EarWax

Pop meets pretension (and we mean that as a positive) this week on EarWax! Hilary and Cody dissect Stereolab's deceptively catchy "Dots and Loops." Beneath the pop coating lies lyrics warning about the modern age, loneliness, and wars of many iterations. Stereolab's ambition is their calling card, and it is on full display on this record. Never ones to shy away from marrying catchiness with headin...

Lock in to a groove and turn the vibes up to "Immaculate," this week the EarWax crew dives into The Roots' "Things Fall Apart." Cody and Hilary touch on the Soulquarians, and the sessions that resulted in some of the most stunning work of this era. "Things Fall Apart" was the result of two batches of sessions - one a host of Philadelphia community members and friend so the group. The next at Elect...

Whiskey River take our minds right into one of the most consequential country records ever made!  Cody and Hilary dig into "Shotgun Willie," the album that Willie considered as him "clearing his throat." With the man and the legend already firmly established with a handful of country standards under his belt, here the myth began. Nashville didn't understand him, so Willie headed to Austin to hang...

*cough cough cough cough* Bow down to the Lords of Darkness and the Gods of Heavy Metal - Black Sabbath! Cody and Hilary try and fail to approach Sabbath's "Master of Reality" with some semblance of restrain, but what are we really talking about? This record crushes from front to back. From the opening riff to the finality of Into the Void, Black Sabbath's third record set the template for stoner...

We're only happy when...we're covering a kick ass band and record like Garbage's self-titled! Hilary and Cody discuss the fascinating chemistry that was initially pitched (derisively) as "three producers and a girl." Hey, maybe that is true, but man does that combo rock. Granted, it helps when that girl is Shirley f'n Manson. Garbage crafted, or uncrafted, pop music. Deconstructed hooks pieced tog...

Bow at the feet of the Queen of the Divas - Mariah Carey! Cody and Hilary discuss "The Emancipation of Mimi," an album that was made after Mariah had taken a few personal and professional body blows. Being the champ she is, she took it all in, and spat it back in her critics' faces with a record that is equal parts vocal gymnastics lesson and absolute party. "The Emancipation of Mimi" is Mariah Ca...

Look at you, now look at us. How you like that? EarWax is going K-pop this week, and I don't know if we'll ever go back. Hilary and Cody cover BLACKPINK's appropriately-named "The Album."  The system that has produced some of the biggest music in the world - the South Korean idol system - is a fascinating study in manufacturing celebrity. At its apex sit four women who have conquered the world, an...

"Blondie is a Group" was a pin campaign put together by Blondie's manager as a way to cover his own screwup by picking the iconic photo for this week's album - "Parallel Lines." (PS: It didn't work and he was fired shortly after. Oops.) We all know Blondie is a group, and we also know the core of Chris Stein and Debbie Harry have given us some absolute bangers. After two records, the label wondere...

The greats seize the moment, and Tracy Chapman did exactly that right after the release of her self-titled album, and the subject of this week's episode! Cody and Hilary discuss Tracy Chapman's journey to reluctant stardom. Never seeking anything more than to have her songs heard, this debut reflects the quiet confidence that draws so many to her work. "Fast Car" is legendary, "Talkin' Bout a Revo...

Mysteries abound this week on EarWax! Never has "the man, the myth, the legend" rang truer than when we dive into "Who Is William Onyeabor?" A bizarre mix of funk, soul, and porto-techno, this record is a collection of songs pulled from Onyeabor's brief but prolific discography. His life and career remain largely enigmatic, due in no small part to his own efforts. We ask "why" and "how," because w...

Peace, and humptiness forever! A mantra we should all do well to abide by. How about a little lumpy oatmeal and sort-of concept album this week? Digital Underground is just one of those groups that are okay being a little weird, a lot goofy, and very (oh so very) phonky. Shock G and dudes like Schmoovy Schmoov, Chopmaster J, and Money B all brought Parliament into hip-hop. Sex Packets is hyper hor...

We all stand on the shoulders of giants, the ghosts of those that came before. But some shoulders carry more weight than others. Billie Holiday is a foundation upon which decades and generations of music has been built. Hilary and Cody discuss Lady Day's penultimate album "Lady in Satin." In many ways, it feels like this record is a metaphorical retelling of her own life. Struggle, hardship, perse...

