Podcasts about cosmic america

On this very special episode of Cosmic America, we decide to tackle the last fully original studio release(s) of the Black Crowes by focusing on each as part of a larger whole. For most people, Before The Frost existed separately from Until The Freeze --- an album of mostly higher octane songs and big musical statements, and then a separate album of sparer, more country-tinged songs. However, co-host Galen Clavio has always been enamored with the vinyl release, which combined both into a LONG double album that ebbs and flows throughout its 90+ minutes of music. In many ways it's the epic album that the Crowes always needed to make, and it's arguably the best way to listen to this group of songs as a single piece. So join us on a bardic saga as we explore the incredible diversity and melodic appeal of the combined Before The Frost / Until The Freeze albums.

Galen and Alex begin the post-Grammy era of Arcade Fire with a look at the band’s longest and most bizarre album, Reflektor. Is there too much LCD Soundsystem and not enough Regine Chassagne? Is it too unfocused thematically? The boys dive into these questions and more on this episode of Cosmic America.

Cosmic America is back, and we're tackling the discography of Arcade Fire, one of the more enduring and endearing bands to come out of the Aughts. We start with an overview of the band, before segueing into a review of their first official release, the Arcade Fire EP, which contains a lot of precursor ideas and sounds to what the band would come up with on later releases.

This 1994 release is the first Stones studio album Galen had on CD, and it’s the first Stones album released in Alex’s lifetime. Beyond the personal connections to the album, Voodoo Lounge offers a wide variety of musical stylings and some excellent performances. The hour-long album offers tastes of country, baroque pop, alt-rock, balladry, blues rock, and a towering Keith Richards song at the end. Though not every song is a home run, Voodoo Lounge earns high praise from the Cosmic America team as the best Stones album in more than a decade at that point.

The 1980s, mercifully, were coming to an end as the Rolling Stones released Steel Wheels on August 29, 1989. The album, hailed at the time as a return to form, marked the Rolling Stones’ returning to their signature sound. Galen and Alex break down the good and bad about this album, and there’s quite a bit of both. The production of the album is very 1989 -- in other words, not very good -- but there are indications that the band is entering an era of increased creative energy. All that and a farewell to longtime bassist Bill Wyman on this episode of Cosmic America.

Emotional Rescue was not a well-loved album by many at the time it was released in 1980, and it's relatively low reputation among Rolling Stones albums has largely persisted over the years. Is that a fair perspective? Or did the album simply get caught up in disappointment that it wasn't quite as good as its predecessor? We check it out in detail on this episode of Cosmic America.

The Stones may have taken a step back on the recording front in the eyes of many with 1973's Goats Head Soup, but the band had never been stronger on the road, plowing through a legendary set of tours in both the United States and Europe that cemented their reputations as the biggest rock and roll band in the world. They resumed recording operations during this time, but with new producers --- themselves. Or, more precisely, Mick and Keith, restyled as "The Glimmer Twins", taking over the reins full-time from Jimmy Miller, who had largely bowed out during the previous album's sessions.The resulting album, released in 1974, still retains many of the hallmarks of the Rolling Stones that we'd come to know over the previous decade. But it was a different sort of album, a different sort of songwriting, a different sort of production. We delve into the individual tracks and discuss what works, what doesn't, and where we disagree (which is quite often, surprisingly!) on this latest edition of Cosmic America.

Mick Taylor is gone, having quit shortly after the release of It's Only Rock & Roll. While he wasn't a huge fixture on that album, he helped to provide some of its most memorable moments. With Keith Richards sinking further into addiction-related absence, it was a fair question to ask what would become of the Rolling Stones musically in the mid-70s.Black and Blue saw the band going through the process of auditioning guitar players to replace Taylor, and it showed. Three new lead or second guitarists make major contributions on this album, and their musical contributions ran the gamut of rock and roll. But there are other influences here of note. The production is much cleaner and more focused than on the previous album, the songs are largely more thought-out, and the influences from other realms of pop music are starting to really make a mark on the sound of the band. You hear elements of funk, disco, synth-driven balladry, and reggae all over this album, making it a pretty eclectic musical experience. But does all of that make it better than its relatively low-key reputation? We go track-by-track through the album and talk about how it sounds, on this latest episode of Cosmic America.

