Listeners Like You

We’re back with Brian’s thoughts on Tyler, The Creator’s Chromakopia, an album recommended by Cort’s daughter. While Brian’s reaction is, let’s say, unsurprising … the conversation actually gets pretty deep into the weeds in a good way. We dig into the fact that what makes a challenging album listenable (or even inspiring) to some, maybe does not to others, and Cort may give a demonstration on how...

This week, we welcome our youngest (and likely most musically gifted) guest ever, Brian’s son, Whit Faughnan, who gave us a playlist of Fugazi tracks because he likes Fugazi and the DC Hardcore scene (you know, the one from before he was born). We go deep on Fugazi's music and history and dig through the legacy of Dischord Records and the Hardcore movement. What more could you want?  Also in this...

This episode, Cort reports back on Not Animal by Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s and yada, yada, yada, next thing you know Brian is practically giving a TED Talk on the original makeup of the band, its founder Richard Edwards, and the band’s “break-up.” So what actually is Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s? The original members only? Or anyone Richard feels like dragging into the studio? (...

In this episode, Brian goes on a three-album detour just to reach Cort's recommendation of Strange Ranger’s No Light in Heaven. Cort actually listens to one of his own recs for a change, and his feelings are … mixed. But! His one-time stated, but frequently ascribed "long-standing belief" in the power of tracks in the position of "7th" may finally be justified. Cort dives into the Irish History Po...

This week, Cort gets an assignment that's pure rock and roll gold: Tell Me I’m Pretty by Cage the Elephant. Spoiler LOLZ, he loved it. Brian takes us deeper with his thoughts on the band, trivia about the Shultz brothers who formed it, and the band’s (or at least the brothers') southern origins. Brian also wanted to gush about the new Counting Crows release, Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets!, b...

In this episode of Listeners Like You, Cort assigned homework. Brian turns in a meh review, and somehow Gracie Lawrence walks away with a Tony nomination anyway. Cort made Brian listen to Family Business by Lawrence. In Cort's opinion it's a funky, soulful, horn-infused joyride of an album featuring the Tony-nominated powerhouse Gracie Lawrence (yes, that Gracie, now starring in The Sex Lives of C...

Brian and Cort have a guest, which of course means our listeners should quadruple.  Come listen to us discuss Peach Pit's album Magpie and compare it to one of their earlier works, You and Your Friends.  On a personal note, Brian had a lot of fun recording with Cort's son, who reminds Brian a lot of what Cort was like back when he was young and fun.  On a sad note, this episode may have led direct...

The boys are at it again. Cort talks the new Hamilton Leithauser album, This Side of the Island. Bon Iver had a new album drop. So did Mumford and Sons. Brian decides it’s time to jettison a “popular” segment and leaves listeners with some sage advice. Also there is so much new TV and there’s a new game to be played. This Side of the Island - Hamilton Leithauser - https://open.spotify.com/album/06...

We get a little straight-up saucy in this one.  Brian talks about Finneas' 2024 album, For Cryin' Out Lout. There are rule-changes afoot in Traitors US and UK, and Brian doesn't like it!  Speaking of rule changes, did I mention we're saucy? Our rules are out the window for a little segment we like to call: So You're Thinking of Leaving the US?  There's more.  You know we're just two guys sharing o...

The guys discuss their somewhat differing opinions of Michigander's 2025 self-titled album. They discuss which talents such as singing ability should really be considered when determining the winners of acting superlatives in races such as the Oscars. Their ever-increasingly popular segment, So You're Thinking About Leaving the United States, meanders over to Liechtenstein, a doubly landlocked mic...

There is a definite difference in musical taste when it comes to musical tastes.  Brian reviews Steep Canyon Rangers' 2023 album Morning Shift.  The guys dream of escaping to Norway.  There is a discussion about the touring version of the Broadway show Hamilton that just recently passed through Memphis. And Brian even reviews a book (although he was silent on the suspected non-audio aspect of the...

Surprise surprise.  The guys have thrown together a little bonus episode to celebrate the release of The Lumineers new album, Automatic. Join them as they spend twice as much time discussing the album as it takes to listen to it. Laugh along at Cort's wildly incorrect interpretations of the songs.  It's fun.  As always, there is some hilarity doing some ensuing.   The Lumineers - Automatic - https...

Brian and Cort welcome guest Trisha Rich.  They discuss Bob Dylan's The Freewheelin Bob Dylan, a little revisiting of the play Girl from the North Country, and Bob Dylan biopic A Complete unknown, which of course leads to a broader, longer conversation about this year's Oscar nominations and Trish's annual endeavor to watch all Oscar nominated films prior to the actual awards ceremony.  Trish and...

In the penultimate episode of season 5 of Listeners Like You the guys . . . sorry, this just in, Listeners Like You famously doesn't do seasons.  But if we did, this would be an awesome penultimate episode.  Cort talks about the revelation that is Wishy's Triple Seven (henceforth "777") and the disappointment that is Franz Ferdinand's new album (disappointment to Cort anyway; Brian stands by the r...

In this episode the guys discuss Brian's experience with Depresh Mode with John Moe. It leads them into a pretty in depth conversation about podcast production and production values, which is totally not as dry a conversation as it sounds! Because ... these boys are on fire. What motivates the "rebrand"? When companies rebrand why do they do it?  Which rebrands have been successful and which have...

Wherein the guys discuss the album Cunningham Bird (a song for song remake of Buckingham Nicks) by Andrew Bird and Madison Cunningham. Cort digs in to the subtle differences between the audio versions of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone read by Jim Dale and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone read by Stephen Fry.   Have you ever considered moving to Switzerland? In our ongoing series So...

In this episode Brian gives his take on Lin-Manuel Miranda's concept album, Warriors, and ever the overachiever, he also went out and watched the 1979 film it was based on, The Warriors. There is a discussion about Cort's Spotify Wrapped list, and then the guys take a hard right turn into Yacht Rock. So You're Thinking About Leaving the United States makes its return in this episode and the guys d...

Brian and Cort welcome another very special guest on this very special episode of Listeners Like You.  Long-time listener, first-time caller Hanson Tipton peeks in to share his thoughts on music and music history.  The group discussed MJ Lenderman's "Manning Fireworks."  "Cyrus Oh Cyrus" - The Flying Scrub Jays - https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0BD2HJ21S?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&mus...

Cort gets to know The Damnwells. We discuss jury duty and return to the subject of becoming an expat. We also preview our second guest star. Come give a listen. Happy Thanksgiving! (best holiday ever!!) Bastards of the Beat by The Damnwells - https://open.spotify.com/album/4gCPHdCcTX7TJbAsfiUFxQ?si=rCYfhl_NS3iZIvGBcbfzLg "Cyrus Oh Cyrus" - The Flying Scrub Jays - https://amazon.com/music/player/al...

Brian and Cort both listened to Coldplay's newest album Moon Music and asked, "What happened to Coldplay?" There is some discussion of the evolution of an artist's music. They cannot avoid the large red elephant in the room! And there is a twist on the weekly assignment that Brian calls the "conditional" assignment.     "Cyrus Oh Cyrus" - The Flying Scrub Jays - https://amazon.com/music/player/alb...

Cort reviews Heatmiser's Mic City Sons.  At length.  Then the guys talk about the audiobook version of Fonda Lee's Jade War.  Then Brian finally comes up with a game Cort is halfway decent at starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. And then at the end, Cort's wife might get recruited for Random Podcast Generator? "Cyrus Oh Cyrus" - The Flying Scrub Jays - https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0BD2HJ21S?...

Ever the overachiever, Brian listens to twice as much music as was actually required of him in Cort's musical assignment, and he is left wanting.  Come along as Brian tries to justify his ill feelings toward Jackson Browne Solo Acoustic Volumes 1 & 2.  They briefly discuss their most recent Random Podcast Generator result, The Dark Art Society Podcast with Chet Zar. Spoiler alert, it was borin...

The guys welcome their first ever guest to celebrate their 40th regularly scheduled episode. And it’s another Brian.  World-famous photographer, and, more importantly, occasional musical influencer, Brian McCarty, founder of the nonprofit organization WarToys®. Brian had Brian&Cort (Trademark pending) listen to Master of My Make Believe by Santigold.  This episode is truly a deep drive down mu...

Cort goes raw in the notes App. We might expose our ignorance.  AND we introduce our listeners (like us) to the possibility of a new reality.  Listen up! "Cyrus Oh Cyrus" - The Flying Scrub Jays - https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0BD2HJ21S?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_VrTdsVhZSdQbGxiCG13xFkYMk&trackAsin=B0BD3HYRSL Fontaines D.C. - Romance - https://ope...

Brian survives the unprecedented "Triple Crown Assignment."  There was some Chappell Roan, some history, and some Eminem.   "Cyrus Oh Cyrus" - The Flying Scrub Jays - https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0BD2HJ21S?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_VrTdsVhZSdQbGxiCG13xFkYMk&trackAsin=B0BD3HYRSL The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess - Chappell Roan - https://op...