Sam Sodomsky is a critic, musician, and podcaster. I first learned about Sam through the podcast Late-era which he co-hosted. Through Late-Era I was inspired to dig deeper into Sam’s writings on Bruce Springsteen and would see Sam pop up across the web covering more music that I was interested in. When I thought of inviting him on the show to coincide with the release of Track II (the lost albums boxset released by Springsteen this year) I thought I would check out his project The Bird Calls’ new record Melody Trail. I ended up loving the record and from there I plotted on what we could cover in under two hours.

We of course talk about Bruce, but we get into Sam’s parallel fascination with Metal, The Bird Calls, the music that he loves, his onstage wardrobe, and whatever happened to Welcome to Chicago.

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Band’s Mentioned:

The Bird Calls, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, Frank Sinatra, Aerosmith, Jethro Tull, Phish, Neil Young, The Beatles, Toto, Men At Work, Christopher Cross, Billy Joel, Black Sabbath, Mastodon, Baroness, Wolves in the Throne Room, Sun O))), Boris, Dark Throne, Death, Dying Fetus, Deafheaven, Pallbearer, Blood Incantation, Tomb Mold, Enya, Stone Roses, Elliott Smith, Ween, Jeff Tweedy, Silver Jews, Destroyer, Yo La Tengo, The National, U2, Guided by Voices, Martin Newell, The Cleaners From Venus, Chicago, Advance Base, David Bazan, Cass McCombs, Ariel Pink

Apres Pompeii is the Chicago-based solo-project of Zachary Weiss. You may recognize Zack from LWYL’s Album of the Year episodes because they’ve been a guest on each and every one (even a lost episode!)

In this conversation Zach and I go deep on the production of Paint, a vibrant pop-record that is set on a hot summer night of partying. We dive into the themes and influences for the record, including the artists that inspired specific moments in the track list. Its a great conversation.

We then, of course, get into the music that Zack has connected to and discovered throughout their life - which includes a fun discussion of Blake-favorite band, Jimmy Eat World.

Bands Mentioned (My new favorite part of doing this show):

Prince, Bjork, Kate Bush, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Laura Marling, Depeche Mode, A-Ha, Tears for Fears, The Police, Talk Talk, Panic! At The Disco, Alvin Cobb Jr., Jennifer Femme, The Dangerous Summer, The Rocket Summer, Death Cab For Cutie, Bruce Springsteen, PJ Harvey, Jimmy Eat World, Paula Cole, Amaarae, Joanna Newsom.

Title says it all! We're talking about our songs of the year. Jack Tecca (As A Ghost) joins the show once again to yap with Blake. The pair list about 20 of their favorite songs of 2025.

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Bands Mentioned:

Seals & Crofts, CSNY, Smut, Accessory, DJO, Broken Left Foot, Prince, The Cars, the Police, Post-Animal, HAIM, Bon Iver, Hotline TNT, Whirr, Cloakroom, Deafheaven, Agriculture, Chat Pile, XWeaponX, Contention, Arm’s Length, Hot Mulligan, The Wonder Years, Ethel Cain, Moving Mountains, Mark Hollis, Jeff Tweedy/Wilco, Talk Talk, Hayden Pedigo, Eli Winter, John Fahey, Jenny Lewis, Greet Death, The Cure, Death Cab For Cutie, Bruce Springsteen, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Mk.Gee, Snooze, Gamma Ray, Guided By Voices, The Beatles, Oasis, Militarie Gun

Latter is the Chicago-Based project of Meredith Haines and Jon Alvarado (Beach Bunny). Meredith Joins the show to talk about the release of Latter’s latest EP entitled What Lives Inside of Me. We discuss the period between their last album (My Body Is My Sickness), the TikTok virality that followed, and how that experience - for better or worse - informed the creation of this most recent batch of songs. Our conversation touches on the writing partnership of Alvarado and Haines; how the two musicians come together to create something greater than the sum of their backgrounds. Meredith and I also get into her projects that preceded Latter, including her education in sound art and her noise project MAIR, which gets us into the political potency of noise. And we of course discuss, the one and only, My Chemical Romance.

Bands Mentioned:

Metz, Godspeed You! Black Emporer, Alvin Lucier, William Basinski Caroline Polachek, Manniquin Pussy, My Chemical Romance, Lee Ann Rimes, Rites of Spring, Fall Out Boy, Wilco, Arcade Fire, Black Sabbath, Pile, Daughters, Big Brave, Young Widows, Jesus Lizard, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Green Day, Brittany  Spears, Nude, Prostitute, The Armed 

Brain Graffiti is a Chicago-based zine and show promotion outfit led by the power couple of Matt and Jess. This follow-up conversation comes several months after our initial meeting (which you can find in the podcast feed). In this episode, we talk about the future of Brain Graffiti and reflect on what the project has meant to Matt and Jess. If you are a fan of BG, don’t worry, there is still more coming. There is 4th issue somewhere on the horizon, more DIY shows, and future endeavors from both brains behind Brain Graffiti. 

We also dive into the music that Matt and Jess have connected to throughout their lives, as well as what they are listening to now.