Few musical releases are more steeped in rock and roll mythology than Exile on Main Street. The self-styled World's Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band produced a double album that acted as a road map for most of their musical influences and creations, recorded during a time of great personal and professional transition, operating as tax exiles the south of France and seemingly awash in decadence and inspiration. The result of all these factors was an album that is unlike almost any "great" album in the history of rock and roll --- an album devoid of a hit single, an album with many songs where the lyrics are so indecipherable as to resist interpretation, an album that sits within one of the murkiest and least-defined soundcapes ever attempted by a major artist. Many rock and roll fans --- many ROLLING STONES fans --- find this album to be inferior to the previous three, lacking the obvious hooks and clear mission statement that is so present on Sticky Fingers or Let it Bleed.But despite this, Exile on Main Street is effectively the codex for understanding and loving The Rolling Stones and what they represented in rock history. It is sprawling, messy, and loose, with neck-deep excursions into country, blues, gospel, and voodoo incantation. Many of its songs are moods unto themselves, played and sung with a soulful conviction that summons the cornerstone artists and songs that preceded the emergence of rock and roll as an art form. There is an effortless energy to most of this album, a primal spirit that has captivated both fans and aspiring artists for nearly five decades. Sticky Fingers and Let it Bleed might be more immediately rewarding listening experiences for the uninitiated, but there's a reason why Exile on Main Street's influence is so obvious and all-encompassing for many of the musical acts that emerged during the 70s, 80s, 90s, and beyond.Join us on this episode of Cosmic America as we delve into the sounds and vibes of Exile on Main Street.

After an 18 month hiatus, the Rolling Stones returned to the global spotlight in 1971 with Sticky Fingers, the album that many critics and fans consider their very best. And it's hard to argue with perspective. Sticky Fingers is chock full of incredible musical moments and ideas, watching the band cover familiar territory with new approaches while also extending their approach to incorporate new shades of blues, country, and rock and roll.Sticky Fingers was a key album for Stones mythology as well, as much of what had made up the band in the decade prior was changing. Mick Taylor had now completely integrated with their musical sound, studio sidemen like Nicky Hopkins were now integral pieces of their presentation, and Mick Jagger was starting to pursue his musical ideas more independently from Keith Richards at times. And the legend of the Rolling Stones had now fully matched the marketing --- after years of living in the shadow of The Beatles, the Stones were alone in the spotlight. They attacked the opportunity with gusto, and created rock and roll art that few bans were capable of in 1971.Join Galen and Alex on Cosmic America, as we review albums by important and interesting artists. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

The period between September 1968 and November 1969 was an incredibly fertile time for The Rolling Stones, but also one of great tragedy and personal loss. Brian Jones would gradually fade into drug-induced obscurity before eventually being fired and accidentally dying, Mick Taylor would join the band as a replacement, and the personal relationships of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and others in the group's orbit would be altered permanently. The world was also on fire during this period, with war, student protests, and a rejection of traditional mores dominating western civilization.Despite this --- or perhaps more to the point, because of it --- the Rolling Stones entered their most fertile, enticing, and fascinating period as a band. The sound of the band gradually rounded into the true classic rock aesthetic, with crisp electric guitars, expert slidework, and key session players augmenting and improving their studio work. The writing became at once more advanced and more primitive, looking forward to the evolution of early 1970s songcraft while also calling back to the aural structures of the 1930s music they had been weaned on as youths. And the lyrics became more threatening, more drug-oriented, yet also more distant, observing a world that was increasingly harder to parse. Let It Bleed may be their greatest singular studio achievement, and we take the time to dissect it fully during this special episode of Cosmic America.

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Rolling Stones! In what may be the most daunting challenge that Cosmic America could call upon itself, we have decided to review nearly the entire discography of The Rolling Stones, starting with the UK Version of Aftermath and beyond. Yes, this seems crazy even to us, but at the same time it's a challenge worth facing.Aftermath stands as the first truly original outing by the Stones, with no cover versions and a lot of really interesting twists and turns throughout. The first new album by the "Big Three" of rock and roll to come out in 1966, Aftermath represents a sizeable leap forward in songcraft and production for the band, maintaining their rough blues aura while combining some fascinating touches of english folk, appalachia, and eastern musical ideas. Join us for this initial foray into one of the longest discographies in rock and roll. Welcome to Cosmic America! For information or to ask questions, tweet the show at @doctorgc or @akmccarthy. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Cosmic America’s deep dive into The National ends with a bang. Though it doesn’t have the grandiosity that the next two albums have, “Alligator” is almost certainly the most energetic and accessible listen in band’s catalogue. Two unforgettable songs bookend the album, with so many highlights in between that you might have forgotten about a couple. Galen and Alex touch on them all, discussing what makes this album so unforgettable. They pour a drink in honor of the narrator in “All the Wine” and toast the nine-part series on The National during this final episode of the bunch. Follow them on Twitter at @DoctorGC and @akmccarthy and let them know which bands you want them to tackle later and what you thought about The National series.

