Talking Music! Podcast

Another monthly instalment of Record Rodeo, our album review round-up show. Featuring discussions on records by Ariana Grande, Xiu Xiu, Sun Kil Moon, Electric Wizard, Solange, and many more,

Episode 009 of RATE OR HATE, brought to you by the Talking Music! Podcast. Featuring Nick Drake's 'Pink Moon' and Spokane's 'The Proud Graduates'.

Episode 008 of Rate or Hate, by Talking Music! Podcast.

C'mon, skinny love. It's another episode of CHECK THE LABEL. This time, the boys are diving into the awesome, consistent-as-fuck indie rock titans known as Jagjaguwar, selecting the five essential albums in their 20 year discography. Jagjaguwar have a very special place in Josh and Connor's hearts. The label has been responsible for several of their favourite albums of all time, and they have acted as a platform for some of the most promising artists in the underground. Releasing the works of Angel Olsen, Sharon Van Etten, Preoccupations, and many more, their impact on indie culture is insurmountable. In this episode, Josh and Connor discuss the label's creation, the overlooked work of Rick Alverson (Drunk, Spokane), and the mammoth impact Bon Iver made on the underground music scene, among other notable tid-bits about the label and their list of artists. Bet you don't know where the name Jagjaguwar comes from. The answer may SHOCK YOU! CLICK HERE NOW ***!*!*!*!*!*!** (But seriously, it's a strange answer. You really should listen to find out.) The boys are confident that Jagjaguwar have affected you and your music taste in some way. So brush up on their catalogue and dive into this discussion on CHECK THE LABEL.

Gushing and crying over High School Musical 2 can be exhausting. After the ravaging success of their discussion of the film's soundtrack, the boys are taking things easy for this episode by bringing their newly-found musical obsessions to the table. Josh has brought Jim O'Rourke's emotional magnum opus, 'Eureka'. This soothing, melancholic, and strangely uplifting little album has touched his heart in a profound way and wishes to share that same joy with Connor. Or at least, make up for having him listen to 'What Time Is It?' and 'Bet on It' more than once. Spoilers: he can very easily make up for that. The bar was set pretty low, to be fair. And as Josh predicted he would, Connor brought an Animal Collective record. 'Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished' is not only a cult hit among AnCo fans, it's an album that is already breaching into his top albums of all time. Can he convince Josh that AnCo are worth the hype? Will he be able to share the same love and affection he feels for them? Or at least, make it up for having him listen to The Feeling's 'Twelve Stops From Home?', one of Josh's worst album experiences? Spoilers: no matter what, he can never make it up for that. Never. Tune in to this week's episode to find out what the guys thought of their recommended albums and what albums they recommend each other for the next HIP HOP THEMED episode of Rate or Hate.

YEE-HAW! Another month, another trip down to the Record Rodeo, where Josh and Connor round up the best and worst albums they have listened to in the last 30 days. If you're unable to tell when listening to the episode, Josh is really excited. Is it the caffeine, sugar, or something else entirely? Most likely. But he's mainly excited because of one band in particular. Not only has this band produced one of the most beautiful records he has heard in recent memory, they have also produced a TEN OUTTA TEN record. It is nearly three hours long, but Josh can't get enough of it. Find out what band he's so in love with, as well as hear his thoughts on the new James Blake and Sharon Van Etten records. Similarly, Connor can't get enough of another band: Connor Oberst's Bright Eyes. From 'Fevers and Mirrors', to 'Lifted', and 'I'm Wide Awake It's Morning', he has listened to them all. Hear him go wild with praise, and also a discussion on whether Better Oblivion Community Centre - Oberst's new collab with Phoebe Bridgers - lives up to his expectations. Once his inner-emo has calmed down, listen to his thoughts on Queen's 'Sheer Heart Attack' and his journey with Bob Dylan's discography. Get your lassos ready. Bust out your bolo ties. Come on down to this month's Record Rodeo! Let the boys know what you think of the albums they discussed, and what records you listened to this month. Giddy up, pard'ner!

