Completely Conspicuous

This week, it's an episode of Driving With Kumar as guests Dave Olson and Phil Stacey join me to discuss whether the album is an endangered species. I've also got music from Speedy Ortiz, Dead Stars and Parquet Courts. Show notes: - Recorded on the way to Fenway Park - A BBC radio exec proclaimed the album is about to be extinct - "Playlists are the future" - Phil: Listen to a lot of albums by new or unfamiliar artists on Spotify - Much different listening experience when we were kids - Dave: Worked in restaurants as a kid and brought mix tapes to listen to - Albums brought more lasting satisfaction - Phil: Song order is interesting - Sometimes an album only has 1 or 2 good songs - Deep cuts - Hunting for B-sides - Digging through back catalog - The vagaries of bubblegum pop - Kids don't listen to albums as much anymore - Phil likes the jam bands - Commercial radio is in rough shape - Music sales are a fraction of what they once were 20+ years ago - The power of licensed music in movies and TV

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling as we discuss our favorite music of the first half of the year. I've also got music from Johnny Foreigner, Soccer Mom and Protomartyr. Show notes: - Recorded at Clicky Clicky World HQ - JB: Ava Luna does not fake the funk - JK: Johnny Foreigner comes back with another excellent album - They also dropped a surprise live album recently - JB: Soccer Mom's full-length debut did not disappoint - JK: Protomartyr has an interesting back story - JB: Engineer Jeff Zeigler has worked on most great recent albums out of Philly - Nothing's Guilty of Everything is exceedingly loud but pretty - Wear earplugs, kids - JK: Parquet Courts continues to refine their sound - The Strokes were another band who came out to much acclaim - Critical comparisons are often ill-informed - JB: Perfect Pussy is female-fronted hardcore - JK: Stephen Malkmus has had an interesting and rewarding solo career - JK: Bob Mould keeps the rock vibe going - JK: Afghan Whigs release first

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling as we discuss our favorite music of the first half of the year. I've also got music from Hallelujah the Hills, She Sir and The Collected Fictions. Show notes: - Recorded at Clicky Clicky World HQ - A farewell to Moviefone - JB: Forced to listen to lite rock radio at work - Frozen vs. High School Musical - Rock stations play the same old catalog stuff - Regional radio leanings - JK's radio show Stuck In Thee Garage is almost a year old - The debut of Clicky Clicky Live - JB's honorable mentions: New Mendicants, Steiner, The Collected Fictions, The Wrong Shapes - Ovlov's breakup/reunion - JK's honorable mentions: Hallelujah the Hills, The Hold Steady, Krill, Speedy Ortiz, Mastodon - JB: La Ligas Menores makes good indie pop out of Argentina - JK: The War on Drugs' Lost in the Dream has an '80s feel - JB: Krill has best song imagining oneself as poop - JK: F'd Up combines gruff vocals with intricate arrangements - JB: She Sir is a two-piece from Aus

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Brian Lewandowski as we discuss working, childhood homes and corporal punishment. I've also got music from The Afghan Whigs, Lubec and Dum Dum Girls. Show notes: - Brian: Writing for a prepper show called America Unplugged - Getting your news from Pat Robertson - Visiting your childhood home - Jay: Toronto suburb I once lived in tripled in size within a few years - Brian hasn't been back to Buffalo since '93 - Corporal punishment was once acceptable - Brian: Worst punishment was kneeling - Don't eat your vegetables, kids - Louis CK is doing his own thing - Brian saw Eels (without Steve Perry) - Unconventional frontmen - Jay: Never had to see the Wiggles - Dan Zanes' children's music is pretty listenable - Brian liked Raffi - The Creationism Museum looks fun - Preparing for the End Times - Great ideas come in unlikely places - Dream journals - Brian has similar dreams over and over - We worked out some issues   Completely Conspicuous is available through

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Lewandowski as we discuss writing for reality TV, early jobs and freelancing. I've also got music from The Vaselines, Jawbreaker Reunion and Kittyhawk. Show notes: - Brian's doing freelance work for The Sportsman's Channel - "Inhumane interest stories" - Worked on a Sarah Palin-hosted show - Writing ads for a new Penn Gillette show - Jay: Never seen It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Tales of Brother Dave, who once had a following - Supermarket jobs - Working on the night crew - Brian's brush with a suicidal/homicidal security guard - Bill Murray's showing up in random places - When you're younger, you tend to bond more closely with co-workers - Brian's getting along with himself these days - Working from home - Brian took a break from comedy but is now writing jokes again - Back up your online work - To be continued     Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!   Music: The Vaselines -

Part 3 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1986. I've also got music from Los Campesinos!, The Fresh & Onlys and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Show notes: - Recorded via Skype - Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic - Brian's #3 - Feelies' second album was very influential - Jay's #3 - R.E.M. debuts heavier guitar sound - Band kept going too long - Brian's #2 - They Might Be Giants got off to great start - Lots of NJ love - Jay's #2 - Husker Du's amazing stretch - '80s production techniques hurt some great albums - Grant Hart dominated Candy Apple Grey - Brian's #1 - Camper Van Beethoven released two albums in '86 - Jay's #1 - '86 was the year of thrash - Metallica at their best - Drawbacks to sound fidelity with MP3, but convenience is worth it - Hair metal also thrived in '86 - Next up: 1989   Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review!   Music: Los Campesinos! - Little

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1986. I've also got music from Superchunk, Bottomless Pit and Lazy. Show notes: - Recorded via Skype - Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic - Sammy Hagar's lyrical prowess - Sam Halen? - Jay: Saw VH and DLR touring separately in summer of '86 - The sad tale of Jason Becker - Amnesty International's Conspiracy of Hope tour featured U2, Peter Gabriel, Sting - Led to ill-fated Police reunion - Bands that formed or released debut albums in '86: NWA, 2 Live Crew, Buffalo Tom, Pixies, Throwing Muses, Goo Goo Dolls, Firehose, Big Audio Dynamite - A comeback of sorts for Neil Young - Ramones album was plagued by bad '80s production - Jay was conflicted about XTC's "Dear God" - Brian's #5 album - Jonathan Richman's mostly under the radar career path - Jay's #5 - Eat 'Em and Smile out-Van Halened Van Halen - Brian's #4 - Mark Sandman's pre-Morphine act, Treat Her Right, released debut - Jay's #4 - John Lydo

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1986. I've also got music from Fucked Up, Mudhoney and Two Inch Astronaut. Show notes: - Recorded via Skype - Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic - Brian was 4 in '86; Jay was (cough) 18 and in college - Jay: Watched a lot of MTV that year - Brian: Paul Simon's Graceland was huge - Peter Gabriel became a megastar - Van Halen and David Lee Roth split up and released albums - Brian: Musically, 1986 was all over the place - Nine of the top 10 selling albums were released in '85 - Album sales were enormous back then - The Bangles hit big with "Walk Like an Egyptian" - Springsteen's Live 1975-85 was a big box set release - First year of Rock Hall of Fame - Rush and KISS were shocking admissions to Rock Hall in recent years - Hair metal was thriving; even Judas Priest poofed up their hair - Hip hop hit hard: Beasties and Run DMC made big impressions - Aerosmith's career was revived thanks to Run DMC - B

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss hipsters. I've also got music from Twin Peaks, Feral Jenny and Ancient Babes. Show notes: - Matt recently became a published author - Check out his YA superhero novel The Indestructibles - Matt: The definition of cool is not trying too hard - Shopping is simple if you don't care about trends - WTF is up with skinny jeans? - Changing office dress codes - Matt's office phobia - Hippies turned into yuppies - Aging well - Bronies are hipsters who have gone too far - The life cycle of a hipster - Matt lived in Hipster Ground Zero for a while - Saw early signs of the hipster look a decade ago - The seamy underside of politics - You need a lack of self-awareness to run for office - Some employers seem to want mindless worker drones - Conclusion: We're not hipsters   Music: Twin Peaks - Flavor Feral Jenny - Tearless Creep Ancient Babes - What Mean Expendable?   Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe an

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss the scourge of hipsterism. I've also got music from Bob Mould, The Hold Steady and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Show notes: - Matt recently became a published author - Check out his YA superhero novel The Indestructibles - Vin Diesel, businessman - The brilliance of True Detective - Hipsters: Is there a cutoff age? - '90s hipsters were into the grunge look - The mysterious allure of Mumford and Sons - Hipsters love shitty beer - Going to an effort to not look attractive - Of beards and men - Tattoos are trendy - The Beatles set the trends of their day - Where does it go from here? - For a few years in the late '90s, it was nu metal and baggy pants - We're all about the low-maintenance wardrobe - Hair today, gone tomorrow - To be continued   Music: Bob Mould - Hey Mr. Grey The Hold Steady - Spinners The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - She's On It/Jack the Ripper (live)   Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast direc