It's quite simple, really. Challenge authority, refuse to back down, and never be complacent. Dead Kennedys brings all of that to this week's episode of EarWax! Cody and Hilary discuss San Francisco's charged political history, and how folks who don't like power structures and institutions there are more than willing to turn out and turn up. In the middle of all the turbulence is the punk scene, a...

Johnny Cash - the Man in Black - was almost more myth than man. But what it is undeniably true is the power of this week's record: At Folsom Prison. With his career hanging in the balance, Cash delivered a performance that deftly walked the line (pun fully intended) of addressing the harsh realities of his audience with moments of levity. Cash and the Tennessee Three are on fire, and the set lists...

Well alright, welcome to Groove U. This week's lesson is brought to you by the EarWax crew! Parliament's "Mothership Connection" is far out, in your face, uncut, from outer space, in the groove, and it'll make you move. With a cast of characters and lore galore, this record has cool to spare.  George Clinton and Bootsy Collins are the most well-known of the P-Funk collective, and while their hands...

Glitter, vibes, and jams. EarWax grooves and bops into the new year with one of the pioneers of glam rock - T. Rex's "Electric Warrior". Cody and Hilary go back and forth over exactly how great Marc Bolan is as a vocalist (spoilers, he's AMAZING), and weave through the wandering story that brought us this album. At a time when people were looking around for what would come after the 60s, Marc Bola...

Now that you're properly stuffed on holiday goodies, let's keep the vibes chill, smooth, and immaculate. Cody and Hilary cruise through Boyz II Men's "II". An album of two halves, separated by a truly thoughtful, heartbreaking interlude, "II" gives all of the dance floor energy before hitting you with the epic feels. The group was soaring after their first record, and this follow-up put them firml...

We are holly, jolly, and bright after covering the amazing artists and songs on this classic Christmas album - "A Christmas Gift for You..." This album features some of the premiere vocal groups (The Ronettes, The Crystals, Darlene Love, etc.), as well as LA's legendary Wrecking Crew. Reimagined classics, an original that became a classic, and a whole host of talent is what makes this album feel s...

The EarWax crew takes on one of the most brilliantly enigmatic artists out there this week as we cover Björk's "Homogenic." Made during a time of personal strife, this record is an homage to her home in Iceland, a place where she needed to leave for a time.  Homogenic mixes traditional influences with sounds far ahead of its time. It feels fresh, sounds fresh, and is fresh today. Björk is a true i...

No B.S., let's get to business. Kraftwerk. EarWax. Computer World. Hilary and Cody discuss the group, the music, the theory and ideas around one of Germany's finest exports - Kraftwerk. Computer World is relevant today because it touches on so much of the conversation that has risen to dominate our culture. Data. Computers. Numbers. Travel. People. Money. This is the record that addresses how thes...

Make the necessary preparations, we're talking Motörhead this week... Hilary and Cody try and hang on as they talk about the pure fuel that is Ace of Spades. Lemmy, Fast Eddie, and Philthy Phil were three dudes who knew exactly what they were after, and they pursued those things with great fervor.  Ace of Spades is undiluted rock and roll made by a band who were unrepentantly themselves. Motörhead...

The eighties were a time of maximalism, so of course one of the biggest records was...a smooth jazzy pop affair? Sade's "Diamond Life" right in your earballs this week on EarWax. Sade is NOT a brand, but we are comfortable saying they are a whole mood. And it starts front and center. Elegant vocals that seem effortless, basslines that add more than a dash of funk, and a songwriting chemistry that...

Make way for the Princess of Pop. Genuflect at the throne of 2000s bubblegum. Bow to Britney Spears. Oops!...I Did It Again cemented Britney as an icon. Her story is complicated, public, and influential. The tracks on this album show us the vision of Britney Spears perhaps at its most effective. A conquering hero who just so happened to make  another #1 record. As if she fell backwards into supers...

Masks, mystery, and Mm...Food? EarWax dives into your favorite rapper's favorite rapper MF DOOM!! The story of DOOM is partially rooted in the story of Doom (the comic, not the video game). Reborn from a former group, MF DOOM established himself as one of the most iconic underground emcees. MF DOOM built an entire universe in which he could play, and this record is arguably at the zenith of his mo...

Shine up your pompadours and put on your best spooky mask, this is a Halloween episode! The Cramps are the perfect band for the season, and Songs the Lord Taught Us has scares aplenty. Whether talking about the perils of braces on fangs, a zombie dance, or how cool sunglasses in the dark are, The Cramps effortlessly show us their influences while putting their unique spin on them. Songs the Lord T...