Indiecast

If there is one thing that we love here at Indiecast, it is festival posters with absolutely chaotic energy. So Steven and Ian were psyched this week to see the lineup for Riot Fest in Chicago, which is topped by big-time bands like Foo Fighters, Death Cab For Cutie and Queens Of The Stone Age. But the real action takes place further down the list — where else can you see Ani DiFranco, Mr. Bungle and Insane Clown Posse in the same place? Also, apparently Corey Feldman is also appearing at this festival? Simply incredible. (:27)

From there, Steven asks Ian about the state of music in 2023. Specifically, is this a weak year for consensus album of the year candidates? Caroline Polachek and Boygenius are early contenders, and there are artists on the horizon (PJ Harvey, Rihanna, Jenny Lewis) who might contend. But this year feels like we might be at the end of something. What is it, though? (11:08)

After that, there's a discussion about the legacy of The Cure, who are back on the road this month (24:15). (Steven also wrote about them this week.) Why is this band so central to the history of modern indie and alternative rock? What is their best work, and where should a newbie get started?

In Recommendation Corner (1:00:07), Ian talks up the British post-punk band Mandy, Indiana, while Steven stumps for two other British acts, the soft-rock singer-songwriter Westerman and the art-rock combo Bar Italia.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 139 and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

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In Indiecast's latest episode, Steven declares that Ian is a surgeon, Dr. Han. (Is this meme old yet? Will anyone know what we're talking about next week?) Actually, their first order of business is talking about In Times New Roman, the just-announced new album by Queens Of The Stone Age due June 16, their first in six years (6:16). They try to sort out their current feelings about this band, and the murky personal life of Josh Homme. (They also struggle, of course, to correctly pronounce "Homme.")

Next they talk about the end of two institutions that they sort of thought ended in the aughts, but actually shut down this week: The pop-punk band Sum 41, and the legacy media outlet MTV News. Ian actually goes to bat for Sum 41 by giving them a "yay," while Steven is an indifferent "nay"(12:09). But MTV News was a formative outlet for both '90s kids, especially the gravitas-rich lead anchor Kurt Loder (22:11).

From there they piggyback on Steven's recent column about the 10th anniversary of Daft Punk's Random Access Memories and talk about whether the album is a classic, overrated or both. (Steven and Ian both landed on "both") (30:18). What's not overrated is American Football buying the American Football house, which is another thing that happened this week, though the story made Ian sad about that a beloved combination A&W/Long John Silver's that is gone from his college town (46:35).

In Recommendation Corner (54:10), Ian hypes the hyperpop/pop-punk hybrid Hot Mulligan, while Steven talks up a reissue from the Cleveland guitarist/composer Mark McGuire.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 138 and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

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Every week, Steven and Ian make it their business to talk about the latest news in indie rock. This week, however, they don't do that. Instead, they made the least indie-rock episode of Indiecast ever.

The most indie topic on the docket is the rumored relationship between Taylor Swift and The 1975's Matty Healy (17:12). Is this (alleged) relationship too annoying even for them? And what does it mean for two superstars to "date" anyway? Does exchanging texts constitute a romantic hookup? Are they going to get frozen yogurt together on the fly?

From there they move on to the Ed Sheeran copyright lawsuit concerning the supposed similarity of his 2014 hit "Thinking Out Loud" and Marvin Gaye's 1973 classic "Let's Get It On." (22:34) (This was recorded before the verdict came down in Ed's favor.) If you have heard the songs you have can probably tell that they sort of sound alike. But does that constitute a rip-off? Can you really copyright a vibe? Doesn't all new music in some way riff on the old?

Finally, they get to the most important topic: Aerosmith, yay or nay? They ponder the legacy of this gross, ridiculous, and occasionally great (for four years in in the 1970s) group as they announce their reunion tour (34:31).

