Robbie & James Talk Music

Episode Discussion Topics: – What Robbie & James have been listening to lately.  – Repetition in music.  – Artists who deserve more recognition.  Tracks: Wesley Joseph’s’ “ If Time Could Talk ” Elise Hayes’s “ Dive In ”  Further Listening/Reading: Wesley Joseph Forever Ends Someday , 2026 Sid Sriram’s Sidharth , 2023 Jill Christman’s The Heart Folds Early University of Nebraska Press’s America...

Episode Discussion Topics: – What Robbie & James have been listening to lately.  – The purpose of violence in media.  – The violence of systems.  Tracks: Pixies’ “ Caribou ” Flea’s “ Lovelovelove ”  Further Listening/Reading: Pixies Pixies’ Come On Pilgrim (1987) David Fincher’s Fight Club (1999) Lana & Lilly Wachowski’s The Matrix (1999) Pixies’ Bossanova (1990) The Cure’s Disintegration...

Episode Discussion Topics: – Christmas music.  – Love Actually facts.  – Artist credibility & Christmas albums.  Tracks: Bleachers’ “ Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call ” Sufjan Steven’s “ Christmas in the Room ”  Further Listening/Reading: Bleachers Richard Curtis’s Love Actually (2003) Sufjan Stevens Sufjan Stevens & Lowell Brams’ Aporia (2020) Sufjan Stevens’ Songs for Christmas (2006 S...

Episode Discussion Topics: – Christmas music.  – When we listen to Christmas music. – The history of Christmas music.  – Die Hard facts.  Tracks: The Oh Hellos’ “ Mvmt I: “Rejoice! Rejoice!” ” Run–D.M.C.’s “ Christmas In Hollis ”  Further Listening/Reading: The Oh Hellos “ Joy to the World ” “ Coventry Carol ” “ Hark! The Herald Angels Sing ” The 2025 Essay Daily Advent Calendar Run–D.M.C. John Mc...

Episode Discussion Topics: – The historical timeline of Punk music.  – The aesthetic of Punk music.  – The impact and legacy of Punk music.  – Post Punk & New Wave Tracks: Geese’s “ Trinidad ” Wire’s “ Pink Flag ”  Further Listening/Reading: Ramones Patti Smith Sex Pistols The Clash The Damned Geese’s Getting Killed Mike Nagel’s “ Orientation ” at The Rumpus , Oct. 2, 2025 Mike Nagel’s Duplex...

Episode Discussion Topics: – Brian Jonestown Massacre   – Psychedelic Rock – Positionality in music   Tracks: Brian Jonestown Massacre’s “Anemone” Brian Jonestown Massacre’s “Pish”   Further Listening/Reading: Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Their Satanic Majesties’ Second Request (2008)  Ondi Timoner’s Dig! (2004)  The Dandy Warhols Jamie Thompson’s “The Missing Kayaker: What Happened to Ryan Borgward...

Episode Discussion Topics: –  Hating vs. loving Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl. – The inherent power of live performances.  – AI and learning spaces.    Tracks: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s “ Haunt ” Water From Your Eyes’ “ Nights in Armor ” Further Listening/Reading: Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl Water From Your Eyes’ It’s a Beautiful Place This Is Lorelai Thanks for Coming Sean C...

Episode Discussion Topics: – Penny & Sparrow.    – Horror films.  – Harmony.  Tracks: Penny & Sparrow’s “ Jeopardy ” Penny & Sparrow’s “ Cheers to Good Friends ” Concert Set List Playlist   Further Listening/Reading: (James really wants you to listen to this Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl Scott Derrickson’s The Black Phone , 2021 Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance , 2024 Osgood Per...

Episode Discussion Topics: – The 1980s.   – The cultural veneer of the 1980s vs. the actuality of the 1980s.  –  Ted Williams – 1986 Youth Cinema Tracks: Prince and the Revolution’s “ Kiss ” The Cure’s “ Charlotte Sometimes ” Further Listening/Reading: Prince’s Under the Cherry Moon , 1986 1986 Hot 100 Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs of All Time Richard Ben Cramer’s “What Do You Think of Ted Williams...

Episode Discussion Topics: – Melancholy/sad songs.  – Color and contrast to position story.  – Organizing artforms by emotion.    Tracks: Tracy Chapman’s “ Fast Car ” DUG’s “ In Memorium ” Further Listening/Reading: Wong Kar-Wai’s In the Mood for Love Thom Yorke's defense of sad music Ander Monson’s “ The Sadnesses of March: In Search of Extreme Emotions ” 2016 March Sadness Essay Tournament   Pla...

Episode Discussion Topics: – Our artistic projects during Fall 2025.   – The purpose of art: Art for art’s sake vs. art with a larger purpose.     Tracks: Public Service Broadcasting’s “ The Fun of It (ft. Andreya Casablanca) ” Spoon’s “ Guess I’m Fallin In Love ”    Further Listening/Reading: Godspeed You! Black Emperor Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven ...

Episode Discussion Topics: – Artistic projects we worked on in Summer 2025.   – Art with a purpose.    Tracks: Oxis’s “ Long Sardine ” Lupe Fiasco’s “ HOMME MADE (feat. Virgil Abloh) ”   Further Listening/Reading: “Oxis Dives Into the Unknown Depths of Oceanic Electronica in Debut Album 'Oxis 7'” Robbie Maakestad’s “ The View from Bethlehem ” at X-R-A-Y Magazine. W. G. Sebald Playlists: Ongoing Po...

Episode Discussion Topics: – New podcast format.  – Lenses through which we listen to music.  – Shoegaze: the genre.    Tracks: slimdan’s “Weinerschnitzel” The Lees of Memory’s “We Are Siamese”     Further Listening/Reading: Taylor Steele & Chris Malloy’s short film Shelter The Shins White Buffalo Slimdan’s Second Dinner (live from mom’s office) Wake Child Danny Silberstein’s music Sofia Coppo...