Completely Conspicuous 617: Let There Be Rock

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Phil Stacey about the music of 2001. Listen to the episode below or download directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:

• Jay's non-top 5 albums: Von Bondies, Radiohead, Sloan, Frank Black & the Catholics, Guided By Voices, Fugazi
• The joy of shopping for imports
• Phil's #5: Great distillation of classic rock from Sweden's The Soundtrack of Our Lives
• Jay's #5: Indie folk-rock on first solo effort from Gord Downie includes spoken word
• Phil's #4 and Jay's #3: Breakthrough album from the White Stripes blew up several months after it came out
• Jay's #4: The Strokes led the return of guitar rock with a NYC-centric sound
• Highlighted in the book and documentary Meet Me in the Bathroom
• Phil's #3: Spoon with a strong release after getting dropped from a major 
• Phil's #2: Another great album after getting dropped came from Wilco
• Phil's #1 and Jay's #2: A masterful double album about the duality of the Southern thang by Drive-By Truckers
• Jay's #1: Impressive release from Ted Leo & the Pharmacists showcased a melding of diverse rock styles
• Favorite songs: "Timorous Me" (Jay), "Ronnie and Neil" (Phil)

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 206: Hits of the Year

Part 1 of my conversation with special guest Jay Breitling as we look back at the best rock music of 2011. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:

- Of new additions and beer

- Revisiting our beer discussion of episodes 133 and 134

- Trends in 2011: The return of the '90s

- Bands reunited, new bands echo '90s influences

- Imminent death of the CD?

- Tons of reissues for classic albums

- Expanded versions of relatively recent albums

- Breitling's #10 album: Los Campesinos

- Proggy elements added to band's sound

- Kumar's #10: Drive-By Truckers

- Uber-prolific band combines Southern rock and soul

- Breitling's #9: Soccer Mom

- Boston band echoes sound of bands like Sonic Youth

- Kumar's #9: J. Mascis

- Solo album turns down the jet engine roar

- Breitling's #8: Ringo Deathstarr

- Album was four years in the making

- Kumar's #8: Beastie Boys

- Sounds like classic Beasties

- Overblown non-controversy of the week: Questlove vs. Michele Bachmann

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:
Los Campesinos - Hello Sadness

Ringo Deathstarr - Imagine Hearts

Drive-By Truckers - Used to Be a Cop

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

The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.

The Los Campesinos song is on the album Hello Sadness on Arts and Crafts. Download the song for free at Stereogum.

The Ringo Deathstarr song is on the album Colour Trip on Sonic Unyon Records. Download the song for free at RCRDLBL.

The Drive-By Truckers song is from the album Go-Go Boots on ATO Records. Download the song for free (in exchange for your email address) at DriveByTruckers.com.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian; check out his site PodGeek.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 161: You Are What You Is

Special guest Brian Salvatore joins me on the podcast as we discuss nutrition in America. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Or you can listen to it here:



Topics:

- Check out Brian's podcast The Enthusiasts' Radio Hour

- Recorded before a live studio audience in Pompton Lakes, NJ

- Efforts to ban trans fats

- The Salvatores belong to a food co-op

- It's good to know where your food comes from

- McDonald's Instant Remorse

- Brian made enchilada lasagna last night, Jay had a Quarter Pounder with cheese

- Taco Bell: Less than 30% actual meat in tacos

- People should be able to choose to eat junk if they want

- Jay: We limit junk food for our kids

- Parents need to take responsibility for their kids' nutrition

- Jay watched a ton of TV as a kid

- You can't force people to eat right

- Having a busy schedule is no excuse to eat poorly

- Nutrition education is important

- Food assistance programs need funding

- Brian: Haven't noticed a difference in flavor at NYC restaurants since trans fat ban

- Tainted food outbreaks are biggest concerns

- Jay: In college, going off dining plan led to poor nutrition

- Food trucks were big hit in college

- Brian: Learned to cook for myself at a young age

- Government needs to step in to enforce child nutrition

- Once you're an adult, you know what's bad for you

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

The Feelies - Should Be Gone

Drive-By Truckers - Everybody Needs Love

Mind Spiders - Don't Let Her Go

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com. Use the following codes to get athletic gear from Nike, Adidas, Asics and more. AFCOMP15 will get you 10% off any order of $50 at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 will get you 15% off any order of $75 at Eastbay.com and AFCOMPFL will get you 10% off any order of $50 or more at Footlocker.com.

