Writer and performer Todd Hanson (The Onion, Squidbillies, WTF with Marc Maron, & more) guests on this very special episode of CrossFade!

Todd didn’t really get into The Beach Boys until a couple years ago, when he discovered their strange, dark album Surf’s Up, recorded in 1971 to turn around the public’s waning interest in fun-in-the-sun pop after the Summer of Love came to an official end. It’s full of beautiful, conflicted messages about protest, environmentalism, madness, and self-doubt – definitely not the Beach Boys you know and love.

Matt’s pick, Nina Nastasia’s 2000 debut Dogs, is no less grim in subject matter, but it IS more intimate. With stripped-down production and a focus on the singer-songwriter’s lilting alto, the album carries the muted expressions of ‘90s grunge emotion into a decade defined by a divergence of technical progression and self-produced music.

Support MinnMax on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/minnmax/

Listen to the CrossFade Community Playlist of our community’s favorite music:

To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below…

2:03 - Why it’s hard to satirize the world today

6:42 - The Beach Boys: The most American band?

8:11 - The Beach Boys - “Surf’s Up”

15:00 - “Feel Flows”

19:54 - “Take A Load Off Your Feet”

23:11 - “Don’t Go Near The Water”

26:25 - “Long Promised Road”

28:42 - “Student Demonstration Time”

37:18 - “Disney Girls (1957)”

41:39 - “A Day In The Life Of A Tree”

49:04 - “‘Til I Die”

51:23 - “Surf’s Up”

1:01:17 - Nina Nastasia - “Dogs”

1:08:08 - “Dear Rose”

1:10:37 - “A Love Song”

1:12:59 - “Underground”

1:16:36 - “A Dog’s Life”

1:20:01 - “Stormy Weather”

1:24:15 - “Smiley”

1:25:25 - “Nobody Knew Her”

1:29:46 - “Roadkill”

1:33:21 - “Nobody Knew Her” (Detail)

1:38:58 - Community Questions - Todd’s old cartoons, getting more creative, favorite biopics, music with an expiration date, & more

1:58:03 - Calvin Grad - “Who Is Calling You?” (suggested by MinnMax supporter Jason Wojnar)

CrossFade turned 1 last month and we couldn’t be more pleased with how it’s been received! To celebrate, we welcomed the guest from our very first episode back to the show: MinnMax founder Ben Hanson (https://twitter.com/yozetty)!

In a weird way, Ben’s pick (Girl Talk’s “Feed the Animals”) reminds us of CrossFade itself – unorthodox pairings that always dig up something new – but moreover, it’s an album he goes back to both for “dumb fun” and to marvel at the editorial decisions made to mash up well-loved classics and obscure references.

There’s a Shakespearean tragedy at the heart of Prince Paul’s “A Prince Among Thieves,” but that doesn’t stop it from getting a little silly at times. Matt chose it because it felt like a midway point between Nas’s “Illmatic” and the Hamilton soundtrack – both episodes Ben was previously on! (That clever fella.) Even if you’ve never heard of the people on it, it’s worth a spin as an audio story with solid bars and nasty production throughout.

Some really fun questions from the CrossFade community get us talking about our MLB walk up songs, misleading band names, our nostalgia binge music, and why more people don’t admit “The Beatles” is kind of a dumb name. 

Support MinnMax on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/minnmax/

Listen to the CrossFade Community Playlist of our community’s favorite music: 

To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below…

8:00 - Why Ben picked “Feed the Animals”

10:16 - “Play Your Part (Pt. 1)”

20:32 - “Still Here”

23:12 - “Shut The Club Down”

26:14 - “Set It Off”

27:22 - “What It’s All About”

28:31 - “Like This”

30:27 - “In Step”

35:18 - “Hands In The Air”

36:51 - “Here’s The Thing”

39:08 - “Give Me A Beat”

45:36 - “Play Your Part (Pt. 2)”

49:24 - Prince Paul - “A Prince Among Thieves”

55:07 - “How It All Started”

56:27 - “Steady Slobbin’”

59:14 - “What U Got - The Demo”

1:03:04 - “The Call”

1:04:20 - “The Other Line”

1:07:12 - “Weapon World”

1:08:46 - “My Big Chance”

1:10:01 - “Macula’s Theory”

1:11:33 - “Mr. Large”

1:14:16 - “The Men In Blue”

1:17:38 - “Handle Your Time”

1:21:22 - “Showdown”

1:23:04 - “You Got Shot”

1:25:24 - “Every Beginning Must Have an Ending”

1:27:08 - “The New Joint - DJ’s Delite”

1:28:04 - “A Prince Among Thieves”

1:38:05 - Community Questions - Nostalgia binges, drums or vox?, unfortunate band names, walk up songs & more

2:02:12 - Weyes Blood - “Movies” (suggested by MinnMax supporter Levi Francom)

Freehand guitarist Matt Sweeney (heard in the Red Dead Redemption 2 soundtrack, Skunk, Chavez, and more) guests on this episode of CrossFade! He picked “John, the Wolf King of L.A.,” the first solo record from The Mamas & The Papas founder John Phillips, because of its hauntingly beautiful arrangements and its dark underbelly. The discussion focuses on how such sunny-sounding music can hide such sinister stories, and what that says about the man who embodied it all.

