Discord and Rhyme: An Album Podcast

Back to ignoring the mainstream! In which we analyze R.E.M., criticize Morrissey, and learn that this is not a love song. R.E.M. - Orange Crush Public Image Ltd. - This Is Not a Love Song Ramones - Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio? X - Burning House of Love Ministry - Stigmata Morrissey - Everyday Is Like Sunday Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Phil Maddox, Chris Willie Williams   Get early access to bon...

Far from any road, husband-and-wife duo The Handsome Family create beautiful indie folk/country that uses centuries-old musical traditions as a vehicle to explore, mourn, embrace, or giggle at human nature (and folly) from a perspective all their own. On this episode, Will enlists Amanda, Dan, and Rich to discuss the Handsome Family's sixth and oddest album, Singing Bones. Join us as we examine th...

We usually take a week off between comps, but one of our favorite songwriters, Adam Schlesinger, passed away in April from complications related to COVID-19, and we wanted to do his career justice. Schlesinger is most famous for the retro soundtrack cut "That Thing You Do" and Fountains of Wayne's 2003 Cars pastiche "Stacy's Mom," but the songwriter was a workhorse, and his car...

Jethro Tull started their career as a hardcore blues band. Within a few years, they were a hardcore progressive rock band, writing album-long suites of extraordinarily complex music. While both of those eras are interesting, the brief period between the two - where the band had moved away from the blues, but hadn’t yet completely progged out - is some of the best music of its era. Sadly, it doesn’...

Motown time is here again! In which we learn the bonkers recording history of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine," equate the Supremes to the Beatles again, and despair at what we've done with our lives compared to Stevie Wonder. Diana Ross & the Supremes - Love Child Marvin Gaye - I Heard it Through the Grapevine Stevie Wonder - For Once in My Life Diana Ross & the Supremes &...

Returning guest Dave Weigel lived in England in the late ‘90s, the era of Tony Blair, New Labour, ecstasy, the European Union, and, most importantly of all, the Pet Shop Boys. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe met in a hi-fi shop in the early ‘80s and went on to make beautiful, quintessentially British dance music together for the next four decades (and counting!). For this episode, Rich leads Dave, Phi...

It's Motown Time! In which we learn more heartbreaking stories of Motown artists, praise the magical voice of Smokey Robinson, and FINALLY get to the marvelous Marvin and Tammi Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - I Second That Emotion The Temptations - I Wish it Would Rain Stevie Wonder - Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing The Temptations...

In this episode, we dive into the Kinks' 1969 concept album Arthur, or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire, which has long been one of Ben's favorite albums. Arthur tells the fictional life story of Englishman Arthur Morgan, who was born during the glory years of the British Empire, and whose slide into mid-20th-century obsolescence mirrors that of his home country. Sound heavy? It's heavy....

Continuing our Motown journey! In which we get to our first Cashbox chart-topper, Mike compares the Supremes to the Beatles, and we learn the wild history of Gladys Knight & the Pips. The Marvelettes - The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game Diana Ross & the Supremes - Love Is Here and Now You're Gone Martha Reeves & the Vandellas - Jimmy Mack The Supremes - The Happening Stevie Wonder -...

The Tragically Hip are practically Canada’s national band, but they’re virtually unknown elsewhere. Today we’re aiming to change that by covering one of their best albums, Fully Completely. Not only is this album packed full of references to Canadian history and culture, it’s also packed full of excellent rock songs. Our goal for this episode is to convert all of you into Hip fans, so come for the...

We answer more of our listeners' burning questions and confirm once and for all that this is really a Moody Blues podcast.  Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox, John McFerrin

Back to Motown! This is an absolutely stellar batch of songs, with one notable exception. What could it be??? The Temptations - Ain't Too Proud to Beg Stevie Wonder - Blowin' in the Wind The Supremes - You Can't Hurry Love The Temptations - Beauty Is Only Skin Deep The Four Tops - Reach Out, I'll Be There The Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin' On The Temptations - (I Know) I'm Losing You   Cohosts: Ri...

Today we're sharing one of our Patreon exclusives with everybody! In this one, Rich and Amanda talk about a '90s rock classic. You can get more of these bonus mini-episodes for just $3 a month!  https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Time to ignore the mainstream again! In which Rich and Will get to discuss their favorite bands, Dan critiques MTV's song choices, and then they talk about Nicolas Cage for some reason. Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians - Balloon Man World Party - Put the Message in the Box XTC - Dear God They Might Be Giants - Ana Ng Camper Van Beethoven - Eye of Fatima (Pt. 1) Modern English - I Melt With You  ...

Often criminally overlooked among the ’90s indie-rock canon, Helium’s The Magic City is one of the most colorful and unpredictable albums to come out of Matador Records’ reign as kings of the genre. On their second and final album, Mary Timony and crew cast aside the fuzzy, lo-fi guitars for bright, lush arrangements that explore influences as diverse as medieval folk, progressive rock, and video...

Continuing to ignore the mainstream! In this episode: Rich is shocked to discover that the Cocteau Twins are actual humans, we collectively approve of surprise bagpipes as a concept, and Amanda continues to dislike bands with the word "sonic" in the name. The Church - Under the Milky Way Cocteau Twins - Carolyn's Fingers Julian Cope - World Shut Your Mouth Sinead O'Connor - Mandinka Soni...

The 2003 Radiohead album Hail to the Thief was widely praised as a great album upon its initial release, but starting a few years later it became a consistent target of criticism from the band and fans alike. In this episode, John leads a discussion with Will, Mike, and Phil in which they try to make the case that this album, in which Radiohead largely consolidates the different approaches of its...

Our new miniseries of compisodes features Never Mind the Mainstream: The Best of MTV's 120 Minutes! In this episode: Ben describes his childhood rebellions and skewers Anthony Kiedis, Dan struggles to comprehend the Stone Roses' career choices, and Will turns everyone into Bob Mould fans. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Higher Ground Soul Asylum - Sometime to Return The Stone Roses - Fools Gold The Missio...

Pink Floyd is not exactly obscure, but it’s true that their pre-Dark Side of the Moon albums don’t get as much attention as they deserve. Rather than simply being the lead-up to their more well-known material, their first few albums are fascinating, groundbreaking, and democratically weird. Pink Floyd was a band that just wanted to make cool, interesting sounds that nobody had ever made before, an...

The Grateful Dead are such a ubiquitous cultural institution that many people don’t engage with their music - it’s frequently written off as slow, lazy music for stoners. Well, Phil isn’t a stoner at all, and he’s here to tell you all about why the Grateful Dead are great. While the group is perhaps best known for their marathon live sets and endless catalog of concert recordings, Phil decided to...

It's the last episode from the first Motown disc! In which we make fun of Mick Jagger and David Bowie, criticize Smokey Robinson's songwriting ability, and Amanda makes Ben cry. Stevie Wonder - Uptight (Everything's Alright) The Temptations - Get Ready Martha Reeves and the Vandellas - Dancing in the Street Marvin Gaye - How Sweet it Is (To Be Loved By You) The Isley Brothers - This Old Heart of M...

HO-HO-HO, we’re HU-HU-HUNGRY like the wolf! Discord & Rhyme has held off on its namesake album for far too long, so Rich, Amanda, Phil, and returning guest Libby Cudmore are throwing a festive ‘80s holiday party with Duran Duran’s 1982 album Rio . The British music and fashion press were obsessed with the emerging glitter-and-puffy-shirts New Romantic scene when Duran Duran first hit the stage wit...

In this episode: Rich and Amanda report on their field trip to the Motown museum! Also the reason why the R&B chart disappeared for a while, much raving about Marvin Gaye, and comparing the Supremes to the Beatles in terms of hypothetical drug use. Jr. Walker & the All Stars - Shotgun The Supremes - Stop! In the Name of Love Marvin Gaye - I'll Be Doggone The Supremes - Back in My Arms Agai...

There are plenty of love albums out there and plenty of breakup albums, but apart from Marvin Gaye's fascinating Here, My Dear, how many romantic spite albums can you think of? It's a tough balance to strike, but Mountain Goats frontman John Darnielle has created likely the ideal such creature on Tallahassee: a schadenfreude- and gin-sodden indie-rock epitaph for the Alpha Couple, two characters h...

Continuing our celebration of one of the greatest record labels in music history! In this episode: Ben's favorite Motown song, the last appearance of Mary Wells on this comp, and the debuts of two groups who will dominate the rest of these episodes. Martha Reeves & the Vandellas - Heat Wave The Temptations - The Way You Do the Things You Do Mary Wells - My Guy The Supremes - Where Did Our Love...