Completely Conspicuous

Categories

moving
rock talk
Nick Lorenzen
Fucked Up
Footlocker discount code
Soccer Mom
Heartless Bastards
Damien Jurado
Gross Magic
hockey
fandom
rock and/or roll
Budget
Twerps
Screaming Trees
Delta Spirit
five years
unsung albums
Stephen Malkmus
Robert Pollard
Roadside Graves
The Church
online privacy
career shifts
journalism
The Dirtbombs
The Kills
PJ Harvey
Mogwai
Wire
East River Pipe
Destroyer
Walter Schreifels
No Age
Teenage Fanclub
Mixology
Mondo Generator
athletic gear
LCD Soundsystem
Silversun Pickups
ChkChkChk
The Dead Weather
Everyone Everywhere
Midlake
The Whigs
Quasi
Dinosaur Jr.
Elliott Smith
Jason Collett
The Apples in Stereo
guilty pleasures
The King Khan and BBQ Show
Great Northern
Deer Tick
Canada
Metric
Spiral Stairs
Almighty Defenders
Completely Conspicuous
Rick Johnson
Warrior Soul
Andrew Bird
movies
Sunset Rubdown
The Dears
Sonic Youth
Jarvis Cocker
The Pink Mountaintops
Eric Convey
Shearwater
Pavement
Swan Lake
RCRD LBL
The Secret Machines
Frightened Rabbit
Volcano Suns
Deltron 3030
Juliana Hatfield
IODA Promonet
Ladyhawk
Podsafe Music Network
The Zambonis
Sub Pop Records
Joseph Arthur
The Constantines
Panthers
British Sea Power
Ween
Flight of the Conchords
Controller.Controller
El-P
Stars
The Shods
Frank Black
The Nice Device
Dios Malos
Riverboat Gamblers
TV On the Radio
general

Archives

2024
March
February
January

2023
December
November
September
August
July
June
April
March
February
January

2022
December
November
October
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2021
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
April
March
February
January

2020
December
November
October
September
July
June
May
April
March
February

2019
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
March
February
January

2018
December
November
October
August
July
June
March
February
January

2017
December
November
October
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2016
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2015
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2014
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2013
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2012
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2011
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2010
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2009
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2008
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2007
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March

March 2014
S M T W T F S
     
            1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30 31

Syndication

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1988. I've also got music from JEFF the Brotherhood, Hookworms and Murder Vibes.

Show notes:

- Recorded before Thanksgiving via Skype

- Check out Brian's radio show Unsolicited Mixtape

- JK: Hard drive issues

- Brian was 6 in '88, Jay was 20

- George Harrison's comeback

- Big year for George Michael and pop in general

- INXS was huge in '88

- MTV ruled the roost

- Videos resurrected a lot of dormant careers

- James Brown's car chase

- Zeppelin worship

- Ill-fated trip to Monsters of Rock festival

- John Lydon's iPad app addiction

- The strange end of the Clash

- Zeppelin reformed to play Atlantic Records' 40th anniversary bash

- Where's Mike Johnson?

- '70s nostalgia peaked in '88

- GNR broke through in '88

- Power ballads were the big ticket for hard rock bands

- BS: Dylan's album had a diverse collection of guests

- Tori Amos' pop debut, Y Kant Tori Read

- Ted Nugent released If You Can't Lick 'Em, Lick 'Em

- David Lee Roth's disappointing followup to Eat 'Em and Smile

- BS: VH's OU812 was a lowlight

- To be continued

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

JEFF the Brotherhood - What's a Creep

Hookworms - Radio Tokyo

Murder Vibes - Not Alone Tonight

 

The JEFF the Brotherhood song is on the band's forthcoming album on Warner Bros. Records. Download the song for free (in exchange for your email address) at the band's website.

The Hookworms song is on the album The Hum on Weird World Record Co./Domino. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The Murder Vibes song is on the band's self-titled, self-released album. The song is available for free download at KEXP.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_358_123014.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 6:07pm EDT

Part 3 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling as we discuss the year in music. I've also got music from Protomartyr, The Afghan Whigs and Johnny Foreigner.

Show notes:

- Recorded at Clicky Clicky World HQ

- JB's #5

- Perfect Pussy marks the return of political punk

- JK's #5

- Protomartyr came out of nowhere

- An unlikely combo

- JB's #4

- Krill's EP packs a punch

- Jonah Furman is a serious thinker

- Boston rock scene has been tremendous the last few years

- R.I.P., Soccer Mom, Young Adults, The Hush Now

- JK's #4

- Ty Segall was less prolific but released an incredible album

- JB's #3

- Cookies is latest side project from Mobius Band's Ben Sterling

- JK's #3

- Yet another great album from Sloan

- Each member contributes an album side

- JB's #2

- Lubec released a strong album under the radar

- JK's #2

- First Afghan Whigs album in 16 years

- Greg Dulli keeps delivering at a high level

- JB's #1

- Johnny Foreigner digs deep

- JK's #1

- Parquet Courts released two albums in 2014

- Harking back to CBGB-era punk sounds

- JB: Looking forward to new records from Pile, Chandos, Krill, Infinity Girl, Winter

- JK: Sleater-Kinney, Titus Andronicus, Faith No More will have new releases in 2015

 

Music:

Protomartyr - Scum, Rise!

The Afghan Whigs - Matamoros

Johnny Foreigner - Le Sigh

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

The Protomartyr song is on the album Under Color of Official Right on Hardly Art. Download the song for free at Stereogum.

 

The Afghan Whigs song is on the album Do to the Beast on Sub Pop. Download the song for free from Soundcloud.

The Johnny Foreigner song is on the album You Can Do Better on Alcopop. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.
 
 
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_357_122314.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 5:38pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling as we discuss the year in music. I've also got music from Hallelujah the Hills, Soccer Mom and Ex Hex.

Show notes:

- Recorded at Clicky Clicky World HQ

- Dog talk

- Honorable mentions

- JK: New Pornographers, Spoon are consistently excellent

- Bob Mould, Stephen Malkmus, War on Drugs

- Mark Kozelek is having fun trolling everybody

- Good EPs from Krill and Speedy Ortiz

- Run the Jewels released another good album

- Ryan Adams released a rockin' singles series EP

- JB: High grades for Nai Harvest, White Laces, Nothing, Wrong Shapes, Sneeze, Burning Alms, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Room Runner

- JK: Check out the free Exploding in Sound sampler on Bandcamp

- JB: New Two Inch Astronaut album is great

- JB's #10

- Radiator Hospital has been prolific and good

- JK's #10

- Hallelujah the Hills with a quality release

- JB's #9 and JK's #7

- The first Soccer Mom album is also their last

- JK's #9

- Unlikely release from Gord Downie and the Sadies

- JB's #8

- Literature is yet another good band on Slumberland

- Spotify usage habits

- JK's #8

- Comeback album for Death From Above 1979 has tons of great riffs

- JB's #7

- Ava Luna brings interesting approach to funk and punk

- JB's #6

- She Sir's latest was years in the making

- JK's #6

- Mary Timony's latest project harks back to '70s NYC punk scene

- Next week: Our top 5 albums

 

Music:

Hallelujah the Hills - Pick Up an Old Phone

Soccer Mom - Orejas

Ex Hex - Don't Wanna Lose

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

The Hallelujah the Hills song is on the album Have You Ever Done Something Evil? on Discrete Pageantry. Download the song for free from Stereogum.

The Soccer Mom song is on the band's self-titled album on 100m Records. Download the song for free from Soundcloud.

The Ex Hex song is on the album Rips on Merge Records. Download the song and album for free at KEXP.
 
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_356_121614.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 6:23pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling as we discuss the year in music. I've also got music from Bob Mould, Dum Dum Girls and Radiator Hospital.

Show notes:

- Recorded at Clicky Clicky World HQ

- Still searching for a beer sponsor

- An annual tradition

- JB: Post-device lifestyle

- Streaming options abound

- JK: Still use the iTunes player

- Nobody's buying music anymore

- Vinyl found a niche with hipsters/indie rock fans

- Another big year for pop

- Taylor Swift had the only platinum album of 2014

- The spirit of radio is on the ropes

- More music out there than ever

Noise for Toys benefit at Great Scott, 12/16

- Missed the Replacements show in Boston

- JK: Saw lots of good live shows in 2014

- Parquet Courts, Protomartyr, Ty Segall, Sloan, GBV, Afghan Whigs, Caspian

- JB: Hoping for a Ride show in Boston next year

- Next week: Our favorite music of the year

 

Music:

Bob Mould - Hey Mr. Grey

Dum Dum Girls - Under These Hands

Radiator Hospital - Five & Dime

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

The Bob Mould song is on the album Beauty & Ruin on Merge Records. Download the song for free from KEXP.

The Dum Dum Girls song is on the album Too True on Sub Pop. Download the song for free from Soundcloud.

The Radiator Hospital song is on the album Torch Song. Download the song and album for free at Bandcamp.
 
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_355_120914.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:12pm EDT

Part 3 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss media-driven hysteria. I've also got music from The Sheila Divine, Meatbodies and Interpol.