Galen and Alex accompany The National on a huge leap between albums, discussing 2003’s “Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers.” One of the band’s principal members described this as an “experimental album,” and the Cosmic America team dives into which new sounds the band carries forward and which sounds the band leaves behind on this album. Though it didn’t receive the attention that the subsequent albums received, “Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers” is a highlight of the band’s catalogue and a must-listen for fans of The National.Welcome to Cosmic America! For information or to ask questions, tweet the show at @doctorgc or @akmccarthy. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Cosmic America takes a trip all the way back to the indie rock scene of 2001 New York City, when a group of white-collar rockers who had never played a gig together released their self-titled debut, “The National.” Galen and Alex find early patterns emerge among the band, recognizing musical elements and lyrical themes that return in the band’s later output. They also reach a resounding agreement that The National’s early output does not qualify as alt-country, no matter what music critics at the time had to say.Welcome to Cosmic America! For information or to ask questions, tweet the show at @doctorgc or @akmccarthy. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Our final chronological The National discussion (but not our final discussion of The National!) is about 2019’s “I Am Easy to Find,” which stands alone among the band’s other albums. Created in tandem with a short film of the same name, “I Am Easy to Find” features an enormous array of backup singers, including interludes from the Brooklyn Youth Choir. Galen and Alex navigate the 64-minute album and break down whether the guest vocalists detract from the band’s signature sound, how this album fits with the band’s sonic development, and where The National might go from here.Welcome to Cosmic America! For information or to ask questions, tweet the show at @doctorgc or @akmccarthy. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

On this new episode of Cosmic America, we take a listen to Sleep Well Beast, the four-years-in-the-making follow-up to Trouble Will Find Me. There's a definite evolution of sound here from earlier in the decade, including guitar solos(!) and a more antiseptic, distant mix. How do these sonic shifts affect the songs? Galen and Alex go track-by-track through the whole album, as we continue our evaluation of the entire catalogue of The National.

Cosmic America continues on with the latest installment of The National. On this episode, we step back to 2013 for Trouble Will Find Me. This album finds the band trying to balance rhythm with atmosphere, with sometimes amazing results. How does this album hold up seven years later? Can it hope to compete with the giant artistic accomplishments of the previous three records? We discuss the album track-by-track and some to some split-decision conclusions. Katie Metz joins us once again for this episode.

It's time for a new installment of Cosmic America, as Galen and Alex are joined once again by Katie. This time out, we tackle High Violet, the band's full album foray into the 2010s. We take you track by track throughout the album and talk about the words, music, and emotions held within. This was an important album for The National, a chance to further establish their reputation as both great songwriters and performers and build upon the success of Boxer from three years earlier. We discuss popular songs like Bloodbuzz Ohio and England, while also delving into some of the deeper cuts and B-sides.Welcome to Cosmic America! For information or to ask questions, tweet the show at @doctorgc or @akmccarthy. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Please rate and review!

Alex and Galen are back to talk about The National. The period between 2005 - 2011 was an incredibly fertile time for the band, as they shed their earlier skin and started writing and recording songs that had increasingly sophisticated musical and lyrical filters.In this episode we talk about the studio cuts from the Cherry Tree EP, the Boxer B-sides, and several other cuts from the era, including fan favorites such as "Santa Clara", "So Far Around The Bend", and "Blank Slate". Welcome to Cosmic America! For information or to ask questions, tweet the show at @doctorgc or @akmccarthy. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Please rate and review!

