Completely Conspicuous 336: Album vs. Playlist

This week, it's an episode of Driving With Kumar as guests Dave Olson and Phil Stacey join me to discuss whether the album is an endangered species. Listen to the episode below or download directly (right click and "save as").


Show notes:
- Recorded on the way to Fenway Park
- A BBC radio exec proclaimed the album is about to be extinct
- "Playlists are the future"
- Phil: Listen to a lot of albums by new or unfamiliar artists on Spotify
- Much different listening experience when we were kids
- Dave: Worked in restaurants as a kid and brought mix tapes to listen to
- Albums brought more lasting satisfaction
- Phil: Song order is interesting
- Sometimes an album only has 1 or 2 good songs
- Deep cuts
- Hunting for B-sides
- Digging through back catalog
- The vagaries of bubblegum pop
- Kids don't listen to albums as much anymore
- Phil likes the jam bands
- Commercial radio is in rough shape
- Music sales are a fraction of what they once were 20+ years ago
- The power of licensed music in movies and TV
- MTV used to be a huge music influencer
- The vinyl resurgence
- Mixes or playlists can have interesting choices
- Offending people with mixtape selections

Music:
Speedy Ortiz - Bigger Party
Dead Stars - Wasted

Parquet Courts - Sunbathing Animal

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

The Speedy Ortiz song is part of the Adult Swim Singles Series. Download the song for free at Adult Swim.

The Dead Stars song is on the album Slumber on Old Flame Records. Download the song for free at KEXP.
The Parquet Courts song is on the album Sunbathing Animal on What's Your Rupture? Download the song for free at KEXP.

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.

Completely Conspicuous 309: Top of the Rock

Part 3 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling as we discuss our favorite music of 2013. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").



Show notes:
- Recorded at Clicky Clicky World HQ
- JB's #1
- Speedy Ortiz jumped to Carpark Records
- Sadie Dupuis is an actual poet
- JK's #1
- Queens of the Stone Age went to interesting places on ...Like Clockwork
- Matador's first #1 record
- Favorite live shows
- JB saw Lilys in a tiny venue
- Whirr and Nothing at Great Scott made Breitling's brain shake
- Krill, Speedy Ortiz record release shows
- Saw Soccer Mom several times
- JK: Golden Gurls, Soccer Mom and Reports at TT's
- Clicky Clicky benefit was great
- Saw Titus Andronicus twice
- Obits and Pile at TT's
- Just got ticket for Rocket From the Crypt reunion show in April
- Mission of Burma and Reports at the Sinclair
- JK: Vinyl continued to make comeback
- JB: The reality of YouTube as a legit streaming music service
- No sympathy for the record industry
- We're in a pop-driven era
- Novelty songs, bubblegum were huge
- Rock bands have no staying power on the charts
- Anticipated albums for '14
- JB: Johnny Foreigner, Lubec, Soccer Mom, Golden Gurls, White Laces
- JK: Titus Andronicus, Malkmus, Speedy Ortiz EP, Soccer Mom
- Many '80s bands will release new albums

Music:
Speedy Ortiz - No Below (live)
Mudhoney - I Like It Small

METZ - Can't Understand

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

The Speedy Ortiz song is on the band's Epitonic Saki Session. Download the song for free at Epitonic.

The Mudhoney song is on the album Vanishing Point on Sub Pop. Download it for free from Sub Pop.
The METZ song is part of the Adult Swim Singles Series. 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 blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Completely Conspicuous 295: Here I Go Again

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1987. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").


Show notes:
- Recorded via Skype
- Different perspectives: Brian was 5 in 1987, Jay was in college
- Brian: The impact of La Bamba, movie about Richie Valens
- Kicked off a roots rock revival
- Jay: Big year for alternative rock
- Breakout year for R.E.M., The Cure, The Cult
- Jay: Making the transition from metalhead to alt-rock fan
- No regional radio anymore
- Brian: CDs started catching on, especially when Beatles catalog was released
- CDs provided definitive versions of albums
- Became easier to make mixtapes
- Jay: Huge year for U2 with The Joshua Tree
- Landing tickets for U2 in '87 was no easy feat
- Brian: GNR's Appetite for Destruction actually paved the way for hair metal's demise
- Harked back to sleazier sounds of '70s garage rock
- Jane's Addiction seemed dangerous back then
- Guitar music was moving in different directions
- To be continued
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
Guillermo Sexo - Fall Lens
Natural Velvet - Dark Inertia
Speedy Ortiz - Plough (live)

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

The Guillermo Sexo song is on the album Dark Spring on Midriff Records. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.
The Natural Velvet song is on the EP Salome with the Head of John the Baptist. Download the EP for free at Bandcamp.

