If You're Listening

After last week's episode on "Under the Cork Tree," Heather has a challenge for Ramsey: what lyrics can you understand from their song "Sugar We're Goin' Down"? Listen as Ramsey learns what guitars and drums sound like! So many misheard lyrics! And more "Kiss From a Rose!" All this and MORE! Don't want to end the fun? Check out our  Spotify playlists  for more music choices from Ramsey and Heather...

We return to Fall Out Boy to count how many times the band breaks it down with their sophomore album from 2005, "From Under the Cork Tree!" An embarrassing story about seven minutes in heaven! What does "Yeah, that's computer" mean? (An exciting new catchphrase!) A comprehensive list of the TNT new Classics that inspired the song titles! All this and MORE on a very computer episode! Don't want to...

Piebald! A band with a strange name, but one that (surprisingly) Ramsey knows a random song by! This week Jason Silva builds on that (limited) knowledge and showcases their 2002 album "We Are the Only Friends We Have!" How do horses play into this whole thing? What large group of instrumentalists to we insult for no good reason? What is the difference between the Hives, the Vines, and the Strokes?...

This week we do a deep dive into one of the biggest Green Day songs: 1997's "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)!" This week you'll witness some unexpected role reversals! Experience an unexpected Seinfeld connection! And an alternate version that does not improve things! All this and MORE! Don't want to end the fun? Check out our  Spotify playlists  for more music choices from Ramsey and Heather. W...

Today we take a direct dive into the music Heather was enjoying in high school with an actual mix CD that was compiled and burned by Heather in the winter of (probably) 2001! Hop in the car and hook up your Discman cassette deck adapter! Ramsey proves that he knows some hip hop! Heather presents some truly aggressive left-turns on her not-so-wintery mix! And we figure out what you should call a so...

Designer and storyteller Pat Cartelli is here, direct from Keasbey, bringing us the finest from Catch 22 in the form of their debut album "Keasbey Nights!" A new t-shirt idea is proposed ! A tale of a mean teen emailing a band is shared! Is it Streetlight or Straylight? And some long overdue Oscar talk! All this and MORE! Follow Heather's Wiki adventures: from here to here ! Don't want to end the...

We asked for your song and album suggestions and you came through! This week, Heather plays the song "Four Winds" by Bright Eyes, from the album  Cassadaga . Who suggested the song? We don't know because we forgot to ask for names on the form (it has since been fixed)! Ramsey loves fiddles and hates sad musicians! Heather saves Ramsey from singing! All this and MORE! Don't want to end the fun? Che...

Heather is nervous. She's been holding off on playing this album for Ramsey because it's just too important. But now it is time. Today we listen to American Football's eponymous first album, known to fans as "LP1." How long does it take to recite all of the lyrics in one American Football song? Ramsey compares this album to one with a drum-head-lady on it. Heather and Ramsey try to build a band fu...

Tom Mullen  of  Washed Up Emo  fame returns to inspire Ramsey and Heather to laugh, cry, and hurl when he brings the soundtrack to the 1992 film  Wayne's World! This movie is great! Mandatory air drumming and quoting from a beloved film! Tales of alleged crime in Brooklyn! We really love this movie, as it turns out! All this and MORE! Don't want to end the fun? Check out our  Spotify playlists  fo...

This week, Heather introduces Ramsey to one of her favorite artists: Kacey Musgraves! And just because it's an If You're Listening Singles episode, that doesn't mean she can't play two tracks! (It does, actually. "Single" implies "one." We're going to allow it, however.) This week: "Velvet Elvis" and "Space Cowboy!" We provide you with songs for two different moods! It's like a Choose Your Own Adv...

Heather and Ramsey take it all the way back to 2002 as we see what was considered music back then with "Now That's What I Call Music! 9." What's on a "Now" album today? Who buys them? Why? Where was it the most likely that one would hear a song by Petey Pablo according to Heather? And a variety of epiphanies are reached regarding the "Now" series! All this and MORE! Don't want to end the fun? Chec...

Photographer and DP Eric Teti is here to tell us the good news about his Sugarcult and their 2006 album "Lights Out!" Ramsey confuses a band for another band and annoys everyone, especially himself! What kind of music do bassists like? And, all about band live albums/DVD combo packs! All this and MORE! Don't want to end the fun? Check out our  Spotify playlists  for more music choices from Ramsey...

This week, a deep dive into a new single (and a new sound) from Pup with their brand-newest song, "Kids!" Ramsey once said this band was "too loud." Is that still true? Heather's arm hurts and her doctors aren't especially helpful! And up-to-the-minute analysis on whether Heather's tea is ready yet or not! All this and MORE! Don't want to end the fun? Check out our  Spotify playlists  for more mus...

After hearing them on the holiday episode, Heather gives Ramsey the full The Maine experience with their 2008 debut, "Can't Stop Won't Stop!" Ramsey compares a band's sound to Weezer, and it's accurate for once! Can Heather guess what this band looks like just from the sound of their music? And Ramsey and Heather plot out the first season of their new CW teen drama inspired by the music of "The Ma...

Your hosts are joined by the wonderful Matt Fisher of the Upright Citizens Brigade who takes them down a different, enjoyable path. So, put up your feet and get ready for some Good Times , as we listen to "Willie Nelson's Greatest Hits (and Some That Will Be)!" A discussion of roadside attractions and their exploration! A look at the world of e-sports tournaments through the eyes of a child and th...

Did you think that Heather and Ramsey were friends? So did Ramsey! Then he learned the truth when Heather forced him to do a deep dive into At the Drive-In's "One-Armed Scissor!" A misheard lyric inspires much laughter and deep, biological analysis! Will paying attention to the lyrics of this song help Ramsey appreciate it more? There's a space theme to this? Heather hates space! Ramsey loves it!...

Heather and Ramsey are gonna learn a lot about what's really going on behind the music as they dig in to Coheed and Cambria's first album, "The Second Stage Turbine Blade!" Ramsey and Heather name a new Snow White dwarf, Heather's memoir, and new board game (all with the same name)! Your hosts get DEEP into the lore behind the songs. And some truly insane Genius annotations are read. All this and...

Justin Cross is back and he's brought a confusingly named band along for the ride! It's The Academy Is... with their 2005 album "Almost Here!" Seriously, what's up with this band name? How can music feel like the Midwest and Cali all at once? And our most elaborate episode intro yet! All this and MORE! Don't want to end the fun? Check out our  Spotify playlists  for more music choices from Ramsey...

Meet "If You're Listening: Singles," a series of mini-episodes we'll be doing where we do a deep dive on songs old and new. For our inaugural episode we listen to a very recent Death Cab for Cutie song, "Gold Rush," the lead single from their new album "Thank You for Today." How many syllables are too many? Did Ramsey or Heather ever try digging for gold as kids? How does this song sound live? And...

This week Ramsey and Heather tolerate a flagrant abuse of grammar when they listen to an album titled "You're Gonna Miss It All" by the band Modern Baseball! "Gonna" is not a word! Heather hates New Years bits! With very little evidence, Ramsey comes down hard as a member of Team Jake! A double entendre left unspoken!  All this and MORE! Don't want to end the fun? Check out our  Spotify playlists...

This week we are joined by music industry veteran and Emo Night DJ, Brian Pacris who is here to celebrate New Year's Eve with some Hot Water Music! "Caution"! 'Cause this one's a hot one! (winky face emoji) A rare second attempt at recording an episode! Ramsey has strong feelings about the two lead singers! What's the difference between Carson Daly and Ryan Seacrest? And a very special countdown!...

Oh it is time to listen to Fire When Ready!! This week Heather introduces Ramsey to the 2005 album "As the Sky Stared Down with Angry Clouds!" Ramsey likes the song titles, until he doesn't! A lot of talk about the punk scene Heather grew up with in Upstate New York! What are the coolest shows Ramsey and Heather have gone to? Exclamation points!! All this and MORE! Don't want to end the fun? Check...

This week we are joined by Adam Pfleider who brings us some post-hardcore intensity with These Arms Are Snakes and their 2006 album "Easter!" How is this band like Kanye West? Once again, we fall into talking about the guy who plays Archie on TV's Riverdale! And a musical blast from the past appears to enrage Ramsey! All this and MORE! Don't want to end the fun? Check out our  Spotify playlists  f...

We're getting into the holiday spirit with this crowd-sourced Holiday Megamix! Filled with originals and covers of standards, you can listen along on Spotify here to this emo/punk/etc holiday mix. Discover which bands get too Christmas-y or not Christmas-y enough! What some does Ramsey add to the playlist? Are your hosts Christmas people, overall? And, an abrupt left turn in the playlist is made....

The wonderful Steve Ciccarelli is back and here's to drop a ton of knowledge about AFI's sixth album and major label debut, "Sing Your Sorrow!" Learn what AFI stands for, as well as several alternate possibilities! Hear about a super-limited edition booklet that Steve brought in to flip through! Steve's dad meets Hunter from AFI! Learn why the lead singer's new name is Davey "Lil' Broadway" Havok!...