Crash Chords Podcast

Never at a loss for notes, Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond is at it again, this time with a brazen tell-all album called This Is My Hand. Join us as we pick apart the nuances of this latest work in our weekly review. After this musical onslaught, we took some time to discuss the impact of "person" in an album. Whether invited to place oneself in someone else's shoes, or to accept a foreign narrative, this simple literary choice guides our experience of the tale... but does it ever affect the intensity of the experience? Continue reading

If you like musical paint strokes, then you may like a group called Set and Setting, a post-rock band from Florida that's all about the moods and impressions. This week we take their latest impression, ironically titled A Vivid Memory, and put it up for review. But don't forget to stick around for the big question... How does one get famous?! This age-old question has plagued many an aspiring artist, especially those seeking validation for their work. Once we drop the walls of humility, the path is as uncertain as it ever was; still, hear us address the various paths that other artists have taken, while debating their success rates. Continue reading

This week we explore the much-awaited solo project of Damon Albarn, the English singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist behind such projects as Gorillaz and Blur. His album is called Everyday Robots, and we're breaking it down. Afterwards, we discuss the conflicts of passion and fluidity in songwriting, particularly with respect to concept albums. Often conceived from a singular inspiration and executed with a singular ambition, it's easy for artists to overlook aspects of their work when a theme takes center-stage. Does this leave audiences wanting more or does it blow over with the more concept-minded clique? Continue reading

Raise your glasses and call a toast with today's musical homage to silverware! (The reference is Spoon.) Having established themselves as a staple of the Alt Rock community, Spoon has released their eighth studio album, They Want My Soul, which we take on for this week's review. As Alternative Rock often harbors some of the most diverse artists, we then take some time to discuss Alt as both a name and a movement. Is the genre merely an aggregate of misfits branded under a careless label, or has it in fact grown a definitive character of its own? Continue reading

Today we're joined by an especially talented folk singer and member of The Waysties, Molly Herbert-Wilson. Kicking us off with a performance, she then takes us into her album pick, The Once by The Once. This self-titled debut is a varied medley of folk tracks that Molly admits contributed to her own personal folk tradition... As such, we then cut to Matt Storm's "away" interview with Molly where he gets the chance to dive into those career origins a little further. And keep your ears open for more performances throughout! Continue reading

Today's band, the English guy-girl duo Slow Club, dips from modern Indie-Pop back to 60s/70s-era Motown for their new release, Complete Surrender. First we take a trip through the album, and then, as per the present case of genre-meshing, we take another trip a through a thesis: "Pop music looks toward the future while Indie looks to the past." Any validity? That's today's question. (Opinions & comments encouraged.) Continue reading

You should be very attracted to today's album if you're a magnet. It's our "metal-est" yet! Judas Priest, veteran metal-heads and forerunners of the genre, has never abandoned the stage or their fans — so we think it only fair to check in on their latest work, Redeemer of Souls. Steeped in its own archetype, the iconic guitar solo is a primary feature of the album, built to shred its way into our hearts, if not, at least our curiosity. We take some time then to discuss the solo as a breathing figure of the modern age and a reflection of narrative thought. We also discuss how its moments of inspiration have been captured for posterity. Continue reading

Let the chatter begin! The Living Statue Galatea has agreed to break her stone encasement of silence for the likes of Crash Chords, and of course, for her album of choice: Singles by Future Islands. The album title is a pun that combines the accessible music format with those bereft of that special someone. Join our analysis for the details and come be a part of Galatea's motionless journey through NYC's street performing scene. Follow her blog at The Statue Speaks! Continue reading

Checking in on one of the mellowest pop rock bands of the last decade, we simmer down to discuss Coldplay's latest LP, Ghost Stories. Afterwards, join us in a discussion on unconventional vocalists! More often than not, inflection and artistic flare will win over classical training. But in the world of rock, where a singer's humanity is paramount, how much can an artist get away with? When does novelty fail in the face of effort? Continue reading

You won't find us around today... we've gone Phishin'! Yes, the veteran jam band, Phish, is still at it with more studio LPs, live albums, and compilations than we can even keep track of. Today, however, focuses specifically on Fuego, the most recent of those studio releases. So be prepared to jam out to the album, jam out to the review, and finally, jam to a discussion on jamming! The art of cumulative improvisation has the power to both entrance and discourage audiences, perhaps because of that fine line between inspiration and gibberish. Fine as it may be, let's explore that line. Continue reading

