This episode explores the return of the Raconteurs with their third album, Help Us Stranger. We then take a listen through Boarding House Reach, the third solo album by Jack White, a wild departure from the known.

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Jack White rose to legendary musician status via his breakthrough band, The White Stripes. Coming out as a blues rock, punk aesthetic garage rock band with child-like drummer Meg White, The White Stripes paved the way for a lot of acts to come. As their success grew, Jack White branched out into other projects, including the classic rock inspired "super group" The Raconteurs, and Led Zeppelin-spirit revival, hard as nails "super group," The Dead Weather. As Jack gained momentum elsewhere, The White Stripes came to an end, leaving room for Jack White to explore a solo career. Throughout his solo career, he started honing his comfort material -- country, blues, and fuzz rock -- moving toward new grounds with experimental noise, high tech production, and unexpected plot twists.

Tyler, being a conseur of pop and knower of all things music, and Greg, a Jack White super fan, have a lot to say on Jack White, including a plethora of insights and context into the creation of this music, the cultural impact of Jack White and his embedded philosophies, and the growth of self and artist.

This episode, we take a look at the "virtual band",  Gorillaz -- their debut and follow up, Gorillaz and Demon Days respectively. This project is headed by Damon Albarn of Blur, with art from Jamie Hewlett. While Blur never really broke in America, the Gorillaz sure did. In this episode we discuss Brit pop, rivalries, the lore of the band, Albarn's unabashed addiction. and more.

This episode explores Jack White's second solo album, Lararetto, and his third and perhaps final Dead Weather album, Dodge and Burn.

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Jack White rose to legendary musician status via his breakthrough band, The White Stripes. Coming out as a blues rock, punk aesthetic garage rock band with child-like drummer Meg White, The White Stripes paved the way for a lot of acts to come. As their success grew, Jack White branched out into other projects, including the classic rock inspired "super group" The Raconteurs, and Led Zeppelin-spirit revival, hard as nails "super group," The Dead Weather. As Jack gained momentum elsewhere, The White Stripes came to an end, leaving room for Jack White to explore a solo career. Throughout his solo career, he started honing his comfort material -- country, blues, and fuzz rock -- moving toward new grounds with experimental noise, high tech production, and unexpected plot twists.

Tyler, being a conseur of pop and knower of all things music, and Greg, a Jack White super fan, have a lot to say on Jack White, including a plethora of insights and context into the creation of this music, the cultural impact of Jack White and his embedded philosophies, and the growth of self and artist.

Our special series on the music of Jack White wraps up with a look at the 2022 two album releases, Fear of the Dawn and Entering Heaven Alive. Fear of the Dawn is much closer of a follow up to the experimentation we loved on Boarding House Reach. Entering Heaven Alive takes a more mellow approach, with acoustic aesthetic and jazz influence.

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Jack White rose to legendary musician status via his breakthrough band, The White Stripes. Coming out as a blues rock, punk aesthetic garage rock band with child-like drummer Meg White, The White Stripes paved the way for a lot of acts to come. As their success grew, Jack White branched out into other projects, including the classic rock inspired "super group" The Raconteurs, and Led Zeppelin-spirit revival, hard as nails "super group," The Dead Weather. As Jack gained momentum elsewhere, The White Stripes came to an end, leaving room for Jack White to explore a solo career. Throughout his solo career, he started honing his comfort material -- country, blues, and fuzz rock -- moving toward new grounds with experimental noise, high tech production, and unexpected plot twists.

Tyler, being a conseur of pop and knower of all things music, and Greg, a Jack White super fan, have a lot to say on Jack White, including a plethora of insights and context into the creation of this music, the cultural impact of Jack White and his embedded philosophies, and the growth of self and artist.

In this episode, we look at the the follow up to Dead Weather's first album, sophomore drop Sea of Cowards. This album is more or less of the same ilk to the former album, showing iterations of what works and even what doesn't about the group. Nonetheless, this band was known for incredible live shows and electric energy.

The next album we look at is the solo debut of Jack White. Just before 2011's Blunderbuss was released, the White Stripes announced they would not be coming back. This meant that Jack White was no longer tied to band with self-imposed limitations -- he was the conductor, and fully able to expand his ideas. It would become clear that there is a difference between a song written as Jack White for the White Stripes, and the songs Jack would write in the studio with studio musicians. Jack would be criticized for leaving his Little Room, but this moment was earned time and time again, and the album has some of Jack's best moments.

