A Bandsplain Emo Draft recorded live at Something In The Way Festival with Patrick Flynn (Have Heart, Fiddlehead, How Much Art) and The Ringer’s Chris Ryan. In front of a Boston crowd, they draft their picks for emo bands across the decades (yes, the ’90s get two picks), reveal emo origin stories, and get into the eternal question: which bands are actually emo?

CREDITS:
Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guests: Patrick Flynn @patrickflynnx and Chris Ryan @chrisryan77
Producer: Rob Sundermann
Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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It’s a special Valentine’s Day mailbag, and The Big Picture’s Amanda Dobbins is here to help Yasi solve all your life problems. Should you avoid your ex at concerts? How do you get over a break up, even if they are a loser? Need mixtape help? Plus, vacuum cleaner advice!
Next, Yasi is joined by Barry Johnson of Joyce Manor to discuss their new album ‘I Used to Go to This Bar’ (1:01:33). Get a quick tour of their beloved Torrance (they are a Torrance band, confirmed), learn a little Joyce Manor history, and find out which song was written on the Torrance 3 bus.
CREDITS:
Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guests: Amanda Dobbins @akdobbins, Barry Johnson @joycemanorofficial
Producer: Rob Sundermann
Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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Yasi is joined by Ringer renaissance man Rob Mahoney to tell the unlikely story of American Football, whose widespread recognition grew in the decade following their debut (and immediate breakup). They talk through the band’s Midwestern roots, the alternate tunings and jazz-inspired drumming that influenced a generation, and how time and online canonization turned 'LP1' into a cultural touchstone and the American Football House into an Airbnb destination.

Episode Playlist
Listen to the American Football playlist here.

CREDITS:
Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guest: Rob Mahoney @robmahoney
Producer: Rob Sundermann
Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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Yasi is joined by skater, photographer, and Sci-Fi Fantasy proprietor Jerry Hsu to break down how music has shaped skate videos, from their DIY, skit-filled ’80s roots to today’s high-budget, cinematic productions.
They dig into Jerry’s iconic part in Enjoi’s 'Bag of Suck' video, make the case for Dinosaur Jr. as a timeless skate soundtrack, and reflect on skate videos’ long-standing role in music discovery.
Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guest: Jerry Hsu @internetfamous
Producer: Rob Sundermann
Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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Yasi and writer Rob Fitzpatrick head back to Bristol to tell the story of Portishead. They discuss the band’s unique and highly detail-oriented approach to crafting music, the uneasy relationship with fame that followed their success, and how music can be both super popular and wholly misunderstood.

Listen to the Portishead playlist here.

Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guest: Rob Fitzpatrick @rob_fitzpatrick
Producer: Rob Sundermann
Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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Yasi kicks off 2026 with music and culture critic Shaad D’Souza to talk through their most anticipated albums of the year. Find out what’s coming, what they’re trying to wish into existence, and just how many truly great albums Madonna might have left.

Next, Yasi is joined by Kevin Lee Kharas of Real Lies for a wide-ranging interview about his career, the music he’s listening to (or not listening to) and the impetus and inspirations behind Real Lies’ latest album (and Yasi’s no. 1 album of 2025), We Will Annihilate Our Enemies.

CREDITS:
Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guests: Shaad D’Souza @shaad, Kevin Lee Kharas @real_lies_
Producer: Rob Sundermann
Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and Bandsplain has a very special gift for you. Rob Mahoney and Amanda Dobbins join Yasi to draft the dream holiday playlist: Justin Bieber featuring Busta Rhymes? Of course. Lots of Irish stuff? For sure. My Chem? Why not! Yasi finding a place for Counting Crows? You know it!

And because those sleigh bells kept ringing, there’s a lightning-round second draft for even more holiday cheer. Bonus gift: You get to explain to your family and friends why Wham!’s "Last Christmas" is your favorite CVS-core holiday song (and what CVS-core is)!

Episode Playlist

Listen to Bandsplain’s Holiday Playlist here. 

Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guests: Rob Mahoney @robmahoney and Amanda Dobbins @akdobbins
Producer: Rob Sundermann
Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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That’s (almost) a wrap on 2025, so you know what time it is. Yasi catches up with Chris Ryan to talk about the albums that defined their 2025. No rankings, no drafts, no winners or losers, just two people talking about the records they loved most this year. Come for the predictable Geese love, stay for the Shallowater you didn’t know you needed.

Episode Playlist
Listen to the best albums of the year playlist here.

Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guest: Chris Ryan @chrisryan77
Producer: Rob Sundermann
Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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Yasi is joined by The Big Picture’s Sean Fennessey to dive into the brief, brilliant career of Jeff Buckley. They cover his rise on New York’s café stages and the making of his only studio album, 'Grace,' and they discuss how his singular voice, his wildly varied influences, and his tragic and untimely death helped to shape one of the most enduring myths in modern music.

Episode Playlist

Listen to the Jeff Buckley playlist HERE

CREDITS:
Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guest: Sean Fennessey @seanfennessey
Producer: Rob Sundermann
Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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This week on Bandsplain, Yasi and New York Times culture reporter Joe Coscarelli revisit Dig!, Ondi Timoner’s influential 2004 cult documentary that immortalized The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols. They discuss the band’s intertwined legacies, the broken friendships and broken sitars, why Dig! is the platonic ideal of the music documentary, plus last year’s extended cut release, Dig! XX.

Be sure to check out Joe’s book Rap Capital: An Atlanta Story

CREDITS:

Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek

Guest: Joe Coscarelli @joecoscarelli

Producer: Rob Sundermann 

Editor: Adrian Bridges

Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles

Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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