Discord and Rhyme: An Album Podcast

In this episode, Phil takes Discord & Rhyme further down the spiral with an album that is a harrowing descent into one man's decaying psyche. If that sounds like a blast, you're in good company with the millions of people who bought Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral in 1994. It's one of the bleakest, most pitch-dark albums to ever achieve massive commercial success, and it still sounds great in 2025, owing to the coherence of Trent Reznor's sonic vision and ingenious production by Flood. Reznor has gone on to become an Oscar-winning soundtrack composer in the decades since this album, but it still stands as one of his signature achievements, and Phil has invited Rich and Mike along to talk about an album that, from top to bottom, sets out to make you hurt. Now doesn't that make you feel better?Cohosts: Phil Maddox, Mike DeFabio, Rich BunnellComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/159-nine-inch-nails-the-downward-spiral-1994Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Rich, Ben, and John answer a super-sized mailbag of listener questions, with subjects including jukebox musicals, James Bond themes, songs that give them the happy chills, sample-based hip-hop producers, the usual suite of Moody Blues questions, and a philosophical discussion on how we all listen to music and how this has changed as we've gotten older. This episode also features an interlude on experimental music from Producer Mike, and a listener-submitted puzzle! Co-hosts: Rich Bunnell, Ben Marlin, John McFerrin, Mike DeFabio Spotify playlist of the songs clipped in this episode: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2ew48yCf2JAnroOVFlaLCv?si=yPstIGylTUOanMidd-cPlA

Everyone has an opinion about the Doors - whether you think they're transgressive and mind-blowing, or you find them silly and overrated, or - like Ben - you just think they made some killer music. With invaluable help from Amanda, Dan, and Mike, Ben makes the case that the Doors' 1967 self-titled debut album contains more killer music than many people realize. It might even blow your mind a little, too. Cohosts: Ben Marlin, Amanda Rodgers, Mike DeFabio, Dan WatkinsComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/158-the-doors-the-doors-1967Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

It's taken us nearly seven years, but the time has come. Midnight Oil, one of Australia's quintessential bands, is probably best known for its tireless political activism as expressed through hits like "Beds Are Burning" and "Blue Sky Mine," as well as the on-stage acrobatics of their 6′4″ frontman, Peter Garrett. But behind the sloganeering and agitprop, the Oils are a fiendishly creative and charmingly oddball band, and their 1982 Australian breakout album 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, recorded at a make-or-break moment for the group, was when they first really landed on their unmistakable aura. Rich has been an Oils fan literally since he was a teenager, and he's called in Ben and returning special guest Dave Weigel to deconstruct 10 to 1 and all of the power and the passion that went into these incredible songs. Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Ben Marlin, Dave WeigelComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/157-midnight-oil-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-1982Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Discord & Rhyme continues its slow walk through the world of Post-Rock with an examination of the 1996 album Millions Now Living Will Never Die by the Chicago-based group Tortoise. John has been fascinated by the concept of Post-Rock for many years (even if many of the acts associated with it, Tortoise included, rejected it as a useful descriptor), and a large part of this fascination stems from a love he has had for this album for over 20 years. In this episode, John, Mike, Rich, and Dan try to make sense not only of how one should define one of the most ambiguous genres out there, but also of why an instrumental album in that genre (possibly), mostly lacking clear traditional melodies and traditional song structures (the opening “Djed” is 21 minutes by itself), is clearly one of the best albums any of us have ever heard.  Regardless of whether Tortoise is Post-Rock, Prog, both, or neither, this is an album worth learning about, and Discord & Rhyme is up to the challenge.Cohosts: John McFerrin, Mike DeFabio, Rich Bunnell, Dan WatkinsComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/156-tortoise-millions-now-living-will-never-die-1996Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

It's that time of year again: question time! We'll be releasing our annual Q&A in mid-April, so if you have any questions for the podcast, send them to discordpod (at) gmail (dot) com, or hit us up on BlueSky, Threads, Instagram, or Patreon @discordpod. Don't be afraid to be creative, within the bounds of good taste, at our discretion. Keep as cool as you can!

