Desert Island Discourse

It's been a long, angsty few weeks here at the island. In the midst of myriad work stresses, life changes, bad albums (from the former occupant of this slot), and, of course, the sad loss of Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington. When it came time to record this episode, your good good music pals were in pretty rough shape indeed. But then, what better condition to be in to celebrate the music of Linkin Park? The band that was there for us when hormones and the dark conditions of mental health and middle school put us in a bad way, and who over the years managed to transform that rap-rock angst into anthemic power ballads, experimental electronica, and, most recently, EDM influence pop music, all while remaining at the top of the charts for nearly two decades. We start the episode one step closer to the edge, and it nearly breaks us. But with the help of Linkin Park, we're breaking the bait and...well, I'm all out of useable titles, but the episode is good!

Wellp, it happened again—due to a combination of audacity and human error, our Aphex Twin has been lost to time. But that’s ok—every podcast worth their salt needs a lost episode, and now we have on to take the place of our old lost episode, which has recently been salvaged from the bleached coral depths of our fateful island! That’s right, our original Sleater-Kinney episode, recorded way back in the fateful Month of Love and Hate, is finally seeing the light of day. It’s not quite like our typical episodes—while I’ve edited out the long silences and managed to put in music (almost all of which is different from the music in our official episode—yes, Sleater-Kinney is just that good!), all the tangents and digressions we usually edit out for the sake of focus have been left in. In addition, my audio is kinda of weird and glitch throughout, although it’s still (mostly) understandable. So it’s a longer, messier episode, but frankly I think that just adds to its charm. I’ve always been really proud of what we

TW: Abuse “Hi Mom” In our second ever B-Side, Andrew and Max get together and struggle with the existential dread of Laurie Anderson’s masterful track, “O Superman (For Massenet)”, and get really, really dark in the process. “O Superman (For Massenet)” is a weird track for a lot of reasons. It’s an excerpt from a…

We've had a good time with Bob Pollard over these last three weeks, but alas, every Julyded by Voices month must one day come to an end. Fret not though, for we're celebrating the holiday's end with Guided by Voices new beginning, exploring the 8 (!) albums they've released since reforming back in 2012. Yep, Bob brought the classic boys back together again, and we're here to guide you through their awkward first steps, their power pop triumphs, and eventual re-dissolution. And the story doesn't even end there, as we continue through a mysterious "solo" album and a massive double album monument from a reformed hi-fi lineup. How do these myriad forms of Guided by Voices stand up to their past selves? Well, it's messy, but it's also marvelous, much like this episode, which left quite a few PBR tall boys in its wake. Also: winking poets, parental beer snobs, silver badgers, and the debut of Desert Island Dinner tips! 

The chaotic weather patterns of Julyded by Voices month have shipwrecked another guest on the island—fortunately, that guest is poet, actor, and Guided by Voices superfan Andrew McAlpine! That’s right, we have double the bearded Andrews on board to guide us through GBV’s wild and wooly hi-fi era. Spanning multiple lineups and a bevy of labels, this era is commonly seen as the moment when Bob Pollard lost his way, ditching the lo-fi charm of their classic albums for a more commercial sheen. Yet it also sees the band experimenting with their sound like never before, and the end result is an eccentric collection of highs and lows that produced some of the most interesting (and highest charting) albums of their career. With the help of Andy’s jovial, moderating presence, we take on a divisive set of albums, and find far more jewels than we expected. Also: Controversial Opinions, Doug Gillard's Extraneous Solos, and plenty of new stickers to help those albums fly off the shelves!

For our first B-Side, we're talking about Same Place the Fly Got Smashed (from our Guided by Voices Lo-Fi episode) with poet, musician, and raconteur James Eidson. In the process, we discuss our shared country origins, shifting perceptions of middle age, and, of course, fleshlights. It's like My Dinner with Andre, only excessively drunk. Enjoy!

It’s that time again, when we join together with family and friends to celebrate our proud heritage, shared love, and spirit of independence. That’s right, it’s Julyded by Voices month! For our latest poorly named and hurriedly invented holiday, we’re dedicating the next three weeks to national Tascam heroes Guided by Voices. This week we…

Welcome back to the island! Have you ever heard of a band called Pygmy Lush? Well I hadn't, so they were new to me! That's right, "If I Haven't Heard it it's New to Me Fortnight" (a.k.a IIHHIINTMF, or "Eehintimef" for short) is coming to close with a brief but dense discussion of these hardcore-veterans-turned-ambient-folkies. With only three and a half albums to their name, they managed to surprise this jaded, unfeeling woman, and we think you'll get a kick out of em too. Also: James Buchanan Fun Facts, a Treatise on the Inimitability of Tom Waits, and the only good cover of a Nirvana song in existence. Music: I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend (Ramones Cover) Hurt Everything Big Black River No Feeling Red Room Blues Tumor Proud King of the Doomed November Song Yellow Hall A Weird Glow Admit Asphalt Mount Hope On a Plain (Nirvana Cover) / Andrew's Cousin's Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFJ5Hljykcc