The drought is over! Galen and Alex are back talking music. For this return episode, Katie Metz joins us as leap into the middle of an active discography and do a full breakdown of Boxer, the seminal 2007 album by The National. A natural sonic and lyrical expansion from 2005's Alligator, Boxer made many "Best Of" album lists for the 2000s and still maintains a fascinating aura today. We talk about our favorite parts of the album and how it fits into the canon, going through the whole thing song-by-song.Welcome to Cosmic America! For information or to ask questions, tweet the show at @doctorgc or @akmccarthy. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Grievous Angel turned 45 in January! We take the time this week to celebrate (belatedly) by shining a light on Cosmic Country! we'll go from the late 60's into modern times covering all the favorites, like Gram Parsons, The Byrds, Neil Young and even the Grateful Dead, as well as some artists that are direct descendants of those styles! So get in a car, hop on a train or just put on a pair of headphones and walk till the road winds back around and enjoy the trip!Set 1:1.) The Byrds- You Ain't Goin Nowhere2.) Gram Parsons- Ooh Las Vegas3.) Flying Burrito Brothers-Christine's Tune4.) Mistress Mary- And I didn't want youSet 2: 1.) Rob Galbraith- Jezebel of the morning2.) The Beau Brummels- Nine Pound Hammer3.) Velvet Underground-Lonesome Cowboy Bill4.) Jim Sullivan-U.F.O.Set 3:1.) Kris Kristofferson- Casey's Last Ride2.) Lee Hazelwood-The Night Before3.) F.J. McMahon-Early Blue4.) Townes Van Zandt-Snake Song5.) Karen Dalton-Something On Your MindSet 4:1.) Gene Clark- No Other2.) Allan Wachs-Mountain Roads3.) Sonny & The Sunsets-My Mind Messed Up4.) Israel Nash-Rain Plans5.) Pete Drake-The SpookSet 51.) Meat Puppets-Enchanted Porkfist2.) Camper Van Beethoven-Circles3.) Hoyt Axton- Way Before The Time of Towns4.) Help Yourself-Old Man5.) Cambridge- Faithless Lady Set 6:1.) Neil Young- Danger Bird2.) David Nance Group-Amethyst3.) David Crosby-Cowboy MovieSet 7:1.) Grateful Dead-Morning Dew2.) MV & EE- Trailer Trash3.) Relatively Clean Rivers- Journey Through The Valley of O

We've reached the end of our Doors odyssey — we're not doing the non-Morrison albums that followed this one, and we're also not doing American Prayer for reasons that should be obvious if you listen to any of those titles. But that's okay, because this is a tremendous high point upon which to leave. LA Woman, released in 1971, represented a sort of full circle for the band, who returned to more spontaneous studio performances after the perfectionism of the previous three albums. The songs are even bluesier than those on Morrison Hotel, and the album contains two bona fide rock and role classics.If you enjoy these and other Cosmic America podcasts, be sure to subscribe to Cosmic America on iTunes or Stitcher, and consider reviewing the podcast on either of those sites. Tell your friends, and let us know what you think via social media — you can catch us at @doctorgc and @akmccarthy.

We've entered 1970, and The Doors are back in the critical spotlight with their penultimate album, Morrison Hotel. Both a critical and fan favorite, this album saw The Doors moving (mostly) away from the pop and psychedelic sounds that dominated their last couple of albums, in favor of a rawer blues-influenced rock and roll sound. We take you track-by-track through the album, from the rollicking opener "Roadhouse Blues" through the ending of "Maggie M'Gill".Cosmic America reviews artists and their records, and we do it by going album-by-album through their careers. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher.

Back for round 2 of The Doors' discography, Galen and Alex tackle their sophomore effort, Strange Days. An interesting mix of late 60s psychedelia, guitar/organ pop sensibility, and another grand epic of a song, this album unfortunately has gotten a bit lost in the historical shuffle. But not here! We walk you through each track song-by-song, and also take some listener questions via Twitter and Facebook.Be sure to subscribe to Cosmic America on iTunes or Stitcher, and consider reviewing the podcast on either of those sites. Tell your friends, and let us know what you think via social media — you can catch us at @doctorgc and @akmccarthy.

On our 34th episode, we reach the midway point of The Doors discography, reviewing 1968's "Waiting For The Sun". Significantly different in character from the previous two albums, this piece of work is a bit less coherent, a bit more muddled, yet still shines through with several excellent tracks and an intriguing departure from the sound they'd developed to this point. We also take a listen to the infamous studio version of "Celebration Of The Lizard", the whole-side would-be epic that garnered so little traction among the producer and band members not named Jim that they decided to shelve almost the entire thing.Cosmic America reviews artists and their records, and we do it by going album-by-album through their careers. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher.

