We're covering a legend among legends this week. You're in rarified air when you are known by one name. It's Dolly!

Cody and Hilary marvel at the story of Dolly Parton, who consistently defied the odds and the wishes of those who sought to keep her playing second fiddle.

But Dolly wasn't having any of that, and wrote a smash hit to let her professional partner know it was over. Years later, that track became a smash hit for another legend in a totally different context. And that isn't even "Jolene!" 

This record is Dolly in full force. You get the songwriting, the singing, the guitar playing, the magnificent hair, and all of her personality and attitude. Dolly bet on herself, and in hindsight we wonder how it could have been any other way!

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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

New friends and old are featured on this week's dive into Cheap Trick's "In Color."

Cheap Trick are the fellas from your hometown that just so happened to become one of the biggest rock bands of all time. "In Color" was their second swing (and mostly miss) in the US, but boy did it lead to bigger things. Cheap Trickmania took off in Japan, leading to their breakthrough live record that cemented their legacy.

Years later, the group's take on the album was such that they decided to give it another go, this time with legendary producer Steve Albini (whaaaaa?!)

"In Color" is a group's raw edges being rounded off, bringing forward the pop while pushing back the power. Whether or not the band may agree, it's hard to argue with the results!

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

Here come all the feels, this week we're covering Nick Drake's "Pink Moon."

Cody and Hilary discuss the life, enigma, and myth of Nick Drake. Sifting through the legend to grab hold of the person is a difficult task, and one that nobody seemed to really be able to do even during his life.

Nick Drake's career was tragically short, but "Pink Moon's" legacy is indisputable. The story of how this record - and this artist - finally found the spotlight is truly fascinating.

"Pink Moon" is the perfect autumn record, the perfect rainy day record, and the perfect record to put on and think about yourself. Nick Drake's deceitfully complex guitar work meshes with lyrics that could either be the work of someone deep in depression, or someone who has found a moment of respite.

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

A legend among legends, a performer among performers, or you might just know him as...His Neilness!

Hilary and Cody travel the Neilverse, going through the concert and album that made him the pop god that he is known as. "Hot August Night" was recorded at the amazing Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, and everything you want from Neil Diamond is on display. 

A brilliant songwriter with a grounded sense of self-awareness, Neil Diamond's biggest charm is his willingness to go for it - vocals, spectacle, banter, songs about pretzels, etc.

"Hot August Night" is the quintessential Neil Diamond record for many reasons; it's loaded with hits, and bursts at the seams with personality...Also his immaculate hair!

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

Punk royalty is the topic of conversation this week on EarWax!

X were (and are) punk legends, but their album "Los Angeles" is so much more than just punk. With rockabilly guitar and some psych harmonies, this record flip-turned the rules every which way.

Produced by the always-been-cool Ray Manzarek of the Doors, "Los Angeles" recalibrated the city's music scene, putting punk and X squarely at the forefront.

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

Put the headphones on and plan to keep your head nodding for the whole time, this week we have J Dilla's "Donuts!"

Christian Dueñas - host of the podcast Primer - drops by to chop it up about a record whose full story took a long time to be told. "Donuts" was made as Dilla was in between and during hospital stays. While the popular account is the stuff of legend, there is another, more grounded story that is as beautiful in its humanity.

It's impossible to see "Donuts" outside the context of J Dilla's death; his passing three days after its release is forever tied to this album. The result is what many see as a meditation on mortality, and a producer whose musical identity was continuing to evolve even as his body was failing him.

Thank you to Christian for sitting in!

Check out Primer!
@primerpod

Follow Christian!
@buttsonabutt

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

What's reggae without a little (a lot) of soul? We wouldn't know, because this week's episode has soul to spare!

Toots and the Maytals were the people's champs of Jamaica; a sound whose roots represent the common man. Toots won a national song contest three separate times!

Funky Kingston is a strange mish-mash of two previous albums, with a single thrown in for good measure. It's got a tried and true rock cover, some Americana adapted for Jamaica, and plenty of fantastic vibes.

This record is a brilliant snapshot of a country in transition. Toots was able to dictate some of that cultural movement by churning out an album that continues to inspire today.

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

Pressure can make diamonds, but too much pressure and you get an explosion. And this week, we have both!

Massive Attack's "Mezzanine" is a standard-setter in electronic music. While the band was consistently at odds during its making, the resulting record crackles with energy.

Cody and Hilary talk about near death, a major embarrassment involving a pop icon, and how the band worked through (or around) the tumult to create a brilliant album.

"Mezzanine" is dark, tense, and cool. The story behind it, maybe even more so!

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 sure you do your neck stretches, because you will be nodding along with us this week.

The EarWax squad took a trip to the Hollywood Bowl to see this week's episode performed live by the OGs who played on it.

By 1973, Herbie Hancock had hits, chops, and a resume that elevated him into rarified air. Searching for that next thing, he took inspiration from James Brown, Sly Stone, and of course Miles Davis.

The result: "Head Hunters," a disgustingly groove-laced record whose track list may be short, but whose legacy casts a huge shadow.

Herbie Hancock is one of the coolest dudes in music, and we were absolutely honored to have seen him perform one of the coolest-sounding records of all time.

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

As we cruise through the tail end of #bratsummer, EarWax takes a look at one of the records that helped Charli XCX dominate the conversation this year.

"Charli" comes on the heels of her rise to fame, at a time when she was about to break even bigger than she already was. Dealing with pop stardom, ravenous fans, and a devastating hack that leaked her work had all taken their toll.

"Charli" is the response to all that, defiant in its glitch and trap influence while still maintaining more than enough pop identity to serve as a stepping stone on a career whose trajectory we continue to measure as an incline!

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