Vinyl Verdict: Recent Episodes
Vinyl Verdict
A podcast where friends and co-workers Bell, Jamie, and Plouffe talk about vinyl from the strange to the extraordinary. Hosted by @softontwitch, @jamiepilkey, and Nicholas Plouffe
On this special episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Adam dive into the topic of albums that we loved when we were in college (or university). Jamie brings Weezer's "Weezer (aka The Blue Album)". Adam brings Thank You Scientist's "Stranger Heads Prevail". Finally, Bell brings Tyler, the Creator's "Wolf". Once again, the choices could not be more different! Will the boys be saying "Say it ain't so!" or will these three picks "Need More Input"? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Adam listen to Adam's first pick for season 3, Carly Rae Jepsen's "E•MO•TION". Released in 2015, the album received warm critical reviews and spawned three hit singles. One such single, "Run Away With Me", was named one of the best songs of 2015 by publications such as Pitchfork, Rolling Stone and Vulture. The album itself was named to several end-of-decade best of lists by a number of publications, with many critics labelling it the best pop album of the 2010s. What will the boys E•MO•TIONs be on this episode? Will there be Boy Problems or will they say I Really Like You? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Adam listen to Jamie's first pick for season 3, Joe Cocker's "Mad Dogs and Englishmen". Released in 1970, it was the accompanying album to the film of the same name, chronicling his brisk tour of the U.S. Hailing from Sheffield, England, Joe Cocker had just two years prior made a name for himself with his cover of the Beatles' "With a Little Help From My Friends" and his subsequent appearance at the Woodstock Festival in 1969. After being surprised by his record label with a tour, Joe assembled a band of friends in less than a week. The band consisted of 22 people - three drummers, a horn section, a choir, two guitarists, a bass play, a piano player and two percussionists. Will the boys be Feelin' Alright, or will they Drown In Their Own Tears? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and for the first time as host -- Adam listen to Bell's first pick for season 3! Bell brings to the podcast local Vancouver band Peach Pit's debut album "Being so Normal". Prior to this album, the band members had day jobs such as being a carpenter and Amazon delivery driver, but the success of this album meant they could pursue music full time. In support of the album, the band went on a world tour and appeared at multiple festivals such as Osheaga and SXSW. How could the album be described? The band calls it 'chewed bubblegum pop', but it's a mix of indie pop, rock and surf sounds. Will the boys want to go to Tommy's Party, or will they Drop the Guillotine on this album? Come along and find out!
Vinyl Verdict will be back weekly starting Saturday September 7th! Thanks for listening, and come along with us for Season 3.
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe discuss the season that was and celebrate our 100th episode! As Season 2 of the podcast draws to a close, we look back at the hits, misses and debate whether we were too harsh or too fair on the albums. Where do Plouffe and Jamie's picks fall on the Bell Curve? What are the plans for Season 3 for Vinyl Verdict? Come along and find out!
On this special episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe dive into the topic of albums by artists we've already covered in previous episodes. Jamie brings Supertramp's "Breakfast in America", their 1979 album. Bell brings George Clanton's "Ooh Rap I Ya", his 2023 album. Plouffe brings MF Doom's "MM..FOOD", his 2004 album. The albums once again could not be more different -- but will the boys have the same reactions this time around? Is Bell secretly a huge Supertramp fan? Come along and find out!
On this special episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Plouffe and Jamie sit down to talk about EPs in their collections. Bell brings Ginger Root's "City Slicker", Plouffe brings Yellow Days' "Harmless Melodies" and Jamie brings Devo's "Dev-o Live". In a recurring theme for our topics, the choices could not be more different! Come along as the boys discuss things such as tomato sauce and Energy Domes!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, Cake's "Comfort Eagle". Their fourth album, it was released in 2001. Upon its release, critics noted that the sound was reminiscent of their previous albums and that the riffs were often very infectious. The album charted well, ending up at #13 on the Billboard 200. It has sold over one million copies in the U.S. But will it sell copies to the boys? Will they be building a religion, building it bigger? Will they call you "Dude!"? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick, Buddy Guy's "This is Buddy Guy". Released in 1968, it was his first live album, released shortly after his first studio album. The album is a time capsule of an early part of his solo career, following years of being a musician in fellow blues musician Muddy Waters touring band, and playing as a session guitarist at Chess Records. Since its release, Buddy Guy has put out a staggering 32 studio albums and 14 more live albums, continue to tour to this day at age 89. Will the boys latch on to Buddy, or will they say 'I ain't your Guy, friend'? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick, Lucy Rose's "This Ain't the Way You Go Out". Released on April 19, 2024, it had the misfortune of coming out on the same day as Taylor Swift's "The Tortured Poets Department". Critics praised the jazzy, upbeat sound of the album, and noted the lyrics were vibrant and full of life. But will the boys find the album to be beautiful and raw, or will they find it overcooked and bland? Come along and find out!
On this special episode of Vinyl Verdict, the boys are joined by Sarah Farrell, our most vocal - and most local fan. Sarah brought us Beyonce's newest album, "Cowboy Carter". Released at the end of March 2024, the album immediately entered the chart with 23 of its tracks in the Hot 100. The album subsequently went to #1 in over 30 countries. Her first foray into the Country genre, the album was both welcomed and spurned by people in the Country community. But will this album lasso the boys hearts, or will it be just another horse in the race? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, Fatboy Slim's "Palookaville". Released in 2004, it is the last studio album from Fatboy Slim, a.k.a Norman Cook. Continuing his style of loops and beats, the album was released to mixed reviews, with many reviewers calling it a low-point in his career. Several reviewers also noted that the album could've used another pass to remove unnecessary songs. But what will the boys think? Will this album only appeal to long haired freaky people? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick, The Offspring's "Smash". Released in April 1994, the album has just celebrated its 30th anniversary. Riding a wave of success for punk groups such as Green Day and Rancid in the mid-90s, the album was a huge breakout hit for the band. Four singles from the album charted, and the album has sold 11 million copies since its release. It holds the record for most sales for an album released on an independent record label. But will it go to #1 in the boys hearts? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick, Kings of Convenience's "Peace or Love". Their fourth album, it was released 12 years after their previous album. Many of the songs on this album had been performed live in the previous decade and some of them had even been recorded in a studio, but the duo was not convinced the versions were good enough. The album was released to positive reviews, with a number of reviewers noting that it was a welcome return by the duo. But what will the boys think of the album? Will it be their best reviewed album to date, or does it need more time in the oven? Come along and find out!
