Explore every episode of the podcast Self Titled

Arctic Monkeys were already one of the biggest bands in the UK before AM, but this was the album that made them a global phenomenon. Powered by songs like "Do I Wanna Know?," "R U Mine?," and "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?," AM arrived at a time when guitar bands rarely dominated popular music and somehow cracked the code.

In this episode, I explore the making of AM, break down the album track by track, and discuss the stylistic shift that helped Arctic Monkeys become arguably the biggest guitar band in the world. I also wrestle with the tension at the heart of this record: why I admire it so much, even though it isn't my favorite album in their catalog.

What do you think? Is AM the band's masterpiece, or do you prefer their earlier work? Let me know.

In 2004, Modest Mouse released Good News for People Who Love Bad News, an album that transformed the band from indie favorites into mainstream stars. While "Float On" became one of the defining songs of the decade, the album itself is far richer, stranger, and more emotionally complex than many people remember.

In this episode of Self Titled, Seth Sparks and Jordan DeWeese revisit Good News for People Who Love Bad News more than twenty years later. We discuss the album's turbulent creation, Isaac Brock's remarkable songwriting, the band's unlikely rise to commercial success, and break down every track to find out whether this classic still deserves its legendary reputation.

Whether you've loved this record for years or only know "Float On," we hope you'll revisit one of the most distinctive rock albums of the 2000s alongside us.

What are your favorite songs from Good News for People Who Love Bad News?

Let us know in the comments and follow the podcast:

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:45 Our history with Good News

05:54 Isaac Brock as a lyricist

08:08 The background of Good News

14:23 What was happening in 2004

16:31 Track-by-track breakdown

58:44 Modest Mouse's work after Good News

Phish might be one of the most polarizing bands in modern music — loved by millions, loathed by millions more.

In this episode, Seth, Josh, and Ethan defend one of their most formative bands from decades of hate and hilarious online takedowns.

From jam band clichés to “bong boy” memes, we unpack why Phish’s musicianship, community, and studio work still matter — even if you don’t want to sit through a 30-minute version of “You Enjoy Myself.”Topics include:• The Internet’s best (and worst) Phish insults• Why studio Phish might be underrated• Jam bands, fan culture, and overlong solos• The beauty of “Billy Breathes” and “Story of the Ghost”• What Ween’s Dean Ween once said in Phish’s defenseIf you’ve ever loved, hated, or just been confused by Phish — this one’s for you.

Thirty years later, Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop still feels like a left turn nobody saw coming.In this episode of Self-Titled, Seth and Josh revisit Stone Temple Pilots’ boldest and most adventurous album — the record that pushed the band far beyond the “grunge” label and revealed just how inventive they really were.

From the swagger of “Big Bang Baby” and “Pop’s Love Suicide” to the strange beauty of “Adhesive,” “Daisy,” and “And So I Know,” we break down the album track by track and talk about:

-Why Tiny Music felt so different in 1996

-The DeLeo brothers’ underrated musicianship

-Scott Weiland’s evolution as a vocalist and frontman

-The album’s glam, psychedelic, lounge, and classic rock influences

-Why the back half of the record deserves more attention

-How STP grew beyond the criticism that followed them early on

We also revisit our memories of hearing this album as teenagers, discuss the MTV era that surrounded it, and talk about why Tiny Music still sounds fresh decades later.

If you love alternative rock, Stone Temple Pilots, or albums that took creative risks and aged beautifully, this one’s for you.

#StoneTemplePilots #TinyMusic #STP #AlternativeRock #90sMusic #ScottWeiland

Few albums feel as alive, mysterious, and forward-thinking as Marquee Moon by Television. Released in 1977 at the dawn of the CBGB era, the album somehow still sounds futuristic nearly 50 years later.

In this episode of Self Titled, Seth and Jordan dive deep into the story behind Marquee Moon — from the early days of the New York punk scene and CBGB to the singular guitar chemistry between Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd. Along the way, they explore how the album blurred the line between punk, art rock, and post-punk before most of those labels even existed.

The conversation includes:

-Why Marquee Moon still sounds unlike almost anything else

-The influence of Television on bands like Wilco, Pavement, The Strokes, and more

-The myth and reality of the CBGB scene

-The hypnotic guitar interplay that defines the album

-A track-by-track discussion of songs like “See No Evil,” “Venus,” “Friction,” and the towering title track “Marquee Moon”

If you love adventurous guitar music, atmospheric records, or albums that seem to exist outside of time, this one’s for you.