Bands Mentioned:

Hum, Julian Casablancus (The Strokes), We Weren’t Invited, Snuffed, Algernon Cadwallader, Harm’s Way, Nightosphere, Verga, Muddle, Solemn Grey, Blink 182, Cage The Elephant, Neck Deep, Twenty-One Pilots, Panic At The Disco!, Bane’s World, Rex Orange County, The Allman Brothers Band, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Corgan, Downward, Prize Horse, I Promised The World, Modern Color, Summer Salt, $uicideboys, System of A Down, Deftones, Title Fight, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Mazzy Stars, Elliott Smith, Emery, Dance Gavin Dance, Poison The Well, Taylor Swift, Slow Mass, Glare, Superheaven, Nuvolascura, Glixen, Greet Death, Ceruleum 

Singer and Frontperson of Smut, Tay Roebuck joins the show to discuss their new record Tomorrow Comes Crashing (Bayonet Records). Smut is a Chicago-based, by way of Cincinnati. In this interview Tay talks about the community that her and her band have built in a new city, as well as how Ohio continues to play a part in the band. We also explore outside influences, musical and otherwise, that have fueled the band holistically. We get into the music that inspired Tay to join in a band, along with the music that she continues to dissect and understand, The Oasis Reunion, and much more.

Theres a little bit of a technical difficulty at the top of the interview but we get it fixed quickly.

Bands Mentioned:

Oasis, Joy Division, Ceremony, Nothing, Citizen, Joyce Manor, Title Fight, Batman Beyond Theme Song, Nine Inch Nails, Charli XCX, MGMT, LCD Soundsystem, My Chemical Romance, Green Day, Nirvana, Pavement, The Sundays, The Cranberries, The Temptations, Bread, Creed, Big Star, Wilco, Tegan and Sara, The White Stripes, Kizzy Hall (Columbus, OH)

Songwriter and fellow-Kansan Kristyn Chapman joins the show to talk about her project Morpho. After a cross country move from Wichita, KS to Chicago, with a few trips back and forth, Morpho released its debut EP 'Morpho Season', 5 captivating tracks that shine bright with guitar heroics and tender lyrics. I caught up with Kristyn about what its been having the record out in the world, as well as playing it live. We connect on growing up in Kansas and the disperate music scenes that exist between stretches of highway populated by mostly cows. We discuss the production of Morpho Season, the exercise of patience in putting together a record over years, knowing when a song is ready to be recorded, how Freaky Friday inspired Kristyn to play music, and more!

Band Mentioned:

Curfew for Katie, Lost Colors (Mile Marker 128), Pink Slip,Green Day, Blink 182, Deep See Diver, Waltzer, Simple Plan, Switchfoot, Anberlin, As Cities Burn, The Devil Wears Prada, Of Mice & Men, The Travel Guide, Wilco (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Summer Teeth, Sky Blue Sky), Deer Hunter, Yo La Tango (songs: Sugar Cube, Nothing to) hide, Julian Lage, Jim Hall & Bill Evans, *silence*, John Cage, Stereolab, Charli XCX, Addison Rae, Lorde, Kweelag, The phantom, Broadcast, Bjork, and MSPAINT   

Have a question or suggestion for the show, email me at [email protected].

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Dave Collis and Mercedes Webb of Slow Mass join the show to talk about their new record Low On Foot, out now on Landland Colportage. We get into the creation of Low On Foot and the circumstances surrounding its release, from being recorded and ready to release to 4 years later when the record finally saw a wider release. Dave and Mercedes discuss their experiences finding music at a young age that eventually led them to pursuing their own songwriting. We of course connect on the music discoveries that were pivotal to each of their tastes, as well as the music they carry with them still.

Bands Mentioned:

Hop Along, Algernon Cadwallader, Dave Matthews Band, Cloud Mouth, Morning Arms, Wild Bell, Modest Mouse, The Killers, Muse, The Killers, Interpol, The Walkmen, Beastie Boys, Pinback, Blink-182, Elvis Costello, The Stranglers , The Jam, Led Zepplin, Cream, Yes, King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Lucy Dacus, Dr. Dog, Mogwai , The Seeds, Duster, Q and not U, Black Eyes, Hella, Lightning Bolt, Death Cab For Cutie, Andrew Bird, Mitch Mead, Downward, Prize Horse, Pygmy Lush, Foo Fighters, Bellows, Snoozer, Spirit Of The Beehive, Lithuania, Minus The Bear, Spite House, Underoath, Hovvdy, Porches  

Have a question or suggestion for the show, email me at [email protected].

Instagram: ⁠lwylmusicpod⁠

Marcus Joins the show for a fantastic conversation about his new album Take A Beat from his project Wrong Numbers. You may know Marcus from his drumming in the highly adored Pet Symmetry and the fast-growing Ratboys. Wrong Numbers contains fun flourishes and invigorating musical moments that I've come to expect from Marcus' other projects.

In this episode we get into Marcus' history within the Chicago music scene, meeting the people he would end knowing to this day, an insane mixed bill show from 2013 getting into electronic music hardware, developing his solo songwriting process, collecting musical ideas for the Wrong Numbers project, lots of production talk (cool), abandoning sp*tify, mindfully listening to music, modding old ipods, and more (if you can believe it)

Bands Mentioned

This is Lorelei

Boards of Canada

Aphex Twin

Venetian Snares

Radiohead

Fugazi

Bad Brains

Gorrilaz

Rush

Pinback

Fear Before The March of Flames

Heavy Heavty Low Low

Hotline TNT

Something from left field cometh! It’s another draft episode. This time Blake and Jack are building a full 10-man starting lineup to face off on the diamond. Since this is musicians we are talking about, we need to take a few things into consideration. Your hosts take different approaches to selecting who will represent their teams on the grass and dirt. Blake takes a more conceptual approach, aligning the ideal attributes of each position to a musicians output and skill in their projects. Jack takes a more strategic and holistic approach to his team, building a forceful opponent.

Don’t worry, this is still a music podcast.