If you only know Talk Talk for their ‘80s night staple “It's My Life,” you might well wonder what an experimental weirdo like Mike is doing hosting an episode about them. However, if you know a little more about their strange and fascinating career trajectory, it makes perfect sense. The sparse, atmospheric Spirit of Eden couldn't be more different from Talk Talk's synth-pop origins or from anything else in the musical landscape of 1988, and it more or less doomed the band's career when it came out, but the sound of rock music in the 21st century wouldn't be the same without it. Listening to Spirit of Eden is an experience that's almost impossible to relate by means of such quotidian devices as “words,” but Mike, Phil, Rich, and John are all going to try anyway.Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox, John McFerrinComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/155-talk-talk-spirit-of-eden-1988Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Due to some technical difficulties, we had to push back our Talk Talk episode, so to fix the hole in our schedule we are talking about the Beatles again! We've discussed covers of Beatles songs before, but there are millions of them so there will always be more to talk about. We're covering a lot of sonic ground in this episode, with a few songs we all love and a few that are more polarizing. Also: important information for Apple users regarding Patreon, some information about listening on Spotify, and more! The covers: 801 - TNK (Tomorrow Never Knows)The B-52s - Paperback WriterWes Montgomery - A Day in the LifeGhost - Here Comes the SunAndre 3000 - All Together NowTony Furtado & Alison Krauss - I WillThe Melvins - I Want to Hold Your HandElla Fitzgerald - Savoy TrufflePhil Collins - Tomorrow Never KnowsThe Jam - And Your Bird Can SingPeter Serafinowicz - A Full Day in the LifeFlaming Lips - She's Leaving HomeOther clips: George Burns - Fixing a HoleThe B-52s - RoamElla Fitzgerald - Mack the KnifeKing Crimson - The Sheltering SkyPeter Serafinowicz - Ringo Remembers (Christmas)Alvin and the Chipmunks - Do You Want to Know a SecretA Full Day in the Life on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bren-murphy/a-full-day-in-the-life-by-peter-serafinowiczRingo Remembers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW1ou7SH3isSpotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6PvhYhqz6gOAKTGW1YnbG4?si=61ee29f8952541b5Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Amanda Rodgers, Dan WatkinsDiscord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

We all know that Elton John is a top-tier singles artist, but he is also a top-tier albums artist. His run of nine albums from Empty Sky in 1969 through Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy in 1975 may very well be unmatched in modern music history. It was really hard to pick one to talk about on Discord & Rhyme, but we settled on Honky Chateau because it's the perfect encapsulation of what Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin were best at (and worst at). Full of incredible musicianship, amazing singing, stellar arrangements, and awkward lyrics, this is an album that's almost guaranteed to win over anyone who is still skeptical of Elton John. Cohosts: Amanda Rodgers, Ben Marlin, Rich Bunnell, John McFerrinComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/154-elton-john-honky-chateau-1972Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpodThe Music Of Songs by Jimmy O'Donnell: https://jimmyodonnell.bandcamp.com/album/the-music-of-songsIf You Try Sometimes... by Benjamin Marlin: https://amzn.to/3ZFJCK5

Well, sit right down, my wicked son, and let us tell you a story, about the subject of this year's Discord & Rhyme holiday episode: the Pixies! (Or technically, just Pixies.) Hailing from Boston, the alternative rock quartet dealt with mounting intra-band tension with little to nothing to show for it financially, leading bandleader Charles Thompson (alias Black Francis) to break up the band via fax in 1991. But the band's critical stature gradually grew to gigantic proportions in the ‘90s, as their albums influenced bands like Pavement, PJ Harvey, Radiohead, Weezer, and especially Nirvana, who built an entire movement out of the classic Pixies “quiet-loud” formula. When they reunited for a reunion tour in 2004, they found, much to their shock and awe, that their songs had grown into anthems. Their 1989 album Doolittle is arguably the peak of their original run, featuring songs that could plausibly fill an arena without sacrificing their scrappy indie energy, so join Rich, John, and Dan as they sail away on a (festive) wave of mutilation.Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, John McFerrin, Dan WatkinsComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/153-pixies-doolittle-1989Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpodMalört: The Redemption of a Revered and Reviled Spirit by Josh Noel: https://www.joshnoel.net/malort-book

Discord & Rhyme are taking a trip to Canterbury, England - UNESCO World Heritage Site, home of the Canterbury Cathedral, and birthplace of prog-rock legends Caravan. Springing forth from the rich Canterbury scene, Caravan created a style of progressive rock that managed to be complex while retaining a real sense of warmth. The group is not particularly well known outside of progressive rock circles, but Phil has loved them for a long time, and he's excited to talk about the group's most famous album, In the Land of Grey and Pink.Cohosts: Phil Maddox, Mike DeFabio, John McFerrinComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/152-caravan-in-the-land-of-grey-and-pink-1971Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