Viagra Boys made a party album about paranoia.

On the surface, Cave World is chaotic, funny, and completely unhinged—shrimp references, absurd lyrics, and grooves that feel like they belong in a sweaty club at 1 a.m. But the deeper you go, the more it starts to feel like something else entirely.

This is an album about conspiracy, social breakdown, masculinity, and the strange headspace a lot of people found themselves in coming out of the pandemic. It’s satire, but it doesn’t always announce itself that way. Sometimes it’s obvious. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable. And sometimes it’s both at once.

In this episode of Self Titled, Seth and Jordan break down Cave World track by track—talking about the band’s sound, their live shows, the humor, the paranoia, and why this might be one of the most fun (and quietly sharp) records of the last few years.

Also… we try to make sense of the shrimp thing.

Topics covered:

• Why Cave World works as both a party record and a critique
• Viagra Boys’ place in the modern post-punk wave
• The band’s obsession with devolution, paranoia, and absurdity
• Live show experiences (and why they matter for this band)
• Track-by-track highlights and standout moments

If you’ve never listened to Viagra Boys, this might be the perfect place to start.
If you have, you probably already know—this band doesn’t sound like anyone else.

We set out to do something simple: pick our top 5 Wilco songs. It turns out… that’s almost impossible.

With over a dozen albums and a catalog that spans everything from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot to Sky Blue Sky to A Ghost Is Born and beyond, narrowing it down to just five songs each turned into a much bigger challenge than we expected. What started as a fun exercise quickly became a deep dive into what makes Wilco one of our all-time favorite bands.

In this episode, we each share our personal top 5 Wilco songs—along with the stories, memories, and musical moments that made them stick. There’s no definitive list here. Just three fans trying to make sense of a catalog that means a lot to us.

If you’re a longtime Wilco fan, we’d love to hear your list. And if you’re newer to the band, this might be a good place to start.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

07:40 Number 5s

13:41 Number 4s

18:29 Number 3s

23:05 Number 2s

29:20 Number 1s

What do you even say about an album like The Mollusk?

On the surface, it’s ridiculous. Sea creatures. Polka dot whales. Songs that sound like children’s music… until they suddenly don’t.

But the more time you spend with it, the more it reveals itself as something surprisingly cohesive—and absolutely brilliant.

In this episode of Self Titled, we dive into The Mollusk by Ween—a record that blends nautical folklore, psychedelic weirdness, and real emotional weight into one of the most unique albums of the ’90s.

We talk about:

-Why this album can feel impenetrable at first—and why it eventually clicks

-The strange (and very real) story behind how it was made

-Songs like “Mutilated Lips,” “Buckingham Green,” and “Ocean Man”

-Whether this is actually Ween’s masterpiece

If you’ve ever bounced off Ween—or if you’ve loved them for years—this is one worth revisiting.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

03:20 Listening to Ween around non-Ween fans

05:52 Our history with Ween and The Mollusk

15:18 Where does The Mollusk rank among Ween albums

19:40 The making of The Mollusk

25:00 Track-by-track breakdown

01:21:04 The aftermath of The Mollusk

01:31:58 What makes Ween special

In this episode of Self-Titled, we dive into Nirvana’s legendary MTV Unplugged in New York. Recorded at the height of the band’s fame, the performance revealed a different side of Nirvana—stripped down, intimate, and deeply emotional.

We talk about the atmosphere of the show, Kurt Cobain’s song choices, the surprising covers, and why this performance proved Nirvana was always more than distortion.

More than thirty years later, it still stands as one of the most powerful live albums ever recorded.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:58 Remembering Nirvana and Unplugged

12:30 In context of the band's career

20:50 Track-by-track breakdown

01:23:28 The aftermath and Kurt's death

What if one of the most important albums of the 2000s almost didn’t get released at all?In this episode of Self Titled, we dive into Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco—an album born out of creative tension, internal conflict, and a level of experimentation that pushed it beyond what their label was willing to support.Famously rejected before its release, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot has since become one of the most beloved and influential albums of its era. But what actually makes it work?We talk about:-The chaos behind the recording process-Why the album confused people at the time-How its “weirdness” reveals itself over repeated listens-The story of its rejection—and what that really says about the music-And why it still feels so different more than 20 years laterFrom fractured beginnings to lasting impact, this is an album that rewards patience—and challenges expectations.Chapters00:00 Intro01:43 Our personal history with YHF05:35 The tension behind the making of YHF10:59 The eerie 9/11-ness of the album16:59 This is an amazingly weird album32:29 Track-by-track breakdown01:23:36 Wilco after YHF01:28:30 Jeff Tweedy, Patron Saint of the Creative Process

In 1998, Perennial Favorites didn’t exactly win over the critics.