It's summer here on the island, so we're reviving ABC's old justification for reruns to justify our own experimental indulgence and telling each other, "If I haven't heard it, it's new to me!" This week is kicking off a two week special where Andrew and Max each bring in an artist the other hasn't heard of, and Max is starting us off with one of the most unpredictable bands in post-punk, Japan's own P-Model! Modern day composer Susumu Hirasawa's long-running early band went through a lot of changes over its 20 year existence, and we're covering perhaps it's most tumultuous period, from 1979's Devo-biting debut In a Model Room to the baroque synth-pop of 1986's One Pattern. In-between, we'll journey through goofy atonality, reverb heavy no-wave, gorgeous Cure style ballads, and Art of Noise-esque sound collages. But will this island import tickle Andrew's fancy? Probably! I mean, they're a real good band. Also: music hipster dick measuring contests, the varied works of Satoshi Kon, and just so, so much poorly

It’s been a tumultuous week in Great Britain, and we’re reaching out to our fellow island dwellers the only way we know how: by talking about a bunch of albums for, like, 90 minutes. Specifically, we’re covering possibly the strangest, cleverest, and Englishest band to come out of the British Invasion: The Kinks! Long beloved…

-It’s been a pretty emotional week here on the island, as Max revisits one of her favorite bands (and the creators of her go-to breakup album)—Slowdive. Her diehard shoegaze fandom meets Andrew’s general shoegaze apathy as they tackle the brief yet fascinating discography of the only band Richey Edwards ever dubbed “worse than Hitler,” and…

It's been a long time since we've had a visitor to these distant desert shores, but we couldn't ask for a better co-castaway than poet, cover artist, and general raconteur Haley Rene Thompson, who's joining us to talk about one of the world's most underrated supergroups: The Breeders. Over four albums and 28 years (!), Kim and Kelley Deal's eccentric and electric indie-pop-punk-whatever group has released a body of music that defies expectation and explanation, but that's not gonna stop us from trying to analyze the shit out of these fantastic tracks. Join us on this rough and wild journey through the deepest realms of songcraft, twin-speak, and staying up way past out bedtimes. Also: Andrew becomes the perfect parent, Haley compares Kim to a Japanese modernist, and Max gets kicked off her own dang podcast. / Music Lord of the Thighs Oh Doe Metal Man Cannonball Divine Hammer Drivin’ on 9 The She Off You Sinister Foxx Night of Joy Overglazed Bang On So Sad About Us

Rising from the ashes of catastrophic technical issues comes this, our first ever re-done episode. After our first attempt in the Month of Love and Hate was devoured by Audacity's hideous maw, we had to let the fields lay fallow for a bit, but we're coming back stronger and more in love than ever, to finally cover America's Greatest Rock Band™—Sleater-Kinney. For the second time in our lives but the first in yours, we're celebrating the storied discography of Carrie Brownstein, Corrin Tucker, Janet Weiss, and occasionally Laura MacFarlane, one of the very few we've encountered with nary a bummer disc in the bunch. So join Andrew and Max as they dish on the great hair and even greater chops of one of our favorite bands that we've ever discussed. Again. Also: Van Zandt Bandannas, Inimitability, and another installment of Concert Report! - Music (All Songs by Sleater-Kinney Except as Noted) Dream of the 90’s—Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein The Day I Went Away Slow Song Be Yr Mama Little Mouth Good Things I Wa

Put on your plain white tees and asymmetrical haircuts boys and girls—it's time to get emo! That's right, for our second survey episode we're covering American Emo from 1995 to 1999—the era when emo went from a weepy offshoot of hardcore to a commercial juggernaut. And as puberty often is, this period is defined by plenty of awkward fumbling and experimentation, from the swirling post-hardcore of Sunny Day Real Estate to the quiet filigrees of American Football. It's a difficult journey of self-discovery for the Desert Island Duo, but one with some rich rewards waiting for us at the end. Also: good and evil Kinsella brothers, catfished truckers, and the surprising connection between corn on the cob and Animal Collective. - Music Take On Me (A-Ha Cover) - Cap'n Jazz Little League - Cap'n Jazz Oh Messy Life - Cap'n Jazz Friday - Sunny Day Real Estate Red Elephant - Sunny Day Real Estate Johnny on the Spot - Texas is the Reason Everywhere in Denver - The Promise Ring Thinking, That's All - Jimmy Eat World 80-37

Wellp, the Desert Island duo has really fallen into the old obscurity hole with this one, an examination of the career of a man best known for soundtracking an early Nickelodeon show. That’s right, today we’re covering the one and only Mark Mulcahy, from the early post-punk musings of his first band Miracle Legion through The Adventures of Pete and Pete and well into a solid if inconsistent solo career, all in a quest to turn one of our most beloved songsmiths into the household name he so richly deserves to be. But can their sheer enthusiasm defeat Skype lag, lack of sleep, and widespread public indifference? Don’t worry—rock and roll never dies, Thunderball. Also: exhaustion, heartbreak, and the Guardians of the Galaxy/Cruel Intentions slashfic you’ve always wanted. The Backyard* Butterflies* The Heart is Attached* Mr. Mingo* All for the Best* Wonderment* The Ladies from Town* Little Talks® Pull the Wagon* Cold Shoulder Balcony* Snacks and Candy* Out to Play* Velvetine* I Wish I Was Danny Ka

