Completely Conspicuous 624: Positive Jam

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Phil Stacey about the music of 2004. Listen to the episode below or download directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:

• Phil's #5: Arcade Fire with a rousing debut about suburbia
• Jay's #5: First album from Mission of Burma in 19 years kicks serious butt
• Phil's #4: The last U2 album Phil enjoyed
• Zebra once opened for their Zeppelin cover band
• Jay's #4 and Phil's #3: Drive-By Truckers unleash another powerful concept album about the South
• Phil's #2: Brian WIlson finally releases unreleased epic album Smile
• The Beach Boys went from "America's Beatles" to an oldies joke band
• Jay's #2: Another excellent album from Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
• Jay's #1: Debut from the Hold Steady combines '70s riffs with indie rock
• Phil's #1 and Jay's #3: Mark Lanegan with a world-weary masterpiece with a little help from his friends
• Favorite songs: "Hit the City" (Phil), "Positive Jam" (Jay)

Completely Conspicuous is available through Apple Podcasts. Subscribe and write a review!

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian. 

Completely Conspicuous 623: Take Me Out

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Phil Stacey about the music of 2004. Listen to the episode below or download directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:

• In 2004, Jay became a father for the second time, was a diaper-changing machine
• Phil got married, saw the Red Sox and Patriots become champions
• Jay: Got an iPod, downloaded a ton of music
• Pixies reunited, Phish broke up
• Many bands take hiatuses
• The tale of Mr. Jimmy
• William Hung becomes famous
• Phil's non-top 5s: Wilco, Black Keys, Beastie Boys, Patterson Hood, Umphrey's McGee, the Killers, Green Day, Twilight Singers, Eagles of Death Metal, PJ Harvey, Franz Ferdinand, TV On the Radio, Tragically Hip 
• Phil invents new words
• Green Day rejuvenates itself
• Jay's non-top 5s: The Walkmen, Death From Above 1979
• To be continued

Completely Conspicuous is available through Apple Podcasts. Subscribe and write a review!

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Completely Conspicuous 622: The Hardest Button to Button

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Phil Stacey about the music of 2003. Listen to the episode below or download directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:

• Phil's #5: Raucous debut from NYC's Yeah Yeah Yeahs, featuring the electric Karen O
• Jay's #5: Radiohead combined electronic and guitar-driven sounds
• Radiohead albums kept leaking early on file-sharing networks
• Phil's #4: The Shins hone their super catchy pop sound
• Jay's #4: An indie rock gem from the Wrens that still awaits a follow-up
• 20 years of starts, stops, indecision and disagreements
• Phil's #3:My Morning Jacket combined indie rock, Southern rock, folk and jam band sounds
• MP3 blog bands abound
• Jay's #3: Another kickass release from Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
• Leo is one of the great unsung artists of our generation
• Is Springsteen overrated?
• Phil's #2: Drive-By Truckers add Jason Isbell and step up their game
• Jay's #2: A departure for Sloan, but one jam-packed with great songs
• The only Sloan album without an Andrew Scott song
• Phil's #1: The White Stripes expand their sound and totally blow up
• The Stripes made a lot of noise with minimal instrumentation
• Jay's #1: Greg Dulli's Twilight Singers unleash a classic album as a tribute to late friend
• Favorite songs: "The Hardest Button to Button" (Phil), "Teenage Wristband" (Jay)

Completely Conspicuous is available through Apple Podcasts. Subscribe and write a review!

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Completely Conspicuous 621: It's Gonna Be a Long Night

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Phil Stacey about the music of 2003. Listen to the episode below or download directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:

• In 2003, Jay had a toddler and found out another kid was on the way
• Started downloading a lot of music via blogs
• Jay saw Pat DiNizio, Gord Downie, Radiohead, Guster
• Phil got engaged, saw a lot of Red Sox games
• Coed softball struggles
• 50 Cent had the #1 song of the year
• A lot of number bands on the charts
• What's the deal with Kid Rock?
• Phil's non-top 5s: TV On the Radio, Warren Zevon, Jason Molina, Black Keys, Jet, Outkast, Ween, Lucinda Williams, Bowie
• Jay's non-top 5s: Gord Downie, Electric Six, Dizzee Rascal, Stephen Malkmus, Zeppelin
• To be continued

Completely Conspicuous is available through Apple Podcasts. Subscribe and write a review!

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.