Music Defender

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Listen in as our four co-hosts take turns trying to defend the artists, albums, and songs that have been given short shrift by musical history. Will they win us over to their argument? Or is this music deserving of its lowly status in the pop culture landscape...

Music Defender


    • Oct 4, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 53m AVG DURATION
    • 17 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Music Defender

    Defending The Who's "Face Dances"

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2023 59:50


    In this episode of Music Defender, Joe tries to explain what's great about a non-rocking, slickly produced, soft-Eighties, Keith Moon-less Who. Good luck, say Michael and Kalli, while co-host Max is still studying the American Dream in Germany.

    Mini Defender: Greta Van Fleet

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2023 6:09


    To their fans, Greta Van Fleet are brilliantly carrying the mantle of '70s arena rock into a new era. To their detractors, of which there are many and they are passionate, they are the embodiment of everything wrong in music today. Derivative to a fault and built for algorithms. In this episode, Joe makes the case for their Van Awesomeness.

    Defending The Stone Roses' "Second Coming"

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2022 74:39


    The Stone Roses were one of the biggest bands in British pop music history, but their second (and final) release "Second Coming" was widely regarded as a massive disappointment. Michael makes the case that it was, in fact, the second coming of awesomeness.

    Defending Coldplay

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2022 70:04


    They are one of the biggest groups ever, with hit songs spanning 20-plus years, a Super Bowl appearance, scads of film and TV credits, and armfuls of Grammys. And yet, there is no doubt that people just love to hate Coldplay. Kalli sets out to bring some much needed love for the artistry of Chris Martin and Co.

    Mini Defender: Defending The Firm (in 10 minutes or less!)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2022 10:09


    We're debuting a new spin on the tried and true Music Defender formula – the "Mini Defender." All you love about Music Defender in 10 minutes or less. For this one, Joe makes the case for the forgotten 1985 supergroup The Firm. Were they super ... or superbly bland and cynically corporate?

    Defending The Rolling Stones' "Dirty Work"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2022 76:42


    Of all the Rolling Stones' albums, perhaps none is more disliked or apt to be forgotten than 1986's "Dirty Work." Joe tries to make the case for this neon-clad LP and its crisp Steve Lillywhite production.

    Defending The Beach Boys' "The Beach Boys Love You"

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2021 72:53


    The Beach Boys are known for their sunny surf hits, stadium-filling live shows, the groundbreaking album "Pet Sounds," and the many trials and tribulations of genius bandleader Brian Wilson. What they are not known for is the synth-driven 1977 LP "The Beach Boys Love You." On this episode of Music Defender, Michael sets out to change that.

    Defending Creed's "Human Clay"

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2021 67:45


    Music Defender welcomes its first guest defender, Matty Conaghan, who takes on the formidable task of defending Creed's "Human Clay." It's an album that guest contributor Damon Lockett calls "Wal-Mart Alice In Chains," and the rest of the MD crew put up strong resistance to the idea that there is anything to redeem at all. Can Matty make the case and take us all higher as we look at "Human Clay" from the vantage point of 2021?

    Defending Weezer's Red Album

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2021 62:59


    It was considered an experimental album – but many Weezer fans and music critics just thought it sucked, placing it near the bottom of the band's album rankings. In this episode of Music Defender, Kalli explains why the Red Album deserve another spin.

    Defending Smashing Pumpkins' "Adore"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2021 76:22


    After the massive success of "Gish," "Siamese Dream," and "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness," Smashing Pumpkins released the (relatively speaking) critical and commercial flop "Adore." Co-host Max makes the case that this under-appreciated Pumpkin is fact the ripest in the patch.

    Defending Spin Doctors

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2021 45:18


    There are few bands whose public perception has swung so severely from adoration to simmering hatred as '90s pop-jam band Spin Doctors. Music Defender co-host Joe builds his patchouli-scented the defense on this episode.

    Defending Leonard Cohen's Death of a Ladies Man

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2021 34:23


    On this episode of Music Defender, Max makes the case for Leonard Cohen's 1977 underappreciated, Phil Spector-produced album "Death of a Ladies Man."

    Defending Paul McCartney's 1970s-Era Solo Work

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2021 76:13


    Join us as Michael defends Paul McCartney's solo output (in its various incarnations) between 1969 and 1979. Can he prove Macca was superior to John? (Or George or Ringo, if you favor the Quiet One or the Comical One.) It's always a good time for a Beatle Battle!

    Defending Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Stadium Arcadium"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2021 38:58


    Kalli makes the case for the awesomeness of "Stadium Arcadium," an album that's often bashed by early-era RHCP fans and purists for being overly long, dated, and scattered.

    Defending Boston

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2021 48:49


    They had one of the top-selling debuts of all time, but that couldn't spare them from legions of critics who considered them corporate rock, emotionless radio fodder, and not even a real band. Our co-host Joe explains why, to the contrary, Boston may be one of the greatest American rock bands ever.

    Defending Meat Loaf's "Bat Out of Hell"

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2020 62:07


    On this episode of Music Defender, Max makes the case for Meat Loaf's much maligned '70s mega-theatrical album "Bat Out of Hell." (2020 Onloch LLC all rights reserved.)

    Defending Phil Collins' No Jacket Required

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2020 28:42


    On this episode of Music Defender Michael does his best to set the record straight on the oft-maligned mid-Eighties Phil Collins release "No Jacket Required." Will he win us – and you, dear listener – over to his way of thinking? Is it a collection of poorly aging synth songs with mediocre lyrics ... or a timeless masterwork? (2020 Onloch LLC all rights reserved.)

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