Host Matt Helgeson chose “Marquee Moon,” the debut album of American rock band Television – a true guitarist’s record and a through-and-through groundbreaking rock album that would help shape punk, pop, and art rock through the late 1970s and ‘80s. It opened both Helgeson and Sweeney’s eyes to the depths that rock riffs can plumb – there’s stuff on this record that even they can’t figure out to this day.

Support MinnMax on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/minnmax/

Listen to the CrossFade Community Playlist of our community’s favorite music: https://spoti.fi/3aRRgox

Follow Matt Sweeney at https://twitter.com/theheavyjamz

Listen to the Red Dead Redemption 2 Housebuilding EP on Spotify at https://spoti.fi/3cYSW3k and look for it wherever you get vinyl records

Pre-order Superwolves from Matt Sweeney and Bonnie “Prince” Billy, out April 30, 2021, at https://bit.ly/31ZXUXw

To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below…

02:04 - How Matt Sweeney came to work with Rockstar

18:27 - John Phillips - “John, the Wolf King of L.A.”

21:59 - “April Anne”

26:41 - “Someone’s Sleeping”

31:12 - “Topanga Canyon”

34:25 - “Malibu People”

38:09 - “Drum”

40:45 - “Holland Tunnel”

45:56 - Television - “Marquee Moon”

50:30 - “See No Evil”

56:15 - “Venus”

59:52 - “Marquee Moon”

1:08:55 - “Elevation”

1:12:54 - “Guiding Light”

1:17:01 - “Friction”

1:21:42 - Community Questions

1:39:30 - Parcels - “IknowhowIfeel” (suggested by MinnMax supporter whitemex)

Composer Austin Wintory (Journey, ABZÛ, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, The Pathless, The Banner Saga, and countless other games and films) is one of the best-known names in video game music – but he didn’t know anything about music for the first ten years of his life. He brought Yusuf/Cat Stevens’ 1970 hit record “Tea for the Tillerman” to CrossFade because it reminds him of his dad, and of learning music, and of the pure emotional statements that can be made through musical storytelling.

Matt’s pick, Boards of Canada’s “Music Has the Right to Children,” lets listeners find the story in between the samples, tones, patterns, and soundscapes the Scottish duo packed it with back in 1998. It was an early statement in the hauntological electronica movement that wrenched music from the world around them, reassembling sounds in a way that suggests melody and form without quite standing out.

Follow Austin at https://twitter.com/awintory and find his music at https://www.austinwintory.com/

Support MinnMax on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/minnmax/

Listen to the CrossFade Community Playlist of our community’s favorite music: https://spoti.fi/3aRRgox

To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below…

02:29 - Austin’s early life with music

4:57 - The influence of composer Jerry Goldsmith

17:07 - Yusuf/Cat Stevens’ “Tea for the Tillerman”

26:09 - “Where Do the Children Play?”

33:29 - “Hard Headed Woman”

37:15 - “Wild World”

43:42 - “Sad Lisa”

56:09 - “Father and Son”

1:01:07 - Boards of Canada’s “Music Has the Right to Children”

1:04:34 - “Wildlife Analysis”

1:05:51 - "An Eagle in Your Mind"

1:09:18 - “Rue the Whirl”

1:14:09 - “The Color of the Fire”

1:18:17 - “Roygbiv”

1:22:00 - “Pete Standing Alone”

1:24:47 - "Telephasic Workshop"

1:29:57 - Community Questions

1:48:25 - Jethro Tull - “Thick as a Brick” (suggested by MinnMax supporter Thom Blackburn)

Chris Remo (Valve, Campo Santo, Gone Home, Firewatch, and the Idle Thumbs podcast) joins CrossFade for a discussion of “Graceland,” Paul Simon’s controversial career-boosting 1986 record, and why it took him until his 30s to finally like it. Matt gains another inductee to the cult of Blue Öyster Cult with their 1974 psych-rock “Secret Treaties,” which proves they were more than a one-hit wonder. Our community segment gets Chris talking about podcasting, the Fender Rhodes, and the best game soundtracks you haven’t heard!