In Recommendation Corner (54:40), Ian talks about the singer-songwriter Greg Mendez while Steven pays tribute to the late Gordon Lightfoot, who died this week at age 84.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 137 and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

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This week, Indiecast is talking about wily veterans. And that includes Aaron Rodgers, who is the topic of the emergency Sportscast segment at the top of the episode (1:30). Steven has some heavy feelings to work out about his quarterback for the past 15 years, and all Ian can do in response is trash the 2005 film Hustle & Flow. (It makes sense when you hear the episode.)

With that out of the way, the guys get into the business of Indiecast by talking about First Two Pages Of Frankenstein, the new album by The National (14:14). Ian admits that he's lost interest in the band after loving them in the aughts, and this record hasn't really changed his mind. Steven meanwhile is still a believer, and thinks this album improves on the previous National record, I Am Easy To Find, though it's not a complete comeback.

Next the guys turn to One Wayne G, the new 199-song data dump by Mac DeMarco (28:39). Did they listen to all eight hours? Not yet! Will they ever? Who knows? Steven and Ian try to figure out where Mac is at in his career. Is he quiet quitting a la Frank Ocean?

Finally, they talk about Atum, the new rock opera by Smashing Pumpkins that is so sprawling it is not yet fully released (38:15). Steven and Ian contemplate the story of Shiny, the hero at the center of the album, and whether his tale is a metaphor for cancel culture. More importantly, why does this album sound so bad? Can they reconnect Billy Corgan with Flood?

In Recommendation Corner (53:14), Ian talks up the DJ Avalon Emerson, while Steven stumps for the Nashville garage band Country Westerns.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 136 and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

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Indiecast talks about the biggest music news of the week, and this week the biggest music news involved Frank Ocean's disastrous appearance at Coachella, and the subsequent cancelation of his performance this weekend. Steven and Ian try to comprehend the original concept for the performance — apparently it involved an ice rink and an army of skaters? — and why Frank Ocean is the sort of artist that people love precisely because he's likely to bail on a Coachella headliner performance. (7:02)

They also talked about the current status of AI music, which this week included a fake near-hit by Drake and The Weeknd and a faux-Oasis record that kinda replicated their mid-'90s prime. Ian tried to talk Steve out of having a nervous breakdown over the destructive potential of artificial intelligence replacing the human race. Was he successful? Find out! (23:17)

After a brief conversation over whether 72 Seasons is an AI Metallica record — it kind of sounds like it! — the guys dove into the mailbag (32:55). A listener from Australia asked for a "yay or nay" verdict on the iconic punk band Against Me!, while an audience member from Quebec inquired about their favorite backyard barbecue music (43:10). Is it a surprise that Steven and Ian both had My Morning Jacket on their lists?

In Recommendation Corner (55:45), Ian talked up Superviolet, a solo project by an ex-member of the Ohio emo band The Sidekicks, while Steven stumped for singer-songwriter Kara Jackson, whose recent LP Why Does The Earth Give Us People To Love? is a singular jazzy folk gem.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 135 here and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

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Coachella is upon us, so Steve and Ian felt it was appropriate to talk about the music festival. But do you really need to talk about Coachella on an indie music podcast these days? This year's lineup might be the least indie-oriented in history, continuing a long-running trend favoring pop and electronic music. To illustrate this point, they revisited the 2013 lineup, a year when The Stone Roses, Blur, Phoenix and lots of other bands who might not even be booked at the festival in 2023 were the heavy hitters (3:13).

Then they turned to Running With Our Eyes Closed, the recent HBO documentary about Jason Isbell and the making of his 2020 album, Reunions (15:14). Unlike most recent music docs, this film does not feel like a commercial for the subject. It is, instead, a very candid look at a marriage going through a rough patch. In fact, the film might be almost too honest in places; this is the rare music doc that doesn't flatter its subjects. Directed by Sam Jones, who also made 2002's similarly frank Wilco doc I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, Running With Our Eyes Closed ranks with the best rock films to come out in recent years.

In the mailbag section, they addressed questions about The Walkmen — who recently reunited for a tour — and their overall legacy, as well as the career of Songs: Ohia singer-songwriter Jason Molina, who has emerged as an important influence on contemporary Americana and post-hardcore acts (33:11).

