Desert Island Discourse

-It’s been a pretty emotional week here on the island, as Max revisits one of her favorite bands (and the creators of her go-to breakup album)—Slowdive. Her diehard shoegaze fandom meets Andrew’s general shoegaze apathy as they tackle the brief yet fascinating discography of the only band Richey Edwards ever dubbed “worse than Hitler,” and…

It's been a long time since we've had a visitor to these distant desert shores, but we couldn't ask for a better co-castaway than poet, cover artist, and general raconteur Haley Rene Thompson, who's joining us to talk about one of the world's most underrated supergroups: The Breeders. Over four albums and 28 years (!), Kim and Kelley Deal's eccentric and electric indie-pop-punk-whatever group has released a body of music that defies expectation and explanation, but that's not gonna stop us from trying to analyze the shit out of these fantastic tracks. Join us on this rough and wild journey through the deepest realms of songcraft, twin-speak, and staying up way past out bedtimes. Also: Andrew becomes the perfect parent, Haley compares Kim to a Japanese modernist, and Max gets kicked off her own dang podcast.

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Music

Lord of the Thighs

Oh

Doe

Metal Man

Cannonball

Divine Hammer

Drivin’ on 9

The She

Off You

Sinister Foxx

Night of Joy

Overglazed

Bang On

So Sad About Us

Rising from the ashes of catastrophic technical issues comes this, our first ever re-done episode. After our first attempt in the Month of Love and Hate was devoured by Audacity's hideous maw, we had to let the fields lay fallow for a bit, but we're coming back stronger and more in love than ever, to finally cover America's Greatest Rock Band™—Sleater-Kinney. For the second time in our lives but the first in yours, we're celebrating the storied discography of Carrie Brownstein, Corrin Tucker, Janet Weiss, and occasionally Laura MacFarlane, one of the very few we've encountered with nary a bummer disc in the bunch. So join Andrew and Max as they dish on the great hair and even greater chops of one of our favorite bands that we've ever discussed. Again. Also: Van Zandt Bandannas, Inimitability, and another installment of Concert Report!

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Music (All Songs by Sleater-Kinney Except as Noted)

Dream of the 90’s—Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein

The Day I Went Away

Slow Song

Be Yr Mama

Little Mouth

Good Things

I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone

Dig Me Out

One More Hour

Words and Guitar

Hot Rock

Get Up

Memorize Your Lines

Milkshake n’ Honey

You’re No Rock n’ Roll Fun

Leave You Behind

One Beat

Prisstina

Oh!

#1 Must Have

The Fox

Modern Girl

What’s Mine is Yours

Fangless

Bury Our Friends

Hey Darling

Jenny

Quarter to Three

Complicated—Heavens to Betsy

Put on your plain white tees and asymmetrical haircuts boys and girls—it's time to get emo! That's right, for our second survey episode we're covering American Emo from 1995 to 1999—the era when emo went from a weepy offshoot of hardcore to a commercial juggernaut. And as puberty often is, this period is defined by plenty of awkward fumbling and experimentation, from the swirling post-hardcore of Sunny Day Real Estate to the quiet filigrees of American Football. It's a difficult journey of self-discovery for the Desert Island Duo, but one with some rich rewards waiting for us at the end. Also: good and evil Kinsella brothers, catfished truckers, and the surprising connection between corn on the cob and Animal Collective.

