Explore every episode of the podcast Discord and Rhyme: An Album Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 178: Siouxsie and the Banshees - Juju (1981) | 27 oct. 2026 | 02:07:47 | |
Rich got five pieces of candy! Libby got a chocolate bar! Mike got a rock. For this year’s Discord & Rhyme Halloween Spooktacular, Mike thought the time was right to sink our podcasting teeth into Siouxsie and the Banshees’ post-punk opus Juju, an album so seasonally appropriate there’s even a song called “Halloween” on it. With returning special guest and goth emerita Libby Cudmore along to help Mike and Rich understand this whole “goth” thing, Mike makes the case for why this dark masterpiece, filled with brilliant guitar work, inventive drumming, and the singular presence of Siouxsie Sioux, deserves your attention and probably influenced at least a few things you like, even if you’ve never set foot in a Hot Topic. Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Rich Bunnell, Libby Cudmore Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/178-siouxsie-and-the-banshees-juju-1981 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| This Is Comp: The Wrecking Crew! Disc 2, Tracks 12-16 | 13 oct. 2026 | 00:48:04 | |
In this week's Wrecking Crew retrospective, our crew makes a feast out of some puzzling but very fascinating table scraps, including a rowdy, drunken recording session allegedly conducted as a tax write-off for Michael Nesmith, and several songs written by the enigmatic Lee Hazlewood. And just for kicks, we threw in one of the most iconic songs of the '60s as a special bonus track! Co-hosts: Rich Bunnell, Ben Marlin, Dan Watkins Tracklist:
*erroneously listed on the official tracklist as "You Told Me" Other clips:
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| 177: Paul Simon - There Goes Rhymin' Simon (1973) | 29 sept. 2026 | 01:51:39 | |
Paul Simon, famously short of stature but enormous in talent, is one of the most beloved and acclaimed American songwriters of the past century. He has at least four solo albums that would have made for great podcast episodes, but Amanda picked There Goes Rhymin’ Simon. This is probably not his absolute best album, but it’s incredibly good and serves as an excellent introduction to his solo career. He departed from the folk-rock style of Simon and Garfunkel and expanded on his experimentations with jazz, reggae, and R&B (some of these experiments being more successful than others), always accompanied by his characteristically clever turns of phrase. The result is an album that is widely varied but also sonically consistent, very early-’70s but also timeless, and extremely interesting and fun. Cohosts: Amanda Rodgers, Ben Marlin, Rich Bunnell Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/177-paul-simon-there-goes-rhymin-simon-1973 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| This Is Comp: The Wrecking Crew! Disc 2, Tracks 7-11 | 15 sept. 2026 | 01:02:48 | |
This week, the D&R crew discusses a new batch of tunes featuring our favorite L.A.-area session musicians, including the accidental invention of a silly but awesome production technique, a sick beat that helped lay the groundwork for hip-hop, and a celebrated trumpeteer whose cornball music nearly tears this podcast apart. Co-hosts: Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio, Amanda Rodgers Tracklist:
Other clips:
Theme song based on "This Is Pop," written by Andy Partridge, with new lyrics by Adam Smith Opening music: The Hector Collectors https://thehectorcollectors.bandcamp.com/ Closing credits music: Kenneth Kraylie https://kennethkraylie.bandcamp.com/ https://casinos.bandcamp.com/ | |||
| 176: Stone Temple Pilots - Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop (1996) | 01 sept. 2026 | 01:24:05 | |
In late 1995, Stone Temple Pilots were one of the most popular bands in the United States, but they were still widely disliked by critics. The band responded with Tiny Music... Song From The Vatican Gift Shop, where they forged their own unique identity and branched out to try a bunch of styles far from the 90's grunge music they had long been associated with. Phil has been fascinated by this record for a long time and is thrilled to share his appreciation with Rich and Dan. Cohosts: Phil Maddox, Rich Bunnell, Dan Watkins Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/176-stone-temple-pilots-tiny-music-songs-from-the-vatican-gift-shop Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| This Is Comp: The Wrecking Crew! Disc 2, Tracks 2-6 | 18 août 2026 | 01:00:54 | |
Back to the Wrecking Crew! Since "Good Vibrations" got its own showcase as it deserves, this is tracks 2-6, including some of the best sunshine pop and some of the most annoying protest music, all performed expertly by the best musicians in Los Angeles. Songs:
Other clips:
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| This Is Comp: The Wrecking Crew! Good Vibrations | 18 août 2026 | 01:45:41 | |
If there was ever a song that deserved a whole episode to itself, it's the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations." A psychedelic masterpiece assembled bit by bit over several months and several studios, on paper it shouldn't have worked - but with the help of the Wrecking Crew, the Beach Boys successfully brought Brian Wilson's musical vision to life. It's become so familiar to everyone at this point that you might not even notice how brilliant it really is, so Ben, Rich, and special guest Sean are breaking it down piece by piece to illustrate its true genius. And of course there are a million illustrative clips: The Beach Boys:
Other clips:
Buy Ben's book, Come On a Safari With Me: Listening to the Beach Boys, Song by Song: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FTJGDK79 | |||
| 175b: Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac (1968) and Fleetwood Mac (1975) Sides Two | 04 août 2026 | 01:42:32 | |
