Spin It! The Record Ranking Podcast

Connor's Got His Own Thing Now... his next pick is Hot, the breakout 1996 record by the swingin' Squirrel Nut Zippers! The record evolved their signature zany, instrumental complexity into some of the band's biggest hits like Put A Lid On It, Prince Nez, and especially Hell. We'll trace the band's origins from drunk tree climbing to candy to fart jokes, and talk about how Connor came to love the band years ago. Will James' first SNZ experience live up to the hype, or is this missing piece Meant To Be nothing but a miss?

The Mixtaper is back with a big round of Fact Or Spin. We'll learn about Izzy the Olympic Blob, lawnmower sheep, acute vertigo in gym, and the felt-covered whistling talents of the incomparable Andrew Bird! As we work our way through modern takes on a retro swing vibe we'll encounter plenty of colorful characters, learn new words (like... interloculation), and more. This album might just swing hard enough to convert our Ballad Guy into something completely new!

Have you ever zipped a squirrel nut? No? Us either. Have you been swing dancing? Can you get "Flight Of The Flassing Pancy" out of your head?? (Us either.) Let us know in the comments and on socials! Follow, like, rate, subscribe for more, and interloculate with a pal about the podcast this week!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

5:56 About Squirrel Nut Zippers

9:11 About Hot

15:20 Fact Or Spin

18:46 1996 Was A Big Year For The Squirrel Nut Zippers

26:00 Henry Westmoreland Outsourced His Chores (To Sheep)

31:33 Tom Maxwell Got Kicked Out Of Gym Class

36:22 Andrew Bird Has Bird Powers

46:51 Album Art

47:52 Got My Own Thing Now

49:36 Put A Lid On It

53:04 Memphis Exorcism

55:17 Twilight

56:43 It Ain't You

58:33 Prince Nez

1:00:41 Hell

1:03:40 Meant To Be

1:04:52 Bad Businessman

1:06:38 Flight Of The Passing Fancy

1:08:19 Blue Angel

1:09:51 The Interlocutor

1:10:47 The Puffer

1:12:19 Final Spin

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Yeah, yeah we're Growing Up with one of the most legendary voices in music history, The Big O himself, Roy Orbison! His 1966 album, The Classic Roy Orbison, came out between personal tragedies at the tail end of his most successful period. It's no "Oh, Pretty Woman," but it contains his last Top 40 hit in Twinkle Toes, and features other heartfelt outings like Where Is Tomorrow and Pantomime! We'll learn about his small-town Texas upbringing, how he learned to love his unique vocals, and how he became one of the world's biggest stars for one bright, shining moment!

Then we'll talk about the tragedies that marred his later years and shaped his body of work, and the ultimate triumphant resurgence that brought Roy back into the limelight (and to the Traveling Wilburys). The Mixtaper is dreaming dreams of In Dreams, teaching us about Siri, and uncovering the mystery of some VERY valuable lost lyrics. Once we crown a FoS victor, James & Connor will explore the record front to back and talk about Roy's Cadillacs, iconic sunglasses, and more. We might not know where Tomorrow is, but we'll Never Be Sixteen Again!

Did you learn a lil' somethin' about the history behind the mystery of RKO? Why do you think he got so popular in Bulgaria? What would you name a translucent beetle that YOU discovered, and is it Orbi? Let us know in the comments and on socials! Follow for another Connor's Pick up next...

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

1:10 About Roy Orbison

19:19 About The Classic Roy Orbison

28:36 Awards & Accolades

30:08 Fact Or Spin

32:44 He Helped Create Siri

37:05 He Has An Animal Named After Him

43:21 He Got "In Dreams" In Dreams

46:02 The Mystery Of The Lost Notebooks

52:29 Album Art

54:50 You'll Never Be Sixteen Again

57:01 Pantomime

58:45 Twinkle Toes

59:50 Losing You

1:00:49 City Life

1:01:51 Wait

1:03:07 Growing Up

1:04:26 Where Is Tomorrow

1:05:11 (No) I'll Never Get Over You

1:06:37 Going Back To Gloria

1:08:05 Just Another Name For Rock And Roll

1:09:16 Never Love Again

1:10:01 Final Spin

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BOO! The Mixtaper is back with 4nother Halloween 13, and this time he has some Classical Bangers From The Crypt to enrich your Mixtober season. We're throwing it back to the 17th century with hits by (de)composers like Beethoven, Mozart, Wagner... from Amadeus to Zamadeus! Every round, James will make guesses based on the Mixtaper's dastardly factoid cards to try and guess which song is up next on the list. We'll learn about everything from missing manuscripts to garbage trucks in Taiwan, from small-faced one hit wonders to troll king lore!

The Spin It Art Department is also back at it again, with dastardly drawings to illustrate each piece (with some help from a special guest artist)! You can check out the full episode's artwork on our socials (@Spinitpod on X and @Spinitpodofficial on Instagram) and at www.SpinItPod.com! Which of these Classical Bangers are you adding to your Mixtober rotation? Are there any all-time greats we skipped? What was your favorite factoid? Let The Mixtaper know in the comments and on our social media!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Mixtaper Intro (Like A Normal Intro, But...)

1:30 4nother 13 Songs: Classical Bangers From The Crypt

5:40 The Rules Of The Game

8:09 Some Predicitons

9:00 Round Thirteen

14:37 Round Twelve

19:09 Round Eleven

23:03 Round Ten

27:23 Round Nine

31:04 Round Eight

36:14 Round Seven

42:26 Round Six

45:47 Round Five

50:02 Round Four

52:29 Round Three

57:21 Round Two

59:52 Round One

1:02:54 4nother Halloween 13 Recap

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The sun is shining in the sky, there ain't a cloud in sight, and we're spending this beautiful new day with Out Of The Blue, the sweeping, shimmering double-LP by Electric Light Orchestra! In their attempt to bring light orchestra arrangements to the rock music world as a spiritual successor to The Beatles, the record features a diverse array of instruments and effects on big hits like Turn To Stone, Sweet Talkin' Woman, and the infamous Mr. Blue Sky! It's also one of the first prominent musical appearances of the vocoder. Find out if Jeff Lynne, Bev Bevan, and company can harness harmony, brass, and strings to win us over.

James & Connor talk about our own limited ELO experience, discover the difference between ELO 2 and ELO Part II, and clap our hands (if we're happy and we know it). We find out how the band dominated the live touring circuit with their special effects and million-dollar UFO, and The Mixtaper has explosive facts about fruity cello solos, pigs, and the longest bathroom break in rock history (if we can Believe Him Now). From its rhythmic opening to the Concerto for a Rainy Day and beyond, learn all about ELO with us!

What do YOU hear at the end of Mr. Blue Sky? Did you know what OK stood for? What songs would be your most under- and appropriately-rated? Let us know in the comments and on socials, and be sure to like and follow for more next time!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

4:59 About Electric Light Orchestra

11:47 About Out Of The Blue

16:08 The ELO Spaceship Stage

22:16 Awards & Accolades

22:56 Fact Or Spin

24:01 ELO Had An Alien Encounter

29:03 Knock Knock... An Orange Cello Solo

34:25 They're The Least Dangerous Rock Band In Britain

38:29 Emergency Pig Cellists

41:34 Bev Bevan Temporarily Joined Another Band

43:22 The Longest Bathroom Break In Rock History

47:20 Album Art

48:14 Turn To Stone

50:52 It's Over

52:21 Sweet Talkin' Woman

54:13 Across The Border

55:46 Night In The City

56:34 Starlight

58:02 Jungle

59:12 Believe Me Now

59:22 Steppin' Out

1:00:32 Standin' In The Rain (Concerto For A Rainy Day)

1:02:02 Big Wheels

1:02:34 Summer And Lightning

1:03:22 Mr. Blue Sky

1:06:26 Sweet Is The Night

1:07:43 The Whale

1:09:07 Birmingham Blues

1:10:12 Wild West Hero

1:12:26 Final Spin

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We want you to stay, and this week we're all Bittersuite and Blue with Billie Eilish's monumental 2024 album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT! After Ocean Eyes took the whisper-pop world by storm, and after setting various "youngest artist ever to..." records, Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas crafted a rollercoaster of an album that features Grammy-winning hits like Wildflower and the nostalgic Birds Of A Feather! Will this album change preconceptions and win over our hesitant ballad guy??

James and Connor discuss our typical music ecosystems and emo-pop sensibilities, learn about the origin of her middle name(s), and figure out how many Phinneases we know. We'll cross paths with major hits like What Was I Made For?, get Spirited Away into Ghibli movies, and more! Our resident Bad Guy, The Mixtaper, is back with facts about llama dimensions, celebrity misconceptions, and Michael Scott for Fact Or Spin. Then, we'll explore the record end to end-- and maybe we could eat it for Lunch.