But nearly three decades later, it still sounds dangerous.

On this episode, we revisit Squirrel Nut Zippers’ misunderstood third album — the one that followed the breakout success of “Hell” — and explore why it never quite fit the swing revival label that defined the era.

We talk about the Chapel Hill scene, pre-war jazz influences, industry pressure, and the musical tension that gives songs like “Ghost of Stephen Foster” and “Pallin’ With Al” their bite.

This wasn’t nostalgia.
The menace was always the point.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

02:15 Our history with Perennial Favorites

04:18 The critics were wrong

07:06 Squirrel Nut Zippers weren't Swing Revivalists

14:50 The Chapel Hill music scene

16:34 Leading up to Perennial Favorites

22:32 Track by track

56:34 Our correspondence with Tom Maxwell

01:10:52 Track by track continued

01:23:30 Perennial Favorites still sounds incredible

01:26:20 SNZ after Perennial Favorites

01:34:43 Rapid-fire questions

Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti is massive, messy, funky, mystical—and possibly their greatest achievement.

Seth and Josh dive into Zeppelin’s 1975 double album to explore why it feels like the ultimate expression of the band’s power and range. Touching on blues, funk, folk, Eastern influences, and pure rock excess, the episode unpacks how Physical Graffiti captures all four members operating at their peak.

From the groove of “Trampled Under Foot” to the scale of “Kashmir,” the conversation looks at musicianship, chemistry, and ambition—and asks whether this album marks Zeppelin’s final masterpiece before the mythology began to outweigh the music.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:28 Why We Love Physical Graffiti

04:56 Is Led Zeppelin the Quintessential Rock Band?

09:36 Robert Plant's Vocals

17:34 The Background on Physical Graffiti

22:49 Track-by-Track Breakdown

01:10:10 Takeaways

01:16:49 Physical Graffiti's Context in Musical History

When OK Computer was released, we were 15 years old — in a band, discovering who we were, and completely unprepared for what this album would do to us.

This episode isn’t about ranking tracks or litigating whether OK Computer is “the greatest album of all time.” It’s about what it felt like to live inside this record — hearing it in real time, letting it rewire how we understood music, and realizing that listening itself could be an activity.

We talk about:

Hearing OK Computer for the first time — and needing weeks before returning to it

Why albums like this reveal themselves slowly

The emotional weight of songs like “Let Down,” “Exit Music (For a Film),” and “Climbing Up the Walls”

Why OK Computer still sounds ahead of its time nearly 30 years later

This is a personal history of an album that means a lot to us.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:37 Our History With OK Computer

15:38 OK Computer's Background

21:33 Track-by-track Deep Dive

01:01:30 Final Takeaways

The 1990s were Josh and Seth's most formative decade, so creating a list of our top 10 '90s albums was no easy feat. To make things even harder, we also attempted to guess each other's top 10.

From Weezer and Cake to Aphex Twin and Radiohead, here are our favorite albums from the 1990s.

Chapters:00:00 Intro

02:00 Josh Guesses Seth's List

03:56 Seth Guesses Josh's List

05:27 Seth's #10-6

08:30 Josh's #10-6

10:47 Our Top 5

19:01 Our Number 1

23:25 Takeaways

The White Album might be the most confusing, chaotic, and brilliant record the Beatles ever made — which is exactly why we love it.

In this episode of Self Titled, we dive deep into The Beatles (1968): the band’s only double album and a document of four musicians drifting apart while somehow making one of the greatest albums of all time.

We talk through the tension surrounding the sessions, the shift from studio experimentation to stripped-down songwriting, and how tracks like “Dear Prudence,” “Glass Onion,” “Happiness Is a Warm Gun,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” and “Martha, My Dear” reveal each Beatle at a creative crossroads.

Along the way, we debate favorite contributors, revisit high-school listening memories, and ask the big question: Is the White Album messy — or is the mess the magic?

This is a track-by-track conversation about obsession, experimentation, and why this album still rewires how we hear music decades later.

00:00 Intro

01:14 Why Josh chose this album

05:43 The background of The White Album

08:50 The weirdness of The White Album

10:30 Which Beatle has the strongest showing?

20:32 Track-by-track review

01:23:34 Is the White Album too long?

01:26:45 The bass sound on The White Album01:29:05 Final Takeaway

Seth and Jordan each list their top movies of 2025 (this recording preceded the release of Marty Supreme, btw). We do a deep dive into our love for One Battle After Another and rank our Paul Thomas Anderson movies.

00:00 - Intro

00:45 - #5 Train Dreams

01:25 - #4 Friendship

03:50 - #3 Pavements

06:28 - #2 Weapons

10:02 - #1 One Battle After Another

12:12 - Ranking Every Paul Thomas Anderson Movie

22:14 - Why One Battle After Another Is Top-Tier

Seth enlists the help of his three most musically savvy friends to break down the best albums of 2025. We've covered a lot of ground in this list, but we reserve a nice long chunk of time at the end of the episode to dive into the phenomenon that was Geese's Getting Killed. 00:00 - Intro00:29 - Landon04:05 - Landon's #3: Djo - The Crux09:15 - Landon's #2: Foxwarren - 214:57 - Landon's #3: Way Dynamic - Massive Shoe21:29 - John23:04 - John's #10: Chevelle - Bright as Blasphemy23:50 - John's #9: Black Keys - No Rain, No Flowers25:15 - John's #8: Tate McRae - So Close to What27:26 - John's #7: Lily Allen - West End Girl29:11 - John's #6: Queens of the Stone Age - Alive in the Catacombs30:47 - John's #5: Turnstile - Never Enough34:33 - John's #4: Fox Lake - New World Heat36:27 - John's #3: Deftones - Private Music40:10 - John's #2: Arc De Solei - Lumen Rain43:55 - John's #1: Balu Brigada - Portal48:34 - Jordan48:49 - Seth's 10-452:49 - Jordan's 10-459:43 - Seth's #3: Pulp - More01:01:16 - Jordan's #3: Guerilla Toss - You're Weird Now01:02:00 - Seth & Jordan's #2: Viagra Boys - Viagr Aboys01:08:00 - Seth & Jordan's #1: Geese - Getting Killed

In this episode of Self Titled, Seth and Josh explore Vampire Weekend’s Modern Vampires of the City — a record that helped define 2010s indie rock and still feels unlike anything else from its era. What begins as a playful, genre-bending album gradually reveals itself as something deeper, heavier, and more spiritually ambitious than it first appears.

Across the conversation, Seth and Josh discuss:
• How Modern Vampires blends chamber pop, global rhythms, baroque touches, and modern production into something entirely its own
• The album’s candid lyrics and its recurring, intimate dialogue with God
• Ezra Koenig’s writing at its most vulnerable, thoughtful, and inventive
• Standout tracks including “Obvious Bicycle,” “Unbelievers,” “Hannah Hunt,” “Diane Young,” “Everlasting Arms,” and “Ya Hey”
• Why the emotional breakthrough of “Hannah Hunt” hits so hard
• How Rostam’s production helped shape the band’s most meticulous and adventurous album
• The kids’ unexpectedly strong opinions (spoiler: “Finger Back” is a family event)
• Who could actually pull off covering this record — from Andrew Bird to a time-travelling Brian Wilson
• Why Ezra Koenig might be the Pete Sampras of indie rock

For Seth, it’s a long-time favorite. For Josh, it became a slow-burn obsession after spending months with the record. Together, they unpack what makes Modern Vampires such a rare “masterpiece moment” — the intersection of ambition, craft, vulnerability, and total creative freedom.

If you enjoy the show, follow Self Titled and leave a review.

The Telecaster might have started in country music, but its story didn’t end there.

Seth highlights six guitarists who proved that Leo Fender’s first solid-body electric could do anything: from the post-punk precision of Graham Coxon to the art-rock chaos of Jonny Greenwood. Along the way, he covers how Joe Strummer, Frank Black, D. Boon, and Tom Morello each made the Telecaster their own.

Seth always respected Alice in Chains — but never got them. Until Josh made him listen closer.

