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 222: Mix It Up

This week, I revisit an old mix tape I made many moons ago. Listen to the episode below or download it directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:

- In episode 141, I discussed the early mix tapes I made as a kid

- A few years ago, started writing about mix tapes in my blog

- Looking back at Summer of Loud, a tape I recorded in '94

- Previous year was pretty rough, but things were looking up in '94

- Switched jobs and apartments at about the same time

- 1994 was a good year for alt rock

- I still listen to this mix from time to time

- Bonehead of the Week

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

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 141: Memories Can't Wait

I'm flying solo on the podcast this week as I discuss the lasting power of the mix tape. Listen to the show in streaming audio or download it directly (right click and "save as").

The show notes...

Topics:

- Music takes you back to specific time or place

- Couldn't listen to "Wild Horses" for a few years

- Joe Jackson's "I'm the Man" brings back good memories

- Made mix tapes on clock radio with tape deck

- Mix tapes have made a comeback

- Started writing series called Mixology to look back at old mix tapes

- Oldest mix tape I have was recorded in 1981

- Lots of hard rock and prog rock featured

- Was surprised to hear that I recorded little bits on some of the tapes

- 1981 started out great

- Eighth grade was a lot of fun

- But we knew were moving to Washington state soon

- Moved in November

- Radio stations there sucked, so mix tapes kept me going

- Didn't make another mix tape until I got to college

- Made a few tapes in college, but really started making a lot after I graduated

- Listening to those old tapes really reminds of me of good and bad times

- Last mix tape was made in 1999 until my tape deck died

- Still make CD and iTunes playlist mixes

- Bonehead of the Week

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

The show is sponsored by Eastbay/Footlocker.com, a leading supplier of athletic footwear, apparel and sports equipment. Use the promo code AFCOMP15 to get 10% off any order of $50 or more at Eastbay, AFCOM20 will get you 15% off any order of $75 or more at Eastbay, and AFCOMPFL will get you 10% off any order of $50 or more 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 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.