Jams and Tea: Recent Episodes
Jams and Tea
We are a group of friends from across the globe, and every week we discuss, review, and generally chat about the latest and greatest in music. Every Sunday we review two new albums, and every Tuesday we discuss a famous (or 'infamous') album in our Record Club series.
For this week's reviews we're setting our sights on two of the biggest double albums of recent memory, Cindy Lee's titanic and masterful Diamond Jubilee (Ryley's album of the year so far), and of course, Taylor Swift's divisive, maligned, but meticulous The Tortured Poets Department, which may be her most insular record yet. There's a lot to unpack with both, especially the latter, so we hope you'll join us to dive deep into these interesting albums and let us know your own takes in the comments on YouTube!0:00 Cindy Lee - Diamond Jubilee36:23 Taylor Swift - The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology
For this week's video, we're breaking down 15 of our all-time favorite one-hit wonder songs; songs which were the sole hit to chart in the upper echelons of the Billboard Hot 100 for their artist, but which have left a lasting impression on pop culture, from their era of release to the present day. Some are more remembered than others, and you may find a few hot takes in our picks today, but let us know what you think of these songs, and what are your favorite one-hit wonders, in the comments on YouTube!
We're back after a short hiatus to review two critically acclaimed and much-discussed recent releases: the second instalment in Beyoncé's Renaissance trilogy, COWBOY CARTER, and Vampire Weekend's full-band return for the first time in over a decade with ONLY GOD WAS ABOVE US. Join us to hear what we think of these records, and let us know your own takes in the comments on YouTube!0:00 Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us
28:25 Beyoncé - Cowboy Carter
Today we catch up on a couple of major album releases from back in January with reviews of the new album from Green Day, SAVIORS, and the new album from Glass Beach, PLASTIC DEATH. We also discuss our predictions for the upcoming Oscars, a much-discussed new song from Ice Spice, and some more regrettable music from Tom MacDonald (with Ben Shapiro) and Lil Dicky. Let us know what you've been listening to in the comments on YouTube!0:00 Breaking Down the Oscar Nominees17:12 Tom MacDonald & Ben Shapiro's FACTS25:37 Lil Dicky Reaches His PENITH35:56 (Fart)42:54 Sunny Day Real Estate's New Song Is Phenomenal48:05 Green Day - Saviors59:49 Glass Beach - Plastic Death
There is a lot of great art to look forward to this year, and so today Morgan counts down his most anticipated games of 2024 before Jake and Ryley get into the records they're most excited to review - some confirmed, some still only rumored. Let us know what you're looking forward to this year!0:00 Intro1:00 Most Anticipated Games of 2024- 1:36 HOLLOW KNIGHT SILKSONG WHEN- 4:29 Dragon's Dogma 2- 5:49 Tekken 8- 7:23 Avowed- 8:45 Persona 3 Reload- 9:48 Final Fantasy VII Rebirth- 13:17 An Aside on Silent Hill 220:51 Most Anticipated Albums of 2024- 21:27 MGMT- 24:20 Everything Everything- 26:04 Chelsea Wolfe- 29:59 Adrianne Lenker / Waxahatchee- 32:49 Casualties of Cool- 37:09 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds- 40:23 Julia Holter- 46:54 Joanna Newsom50:01 A Thank You to Our Listeners
After the conclusion of list season and a break, we're back to our regular programming with an update of some of January's biggest music news and releases. Join us as we discuss what Pitchfork being absolved into GQ means for music journalism, the importance of the music review, new singles from Ariana Grande, Lil Nas X, and Kim Gordon, and new albums from Kali Uchis, Kid Cudi, and Hoplites! Let us know what you've been listening to in the comments over on YouTube!0:00 Intro1:47 The Fall of Pitchfork20:03 Is Ariana Grande Interesting?26:59 What Is the Future for Lil Nas X?34:16 Kim Gordon's Trap Metal Single Rules39:11 Kali Uchis Returns with ORQUÍDEAS43:45 The Return of Mid Cudi52:06 The Chinese Death Metal Guy With the Greek Name Is Back With Another Masterpiece
List season kicks off with a countdown of 20 of the most overlooked albums we've fallen in love with throughout this year. Watch along to get some recommendations for great records you might not have heard, some from under the radar artists deserving of more shine, and some from established acts who are less in the conversation now but still putting out their best work. Let us know what you think are the most overlooked albums of 2023 over on YouTube!0:00 Intro1:56 Al Menne - Freak Accident4:11 Kesha - Gag Order7:45 Avenade - Our Raging God Unknown to Us9:59 Blawan - Dismantled Into Juice13:35 Christine and the Queens - Paranoia, Angels, True Love16:35 The Go! Team - Get Up Sequences Part Two18:46 Team Tremolo - Conjured Light21:20 Mandy, Indiana - I've Seen a Way25:23 Cicada - Seeking the Sources of Streams28:14 Slaughter Beach, Dog - Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling32:14 Soulkeeper - Holy Design34:48 Screaming Females - Desire Pathway40:32 TDK - Nemesta45:31 Fireworks - Higher Lonely Power50:10 Ruston Kelly - The Weakness53:28 James Ivy - Everything Perfect56:43 Hoplites - Trilogy (Ψευδομένη, Τρωθησομένη, Ἀντιτιμωρουμένη)1:02:30 Empty Country - Empty Country II1:10:47 Lauren Auder - The Infinite Spine1:15:25 The Clientele - I Am Not There Anymore1:20:47 Outro
Today we have our last pair of full album reviews for the year, and they're both brilliant: Peter Gabriel's long-awaited and ambitiously rolled-out return with the conceptual, massive, and multi-mixed i/o, and atmospheric black metal act Panopticon's return with the hellish and soaring THE RIME OF MEMORY. Let us know what you thought of either of these albums in the comments on YouTube!0:00 Panopticon - The Rime of Memory26:44 Peter Gabriel - i/o
We're back with a fresh report on some of the latest music releases including big albums from André 3000 and Danny Brown, a brilliant collaborative single from Björk & Rosalía, and new songs from Beyoncé and Dua Lipa. We also pay tribute to the late Geordie Walker with a discussion of Killing Joke's impressive longevity, and shout out some unexpected covers from spiritual jazz-inflected metal band Imperial Triumphant.Let us know what you've been listening to in the comments on YouTube!0:00 André 3000 - New Blue Sun11:17 Björk and Rosalía Team Up for Oral14:04 How Good Is Dua Lipa, Really?19:52 Beyoncé Is Playing at My House, "MY HOUSE"24:19 RIP Geordie Walker of Killing Joke32:04 Imperial Triumphant's Unconventional New Covers37:55 Danny Brown - Quaranta
For Record Club this week, Jake, Morgan, and Ryley are joined by regular guest Connor to discuss pop-punk stalwarts Blink-182's classic and beloved self-titled album, why it represented a pivotal shift for the band, and ultimately the endpoint of their creative evolution. We debate the merits of I Miss You at length and discuss how the band's desire to be taken seriously prompted many of the record's gestures toward "maturity", and the question of aging gracefully in a scene so defined by youthful angst.Let us know what you think of this album in the comments on YouTube!
We are back for Thanksgiving weekend giving thanks to one of hip-hop's most renowned and astonishing wordsmiths, the incomparable Aesop Rock, whose depth extends far beyond the reductive laurels of 'rap's densest wordsmith' to showcase a storytelling skill and an effervescent, irresistible personality that makes him one of the most lovable rappers working today. He has a long and storied career though, and with his latest album he comes to term with how being a career artist has shaped the way he interacts with the world - is art, like technology, just another thing getting between us and the real world, or is it a pathway to a greater appreciation? Join us as we break down Aes's latest masterwork, and let us know what you think in the comments on YouTube!We also have quick reviews of a few new albums as well - tell us what you'd like us to talk about!0:00 PinkPantheress - Heaven Knows5:09 Lamp - Dusk to Dawn10:39 Hotline TNT - Cartwheel13:10 Kevin Abstract - Blanket19:35 Club Ruby - Was God Birthed?!21:51 Aesop Rock - Integrated Tech Solutions
With the advent of the latest Taylor's Version release encompassing her biggest-selling record and commercial zenith 1989, Jake and Ryley are joined by resident Swiftie Rhiannon to break down one of the pop juggernauts of the 2010s, and the album that made Taylor Swift utterly inescapable. But how does it hold up? Why was it so successful? What makes it so different from her other records, and how does it scan now nearly a decade on? Join us as we dive deep into this remarkable album and pick apart everything that makes it what it is - including the things that don't work!Let us know what you think of 1989 in the comments on YouTube! How do you feel the re-release holds up? Is it your favourite Taylor Swift album? Drop your thoughts, rankings, whatever you feel down below and let's continue the conversation!0:00 Intro12:10 Comparing the Versions19:24 Welcome to New York / Blank Space28:09 Style37:04 Out of the Woods / (Stay!)48:02 Shake It Off58:24 Bad Blood1:13:02 Wildest Dreams1:20:16 HYGTG / This Love1:29:57 I Know Places1:35:48 Clean1:41:56 The Bonus Tracks1:47:06 The Vault Tracks
This week we're back with a run-down of some of the most interesting and exciting music of recent weeks - first off we talk about the much-discussed "final song" from The Beatles, Now and Then, along with its bizarre music video. We go deep on King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard's pivot into progressive electronica with the dazzling THE SILVER CORD, Ryley recaps the masterful new record from The Mountain Goats, JENNY FROM THEBES, Morgan discusses two of the biggest games of the year in Spider-Man 2 and Alan Wake 2, as well as new releases from The Gaslight Anthem, Koyo, and more!Let us know what you've been listening to, and what you think of any of the things we discussed today, in the comments on YouTube!0:00 The Beatles are Back!18:33 The Return of MGMT22:24 Is The Silver Cord King Gizzard's Best Album Yet?42:53 The Gaslight Anthem Return with History Books48:00 The Underrated Hardcore Pop Punk of Koyo49:36 An Important Message of Support51:26 Ryley Reviews 'The Talos Principle 2'53:50 Morgan Reviews 'Marvel's Spider Man 2'59:06 Morgan Reviews 'Alan Wake 2'1:07:21 Jenny From Thebes is a Mountain Goats Milestone
We're back with two fresh new album breakdowns today, and the star of the show is the Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter, formerly known as Lingua Ignota, whose new album SAVED! is a fascinating and discomforting exploration of the tradition of the Christian hymnal, and a perfect playground for Hayter's continued explorations of the suffering and salvation that faith can bring. We also talk about a brilliant modern R&B masterclass from producer and songwriter Sampha, whose long-awaited follow-up to 2017's brilliant PROCESS is finally here in the form of LAHAI, an unencumbered and vibrant record of pulsing electronic bliss.Let us know what you think of either of these albums in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 Sampha - Lahai
29:55 The Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter - SAVED!
Today Jake and Ryley are back to break down some notable new music releases including new singles from Everything Everything, Chelsea Wolfe, and Danny Brown, plus full albums from Jane Remover and The Menzingers (the latter with Morgan!), an update from Ryley on our long-running struggle with IDLES as they gear up to release a new album, the 10th anniversary of Sky Ferreira's Night Time My Time, and a full in-depth review of Martin Scorsese's new film Killers of the Flower Moon!
0:00 Everything Everything Are Back!
4:31 The Return of Chelsea Wolfe
7:56 Danny Brown's Quaranta Finally Has a Release Date
10:22 The Problem with IDLES in 2023 (Ryley's Rant)
20:22 The Oppressive Gloom of Jane Remover: Census Designated
32:56 The Menzingers Return with 'Some of It Was True'
47:20 Great Albums Turning 20
49:55 Sky Ferreira's Night Time My Time Turns 10
57:57 Killers of the Flower Moon - Review
Today Jake and Ryley are once again powering through some short(er)-form reviews of recent releases that deserve your time, but that we haven't been able to dedicate a full video towards. Join us as we dig into Oneohtrix Point Never's confounding but intriguing AGAIN, Animal Collective's full-on jam band evolution with ISN'T IT NOW, Yeule's shoegaze evolution with SOFTSCARS, and plenty more!
Let us know what you think of these albums, and what you've been listening to, in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 Yeule - Softscars
17:23 Earl Sweatshirt & the Alchemist - Voir Dire
33:07 Animal Collective - Isn't It Now?
49:20 Oneohtrix Point Never - Again
1:08:16 Code Orange - The Above
1:20:32 Armand Hammer - We Buy Diabetic Test Strips
Steven Wilson's long-awaited opus THE HARMONY CODEX is finally here, and we're delighted to say it's completely confounded our expectations in the best way possible - join us as we break down what makes the record so unique and satisfying, how it compares to Steven's previous albums, and where it fits in the canon of one of the most celebrated minds in progressive music.Let us know what you think of THE HARMONY CODEX in the comments on YouTube!
After a week off, we're back to finally tackle the surprise-announced second album of 2023 from indie rock stalwarts and channel favorites The National, who have surged back to our good books with a stellar return-to-form in LAUGH TRACK - but what makes it so much more satisfying than FIRST TWO PAGES OF FRANKENSTEIN, and why do the two albums exist in the first place? Join us as we go deep, while also carving out space to rave about the stellar new album from Mitski, THE LAND IS INHOSPITABLE AND SO ARE WE, one of Ryley's top contenders for album of the year!Let us know what you think of either of these records in the comments on YouTube!0:00 Mitski - The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We38:54 The National - Laugh Track
For this week's Record Club, we're breaking down an album very near and dear to us, emo pioneers Sunny Day Real Estate's self-reinventing foray into alt and progressive rock, HOW IT FEELS TO BE SOMETHING ON. Join us as we trace how the band evolved from the days of their beloved genre staple DIARY to the radical departure of this record, how it grapples with growing up and shedding your angst, and why it's their best album.