We're departing from our usual format for this episode. Everybody needed a pick-me-up, so instead of discussing an album, we're talking about songs: specifically, the ones that make us love music. Some of these are the songs we loved as little kids that built our musical foundations, and some of them are illustrations of specific things we adore. We went all over the map for this one and had a great time, so please enjoy the episode and tell us the songs that make you love music. The songs: Simon and Garfunkel - Kathy's Song (Live)Claude Debussy - Prelude To the Afternoon of a FaunFrank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention - King KongThe Beatles - I Am the WalrusThe Beatles - Golden Slumbers/Carry That WeightJustin Hayward - Heart of SteelJethro Tull - Living in the PastThey Might Be Giants - Birdhouse in Your SoulMadonna - Live To TellSteve Hackett - Spectral MorningsYes - AwakenJames Horner - The Wrath of Khan (Main Theme)ABBA - Thank You for the MusicCohosts: Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox, John McFerrin, Amanda RodgersAll of these songs in a Spotify playlist (turns out "Heart of Steel" is on there in Canada): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/31dDmAhSYpFCXRBCcnSHLD?si=1b85117917524b32Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Discord & Rhyme goes to the movies! This Halloween we're ringing in spooky season by exploring the work of filmmaker and musician John Carpenter. Best known for introducing the world to Michael Myers with the horror classic Halloween, Carpenter has built a solid filmography as a director while also providing his own distinctive musical vision with his scores. The 2017 career-spanning collection Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998 features fresh recordings of some of his most recognizable and beloved soundtrack work. Join Dan, Mike, and Rich as they slightly drift from the usual Discord & Rhyme format to indulge their movie nerd obsessions.  Cohosts: Dan Watkins, Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabioComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/151-john-carpenter-anthology-movie-themes-1974-1998-2017Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Mike's ongoing quest to make Discord & Rhyme more metal inevitably meant we would have to tackle the band so synonymous with metal they put it in their name, and Metallica's incredible mid-80s prime inevitably meant we would need to tackle two of their albums in the same episode. Ride the Lightning of 1984 and Master of Puppets of 1986 are largely the same album in terms of overall flow, but the differences are every bit as important as the similarities, and the best material from these albums ranks among the best rock music (not just metal) ever created. Join with Mike, Phil, and John as they make the case for why Metallica, despite a career with its fair share of ups and downs (and baffling documentaries), should be remembered as one of the greatest bands of its time.Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Phil Maddox, John McFerrinComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/150-metallica-ride-the-lightning-1984-and-master-of-puppets-1986Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Here we go, yo! It's been a while since this podcast has covered either a hip-hop album or a jazz album — so this week, we're doing both at once! A Tribe Called Quest formed in the late ‘80s in the New York City neighborhood of St. Albans, Queens, which was home to some of the giants of jazz, blues, and funk, and was a hotbed of musical activity in the years when hip-hop was simmering into existence. On Tribe's 1991 album The Low End Theory, members Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, and Ali Shaheed Muhammed pay tribute to this rich musical legacy with an album that charted a new path for hip-hop by exploring its roots in bebop, hard bop, post-bop, all the other bops, and more. This album isn't just a classic – it's one of the sacred texts of the hip-hop genre, and it helped Rich get into jazz after years of failed attempts. So if you're a jazz aficionado who's on the fence about hip-hop, or vice versa, we invite you to crank up the bass and check the (discord and) rhime with us. Just watch out for the dungeon dragon!Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio, Phil MaddoxComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/149-a-tribe-called-quest-the-low-end-theory-1991Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Jeff Beck had shown off his guitar genius with several fiery mid-1960s hit singles by the Yardbirds; he'd even scored some UK top-30 hits as an unlikely singing star. But all that was prologue to Truth, his 1968 solo debut album. Joined by future Rolling Stone Ron Wood and a then-unknown Rod Stewart, Beck laid down a standout batch of electric blues songs - plus a showtune and an olde English folk song to show off his versatility. Truth has always been one of Ben's favorite albums, and he joins Rich and Dan to talk about it. Cohosts: Ben Marlin, Rich Bunnell, Dan WatkinsComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/148-jeff-beck-truth-1968Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Before they were flattened into part of the public's collective generic memory of the 1960s, and before an astonishing level of in-fighting and tragedy turned the group's story into one of the best VH1: Behind the Music episodes, The Mamas and the Papas released one of the best debut albums of the 1960s. It produced three massive hits you've heard hundreds of times apiece if you listen to oldies radio, but it also produced a handful of worthwhile deeper cuts, with interesting songwriting (most of the time) and top-notch singing throughout. John leads a discussion with Amanda, Phil, and Ben about the collection of musicians who created one of his favorite 1960s albums and one of the most jaw-dropping soap-operas of the decade.Cohosts: John McFerrin, Ben Marlin, Phil Maddox, Amanda RodgersComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/147-the-mamas-and-the-papas-if-you-can-believe-your-eyes-and-ears-1966Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Hello, Cleveland! This week, Producer Mike continues his quest to make Discord & Rhyme more metal by turning it up to 11 with an episode on England's loudest band, Spinal Tap. The fictional Spinal Tap consists of guitarists David St. Hubbins and Nigel Tufnel, bassist Derek Smalls, and a series of cursed drummers, whose misadventures are chronicled in the 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap. The real Spinal Tap consists of Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer, three exceptionally gifted comedians who know what makes metal tick and are very smart at playing dumb. And that extends to the movie's soundtrack, whose songs walk the line between sophisticated songwriting and sounding like they could conceivably have been written by three boneheads. Because why waste good music on a brain?Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Rich Bunnell, John McFerrinComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/146-spinal-tap-this-is-spinal-tap-1984Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpodPete and the Escapologists - Chronicles of a Dead End: https://peteescapologists.bandcamp.com/album/chronicles-of-a-dead-end

George Harrison was reaching his creative peak in the late 1960s, but famously had a difficult time getting the other Beatles interested in recording his songs. So when they broke up in 1970, George got a massive group of musicians together and recorded his entire backlog to release all at once. All Things Must Pass was the first ever triple album by a single artist, and (apart from Apple Jam) is a tightly focused, intense, cathartic listening experience unmatched in popular music. In this episode, Amanda, Ben, and Mike do their best to dissect this extremely dense album and prove that George Harrison was a brilliant musician and deserves the highest respect.Cohosts: Amanda Rodgers, Mike DeFabio, Ben MarlinComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/145-george-harrison-all-things-must-pass-1970Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

