Context of Sound

We're back to finish out the year with a little laughter and some holiday cheer. We explore the best and worst of one of the biggest and most lucrative music genre's - CHRISTMAS MUSIC. Religious Trauma? You betcha! it's all here and ready to be unpacked like an over wrapped present!

In our second episode dedicated to the musical Phoenix - we explore 6 more albums that put artist back on the map in our hearts. From 14-year-gaps to Grammy awards, Art flops to heavy hitters, hospital beds to Carnegie hall , falling-off to radio domination ... We discuss the legendary comebacks of Robyn, D'angelo, Judy Garland, Dr Dre, Grace Jones, and Common!!

Whatever you do... Don't call it a comeback. Ok fine... call it what is. Because there's nothing more satisfying r than an artist bouncing back from a breakdown, a breakup, a flop, a drop or anything else that has diminished the public's expectations of them. In part one we look at 4 albums that exceeded all expectations. Hear about how the Dixie Chicks, Madonna, Mariah and Tinta Turnter overcame!

This week we dig into a topic near and dear to their hearts: TV theme songs! Since the golden age of television, a show's theme song is often as (if not more) beloved than the actual show itself. From the themes of classic comedies, ethereal dramas to those of some of our most beloved procedurals, we've got you covered.

It's "Pride Month" and we take the opportunity to honor and explore some of our favorite musical figures from the LGBTQI+ community. From the Harlem Renaissance through today (and far before and beyond) Queer people have been here - making waves, creating sounds and influencing the world.

Summer's here and the time is right for dancing in the street... to that song that you just cannot escape, whether you like it or not. What makes a "Song of the Summer"? We dissect the formula and the criteria and discuss some of our favorites, least favorites and guilty pleasures of summers past.

This week we tackle two undeniable masters - two of the most important figures in Jazz - who's work continues to influence and sell like hotcakes. We focus on the the album 'Kind of Blue' : Although released in 1959 it was 2015 biggest selling Vinyl. Miles and Bill were both troubled and complicated but made each other better. And they made music better.

This week we discuss the lives and legacy of two artists who's careers were both cut short by terrible plane crashes. Their time here may have been short, but both Patsy Cline and Ritchie Valens broke new ground for Women and Chicano's in music and have continued to influence artists for generations. We delve into there music and what happened to them.

It's been just over a year since our beloved Prince ascended. We unpack two of our favorite albums from his immense catalog of works. Reviews Shamoos. We get into the real meat and potatoes of "Around the World in a Day" and "Musicology" and why they matter.

This week we spill some sweet sweet tea about a couple of early 90s lip-synch scandals..."Miming the Charts" or alternatively "Good Braids". How did people not clock the fakery that was Milli Vanilli? Why didn't Martha Wash and Lolleatta Holloway get their propers on Black Box records? We try to get to the bottom of it all.

Part two into the wonders of Virginia Beach and how its children took music the f&%K over and made everyone re-think their entire lives. This week Thomas focuses on Missy with of course help from Timbaland and Sam raps Missy's verse on Nicole Raye.

What was in the water in Virginia Beach in the 90s? Clearly something genius. Four of the biggest producers of 90s and 00s sprung from VA and took the the radio hostage: The Neptunes, Missy and Timbaland. In Pt 1 we look at the game changing sound of Chad Hugo and Pharell Williams

Without the work of Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Little Richard, rock music as we know it wouldn't exist. This week we discuss their lives, their music and their legacies. They were loud. They were bold. They took no s#^t and gave zero f@&#s.

It's Black History. It's Queer History. It's Music History. We look into the far too often overlooked Godfather of House (Frankie Knuckles) and the worlds first superstar DJ (Larry Levan) and the lasting impact they've had on dance music.

In the second part of our discussion on 'protest songs' we get into Nina Simone, Kendrick, Queen Latifah and... Meredith Brooks! Racism, mental Illness, misogyny and what does music have to do with it. Put your fists in the air and FIGHT THE POWER!

Our most important episode yet - We discuss "Protest Songs" and why they matter. How they impact a time and movement and how they teach us about our past and inform our future. This week we get serious. How could we not.

In our 3rd and best episode, "All The Cocaine!" - we discuss the rise and fall of two different Recording Empires: Casablanca Records and Murder, Inc. How could something so big go so wrong... All the cocaine?

In this second episode - Sam Sparro and Thomas Francisco discuss MTV and the impact some of its programming had on music and culture from the late 80s though the 90s. Special Guest Jill Sobule recounts her gig as MTV VJ.

Sam Sparro and Thomas Francisco explore the relationships between musical collaborators and the music behind them. They also chat a lot in between. Follow us on Twitter @contextofsound to talk with us, rate and subscribe on iTunes and the rest of those places you rate and subscribe on.