The Speedy Ortiz song is on the band's Epitonic Saki Session. 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.

Completely Conspicuous 287: Halfway There

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling as we discuss our favorite music of the first half of 2013. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:
- Recorded at Clicky Clicky world HQ
- Rick Moranis has a new album out
- Rush's only U.S. top 40 hit was 1982's "New World Man"
- Brought to you (not really) by Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Sumpin'
- JK: iTunes crashed, lost all playlists and play counts
- Spotify recently added music recommendations
- Serious signal-to-noise ratio
- YouTube's a great source of cool audio and video
- JB: A lot of great music from Exploding in Sound label
- JB: Ovlov - Am
- JK: Speedy Ortiz - Major Arcana
- Featured on JB's Lilys comp
- Many young bands embracing '90s sounds
- JB: Krill - Lucky Leaves
- Bass-playing singers free up space for guitarists
- JK: Palma Violets - 180
- Catchy Britpop that rocks
- JB: Radiator Hospital - Something Wild
- Album title comes from Jonathan Demme movie
- JK: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Push the Sky Away
- More subdued effort, but still excellent
- JB: Colleen - The Weighing of the Heart
- Former French schoolteacher
- Speedy Ortiz posted a great mixtape on their blog
- JK: David Bowie - The Next Day
- Unexpected but surprisingly good
- JB: Veronica Falls - Waiting for Something to Happen
- Melodic British guitar pop
- JK hasn't purchased any CDs this year; JB's bought fewer than 10
- Vinyl ain't cheap
- JB's listed in liner notes of new Speedy Ortiz album
- JK: Kurt Vile - Wakin' on a Pretty Daze
- Very chill, lots of long jams
- Kurt's brother sells Jell-O shots at festivals
- JB: Light Heat - s/t
- Former Mazarin fronter on his own
- JK: Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork
- Expected hard rocker and got something more interesting
- New QOTSA drummer is Jon Theodore, ex of Mars Volta
- To be continued
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
Speedy Ortiz - Tiger Tank
Radiator Hospital - Your Boyfriend
Kurt Vile - Wakin' on a Pretty Day
Light Heat - The Mirror (live)

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

The Speedy Ortiz song is on the album Major Arcana on Carpark Records. Download the song for free at Stereogum.
The Radiator Hospital song is on the album Something Wild. Download the entire album for free at Bandcamp.
The Kurt Vile song is on the album Wakin' on a Pretty Daze on Matador Records. Download the song for free at Matador.
The Light Heat song is on the band's self-titled album on Ribbon Music. Download the live version for free as part of the WXPN/Key Studio Session at The Key.
 
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.

Completely Conspicuous 284: Perfect Situation

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we present our ideas for rebooting classic sitcoms. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").


Show notes:
- Recorded at More Lost Time world HQ
- Jay: Movie reboot of Laverne and Shirley starring Emma Stone and Ellen Page
- Set at a Seattle microbrewery
- AV Club's Random Roles feature is terrific
- Ric: Sets Happy Days in 1991 Seattle, called Dazed and Abused
- Jason Everman's strange trip
- Let it go, Dave Mustaine
- Jay: Bosom Buddies reimagined with dudes dressing as women in drag
- Ric's take on Hangover 3
- Dueling Mork and Mindy remakes
- Ric: Get Robin Williams to play older Mork
- Jay: Alien lands in Portland, followed around by documentary crew
- What the hell is the Modern Family documentary about?
- Arnold does great commentary tracks
- Ric: Leave It to Cheever
- Partridge Family reboot with the Kardashians
- The new Jay Leno Show
- Ric still wants to make the reality show Blue Balls
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
METZ - Can't Understand
Majical Cloudz - Bugs Don't Buzz
Speedy Ortiz - No Below
Murray A. Lightburn - Motherfuckers  

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

The METZ song is part of the Adult Swim Singles Series. Download the song for free at Stereogum.
The Majical Cloudz song is on the album Impersonator on Matador Records. Download the song for free at Chromewaves.
The Speedy Ortiz song is on the album Major Arcana on Carpark Records. Download the song for free at Stereogum.
The Murray A. Lightburn song is on the album Mass: Light. 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.

Completely Conspicuous 283: Everything Old is New Again

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we present our ideas for rebooting classic sitcoms. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:
- Recorded at More Lost Time world HQ
- Ric beats a cybersquatter at his own game
- Ric wants to reboot American Idol
- "Celebrity Barrel Jumping"
- Tom Scholz of the band Boston is into "freestyle figure skating"
- Ric: Judges would be voted off each season by fans
- Show would have weekly winner like Jeopardy
- Chuck Barris was talent show pioneer with The Gong Show
- Jay: Reimagined take on Sanford and Son starring Indian father and son convenience store owners
- Stretch of minority-themed sitcoms in the '70s
- UPN network had several black sitcoms in the '90s
- The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer was comedic look at slavery
- All in the Family could never air today; people are too sensitive
- The late '60s scourge of "interracial touching"
- Recent Cheerios commercial with interracial family drew racist complaints
- Racial sensitivity in the workplace
- Ric: Reboot of The Bob Newhart Show, set in a nursing home
- Original Newhart show is a comedy classic
- Wondering how Northern Exposure has aged
- Newhart's breakthrough comedy album was recorded live
- Jay: Modern take on Chico and the Man would touch on immigration debate
- How funny was Freddie Prinze?
- Ric: Simpsons 2800 AD would combine elements of ghost-chasing cartoons
- New Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated show looks interesting
- To be continued
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
Speedy Ortiz - Tiger Tank
Hunx and His Punx - Bad Skin
Moon King - Only Child
Mikal Cronin - Get Along

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

The Speedy Ortiz song is on the album Major Arcana on Carpark Records. Download the song for free at Stereogum.
The Hunx and His Punx song is on the album Street Punk on Hardly Art. Download it for free at Hardly Art.
The Moon King song is on the EP Obsession 1 on One Big Silence. Download it for free at Chromewaves.
The Mikal Cronin song is on his self-titled album on Trouble in Mind Records. Download it 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.

Completely Conspicuous 280: All Together Now

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

Show notes:
- Recorded at Clicky Clicky world HQ
- Drinkin' beer and talking rock
- Check out JB's new comp, And I Forgot a Long Time Ago How You Feel
- Covers of early period Lilys songs
- JK: Three basic types of comps, not including soundtracks
- Tribute, genre and benefit comps
- No Alternative came out in '93
- We learn more about Lance Diamond
- During the Goo Goo Dolls' last days of non-suckage
- Part of Red Hot series
- JB: Red Hot and Bothered was the indie rock version
- JK: Deadicated was a Grateful Dead tribute featuring the likes of Jane's Addiction, Elvis Costello, Lyle Lovett
- Taping songs off the radio
- JK: The Bridge was a great Neil Young tribute featuring alt-rock artists like Pixies and Sonic Youth
- Lots of tribute comps came out in early '90s
- Now there are string quartet and bluegrass tributes to just about everyone
- Label comps are fun, like What's Up Matador?
- Safe and Sound comp featured Boston bands from mid-'90s
- JB: Simple Machines comp featured great DC acts
- JK: Twisted Willie paid tribute to Willie Nelson
- JB: Darla 100 may have been too long
- JB: Ten Cent Fix was a good one
- JB: Why Do You Think They Call It Pop? was collected by Pop Narcotic
- First SPINart release was One Last Kiss, featuring Swirlies, Small Factory, Velocity Girl
- JB: This is Harrisburg, Not Topeka featured the mighty Torgo, with one Jay Breitling on guitar
- A takeoff of the great This is Boston, Not LA
- Get Jay's comp at Clicky Clicky
- Bonehead of the Week


Music:
Speedy Ortiz - The Hermit Crab
Thee Oh Sees - Devil Again
Mikal Cronin - Better Man
The Melvins - Dr. Mule

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

The song from Speedy Ortiz is available on the compilation And I Forgot a Long Time Ago How You Feel. Download the comp exclusively at ClickyClickyMusic.
The songs from Thee Oh Sees and Mikal Cronin are on the compilation Garage Swim. Download the entire compilation for free at AdultSwim.com.
The Melvins song is on the Scion 10 Series Music Release. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.
 
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.