Back we are, tackling the fourth (and easily most controversial) album in The Doors' canon. The Soft Parade, released in mid-1969, represented a pretty big departure from the band, and…well, the critics didn't dig it. Like, at all. They hated the horns and strings on some of the songs, they hated the lyrics in places, and they seemed to have a significant amount of Morrison fatigue going on, after some of Jim's on-stage and in-press shenanigans over the previous couple of years. So the critics slagged the album and that was that. Or was it? Was this album really so problematic, or just a victim of bad timing and bitchy music journalism? We dive in and go song-by-song through the entire album.

Cosmic America's raison d'etre is reviewing interesting music by interesting artists — and doing it in a completist fashion, by reviewing all of their studio albums in chronological order. It's what separates Cosmic America from other music review podcasts that only tackle individual albums.For this episode, we launch into the music of The Doors, starting with their seminal debut album. Consistently ranked as one of the best albums of all time, it's obvious that this collection of songs made a huge impact on the American (and rock and roll) music psyche. But is it actually good? Does it hold up over 50 years later? We deep dive into each song on this episode, and answer some reader mail.You can contact us on Twitter at @akmccarthy or @doctorgc. Be sure to subscribe to Cosmic America, and give us a nice rating if you’re feeling motivated.

We're back with more music talk. Cosmic America rolls on through the discography of The War on Drugs, tackling their breakthrough hit, Lost in the Dream for this episode. We take a look at the increasingly mature and almost gauzy production values, the increasingly isolated lyrical content, and the exciting yet somewhat uneven pacing of this 60-plus minute musical odyssey.You can contact us on Twitter at @akmccarthy or @doctorgc. Be sure to subscribe to Cosmic America, and give us a nice rating if you're feeling motivated.

We're at the end of The War on Drugs —- at least, until they release another album! (Which, god help us, should absolutely happen, but probably won't until like 2021 or so)  Anyway, here's their (for the moment) last album, A Deeper Understanding. The production's a bit thicker, the melodies are catchier but less desperate-sounding, and the flow of the album is better than the excellent Lost in the Dream. Is this a winner all the way through? We go through it song-by-song, so you'll be able to judge right along with us.Cosmic America is a podcast about music, hosted by Galen Clavio and Alex McCarthy. Feel free to hit us up on Twitter @doctorgc and @akmccarthy with ideas, suggestions, and questions.

Cosmic America's 28th episode is the second official release by The War on Drugs. This one's called Future Weather, and we go through it song by song. There are a couple of songs missing from the release, because we decided to do them on the Slave Ambient review (which is coming next!).Subscribe to Cosmic America on iTunes! And you can contact us at @doctorgc or @akmccarthy if you are interested in asking questions or suggesting future bands to review.

Back for more Cosmic America, as we continue our deep-dive into The War on Drugs. This LP, entitled Slave Ambient, broke The War on Drugs more fully into the national consciousness, featuring many of the key characteristics that made their music so interesting and attractive to so many people. We cover it track-by-track, giving anecdotes and details for all of the songs.Be sure to subscribe to Cosmic America on iTunes, and give us a positive rating if you're feeling charitable. Cosmic America is recorded and produced by Galen Clavio and Alex McCarthy. You can reach us on Twitter at @doctorgc or at @akmccarthy.

Alex and Galen are back, and this time we're reviewing the entire discography of The War on Drugs. This musical collective animates the lyrics and tunes of Adam Granduciel, and we start with our reviews at (almost) the beginning, with a look at 2008's Wagonwheel Blues. Kurt Vile is still in the band, and the whole enterprise sounds more Bob Dylan than Bruce Springsteen at this stage of things.As with all Cosmic America podcasts (at least, all since June of 2018!) we review the whole studio catalogue, album by album, track by track. So settle in and enjoy.

Our White Stripes odyssey comes to an end with this episode, as we hit the (surprise) ending note to the band's career with Icky Thump. Fuller sound, slightly more uneven, but still featuring four or five classic tunes, this was a fine way for the band to swan song. We go track-by-track through the album, pointing out highlights and talking about the sonic qualities of each song.If you've got questions or comments, hit us up at @doctorgc or @alexkmccarthy on Twitter.

