Music Is My Radar

Part 2 of my matchup of Beatles songs vs. Solo Beatles songs. It's all Paul McCartney this time, and not every matchup is an easy Beatles victory. Take a trip with a bluebird, the Crimson Dynamo, to the C Moon! Also, a special shout-out to Kaiya Buffelen, a family musician who has covered one of these songs. Check her out on Spotify, and in and around the Seattle area for live performances!! https...

Well, I did it: I recorded a Beatles-centric episode. I will be comparing a Beatles song to its solo Beatle counterpart, determined by me. Which song will win each round? Part 1 has 5 matchups for John Lennon, 6 for George Harrison. Paul McCartney will be handled in Part 2. Here comes the....moon????

You all know "California Girls," "Surfin USA," and "I Get Around." In this episode, we look at some of the "other" tracks on their pre-Pet Sounds albums. Misguided covers, some curio pieces of its time, and some wtf decisions. Enjoy!!

We move on to 1966 and 1967 for the 2nd of the 2-part series of One Shot Wonders of the 1960's. A diverse set of artists here!

The 1960's were a fertile time for recording artists who had just one hit, but made the most of it. This is Part 1 of my favorite of these, covering up to 1965. Girl groups and some British Invasion songs included here!!!!

It's the summer of 1992, I'm 8 years old, and listening to KOOL 104 Oldies from dawn til dusk. This is a formative time for my music love, and 10 songs in particular were ones I loved and couldn't wait to hear each day. Enjoy!

So, it turns out I was making lists of #1 songs as far back as June 1997. Coming out of my Big Beatles Bubble that month at age 13, my musical exploration had only begun. Join me as I discuss a selection of these #1's. Almost all 1960's songs, some dorky, some stone cold all time classics. Enjoy!

After two episodes of picking apart Songs, I switch towards the positive here. I lift up 10 songs from the '60s and '70s that deserve to be held in higher regard!

Time to knock some more innocent songs down a peg! These all come from the '80s and '90s, by artists I love.

I love a lot of artists, and a lot of songs. But sometimes even my favorites have songs that have gotten too much love. This first part includes 8 songs from the '60s and '70s. No one is safe!!!!

Take a break from this awful state of affairs with Part 2 of my ongoing series In Defense of the Monkees!! I originally planned this episode to cover two of their albums, but I love Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, and Jones Ltd so much that I devoted the full episode to it. Davy subverts his image, Mike makes his presence known despite only writing two songs, and Micky goes all proto-McCartney II wit...

New episode of Music is My Radar is up!! Today I am counting down my Top 12 Favorite Final Verses! No need to roll your eyes at this, you can spend some TIME together. I had a blast recording this episode, I hope to do more countdown episodes like this for you all. Enjoy!

I'm back in business, everyone!!! I've sidelined the #1's Project for now, instead focusing on all kinds of different music topics for each episode. This week, it's Part 1 of my primer on The Monkees, a group finally getting its due for their innovations and diverse musical contributions. This week it's their first 3 albums, and some (hopefully) deep cuts interspersed throughout the episode. Enjoy...

Is...that Dwight Schrute??? Nope, it's Andy Partridge of XTC, inviting you to a new episode of Music Is My Radar!! We're looking at #1's from the 2nd quarter of 2011, where XTC and Lou Reed are featured twice. I'll get through 2011 and perhaps revamp the podcast format, hopefully not after 3 months this time out. Enjoy!

La la, la la la! Music Is My Radar has a song in its heart as it checks in on 2011! #1's of Quarter 1 of 2011 in this episode, including some British '90s selections, a total soundalike of 2-3 songs at once, and rediscovering my love for They Might Be Giants. Enjoy! Song list: "Wolf Like Me" by TV On The Radio, "For Tomorrow" by Blur, "Good as Gold" by the Beautiful South, "Hey Mr. DJ, I Thought Y...

We're wrapping up 2010 with a veritable grab bag of #1 songs! From '70s staples to 2000's UK rock to one of the biggest current hits of 2010, you won't know what you'll get next. Stick your hand on the bag! ...in a non-sexual way... Song list: "Move Your Feet" by Junior Senior, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by the Flying Pickets, "Fuck You!" By Cee-Lo Green, "Suavecito" by Malo, "You Just Haven't Earn...

Finally back at it with a new episode!! We head into Quarter 3 of 2010. I belatedly get on the bandwagon of one of the most critically acclaimed artists of the 2000's, look across the pond for some UK dad rock(?) and shout out a local band gone national. Enjoy!! Song list: "Rebellion (Lies)" by Arcade Fire, "Every Subway Car" by Barenaked Ladies, "Ask" by the Smiths, "Love's In Need Of Love Today"...

Ahoy, new episode! #1 songs on my chart in Quarter 2 of 2010. Some more not too noteworthy songs, and a few attempts to go out of my depth in talking about certain genres. But don't worry, alles wunderbar!!! Enjoy! Song list: "Can't Go Back" by Fleetwood Mac, "Talk" by Coldplay, "Computer Love" by Kraftwerk, "Roots, Rock, Reggae" by Bob Marley and the Wailers, "I've Seen All Good People" by Yes, "...

Oh no! There goes Tokyo! New episode, everyone!! New decade, new batch of #1's, Quarter 1 of 2010. I end up spending equal time on the #2's this time around, since some of the #1's....were not noteworthy. But any episode with Talking Heads, the best Peter Gabriel song, and Neil Young can't be that bad. Enjoy!! Song list: (#1's) "Another Girl, Another Planet" by the Only Ones, "Godzilla" by Blue Öy...

In which Morrissey might get laid, as well as an artist replacing themselves at #1. Enjoy! Song list: "Nothing Bad Ever Happens" by Oingo Boingo, "There is a Light That Never Goes Out" by the Smiths, "Stumble"/"Wolves, Lower" by R.E.M., "Leave" by R.E.M., "Can We Still Be Friends" by Todd Rundgren, and "Golden Lady" by Stevie Wonder.

New episode! I get to talk about one of my favorite bands XTC!!! And I try not to go overboard on the Beatles during a Beatles adjacent track!!!!! All this and more on #1 songs of Quarter 3, 2009. Enjoy!! Song list: " Missionary Man" by Eurythmics, "De-Luxe" by Lush, "Life Begins at the Hop" by XTC, "I Am the Beat" by the Look, "Bigmouth Strikes Again" by the Smiths, "Sour Milk Sea" by Jackie Loma...

NEw episode of Music is My Radar is up, covering #1's April thru Jun 2009!!! Some more 2000s stuff here, proving I wasn't that hopelessly behind at the time. Thanks for listening! Song list: "Train in the Distance" by Paul Simon, "All My Friends" by LCD Soundsystem, "19/2000 (Soulchild remix)" by Gorillaz, "Silly Love" by 10cc, " Don't Change" by INXS, "Tinseltown in the Rain" by the Blue Nile, an...

Back in the game, buddy!!! We pick back where we left off, looking at songs topping my charts in 2009. A decent mix of sounds, albeit a few that don't have a lot of commentary. Thanks for listening! Song list: "Sex on Fire" by Kings of Leon, "Make a Circuit With Me" by Polecats, "Our Lips are Sealed" by Fun Boy Three, "Birdland" by the Weather Report, "Live Forever" by Oasis, and "Too Bad" by Doug...

New episode is posted. I had a lot to say this time around....some of these songs sure expressed my feels during Quarter 4 of 2008. Moving back to Idaho, coming to terms with what happened. Two all time classic songs included...one more subjective than the other. Enjoy! Song list: "Respect Yourself" by the Staple Singers, "Side" by Travis, "Goodbye Stranger" by Supertramp, "Shake Some Action" by t...

New episode today - Quarter 3 of 2008 #1's. Some more examples of music really hitting my personal life. But that was when Chris Martin ruled the world. Enjoy! Song list: "City of Blinding Lights" by U2, "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay, "Come Back" by Wah!, "When You Were Young" by the Killers, "Bitter Fingers" by Elton John, and "Where Do You Go To My Lovely" by Peter Sarstedt.