On this podcast I'm all about introducing theater kids to real curveball albums they don't see coming. And I'm pretty sure German electronic proto-synthpop albums aren't what they see coming. Released in 1977, a major part of the 80s electronic/dance scene, along with a big chunk of all electronic dance music music since then owes a huge debt to this concept album about riding on the titular train, mayhaps meeting Iggy Pop and David Bowie along the way. So let's dive into Kraftwerk's "Trans-Europe Express"!

The emperors of yacht rock have been called many things: smart, snobby, snarky, soulless, all of which are true to short and long extents. And here in their second album they reach their peak of poking fun at the sleazy underbelly of Los Angeles in true 1973 hipster style fashion. But how well do the theater kids like Steely Dan’s “Countdown to Ecstasy”?

Also a thousand apologies that this episode, along with the other episodes we recorded in May, is a month late. But y'know, personal lives and all.

This 2015 musical is about high schoolers dealing with interpersonal problems while also getting murdered by one another. So not too far off from musicals like Heathers, Carrie, Mean Girls, etc. But this one does a few things differently. Right? Right?! Well let's find out with "We Are The Tigers"!

In 1968, Simon & Garfunkel was fast becoming one of the major folk-pop acts of the time, and this album, along with their songs being used in the hit film "The Graduate", was just the thing to push them into the mainstream, for better (great music) or worse (the break between the duo). And the theater kids are all here for this! Even the stuff I personally believe they shouldn't be here for. Let's discuss Simon & Garfunkel's concept album, "Bookends"!