Just like the changing of the actual seasons is a seamless transition from the balmy days of Summer into the rich Autumnal hues, so the end of one Album Clash season and the beginning of another occurs without you even noticing. Except that I'm telling you about it here.

Yes folks, to celebrate the end of our 'beef' season, while at the same time welcoming in the season of Britpop, we are doing the Granddaddy of them all. A rivalry so intense that it made headline news on both sides of the Atlantic. So colossal that it had John Humphrys awkwardly trying to sound hip on the BBC 9 o'clock news. So gargantuan that it led to playground battles up and down the UK, leaving behind in its wake unhealable rifts in previously close-knit families and friendship groups alike. And it also made a lot of people an awful lot of money.

It's Blur vs. Oasis.

Over the next two shows we take a trip down memory lane back to 1995, at the height of the 'cool Britannia' scene, when the two bands at the forefront of the second British invasion went head-to-head in the pop charts.

We kick things off this week by going through Blur's 'The Great Escape', the follow up to the album which finally brought them critical and commercial acclaim, 1994's 'Parklife'. But could they capitalise on that success and elevate their creative output to another level? (Spoiler: Nope.)

Even before we get to the album, there's loads to get into about the rivalry between Blur and Oasis, including:

- What instigated the rivalry between the two bands? No, but what really instigated it?

- What did Noel Gallagher say about Damon Albarn that was so reprehensible he was forced into a public apology?

- Why did Graham Coxon attempt to jump out of a 6th story window when Blur got to number one?

- What is Liam Gallagher's (frankly brilliant) nickname for Blur's lead singer?

- How did Tim Burgess perfectly sum up both 'Country House' and 'Roll With It'? And what did Noel Gallagher think of the two songs?

We have our usual 'can't get you out of my head' picks, in which Kev gives props to a brand new song (and an absolute belter it is too) and Tim expresses his love for an all-time classic.

On top of all this we have our usual meanderings and ephemera, but I've been waffling on for far too long now and nobody reads these notes anyway. I could literally say anything now and none of you would ever know. But I won't, because you are all lovely people and we love each and every one of you.

Anyway, Oasis next week. That'll be good, eh?

This. Is. ALBUM CLASH!!

***PLEASE take a moment to rate the show and leave a review on whichever platform you use to listen to podcasts. It makes it easier for others to find the show and means the world to us. Thanks for listening!***

***Ding ding ding!!! Bonus episode claxon!!!***

To celebrate 'beef' season we decided to do our first ever bonus episode, where we celebrate the age-old tradition of 'diss' songs. In doing so we are joined by a very special guest, Sam, who curates all of our excellent social media content, including the pod artwork. And Sam introduces herself in quite spectacular fashion by telling the story of how an unfortunate mishap / potential sex crime during a trip to the theatre led to her earworming herself.

Over the course of the episode talk about how some of music's most legendary rivalries have been immortalised on record and how the artists used their platforms to slag each other off via the medium of song. Our clashes span the last 60 years and we have some intense beef to get into, including:

- How a humorous impersonation by Joe Tex led to James Brown (allegedly) taking up arms;

- How John Lennon and Paul McCartney dealt with the fallout from the demise of the Beatles;

- What rock's 'Mr. Nice Guy' Dave Grohl thinks about Courtney Love's song writing abilities, and why Courtney's daughter called for her own mother to be banned from Twitter;

- How Olivia Rodgrigo and Sabrina Carpenter seized hold of the public's consciousness in 2021 in an attempt to break free of the 'Disney starlet' mould; and

- What broke apart the friendship between Biggie and 2Pac, leading to arguably music's most legendary rivalry, and certainly the most tragic.

To settle these beefs once and for all we pit each of these diss songs against each other inside the ring of death and decide who comes out on top.

This. Is. ALBUM CLASH!! (Well, it's not actually. It's song clash. But you get the idea.)

***With apologies for the sound quality on today's episode - Kev and Sam were sharing a microphone. We promise to sort this out for any future guest appearances.***

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This week brings the conclusion of our clash of the 80s Titans, as Kev guides us expertly through Prince's seminal album from 1984, 'Purple Rain'.

As ever there's loads for us to get into as we discuss how Prince brought his creative vision to life in what was to become one of popular culture's most iconic cornerstones. We talk about how one of the songs on this album led to the introduction of the 'Parental Advisory' sticker, and how Prince had the ignominious honour of writing three of the top four songs that scandalised White America. We talk about how the album's title track started life as something entirely different to the end result. And, as we are wont to do, we spend a good few minutes talking about a song that isn't even on this album. Again, sorry about that.

Also this week, Tim has plenty more stories to regale us with about the rivalry between Prince and Michael Jackson, including how a 'friendly' game of table tennis got out of hand, and will.i.am introduces us to the concept of 'aggressive slap bass'...

In the latest 'video killed the radio star' Kev introduces a typically acerbic Pulp video that leads to loads of chat about celebrity lookalikes. 

Also this week:

- Tim explains why he blames his brother for never having seen Prince live;

- Kev reacts with indignance when discovering that Razorlight covered one of the more famous songs from this album (and with good reason); and

- Tim comes out with an absolute belter of a fact about bananas.

Finally, we reveal the two albums that will be next to enter the ring of death, as well as announcing a little bonus episode that we have coming up...

This. Is. ALBUM CLASH!!!

***PLEASE take a moment to rate and review the show on whichever platform you use to listen to podcasts. It means the world to us and helps others find us. Thanks for listening!***

Continuing our 'beef' season, we kick off a new clash this week. And if you thought we went big last time out, we are really upping the ante with this one. It's Michael Jackson vs. Prince. It's The King of Pop vs. The Purple One. It's 'Thriller' vs. 'Purple Rain'.

We start things off with the biggest selling album of all time, Michael Jackson's epochal 'Thriller' from November 1982. And frankly, what is there to say about Thriller? Well quite a lot as it turns out, which is just as well otherwise we wouldn't have much of a show this week. We talk about how Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones completely redefined pop music, and revolutionised the music industry at the same time. We talk about how Michael Jackson helped launch MTV and in doing so propelled himself into the stratosphere. We talk about arguably the greatest run of three consecutive tracks in the history of recorded music. We also talk about what on earth Michael was thinking by making 'The Girl is Mine' the album's lead single...

But that's not all. We also introduce one of the biggest - and certainly one of the funniest - musical rivalries in history. It's fair to say that Michael Jackson and Prince didn't exactly get on, and there are some absolutely wild stories to go through over the next couple of weeks. This week we find out what kicked it all off, and how an unfortunate incident with a stage prop at a James Brown gig may - allegedly - have led to an attack of road rage...

In the latest in our 'can't get you out of my head' segment, Tim explains why a chicken Tagine led him to annoy his wife with a David Bowie song, and Kev laments the unfathomable fascination that supporters of the England football team have with a Neil Diamond song.

Also this week:

- We reveal what caused Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney to fall out;

- Tim tries to resurrect the 'Shaquille O'Neal vs. Andy Cole clash; and

-  We discuss how the Jacko vs. Prince rivalry puts us in mind of another iconic rivalry...

This. Is. ALBUM CLASH!

***PLEASE take a moment to rate the show and leave a review on whichever platform you use to listen to podcasts. It makes it easier for others to find the show and it means an awful lot to us. Thanks for listening!***

And so to part two of our clash of the titans, as the second week in our 'beef' season sees us go through The Beatles seminal 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'. Once again there's a hell of a lot to get our teeth into here so it's another long old episode (sorry about that).

Where to start when talking about arguably the most influential works of art of the Twentieth Century? We talk about how Paul McCartney and George Martin made use of innovative recording techniques to create the album's sound, we talk about how the Beatles and Brian Epstein completely revolutionised the music industry and how music was promoted (and how that legacy is still present today), and we also talk about how the recording sessions marked the beginning of the end of the biggest band the world has ever seen.

In our latest 'video killed the radio star' segment, Tim reveals how a gin commercial led him to recall a classic Smashing Pumpkins video from 1996, and the guys attempt to get some free gin (Hendricks, we are very much open to offers...)

Also this week:

- Tim asks whether the demise of 'Points of View' led to the fracturing of British Society;

- Kev reveals what links this album to his Grandad's favourite footballer;  and

- when discussing one of the most iconic album covers of all time, Tim decides to focus on the use of grammar...

We also decide which album of 'Pet Sounds' and 'Sgt Pepper' is the better. In doing so one of us awards the first ever ten out of ten on Album Clash, and one of these albums shoots straight to the top of our all time chart. But which one...? You'll have to listen to find out. (Seriously, that's kind of the point of this whole thing.)

Finally it's Tim's turn to choose which two albums will be the next to go head-to-head in the ring of death, and which famous rivalry we will be discussing in the next of our 'beef season' clashes. All I will say is, it's going to be BIG!

This. Is. ALBUM CLASH!!

***PLEASE take a minute to leave a rating and a review of the podcast on whichever platform you use to listen to the show. It makes it easier for others to find the show and it means the absolute world to us!*** 

The Beach Boys vs. The Beatles. Brian Wilson vs. Paul McCartney. Pet Sounds vs. Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. What more do you say?

Kicking off our 'beef' season, in which we discuss famous musical rivalries, is perhaps the most iconic of all time in which two behemoths from either side of the Atlantic inspired one another to achieve perfection, and to completely reinvent the concept of what an album could be. 

In this week's show we take a look at The Beach Boys' 1966 album 'Pet Sounds'. And boy, there's an awful lot for us to get through. So much in fact that we are more than 30 minutes into the pod before we start going through the actual songs. (Sorry about that. Brevity is not our strong suit.) We talk about what, and who, inspired Brian Wilson to create the album's sound and themes, what his bandmates thought of it all, and how the end result didn't go over with the record buying public (seriously 1966 America, have a word with yourself).

We also try to introduce a little bit more competition into things by introducing a new feature based on a popular card game...

In the latest in our 'can't get you out of my head' feature, Kev discusses how the latest scandal to embroil UK politics had him singing a 2001 classic by Shaggy, and Tim reveals how mechanical problems at Blackpool Pleasure Beach had him thinking about one of British music's most inexplicably popular acts...

Also this week:

- Kev comes up with a brilliant concept for a new compilation album;

- We ponder what exactly got the Beach Boys banned from San Diego Zoo in 1966; and

- We shoehorn in our usual obligatory references to Eric Clapton and Noel Gallagher.

This. Is. ALBUM CLASH! 

It's the concluding part of our clash of the ex-lovers this week as we share our thoughts on PJ Harvey's Mercury Prize winning effort from 2000, 'Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea' - or 'PJ's Pop Party' as Kevin dubs it. There's a lot to take in here, from soulful tales of forbidden love to furious rock bangers about wanting to just get it on. Oh, and PJ Harvey tells us all the places she visited on her New York city break. We also completely jump the shark and realise we've become exactly what we set out not to be... Aah well, never mind eh?

In the latest of our 'video killed the radio star' feature we take a look at the latest offering from Public Service Broadcasting, and marvel at the concept of synchronised roller disco.

Also on this week's pod:

- We alienate all our listeners in the South West of England (I'm pretty sure we don't have any anyway);

- Tim potentially slanders one of the biggest corporations in the world;

- Tim still hasn't got over the result of our last clash (seriously though, seven out of ten??); and

- An old friend is up to his tricks again...

Finally, Kev reveals the albums that we will be going through in our next clash. It's going to be a biggie...

This. Is. ALBUM CLASH!

***PLEASE take a moment to leave a rating and write a review of the podcast. It makes it easier for others to find us and it means the absolute world to us!***

***NEW CLASH KLAXXON!!!***

It's new clash week, and we start things off in a very dark place by guiding you through Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds' 'Murder Ballads' from 1996, the album which was written to be untourable but ended up breaking the band into the mainstream. Along the way there's loads for us to get into, including the bizarre booking of the 1994 Lollapalooza tour, what Kylie Minogue fans thought when they bought the album, and what inspired the saturation of dark and gritty Scandinavian crime dramas onto our TV screens. And, of course, an awful lot of chat about murder.

In our regular 'can't get you out of my head' feature Kev explains why one of the greatest footballers of all time reminds him of a bad disco pop song from the early 2000s, and Tim gets annoyed with the YouTube 'shuffle play' algorithm...

Also on this week's pod we have the usual nonsense and whimsy, including:

- Which Minogue sister is better?

- CRISP CLASH!

- and Nobby McGhee lets us down...

This. Is. ALBUM CLASH!

This week we conclude our battle of the progressive, modern female recording artists by lavishing praise on the 2019's 'Cuz I Love You' by Lizzo. And we're in a much more grown up and sensible mood this week. I promise. Well... sort of.

As we talk through the album we focus on Lizzo's positive messages on body image, sexual orientation and self-love. (No, not that sort of self love. Grow up.) We also talk about the musical variety and diversity within what is a short old album, and the range of people who influenced the album's sound - from Prince and Aretha Franklin to Missy Elliott and more. We also consider if Lizzo has written the sexiest song of all time...

In the latest in our 'video killed the radio star' feature we look at how The Strokes faired in a baseball game against a bunch of extras from 'I, Robot' and discuss whether baseball or cricket have suffered the most undignified sporting controversies.

Plus in amongst all that we have our usual ephemera, whimsy and general arsing about. Including:

- A chat about wood stain commercials that frankly goes on for far too long;

- Explaining the meaning of the word 'nodder' to anyone not from the North West of England; and

- Kev makes a truly shocking choice with his scoring of the two albums. Honestly. talk about bad takes...

Finally we reveal which two albums will be the next to enter the ring of death.

This. Is. ABLUM CLASH!!

***PLEASE take a moment to leave a rating and a review on whichever platform you use to listen to podcasts. It makes us easier for new listeners to find and genuinely means the world to us. Thank you so much for listening - you've no idea how much we appreciate it.***

Okay so I'm not going to lie, we're in a really silly mood this week. It's all Kev's fault; he starts things off by talking about what he sings to his ablutions and, well, things just descend from there really. 

We do spend a bit of time talking about Janelle Monae's 2018 album 'Dirty Computer' and the personal, progressive messages it conveys, and we talk a lot about the influence of Prince on Janelle Monae's career. So, y'know, there is that. But we also spend an awful lot of time giggling like children about things such as: which member of the Gwyneth Paltrow/ Chris Martin axis of evil is the most unbearable; and how someone might go about fashioning a canoe in the mould of their unmentionables. So, yeah. Soz about that.

Also this week:

- We wonder with bemusement at how people get angry when Rage Against the Machine tweet something political;

- Tim gets disproportionately angry about when people completely misappropriate the meaning of a song; and

- Nobby McGhee is up to his old tricks...

This. Is. ALBUM CLASH!