We're almost done with The White Stripes catalogue, and we move on to the most controversial of their six releases with this one, as Alex and Galen delve into Get Behind Me Satan. It represented a sonic change for the band, as well as an attitudinal one. How did it measure up to what came before it? And was the end truly in sight with this release? We go through the whole thing, track by track, on this edition of Cosmic America.

It's been a bit of a hiatus, but we're back with the next installment of our deep dive into The White Stripes. For this edition, we tackle what is possibly their best-known album, Elephant. This 2003 masterpiece put the band on top of the rock world, and showcased an ever-expanding sonic palate. We brought along a special guest to join us for this episode! Longtime White Stripes fan Nate Lynch joins us on the third line to talk about his perspective on the album.Comments or questions? Hit us up on Twitter at @doctorgc or @akmccarthy. And stay tuned as we cover the rest of the discography.

We're back for part 3 of our six-part White Stripes odyssey. This time we uncover the album that broke them into the big time: White Blood Cells. And what an album it is — bluesy and hooky and layered with all kinds of fascinating touches. Is it their best album? There's a worthwhile debate to be had about that. But in the meantime, let us walk you through it track by track.Comments or questions? Hit us up on Twitter at @doctorgc or @akmccarthy. And stay tuned as we cover the rest of the discography in the next week.

It's an Easter Sunday special edition for Cosmic America! Alex and Galen continue their investigation of the career arc of The White Stripes. This episode sees the guys breaking down the band's second album, De Stijl, and diving further into both the sound of the band and the mythology surrounding it.If you have comments or questions, send 'em our way on Twitter – @doctorgc and @akmccarthy.

The new Cosmic America has officially launched! We're still here talking about great music, but we've upped the ante by talking OVER great music. Our goal is to give you in-the-moment analysis, criticism, and evaluation of whole albums worth of music. And to do it one artist at a time, album by album. What makes these great artists tick? How did their career arc sound, and what sorts of things were going on in and around the recording of the songs?Our first group for review is The White Stripes, who need no formal introduction. This podcast starts off with a brief overview of the band, before launching into a review of their debut album, titled The White Stripes. Not a whole lot of people heard this one when it first came out, but the later success of White Blood Cells would usher in a lot of positive critical acclaim for their debut. How does this album hold up, nearly twenty years after it was released? Let's find out.

We're soft-launching Cosmic America (again!), with a new format and some nifty new recording techniques. Here, we talk about a couple of songs off of Beck's 1998 classic album "Mutations".

Okay, so we took a long hiatus with Cosmic America, mostly because Alex moved four time zones away. We're going to have some new episodes soon, I promise! In the meantime, here's one of the last episodes taped before Alex moved away — this one focuses on Fleet Foxes' eponymous debut LP. Like Crosby, Stills & Nash in an echo chamber with a bunch of funky electric folk guitarists, this song sort of defied immediate classification, and ended up creating a furor in the indie rock scene. Their output since this album hasn't been nearly as melodic, so it's important to go back and pay respects to an album that now seems as frozen in time as it sounded when it was first unleashed on the landscape almost a decade ago.

This could end up being the most obscure album we review on Cosmic America, but that doesn't make it less deserving of your listenership. Through Toledo was a little-known album released by little-known indie artist Greg Laswell in the mid-2000s, which stands as one of the more well-constructed breakup albums that we've heard in a while. You may know a few of the songs, which filtered their way into the pop culture whirlpool during the late 2000s. Listen on YouTube here.

Let's stay in the seventies on this episode of Cosmic America, as we delve into a masterful pop record from Scottish artist and industry misanthrope Gerry Rafferty. This album spawned a huge hit in Baker Street, but the rest of the album ends up holding up pretty well 40 years later. Somehow underappreciated despite being incredibly solid and tuneful throughout. You can check out the whole thing (which really is worth listening to if you haven't already heard it) on YouTube, or buy it on Amazon.

Is it cooler to like Elton John or Billy Joel? Cosmic America investigates…sort of. By "investigates", I mean we talk about the topic for 10 minutes.

It's live album week at Cosmic America, so we delve into an artifact from the early stages of Elton John's career. Recorded in a New York City studio, broadcast on radio, and then widely bootlegged, 11-17-70 (or 17-11-70 if you're British or annoying) is an interesting look into an Elton John that was still focused on 50's era rock and roll as his primary artistic motif. Not a lot of songs, but certainly a lot of energy. You can check out the album on iTunes, or you can listen to the unedited radio broadcast here.

