The Sonic Collective

Send us Fan Mail We chat about Joan Jett's debut album after listening to it over the month of December 2024. We enjoyed it, were blown away by what she has become over the decades, but were also surprised by how it had a bit of everything (not always good). From 50s-style tracks to straight up rock, they were throwing it all at the wall here to see what stuck. But it's a must listen to...

Send us Fan Mail Take a Musical Journey with the King: Elvis Presley’s Debut AlbumWhat made Elvis Presley the undisputed King of Rock ‘n’ Roll? This month on The Sonic Collective, the team dives into the groundbreaking self-titled debut album that launched Elvis into stardom. Released in 1956, this record is a time capsule of raw energy and revolutionary sound that forever changed the music landsc...

Send us Fan Mail We think it was in late 2014 that a thirst for exposure to a greater range of music led us to come together as a group – The Sonic Collective (TSC). Our goal is to each month select, listen to, and consider an album of ‘significance’ that is at least six-years of age. We tend to avoid greatest hits compilations and live albums, but exceptions have been made. Over the years we’ve l...

Send us Fan Mail Growing up in Newfoundland in 1975, I was a kid who loved Elvis Presley. His music had a unique spark that captured my imagination, and, looking back, I realize that spark ignited worldwide. For my pick on The Sonic Collective Podcast this month, I chose Elvis’s groundbreaking debut album from 1956, an album that changed the music industry forever. This album didn't just brin...

Send us Fan Mail Our pick for December 2024 is Joan Jett's Bad Reputation, her first debut solo studio album after her band The Runaways called it quits. It was originally released independently in May 1980, self titled, then Jett signed with Boardwalk Records and it was re-released worldwide with this new title on January 23, 1981. It was pretty favourably received, with Jett having song wri...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Darren, Scott C, Alain, and Scott G close out our series of four special episodes where we select two feature albums and discuss how one may have been influenced by the other in some form. The twist this time is new kids Stone Temple Pilots might have influenced Def Leppard, comparing the albums Purple and Slang. Is there a connection? Support the show

Send us Fan Mail This month, we round out our four-part series exploring how some albums influence others by seeing if the Stone Temple Pilots influenced Def Leppard. Sometimes bands with careers that span decades aren't just the influencers, but take inspiration from new genres and newer bands smashing it in them. When Def Leppard decided to get into the grunge and alt rock scene in the 90s,...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Darren, Scott C, Alain, and Scott G embark on our third of four special episodes where we select two feature albums and discuss how one may have been influenced by the other in some form. Up for discussion: The Deftones' third album from 2000, White Pony and Sleep Token's debut album from 2019, Sundowning. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail In this review we share our impressions of the second of four episodes where we feature two album picks thinking about how one album may have influenced the other. This time we’re exploring The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion by The Black Crowes and how it may have been influenced by The Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main St. These albums were released 20-years apart and we all...

Send us Fan Mail Did the Deftones influence Sleep Token? This month, Alain kicks off the third of our four-part series exploring albums that sound like they were influenced by other albums. Or perhaps, more broadly, bands that sound like they were influenced by other bands, focusing on an album from each band that demonstrates the similarities. Can you find the influences when listening to Deftone...

Send us Fan Mail When the members of The Sonic Collective podcast set out to explore the connection between Bad Brains' "Rock for Light" and Dave Grohl's self-titled Foo Fighters album, they embarked on a journey filled with deep dives into music history, interviews, and countless hours of listening. Each member approached the research from a unique angle, tracing musical linea...

Send us Fan Mail Released in May 1992, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is The Black Crowes’ second album and expectations were beyond high after the huge success of their first release, Shake Your Money Maker. And it did not disappoint. Was it influenced by Exile on Main St., The Rolling Stones’ 10th UK album and 12th in the US. It’s known for its murky, inconsistent sound due to more d...

Send us Fan Mail It's the end of the month and we come back together to discuss this month's pick: Fiona Apple's debut album, Sleep to Dream. Our differing musical tastes show through as we explore what we each liked and didn't like on the album. See how our thoughts match yours, and stay tuned to the end to see if you agree with the scores we give and find out what's on t...

Send us Fan Mail The Foo Fighters' self-titled debut album, released in 1995, bears noticeable influences from Bad Brains' "Rock for Light," a seminal hardcore punk album released in 1983. Dave Grohl, the driving force behind the Foo Fighters and former drummer of Nirvana, has often cited Bad Brains as one of his major musical inspirations. The raw energy, aggressive sound, and...

Send us Fan Mail Fiona Apple’s first album Tidal debuted in 1996, and received significant positive reviews from fans and industry. It had this dark, rough vibe to it that somehow bridged the rock and grunge I was into at that time. Her vocals cut against the cutesy pop star image that was being sold at that time by many others, yet she wasn’t some crazy metal chick either. She seemed like some de...

Send us Fan Mail Over the month of April, 2024, The Sonic Collective did a deep dive into The Prodigy's third, and most impactful album, Fat of the Land. Tune into this episode and hear our thoughts on what makes this album good, whether or not we enjoyed it, and if it still holds up to modern music sensibilities. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail We chat about our impressions of our pick for March 2024, John Mayer's Continuum. Have a listen to hear what we thought and how we scored it. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Tune in as Alain tees off his selection for April 2024. He has us exploring the monumental impact of The Prodigy's 'The Fat of the Land' on the late '90s music landscape, and its lasting influence on electronic and rock genres. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Step into the captivating world of timeless music with our podcast, where we delve deep into the iconic albums that have shaped the landscape of rock and alternative music. This month, we turn our spotlight on "The Head on the Door" by The Cure, a seminal album that has left an indelible mark on generations of music lovers. Join us as we dissect each track, exploring the...

Send us Fan Mail I’ve known of John Mayer for a couple decades, get the feeling he’s a cool guy, respected guitar player, songwriter and singer, member of Dead & Company that last good number of years, but realized I couldn’t name a single nor have I ever listened to one of his albums. How has this artist gotten by me? It’s time… Support the show

Send us Fan Mail "The Head on the Door" is not just an album; it's a testament to The Cure's versatility and their knack for pushing musical boundaries. As we embark on this exploration of "The Head on the Door," be prepared to be immersed in a world of sonic innovation, where every note is a brushstroke on the canvas of alternative rock history. So, join me as we unr...

Send us Fan Mail The premise is absurd and simple - You're stranded on a desert island and you've only brought 10 albums with you, which may be the last albums you'll ever listen to... Which albums would you pick and why? This thought exercise was more difficult than you'd expect, and we each made some pretty wild and interesting choices. Listen to us break down the albums we&a...

Send us Fan Mail Well, another year in the bag and we go out on an Oasis bang. I wasn't quite sure how everyone would land on this one. It's still one of the greatest British rock bands ever, but they were full of themselves and drugs during recording. It was great to get their thoughts and see where we ligned up. Check out what the group thought of the third-best Oasis album of all time...

Send us Fan Mail If you could only listen to the same 10 albums for the rest of your life, what would you choose and why? This is the question at the forefront of a ridiculous thought experiment we've come up with to ring in the new year and our tenth year of doing this thing. Wanna play along? Here goes. You're stranded on a desert island, and you can only bring 10 albums with you. Whic...

Send us Fan Mail Hi everyone out there in Sonic Collective land. This is Scott G and I’m bringing you the last pick for 2023. We’re going to rock out this December to Oasis’s third-best album: “Be Here Now”. You may remember it from the singles “D’you know what I mean?”, “Stand by Me”, “All around the world” or “Don’t Go Away.” You may also remember it as the last album that featured the original...