To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below…

2:28 - Where music fits in Chris’s career

9:19 - Paul Simon’s “Graceland”

22:31 - “The Boy in the Bubble”

29:28 - “Gumboots (with Boyoyo Boys)”

34:41 - “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes”

38:35 - “You Can Call Me Al”

40:09 - “Crazy Love, Vol II”

42:04 - “Homeless (with Ladysmith Black Mambazo)”

48:48 - Blue Öyster Cult’s “Secret Treaties”

51:40 - “Career of Evil”

58:24 - “Dominance and Submission”

1:06:15 - “Cagey Cretins”

1:11:27 - “Flaming Telepaths”

1:16:16 - “Astronomy”

1:23:12 - Community Questions

1:31:19 - Peter Gabriel - “Solsbury Hill” (suggested by MinnMax supporter Michael Gibler)

Follow Chris at https://twitter.com/chrisremo and find his music at https://chrisremo.bandcamp.com/

Support MinnMax on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/minnmax/

Listen to the CrossFade Community Playlist of our community’s favorite music: https://spoti.fi/3aRRgox

On this voice-tastic episode of CrossFade, voice actor and activist Sarah Elmaleh (Gears 5, Anthem, Gone Home, Star Wars: Squadrons, and more https://twitter.com/selmaleh) hops in the booth with a dancy high school favorite – Beck’s funky “Midnite Vultures” – and Matt keeps things light with The Cure’s smash 1989 record, “Disintegration.” Questions from the CrossFade community include music we love from TV and film, bands that dress up later into their years, and music things we regret buying. Listen in!

To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below…

6:38 - “Sexx Laws”

11:27 - “Nicotine & Gravy”

18:54 - “Mixed Bizness”

24:15 - “Intro To Get Real Paid”

24:40 - “Get Real Paid”

28:47 - “Hollywood Freaks”

30:19 - “Peaches & Cream”

37:28 - “Milk & Honey”

41:21 - “Beautiful Way”

46:19 - “Pressure Zone”

48:58 - “Debra”

55:34 - The Cure - “Disintegration”

1:00:39 - “Plainsong”

1:06:55 - “Pictures of You”

1:13:16 - “Closedown”

1:15:44 - “Lovesong”

1:19:49 - “Lullaby”

1:25:02 - “Fascination Street”

1:30:02 - “Prayers for Rain”

1:36:28 - “The Same Deep Water as You”

1:37:35 - “Last Dance”

1:39:21 - “Disintegration”

1:42:33 - “Homesick”

1:45:31 - “Untitled”

1:50:19 - Community Questions

2:23:00 - Janet Kay - “Silly Games” (suggested by MinnMax supporter umryan)

Follow Sarah at https://twitter.com/selmaleh and find her work at https://sarahelmaleh.com/

Support MinnMax on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/minnmax/

Listen to the CrossFade Community Playlist of our community’s favorite music: https://spoti.fi/3aRRgox

Gareth Coker (composer for film and games including Ori and the Blind Forest, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, ARK: Survival Evolved, Immortals Fenyx Rising, and Halo Infinite) doesn’t often get to gab about the music he listens to instead of the music he makes, which makes it such a treat to talk about why “Disappear Here,” the fourth album from British electronic group Hybrid, is one of his favorites. We compare Hybrid’s intensely rhythmic, building structures with the intricate harmonics and angular storytelling of Owen Pallett’s “In Conflict” before jumping into community questions about the tuba, what’s stuck in our heads right now, and music that needs a particular context to feel right.

To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below…

2:19 - What it’s like to make music for a new Halo game

11:53 - Hybrid’s “Disappear Here” (2010)

18:24 - “Empire”

29:43 - "Can You Hear Me"

37:22 - “Original Sin”

41:40 - “Break My Soul”

59:41 - Owen Pallett’s “In Conflict” (2014)

1:01:21 - “I Am Not Afraid”

1:06:15 - “On a Path”

1:10:41 - “The Riverbed”

1:15:55 - “Infernal Fantasy”

1:19:15 - “Song for Five & Six”

1:27:27 - “In Conflict”

1:35:49 - Community Questions

1:55:40 - Community Song (“Beautiful Mother” by Dirty Projectors and Björk, suggested by MinnMax supporter Michael Lynch)

Follow Gareth at https://twitter.com/garethcoker and find his work at https://www.gareth-coker.net/

Support MinnMax on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/minnmax/

CrossFade Community Playlist: https://spoti.fi/3aRRgox

We’re back to the community playlist, digging through a randomly shuffled list of our MinnMax community’s favorite songs to see what shakes out! This time, the crop (including a lot of artists we’ve never even heard of!) runs the gamut from prog to rock to R&B and… whatever you call Aphex Twin (in a good way!). Thanks to everyone who left a song!