Hey y’all! Did you know that Kendrick Lamar is like, really good? He’s so good. So as we emerge from cruelest month, hunched over and blinking in the light, it only makes sense that we do so with one of the most impeccable discographies we’ve ever tackled. Will our Desert Island Duo be able to pick just one of his incredible works to cherish in their exile? Well, I mean, we have to—that’s the whole premise. Also: Failed jokes, lawyer taunts, and spiteful jabs at Geraldo Rivera - Music Never Catch Me - Flying Lotus feat. Kendrick Lamar - Rigamortus - Ronald Reagan Era - Backstreet Freestyle - Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe - Swimming Pools (Drank) - Wesley's Theory - For Free? (Interlude) - How Much a Dollar Cost - untitled 02 l 06.23.2014. - untitled 05 l 09.21.2014. - untitled 08 l 09.06.2014. - DNA. - HUMBLE. - XXX. - good kid - DUCKWORTH. - No More Parties in L.A. - Kanye West feat. Kendrick Lamar

We've finally reached the end of our turbulent month of Hate and more Hate, and we're capping it off with perhaps our most contentious episode yet, as Max subjects Andrew to her beloved Lifter Puller and its much more successful sequel, The Hold Steady—both the creations of one Craig Finn. Across this meandering tale of shock, awe, and despair, we work through problematic faves and drink more whisky than ever before in a desperate attempt to bridge the sudden taste gap that has separated Max and Andrew for lo these past two weeks. Will Max ever be able to convince Andrew to give in to the Finn? Judging by the number of sick burns delivered, the prognosis is not good. Also: In-Depth Lore Reviews, American Idiots, and the Many Deaths of Andrew Cothren. / Music: Plymouth Rock* - Double Straps* - Mission Viejo* - Star Wars Hips (Slips Backwards Version)* - To Live and Die in LBI* - Nassau Coliseum* - Lonely in a Limousine* - Candy’s Room* - Space Humpin’ $19.99* - Lake Street is for Lovers* - The Flex and the

We're back from our extended, technical difficulty fueled hiatus with just one important question: are you ready to feel the steel? I certainly wasn’t—I find it very unpleasant. But thanks to Andrew, our Month of Love and Hate continues with those smoothest of jazz dads, the one and only Steely Dan. Will these bitter perfectionists be the wedge the splits the island in twain? Or will Max finally see the light and embrace her inner dad? Either way, 12,000 Grammy voters can't be wrong! Also: angry affirmations, surprising samples, and even more Mountain Goats. - Music List (all by Steely Dan unless otherwise noted): Dr. Wu - The Minutemen - Reelin' in the Years - Dirty Work - Bodhissattva - Show Biz Kids - Rikki Don't Lose That Number - Through With Buzz - Bad Sneakers - Doctor Wu - Kid Charlemagne - The Fez - Black Cow - Deacon Blues - My Rival - Hey Nineteen - Any Major Dude Will Tell You - Peg - FM - The Mountain Goats

Wow. Just, wow. What started as a joke and soon evolved into a grim death march has finally reach its fruition as the strange artifact you see before you, a frenzied message in a bottle from two lost souls desperate for solace. That's right: this week, we're covering the entire discography of the famous San Jose chin beard models, Smash Mouth. And if you think the Smash Mouth legacy begins and ends with "All Star", oh God, do we have a horrific surprise for you. Join us as we take you on a journey from their ska, rap, and personal harassment-based origins through Christmas albums, Justin Bieber tributes, and an honest to goodness EDM collab. Will we make it through with our souls intact? No. No we won't. Also: flesh prisons, Carl's Jr., and just so, so much screaming. - Music (All by Smash Mouth except where otherwise noted) - Modest Mouth - Neil Cicierega Walkin' on the Sun Beer Goggles Why Can't We Be Friends? Who's There? All Star Radio Your Man Pacific Coast Party Hang On Seventh Grade Dance Always Gets

It's been a heady month for the castaways this March, as we weathered a self-inflicted hurricane of tours and two-parters that (vaguely) threatened to drown us. But the end is in sight, and who better to shepherd us through this all-consuming fury than famed storm-chaser Phil Elverum? Join us as we finish our deep dive into his discography with the wild and wide-ranging works of Mount Eerie. In the process, your hosts will swing from measured singer-songwriter talk to ecstatic joy to utter speechlessness, in what is quite possibly our most epic episode yet. Also: plenty of cowboy talk, Max's Monologue Moment, and more pained sighs per minute than ever before! - Music: Where? I Know No One (2 Lakes) I Hold Nothing Flaming Home Voice in Headphones Moon Sequel Wooly Mammoth’s Mighty Absence Wind’s Dark Poem Through the Trees Summons Between Two Mysteries Through the Trees Pt. 2 The Place I Live House Shape Pale Lights Ocean Roar Ocean Roar (Pre-Human Version) Turmoil Boat Organs (From Pale