On this special episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe dive into the topic of records they have bought, but never played. First up is Jamie's pick, Nirvana's "In Utero", released in 1993. It was the last Nirvana album released in Kurt Cobain's lifetime and had two of their most successful singles on it. Second up is Plouffe's pick, Live's "Throwing Copper", released in 1994. This album was a huge success for the band, having four big singles and was one of the most popular albums of 1994. Finally, Bell's pick is The Horrors' "V", released in 2017. This album was released to rave reviews, and is one of their best reviewed albums. But how will the boys rate these unopened treasures? Should they have stayed sealed forever? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, The Bicycle Thief's "You Come and Go Like a Pop Song". Released in 1999, it is the only album from the duo of Bob Forrest and Josh Klinghoffer, who are joined on this album by a myriad of other musicians. One of these musicians is John Frusciante, who in 1999, had returned to the Red Hot Chili Peppers as their guitarist, and who Josh Klinghoffer in turn replaced in 2009. The album comprises 13 tracks on both its 1999 original release and 2001 re-release, but with some omissions and additions, as well as a track re-ordering. Will the boys come and go from this album, or will the bicycle thief instead steal their hearts? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick, REO Speedwagon's "Hi Infidelity". Released in 1980, it was their breakout album, with two hits in the top five, both of which were played on the first day of broadcast for MTV. Since release, the album has sold over 11 million copies and hits such as Take it on the Run and Keep on Lovin' You have become staples of classic rock radio. But will the boys find this album a staple of this podcast? Come along and find out!
On this special episode of Vinyl Verdict, the boys are joined by Arthur Rafael, the social media manager at Linus Media Group. Arthur brought Yeat's "Lyfe", an album in the rage genre of hip-hop. Along the way, Arthur explains Yeat's origins, his path to success and how he represents part of the future of the genre. Are we in a new era of hip-hop? Will the boys resonate with this album? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick, Empire of the Sun's "Walking on a Dream". Released in 2008, it is the first album from the Australian duo of Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore. The album was supported by five singles, which charted well in their native Australia and numerous other countries. The album is a mix of synthpop, electropop, dance rock, and a dizzying array of other genres. But will the boys be walking on a dream with this pick, or will they be left half mast, standing on the shore? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, 3 Inches of Blood's "Advance and Vanquish". Their second album, it was released in 2004 and featured cover art by Edward Repka, who had previously drawn covers for metal bands such as Megadeth. This album marks the second time we have covered a local artist, as 3 Inches of Blood originates from Victoria, BC. An album that pays homage to classic metal sounds and tropes, Advance and Vanquish covers subjects including pirates, vikings and cyborgs. Will the boys find this album to be what is best in life, or will we hear their lamentations? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick, Tame Impala's "Currents". The group's third studio album, it was released in 2015 to widespread acclaim, including a 9.3 from Pitchfork. On the 2022 refresh of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of all time, it was placed at #382. Normally just made up of one guy - Kevin Parker, Tame Impala grows to 6 people on tour. Will the boys love the layered sound of the album? Will this be a rare quorum on the podcast? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick, Disclosure's "Alchemy". Released in 2023, it is their fourth studio album. Disclosure is a duo of brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence, who come from a family of musicians, with their mother, father and uncle having previously had musical careers with varying success. Reviews for the album were largely positive, with most reviewers noting the fun tone of the record, with some of them noting it may be seen as somewhat of a reboot for the group. Is this an album where the boys reach a rare quorum? Come along and find out!
On this special episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe dive into the topic of their favourite album covers. Special reminder that this is a video episode on Spotify, so if you were interested in seeing the covers themselves, try that! Bell's pick is Electric Guest's "Kin", Plouffe's pick is Chocolat's "Recontrer Looloo" and Jamie's pick is The Moody Blues' "In Search of the Lost Chord". In a recurring theme, the records could not be more different! Come along and find out about these picks and the ones that didn't make the cut, but are still interesting!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, Royal Blood's self titled debut album. Released in 2014, it comes on the heels of the duo's EP, which came out just months before the album. Royal Blood, like previously covered Death From Above 1979, is a band consisting of only a bassist and drummer, but that's where most of the similarities end. The album was a commercial success, although critics were somewhat mixed on it. Is the album derivative? What other bands does Royal Blood remind the boys of? How much mileage can you get out of just drums and bass? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick, The Jimi Hendrix Experience's "Live at Monterey". A 1:1 recording of the group's debut performance in the United States, it was for many years only available in part. Like our second episode covering The Who's "Live at Leeds" album, this concert is of some historical significance and captures the live performance of a legendary group. But is it something that you had to be there to experience? While the recording captures all of the sound checks and stage chatter, it loses out on the theatrics of a Jimi Hendrix performance - the playing with his teeth, behind his head and lighting the guitar on fire. Will the boys be satisfied or will they be left wanting more? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick, Blarf's "Cease and Desist". His only album to date, it is produced entirely of samples and noise. Clocking in at just under 28 minutes, the experience is over quickly. The existence of this album raises questions such as: "who or what is Blarf?", "why isn't it available on any major streaming service?" and "what did I just listen to?". To find out the answers to these questions, come along and find out!
On this special episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe dive into the topic of picture discs. Bell brings George Ezra's "Wanted on Voyage", Plouffe brings Hail Mary Mallon's "Bestiary" and Jamie brings Tool's "Lateralus". Once again, the albums could not be more different -- Bell's pick is a folksy bluesy record, Plouffe's pick is a rap album and Jamie's pick is a very long progressive metal record. What is a picture disc? Why don't we own more of them? How do you know when someone likes Tool? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, Smash Mouth's "Fush Yu Mang". Their debut album, it went to number 19 on the Billboard 200 and spawned two hit singles. One of these singles - "Wallkin' on the Sun" went to #1 in the US and Canada, and propelled sales of the album. To date, "Fush Yu Mang" has sold over two million copies in the US alone. But will the catchy blend of pop-punk and ska win over ska-skeptical duo of Bell and Jamie? Will this Plouffe pick be the one? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick, Ray Charles' "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music". Released in 1962, it was an immediate success, bridging the big band and jazz sound that Ray Charles had pioneered during the previous decade, with hits from country music. The album is made up of twelve covers of songs previously made famous by artists such as the Everly Brothers and Hank Williams. Three songs from the album were released as singles, with "I Can't Stop Loving You" being the biggest hit, going number one for five weeks. The single was also nominated and won the Grammy for Best Rhythm and Blues song at the 1963 Grammy's. Many country artists, including Willie Nelson, have cited this album as a turning point in expanding the appeal of country music and have noted it influenced their careers as well. Will the boys find this album impactful to the podcast? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick, U2's "Songs of Innocence". Released in 2014, it is their 13th album. It was released following the Apple Event to announce the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch, with Apple making the album available to all iTunes users at no additional cost. Within a month, the album had been listened to by 81 million users and downloaded 26 million times. However, many artists were upset by the way the album was released, with some saying that giving the music away for free cheapened the art form. A great many iPhone users were upset that the album was automatically added to their phones, and Apple had to release a webpage to remove the album from users' accounts. Critics were also polarized by the issue, as well as the musical content itself, with many saying the album was very bland and middle-of-the-road.
What will the boys think of the album? Will they all try and acquire it for their record libraries or will they have to have Bell exorcise it from their ears? Come along and find out!
Merry Christmas from the Vinyl Verdict crew! On today's episode, we review the Christmas album our company put out -- way back in 2015. How did this certified Christmas banger get a vinyl release? A fan had two pressings made up and one was given to previous guest Dan Besser. We borrowed this from Dan, who is apparently hard at work remastering the album as well. How does this album stack up against such Christmas greats like we covered last year? Come along and find out! And then come back next week for our regular programming!
On this special episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe get together to talk the artists they own the most albums by in their collections.
Starting the episode off, Jamie brings the Beatles album "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band". Their eighth album, released in 1967, the band began work on this album shortly after retiring from touring in 1966. Many publications have cited this album as being a masterpiece in the Beatles catalogue, and Rolling Stone has named it both the #1 (2003, 2013) and the #24 (2020) album of all time.
Bell's pick, Dan Mangan's "Being Somewhere", is his seventh studio album, released in 2022. A nice mix of folk and indie rock, the album was produced by OneDirection guitarist Drew Brown. The single "Fire Escape" had a music video that accompanied it featuring the actor Steven Ogg, perhaps best remembered for playing the character Trevor Philips in Grand Theft Auto V.
Finally, Plouffe's pick, the Red Hot Chili Peppers "Californication", their seventh album, released in 1999. An album that was an unfortunate victim of the Loudness War of the late 90s to mid 2000s, the album was the first to include the guitarist John Frusciante in several years. After coming back to the band after nearly dying from a severe drug addiction and a house fire, John's return marked a new period of activity for the band, and they went on to record two more highly regarded albums in the next six years. From this album, the single Scar Tissue earned them a Grammy award.
What can we glean about each host from the artists they religiously collect? What will the boys have to say about each record? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, Streetlight Manifesto's "Everything Goes Numb". Released in 2003, it was their debut album. A ska album, the songs have the speed and tone of the Punk genre, combined with the large horn sounds of Ska. Critics have called this album one of the most important albums from the Third Wave of Ska, and reviews for it were largely positive. Led by lead singer, guitarist and the producer for this album, Tomas Kalnoky, the band has gone on to release four more albums and continues to tour to this day. Will the boys like the lively, upbeat music paired with, frantic, downbeat lyrics? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick, The Kinks - "Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One". Released in 1970, this was their eighth album. A scathing critique of the British music industry, music contracts and royalties, the eventual success of the album led to the Kinks being able to negotiate a better contract and continue recording for many years. Buoyed by the hit singles Lola and Apeman, the album sold well and was critically well received. Will the boys give it a good v-i-n-y-l verdict? Come along and find out!
And as Bell noted, you can give to our local foodbanks here in Canada at https://foodbankscanada.ca/
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick, Father John Misty's "I Love You, Honeybear". Father John Misty is the stage name of the musician Josh Tillman, previously of the band Fleet Foxes. This is his second album as Father John Misty, and it was released in 2015 to critical acclaim. Publications praised the lyrics, his warm delivery, and the instrumentation of the album. The album went on to make several year-end lists of the best albums of 2015, coming in at #12 on Pitchfork's list, and #5 on the A.V. Club's. Approximately 30% of the total sales for this album have been the release on vinyl. But what will the boys think of this album? Is it really the BEST album in Bell's collection? Come along and find out!
On this special episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe get together to talk about their latest acquisitions. Bell brings Joji's "BALLADS 1", Plouffe brings Casiopea's "Super Flight" and Jamie brings The Flaming Lips' "Transmissions from the Satellite Heart". Once again, the album could not be more different! Which host had to fudge their latest acquisition? Which host was a good boy? Was there a clear winner from the haul? Come along and find out!
Hey it's your buddy Jamie here with a minor content warning: this album is somewhat violent and sweary in its lyrical content, be forewarned.
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, Slipknot's "Slipknot". Their debut album, it was released in 1999 to critical and fan acclaim. In addition to positive reviews of the album, the single "Wait and Bleed" was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 2001 Grammy Awards. Worldwide, it has sold over 3,000,000 copies since its release, which is a good thing because Slipknot has 9 members that need to get paid. Several of the members of the band contribute to the percussion alone, which was cited as a major strong point on the album. Will the boys review it as kindly? What kind of mask would Plouffe wear? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick, R.E.M.'s "Green". Released in November 1988, this was R.E.M.'s sixth studio album, and also their major label debut. Prior to signing with Warner Bros. Records, the band was signed to the relatively small label, I.R.S. While some ardent fans of the previous five albums thought the band was selling out by signing to a major label, it led to a period of great success, musically and financially for the band. "Green" spawned four singles, Orange Crush, Stand, Pop Song 89 and Get Up and went on to sell, review and chart incredibly well. Will the boys stand in the place where they live, and face the music, or will this album turn them inside out? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick, My Morning Jacket's "Evil Urges". Released in 2008, the album was the fifth studio recording from the band, and represented a shift in their sound. Jim James, the frontman for the band said that they were trying to achieve a sound more akin to what they sound like in concert. Reviews for this new album were mixed, with some reviewers noting that the change in sound would squander the goodwill the band had garnered with their previous four releases. Pitchfork, which we usually note is a publication that actively hates music, remarked that the album was "baffling" and "eye-poppingly annoying". What adjectives will the boys use to describe this album? Will this be an album where they all agree? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe are joined by special guest Dan Besser. Like previous guests, Dan is both a friend and a coworker! Today, Dan brought with him Lorn's "Ask the Dust", the second album from the artist, released in 2012. If you've followed Dan's streams on Twitch (@BuhDan on there), you'll know that Dan likes songs with synths and sometimes dark lyrics -- two things "Ask the Dust" has. What will the boys ask of the dust? Will Dan be back for more? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, Arctic Monkey's "AM". Their fifth studio album, it was released in September 2013, and the album was an immediate hit for the band. Six singles were release from the album, with most of them charting well in both UK, where the Arctic Monkeys are based, and internationally. "AM" has remained on the charts in countries such as Australia, Denmark and the Netherlands in the ten years since release, a huge feat. The album won the 2014 Brit Award for British Album of the Year, and the single Do I Wanna Know? was nominated for Best Rock Performance at the 57th Grammy Awards. Reviews were kind to the album both at the time and retrospectively. The New Musical Express (NME) named it the 449th of the 500 greatest albums of all time, after the album had only been out for a month, and Rolling Stone named it the 346th of the 500 greatest albums of all time on their updated 2020 list. Where will the boys put it on their lists? Will this be a rare quorum for the podcast? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's "Deja Vu". Released in 1970, the album was one of the first albums released by a rock supergroup. David Crosby had previously been the guitarist in the band The Byrds, Stephen Stills and Neil Young had both been guitarists in the band Buffalo Springfield, and Graham Nash had been the lead singer of The Hollies. As a trio, CSN released their debut album in 1969, to immediate success and followed that up with a tour that included a stop at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, where they were joined by Neil Young. Following this, they got together to record what would become "Deja Vu", between July 1969 and January 1970. Each member of the group contributed multiple songs for the album. The sole cover, "Woodstock", was written by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Contemporary reviews were favourable, and the album sold 500,000 copies in its first two weeks, and then followed that up by spending 88 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. Today, the album is regarded as a classic of its time, with Rolling Stone naming it variously the 147th, 148th and 220th greatest album of all time, and the Library of Congress selected it as a significant work for its archive in 2023. But how will the boys rate it? Is it too of its own time for them? Come along and find out!
Hey it's your buddy Jamie with a Content Warning: every song on this album has been flagged by Spotify/Apple Music as 'explicit'. The lyrics and song titles may be offensive to you. Maybe sit this one out if you listen with your kids.
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick, Machine Girl's "U-Void Synthesizer". The fifth studio album from the duo of Matt Stephenson and Sean Kelly, it has been variously described as fitting the genres of Hardcore, Grindcore, Industrial and Drum and Bass. In their review where they gave the album a 7.8/10, Pitchfork said the album was "relentlessly smashing together bits of punk, grindcore, rave, industrial, and more". In just over 30 minutes, the duo beat the listener senseless with often dark lyrics buried deep in the mix, layers of sound and a small helping of spoken word samples. What will the boys think of Bell's most off-the-wall pick so far? Will this be the rare album we reach a quorum on? Come along and find out!
On this special episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell and Plouffe have teamed up to pick two albums from Jamie's collection! Bell's pick is the Electric Light Orchestra's "A New World Record", their sixth, and perhaps most successful album, released in 1976. This album spawned four hit singles - Do Ya, Livin' Thing, Telephone Line, and Rockaria! and went to number one here in Canada. A fun record incorporating elements of orchestral accompaniment, the 70s rock sound and opera, critics enjoyed the nods to The Beatles, the juxtaposition between faster tracks and the more slow, haunting numbers and the sophistication of production. In comparison, Plouffe's pick, Elvis Costello's "My Aim is True", his first album, released in 1977, is sparse in production. In comparison to ELO's huge, sprawling sound and epic length to their songs, "My Aim is True" features many songs less than three minutes long, some shorter than two minutes. A mix of what might be called New Wave, Punk and Pub Rock, the album was a massive success. Despite being released only a year apart and both band being from the UK, the two albums sound almost nothing alike. What will the boys think of their picks from Jamie's collection? Will this be a rare episode where Vinyl Verdict is in complete agreement? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, Marcy Playground's Marcy Playground. Released in February 1997, the album went nowhere until the single, Sex and Candy was released as a radio single in September. The immediate success of the single led to the album being re-released in October 1997. As a single, Sex and Candy went to #1 on the Modern Rock chart for 15 weeks. In addition, it went to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, while over here in Canada, it went to #1 on the Rock Singles chart. Three other singles, Poppies, St. Joe on the School Bus, and Sherry Fraser, did not have the same success as Sex and Candy. Contemporary reviews for the album were not kind, with the musical press panning the songs and musicianship and one review going as far as to call it one of the worst albums of the 90s. Will the boys think its one of the worst albums this podcast has ever reviewed? Is there more than one good song on the album? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie’s next pick, Genesis’ The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Their sixth album, it marks the end of the period where Peter Gabriel was the lead singer. The album features a winding story of a boy named Rael, living in New York who experiences miraculous and bizarre events. Upon release, the reviews were mixed, but it was and remains popular among Genesis fans. Will the epic length of the album cause an irreparable rift in the podcast? Why is the lamb lying down on Broadway? Come along and find out!
Welcome back! We're happy to have you along for season 2! On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe, listen to Bell's next pick, Prozzak's Hot Show. Like Gorillaz, Prozzak is a virtual band, consisting of two characters - Simon and Milo. In reality, Prozzak consists of the Canadian duo Jay Levine and James Bryan McCollum, previously of the group The Philosopher Kings. Levine and McCollum started Prozzak after needing a way to hash out their differences musically, eventually presenting the music they created to their label, Sony, who greenlit them to make a whole album. This resulted in the release of Hot Show, their first studio album. The album spawned five singles, with Strange Disease and Sucks to Be You being the two most successful. Will this episode be a Hot Show? Will you, the listener lament that it Sucks to be You for having to listen to it? Come along and find out!
After a long summer, Vinyl Verdict will be returning from our break with season 2 on September 2nd! Our first two episodes will be Bell's pick Hot Show by Prozzak, and Jamie's pick The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Genesis.
Thank you so much for tuning in, we can't wait to talk soon!
Also: Make sure to check out vinylverdict.com where we'll be updating it with our reviews from Season 1!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, the boys look back on our first year as a podcast! Were the ratings too harsh on some records? Too fair on others? What did we do well, what are we going to work on for next season? Will Jamie continue rating albums out of absurd numbers? All of these things will be answered! While this is our year end podcast, we're coming back with more Vinyl Verdict in August. So come along with us to look at the year that was and then come back for the year that will be!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe, listen to Plouffe's next pick, Rage Against the Machine's The Battle of Los Angeles. Their third, and final album of original material, The Battle of Los Angeles was released in 1999 to critical and commercial success. Critics cited the lyrics and innovative guitar playing of Tom Morello as high points of the album. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, and was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 43rd Grammy Awards. On the 2003 list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, Rolling Stone listed it as #426. But where will this album sit on the boys charts? Will they have the same critical reverence for it? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe, listen to Jamie's next pick, Billy Joel's The Stranger. Released in 1977, The Stranger was a Hail Mary from Billy Joel to save his recording contract with Columbia. After his inexplicable rise to fame with Piano Man in 1973, his subsequent releases were lukewarmly received by both critics and the general public. Searching for a solution, he turned to his touring band and veteran producer Phil Ramone to cut this album in little over a month in 1977. The result was his breakthrough, with four singles charting, and it garnered two Grammy awards. Retrospective reviews have called it Billy Joel's best work, including Rolling Stone, which named it variously the 67th, 70th and 169th of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. But where will this album be placed on Vinyl Verdict's list? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe, listen to Bell's next pick SZA's CTRL. Her debut studio album, it was released to widespread critical acclaim, with multiple reviewers citing its writing and SZA's singing as high points. In 2020, Rolling Stone pegged it as the number 472 of the 500 Greatest Albums of all Time. At the 2018 Grammy Awards, SZA received a nomination for Best New Artist and the album itself received four nominations. Like Begonia's Fear, which we have covered previously, the album is an introspective look at the artist herself. The album also covers the topics of relationships, growing up and the concept of being 'normal'. But what will the boys think? Will the reception be as warm? Come along and find out!
On this special episode of Vinyl Verdict, Plouffe and Jamie have teamed up to pick two albums from Bell's collection! Jamie picks Leon Bridges' Coming Home and Plouffe picks Muse's Black Holes and Revelations. The two albums could not be more different! Coming Home, released in 2015, is a soul album with a throwback sound that would not be out of place on the radio of the late 50s and early 60s. His retro style and smooth sound is reminiscent of Sam Cooke, who we previously covered on the Our Favourite Live Albums special episode. In contrast, Muse's Black Holes and Revelations is a space themed (but somehow with two songs that sound like they belong in Spaghetti Westerns), heavy sounding rock album from 2006. Jamie yet again reminisces about his lost youth, we discuss whether Muse is the Metal Gear of music and Plouffe talks about his Guitar Hero skills. Will this be a rare occasion where we like two picks in the same episode? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe, listen to Plouffe's next pick, Skinshape's Arrogance is the Death of Men. His sixth album in five years, and second of 2020, Arrogance is the Death of Men is a quick trek through a jazzy psychedelic sound with a distinct v i b e. While relatively unknown, Skinshape is the stage name of Will Dorey, previously of the band Palace, where he played bass. On this album, he plays most of the instruments, but is joined occasionally by other musicians. Will the boys catch the wave of the vibe? Is the whole album destined to be played in the background? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe, listen to Jamie's next pick, Death From Above 1979's - You're a Woman, I'm a Machine. Released in 2004, the album was recorded by the Canadian duo of Jesse F. Keeler on bass and Sebastien Grainger on drums and vocals. Genre-wise, this album was described as 'dance-punk', a genre combining the sound of post-punk, with a beat you could dance to if you wanted to. Despite being relatively unknown outside of Canada, Death From Above 1979 has collaborated with artists such as Bloc Party and Jack White. What will the boys think? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe, listen to Bell's next pick, Nick Hakim's WILL THIS MAKE ME GOOD. Released in 2020, it is his second studio album. The album touches upon issues such as climate change, the use of medication in children and the loss of friends. Hakim judiciously layers different sounds throughout the album, often as if the album is in multiple genres at the same time. Critically, the album received better than average reviews, with some reviews praising its production and songwriting, while others criticized the somewhat uneven tone and the length. How will the boys receive this album? Come along and find out!
On this special episode of Vinyl Verdict, Plouffe, Bell and Jamie discuss albums released in their birth year. Up first is Bell's pick, Nas' Illmatic from 1994. His debut album, it was released to universal acclaim among critics, and has been hailed as a landmark in hip hop. Next, is Plouffe's pick, The Traveling Wilburys' The Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3, from 1990. A supergroup featuring the likes of Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan, George Harrison and prior to his death in 1988,Roy Orbison, the Traveling Wilburys released two albums. The good one is the one with Roy Orbison on it. Finally, Jamie's pick is Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, from 1988. Wildly acclaimed as a significant album in hip hop, Rolling Stone has named it variously the #48 and #15 of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. What will the boys discover about albums from their birth years? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe, listen to Plouffe's next pick, System of a Down's Toxicity. Released in 2001, Toxicity was their breakthrough album and contained four successful singles. The album that spans both the nu-metal and alternative metal genres, and also contains elements of jazz, folk, Armenian and Greek music. Two singles from the album - Aerials and Chop Suey! - were nominated for the Grammy award for Best Hard Rock and Best Metal Performance, respectively. Critical reviews for the album were positive, with a few outlier reviews declaring the album to be unlistenable and a mess. Toxicity remains their most successful album, with over 12,000,000 albums sold worldwide. Will this album be critically praised by the boys? Come along and find out!
Plouffe mentions a live performance of Psycho in the episode, it can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DPRpl8kx9c
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe, listen to Jamie's next pick, Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here. Released in 1975, Wish You Were Here was the follow up album to 1973's Dark Side of the Moon, the band's big breakout album. While less commercially successful than Dark Side of the Moon, the album has been warmly received retrospectively, having been named both the #4 progressive rock album and variously the 209th, 211th and 264th greatest album of all time by Rolling Stone. Bookended by the mammoth tracks Shine On You Crazy Diamond, the album serves as both a criticism of the music industry and a lamentation for prior Pink Floyd member, Syd Barrett. Barrett had been the original guitarist for the band prior to his departure in 1968, amidst a severe decline in his mental health. Like the previously covered The Mollusk, the album art was done by Storm Thorgerson and his design studio Hipgnosis. Is this another album that Bell will inexplicably like? Will the boys be swallowed up by the Machine? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe, listen to Bell's next pick, The Barenaked Ladies' Gordon. Their debut album, Gordon was produced after the band won a contest with a $100,000 prize at the Toronto radio station, CFNY. Gordon was released in 1992 and sold 80,000 copies in its first 24 hours of release, and then proceeded to chart in Canada for 8 consecutive weeks. Consisting of 14 tracks - 6 of which had appeared in forms on their previous demo tapes, reviewers described the album variously as 'whimsical', 'hyperactive' and 'brooding' all at the same time. Steven Page, the lead singer on most of the album, bemoaned in many interviews that the album was probably the most bootlegged album of all time, with the number of fans who know every word on the album outnumbering actual sales four to one. What would the boys do if they had $1000000? Does Plouffe's fridge have Dijon ketchup in it? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe, are joined by Luke Lafreniere to talk about his pick, Tiger Army's self titled debut album. Released in 1999, Tiger Army comes in at a brisk 32 minutes, 33 if you round up. At the time of recording, the only actual member of Tiger Army was Nick 13, the alias of Kearney Nick Jones, the only constant member of the band through its 27 year existence. Nick 13 was joined in the studio by Rob Peltier on bass (originally from the band The Quakes) and Adam Carson on drums (originally from the band AFI). An album in the Psychobilly genre, the album also explores themes from the Horror Punk and plain old Punk genres. Critical reviews at the time said that the album had clear reverence for the sound of early rock and roll and also praised the often humourous writing of the lyrics. Will Luke and the boys find this album to be a lyrical riot, or will they outlaw it from their playlists? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe, listen to Plouffe's next pick, DANGERDOOM's The Mouse and the Mask. Released in 2005, this was the only full length album released by the duo of producer Danger Mouse and rapper MF DOOM. Consisting of fourteen tracks that are interspersed with clips from Adult Swim shows such as Perfect Hair Forever, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law and Space Ghost: Coast to Coast, the album stands as a tribute to a particular period of time in cartoon history. MF Doom is joined by some of the characters from these shows on several tracks, as well as guest rappers Ghostface Killah and Talib Kweli. The album was well received by critics who admired its production value, the incorporation of the Adult Swim characters and the lyrics. Spin placed it at number 25 on their list of the 40 best albums of 2005. Will the boys place it high on their list of best albums from 2005, or will it be a trip back to a time best left forgotten? Come along and find it!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick, David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. His fifth studio album, this was his breakout album in both the US and UK, catapulting him to stardom. Initially giving it a lukewarm review, Rolling Stone later named the album number 6 on their list of the 100 Best Albums of the Last 20 Years in 1987 and later named it the 35th (later 40th) best on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. A loose concept album, more akin to the previously covered American Idiot than Tommy, the album begins by describing how Earth has five years left before it dies, and gradually introduces Ziggy Stardust, a space alien turned sex god rockstar who visits Earth, starts a band, succumbs to his own ego and is then killed by his fans. Will the boys dig the crazy space alien sex god? Is this album a good way to spend time in the last five years of Earth? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick, Woodkid's The Golden Age. Snippets of the album were teased in singles from 2011, 2012 and 2013, with the final release coming in February 2013. The single Run Boy Run has been used in over 80 advertisements, movie trailers, films and TV shows, and its music video was nominated for Best Short Form Music Video at the 2013 Grammy Awards. Most reviewers agreed that the music feels powerful, expansive and had excellent production value, but most disagreed on the situation where you would want to sit down and listen to this album. Who is this album for? When would you listen to it? Will the boys enjoy it? Come along and find out!
On this special episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell and Jamie have teamed up to pick two albums from Plouffe's collection! Bell picks Summer Salt's Happy Camper, their album from 2018. Jamie picks Primus' Frizzle Fry, released in 1990. The albums could not be more polar opposite! Will this be a rare occasion where the whole crew likes albums that Plouffe owns? Will we say Primus Sucks multiple times this episode? Come along and find out!
Quick content warning: Plouffe notes at the beginning of the episode that the lyrical content of the album features talk of sexual assault and suicide.
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, The Distillers Coral Fang. Their third studio album, and only major label release, Coral Fang came out in 2003 to positive critical reviews. Stradling the line between punk and grunge music, the album produced three singles, two of which charted. The tour supporting the album went from 2003 to 2004 and when it ended, the band never released another studio album. Some controversy ensued because the album was recorded and released in the midst frontwoman Brody Dalle's divorce from her then husband, Tim Armstrong, the frontman for the punk band Rancid. Speculation swirled in both the media and the fanbases for both The Distillers and Rancid as to whether the album was about the divorce. The album was released with two different covers, one the original artwork by Tim Presley, and another 'safe' artwork which was sanitized for sale in stores such as Walmart. Will the boys stir up controversy with their verdicts? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick, S U R V I V E's MNQ026 (HD015 for the vinyl release). S U R V I V E is a electronic band from Austin, Texas, formed in 2009. Two of their members, Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon went on to do the soundtrack score for the Netflix series Stranger Things. Completely instrumental, MNQ026 is made up of two parts spooky ambient sounds, one part space robot jams. Jamie has frequently teased the Vinyl Verdict crew about covering an album in the elusive Spacewave microgenre, but three questions remain about it. What is it? Who it is for? Is it any good? Come along as the boys hopefully provide at least one answer!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick, MGMTs Little Dark Age. Released in 2018, it is the band's fourth studio album. After their second and third albums were released to lukewarm receptions, the band took some time off and came back with the single for the track Little Dark Age in October 2017, releasing further singles up until the release of the album in 2018. The band stated that the album title was a response to the political and social climate in the United States, including the Trump presidency. Critical reception of the album was generally positive, with many publications praising it as a return to form for the band and several putting it on their Best of 2018 lists at year-end. Will the Little Dark Age leave the boys out in the cold or will they find the album light and fun? Come along and find out!
Content warning for this episode: we talk about hate crimes, sex crimes and spousal abuse. We also left the swears in. Come back to us next week for a not as spicy episode if any of that sounds rotten to you.
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe talk about albums in their collections from artists who have bad things. Bell's pick, Kids See Ghost's only album, features notorious rapper Kanye West. Plouffe's pick is Queens of the Stone Age's Villains. Jamie's pick is Brand New's The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me. Listen to the boys discuss what makes these picks controversial, what the artist did, and whether you can really separate the art from the artist. Will we get cancelled for talking about them? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, Steve Hiett's Down on the Road by the Beach. Steve Hiett started off as a concert photographer for such greats as Jimi Hendrix, The Doors and The Beach Boys, and then graduated to being a fashion photographer for publications such as Vogue. Along the way, it was requested that he write and perform an album of music to go with an exhibition of his art. The resulting album and exhibition was titled Down on the Road by the Beach, and was released in 1983. Recorded in Japan, it is an album with an a light, airy, almost dreamlike feel to it. The album is mostly instrumental, with covers of two popular hits from the 50s. Critically well received at the time and upon its re-release in 2019, the album has somewhat of a cult following and was the only album of music released by Steve Hiett in his lifetime. Will this conjure up beach day vibes for the boys, or will they send it on down the road? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick, Led Zeppelin's Untitled Fourth Album. Commonly referred to as Led Zeppelin IV, it was released in 1971. After reviews of the band's third album were lukewarm at best, Led Zeppelin sought out to make an album and give it no title, instead representing it by three hand drawn symbols by each member of the band. While this move was opposed by the record company, they eventually relented and released the album. Since its release, it has sold over 37 million copies, it is the bands greatest commercial success and it was their highest charting album, hitting #2 on the Billboard charts in 1971. The album was also well received critically, with many critics praising the songwriting and genre-defining hard rock and early heavy metal sound of many of the tracks. The signature track from the album was Stairway to Heaven, a song that had radio play over multiple genres of stations, despite not being released as a single and being nearly 8 minutes long. Has it been a long time since Vinyl Verdict rocked and rolled? Are the boys buying a stairway to heaven? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick, Green Day's American Idiot. Released in September 2004, American Idiot was somewhat of a departure for the band in that it was their first album that sought to tell a whole story, rather than just be a collection of songs. The album was an overwhelming success, spawning five singles that received a good amount of radio airtime and later, a musical based on the songs and characters of the album. The album later went on to sell 16 million copies and won a Grammy for Best Rock Album at the 2005 Grammy Awards. Critical reviews of the album were sort of all over the place, with some critics saying the story was not compelling and that the album, while aiming to have something to say about the current sociopolitical climate of America, succeeded in saying nothing. What will the boys have to say about it? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe talk about their favourite live albums. Bell and Plouffe bring two albums from the MTV Unplugged series - Courtney Barnett's Live in Melbourne, released in 2019 and Alice in Chains' MTV Unplugged, released in 1996. Changing up series and sounds, Jamie's pick is Sam Cooke's Live at the Harlem Square 1963, released in 1985. Join the boys as they discuss all three albums - what they like about them, what they look for in a live album and whether these records present a good value for collecting! Do these albums capture a moment in time for the crew? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, Aesop Rock's The Impossible Kid. His seventh album, it was released in 2016 to overwhelmingly positive reviews. Aesop Rock is known for using deep wordplay in his lyrics, where the listener is left to decide what the meaning is and many publications noted that this trend continued, but in a more introspective and personal direction. Despite being released independently, the album was a commercial success as well, peaking at #30 on the Billboard 200, #2 on Billboard Independent albums chart and #3 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop albums chart. Will the boys put this album at the top of their charts as well? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick, ZZ Top's Eliminator. Their eighth studio album, Eliminator was released in 1983 and marks a departure from their earlier blues influenced sound to something very in keeping with the 80s. The album featured the use of drum machines and synthesizers, with guitarist Billy Gibbons saying he took inspiration from bands such as Depeche Mode and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark for this change in their sound. The album was a hit, due largely to heavy rotation of the music videos for Sharp Dressed Man, Gimme All Your Lovin' and Legs on MTV. Eliminator was also well received critically, with many reviewers praising the new direction for the band. Will the boys give this album all their lovin or will this album be tossed out like old T.V. dinners? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick, Ween's The Mollusk. Their sixth album, The Mollusk was the first album done in a traditional recording studio and with an expanded lineup, adding a drummer in place of a drum machine used on previous albums. Like the Audioslave album we covered a couple weeks back, the album cover was designed by Storm Thorgerson, who had previously done album covers for bands such as Pink Floyd. The album was a great influence on the creator of Spongebob Squarepants, who later requested a song from Ween for the show and featured the song Ocean Man on the Spongebob Squarepants Movie soundtrack. The album was well reviewed, with several publications including it on their year-end best of lists. Will this album take you by the hand and lead you to the land of sweet musical enjoyment? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe talk about their favourite holiday records! Plouffe and Jamie bring two Christmas classics with Bing Crosby's Merry Christmas and Percy Faith's Music of Christmas. Bell brings a Hannukah themed album with the soundtrack to Eight Crazy Nights. Along the way they discuss holiday memories such as "having the tree". What does that mean? Come along and find out, and Happy Holidays from the three of us at Vinyl Verdict!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, Audioslave's Audioslave. Like the self-titled release from Boston we covered a few episodes back, Audioslave came out of the gate hot. Made up of Chris Cornell from Soundgarden on vocals, and everyone who isn't named Zack de la Rocha from Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave was one of the 21st century's first supergroups. The album spawned five singles, propelled by the loud and often weird guitar sounds from Tom Morello and has since gone platinum several times over in the US and Canada. However, the album was critically panned on release, with many reviewers saying the lyrical content was often gibberish and the album was overly long. Regardless, the band rode the success of this album right to the bank. Will the boys think this album has license to print cash or will they relegate it to the dollar bin? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick, Miles Davis' Workin' With the Miles Davis Quintet. Recorded in two sessions in 1956, Workin' is part of a series of albums - Workin', Steamin' Cookin' and Relaxin'. All four albums are considered staples of 50's jazz and are widely regarded as some of the best jazz albums of all time. Will the boys discover that jazz is around every corner? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick, Begonia's Fear. Hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Begonia was formerly a member of Juno Award winning band Chic Gamine, before starting a solo career in 2017. Her first album, Fear, was shortlisted for a Juno Award. Will the boys fear this album, or will they be living on the ceiling after listening to it? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe are joined by Adam Sondergard to talk about his pick, Sleep's Dopesmoker. Their third record, Dopesmoker was recorded in 1996 and was supposed to be their major label debut, but it all went wrong. When the band presented this as their album, London Records balked at releasing an album that was a single long song. It went unreleased until 1999, when Earache Records released it as Jerusalem in a slightly different configuration. This version of the album was released in 2003 by TeePee Records, and the exact version Adam brought was released in 2012 by Southern Lords Records. An extremely heavy doom metal/stoner metal album, Dopesmoker is around an hour at its shortest and 75 minutes at its longest, all in a single song. Will the boys drop out of life with song in hand, or will the Weedians proceed to hate on the album? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, The Mars Volta's The Mars Volta. Their seventh studio album, The Mars Volta represents somewhat of a clean slate for the band and a clear departure from their earlier, more progressive rock sound. Released to critical acclaim, the album reached #6 on the Billboard Alternative chart. Will the boys also critically acclaim the album? Will Jamie finally enjoy anything by the Mars Volta? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick, Boston's Boston. Their self titled debut album, Boston marks the culmination of years of home recording by Tom Scholz, the lead guitarist and founder of the band. Recorded in both Scholz' basement, and in Los Angeles, the album was released in August 1976 and became an overnight hit. It was first picked up by a single radio station in Cleveland, and then the following week had made it to 392 stations throughout the US and Canada. By November 1976, the album had sold over a million copies and has since sold nearly 20 million copies to date, making it one of the fastest selling and most successful debut albums of all time. Will the record catch on with the boys? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick, Radiohead's In Rainbows. Their seventh studio album, In Rainbows was originally released as a digital download with the payment of any amount getting you a copy of the album. It later received a worldwide release on CD and vinyl. Spanning several genres including Art Rock, Alternative and Electronica, In Rainbows was named as one of the best albums of 2007, and later one of the best albums of the 00's. In 2020, Rolling Stone listed the album as number 387 of the best 500 albums of all time. Will the boys name it one of the best albums of this podcast? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe talk about their favourite singles. Jamie brings a bucket of singles to share with the boys, before getting into his single - Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer". Plouffe brings his beloved single by Takako Mamiya "Love Trip" and discusses the mystery surrounding the artist. Wrapping the episode, Bell talks about Kero Kero Bonito's "Flamingo" and how much fun it is. If you wondered what our favourite singles were - or whether Jamie knows how to read a clock - come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, The Growlers' Chinese Fountain. Their fourth studio album, Chinese Fountain could best be described as psychedelic surf and garage rock, with a lot of the lyrical content dealing with finding and losing love. Upon release, the album received positive reviews, with many reviewers saying that it was one of the best indie albums of 2014. The album also charted well, hitting #7 on the Heatseekers chart and #35 on the Billboard Indie chart. Will the boys put this album at the top of their charts, or will this Heatseeker leave them shot down in flames? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick, the Beastie Boys' Paul's Boutique. Either one long single LP, or two LPs in the case of Plouffe's special edition copy, Paul's Boutique is their second album. Coming three years after the release of the wildly successful License to Ill, this album was a wild departure from that album. Early critical reaction to album was largely mixed, with reception of the album becoming overwhelmingly positive as time went on. The album is notable for having 105 samples in 53 minutes of music, far more than any rap album at the time and essentially making it impossible for rap albums in the future to have as many samples as well. With two of the crew already owning the album, what will their verdicts be? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick, Yaeji's EP1 + EP2. A compilation album comprising her first two EPs, EP1 +EP2 has been described as being in both the lo-fi house and trap genres. The album features lyrics in a combination of both English and Korean, reflecting Yaeji's upbringing in both the United States and Korea. Will the boys go to the club and beat up the beat, or will they give the record two thumbs way down? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to their picks for the records they regret adding to their collection. What makes a record a regretful experience? Is it bad art? Poor quality audio? Or is it that it's a Rush album? Come along and share in the regret with us!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, Blind Melon's Nico. Released after the death of lead singer Shannon Hoon, Nico is named after his daughter, Nico Blue. Nico is a compilation album made up of odds and sods from various Blind Melon recording sessions, answering machine messages and alternate takes. Proceeds from the royalties and album sales were initially placed in a college trust for Nico Blue. Will the boys find the album to be the greatest album in the world, or will it be just a tribute? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick - The Rolling Stones' Exile on Main St. Recorded mostly in the basement of Keith Richards' rented villa in the south of France, Exile on Main St. was recorded at a time of transition for the band. While reviews at the time of release in 1971 were mixed at best, it has been since re-evaluated as the Stones' greatest album and has earned accolades including #7 on the list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in Rolling Stone and a prestigious 10/10 from Pitchfork. But will the boys like it at all? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick - Mac Miller's Swimming in Circles. Released posthumously, Swimming in Circles is a box set of Swimming, his fifth album and Circles, his sixth and final, studio album. The albums explore themes relating to the era of life Mac Miller felt he was in at the time. Both albums were critically well received at the time of their release, with many reviewers praising how cohesive and introspective the lyrics were. Will the boys heap praise on the albums as well, or will they find the records to be a journey that is just swimming in circles? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe are joined by Colin Worobetz to talk about his pick - Jungle - For Ever. Jungle is a neo-soul/funk band from England, consisting of only two members because much of their sound is based in electronic techniques. On tour the band expands to seven members! Released in 2018, For Ever is Jungle's second album and it went to #10 in the UK and #6 on the US Billboard Top Dance/Electronic albums chart. Will the boys put this album at the top of their charts, or will the album go up in flames like a disco inferno? Come along and find out!
Vinyl Verdict apologizes for the sometimes crunchy audio in this episode, the person responsible for this has been fired from a cannon into the sun
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick, Jazz Spastiks' Scratch & Sniff. Jazz Spastiks are an underground hip-hop and beat making group from the UK, sometimes referred to as the "rough smooth duo". Scratch & Sniff is a record with a theme centered around smells and was sold with a booklet with you guessed it - scratch and sniff stickers for each track. Will the record pass the sniff test with the boys? Will it be an olfactory delight or just smell like an old factory? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick - Rod Stewart's Every Picture Tells a Story. Released in 1971, this is Rod Stewart's third studio album. Featuring the members of his previous group The Faces, it reached number one on the charts in Australia, Canada, the UK and the US in 1971. Will the boys like this album or will it paint a picture best left forgotten? Come along and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell's next pick - Lianne La Havas' - Lianne La Havas. Her third studio album, Lianne La Havas came out after a five year hiatus following her second studio album. Released to overwhelmingly positive reviews by critics, the album has been called "truly captivating" and "jazzy, soulful and understated". Will the boys find the album truly captivating, or will they find the album paper thin? Come along and find out!
Today on Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe take a listen to their favourite TV and Movie soundtracks. Come along as the boys talk about what they like in a soundtrack. Will it be a cinematic experience? Will there be laughs? Will there be Conan the Barbarian? Tune in and find out!
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie, and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's next pick -- Gift of Gab's Rejoice! Rappers are Rapping Again! Gift of Gab was a prolific artist both solo and with Blackalicious, having put out a multitude of albums, mixtapes, EPs and collaborations before his death in 2021. Released in 2017, Rejoice! Rappers are Rapping Again! is Gift of Gab's third EP, and it comes in at a swift 21 minutes long. Will the boys enjoy their brief time with the album, or will they think it was much too fast?
On this episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Jamie's next pick -- Supertramp's Crime of the Century, or Space Prison as Bell calls it. Coming off the release of the unsuccessful Indelibly Stamped, this is Supertramp's third album, released in 1974. Will the boys love it, or will they feel like Supertramp has committed a sonic crime and has sent their ears to jail? Come along and find out!
Today on Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie and Plouffe listen to Bell’s next pick — Slide by George Clanton. A prolific artist, George has also performed as ESPRIT 空想, Mirror Kisses and Kids Garden. Slide is his second album under his own name. Will the boys slide into good times? Find out!
Today marks a special episode of Vinyl Verdict, where Bell, Jamie, and Plouffe are joined by a special guest: Alex Clark. Alex's pick is an album by the acclaimed flugelhorn player Chuck Mangione, An Evening of Magic: Live at the Hollywood Bowl. Released in 1978, Live at the Hollywood Bowl is Chuck Mangione's second live album and was in support of his enormously popular 1977 release Feels so good. Will the boys feel so good about this pick, or will an evening of magic turn the podcast back into a pumpkin?
This week on Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie, and Plouffe listen to Plouffe's pick -- Future Me Hates Me by The Beths. Released in 2018, Future Me Hates Me is the first studio album by New Zealand indie rock band The Beths and is the follow-up to their EP, Warm Blood. Will the boys like the Upbeat, airy sounds of the record, or will future Vinyl Verdict hate present Vinyl Verdict for wasting 38 minutes of their lives?
This week on Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie, and Plouffe listen to Jamie's pick -- Live at Leeds by The Who. Originally released in 1970, Live at Leeds is widely regarded as one of the most influential live albums of all time. Clocking in at 129 minutes, the boys are listening to the entire concert, re-released on 3 LPs in 2014. Will the boys have the same reverence for the album, or will they rank it as a certified "mouldy oldie"?
In the inaugural episode of Vinyl Verdict, Bell, Jamie, and Plouffe take a listen to Bell's first pick -- The Now Now by Gorillaz. Released in 2018, The Now Now is Gorillaz' sixth studio album. Will the boys like it, or will their verdicts leave this album an outcast?