Support MinnMax on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/minnmax/

Follow Matt at https://twitter.com/matthelgeson

Follow Jason at https://twitter.com/nintendufus

Listen to the CrossFade Community Playlist, updated biweekly: https://spoti.fi/3aRRgox

To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below…

1:49 - Death Grips - “Hacker” (suggested by Beau Finley)

5:37 - The Network - “Ivankkka is a Nazi” (suggested by Michael Lynch)

10:15 - The Black Keys - “Weight of Love” (suggested by John Richards)

15:08 - JPEGMAFIA feat. Helena Deland - “Free the Frail” (suggested by Aidan Vilchis)

20:00 - Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness - “Fire Escape” (suggested by Brandon Fream)

22:15 - Animals as Leaders - “The Brain Dance” (suggested by Thom Blackburn)

26:47 - Phish - “Waiting All Night” (suggested by Adam Fister)

33:25 - Ganser - “Projector” (suggested by 1After909)

36:12 - Gorillaz feat. Beck - “The Valley of the Pagans” (suggested by Jeramy Dubose)

38:55 - Sufjan Stevens - “Come On! Feel the Illinoise! Part I” (suggested by Disc0)

41:15 - Comparing Sufjan to The Cure

43:40 - Detroit Grand Pubahs - “Sandwiches” (suggested by Jeorin)

48:07 - Sharks Keep Moving - “Jet’s Jets” (suggested by Travis McGaughey)

50:45 - Throwing Muses - “Honeychain” (suggested by James Burkett)

56:40 - Nao - “Bad Blood” (suggested by Holden Hintz)

59:30 - Craig Finn - “God in Chicago” (suggested by CrabPalace)

1:05:57 - Bokassa - “Vultures” (suggested by Radiant Spec)

1:09:08 - Aphex Twin - “Girl/Boy Song” (suggested by podbod)

1:14:30 - Karen Dalton - “Something On Your Mind” (suggested by The Krispy Kreme Lemur)

1:20:29 - Between the Buried and Me - “Extremophile Elite” (suggested by Alex C Hackney)

1:28:01 - Buzzcocks - “Whatever Happened To?” (suggested by Shane Cunningham)

Few artists had an impact on the landscape around them as MF DOOM had on rap. With the reveal of his passing in 2020, we felt it was the right time to finally feature the masked madman, and who better to help us commemorate him than MinnMax’s own Suriel Vazquez (https://twitter.com/surielvazquez)?

Together, we suss out what made DOOM unique, even among his peers, and why “Operation Doomsday” and “Madvillainy” are the best vertical slices of his prowess. With questions from our community, we talk about what posthumous releases have held up, our musical “religious experiences,” KaZaA, and revisit the ever-present question: “Why is vinyl so big now?”

To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below…

2:05 - Losing MF DOOM

4:58 - Discovering DOOM

9:11 - DOOM before DOOM

12:35 - MF DOOM’s “Operation Doomsday”

13:00 - “Doomsday”

17:10 - “Rhymes Like Dimes”

21:37 - “Red and Gold”

25:50 - “Tick, Tick…”

28:01 - “The Finest”

35:48 - “Who You Think I Am?”

38:53 - “Hey!”

41:06 - "?"

43:35 - “Gas Drawls”

46:27 - Madvillain’s “Madvillainy”

49:32 - “Accordion”

53:40 - “Meat Grinder”

57:05 - “Raid”

59:49 - “Money Folder”

1:03:14 - “Strange Ways”

1:04:59 - “Figaro”

1:13:04 - “Great Day”

1:14:18 - “America’s Most Blunted”

1:22:22 - Community Questions

1:55:40 - Community Song (“Ask Anyone” by Lice, suggested by MinnMax supporter Sincerely, Eric)

Follow Suriel at https://twitter.com/surielvazquez and on the MinnMax Show

“Searching for Tomorrow: The Story of Madlib and DOOM's Madvillainy” by Jeff Weiss: https://pitchfork.com/features/article/9478-searching-for-tomorrow-the-story-of-madlib-and-dooms-madvillainy/

Support MinnMax on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/minnmax/

It’s here! As a quick “thank you” you to everyone who’s listened to and supported CrossFade this year, Matt and Jason wanted to share two of their favorite songs that hold that wintertime feeling as we ring in the new year. Thanks so much for checking out our show!

To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below…

9:45 - Purple Mountains - "Snow is Falling in Manhattan"

15:48 - The Zombies - "This Will Be Our Year"

Follow Matt at https://twitter.com/matthelgeson, Jason at https://twitter.com/nintendufus, and MinnMax at https://twitter.com/MinnMaxShow

Support MinnMax on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/minnmax/

The CrossFade Community Playlist: https://spoti.fi/3aRRgox