Welcome to Crash Chords: Season 3! We have plenty else in store for you this year, but of course our album reviews continue to be the meat and potatoes. Today's review looks at Jack White, formerly of The White Stripes, and his burgeoning solo work. His latest, Lazaretto, is a medley of ideas inspired by his own writings when he was 19 years old. Join in the analysis! Then, as a taste of what's to come, we feature a special phone interview that Matt had the pleasure of arranging with Mawk (Mark Young) of (hed) p.e. Visit directly at 2:14:54. Continue reading

Well we've made it. That simple third digit marks the beginning of our third year. We've come a long way since the podcast first aired on 7/3/2012, with many memorable reviews, topics, guests, and most of all the discussions that were born out of each. Today's episode, much like our 50th Ep., features a full discussion in lieu of an album review—this time to talk about yours truly: the hosts, the podcast, its origins, its process, and its future. We hope you enjoy this 3-segment podcast as it serves to provide our listeners with an insight to our critical reasoning, and to the passion that we employ on a weekly basis. Could we do any less? For of course, music is life... and life is good. Continue reading

For want of ballads, or if laments in need, just hearken; it's the return of Joe Rude, indeed! Recalling his first appearance in Ep. #36, we step away from karaoke this time to further discuss J. Robert Coppola's professional life as an actor-combatant. But first, to business. Our guest-picked album review is of the spirited yet sorrowful Celtic sort: Virginia-based Carbon Leaf's Ghost Dragon Attacks Castle. After that, the spotlight's back on Joe to discuss the New York Rennaissance Fair, theatrical realism, and the modernization of the stage. Continue reading

For our second fan-pick, brought to us by Kristin Vislocky, we review the latest from the 90s-era hard rock band, Saliva. The album, called Rise Up, is a re-release of their previous album, In It to Win It. Afterwards, we discuss the various applications for which music is used, honing in on the divide between the musician and the non-musician, both humble listeners and recipients of inspiration. Continue reading

Welcome to our favorite Calgarian's special day! That's right, the renaissance man of the Indi-Folk world, Chad VanGaalen, has released a new album, Shrink Dust, the subject of today's analysis. We also take some time to discuss fans' expectations of a given artist's work based on prior conditions. Artists may often govern our tastes, but our tastes certainly don't govern them! Ergo, some personal tales. Enjoy! Continue reading

Ready to make some noise? Swans has enough to go around. The veteran Noise Rock band that reformed after its 13-year slumber is back to mesmerizing audiences with their garbled, often fearsome tones. This week, we tackle Swans' most recent experiment, a two-disc set called To Be Kind. We review it all here, so strap in for today's special extended podcast. And, as many of these tracks breech well into the double digits, we finally take some time to discuss that very thing: time (in music). Just what does "track length" mean for us? Is a generous run-time the mark of ambition, genius, or a lack of self-awareness? From past trends to future predicitons, we field our thoughts; now let's hear yours! Continue reading

Today we welcome guests Mark & Chuck of the music comedy duo Afterbirth Monkey. As tradition demands, they have the honor of the weekly album pick, which they reveal to be Katy Perry's latest, Prism. Later, we spotlight our guest duo and pick apart the origins of their risque yet quirky comedy style. And of course, we couldn't let them leave without giving us a taste of their craft, so they regail us with three unique tales (in song form of course). Stay alert for these performances at the most logical intervals. Hint: you won't have to wait long for the first. Continue reading

Prepare for the trolling of a lifetime as we tackle Neil Cicierega's unique mashup album, Mouth Sounds. Without giving away the experience, you can expect to hear some clever twists on familiar favorites, scourges, and bygone curiosities. Just how does one review a mashup album? As many mashups rely on revamping the emotional tone of the source material, we then leap into a larger discussion on the mutability of tonal perception. Continue reading

This week we're happily obliged to thank Dae Rak Lee for our fan-picked album review: Old Boy Jon by the Korean-American rapper, Dumbfoundead (DFD). Then stick around while we prod the concept of credibility (or "cred") in music. When might it be over, or under-emphasized, and what is its bearing on other artists, on music moguls, and most importantly, on the fans? Continue reading

Time for one of our favorite things: another cosmic ballet between traditional composition and pop songwriting. This week we find it in the band Arc Iris, fronted by the highly animated vocalist, Jocie Adams (formerly of the Low Anthem). With the help of her poetic flair, their self-titled debut packs a wallop. Let's hope we do it justice. Also stick around for an interesting discussion on musical identity and personality, and whether they're at all linked with staying power. Continue reading