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we dissect the strange connections of '70s-era pop hitmakers. I've also got music from Deerhoof, Fat History Month and The Baseball Project. Show notes: - Recorded at More Lost Time world HQ - Christopher Cross' surprisingly long career - Producer Michael Omartian was in disco act Rhythm Heritage, which released the #1 hit "Theme from S.W.A.T." in 1976 - Also did theme from Baretta - Steve Barry formed Rhythm Heritage with Omartian - Barry produced Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods - Ric plans his funk album - Sammy Davis Jr. sang the Baretta theme - "Billy, Don't Be a Hero" was big hit for Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods - Ric's unsealed Bo Donaldson record - First discovered while touring with the Osmonds - The sadness of the 1970s package tour - The Osmonds actually had a few cool songs - "Hold Her Tight" was a Zeppelin sound-alike - Recorded during their "rock" phase, which didn't last long - Donny and Marie were the big moneymakers - Donny Osmond had a few

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we try to figure out how Christopher Cross became a pop star. I've also got music from Bedroom Eyes, Hymnals and Kinski. Show notes: - Recorded in at More Lost Time world HQ - All about the shrews in Shrewsbury - Record fairs are back - Where did Christopher Cross come from? - Went from San Antonio cover band to stardom - Produced by Michael Omartian - Omartian worked with lots of big artists, including Rod Stewart and Donna Summer - Lots of big names helped out on Cross' debut: Henley, Michael McDonald, Nicolette Larson - Cross didn't have a particularly great voice - Jay's Christopher Cross album - Pre-MTV fame - First single was "Ride Like the Wind," second was "Sailing" - Theme from Arthur was his biggest hit - Couldn't escape it on the radio for a while - Ric: Played plenty of music like this at Strawberries - "Think of Laura" was written for General Hospital - To be continued   Music: Bedroom Eyes - Wild Sins Hymnals - When You're Away Kinski - Confli

Part 2 of my conversation with guest James Gralian as we discuss the future of podcasting. I've also got music from Courtney Barnett, What Moon Things and Mattress Financial. Show notes: - Recorded via Skype - Check out James' show The Avs Hockey Podcast - Old media (radio, newspapers) is struggling - Radio stations need to think differently - Boston was once a great radio town - College radio is still going - Jay: Playing DJ on BFF.fm - Apple helped grow podcasting with iTunes - Talk radio is still popular - James' podcast has nothing to do with sports talk radio - Mo' money, mo' problems - Everything revolves around smartphones - Podcasting is about as DIY as it gets - Still having fun with it - James: There will be massive dropoff in conventional podcasts - Hard to keep up with all the shows - Similar to the amount of good TV out there - This American Life was originally rejected by NPR, went to PRI - It's not about SEO, it's about making good shows   Completely Conspicuous is available thr

Part 1 of my conversation with guest James Gralian as we discuss the future of podcasting. I've also got music from Mean Creek, Foxy Shazam and Nothing. Show notes: - Recorded via Skype - Check out James' show The Avs Hockey Podcast - Also produces podcast for Denver Symphony Orchestra - We last spoke on this topic four years ago - 10th anniversary of podcasting - Tools are more accessible than ever - James: Don't see as many quality podcasts as I expected - Apple has played big role, positive and negative - James listens to Radiolab, Welcome to Nightvale, Definitely Not the Opera, 99% Invisible, among other podcasts - There are many "two white guys talking" podcasts - Waiting for the next interesting thing - Most podcasters aren't in it for the money - James: Not sure whether sponsors are getting a good return - Trying to have fun and be creative with Avs Hockey Podcast - Professional podcasters vs. hobbyists - Marc Maron is a podcasting success story; turned his entire career around - Commerc

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1984. I've also got music from Hallelujah the Hills, Feral Jenny and Red Sea. Show notes: - Recorded via Skype - Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic - Brian's #5 - Pretenders are very underrated - Chrissie Hynde got a late start in rock - Jay's #5 - Saw R.E.M.'s first national TV appearance on Letterman - Brian's #4 - Minutemen covered a wide range of styles - Mike Watt's interesting career - Scott Asheton, R.I.P. - James Williamson went from playing with Iggy to become a Silicon Valley exec - Jay's #4 - Van Halen inadvertently helped create hair metal - Brian's #3 - Meat Puppets created a unique sound - Most people became aware of them a decade later - Jay's #3 - Replacements' sound evolved from punk to more mature rock - Brian's #2 was his #1 when we started talking - Jay's #2 - Husker Du was coming into its own in '84 - So much good music on SST in the early to mid-'80s - Brian's #1 - Gordon Gan

