So So / Cool

Greetings fans! How have you been? You haven’t heard from us for a while because we’ve been in the lab preparing an exhaustive rundown of an entire genre! But now we’re back, coming in hot with a fresh new format: responding to a list we found on Reddit!

In this memerific episode we’re talking about Indie rock of the aughts and addressing the quality and comprehensiveness of one person’s definitive list of the genre/period. We’ll answer all your burning questions – what is Indie? Is Indie actually a genre? Is Len better than OMC? etc. And, in a thrilling conclusion, we’ll each unveil our own top three bands from the list! We’re joined in this adventure by yet another of our highly accomplished friends and So So / Cool superfan Tommy G (aka the Saxmurderer).

So, join us and hear Brandon extol the virtues of eighth note strumming and British accents, Matt again discuss his favorite musical subgenre, Bro-pop, Joe lament the list’s troubling dearth of sad sack Americana music, and Tom’s solemn remembrance of his childhood dog ole’ Dincubus.

And as always, be sure to support the artists by purchasing their work on iTunes or wherever you get your music:

• Do You Want To by Franz Ferdinand
• Prog by Pinback
• Taxi Cab by Vampire Weekend
• Clark Gable by The Postal Service
• Dancing Shoes by Arctic Monkeys
• Caring Is Creepy by The Shins
• 7/4 (Shoreline) by Broken Social Scene
• The Party's Crashing Us by Of Montreal
• This Scene Is Dead by We Are Scientists
• Fine for Now by Grizzly Bear
• Marching Bands of Manhattan by Death Cab for Cutie
• Bryn by Vampire Weekend

Notable timestamps:

• 00:05:17 The bands on the list
• 00:08:03 What is Indie?
• 00:44:57 Unveiling our picks
• 00:57:15 Start of the listening section

Okay fans, strap on your suspenders, throw back a mason jar full of moonshine, and get ready for some stomp-clapping, because this week we’re talking about Americana. More specifically, we’re listening to the bluegrass-adjacent 2010 album “Antifogmatic” by Punch Brothers. But while this record features classic bluegrass instrumentation, the band’s music stretches way beyond the genre, incorporating elements of jazz, country, and chamber music. The guys discuss the band’s unique blend of experimentation and virtuosic musicianship, mixed with dynamic and accessible songwriting. Brandon also shares his early appreciation of lead singer Chris Thile’s previous band, Nickel Creek, and hypothesizes about the fundamental role of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack in early 2000s pop culture. Plus, Joe breaks down before he can even introduce himself, and Matthew admits how much he loves big round bottoms.

This is our final episode of season 2, meaning we’ll be taking a short break. Thanks everybody for listening along with us this season. Make sure to keep following us on Instagram and we’ll be back before you know it. Stay Frosti!

Be sure to support the artists by purchasing "Antifogmatic" on iTunes or wherever you get your music.

This week we’re bringing you a pod to play to when you’re lonely, or in any other mood really, as we listen to John Frusciante’s 2004 album “Shadows Collide with People”. Matthew kicks things off by expressing a regret from his past. Then the guys play one their favorite games – “Is This Rock?” – as they discuss the eclectic combination of electronica, folk, and pop on the record. After some sober discussion, the pod goes slightly off the rails as our hosts discuss Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Brandon proposes some John Frusciante-branded snack ideas, Joe crushes it with some really funny jokes, and Matthew starts talking about porkchops. So, go grab yourself a Carvel cake, reach inside your big death bag, and join us for another week of antics. And please, be anyone you want to be.

Be sure to support the artists by purchasing "Shadows Collide With People" on iTunes or wherever you get your music.

Tell me, am I right to think that there could be nothing better than listening to some dudes talking about the Postal Service? We hope so, because this week we’re breaking down the band’s one and only studie: "Give Up", from 2003. In this ep, which was definitely recorded today, March 2, our hosts debate the significance of this seminal record and elder Millennial cultural touchstone. We also toss out some fun musical micro-genres like 8-bit, Glitch, Intelligent Dance Music, Eno-Core and more! Plus, Brandon prepares for his post-apocalyptic career as the Mad Max guitar guy, Matt experiments with alternate pronunciations of Dntel, and Joe tries not to cry. And joining us for all the fun is our friend, former bandmate, and wearer of an ironic, thrift store T-shirt and sherpa-lined jacket - William Noone!

Be sure to support the artists by purchasing "Give Up" on iTunes or wherever you get your music.

Alright all you Gravemakers and Gunslingers, this week we’re running free as we listen to Coheed and Cambria’s 4th studie, "No World for Tomorrow". Our trio of hosts try to pin down exactly what genre this album fits into. Is it prog? Is it hair metal? Is it cock rock? Listen along as Joe explains why this album reminds him of Ted Nugent kicking down doors, Brandon talks about “scratching an itch” an uncomfortable number of times, and Matthew just can’t wait to get to The End Complete (and i’m not talking about the song).

