Redemption Song

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Actually...it was just the worst of times. Hard drugs and hard livin had finally caught up to Aerosmith and the result was hard to hear. The making of this album was so tense that Joe Perry quit the band before the album was finished. But was Joe being too harsh on a mellow that had thoroughly charred or did have the good sense to jump ship before the whole thing capsized? Listen along as we try to find out!

Just how sexy are those grain silos, anyway? On this episode we dive into an album Dan got four songs into and turned off, vowing never to return. But now he has his three Redemption Song co-hosts to help him make sense of it all. Or...try. You may be ahem HIGHLY SUSPICIOS of the results, but it's high time we give this album a fair shake. Plenty of room in the grain silo. Hop on in!

Is it better to burn out or fade away? What to do if you are a legendary 80's college radio band who has been touring on their back catalog for years? Dare you venture into the realm of new music? It worked for some of your left of the dial compatriots (Dinosaur Jr, Camper Van Beethoven) but will it work for a band like The Pixies? Well...apparently not. Savaged by even the band's most ardent champions upon release, this album has been called so bad that it invalidated the entire Pixies reunion. But, come on. Is it really that bad?

We're three for four with solo Beatles with this one! In the early 80's the "Quiet Beatle" had even less than usual to say, but still had an album left on his record deal. And so in 1982 he dropped Gone Troppo (meaning "On Vacation") and promptly shoved off out of the music business for five years. Historically maligned as unlistenable dross, we're giving this one a fair shot at last. So grab a big floppy hat, slather on some Bain de Soleil, and join in the tropics. The Gone Tropics!

Why did they do it? Even they don't seem to know. But in 1995, Duran Duran decided to follow up their biggest album in years with an all covers record that featured their slickly stylized take on everything from classic rock to funk to (don't laugh) militant 90's hip hop. Immediately disavowed by everyone involved, this album remains a rare skid mark on the delicately embroidered satin undergarments of these New Romantic superstars. But how bad is that cover of "911 is a Joke" after all? Bad. Like, really really bad. But what about the rest of the album? Listen and find out...

Ah, Ringo. You poor little goofball. Solo Beatledom was never going to be kind to you, was it? Things got off to a good enough start with a handful of bona fide classics, but affable charm (which was always Ringo's greatest strength) can only carry you so far, and his commercial fall from grace was as calamitous as it was predictable. Not that his compatriots were faring much better in 1977 - Lennon was in house husband exile, Harrison was in a downswing that he wouldn't pull out of until 1987's Cloud Nine, and McCartney's latest Wings album was based on the idea, "Hey, what if we had the guy who's NOT Paul McCartney write most of the songs!" Still, Ringo IV was a dud even by Ringo standards and it gave him the ignoble distinction of being the first Beatle to be dropped by his label. But was the world being too harsh on out hapless former mop top? Listen along as we try to find out!

The 80's weren't a good time to be a classic rock band struggling to stay relevant. Do you stick to what always worked, trusting that will carry you through, or do you embrace the new sound and try to change with the times? If you opt for the latter, do you have a solid enough crop of songs to hang these new sounds on? Are you nexplicably obsessed with spy novels? If you answered "Change with the times," "No," and "Yes," then you are Ian Anderson in 1984! And you have made an album called Under Wraps that sounds almost, but not quite, entirely unlike Jethro Tull. It was a bold gamble, but did it pay off? Listen and find out!

Nickelback. You hate them. We hate them. Everyone you know hates them. And yet they sell millions of albums and sell out stadiums across the globe. So...someone must like them. Right? I mean, someone has to. So this week we flip the script a bit and check out the most loved album from the world's most hated band. Will it turn that we've all been to harsh on these hapless canucks? Look at this photograph, and find out!

Some things get better for the waiting. Fine wines. Losing your virginity. Your favorite long suffering team finally winning it all. And then some things...well, some things are Chinese Democracy by Guns 'N Roses. Well. Not really Guns 'N Roses. The problems start there and only get worse, so join us for all the chicken coop in the recording studio WTF-ery that is Chinese Democracy.

It should have been a grand slam. It should have been two titans of 60's rock culture combining forces for an unforgettable tour. It should have been...but it wasn't. At least not based on this album. Is this another case of Dylan self sabotaging his own project, or was there simply nothing in the grooves worth hearing? Listen and find out!

Following up a classic album is always a challenge. Particularly when your previous success had been based on a power pop coolness that was somewhat at odds with the slick 80's radio friendly sheen of your multi-platinum million seller. And its even more difficult when no one in the band seems to be terribly interested in the project, to the point where you have to drag two unreleased songs from the band's early days to round out the track listing. On this episode of Redemption Song, we tackle The Cars swansong, Door to Door. -insert automotive breakdown related pun here-

In 1978, Marvin Gaye turned his acrimonious divorce from Anna Gordy into a double album fueled in equal parts by spite and self righteousness. Featuring lyrics improvised based on the proceedings from that day in divorce court and cover art depicting crumbling Roman temples, this album gives new meaning to the term "a little too on the nose." But it was still the 70's and he was still Marvin Gaye, so how bad could it possibly be?  

What happens when genius producer and certifiable lunatic Phil Spector teams up with morose poet/songwriter Leonard Cohen? Pretty much the least sexy album that's mostly about doin it that you've ever heard! Hop in Phil Spector's insanity powered wayback machine and enjoy all the misguided 50's nostalgia that is Death of a Ladies Man!

On this super-sized ep, we dive into the 20 song opus that is the full band debut by They Might Be Giants. It's another one for the "Why are you doing THAT record??" file. Well, as odd as it may seem at this far remove, when this album hit the racks in 1994, a large portion of the band's fan base wrote them off completely because they had the audacity to evolve their origins as a performance art duo into a full fledged rock band. While this album has been largely been embraced by the band's current audience, back in they day it was seen as a potentially career killing misstep. Come with us as we take a ride in the musical glass bottom car of They Might Be Giants, Version 2.0!

Extra long albums mean extra long eps! It's a mega sized Redemption Song as we dive into the 2009 collaboration between Timbaland and Chris Cornell. Phat Beats and lazy treats clash with one of rock's mightiest voices. And we do mean "clash." Grab an extra large bucket of popcorn and a family sized soda and settle in for the Longer than The Godfather movie for the ears that is...Scream.

Some bands never get over the loss of a frontman (Nirvana, Blind Melon). Some take some time off and ultimately find someone to take the place at the front of the stage (AC/DC, Sublime). And then some take the album they were already working on, slap some old songs that were rejected from previous albums, and have a new record out before their old singer's body is in the ground. We may never know what made The Doors rush this album into stores a mere three months after Jim Morrison's death, but we definitely know it didn't exactly work out for the surviving members. But! What does it actually sound like...

It's a super sized episode as we try to get the the bottom of the bottomless well of WTF that is this album by Garth Brooks' alter ego. Why make him Australian? Why make him a sex addict? Just...why? It ain't Ziggy Stardust, but is it really that bad? Join us as we endeavor to find out.

It's been a bit of a wait, but we swear...it was worth it. On this episode, we take on our White Whale - the unlistenable horror that is the entire Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album "reimagined" by The Flaming Lips and a Cast of Thousands! Whatever you're imagining. we promise you, it's worse. But it inspires one of our best episodes. Join us in Wayne Coyne's giant hamster bubble of sonic torture, and enjoy!

Pity the poor Sixties rock band who finds itself in 1982 and must figure out how to stay relevant. Pity even further the band who has lost one of its founding members who was also one of the most iconic drummers of all time. What does such a band do in this situation? Well, if you are The Who, you pull yourselves together for one last album and one last single to trot out on the inevitable reunion tour (which turned out to only be 7 years away). Mixed reviews at the time and generally hated ever since, how hard of a listen is it after all?

80's hip hop was always something of a mixed bag, but this week we deep into the most mixed up bag of them all, the honest-to-god not a joke "rap" album by Dee Dee Ramone. And yes, you read all of that correctly. Listen along as one of the 4 founding fathers of American punk trades in his legendary status for the legend in his own mind alter ego of "Dee Dee King" and the madness that ensues.

Welcome to part two of our breakdown of Philosophy of the World by The Shaggs! This week we dive into the album itself, and...it nearly breaks us. So take a deep breath and join us as we attempt to get to the bottom of just what the hell is going on with this record.

Here it is, folks! The album so inscrutable it took us two whole episodes to unpack. No description I could attempt could possibly do the album justice, so I'll just say enjoy the show and we'll see you next week for part two! Songs in this episode: "Wonderful, Wonderful" by R. Stevie Moore, "Making it Go Away" by Eugene Chadbourne, "Landshark" by Fang, "A Big Fan of the Pigpen" by Guided By Voices, "Tiger Chain" by Deerhoof, "Venus in Furs" by The Velvet Underground, "Lifeguard of Love" by The Frogs, "Peace" by Ornette Coleman, "The Vultures Ate My Dead Ass Up" by Wesley Willis.

What happens when you trade surfboards for synthesizers? When you are one of the most beloved pop groups of the 60's, but now it's 1977? What if the allure of synth pop enticed you to trade the ocean wave for new wave? Well then you would be The Beach Boys in 1977. And you would make an album called Love You. And it would be completely inscrutable. But...should we maybe give it another chance? 

Let's say you're one of the greatest singer songwriters of all time, fronting one of the most successful and prolific bands of the day, And all of your bandmates keep giving you grief about letting them have more involvement in the creative process. Might I suggest you'd be highly pissed? And might I add, rightly so! But would you be so pissed to intentionally sabotage your own band's album by forcing these other guys to write and produce a third of the material each, refusing to offer any assistance or input? You would if you were John Fogerty! And that album would be called Mardi Gras. Join us and our special guest Matt Wheawill as we take a listen to the sweet sound of spite.

Today on Redemption Song we take a look into the horrifying Future that Almost Was, where instead of one of the most influential singer/songwriters of all time, Tori Amos was a late 80's flash in the pan, dressed up like a dominatrix pirate and singing forgettable synth pop. We should all be grateful that this album failed and Tori didn't remain trapped in its electro beat clutches, but...how bad is it really?

What do you get when you take two superstars in the nadir of their careers, mix in The Late 70's, and an apparent complete lack of interest on anyone's part? Why, Two the Hard Way, that's what! Possibly the most aptly named album in the history of music. Join as we discuss the album you never knew you never wanted. 

This week we discuss an album that was considered so bad that it DESTROYED AN ENTIRE CAREER. For real. We are joined by Nick Mirov from bff.fm to try and get to the bottom of Travistan, the album that was supposed to launch Travis Morrison's solo career, but instead (thanks largely to a 0.0 review from Pitchfork) killed it before it even began.

This week we're joined by not one but two special guests! Returning guest, Ethan Lindbloom has joined us along with first timer, Jessica Benner to help us make sense of one of the most underwhelming comebacks in music history. And check out Jessica's radio show, "TV on the Radio" Sunday mornings at 10am on BFF.fm.

What happens when you announce before going into the studio that you're breaking the band up once the album is done? Well...not good stuff as it turns out. Throw in a liberal splash of 80's synths and a near total lack of vision, and you have the album that almost silenced one of rock's most poignant voices. But is there anything on this album to love after all?

This week we dive into both sides of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's final experimental album. Grab a slice of cake and polish up your Electric Slide moves - it's time to RSVP for The Wedding Album!

It's the album you wish you still had never heard! The noble experiment of throwing Extreme lead singer Gary Cherone into the frontman spot in Van Halen with no preparation or forethought yielded this disaster of a record. Featuring the worst lyrics this side of Lulu and tribute band level musicianship, this one was a tough ride. But can we find anything to like about it? 

It's time to take a trip to the used CD bin of the mid 90's! What was meant to be a return to the harder sound of Document and Life's Rich Pageant tuned out instead to be a tremelo-laden swampy mess and one of the most sold back CDs of all time. But...should it have been?

Fair warning: This was a rough one. But we did get a good episode out of it featuring the most PTSD conversation about a record album you're ever likely to hear.

She gave us one of the all time greatest albums of all time. And then gave us all the finger. This week we go spelunking in the murky depths of Liz Phair's self titled album from 2002. Remember 2002? It was horrible. Like, wall to wall. And this record, sadly, is no exception. 

Take a trip back to the 80's for all of the lawsuit inspiring strangeness that is Neil Young's Reagan era output. Sledgehammer drums, walls of synth and all the BONK PLINK percussion this side of Fine Young Cannibals...but is it really that bad?

Lace up your doublets and pull the drawstring on your dice bag, because we're flying halberd first into the fantasy epic that is Music from The Elder. All past is prologue, and so is this record, so settle back for all of the exposition-only goodness that KISS has for you on this episode.

On this episode, we visit 1997 and delve into the electro mishegas that is Pop by U2. How bad could a record with song titles like "Mofo" and "The Playboy Mansion" be? Pretty bad as it turns out. But there are still bright moments to be had. Throw on some JNCOs and a baby doll T and join us...in the past!

We kick off the show with a look into one of the most inscrutable double albums of all time, 1970's Self Portrait by Bob Dylan. Purposeful attempt to shed an image or jumbled pile of nonsense? Join us as we try to puzzle it all out.