Trivial Merit

Here we are... The end of our second season as a podcast. Naturally, we're ending with a bang. Caroline and Matthew, this time out, are tackling the catalogue of (checks notes) Legendary Singer and Songwriter James William Buffett from defeated to content. Buffett is a favorite of Caroline's, but Matthew was largely unfamiliar with his work outside a few bigger hits ("Margaritaville," "Cheeseburger in Paradise," and "Why Don't We Get Drunk").

Tangents and side stories flood this episode to the point where it's our longest yet. But most important is that we've made it this far to send Matthew into fatherhood with a wonderful conversation full of laughs and soundtracked by an artist he came away with a new found respect for. Yes, Matthew's son arrived prior to the publishing of the last episode, but this was the last one recorded before the momentous occasion. Quite possibly the epitome of dad rock.

Our hosts will take a bit of a break while Matthew gets his fatherhood feet wet and finds his bearings, but they'll be back for another season as soon as possible. Follow the show on Twitter @trivialmerit for updates.

Meanwhile, here are the final 2 playlists for season 2:

Caroline's playlist is here.

Matthew's playlist is here.

We'll see you in season 3. Same time, same station.

Hey there! It's been a long delay due to a dense mixture of illness, work, life and baby prep for Caroline and Matthew, but we're back for our penultimate episode of season 2, Enya from anxious to content. 

In this episode, we go on many different tangents including said illnesses, life and baby prep, but also we talk about the imminent arrival of Matthew's little one as well as how they've been reacting to music that Matthew and partner Reba play. Matthew also sheds some personal reflection on De La Soul's music with the news of Trugoy the Dove/Dave's passing. 

Just for some postscript, Matthew's baby has arrived. It's a boy and the entire family is now home, well, adjusting and recovering. The next episode should come on schedule, but then a delay will follow as Matthew adjusts to fatherhood. Stay tuned for updates. 

In the meantime, here's Caroline's playlist.

Here's Matthew's playlist.

We'll see you in 2 weeks for... checks notes... Legendary Singer and Songwriter James William Buffett with playlists to get us from defeated to content.

Same time, same station!

After a slew of technical difficulties, the holiday season and Matthew prepping for a baby to arrive, Trivial Merit is back! The current plan is to continue until Matthew is a father and then end the current season, but we'll see how all of that goes. 

Caroline and Matthew tackle the never uncool Tom Petty both solo and with The Heartbreakers from anxious to elated and come up with both interesting lists and all the good vibes that come with listening to the idyllic rock and roll pumped out by Petty and company for 40 years. Of course, some detours and tangents are taken, but that's to be expected. So here are the lists. 

Caroline's

Matthew's

Next up, we tackle the Irish new age songstress, Enya. She's the top all-time selling singer in Irish history and second in the tally of artists (bested only by U2). We'll arrive at 8-song playlists to get us (hopefully you also) from anxious to content. 

We'll see you in two weeks. Same time, same station!

Hello and sorry for the few day delay, but we're here and we're back!

This time out, Caroline and Matthew tackle the group that laid the foundation for the Motown hit machine in the 1960s, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. Our dice rolls were relatively favorable in yielding defeated as our negative headspace and content as our positive one. We learn that this music has medicinal properties and Caroline briefly touches on the medicinal system of the 4 humors. Matthew remembers oldies radio, Johnny Mathis covers and that a ska band is how he made the connection of "Tears of A Clown" being by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. Also, both think Smokey Robinson is handsome as all get out. 

Here's Caroline's playlist.

Here's Matthew's playlist.

Next up, we're tackling Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers from anxious to elated in roughly 2 weeks.

See you then. Same time, same station!

Back once again, it's 2 friendly neighborhood playlist makers out to make theirs and your day better. Caroline and Matthew are tackling X from defeated to content and they've even brought a friend along. Don from Gamers with Glasses joins us as our first ever guest. We go places in this near 2-hour episode from appreciating Freddie Mercury and our always present puns to Matthew misfiring his metaphors and not being able to stop himself from his distaste for The Doors.

To The Playlists!

Here's Don's

Here's Caroline's

Here's Matthew's

We'll see you in 2 weeks with Smokey Robinson & The Miracles from defeated to content.

Same time, same station!

And we're back, but we had to take a little detour. Do to some things popping up, one of us had to reschedule and it threw our timeline off with respect to our guest, so Caroline and Matthew decided to call a quick audible and tackle The Who right quickly. While they both liked The Who a lot before this, what they realized in doing it was how wide of an emotional range the band has in their catalogue. Some detours are certainly taken along the way and much fun is had. Now Matthew has to watch Freaks and Geeks as homework. 

We tackle the who from anxious to content in 8 songs.

Here's Caroline's list.

Here's Matthew's list. 

Next up is what was to come before, X from defeated to content featuring our first guest Don from Gamers with Glasses (@opobjectives on social media).

Same time, same station!

It's been another 2-ish weeks in these streets and Caroline and Matthew have returned to venture into another band's catalog to create a playlist to get them, this time out, from depressed to relaxed. The band this time out: Heart. Definitely known for several huge hits, Matthew learned that Heart did songs that he knew rather well, but never realized it was them. Caroline points out the definite mom vibes of this group. They both also realize that Ann Wilson is a way better vocalist than she's given credit and Nancy Wilson absolutely shreds guitars.

Here's Matthew's playlist.

Next up, we're tackling a various artists idea. It'll be "Oops, All Covers!"

It's that time again for Caroline and Matthew to attempt to brighten your mood with playlists. This time out, Run the Jewels is the topic du jour going from defeated to elated. Due to the nature of Matthew's job as a healthcare worker, he'd been up for more than a day before recording this episode and things get silly from the jump. That didn't get in the way of he or Caroline from enjoying talking about this wonderful hip-hop duo.

Here's Caroline's playlist.

Here's Matthew's playlist.

In 2 weeks, we'll be back with the music of the band Heart on the menu. The goal, a playlist to get us (and hopefully you) from defeated to relaxed. 

We'll be back then. Same time, same station.

It's playlist time again! This time Caroline and Matthew are tackling the catalogue of the wonderful Open Mike Eagle and creating playlists to get themselves (and hopefully you) from defeated to content. Open Mike certainly did leave one of the more positive marks on the crew this time out because he genuinely just seems nice and we love that. 

Here's Caroline's list:

Here's Matthew's list:

Next up in 2 weeks, we'll be digging into Run the Jewels and our playlists will get us from defeated to elated. We hope you'll join us.

Hit us up on twitter @trivialmerit or email us a playlist of your own to [email protected].

We'll see you in 2 weeks.

Same time, same station!