Be sure to support the artists by purchasing "No World for Tomorrow" on iTunes or wherever you get your music.

Put your hands on the wheel, and let the weight of the world drift away, because this week we discuss Beck's 2002 album “Sea Change”. This record, a major departure from Beck’s previous work, features sparse and expressive songwriting juxtaposed with dreamlike string arrangements and production flourishes. The songs explore feelings of heartbreak, desolation, and solitude, creating a palpable sense of melancholy throughout most of the record. Matt and Joe—both experienced “sad boys”—share their nostalgic connection to this music, while Brandon wonders how many sad slow songs you can put on one record. Listen along to find out and stick around to hear compelling John Fogerty impressions and references to some previously unreleased So So / Cool content. Let the Golden Age begin!

Be sure to support the artists by purchasing "Sea Change" on iTunes or wherever you get your music.

I heard there was a secret pod, that a few fans played while they took a jog. But you don’t really care for music podcasts, do you? Well, then check out the Daily or something because this week we’re talking about Jeff Buckley (or is it Buck Jeffley?), and his 1994 album “Grace”. This is Buckley’s only studio album released by during his life, and it has become a seminal pop record over the last couple decades. We talk about some of the many artists that have borrowed from Buckley’s sound and the many musicians that influenced him. We also discuss the mixed blessing of his iconic cover of "Hallelujah", and highlight Buckley’s emotionally moving vocal performance, particularly his impressive wails (or is it whales?). Continuing the odd wordplay theme, we workshop some potential album titles. Also, Brandon reveals his intense love of Bob Seger, Joe tries in vain to sound like Freddie Mercury, and Matt blows our minds with a new theory of time. Join us. It’ll be so real.

Be sure to support the artists by purchasing "Grace" on iTunes or wherever you get your music.

Every fan gather round now, while the So So / Cool Five sings you a song. Well… actually we’re not singing, so much as bringing you another episode of selfless, cold, and composed musical analysis. And this week we’re talking about Ben Folds Five’s sophomore 1997 album “Whatever and Ever Amen.” This record was in heavy rotation for all of us in our happy high school days, so join us to see which parts of the album still hold up and which parts fall a bit flat. We talk at length about the band's virtuosic musicianship, lush arrangements, and iconic commitment to fuzz bass. We also break down how the band’s songwriting talents led to some great tunes, but left much to be desired on the lyrics front. Plus, you can hear us try to figure out if any of these songs include piano, and Joe makes a startling admission about Girl Scout cookies.

Be sure to support the artists by purchasing "Whatever and Ever Amen" on iTunes or wherever you get your music.

Can you hear them? The helicopters? Well we’re sorry! We don’t have a professional podcast studio yet. At least we aren’t sitting in silence because for the second time in the last few weeks, Matthew talks us through an artist and album we were not super familiar with. This time, it’s PJ Harvey and her 2000 album, “Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea.” 

Join us as we share our initial impressions of Harvey’s music and bob our heads along with her subtle but frequent use of odd meters. We also dive into topics such as her elusiveness when it comes to genre, her distinct songwriting that leans heavily into dynamics and expression, debate whether we would describe this album as melodic, and look at how this record was distinctly 90s while simultaneously forging new ground and anticipating many alternative/indie music trends to come later in the decade. Because we know you love it, we also spend way more time than usual figuring out (or attempting to but failing) the time signatures. See if you can spot the 7/4 we totally glossed over. And make sure to listen closely to hear Joe and Brandon show off an alarming exuberance for Harrison Ford trivia.

Be sure to support the artists by purchasing "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" on iTunes or wherever you get your music.

We are gathered here today in the majestic halls of old to honor an album called “Frizzle Fry.” That’s right fans, despite being plagued by insecurity, and having minds numbed by too many puppies, our overaged hosts will attempt to analyze Primus’ 1990 debut studio album. We dig into a band that truly defies the laws of tradition in their sound and approach, and yet still managed to become shockingly popular throughout the 90s. Join us as we call old Swamp up on the telephone and sift through their difficult to pin down music—borrowing liberally from 70s funk, prog rock, and metal—and discuss how their unique eclecticism was embraced by jam band stans while also influencing an array of alternative and metal bands of the late 90s/2000s. We also talk about how their ability to appeal to diverse music communities can create interesting sonic bedfellows. Finally, listen along to find out if Joe can suppress his exuberance for Primus and successfully eat a carrot. But be warned, this episode is a crusade only of the brave.

Be sure to support the artists by purchasing "Frizzle Fry" on iTunes or wherever you get your music.