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Brian Salvatore as we look back at the music of 1984. I've also got music from Nancy, Benjamin Shaw and The Men. Show notes: - Recorded via Skype - Check out Brian's comics podcast The Hour Cosmic - 1984: Brian was 2, Jay was 16 - A pivotal year for college/indie rock - Husker Du, R.E.M., Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Replacements - Aerosmith reformed, Yes bounced back - Classic lineup of Deep Purple reunited - The '80s wank guitar movement started with Yngwie Malmsteen - Early days of hip hop, thrash - Hair metal was emerging as a commercial force: Ratt, Twisted Sister, Dokken, Whitesnake, Bon Jovi - Van Halen's 1984 was huge - Eddie VH embraced synths - The beginning of the end of the Roth era of VH - MTV was a bigger hitmaker than radio - The middle of a bad stretch for Paul McCartney - Older artists rebounded: Kool and the Gang, Chicago, Stevie Wonder - Miami Vice incorporated MTV-style techniques - The video as movie trailer - Death of Marvin Gaye - Billy Squ

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss whether the world is getting dumber. I've also got music from Johnny Foreigner, Spray Paint and Pampers. Show notes: - Guy got fired after calling in sick and then posting video on YouTube - Another guy made it with a cow and had a buddy film it - Reality TV rewards dumbasses - It's a lazy Buzzfeed world - Beard transplants? Really? - Pre-ripped jeans - There's still good rock music out there - In praise of Mark Knopfler - Bravo, dude who came up with Shit My Dad Says - Medical bills are obscene - Selling your old junk - The bottom fell out of the sports card market - We fall for stupid memes designed to rile people up - Outrage culture - We're all dumb   Music: Johnny Foreigner - Stop Talking About Ghosts Spray Paint - Spock Fingers Pampers - Guts   Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review! The Johnny Foreigner song is on the album You Can Do Better on Alcopop! Records. Downloa

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Matt Phillion as we discuss whether the world is getting dumber. I've also got music from Cloud Nothings, Eagulls and The So So Glos. Show notes: - There are studies that claim humans are getting dumber - Our IQs are supposedly dropping - We rely on smartphones for a lot of information - We're cramming so much info in our heads - Smart TV: True Detective did it right - Disney Channel sitcoms hark back to hacky TV crap of the '70s - Movie industry favors bigger, louder, dumber - Sometimes it's good to watch dumb stuff - Anonymous online comments are a prime source for idiocy - Wasting time online is so easy - People are so self-involved - Reality TV is a haven for dummies - People will do anything to get on TV - The Onion keeps fooling people - Beauty pageants - Our ability to self-incriminate Music: Cloud Nothings - I'm Not Part of Me Eagulls - Possessed The So So Glos - Lost Weekend   Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we examine music from a couple of forgotten artists from the 1970s. I've also got music from Ovlov, Palehound and Baked. Show notes: - Recorded in late January at More Lost Time world HQ - Edward Bear's prom song - They were better when they stuck to guitar rock - Band radically changed their sound - Ric breaks out a 1971 single by Tom Hartman, formerly of the Aerovons - Hartman and band when to England because of the Beatles - Strong resemblance to Sloan's Navy Blues sound - Ric's tips for finding good vinyl at flea markets - Aerovons had a serious Beatles fixation - Very McCartney-esque - Produced by none other than Mike Post - Ebay's a good way to get rare vinyl   Music: Ovlov - Moth Rock Palehound - Holiest Baked - Danelectroladyland   Completely Conspicuous is available through the iTunes podcast directory. Subscribe and write a review! The Ovlov song is on the album am. The Palehound song is on the Kitchen 7-inch. The Baked song is on the EP S/T Casse

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Ric Dube as we look at the career of an obscure 1970s Canadian band that had a huge hit and then disappeared. I've also got music from Protomartyr, The Collected Fictions and Cloud Nothings. Show notes: - Recorded in late January at More Lost Time world HQ - What the hell is Edward Bear? - Named after character in Winnie the Pooh - Their one big hit, "Last Song," is instantly recognizable - Sounds like a studio act - No high or low end in '70s AM pop hits - Manilow had great timing - Second single from that album hit top 40 - Singer Larry Evoy was the one constant member of the band - Opened for Led Zeppelin in '69 - First album had a psychedelic "acid rock" sound - Geddy Lee's mellower uncle - Going for a Canned Heat/Steve Miller Band/Doors vibe - Endless jamming - Early Edward Bear ain't half bad - Opportunistic band, like The Police - Riding whatever music wave was trending - To be continued   Music: Protomartyr - Come & See The Collected Fictions - It Don't Matte