This quarterly double feature is about Fleetwood Mac for a couple of reasons: because they’re a very interesting and important band, and because they have two self-titled albums that sound nothing like each other. Launched by Peter Green in 1968 as a British blues band, in less than a decade they became an unstoppable California pop-rock monster. Their progression from one to the other is one of the most fascinating stories in rock history, and includes a lot of incredible music that you might not have known about. Mike, John, and Amanda had a great time talking about the various forms of Fleetwood Mac, and if you’re not familiar with their earlier incarnations, we hope you end up loving them as much as we do. And even if you don’t, the later version of the band is still every bit as good as their reputation says they are. This episode includes Side Two of each album; see last week's episode for Sides One. Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, John McFerrin, Amanda Rodgers Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/175-fleetwood-mac-fleetwood-mac-1968-and-fleetwood-mac-1975 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 175a: Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac (1968) and Fleetwood Mac (1975) Sides One | 28 juil. 2026 | 01:49:57 | |
This quarterly double feature is about Fleetwood Mac for a couple of reasons: because they’re a very interesting and important band, and because they have two self-titled albums that sound nothing like each other. Launched by Peter Green in 1968 as a British blues band, in less than a decade they became an unstoppable California pop-rock monster. Their progression from one to the other is one of the most fascinating stories in rock history, and includes a lot of incredible music that you might not have known about. Mike, John, and Amanda had a great time talking about the various forms of Fleetwood Mac, and if you’re not familiar with their earlier incarnations, we hope you end up loving them as much as we do. And even if you don’t, the later version of the band is still every bit as good as their reputation says they are. This episode includes Side One of each album, and you will get Sides Two next week! Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, John McFerrin, Amanda Rodgers Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/175-fleetwood-mac-fleetwood-mac-1968-and-fleetwood-mac-1975 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| This Is Comp: Weird Al's The Alternative Polka (1996), Tracks 7-12 | 14 juil. 2026 | 01:05:39 | |
This week, we dive into the second half of "Weird Al" Yankovic's tribute to the alternative rock format, featuring angsty anthems from Smashing Pumpkins and Soundgarden, the return of America's brother-in-law Anthony Kiedis, and a song that Rivers Cuomo stole from this medley, so we're stealin' it back. Co-hosts: Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox, Ben Marlin Tracklist:
Other clips:
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| Eight Thousand Million Questions: Listener Q&A 8.2 | 30 juin 2026 | 02:37:56 | |
For this year's Q&A episode, we asked you guys what artists and albums you'd like to hear us cover on the show, and you did not disappoint! We got literally hundreds of suggestions, and we did our best to narrow them down but we still ended up having to split this episode into two parts. We published Part 1 last week, and here's Part 2 right here. We had a great time talking about everything from Bob Dylan to Dennis Wilson, and we hope you enjoy it too. Cohosts: Everybody Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5Ew83laRbjctsD57wQXcd7 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| Eight Thousand Million Questions: Listener Q&A 8.1 | 23 juin 2026 | 02:34:07 | |
For this year's Q&A episode, we asked you guys what artists and albums you'd like to hear us cover on the show, and you did not disappoint! We got literally hundreds of suggestions, and we did our best to narrow them down but we still ended up having to split this episode into two parts. Part 1 is right here, and you'll hear Part 2 next week. We had a great time talking about everything from Bob Dylan to Dennis Wilson, and we hope you enjoy it too. Cohosts: Everybody Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5Ew83laRbjctsD57wQXcd7 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| This Is Comp: Weird Al's The Alternative Polka (1996), Tracks 1-6 | 09 juin 2026 | 01:09:04 | |
This week, we don our lederhosen and celebrate the return of our compilation series dissecting "Weird Al" Yankovic's polka medleys, on which he rounded up and lovingly lampooned the chart music of the day. Originally released on his 1996 album Bad Hair Day, "The Alternative Polka" was Al's attempt to catalog the emerging radio format of alternative rock, though the artists in this batch cover so much stylistic ground as to suggest that maybe, just maybe, the whole "alternative" label was just a marketing gimmick. Whether it's a real genre or not, we've finally reached the radio hits our hosts grew up listening to, which makes for a fun discussion with a healthy dose of '90s nostalgia. Tracks:
Other clips:
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| 174: Harry Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson (1971) | 26 mai 2026 | 01:50:13 | |
By the late 60s, Harry Nilsson’s songs had a way of showing up everywhere, from TV and movies to other people’s hit records. However, it was 1971’s Nilsson Schmilsson that finally scored him a bona fide hit album, spawning three hit singles and a Grammy win. The record holds the unique status of being Harry’s most focused and disciplined album while still featuring an idiosyncratic range of styles including hard rock, power ballads, and oddball novelties. All of these genres are effortlessly held together with one of the best voices in the business. Join Dan, Amanda, and Rich as they put the lime in the coconut and discuss the man, the legend, and the group himself. Cohosts: Dan Watkins, Rich Bunnell, Amanda Rodgers Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/174-harry-nilsson-nilsson-schmilsson-1971 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| Bonus: We Can Make Your Hands Clap | 12 mai 2026 | 01:27:41 | |
