This bonus episode is dedicated to Jimmy Buffett (1946-2023).

While we don't review his final posthumous album in the traditional sense how we do on most of our episodes, we do look at its elements to hype ourselves for when we do cover it for real on Rock of Ages one day. We also discuss how Jimmy Buffett makes his way into our lives a little bit, and what we have planned for the future. Bubbles up, to Jimmy, and to those listening.

Originally recorded October 7, 2023.

Our first episode of our first Halloween month! In November. Oh well, November's just October Part 2 anyway. But anyway we start off with one of the most spookiest and most acclaimed musicals written by the ever magnificent Sondheim, featuring one of the scariest things anyone can fathom-- Bri'ish people. This is Sweeney Todd!

Originally recorded September 30, 2023.

The chances are that if it weren't for the success of this album, Pete Townshend's rock opera about a dead, dumb, and blind boy who becomes the face of a worldwide cult because of his pinball wizardry, the many musicals we have covered or will cover on this podcast would not exist, or exist in a many different way.

It's got its flaws, but the theater kids definitely recognize the importance of The Who's "Tommy"!

Originally recorded September 22, 2023.

In this episode me and the theater kids dissect on whether or not this is the most powerful weapon in The Rolling Stones' arsenal, or the "hydrogen bomb of blues rock" to quote a specific rateyourmusic review. Let's dive right into "Sticky Fingers"!

Originally recorded September 16, 2023.

We are here at the start of a moment.

Our back-to-back Christopher Ashley directed musical arc concludes with a show that was praised unanimously for its portrayal of the human spirit's triumph over adversity. There's not enough words to describe here so let's just say it's "Come From Away"!

Originally recorded September 9, 2023.

The day before we recorded our Pet Sounds episode, I was received the shocking and tragic news that singer-songwriter, and beloved part of my childhood, Jimmy Buffett, passed away at 76. For the first 20 years of my life, his music was there to help my love for music grow. And his legacy will not be soon forgotten.

To honor his career, I thought it would be fitting to cover a Jimmy Buffett related album on here, and since Pet Sounds is in many circles considered a concept album, I figured why not cover the jukebox musical on the podcast. I can not promise the musical comes out with perfect scores, but whatever we may say about it does not detract from Jimmy's life. This is "Escape to Margaritaville".

Originally recorded September 3, 2023.

Nothing much can be said about this album, and the mind behind it, Brian Wilson, that hasn't already been said in the following years since its release. But we don't care so we said some more anyway! The theater kids loved it, I loved it, and you might too, just listen to The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds"

Originally recorded August 27, 2023.

In the words of (probably) Brian Eno, only a thousand people bought this album when it came out. But all thousand of those people started bands. Nowadays, a million people stream this album, and all those million people made podcasts about it. Probably.

Let's dig into The Velvet Underground & Nico self-titled debut!

Originally recorded August 20, 2023.

Before the days of feuding with Spotify and Joe Rogan, Neil Young was but a man with his guitar pioneering country rock into new territory. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere blasted him into the scene, After The Gold Rush proved he was also an amazing songwriter, and it was this album that showcased his ability to achieve pop success while keeping elements from those two other albums intact.

Oh right he was also in a supergroup.

But we're not here to talk about that, we're here to talk about Neil Young's "Harvest"!

Originally recorded August 13, 2023.

This album has the spirit of punk without being a truly punk album. It has the melodic sensibilities of pop without being necessarily pop. And it has the edginess of rock without sounding much like any rock album released at the time. The main man ditched his California band for a younger, neurotic sound completely his own. And the theater kids are here for it. So let's talk Elvis Costello & The Attractions' "This Year's Model"!

Also here's my YouTube Poop of "Pump It Up" that I mentioned:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Vv2GZeIow