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Music

Take On Me (A-Ha Cover) - Cap'n Jazz

Little League - Cap'n Jazz

Oh Messy Life - Cap'n Jazz

Friday - Sunny Day Real Estate

Red Elephant - Sunny Day Real Estate

Johnny on the Spot - Texas is the Reason

Everywhere in Denver - The Promise Ring

Thinking, That's All - Jimmy Eat World

80-37 - Mineral

Breathing Lessons - Penfold

The New Nathan Detroits - Braid

Ariel - Braid

Urbana's Too Dark - Braid

Never Meant - American Football

Stay Home - American Football

A Life of Possibilities - The Dismemberment Plan

What Do You Want Me to Say? - The Dismemberment Plan

The City - The Dismemberment Plan

But the Regrets Are Killing Me - American Football

Grendel - Sunny Day Real Estate

Wellp, the Desert Island duo has really fallen into the old obscurity hole with this one, an examination of the career of a man best known for soundtracking an early Nickelodeon show. That’s right, today we’re covering the one and only Mark Mulcahy, from the early post-punk musings of his first band Miracle Legion through The Adventures of Pete and Pete and well into a solid if inconsistent solo career, all in a quest to turn one of our most beloved songsmiths into the household name he so richly deserves to be. But can their sheer enthusiasm defeat Skype lag, lack of sleep, and widespread public indifference? Don’t worry—rock and roll never dies, Thunderball. Also: exhaustion, heartbreak, and the Guardians of the Galaxy/Cruel Intentions slashfic you’ve always wanted.

The Backyard*

Butterflies*

The Heart is Attached*

Mr. Mingo*

All for the Best*

Wonderment*

The Ladies from Town*

Little Talks®

Pull the Wagon*

Cold Shoulder Balcony*

Snacks and Candy*

Out to Play*

Velvetine*

I Wish I Was Danny Kaye*

Madison Park*

Homer*

Hey Sandy†

Everywhere†

Waiting for October†

Hurry Please Hurry‡

Jason‡

I just Shot Myself in the Foot Again‡

Cookie Jar‡

He’s a Magnet‡

Bailing Out on Everything Again‡

Stuck on Something Else‡

Catching Mice‡

Conflicted Interests‡

Truly‡

You’re the One Lee‡

Ciao My Shining Star‡

* Performed by Miracle Legion

® Performed by Of Monsters and Men

† Performed by Polaris

‡ Performed by Mark Mulcahy

Hey y’all! Did you know that Kendrick Lamar is like, really good? He’s so good. So as we emerge from cruelest month, hunched over and blinking in the light, it only makes sense that we do so with one of the most impeccable discographies we’ve ever tackled. Will our Desert Island Duo be able to pick just one of his incredible works to cherish in their exile? Well, I mean, we have to—that’s the whole premise. Also: Failed jokes, lawyer taunts, and spiteful jabs at Geraldo Rivera

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Music

Never Catch Me - Flying Lotus feat. Kendrick Lamar

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Rigamortus

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Ronald Reagan Era

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Backstreet Freestyle

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Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe

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Swimming Pools (Drank)

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Wesley's Theory

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For Free? (Interlude)

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How Much a Dollar Cost

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untitled 02 l 06.23.2014.

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untitled 05 l 09.21.2014.

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untitled 08 l 09.06.2014.

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DNA.

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HUMBLE.

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XXX.

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good kid

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DUCKWORTH.

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No More Parties in L.A. - Kanye West feat. Kendrick Lamar

We've finally reached the end of our turbulent month of Hate and more Hate, and we're capping it off with perhaps our most contentious episode yet, as Max subjects Andrew to her beloved Lifter Puller and its much more successful sequel, The Hold Steady—both the creations of one Craig Finn. Across this meandering tale of shock, awe, and despair, we work through problematic faves and drink more whisky than ever before in a desperate attempt to bridge the sudden taste gap that has separated Max and Andrew for lo these past two weeks. Will Max ever be able to convince Andrew to give in to the Finn? Judging by the number of sick burns delivered, the prognosis is not good. Also: In-Depth Lore Reviews, American Idiots, and the Many Deaths of Andrew Cothren.