It's time for a release from the Patreon vault! In this one, originally released in October 2025, we're talking about one of the best percussion instruments: handclaps! From the doomiest metal to the sunniest pop, handclaps add an interesting new layer to anything. P.S. Mike is aware that he mixed up the two singers on Napalm Death’s Scum: Justin Broadrick sings on the first side and Lee Dorrian sings on the second. In his defense, they both sound exactly the same. P.P.S. Turns out it was Rich who noticed the Moody Blues similarity. P.P.P.S. Buy Ben's book!! https://www.amazon.com/Come-Safari-Me-Listening-Beach-ebook/dp/B0FTJGDK79 The songs:
Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Ben Marlin, Amanda Rodgers Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 173: Outkast - Aquemini (1998) | 28 avr. 2026 | 02:55:52 | |
Ready for action, nip it in the bud, we’re never relaxin’, this podcast is everlasting! In this episode, Rich has somethin’ to say about OutKast, the Atlanta duo consisting of Antwon “Big Boi” Patton and André “3000” Benjamin, who conquered hip-hop in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s before quietly parting ways. The most fascinating characteristic of OutKast is the duality between Big Boi’s extroverted, in-your-face gangsta persona and Andre’s introverted, quiet philosopher poet persona, a contrast they thoroughly explore on their 1998 album Aquemini, whose title is a portmanteau of their astrological signs. The duo emerged from Atlanta at a time when Southern hip-hop was struggling to be taken seriously amid the dominant West Coast/East Coast narrative, and on this album OutKast proudly make an argument for themselves as masters of the genre with music that’s both overwhelmingly colorful and layered with history and cultural subtext, all in a way that’s distinctly Southern. So if you’ve been on the fence about getting into hip-hop, Aquemini may be the album that helps you get the hump up out your back now. Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio, Amanda Rodgers Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/173-outkast-aquemini-1998 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| This Is Comp: The Wrecking Crew! Disc 1, Tracks 12-16 | 14 avr. 2026 | 00:46:09 | |
Today we're wrapping up the first disc of The Wrecking Crew! In this episode: the surprise return of a Discord & Rhyme hero, an all-time great that deserves revisiting, and possibly the worst Jan and Dean song ever. Today's tracks:
Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, John McFerrin, Ben Marlin Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod https://kennethkraylie.bandcamp.com/ | |||
| 172: Big Star - #1 Record (1972) | 31 mars 2026 | 01:46:41 | |
Big Star are your favorite eighties band’s favorite band; but while you've heard their influence, you may not have heard their music. In the early 1970s, this Memphis-based band recorded two albums filled with jangly power-pop and yearning balladry that should have been huge but that had to settle for being mysterious and legendary. Ben found those albums on his 19th birthday, and he's loved them ever since. Joined by Rich and Phil, he explores the band’s sparkling debut album, #1 Record. Cohosts: Ben Marlin, Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/172-big-star-1-record-1972 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| This Is Comp: The Wrecking Crew! Disc 1, Tracks 7-11 | 17 mars 2026 | 00:58:07 | |
Episode 2 of our Wrecking Crew series features one of the best pop songs of all time followed by one of the worst, with some okay ones in between! Try not to get too excited as we discuss how these incredible musicians could work with just about anything. Today's tracks:
The "Let's Go" montage:
Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, John McFerrin, Amanda Rodgers Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod https://kennethkraylie.bandcamp.com/ | |||
| 171: Van Halen - Van Halen (1978) | 03 mars 2026 | 02:01:20 | |
GoddammitbabyyouknowIain'tlyintoyouThisIsDiscordAndRhyyyymeYEEEEEAAAAHHHHWWWW!!! Van Halen was a cultural phenomenon in the late 1970s and early 1980s until David Lee Roth split with the band, and they’re one of the first bands that John had any real opinions on in his journey of getting into rock music. With this album, the band largely redefined the boundaries of what an electric guitar could do in a rock context, but they also found a way to make this boundary-pushing fun and light on its feet in a way that largely helped shape rock music for the next decade. About half of this album is radio staples, but the other half has some real gems as well, so come listen to John lead a discussion (with Rich and Mike) about a great album from what was, for a few years, an absolutely great band. Cohosts: John McFerrin, Mike DeFabio, Rich Bunnell Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/171-van-halen-van-halen-1978 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| This Is Comp: The Wrecking Crew! Disc 1, Tracks 1-6 | 17 févr. 2026 | 01:17:05 | |
This Is Comp is back! We're reviving our compilation series with a great one: The Wrecking Crew!, released in 2015 as a soundtrack to the excellent documentary film of the same name. The songs on this comp cover a huge range of genre and quality, but the session musicians are always top-notch. From weird crossover country to Mexican folk to one of the finest pop songs ever recorded, we had a ton of fun with this first batch of songs and we're thrilled to be back. Cohosts: Ben Marlin, Amanda Rodgers, Sean Rodgers Songs:
The "Be My Baby" montage:
Links: The Wrecking Crew! liner notes on Discogs Lesley Gore on the T.A.M.I. Show
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| 170: DJ Shadow - Endtroducing..... (1996) | 03 févr. 2026 | 03:06:00 | |
It … is happening … again! This week, Producer Mike rings in 2026 with NorCal producer DJ Shadow’s 1996 masterpiece Endtroducing….., whose release was a watershed moment for the art of instrumental hip-hop. It’s in the Guinness Book of World Records as the first album to be composed entirely out of sampled sounds, but focusing on the technical achievement seriously undersells the depths of Shadow’s artistry. This is lively, organic music, with compositions that feel like sculptures crafted from the clay of music history, and the entire 21st-century DJing movement stands on the foundation of what Shadow accomplished here. Mike himself is a composer of sample-based music (including our awesome theme song) and a long-time admirer of Shadow’s work, and he’s invited Rich and returning special guest Shivam Bhatt to deconstruct an album that builds a mighty head of steam out of a grain of salt. Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Rich Bunnell, Shivam Bhatt Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/170-dj-shadow-endtroducing-1996 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 169: Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) | 24 déc. 2025 | 03:01:40 | |
It feels like there shouldn't be anything left to say about The Dark Side of the Moon. It's one of the best-selling albums of all time, and it's consistently rated as one of the greatest albums of all time by critics. If you tune into a classic rock station for more than a couple of hours, chances are better than 50/50 that you'll hear a track or three from it get played. It's so common to hear tracks from here out of context that it's become easy to forget that these tracks, when heard in order from start to finish, constitute one of the most stunningly coherent artistic statements of the album era, and that makes it an album that Discord & Rhyme had to cover in depth at some point. Join Amanda, Mike, Rich, and John as they discuss the 1973 classic that transformed Pink Floyd from a niche-famous British prog-adjacent band into one of the most famous bands in the world. Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio, John McFerrin, Amanda Rodgers Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/169-pink-floyd-the-dark-side-of-the-moon-1973 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| Bonus: Thank You for the Music, Vol. 2 | 09 déc. 2025 | 02:01:32 | |
The gang sits down by the fire to discuss a second round of the songs that made them love music. This year's batch covers an astonishing amount of ground, including movie soundtracks, jazz, funk, girl groups, folk, prog (of course), hip-hop, musicals, dub reggae, power pop — and even a hymn!
Spotify playlist of the songs in this episode: open.spotify.com/playlist/1YDBKhf61tJ0d8Xdj3jiJ1 Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio, John McFerrin, Amanda Rodgers Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 168: Badfinger - Straight Up (1971) | 25 nov. 2025 | 01:48:55 | |
Of all the casualties of the Beatles’ Apple label, Badfinger is the most tragic. They had a very promising start, helped along by the Beatles and their associates, but a combination of bad management and personal tragedy stopped them from being as successful as they should have been. However, for a brief period everything worked out exactly right, and Badfinger came up with an album that deserves to be ranked among the all-time classics. From power pop to boogie rock and various points in between, Straight Up is a no-skips album that deserves your attention, so listen up. Cohosts: Amanda Rodgers, Mike DeFabio, Ben Marlin Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/168-badfinger-straight-up-1971 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 167: Ween - Chocolate and Cheese (1994) | 28 oct. 2025 | 02:22:49 | |
Buenas tardes, amigos, and happy Hallo-Ween, my good friends. It took us way, way too long to get the bright idea to devote our annual All Hallow’s Eve episode to the Brothers Ween, but now that we have, it seems appropriate to discuss 1994’s Chocolate and Cheese, an album where Deaner and Gener try on a whole bunch of different musical costumes. While C&C isn’t their major-label debut, it’s the first album they produced in a major-label fashion, and the songs cover a lot of stylistic ground, including Tom Jones Vegas rockabilly lounge, kaleidoscopic Prince psychedelia, a sweeping Morricone murder ballad, smooth Philly soul, and a few songs that completely defy categorization. While this album is often ranked behind powerhouse Ween classics like The Mollusk and Quebec, many of its songs have gone on to become live standards, and there’s an argument to be made that it formed the bedrock of the band’s musical legacy. So join John, Mike, Phil, and Rich as they make a return pilgrimage to the shrine of the mighty Boognish, and remember: don’t believe the florist when he tells you that the roses are free. Cohosts: Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/167-ween-chocolate-and-cheese-1995 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 166: Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend (1991) | 30 sept. 2025 | 02:06:08 | |
Power pop legend Matthew Sweet has had a rough go of it lately, suffering a debilitating stroke last year while setting out on tour, and it’s possible that he may never play music again. So today’s episode is both a bittersweet tribute to his career and a joyous celebration of his music, which is exactly the emotional tightrope that his 1991 cult classic Girlfriend walks from start to finish. Sweet recorded this album during the interim between going through a painful divorce and meeting his now-wife, and while his lyrics aren’t strictly autobiographical, the album’s 15 songs run the gamut from desperate yearning (“Don’t Go,” “You Don’t Love Me”) to pure ebullience (“I’ve Been Waiting,” “Girlfriend”). And it’s all topped off with crisp, direct production that evoked Crazy Horse and the Beatles’ Revolver during a period when many rock albums were soaked in reverb and drained of personality. So kick back as Rich, Phil, and returning guest Libby Cudmore deconstruct and consume an album that’s perfect in so many ways. Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox, Libby Cudmore Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/166-matthew-sweet-girlfriend-1991 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 165: Creedence Clearwater Revival - Willy and the Poor Boys (1969) | 26 août 2025 | 01:55:42 | |
Creedence Clearwater Revival’s 1969 album Willy and the Poor Boys sounds like something out of 1965, or even 1865 - but definitely not the heavy, psychedelic late 1960s. But even though CCR’s music feels like it's outside of time - or maybe because of it - it became the soundtrack of a generation. Ben, Amanda, and Rich make the case that Willy and the Poor Boys should be pulled down from the cultural wallpaper and appreciated as the fresh, crackling music it still is. Cohosts: Ben Marlin, Rich Bunnell, Amanda Rodgers Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/165-creedence-clearwater-revival-willy-and-the-poor-boys-1969 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 164b: Prince - Sign o' the Times, Disc 2 (1987) | 05 août 2025 | 02:00:19 | |
Shut up, already. Damn! Prince was one of the most interesting popular artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and Sign o’ the Times from 1987 was the culmination of one of the most interesting periods in a career full of interesting periods. After various circumstances caused him to abandon a double album (Dream Factory), and other circumstances caused him to abandon a single album (Camille) that he didn’t plan to release under his own name, he initially tried to release a triple album before Warner Bros. made him cut it down to a double. Sign o’ the Times (the resulting double album) has its fair share of hits, yet it’s also messy in a way that appeals to many critics and fans but has also left many people puzzled by some of Prince’s decisions. This episode’s panel has three outright fans of the album (John, Mike, and Rich) and one moderate skeptic (Ben), and this combined with the album’s sprawl results in a lengthy but incredibly dense discussion. Prince was somebody who could appeal to many different people for many different reasons, and in this episode we make a case for why he’s worth digging into beyond a handful of ubiquitous radio hits. This episode covers Disc 2; find Disc 1 in your podcast app if you haven't already! Cohosts: John McFerrin, Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio, Ben Marlin Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/164-prince-sign-o-the-times-1987 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 164a: Prince - Sign o' the Times, Disc 1 (1987) | 22 juil. 2025 | 02:09:42 | |
Shut up, already. Damn! Prince was one of the most interesting popular artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and Sign o’ the Times from 1987 was the culmination of one of the most interesting periods in a career full of interesting periods. After various circumstances caused him to abandon a double album (Dream Factory), and other circumstances caused him to abandon a single album (Camille) that he didn’t plan to release under his own name, he initially tried to release a triple album before Warner Bros. made him cut it down to a double. Sign o’ the Times (the resulting double album) has its fair share of hits, yet it’s also messy in a way that appeals to many critics and fans but has also left many people puzzled by some of Prince’s decisions. This episode’s panel has three outright fans of the album (John, Mike, and Rich) and one moderate skeptic (Ben), and this combined with the album’s sprawl results in a lengthy but incredibly dense discussion. Prince was somebody who could appeal to many different people for many different reasons, and in this episode we make a case for why he’s worth digging into beyond a handful of ubiquitous radio hits. This episode covers Disc 1; Disc 2 will be coming out later, so watch your podcast feeds! Cohosts: John McFerrin, Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio, Ben Marlin Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/164-prince-sign-o-the-times-1987 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| July 2025 Status Update (No, We're Not Ending the Show) | 15 juil. 2025 | 00:01:57 | |
A quick State of the Podcast update and info on our release schedule for the rest of this year. Do not fret, we're not ending the podcast! We've just hit a scheduling logjam and need to slow down a bit in order to keep as cool as we can. | |||
| Bonus: Discord and Cryme - Murder Ballads | 08 juil. 2025 | 00:58:38 | |
Amanda has been fascinated with murder ballads for many years, so in this episode she's telling you (and Ben and Mike) all about them! This isn't an exhaustive overview of the genre, just the backstories behind a few great songs. From a couple of murdered girls in 18th-century England to a stolen hat in 20th-century America, these tragic stories have been transformed into compelling songs that we're still singing today. Some notes:
The songs:
Intro: Nazareth - The Ballad of Hollis Brown (of course) Outro: A bit of dialogue from David Rawlings & Gillian Welch after their excellent rendition of "Pretty Polly" Cohosts: Amanda Rodgers, Ben Marlin, Mike DeFabio More bonus episodes! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod | |||
| 163: The Moody Blues - The Present (1983) | 24 juin 2025 | 02:11:56 | |
You might think we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel by choosing The Present for our annual Moody Blues episode, but that’s not true at all. Even though the band themselves hated it, and it’s quite polarizing among Moody Blues fans, all of us here at Discord and Rhyme think it’s terrific. As with Long Distance Voyager, you need to be prepared for the ultra-slick ‘80s production, but underneath that gloss there are some top-notch Moody Blues songs and super great instrumental details, including Patrick Moraz’s keyboards. If you’re a The Present skeptic, we hope you’ll listen to this episode and end up convinced that it’s a truly great album. Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox, John McFerrin, Amanda Rodgers Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/163-the-moody-blues-the-present-1983 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 162: Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R (2000) | 10 juin 2025 | 01:54:20 | |
Discord & Rhyme kicks June off with a feel good hit of the summer. Join Dan, Mike, and Rich for a ride through Queens of the Stone Age’s 2000 sophomore release Rated R, an album that seemed like a refreshing antithesis of mainstream rock trends at the turn of the millennium. Building off the desert rock DNA of Josh Homme’s previous band Kyuss and infusing elements of psychedelia, pop, and punk with a healthy sense of creative, quirky arrangements, Rated R endures as one of the most exciting hard rock albums of the 2000s. Cohosts: Dan Watkins, Mike DeFabio, Rich Bunnell Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/162-queens-of-the-stone-age-rated-r-2000 Interludes by Lincoln the Lawyer: https://samply.app/p/ARnksp90BrZuhtmQm8Hh Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 161: Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters (1973) | 27 mai 2025 | 01:21:05 | |
Whether you’re a fan of ‘60s jazz, ‘70s funk, ‘80s electro, or things inspired by any of the above (or you just watched a lot of Sesame Street growing up), the music of Herbie Hancock has probably affected your life in some way. So Mike thought it was time to take us all on a good old fashioned head hunt. 1973’s Head Hunters redefined the course of Hancock’s career, was enormously influential on music as a whole, became the first jazz album to ever go platinum, and to this day remains a blast to listen to. If you’re a rock fan who’s long been intimidated by jazz, this warm, funky, colorful album just might be the one that captures your head. Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, John McFerrin, Dan Watkins Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/161-herbie-hancock-head-hunters-1973 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 160: Nick Drake - Bryter Layter (1971) | 13 mai 2025 | 01:49:42 | |
Nick Drake was an outstanding artist: a gifted songwriter, a wonderful singer, and one of the greatest guitarists you’ll ever hear. But his personality was entirely unsuited to the world of popular music, and his art didn’t gain the popularity it deserves until decades after his death. Ever since he unwittingly helped Volkswagen sell cars in 1999, more and more music lovers have discovered his beautiful sincerity, and he’s more popular now than ever. Amanda, Mike, and Rich are among Nick Drake’s many fans and we’re here today to talk about what makes his music so special. Cohosts: Amanda Rodgers, Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/160-nick-drake-bryter-layter-1971 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 159: Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral (1994) | 29 avr. 2025 | 02:47:43 | |
In this episode, Phil takes Discord & Rhyme further down the spiral with an album that is a harrowing descent into one man’s decaying psyche. If that sounds like a blast, you’re in good company with the millions of people who bought Nine Inch Nails’ The Downward Spiral in 1994. It’s one of the bleakest, most pitch-dark albums to ever achieve massive commercial success, and it still sounds great in 2025, owing to the coherence of Trent Reznor’s sonic vision and ingenious production by Flood. Reznor has gone on to become an Oscar-winning soundtrack composer in the decades since this album, but it still stands as one of his signature achievements, and Phil has invited Rich and Mike along to talk about an album that, from top to bottom, sets out to make you hurt. Now doesn’t that make you feel better? Cohosts: Phil Maddox, Mike DeFabio, Rich Bunnell Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/159-nine-inch-nails-the-downward-spiral-1994 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| Seven Thousand Million Questions (Listener Q&A VII) | 15 avr. 2025 | 02:35:33 | |
Rich, Ben, and John answer a super-sized mailbag of listener questions, with subjects including jukebox musicals, James Bond themes, songs that give them the happy chills, sample-based hip-hop producers, the usual suite of Moody Blues questions, and a philosophical discussion on how we all listen to music and how this has changed as we've gotten older. This episode also features an interlude on experimental music from Producer Mike, and a listener-submitted puzzle! Co-hosts: Rich Bunnell, Ben Marlin, John McFerrin, Mike DeFabio Spotify playlist of the songs clipped in this episode: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2ew48yCf2JAnroOVFlaLCv?si=yPstIGylTUOanMidd-cPlA | |||
| 158: The Doors - The Doors (1967) | 01 avr. 2025 | 02:14:26 | |
Everyone has an opinion about the Doors - whether you think they’re transgressive and mind-blowing, or you find them silly and overrated, or - like Ben - you just think they made some killer music. With invaluable help from Amanda, Dan, and Mike, Ben makes the case that the Doors’ 1967 self-titled debut album contains more killer music than many people realize. It might even blow your mind a little, too. Cohosts: Ben Marlin, Amanda Rodgers, Mike DeFabio, Dan Watkins Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/158-the-doors-the-doors-1967 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 157: Midnight Oil - 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (1982) | 18 mars 2025 | 02:01:08 | |
It’s taken us nearly seven years, but the time has come. Midnight Oil, one of Australia's quintessential bands, is probably best known for its tireless political activism as expressed through hits like "Beds Are Burning" and "Blue Sky Mine," as well as the on-stage acrobatics of their 6′4″ frontman, Peter Garrett. But behind the sloganeering and agitprop, the Oils are a fiendishly creative and charmingly oddball band, and their 1982 Australian breakout album 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, recorded at a make-or-break moment for the group, was when they first really landed on their unmistakable aura. Rich has been an Oils fan literally since he was a teenager, and he’s called in Ben and returning special guest Dave Weigel to deconstruct 10 to 1 and all of the power and the passion that went into these incredible songs. Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Ben Marlin, Dave Weigel Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/157-midnight-oil-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-1982 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 156: Tortoise - Millions Now Living Will Never Die (1996) | 04 mars 2025 | 01:59:52 | |
Discord & Rhyme continues its slow walk through the world of Post-Rock with an examination of the 1996 album Millions Now Living Will Never Die by the Chicago-based group Tortoise. John has been fascinated by the concept of Post-Rock for many years (even if many of the acts associated with it, Tortoise included, rejected it as a useful descriptor), and a large part of this fascination stems from a love he has had for this album for over 20 years. In this episode, John, Mike, Rich, and Dan try to make sense not only of how one should define one of the most ambiguous genres out there, but also of why an instrumental album in that genre (possibly), mostly lacking clear traditional melodies and traditional song structures (the opening “Djed” is 21 minutes by itself), is clearly one of the best albums any of us have ever heard. Regardless of whether Tortoise is Post-Rock, Prog, both, or neither, this is an album worth learning about, and Discord & Rhyme is up to the challenge. Cohosts: John McFerrin, Mike DeFabio, Rich Bunnell, Dan Watkins Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/156-tortoise-millions-now-living-will-never-die-1996 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 155: Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden (1988) | 18 févr. 2025 | 01:51:10 | |
If you only know Talk Talk for their ‘80s night staple “It’s My Life,” you might well wonder what an experimental weirdo like Mike is doing hosting an episode about them. However, if you know a little more about their strange and fascinating career trajectory, it makes perfect sense. The sparse, atmospheric Spirit of Eden couldn’t be more different from Talk Talk’s synth-pop origins or from anything else in the musical landscape of 1988, and it more or less doomed the band’s career when it came out, but the sound of rock music in the 21st century wouldn’t be the same without it. Listening to Spirit of Eden is an experience that’s almost impossible to relate by means of such quotidian devices as “words,” but Mike, Phil, Rich, and John are all going to try anyway. Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox, John McFerrin Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/155-talk-talk-spirit-of-eden-1988 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| Emergency Bonus Episode: Beatles Covers, Pt. III | 04 févr. 2025 | 01:18:03 | |
Due to some technical difficulties, we had to push back our Talk Talk episode, so to fix the hole in our schedule we are talking about the Beatles again! We've discussed covers of Beatles songs before, but there are millions of them so there will always be more to talk about. We're covering a lot of sonic ground in this episode, with a few songs we all love and a few that are more polarizing. Also: important information for Apple users regarding Patreon, some information about listening on Spotify, and more! The covers:
Other clips:
A Full Day in the Life on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/bren-murphy/a-full-day-in-the-life-by-peter-serafinowicz Ringo Remembers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW1ou7SH3is Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6PvhYhqz6gOAKTGW1YnbG4?si=61ee29f8952541b5 Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Amanda Rodgers, Dan Watkins Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 154: Elton John - Honky Chateau (1972) | 21 janv. 2025 | 02:21:27 | |
We all know that Elton John is a top-tier singles artist, but he is also a top-tier albums artist. His run of nine albums from Empty Sky in 1969 through Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy in 1975 may very well be unmatched in modern music history. It was really hard to pick one to talk about on Discord & Rhyme, but we settled on Honky Chateau because it’s the perfect encapsulation of what Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin were best at (and worst at). Full of incredible musicianship, amazing singing, stellar arrangements, and awkward lyrics, this is an album that’s almost guaranteed to win over anyone who is still skeptical of Elton John. NOTE: Amanda made a mistake. Empty Sky wasn't released in the United States until 1975. Cohosts: Amanda Rodgers, Ben Marlin, Rich Bunnell, John McFerrin Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/154-elton-john-honky-chateau-1972 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod The Music Of Songs by Jimmy O'Donnell: https://jimmyodonnell.bandcamp.com/album/the-music-of-songs If You Try Sometimes... by Benjamin Marlin: https://amzn.to/3ZFJCK5 | |||
| 153: Pixies - Doolittle (1989) | 24 déc. 2024 | 02:21:17 | |
Well, sit right down, my wicked son, and let us tell you a story, about the subject of this year’s Discord & Rhyme holiday episode: the Pixies! (Or technically, just Pixies.) Hailing from Boston, the alternative rock quartet dealt with mounting intra-band tension with little to nothing to show for it financially, leading bandleader Charles Thompson (alias Black Francis) to break up the band via fax in 1991. But the band’s critical stature gradually grew to gigantic proportions in the ‘90s, as their albums influenced bands like Pavement, PJ Harvey, Radiohead, Weezer, and especially Nirvana, who built an entire movement out of the classic Pixies “quiet-loud” formula. When they reunited for a reunion tour in 2004, they found, much to their shock and awe, that their songs had grown into anthems. Their 1989 album Doolittle is arguably the peak of their original run, featuring songs that could plausibly fill an arena without sacrificing their scrappy indie energy, so join Rich, John, and Dan as they sail away on a (festive) wave of mutilation. Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, John McFerrin, Dan Watkins Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/153-pixies-doolittle-1989 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod Malört: The Redemption of a Revered and Reviled Spirit by Josh Noel: https://www.joshnoel.net/malort-book | |||
| 152: Caravan - In the Land of Grey and Pink (1971) | 10 déc. 2024 | 01:53:03 | |
Discord & Rhyme are taking a trip to Canterbury, England - UNESCO World Heritage Site, home of the Canterbury Cathedral, and birthplace of prog-rock legends Caravan. Springing forth from the rich Canterbury scene, Caravan created a style of progressive rock that managed to be complex while retaining a real sense of warmth. The group is not particularly well known outside of progressive rock circles, but Phil has loved them for a long time, and he’s excited to talk about the group’s most famous album, In the Land of Grey and Pink. Cohosts: Phil Maddox, Mike DeFabio, John McFerrin Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/152-caravan-in-the-land-of-grey-and-pink-1971 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| Bonus: Thank You for the Music | 19 nov. 2024 | 01:56:22 | |
We're departing from our usual format for this episode. Everybody needed a pick-me-up, so instead of discussing an album, we're talking about songs: specifically, the ones that make us love music. Some of these are the songs we loved as little kids that built our musical foundations, and some of them are illustrations of specific things we adore. We went all over the map for this one and had a great time, so please enjoy the episode and tell us the songs that make you love music. The songs:
Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox, John McFerrin, Amanda Rodgers All of these songs in a Spotify playlist (turns out "Heart of Steel" is on there in Canada): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/31dDmAhSYpFCXRBCcnSHLD?si=1b85117917524b32 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 151: John Carpenter - Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998 (2017) | 29 oct. 2024 | 02:26:42 | |
Discord & Rhyme goes to the movies! This Halloween we're ringing in spooky season by exploring the work of filmmaker and musician John Carpenter. Best known for introducing the world to Michael Myers with the horror classic Halloween, Carpenter has built a solid filmography as a director while also providing his own distinctive musical vision with his scores. The 2017 career-spanning collection Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998 features fresh recordings of some of his most recognizable and beloved soundtrack work. Join Dan, Mike, and Rich as they slightly drift from the usual Discord & Rhyme format to indulge their movie nerd obsessions.
Cohosts: Dan Watkins, Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/151-john-carpenter-anthology-movie-themes-1974-1998-2017 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 150: Metallica - Ride the Lightning (1984) and Master of Puppets (1986) | 15 oct. 2024 | 03:40:01 | |
Mike’s ongoing quest to make Discord & Rhyme more metal inevitably meant we would have to tackle the band so synonymous with metal they put it in their name, and Metallica’s incredible mid-80s prime inevitably meant we would need to tackle two of their albums in the same episode. Ride the Lightning of 1984 and Master of Puppets of 1986 are largely the same album in terms of overall flow, but the differences are every bit as important as the similarities, and the best material from these albums ranks among the best rock music (not just metal) ever created. Join with Mike, Phil, and John as they make the case for why Metallica, despite a career with its fair share of ups and downs (and baffling documentaries), should be remembered as one of the greatest bands of its time. Cohosts: Mike DeFabio, Phil Maddox, John McFerrin Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/150-metallica-ride-the-lightning-1984-and-master-of-puppets-1986 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||
| 149: A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory (1991) | 01 oct. 2024 | 02:39:18 | |
Here we go, yo! It's been a while since this podcast has covered either a hip-hop album or a jazz album — so this week, we're doing both at once! A Tribe Called Quest formed in the late ‘80s in the New York City neighborhood of St. Albans, Queens, which was home to some of the giants of jazz, blues, and funk, and was a hotbed of musical activity in the years when hip-hop was simmering into existence. On Tribe’s 1991 album The Low End Theory, members Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, and Ali Shaheed Muhammed pay tribute to this rich musical legacy with an album that charted a new path for hip-hop by exploring its roots in bebop, hard bop, post-bop, all the other bops, and more. This album isn’t just a classic – it’s one of the sacred texts of the hip-hop genre, and it helped Rich get into jazz after years of failed attempts. So if you’re a jazz aficionado who’s on the fence about hip-hop, or vice versa, we invite you to crank up the bass and check the (discord and) rhime with us. Just watch out for the dungeon dragon! Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio, Phil Maddox Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/149-a-tribe-called-quest-the-low-end-theory-1991 Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod | |||