1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:12,960 Welcome to the Album Nerds podcast with your hosts, Andy, Don, and Dude. 2 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:15,880 No clever quips this time. 3 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:18,400 I don't have anything new, Wavish. 4 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:20,040 I mean, I could wave, but no one would see it. 5 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:23,560 I'm waving right now. 6 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:25,440 I'm about to podcast, so sorry. 7 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,000 This is the Album Nerds podcast. 8 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:28,400 I'm Dude. 9 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:29,880 I got Andy and Don with me. 10 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:31,640 Eddie, how the hell you doing, my friend? 11 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:33,240 Doing pretty freaking well, man. 12 00:00:33,480 --> 00:00:38,520 Glad to be talking about our, seems to be our favorite time on podcast here, 13 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:41,840 that 70s to 80s period. 14 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:43,240 Sorry, sorry, sweet spot. 15 00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:45,440 That's when people started waving differently. 16 00:00:45,480 --> 00:00:48,880 I think that's like when the kind of the half knuckle thing. 17 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:52,840 Are you coming around to it being a new wave? 18 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:54,400 Yes. 19 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:55,360 Yeah. 20 00:00:55,360 --> 00:01:00,600 So that's what I was trying to avoid, this is of course the Album Nerds podcast. 21 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:05,320 We love albums, the album format, talking about them and making terrible jokes. 22 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:06,920 We've got a great show for you this week. 23 00:01:06,960 --> 00:01:11,960 We're each going to present a new wave album from the classic new wave era, 24 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:13,440 late 70s, early 80s. 25 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,400 Don's going to ask us a deep question. 26 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,520 Then we're going to have some shout outs to some other albums and album 27 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:20,800 related items we're digging. 28 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:24,080 And then of course we'll spin that wheel of musical discovery to find out what 29 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:25,560 we'll talk about on the next show. 30 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,080 But this time it's all about that new wave. 31 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:31,280 That's what I'm talking about. 32 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:36,760 New wave music emerged in the late 1970s as a diverse and eclectic genre, 33 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:41,560 blending elements of punk, pop and electronic music with a distinctive visual aesthetic. 34 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:45,560 Many influential new wave albums not only shaped the sound of a generation, 35 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:48,800 but also had a lasting impact on popular music and culture. 36 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:52,040 Today, each of us will present a new wave album. 37 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:57,040 Yeah, I think the challenge here is the synth pop, new wave, post-punk, 38 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:00,400 all have very similar DNA. 39 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,560 I mean, they're, I would say they're brothers and sisters of each other. 40 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:04,760 You can tell they're related. 41 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,320 They look related, but they don't look like twins or triplets. 42 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:09,080 They're the same family though. 43 00:02:09,640 --> 00:02:13,680 That's probably a distinction that only matters to podcast hosts and marketers. 44 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:14,560 Yeah, true. 45 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:20,040 So through your travels through new wave albums and trying to straddle those lines, 46 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:24,880 what other albums did you consider before you made your final choice? 47 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:27,120 Well, there's lots of good stuff in the space. 48 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:31,520 I enjoyed some stuff from Joe Jackson and X-Ray Specs. 49 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:36,600 But the one that struck out to me the most was from an artist or band called Japan, 50 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:39,280 an album in 1981 called Tindrum. 51 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:43,400 They're from South London, kind of like elements of like glam rock and art rock, 52 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:47,200 but there's some like really like weird kind of avant-garde sounds in there, 53 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:48,480 in their music as well. 54 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:52,800 It's kind of like very weird sort of Bowie style vocal. 55 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:54,920 And yeah, that was really interesting. 56 00:02:54,920 --> 00:02:56,920 It's an interesting record if you haven't heard it. 57 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:58,800 I did not cross paths with that. 58 00:02:58,800 --> 00:02:59,560 I'll check that out. 59 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:00,640 How about you Don? 60 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:02,880 Why do I sound so confrontational there? 61 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:04,000 How about you Don? 62 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:04,600 How'd you do? 63 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:11,120 Well, I wanted to just bring attention to one that was kind of under the radar, 64 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:12,960 the Soft Boys, right? 65 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:13,680 Good name. 66 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:15,720 Oh, it's kind of like the Viagra Boys, right? 67 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:16,800 Yeah. 68 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:18,200 It's like they're evil. 69 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:25,600 But their second album, Underwater Moonlight from 1980, is really a solid record. 70 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:29,240 But the Soft Boys features Robin Hitchcock, who we've talked about 71 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:31,760 on the show multiple times. 72 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:34,320 Also Kimberly Roo from Katrina and the Waves, 73 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:36,400 who is not the girl from Katrina and the Waves. 74 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:38,640 It's a guy named Kimberly, which is interesting. 75 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:40,320 Oh, well, all right then. 76 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:41,920 All right, dude. 77 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,960 So, I mean, I consider things like Elvis Costello and the Attractions, 78 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:49,920 but I felt like that was a little more post-punk than New Wave. 79 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:54,280 Again, a tough line to draw. 80 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:59,480 But I really considered one of the most obvious things I think that people think 81 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:02,080 of is a Flock of Seagulls self-titled album. 82 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:05,640 Although that's more synth pop, really. 83 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:12,920 But the crazy hairstyle that is like a hallmark of goofy 80s trends. 84 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:15,440 The album was released in 1982. 85 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:21,720 It's distinctive, synth driven, atmospheric, and hits like I Ran and Space Age Love Song. 86 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:25,720 And the album really did help to find 80s New Wave movement. 87 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:31,920 But MTV, I think, is part of the reason that they had such success. 88 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:33,120 Yeah, I like that. 89 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:37,400 But it also has that like guitar that is like so 90 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:42,440 like echoed and just so much effect on it. 91 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:43,800 So much reverb. Yeah. 92 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:47,560 Yeah, they definitely carved out a unique sound all their own. 93 00:04:48,280 --> 00:04:50,880 All right. So enough about what we almost chose. 94 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:52,880 Let's get to our actual choices. 95 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,040 You choo choo choose me? 96 00:05:01,280 --> 00:05:04,840 Right from a New Wave selection, we are talking about Blondie 97 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:08,480 and their 1978 album Parallel Lines. 98 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:13,240 It's the third studio album for the sixth piece from New York City. 99 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:15,240 New York City. 100 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:17,240 Thank you. 101 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:24,240 So first with new producer Mike Chapman, who is from Australia. 102 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:26,640 He worked with groups like The Knack. 103 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:31,280 Let's see. The album went on to place number one on UK charts, 104 00:05:31,280 --> 00:05:37,400 number six in the US and six total singles on it over its lifetime. 105 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:39,280 Wow. Yeah, pretty successful for them. 106 00:05:39,280 --> 00:05:41,200 Let's jump in and play the big hit. 107 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:43,000 This is One Way or Another. 108 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:54,160 This is about Debbie Harry, the lead singer of Blondie there. 109 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:57,280 One of her ex-boyfriends who had turned into a stalker 110 00:05:57,280 --> 00:06:00,520 and was trying to get her to get her. 111 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:04,480 My clickbait headline for Parallel Lines is 112 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:07,480 Blondie draws a line in the New Wave sand and asks, 113 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:09,480 are you feeling lucky punk? 114 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:11,480 Well, do you punk? 115 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:13,480 Debbie Harry jokes. 116 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:15,480 That's good. I like it. 117 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:16,480 Thank you. 118 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:18,480 Man, I've been waiting for a while to talk about this record. 119 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:24,480 It's been on my short list of albums for many, many episodes in the past here. 120 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:27,480 It's such a lively kind of like, I mean, it's pop rock really. 121 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:32,480 I mean, there's elements of punk and I guess, you know, this kind of falls into that New Wave bucket. 122 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:39,480 But I think they really kind of straddle the line here of like that space between punk, pop, and rock, I guess. 123 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:41,480 It's so hooky. 124 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:43,480 Each track is like super quick. 125 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:46,480 Everything's like, you know, two or three minutes long, super fun. 126 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:49,480 But it's got a real professionalism to it, I guess I would say. 127 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:52,480 Everything sounds kind of polished and put in the right place. 128 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:56,480 I think a lot of that ties back to the production there of Mike Chapman. 129 00:06:56,480 --> 00:07:05,480 So the album title Parallel Lines, does that have anything to do with the styles that they incorporate into their sound that are all equal and parallel to each other? 130 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:07,480 Everything bounds just in the right spot. 131 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:09,480 I thought you were going to say cocaine. 132 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:13,480 Yes, well, Studio 54 and whatnot. 133 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,480 Yeah. 134 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:19,480 It's got a lot of great, just iconic tracks on it. 135 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:25,480 A lot of good singles too, but I think it really holds up well as an album as a whole. 136 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:26,480 Why don't we dig in here and play? 137 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:31,480 Another cut from the album was the other big single, Heart of Glass. 138 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:43,480 I think that's my favorite disco song of all time, if you could officially call it a disco track. 139 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:45,480 It's got a disco feel. 140 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:49,480 So that's written by Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. 141 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:57,480 Harry said that the song, it was actually one of the first ones they ever wrote, but they just tried it so many different times in different styles. 142 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:00,480 They had it as a ballad and then like as a reggae tune. 143 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:04,480 And then it finally worked with this kind of Euro disco treatment. 144 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:10,480 Actually, it uses a Roland CR 78 drum machine synchronized with real drums. 145 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:17,480 So you're actually hearing both the electronic and the real drums, which I think sort of is symbolic of who they are. 146 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:24,480 They're sort of merging that humanity with the digital, with the electronic. 147 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:36,480 I kind of like some of those more subtle guitar parts out there that don't get the attention, but it's just – it's an important part of the song and you don't even really notice it. 148 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:40,480 Yeah, you love a good guitar lick, especially if it's got a good rhythm to it. 149 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:47,480 Yeah. According to Harry, the lyrics aren't about anyone specific. She said she called it a plaintive moan about lost love. 150 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:56,480 Anyway, my clickbait headline for Parallel Lines is Blondie Serves Dagwood a Giant Bubblegum and Punk Sandwich. 151 00:08:56,480 --> 00:09:04,480 So for our younger listeners, I don't know if they know Blondie, the cartoon, the comic strip. 152 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:10,480 But yeah, the guy – it was about a husband and wife and the guy liked eating these really piled high sandwiches. 153 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:11,480 Yeah. 154 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:14,480 So it was a really hilarious joke. I enjoyed it. 155 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:18,480 You're welcome. Actually, in some parts of the country, they'll call sandwiches dagwoods. 156 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:26,480 Yeah. I used to try to make those when I was a kid all the time. The key was at the top, you had to take a toothpick with an olive on the top of the sandwich. 157 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:29,480 I don't know why, but that's the way it was. 158 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:41,480 Anyway, back to the music. So yeah, there is kind of like a bubblegum pop sound to some of the songs, which kind of works. 159 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:44,480 But I feel like it's almost ironic or something. 160 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:58,480 Yeah. Well, yeah. But I mean, if you look at it, I feel like this and many New Wave albums, their foundations come from 60s garage rock and 60s pop, 161 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:12,480 which then was eaten and shut out as punk. And then as we came into this New Wave, they reincorporated some of those sounds and influences of their childhood. 162 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:14,480 Right? So it's bound to happen. 163 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,480 It's all connected. Big pile of shit. 164 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:28,480 The cool thing about art is that you can be ironic and so you can sort of do lame things, but call it. 165 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:35,480 Right. You can do something you really secretly love and want to do, and then you can pretend that it's some sort of statement. 166 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:43,480 I mean, yeah. I think about New York City's art scene in that period, Andy Warhol. I guess Debbie was kind of close with that. 167 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:47,480 It's kind of like what they did. I mean, they're kind of making fun of pop culture. 168 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:53,480 Yeah. Here's different colored cans of soup. Oh, how brilliant. 169 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:57,480 So, you know, Debbie Harry is, I think, an interesting vocalist. 170 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:04,480 I mean, she doesn't have like a traditionally beautiful voice or anything, but it has a lot of attitude and a lot of character. 171 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:06,480 Yeah. And confidence. Yeah. 172 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:11,480 She's sort of like a more palatable Patti Smith, I think, in some ways. 173 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:14,480 Yeah. Her voice is more palatable. Yeah. 174 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:20,480 Her whole vibe is more inviting. Patti Smith is kind of like shut up and listen. Yeah. 175 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:22,480 You know? That's a good point. In my opinion. 176 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:29,480 Yeah. Yeah. Also, I just want to mention the rest of the band. Some, I think, underrated drumming by Clem Burke. 177 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:33,480 Yeah. I think some really good post-punk drums going on there. 178 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:40,480 And also, again, the guitar parts, that's Stein and Infante. They have a lot of sort of jangly guitar going on. 179 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:44,480 But then, you know, some more like edgier punk riffs. 180 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:51,480 Yeah. I think the guitar parts especially work really well when they do get to those more angular punk adjacent sounds there. 181 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:59,480 I had read that producer Mike Chapman said that the band was the worst group of technically proficient musicians he had ever worked with prior to this recording. 182 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:04,480 All right. So let's hear another one from the record here. And this is, towards the end, this is Sunday Girl. 183 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:16,480 There's that bubble gum sound that came up earlier. 184 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:24,480 So Debbie Harry wrote that song about a cat that belonged to her then boyfriend guitarist Chris Stein, who was also in the band. 185 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:29,480 The cat often went missing on Sundays, sparking the melancholic upbeat vibe of the track. 186 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:34,480 A blend of 60s girl group influences and then that new wave flair. 187 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:41,480 It's catchy and very polished sounding, but it's upbeat and wistful and just kind of fun to listen to. 188 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:46,480 Explores themes of love and longing and nostalgia in a very cute package. 189 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:49,480 I like the idea of a cat that runs off on Sundays. 190 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:59,480 My clickbait headline to describe Parallel Lines, the album that made disco, punk and new wave play nice and took Blondie to the top. 191 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:06,480 And I think this album is so varied. I mean, the two big hits, you know, it's worth the price of admission. 192 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:11,480 And then some of these other songs are like experiments in playing with rock and roll sounds. 193 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:19,480 As I mentioned, those splashes of 60s garage rock, but then there's also disco influence. So it sounds very timely at the same time. 194 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:28,480 But it's cool enough that I think a person who hated disco would gladly do the hustle or whatever to heart of glass and be fine. 195 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:30,480 You know, feel like they were they were still cool. 196 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:34,480 It feels like throughout the album, they didn't lean one way or the other. 197 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:37,480 They just kind of found the sound that felt nice. 198 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:42,480 Right down the middle, sort of. I think it's a very interesting record. 199 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:45,480 It's a quick listen coming under 40 minutes. 200 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:47,480 Each track, I think, accomplishes a lot. 201 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:49,480 And it sounds it sounds great. 202 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:55,480 Even after all these years, if you have not heard Blondie's Parallel Lines, please, please do so. 203 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:04,480 Before we get into our next new wave album selection, why don't we hear from our friends over at the Polyphonic Press? 204 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:09,480 Do you love music? Do you want to explore classic albums? 205 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:13,480 If you answered yes, then check out Polyphonic Press. 206 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:22,480 I'm Jeremy. And along with my co-host, John, we rely on the patented random album generator to pick an album for us to review. 207 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:27,480 At the top of each show, we have no idea what album we're going to be listening to. 208 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:29,480 That's what keeps it really exciting. 209 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:31,480 We dig real deep into these albums. 210 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:37,480 So if this sounds interesting, come along with us on this journey because you never know what you might find. 211 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:40,480 We release a new episode every Tuesday morning. 212 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:45,480 That's Polyphonic Press, and we're available on every podcast platform. 213 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:49,480 I did answer both of those questions. Yes. I don't know about you fellas, but. 214 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:51,480 Yeah, actually. How did you know? 215 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:55,480 So yeah, go check out Polyphonic Press. It's a real nice list. 216 00:14:55,480 --> 00:15:04,480 So we're crossing the Atlantic now to England where it's New Wive. 217 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:07,480 New Wive. 218 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:14,480 So my pick is The Psychedelic Furs, their album from 1982 called Forever Now. 219 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:22,480 It's the third studio album by the band formed in London in 1977 by vocalist Richard Butler and his brother bassist Tim Butler. 220 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:28,480 The lineup for Forever Now also includes guitarist John Ashton and Vince Eli on drums. 221 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:32,480 They had previously had six members. So that would be what, a sextet. 222 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:38,480 But they had lost saxophonist Duncan Kilburn and guitarist Roger Morris after their previous album Talk Talk Talk. 223 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:43,480 They also were without their producer, Steve Lilly White, who was too busy. 224 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:46,480 They ended up working with Todd Rundgren. 225 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:48,480 Interesting pivot. 226 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:56,480 Yeah. And actually they had wanted to work with David Bowie, but they would have had to wait for him like several months. 227 00:15:56,480 --> 00:15:57,480 You wait. 228 00:15:57,480 --> 00:15:59,480 You wait for Bowie. I feel like that's a no-brainer. 229 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:03,480 Well, I think ultimately they didn't like that they were being compared to Bowie all the time. 230 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,480 So they wanted to distance themselves. 231 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:11,480 But yeah, so they worked with Rundgren in Woodstock, New York. And yeah, then we have Forever Now. 232 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:21,480 So here's a cut called Only You and I. 233 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:24,480 I think that's probably my favorite psychedelic for a song. 234 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:30,480 I just like that intense, like the whole song. It just feels really intense. 235 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:33,480 Also features some cello by Anne Sheldon. 236 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:39,480 And the lyrics, I'm not sure about, maybe obsession, suicide. I don't know. 237 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:42,480 There's a bang bang in there. So I don't know if it's metaphorical. 238 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:46,480 Yeah, I do have trouble sort of figuring out what his lyrics mean sometimes. 239 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:49,480 And maybe it's the kind of thing where it's stream of consciousness or something, 240 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:52,480 and they're not really meant to mean anything literally. 241 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:56,480 But yeah, so I mean, Butler, I mean, he doesn't have, I guess just like Debbie Harry, 242 00:16:56,480 --> 00:16:59,480 he doesn't have like a traditionally great singing voice. 243 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:05,480 I don't think he would have sung solos in the choir, but he just has a lot of charisma. 244 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:08,480 I mean, he's got that raspy or I don't know, like he smokes. 245 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:10,480 I think he is a smoker. 246 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:17,480 There's a sadness in it, which I think helps keep in check the new wave poppiness 247 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:22,480 where it's there, but his vocals have a way of kind of keeping it from getting out of control. 248 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:26,480 Yeah, yeah, that's true. But he has kind of that aggressive sound at times, 249 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:29,480 almost like a Johnny Rotten kind of thing. 250 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:30,480 Yeah, a little snarl. 251 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:36,480 And then he gets these like soft spoken phrases like, you don't get a vote, you know, 252 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:40,480 which I don't know if that's a Bowie thing kind of, maybe it is. 253 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:47,480 I also hear like, I just think maybe it's just the era and the part of the world that they all come from. 254 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:51,480 But there's also like, it's kind of Smithsy, Morrissey-y. 255 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:56,480 Yeah, there's just, there's a sad wistfulness through all three of their voices 256 00:17:56,480 --> 00:18:01,480 when Bowie is doing straight singing and not the theatrical stuff anyway. 257 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:08,480 All right, well, my clickbait headline for Forever Now is psychedelic furs provide timeless heartbreak beat. 258 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:13,480 So later in their career, they have a – actually their biggest American hit was called Heartbreak Beat. 259 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:14,480 So that's what I'm talking about there. 260 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:21,480 But I do think they capture sort of this romantic thing of like heartbreak, 261 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:25,480 even though it still sort of has like a punk rock attitude. 262 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:30,480 And there's just this weird balance between that punk rock attitude and that romantic spirit. 263 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:32,480 Anyway, let's hear more. 264 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:35,480 This is actually their first US charting song. 265 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:37,480 This is Love My Way. 266 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:47,480 I heard that song many times over the years. 267 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:50,480 I didn't really know it was psychedelic furs. 268 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:54,480 So it was a pleasant surprise while checking this album out. 269 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:57,480 It's a marimba-driven track. 270 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:01,480 Yeah, hallmark of the new wave. 271 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:05,480 I think they just kind of do whatever they want and there's nowhere else to put them but new wave 272 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:08,480 when people are trying to categorize them, you know. 273 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:13,480 Written by frontman Richard Butler, initially aimed at addressing issues of sexuality, 274 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:16,480 particularly for those struggling with their identity. 275 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:20,480 I'm not 100% sure. I mean, I read what I read, but that fits. 276 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:25,480 Kind of marked the shift in their sound and it's a little more polished and dreamy. 277 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:28,480 I think that's why it fits into the new wave style. 278 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:32,480 Todd Rundgren played the marimba on that from what I read. 279 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:36,480 And finally got his shot for years. That's why he wanted to produce. 280 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:37,480 He's like, I got to get some marimba in. 281 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:39,480 I got the marimba time. 282 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:40,480 Better than cowbell, man. 283 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:42,480 I got to have more cowbell. 284 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:45,480 My clickbait headline to describe the album, 285 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:53,480 From post-punk to new wave, Forever Now explores love, alienation and identity with psychedelic furs, bold blended sound. 286 00:19:53,480 --> 00:20:04,480 It is a smorgasbord of sounds, but they all have that common thread of his haunting, captivating voice that takes on soaring moments. 287 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:09,480 And like Todd said, the growly moments, his delivery helps hold this thing all together for me. 288 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:13,480 So yeah, I mean, obviously it was informed by punk, but also glam rock. 289 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:20,480 And, you know, the little xylophone or whatever and funky guitar riff on Only You and I is another example of just being innovative 290 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:23,480 and doing weird stuff that somehow sounds good. 291 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:29,480 So yeah, I really did enjoy this record a lot and I'll probably go check out some more psychedelic furs. 292 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:35,480 I mean, I know Pretty in Pink, obviously, but a lot of people have spoken highly of them over the years. 293 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:38,480 And I'm finally at the point where I'm ready to buy in. 294 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:40,480 So thank you, Todd. 295 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:48,480 You're welcome. It's also a very English album, I think, just the way he sings is English and the vibe and everything. 296 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:51,480 Yeah. All right. Well, let's hear some more Englishness. 297 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:53,480 Here's a song called Danger. 298 00:20:53,480 --> 00:21:03,480 I hear so much of like 90s British pop music in a track like that. 299 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:06,480 Such a good synth line, got the horns in there. 300 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:11,480 It's just kind of like a wall of sound, if you will, from this record kind of hitting you in the face. 301 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:18,480 My clickbait headline for forever now is the furs ride the new wave over a new wall of sound. 302 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:22,480 I think just gets you with like the old kitchen sink, man. 303 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:28,480 There's so many things happening sonically throughout and it does shift a good amount from track to track. 304 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:32,480 You know, mostly pretty bright and shiny, kind of fitting in with that new wave sound. 305 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:37,480 But there is a stretch we kind of talked about in the middle of the record that's a little bit darker, a little bit more moody, 306 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:43,480 a little got that British feel to it. It feels like a rainy British night sort of in the middle of the record there. 307 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:50,480 But there's some good high energy moments too. I really enjoyed President Gas was a pretty upbeat track there that I wasn't expecting. 308 00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:55,480 Yeah. And lyrically, I think he just is so obtuse. Like what is he talking about? 309 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:59,480 I'm never really sure. And lyrics even seem to shift like from verse to verse. 310 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:01,480 Like words are a little bit different than they were previously. 311 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:05,480 So it's like, is the meaning even important? Is it more just the sound we're getting out here? 312 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:14,480 Which I think does work really well in the mix and his voice just like fits perfectly with all these other kind of sounds that are happening around him. 313 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:18,480 And yeah, the whole thing works really well. I enjoyed it. I was not too familiar with them previously, 314 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:22,480 but I think I would come back to them again and give them the opportunity. 315 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:26,480 Sounds like you guys enjoyed it. So I'm glad about that. I'll just say, you know, 316 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:32,480 I think the other two albums we discuss are probably more important in the grand scheme of music and stuff. 317 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:38,480 But I think this is the one I enjoy listening to the most, maybe a bit more melodic and sappy. I don't know. 318 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:43,480 Well, it's also I think it's a little less intentionally pop. 319 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:54,480 And I think Blondie and the next album we're going to talk about, Devo, I think they were intentionally popping it up for radio and record sales and stuff. 320 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:56,480 I don't think the Furs were doing that. 321 00:22:56,480 --> 00:23:02,480 All right. Well, for a wonderfully English album that balances post-punk passion with mainstream pop sensibilities, 322 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:06,480 check out the Psychedelic Furs Forever Now from 1982. 323 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:15,480 Excuse me. I'd like to ask you a few questions. 324 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:19,480 Now it's time for Deep Questions by Don. 325 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:24,480 So here we are again, kind of talking about music from the from the 80s. 326 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:27,480 In what 80s fads did you participate? 327 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:32,480 Yeah, I made a lot of questionable clothing decisions in the 80s. 328 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:36,480 I needed. Well, the worst ones are the ones your parents allowed you to do. 329 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:41,480 Yeah, they helped spur along some of these, unfortunately. 330 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:45,480 I think the most egregious one that I still cannot live down to this day. 331 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:49,480 I had I wore glasses. I was, you know, like in first, second grade. 332 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:54,480 And I had these Flesen green Flesen was like a big, big thing in the 80s. 333 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:58,480 Everything super bright. I had these Flesen green like eyeglass holders. 334 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:03,480 I went around my glasses like if the glasses fell out, they would catch them. 335 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:06,480 I wore those for like two or three years every day. 336 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:11,480 I don't know why I thought they were cool. Gym class just like all the time. 337 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:15,480 Never really took my glasses off, but I had them there just in case. 338 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:19,480 It was like my cool little cool Flesen color. Yeah, I'm cool. 339 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:27,480 80s, 80s Andy. I thought you were going to say more of the sunglasses that were like window blinds or window. 340 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:32,480 I had those. Yeah, those were around a lot too. 341 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:36,480 The disappointing part of those sunglasses, you couldn't close the blinds. 342 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:39,480 No, I was open. Yeah, but you did. 343 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:43,480 Oh, God. I mean, the list is so long because I grew up as a, you know, 344 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:48,480 primarily throughout the 80s and as a kid making the worst choices possible. 345 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:53,480 But, you know, parachute pants and anything break dancing related was was bad. 346 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:59,480 But late in the 80s, I fell victim to the mullet. Nice. 347 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:06,480 The spiky kind and shaved up high over my ears. So I'd like white walls. 348 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:10,480 It didn't work for me, guys. I got to be honest. 349 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:16,480 It didn't work for anybody really. I looked like Jack Skellington with a mullet. 350 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:23,480 Not cool. Well, when I, I'm not sure how old I was. 351 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:29,480 I might have been like seven or eight, but I actually bought one of those leather like spike bracelets. 352 00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:35,480 I remember those trips. My mom used to take me to the SMM store too. 353 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:43,480 No, this was this was JCPenney, I think. Yeah, I think they were right next to the Michael Jackson gloves and the Boy George hat and stuff. 354 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:47,480 Oh, yeah. Right. It was that kind of thing. 355 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:50,480 I also remember, do you remember those like rubbery bracelets? 356 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:54,480 They'd be like a solid color and then you could like attach two together. 357 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:58,480 The jelly bracelets. Is that what they're called? Jelly bracelets? Yeah. Yeah, I did those too. 358 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:02,480 Used to be able to get them out of gumball machines. Oh, gumball machines. 359 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:06,480 I once got a purple rabbit's foot out of a gumball machine. Nice. 360 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:10,480 Wow. That's a lucky day. Yeah. Poor purple rabbit. 361 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:14,480 Somewhere out there. It's a good purple rabbit. 362 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,480 All right. Well, what 80s fad did you participate in? 363 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:24,480 Let us know on Instagram and Facebook or leave a comment on our website, AltheNerds.com. 364 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:28,480 When a problem comes along, we all know it's you must whip it. 365 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:36,480 So I went with Devo, formed in Akron, Ohio in 1973 by Gerald Casale. 366 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:39,480 I don't know. And Mark Mothersbaugh. Great name. 367 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:44,480 Influenced by 1970s political turmoil and societal decay. 368 00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:49,480 Going with their third studio album, Freedom of Choice from 1980. 369 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:52,480 Why don't we jump in with a little bit of Whip It. 370 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:56,480 Whip it good. 371 00:26:56,480 --> 00:27:02,480 So Freedom of Choice arrived at a critical moment for new wave music. 372 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:12,480 Synthesizers were starting to be more prominent and Devo fully embraced that transition from guitar driven post-punk to more electronic danceable sound. 373 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:15,480 Apparently their record contract was on the line. 374 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:19,480 Their first album did pretty well and it's highly loved among Devo fans. 375 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:22,480 Are We Not Men? We Are Devo. 376 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:30,480 But this one is the most, when I was growing up, the flower pot head energy helmet or whatever they called them. 377 00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:33,480 That whole look was so iconic. 378 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:39,480 The video for this was so what I thought New Wave was as a youngster. 379 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:43,480 So yeah, Whip It is a deceptively upbeat anthem. 380 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:48,480 Pretty nonsensical, but I took it as kind of like whatever you're doing to your utmost. 381 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:50,480 Like give it your best sort of? Yeah. 382 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:53,480 Kick its ass, you know? Whip it. Whip it good. 383 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:59,480 Of course there were rumors that that was about something more personal and bedroomy, but we won't get into that. 384 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:07,480 Produced by Robert Maguleff, known for his work with Stevie Wonder and helped them refine that electronic sound. 385 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:12,480 Mike Lick made headlines to describe the album from whip cracks to synth stacks. 386 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:17,480 Devo's Freedom of Choice helped define New Wave and made weird cool. 387 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:27,480 So yeah, the nerd glasses, the synchronized dance moves they would do on stage, the whole kind of we're so uncool, we're cool. 388 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:33,480 They're the kings of that. And this album was their coming out party in that regard, as far as I'm concerned. 389 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:49,480 All right, so why don't we jump into a little bit of Gates of Steel. Man is real. I love that track. 390 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:56,480 Yeah. Such a good, such a good anthem there, great synth line. And just that like punk rhythm underneath it. 391 00:28:56,480 --> 00:28:59,480 Dun dun dun dun dun dun. Yeah, really driving force to it. 392 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:08,480 It seems to be about men maybe accepting their limitations too easily. I kind of get that as like maybe the pieces for this album in general is kind of like, 393 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:12,480 we should be exploring our freedoms more and being more, more than just men. 394 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:13,480 More than Devo. 395 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:25,480 Yeah. Yeah. Well, again, that my clickbait headline for Freedom of Choice is given the choice between men and Devo, this nerd picks team flower pot hat every time. 396 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:35,480 It's such a, just a unique record. I mean, there's such a weird group of guys and what they produce is like really unlike anything else going on at this time. 397 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:42,480 It's still sparse, kind of like their debut record, still thought provoking lyrically, kind of reminds me of like a good sci-fi movie to some degree. 398 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:46,480 Like there's like a moral behind all these songs, even though they're kind of weird. 399 00:29:46,480 --> 00:30:00,480 These guys jump around in the pool of goofiness because they had the confidence to do so. And these guys do that where it's serious political theater at times as the kind of undercurrent, but it seems all. 400 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:02,480 Kind of like they're making fun of it on the surface. 401 00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:04,480 It's all fun and games. Yeah. 402 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:09,480 Yeah, it's a really interesting mix. This record to me sounds much more polished than their earlier stuff. 403 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:18,480 It's much more produced and much more in line with that sort of synth heavy sound of the period, which maybe isn't quite as exciting to me, 404 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:23,480 but it does fit well with that sort of like we're not from this world sort of vibe they have going on. 405 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:31,480 So all of their earlier work is a lot of covers are used. And this is really their, I believe it's their first album of all originals, 406 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:36,480 which is kind of impressive because there are a lot of really original ideas out of this album. 407 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:41,480 So that kind of feels like it kind of came out of the blue. So that is pretty cool. 408 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:45,480 I think this is probably their creative peak also, but it's a hell of a peak. 409 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:48,480 Well said. Let's have a peek at the next track. 410 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:00,480 There's still some punk rock in there. 411 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:09,480 Would you say that Reezer took some cues from Devo? I never thought about it before, but listening to this record a lot of times, 412 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:12,480 there were moments. It's not just the glasses. 413 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,480 That was the obvious time. 414 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:17,480 I hadn't thought of that. Maybe. 415 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:18,480 Something to think about. 416 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:21,480 Yeah, I'll buy it. Same sensibility maybe and sense of humor. 417 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:28,480 Well, Freedom of Choice was written by Mothersbaugh and Casale. So yeah, so it addresses the paradox of freedom and responsibility. 418 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:34,480 I think people mistake it for sort of a celebration of personal freedom, but it's actually sort of talking about 419 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:39,480 people often prefer to have decisions made for them because it's difficult. 420 00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:44,480 And they actually use a line. In ancient Rome, there was a poem about a dog who found two bones. 421 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:48,480 He picked at one. He licked the other. He went in circles till he dropped dead. 422 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:57,480 And I think that's like that old fable or I think it's called Buridan's Asp paradox about the donkey who's thirsty and hungry. 423 00:31:57,480 --> 00:32:00,480 Hi, professor. We're going too deep here. 424 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:11,480 So when you're faced with two choices, maybe you just die or you'd – I don't know where to resurrect that. 425 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:16,480 Anyway, another interesting fact about the song, when it was released as a single, 426 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:25,480 there was actually no A or B side labeled. So it instructed buyers to use their freedom of choice to decide which side to listen to. 427 00:32:25,480 --> 00:32:28,480 I love that. That's so Devo. 428 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:36,480 So Mike Clickbait headline for freedom of choice is, Rejecting Their Namesake, Devo Evolves into Radio Friendly Songsmiths. 429 00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:42,480 So Devo is like short for de-evolution. So yeah, I mean they show an evolution here. 430 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:48,480 As Andy pointed out, they're writing songs even though there's still the art to it, 431 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:56,480 sort of this almost avant – not really avant-garde but sort of this silly satire approach. It's palatable here, right? 432 00:32:56,480 --> 00:32:59,480 And they've got hit songs going. 433 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:04,480 Yeah, they really figured out how to make their weirdness accessible, like more palatable I guess. 434 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:09,480 And visually sort of performance art as well, the energy domes. 435 00:33:09,480 --> 00:33:13,480 Supposedly they were designed to recirculate brain energy. 436 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:19,480 And the de-evolution philosophy I guess was inspired by a 1924 pamphlet titled, 437 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:24,480 The Jocko-Homo-Heaven-Bound, which explored the idea that humanity was regressing. 438 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:26,480 Yeah, fits. 439 00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:28,480 Well, Devo was progressing at the time. 440 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:29,480 Yeah. 441 00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:33,480 A little bit of both. I think Steps Forward and Back is the name of the game. 442 00:33:33,480 --> 00:33:38,480 So some other album highlights you should check out, Girl You Want, Exploring an Obsessive Infatuation, 443 00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:43,480 very energetic new wave sound, Planet Earth, a warning about environmental degradation. 444 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:45,480 That's a fresh message today. 445 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:47,480 These guys just have a lot to say. 446 00:33:47,480 --> 00:33:54,480 Yeah. And Cold War, dual critique of geopolitical tensions and interpersonal stalemates. 447 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:58,480 So there's a lot going on here. It's poppy, it's synthy, it's fun, 448 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:03,480 a manifesto for a world hurtling toward technological dominance from Whippet to Gates of Steel. 449 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:08,480 Its tracks still resonate with the timeless mix of wit, satire and some innovation in there. 450 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:13,480 So if you haven't listened to this album, go check out Devo, Freedom of Choice. 451 00:34:13,480 --> 00:34:14,480 So they can choose not to? 452 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:17,480 Or choose not to, yes. That would be the more Devo thing to do. 453 00:34:17,480 --> 00:34:19,480 Can you dig it? 454 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:21,480 Can you dig it? 455 00:34:21,480 --> 00:34:24,480 Can you dig it? 456 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:31,480 Okay, well we dug deep all week into some new wave. What else were you digging? 457 00:34:31,480 --> 00:34:36,480 What did you fill your flower pot with, Andy? 458 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:40,480 Let's see here. I got a couple things I can put in the upside down pyramid. 459 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:45,480 First one for me is from a Los Angeles black metal group named Siviris. 460 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:49,480 They have a new album out, second full length, called Maze Envy. 461 00:34:49,480 --> 00:34:54,480 It's a fairly punishing record, but at times there's some beauty as well. Let's hear the title track. 462 00:34:54,480 --> 00:35:01,480 Are you sure this isn't called Ear Drum Splitter? 463 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:08,480 It's a subtitle I think. It's an intense record, but it's very good. 464 00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:13,480 The next one for me, or last one for me here is well known artist Megan Thee Stallion. 465 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:16,480 She has her new album out called Simply Megan. 466 00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:21,480 I'm not really a big fan of her. I think she's a little, I don't know, commercial for me. 467 00:35:21,480 --> 00:35:23,480 But this album is really good. 468 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:25,480 Oh yes, it's a sell out. 469 00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:28,480 Yeah, she's a bit of a sell out. 470 00:35:28,480 --> 00:35:32,480 Let's play, this is track seven, A Taku Hot Girl. 471 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:40,480 I really want to write this album off, but it is so freaking catchy. 472 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:44,480 There's so many good beats to it. I just keep coming back to it. 473 00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:45,480 Wow. 474 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:46,480 So Megan Thee Stallion. 475 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:48,480 She's a savage. 476 00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:50,480 Have you been digging around on? 477 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:56,480 I was at a family gathering this past weekend and my nephew brought an artist to my attention. 478 00:35:56,480 --> 00:36:01,480 MKG, it's stylized, it's just the letters MK then a period and then G-E-E. 479 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:04,480 Actually his real name is Michael Todd Gordon. 480 00:36:04,480 --> 00:36:06,480 He's a singer songwriter from Summers Point, New Jersey. 481 00:36:06,480 --> 00:36:10,480 Album's called Two Star and the Dream Police, released back in February this year. 482 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:13,480 There's a song called Onessus or Olesis. 483 00:36:15,480 --> 00:36:19,480 The album cover is, at least for this song, it's a little misleading. 484 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:22,480 It looks like a guy shredding on an electric guitar. 485 00:36:22,480 --> 00:36:28,480 I'm glad you brought that up though because it's presented in this atmospheric bedroom pop style, 486 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:33,480 but there's some really interesting guitar work going on, but you have to really listen to it. 487 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:37,480 Then back to the holiday theme, I'm kind of running out of these. 488 00:36:39,480 --> 00:36:41,480 You thought you had the easy path. 489 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:43,480 Just picking a holiday record. 490 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:44,480 It's getting tougher. 491 00:36:44,480 --> 00:36:50,480 I found one, this is actually classical, so it's duo playel yuletide treats. 492 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:55,480 Basically, they're all classical pieces that are meant to be duets on the piano. 493 00:36:55,480 --> 00:37:04,480 This is a husband and wife team, Alexandra Nepaniashkaia and Richard Egger. 494 00:37:04,480 --> 00:37:07,480 They're just playing on the same piano. 495 00:37:07,480 --> 00:37:14,480 They go through some more obscure pieces, then they get to Handel's Messiah and then the Nutcracker Suite. 496 00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:17,480 That's nutcracker-y. 497 00:37:17,480 --> 00:37:19,480 That's the nutcracker. 498 00:37:19,480 --> 00:37:24,480 Again, it's duo playel, D-U-O-P-L-E-Y-E-L, yuletide treats. 499 00:37:24,480 --> 00:37:26,480 What are you digging, dude? 500 00:37:26,480 --> 00:37:30,480 Well, something pretty similar to that actually, not at all. 501 00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:35,480 This is a band called Amel and the Sniffers. 502 00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:37,480 The album is Cartoon Darkness. 503 00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:38,480 Just came out this year. 504 00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:44,480 They're an Australian pub rock band from Melbourne, known for their raucous energy and punk-infused sound. 505 00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:46,480 Let's listen to a little bit of Jerkin. 506 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:49,480 Merry Christmas. 507 00:37:51,480 --> 00:37:57,480 So yeah, this actually reminds me a bit of The Chats, another pub rock band from Australia. 508 00:37:57,480 --> 00:38:03,480 I think the accent, the Australian accent really works well for this type of punk. 509 00:38:03,480 --> 00:38:04,480 It does. 510 00:38:04,480 --> 00:38:06,480 Yeah, it's more punk than even the British accent. 511 00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:07,480 Yeah, I don't know. 512 00:38:07,480 --> 00:38:11,480 It's just so hard sounding at times. 513 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:14,480 Not to reference the song at all, but anyway. 514 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:16,480 Yeah, they're an interesting band. 515 00:38:16,480 --> 00:38:22,480 They're fun to listen to, so I recommend if you like that punk rock sound, go check out Amel and the Sniffers. 516 00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:31,480 For my vinyl selection, decided that stick in the new wave trajectory here with an album I've had for many years. 517 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:39,480 I think I picked up one of those times when records were still pretty cheap and you could buy 20 for 20 bucks at the record store. 518 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:40,480 Wow. 519 00:38:40,480 --> 00:38:41,480 Older records. 520 00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:43,480 This one's The Cars, self-titled. 521 00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:45,480 Let's listen to a little bit of Good Times. 522 00:38:46,480 --> 00:38:50,480 A great blend of new wave pop and rock. 523 00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:53,480 Great melodies, catchy hooks, and just what I needed. 524 00:38:53,480 --> 00:38:55,480 My best friend's girl. 525 00:38:55,480 --> 00:38:56,480 Great songs. 526 00:38:56,480 --> 00:38:57,480 Great record. 527 00:38:57,480 --> 00:39:01,480 Fun to have and essential to any, in my opinion, vinyl collection. 528 00:39:01,480 --> 00:39:03,480 You can probably find it for a reasonable price. 529 00:39:03,480 --> 00:39:04,480 Excellent. 530 00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:05,480 What are you digging? 531 00:39:05,480 --> 00:39:06,480 Let us know. 532 00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:10,480 Join us on the socials, Facebook, Instagram, Blue Sky, and threads. 533 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:12,480 Also, our website, AlbumNerds.com. 534 00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:19,480 It will be a discovery of extraordinary value. 535 00:39:19,480 --> 00:39:29,480 Well, it's about that time on the show and I'm reminded of the great Irish singer-songwriter Sinead O'Connor who said, 536 00:39:29,480 --> 00:39:33,480 it was the case in the 70s and 80s that people believed music could change the world. 537 00:39:33,480 --> 00:39:36,480 But now people aren't making music just because they want to change the world. 538 00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:39,480 They're making music because they just want to make a ton of money. 539 00:39:39,480 --> 00:39:41,480 Like Megan Thee Stallion. 540 00:39:41,480 --> 00:39:43,480 Yes. 541 00:39:43,480 --> 00:39:49,480 With that in mind, let's bring out my friend and yours, Wodbot, to see what we're talking about on next week's episode. 542 00:39:56,480 --> 00:40:02,480 It's time to journey back to the heartfelt, harmonious, and transformative era of the mid-century folk revival. 543 00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:07,480 Next time, you'll delve into three iconic albums that captured the spirit of social change, 544 00:40:07,480 --> 00:40:13,480 poetic storytelling, and timeless melodies shaping the soundtracks of a generation. 545 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:17,480 So we're going to get hit hard with that mid-century folk revival. 546 00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:21,480 Some 50s, 60s folk music. 547 00:40:21,480 --> 00:40:23,480 I want to get folked up. 548 00:40:25,480 --> 00:40:27,480 Folk you. 549 00:40:27,480 --> 00:40:31,480 Oh boy. All the puns coming your way next week. 550 00:40:31,480 --> 00:40:33,480 What's your favorite New Wave record? How about folk? 551 00:40:33,480 --> 00:40:37,480 Leave a comment on our website or email us at podcast at albumnerds.com. 552 00:40:37,480 --> 00:40:41,480 You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and threads at Album Nerds. 553 00:40:41,480 --> 00:40:45,480 Also, please subscribe, rate, and review on your favorite podcast app. 554 00:40:45,480 --> 00:40:49,480 And if you'd like to support the show, you can do so via PayPal at albumnerds.com slash support. 555 00:40:49,480 --> 00:40:53,480 Thank you once again for joining us on the Album Nerds podcast. 556 00:40:53,480 --> 00:40:55,480 We'll see you next time when we folk around. 557 00:40:55,480 --> 00:40:58,480 Thanks for listening, everybody. See you then. 558 00:40:58,480 --> 00:41:04,480 Yes and how many roads must a man walk down 559 00:41:04,480 --> 00:41:09,480 Before you can call him a man 560 00:41:09,480 --> 00:41:11,480 Wow, that was something. 561 00:41:11,480 --> 00:41:12,480 What's the answer? 562 00:41:12,480 --> 00:41:13,480 Blowing in the wind. 563 00:41:13,480 --> 00:41:28,480 Right on.