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 134 and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

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Because Indiecast is obligated to talk about the biggest indie news of the week — it's right there in the introduction — they were required to open this week's episode with an overview of the Boygenius discourse (:30). Which turned toxic over the weekend for all of the predictable reasons. However, is it possible to think that The Record is neither a masterpiece nor the worst thing ever but simply ... okay?

One album Steve and Ian think is a lot better than okay is Rat Saw God, the latest from North Carolina band Wednesday. Steve and Ian both wrote about this album this week, and both came away impressed by Karly Hartzman's ability to evoke a real sense of place in her lyrics (8:23). Coupled with the band's heavy guitar sound, Wednesday brings to mind one of their biggest influences, Drive-By Truckers. Might the critical acclaim of Rat Saw God bring more people to the DBT fold? (20:22)

Next they turn to the mailbag, and address an interesting listener question: What is the best album of the decade so far? (30:42) Which leads to other interesting questions: How did the pandemic mess with how we perceive early 2020s music? Has the album that will define this decade even been released yet? After that, they proceed to talk about the legacies of two very different acts: The Beastie Boys and Coheed & Cambria.

Finally, in Recommendation Corner (55:13) Ian recommends the reissue of an emo classic by Braid, while Steve stumps for the patio and cookout friendly jams of Sluice.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 133 here and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

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At the start of this week's episode, Steven Hyden and Ian Cohen try to come to terms with the fact that Ed Sheeran doesn't think music critics are necessary. Ultimately, they concede that the man has a point — after all, if music critics had any power, Ed Sheeran would not be a hugely successful pop star (:26).

In the banter segment, they talk about the upcoming tour by Smashing Pumpkins, Interpol and Stone Temple Pilots, which is like Pavement's "Range Life" come to life (7:02). They also talk about the new album by The Hold Steady, The Price Of Progress (14:17).

In the mailbag, a reader asks for their favorite sophomore albums. Can they interest you in a little record called Nevermind? How about The Bends? Actually, the letter writer stumps for Weekend In The City, because it is now Indiecast law that Bloc Party is mentioned in every episode (20:44). Finally, the meat of the episode reviews two big spring indie releases by Lana Del Rey (32:20) and Boygenius (44:11).

In Recommendation Corner (56:23), Ian talks about the American Football side project Lies, while Steve raves about the Irish folk (with a post-rock twist) band Lankum.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 132 here and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

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In this week's Indiecast, Ian and Steve share their thoughts on two new albums. The first is Yves Tumor's long-winded album Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) (yes, that's the full album title), which is not quite experimental enough to be avant-garde but not quite catchy enough to be a pop record (44:40). The second is Black Country, New Road's Live At Bush Hall, an album recorded after the band's lead singer departed (53:11).

But before they get into the meat of the episode, Steve and Ian dive into Ticketmaster's latest controversy and how it's kinda, sorta, but not really surprising how quickly The Cure's tour sold out (21:53). They briefly recap SXSW and a certain viral artist who people accused of “quiet quitting” during her set (1:30). Plus, in honor of Steve's list of the 100 best debut albums, they talk about which albums didn't make the cut (31:37).

In this week's Recommendation Corner (1:03:36), Ian shouts out the memoir Stay True by Hua Hsu. Meanwhile, Steve gives props to Dazy's power pop EP Otherbody.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 131 here and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

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In this week's episode, Ian and Steve review new albums by M83 (which they like) and 100 Gecs (which they are mixed on but are intrigued about) (12:01). But before that, they delve into the week's biggest controversy (:27): That tweet from a political writer about how The White Stripes would have been better with a more technically proficient drummer.

They also take a deep dive into the Indiecast mailbag to address questions about other important issues (29:46), including: Will Sufjan Stevens' Illinois will work as a musical? What are the best '90s rap skits? And why is it so hard to make a good music biopic?

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 130 here or below and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

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