Having kids forces you to listen to children's movie soundtracks
- Kenny Loggins built his career around soundtrack hits
- The '80s saw numerous videos for soundtrack songs featuring clips from movie
- Journey contributed to the Tron soundtrack
- Heavy Metal soundtrack featured two different songs called "Heavy Metal"
- Soundtracks were a way for artists to keep their name out there between albums
- Breitling: Fond memories of the Xanadu soundtrack
- Kumar: Remember digging Frankie Valli's title track of the Grease soundtrack
- Rap and rock met in the Judgment Night soundtrack
- Jon Cafferty and Beaver Brown became big thanks to the movie Eddie and Cruisers
- Elliott Smith's contributions to Good Will Hunting made him a household name
- Rock artists like Mark Mothersbaugh and Danny Elfman became film composers

- To be continued

 Music:
Ty Segall - Femme Fatale
Spider Bags - Friday Night
METZ - Headache
Mission of Burma - 2wice

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Ty Segall song is on the compilation The Velvet Underground & Nico by Castle Face and Friends on Castle Face Records. Download it for free at Stereogum.
The Spider Bags song is on the album Shake My Head. Download the song for free at Bandcamp.
The METZ song is on the band's self-titled debut on Sub Pop. Download the song for free from Sub Pop.
The Mission of Burma song is on the album The Obliterati on Matador Records. Download the song for free from Epitonic.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian; check out his site PodGeek.

Completely Conspicuous 248: Take Off, Eh?

Part 2 of my conversation with guest James Gralian as we discuss the latest NHL lockout. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:
- Recorded via Skype
- Check out James' blog Jerseys and Hockey Love
- The Bruins may lose much of the goodwill they gained from their Cup win
- The Panthers fired their mascot, the NHL's cutting staff hours
- Preparing for post-lockout play
- Fantasy hockey leagues are on hold
- James is certified to be a hockey ref
- Watching other sports instead
- Going to rock shows is a nice alternative
- Jay: Saw PiL open for INXS at Radio City, 1988
- James: Good college hockey in the Denver area
- Players are more bitter this time around
- Lockout impacts many people beyond players and owners
- Hockey bloggers gained prominence during last lockout
- Life goes on
- With no hockey, fans are finding they're saving a lot of money
- Jay: I'm okay with shorter regular season
- James recommends the movie "Goon"
- Kudos to the Red Wings
- Bonehead of the Week

Music:
The Hush Now - The Flapper
Wintersleep - Martyr
Benjamin Gibbard - Teardrop Windows
METZ - Wet Blanket

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Hush Now song is the band's 2012 Halloween single. Download it for free (in exchange for your email address) from Bandcamp.
The Wintersleep song is an unreleased track available for free download at Wintersleep.com.
The Benjamin Gibbard song is on the album Former Lives on Barsuk Records. Download the song for free from Chromewaves.
The METZ song is on the band's self-titled debut on Sub Pop. Download the song for free from Pitchfork.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian; check out his site PodGeek.

Completely Conspicuous 247: Locked Out

Part 1 of my conversation with guest James Gralian as we discuss the latest NHL lockout and why we still give a damn about hockey. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").


Show notes:
- Recorded via Skype
- Check out James' blog Jerseys and Hockey Love
- Seems like we just had a lockout...wiping out 2004-05 season
- NHL cancelled first two weeks of regular season
- Players are heading to play in Europe
- James: Annoyed at the NHL, still love the sport
- Plenty of other teams to support: Minor league, college, high school
- Jay: Went to more college games during last lockout
- Looks like this lockout could be a long one
- Jay: The burden of being a Leafs fan
- During lockouts, fans find other things to do
- Fans will come back, but lockouts are costly
- True fans really love the game
- Possibility of a new team in the Toronto area
- Support for the Leafs in Toronto is similar to Red Sox popularity in New England
- The strange journey of Tim Thomas
- LA Kings won the Cup and have to wait to raise the banner
- Replacement players have been tried in NFL, MLB before
- NFL just had embarrassing episode with replacement refs
- Will non-NHL hockey players want to become scabs?
- New minor league team in Denver
- Hard to say whether NHL season will be saved
- NHL commish Gary Bettman is very powerful
- Hard for fans to sympathize with either side
- To be continued
- Bonehead of the Week

Music:
Ceremony - Everything Burns
The Mountain Goats - Cry for Judas
Allo Darlin' - Capricornia
Yo La Tengo - Stupid Things

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Ceremony song is from a split 7-inch with Titus Andronicus. Download it for free from Matador Records.
The Mountain Goats song is on the album Transcendental Youth on Merge Records. Download the song for free from SoundCloud.
The Allo Darlin' song is on the album Europe on Slumberland Records. Download the song for free via IODA Promonet:
Allo Darlin'
"Capricornia" (mp3)
from "Europe"
(Slumberland Records)

More On This Album


The Yo La Tengo song is on the EP Stupid Things on Matador Records. Download the song for free from Epitonic.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian; check out his site PodGeek.

Completely Conspicuous 246: Once in a Lifetime

It's a new installment of Driving with Kumar as I celebrate another birthday and reflect on my 45 years of existence. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:
- Driving to NH to run a half marathon
- Another birthday has come and gone
- Facebook changes the meaning of "friend"
- Turning 21 is a big deal
- 30 was a milestone
- Dealing with parental expectations
- Wasn't ready for marriage and/or fatherhood in my 20s
- Got married at 32
- Living alone has its pros and cons
- My job isn't my life
- Didn't take a lot of risks in my work life
- Kind of fell into a journalism career
- No regrets
- Watched a good friend take a chance, turn it into career
- Can't spend much time wondering about what ifs
 - Bonehead of the Week

Music:
Jason Collett - I Wanna Rob a Bank
Rye Coalition - Communication Breakdance
Girls Against Boys - Super-Fire

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Jason Collett song is on the album Reckon on Arts and Crafts. Download it for free from SoundCloud.
The Rye Coalition song is on the EP Jersey Girls on Tiger Style Records. Download the song for free from Epitonic.
The Girls Against Boys song is on the album House of GVSB on Touch and Go Records. Download the song for free at Epitonic.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian; check out his site PodGeek.