In 1994, Green Day introduced a whole new generation to punk rock with their major label debut, Dookie. There has been a lot of discourse over the years about whether or not Green Day are “real” punk rock, but Dookie has endured as a classic of ‘90s rock, containing numerous standards that have long-since been memorized by anyone reasonably fluent in the rock of the era. Phil discovered Green Day when he was 12 years old - the ideal age for absorbing their combination of crude-but-relatable lyrics and hyper-catchy music, and he still loves them to this day, so he's absolutely thrilled to get a chance to talk to Dan and Rich about how much he loves Dookie. Cohosts: Phil Maddox, Rich Bunnell, Dan WatkinsComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/144-green-day-dookie-1994Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

It's time for our annual summer break, so we're letting an episode out of the Patreon vault in which Mike, Rich, and Amanda discussed some of our favorite one-hit wonders, as defined in our own heads. (Amanda is not sorry for the extremely corny title of this episode.) Make sure you listen until the end to hear Producer Mike's mashup masterpiece!The hits include:  Pure Prairie League - AmieLink Wray - RumbleNu Shooz - I Can't WaitGotye - Somebody That I Used to KnowThe Crazy World of Arthur Brown - FireDeee-Lite - Groove Is In the HeartClimax Blues Band - Couldn't Get it RightArgent - Hold Your Head UpMark Morrison - Return of the MackLoreena McKennitt - The Mummers' DanceWall of Voodoo - Mexican RadioYlvis - The FoxThe Other Leading Brand - Groove Is In a Lonely Heart(also the intro is from That Thing You Do! but you probably knew that)Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio, Amanda RodgersDiscord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

In the early 1970s, Jonathan Richman assembled a band that recorded a groundbreaking set of songs fusing garage-rock sensibilities with his own entirely unique worldview. Unfortunately, before The Modern Lovers managed to complete a proper album, Richman's musical interests drifted into an entirely different direction, ultimately leading to the dissolution of this version of the band. The collection of recordings that finally saw release as 1976's The Modern Lovers stands as a snapshot of a band at a specific moment in time and has served as an endless source of inspiration for punk and indie artists ever since. Take a spin past the Stop and Shop and join us with the radio on for a chat about this groundbreaking classic.Cohosts: Dan Watkins, Rich Bunnell, Phil MaddoxComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/143-the-modern-lovers-the-modern-lovers-1976Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

For our annual Moody Blues episode, we're traveling back to the beginning (sort of) and finally discussing Days of Future Passed. Although the band themselves dismissed this idea, this album is clearly one of the starting points of progressive rock, and it's certainly one of the earliest concept albums. It's unique not just in the Moody Blues' discography but in all of popular music, and we had a fantastic time discussing all the reasons why it's still so beautiful, moving, effective, and entertaining 57 years after it was first released.  Cohosts: Phil Maddox, Mike DeFabio, John McFerrin, Amanda RodgersComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/142-the-moody-blues-days-of-future-passed-1967Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Get ready for some classic Americana, brought to you by four Canadians (and one American), discussed by four Americans (including one living in Canada). Because Neil Young and Joni Mitchell weren't enough, Ben goes back to the frozen north for the Band's 1968 debut album, Music From Big Pink. Ben discusses why he loves the Band and Music From Big Pink, joined by Amanda, Dan, and Mike. Cohosts: Ben Marlin, Mike DeFabio, Amanda Rodgers, Dan WatkinsComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/141-the-band-music-from-big-pink-1968Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

R.E.M. spent the decade after Murmur growing steadily more successful, their popularity cresting with the 1991 #1 album Out of Time and its inescapable hit single “Losing My Religion.” But instead of going on an exhausting world tour like most bands would, R.E.M. went right back into the studio and recorded Automatic for the People, an album that defies rock star excess at nearly every turn. You probably know “Everybody Hurts” and “Man on the Moon,” which are still radio standards to this day, and with good reason. But even those songs were much more downcast and introspective than one would expect from a band at the height of their popularity. Automatic for the People is the sound of R.E.M. entering their thirties and taking stock of their place in both music and the world, and though it may take some time to sink in, John, Phil, Rich, and special guest Jeff Blehar all consider it one of their best albums. So join us for part 2 of a band that cannot be contained by one episode, and calluswhenyoutrytowakeherup.Cohosts: John McFerrin, Phil Maddox, Rich Bunnell, Jeff BleharComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/140-rem-automatic-for-the-people-1992Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

We've held off on R.E.M. for a while, because the Athens, Ga., quartet is just such a heavyweight in the rock canon. They're so huge, in fact, that they merit two episodes: one for the mumbly, Byrdsy alt-rock troubadours of the ‘80s, and one for the slightly less mumbly arena rock titans of the ‘90s and onward. We're starting off with their 1983 debut Murmur, which fueled the rise of college radio with songs that were strangely out of time (so to speak) with the trends of the ‘80s. The compositions on Murmur are so hazy and oblique that they almost resist analysis, and that's before you even consider Michael Stipe's lyrics. But John, Mike, Phil, and Ben are willing to give it their best shot, so join them as they embark on a long-delayed pilgrimage west of the fields to discuss one of this podcast's favorite bands.Cohosts: John McFerrin, Mike DeFabio, Phil Maddox, Ben MarlinComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/139-rem-murmur-1983Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Rich, Mike, and Amanda answer a bonanza of questions from listeners. Topics include retro prog, great live albums and not-so-great live shows, fantasy supergroups, synesthesia, our favorite recent releases, and no fewer than three questions about the Moody Blues. Listen through to the end for a special request to listeners! Clips: Peter Gabriel - Start Def Leppard - Animal The Moody Blues - Here Comes the Weekend Ween - Friends The Velvet Underground - I'll Be Your Mirror LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends Jenny Conlee - Hawk (Dorian) Mary Timony - No Thirds Marnie Stern - Plain Speak Peter Gabriel - i/o (Dark-Side Mix) Days Between Stations - The Man Who Died Two Times Mondo Drag - Out of SightOpeth - Heart in Hand iamthemorning - 5/4 Liza Minnelli - I Want You Now Robert Wyatt - Sea Song Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue (live) Oingo Boingo - No Spill Blood (live) Underworld - Cups/Push Upstairs (live) Girls5eva - Famous 5eva Lalo Schifrin - Theme from Mannix Andy Partridge - I Wonder Why the Wonderfalls The Simpsons - Canyonero Bob's Burgers - Thanksgiving Song The Simpsons - Lisa, It's Your Birthday Theme: The Moody Blues - "Question" Amanda on synesthesia: https://discordpod.com/blog/synesthesia-corner Rich on synesthesia: https://discordpod.com/blog/synesthesia-corner-vol-2-born-to-synesthete

Peter Gabriel is a favorite artist of many of us here at Discord & Rhyme, but we've saved him for our own 138th Episode Spectacular. Peter Gabriel III (aka Melt, so called because half of Gabriel's face on the album cover looks like a melting candle) isn't just John's favorite Peter Gabriel album; it's an album that made him reconsider (in a favorable light) the entirety of popular music in the 1980s and the concept of using the production studio to create entirely new sounds, and John leads a very enthusiastic discussion on an album that we love very much. Join John, Amanda, Rich, and Mike as we gush over an album that transformed solo Peter Gabriel into something greater than “the guy who used to sing for Genesis”; a dark noisy hellscape frontier of an album full of burglars, assassins, and not one cymbal anywhere.Cohosts: John McFerrin, Amanda Rodgers, Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabioComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/138-peter-gabriel-peter-gabriel-iii-1980Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Hear that? There goes the siren that warns of the air raid – or maybe that's just Bruce Dickinson's voice. This week, Mike continues his quest to make Discord & Rhyme more metal with the album Powerslave by Iron Maiden. In the popular consciousness, Maiden are known for their goofy album covers and hits like “Bring Your Daughter … to the Slaughter.” But if you dig just a little deeper, they were vanguards of the new wave of British heavy metal, with a seven-album run in the ‘80s that ranks among the greatest winning streaks of the album era, metal or otherwise. Powerslave is arguably their peak, boasting some of their greatest compositions and brainiest lyrics, with subjects running the gamut from The Prisoner to the military-industrial complex to the dawn of British Romanticism. But most importantly, it rocks, and Mike has invited Phil, John, and Rich to discuss eight amazing songs that will put you at a losfer words.Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Phil Maddox, John McFerrin, Rich BunnellComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/137-iron-maiden-powerslave-1984Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Kylie Minogue had a big comeback last year with the Grammy-winning TikTok hit “Padam Padam,” so Rich decided that it was finally time to give the Discord & Rhyme treatment to one of his favorite divas. Kylie's 2007 album X wasn't just an artistic comeback, but a physical and emotional one, recorded in the wake of her grueling but successful treatment for breast cancer. At the time, there was a groundswell of anticipation for her next big move, and X was the first album Kylie conceived as a singular project, rather than the latest entry in a production line of releases. Accordingly, there's a certain vivaciousness and a willingness to try anything on this album that makes it unlike anything in her catalog, with songs that evoke Timbaland, Serge Gainsbourg and ‘90s R&B sitting alongside Kylie's trademark Eurodisco. Some of the experiments work better than others, but the album as a whole is a fascinating portrait of a moment in time, both for mid-2000s pop music as well as Kylie herself. And Rich has invited returning guests Jen Carman and Dave Weigel to help elaborate on why you, too, should be so lucky to become a Kylie stan.Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Jen Carman, Dave Weigel, Mike DeFabioComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/136-kylie-minogue-x-2007Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

We're doing our annual listener Q&A next month, and we want to hear from you! Send us your thousand million burning questions at discordpod@gmail.com on Instagram @DiscordPod by the end of the day Friday, April 5. Keep as cool as you can!

