Confessions of a Melomaniac

Tom Maier and Anthony Sifert continue on season five (Blue Jean Serenade) talking about Spaceman from the album Day and Age. They discuss the song line by line giving their various interpretations on the elegant poetry of Brandon Flowers. They discuss Epistemology, Emotivism, and other things they know nothing about. Unfortunately this is the last episode for a while due to scheduling. Spaceman Ly...

Tom Maier and Anthony Sifert open up season 5 (Blue Jean Serenade) on The Killers with the song This River is Wild off of the album Sam's Town. They discuss the poetry conveyed in the lyrics going line by line through the song. After the 30 minute intro talking about Marty Robbins and other random topics, they stay surprisingly on task and discuss the problem of small-town America sending all...

Tom Maier and Anthony Sifert tackle The Killers for a second time delving into the music of The Killers focusing on the rustic truck-bed poetry and its war against the bright lights.

Tom Maier and Anthony Sifert wrap up season 4 (It Took Me Back To Somethin' That I'd Lost) on Johnny Cash talking about redemption and the song Hurt (originally by Nine Inch Nails). They discuss the redemptive qualities included and absent in the song with minimal biographical context. Tom has a war of nostalgia vs Anthony's war of poetry. Hurt Music Video Hurt Lyrics

Tom Maier and Anthony Sifert are back at it with a new discussion on several ballad-type songs from the "dark ages" of Johnny's career (according to Thomas). They cover the songs Ghost Riders in the Sky, The Baron, and The Ballad of Ira Hayes. They get sidetracked quickly into Paradise Lost and a multitude of subjects that are not Johnny Cash.

Thomas Maier and Anthony Sifert continue season 4 (It Took Me Back To Somethin' That I'd Lost) on Johnny Cash. They discuss Folsom Prison Blues, I Walk the Line, Hey Porter, Big River, and Give My Love to Rose. This is the last episode for the next several months as well so enjoy!

Tom Maier and Anthony Sifert open up season 4 (It Took Me Back To Somethin' That I'd Lost) on Johnny Cash with the song Sunday Morning Coming Down from the Johnny Cash Show Live Album in 1970. They discuss Johnny's story of redemption and the role that the song played. Kakutani, Michiko. “The High Times, and the Hard Ones, of a Gritty Musical Outlaw.”  The New York Times , The New York...

New Season about country legend Johnny Cash. Hilburn, Robert.  Johnny Cash: The Life . Back Bay Books/Little Brown and Company, 2014. 

Thomas Maier, Sam Davis, and Aharon Dubovin revisit an episode from season 1 on the controversial book 'The Closing of the American Mind' by Alan Bloom. They discuss raising children in a highly degenerate world of gang music and the evils of the internet. They also discuss the merits of political control over the "pursuit of happiness". Article: Schaff, Jon D. “I Can Hear Music.”  Front Porch Rep...

Thomas Maier and return guest John Maier finish season 3, Radiohead: An Airbag Saved My Life. They discuss electioneering, politics according to Machiavelli, I.M.F., and propaganda. Lyrics to Electioneering by Radiohead

Tom Maier and a round table of guests; Aharon Dubovin and Sam Davis (Connor Sayger was missing unfortunately) sort of continue season 3 (An Airbag Saved My Life) deviating from the usual Radiohead banter to discuss the origin of music, how music was, and how it was supposed to be. They discuss the aims of 'The Arts' and whether they are good by nature or not.

Tom Maier continue on season 3 (An Airbag Saved My Life) with a roundtable of guests: Aharon Dubovin, Connor Sayger, and Sam Davis discuss the differences between a utopia of no surprises and no alarms vs the “possibility of mass destruction” (by fire) presented in Hawthorne’s ‘Fire Worship’.  Sources:  ‘ ⁠No Surprises⁠ ’ lyrics by Radiohead  ‘ ⁠Fire Worship⁠ ’ by Nathaniel Hawthorne ‘ ⁠The Machin...

Tom Maier continues season 3 (An Airbag Saved My Life) hosting a round table discussion with Sam Davis, Aharon Dubovin, and Connor Sager discussing the song Fitter Happier by Radiohead off of their acclaimed 1997 Ok Computer album. The group deep-dives into the lyrics and its connection/foresight into what we understand today about artificial intelligence. Apologies: Sorry about the outside noises...

Thomas Maier and John Maier open season 3 titled An Airbag Saved My Life talking about the song Airbag and the importance of the album OK Computer. They also discuss Oasis, Phil Collins, and Neo-liberal Capitalism.

It's finally here! Thomas Maier concludes the countdown to the newest album by the Smashing Pumpkins Aghori Mhori Mei. Thomas gives his first takes on his first listen.

Thomas Maier continues to countdown to the release of the new Smashing Pumpkins album Aghori Mhori Mei on August 2nd. Today Thomas talks about the vinyl and the backing vocals on the new album.

Thomas Maier continues the countdown to Aghori Mhori Mei by the Smashing Pumpkins set to be released August 2nd. Today Thomas talks about Jimmy's video and about analog recording vs digital.

Thomas Maier continues the countdown to the release of Aghori Mhori Mei by the Smashing Pumpkins on August 2nd. Thomas goes over Jimmy Chamberlin's new drum kit.

Thomas Maier continues the countdown to the release of Aghori Mhori Mei on August 2nd by the Smashing Pumpkins. Today he talks about Billy trying to help pronounce the title while also confusing us further.

Thomas Maier continues the countdown to the release of Aghori Mhori Mei on August 2nd. Today (No pun intended) Thomas reminisces about the good ole 90s when Siamese Dream was released. He also re-listens to ATUM in hopes of liking it more.

Thomas Maier continues coverage of the lead up to the newest Smashing Pumpkins album Aghori Mhori Mei set to be released on August 2nd. Thomas discusses the Pumpkins tour in Europe (The World is a Vampire Tour) and what the concert setlist's could mean for the album's sound.

Thomas Maier continues the countdown to the Smashing Pumpkins new album Aghori Mhori Mei set to be released August 2. Thomas delves further into reddit to discover what the real fans are saying.

Thomas Maier continues to discuss the lead up to the newest album by Smashing Pumpkins Aghori Mhori Mei set to be released on August 2nd. Today Thomas delves into what the great people of reddit think about this album.

Thomas Maier continues the countdown to the release of Aghori Mhori Mei by the Smashing Pumpkins on August 2nd. Today he talks about the logo and what that might mean about the album.

Thomas Maier continues coverage of Smashing Pumpkins upcoming album Aghori Mhori Mei released August 2nd. Today Thomas predicts the likely sound of the new album taking into consideration the last couple albums.