Now that you're properly stuffed on holiday goodies, let's keep the vibes chill, smooth, and immaculate.

Cody and Hilary cruise through Boyz II Men's "II". An album of two halves, separated by a truly thoughtful, heartbreaking interlude, "II" gives all of the dance floor energy before hitting you with the epic feels.

The group was soaring after their first record, and this follow-up put them firmly at the head of their class. With legendary producers galore, "II" is the perfect album to throw on when you need something that is as cool as the other side of the pillow.

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

• Instagram: @earwaxpod
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• Amoeba on Instagram:
  • @amoebahollywood
  • @amoebasf
  • @amoebaberkeley
• Questions, Suggestions, Corrections (surely we're perfect): [email protected]

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

We are holly, jolly, and bright after covering the amazing artists and songs on this classic Christmas album - "A Christmas Gift for You..."

This album features some of the premiere vocal groups (The Ronettes, The Crystals, Darlene Love, etc.), as well as LA's legendary Wrecking Crew.

Reimagined classics, an original that became a classic, and a whole host of talent is what makes this album feel so warm. Also maybe because it was recorded in August...

"A Christmas Gift for You" captures the essence of the holiday season, and we should celebrate the talent that it showcases. (And remember, Phil Spector was a loser!)

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

• Instagram: @earwaxpod
• TikTok: @earwaxpod
• Amoeba on Instagram:
  • @amoebahollywood
  • @amoebasf
  • @amoebaberkeley
• Questions, Suggestions, Corrections (surely we're perfect): [email protected]

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

The EarWax crew takes on one of the most brilliantly enigmatic artists out there this week as we cover Björk's "Homogenic."

Made during a time of personal strife, this record is an homage to her home in Iceland, a place where she needed to leave for a time. 

Homogenic mixes traditional influences with sounds far ahead of its time. It feels fresh, sounds fresh, and is fresh today. Björk is a true innovator and artist, and this record is one of the best examples of what she has to offer. 

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

• Instagram: @earwaxpod
• TikTok: @earwaxpod
• Amoeba on Instagram:
  • @amoebahollywood
  • @amoebasf
  • @amoebaberkeley
• Questions, Suggestions, Corrections (surely we're perfect): [email protected]

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

No B.S., let's get to business. Kraftwerk. EarWax. Computer World.

Hilary and Cody discuss the group, the music, the theory and ideas around one of Germany's finest exports - Kraftwerk. Computer World is relevant today because it touches on so much of the conversation that has risen to dominate our culture.

Data. Computers. Numbers. Travel. People. Money. This is the record that addresses how these all interact, and what we are to make of them.

Kraftwerk saw the future in the present, and this record illustrates just how efficiently they can comment on it.

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

• Instagram: @earwaxpod
• TikTok: @earwaxpod
• Amoeba on Instagram:
  • @amoebahollywood
  • @amoebasf
  • @amoebaberkeley
• Questions, Suggestions, Corrections (surely we're perfect): [email protected]

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

Make the necessary preparations, we're talking Motörhead this week...

Hilary and Cody try and hang on as they talk about the pure fuel that is Ace of Spades. Lemmy, Fast Eddie, and Philthy Phil were three dudes who knew exactly what they were after, and they pursued those things with great fervor. 

Ace of Spades is undiluted rock and roll made by a band who were unrepentantly themselves. Motörhead was a freight train, and you either hopped on board, got out of their way, or got run over. 

Hell yeah.

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

• Instagram: @earwaxpod
• TikTok: @earwaxpod
• Amoeba on Instagram:
  • @amoebahollywood
  • @amoebasf
  • @amoebaberkeley
• Questions, Suggestions, Corrections (surely we're perfect): [email protected]

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

The eighties were a time of maximalism, so of course one of the biggest records was...a smooth jazzy pop affair? Sade's "Diamond Life" right in your earballs this week on EarWax.

Sade is NOT a brand, but we are comfortable saying they are a whole mood. And it starts front and center. Elegant vocals that seem effortless, basslines that add more than a dash of funk, and a songwriting chemistry that brought us a record that stands out in its simplicity.

"Diamond Life" is the launching point of a career brilliantly navigated by a group who are more than comfortable operating on their terms.

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

• Instagram: @earwaxpod
• TikTok: @earwaxpod
• Amoeba on Instagram:
  • @amoebahollywood
  • @amoebasf
  • @amoebaberkeley
• Questions, Suggestions, Corrections (surely we're perfect): [email protected]

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

Make way for the Princess of Pop. Genuflect at the throne of 2000s bubblegum. Bow to Britney Spears.

Oops!...I Did It Again cemented Britney as an icon. Her story is complicated, public, and influential. The tracks on this album show us the vision of Britney Spears perhaps at its most effective. A conquering hero who just so happened to make another #1 record. As if she fell backwards into superstardom.

No, this album and its success were hard-won, the cost of which would come due further down the road. But that's what makes Britney Spears so compelling. We want to see how she defies the odds, the pressure, and the immense expectations put upon her. We want her to do it again, and on this record, she did!

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

• Instagram: @earwaxpod
• TikTok: @earwaxpod
• Amoeba on Instagram:
  • @amoebahollywood
  • @amoebasf
  • @amoebaberkeley
• Questions, Suggestions, Corrections (surely we're perfect): [email protected]

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

Masks, mystery, and Mm...Food? EarWax dives into your favorite rapper's favorite rapper MF DOOM!!

The story of DOOM is partially rooted in the story of Doom (the comic, not the video game). Reborn from a former group, MF DOOM established himself as one of the most iconic underground emcees.

MF DOOM built an entire universe in which he could play, and this record is arguably at the zenith of his most prolific period. Mm..Food? is crafty in its wordplay, generous with its samples, and tasty with its beats.

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

• Instagram: @earwaxpod
• TikTok: @earwaxpod
• Amoeba on Instagram:
  • @amoebahollywood
  • @amoebasf
  • @amoebaberkeley
• Questions, Suggestions, Corrections (surely we're perfect): [email protected]

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

Shine up your pompadours and put on your best spooky mask, this is a Halloween episode!

The Cramps are the perfect band for the season, and Songs the Lord Taught Us has scares aplenty. Whether talking about the perils of braces on fangs, a zombie dance, or how cool sunglasses in the dark are, The Cramps effortlessly show us their influences while putting their unique spin on them.

Songs the Lord Taught Us is a great gateway to rockabilly, psychobilly, early rock and roll, and trash culture. The Cramps are never anything but themselves, and that's just what we love about them!

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

• Instagram: @earwaxpod
• TikTok: @earwaxpod
• Amoeba on Instagram:
  • @amoebahollywood
  • @amoebasf
  • @amoebaberkeley
• Questions, Suggestions, Corrections (surely we're perfect): [email protected]

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

The King of the Blues (or one of them, anyways) is the focus of this week's episode of EarWax!

Hilary and Cody discuss the circumstances that led to B.B. King performing at Cook County Jail in 1971. Along the way, they touch on B.B.'s journey to that point, the infamous reputation that Cook County Jail had (and still has), and what it means to use your voice to shed light on legitimate grievances.

A sharp, slow-rolling affair, Live in Cook County Jail shows B.B. King at arguably his most bluesy - playing for inmates who needed a bit of humanity.

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

• Instagram: @earwaxpod
• TikTok: @earwaxpod
• Amoeba on Instagram:
  • @amoebahollywood
  • @amoebasf
  • @amoebaberkeley
• Questions, Suggestions, Corrections (surely we're perfect): [email protected]

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis