The Beaten Track

A compilation? Gospel music? Are you sure? Yes, do not adjust your sets we're venturing into the gospel universe through the lens of a compilation record released on David Byrne's Luaka Bop label in 2019. Wonderfully crafted and combining the more soul and R&B elements of the 70s gospel scene, the record surprises and delights in it's more personal image of gospel music. Joe and Louis only reference Life of Brian once and bring back the jewel in the podcast's crown, the 'uppy downy side to side higher or lower pitchfork album review quiz'.

Don't you wish you never, never met her. Although we'll never know what the PJ stands for (pearl jam? percy jackson? personal jesus?), we know that her discography stands as one of the very best of modern times. Erupting from the 90s alternative scene and admired by John Peel and Rolling Stone alike, Harvey has gone on to become one of the most iconic and singular artists we have. Joe and Louis use their almighty authority to rank her top 5 albums. Also listen out for Joe's voice being mysteriously stolen by the podcast gods. 

Black Country, New Album! Joe wasn't going to let us miss this one was he? Our latest episode tackles the second album from the offbeat and multi-instrumental Cambridgeshire outfit. Its release has coincided with the departure of frontman Isaac Wood but he, along with his teammates provided us with a monster record to show for his time. And in tribute to this, we cap off the episode with a pretty lame aviation based quiz.

BOO! Scared you didn't I... Well get used to it cos this week we've got some ghostly garage rock from the Wytches. Released in 2014, their debut album Annabel Dream Reader fused doomy atmosphere, monster riffs and spooky surf rock. Louis and Joe discuss this graveyard infused record and place Sabrina the teenage witch in a band of her own.

On the last day of 2021 we bring you a ranking of our favourite albums of the year. Will there be harmony across the camps like last year or will there instead be mild disagreement and bickering? 

Ho Ho Ho. What better way to celebrate the festive season than a slice of Australian Post Punk? Rowland S. Howard cuts a murky figure in the alternative guitar scene, as the former lead guitarist of the Birthday Party he had perhaps slipped into the shadow of his former bandmate Nick Cave. But before his passing he left us with a debut solo album to remember. Joe and Louis discuss their favourite tracks on the record and produce a powerfully mediocre quiz about Australian music.

I know a secret or two about Goo. For our 55th episode we address the legends of alternative noise music, Sonic Youth. On the back of their breakout record Daydream Nation the band moved to major label Geffen, but lost none of their subversive sound. Listen as Joe and Louis get caught in the slimy, gloopy, wonderful mess that is Goo.

This week we conceptualise the concept album. Made popular in the days of prog excesses, concept albums have made a sort of mini comeback in recent years. Join us as Joe provides us one of his great big lists and we focus in on the best concept album of the 2000s. The Streets' sophomore album A Grand Don't Come for Free mixed Mike Skinner's idiosyncratic flow with everyday storytelling. It's a pretty great album and is done justice by a quiz based on the contested National Registry of Concept Albums.

Serge Gainsbourg once said 'I am incapable of mediocrity'. Who better then to discuss his output than a podcast enveloped in mediocrity. Louis and Joe take you through France's controversial cult legend and his 1973 album Vu de l'extérieur. A record packed with gorgeous melodies, gentle instrumentation, and a light smattering of toilet humour. Oh and also, there's some bad quizzing at the end. 

A vinyl crackle and a skittering beat. The second album from electronic musician Burial provided us with one of the most influential works of the noughties. Full of atmosphere and distance, Burial incorporates submerged sounds, pitch shifted vocals and ambiguous samples to create an ambient collage of sounds. Joe and Louis take you through the nocturnal cityscape of the record and do it no justice in a 2007 based pitchfork quiz.