Left of the Dial

This week we decide to see what all the fuss is about with this Turnstile record, Glow On. Is it hardcore ? Is it hip hop? Is it the Quake Soundtrack? Is it the intro to a 70s PBS detective show? The answer might just be "yes." Don't forget to subscribe to the Left of the Dial YouTube channel, because we've got so many great live performances lined up! And as always, visit leftofthedial.fm to keep...

Caleb stumbled across an absolute gem this week, thanks to "the algorithm." We're talking about the record I Spent The Winter Writing Songs About Getting Better, by Proper. A record which we can say without hesitation that you should pick up as soon as humanly possible (The Big Scary Monsters Bandcamp page is a good place to start). To read more about Erik's personal journey, and the stories behin...

We're keeping the genuine first impressions coming with this week's episode. This time, Kitzy picked Draw Down the Moon, by Saint Louis based (self-described "post-good") band Foxing. A decision based largely on this absurd Pitchfork review . Caleb opted to go into the episode without any prior exposure, Kitzy with only a little, and we alternated picking tracks based entirely on their titles. Lis...

We have a rerun this week of our episode from last year featuring Elise from Oceanator talking about her record Things I Never Said. We just released our Left of the Dial Live session with Oceanator which you can check out here , and you can support us and Oceanator by buying the session on Bandcamp . --- This week we have our first ever returning guest - Elise from Oceanator is back to give us a...

We're chatting with Mikaiah Lei from The Bots about their new record called 2 Seater, out September 8th on Big Indie Records. Mikaiah talks about where his songwriting inspiration comes from, growing up different from people's expectations, and the beauty of recording with limitations. Pre-order your copy of 2 Seater on Bandcamp , and don't forget to catch Part 1 of their mini-documentary about th...

This week we're talking with Brit and Tim from Catbite about their brand new record Nice One, the renaissance of ska, and interior design. We recently had Catbite in the studio for Left of the Dial Live , but you already knew that because you're subscribed to the channel. Head on over to https://www.catbite.net/ for all the latest about the band, and pick up your own copy of Nice One on Bandcamp .

Instead of picking just one artist/record to highlight this week, we decided to talk about 6 recent singles by 6 different bands. A "new music spotlight," if you will... and we will. There are so many bands releasing great singles right now, so it was hard to narrow down our choices. Find out which songs Caleb picked, and why he thought they stood out. Don't forget to subscribe to the Left of the...

Today's episode is a special one for Kitzy. We're taking with Philly folk sensation Erin Fox about her record Fuzzy Logic. Erin tells us the story of how it took a few attempts in various studios (and her own home) to get this record feeling right, and how she finally ended up being one of the first artists to work in Kitzy's studio. You can listen to the record, and place a pre-order for the next...

One of my favorite things about having a guest on the show is that it allows us to just be fans, rather than reviewers. This week, we've got Alex Melton - YouTube & TikTok sensation - talking about what it's like combining the worlds of musician and content creator. This one's gonna have a lot of links, because we're talking about the entire internet - buckle up! If Blink 182 wrote Free Fallin...

Caleb is off this week, so we're rerunning an interview we did last year with Bacchae. We just had them in the studio for a Left of the Dial Live session and we think it's really great! Check it out now at leftofthedial.fm Check out Fuzzy Sweater for even more cool live in studio sessions! Do you want a shout out in one of our podcast episodes? Join our Patreon ! We also have other cool stuff ther...

We're back this week talking about the new-ish EP by Future Teens called Deliberately Alive. We're pretty stoked on how this feels like it picks right up where Breakup Season left off, but still stands on its own. As they are wont to do, they throw in a pretty badass cover as well. Don't forget to check out Future Teens' Bandcamp page to show them some love. And of course head on over to leftofthe...

Caleb found himself down a nostalgia rabbit hole this week, and stumbled across this 2014 EP from Mark Kano, singer of Athenaeum. This time, it's Kitzy's turn to give their off-the-cuff first impressions. So what did they think? Well, you'll have to listen to find out, but let's just say this is one of those times where our hosts' tastes... diverge. We've got an exciting Left of the Dial Live comi...

It's another challenge week! This time, Kitzy challenged Caleb to find literally any information at all about a band from Dublin in the early aughts called The Shakes. Did he succeed? You'll have to listen to the episode to find out! And speaking of listening, here's a Dropbox link to the EPs we discussed, since as far as we can tell you cannot find this band's music anywhere online. Have you subs...

We're joined this week by Tyler and Doug from The Tisburys to talk about their record Sun Goes Down. We learn how the pandemic impacted the band's creative process, what it's like to record a record when you can't all be in the same room, and what exactly is "Power Pop?" Make sure you're subscribed to the Left of the Dial YouTube page, because you're not going to want to miss this live performance...

Kitzy posed a challenge to Caleb this week - do absolutely zero research about this band, and show up ready to have your mind blown (OK, I exaggerated that last part, but not by a lot). The record in question? Ten Hours, but First of October. Two musicians known for their YouTube channels -  Rob Scallon  and  Andrew Huang - booked a studio for ten hours (hence the name), wrote and r...

Kitzy's off on a well-earned break, so it's Caleb's turn to helm the show. Set Condition One cohost - and NSR's resident Jersey expert - Andrea joins to talk about a record that oddly enough isn't from New Jersey. That's right, in anticipation of his upcoming The Price of Salt EP (due out July 9th), we're in the upper Midwest this week talking about An Anthropologist on Mars , the most recent EP f...

Danny and Nick from Element 101 join us this week and we take a big ol' nostalgia trip. We chat about their 2002 release More Than Motion, a Saint Louis venue that turned into a Mexican restaurant, the lost art of the "hidden track," and the new jams they were writing just before COVID shutdowns. Listen along & learn about why Caleb is still in love with this "lost record" nearly 20 years late...

Chris Gethard might not be a musician himself, but he's spent the last twenty years building a career on the DIY philosophy he learned growing up in New Jersey's punk scene. Nowhere is this more obvious than in his new hilarious and introspective comedy special/tour doc Half My Life . Check out the alligator-filled trailer . Chris joins us this week to talk about shooting Half My Life in ten of hi...

We did something new this week - Kitzy picked a record neither of us had heard before, and we gave our real-time first impressions. You read that right, neither of us had ever listened to Live Forever by Bartees Strange, and we now understand just how badly we fucked up. And let me tell you, it is extremely difficult to review a record this good in real-time, because we just wanted to keep listeni...

We've got an extra special episode this week - 2 guests! We're joined by Jimmy from Shy Tooth to talk about their new record Ultrasuede, which we all agree is a dope name. And Caleb's brother Joshua is here too! Listen to us nerd out about gear, and what makes a "hook." For the Patreon subscribers, there's even a 2 minute bit about bringing cheese on tour. Check out Shy Tooth on Bandcamp - https:/...

We're joined this week by Nicolle from Hit Like a Girl to discuss their new record Heart Racer. This is one of those records that you want to play on repeat forever, as the final track flows seamlessly back into the first. You can also swoon with us over the incredible vintage gear by Cole Picks Vintage . Hit Like a Girl will be joining us in the studio on May 22nd for Left of the Dial Live , so m...

In a surprising turn of events, Caleb introduces Kitzy to Beach Bunny's Blame Game EP. It's just 4 tracks long, but it's non-stop energy. Just got kicks, we also check out a re-release of the track Cloud 9 ft Tegan & Sara. Bandcamp - https://beachbunny.bandcamp.com/ Website (with tour dates, videos, merch & more!) - https://www.beachbunnymusic.com/

This week it's our 69th episode (nice) and we're talking about Internet Friends, by niiice. As Caleb said on first listen, "this record owns!" Check niiice. out on Bandcamp , and then check out the dope video for Schlonkey Kong (which is also a great song title). And here's the Bring the Noise article we discussed.

Friend of the podcast, incredibly talented musician, and all-around great human Kayleigh Goldsworthy joins us this week in the exclusive Repeat Guest Club™. At Kayleigh's suggestion, we finally take a moment to listen to Fantasies by Metric (who you may remember from our Scott Pilgrim crossover episode), and we're mad we didn't do it sooner. It's a gorgeous blend of dance-y, dark, dreamy & gri...

Why do dogs float in water? Because they are good buoys. Someone put that joke in to fuck with me (Caleb) but the joke's on the, I think it's hilarious. Anyway, this week we talk to Lily from Long Neck about their new record World's Strongest Dog. Lily tells us the story about the very good boi on the cover of the record, we get real deep into the meaning behind the songs, and we learn about Lily'...