Please No Moss

Hey there, Mr. Jambo! We're celebrating the 40th anniversay or Paul Simon's landmark album, Graceland. With Graceland, Simon heads to South Africa and comes back with one of the most ambitious, and most controversial, albums of the 1980s. We dig into the irresistible hooks, the complicated cultural politics, and whether the whole album was even his to make.

Album Recommendations:

• Pata Pata - Miriam Makeba
• Going Up - The RAH Band

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Cover Art by Katherine Evans

Theme Music: "Tagalong" by Blaise Gratton

With "In the Air Tonight, Phil Collins turned heartbreak, bitterness over his recent divorce into an unforgettable piece of music. We’ll explore the song’s mysterious mythology, its unlikely rise to iconic status, and why that drum fill still hits with such force decades later. While we all remember "In the Air Tonight" for it's iconic drum break, is it enough for it to be considered on the greatest songs of all time?

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Cover Art by Katherine Evans

Theme Music: "Tagalong" by Blaise Gratton

On a special Halloween episode of Please No Moss, Pat and Derek talk about vampires and Ezra Koenig's thoughts on religion.

This episode was originally released on October 29, 2024

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Album Recommendations:

• Turn Off the Light - Kim Petras
• Hellbilly Deluxe: 13 Tales of Cadaverous Cavorting Inside the Spookshow International - Rob Zombie

Cover art by Katherine Evans

Theme Music: "Tagalong" by Blaise Gratton

Billie Holiday's Lady in Satin is one of the most emotionally devastating albums ever recorded, capturing a legendary voice at its most fragile, weathered, and unforgettable. In this episode, we explore the album's creation, Holiday's deeply personal performances, and the lush orchestral arrangements that make this final masterpiece so haunting.

Album Recommendations:

• Lady Sings the Blues - Billie Holiday
• Sita Sings the Blues - Nina Paley
• Back 2 The Bit - Anthony Rodriguez

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Cover art by Katherine Evans

Theme Music: "Tagalong" by Blaise Gratton

Punk exploded into the mainstream when the Sex Pistols unleashed Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, an album that outraged critics, thrilled fans, and helped redefine rock music forever. Join us as we dig into its snarling riffs, provocative lyrics, chaotic legacy, and the cultural firestorm that still surrounds one of punk's most influential records. But is Never Mind the Bollocks one of the greatest albums of all time or is it all just hype created by the band's manager?

Album Recommendations:

• Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death - The Dead Kennedys
• ...For the Whole World to See - Death

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Cover art by Katherine Evans

Theme Music: "Tagalong" by Blaise Gratton

The Go-Go's burst onto the scene with Beauty and the Beat, delivering infectious hooks, sunny California energy, and a landmark debut that became one of the defining albums of the new wave era. Join us as we explore its creation, the band's rise to fame, and the lasting impact of hits like "Our Lips Are Sealed" and "We Got the Beat." But does "We Got the Beat" deserve a place among the greatest songs of all time?

Album Recommendations:

• Girlfriend - Grace Ives
• Growing Up - The Linda Lindas
• Eat to the Beat - Blondie

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Cover art by Katherine Evans

Theme Music: "Tagalong" by Blaise Gratton

She's been mentioned on almost every other episode we've done, so we'd thought we'd kick off Season 3 with album #3 from the Rolling Stone list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. On Blue, Joni sings perhaps the most personal songs we've covered so far, but is it the third-greatest album ever made?

Album Recommendations:

• Clouds - Joni Mitchell
• Between the Lines - Janis Ian

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Cover art by Katherine Evans

Theme Music: "Tagalong" by Blaise Gratton

To mark the end of Season 2, we re-rank all 47 albums we've covered on the podcast so far. We also decide which albums should be removed from the list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and which albums that we've recommended should be added.

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Cover Art: Katherine Evans

Theme Music: "Tagalong" by Blaise Gratton

It's our Season 2 Finale! In honor of the MJ biopic Michael, coming out on April 24th, we're covering the Jackson's breakthrough solo album which redefined him as an artist and set the stage for him to become the King of Pop.

Album Recommendations:

• Step II - Sylvester

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Cover Art by Katherine Evans

Theme Music: "Tagalong" by Blaise Gratton

“Jump” by Van Halen is the band at their most accessible, trading in Eddie’s usual guitar heroics for an iconic synth-driven hook. In this episode, we get into the song’s massive pop appeal, its role in redefining the band’s sound in the ’80s, and why it still feels like pure adrenaline decades later. But does “Jump” deserve a spot among the greatest songs of all time?

Cover art by Katherine Evans

Theme Music: "Tagalong" by Blaise Gratton