Amanda has been threatening to talk about bluegrass on the podcast for years, and we finally settled on the perfect album to start with: Live!!!! Almost!!! by the Dillards. Half a comedy album and half a virtuoso performance by expert musicians, it's a fantastic introduction to the genre. It was recorded in front of an audience completely unfamiliar with bluegrass music, so the band chose songs that were catchy and accessible, then made it even more engaging by adding Smothers Brothers-style jokey commentary in between. The result is an interesting and very entertaining live album that stands a good chance of winning over any bluegrass skeptics, and even if it doesn't, it gives us a chance to explain why we like it. Cohosts: Amanda Rodgers, Ben Marlin, John McFerrinComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/135-the-dillards-live-almost-1964Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Uriah Heep were never critical darlings, but for a brief period in the early seventies, they were making some absolutely killer fantasy-tinged rock. Phil has always had a soft spot for 1972's Demons And Wizards, which is probably the best example of what could happen when this band was truly firing on all cylinders. He, along with Dan and Mike, makes the case for why this album should be a staple of any respectable early seventies hard rock collection.Cohosts: Phil Maddox, Mike DeFabio, Dan WatkinsComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/134-uriah-heep-demons-and-wizards-1972Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical Oklahoma! was a massive hit on Broadway in 1943. It changed musical theater forever and inspired a well-remembered 1955 film. Ben hasn't seen the musical or the film, and he doesn't know the plot or the names of the characters. But he loves the music. He and Rich and John dive into a 1964 studio recording of the Oklahoma! soundtrack and make a case for why the show's musical numbers endure.Cohosts: Ben Marlin, Rich Bunnell, John McFerrinComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/133-rodgers-and-hammerstein-oklahoma-1964Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel were gifted musicians with a deep and complicated personal relationship, which makes them perfect subjects for a Discord & Rhyme holiday episode. Their magnum opus, Bridge Over Troubled Water, was a huge hit in 1970 and is still as beautiful, innovative, and occasionally silly as it ever was. Ben, Amanda, Rich, and John love this album dearly, and discussing all its strengths and arguing over its few flaws was the perfect way to wind up Discord & Rhyme's sixth calendar year. Happy holidays, everyone, and may all your relationships be less acrimonious than Simon and Garfunkel's. Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Ben Marlin, John McFerrin, Amanda RodgersComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/132-simon-and-garfunkel-bridge-over-troubled-waterDiscord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

1 2 X U! As punk was just beginning to take off in the UK, Wire was already looking ahead, itching to push the genre toward artsier, more abstract frontiers. Their 1977 LP Pink Flag planted the seeds for post-punk and hardcore before most kids had even had a chance to spike their first mohawk. Boasting a dizzying 21 tracks at an economical 35 minutes, Wire packed more into one album than some of their peers managed in a career. Join Dan, Phil, Mike, and Rich as they discuss how it holds up as one of the boldest debuts of the punk era. Cohosts: Dan Watkins, Phil Maddox, Mike DeFabio, Rich BunnellComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/131-wire-pink-flag-1977Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

It's time for a psychedelic podcast extravaganza, five years and two recordings in the making! The album Chips from the Chocolate Fireball by XTC's alter-egos the Dukes of Stratosphear was supposed to be our fifth episode, but technical difficulties turned the episode into a splendid cream bun. But Rich, Ben, and Mike are finally back for a second round discussing a collection that perhaps isn't XTC's definitive artistic achievement, but it's possibly the most pure fun you can have in their discography. Artistically adrift in the mid-'80s, the band adopted goofy pseudonyms and recorded a loving tribute to the '60s music of their youth, produced by psychedelic engineering wizard John Leckie. If you enjoy Pink Floyd, the Byrds, the Small Faces, the Kinks, the Yardbirds, and especially the Beatles – which you most likely do, because you're listening to this podcast – you owe it to yourself to take a bike ride to the moon with the Dukes.Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Ben Marlin, Mike DeFabioComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/130-the-dukes-of-stratosphear-chips-from-the-chocolate-fireball-1987Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Gentle Giant comes up so often on Discord & Rhyme, especially considering how obscure they are outside the world of hardcore prog rock fandom, that it's amazing we haven't covered them yet. Many 1970s prog rock bands aspired to combine rock with classical (and jazz among other things), but unlike most of their contemporaries, Gentle Giant actually knew enough about classical music to make the combination something more than rock crossed with a touch of 19th century Romanticism. John's pick for their best album is Octopus of 1972, an album that fires ideas at the listener so rapidly that the various songs (and these are all songs, in the 3-6 minute range) become extremely memorable, even as they're sometimes among the most complex and bewildering music to come out of the 1970s. Come listen to John, Mike, and Phil tell you why they've fallen in love with this band and with this album.Cohosts: John McFerrin, Mike DeFabio, Phil MaddoxComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/129-gentle-giant-octopus-1972Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

For this year's Halloween episode, we wanted to go with an artist who scares the living daylights out of us, and what better choice than Nick Cave? After all, this is a man who once recorded an entire album of murder ballads, and whose legendary single “The Mercy Seat” charts a killer's stream of consciousness as he is led to the electric chair. We could have picked almost any of Cave's albums with the Bad Seeds, but Mike threw a curveball and chose the covers album Kicking Against the Pricks, because sometimes the best way to get to the essence of an artist's work is examining the way they interpret and curate the work of other artists. The album boasts a truly eclectic set of songs, with pitch-dark Delta blues sharing a tracklist with light pop by Tom Jones, Gene Pitney, and the Seekers, all cloaked in the one-of-a-kind, macabre atmosphere that Cave's fans have come to know, love, and fear. Yet by the time this carnival is over, you'll have a sense of the light that glows beneath the darkness of his music. Happy Halloween!Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Rich Bunnell, Amanda RodgersComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/128-nick-cave-and-the-bad-seeds-kicking-against-the-pricks-1986Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Beatles For Sale is a relatively obscure album, to the extent that any Beatles album could be called obscure. This album was recorded at a time when the Beatles were creatively exhausted and almost half of it is covers, which is why it's often dismissed as one of their weaker efforts. But we don't think that's fair. It's not world-changing, that's true enough, but it doesn't have to be. They were still writing interesting, exciting originals, and the covers are (mostly) very well chosen and excellently performed. Once you've listened closely, you'll realize that tracks like “Rock and Roll Music,” “Eight Days a Week,” and “Every Little Thing” are absolutely essential to understanding the Beatles, and even the tracks that aren't as important are still tons of fun. Cohosts: Amanda Rodgers, John McFerrin, Ben Marlin, Dan WatkinsComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/127-the-beatles-beatles-for-sale-1964Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Slint are a true one-of-a-kind band - they showed up seemingly out of nowhere, singlehandedly defined an entire genre on a single album, and disappeared before that album was even released. What happened? Why is Spiderland so influential? And, beyond its influence - does the album still hold up today? Phil certainly thinks so - in his opinion, its grandeur has been frequently imitated, but never duplicated. He, along with Mike, Rich, and Dan, are here to talk about just what makes this album so special.Cohosts: Phil Maddox, Mike DeFabio, Rich Bunnell, Dan WatkinsComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/126-slint-spiderland-1991Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

It's Discord & Rhyme's 125th episode, and we are marking the occasion with one of our favorite recording strategies: tackling a famous band by discussing two of their albums while making an end-run around their most critically acclaimed period. In this episode, Ben talks about the 1964 Beach Boys album All Summer Long, where the band really shifted into second gear, while John talks about the 1970 Beach Boys album Sunflower, a beautiful album released during a period when very few people had any time to add the Beach Boys to their day. Rich and Phil join Ben and John to share their thoughts on these two lesser-known albums from one of the greatest (and secretly weirdest) bands one can find in this whole world, and spoiler alert, everybody here agrees that the Beach Boys are terrific (except maybe when Uncle Jesse is prominently involved). It's about time we got around to this band, but we promise this episode will put a smile on your face.Cohosts: Ben Marlin, John McFerrin, Phil Maddox, Rich BunnellComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/125-the-beach-boys-all-summer-long-1964-amp-sunflower-1970Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

It's Discord & Rhyme's 125th episode, and we are marking the occasion with one of our favorite recording strategies: tackling a famous band by discussing two of their albums while making an end-run around their most critically acclaimed period. In this episode, Ben talks about the 1964 Beach Boys album All Summer Long, where the band really shifted into second gear, while John talks about the 1970 Beach Boys album Sunflower, a beautiful album released during a period when very few people had any time to add the Beach Boys to their day. Rich and Phil join Ben and John to share their thoughts on these two lesser-known albums from one of the greatest (and secretly weirdest) bands one can find in this whole world, and spoiler alert, everybody here agrees that the Beach Boys are terrific (except maybe when Uncle Jesse is prominently involved). It's about time we got around to this band, but we promise this episode will put a smile on your face.Cohosts: Ben Marlin, John McFerrin, Rich Bunnell, Phil MaddoxComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/125-the-beach-boys-all-summer-long-1964-amp-sunflower-1970Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Whether he likes it or not, Warren Zevon will forever be most remembered for his surprise hit “Werewolves of London,” but he's a far more complex and interesting songwriter than most folks are aware. Forever a musician's musician, Zevon's unique voice has influenced scores of artists although he himself has remained something of a cult figure over the decades. While 1978's Excitable Boy does indeed feature his biggest hit, it is also home to some of the most sharp-witted and acidic songs he ever wrote. Join Dan, Mike, Rich, and returning guest Libby Cudmore as we discuss Zevon and his cast of psychopaths, mercenaries, screwups, and lycanthropes.NOTE: There's some strong language and dark subject matter in here, so be mindful of that if there's anyone around who shouldn't be hearing it. Cohosts: Dan Watkins, Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio, Libby CudmoreComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/124-warren-zevon-excitable-boy-1978Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Are you ready to do the Dap Dip? This week, the Discord & Rhyme Super Soul Revue travels back to 2005 to discuss Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, who play sunny R&B that sounds like it came straight out of the late ‘60s or early ‘70s. But despite the retro sound, there's nothing retro about this band, who were just playing the music they loved and recording it the way they loved it. And Sharon Jones herself was the real deal, a classic diva who was born in the South literally across the state line from James Brown. The world lost Sharon Jones to cancer in 2016, but her voice lives on in the Dap-Kings' catalog, which includes six wonderful studio albums and innumerable covers recorded for hire. So put a fish in your dish and join Rich, Mike, and Dan to talk about an album that will make you fall in love with soul all over again.Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio, Dan WatkinsComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/123-sharon-jones-and-the-dap-kings-naturally-2005Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

We're on summer vacation after finishing our King Crimson episode, so please enjoy this release from the Patreon vault! We call these our Mad Libs episodes, where we pick a category and discuss songs that fit that category somehow. This is one of our favorites, so we hope you like it! (Please note that we recorded this in September '22, before we did the Rumours episode and before Gordon Lightfoot passed.) More Mad Libs episodes: https://www.patreon.com/discordpodCohosts: Mike DeFabio, John McFerrin, Amanda RodgersSongs: Gordon Lightfoot - The Wreck of the Edmund FitzgeraldFunkadelic - Get Off Your Ass and JamRoxy Music - AmazonaSteely Dan - Reelin' In the YearsNeil Young - Like a HurricaneSt. Vincent - Huey NewtonFleetwood Mac - Big Love (Live)Guitar Slim - The Story of My LifeMetallica - OrionJanet Jackson - Black CatChicago - Free Form GuitarThe Beach Boys - All I Wanna DoExtras: Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition! St. Vincent plays "Forty Six and 2" Lindsey Buckingham plays "Big Love" Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn explain their fingerpicking styles Sister Rosetta shreds The Hidden Beach Boys by Mixmaster Ben Marlin

It's only talk! This week, Mike rounds out our fifth-anniversary triad of King Crimson discussions with some dialogue, duologue, diatribe, dissension, and declamation about the band's 1981 album Discipline. On this album, bassist Tony Levin and guitarist and vocalist Adrian Belew joined Crimson veterans Robert Fripp and Bill Bruford to produce some of the most complicated music in the Crimson oeuvre, with every musician devoted to making their instrument produce sounds you've never heard. But paradoxically, it's also one of their catchiest albums, dabbling in new wave and world beat in the same musical sphere as Talking Heads, who were part of the same New York scene as Fripp in the late ‘70s. Discipline may sound like a sharp, disorienting left turn for King Crimson on first listen, but the album did a lot to cement the band's music as a living document to be iterated upon. Join us as we break it down, frame by frame!Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox, John McFerrin Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/122-king-crimson-discipline-1981Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Part two of the Discord & Rhyme celebration of King Crimson brings us to the 1974 album Red, the band's final studio(-ish) album before it disbanded for 7 years. John's history with King Crimson began with this album, and while he didn't initially like it, it's long become his favorite King Crimson album, and the ‘72-'74 King Crimson lineup especially has long become one of his favorite bands. This episode examines how everything in King Crimson's turbulent history to this point made this album possible, and how the band's refusal to get pigeonholed as “progressive rock” allowed it to create some of the heaviest, most powerful, and most awe-inspiring music ever made under the general umbrella of “rock” music. Also, “Starless” might be the best song ever recorded, and we're happy to tell you why.Cohosts: John McFerrin, Amanda Rodgers, Mike DeFabio, Phil MaddoxComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/121-king-crimson-red-1974Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

As frequently as we mention King Crimson on this podcast, you'd think we would have done a proper episode on them by now. But we wanted to hold off until we could really do it up right, so this is the premiere of our three-episode series on the greatest pioneers of progressive rock. They didn't fully invent prog, but they did more to solidify the genre than any group that had come before them, to the point where each song on their debut album spawned a different prog subgenre - so, while this isn't the first prog album, it might be the most important. Time to get started on this journey, because the cracked brass bells have rung to summon back all us fire witches to discuss The Court of the Crimson King.Cohosts: Amanda Rodgers, John McFerrin, Mike DeFabio, Dan WatkinsComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/120-king-crimson-in-the-court-of-the-crimson-king-1969Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

It's time to follow the Moody Blues into the 1980s. After a long hiatus and a disappointing comeback album, the Moodies reconvened with a new keyboard player and a new producer to start a new decade in their long career. Music production styles had changed quite a lot since their classic period in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and the new personnel came with a new aesthetic that sounds quite different from the Moody Blues music we're all used to. However, if you can forgive Patrick Moraz for not being Mike Pinder, and Pip Williams for not being Tony Clarke, and the ‘80s for not being the ‘70s, you'll find that there is some fantastic music to be found on Long Distance Voyager. And there is also “Veteran Cosmic Rocker.” Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Phil Maddox, John McFerrin, Amanda RodgersComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/119-the-moody-blues-long-distance-voyager-1981Merch store: https://www.teepublic.com/user/discordpodSupport the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

By the time he recorded his third solo album, After the Gold Rush, Neil Young had already been part of successful records by the Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, and his second album had hit the top 40. As great as that music had been, though, Neil hadn't yet reached his peak - at least according to Ben. Ben explains why After the Gold Rush is a high point in a career full of high points, and why the album and its singer have meant so much to him since he was a teenager. Rich, Phil, and John also weigh in and discuss their varying - but generally substantial - levels of Neil Young fandom. Cohosts: Ben Marlin, Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox, John McFerrinComplete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/118-neil-young-after-the-gold-rush-1970Merch store: https://www.teepublic.com/user/discordpod/Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod