More Than Hair Metal

In this week's raucous new installment, our intrepid gang of musical voyagers takes yet another trip across the pond to dive into an album that helped turn a U.K. pop wunderkind into a multi-faceted musical icon, 1985's Hounds of Love, the fifth album by Kate Bush. Almost entirely self-produced and catering as much to herself as it did to her record label, this album is a masterclass in duality, purposeful contradiction, having your cake and eating it too. Topics discussed include (but are not limited to): accessible artistry, musical siblings, Laurie Anderson, concept albums, etc. 

New episodes every other Tuesday! We'll see you in two weeks with 1980's Crazy Rhythms by The Feelies.

In terms of social media, you know where to find us; we hope you choose to.

In this week’s rip-roaring installment, our trio of musical voyagers have expanded! Aron Woldeslassie, hot off his star guest appearance last week, has decided to stick around as a host and the quartet’s first assignment is almost a photo negative of Straight Outta Compton, last week’s album. This time around, the group explores what happened when hip-hop exploded throughout the upper east and west sides of New York City in the mid-80s, coalescing in 1986’s Licensed To Ill, the bratty, on-the-nose yet resonant punk-rap debut record by Beastie Boys, three shrimpy white Manhattanites who were three of the first to latch on to the new uptown sound about to sweep NYC and the rest of the country. Topics discussed include (but are not limited to): samples, Reverse Macklemore, Madonna, who Limp Bizkit is thankful for, etc.

New episodes every Tuesday! We’ll see you next week with 1985’s Hounds of Love by Kate Bush.

In terms of social media, you know where to find us; we hope you choose to.

In this week's audacious installment, our trio of musical voyagers welcomes a fourth in the form of St. Paul writer and comedian Aron Woldeslassie. The group journeys to southern California to witness the true strength of street knowledge from N.W.A.'s game-changing 1988 debut Straight Outta Compton. Topics discussed include (but are not limited to): boy bands, First Ladies, censorship, authenticity, money talks, etc.

New Episodes every Tuesday! We'll see you next week with 1986's Licensed To Ill by the Beastie Boys.

In terms of social media, you know where to find us; we hope you choose to.

In this week’s captivating installment, our team of charming musical voyagers (not up for interpretation) take a trip into the hooliganistic and booze-soaked world of 1980s Ireland to dive deep into Rum, Sodomy & the Lash, the 1985 sophomore album by The Pogues, one of the bands who were, at the time, doing a lion’s share of the work defining the genre of celtic punk. Above the pastoral and beautiful compositions that took from and built on the 60s UK folk movement lay lead singer Shane MacGowan’s grim yet romantic lyrics, explorations of common men rebelling against the system but, more often, explorations of the system taking down the common man; it’s a testament to their skill as writers that these pessimistic tales turned out as beautiful as they often did. Topics discussed include (but are not limited to): the two Irish punk bands we know, Warped Tour autographs, albums skating by on the success of a single, history lessons as music, this band without Shane Macgowan, etc.

New episodes every Tuesday! We’ll see you next week with 1988’s Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A.

In terms of social media, you know where to find us; we hope you choose to.

In this week’s heart-racing installment, our precocious trio of hosts dive

into the dreamy, ethereal, and engulfing sonic realm that is Cocteau Twins’

fifth album, 1988’s Blue Bell Knoll, an album that just about any band

claiming “wave” or “gaze” in their genre name owes a debt of gratitude to.

Topics discussed include (but are not limited to): hitting musical high

points during life low points, Are The Lyrics Nonsense Or Not?, party

records, free association, and Robin Guthrie: Problematic Interviewee, etc.

* New Episodes every Tuesday! We’ll see you next week with 1985’s Rum,

Sodomy & the Lash by The Pogues.

* In terms of social media, you know where to find us; we hope you

choose to.

In this week's descent into madness, our hosts explore one of the intros to Britpop on ...And Don't the Kids Just Love It, the 1981 debut album by U.K. post-punks-by-association Television Personalities, an album that leans into many different sounds without necessarily wowing at any. Topics include (but are not limited to): repetitive drumming, complaining about nothing, paying homage, sad teen girls, reclusion, etc.

New Episodes Every Tuesday! See you next week with 1988's Blue Bell Knoll by the Cocteau Twins.

In terms of social media, you know how it works and where to find us; we hope you choose to.

In the awe-striking episode 2 of More Than Hair Metal, our fearless hosts take a turn towards the intellectual with This Heat’s second album Deceit, a very memorable post-punk release written during an era of creative cacophony for the band and political strife for the world. Topics discussed include (but are not limited to): dystopias, musicals, dystopian musicals, the concept of “band’s bands,” Reaganomics, singing under duress, etc.

New episodes every Tuesday! See you next week with 1981’s …And Don’t The Kids Just Love It by Television Personalities.

In terms of social media, you all know how it works and you know where to find us; we hope you choose to.

In this week's chilling premiere, we dive into one of the cornerstones of modern rock music with Minor Threat's seminal hardcore punk release Out of Step. Topics discussed include (but are not limited to): DIY, surprising musicianship, is this Black Flag?, the concept of 'doing a lot with a little,' Our Band Could Be Your Life, more getting to know our cute team of hosts, etc.

New Episodes Every Tuesday! See you next week with 1981's Deceit by the U.K.'s This Heat.

In terms of social media, you all know how it works and you know where to find us; we hope you do.

In this week's emotional roller coaster of a mini-intro, we're introduced to our team of musical voyagers Kerri O'Halloran, Kyle Kimbllin and Cody Nelson. The three talk about the rationale behind this idea, their connection to the 80s and their favorite albums within it, and prepare for the first record on the list, Minor Threat's Out of Step.