All Our Pretty Songs

This week, we discussed Spice Girls. We had a wide-ranging discussion that hit on Spice World, the concept of the blank slate, Pink Floyd's The Wall, feminist history, AI, Riot grrrl, Ars poeticas, "Girls to the front," The Electric Slide, math, horniness, wanting, sound poetry, sex vs. dancing, having sex with your friends, and, of course, above all else, friendship. Our theme song is by Golden West Service, featuring Shreddie Vedder.

For this special episode we brought back our esteemed guest, Korn historian and DJ Alanna "That's So" Raben. She led us in a discussion that touched on Beavis and Butthead, TRL, TikTok, sex positivity, sports, product placement, sequined jumpsuits, freaks, Coffee Coolattas, communicating with God, the "Zach Morris cell phone aesthetic," found language, nursery rhymes, horror, and, ultimately, the rejection of language. Our theme song is by Golden West Service, featuring Shreddie Vedder.

This time on AOPS, we discussed The Offspring in a wide-ranging conversation that touched on sincerity, unemployment, medical doctors, William Carlos Williams, fiscal conservatism, and—of course—self esteem vs. confidence. Our theme song is by Golden West Service, featuring Shreddie Vedder.

For this episode, we discussed two 90s classics: "Closer," by Nine Inch Nails and "Closer to Fine," by the Indigo Girls. We touched on topics like God, the id, the ego, Rasputin, cafeteria cookies, "a port in a storm," Hélène Cixous, parabolas, and college. Our theme song is by Golden West Service, featuring Shreddie Vedder.

On this episode, we discussed the work of Whitney Houston, who is the best. Our conversation touched on: bad breakup behavior, Taylor Swift, song lyrics vs. poems, the most powerful "and" in music, direct address, seeking advice, mom-as-inner voice, dancing as a stand-in for sex, children, memory, and songs of innocence, songs of experience. Our theme song, as always, is by Golden West Service featuring Shreddie Vedder. Marisa's book, ⁠Diary⁠.

This week, we discussed the work of Sarah McLachlan, touching on Second-wave feminist naming conventions, "The Second Coming," The Rules, "Building a Mystery" poems, angel investors, shaving, the Garden of Eden, Andrea Dworkin, Christmas songs, Rock star on the road songs, Lifetime movies, and, of course, the ASPCA. Our theme song, as always, is by Golden West Service featuring Shreddie Vedder.

For this episode we discussed Oasis, a band one of us described as "Two brothers and some other people." We also touched on landslides in popular music, synesthesia, trolls, The Beatles, rhyme scheme, ghosts, "parents just don't understand," made up words, hearsay, and movies in which people get buried alive. Our theme song is by Golden West Service featuring Shreddie Vedder.

We've reached 1995 in our ongoing exploration of the top 20 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 for each year of the 90s, and this time the choices were REALLY impossible. Listen for our excellent discussion of some incredible songs, plus: crises of faith, freaks, "freak flags," school dances, personalized silk pajama sets, skin hunger, Fantasia, rollerblading, and a little something we like to call the "Advent Calendar of Loneliness." Our theme song, as always, is by Golden West Service featuring Shreddie Vedder.

This week, we discussed the original soundtrack for the absolutely essential 90s film, The Crow (Alex Proyas, 1994). We also had a fight about Rage Against the Machine and discussed 90s haircuts, being born, fast forwarding, Edgar Allen Poe, the difference between "can't" and "won't," and the concept of revenge. Our theme song, as always, is by Golden West Service featuring Shreddie Vedder.

This week, we discussed The Breeders in a wide-ranging discussion touching on wishing wells, "going up Troy's bucket," quotidian landmarks, sleepovers vs. slumber parties, Thor, Melville & Hawthorne, onomatopoeia, and the male privilege of jumping in a pool and yelling, "CANNONBALL!!!" Our theme song is by Golden West Service featuring Shreddie Vedder.

Well, we finally did it. We discussed Nirvana, and the discussion was...not brief. We hope you enjoy it! Our theme song is by Golden West Service featuring Shreddie Vedder.

We begin our new season by embarking on an experiment in building a collaborative playlist starting off with, for some reason, with Billie Myers' 1997 hit, "Kiss the Rain." Our theme song is by Golden West Service featuring Shreddie Vedder.

For our final episode of 2022, we discussed the iconic Fiona Apple! Topics include: Hamlet, hot tubs, misogyny, the Bible, the male gaze, dream journals and more. Happy holidays! Our theme song is by Golden West Service featuring Shreddie Vedder.

This week, we finally discussed Metallica, and took a rare trip back into the 1980s. Additionally, in honor of our long friendship, we agreed to always try our best to dub one another "forgiven" whenever possible. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder.

This week, we decided to return to our exploration of the 90s most salient one hit wonders. We discussed Fuel's "Shimmer" and Veruca Salt's "Seether," two songs connected by, well, mostly just their titles. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder.

We decided to tackle the '90s output of Silverchair. We discussed the simple wisdom of youth and gave Daniel Johns some constructive criticism about his hair. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder.

This week on the pod, we dove deep on the Top 20 songs of 1994's Billboard Hot 100, where we had to come to terms with our everlasting love for 1994 Ace of Base. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder.

We finally took on the '90s catalog of Bjork. Though we had a bit of the giggles, we also got into some pretty heavy stuff, including our feelings about "emotional landscapes." Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder.

On this episode, we each chose our top three '90s songs of the '70s. We had a lot of different thoughts about what that could mean, and we explored as many of those as possible to arrive at the songs from the '70s that feel the most '90s to us. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder.

This week we discussed Poe while veering off into discussions about soap operas, hauntings, jokes, and much, much more. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder.

This week we discussed Third Eye Blind, big feelings, extremes, and the endless desire for "something else." Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder.

This week, we decided to take on two more of the 90s best one hit wonders: "Steal My Sunshine," by Len & "Sunny Came Home," by Shawn Colvin. Saying that these songs are "about" the sun might be a little inaccurate, but whatever. Tune in to listen to your hosts learn about butter tarts in real time. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder.

This week, we dove into the 90s catalog of our culture's foremost philosophers on the subject of time: blink-182. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder.

This week, we explore the soundtrack to Cameron Crowe's 1992 film, Singles. We discuss the lure of dating amidst the Seattle grunge scene, examine Edward Vedder as a writer and thespian, and get into a heated debate about the concept of seasons. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder.

Well, we finally did it. We discussed the wildly popular 90s rock band Hootie & the Blowfish. Including such topics as Michael Stipe-worship, emotional maturity, and loving the people you love the best that you can. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder.

This week, we discussed Belly, an incredible band that you'd better take your hat off before you discuss. We got into Belly's amazing lyrics, and also tried to figure out how we feel about silverfish. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder.

This week, we decided to have a little fun before we die, and we dove into the Sheryl Crow catalog! We had the most overlap in our picks that we've ever had. We also had some internet issues, so please forgive us if there are a few moments where the audio is a little wonky :) Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder.

This week, we decided to dive deep into the Toad the Wet Sprocket catalog. Aside from listening to some great hits, we got to really explore our feelings about the natural world. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

This week, we continued our journey through the hits of the 90s with a deep dive on the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 for 1993. We discussed some legendary singers and we time-travelled a little. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

We celebrated one year of doing this podcast by each choosing one song "that got away." We got meta about the problems of picking. We also chatted about the best Christmas song of the 1990s. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

This week, we finally discussed Blind Melon. We also puzzled through ideas like homesickness, cheesiness, etc. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

This week, we brought in our friend Tara, a No Doubt superfan, to help us process this truly important band. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

This week, we discussed Garbage, the band, and celebrate the rare occasion that we both share the same #1 song! Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

This week, we discussed Matchbox 20, and Seth basically folds up the tent on his own argument about which is the best Matchbox 20 song. We struggle to articulate what kind of music this is, which seems like a funny thing to do about Matchbox 20. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

This week, we discussed The Smashing Pumpkins and the difference between being a rat in a cage and a brick in a wall. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

This week, we welcomed special guest Megan Milks, author of Tori Amos Bootleg Webring, to help us discuss the amazing work of Tori Amos. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

This week, we explored the Empire Records soundtrack, which, unfortunately, is not necessarily a great representation of the music in the movie. We also praised Renée Zellweger, because she, in our opinion, carries this movie almost singlehandedly. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

This week, we explored the hits of 1992, which evidently was a year of nothing but hits. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

This week, we explored two important MMM songs from the 90s: "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" by Crash Test Dummies and "MMMBop" by Hanson. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

This week, we laughed to ourselves as the tears rolled down, and we explored the oeuvre of Collective Soul. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

This week, we dove into the music of Alanis Morissette. Don't be alarmed if we fell head over feet on this one! Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

This week, we embarked on a new experiment! We decided to take on two of the 90s best one hit wonders: "One of Us," by Joan Osborne & "Counting Blue Cars," by Dishwalla. Including a very detailed discussion of our many ways of feeling about the word "Slob." Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

This week, we discussed the well-known 90s rock band Aerosmith, including a discussion of some of the most important films of the era. One of us forgot to mention on the podcast that we saw Tom Hamilton in a magic store in Boston in the late 90s, so we're mentioning that here. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

This week we were joined by our first ever guest, Alanna "That's So" Raben, who helped us begin to understand Limp Bizkit as the ultimate expression of a kind of teenaged angst. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

We each chose our top 3 songs off the top 20 of Billboard's Hot 100 singles list from 1991. Includes a discussion of the poetics of song titles and romantic relationships as a venue for proving people wrong. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0JJtYnwmeOvkmk5ceuep87?si=J5HNdnWGQ9WzBqVfS-aH8w

It's Liz Phair Week on AOPS! We talk about the problem of friends vs. lovers, the different ways of feeling sorry, and the dream of being cheered up by a kind bartender. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0C2f5fZx9axz72pGYK4TFq?si=e34eff6b4cd3466b

This week on All Our Pretty Songs, we decided to start a company: FRUSTRATED, INC. We also talked about the endless importance of learning from the teens of the past. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0C2f5fZx9axz72pGYK4TFq?si=e34eff6b4cd3466b

This week on All Our Pretty Songs, we decided to jump into the world of 1990s movie soundtracks. Our first foray: Reality Bites! Including discussions about love songs that get a little eschatological about romance and, significantly, the very important phrase, "no, no, no, bad." Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0C2f5fZx9axz72pGYK4TFq?si=e34eff6b4cd3466b

This week on All Our Pretty Songs, we discussed Radiohead: a famous Jerky Boys tribute band. You might have heard of them. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0C2f5fZx9axz72pGYK4TFq?si=e34eff6b4cd3466b

This week on All Our Pretty Songs, we discussed Green Day. Once again, we were overcome with profound love for the year 1994. We also discussed the world of secret songs and an important concept known as The Mother Conceit. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0C2f5fZx9axz72pGYK4TFq?si=e34eff6b4cd3466b

This week on All Our Pretty Songs, we discussed Natalie Merchant and 10,000 Maniacs. Yet another discussion of songs that made at least one of us have to pull to the side of the road to weep. It's a podcast: don't talk; we'll take care of that part for you. Our theme song is original music by Golden West Service & Shreddie Vedder. Playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0C2f5fZx9axz72pGYK4TFq?si=e34eff6b4cd3466b