What would you change your middle name to if the options were unlimited? Where does this roller coaster record corkscrew for you? And can you think of any other Phineai we forgot to mention?! Let us know in the comments and on socials! Like and follow for more music soon!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

3:40 About Billie Eilish

19:02 About Hit Me Hard And Soft

26:44 Awards & Accolades

28:04 Fact Or Spin

29:20 Maurice The Executive Producer

33:57 She Was Baffled By Bono

37:07 She Thought The Spice Girls Were Not Real People

40:59 She Had To Fulfill A Special Request For My Strange Addiction

44:47 Album Art

47:14 Skinny

52:01 Lunch

55:54 Chihiro

58:25 Birds Of A Feather

1:01:48 Wildflower

1:03:53 The Greatest

1:06:31 L'amour De Ma Vie

1:09:46 The Diner

1:12:05 Bittersuite

1:13:53 Blue

1:16:06 Final Spin

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Darlin', we'll take care of you Along The Way with the audience-recommended album Darlin' Oh Darlin', by contemporary folk family The Hunts! These seven Virginia siblings got their start playing the fiddle in a family band (Von Trapp style), and evolved into an atmospheric, instrumentally-diverse powerhouse of love songs written by committee. Tracks like the half-title track and Peace Be Still turned into significant hits for the group! Find out how this band (new to both of us) fares in our respective rankings!

James & Connor learn about the family's rich history, from touring to engineering degrees. We'll talk about the merits and evolution of "stomp clap hey" music in the early 20-teens, discover the Victorian home studio the band used for the record, and their breakthrough placement on Starbucks' nationwide playlist. Heaven Knows what The Mixtaper has in store, with royal facts about the Queen, the Hunts Parliament, and a good old-fashioned county fair salmon toss. You've got to hear it to believe it!

Be honest, how far do you think you could throw the salmon?? Are we just overconfident? Are there enough Darlin's on this album? Too many? Let us know in the comments and on social media! Be sure to follow for more riveting shutter insights next time!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

2:10 About The Hunts

9:03 About Darlin' Oh Darlin'

12:49 Awards & Accolades

13:10 Fact Or Spin

14:46 A Riverdance For The Queen

19:40 By Royal Decree: Cheese And Crackers

27:48 The House Of Hunt

31:00 The Wimbledon Salmon-Tossing Win

41:05 Album Art

42:42 Darlin'

47:43 Along The Way

49:27 Peace Be Still

51:02 Heaven Knows

52:18 Travel

54:01 Far

55:04 Love Of Mine

56:14 Standing Small

56:55 Flowers And Jars

58:09 Years

58:39 Oh Darlin'

1:00:38 Final Spin

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Where's the party? Look no further than Connor's latest pick: True Blue by one of pop music's biggest legends, Madonna! After the Material Girl shook the music world with Like A Virgin, her 1986 "love album" delivered significant hits like Papa Don't Preach and La Isla Bonita! From her humble beginning to her musical theater days, we'll learn how Madonna Opened Her Heart to stir up controversy, evolve culture, and make straight-up dance bops. It's a piece the podcast has been missing. How will James compare her score with his previous Madonna rankings?

The Mixtaper is squaring off against Connor again with riveting facts about disastrous deliveries, dragons (amphitheres? wyrms? Whatever.), desecration, and a special round of Cher Bingo! Then we'll compare songs to video games, analyze vapidity, and learn about the film White Heat as we break down this record in all its '80s pop glory! Love Makes The World Go Round, and we love Madonna, so... maybe Spin It Makes The World Go Round after all. 

Is this a strong Madonna album? Does it stir up enough controversy, or is it a reasonable follow-up to the iconic LaV? Let us know your hot takes in the comments, or pop on over (Papa on over!) to our social media for more!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

7:13 About Madonna

17:29 About True Blue

24:37 Awards & Accolades

26:25 Fact Or Spin

27:25 Madonna Is A Material Girl (Who Can't Live In A Material World)

31:32 Madonna Doesn't Need Anyone To Rescue Her

37:46 She Disrespected La Isla Bonita

42:23 Cher Bingo: Who's That Girl?