This edition of Cosmic America sees us jumping forward into the mid-90s, focusing on the album Grace by Jeff Buckley. A critical darling when it came out, the album was the only full artistic statement from Buckley before his untimely drowning shortly afterwards. Does it hold up 20 years later? Does the "Hallelujah" cover force the album into transcendence? Lots of questions about this one. Take a listen. And check out "Lover, You Should've Come Over" and "Lilac Wine" while you're at it.

For this episode of Cosmic America, we check out the touring outfit of Joe Cocker (and Leon Russell), which traveled across the United States in 1970 under the group name Mad Dogs and Englishmen. This live album stands as a document to that series of shows, and while it's certainly an interesting listen in a number of places, it falls short of the sort of all-time status that the aura of the band might seem to demand. Standout tracks include Space Captain, Delta Lady, and the cover of Leonard Cohen's Bird on a Wire.

Happy 2017! We ring in the new year at Cosmic America with a review of the The Band's Northern Lights, Southern Cross, a somewhat forgotten gem from 1975. Viewed by many as the last "proper" studio release by The Band, this album doesn't have quite the same lyrical spark as the group's late 60's efforts but still manages to paint an enjoyable and rootsy tapestry. Standout songs include It Makes No Difference and Acadian Driftwood, both linked in the blog post.

New Cosmic America! We check in on rock critic touchstone The Stone Roses, one of the more fully realized one-hit wonder albums of the modern era of music. Lost in the shuffle of late-80's hair metal and power balladry, this album ended up acting as the missing link between 70's soundscape rock and the alternative ethos of the 90's. Songs you should definitely listen to include Waterfall, I Wanna Be Adored, and I Am The Resurrection, all of which we have helpfully linked for you in the show text.Subscribe to us on iTunes! Just search "Cosmic America" and you'll find us.

This episode of Cosmic America takes a listen to an album that never really was — at least, not in its original form. The Smile Sessions, released a few years ago after a few decades of strife and mystery, represent the reconstruction of the original "Smile" album as conceived by Brian Wilson and performed by The Beach Boys. Recording problems, nervous breakdowns, and band politics ended up putting the kibosh on an album that might have been a watershed pop moment from the Summer of Love. We work our way through the album, talking about the flow of each section and the centerpiece songs (Heroes and Villains / Cabinessence / Surf's Up / Good Vibrations) (linked in this post for ease of listening).

We step forward into 2004 (or 2003, depending on how you want to approach it) for the next Cosmic America episode, and revisit Ryan Adams and his seminal gloom rock album Love is Hell. Originally refused by his record label and released as two EPs, the reconstituted album later saw the light of day, and stands as one of the highlights of Adams' career. Heavily influenced by the Manchester sound of the 80s, the album (and its seven-song bonus EP), it went largely unnoticed outside of rock criticism circles — but that's why we're here, 12 years later, to talk about it in more depth.

Cosmic America is back for the holiday week, as we discover an unexpected mutual love for the Black Crowes' sophomore effort, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. The Stones-influenced Black Crowes take a measured step into Free/Humble Pie/gospel tradition here, emerging with probably their finest and most consistent collection of songs. Underappreciated at the time of its release due to the sudden onslaught of grunge, we try to bring it back to the masses.Be sure to subscribe to Cosmic America on iTunes!

A new Cosmic America drops and everyone gets excited. Here's Galen and Alex talking about a seminal guitar album from the 70's — Television's Marquee Moon. Lots of talk about the sonic construction of the album, as well as where it sits in the developmental track of rock and roll (and punk..I guess…). If you like guitars, or abstract lyrics, or angular solos, this is definitely an album you should check out. 

Episode 8 of Cosmic America! And we head back to 1973, and to another continent, for a stellar live set by the preeminent live act in rock at the time, The Rolling Stones. Brussels Affair from 1973 provides lots of the standard Rolling Stones live set from the era, plus some really sublime little moments that are (for once) expertly recorded and documented for the listener. Max Mick Taylor. Decent amounts of Billy Preston. Mick giving a shit about (most of) the lyrics. Keith being Keith. Bill and Charlie manning the engine room. This one's worth your time.

On this episode of Cosmic America, we jump surprisingly far forward in the musical timeline, tackling the British band Arctic Monkeys and their most recent release, "A.M.". Will Galen be able to get his head wrapped around all these newfangled sounds? (yes)  We sit down and chat about a thoroughly enjoyable modern rock album, so enjoy and listen in.