Show notes:

- Check out Matt's new book, The Indestructibles: Breakout

- What's the next big media story?

- Charlie keeps butting in

- It's amazing what gets people upset

- Reality TV plays into outrage culture

- Internet comments reach new depths

- Easy to be cynical about politics

- Would you ever run for office?

- Vote Beelzebub

- We were inundated with New Hampshire political ads for two months

- The importance of reading cue cards on SNL

- Chris Rock caught some heat for telling jokes about Boston Marathon

- Post 9-11, humor became a touchy subject

- Everybody's waiting to be offended

- Know your audience, like the Duck Dynasty guys

- The risk of alienating your audience

- We never really fix anything

 

Music:

The Sheila Divine - Watch Out for Us

Meatbodies - Mountain

Interpol - What is What

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Sheila Divine song is available for free download at Bandcamp.

The Meatbodies song is on the album Meatbodies on In the Red Recordings. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The Interpol song is a B-side from the album El Pintor on Matador Records. Download the song for free by entering the words "Everything is Wrong" on the band's website.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_354_120214.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:03pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss media-driven hysteria. I've also got music from King Tuff, Greylag and Dream Police.

Show notes:

- Check out Matt's new book, The Indestructibles: Breakout

- Reading newspapers was once a thing

- Boston was a strong two newspaper town

- The Herald used to delight in tweaking the Globe

- Election ads go for the blue collar vote

- "Like hugging a Chicken McNugget"

- When your new boss is an uninspirational leader

- Matt: The end user is the product

- Pop-up ads are the worst

- People don't want to hear bad news

- It's entirely possible to avoid anything you disagree with

- Nobody wants to find middle ground

- News networks try to ratchet up the hysteria

- Fragmented workplaces

- Friends who aren't on social media are easily forgotten

- Jay: I don't talk to anyone on the phone anymore

-Another Charlie interruption

- To be continued

 

Music:

King Tuff - Eyes of the Muse

Greylag - Yours to Shake

Dream Police - Hypnotized

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The King Tuff song is on the album Black Moon Spell on Sub Pop. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The Greylag song is on the album Greylag on Dead Oceans. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The Dream Police song is on the album Hypnotized on Sacred Bones Records. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_353_112514.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:50pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss media-driven hysteria. I've also got music from Dan Mangan and Blacksmith, GravelRoad and Wimps.

Show notes:

- Jay and Matt, bitchin' and drinking beer

- Enough with the pumpkin beer

- We've both worked in the media

- There's always a hot topic to get upset about

- Ebola's got everybody worked up

- It's been around for 40 years, but finally made it here

- Ebola response became a political football

- Before that, it was terrorism

- John Grisham made a controversial comment, which was forgotten after ISIS and Ebola dominated headlines

- CNN, Fox News, MSNBC amp up the stupid

- Twitter is the go-to source for news these days

- Matt was at Rhode Island ComiCon

- People love to be outraged

- Angry tweet from a low-level celeb can cause a stir

- Mixing up your social media accounts

- The end user is the product

-Dealing with clickbait

- To be continued

 

Music:

Dan Mangan + Blacksmith - Vessel

GravelRoad - Green Grass

Wimps - Stop Having Fun

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Dan Mangan + Blacksmith song is on the album Club Meds on Arts and Crafts. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The GravelRoad song is on the album El Scuerpo on Knick Knack. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The Wimps song is on the album Repeat on End of Times Records. Download the album for free at Gimme Tinnitus.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_352_111814.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 9:06pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we look at the career of '70s pop star Leo Sayer. I've also got music from Menace Beach, Thee Oh Sees and The Fresh & Onlys.

Show notes:

- Recorded at More Lost Time world HQ

- Check out our new web series Trust Fund Challenge

- In '77, Sayer hit it big with "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing"

- Jumped on disco bandwagon

- Hit #1 and was on charts for 17 weeks

- Had a song in top 40 from Nov. '76 to Feb. '78

- "When I Need You" also hit #1

- Ric: Skate park memories

- Smoothed out all the edges

- We listened to a lot of kind of stuff at college newspaper

- By the mid-80s, Sayer was a distant memory

- "More Than I Can Say" was originally written by guys from The Crickets

- Half country, half Fleetwood Mac

- Sayer started doing covers in the '80s

- Ric loves Anzac biscuits from Australia

- "Sheetwood Mac"

- Sayer had some UK hits in the '80s

- Ric talks up the post

- What happened to Beck?

- An Australian artist remixed "Thunder in My Heart" in 2006 and it went to #1 there

- Sayer did Beatles covers for All This and World War II, a pseudo-documentary that bombed

- Voiced Dan the Forest Ranger in Canadian cartoon called The Raccoons on Ice

 

Music:

Menace Beach - Fortune Teller

Thee Oh Sees - I Was Denied

The Fresh & Onlys - Fascinated

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Menace Beach song is on the album Ratworld on Memphis Industries. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The song from Thee Oh Sees is on the album Warm Slime on In the Red. Download the song for free at Epitonic.

The Fresh & Onlys song is on the album Play It Strange on In the Red. Download the album for free at Epitonic.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_351_111114.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 7:35pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we look at the career of '70s pop star Leo Sayer. I've also got music from Nude Beach, The Vaselines and Happy You.

Show notes:

- Recorded at More Lost Time world HQ

- Check out our new web series Trust Fund Challenge

- Just watched the 1969 grindhouse flick The Babysitter

- Rated X then, pretty tame by today's standards

- Our society's pruder in some ways, more open in others

- Leo Sayer was discovered by David Courtney and Adam Faith

- Ric: Sayer was less threatening than Elton John or Barry Manilow

- Adam Faith was a British teen idol in early '60s

- Sayer and Faith had a falling out over money

- Sayer struck out at first

- Roger Daltrey recorded a Sayer song

- Sayer's version of "Giving It All Away" sounds like Elton

- Some weird album covers

- Dube: Sayer looked like a mime who sings

- British guys who sound American and vice versa

- To be continued

 

Music:

Nude Beach - For You

The Vaselines - Last Half Hour

Happy You - Chummy

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Nude Beach song is on the album 77 on Don Giovanni Records. Download the song for free for a limited time at Amazon MP3.

The Vaselines song is on the album V for Vaselines on Rosary Music. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The Happy You song is on the self-released album Giggle. Download the album for free (in exchange for your email address) at Bandcamp.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_350_110414.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:15pm EDT

Part 2 of the latest installment of Driving with Kumar as I share some thoughts while driving to and from my 25th college reunion. I've also got music from Ty Segall, Wormburner and The Pharmacy.

Show notes:

- No regrets about college years

- Could have graduated a semester early, but chose to stay for full year

- Got a job before I graduated

- Worked first few months at newspaper while also working weekends at supermarket

- Moved to Massachusetts after a few months

- Lived in 10 different places in a decade

- One apartment I shared with three women; a year later, it was all guys

- Nearly got married in mid-20s

- Went to Homecoming in '93 and passed on a party to go home and watch World Series

- Toronto won Series on Joe Carter HR that night

- Went up to UNH a lot the first few years after college

- On drive home

- Lots of drunken kids when I arrived at 2:30

- Wandered around through a mass of partying young people

- Eventually found class of '89 tent and my old roommate

- Saw some folks I hadn't seen in many years

- Only saw a little of the football game

- Overwhelming feeling of oldness, but had fun

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

Ty Segall - Feel

Wormburner - Somewhere Else to Be

The Pharmacy - Masten Lake Lagoon

 

The Ty Segall song is on the album Manipulator on Drag City. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The Wormburner song is on the album Pleasant Living in Planned Communities on Dive Records. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The Pharmacy song is on the album Spells on Old Flame Records. Download the song for free at KEXP.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_349_102814.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 7:33pm EDT

Part 1 of the latest installment of Driving with Kumar as I share some thoughts while driving to my 25th college reunion. I've also got music from Sleater-Kinney, Coaches and The Cherry Wave.

Show notes:

- Coached in a youth soccer tournament before driving up to University of New Hampshire

- Haven't gone to a college reunion before

- Still see many friends from college on occasion

- Nearly flunked out freshman year

- Switched from engineering to journalism and turned it around

- Worked for newspaper for six years after college

- Journalism majors use theirs skill in different ways now

- College was my first time away from parental discipline

- Real partying began when grades improved

- Did not drink in high school

- First weekend in college, that changed

- Freshman year roommate had a tough time

- Sophomore year roomie was super busy with activities

- Moved off campus junior year

- Unlucky in love

- Always hung out with both nerds and jocks

- Ate a lot of junk food

- To be continued

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

Sleater-Kinney - Bury Our Friends

Coaches - amisarewaswere

The Cherry Wave - Whitey

 

The Sleater-Kinney song is on the forthcoming album No Cities to Love on Sub Pop. Download the song for free (in exchange for your email address) at Stereogum.

The Coaches song is available for free download at Bandcamp.