52:23 Album Art

55:57 Papa Don't Preach

58:18 Open Your Heart

1:00:34 White Heat

1:02:39 Live To Tell

1:04:23 Where's The Party

1:06:46 True Blue

1:08:36 La Isla Bonita

1:11:26 Jimmy Jimmy

1:13:49 Love Makes The World Go Round

1:15:03 True Blue (The Color Mix) & La Isla Bonita Extended Remix

1:16:09 Final Spin

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The power's out in the hearts of man.. We're attending a Funeral with Arcade Fire's ice-cold concept album about life, death, change, and memory. From the opening Neighborhood suite (about devastating blizzards, space dogs, and time marching on), to mournful ballads like Crown Of Love and Haiti, we'll learn about the real-life events that inspired this album and explore the intricate symbolism that weaves throughout each track. It kicked off an incredibly successful career in the world of experimental, artsy indie rock, but how will it land on the Spin It score sheet?

James & Connor are talking birthday episodes! We walk through our familiarity (or lack thereof) with the band, find out why the original lineup quit mid-show, the band's activism, and more. The Mixtaper is a danger to arcades everywhere as we go house hunting through each neighborhood, with bobblehead thievery, a vertically inconvenient show, and hot dog girls. You won't want to miss this episode, so get In The Backseat and come along with us!

Which neighborhood are you living in? What elements of this concept album work the best for you? Do you think you could handle a personal travelling mariachi band? Let us know in the comments and on socials! Connor's picking our next record, so get ready for another special episode next time!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

3:56 About Arcade Fire

7:25 About Funeral

17:04 Awards & Accolades

18:35 Fact Or Spin

20:18 Neighborhood #1 (Bobblehead Theivery)

24:12 Neighborhood #2 (A Vertically Inconvenient Show)

28:02 Neighborhood #3 (A Night Of Neckties, Hotdog Girls, and Magic)

32:39 Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)

38:27 Album Art

41:50 Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)

44:44 Neighborhood #2 (Laika)

47:22 Une Année Sans Lumière

48:48 Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)

51:40 Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)

52:48 Crown Of Love

54:00 Wake Up

56:51 Haiti

58:58 Rebellion (Lies)

1:01:38 In The Backseat

1:04:02 Final Spin

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Welcome To The Jungle! We've got fun and games, and an Appetite For Destruction with Guns N' Roses powerful debut album! From the green grass of Paradise City to the screaming energy of the Night Train, the record features some of the band's biggest hits. We'll learn about their Guns AND Rose beginnings (it's more literal than you think), get into their endless bad ideas, and explore everything from Slash's iconic top hat to the decade-long making of Chinese Democracy. This album features gripping guitar solos, lyrics that are the essence of sex, drugs, & rock n' roll, and authentic moans... How will one of Connor's favorite metal bands score?

James & Connor talk about our GNR history, from marching bands to Guitar Hero. We criticize apostrophes, "ta," and more. The Mixtaper has an Appetite For Deception, as he's Out Ta Get Us with facts about a home zoo, a famous bedtime story, and the Mind-Boggling Tale Of Buckethead. Get your pooper scoopers ready. Our way, Axl Rose's way, Anything Goes on this wild episode as we kick off the Year Of Missing Pieces! 

Do you like the Guns side or the Roses side of the album better? Does Sweet Child O' Mine get stuck in your head? Will you ever be able to listen to Rocket Queen the same way again?? Let us know what's in your Paradise City on social media or at www.SpinItPod.com, and follow for more episodes (now biweekly)!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

0:25 The Year Of Missing Pieces

3:40 About Guns N' Roses

9:49 About Appetite For Destruction

24:13 Awards & Accolades

25:07 Fact Or Spin

26:27 Fast Fired Facts: ApPETite For Destruction

35:59 Slash Got A Famous Bedtime Story

39:19 Porn, Poop, And Chicken Coops: The Mind-Boggling Tale Of Buckethead

45:30 Someone Lost A Seat On A Plane To A Hat

53:07 Slash Is A Bit Of An Artist

56:30 Album Art

59:26 Welcome To The Jungle

1:03:46 It's So Easy

1:05:19 Nightrain

1:07:05 Out Ta Get Me

1:09:19 Mr. Brownstone

1:10:28 Paradise City

1:13:44 My Michelle

1:15:09 Think About You

1:16:08 Sweet Child O' Mine

1:19:05 You're Crazy

1:20:42 Anything Goes

1:21:56 Rocket Queen

1:24:01 Final Spin

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We have an announcement to make! After five straight years without missing a Friday release, we're making a change: we're going biweekly and releasing new episodes every other week. It'll still be the same podcast you know and love, just on a different schedule. We're hoping it will free us up to keep doing deep research and solid editing, while giving us some breathing room for big changes in our personal lives. And who knows, with more energy we might just be able to crank out more bonus content this year, too! Thanks for five great (nonstop) years, and we can't wait to see what the next era of Spin It has in store!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

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