New year, new segment on the Talking Music! Podcast. Introducing a brand new semi-regular series called 'CHECK THE LABEL', where Josh and Connor discuss the history and lineage of a record label and the five albums that helped define it. The aim is to celebrate these labels, put forward a case for how the records they've released over the years have helped shape the musical landscape, and encourage listeners to deep dive into their catalogues. For the inaugural episode, the boys discuss Sub Pop Records. The Seattle giants' unmatched contribution to 90's Rock music is worthy of praise, but they gave a platform to many seminal albums in genres other than Grunge. With a diverse catalogue ranging from punk, noise rock, dream pop, indie folk, and experimental hip-hop, they have remained on the cutting edge for 30 years. Sub Pop are far more than just Nirvana. Kurt Cobain and co. are discussed, of course. How could they be ignored? But perhaps the five albums the boys have selected will open eyes to why they still hold the record label throne after all these years. Many amazing labels - both major and independent - are being considered for future episodes, so both Josh and Connor hope you guys enjoy this pilot episode. Let them know what labels you hope they discuss in the future, and what some of your favourite Sub Pop records are.

WHAT TIME IS IT?!?! It's not summer time, unfortunately. But it's a fabulous time to be alive, as Josh and Connor discuss a record from one of the most beloved acts in all of music history. They also discuss an album by Death. The first episode of 2019 witnesses the greatest culture clash ever recorded: extreme-metal pioneers Death's infamous record 'Spiritual Healing', and the generation-defining 'High School Musical 2' soundtrack. One is a blood-soaked political frenzy, the other is a charming cheese-fest for children. Of course they would be discussed in the same episode. Makes perfect sense. Will Josh agree with those who say 'Spiritual Healing' is Death's weakest record or will he see the light through the mayhem? And will Connor appreciate the HSM2 soundtrack the same way Josh does? Regardless of the answers, one thing is for sure. Will this be a wild AF episode? You can bet on it, bet on it, etc etc.

The time has come. Christmas is in the dust, and 2019 is on the horizon. Pitchfork, Fantano, Rolling Stone, literally everyone has beaten them to it. But they don't care. The guys are posting their 2018 AOTY lists at the end of the year, like reasonable human beings. Crazy, huh? So yes, as you just read, they are finally discussing their favourite albums of 2018. Josh and Connor will reveal their individual Top 50 lists over the course of this 75 min special - the longest episode on the podcast so far! Some picks are to be expected, but there are many here that may surprise you. Are some albums too low down? Too high up? Have some been completely excluded? Let the guys know! You can send them voice clips with your personal AOTY on Anchor.FM, as well as comment and reply to them on social media (@talkingmusicpod). If you would like to check out any of the records the boys talk about in this episode, they have put together a pair of playlists just for you, featuring their favourite track from every album discussed. You can listen to them via the links below: Josh's AOTY Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6bQVjJZvi5DWyoqOM4YrL1 Connor's AOTY Playlist: Hope you all had an amazing year of listening to new music, and everyone at Talking Music wishes you a wonderful start to 2019. See you in the new year!

Just gonna stand there and listen to the boys cry? Well, that's alright 'cause they love the way you... listen to their podcast. Fuck it. This is awful music. These albums don't deserve clever puns. This episode, Josh and Connor discuss the first albums they ever bought. Of course, as kids with just a small handful of pocket money, they did not have the most sophisticated music tastes, to say the least. As a 13-year-old, Josh bought Eminem's 'Recovery'. Eight years later, he is making Connor listen to it for the first time, with no rose-tinted glasses to save him. What a lucky man. But don't worry, Connor also bought a musical turd when he was little, one you might not have even heard of. The Feeling's 'Twelve Stops From Home' is a relic from the mid-2000's Brit Pop scene, known only for that one song used in adverts for three-star holiday resorts. Josh did not know what to expect. His thoughts may come as a surprise to you - a very entertaining one, at that. Will the guys rate these albums or will they hate them? Take a guess. It ain't as hard as it seems. Fill their little worlds right up by sitting through their rants and pleas for help. If you're feeling brave, join in on the discussion. God bless our souls.

YEE-HAW! Another month, another trip down to the Record Rodeo, where Josh and Connor round up the best and worst albums they have listened to in the last 30 days. Josh is wearing his fanciest pair of spur boots and is dressed in his most distressed jeans. Why? Because he had a great month of music listening! Hear him hollering and yelling about some overlooked 2018 albums that you need to check out, as well as records by Bell Witch and Playboi Carti. Connor, on the other hand, has run out of tobacco to chew on and he's fallen off his horse multiple times. YEE-HAW? More like YEE-NAH. Although he discusses The Hotelier and the emo genre as a whole, hear him rant about the most overrated album of the year, and whether the new Smashing Pumpkins record lives up to expectations. Get your lassos ready. Bust out your bolo ties. Come on down to this month's Record Rodeo! Let the boys know what you think of the albums they discussed, and what records you listened to this month. Giddy up, pard'ner!