In this episode, the hosts break down what makes Alice in Chains so powerful: the eerie harmonies, the mix of metal and melancholy, and the emotional weight that few ’90s bands could match. It’s a story about re-evaluation, rediscovery, and what happens when a band you thought you knew suddenly clicks.

🎸 Featuring discussion of Dirt, Jar of Flies, and why Layne Staley’s voice still echoes decades later.

The year is 1999. The Billboard Modern Rock Chart is full of… questionable choices.

Seth and Josh revisit the actual July 10, 1999 chart — a strange moment when alternative rock was still on the radio, but the spirit of the ’90s was gone. What happened between Nirvana and Creed? Between Radiohead and Train?

This episode is equal parts nostalgia and postmortem: a deep dive into how a great decade in rock ended with a whimper.

🎸 Featuring: Creed, Smash Mouth, Foo Fighters, Blink-182, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the ghosts of grunge.

Everyone has a favorite cover — the one that takes a familiar song and makes it something new.

In this episode, Seth, Josh, and Ethan each share their Top 10 Favorite Cover Songs, trading picks, stories, and light-hearted arguments about what makes a great one.

🎬 Some directors treat music like a supporting character. Others make it the star.

Seth and Josh dive into the art of the needle drop—those perfect movie moments when the right song hits at the right time—and count down their Top 5 Needle Drop Directors of All Time.

If you love movies, music, and the moments where they collide, this episode’s for you.

Mark Ronson’s Late Night Feelings might be the ultimate “sad bangers” album — but for indie fans, it’s also a surprising gateway into pop.

Seth and Josh unpack Ronson’s collaborators, the emotional weight beneath the glossy surface, and why this album might be his masterpiece.

Josh had barely scratched the surface of The Cure—until now. Seth handed him a custom playlist, gave him a couple weeks, and hit record.

In this episode, Josh shares his thoughts on The Cure's most iconic songs, how Robert Smith won him over, and why some tracks immediately clicked while others felt overplayed. From Friday shifts at Sonic to unexpected love for “Just Like Heaven” and “Lullaby,” this conversation explores what makes The Cure both timeless and surprisingly approachable.

We’re calling it: Trainspotting has the greatest soundtrack ever.

In this episode, Seth and Josh revisit the 1996 cult classic soundtrack that doubled as a crash course in Britpop, post-punk, and electronic music. From Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life” to Underworld’s “Born Slippy,” Lou Reed to Blur, Pulp, and New Order — we share the tracks that shaped us and why this soundtrack still matters nearly 30 years later.

We did it. We each made a list of our 50 favorite bands of all time—and revealed them on mic, live, without knowing each other’s picks.

In this episode, Seth and Josh walk through their deeply personal, occasionally chaotic, and sometimes embarrassing Top 50 band lists. We talk about our parameters (no solo artists, mostly rock-adjacent), the emotional rollercoaster of ranking beloved artists, and how this exercise turned into a genuine journey of self-discovery.

From legacy legends like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd to cult favorites like Spoon, The Minutemen, Yeasayer, and Harvey Danger, our lists blend generational classics with quirky deep cuts. Plus: some spicy omissions, a few curveballs, and a shared vulnerability that only comes from putting your taste out there.

👉 What's on your list? Send us your Top 10 or Top 50 on social media or in the comments.

Josh’s Top 3: Radiohead, Blur, Gorillaz
Seth’s Top 3: The Beatles, Blur, Radiohead

🎸 If you’re a music nerd who loves lists, this episode is for you.

The year is 1996. Clinton vs. Dole, Jordan’s Bulls are back on top, Twister is in theaters, and the Billboard Modern Rock chart is packed with everything from grunge heavyweights to ska upstarts to guilty-pleasure one-hit wonders.

In this Self Titled episode, Seth and Josh rate all 40 songs from Billboard’s July 1996 Modern Rock chart. Expect passionate debates, bursts of nostalgia, and plenty of sharp opinions—whether it’s five-star praise for Rage Against the Machine and Smashing Pumpkins, or zero-star takedowns of ’90s alt-rock slop.

It’s part time capsule, part roast, part celebration of one of rock’s weirdest years.

Released in 1979, The Damned’s Machine Gun Etiquette is one of punk’s wildest left turns—an album that kept all the energy of the first wave but broke every rule in the book. Mixing punk with psychedelia, prog, goth, and pop, it inspired everything from hardcore to dark wave.