One of the biggest popstars of the decade so far, Olivia Rodrigo, has returned with her dynamic, fun, and emotional sophomore record GUTS, one of the year's most expressive major releases, and we're excited to finally dig into it properly, exploring everything that makes Olivia one of the most celebrated artists of the moment, and why this is such a satisfying step-up from the promise of her debut. Jake and Ryley also talk about a very different and altogether more avant-garde release from Los Angeles hardcore band Sprain, whose epic 98-minute opus THE LAMB AS EFFIGY has taken music nerds by storm - but what's it really all about?Let us know what you think of either of these albums in the comments on YouTube!0:00 Sprain - The Lamb as Effigy22:01 Olivia Rodrigo - GUTS
Today Jake and Ryley are repeating a trick they tried back in June and powering through a list of interesting records that we haven't had the chance to review properly over the last couple of months. Join us as we dig into exceptional new albums from Genesis Owusu, Ratboys, and The Clientele, as well as more divisive but equally worth your time efforts from Hozier, Geese, and The Armed. Let us know what you think of any of these albums, and whether you think we got it right, in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 The Clientele - I Am Not There Anymore
11:09 Geese - 3D Country
20:39 The Armed - Perfect Saviors
34:31 Genesis Owusu - Struggler
52:31 Hozier - Unreal Unearth
1:06:41 Ratboys - The Window
In this week's episode of Jams & Tea NOW, we break down a new album from legacy punk veteran Jeff Rosenstock, HELLMODE, as well as the challenge of the aging punk rocker in the 2020s, and the fallout of his decision to reveal just how much of a cut major venues take out of his merch earnings. We also talk the pretty but understated new record from Slowdive, EVERYTHING IS ALIVE, as well as the new Rolling Stones single ANGRY and a number of albums we love celebrating momentous anniversaries this month. To cap it all off, we veer away from the music world to talk about the heavily hyped new games Starfield and Baldur's Gate 3, and resident gaming expert Morgan delivers the verdict on whether they live up to expectation.Let us know what you've been listening to (and playing!) in the comments over on YouTube!0:00 Intro / 10,000 Subscribers!4:52 Jeff Rosenstock: HELLMODE21:43 Jeff Rosenstock vs. Venue Merch Cuts30:22 Arctic Monkeys' AM Turns 1037:41 Three Great Albums Turning 20 This Month42:27 The Rolling Stones Are Back!49:49 Morgan Reviews STARFIELD1:01:29 Morgan Reviews BALDUR'S GATE 31:10:02 Slowdive: EVERYTHING IS ALIVE
For this week's Record Club we are, somehow for the first time ever, talking about progressive rock legends and channel favourites Rush, as we zero in on the underrated and fraught but surprisingly beautiful 2002 album VAPOR TRAILS (specifically its 2013 remixed version), which saw the band emerging like a phoenix from the ashes of a great tragedy and their toughest hardship yet. Join us as we discuss this remarkable album and pay tribute to the late great Neil Peart.Let us know what you think of Vapor Trails in the comments on YouTube!
We're back this week with another catchup on the latest in new music and music news with reviews of exciting and heavily-anticipated albums from country music rising star Zach Bryan and heartfelt pop-punk luminaries Spanish Love Songs, both of which prove a little more divisive than expected... plus, Jake talks the new record from trap pop star Ashniiko, the gang discuss the trend of AI-assisted cartoon character covers of popular metal songs, and Eminem's beef with Republican presidential wannabe Vivek Ramaswamy.0:00 The Zach Bryan Phenomenon17:36 Vivek vs Eminem: The Latest Politician-Artist Beef28:47 Spongebob AI Covers of Popular Songs34:24 RIP Brian McBride of Stars of the Lid37:39 Ryley Gets Into NoMeansNo42:00 Jake and the Regrettable Trap Pop of Ashniiko49:51 Spanish Love Songs - No Joy
For this week's Record Club, Jake, Morgan, and Ryley are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the release of tech death wizards Gorguts' masterpiece COLORED SANDS. Though widely celebrated for the alienating brutality of 1998's OBSCURA, Canadian metal legends Gorguts have released many brilliant albums, though perhaps none more conceptually and musically accomplished than their fifth and most recent LP, which delves into the band's fascination with Tibetan Buddhist faith and the Chinese invasion of 1950. Join us for an appreciation of the record's immensely impressive sound and style, and let us know what it means to you, what you think of Gorguts, and which technical death metal records you consider the best!
What makes an album 'overrated'? Join us as we discuss some of the biggest albums of 2013, celebrating 10 years of life and discourse this year, that we think don't quite live up to the hype. We dive deep - and sometimes disagree! - on big albums from Arcade Fire, Justin Timberlake, Drake, Kanye, and more in this deep dive dissection of one of the biggest years for music in recent memory.
Let us know what you think of our picks, and what you believe the most overrated albums of 2013 are, in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 What Does "Overrated" Mean? 4:03 Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience 15:42 Chance the Rapper - Acid Rap 22:31 Drake - Nothing Was the Same 34:54 Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City 44:34 Kanye West - Yeezus 55:03 Arcade Fire - Reflektor
After a week off, we're back to talk about exciting new music from podcast favorites The National, the controversy surrounding Noname's long-awaited new album Sundial, our excitement for the potential of Olivia Rodrigo's upcoming album Guts, the future of K-Pop with NewJeans, and other great new albums you might not have heard from Lauren Auder, Hail the Sun, Johnny Booth, and more!
Let us know what you've been listening to, and what you think of these artists, in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 New Songs from The National / New Album? 9:10 In Memoriam: Gary Young 11:44 Why We're Excited for the New Olivia Rodrigo Album 18:55 Celebrating 10 Years of CHVRCHES 23:58 NewJeans Are the K-Pop Band to Watch 27:55 Hail the Sun and the Sound of "Swancore" 32:20 Johnny Booth Have the Metalcore Sound of the Summer 37:49 Lauren Auder's The Infinite Spine Is An Art Pop Opus 44:43 Autechre's New Live "Album" Is A Lot of Autechre 47:57 Noname - Sundial
For this week's Record Club, Jake and Ryley are telling a tale of two piano men: Elton John and Billy Joel, once brothers in arms as symbols of songwriting excellence with enduring appeal and distinct backgrounds from both sides of the Atlantic. Both are beloved artists with rich legacies, but today we look at one record from each of them as a capsule of their greatness and their carefully crafted personas: for Elton, we look at 1972's Honky Chateau, and for Billy, we look at 1977's The Stranger.
Let us know what Elton and Billy mean to you, what you think of these records in particular, and which of the two resonates the most with what you love in music. We want to hear from you in the comments on YouTube so we can keep the conversation going!
This week Jake and Ryley are taking on two big hitter new releases that music fans online have been raving about: George Clanton's expansive and rich psych-pop opus OOH RAP I YA, and Travis Scott's booming and declarative UTOPIA - but how do these heavily anticipated records hold up to the hype? Let us know what you think in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 George Clanton - Ooh Rap I Ya 19:14 Travis Scott - Utopia
We're back with another streamlined episode of Jams & Tea NOW talking about the latest in new music and music news! This week we have a lot of fun dissecting the latest viral TikTok crossover, Planet of the Bass, a hilarious and endearing Eurodance parody that begs the question of whether the kitschiest genre of the 90s is having a comeback? We also talk Lizzo's abrupt and surprising cancellation, the resurgence of two long-absent shoegaze greats, the state of popular music with the charts dominated by country, the dancefloor-filling stunner that is the new Carly Rae Jepsen album THE LOVELIEST TIME, and much more!
0:00 Planet of the Bass & the Return of Eurodance? 9:54 The Cancellation of Lizzo 21:42 Home Is Where Shouted Us Out! 24:17 Shoegaze Comebacks from Drop 19s and Candy Claws 29:00 Is Country The Biggest Genre Now? 34:00 Carly Rae Jepsen - The Loveliest Time 48:07 Jake Rants About Greta van Fleet 56:19 Jams & Tea Recommends: Maximum the Hormone
This week's discussion topic is the most underrated albums of 2013 - records turning 10 this year that we think deserve more love, should be revisited, or otherwise just get too much disrespect! Let us know what you think of our picks, and hit us up in the comments on YouTube with what you think is the most underrated album celebrating a decade this year!
Today we're tweaking the format slightly for a slimmed down video focusing on the latest new releases, single drops, and music discussion points that have caught our eye! Join us as we discuss the immensely heavy new EP from metalcore supergroup Better Lovers, Big Thief's new single Vampire Empire and the state of indie rock stan culture, new songs from The Gaslight Anthem and Code Orange (featuring Billy Corgan?!), and a clinical deep-dive into the abysmal new album from Owl City. Plus, Jake offers a positive take on the new Barbie movie. Stick around for this week's discussion topic, which will be on underrated albums of 2013, in a day or two from now!
0:00 Ryley's Intro / New Format Change
2:35 2023 Quiz Results & Winner's "Prize"
6:09 The New Better Lovers EP Is Incredible!
16:11 New EPs from Anberlin and Yellowcard
18:42 The New Gaslight Anthem Singles Are...
23:33 Big Thief's Vampire Empire & Indie Rock Stan Culture
37:11 Code Orange Are Delivering Nu-Metal Excellence
41:39 Owl City's New Album Is a Disaster
58:29 Jake Reviews Barbie
For this week's new release reviews, Jake and Ryley are excited to break down the abstract and poetic new album from PJ Harvey, I INSIDE THE OLD YEAR DYING, and the soulful and cathartic return of Anohni with MY BACK WAS A BRIDGE FOR YOU TO CROSS. These are the first albums from both artists since 2016; join us to see how their comebacks hold up, and which of the two is one of the year's most essential releases.
0:00 PJ Harvey - I Inside the Old Year Dying
31:44 Anohni & the Johnsons - My Back Was a Bridge For You to Cross
For this week's Record Club, we're celebrating a classic of sophisti-pop, with Scottish legends The Blue Nile's immortal 1989 masterpiece HATS. Join us as we break down what makes this minimal but deeply emotional pop record so affecting, timeless, and appealing over three decades later.
For this week's new release reviews, AdequateEmily joins us again to talk about the folk-tinged heartland emo of Home Is Where with their emotionally crushing new record THE WHALER, and post-rock stalwarts SWANS with their mortality-obsessed THE BEGGAR, the latest of many multi-hour opuses. But how do these records hold up to their hype? It's fair to say we're more taken with one than the other, but we want to hear what you think too. Continue the conversation in the comments on YouTube - let us know your thoughts!
0:00 Home Is Where - The Whaler 29:03 Swans - The Beggar
For this week's NOW episode we're joined by friend of the channel AdequateEmily for an unconventional twist on the format. Today, in addition to recapping new and interesting releases, we're commenting on Rolling Stone's bizarre and somewhat baffling list of the most inspirational LGBTQ songs of all time for pride month. We also talk new albums from Queens of the Stone Age, Killer Mike, Sigur Ros, and exceptional new singles from The Smile, Slowdive, Animal Collective, and more!
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 1:44 Queens of the Stone Age - In Times New Roman 6:30 Killer Mike - Michael 9:09 Sigur Ros - ATTA 11:31 The Smile's New Song Is Phenomenal 14:26 Slowdive Are Back! 18:23 Ryley's New Recs: AnCo, Sampha, The Armed, Ratboys 27:02 RIP PC Music 29:42 August's Corner: Breaking Benjamin & Night Tapes 35:39 TobyMac's EDM Album 40:29 DJ Khaled Reads Drake's Poetry Book 45:08 Rolling Stone's Most Inspirational LGBTQ Songs
Loved and loathed by many, Sacramento-based Deafheaven's 2013 album Sunbather was a landmark in the crossover of extreme metal into the wider musical consciousness, a bold and declarative fusion of black metal and shoegaze that birthed dozens of bands and inspired years of passionate discourse. Now, a full decade on, we're excited to talk through the album in full, breaking down its significance, its sound, its themes, and its impact on a personal and cultural level. What is it about Sunbather that animates and excites so many people, even today?
Let us know what the album means to you in the comments on YouTube.
Today we have two fresh new reviews for you all: first up is a celebration of Janelle Monae's delightful, low-stakes embrace of all things euphoric in THE AGE OF PLEASURE, but the main attraction this week is the extraordinary new record from Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, the stunning WEATHERVANES. Join us as we unpack how one of the artists that means the most to us has crafted one of his finest works ever, and the current frontrunner for our collective album of the year. Let us know what you think of either of these albums in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 Janelle Monae - The Age of Pleasure
33:25 Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - Weathervanes
After taking a week off, we have a jam-packed NOW episode this weekend that lets us catch up on some great recent releases that should be on your radar, including the newest albums from Kings Gizzard and Krule, Christine and the Queens, and Youth Lagoon, as well as video game hype for Diablo IV, Final Fantasy XVI, and the recently announced Persona 3 remake. We also have reviews of Across the Spider-Verse and The Idol, before our main topic of discussion this week: the most disappointing reunion albums of all time!
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 1:28 King Gizzard's New Album Is Fantastic 8:16 Ryley Learns to Appreciate King Krule 12:21 Christine and the Queens' Epic New Opus 21:14 The Comeback of Youth Lagoon 31:00 Diablo IV Hype 33:55 Final Fantasy XVI Hype 39:50 Persona 3 Remake Hype 43:19 Raving About Across the Spider-Verse 50:49 Ranting About The Idol 1:04:02 The Worst Ever Reunion Albums
For our latest duo of new release reviews, we're excited to be talking about the emotionally heavy and raw new record from Foo Fighters, BUT HERE WE ARE - their first following the tragic death of Taylor Hawkins. We also discuss the return of legendary Detroit post-punk act Protomartyr with their stellar new album FORMAL GROWTH IN THE DESERT. These are two intense, at points draining, but extremely satisfying records from established bands that we're extremely excited to be covering yet again. Let us know what you think of these albums in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
33:08 Protomartyr - Formal Growth In the Desert
For the first of a duo of Record Clubs covering seminal albums released on June 11, 2013, we're delighted to finally get to talk in depth about the most beloved album from an artist who has defined our friendship and connection through music: Jason Isbell. As his magnum opus Southeastern celebrates a decade, we break down everything that makes the album resonant and affecting, as well as Jason's craft more broadly. Stick around for our review of Isbell's new album Weathervanes next week!
Let us know what Southeastern means to you in the comments on YouTube.
For this week's episode of Jams & Tea NOW, Jake and Ryley are breaking down their favorite comeback albums of all time - albums that defied expectations by returning an artist to the pinnacle of their greatness after a period of decline. We also discuss the nature of the remix in the streaming era, the perpetual tease of an Oasis reunion, new releases from The Dare and The Lemon Twigs, Jake's newfound obsession with Belle and Sebastian, and more!Let us know your favorite comeback albums in the comments on YouTube!TIMESTAMPS0:00 Intro1:42 The Beyonce & Kendrick Lamar Remix6:32 The Taylor Swift & Ice Spice Remix15:12 R.I.P. Tina Turner18:08 Are Oasis Finally Reuniting?28:05 Jake Shouts Out The Lemon Twigs32:25 Ryley Reviews The Dare's Controversial New EP39:38 Commenter Recommendation: The White Noise45:42 Jake Gets Into Belle and Sebastian57:36 The Greatest Comeback Albums Ever
It's Fashionably Late by Falling In Reverse. This is the album that broke us.
Watch on YouTube.
For this week's episode of Jams & Tea NOW, we're counting down the ultimate final statements in music, albums that came just before a band broke up or an artist died, that are imbued with the heft or weight of that impending loss. We also pay tribute to the late, great Andy Rourke, discuss Blur's excellent new single, give our thoughts on the gargantuan new Legend of Zelda game, talk about essential new releases from the world of black metal and pop punk, and much more!Let us know your favorite "final" albums in the comments on YouTube!TIMESTAMPS0:00 Intro1:28 The New Blur Single Is Fantastic6:09 New Album Announcements: Genesis Owusu7:37 New Album Announcements: Spanish Love Songs9:45 New Album Announcements: Roisin Murphy11:18 The New King Gizzard Single Is Goofy As Hell15:41 Ghost Covers Genesis and Tina Turner On Their New EP19:30 In Memoriam: Andy Rourke24:29 Ryley Remembers Modern Vampires of the City31:24 Jake's Metal Recs: Hoplites, Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean41:29 Hot Mulligan's Exceptional New Album Is Worth Hearing45:48 Morgan Gets Into Rina Sawayama47:01 More Thoughts on Tears of the Kingdom52:48 Succession and Barry Are Ruining Lives57:31 Our Favorite "Final" Albums
For our latest Record Club, we're celebrating the 10th anniversary of Daft Punk's legendary opus Random Access Memories. Jake approaches it with fresh ears while Ryley reflects on how the album plays now versus then, as an epic celebration of the history of popular music and electronica, and ultimately the band's final curtain call.
What does this album mean to you? How do you think it holds up? Let us know in the comments on YouTube!
For this week's NOW episode, we're discussing our favorite compilation albums of all time, and what makes a good compilation album in the first place. Plus, we also dig into Jake's recent trip to see Taylor Swift live in Nashville, Machine Gun Kelly's latest effort at manufacturing beef, Animal Collective's unlikely Fleetwood Mac cover, why Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is the best Marvel movie, and Ryley's first impressions of the new Zelda game Tears of the Kingdom!Let us know your favorite compilation albums in the comments on YouTube!TIMESTAMPS0:00 Intro1:33 Machine Gun Kelly Tries to Manufacture Another Beef7:03 David Letterman Is a Huge Fan of The National8:34 Animal Collective Covered Fleetwood Mac?14:25 Album Announcements: Janelle Monae, QOTSA, King Gizzard19:20 Taylor Swift In Nashville: Concert Review29:33 The National Live Bootleg Review34:11 The Band That Fuse Metalcore and Breakcore: Fromjoy37:14 Why Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Is the Best Marvel Movie52:57 Tears of the Kingdom: First Impressions1:00:50 Our Favorite Compilation Albums
For this week's new release reviews, we're excited to extol the virtues of Billy Woods' latest and leanest masterpiece, the colorful but grim MAPS, an eclectic but surprisingly accessible journey through the trials of being an artist on the road. We also review Ed Sheeran's latest effort, an inert slog of shallow and uninspired balladry that limps across the anodyne synthetics of Aaron Dessner's production. It's been a weird week.Let us know what you think of either of these albums in the comments on YouTube!0:00 Ed Sheeran - Minus38:06 Billy Woods & Kenny Segal - Maps
On this week's episode of Jams & Tea NOW, we're excited to break down some of our absolute favorite songs that never made it to a studio album. We also review the new Indigo De Souza album, ALL OF THIS WILL END, talk all things Smashing Pumpkins with the release of their new triple-album ATUM, break down Ed Sheeran's copyright trial, Shaq's nu-metal song, Smokey Robinson's GASM-inducing new album, and much more!Let us know your favorite non-album singles or B-sides in the comments over on YouTube!
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
1:27 Ed Sheeran vs The Gaye Estate
9:32 Timbaland Deepfakes Biggie
13:31 Shaq Made a Nu-Metal Song
20:40 Billy Corgan Analyses Yeat
27:45 Does Taylor Swift Is Dating Matty Healy
34:10 Smashing Pumpkins' New Triple Album Is Finally Here
43:11 Jake Gets Into Janet Jackson
49:05 The Lush Electronic Folk of Rei Harakami
51:41 Smokey Robinson Gives Ryley GASMS
56:28 Indigo De Souza Tells Us All of This Will End [Album Review]
1:09:42 Our Favorite Songs NOT On An Album
For this week's new release reviews, Jake, Morgan, and Ryley are finally tackling the latest album from The National, the long-awaited FIRST TWO PAGES OF FRANKENSTEIN - how will it hold up, having recently finished an entire retrospective series on their discography? We also have an energetic review of Jessie Ware's latest dancefloor opus THAT! FEELS GOOD!, which allows Jake to reckon with the legacy of his infamously negative reaction to her previous album - will the new one convert him? Listen along to find out our takes, and let us know what you think of these albums in the comments over on YouTube!0:00 Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!32:02 The National - First Two Pages of FrankensteinCheck out our full The National Retrospective playlist here.
For this week's episode of Jams & Tea NOW, Jake and Ryley are discussing their favorite songs on the shorter side, with five picks each that run under two minutes long - how can such a brief track deliver so much power, and what did they choose? Also up for discussion today is Jack Harlow's reinvention with the brief but pointed JACKMAN, plus new singles from PJ Harvey and Say Anything, the debut song of the brand new band fronted by XTC's Andy Partridge, Jake's metal recommendations, plus classic album discussions of Sufjan Stevens' The Age of Adz and Wilco's Summerteeth!
Let us know your favorite songs under two minutes long in the comments over on YouTube!
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
1:46 New Singles: PJ Harvey, Andy Partridge, Say Anything, Home Is Where
12:47 Twenty One Pilots Reimagine Their Songs for MTV Unplugged
19:11 Great New EPs from Beach House and sonhos tomam conta
27:37 Jake's Metal Recs: Bell Witch & TDK
37:19 Jack Harlow Is Back: Jackman Review
53:11 Jake Listens to Sufjan Stevens' The Age of Adz
1:04:47 Jake Listens to Wilco's Summerteeth
1:10:30 The Drones Are Ryley's New Obsession
1:16:27 Our Favorite Songs Under 2 Minutes
This week we're excited to bring fresh and comprehensive reviews of two records you should hear - first up is the long-awaited and re-invigorated comeback of techno pop legends Everything But the Girl with the striking FUSE, and following that is a deep-dive into perhaps the best debut of 2023 so far, US Youth Poet Laureate Kara Jackson's stunning and enveloping WHY DOES THE EARTH GIVE US PEOPLE TO LOVE? Join us as we break down these records, and let us know what you thought in the comments over on YouTube!0:00 Everything But the Girl - Fuse35:57 Kara Jackson - Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?
For this week's NOW episode, in lieu of a new release reviews video this week, Ryley, Jake, and Morgan are talking all things Metallica, particularly as it pertains to their new double album 72 Seasons, and how Metallica have attempted to age gracefully even as their career navigates staggering highs and lows. Plus, we also talk at length about Frank Ocean's disastrous Coachella performance, the return of indie legends 12 Rods, the potential of a post-Taylor Hawkins era of Foo Fighters, and Ryley reviews the divisive new film from Ari Aster, BEAU IS AFRAID - plus a few more exciting things... Let us know what you thought of the new Metallica album, or any of our other discussion topics, in the comments over on YouTube!TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Intro2:29 The Frank Ocean Coachella Debacle27:39 New Music from 12 Rods and Foo Fighters33:18 The Most Exciting Supergroup of 202337:13 Angel Olsen's New EP Is Stunning40:11 Ryley Reviews Beau Is Afraid (Spoiler-Free)51:12 Jake Reviews Suzume55:08 Metallica in 2023: 72 Seasons Review / St. Anger Revisionism
For this week's Record Club, Jake and Ryley are celebrating one of the finest piano rock and singer-songwriter records of the 2000s, Ben Folds' solo debut Rockin' the Suburbs. Aside from its tongue-in-cheek gentle parody of nu-metal machismo in its famous title track, the album is stacked with surprisingly emotional and cleverly characterized stories of pain, connection, and understanding, and we think it's a classic.
For this week's NOW episode, Jake and Ryley are discussing albums they love that are kept from perfection by one inexcusable dud track. How much can one bad song detract from a great album experience, and what are the examples that are hardest to forgive? Let us know what you'd choose in the comments on YouTube!Also up for discussion this week are excellent new albums from Tim Hecker and Liturgy, as well as metal recommendations from The HIRS Collective, a comeback for indie rock legends Daughter, the latest windmill scene epic from HMTLD, a tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto, and much more! What have you been listening to?
0:00 Intro
3:16 Album Anniversaries: Murmur, Wakin on a Pretty Daze, True Romance
9:13 The Best Year for Music in the 2010s?
15:05 Tim Hecker - No Highs
24:24 Liturgy - 93696
31:37 Jake's Metal Recs: The HIRS Collective, Telos
37:18 The Innovative Canadian Punk of NoMeansNo
45:06 RIP Ryuichi Sakamoto
48:05 Ryley's Recs: David Sylvian, Masakatsu Tagaki
56:25 New Albums from Daughter & HMTLD
1:00:47 Great Albums With One Bad Song
"Americana" and "indie rock" as music descriptors are as widespread as they are near-meaningless in the proliferation of genre-bending artists in the 2020s, but Wednesday with their stellar breakthrough RAT SAW GOD, and Ruston Kelly with his melancholic and pristine THE WEAKNESS, fuse the two together in very distinct but effective ways, resulting in a highlight of the year for Ryley and Jake. Join them as they go deep into these masterful and personal records, loaded with tales of unreconciled heartbreak, traumatic histories, and deep emotional ties, and let us know what you think in the comments on YouTube!0:00 Ruston Kelly - The Weakness41:55 Wednesday - Rat Saw God
It's been seven months since our last full discography breakdown video, and we're back with a vengeance storming our way through all eight major-label studio albums from one of the most inescapable artists of the last decade, Lana Del Rey. Joined by first-time guest Coffee, we dive into Lana's artistic identity and the various stages in the development of her sound, style, and themes from record to record, as well as outlining where the music most resonates with each of us, and where it sometimes doesn't. We want to hear from you, though: what does Lana's music mean to you? What is each record about, from your perspective? What do you think of our takes on Lana's progression and her imposing but impressive discography across just 11 years? Let us know in the comments on YouTube!TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Intro4:48 Born to Die43:00 Ultraviolence1:02:21 Honeymoon1:18:16 Lust for Life1:55:31 Norman F***ing Rockwell!2:29:18 Chemtrails Over the Country Club2:44:07 Blue Banisters3:07:58 Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd3:36:34 Outro
It's finally here - the first full-length LP from legendary indie supergroup Boygenius, THE RECORD, and today we're digging in to see how it holds up, and to try and reconcile the divisive response between critics versus casual listeners as to whether it holds up to the solo work of Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus. Let us know what you think of The Record in the comments on YouTube!
For this week's Record Club, Ryley is joined by Zach of the First Watch podcast to discuss one of the most innovative and important bands of the century so far, THE KNIFE, and to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their climactic double-album magnum opus SHAKING THE HABITUAL. Join us as we break down and discuss everything the album does sonically, thematically, and conceptually, and why it remains one of the most uncompromising and brilliant works of art from the last decade. Let us know what you think of the album in the comments on YouTube!Check out the First Watch podcast on here: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/first-watch
JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown teamed up recently for the much-hyped (and widely beloved) new collaborative record SCARING THE HOES, and while it captures some of the fundamentals of what make them captivating presences in their own right, the album itself leaves something to be desired for us. On the other hand, the new record from Depeche Mode, MEMENTO MORI (their first since the death of founding member Andy Fletcher) is the band's strongest in nearly two decades, and gives us a welcome opportunity to celebrate the longevity of one of the finest pop bands of all time.Let us know what you thought of either of these records in the comments on YouTube!0:00 JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown - Scaring the Hoes30:27 Depeche Mode - Memento Mori
For this week's Record Club, Jake, Ryley, and Morgan are breaking down Fleetwood Mac's brilliant, hugely successful but still overlooked 1987 classic TANGO IN THE NIGHT - the final studio record on which all core members would actively contribute, and a tumultuous album which houses a number of the group's most enduring standards. How does the album hold up today, and what do its songs tell us about the stories and lives of the songwriters behind them? Join us as we dig into it, and let us know what this record means to you in the comments on YouTube!
For this week's NOW episode we're flipping the script on last week and celebrating our favorite albums that run under 30 minutes (some of which are even shorter than 20!), taking the time to talk about what makes these records work and feel complete at such a tiny runtime, and how artists can use brevity to leave a lasting impact. We also discuss at length the new album from M83, talk about the impending return of Joanna Newsom, the many newsworthy stories of Rick Ross, who should play Joni Mitchell in Cameron Crowe's film of her life, and much more!Let us know your favorite short albums in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 Intro
2:46 Joanna Newsom Surprise Concert and New Era
5:59 Cameron Crowe is Making a Joni Mitchell Movie
10:19 The Smile Recording Album #2 Already
12:16 Rick Ross Appreciation Corner
19:02 New Swans Album Finally Announced
21:45 Jake's Grindcore Arc
25:00 Jake Listens to Classics from Wilco and The D-Plan
30:37 Jake Dives Into Joanna Newsom
37:47 M83 - Fantasy (Full Bonus Review)
49:56 The New Lil Ugly Mane Singles Compilation Is Essential
54:00 Essential Albums Under 30 Minutes
We're back a day early with two deep dives into two huge and celebrated new releases from big artists! First up is the long-awaited return of 100 Gecs with the ridiculous sugar high of the absurd, memetic miasma of 10,000 Gecs. After that we unpack the arc and themes within the work of the brilliant Yves Tumor, whose new album takes their soul-searching interrogations of identity and self-discovery to ecstatic and spiritual new heights with the astonishing Praise a God Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume (or: Hot Between Worlds)!Let us know what you think of either of these records in the comments on YouTube!0:00 100 Gecs - 10,000 Gecs39:53 Yves Tumor - Praise a Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume
For this week's NOW episode, Jake and Ryley are discussing their favorite albums that approach the 2 hour mark and sometimes go way longer - how can a band justify such an absurd length for a record, and what makes the best super-long albums work? Join us as we dig into these questions and more. Plus we also discuss our thoughts on the 2023 Oscar winners, the abysmal new albums from Morgan Wallen and Macklemore, as well as new announcements and discussion topics from the week in music. Let us know your favourite 2+ hour albums in the comments on YouTube!
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Our Thoughts on the 2023 Oscars14:21 The Meg White Discourse20:47 The Cure versus Ticketmaster26:50 Announcements: Animal Collective reissue, Sigur Ros return30:48 Jake Gets Into Wilco37:55 Jake's Recs: The Magnetic Fields, Sidney Gish, Meaningful Stone42:01 The Dismemberment Plan's Change is a Perfect 1053:17 The New Morgan Wallen Album Is Bad1:06:33 The New Macklemore Album Is Terrible1:22:15 Our Essential 2+ Hour Albums
For this week's new release reviews, Jake and Ryley dive deep into the poetic, thoughtful, irreverent, and deeply funky explorations of sexuality and gender in Fever Ray's stellar new album RADICAL ROMANTICS, as well as pondering the bizarre and elusive career arc of Miley Cyrus with her new album ENDLESS SUMMER VACATION. Let us know what you think of either of these records in the comments on YouTube!0:00 Fever Ray - Radical Romantics37:17 Miley Cyrus - Endless Summer Vacation
Once again in the Record Club series we're excited to dig into another seminal record from the legendary Tom Waits, and this time it's none other than his 1985 masterpiece RAIN DOGS. Join us as we unpack the unique stylistic shift, memorable and idiosyncratic lyrical topics and themes, and overall structure of one of Tom's most celebrated and revered works, and why it lives up to the hype. Let us know what you think in the comments on YouTube!
This week's NOW discussion is a reversal of last week's, where we talked about regrettable records from beloved artists. This week we put a more positive spin on the topic and try our best to celebrate when artists or bands we typically hate suddenly win us over with one surprising new release. Let us know what your picks would be in the comments on YouTube.
Check out Team Tremolo here: https://teamtremolo.bandcamp.com/
0:00 Intro 1:11 Scarin' the Hoes Tracklist Announcement 6:15 Sufjan Takes Illinois to the Stage 7:17 Love Rising Benefit Concert for Queer Youth 8:52 New Album Announcements: McKinley Dixon, Panopticon 11:08 New Singles: Protomartyr, The Antlers, The Menzingers 17:22 The Best Song of the Year So Far 21:02 New Release Recs: Ulthar, Team Tremolo 30:34 Jake's Fixations: Sleater-Kinney & LOONA 48:01 Great Albums from "Bad" Artists
The theme is self-love this week, as the vastly different but surprisingly spiritually similar new albums from Slowthai and Kali Uchis espouse the virtues of putting yourself first, and the consequences of leaving others behind. This is especially true for Slowthai, whose new album UGLY sees the British rapper reinventing his sound and deepening his ambitions. Kali Uchis's beautiful new album Red Moon In Venus is less intense but complicated in its own way, and both are worth hearing. Let us know what you think in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 Kali Uchis - Red Moon In Venus
18:14 Slowthai - UGLY
On this week's NOW episode, Jake and Ryley are making up for lost time with a bumper episode catching up with big albums from Model/Actriz, Caroline Polachek, Skrillex, and more, as well as discussing the latest in music news, album anniversaries, and important single drops. Our main topic of discussion though is reflecting on what has to happen, and how it happens, for great bands to make truly terrible albums - where do things go wrong, and how do such all-time stinkers as Elton John's Victim of Love and Daft Punk's Human After All hold up today? Let us know what you think over on YouTube.
0:00 Intro 3:57 Danny Brown and JPEGMAFIA Are Scarin' the Hoes 6:25 Music News: De La Soul, Big Thief, and Lizzo 12:07 Album Anniversaries: Cerulean Salt, The Ugly Organ, Paris 1919 23:28 New Singles: boygenius, Sparks, Jason Isbell 33:38 In Memoriam: Wayne Shorter, David Lindley, Steve Mackey 42:01 Black Country New Road - Live at Bush Hall 50:41 Model/Actriz - Dogsbody 58:51 Caroline Polachek - Desire I Want to Turn Into You 1:04:39 Riverside's ID.Entity Is a Fucking Disaster 1:16:14 Insomnium Make Essential Melodic Death Metal 1:22:18 Avey Tare's New Solo Album Is His Best Yet 1:25:45 Orbital's New Album Is a Crushing Disappointment 1:33:39 Skrillex's New Album Is... Really Good? 1:39:39 Terrible Albums from Great Bands
For this week's new release reviews, Jake and Ryley tackle the frustrating new album from Damon Albarn's legacy pop collective Gorillaz, CRACKER ISLAND, before digging deep into the intense, brash, and colorful new album from genre-defying act Algiers: SHOOK. Let us know what you think of these albums in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 Gorillaz - Cracker Island 42:35 Algiers - Shook
For this week's episode of Jams & Tea NOW we're excited to dig into some of our all-time favorite film soundtracks (not scores!) and to discuss how a great soundtrack can elevate not just the movie in question but also the songs themselves. We also briefly talk through new releases from Kelela and Liv.e, we discuss the new Lana Del Rey single, acknowledge Rihanna and the Kinks' ongoing twitter beef with Elon Musk, pay tribute to the late great Trugoy from De La Soul, and Jake highlights some essential Americana listens that have been dominating their week.
Let us know your favorite soundtracks in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 Intro 1:41 We acknowledge Rihanna 5:17 The Kinks vs. Elon Musk 9:37 Amanda Shires on Fallon 11:52 The New Lana Del Rey Song Is Really Good? 17:34 RIP Trugoy the Dove 21:34 New Albums from Kelela & Liv.e 26:10 The New Caroline Polachek Album 31:42 Jake's Black Metal Corner 34:58 Jake-son Isbell and the Great Album Unit 46:33 Wovenhand and the Music of David Eugene Edwards 50:26 Our Favorite Movie Soundtracks
For this week's new release reviews, we're excited to dig into the long-awaited return of Paramore with the galvanizing THIS IS WHY, as well as the dense and gorgeous drones of indie legends Yo La Tengo's stunning 17th album THIS STUPID WORLD. Join us as we discuss what makes these records stand out and let us know what you think in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 Paramore - This Is Why
33:51 Yo La Tengo - This Stupid World
This week on Record Club, Ryley and Jakob are discussing the latter's favorite band, the eclectic, irreverent, and always fun They Might Be Giants, zeroing in on their sophomore record, 1988's masterful Lincoln. They break down many of the band's biggest songs and talk about everything that makes the writing of John Linnell and John Flansburgh so exciting and emotional, and why they're such an easy band to love if you're a music nerd.
Let us know what this album (and band!) means to you in the comments on YouTube.
For this week's NOW episode we're celebrating Valentine's Day by counting down our all-time favorite love songs - the songs that help us to express and understand the world's most powerful feelings. We also talk the latest in music news including the Grammys, the latest developments in a torrid beef saga between Roger Waters and David Gilmour, Steve Albini's Steely Dan comments, David Guetta's Eminem deepfake, the stark and stunning new Depeche Mode comeback single, and much more! Let us know your favorite love songs in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 Intro 1:41 Grammys 2023 Were... Not Terrible 12:58 The Pink Floyd Beef Saga 25:40 Steve Albini Steely Dan Diss 31:21 David Guetta Eminem Deepfake 37:15 The New Depeche Mode Song is Great 40:16 RIP Tom Verlaine & Burt Bacharach 48:16 Jake's Elton John Deep Dive 55:29 Our Favorite Love Songs
For our latest set of new release reviews, Jake and Ryley are catching up on two of the year's most jubilant, intensely exciting, original, and addictive albums so far: Young Fathers' incandescent banger collection HEAVY HEAVY, and The Go! Team's diverse, funky, and exuberant GET UP SEQUENCES PART TWO. Let us know what you think of either or both of these albums in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 The Go! Team - Get Up Sequences Part 2 30:51 Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy
We're finally back with new release reviews every week starting right now, as we dive into the momentous and magnificent new album from Parannoul, AFTER THE MAGIC, as well as Lil Yachty's auspicious psych-rock pivot with the captivating and colorful LET'S START HERE. Let us know what you think of these albums over on YouTube!
0:00 Lil Yachty - Let's Start Here. 33:13 Parannoul - After the Magic
On this week's NOW episode, Jake, Morgan, and Ryley are embracing the cringe as they each share embarrassing 'guilty pleasure' songs they secretly love. They also discuss the latest in music news, including the new Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees, Matty Healy's comments about Oasis, Ozzy Osbourne's retirement announcement, the tenth anniversary of My Bloody Valentine's MBV and much more. We also shout out new releases from Panda Rosa and Smashing Pumpkins, Morgan recaps his recent experience seeing Jason Isbell live, and Ryley goes to bat for Seal's 1994 classic self-titled album.
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 3:20 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominees Announced 8:13 We Address Matty Healy's Oasis Comments 11:55 The Walkmen Frontman Human Remains Incident 14:54 Zara Larsson Burzum Dress Kerfuffle 17:57 Ozzy Osbourne Retirement Announcement 19:51 MBV Turns 10 23:26 Billy Corgan's Latest Bowel Movement (ATUM Part II Review) 33:25 Morgan's Jason Isbell Concert Review 37:50 Jake's Bandcamp Shoegaze Breakdown (Longinus Recordings) 52:26 Jake Finally Listens to Fiona Apple's The Idler Wheel 58:50 Panda Rosa's New Album is Unique and Arresting 1:04:30 Seal's 1994 Album is a Modern Classic 1:10:41 Our Guilty Pleasure Songs
For this week's Record Club, Ryley and Connor are celebrating (a couple weeks early) the 20 year anniversary of one of the most pivotal intersections of the indie world with mainstream success in the auspicious collaboration between Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard and Dntel's Jimmy Tamborello as The Postal Service, GIVE UP. Join them as they break down what makes this album so immediately captivating, what has ensured its continually expansive legacy, and why we consider it a perfect album. Let us know what the record means to you over on YouTube!
For this week's (shorter) NOW episode, Jake, Morgan and Ryley are reflecting on the earliest albums that shaped them and defined their record purchasing beginnings as the channel celebrates the momentous milestone of 2000 subscribers. Thanks to every single one of you - let us know in the comments what were the first records you remember owning and how they shaped your tastes and love of music.
For this week's Record Club, the gang are breaking down one of the biggest 'career-killer' albums in rock history, Oasis' gargantuan BE HERE NOW - a record that sold millions of copies and represented the logical endpoint of the band's titanic ascendance, but also proved to burst the bubble of Britpop and send its most beloved figures into a downward spiral. Jake, Morgan, and Ryley are somewhat divided on whether this exercise in excess fully works, but it's intense ambition and coke-fuelled bloat are fascinating to examine within the narrative of rock's biggest believers, and the album is a fascinating testament to the problem of where to go next when you reach the top of the world.
Let us know what you think of this album in the comments on YouTube!
On this week's Jams & Tea NOW, we discuss the new album announcements from The National, Boygenius, Fallout Boy, and Ruston Kelly, new singles from A$AP Rocky, Wednesday, and Metallica, and commemorate the lives of the recently passed David Crosby, Van Conner, and Yukihiro Takahashi. Jake highlights his newfound obsession with Natural Snow Buildings, August shouts out some obscure jazz perfection, Ryley goes deep on sophisti-pop and the gang collectively celebrate the career of Ryuichi Sakamoto with the release of his latest album 12. For our main topic of discussion though, Ryley, Jake, and Morgan go deep on their favorite lyricists of all time, the songwriters who have shaped their tastes and spoken to them most deeply. Let us know who your favorites are in the comments on YouTube!
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Album Announcements: The National, Fall Out Boygenius, Ruston Kelly 9:54 New Singles from A$AP Rocky, Wednesday, Metallica 14:25 Music News: New Frank Ocean Album? 19:40 In Memoriam: David Crosby, Van Conner, Yukihiro Takahashi 28:23 Jake's Obsession with Natural Snow Buildings 39:27 The Big Band Jazz Album That Will Blow Your Mind 42:20 Ahab Bring the Doom to The Coral Tombs 48:04 Obscure Jazz and Oingo Boingo with August 54:15 Ryley Gets Into David Sylvian 59:56 Celebrating the Music of Ryuichi Sakamoto 1:08:24 Ryuichi Sakamoto Makes Peace with Death on '12' 1:26:45 Our Favorite Lyricists of All Time
Since we have no new release reviews this week, we're giving you our latest Record Club a few days early, and it is a doozy to kick off 2023 - we are breaking down the stratospheric ambitions and maximalist sound of My Chemical Romance's 2010 smash-hit success DANGER DAYS: THE TRUE LIVES OF THE FABULOUS KILLJOYS. It's an album that reaches for the stars and should be applauded for the attempt but drowns in a miasma of unbearable production, cheesy writing, and a squandering of the band's many talents. However, we recognize there will be a lot of fans out there, so if this record means something to you, or if you have a take on why it works, let us know your counterpoint in the comments on YouTube!
On this week's episode of Jams & Tea NOW, Jake, August, and Ryley discuss the latest album announcements, new single drops, and interesting news in the world of music before digging into some recent fixations as Jake gets into Prefab Sprout, August gets into Pharoah Sanders, and Ryley celebrates the eclectic and thrilling new record from Southern emo stalwarts Fireworks - the album of the year so far! The main topic of discussion today though is cinema, as the three look back on 2022 and discuss the movies that defined the year for us - let us know what your favorite films of 2022 were in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 Album Announcements: Xiu Xiu, Avey Tare, M83, Everything But the Girl, Periphery
12:36 New Singles from Paramore, Parannoul, & Lil Ugly Mane
17:14 Music News: Dr. Dre v. MT-G Beef; Cage the Elephant Gun Charge
22:47 In Memoriam: Lisa Marie Presley & Jeff Beck
25:51 The Weirdest Psychedelic Band You've Never Heard
31:59 Jake Gets Into Prefab Sprout
40:24 Pharoah Sanders' Black Unity Is a Classic
45:36 MJ Lenderman's Boat Songs Is August-Approved
51:55 Isaac Hayes' Hot Buttered Soul Is a Classic
57:29 The Promising Bedroom Blackgaze of Cora's Heart
1:00:59 The New Fireworks Album Is an Emo Indie Rock Masterclass
1:07:28 Our Favorite Films of 2022
For our first Record Club of the new year, we attempt the modest task of tackling one of the biggest, if not the single biggest, pop LPs of all time, Michael Jackson's THRILLER, following the recent celebration of its 40th anniversary. How does the record hold up today? As an album, does it live in the shadow of its singles or does it hold up front-to-back? How do those singles land today, and what do they say about Michael's ambitions and vision for his artistic persona? And what's the deal with The Girl Is Mine? Join the conversation in the comments, and let us know what you think of this landmark record.
For our first new release reviews of the year, we discuss into the messy revelations and difficult sprawl of SZA's underwhelming S.O.S., and we unpack the raw expression of Little Simz's emotional and cathartic NO THANK YOU, the two releases that dominated December 2022. Let us know what you thought of them in the comments on YouTube!
0:00 SZA - S.O.S. 25:23 Little Simz - NO THANK YOU
New year, new format (well, sort of...)! The Jams & Tea Podcast is back but we are separating our discussions of what we've been digging recently into a new series called NOW, while our main reviews of new album releases will drop on Wednesday and Record Clubs and other videos on Fridays. We kick off this year by looking forward - listing off our most anticipated releases of the year, as well as digging into the varied and eclectic genres, artists, and movements we've been fascinated by over the new year's break. Let us know what you've been watching, playing, and listening to over on YouTube!
0:00 Intro
4:08 The Mathcore Black Metal of Serpent Column
10:23 What Makes Flying Lotus Great
25:08 Sade Are Cool Again
29:14 August's Vaporwave Corner
31:12 The Futuristic Fusion of Sonny Sharrock
37:00 The Grunge Poetry of Steven Jesse Bernstein
43:14 Quadeca, Brakence, and the New Wave of Emo Rap
49:45 Lamb of God Discography Ranking
56:04 The New Peter Gabriel Song Is... Okay
59:42 The Smile's New Tiny Desk Concert
1:03:45 RIP Gangsta Boo, Jeremiah Green, Martin Duffy
1:08:39 Placebo's Black Market Music Is Underrated
1:12:15 Chief Keef's Finally Rich Turns 10
1:15:57 Weezer's Winter EP Is... Good?!
1:19:37 The Immense Japanese Shoegaze of BOaT
1:22:45 Classic Albums from Joni Mitchell, The Kinks, and Failure
1:29:53 Our Most Anticipated Albums of 2023
On this week's main episode, Jake, Ryley and Jen are back to review THE RUBY CORD, a bracing, poetic, and dense new 80-minute opus from singer-songwriter and visionary Richard Dawson, whose bleak and ruminative vision of 26th century humanity inspires difficult but potent conversation about the ugly disconnection of present-day society. Also on the slab is a record that's difficult in a very different way, Brockhampton's tumultuous, fractured, and largely vacant goodbye with the uncomfortable and bitter contract fulfilment of THE FAMILY. It's a weird week with long and intensive discussions that are some of our best of recent weeks.
Let us know what you think of these unusual but fascinating albums in the comments on YouTube.
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 2:23 The Impeccable Discography of Danny Brown 15:31 Jake Dives Into Ghostface Killah 23:20 Oceansize Are the Most Underrated Rock Band of the 2000s 30:19 What Is the Best The 1975 Album? 47:27 Polyphia Blend Math-Pop, Trap, and Flamenco 49:55 Richard Dawson - The Ruby Cord 1:52:29 Brockhampton - The Family 2:42:09 Outro
For this week's Record Club, Jake and Ryley are breaking down The Cure's 1992 crossover success with WISH, the band's best-selling and most commercially recognized album which nevertheless advances their sound boldly from the trenchant depths of Disintegration's dour mastery. Is it their best album overall, even? Join us as we discuss and make a case for why this deserves to be viewed as a peerless masterpiece.
Watch the video version of this episode to support the channel here.
This week on the show we're joined by guest Jen to discuss the hotly-anticipated third instalment in Nas's KING'S DISEASE trilogy - is it a threepeat? Has Nas lived up to the promise and expectations he's built? And how does the OG 90s GOAT sound three full decades into his career? Also on the docket this week is the gorgeous, rich, and deeply immersive new album from Weyes Blood, AND IN THE DARKNESS, HEARTS AGLOW, a gorgeous exploration of common humanity and the light at the end of the tunnel. Let us know what you think of these albums in the comments below!
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel on YouTube.
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 1:38 The New Smashing Pumpkins Album Sure Exists 15:03 Jake Dives Into Some Classic 90s Hip Hop 23:13 How Do the First Two Nas Albums Hold Up? 38:20 A Modern Hip-Hop Classic You Might Have Missed 46:42 The Phenomenon of Country Music Double Albums 54:34 Weyes Blood - And In the Darkness, Hearts Aglow 1:26:45 Nas - King's Disease III 2:12:19 Outro
For this week's Record Club, Jake and Morgan are discussing the sole studio album from Team Sleep, the Deftones side project featuring Chino Moreno, Zach Hill from Hella and Death Grips, Rob Crow from Pinback, Gil Sharone from Dillinger Escape Plan and many more. Let us know your thoughts, memories, and favorite songs from this underrated gem!
Watch the video version of this episode to support the channel on YouTube.
On this week's low-key main episode, we pay tribute to the eternally talented Mimi Parker, one half of slowcore legends Low, who tragically passed away one week ago. We also discuss Jake's head-on dive into every Motorhead album, the exciting fusion of sounds on Devin Townsend's ambitious new Lightwork, the new hardcore Vein.fm side project Fleshwater's bracing Deftones-inspired debut We're Not Here to Be Loved, and much more!
Watch the video version of this episode to support the channel on YouTube.
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 2:33 Get Low - A Tribute to Mimi Parker 13:15 Jake Listened to Every Motorhead Album 22:58 Jake's MBV Hot Take 26:19 What's The Best Shoegaze Debut? 30:20 Jake's Rec of the Week: Mid-Air Thief 34:00 Ryley's HirasawARC 39:19 New Albums from Sobs & Phoenix 45:55 Fleshwater - We're Not Here to Be Loved 1:05:47 Devin Townsend - Lightwork 1:35:16 Outro
For this week's Record Club, Jake and Ryley have a blast breaking down legendary modern electronic mastermind Daniel Lopatin's 2015 masterpiece as Oneohtrix Point Never, the abrasive and heavily conceptual Garden of Delete. Join us as we unpack the strange and affecting concept and ideas behind this remarkably unique tentpole of 2010s electronica, and how it threads the needle between the industrial rock of the 90s and modern sonic sensibilities, while still being refreshingly unfashionable in its own exciting ways. Let us know what you think of this record and OPN's music in the comments below.
Watch the video version of this episode to support the channel on YouTube.
On this week's main episode we're excited to dig into the latest offering from queen of the hip-hop underground Backxwash, as she delivers yet another scorched-earth exercise in brutal personal storytelling with the stellar HIS HAPPINESS COMES FIRST EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SUFFERING. Also on the docket is synth-punk via hip-hop experimenters Show Me the Body, whose latest album TROUBLE IN WATER is an energized, eclectic, and violent showcase of their many impressive and idiosyncratic strengths. In smaller segments we also discuss the new Beatles reissue, some wonderful Japanese pop, the best records of 1990 with special guest Jakob Sanchez, and much more!
Watch the video version of this episode to support the channel!
For this week's Record Club, August and Ryley are discussing a forgotten classic of the metalcore-screamo hybrid, Hopesfall's THE SATELLITE YEARS, as it turns 20. However, what separates Hopesfall with this opus is the incorporation of a more atmospheric and space-rock aesthetic that brings them closer to Deftones than Thursday.
Watch the video version of this episode to support the channel.
On this week's main episode, Jake and Ryley are joined by resident Swiftie Rhiannon to review the much-discussed and record-breaking new release from Taylor Swift, MIDNIGHTS! Also on the slab is the new album from Carly Rae Jepsen, THE LONELIEST TIME, plus August joins us to discuss new records from Arctic Monkeys, King Gizzard, Dry Cleaning, Burial, and much more!
Watch the video version of this episode to support the channel.
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 2:02 Susumu Hirasawa Part Deux 6:10 Dan Deacon's Mystic Familiar is a Masterpiece 11:17 The Cardigans Are More than a One-Hit Wonder 16:20 The New Burial EP & More... 26:04 Roberta Flack the Whole Way Home 28:10 And Then August Turned Itself Inside-Out 33:44 Dry Cleaning - Stumpwork 38:31 King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - Changes 44:36 Arctic Monkeys - The Car 55:10 Carly Rae Jepsen - The Loneliest Time 1:11:43 Taylor Swift - Midnights 1:48:55 Outro
A unique episode this Wednesday, today we bring to you something which is technically both a Record Club and a Discography Breakdown: a review of Jeff Buckley's lone studio album, the incredible masterpiece GRACE, as well as the posthumously-released compilation SKETCHES FOR MY SWEETHEART THE DRUNK, which provides some insight into how Jeff may have progressed as an artist if not for the tragic accident that took his life. Jake and Ryley break down both records with a fine-toothed comb to examine everything that made Jeff appealing, enduring, and one of the most distinctive and remarkable artists of the 90s.
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel.
We're back (this time on a Monday) with August in tow to break down the new and surprisingly short album from The 1975, BEING FUNNY IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE. Also, on Ryley's recommendation, the gang discuss indie act Wild Pink's emotional meditation on grieving and dealing with cancer, ILYSM. What do you think of these new records, and what have you been listening to this past week?
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel.
0:00 Intro 2:38 The Music of Susumu Hirawasawa 10:58 The Best David Bowie Album? 13:22 The Hindu Black Metal Album by a Chechan Band 15:24 The New Liturgy EP Is Insane 18:23 August's Recs: Cocteau Twins, Living Color, Squarepusher, Dwight Yoakam 30:04 Morgan's Verdict on the New Bloc Party 32:49 Ryley's Regrettables: Bladee, Freddie Gibbs, M.I.A. 43:35 Ryley's Recs: King Giz, Billy Woods, Bill Callahan, Niños del Cerro 50:04 Wild Pink - ILYSM 1:20:41 The 1975 - Being Funny in a Foreign Language 2:10:29 Outro
For this week's Record Club, we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of one of the most significant records of 90s rock, yet one that goes comparatively unheralded - The Tragically Hip's stellar FULLY COMPLETELY. Join us as we break down everything that makes this album interesting and special, and celebrate the unique vision and songwriting style of the inimitable Gord Downie.
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel on YouTube.
For this week's main episode, we're delighted to be raving across the board about the long-awaited return of legendary dream-pop act Alvvays, whose new album Blue Rev is a masterpiece. We also discuss interesting new records from melodic metalcore mainstays Counterparts, garage rock turned jazz-fusion proggers King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, and Irish post-punk noise-rock troublemakers Gilla Band. Let us know what you think of these albums!
0:00 Intro 3:50 The Scores of Suspiria 10:14 Jake Gets Into Unwound 14:19 The Best Metal Album This Year (That You Haven't Heard) 24:00 New Albums from Slipknot, Joe Keery, & Greg Puciato 30:55 Ryley's Recs: Emperor X & Tangerine Dream 38:24 Gilla Band - Most Normal 48:05 King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms, and Lava 1:00:48 Counterparts - A Eulogy for Those Still Here 1:13:18 Alvvays - Blue Rev 1:54:42 Outro
For this week's Record Club, Jake and Ryley are breaking down a bizarre, eerie, and frankly kind of evil masterpiece from legendary psychedelic masterminds The Flaming Lips, their 2013 album THE TERROR. As Jake's favorite Lips LP and one of their most underrated, it's a deeply unpleasant but hypnotically alluring standout in a discography full of surprises. Let us know what you think!
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel on YouTube.
It feels like only yesterday that we finished all nine episodes of our Björk Retrospective series, yet here we are again with a brand new album from one of music's most idiosyncratic and enigmatic visionaries: FOSSORA! Join Jake, Jakob, and Ryley as they break down everything this bizarre and brilliant new record has to offer, and consider where it fits amongst all its established older siblings. Plus, on the note of returns, we also review the comeback record from screamo legends City of Caterpillar, MYSTIC SISTERS, the band's first new LP in 19 years and an absolute cracker fusion of hardcore, post-rock, and post-punk that left us thoroughly knocked for a loop.
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel on YouTube.
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 2:20 A Tribute to Loretta Lynn 6:45 Phil Elverum's Best Record? 17:03 A Fantastic New Live Album 20:13 The Rebirth of Okkervil River 23:18 The Japanese Art-Rock Queen 25:29 New Albums from Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Ka, & Courting 34:22 Listening to Every Album Released in 1990 45:11 City of Caterpillar - Mystic Sisters 1:06:37 Björk - Fossora 1:56:18 Outro
For this week's Record Club, we're doing a double Lanegan following last week's Queens of the Stone Age review and talking about the legendary grunge staple Screaming Trees, Lanegan's most influential band and arguably his principle project in the early years of his storied career, but also a band that remains woefully underrated in comparison to their contemporaries. Today we celebrate the 30th anniversary of their seminal grunge classic SWEET OBLIVION, and discuss what makes it such a rich, satisfying, and great album. Let us know what YOU think!
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel on YouTube.
For this week's main episode, Jake, Ryley, and Morgan are excited to review the newest album from podcast favorite band The Wonder Years, THE HUM GOES ON FOREVER. Also on the docket this week is Alex G's genre-bending new album GOD SAVE THE ANIMALS, plus we talk deep cut favs from Brand New, Okkervil River, and Mount Eerie, while Ryley shouts out under-the-radar new releases from the world of jazz, art rock, and the Editors' new Depeche Mode-aping banger EBM.
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel on YouTube.
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 4:15 Brand New's Daisy is a Terrifying Record 18:51 The Underrated Discography of Okkervil River 29:43 Mount Eerie's Dawn is a Comfort Album 38:53 The Best Technical Death Metal Album Ever 41:15 Andrew Dominik's Transcendent Nick Cave Documentaries 44:57 Ryley's Recs: Makaya McCraven, The Comet is Coming, Beth Orton 50:42 The New Weezer EP Is Awful 56:48 The New Editors Album Is... Good? 1:00:43 Alex G - God Save the Animals 1:20:53 The Wonder Years - The Hum Goes On Forever 1:50:52 Outro
For this week's Record Club, we are (belatedly) celebrating the 20th anniversary of one of the great rock records of the modern era, the booze-soaked and ferociously raucous Songs for the Deaf by Queens of the Stone Age, an album that has charted our development as rock record reviewers and enjoyers, and still stands the test of time. Let us know what this record means to you in the comments!
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel on YouTube.
On this week's Jam-packed main episode we are reviewing no less than four major new releases, all of which are fascinating and worth your time even as some prove divisive and others less successful. In mini-segments we touch on the fantastically punchy new record from New Zealand's own The Beths, plus Rina Sawayama's heavily-anticipated sophomore record Hold the Girl. Then, of course, in our main segments we review the surprisingly great new record from Death Cab for Cutie, Asphalt Meadows, and at last celebrate NEW Mars Volta, as their self-titled seventh album gives us plenty to chew on. Let us know what YOU think of these records in the comments!
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel on YouTube.
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 3:46 Jake Dives Deeper into Dalek 5:52 Death Cab Prelude 13:11 Storytime with Jake 17:21 Adrianne Lenker is the Folk GOAT 20:57 death's dynamic shroud have made an indescribable album 27:00 The Great New Collab EP from Parannoul & Asian Glow 29:12 Young Jesus Makes Art Rock for Frank Ocean Fans 32:40 Connor's Recs: Bill Evans & Sunny Day Real Estate 38:15 9/11... But Worse! 43:25 The Beths - Expert in a Dying Field 57:58 Rina Sawayama - Hold the Girl 1:17:22 Death Cab for Cutie - Asphalt Meadows 1:41:25 The Mars Volta - The Mars Volta 2:27:53 Outro
For this week's (belated) main episode, Jake and Ryley are breaking down the exciting new albums from Built to Spill and Preoccupations, two established rock acts in the alternative worlds that have persevered to deliver some of their most invigorated music in several album cycles. We also discuss the entire discography of Oneohtrix Point Never, the exciting new record from Sudan Archives, and much more!
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel.
0:00 Intro 2:19 (Nearly) Every Oneohtrix Point Never Album 15:11 Jake Gets Into Sheena Ringo 19:55 The Greatest Cure Album (It's Not What You Think) 25:43 The "Lost" XTC Album 29:23 The Most Overrated Bob Dylan Album? 32:20 Sudan Archives' Astonishing New Record 37:43 New Albums from The Afghan Whigs, Holy Fawn, and Jockstrap 44:44 Preoccupations - Arrangements 1:04:09 Built to Spill - When the Wind Forgets Your Name 1:18:31 Outro
For this week's Record Club, we're celebrating a somewhat controversial but still widely beloved masterpiece of '80s jangle-pop and post-punk, The Smiths' remarkable The Queen Is Dead... which is definitely not timely in any way at all. Join us as we break down nearly every song on this special record and reflect on the legacy of one of the 80s' biggest bands, over three decades on.
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel on YouTube.
This week on the show, Jake, Morgan, and Ryley are reviewing the exciting and bewildering new album from metalcore up-and-comers The Callous Daoboys, CELEBRITY THERAPIST, an album which defies description as much as it addictively pulls you back for more. We also talk thrash metal, and specifically Megadeth, who are back with their umpteenth record, the bloated but forgivable THE SICK, THE DYING, AND THE DEAD... but how have these thrash titans aged, and where do they rank among the legendary big four? Join us to find out!
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel on YouTube.
0:00 Intro 2:25 Ranking the Big Four of Thrash Metal 12:18 Jake's Bob Dylan Dive Goes Deeper 23:03 Deep Cut Albums from Electric Wizard & Boards of Canada 27:17 Coldplay Corner 30:06 Reading Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics 35:08 Morgan versus Muse 38:26 The Callous Daoboys - Celebrity Therapist 1:05:32 Megadeth - The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! 1:38:37 Outro
On this week's unconventional Record Club, August leads us in a discussion of 2010 one-time hitmaker Taio Cruz, whose sophomore album Rokstarr blessed us with the memorably awful hit singles Break My Heart, Dirty Picture, Higher, and Dynamite. Join us as we reflect on a regrettable but important chapter in pop's recent history, and peer beneath the mask of one of the charts' most forgettable anti-heroes.
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel on YouTube.
It's that time again, and for episode 104, Ryley and Jake are joined by guest Jen to discuss two immense new revival records from vastly different artists. First up is J.I.D's long-simmering and consistently stunning The Forever Story, which is unquestionably one of the year's finest hip-hop releases. We follow this up with a more contentious probing of Muse's latest set of revolution soundtracks with Will of the People, which sees the band getting heavier and sillier than ever, to mixed results.
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel on YouTube.
0:00 Intro 2:48 The Band That Make Music With Human Remains 6:06 Mellon Collie and the Infinite Jakeness 12:40 The Twilight Sad Are The Modern Joy Division 15:32 Jake Has Never Heard the Misfits 18:46 The Most Fun Black Metal Album of 2022 21:54 Rachika Nayar Makes Cathartic Noise 26:08 Jen, Joey, and Johnny Cash 31:03 J.I.D - The Forever Story 1:01:52 Muse - Will of the People 1:39:05 Outro
For this week's Record Club, we have a special double-feature episode on both studio albums proper of the short-lived but unfathomably influential Joy Division, the band that set the standard for the 'post-punk' sound and scene, but themselves pulled from and reacted against so much of what was happening in the world of music in the late 70s. Today we discuss the band's unique and captivating sound, and the albums that represent it best, 1979's Unknown Pleasures and 1980's Closer.
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel on YouTube.
0:00 Intro / The Sound of Joy Division 16:15 Unknown Pleasures 38:21 Closer 1:01:14 Ratings / Outro
This week on the show we're excited to discuss yet another new Mountain Goats album, as one of our favourite and most reliable bands return with a swagger in their step with the heavy and raucous BLEED OUT! Also, we discuss the music of one Mr. Brendan Urie as he returns to revive Panic! at the Disco yet again for a surprisingly organic effort with the mixed bag of VIVA LAS VENGEANCE.
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel on YouTube.
0:00 Intro 1:33 Jake Gets Into Dalek 5:54 The Most Underrated Bright Eyes Album 8:26 Jake Climbs the Neutral Milk Mountain 11:52 New Albums from Stella Donnelly & White Ward 16:25 Morgan Is the Romans 18:06 Ryley's Muse Nightmare Ends 29:48 Ryley Gives Out a Fresh Perfect Score 32:56 Remember When Panic! at the Disco Were Good? 36:26 Panic! at the Disco - Viva Las Vengeance 1:00:29 The Mountain Goats - Bleed Out 1:21:57 Outro
For the 104th Record Club, we break down the minimalist one-man jazz of Colin Stetson, the idiosyncratic and incredibly powerful saxophonist who has carved out one of the most distinct presences in the modern era of the instrument. We discuss his techniques, the bizarre and multi-layered sounds he is able to pull out of the saxophone through sheer physical commitment, and the way these sounds manifest on his remarkable 2013 album New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel here.
This week we're breaking down two exciting new records involving artists that are alone talented, but bring out extra strength in each other through the power of collaboration: first up is the new LP from Danger Mouse and Black Thought, CHEAT CODES, one of the year's finest and slickest hip-hop records that showcase both producer and MC at the top of their games. Secondly, we have the latest of many team-ups between Animal Collective drummer and co-founder Panda Bear and legendary Spacemen-3 producer Sonic Boom, RESET, the finest work either have released in years. We also use this album as an excuse to look back on the comeback album Animal Collective dropped earlier this year, TIME SKIFFS, to assess how these artists have revitalized their artistic output by rediscovering the power of their individual strengths unified. Also in this episode we have hilarious and unhinged conversations about Tool, death's dynamic shroud, TobyMac, Owl City, and of course, Muse, that you will not want to miss...
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 2:00 Jake’s Tool Tirade 8:41 Journeys in Cyber Metal with Jake 14:10 The Best Sleep Album 16:58 Another Sky Are Art Rock Weirdos You Need To Hear 19:54 TobyMac is in the House Tonight 29:41 Gorguts’ Best Album? 34:14 Ashenspire Are the Scottish Jazz Metal Icons You Have to Hear 40:17 Ryley’s Biggest Ever Muse Hot Takes 59:58 Danger Mouse & Black Thought - Cheat Codes 1:26:42 Panda Bear & Sonic Boom - Reset 1:43:05 Animal Collective - Time Skiffs 2:07:24 Outro
This week on Record Club we discuss the legendary Brooklyn post-hardcore outfit Gospel and their jazz and prog-inflected 2005 masterpiece The Moon Is a Dead World, which remained their sole release until this year's equally fantastic The Loser. Join us as we discuss what makes this band special and their debut one of the great masterpieces of heavy music in the 2000s.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
This weekend we are joined by friend and first-time guest (as well as unofficial Beyhive representative) Cole to discuss the queen of pop, Beyoncé herself, and her latest long-awaited offering, RENAISSANCE, a thrilling house-inflected slice of brilliance that marks the beginning of an exciting new era for the artist. Also, we talk the new Chat Pile album God’s Country, a raw and serrated slice of sludge punk from an up-and-coming band that leave one of the biggest and boldest impressions of any new hardcore act in recent years. Though very different, both of these albums are essential, and we hope you’ll stick around to talk about why!
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
After two years and three months of regular weekly uploads, we have finally made it to 100 episodes of our main weekly show, where we typically review two new releases and chat about what we've been listening to. Fittingly, to celebrate, we are doing neither of those things, and instead looking back at some of our favourite moments, episodes, and experiences making this gloriously self-indulgent but hopefully entertaining show. We want to thank all of you for joining us, whether you were there day one or whether you are just a casual newbie. Here's to 100 more, and beyond...
TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 The Jams & Tea Origin Story 15:33 Our Highest Rated Albums 19:48 Our Most Divisive Reviews 30:00 A Special Thanks to All Our Guests 31:41 Albums Not Enough People Have Heard 38:21 Albums We Wish We Had Reviewed 44:43 Our Favorite Positive Reviews 51:38 Our Favorite Negative Reviews 59:00 Scores We Would Lower 1:06:05 Scores We Would Raise 1:16:07 Jake’s Favorite Moments 1:22:56 August’s Favorite Moments 1:32:12 Morgan’s Favorite Moments 1:41:44 Ryley’s Favorite Moments 1:53:25 The Reviews We’re Most Proud Of 2:05:55 A Little Podcast Trivia Quiz 2:21:50 Outro
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
For this week's Record Club, Jake and Ryley are pitting two beloved sleeper hit concept albums from bands masterminded by the prolific Damon Albarn: Blur's bleary, deconstructive breakup album 13, and Gorillaz' environmentally-minded swampy disco trip Plastic Beach. How do the two records compare, what do they tell us about Albarn's approach to building a record around a core theme, and what is it about these particular records from each artist that makes them such enduring fan favourites, even while being less commercially successful than their predecessors? These questions and more are answered within...
0:00 Intro / Blur vs Gorillaz 6:08 Blur - 13 44:40 Gorillaz - Plastic Beach 1:12:20 Ratings / Outro
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
This Sunday we are joined by special guest Brett to tackle the long-awaited new album from Joey Bada$$, 2000, the sequel to his breakthrough mixtape 1999 (one of the best hip-hop mixtapes ever). We also talk the death metal / jazz fusion band Imperial Triumphant’s blistering and brilliant new record Spirit of Ecstasy, plus August joins us to run through regrettable records from Editors, Linkin Park, and TobyMac, and we shout out favourites from Andrew W.K., Santana, and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. Plus, we give a recommendation to the great new EP from Billie Eilish, and Ryley delivers some fresh Muse hot-takes. There’s really something for everyone this week!
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
For our 100th episode of Record Club, Jake, Morgan, and Ryley are breaking down a staple of pop-punk, emo, heartland rock, indie rock, and everything in between: The Wonder Years' genre-transcending masterpiece The Greatest Generation, one of the great rock records of the 2010s and a staple for an era that defined our coming-of-age. As this fantastic album approaches its tenth anniversary next year, and with a new Wonder Years record just months away, there's no better time than right now to celebrate this triumphant favorite.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
This week we are thrilled to be joined once again by the wonderful AdequateEmily to discuss the ostentatious, delightfully absurd, heady maximalism of Black Midi's highly-hyped new record HELLFIRE - but how does Hellfire hold up? We also discuss the thoroughly bonkers new album Special from late '10s pop sensation Lizzo, explore the weird and wild oeuvre of Marilyn Manson, check in on new efforts from Jack White, Interpol, Gospel, and Ghais Guevera, and much much more! It's a jam-packed episode filled with insights and musings on some of the year's wildest music so far.
Check out the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
0:00 Intro 3:11 The Marilyn Manson Question 12:16 World’s End Girlfriend Combines Post-Rock and Glitch 15:56 Gospel’s Amazing New EP 18:03 Jake Gets Into Ichiko Aoba 21:04 The Underrated Solo Career of Greg Puciato 24:48 New Albums from Jack White and Interpol 30:24 MF DOOM’s Best Side Project? 34:21 Emily’s Recs: Ghais Guevera & Stomach Book 42:34 Lizzo - Special 1:12:37 Black Midi - Hellfire 1:50:00 Outro
This week on Record Club we revisit a dour and sensational classic of nu-metal, Slipknot's uncompromising sophomore effort IOWA, one of the ugliest and most brutal metal records to ever achieve mainstream popularity and chart success. How does it hold up now, and why do Slipknot remain one of the era's best-sounding and most well-aged bands?
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
This week on the show we are breaking down an acclaimed release from a contemporary Swedish punk band Viagra Boys, their latest record CAVE WORLD! It's not an album we're particularly fond of, and so we attempt to make an impassioned case for why it represents the worst impulses of many contemporary bands attempting to infuse relevant, hard-hitting social commentary into their records, and whether satire is even possible in music (and if so... how do Viagra Boys get it so wrong?). You might not agree with us, but we want to hear from you regardless! Which side of the fence do you fall on?
Also this week we're joined by friend of the pod Jakob Sanchez once again to discuss Singaporean grindcore act Wormrot's spectacular new record HISS, one of the best records of the year in the realm of extreme metal, plus we talk about our latest obsessions and fixations from the wider world of music!
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 4:11 The Most Underrated Yo La Tengo Album 11:25 The Most Underrated Cocteau Twins Album 18:42 The Greatest Shoegaze Album? (It’s Not Loveless) 22:33 Jake Discovers Sigur Rós 34:09 Morgan’s Gorguts Dive Continues 37:14 A Sludge Metal Album with Synths 39:52 Where Bluegrass Meets Black Metal 43:47 Jakob Gets Deloused in the New Pornotorium 46:43 Wormrot - Hiss 1:06:33 Viagra Boys - Cave World 1:58:27 Outro
This week on Record Club, Jake, Morgan, and Ryley are discussing one of their most beloved contemporary singer-songwriters, Phoebe Bridgers, focusing in on her wonderful 2017 debut Stranger in the Alps to discuss the elements of songwriting that she lays out with confidence here, what the songs are about, and why they mean so much to us and so many people across the world.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro / What Phoebe Means to Us 8:23 Smoke Signals 19:31 Motion Sickness 25:30 Funeral 32:35 Demi Moore 34:49 Scott Street 43:51 Chelsea 47:46 Georgia 50:34 You Missed My Heart 1:00:21 Ratings / Outro
This week we are reviewing two very exciting, very dense, and very great new records from artists who should be on your radar. First up is the beginning of a new story from progressive rock band The Dear Hunter, who shift their sound to adopting more pop and R&B stylings in crafting a new world and the first chapter of a new story. Following that, the main attraction is abstract hip-hop artist and poet Moor Mother, whose new album Jazz Codes deconstructs the aesthetics of jazz to craft a melting pot of black stories, reflections, and poetry.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 4:00 The Imperial Triumphant Discography 8:02 Jake Has Kate Bush Hot Takes 14:50 Blut Aus Nord & Atmospheric Black Metal 21:12 Lightning Bolt’s Wonderful Rainbow Is A Total Headf**k 23:33 Jake Gets Artificially Brained 27:27 The Gay IDM Punk of Water Gun Water Gun Sky Attack 30:25 Ryley is Feelin’ the Feelies 32:40 Remembering Regina Spektor & Dearing the Hunter 37:25 Ryley Does Not Like Muse’s First Album 48:17 The Dear Hunter - Antimai 1:16:43 Moor Mother - Jazz Codes 1:50:59 Outro
This week's Record Club is a very special - and unusual - one, as we tackle Tom Waits for the second time, zeroing in on his 1999 masterpiece Mule Variations, to examine the craft of his songwriting and all of the ways he is a compelling and moving musical presence and wordsmith. However, to add a wrinkle to the conversation, we also complement this by integrating Scarlett Johansson's 2008 album of Tom Waits cover songs, Anywhere I Lay My Head, which has been largely forgotten... for good reason. How did this bizarre curio (which features guest appearances from David Bowie!) go so terribly wrong, and what does it tell us about the songcraft and one-of-a-kind personality of the madman Tom Waits himself?
Watch the video version of this episode and support the channel here.
We have a bumper episode this weekend for you with the long-awaited arrival of Porcupine Tree's first album in 13 years, the sensational Closure / Continuation. We spend a full hour breaking down what this return means for Steven Wilson's beloved band, the place of prog rock in modern music culture, and why the future looks bright for many forms of heavy music. Also, we spend some time discussing another long-awaited return, that of Regina Spektor with the wonderful and vibrant Home, Before and After, her first album in six years.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to support the channel on YouTube.
On this week's Record Club, we are wrapping up our breakdown of the 2000s records of legendary prog band (and the most Jams & Tea-core artist there is) Porcupine Tree with a discussion and debate of the merits of their divisive 2009 concept record The Incident, fashioned as a 55-minute suite of 14 songs with an EP's worth of additional tracks tacked on. It's undeniably a messy record, but is it an underrated gem or a damp squib? Listen along to hear where the four of us fall, and let us know what YOU think at home!
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
It is Sunday once again, and after missing last week's main episode to do the annual music quiz, we are brimming with new reviews of albums from big artists. As a warm up we have brief dissections of the latest efforts from Bartees Strange, Foals, and Asian Glow, but the main course is a deep thematic and musical analysis of Perfume Genius's latest offering, the abstract and musically eclectic UGLY SEASON! Also in this episode: Jake announces the three different discographies that the rest of the podcast have to listen to for losing the quiz, we have an extensive rave about The Zombies' seminal Odessey and Oracle, a consideration of the musical career of Joji, and some of our most chaotic moments of the year, courtesy of August.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro / Quiz Loser Announcements 8:34 Jake Gets Into Pulp 12:22 Jake Makes Our Hopes Fall 14:46 EPs: Elder, Ride, The Radio Dept 17:53 Raving About Odessey and Oracle 23:02 The Freak Folk Bukkake Drone of John Schuller 25:03 An Aside on the Music of Joji 31:12 Six Minutes of Chaos 37:04 Tea Drinking Fellers Union Local 282 40:01 Bartees Strange - Farm to Table 46:29 Foals - Life Is Yours 50:25 Weezer - SZNZ: Summer 58:39 Perfume Genius - Ugly Season 1:30:58 Asian Glow - Stalled Flutes, Means 1:47:38 Outro
This week on Record Club, we are celebrating our favourite Fiona Apple record, 1999's When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight and He'll Win the Whole Thing 'Fore He Enters the Ring There's No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand and Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights and If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to Land and If You Fall It Won't Matter, Cuz You'll Know That You're Right.
Join us as we break down each song on this seminal record and discuss all the reasons why it remains one of the most enduring and emotionally powerful 90s singer-songwriter LPs.
Watch the video version of this episode and our other Record Club videos on YouTube.
It's that time of year again - for the third time, we are back with our annual music quiz, where the four of us will be pitting our minds against one another, across a variety of rounds covering music of nearly all varieties. But there can be only one winner, and whoever takes away the top spot gets to assign the other three a full discography to listen to and report on every week. No one Jam should have all that power... but they will, today. Join us, play along at home by pausing after each question and keeping score, and see how many you can get right! Let us know in the comments below.
If you want to see our previous annual quizzes, or watch the video version of this quiz, check out the playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5H-hZs8nNIU71fCebRqIRx4BOz7yzn8l
In this week's record club, we pay tribute to Depeche Mode, and in particular the passing of founding member, keyboardist, and multi-talented musician Andrew Fletcher, whose contributions were as essential as they were often overlooked. In particular, we zero in on a record that represents the last hurrah of the band in their classic iteration, and as a chart-dominating force, the acrimonious, ugly, but brilliant Songs of Faith and Devotion. Join us to discover why this record is a great and essential piece of early 90s pop culture, and whether or not it's even better than Violator...
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
We've been off for a week, but we're back with a new episode where the whole gang is reunited for a characteristically catty takedown of Post Malone's latest indulgent exercise in tuneless pap, Twelve Carat Toothache. Following that, we discuss the merits of podcast-favourite singer/songwriter Angel Olsen's pretty but noncommittal pivot to country with the ethereal and moody Big Time!
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube
It’s Sunday once again, and Jake, Ryley, and Morgan are delighted to break down two grand statements of new life from two fantastic and beloved podcast-core bands, Everything Everything’s sensational, effervescent, and emotive RAW DATA FEEL, and Cave In’s sludgy, melodic, triumphant return following a tragic loss with HEAVY PENDULUM! Both of these are essential listens and deliver beautifully on the best qualities of each band, and especially in the case of Everything Everything, we are delighted to dive deep into the depths of what makes these records great!
0:00 Intro 2:18 The Most Underrated Menzingers Album 4:35 Jake’s Jazz Rec: Ali Shaheed Muhammed & Adrian Younge 6:15 Porcupine Tree SZN Approaching 9:31 Ryley Dips Their Toes Into Ska-Punk 14:58 Cave In - Heavy Pendulum 42:22 Everything Everything - Raw Data Feel 1:53:02 Outro
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
This week on Record Club, Jake, August, Morgan, and Ryley are back together to discuss a staple of 90s grunge and also a landmark record in the waning days of 1994 that represented one of the era’s pinnacle bands retreating from the spotlight, falling apart internally, and getting weird. It was the album that nearly broke them but ironically, also probably the one that saved them. It has some of their biggest songs as well as alienating experiments and a generally caustic tone. It is, of course, Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
It’s Sunday once again, and Jake, Ryley, and Morgan, are joined by special guest AdequateEmily to review two massive releases from some of the biggest names in music: Kendrick Lamar’s long-awaited and messy psychodrama Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, plus Radiohead side-project The Smile’s effervescent and hard-grooving debut A Light for Attracting Attention. But that’s not all - because this month has been so stacked for great new releases we are also diving into two of the best albums of the year so far: Ethel Cain’s gorgeous, heartbreaking narrative concept record Preacher’s Daughter, and hardcore legends Gospel’s proggy return after a 16-year absence with The Loser! All of these albums are essential listening, so join us for some deep diving into all the many reasons why!
TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Intro 4:23 sonhos tomam conta - maladaptive daydreaming 8:47 Otoboke Beaver - Super Champon 11:13 Battle of the Sinatras: Frank vs. Nancy 13:40 Gospel Prelude in the August Moon 15:58 Florence and the Machine - Dance Fever 20:02 Ethel Cain - Preacher’s Daughter 51:37 Gospel - The Loser 1:05:06 The Smile - A Light for Attracting Attention 1:38:27 Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers 2:51:30 Outro
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
This week on Record Club, Jake, August, Morgan and Ryley are looking back at Linkin Park guitarist Mike Shinoda’s short-lived but commercially successful hip-hop side project Fort Minor, who released a somewhat forgotten LP in 2005 titled The Rising Tied, that showcases an insight into where hip-hop was at the middle of the noughties decade, and provides a good deal of nostalgia for the whole gang.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
It’s Sunday once again, and Jake, Ryley, Morgan, and Brett are breaking down two big new releases from established indie names: first up is Sharon van Etten’s wonderfully ambitious and beautifully produced new record WE’VE BEEN GOING ABOUT THIS ALL WRONG, followed by the humorless and dire “comeback” attempt from Arcade Fire, WE. Things get… upsetting.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel here.
This week on Record Club, Jake and Ryley are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ classic record, Henry’s Dream!
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube
It’s Sunday once again, and Jake, August, and Ryley are back to discuss two new records from beloved English groups; first, the new album from post-punk revival stalwarts Bloc Party, ALPHA GAMES, and following that the latest record from young synth-poppers Let’s Eat Grandma, TWO RIBBONS.
Check out the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
This week’s Record Club is a special deep dive into some of the 2000s’ most regrettable Christian radio rock to make it big on the charts and in wider culture. First of all we dig into the massive success of Switchfoot at their prime with 2003’s The Beautiful Letdown, before plunging into the depths of the genre’s lowest with Skillet’s abysmal - but hugely successful - 2009 record Awake.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
It’s Sunday once again, and Jake and Ryley are joined by Jakob to talk about the hottest new releases. Today we dive deep into the heavily anticipated new record from Pusha T, IT’S ALMOST DRY, discuss the “Ye vs Pharrell” debate, and consider the strengths and weaknesses of Push as a writer versus as a crafter of albums. Following this, we also dig into the 20th album (and first double album) of legendary Australian rock band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, OMNIUM GATHERUM. How does this varied amalgamation of their many sounds hang together as a single record? Tune in to find out as the gang break it all down.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
This week’s Record Club is our fourth Porcupine Tree episode, as we dig into the band’s penultimate record before their hiatus, the conceptual, intense, and collaborative Fear of a Blank Planet.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
In this week’s main episode of Jams & Tea, Jake and Ryley are joined by special guest Brett to review two of the most beloved and rapturously received records of the year so far, abstract hip-hop mainstay Billy Woods’ nightmarish new opus Aethiopes, and Daniel Rossen of Grizzly Bear’s solo debut with the delightfully warm and colourfully progressive You Belong There.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
This week’s Record Club looks back on a classic of the distinctly 90s meeting point of rock, hip-hop, and rave music, the short-lived but ecstatic era of Big Beat, represented most powerfully by The Chemical Brothers and their dynamic, explosive second album Dig Your Own Hole, which recently turned 25 (just a couple of days before Ryley!). Join us as we dig into the unique sound and appeal of this overlooked classic.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
In this week’s main episode of Jams & Tea, Jake, August, and Ryley are back to review two hotly anticipated records from iconic figures. First up is Father John Misty’s soulful turn as a 1920s crooner in the baroque and ornate Chloe and the Next 20th Century, followed by a closer look at Jack White’s perplexing new ProTools-recorded garage rock exercise, Fear of the Dawn!
Check out the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube!
This week’s Record Club is maybe our most unhinged to date, as we dive into the bizarre gentrified adult contemporary of 80s AM radio staple Michael Bolton, specifically to review his successful 1989 record Soul Provider. Join us as we fall into the rabbit hole of this bizarre and surreal era of popular music and attempt to understand the success and appeal of such a radically intense voice in this world.
In this week’s main episode of Jams & Tea, the gang are back to review three new records: the auspicious comeback from pod favourite band Placebo, the raucous and self-destructive new album from PUP, and the latest creation from the Red Hot Chili Peppers!
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
This week’s Record Club sees us celebrating a band and a record that remain among the most successful in all of popular metal, and yet still haven’t received the proper critical reappraisal they deserve: Evanescence, guided by the stirring vocals and lyricism of the inimitable Amy Lee, altered the face of alternative metal, and presented a potent counterpoint to the hypermasculine dominance of the nu-metal wave in the early 2000s, though success did not come without costs…
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
In this week’s main episode of Jams & Tea, Jake and Ryley are joined by regular guest Jen to discuss the fiery, intense new record from hardcore band Soul Glo, DIASPORA PROBLEMS! We also break down the heavily anticipated and luxurious sounding new return from Denzel Curry, MELT MY EYEZ SEE YOUR FUTURE, and discuss at length the bizarre and ugly pop punk of chart mainstay Machine Gun Kelly and his new album MAINSTREAM SELLOUT.
Check out the video version of this episode on YouTube and subscribe to the channel.
This week’s Record Club is an impromptu episode we decided to make to honour the great Taylor Hawkins in light of his tragic and untimely passing over the weekend. Here, we discuss the album that saw his debut with Foo Fighters, and the album that to us stands as their definitive statement as a band, and a record we feel is curiously underrated even now, 23 years on.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
In this week’s main episode of Jams & Tea, Jake, Morgan, and Ryley are joined by regular guest Jakob to discuss the explosive new albums from art-pop mastermind Charli XCX and sophisti-pop mainstay Destroyer! With her new record CRASH, Charli attempts to weave together her various eras of friendly and esoteric pop music, but how well does she succeed? In Destroyer’s case, Dan Bejar uses new LP LABYRINTHITIS as an excuse to up the BPMs and make a full on disco rock record, with hooks and pulses for days!
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube!
This week on Record Club, Ryley, Connor, and first-time guest Brett discuss an emo classic from the Birmingham scene of the late 2000s, Johnny Foreigner’s Waited Up til It Was Light. Fans of Los Campesinos or Bloc Party will love this hidden gem, so join us as we discuss everything that makes it special, the lineage of music that it follows in, and why we think it’s one of the best emo records you will ever hear.
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube, and subscribe to the channel!
In this week’s main episode of Jams & Tea, Jake and Ryley are joined by regular guest Connor and first-time guest Brett to discuss the absolutely killer new album from Ghost, IMPERA, which sees the band continuing their move away from their heavy metal roots into a goofy and glorious brand of AOR-esque hard rock that is an absolute delight to rock out to. Also on the agenda is the catchy and propulsive new record from indie rock mastermind Nilüfer Yanya, PAINLESS! We also give shout outs to new records from Benny the Butcher, Alex Cameron, and Immolation, plus Jake gets into Aphex Twin, Brett gets into Xiu Xiu, and Connor continues his deep dive into Big Thief!
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube, and subscribe to our channel!
This week on Record Club, Ryley, Connor, and Morgan celebrate the 20th anniversary of Coheed and Cambria’s landmark 2002 emo / post-hardcore classic, The Second Stage Turbine Blade! We dive into the intense, fast-paced and blistering musical style of the record, frontman Claudio Sanchez’s idiosyncratic vocals and dense storytelling lore, and how the record would set the stage for many more progressive rock and metal staples that would follow.
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube here.
For episode 81 of Jams & Tea, we are taking a break from new releases for our first pure discussion format episode with all four of us, where we each put forward one of our absolute favourite EPs to discuss, break down, and rate, while discussing what makes the EP format unique and important.
0:00 Intro 2:46 FKA twigs - M3L155X 24:53 Autechre - Garbage 44:30 Saosin - Translating the Name 1:09:04 Alice In Chains - Jar of Flies
Watch the video version of the episode and subscribe to the channel here.
This week on Record Club, Ryley and Morgan celebrate the 30th anniversary of Faith No More’s landmark 1992 epic, Angel Dust, the moment where the alt metal band expanded the ambition of their sound under the leadership of the manic mastermind Mike Patton, fresh off the first Mr. Bungle record…
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
In this week’s episode, we are thrilled to discuss the long-awaited follow-up to one of our favourite albums of all time, the bombastic, deeply emotional, and highly conceptual new third record from Gang of Youths, ANGEL IN REALTIME. Join us as we dig deep into everything that makes this album a remarkable triumph and one of the most original albums of the year, and why it deserves the biggest audience possible. Also on the slab today: we discuss the music of Rob Zombie, astonishing two-hour opuses from Harold Budd and Panopticon, the worst song of the year so far, the return of Tears for Fears, the best shoegaze album you’ve never heard, and much more!
Watch the video version of this episode and subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
Today Jake and Ryley are celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of the most influential folk records ever made, Nick Drake’s final masterpiece PINK MOON. Join us as we reflect on the spare, intimate songwriting and far-reaching legacy of this wonderful album.
Watch the video version on YouTube and subscribe to the channel.
This week on Record Club, Jake and Ryley celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first of many masterpieces from legendary singer-songwriter John Darnielle’s The Mountain Goats, All Hail West Texas. Together we break down everything that makes Darnielle such a great and moving storyteller, how he paints such vivid characters that have lived on in the minds of listeners across two decades, and the unique point in the trajectory of the band that this album represents.
Check out the video version of this episode on YouTube and subscribe to the channel.
In this week’s main episode, we are joined by special guest Mica to discuss two heavily hyped double albums from indie rock prodigies Big Thief & dream pop gods Beach House. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You and Once Twice Melody are both 80 minutes, but how do these bands’ sounds hold up at such extreme and sprawling runtimes?
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube and subscribe to the channel.
This week on Record Club, Jake and Ryley celebrate the 20th anniversary of a landmark IDM release, Boards of Canada’s eerie and disturbing Geogaddi. Together the two dive deep into the lore, hidden messages, dense soundscapes, and unique percussion of this multifaceted and remarkable masterpiece, to try and uncover what makes it so affecting and resonant two decades on.
Watch the video on YouTube and subscribe to the channel here.
In this week’s main episode, August is back to discuss two of the biggest metal records of the year so far: atmospheric sludge metal / post-metal / post-rock legends Cult of Luna’s latest titanic opus The Long Road North, and spiritual blues-rock / black-metal hybrid Zeal and Ardor’s invigorating, eclectic, and intense new self-titled record.
Watch the video version on YouTube and subscribe to the channel here.
This week on Record Club, Jake and Ryley are joined by friend of the podcast Jakob for a discussion of one of the most influential and important bands in rock history, The Velvet Underground. In particular, we zero in on their notorious sophomore record White Light/White Heat, how the conflicting artistic personalities of Lou Reed and John Cale affected the direction of the band on this album, how its troubled production and notoriously loud mix have affected its reputation, and why it stands to date as one of their most daring, thrilling, and vital releases.
Subscribe to the channel and watch the video on YouTube.
In this week’s main episode we have multiple guests for the first time, as we dive into the new Black Country New Road album Ants from Up There, and the new Rolo Tomassi album Where Myth Becomes Memory. Our BCNR discussion proves to be one of our most divisive and in-depth to date, as we interrogate the massive hype circle surrounding this album, how to negotiate approaching a record with this level of intense acclaim, and how it relates to the sound and content of the album itself…
Subscribe to the channel and watch the video version on YouTube.
This week on Record Club, Jake and Ryley discuss one of the most exciting and enigmatic voices of the 90s, a singer-songwriter who redefined herself and paved the way for a new generation of powerful female voices in popular music: Tori Amos. As her thunderous debut Little Earthquakes recently turned 30, we take the opportunity to break down the songs, sound, and writing of this sensational debut, and why it’s so impactful and affecting three decades on…
Subscribe to the channel on YouTube.
In this week’s main episode, Jake, Ryley and Morgan are joined by special guest Jen to discuss two new records in striking and starkly different variants of modern country music: first up is emo-country mainstays Pinegrove with the gentle but emotional 11:11, but the main attraction this week is bro-country poser Walker Hayes, whose new record Country Stuff The Album (yes, that is the title) brings the most anodyne, formulaic, and cynical subgenre of country to a new low. In our What We’ve Been Listening To this week, we also talk about Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s fabled debut release which has just resurfaced online after nearly 30 years lost, and we go deep on an album we will never formally review but is unquestionably the worst album of the year, a spoken-word antiv*x diatribe from a legendary power-metal band. It gets dark this week, folks…
Subscribe to the channel on YouTube
This week on Record Club, Jake, Ryley, and special guest Connor break down a forgotten emo masterpiece that’s so extravagantly over the top that it proves divisive on our show. In 2004, Say Anything, the musical project spearheaded by one Max Bemis, released its theatrical opus of ridiculous self-indulgence and glorious hook-laden musical mastery, …IS A REAL BOY. Join us as we break down everything that makes this album so remarkable and unforgettable, and let us know what you think of it!
In this week’s main episode, Jake, Ryley and Morgan (for a bit) are joined by regular guest Connor to discuss two intriguing new releases. First off we dive deep into a promising new project from Connecticut-based post-hardcore and screamo act Foxtails, who are roaring into 2022 with their blood-pumping fourth album Fawn. We also take the time to review the latest from Japanese drone-metal legends Boris, who are following up 2020’s No (which we have also reviewed) with the more ethereal and eerie W.
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
This week on Record Club, Jake, Morgan, Ryley, and special guest April break down a monolithic metal masterpiece from Maudlin of the Well, the Bath and Leaving Your Body Map duology, which recently turned 20, and which sits among the ten favorite albums of all time of Ryley and April. Join us as we dig into the lore, concept, and unique sound of this essential, one-of-a-kind record.
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
In this week’s main episode, Jake and Ryley are joined by special guest April to discuss two of the biggest releases of the new year so far, two somewhat unconventional projects from Earl Sweatshirt and FKA Twigs. How does SICK! stack up to Earl’s impressive run of 2010s records, and what does Twigs’ new mixtape Caprisongs tell us about her artistic future in the new decade?
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
This week on Record Club, Jake, Morgan, Ryley, and special guest Jakob are embarking on an epic discussion of two of the most pivotal records in the history of popular music, which were both released in the summer of 1966: The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, and The Beatles’ Revolver. Join us as we trace the innovation and mastery of these two distinct but connected albums, which would prove to forever change the musical landscape. Which is better? Which do we prefer? And what does that say about us?
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
In the second main episode of 2022, Jake, Morgan, and Ryley are joined by special guest Jakob to discuss the biggest album of 2022 so far: The Weeknd’s surprise-released new nocturnal opus DAWN FM. But how does it stack up to his previous work, and particularly the weight of expectation following the triumphant After Hours? It proves to be one of the more contentious albums in some time… We also round out the episode by catching up on a late December release that is well worth your time, the exciting, colorful, and fun new record from Japanese math rock and pop visionaries tricot, titled Jodeki!
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
In our second Record Club of 2022, Jake, Morgan, and Ryley break down a hugely important and pod-core album, Devin Townsend’s progressive metal landmark OCEAN MACHINE: BIOMECH. Join us as we dive into the background, themes, and sound of this stunning and important milestone in metal.
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
In our first main episode of 2022, Jake, Morgan, and Ryley break down two big releases from December 2021 that we didn’t have the chance to shout out then. First up is an intriguing collaboration between British singer-songwriter Richard Dawson and the Finnish progressive rock band Circle; secondly, we dive deep into the lore and songwriting of the debut solo release of Kevin Whelan of The Wrens, Observatory, released under the name Aeon Station.
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
In our first Record Club episode of 2022, the whole gang unite to tackle August’s recommendation, the behemoth monstrosity that is Chance the Rapper’s career-killer The Big Day. Join us on the long haul as we dive deep into the depths of this staggering calamity and pick apart its many myriad failures and memorable, fascinating attempts at grandiosity and joy.
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.