EarWax: An Amoeba Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

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EarWax: An Amoeba Podcast

EarWax: An Amoeba Podcast

The EarWax Crew

Music
Music
Music

Frequency: 1 episode/7d. Total Eps: 95

Buzzsprout

EarWax is a deep-dive music podcast hosted by two longtime record store clerks, Hilary and Cody, who are steeped in music history.

Each week, we unpack the story of a single album - how it was made, where it fits in the cultural moment that shaped it, and why it still matters. From iconic classics to cult gems, we explore the music that moves us and the stories that stick.

You’ll also hear about the latest releases and what’s buzzing in our world of vinyl bins and liner notes. Think of it like your favorite record store hang, just in podcast form.

EarWax is for anyone who loves music with context, history, and heart.

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Recent rankings

Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.

Apple Podcasts

  • 🇺🇸 USA - musicHistory

    31/07/2025
    #93

  • 🇺🇸 USA - musicHistory

    30/07/2025
    #64

  • 🇺🇸 USA - musicHistory

    29/07/2025
    #82

  • 🇺🇸 USA - musicHistory

    27/07/2025
    #66

  • 🇺🇸 USA - musicHistory

    26/07/2025
    #45

  • 🇺🇸 USA - musicHistory

    25/07/2025
    #49

  • 🇺🇸 USA - musicHistory

    22/07/2025
    #89

  • 🇬🇧 Great Britain - musicHistory

    18/07/2025
    #95

  • 🇬🇧 Great Britain - musicHistory

    17/07/2025
    #84

  • 🇬🇧 Great Britain - musicHistory

    16/07/2025
    #72

Spotify

    No recent rankings available

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Score global : 68%

Publication history

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Ep. 57: Massive Attack - Mezzanine

Episode 57

jeudi 29 août 2024 • Duration 01:12:30

Pressure can make diamonds, but too much pressure and you get an explosion. And this week, we have both!

Massive Attack's "Mezzanine" is a standard-setter in electronic music. While the band was consistently at odds during its making, the resulting record crackles with energy.

Cody and Hilary talk about near death, a major embarrassment involving a pop icon, and how the band worked through (or around) the tumult to create a brilliant album.

"Mezzanine" is dark, tense, and cool. The story behind it, maybe even more so!

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

Ep. 56: Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters

Episode 56

jeudi 22 août 2024 • Duration 01:11:44

Make sure you do your neck stretches, because you will be nodding along with us this week.

The EarWax squad took a trip to the Hollywood Bowl to see this week's episode performed live by the OGs who played on it.

By 1973, Herbie Hancock had hits, chops, and a resume that elevated him into rarified air. Searching for that next thing, he took inspiration from James Brown, Sly Stone, and of course Miles Davis.

The result: "Head Hunters," a disgustingly groove-laced record whose track list may be short, but whose legacy casts a huge shadow.

Herbie Hancock is one of the coolest dudes in music, and we were absolutely honored to have seen him perform one of the coolest-sounding records of all time.

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

Ep. 47: Janelle Monáe - The ArchAndroid

Episode 47

jeudi 20 juin 2024 • Duration 01:21:24

An R&B record whose scope is bigger than most prog rock epics, this week's episode covers Janelle Monáe's debut studio album "The ArchAndroid."

Cody and Hilary talk about the influence of sci-fi in music before diving into this epic - in a very literal sense -  of an album. The love and collaboration that went into this album is apparent not only from the gorgeous tracks on it, but from listening to the folks who made it speak about the process. The fandom for each other's talent, the sense of community, and a self-assurance in direction drive this album to live up to its lofty aspirations.

Jam-packed with lush melodies, dancefloor-ready grooves, and a Big Boi feature, "The ArchAndroid" uses the framework of the future to address the present.

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

Ep. 46: Pet Shop Boys - Actually

Episode 46

jeudi 13 juin 2024 • Duration 01:30:43

Nothing like a healthy dose of synth pop and British government, and that's just what we have this week!

Pet Shop Boys' "Actually" is 80s perfection, tackling big issues using outrageously smart songwriting and catchy hooks. 

The content of "Actually" is still extremely relevant, and this record has aged as well as the Boys themselves. 

Clever, earnest, and powerful, "Actually" is distilled talent with confidence to spare. 

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

Ep. 45: Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis

Episode 45

jeudi 6 juin 2024 • Duration 01:24:14

We've got the silky smooth Swingin' Sixties coming your way this week!

Dusty Springfield was a staple of the era, with hits in both the US and the UK. A fixture on the charts and on TV, Dusty's pop vocal stylings ran perpendicular with the rock zeitgeist. But she had a finger on the pulse, and could sense the tide turning in the late 60s.

"Dusty in Springfield" is an album that, by many accounts, was tedious (at best) to make. A laundry list of factors played into the sessions in Memphis and New York, but the end result was crystal clear to everyone involved - this was a bonafide classic.

The years have been extremely kind to this album, giving it a well-deserved second life as the staple of late 60s pop/R&B that it is. Dusty Springfield and the Memphis Boys are all magnificent, and this record is Exhibit A of that wealth of talent.

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

Ep. 44: PJ Harvey - Rid of Me

Episode 44

jeudi 30 mai 2024 • Duration 01:25:18

Make sure your mouthguard is in, because we're trying to kick some teeth in this week!

PJ Harvey had risen to fame rapidly, and that had taken its toll. Having taken some time away to get right, she charged back onto the scene with her second record.

With Steve Albini behind the boards, Rid of Me packs all of the punch of peak 90s rock, with the added bonus of having PJ Harvey's songwriting to go along with it. 

PJ Harvey has a catalogue that is the envy of the vast majority of musicians, and Rid of Me is among her heaviest stuff. Uncomfortable and ugly, this album is, above all, authentic.

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

Ep. 43: Louis Prima - The Wildest!

Episode 43

jeudi 23 mai 2024 • Duration 01:18:12

Get prepped to jump, jive, and wail from start to finish, the EarWax crew is covering The Wildest, Louis Prima!

With Keely Smith, Sam Butera, and the Witnesses alongside him, Louis Prima set Las Vegas on fire, five sets a night between 12 AM - 6 AM. The template that Vegas lounge acts would follow, Prima and his crew were going to give you a pro's show every time they hit the stage.

This album is the closest they came to recapturing that energy in the studio. Proto-rock and roll, hot jazz, jump blues, and just a hint of New Orleans horns all mesh together to lay the foundation for the Vegas acts we see today.

A special Thank You to Anthony Sylvester, Trustee of the Gia Maione Prima Foundation, for taking the time to chat about this record. Check out the great work they do supporting jazz education!

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

Ep. 42: Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak

Episode 42

jeudi 16 mai 2024 • Duration 01:14:57

How many power chords do you have? Because this week we've got plenty to spare!

Thin Lizzy had been more or less given one final shot to break big. Despite big creative differences, perhaps a little too much "hydration," and maybe not enough discipline early on, the crew behind Jailbreak all recognized the stakes.

Packed with rock radio staples and incredible deep cuts, Jailbreak secured Thin Lizzy's future on the recording front. Driven by Phil Lynott's vision and supported by exquisite drumming and twin guitar work, the band turned in an absolute classic.

Jailbreak is simply some of the purest rock you will ever hear.

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

Ep. 41: Justice - †

Episode 41

jeudi 9 mai 2024 • Duration 01:16:14

Hunker down, because we've got a record full of absolute bangers this week.

Part electronic, part disco, part hard rock and all teeth, this duo found their footing with a series of remixes, before heading into the basement of an old club and chapel to record what would be their first studio album.

Justice's debut album † (Cross) brings the heat. With over 400 albums sampled (and micro-sampled), the influences are as present as the originality. Are you going to be able to catch all 400? Not a chance, but you'll want to keep playing this record over and over again to try and find them.

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

Ep. 40: Buena Vista Social Club - Buena Vista Social Club

Episode 40

jeudi 2 mai 2024 • Duration 01:03:28

Come on now, you know we got geared up for this one. One of the heaviest hitters in the world music conversation, Buena Vista Social Club's self-titled debut is this week's focus on EarWax!

Let's head to Cuba (by way of Mexico, if you're Ry Cooder), find some legendary Cuban musicians, get them in the studio and see what magic unfolds. After their initial idea broke down, this is how Nick Gold and Ry Cooder pivoted, and man did it work out.

These are songs that have been around Cuba for decades, nearly intrinsic to the country. The folks on this album love this music, they love to perform, and the result is a record that flows effortlessly. Truly beautiful in its scope and execution, Buena Vista Social Club is a reminder that music is bigger than politics, and that a great song will find a home in any era.

Thanks for listening! Check out everything we have going on via the info below:

Credits:
Edited by Claudia Rivera-Tinsley
All transition music written and performed by Spencer Belden
"EarWax Main Theme" performed by Spencer Belden feat. David Otis

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