On this episode of Cosmic America, we tackle the midway point of Steely Dan's primary studio phase — 1975's Katy Lied. Once described as "an epic bardic saga" on some message board that I read in the late 90's, this album captures the Dan as they transitioned fully from a touring outfit to a pure-studio outfit. The army of session musicians who would come to dominate later albums had started to assemble on this one, and the album ended up hosting some lesser-known but incredibly important songs in the band's canon. Musical cleverness and lyrical obliqueness fully on display throughout this one.Be sure to subscribe to Cosmic America on iTunes, and tweet us with your musical thoughts and review ideas at @doctorgc and @akmccarthy. Thanks for listening.

We've gone through a full cycle of our album reviews, so now it's back to stage one — the "One-album wonder" category. Even though the second album from this band was okay, the first album was a masterpiece, and we're glad to get a chance to review it here. It's The Gilded Palace of Sin by The Flying Burrito Brothers, and it's a sadly overlooked album for a large cross-section of the music listening audience. One of the "Old Testament" albums of the country-rock hybrid that would come to dominate the Southern California sound over the next decade, this album is a slab of genius, the full flowering of a sadly neglected partnership between troubled genius Gram Parsons and the workmanlike Chris Hillman. Country rock? Soul? Balladry? Electrified folk? Nudie suits? All of that and some social commentary to boot on this album.Be sure to subscribe to Cosmic America on iTunes, and tweet us with your musical thoughts and review ideas at @doctorgc and @akmccarthy. Thanks for listening.

Cosmic America heads for the "IMPORT" section of the record collection, tackling Led Zeppelin's last live show in the United States in 1975, in Inglewood, CA. This immensely long show (close to 4 hours) is arguably the last time a US audience saw Zeppelin in full fury. It's a bit of a ragged show in places, but still maintains the grandiose sound and reputation that the quartet had built for themselves. Touring in support of the recently released Physical Graffiti album, this show ended up being a fascinating live showcase for songs from both that album and from Houses of the Holy. If you're hunting for this show on torrent sites, it's labeled "Deep Throat", mostly (entirely?) because Linda Lovelace intros the band when they come out.Be sure to subscribe to Cosmic America on iTunes, and tweet us with your musical thoughts and review ideas at @doctorgc and @akmccarthy. Thanks for listening.

After a week's hiatus, Cosmic America is back in your kitchen with more music talk. For this episode, we delve into a classic from 1999, Summerteeth by Wilco. This album saw the band fully shed the alt-country label that had been stuck on them since their inception in 1995, with frontman Jeff Tweedy and multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett embracing a Wilson/Spectoresque approach to production, marrying complex overdubs to emotionally vulnerable lyrics. This one got missed by most of the alt rock crowd, and its place in Wilco history is forever overshadowed by its successor, but this is a damn fine album in its own right.Be sure to subscribe to Cosmic America on iTunes, and tweet us with your musical thoughts and review ideas at @doctorgc and @akmccarthy. Thanks for listening.

It's Episode 2 of Cosmic America, and we take the opportunity to step back in time to late 1968, for The Kinks' classic (yet largely forgotten) The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society. We share our favorite songs, talk about the positives and challenges of the album, and try to set the historical context.Get at us on Twitter – @doctorgc or @akmccarthy – if you've got questions, suggestions, or comments.

On this inaugural edition of Cosmic America, we break down a rock and roll classic steeped in the kind of rock mythology that most artists and albums could only dream of. Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, by the Eric Clapton-led Derek & The Dominoes, gets the full breakdown treatment, as we talk about the stories behind some of the songs and the recording process for the album. We pick our favorite songs from the album, talk about the most underrated songs on the album, and discuss whether the flow of the album ends up working. 

My guest for this episode is Keith Harris. Keith is probably familiar to many people as the man behind the popular blog Cosmic America, which has now been replaced by his new site keithharrishistory. Keith is also the editor of an exciting new online journal, The Americanist Independent and the author of a recently published book, Across the Bloody Chasm: The Culture of Commemoration among Civil War Veterans.In our conversation, we talk about engaging with the public, about his recent and upcoming publications, and about the problems with the academic job market for historians.Here's a clip from my favorite feature from his old blog, Office Hours: