music analysis

“Endless Summer Vacation” by Miley Cyrus finds the singer achieving her biggest hit with “Flowers” and winning Grammys for the first time in her 17-year career. This week, Keith Montena and Carly Giacoio rewind and discuss how prior career moves and projects like She Is Coming & Plastic Hearts led the singer into a rough commercial territory despite being packed with solid material. With a label switch and new management, the pair investigate how her album rollout surrounding a New Years Eve special and fan-driven narrative surrounding Liam Hemsworth sculpted a huge commercial resurgence. Plus, hear about the album’s singles and creative collaborators through a track-by-track discussion.

In this podcast episode, Deb, Pete, and Jess delve into Garth Brooks' album "Man Against Machine," focusing on three songs: "All American Kid," "Mom," and "Wrong About You." They explore the emotional depth, musicality, and lyrical significance of the tracks, while also sharing personal connections to the music. Deb praises the album's creativity and the song "Mom" for its tribute to maternal love. Pete reflects on the emotional resonance of "All American Kid" in relation to military service. Jess offers a musical analysis of all three songs, highlighting Garth's vocal performance and the musicians.

A bite-sized dose of country music news every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday keeping...

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Lady Gaga's "Joanne" showcases the singer ditching dance-pop in exchange for country and americana. Hear about the creative process behind the 2016 album, as well as the aftermath of 2013's ARTPOP album and how this shift helped the singer recover. The album marked a commercial resurgence for Lady Gaga with performances at The Super Bowl Half Time Show and Coachella, projects like Five Foot Two and A Star Is Born. Plus, discussions on "The Cure" and puzzled fan reception to her new sound. Also, is Lady Gaga releasing a new album this year? Hear about rumored collaborators for her seventh LP, and if Joanne is the best indicator of her next artistic venture.

Get ready for an exclusive listen to Jodun's latest release, 'Leanin'', available only on the Deep Dive Podcast. This bonus episode is dedicated to showcasing Jodun's skills as a rapper, as he takes us down memory lane through this musical journey with his smooth flow. Don't miss out on this special release, available now for your listening pleasure.

Get ready to go "down", "dirty", and "hard" with AC/DC on our deep cuts episode! Join us as we explore the band's lesser-known tracks and "sink" our teeth into the juiciest, most "stimulating" songs you've never heard before. From "Big Balls" to "Givin the Dog a Bone," we're delving deep into AC/DC's "bedroom" of music to uncover the hidden gems that will leave you begging for more. Don't miss out on this "electric" episode featuring Angus, Malcolm, Brian, and the rest of the boys – it's sure to leave you feeling "thunderstruck"!

Don't forget to email us at picksandstickspodcast@gmail.com

A Little Night Music is considered Sondheim's waltz musical. Steve Bell returns to explain how Sondheim uses threes throughout the score in fascinating ways.

You can email Steve here: steve@slbway.com

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Analysis and discussion of Heartbreak Feels So Good by Fall Out Boy. 

Analysis by Mrinal & Anjali. 
Guitar performed by Mrinal. 
Intro & Outro composed and recorded by Mrinal. 

Recorded: 03/18/23

* At 05:21, Mrinal mentions that the chord for an Ionian mode would be A#. The correct chord for Ionian mode would be A. 

Sun Ra - the Alpha and Omega of Space Music! Greetings …I’m Chris Bass a music producer and renowned Spaceologist and in episode two we examine the music of Sun Ra, bandleader, keyboardist, arranger, philosopher, artist and educator.

Hailing from the planet of Saturn, Sun-Ra aka Herman Poole ‘Sunny’ Blount, took keyboard playing into new dimensions and changed music forever. The players in his Arkestra (his big band for over forty years) followed Sun’s lead creating forms of Cosmic Jazz that inspired almost every other creator of Space Music that came afterwards. 

The Arkestra's saxophonists John Gilmore and Marshall Allen pushed the sonic boundaries of what was possible with a wind instrument. In fact Gilmore was cited by John Coltrane as his biggest influence…and most folks would agree that Coltrane totally reinvented the modern day concept of the instrument solo.

In this episode we look at

• Ra’s beginnings
• The ways that the Arkestra evoked Outer Space via acoustic means.
• Sun Ra’s Electronic Keyboard Cosmos
• Sun’s move into the land of the synthesiser
• The Arkestra’s cosmic playing techniques
• Cosmic Sound Effects - how Sun travelled further into the galaxy via the studio.
• A break down of how I applied these techniques to create Cosmic Jazz

…and the episode finishes with my first release for Sounds of Space the Sun Ra Cosmic Jazz tribute…They Fell From the Skies.

Whether you’re a music lover, space-fanatic, musician or producer or just need a new creative perspective blast off with me on a fantastic journey as we explore the musical universe of artists who sonically evoke Outer Space and Sci-Fi Futurism in popular music with SOUND.

Episode Links

They Fell from the Skies available at https://soundsofspace.bandcamp.com/track/they-fell-from-the-skies

Another Ra tribute - Ra Transmigration  - https://soundsofspace.bandcamp.com/track/ra-transmigration-ft-scrambla

Space is the Place by John Szwed - one of the most definitive books on Sun-Ra and the best source of ‘behind-the-scenes’ information - https://www.amazon.com/Space-Place-Lives-Times-Sun/dp/0306808552

The Temple - A fantastic online Discography of the works of Sun Ra - http://www.the-temple.net/sunradisco/list.php

Sun Ra Music - Bandcamp - The Official digital music site of Sun Ra - https://sunramusic.bandcamp.com/

Sun-Ra - Spotify - If you insist on streaming…well…here it is - https://open.spotify.com/artist/0tIODqvzGUoEaK26rK4pvX

A wonderful 53 minute NPR Jazz Profile of Sun-Ra - https://www.npr.org/2007/10/31/15774733/sun-ra-cosmic-swing

Keith Montena returns this week with previous co-host Ashley Tatum to discuss one of the world's best-selling girl groups, The Pussycat Dolls. The groups sophomore (and last) era was helmed by collaborators like Polow Da Don, Timbaland, and Darkchild. The album, interestingly, was sculpted by beginning sessions for Nicole Scherzinger's debut solo album, "Her Name Is Nicole". Listen to hear about the group's evolving dynamics, why we feel it was always bound to cause drama, and where the girls are now after reuniting in 2020 with "React". While instances of drama at Britney Spears' Circus Tour or the American Music Awards became bait for tabloid culture of the 2000s, the girls still delivered some discography highlights and a huge hit with "When I Grow Up".

Red (Taylor's Version) is the second installment of Taylor Swift's re-recorded albums. Drawing comparisons to the originals and discussing vault tracks, Keith Montena was happy to welcome back Katie Hausler and Hannah Relovsky to the podcast. In Vinyl Drop's first-ever round table, the trio touches on the politics behind the re-recordings, the highlights (and low points) across both versions, and the intricacies of All Too Well's multiple recordings are discussed. Also, is Speak Now (Taylor's Version) next? We'll see.

Keith Montena returns to Vinyl Drop this week with a discussion on "Chromatica" by Lady Gaga. With special guest Logan Powers, the pair dive into Lady Gaga's first dance-pop release in nearly seven years, the rush of "Rain On Me" with Ariana Grande, and how the campaign attached got halted during Covid-19. Diving into every track and video, fan reactions, and how it compares to past efforts like "The Fame", the album still remains a celebration.

 Keith Montena discusses Rihanna's fifth studio album, "Loud". With returning guest Andi Stebbins, the pair talk about the singer's notable singles discography and how the album is jam-packed with only potential hits. Released following "Rated R", an album released a year prior with a much darker edge, Rihanna was in the perfect position to continue her reign in the mainstream. With the red hair carving out a signature look and three number ones, this feels like Rihanna at the height of her powers... Before ANTi of course. Hear Keith and Andi discuss their thoughts on the album. Remember to follow @vinyldropodcast on instagram to keep up with all updates.

Keith Montena welcomes Logan Powers to discuss Lady Gaga's sophomore studio album, "The Fame Monster". Released with her famous debut, "The Fame", the singer's follow-up project featured eight songs that brought a more intense sound, and cemented her "Little Monster" base with darker imagery and concepts. While Bad Romance alone is hailed as one of pop's best songs, the entire collection see's the singer write and create some of her best songs to date. Hear Keith and Logan discuss their thoughts on the album. Remember to follow @vinyldropodcast on instagram to keep up with all updates.

This week Keith Montena welcomes back Carly Giacoio to discuss Avril Lavigne's sophomore studio album, "Under My Skin". The pop-rock singer's debut brought hits like 'Complicated' and 'Sk8er Boi', but when she went back into the studio for this project she channeled a harder, more rock-heavy direction. With lyrics detailing heartbreaking and the career highlight of "My Happy Ending", Carly and Keith talk about what aspects of the release work best, and what don't, seventeen years after release. Follow @vinyldropodcast on Instagram for updates, and follow the "Vinyl Drop Music" playlist on Spotify for top-rated songs from each episode.

Keith Montena and special guest Andi Stebbins discuss Lil Nas X's highly anticipated debut studio album, "MONTERO". The self-titled project follows some of the biggest singles of 2021, and an artist who has become a topic of conversation for being so true to himself and expressive. While carrying the longest number one single of all-time with Old Town Road, Keith and Andi dive into how Lil Nas X has carved a name for himself and grew so far past his initial EP. Discussing all the visuals, performances, and promotion, check this week's episode out to hear about an amazing debut era. Make sure to follow @vinyldropodcast on Instagram, and stay tuned for more episodes.

Keith Montena welcomes back Katie Hausler to discuss Halsey's debut studio album, "BADLANDS". Cultivating an indie/alt-pop following throughout the previous year, Halsey's first album came at the perfect time for a mainstream breakthrough. While radio wasn't always the most friendly toward New Americana or Colors, the album became a huge success within her catalogue and carries impressive streaming numbers. Hear Keith and Katie touch on the singer's best moments in her musical introduction, the highs and lows across the album, and how Halsey's shifted since. Make sure to follow @vinyldropodcast on Instagram, and stay tuned for more episodes.

This week Keith Montena and special guest Carly Giacoio discuss Marina's fifth studio album, "Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land". Formerly known with the "Diamonds" tag, the singer released a project which seemed to sonically pay homage to her earlier days. Preceded by "Love + Fear", an album which explored feelings of happiness and on-trend synth pop, Marina faced mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. On this project, Marina discusses societal and political issues, and deals with the heartbreak from her most recent relationship. Hear Keith and Carly discuss the ballads and pop productions across the project, and what aspects Marina excels with. Make sure to follow @vinyldropodcast on Instagram, the "Vinyl Drop Music" playlist, and stay tuned for more episodes.

This week Keith Montena and special guest Hannah Relovsky discuss Taylor Swift's sixth studio album, "reputation". Coming off the back of an untouchable run of hit singles from "1989" at the height of her pop fame, Swift also dealt with public feuds and her first storm of media backlash. This became a clear through-line for the lyrical content across the album, and this sparked a conversation about if this laid the best groundwork for an album concept. Hear Keith and Hannah touch on how the singer experimented with more synth and dubstep, and argue if she was successful in utilizing her feuds with Kanye West, Katy Perry, and Kim Kardashian as inspiration. Make sure to follow @vinyldropodcast on Instagram, and stay tuned for more episodes.

This week Keith Montena and special guest Carly Giacoio discuss Lorde's sophomore studio album, "Melodrama". The album gained a reputation of acclaim upon release in 2017, but failed to make waves in terms of hits. This sparks a conversation about where Lorde fits in the pop landscape, and how this album positions her future releases. Make sure to follow @vinyldropodcast on Instagram and the playlist "Vinyl Drop Music" for top-rated songs from the show. Stay tuned for more episodes.

Oh, the humanity! The much-anticipated OK Human has finally arrived and Chris and Chris are here to breakdown every last facet of the album - raddest riffs, laughable lyrics, heart songs, album ranking - it's over 2 1/2 hours of Weezy goodness.
 
Relevant linkage:

Rivers w/ Rubin on Broken Record: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5TW0FHEC94

Rivers w/ Zane Lowe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVsTtPSv-yw

Rivers on All Things Considered: https://www.npr.org/2021/01/29/962124558/rivers-cuomo-on-weezers-latest-ok-human-and-the-need-to-riff-or-not

Audible.com

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