Thinking About Music

The Execution of Joe Hill

Between The Liner Notes — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 20:33:57 +0000

I knew the song, and I vaguely knew the history, but this deep dive into the life and times of songwriter/labor organizer Joe Hill opened my eyes. It’s very moving and it’s more relevant than ever.

Peter Bjorn and John – Young Folks

Song Exploder — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 20:33:37 +0000

Every episode of Song Exploder is amazing, but I just love this episode. Young Folks was EVERYWHERE for a while, and it’s so fascinating to hear all the accidents that made it come together.

Part 1: That Beat, That Beat Right There

Mogul: The Life and Death of Chris Lighty — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 20:33:15 +0000

What everyone says is true: Mogul is unlike anything I’ve ever heard before. The history is so rich, the personal story so heartbreaking and compelling, I binged the whole thing in a day.

Jon Brion & Opinions on Emeli Sandé

Sound Opinions — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 20:32:51 +0000

I’ve been listening to Sound Opinions for at least 8 years (!!!), and this interview with Jon Brion is one of my favorites. I come back to ideas he puts forth ALL THE TIME.

Say Hey

Switched on Pop — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 20:32:17 +0000

I love this podcast so much I basically had to choose a random episode. This is as good a place to start as any; a wonderful breakdown of a pop music trope.

Heard, Once

The Memory Palace — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 20:31:56 +0000

My favorite Memory Palace episode (and not just because it deals with themes we approach in Songonauts!), this KILLS me every time I hear it. Before the advent of recorded sound, people only ever heard a performance of a piece of music once.

Episode 1: Into the Songoverse

Songonauts — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 20:31:36 +0000

Doc, Penny and Jojo are in a band that is going nowhere – until they find a drum machine that transports them into their songs.