Jams and Tea

It's that time of year again - for the third time, we are back with our annual music quiz, where the four of us will be pitting our minds against one another, across a variety of rounds covering music of nearly all varieties. But there can be only one winner, and whoever takes away the top spot gets to assign the other three a full discography to listen to and report on every week. No one Jam should have all that power... but they will, today. Join us, play along at home by pausing after each question and keeping score, and see how many you can get right! Let us know in the comments below.  

If you want to see our previous annual quizzes, or watch the video version of this quiz, check out the playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5H-hZs8nNIU71fCebRqIRx4BOz7yzn8l

In this week's record club, we pay tribute to Depeche Mode, and in particular the passing of founding member, keyboardist, and multi-talented musician Andrew Fletcher, whose contributions were as essential as they were often overlooked. In particular, we zero in on a record that represents the last hurrah of the band in their classic iteration, and as a chart-dominating force, the acrimonious, ugly, but brilliant Songs of Faith and Devotion. Join us to discover why this record is a great and essential piece of early 90s pop culture, and whether or not it's even better than Violator...

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We've been off for a week, but we're back with a new episode where the whole gang is reunited for a characteristically catty takedown of Post Malone's latest indulgent exercise in tuneless pap, Twelve Carat Toothache. Following that, we discuss the merits of podcast-favourite singer/songwriter Angel Olsen's pretty but noncommittal pivot to country with the ethereal and moody Big Time!

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It’s Sunday once again, and Jake, Ryley, and Morgan are delighted to break down two grand statements of new life from two fantastic and beloved podcast-core bands, Everything Everything’s sensational, effervescent, and emotive RAW DATA FEEL, and Cave In’s sludgy, melodic, triumphant return following a tragic loss with HEAVY PENDULUM! Both of these are essential listens and deliver beautifully on the best qualities of each band, and especially in the case of Everything Everything, we are delighted to dive deep into the depths of what makes these records great!

0:00 Intro 2:18 The Most Underrated Menzingers Album 4:35 Jake’s Jazz Rec: Ali Shaheed Muhammed & Adrian Younge 6:15 Porcupine Tree SZN Approaching 9:31 Ryley Dips Their Toes Into Ska-Punk 14:58 Cave In - Heavy Pendulum 42:22 Everything Everything - Raw Data Feel 1:53:02 Outro

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This week on Record Club, Jake, August, Morgan, and Ryley are back together to discuss a staple of 90s grunge and also a landmark record in the waning days of 1994 that represented one of the era’s pinnacle bands retreating from the spotlight, falling apart internally, and getting weird. It was the album that nearly broke them but ironically, also probably the one that saved them. It has some of their biggest songs as well as alienating experiments and a generally caustic tone. It is, of course, Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy.

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It’s Sunday once again, and Jake, Ryley, and Morgan, are joined by special guest AdequateEmily to review two massive releases from some of the biggest names in music: Kendrick Lamar’s long-awaited and messy psychodrama Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, plus Radiohead side-project The Smile’s effervescent and hard-grooving debut A Light for Attracting Attention. But that’s not all - because this month has been so stacked for great new releases we are also diving into two of the best albums of the year so far: Ethel Cain’s gorgeous, heartbreaking narrative concept record Preacher’s Daughter, and hardcore legends Gospel’s proggy return after a 16-year absence with The Loser! All of these albums are essential listening, so join us for some deep diving into all the many reasons why!

TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Intro 4:23 sonhos tomam conta - maladaptive daydreaming 8:47 Otoboke Beaver - Super Champon 11:13 Battle of the Sinatras: Frank vs. Nancy 13:40 Gospel Prelude in the August Moon 15:58 Florence and the Machine - Dance Fever 20:02 Ethel Cain - Preacher’s Daughter 51:37 Gospel - The Loser 1:05:06 The Smile - A Light for Attracting Attention 1:38:27 Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers 2:51:30 Outro

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This week on Record Club, Jake, August, Morgan and Ryley are looking back at Linkin Park guitarist Mike Shinoda’s short-lived but commercially successful hip-hop side project Fort Minor, who released a somewhat forgotten LP in 2005 titled The Rising Tied, that showcases an insight into where hip-hop was at the middle of the noughties decade, and provides a good deal of nostalgia for the whole gang.

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It’s Sunday once again, and Jake, Ryley, Morgan, and Brett are breaking down two big new releases from established indie names: first up is Sharon van Etten’s wonderfully ambitious and beautifully produced new record WE’VE BEEN GOING ABOUT THIS ALL WRONG, followed by the humorless and dire “comeback” attempt from Arcade Fire, WE. Things get… upsetting.

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This week on Record Club, Jake and Ryley are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ classic record, Henry’s Dream!

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It’s Sunday once again, and Jake, August, and Ryley are back to discuss two new records from beloved English groups; first, the new album from post-punk revival stalwarts Bloc Party, ALPHA GAMES, and following that the latest record from young synth-poppers Let’s Eat Grandma, TWO RIBBONS.

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