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Music:

Plymouth Rock*

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Double Straps*

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Mission Viejo*

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Star Wars Hips (Slips Backwards Version)*

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To Live and Die in LBI*

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Nassau Coliseum*

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Lonely in a Limousine*

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Candy’s Room*

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Space Humpin’ $19.99*

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Lake Street is for Lovers*

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The Flex and the Buff Result*

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Secret Santa Cruz*

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Curves and Nerves†

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Positive Jam†

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Certain Songs†

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Killer Parties†

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Your Little Hoodrat Friend†

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Multitude of Casualties†

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Cattle and the Creeping Things†

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Stuck Between Stations†

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Chips Ahoy!†

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You Can Make Them Like You†

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Constructive Summer†

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Sequestered in Memphis†

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Slapped Actress†

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The Sweet Part of the City†

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Hurricane J†

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Spinners†

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American Idiot®

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Southtown Girls†

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Nice Nice*

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Slips Backwards*

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*Performed by Lifter Puller

†Performed by The Hold Steady

®Performed by Green Day

We're back from our extended, technical difficulty fueled hiatus with just one important question: are you ready to feel the steel? I certainly wasn’t—I find it very unpleasant. But thanks to Andrew, our Month of Love and Hate continues with those smoothest of jazz dads, the one and only Steely Dan. Will these bitter perfectionists be the wedge the splits the island in twain? Or will Max finally see the light and embrace her inner dad? Either way, 12,000 Grammy voters can't be wrong! Also: angry affirmations, surprising samples, and even more Mountain Goats.

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Music List (all by Steely Dan unless otherwise noted):

Dr. Wu - The Minutemen

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Reelin' in the Years

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Dirty Work

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Bodhissattva

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Show Biz Kids

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Rikki Don't Lose That Number

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Through With Buzz

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Bad Sneakers

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Doctor Wu

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Kid Charlemagne

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The Fez

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Black Cow

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Deacon Blues

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My Rival

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Hey Nineteen

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Any Major Dude Will Tell You

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Peg

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FM - The Mountain Goats

Wow. Just, wow. What started as a joke and soon evolved into a grim death march has finally reach its fruition as the strange artifact you see before you, a frenzied message in a bottle from two lost souls desperate for solace. That's right: this week, we're covering the entire discography of the famous San Jose chin beard models, Smash Mouth. And if you think the Smash Mouth legacy begins and ends with "All Star", oh God, do we have a horrific surprise for you. Join us as we take you on a journey from their ska, rap, and personal harassment-based origins through Christmas albums, Justin Bieber tributes, and an honest to goodness EDM collab. Will we make it through with our souls intact? No. No we won't. Also: flesh prisons, Carl's Jr., and just so, so much screaming.

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Music (All by Smash Mouth except where otherwise noted)

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Modest Mouth - Neil Cicierega

Walkin' on the Sun

Beer Goggles

Why Can't We Be Friends?

Who's There?

All Star

Radio

Your Man

Pacific Coast Party

Hang On

Seventh Grade Dance

Always Gets Her Way

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

Zat You, Santa Claus?

The Christmas Song

Everyday Superhero

Beautiful Bomb

Cat's Game - Greg Camp

Justin Bieber

Future X Wife

(Don't You) Forget About Me

Love is a Soldier - Specter vs. Smash Mouth

Imagine All Star People - Neil Cicierega

It's been a heady month for the castaways this March, as we weathered a self-inflicted hurricane of tours and two-parters that (vaguely) threatened to drown us. But the end is in sight, and who better to shepherd us through this all-consuming fury than famed storm-chaser Phil Elverum? Join us as we finish our deep dive into his discography with the wild and wide-ranging works of Mount Eerie. In the process, your hosts will swing from measured singer-songwriter talk to ecstatic joy to utter speechlessness, in what is quite possibly our most epic episode yet. Also: plenty of cowboy talk, Max's Monologue Moment, and more pained sighs per minute than ever before!

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Music:

Where?

I Know No One

(2 Lakes)

I Hold Nothing

Flaming Home

Voice in Headphones

Moon Sequel

Wooly Mammoth’s Mighty Absence

Wind’s Dark Poem

Through the Trees

Summons

Between Two Mysteries

Through the Trees Pt. 2

The Place I Live

House Shape

Pale Lights

Ocean Roar

Ocean Roar (Pre-Human Version)

Turmoil

Boat

Organs (From Pale Lights)

Clear Moon

(Synthesizer)