This episode of Vinyl Riffs is a gentle return to what first made music feel like home. I am spinning The A’s, The B’s, and The Monkees, a lovingly assembled collection that brings together the songs that carried us through long afternoons, car ride sing alongs, and that quiet inner space where joy lives.

From the big familiar hits to the deeper album cuts, this record radiates warmth and ease. These songs feel playful and sincere at the same time. They remind me of a moment when harmony meant connection and music did not have to try too hard to make you smile.

This episode is really about nostalgia, warmth, and joy. It is about remembering why these songs mattered then and why they still matter now. I come back to this record when I need to slow down, take a breath, and reconnect with the simple pleasure of letting a great collection of songs unfold.

If you would like to order a copy of the album and spin along, you can find it here:
https://monkeesstore.warnermusic.com/products/the-as-the-bs-the-monkees-2lp

Pour a cup of coffee, let the needle drop, and come sit with me for a while.

In this episode of Vinyl Riffs, Sean Gaillard sits with In a Silent Way by Miles Davis, one of the most quietly influential albums in jazz history and a turning point in modern music.

Released in 1969, In a Silent Way captures Miles Davis at a crossroads, moving from acoustic jazz toward electric experimentation and jazz fusion. With a legendary ensemble featuring Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul, John McLaughlin, Dave Holland, and Tony Williams, this album is built on trust, space, and deep listening. It is music that breathes, unfolds slowly, and invites the listener to slow down with it.

Rather than a traditional album review, this episode explores why In a Silent Way remains so meaningful decades later. Sean reflects on the album’s use of silence as an instrument, the role of producer Teo Macero in shaping the music through studio editing, and how this record became a bridge between jazz, ambient music, and what would later become fusion.

Drawing connections to Miles Davis’ mindset during this era, including insights from Miles: The Autobiography, this episode looks at In a Silent Way not as a loud revolution, but as a quiet turning point. It is an album about restraint, curiosity, and the courage to trust the unknown.

If you are searching for deeper context on In a Silent Way, the evolution of Miles Davis, or why this album sounds as relevant today as it did in 1969, this episode offers a reflective, vinyl-centered listening experience.

Vinyl Riffs is a podcast about albums that meet us where we are and stay with us. This episode is an invitation to listen closely.

In this opening episode of Vinyl Riffs, Sean Gaillard introduces the heart of the podcast and the choice to stop waiting and start creating. This is a raw and reflective conversation about building the space you need when no one is coming to tap you on the shoulder.

Drawing inspiration from Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska, Sean reflects on the courage it takes to trust the quiet version of yourself and hit record before everything feels ready. This episode is not about polish or performance. It is about honesty, presence, and choosing to begin.

Vinyl Riffs is a space for music as companion, for stories that sit with us, and for grooves that carry meaning through different seasons of life.

If music has ever helped you feel less alone, you belong here.

New episodes weekly.