In this episode, Dan and Carl dive into Something Else by The Kinks, #478 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. Released in 1967 (UK) and early 1968 (US), this album shows The Kinks moving from garage rock into baroque pop, British folk, and psychedelic sounds, with Ray Davies taking complete creative control. The hosts explore sibling tension, touring bans, Beatles comparisons, wild harmonic shifts, and why Spotify’s album cataloging drives them nuts.

Join us next week when we cover Moanin' in the Moonlight by Howlin' Wolf

This week, Dan and Carl dive into Amor Prohibido, Selena's 1994 breakthrough and a landmark in Tejano and Latin pop. Positioned at #479 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, the album blends cumbia, pop, and Tejano styles with digital instrumentation and deeply emotional themes—though often delivered through upbeat, danceable grooves.

The hosts explore Selena’s unique vocal control, her genre-defining influence, and the tragic story of her life cut short. They wrestle with the album's heavy use of MIDI production, ultimately acknowledging both its cultural context and experimental ambition. Plus, fake sponsors make their return with fiery critiques of Tesla performative activism and reusable toe separators turned tea stirrers.

Selena's Legacy: Rising from a family band in Texas, Selena became one of the most influential Latin artists ever, blending genres like Tejano, cumbia, and pop. Her murder at 23 shocked the world and arguably ended a musical era.

Production Style: The album is drenched in early-90s digital production. MIDI horns, synth pads, and drum machines dominate the sound—an aesthetic choice, not a budget constraint, reflecting Tejano trends of the time.

Cultural Disconnect: Dan and Carl, as non-Spanish speakers, confront how the album’s sonic brightness masks often heartbreaking lyrical themes. Songs like “Tus Desprecios” (Your Scorn) sound joyful while describing emotional devastation.

Selena's Voice: Despite the sterile production, Selena’s performances are captivating. Her control, tone, and emotional delivery cut through every track. Even without understanding the lyrics, the conviction is palpable.

Join us next week when we cover the album, Something Else by The Kinks

In episode 1, season 2 of Backwards Beats, Dan and Carl dive deep into Miranda Lambert’s emotionally charged double album The Weight of These Wings (2016). Released in the wake of her public divorce from Blake Shelton, this sprawling 24-track project is divided into two thematic discs: The Nerve and The Heart. The hosts explore the album’s sonic risks, lyrical introspection, and Lambert’s evolving artistic voice, praising her fearless honesty while critiquing the occasionally muddy production.

🎧 We also just launched our Patreon — it’s totally free right now, and we’ll be using it as a home for behind-the-scenes content and extra goodies. All content is free! We’re looking to build our community here. Come join the community as our first members only content will be dropping on Thursday.

🎤 Background & Legacy: Lambert, a Texas native and outlaw-country heir, delivered this album as a post-breakup catharsis, citing it as a “seven stages of grief” journey. The lead single “Vice” went double platinum.

🧠 Disc One – The Nerve:

❤️ Disc Two – The Heart:

🥁 Musicianship:

🧠 Final Thoughts:

In this final episode of our Sidetrax bonus series, Dan takes us deep into the land of fire, ice, and... Beyoncé?

Dan’s Icelandic Soundscape is part travelogue, part personal audio diary, and part homemade soundtrack — recorded across 13 days of hiking, kayaking, glacier climbing, and river crossings in one of the most surreal places on Earth.

From snorkeling in the Silfra fissure to nearly summiting Rjúpnafell in Þórsmörk, this episode captures the emotional arc of the trip — scored with original music, covers, and reinterpretations of songs by Icelandic artists like Sigur Rós, Björk, and JFDR.

There’s also:

We also share a custom Icelandic playlist on Spotify featuring many of the artists referenced in the episode.

Find the playlist here.

We return to the Rolling Stone Top 500 list with Miranda Lambert’s The Weight of These Wings. Country’s coming.

#BackwardsBeats #IcelandicMusic #Björk #SigurRós #TravelPodcast #RollingStone500 #SnorkelingSilfra #GlacierHike #Hyperballad #Jokulsarlon #Sidetrax #MirandaLambert #IcelandSoundtrack #IndiePodcast #MusicAndTravel

In the first ever "Carl's Covers" segment, Carl rolls a 20 sided die to find out which album of season one he'll be choosing a song to attempt to cover in one night while Dan stares at waterfalls halfway across the world. Tune in for pure chaos and a surprise cover song!

In this "Convince Me" sidetrax episode, Carl challenges Dan with Journey Inwards, the immersive double album from UK drum & bass pioneer LTJ Bukem. Known for his lush atmospheres, jazz-inflected harmonies, and meticulous production, Bukem's 2000 release is both a vibe and a craft lesson.

Dan—unfamiliar with the genre—dives into the world of liquid drum & bass, navigating breakbeats, live instrumentation, sampling, and surprising emotional depth. What begins as a daunting 88-minute listen becomes an exploration of sonic therapy, underground electronica, and personal nostalgia. It's ambient, it’s jazzy, it’s jungle—and it sparks an unexpectedly rich conversation about music’s place in running, healing, and the evolution of DJ culture.

Join us next week for an episode of Carl's Cover? Not sure what that is? Stay tuned.

This week on Backwards Beats, we're on a mid-season break – but not really. Dan kicks off our first ever Convince Me Sidetrax episode by assigning Carl an album he’s never heard and would likely never seek out on his own: Alice Cooper’s 1973 shock rock epic Billion Dollar Babies. Known for theatrical excess, guillotines, and glam-goth energy, this album challenges Carl’s deep-rooted skepticism of makeup-wearing rockers. What unfolds is a surprising deep dive into a shockingly competent – and conceptually ambitious – hard rock record.

From dental drills to ragtime pianos, from outrageous lyrics to airtight musicianship, Billion Dollar Babies proves far more complex than its outrageous stage persona suggests. Carl, who comes in expecting clown makeup and chaos, walks away... kinda into it?

🎭 Concept Album? – While not officially a concept album, Carl and Dan note the thematic cohesion across tracks. Songs like “Unfinished Sweet” and “Raped and Freezin’” paint vivid scenes and explore fame, vanity, and discomfort with theatrical flair.

🧠 Initial Skepticism – Carl admits a strong bias against Alice Cooper’s persona, comparing it to Kiss, Slipknot, and Guar. By the end, he calls parts of the record “brilliant” and confesses that it’s won him over more than expected.

🥁 Standout Track – “Billion Dollar Babies” (the song) is the breakout track for Carl. He describes the drumming as “a non-stop solo” and praises its tight arrangements and aggressive energy.

🤘 Skip Proof? – Carl says it’s not quite a no-skip record, but he’d happily own it on vinyl. Highlights outweigh the few misses (“I Love the Dead,” “Sick Things”).

School's Out by Alice Cooper

Next week, Dan gets surprised with LTJ Bukem’s Journey Inward in part two!

In this episode of Backwards Beats, Dan and Carl tackle Harry Styles’ 2022 album Harry’s House. But not before they confess to accidentally reviewing the wrong Harry Styles album first — because why make it easy? Along the way, they unpack Harry’s House track by track, dive into Harry’s evolution from One Direction heartthrob to solo superstar, and discover just how many legends quietly contributed to this pop powerhouse.

Join us next week for a BONUS episode where we cover the album Billion Dollar Babies by Alice Cooper

In this special BONUS Sidetrax episode, Dan and Carl explore the ultimate breakup anthems from each decade—spanning the 1970s through the 2020s. Inspired by their not-so-loving take on Here, My Dear by Marvin Gaye, the duo softens their edge to reveal their emotional (and still hilarious) sides. With personal rules, heartfelt justifications, and a few sharp jabs, they each select one breakup song per decade that defines heartbreak, healing, or hell-yeah-I’m-free energy. No honorable mentions—just the definitive list, as decided by the Backwards Beats team.

This episode is for anyone who’s loved, lost, or just needs the perfect song to ugly cry or dance through it.

Join us next week when we cover our mistake recording of the album Fine Line by Harry Styles. Our mistake, your BONUS!

In this milestone 20th episode—and the wrap-up to Season 1—Dan and Carl dive into If You're Feeling Sinister by Belle and Sebastian, the Scottish indie-pop group that emerged in the mid-90s with delicate arrangements, soft-spoken vocals, and sharp lyrical themes. With no prior exposure to the band, both hosts approach this album with fresh ears and an open mind.

As always, this episode blends honest reactions, deep musical insight, and hilarious tangents—including one about mispronouncing “Stuart” and a shout-out to international listeners (Hallo, Germany!). Whether you're new to Belle and Sebastian or already a fan, this conversation explores what makes this album resonate—or not—as part of Rolling Stone’s top 500 albums of all time.

“If this was a list of albums you should probably listen to, versus the greatest albums, then yeah—it makes more sense.”

Join us next week for some bonus content... The best breakup songs from the 1970s to today!