Hey there, fancypants! Welcome to the first episode of STAFF PICKS, a brand new series where Josh and Connor discuss an album they both love, one that you MUST check out. And what better way to kick off the series than talking about Ween and their sentimental masterpiece, 'Quebec'. Released in 2003, 'Quebec' tends to get overshadowed by their most conceptual work five years earlier, 'The Mollusk'. Y'know, the one with Ocean Man on it. Despite that album deserving all the praise it gets, the boys wanted to draw attention to the softer, more serious side of Ween. Let them take you by the hand and lead you to the land to find out why today's Staff Pick is their favourite in the band's discography, and how much the album tickles them pink while breaking their hearts. Although recorded before his passing, this episode is in dedication to Stephen Hillenburg (1961-2018). May he rest in peace.

Bleep boop bleepy boop boop beep. The machines have taken over. Two electronic juggernauts, in particular, are fighting for total supremacy over the human race: Aphex Twin and The Postal Service. One plays an unwinnable game of chess with a sickening grin on its computer screen. The other simply wants love, with its battery depleted and circuits ripped out. Only one can win. Who will stand tall and who will suffer at the hands of Ctrl+Alt+Del? In this episode, Josh and Connor are giving albums a second chance. Aphex's 'The Richard D. James Album' gets re-evaluated by Josh after many months of trying and failing to understand the hype behind the IDM legend. And after only a single listen way back when, Connor revisits The Postal Service's seminal 'Give Up'. You may not like what Josh has to say about Aphex, but will you agree with Connor when he says The Postal Service is emo? They are very interested to see if you do. Tune in to find out what they had to say about these records on the latest episode of Rate or Hate, brought to you by the Talking Music! Podcast.

"Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation" - Khalil Gibran This week, Josh and Connor could not be together to record a new episode. Sad emojis and violin music, please. But that did not stop them from talking about music with you. Individually, they share their thoughts on their most recent listens in a new segment called: RECORD RODEO! In this album round-up, Josh discusses whether the new Daughters record is worth all the hype and he gushes over Sun Kil Moon's old man ramblings. Afterwards, Connor talks about a classic Sonic Youth record, an overlooked release from Gouge Away, and counts the number of dick jokes on the new Tenacious D. The boys hope you guys like the new segment. YEEEEE HAWWWW!

As Winter approaches, the nights are getting longer and the sunlight is dwindling. Thankfully, the boys are discussing an album for these dark times ahead, as well as an album for those short mornings and bright afternoons. Need party jams for 1 PM and foggy soundscapes for 1 AM? They've got you covered. This week, Connor makes Josh listen to Coil's classic ambient/drone/darkwave/whatever-the-fuck-this-is album, 'Musick To Play In The Dark'. Josh, on the other hand, makes Connor listen to the polar opposite of Coil: the wild, sassy glam rock of Sparks' 'Kimono My House'. This town ain't big enough for the both of these albums... or is there? Tune in to find out what the guys thought of their recommendations, what albums they recommend for next week's episode, and for your daily reminder to eat your greens, especially broccoli.

The air is tense. No friendly love is being shared tonight. Episode 2 of the Talking Music Podcast is defined by one word only: pain. Josh had to listen to Kero Kero Bonito's 'Bonito Generation', an experimental J-Pop album. He was not looking forward to it. Connor, on the other hand, had to listen to Sean Kingston's self-titled debut album, featuring hits such as 'Beautiful Girls' and 'Take You There'. He was definitely not looking forward to it. But will they like what they hear? Anything can happen. Will they love these records or will they leave the boys suicidal... suicidal... DAMN ALL DEESE BEAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTIFUL albums.

On the debut episode of the Talking Music! Podcast, nostalgia is in full bloom. For Josh, The National's 'High Violet' is a dark magnum opus rich with angst - a Godsend during his moody teenage years. And for Connor, Smashing Pumpkin's double album 'Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness' is a cathartic experience in both beauty and anger. Until now, they had only listened to their respective albums. But Josh making Connor listen to 'High Violet', and Connor is making Josh listen to 'Melon Collie'. An indie rock gloom-fest versus a two-hour grunge epic... Will the guys RATE their albums or will they HATE them?