Monday, March 25, 2013

Completely Conspicuous 271: The Best of the Rest

Part 3 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we wrap up the CompCon Awards. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:
- Recorded via Skype
- Worst Album by Best Band
- Mid-'90s Van Halen was really bad
- George Harrison had some questionable releases in early '80s
- The Clash's Cut the Crap was like a parody of the band
- Best Album by Worst Band
- The Strokes: One-hit-album wonder?
- Jay: Give the band Live credit for somehow having a career
- Best Non-Guitar Solo
- Jay: Looked at instruments other than drums
- Plenty of great bass solos over the years
- Best Live Album
- Stones played faster on Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out
- J. Geils Band were an amazing live act
- Sore Thumb Award for song that doesn't fit on album it's on
- What's the deal with skits on hip-hop albums?
- Best Moustache in Rock
- Jeff "Skunk" Baxter had a classic 'stache
- Zappa was defined by his 'stache
- Bonehead of the Week

Music:
Magnolia Electric Co. - The Dark Don't Hide It

Dinosaur Jr. - Entertainment
Kurt Vile - Never Run Away
Dump - Superpowerless
Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!
The Magnolia Electric Co. song is on the album What Comes After the Blues on Secretly Canadian. Download it for free at Chromewaves.
The Dinosaur Jr. song is a cover of a Phoenix track and is available for free download at Chromewaves.
The Kurt Vile song is on the album Walkin' on a Pretty Daze on Matador Records. Download the song for free at Matador.
The Dump song is on reissue of the album Superpowerless on Morr Music. Download the song for free at Chromewaves.
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.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Completely Conspicuous 270: A Small Victory

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we continue handing out the CompCon Awards. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:
- Recorded via Skype
- Best Concept Album
- Brian: Not a fan of concept albums
- Jay: Afghan Whigs' Black Love is an underrated classic
- Townshend's book is a good read
- Best Album That Deviates From Band's Sound
- Brian: Prefers later Pavement to earlier stuff
- Tin Machine was welcome change after substandard Bowie albums
- Praising (or not hating) R.E.M.'s Monster
- Paul's Boutique was a masterpiece of sampling
- Best Song by Band Member Who Wasn't Main Songwriter
- Brian: George Harrison rules
- Best Rhythm Guitarist
- Post classic rock era, line between rhythm and lead has blurred
- Lee Ving and Dave Mustaine teamed up
- Bill Ward: Sabbath should give the drummer some
- Best Album Packaging
- Vinyl was the heyday of great packaging
- Zep's In Through the Out Door had several covers
- Music listening experience is less immersive now
- To be continued
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
Wire - Love Bends

Mikal Cronin - Shout It Out
Parquet Courts - Stoned and Starving
Ten Kens - When a Door Opens

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

The Wire song is on the album Change Becomes Us on Pink Flag Records. Download it for free at Stereogum.
The Mikal Cronin song is on the album MCII on Merge Records. Download the song for free at NPR.
The Parquet Courts song is on the album Light Up Gold on Dull Tools/What's Your Rupture. Download the song for free at NPR.
The Ten Kens song is on the album Namesake on Fat Cat Records. Download the song for free at NPR.
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.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Completely Conspicuous 269: Eyes on the Prize

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we present the first edition of the CompCon Awards. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").



Show notes:
- Recorded via Skype during the Oscars telecast
- Jay: Picking top albums of the 1970s was tough
- The CompCon Awards are an alternative to the Grammys looking at different categories
- First category: Best Band Name
- Brian saw Trail of Dead back in the day
- Best Sophomore Album
- Bands like The Strokes have struggled to follow up strong debut
- Nirvana's success both killed and launched a lot of terrible bands
- Dave Grohl backlash
- Pondering Weezer's decline
- Graham Maby rules
- Best Side 1
- Harking back to the heyday of vinyl
- First Van Halen album had killer side 1 and 2
- Bowie had an incredible run of albums in the '70s
- Best Side 2
- Other outstanding album sides
- The Chili Peppers haven't aged well
- To be continued
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
Mudhoney - I Like It Small

Frightened Rabbit - State Hospital
Marnie Stern - Year of the Glad
Telekinesis - Ghosts and Creatures

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

The Mudhoney song is on the album Vanishing Point on Sub Pop. Download it for free from Sub Pop.
The Frightened Rabbit song is on the album Pedestrian Verse on Atlantic Records. Download the song for free at NPR.
The Marnie Stern song is on the album Chronicles of Marnia on Kill Rock Stars. Download the song for free at NPR.
The Telekinesis song is on the album Dormarion on Merge Records. Download the song for free at NPR.
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.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Completely Conspicuous 268: Takin' It to the Streets

Part 2 of my conversation with guests Ric Dube and Jay Breitling as we dissect a classic episode of the 1970s sitcom What's Happening. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").
Show notes:
- Recorded at More Lost Time world HQ; check out the 50th episode of MLT (with cameos from Mr. Breitling and myself)
- Inspired by MST3K and Rifftrax, we're commenting while watching video
- Watch the episode along with us at the CompCon YouTube channel
- Breitling joins the fray
- Haywood Nelson was the inspiration for indie rock band Haywood
- JB: The satin jacket died with Rainbow's "All Night Long" video (featuring Graham Bonnet on vocals, not Joe Lynn Turner)
- Enter Big Al Dunbar
- Rerun wore his pants old-man high
- The original discomfort comedy
- Were the Doobies big anti-bootleg advocates?
- Jeff "Skunk" Baxter is a defense industry consultant now
- Baxter's wearing a Warner Bros. jersey
- Rocking out while seated
- Flaming gongs kick ass
- Dee's tripping
- "Pluggin' in the USB"
- Rerun drops tape recorder, feels shame
- The Doobies intimidate Big Al and henchman
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Let the Day Begin

Patrick Stickles - Hey Tonight
Me & Stupid - Receiver

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

The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club song is on the EP Let the Day Begin. Download it for free (in exchange for your email address) at the band's website.
The Patrick Stickles song is a cover of a Free Energy song and available for free download at Stereogum.
The Me & Stupid song is on the album In a Cabin with Me & Stupid. Download the album for free at the Me & Stupid website.
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.