The Cherry Wave song is on the forthcoming album Avalancher and available for free download at Bandcamp.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_348_102114.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 7:19pm EDT

Part 3 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1996. I've also got music from Ex Hex, Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas, and Mini Dresses.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's new radio show Unsolicited Mixtape

- Brian's #5

- Olivia Tremor Control made Brian's favorite Elephant 6 album

- Jay's #5 and Brian's #4

- Frank Black had a tough task following up Teenager of the Year

- Moved to a rawer sound

- In the middle of an excellent stretch of solo music

- Jay's #4

- Weezer's underrated (at the time) masterpiece

- Brian's #3

- Ween goes to Nashville

- Serious musicianship behind silly songs

- Jay's #3

- Afghan Whigs' Black Love was a cinematic concept album

- Serious Quadrophenia feel on the ballads

- Brian's #2

- Fountains of Wayne's debut was also underrated

- Jay's #2

- Sloan bounced back from short-lived breakup to put together a brilliant album

- Trading a Ween mix for a Sloan mix

- Brian's #1

- Pinkerton was the first album Brian liked and his friends didn't

- Serious dropoff in quality since then

- Jay's #1

- Beck followed up Mellow Gold with an amazing album

- Brian: Midnite Vultures is the best Prince album of the '90s

- Next up: 1988

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

Ex Hex - Don't Wanna Lose

Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas - Caught Up

Mini Dresses - In Two

 

The Ex Hex song is on the album Rips on Merge Records. Download the song for free for a limited time at KEXP.

The Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas song is on the album Secret Evil on Instant Records. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The Mini Dresses song is on the EP Three and available for free download at Bandcamp.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_347_101414.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 7:37pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1996. I've also got music from King Tuff, Purling Hiss and Young Adults.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic

- Brian: Beck's Odelay was just outside my top 5

- New album's okay, but not great

- Brian: Cake, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Wrens' Secaucus

- The endless wait for the new Wrens album

- Brian was supposed to play piano with the Wrens but got sick

- Sticking up for Stone Temple Pilots' album

- Jay: STP were equal opportunity ripoff artists

- The '90s brought new wave of festivals: Lolla, Gathering of the Vibes, HORDE, Ozzfest

- Jay: No desire to go to Bonnaroo or Coachella

- Nothing better than seeing a band in a club

- Jay: Dug albums from D Generation, Sebadoh, Luscious Jackson, Johnny Cash, Chixdiggit, Brainiac, GBV, Maxwell, Westerberg

- Singing the praises of Live at Drew's

- Brian: Belle and Sebastian, Bill Frisell

- Frisell did the soundtrack to a Far Side cartoon

-  To be continued

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

King Tuff - Headbanger

Purling Hiss - Forcefield of Solitude

Young Adults - Old Kids

 

The King Tuff song is on the album Black Moon Spell on Sub Pop. Download the song for free for a limited time at Amazon MP3.

The Purling Hiss song is on the album Weirdon on Drag City. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The Young Adults song is available for free download at Bandcamp.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_346_100714.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 7:37pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1996. I've also got music from Whirr, Withered Hand and Super Medusa.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic

- In '96, Jay was 28 going on 29

- Brian: 13 going on 14

- Grunge was fading, pop was back in a big way

- Two versions of "The Macarena" were on top 100 singles chart

- Brian: At the time, didn't feel like a pop year

- Bush made an album with Steve Albini

- Lots of unsuccessful followups: Ugly Kid Joe, Kriss Kross

- Metallica's Load lived down to its name

- Strange year for Van Halen: Twister soundtrack, followed by greatest hits album with two DLR songs

- VH went through three singers in a matter of months

- Michael Anthony, Everyman

- We deconstructed VH III in eps 315 and 316

- Nickelback's first album came out in '96

- KISS reunited with original lineup

- Hip hop went mainstream

- New acts on the rise, like The Roots, Outkast, Wu Tang Clan

- Roots of nu metal

- The death of rock criticism with David Fricke in Rolling Stone giving U2's new album a five-star rating

- Rolling Stone typically hands out good reviews to old-school artists like U2, Dylan, Stones

- Last time U2 did anything interesting was 1997's Pop

- The U2 backlash is fierce

-  To be continued

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

Whirr - Mumble

Withered Hand - Black Tambourine

Super Medusa - Doomed Boy

 

The Whirr song is on the album Sway on Graveface Records. Download the song for free for a limited time at Amazon MP3.

The Withered Hand song is on the album New Gods on Slumberland Records. Download the song for free as part of the Slumberland Records 25th Anniversary Sampler on Amazon MP3.

The Super Medusa song is on the EP of the same name, which is available for free download at Bandcamp.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_345_093014.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 5:55pm EDT

Part 3 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion about society's obsession with celebrity. I've also got music from SW/MM/NG, Gold-Bears and Weekend.

Show notes:

- The Brits love them some Arctic Monkeys

- Matt learns how to do Twitter

- Getting followed by dead authors and weirdos

- Desperate for celeb RTs

- Positive Twitter interactions

- Jay: Old friend has been writing about celebrities for a few decades now

- PR jobs require a different mindset

- Meeting your heroes can be problematic

- Searching for Jagger

- In the presence of Howard

- Rock star deaths

- Dying young does wonders for an artist's legacy

- Brando's death isn't well remembered...by Matt, anyway

- How dumb would we be if we had money?

 

Music:

SW/MM/NG - Some Dreams Come True

Gold-Bears - From Tallahassee to Gainesville

Weekend - Hazel

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The SW/MM/NG song is on the album Feel Not Bad on Old Flame Records. Download the song for free from KEXP.

The Gold-Bears song is on the album Dalliance on Slumberland Records. Download the song for free as part of the Slumberland Records 25th Anniversary Sampler on Amazon MP3.

The Weekend song is on the EP Red on Slumberland Records.
Download the song for free as part of the Slumberland Records 25th Anniversary Sampler on Amazon MP3.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_344_092314.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:55pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion about society's obsession with celebrity. I've also got music from Creepers, Naomi Punk and Hooray for Earth.

Show notes:

- Scandal rags are still popular

- Celebs and social media can lead to trouble

- Now everyone's got a camera to catch your every mistake

- Michael Richards was beloved until he screwed up

- People will turn on celebs in an instant

- The strange life of Tom Cruise, Entertainment Robot

- Doing interview junkets must be mind-numbing

- Supreme Court nominee was rejected in the '80s because of pot smoking

- The media mastery of Bill Clinton

- Public perception matters

- Asking the wrong question

- Jay: Meeting Stephen Colbert was pretty cool

- Jay: Sat next to Jordan Knight of New Kids on the Block on a flight once

- People will stand for hours just to get shown on The Today Show

- Suing Naked Dating reality show for...being naked

- To be continued

 

Music:

Creepers - Stuck

Naomi Punk - Television Man

Hooray for Earth - Airs

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Creepers song is on the album Lush from the All Black Recording Company. Download the song for free from Stereogum.

The Naomi Punk song is on the album Television Man on Captured Tracks. Download the song for free from KEXP.

The Hooray for Earth song is on the album Racy on Dovecote Records. Download the song for free from KEXP.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_343_091614.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 7:46pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion about society's obsession with celebrity. I've also got music from The Wytches, Aan and Little Racer.

Show notes:

- Celebrity deaths

- Jay: Robin Williams' death hit me hard

- We don't have royalty so celebs fill that role

- Getting rich doesn't necessarily equal happiness

- Americans are surprisingly fascinated by the British royal family

- Dealing with fans could get annoying after a while

- Matt was at Boston ComiCon hyping his book

- Check out his YA superhero novel The Indestructibles

- Saw some minor celebs like Jason Momoa and John Barrowman

- What do you say to an actor or musician you admire?

- Matt met Susan Sarandon while working at Museum of Science

- Jay: Met my favorite hockey player and I was a dork

- Many movies filmed around here and people flock to watch

- People will do anything to get onscreen

- Worked with a guy who was on a short-lived reality show

- Matt went to college with actor Charlie Day

- The lameness of celeb interviews during sports telecasts

- To be continued

 

Music:

The Wytches - Digsaw

Aan - Spiritual Provisions

Little Racer - Dancing

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Wytches song is on the album Annabel Dream Reader on Partisan Records. Download the song for free from KEXP.

The Aan song is on the album Amor Ad Nauseum on Party Damage Records. Download the song for free from KEXP.

The Little Racer song is on the EP Modern Accent on PaperCup Music. Download the song for free from KEXP.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_342_090914.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:00pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we examine the back story of '70s hitmakers Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds. I've also got music from Owl John and Benjamin Booker.

Show notes:

- Recorded at More Lost Time world HQ

- Check out our new web series Trust Fund Challenge

- Playboy Records had Barbi Benton signed to a deal

- RD: Hef likes "female impersonator impersonators"

- Benton guested on many '70s TV shows like Fantasy Island and The Love Boat

- She released five albums that hit the country charts

- Worked on Playboy After Dark

- Show had many great musical guests

- Playboy Records made HJFR keep Reynolds in the name after he left

- HJFR had their biggest hit in '75 with "Fallin' in Love"

- Drake sampled it and was sued by Playboy Enterprises

- Poor Dennison

- Singer Dan Hamilton died in '94 of Cushing's Syndrome

- Three subsequent singles bombed

- Album only went to #82, even with a #1 hit

- Bad distro

- Band probably didn't make much money from sales

- MST3K had a good HJFR reference

- The King's last hit

 

Music:

Owl John - Red Hand

Benjamin Booker - Violent Shiver

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Owl John song is on its self-titled album on Canvasback/Atlantic. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The Benjamin Booker song is on his self-titled album on ATO Records. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_341_090214.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 9:59pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we examine the back story of '70s hitmakers Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds. I've also got music from The Hush Now and Kingdom of the Holy Sun.

