Kick off your shoes, take a seat in your comfiest electric chair, and join the Discord & Rhyme crew for a look at Alice Cooper’s 1971 shock-rock classic Killer. In this episode, Dan is joined by Mike, Phil, and Ben to discuss how there is much more to Alice Cooper than the elaborate stage show and persona. In particular, we break down what a great group of players the original Alice Cooper band was and how they managed to craft some of the most fun and exciting hard rock of the early ’70s.

Cohosts: Dan Watkins, Mike DeFabio, Phil Maddox, Ben Marlin

Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/051-alice-cooper-killer-1971

Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod 

SCOOBITY WAH! Returning guest Libby Cudmore’s love for Steely Dan is so immense that we needed two albums to contain it. Much like the Oscars, we’re going without a host for our 50th episode, with Libby joining Rich, Mike, and Dan for 2+ hours of free-for-all Dansplaining. We’re specifically focusing on 1973’s Countdown to Ecstasy, where the Dan functioned as a full band under the command of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, and 1977’s Aja, by which point Becker and Fagen had gone studio-only and ditched the band for a revolving door of experienced session musicians. Aja is a much smoother, “FM radio” album in contrast with Countdown’s breezy “AM radio” rock band vibes, but Becker and Fagen’s musical sensibilities and biting sense of humor made sure the Steely Dan identity remained intact throughout. So grab either a big black cow or a glass of scotch whisky and join us, because this is a really fun one.

NOTE: Rated Explicit for naughty language.

Cohosts: Dan Watkins, Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio, Libby Cudmore

Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/050-steely-dan-countdown-to-ecstasy-1973-and-aja-1977

Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Our last round of ignoring the mainstream includes attempting to explain Bjork, discussing celebrity philanthropy, and buzzing your eardrums. 

The Sugarcubes - Birthday
Hüsker Dü - Could You Be the One?
Faith No More - We Care a Lot
Violent Femmes - Gone Daddy Gone
Wire - Eardrum Buzz

Cohosts: Chris Willie Williams, Rich Bunnell, Dan Watkins
 
Get early access to bonus episodes! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Opening music: The Hector Collectors 
https://thehectorcollectors.bandcamp.com/ 

Closing credits music: Kenneth Kraylie 
https://kennethkraylie.bandcamp.com/ 
https://casinos.bandcamp.com/

John enjoyed taking part in the episode on Songs in the Key of Life so much that he demanded to host his own Stevie Wonder episode. This week, John leads Ben, Rich, and Phil in a discussion on Innervisions, Stevie’s 1973 masterwork that showed him capable of making music that could not only entertain but also speak to weightier matters of racism, spirituality, and philosophical introspection. Come join us as we admire an album that hits every bit as hard today as it did upon release, and whose presentation of the full range of human emotions suggests that, no matter how terrible things may seem, there’s always cause to have some hope.

Cohosts: John McFerrin, Ben Marlin, Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox

Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/stevie-wonder-innervisions-1973

Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Time for another episode of discussing Never Mind the Mainstream! During which Amanda came down with a mild case of COVID-19 and was therefore unable to come up with a pithy description.
 
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Head On
Echo and the Bunnymen - The Killing Moon
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
New Order - The Perfect Kiss
Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus

Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Phil Maddox, Rich Bunnell 
 
Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod 
 
Opening music: The Hector Collectors 
https://thehectorcollectors.bandcamp.com/
 
Closing credits music: Kenneth Kraylie 
https://kennethkraylie.bandcamp.com/
https://casinos.bandcamp.com/

So you like samples, huh? Well, have all the samples in the world! In our Deltron 3030 episode, Producer Mike waxed poetic that hip-hop “can contain the whole world,” and the Beastie Boys tried to do exactly that on Paul’s Boutique. Seeking to level up as artists, the Beasties broke with Def Jam, moved to Los Angeles, and teamed up with producers and seasoned crate-diggers the Dust Brothers. The result is a miasma of light-speed references and samples, with a sonic palette drawing from ‘70s funk, old-school hip-hop, and whatever else the Dusts had lying around. It blew Mike’s mind as a teenager and budding producer, and this week he’s leading Rich, Phil and hip-hop noob John through a true bouillabaisse of an album, and a great hip-hop gateway drug for rock fans. Shake your rum-PAH!

Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox, John McFerrin

Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/048-beastie-boys-pauls-boutique-1989

Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Back to ignoring the mainstream! In which we analyze R.E.M., criticize Morrissey, and learn that this is not a love song.

R.E.M. - Orange Crush
Public Image Ltd. - This Is Not a Love Song
Ramones - Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?
X - Burning House of Love
Ministry - Stigmata
Morrissey - Everyday Is Like Sunday

Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Phil Maddox, Chris Willie Williams
 
Get early access to bonus episodes on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod 

Opening music: The Hector Collectors 
https://thehectorcollectors.bandcamp.com/
 
Closing credits music: Kenneth Kraylie 
https://kennethkraylie.bandcamp.com/
https://casinos.bandcamp.com/

Far from any road, husband-and-wife duo The Handsome Family create beautiful indie folk/country that uses centuries-old musical traditions as a vehicle to explore, mourn, embrace, or giggle at human nature (and folly) from a perspective all their own. On this episode, Will enlists Amanda, Dan, and Rich to discuss the Handsome Family's sixth and oddest album, Singing Bones. Join us as we examine the way these songs shimmer and simmer, and attempt to determine if that's a result of heat rising from the boiling Albuquerque terrain or because we're listening through the murk of disconsolate ghosts.

WARNING: We said some bad words in this episode, in case that is something you are concerned about.

Cohosts: Chris Willie Williams, Rich Bunnell, Amanda Rodgers, Dan Watkins

Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/047-the-handsome-family-singing-bones-2003

Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

We usually take a week off between comps, but one of our favorite songwriters, Adam Schlesinger, passed away in April from complications related to COVID-19, and we wanted to do his career justice. Schlesinger is most famous for the retro soundtrack cut "That Thing You Do" and Fountains of Wayne's 2003 Cars pastiche "Stacy's Mom," but the songwriter was a workhorse, and his career had a truly wild level of variety. Ben, Rich, and Will know Fountains of Wayne the best, so most of the episode is focused on their songs, but we hit on the full kaleidoscope of Schlesinger's career, from his work for the CW sitcom Crazy Ex-Girlfriend to an oddball power pop supergroup fronted by Taylor Hanson.