The Feelies song is on the forthcoming album Here Before on Bar/None Records. Download the song for free at Pitchfork.

The Drive-By Truckers song is on the forthcoming album Go-Go Boots on ATO Records. Download the song for free at Amazon.

The Mind Spiders song is on the band's self-titled album on Dirt Nap Records. Download the song for free at Altered Zones.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 154: Word Up!

Special guest Dave Brigham joins me again on the podcast for part 2 of our discussion about his new book, "(C)rock Stories: Million-Dollar Tales of Music, Mayhem and Immaturity." Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Or you can listen to it here:



The show notes...

Topics:

- One story grew out of trips to see the Butthole Surfers

- Turned into a tale of violence and road-trippin'

- Dave saw the Surfers at the Channel in 1987

- Created (C)rock-related t-shirts for sale

- Slogan is "Rock + Fiction = (C)rock"

- More than 100 bands mentioned in the book

- National Novel Writing Month

- Dave was working on a UFO concept album that started turning into a book

- Gratuitous Humpmuscle Pete reference

- Dave ponders new marketing strategies

- Jay's mom needs to talk to "the Gmail people"

- Look for the book soon: Makes a good Christmas/New Year's/MLK Day present (via Booklocker)

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

The Dears - Blood

The Drive-By Truckers - Used to be a Cop

J. Mascis - Not Enough

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

The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.

The Dears song is on the forthcoming album Degeneration Street on DangerBird Records, where you can download the song for free.

The Drive-By Truckers song is from the band's forthcoming album Go-Go Boots on ATO Records. Find out more and download the song for free from the band's website.

The J. Mascis song is on his forthcoming album Several Shades of Why on Sub Pop, where you can download the song for free.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 148: Runnin' with the Devil

After a three-week delay, the podcast is back. This week, I share my thoughts before and after running the Baystate Marathon last month. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Or you can listen to it here:



The show notes...

Topics:

- The night before the race, I'm feeling pretty confident

- Ran Baystate in 2007 in 3:46

- Hoping to do a little better this time

- Had disastrous run in May at Providence Marathon because of 80-degree heat

- Check back in after the race, driving home

- Struggled with side stitch from mile 9 on

- Weather was perfect

- Taking the spring off from marathons

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Drive-By Truckers - Your Woman is a Living Thing

Wire - Two Minutes

Crystal Castles with Robert Smith - I'm Not in Love

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com. Use the following codes to get athletic gear from Nike, Adidas, Asics and more. AFCOMP15 will get you 10% off any order of $50 at Eastbay.com, AFCOMP20 will get you 15% off any order of $75 at Eastbay.com and AFCOMPFL will get you 10% off any order of $50 or more at Footlocker.com.

The Drive-By Truckers song was originally released as a single on Record Store Day. The band is giving it away as a free download to its Facebook friends.

The Wire song is on the forthcoming album Red Barked Tree on the band's label Pink Flag, where you can download the song for free.

The Crystal Castles song features Robert Smith of the Cure on vocals and is a cover of a Platinum Blonde song. The remix is available as a single on Fiction Records. Download the song for free at Stereogum.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 134: Six Pack

Special guest Jay Breitling joins me on the podcast for the conclusion of our discussion about beer, recorded during and after a Red Sox game. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Drinking Guinness at Fenway Park

- Kumar: Go-to beer in the mid-'90s was Pete's Wicked Ale

- Breitling started getting into Yuengling

- Adrian Beltre hits HR for Red Sox

- Variety packs are good ways to try different kinds of beer

- Breitling prefers seasonal beers, especially fall seasonals

- Kumar: Big fan of porter

- Breitling: Helped out at Cisco Brewers in Nantucket

- Breitling isn't huge fan of winter beers

- Bitter beer face

- IPAs are bitter, but we like 'em

- Kumar: Don't drink much homebrew

- Breitling's pal Rob Mathews makes good homebrew

- Ice beer was big in the early '90s

- Kumar: Tried ice beer for a while, but it was too strong

- Still see drunks buying 40s of Natty Light Ice

- Beer consumption is limited to two or three at a time now

- Pros and cons of beer fridges

- Walking back from the game

- What to tell our kids about drinking

- Just hope they make sensible decisions

- It's tough being a responsible adult

- Breitling's max bench: 265

- Drunk episodes are few and far between these days

- Never understood why people got wasted before concerts

- Breitling's bar altercation

- Kids don't respect hangovers

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

Drive-By Truckers - Girls Who Smoke

We Were Promised Jetpacks - Roll Up Your Sleeves

Silversun Pickups - It's Nice to Know You Work Alone

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

The show is sponsored by Budget, the country's premier car rental service with 900 locations. Go to Budget.com/CompCon and save 10% off any reservation or $30 off a weekly rental.

The Drive-By Truckers song is a B-side off the album The Big To-Do on ATO Records, where you can download the song for free.

The We Were Promised Jetpacks song was recorded for the Daytrotter Sessions, where you can download the song for free.

The Silversun Pickups song is on the album Swoon on Dangerbird Records. Download the song for free as part of the Dangerbird Amazon Sampler.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 113: Get in the Van

The podcast's back with special guest Dave Brigham as we discuss the fine art of the road trip. Click here to listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly here (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Dave used to do "big house tours"

- Dave and buddies bought a boogie van for big road trip

- Van broke down before they even left

- No destination in mind

- Diet of hot dogs, carrots and beer

- Got to Santa Fe, NM, but altitude was tough

- Went to Albuquerque, rented house and found jobs

- Stayed three months

- "Eat, drink, work"

- Jay did a road trip to Montreal that same spring

- Six years ago, Jay did another Montreal trip

- Jay was ill, decorated the breakdown lane all the way back

- Dave did long trip right after college graduation

- Saw Skinny Puppy play in Montreal, looked for Letterman's house in CT

- Dave and Beth drove to Toronto, then Madison, WI, then Chicago

- Jerry Springer sighting; then watched OJ Simpson chase on TV

- Jay and family drove to Disney few years ago; 22-hour drive

- Dave remembers family train trip gone awry

- Jay remembers family vacations to Florida in '70s

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

- The Drive-By Truckers - Birthday Boy

- Spoon - Written in Reverse

- Future of the Left - The Hope That House Built

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

The Drive-By Truckers song is on the album The Big To-Do on ATO Records. Find out more and download the song for free here.

The Spoon song is on the album Transference on Merge Records. The song is courtesy of IODA Promonet:

Spoon
"Written In Reverse" (mp3)
from "Transference"
(Arts & Crafts Mexico)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album



The Future of the Left song is on the album Travels With Myself and Another on 4AD Records. Download the track for free at Beggars Group USA.

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com, a leading supplier of athletic footwear, apparel and sports equipment. Use these codes and save some cash: AFCOMP15 will get you 15% off any order at Eastbay.com; AFCOMP20 will get you 20% off any order of $75 or more at Eastbay.com; AFCOMPFL will get you 15% off any order at Footlocker.com.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography at his blog.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous 111: I Predict a Riot

The podcast returns with part 3 of my conversation with Ric Dube. We wrap up our pop culture predictions for the next decade. Click here to listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly here (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Dube praises the CompCon movie recap episodes

- Joseph Gordon-Levitt will continue to do good work

- Dube wants you to see 500 Days of Summer...to understand why he hates it

- "Annie Hall for dumb kids"

- Annoying Hollywood trend: Self-conscious namedropping of "cool bands"

- Talking Avatar...which neither of us has seen

- Ric loves his Kindle

- Prediction: Touchscreen technology may turn actual desktops into computers, creating virtual clutter

- Ric's moneymaking idea: Halloween costume generator

- Female version makes every costume slutty (E.g., slutty trash collector)

- Tailor made for an iPhone app

- The adventures of intern Gabe

- Ric: The TSA is comprised of power-mad mall cops

- Product idea: Terror alert level M&Ms

- Eat your way to comfort level

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:

- Drive-By Truckers - This F*cking Job

- Shearwater - Black Eyes

- The Smashing Pumpkins - Widow Wake My Mind

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

The Drive-By Truckers song was recorded for the forthcoming album The Big To-Do on ATO Records. Find out more at and download the song for free at Stereogum.

The Shearwater song is on the album The Golden Archipelago on Matador Records, where you can download the track for free.

The Smashing Pumpkins song is on the forthcoming album Teargarden by Kaleidyscope. Find out more and download the song for free here.

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com, a leading supplier of athletic footwear, apparel and sports equipment. The promo code AFCOMP15 will get you 15% off any order at Eastbay, AFCOMP20 will get you 20% off any order of $75 or more at Eastbay and AFCOMPFL will get you 15% off any order at Footlocker.

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 blogs Clicky Clicky and Keeping Some Dark Secrets. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbelll. Thanks to Bob Durling for the album art; find out more about his photography here.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous Episode 65: I Wanna Be Elected

Halloween is nearly over and the kids are tucked in bed, with visions of Skittles and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups dancing in their heads. As for me, I just recorded the latest and greatest episode of Completely Conspicuous. If you're not already subscribed, you can download it directly here (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:
- Celebrity political endorsements
- The increase in child food allergies
- Pinhead of the Week

Music:
- Frightened Rabbit - Old Old Fashioned (live)
- Sebastien Grainger and the Mountains - By Cover of Night (Firefight)
- Parts and Labor - Nowheres Nigh
- Drive-By Truckers - Zip City

Promo:
- New England Podcasting.

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes and Podcast Pickle podcast directories. Subscribe and write a review!

The Drive-By Truckers song is on the album Southern Rock Opera on Lost Highway Records; find out more and download the track here.

The Parts and Labor song is on the album Receivers on Jagjaguwar Records, where you can find out more and download the track.

The Frightened Rabbit song is on their new live album Liver! Lung! FR! on Fat Cat Records. The song from Sebastien Grainger and the Mountains is on their self-titled album on Outside Music. Both songs were provided by IODA Promonet:

Frightened Rabbit
"Old Old Fashioned" (mp3)
from "Liver! Lung! FR!"
(Fat Cat Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at eMusic Delivery
Buy at Puretracks
Buy at GroupieTunes
More On This Album



Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains
"By Cover of Night (Fire Fight)" (mp3)
from "Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains"
(Outside Music)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album



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. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.

Completely Conspicuous Episode 60: Eat to the Beat

Back with another episode of the podcast. You can download it directly here (right click and "save as") if you don't subscribe already.

The show notes...

Topics:
- The shoddy U.S. food safety system
- An encounter with a creature of the night
- Pinhead of the Week

Music:
- Centro-Matic - Quality Strange
- The Stills - Snakecharming the Masses
- Jay Reatard - See/Saw
- The Drive-By Truckers - Puttin' People on the Moon

Promo:
- New England Podcasting.

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes and Podcast Pickle podcast directories. Subscribe and write a review!

The Drive-By Truckers song is on the album The Dirty South on New West Records; find out more and download the track at the band's web site.

The Jay Reatard song is on the compilation Matador Singles '08 on Matador Records, where you can find out more and download the track.

The Centro-Matic song is on the album Dual Hawks on Misra Records. The song from The Stills is on the album Oceans Will Rise on Arts and Crafts Records. Both songs were provided by IODA Promonet:

Centro-matic
"Quality Strange" (mp3)
from "Dual Hawks"
(Misra)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Rhapsody
Buy at Napster
Stream from Rhapsody
Buy at GroupieTunes
Buy at mTraks
More On This Album



The Stills
"Snakecharming The Masses" (mp3)
from "Oceans Will Rise"
(Arts & Crafts)

More On This Album



The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling by visiting his fine music blog. Additional music used in the show is by Me and Boris the Bull, which is the brainchild of the mighty Mark Campbell.

Completely Conspicuous is a Tan God Production. Word.