Show notes:

- Recorded at More Lost Time world HQ

- Check out our new web series Trust Fund Challenge

- The adventures of Steve Austin Astronaut

- Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds were synonymous with '70s AM pop

- "Don't Pull Your Love" was their first big hit in '71

- Singer does an Elvis impression

- Song written by Lambert and Potter, who had hits with many artists

- Guys from HJFR were in the T-Bones, who had a hit in '60s with "No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach Is In)"

- An "offshoot" of the Ventures, an instrumental band that made tons of records covering hits

- Session musicians made the albums

- T-Bones were put together to tour and later they formed HJFR

- The Wrecking Crew was a famous session band that cranked out hits

- Reynolds left HJFR in '72

- Second HJFR album stiffed

- Ric: A bunch of Ventures albums probably don't have the Ventures on them

- HJFR replaced Reynolds but contract with Playboy Records required them to keep old name

- Many bands are named after the musicians

- To be continued

 

Music:

The Hush Now - Arthur Come On, Really You Can't Be Serious

Kingdom of the Holy Sun - Thirteen Eyes

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Hush Now song is on the forthcoming album Sparkle Drive. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.

The Kingdom of the Holy Sun song is on the self-released EP Thirteen Eyes. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_340_081914.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:48pm EDT

Part 3 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1989. I've also got music from Ty Segall, Spoon and J. Mascis.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic

- Jay's #3

- Neil Young rebounds from a long, strange decade

- Led to a fruitful stretch of albums

- Jay's #2

- Bob Mould moves beyond Husker Du

- Inspired new direction and sound

- Our picks for #1 are the same

- Pixies at their peak

- Doolittle covers all facets of the band's sound

- Brian saw them several times when they toured behind Doolittle in the last decade

- Brian: Latest live incarnation of Pixies is more energized

- Bad choice for first single with "Bagboy"

- Frank Black was prolific, but he can't keep up with Bob Pollard

- Next up: 1996

- Popular music was shifting again

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

Ty Segall - Susie Thumb

Spoon - Rent I Pay

J. Mascis - Every Morning

 

The Ty Segall song is on the album Manipulator on Drag City Records. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The Spoon song is on the album They Want My Soul on Loma Vista Recordings. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The J. Mascis song is on the album Tied to a Star on Sub Pop. Download the song for free at KEXP.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_339_081214.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 7:15pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1989. I've also got music from Stickers, Cretin Girls and Ex-Cult.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic

- Brian: Pump was the best post-reunion Aerosmith album

- Tom Petty's Full Moon Fever is decent

- Jay's bubbling under picks: The Cure, Smithereens, Tragically Hip, Lou Reed, XTC, Michael Penn, Cult, Faith No More

- Brian's bubbling under picks: Fugazi, Tin Machine, CVB, Elvis Costello, Dylan

- The strange career of Dave Navarro

- Jay: Good releases from Stone Roses, Hoodoo Gurus, Big Audio Dynamite

- Brian: Joe Strummer took a long time to release a good post-Clash album

- Brian's #5

- McCartney's comeback album

- Jay's #5 and Brian's #4

- Nirvana's debut was under the radar

- Jay's #4 and Brian's #2

- Paul's Boutique was a major shift for Beasties

- Brian recommends the Kathleen Hanna doc, The Punk Singer

- Brian's #3

- De La Soul brought a different feel to hip hop

- To be continued

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

Stickers - Outlet

Cretin Girls - Walk the City

Ex-Cult - Mister Fantasy

 

The Stickers song is on the album Swollen on End of Time Records. Download the song for free at Gimme Tinnitus.

The Cretin Girls song is on the band's self-titled EP on Soft Science Records. Download the song for free from Gimme Tinnitus.

The Ex-Cult song is on the 7-inch Mister Fantasy on Goner Records. Download the song for free from Gimme Tinnitus.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_338_072914.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 5:59pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1989. I've also got music from Stickers, Cretin Girls and Ex-Cult.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic

- Brian: Pump was the best post-reunion Aerosmith album

- Tom Petty's Full Moon Fever is decent

- Jay's bubbling under picks: The Cure, Smithereens, Tragically Hip, Lou Reed, XTC, Michael Penn, Cult, Faith No More

- Brian's bubbling under picks: Fugazi, Tin Machine, CVB, Elvis Costello, Dylan

- The strange career of Dave Navarro

- Jay: Good releases from Stone Roses, Hoodoo Gurus, Big Audio Dynamite

- Brian: Joe Strummer took a long time to release a good post-Clash album

- Brian's #5

- McCartney's comeback album

- Jay's #5 and Brian's #4

- Nirvana's debut was under the radar

- Jay's #4 and Brian's #2

- Paul's Boutique was a major shift for Beasties

- Brian recommends the Kathleen Hanna doc, The Punk Singer

- Brian's #3

- De La Soul brought a different feel to hip hop

- To be continued

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

Stickers - Outlet

Cretin Girls - Walk the City

Ex-Cult - Mister Fantasy

 

The Stickers song is on the album Swollen on End of Time Records. Download the song for free at Gimme Tinnitus.

The Cretin Girls song is on the band's self-titled EP on Soft Science Records. Download the song for free from Gimme Tinnitus.

The Ex-Cult song is on the 7-inch Mister Fantasy on Goner Records. Download the song for free from Gimme Tinnitus.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_338_072914.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 5:59pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1989. I've also got music from Radiator Hospital, Sex Hands and Priests.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic

- In 1989, Brian was 7 and Jay graduated from college

- Jay: Never saw the Indiana Jones sequels

- Brian: A lot of records I liked, few that I loved

- Jay: Seeds of Seattle sound came out in '89--Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Screaming Trees with crucial early albums

- Madchester scene: Stone Roses, Happy Mondays

- Jay: Started seeing club shows in Boston 'burbs

- Great local scene now: Speedy Ortiz, Krill, Pile, Soccer Mom

- Waiting for The Best Show to return

- In '89, alt-rock was coming into its own

- R.E.M., B-52's both hit it big

- Brian: Mid-'90s indie rock bands formed, as did swing acts

- First Green Day EP came out

- Classic rock tours started making big bucks: McCartney, Ringo, Stones, Who

- Tin Machine marked Bowie's return to rock

- Kids seem to go through a classic rock phase

- Thank goodness for college radio

- Lots of pop detritus in '89: Milli Vanilli, Paula Abdul, Debbie Gibson

- The power ballad was the last hurrah for hair metal bands

- Ugh: Beach Boys' Still Cruisin'

- Brian: Ramones' Brain Drain was disappointing

- Strange collection of Top 100 singles

- To be continued

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

Radiator Hospital - Five & Dime

Sex Hands - Pivot

Priests - New

 

The Radiator Hospital song is on the album Torch Song. Download the song and album for free at Bandcamp.

The Sex Hands song is on the album Pleh on Faux Discx and Negative Space. Download the song for free from Gimme Tinnitus.

The Priests song is on the EP Bodies and Control and Power and Money on Don Giovanni Records. Download the song for free from Fluxblog.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_337_072314.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:40pm EDT

This week, it's an episode of Driving With Kumar as guests Dave Olson and Phil Stacey join me to discuss whether the album is an endangered species. I've also got music from Speedy Ortiz, Dead Stars and Parquet Courts.

Show notes:

- Recorded on the way to Fenway Park

- A BBC radio exec proclaimed the album is about to be extinct

- "Playlists are the future"

- Phil: Listen to a lot of albums by new or unfamiliar artists on Spotify

- Much different listening experience when we were kids

- Dave: Worked in restaurants as a kid and brought mix tapes to listen to

- Albums brought more lasting satisfaction

- Phil: Song order is interesting

- Sometimes an album only has 1 or 2 good songs

- Deep cuts

- Hunting for B-sides

- Digging through back catalog

- The vagaries of bubblegum pop

- Kids don't listen to albums as much anymore

- Phil likes the jam bands

- Commercial radio is in rough shape

- Music sales are a fraction of what they once were 20+ years ago

- The power of licensed music in movies and TV

- MTV used to be a huge music influencer

- The vinyl resurgence

- Mixes or playlists can have interesting choices

- Offending people with mixtape selections

 

Music:

Speedy Ortiz - Bigger Party

Dead Stars - Wasted

Parquet Courts - Sunbathing Animal

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Speedy Ortiz song is part of the Adult Swim Singles Series. Download the song for free at Adult Swim.

The Dead Stars song is on the album Slumber on Old Flame Records. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The Parquet Courts song is on the album Sunbathing Animal on What's Your Rupture? Download the song for free at KEXP.
 
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_336_071514.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:15pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling as we discuss our favorite music of the first half of the year. I've also got music from Johnny Foreigner, Soccer Mom and Protomartyr.

Show notes:

- Recorded at Clicky Clicky World HQ

- JB: Ava Luna does not fake the funk

- JK: Johnny Foreigner comes back with another excellent album

- They also dropped a surprise live album recently

- JB: Soccer Mom's full-length debut did not disappoint

- JK: Protomartyr has an interesting back story

- JB: Engineer Jeff Zeigler has worked on most great recent albums out of Philly

- Nothing's Guilty of Everything is exceedingly loud but pretty

- Wear earplugs, kids

- JK: Parquet Courts continues to refine their sound

- The Strokes were another band who came out to much acclaim

- Critical comparisons are often ill-informed

- JB: Perfect Pussy is female-fronted hardcore

- JK: Stephen Malkmus has had an interesting and rewarding solo career

- JK: Bob Mould keeps the rock vibe going

- JK: Afghan Whigs release first album in 16 years, don't miss a beat

- New Spoon album coming out

- JB: Looking forward to new records from Lubec, White Laces, Golden Gurls, Hush Now

- JK: New Mascis and Titus Andronicus due out soon

- Plenty of great stuff out there

 

Music:

Johnny Foreigner - Le Sigh

Soccer Mom - Orejas

Protomartyr - Come & See

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Johnny Foreigner song is on the album You Can Do Better on Alcopop. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.

The Soccer Mom song is on the band's self-titled album 100m Records. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.

The Protomartyr song is on the album Under Color of Official Right on Hardly Art. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.
 
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_335_070814.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 6:04pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling as we discuss our favorite music of the first half of the year. I've also got music from Hallelujah the Hills, She Sir and The Collected Fictions.

Show notes:

- Recorded at Clicky Clicky World HQ

- A farewell to Moviefone

- JB: Forced to listen to lite rock radio at work

- Frozen vs. High School Musical

- Rock stations play the same old catalog stuff

- Regional radio leanings

- JK's radio show Stuck In Thee Garage is almost a year old

- The debut of Clicky Clicky Live

- JB's honorable mentions: New Mendicants, Steiner, The Collected Fictions, The Wrong Shapes

- Ovlov's breakup/reunion

- JK's honorable mentions: Hallelujah the Hills, The Hold Steady, Krill, Speedy Ortiz, Mastodon

- JB: La Ligas Menores makes good indie pop out of Argentina

- JK: The War on Drugs' Lost in the Dream has an '80s feel

- JB: Krill has best song imagining oneself as poop

- JK: F'd Up combines gruff vocals with intricate arrangements

- JB: She Sir is a two-piece from Austin that takes its time

- JK: New Cloud Nothings record continues a winning formula

- JB: Speedy Ortiz continues to impress

- Touring non-stop despite loss of guitarist

- JK: Gord Downie and the Sadies recorded album over several years

- Punk-influenced sound from roots rock artists

-  To be continued

Music:

Hallelujah the Hills - Pick Up an Old Phone

She Sir - Condensedindents

The Collected Fictions - Talk

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Hallelujah the Hills song is on the album Have You Ever Done Something Evil? on Discrete Pageantry. Download the song for free at Stereogum.

The She Sir song is on the album Go Guitars on Shelflife Records. Download the song for free at Largehearted Boy.

The song by The Collected Fictions is on the band's self-titled EP. Download the EP for free (in exchange for your email address) at Bandcamp.
 
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_334_070114.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 7:57pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Brian Lewandowski as we discuss working, childhood homes and corporal punishment. I've also got music from The Afghan Whigs, Lubec and Dum Dum Girls.

Show notes:

- Brian: Writing for a prepper show called America Unplugged

- Getting your news from Pat Robertson

- Visiting your childhood home

- Jay: Toronto suburb I once lived in tripled in size within a few years

- Brian hasn't been back to Buffalo since '93

- Corporal punishment was once acceptable

- Brian: Worst punishment was kneeling

- Don't eat your vegetables, kids

- Louis CK is doing his own thing

- Brian saw Eels (without Steve Perry)

- Unconventional frontmen

- Jay: Never had to see the Wiggles

- Dan Zanes' children's music is pretty listenable

- Brian liked Raffi

- The Creationism Museum looks fun

- Preparing for the End Times

- Great ideas come in unlikely places

- Dream journals

- Brian has similar dreams over and over

- We worked out some issues

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

The Afghan Whigs - Matamoros

Lubec - Almost Vince

Dum Dum Girls - Under These Hands

 

The Afghan Whigs song is on the album Do to the Beast on Sub Pop. Download the song for free from Soundcloud.

The Lubec song is on the forthcoming album The Thrall. Download the song for free from Bandcamp.

The Dum Dum Girls song is on the album Too True on Sub Pop. Download the song for free from Soundcloud.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_333_062414.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:06pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Lewandowski as we discuss writing for reality TV, early jobs and freelancing. I've also got music from The Vaselines, Jawbreaker Reunion and Kittyhawk.

Show notes:

- Brian's doing freelance work for The Sportsman's Channel

- "Inhumane interest stories"

- Worked on a Sarah Palin-hosted show

- Writing ads for a new Penn Gillette show

- Jay: Never seen It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

- Tales of Brother Dave, who once had a following

- Supermarket jobs

- Working on the night crew

- Brian's brush with a suicidal/homicidal security guard

- Bill Murray's showing up in random places

- When you're younger, you tend to bond more closely with co-workers

- Brian's getting along with himself these days

- Working from home

- Brian took a break from comedy but is now writing jokes again

- Back up your online work

- To be continued

 

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

The Vaselines - One Lost Year

Jawbreaker Reunion - E.M.O.

Kittyhawk - The Daily Dodger

 

The Vaselines song is on the album V for Vaselines on Rosary Music. Download the song for free from Soundcloud.

The Jawbreaker Reunion song is on the album Lutheran Sisterhood Gun Club. Download the song for free from Bandcamp.

The Kittyhawk song is on the Droughts/Framework/Kittyhawk/Prawn split. Download the song for free from Bandcamp.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_332_061714.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:07pm EDT

Part 3 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1986. I've also got music from Los Campesinos!, The Fresh & Onlys and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic

- Brian's #3

- Feelies' second album was very influential

- Jay's #3

- R.E.M. debuts heavier guitar sound

- Band kept going too long

- Brian's #2

- They Might Be Giants got off to great start

- Lots of NJ love

- Jay's #2

- Husker Du's amazing stretch

- '80s production techniques hurt some great albums

- Grant Hart dominated Candy Apple Grey

- Brian's #1

- Camper Van Beethoven released two albums in '86

- Jay's #1

- '86 was the year of thrash

- Metallica at their best

- Drawbacks to sound fidelity with MP3, but convenience is worth it

- Hair metal also thrived in '86

- Next up: 1989

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

Los Campesinos! - Little Mouth

The Fresh & Onlys - Animal of One

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Simple and Sure

 

The Los Campesinos! song is on the soundtrack to the movie Benny and Jolene. Download the song for free from Stereogum.

The Fresh & Onlys song is on the album House of Spirits on Mexican Summer Records. Download the song for free from KEXP.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart song is on the album Days of Abandon on Yebo. Download the song for free from KEXP.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_331_061014.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:07am EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1986. I've also got music from Superchunk, Bottomless Pit and Lazy.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic

- Sammy Hagar's lyrical prowess

- Sam Halen?

- Jay: Saw VH and DLR touring separately in summer of '86

- The sad tale of Jason Becker

- Amnesty International's Conspiracy of Hope tour featured U2, Peter Gabriel, Sting

- Led to ill-fated Police reunion

- Bands that formed or released debut albums in '86: NWA, 2 Live Crew, Buffalo Tom, Pixies, Throwing Muses, Goo Goo Dolls, Firehose, Big Audio Dynamite

- A comeback of sorts for Neil Young

- Ramones album was plagued by bad '80s production

- Jay was conflicted about XTC's "Dear God"

- Brian's #5 album

- Jonathan Richman's mostly under the radar career path

- Jay's #5

- Eat 'Em and Smile out-Van Halened Van Halen

- Brian's #4

- Mark Sandman's pre-Morphine act, Treat Her Right, released debut

- Jay's #4

- John Lydon put together a crack session band including Steve Vai and came up with a great album

- Lydon was set to tour in Jesus Christ Superstar but show was cancelled

- To be continued...

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

Superchunk - Untied (live)

Bottomless Pit - Fleece (live)

Lazy - Party City (live)

 

The Superchunk song is part of the band's Epitonic Saki Session. Download the set for free at Epitonic.

The Bottomless Pit song is part of the band's Epitonic Saki Session. Download the set for free at Epitonic.

The Lazy song is part of the band's Epitonic Saki Session. Download the set for free at Epitonic.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_330_060314.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:22pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1986. I've also got music from Fucked Up, Mudhoney and Two Inch Astronaut.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic

- Brian was 4 in '86; Jay was (cough) 18 and in college

- Jay: Watched a lot of MTV that year

- Brian: Paul Simon's Graceland was huge

- Peter Gabriel became a megastar

- Van Halen and David Lee Roth split up and released albums

- Brian: Musically, 1986 was all over the place

- Nine of the top 10 selling albums were released in '85

- Album sales were enormous back then

- The Bangles hit big with "Walk Like an Egyptian"

- Springsteen's Live 1975-85 was a big box set release

- First year of Rock Hall of Fame

- Rush and KISS were shocking admissions to Rock Hall in recent years

- Hair metal was thriving; even Judas Priest poofed up their hair

- Hip hop hit hard: Beasties and Run DMC made big impressions

- Aerosmith's career was revived thanks to Run DMC

- Brian: Worst moments include band breakups (Black Flag, Minutemen, Smiths, Dead Kennedys)

- "That's What Friends Are For": Great cause, awful song

- Lionel Richie went from cool in the Commodores to cheesy

- Deaths: Phil Lynott, Richard Manuel, Cliff Burton, Benny Goodman, Scatman Crothers

- Boston's long-awaited third album

- The Vinnie Vincent Invasion took hair metal to ridiculous extremes

- Wank guitar was all the rage

- To be continued...

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

Fucked Up - Paper the House

Mudhoney - Touch Me I'm Sick (live)

Two Inch Astronaut - Part of Your Scene (live on WVAU)

 

The Fucked Up song is on the album Glass Boys on Matador Records. Download the song for free at Matablog.

The Mudhoney song is on the EP Mudhoney on Top! KEXP Presents Mudhoney Live on Top of the Space Needle. Download the song for free at KEXP.

The Two Inch Astronaut song is available for free download (in exchange for your email address) as part of Exploding in Sound's EIS Sampler 2013-2014 on Bandcamp

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_329_052714.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 6:33pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss hipsters. I've also got music from Twin Peaks, Feral Jenny and Ancient Babes.

Show notes:

- Matt recently became a published author

- Check out his YA superhero novel The Indestructibles

- Matt: The definition of cool is not trying too hard

- Shopping is simple if you don't care about trends

- WTF is up with skinny jeans?

- Changing office dress codes

- Matt's office phobia

- Hippies turned into yuppies

- Aging well

- Bronies are hipsters who have gone too far

- The life cycle of a hipster

- Matt lived in Hipster Ground Zero for a while

- Saw early signs of the hipster look a decade ago

- The seamy underside of politics

- You need a lack of self-awareness to run for office

- Some employers seem to want mindless worker drones

- Conclusion: We're not hipsters

 

Music:

Twin Peaks - Flavor

Feral Jenny - Tearless Creep

Ancient Babes - What Mean Expendable?

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Twin Peaks song is on the album Sunken. Download the album for free from Noisetrade.

The Feral Jenny song is on the EP Sylvia Songs. Download the EP for free from Bandcamp.

The Ancient Babes song is available for free download on Soundcloud.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_328_052014.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 6:51pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss the scourge of hipsterism. I've also got music from Bob Mould, The Hold Steady and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

Show notes:

- Matt recently became a published author

- Check out his YA superhero novel The Indestructibles

- Vin Diesel, businessman

- The brilliance of True Detective

- Hipsters: Is there a cutoff age?

- '90s hipsters were into the grunge look

- The mysterious allure of Mumford and Sons

- Hipsters love shitty beer

- Going to an effort to not look attractive

- Of beards and men

- Tattoos are trendy

- The Beatles set the trends of their day

- Where does it go from here?

- For a few years in the late '90s, it was nu metal and baggy pants

- We're all about the low-maintenance wardrobe

- Hair today, gone tomorrow

- To be continued

 

Music:

Bob Mould - Hey Mr. Grey

The Hold Steady - Spinners

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - She's On It/Jack the Ripper (live)

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Bob Mould song is on the forthcoming album Beauty & Ruin on Merge Records. Download the song for free from KEXP.

The Hold Steady song is on the album Teeth Dreams on Washington Square/Razor and Tie. Download the song for free from KEXP.

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion song is available for free download on Bandcamp.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_327_051314.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:42pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we dissect the strange connections of '70s-era pop hitmakers. I've also got music from Deerhoof, Fat History Month and The Baseball Project.

Show notes:

- Recorded at More Lost Time world HQ

- Christopher Cross' surprisingly long career

- Producer Michael Omartian was in disco act Rhythm Heritage, which released the #1 hit "Theme from S.W.A.T." in 1976

- Also did theme from Baretta

- Steve Barry formed Rhythm Heritage with Omartian

- Barry produced Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods

- Ric plans his funk album

- Sammy Davis Jr. sang the Baretta theme

- "Billy, Don't Be a Hero" was big hit for Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods

- Ric's unsealed Bo Donaldson record

- First discovered while touring with the Osmonds

- The sadness of the 1970s package tour

- The Osmonds actually had a few cool songs

- "Hold Her Tight" was a Zeppelin sound-alike

- Recorded during their "rock" phase, which didn't last long

- Donny and Marie were the big moneymakers

- Donny Osmond had a few hits in 1989

- His mid-'70s song "C'mon Marianne" was much better

 

Music:

Deerhoof - Milk Man

Fat History Month - Angel From Montgomery

The Baseball Project - To the Veterans Committee

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Deerhoof song is on the Kill Rock Stars compilation Crazed MP3 Fans Vol. 1. Download the comp for free at Bandcamp.

The Fat History Month song is on Exploding in Sound's EIS Sampler 2013-2014 on Bandcamp.

The Baseball Project song is on Yep Roc in Austin: On Spider's Tab. Download the comp for free at Noisetrade.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_326_050614.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:19pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we try to figure out how Christopher Cross became a pop star. I've also got music from Bedroom Eyes, Hymnals and Kinski.

Show notes:

- Recorded in at More Lost Time world HQ

- All about the shrews in Shrewsbury

- Record fairs are back

- Where did Christopher Cross come from?

- Went from San Antonio cover band to stardom

- Produced by Michael Omartian

- Omartian worked with lots of big artists, including Rod Stewart and Donna Summer

- Lots of big names helped out on Cross' debut: Henley, Michael McDonald, Nicolette Larson

- Cross didn't have a particularly great voice

- Jay's Christopher Cross album

- Pre-MTV fame

- First single was "Ride Like the Wind," second was "Sailing"

- Theme from Arthur was his biggest hit

- Couldn't escape it on the radio for a while

- Ric: Played plenty of music like this at Strawberries

- "Think of Laura" was written for General Hospital

- To be continued

 

Music:

Bedroom Eyes - Wild Sins

Hymnals - When You're Away

Kinski - Conflict Free Diamonds

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Bedroom Eyes song is a single available for free at Bandcamp.

The Hymnals song is a single available for free at Bandcamp.

The Kinski song is on the Kill Rock Stars compilation Crazed MP3 Fans Vol. 1. Download the comp for free at Bandcamp.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_325_042914.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:21pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest James Gralian as we discuss the future of podcasting. I've also got music from Courtney Barnett, What Moon Things and Mattress Financial.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out James' show The Avs Hockey Podcast

- Old media (radio, newspapers) is struggling

- Radio stations need to think differently

- Boston was once a great radio town

- College radio is still going

- Jay: Playing DJ on BFF.fm

- Apple helped grow podcasting with iTunes

- Talk radio is still popular

- James' podcast has nothing to do with sports talk radio

- Mo' money, mo' problems

- Everything revolves around smartphones

- Podcasting is about as DIY as it gets

- Still having fun with it

- James: There will be massive dropoff in conventional podcasts

- Hard to keep up with all the shows

- Similar to the amount of good TV out there

- This American Life was originally rejected by NPR, went to PRI

- It's not about SEO, it's about making good shows

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

Courtney Barnett - Avant Gardener

What Moon Things - Astronaut

Mattress Financial - I Do That Good

 

The Courtney Barnett song is on The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas on Milk! Records. Download the song for free at Amazon MP3.

The What Moon Things song is on the band's self-titled album. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.

The Mattress Financial is on the Mattress Financial/Fond Han single Private Split. Download the song for free (in exchange for your email address) as part of Exploding in Sound's EIS Sampler 2013-2014 on Bandcamp.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_324_041514.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 5:53pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest James Gralian as we discuss the future of podcasting. I've also got music from Mean Creek, Foxy Shazam and Nothing.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out James' show The Avs Hockey Podcast

- Also produces podcast for Denver Symphony Orchestra

- We last spoke on this topic four years ago

- 10th anniversary of podcasting

- Tools are more accessible than ever

- James: Don't see as many quality podcasts as I expected

- Apple has played big role, positive and negative

- James listens to Radiolab, Welcome to Nightvale, Definitely Not the Opera, 99% Invisible, among other podcasts

- There are many "two white guys talking" podcasts

- Waiting for the next interesting thing

- Most podcasters aren't in it for the money

- James: Not sure whether sponsors are getting a good return

- Trying to have fun and be creative with Avs Hockey Podcast

- Professional podcasters vs. hobbyists

- Marc Maron is a podcasting success story; turned his entire career around

- Commercial radio is much less interesting these days

- Parallels with late night TV and Letterman's retirement

- More freedom on basic cable for Stewart and Colbert

- Are podcasters using their voice?

- Having guests can bring new energy to a show

- What constitutes success in podcasting?

- To be continued

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

Mean Creek - Johnny Allen

Foxy Shazam - Brutal Truth

Nothing - Bent Nail

 

The Mean Creek song is on the album Local Losers on Old Flame Records. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.

The Foxy Shazam song is on the self-released album Gonzo. Download the album for free (in exchange for your email address) at Noisetrade.

The song by Nothing is on the album Guilty of Everything on Relapse Records. Download the song for free at Amazon.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_323_040814.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:38pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1984. I've also got music from Hallelujah the Hills, Feral Jenny and Red Sea.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic

- Brian's #5

- Pretenders are very underrated

- Chrissie Hynde got a late start in rock

- Jay's #5

- Saw R.E.M.'s first national TV appearance on Letterman

- Brian's #4

- Minutemen covered a wide range of styles

- Mike Watt's interesting career

- Scott Asheton, R.I.P.

- James Williamson went from playing with Iggy to become a Silicon Valley exec

- Jay's #4

- Van Halen inadvertently helped create hair metal

- Brian's #3

- Meat Puppets created a unique sound

- Most people became aware of them a decade later

- Jay's #3

- Replacements' sound evolved from punk to more mature rock

- Brian's #2 was his #1 when we started talking

- Jay's #2

- Husker Du was coming into its own in '84

- So much good music on SST in the early to mid-'80s

- Brian's #1

- Gordon Gano wrote first two Violent Femmes albums while in high school

- Serious gospel undertones

- Jay's #1

- Purple Rain was a masterpiece

- Jay chronicled 1984 in a diary reprinted on Kumar's Blizznog

- Next up: 1986

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

Hallelujah the Hills - Pick Up an Old Phone

Feral Jenny - Law & Order

Red Sea - Down with the Crown

 

The Hallelujah the Hills song is on the album Have You Ever Done Something Evil? on Discrete Pageantry. Download the song for free at Stereogum.

The Feral Jenny song is on the EP Bedrooms. Download the song for free at Bandcamp.

The Red Sea song is on the EP Yardsticks for Human Intelligence. Download the song for free at Bandcamp.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_322_040114.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 6:39pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1984. I've also got music from Nancy, Benjamin Shaw and The Men.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic

- 1984: Brian was 2, Jay was 16

- A pivotal year for college/indie rock

- Husker Du, R.E.M., Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Replacements

- Aerosmith reformed, Yes bounced back

- Classic lineup of Deep Purple reunited

- The '80s wank guitar movement started with Yngwie Malmsteen

- Early days of hip hop, thrash

- Hair metal was emerging as a commercial force: Ratt, Twisted Sister, Dokken, Whitesnake, Bon Jovi

- Van Halen's 1984 was huge

- Eddie VH embraced synths

- The beginning of the end of the Roth era of VH

- MTV was a bigger hitmaker than radio

- The middle of a bad stretch for Paul McCartney

- Older artists rebounded: Kool and the Gang, Chicago, Stevie Wonder

- Miami Vice incorporated MTV-style techniques

- The video as movie trailer

- Death of Marvin Gaye

- Billy Squier's "Rock Me Tonite" debacle

- The negative power of a bad video

- Crappy solo work from Bowie, Billy Joel, Steve Perry

- Don Henley sucks

- The pop and marketing genius of Madonna

- Awesomely bad breakdance movies: Breakin', Body Rock, Beat Street

- Brian's albums outside top 5: Black Flag, Queen

- Jay: U2, The Cars, Rush, INXS, The Cult

- To be continued

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

Music:

Nancy - I Want One

Benjamin Shaw - Goodbye, Kagoul World

The Men - Different Days

 

The Nancy song is on the album Nancy LP. Download the album for free at Bandcamp.

The Benjamin Shaw song is on the album Goodbye Cagoule World on Audio Antihero. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.

The song by The Men is on the album Tomorrow's Hits on Sacred Bones Records. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_321_032514.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 7:24pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss whether the world is getting dumber. I've also got music from Johnny Foreigner, Spray Paint and Pampers.

Show notes:

- Guy got fired after calling in sick and then posting video on YouTube

- Another guy made it with a cow and had a buddy film it

- Reality TV rewards dumbasses

- It's a lazy Buzzfeed world

- Beard transplants? Really?

- Pre-ripped jeans

- There's still good rock music out there

- In praise of Mark Knopfler

- Bravo, dude who came up with Shit My Dad Says

- Medical bills are obscene

- Selling your old junk

- The bottom fell out of the sports card market

- We fall for stupid memes designed to rile people up

- Outrage culture

- We're all dumb

 

Music:

Johnny Foreigner - Stop Talking About Ghosts

Spray Paint - Spock Fingers

Pampers - Guts

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Johnny Foreigner song is on the album You Can Do Better on Alcopop! Records. Download the song for free at Bandcamp.

The Spray Paint and Pampers songs were recorded live on the Cherry Blossom Clinic on WFMU. Download the songs for free at Free Music Archive.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_320_031814.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 8:04pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss whether the world is getting dumber. I've also got music from Cloud Nothings, Eagulls and The So So Glos.

Show notes:

- There are studies that claim humans are getting dumber

- Our IQs are supposedly dropping

- We rely on smartphones for a lot of information

- We're cramming so much info in our heads

- Smart TV: True Detective did it right

- Disney Channel sitcoms hark back to hacky TV crap of the '70s

- Movie industry favors bigger, louder, dumber

- Sometimes it's good to watch dumb stuff

- Anonymous online comments are a prime source for idiocy

- Wasting time online is so easy

- People are so self-involved

- Reality TV is a haven for dummies

- People will do anything to get on TV

- The Onion keeps fooling people

- Beauty pageants

- Our ability to self-incriminate


Music:

Cloud Nothings - I'm Not Part of Me

Eagulls - Possessed

The So So Glos - Lost Weekend

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Cloud Nothings song is on the album Here and Nowhere Else on Carpark Records. The Eagulls song is on the band's self-titled album on Partisan Records. The So So Glos song is on the album Blowout on Votiv Records. Download all three songs for free at NPR.org.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_319_031114.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 9:06pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we examine music from a couple of forgotten artists from the 1970s. I've also got music from Ovlov, Palehound and Baked.

Show notes:

- Recorded in late January at More Lost Time world HQ

- Edward Bear's prom song

- They were better when they stuck to guitar rock

- Band radically changed their sound

- Ric breaks out a 1971 single by Tom Hartman, formerly of the Aerovons

- Hartman and band when to England because of the Beatles

- Strong resemblance to Sloan's Navy Blues sound

- Ric's tips for finding good vinyl at flea markets

- Aerovons had a serious Beatles fixation

- Very McCartney-esque

- Produced by none other than Mike Post

- Ebay's a good way to get rare vinyl

 

Music:

Ovlov - Moth Rock

Palehound - Holiest

Baked - Danelectroladyland

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Ovlov song is on the album am. The Palehound song is on the Kitchen 7-inch. The Baked song is on the EP S/T Cassette. Download all three songs for free (in exchange for your email address) as part of Exploding in Sound's EIS Sampler 2013-2014 on Bandcamp.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_318_030414.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 5:29pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we look at the career of an obscure 1970s Canadian band that had a huge hit and then disappeared. I've also got music from Protomartyr, The Collected Fictions and Cloud Nothings.

Show notes:

- Recorded in late January at More Lost Time world HQ

- What the hell is Edward Bear?

- Named after character in Winnie the Pooh

- Their one big hit, "Last Song," is instantly recognizable

- Sounds like a studio act

- No high or low end in '70s AM pop hits

- Manilow had great timing

- Second single from that album hit top 40

- Singer Larry Evoy was the one constant member of the band

- Opened for Led Zeppelin in '69

- First album had a psychedelic "acid rock" sound

- Geddy Lee's mellower uncle

- Going for a Canned Heat/Steve Miller Band/Doors vibe

- Endless jamming

- Early Edward Bear ain't half bad

- Opportunistic band, like The Police

- Riding whatever music wave was trending

- To be continued

 

Music:

Protomartyr - Come & See

The Collected Fictions - It Don't Matter Much

Cloud Nothings - Didn't You

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

 

The Protomartyr song is on the album Under Color of Official Right on Hardly Art. Download the song for free at Stereogum.

The song by The Collected Fictions is on the band's self-titled EP. Download the EP for free (in exchange for your email address) at Bandcamp.

The Cloud Nothings song was released as a single in 2010. Download it for free at Epitonic.

 

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Direct download: CompCon_317_022514.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 7:15pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we dissect the disaster that was Van Halen III.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic

- Jumping into an 8-minute epic snoozer

- Rumors that the VH brothers had jammed with Ozzy around this time

- Nuno Bettencourt has been touring with Rihanna

- Jay happens to have issue of Guitar World from '98 nearby

- The joys of the Columbia House Record Club

- Michael Anthony's MIA for most of the album

- Eddie compared his singing voice to Roger Waters meets Tom Waits

- DLR says they're working on new VH album for mid-2015

- Brian: VH III was bad in a different way than expected

- Jay: Almost an Adult Contemporary sound

- Jay: Also haven't heard anything from VH's Balance, the last Hagar album

- Record sales from the '90s were ridiculous; nearly everything sold well

- Bizarre cover of Balance was actually PhotoShopped pic of Wolfgang VH

- Putting shitty albums in your iTunes

- The latest VH album was what Aerosmith should do: make a '70s-sounding record

- The comics industry now is where music industry was before Napster

- WWE is getting creative about its content

- Netflix and others are changing the way we consume media

- iPods are being phased out

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!


The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_316_021814.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 6:05pm EDT

Completely Conspicuous 315: House of Pain

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we dissect the disaster that was Van Halen III.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic

- An addendum to our look at 1998

- VH III featuring Gary Cherone on lead vocals

- Jay hasn't heard the album, Brian's heard it twice

- Last VH album with Michael Anthony

- Many long songs

- Produced by TV theme composer Mike Post

- Pleasant acoustic instrumental to start album

- Mission statement: We will wuss you

- Cherone sounds a lot like Hagar

- Brian: "Without You" not as bad as I remember

- Eddie needed an editor

- Tough position for Cherone to be in

- EVH played some bass on album

- Restrained drum sound from Alex VH

- Songs drag on way too long

- The "go get a beer" song

- Extreme acquitted themselves well at Freddie Mercury tribute concert

- Mike Post produced artists like Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton

- Severe lack of kickassery

- Jay saw both Van Hagar and DLR in the summer of '86

- Brian saw Pixies recently

- The greatness of Lindsay Buckingham

- To be continued

 

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!


The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_315_021114.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 6:09pm EDT

Part 3 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1998. I've also got music from Screaming Maldini, Brawlers and Grass is Green.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic

- Brian's #3

- Sean Lennon was considered the poor man's Beck

- Yuka Honda was married to Lennon, now married to Nels Cline

- Jay's #3

- Totally slept on QOTSA in '98

- Homme's first post-Kyuss band

- The greatness of Them Crooked Vultures

- Brian and Jay have same #2

- Frank Black got dropped by a major label

- First album by major arist commercially released online

- Jay: Pete Townshend made some great solo albums in early '80s

- Brian's #1

- Billy Bragg and Wilco covering Woody Guthrie

- Jay's #1

- Sloan has four talented songwriters

- Paul Stanley's stage raps

- The end of The Best Show on WFMU

- Mourning a great radio experience

- Next up: 1984

Music:

Screaming Maldini - Soweto

Brawlers - Instagram Famous

Grass is Green - Vacation 2.0

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Screaming Maldini song is a self-released single. Download the song for free (in exchange for your email address) at Bandcamp.

The Brawlers song is on the EP I am a Worthless Piece of Shit on Alcopop! Records. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.

The Grass is Green song is on the album Vacation Vinny on Exploding in Sound Records. Download the song free at Amazon.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_314_020414.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:39pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1998. I've also got music from Built to Spill, Guillermo Sexo and Bill Janovitz.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic

- Remember Blues Brothers 2000?

- Goo Goo Dolls went Hollywood

- Brian: QOTSA released its debut

- Rob Halford came out; first prominent metal dude to do so

- In retrospect, '80s heavy metal was steeped in gayness

- Bubbling under albums

- Jay: Fugazi, GVSB, RFTC

- Brian: Elliott Smith, The Catholics, Flin Flon, Tortoise, The Lounge Lizards

- Jay: Pearl Jam, Neutral Milk Hotel, Pulp, Beasties, Tragically Hip, Cat Power

- Brian's #5 album

- Hello Nasty is the last classic Beasties album

- Jay's #5 and Brian's #4

- Beck does a 180 from Odelay

- Later Beck material rehashes older sounds

- Jay's #4

- Afghan Whigs fully embrace soul and R&B

- Greg Dulli can do no wrong

- 1965 was the last Whigs album...until this year

- To be continued

Music:

Built to Spill - Jokerman

Guillermo Sexo - Color the Noise

Bill Janovitz - Matter

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Built to Spill song is on the tribute album Bob Dylan in the '80s: Volume One on ATO Records. Download the song for free (in exchange for your email address) at Stereogum.

The Guillermo Sexo song is a re-recording of an old track available for free at MobtownStudios.com.

The Bill Janovitz song is available for free download on Bandcamp.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_313_012814.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 6:13pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1998. I've also got music from Johnny Foreigner, Fuzz and The Dismemberment Plan.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Skype

- Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic

- The Pixies' ongoing bass situation

- Brian: Zwan was underrated

- Pixies have become the butt of jokes

- In 1998, Jay was 30, Brian was 16

- We both had just started dating the women we would marry

- In '98, being eclectic became cool

- JK: Was getting into more funk and soul

- Big year for pop

- TRL started in '98

- Lots of one-hit wonders: Eagle Eye Cherry, Chumbawumba, New Radicals

- The New Radicals featured former child actress in band

- JK: Saw Fastball open for Matthew Sweet in a tiny pub in Portland, Maine

- Semisonic's drummer wrote book about the record industry

- The MP3 revolution began in '98 with MP3.com

- MP3.com got sued by the labels before Napster

- BS: Beginning of Latin influence and the height of the short-lived swing dance craze

- The Titanic soundtrack was huge

- Aerosmith had big hit with "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing"

- Pop country was big: Shania Twain, Faith Hill

- Rap metal was a lowlight: Korn, Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock broke through

- Sugar Ray had a DJ named Homicide

- The year of Van Halen III: The Gary Cherone era

- BS paid 8 cents for VHIII

- To be continued

Music:

Johnny Foreigner - Le Sigh

Fuzz - Till the End of the Day

The Dismemberment Plan - The Ice of Boston

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The Johnny Foreigner song is on the album You Can Do Better on Alcopop! Records. Download the song for free at Soundcloud.

The Fuzz song is on the 7-inch single L.A.M.C. #10 on Famous Class Records. Download the song for free (in exchange for your email address) at Bandcamp.

The Dismemberment Plan song is on the album The Dismemberment Plan is Terrified on DeSoto Records. Download the song for free (in exchange for your email address) at Noisetrade.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_312_012114.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 7:08pm EDT

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Brian Lewandowski as we discuss his latest bold career move. I've also got music from She Sir, Protomartyr and Red Fang.

Show notes:

- Recorded at BGL HQ

- Sometimes you like the people more than the job

- BL stayed to raise his daughter for a while

- Now situation is different

- The time to restart is now

- Is this all there is?

- Pressure's on to succeed now

- Trying to get disciplined

- The Secret is good for finding parking spaces

- Finding that elusive "dream job"

- Acting is an interesting but difficult pursuit

- Job misery can cause physical pain

- Working overnights

- The future is unwritten

- BL: It's not exactly what I thought it would be

Music:

She Sir - Condensedindents

Protomartyr - Scum, Rise!

Red Fang - Behind the Light

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The She Sir song is on the album Go Guitars on Shelflife Records. Download the song for free at Largehearted Boy.

The Protomartyr song is on the forthcoming album Under Color of Official Right on Hardly Art. Download the song for free at Stereogum.

The Red Fang song is on the album Whales and Leeches on Relapse Records. Download the song for free at Amazon MP3.
The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_311_011414.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 6:05pm EDT

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Lewandowski as we discuss his latest bold career move. I've also got music from School of Seven Bells, Sadie Dupuis and Dead Stars.

Show notes:

- Recorded at BGL HQ

- Momentous life decision

- BL was working as a web guy at a Boston hospital

- Commuted four hours each day

- Didn't get promotion and decided to quit

- BL: I just hated what I did

- Haven't felt urgency to find something new

- JK: Got a job right out of college and never stopped

- Taking chances

- BL: Played it safe early on and missed out on working on MTV's The Real World

- Getting encouragement from friends not many kindred spirits

- Layoffs are a different thing entirely

- Going back to a job you left

- The very brief heyday of CMGI

- The ever-changing world of venue names

- BL: Need to figure out next move by February

- Commute is a huge factor

- Cramming into crowded trains gets old fast

- BL's been doing standup part-time the last few years

- Hosting a standup show that's growing slowly

- Not easy to get paid to do what you love

- People selling stuff at home parties: Hats, jewelry, food

- Get-rich schemes are the American Way

- Scratch tickets as a strategy

- BL: Take a lower-paying gig to support the real goal?

- Trying to separate money from career

- To be continued

Music:

School of Seven Bells - Lafaye

Sadie Dupuis - X Actually

Dead Stars - Fractured

Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The School of Seven Bells song is on the album Ghostory on Vagrant Records. Download the song for free at Epitonic.

The Sadie Dupuis song is a solo recording available for free at Stereogum.

The Dead Stars song is on the EP High Gain. Download the song for free at Bandcamp.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.
Direct download: CompCon_310_010714.mp3
Category:Completely Conspicuous -- posted at: 7:06pm EDT

1