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Jack White rose to legendary musician status via his breakthrough band, The White Stripes. Coming out as a blues rock, punk aesthetic garage rock band with child-like drummer Meg White, The White Stripes paved the way for a lot of acts to come. As their success grew, Jack White branched out into other projects, including the classic rock inspired "super group" The Raconteurs, and Led Zeppelin-spirit revival, hard as nails "super group," The Dead Weather. As Jack gained momentum elsewhere, The White Stripes came to an end, leaving room for Jack White to explore a solo career. Throughout his solo career, he started honing his comfort material -- country, blues, and fuzz rock -- moving toward new grounds with experimental noise, high tech production, and unexpected plot twists.

Tyler, being a conseur of pop and knower of all things music, and Greg, a Jack White super fan, have a lot to say on Jack White, including a plethora of insights and context into the creation of this music, the cultural impact of Jack White and his embedded philosophies, and the growth of self and artist.

This week, we are joined by special guest, Angie.

Radiohead is a band like Nirvana, The White Stripes, Led Zeppelin, and the Pixies -- founding members and pioneers of a very particular space in music. Ok Computer is known as one of the best albums of all time. The band followed up this album by risking alienating their audience with Kid A. They would be rewarded for not taking the easy path and simply reiterating on their own work.

2003's Hail to the Thief was a return to familiar sonic places. There are some tracks that are more esoteric and experimental, but many of the tracks are more straight forward. They allow room for the themes to develop, during a time of political turmoil. Frontman Thom Yorke challenges society to face its disengagement and ambivalence during war and disinformation. 

Four years later, Radiohead announced they would be releasing an album with a different distribution model. It was very novel for the time, right before the take off of streaming music. People could offer to pay whatever they'd like for a digital copy of the album, from absolutely nothing to thousands, if the listener had the means and the will. The album was a major success, both critically and commercially. An essential album that even convinces the least interested.

This episode covers both Jack White projects outside of the White Stripes, The Raconteurs and Dead Weather respectively. The Raconteurs follow-up album, Consolers of the Lonely (2008), was made after the band had toured together and developed their chemistry and as band. This album takes risks, rushing to the finish line for both better and worse.

Next would be the debut of Led Zepplin-esque revival band, centered around sex and death, The Dead Weather. Another super group of sorts, Allison Mosshart of the Kills is on vocals, with Dean Fertita of Queens of the Stone Age on guitar, Jack Lawrence of The Raconteurs/Greenhorns on bass, and Jack White on drums. Jack was originally a drummer, and his chops are insane -- but this was a wild card, totally unexpected. And yet, it works so, so well. 

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Jack White rose to legendary musician status via his breakthrough band, The White Stripes. Coming out as a blues rock, punk aesthetic garage rock band with child-like drummer Meg White, The White Stripes paved the way for a lot of acts to come. As their success grew, Jack White branched out into other projects, including the classic rock inspired "super group" The Raconteurs, and Led Zeppelin-spirit revival, hard as nails "super group," The Dead Weather. As Jack gained momentum elsewhere, The White Stripes came to an end, leaving room for Jack White to explore a solo career. Throughout his solo career, he started honing his comfort material -- country, blues, and fuzz rock -- moving toward new grounds with experimental noise, high tech production, and unexpected plot twists.

Tyler, being a conseur of pop and knower of all things music, and Greg, a Jack White super fan, have a lot to say on Jack White, including a plethora of insights and context into the creation of this music, the cultural impact of Jack White and his embedded philosophies, and the growth of self and artist.

Lady Gaga busted on the scene in 2008 with The Fame, where each single soared to the top of the charts. Everyone knows Just Dance, Paparazzi, Poker Face, and LoveGame. This first album was about as sugar loaded as a pop album could be. Whether or not the other tracks land for people, the singles are undeniable. 

In 2009, Lady Gaga would follow up with an expansion to the record, titled The Fame Monster. Bad Romance ranks among songs like Hey Ya and Toxic as the most important pop songs of the 2000s, transcending the period altogether. The Fame Monster had a bite and edge to it -- high fashion, unadulterated sexual imagery, toxicity and lust. This album was another level.