In this episode, I make the case for why Machine Gun Etiquette might be the apex of punk’s first wave, exploring the musicianship of Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies, and Dave Vanian, the standout tracks, and the album’s lasting influence.

If you’ve never heard it, fix that today. And if you love it as much as I do, stick around for more explorations into music that changed everything.

Can you make someone a Smiths fan in just three weeks?

Seth curated a 15-song Smiths playlist and gave it to Josh, who had never listened to the band before. The result: a candid review of the highs, lows, and lasting influence of one of indie music’s most important groups.

In this episode of Self Titled, we talk standout tracks (“How Soon Is Now?”, “Bigmouth Strikes Again”), the songs that didn’t land, Morrissey as a frontman, and The Smiths’ undeniable impact on artists like Blur, Radiohead, and Phoebe Bridgers.

Will Josh revisit The Smiths—or was this a one-time listen? Tune in to find out.

0:00 - Intro

3:00 - Did Josh Enjoy This?

6:10 - What Josh Liked About The Smiths

8:55 - Josh’s Favorite Smiths Songs

9:32 - Smiths Songs Josh Can’t Stand

12:10 - Josh’s Thoughts on Morrissey

13:45 - Will Josh Keep Listening to The Smiths?

Currents wasn’t just another Tame Impala record — it was Kevin Parker’s leap into a new sound. Ten years later, we’re exploring how this synth-heavy, groove-driven breakup album became a global phenomenon, the risks Parker took in making it, and why it still resonates today.

We cover the story behind the songs, our favorite tracks, and where Currents sits in Tame Impala’s legacy. Was this the band’s turning point?

If LCD Soundsystem is one of your favorite bands, this episode will help you discover five more artists who share that same groove-driven, layered, and endlessly danceable energy. From iconic legends like Talking Heads to modern innovators like Young Fathers, we’re curating the perfect playlist for fans who can’t get enough of that LCD vibe.

In this episode:

• The band that paved the way for LCD’s sound

• Underrated acts from the indie-dance era

• Hidden gems you might’ve missed

• Bands that layer rhythm, texture, and melody

Hit play, explore some new music, and let us know which bands you think deserve a spot on this list.

Ben Folds Five’s debut album turns 30, and we’re celebrating by breaking down one of the most delightfully contradictory records of the '90s.

In this episode, we explore the album’s quirky brilliance—how it blends punk rock attitude with piano-driven arrangements, and balances emotional depth with pure chaos. We talk about standout tracks, killer lyrics, and what made this trio such a refreshing force in the alternative scene.

We also ask:

• Which film best mirrors this album?

• Who could cover this album today and actually pull it off?

• And what sports team captures their vibe?

In this episode of Self Titled, Seth and Josh revisit six bands they once loved—who, for one reason or another, never quite lived up to the promise of their early albums. From massive radio hits to cult classics, these bands hit early highs that left us wanting more.

Is it the band’s fault… or did we just change? We explore that question while reflecting on some of the biggest (and most personal) musical letdowns.

Listen and see if you agree—or strongly disagree.

In this episode, we revisit Yeasayer’s Odd Blood—a synth-heavy, genre-bending album that’s somehow both maximalist and overlooked. From “Ambling Alp” to “Rome” and “I Remember,” we explore what makes this 2010 release such a fascinating snapshot of indie music at the time.

We share personal stories about discovering Yeasayer, debate standout tracks, unpack the band’s unique blend of pop hooks and experimental chaos, and ask whether Odd Blood might actually be their best work.

Was this the forgotten synth-pop classic of its era? We think so. Join us as we make the case.

00:00 – Introduction

01:16 – What makes this album interesting

04:45 – Earliest memory of Odd Blood

09:15 – Standout tracks

11:40 – Favorite lyric

15:08 – Peak moment of the album

15:55 – Yeasayer's contemporaries

17:26 – What movie is Odd Blood?

19:15 – Who should cover this album?

20:50 – Yeasayer's Player Comp

23:18 – Takeaways from My Finest Work Yet

What happens when the perfect song hits at the perfect moment in a movie? In this episode, we each count down our personal top five “needle drops” — those unforgettable scene-song pairings that gave us chills, made us laugh, or just felt cool as hell.

From the Pixies in Fight Club to Lou Reed in Trainspotting, Cream in Goodfellas, and a surprise Oasis banger in Snatch, this one’s packed with music, movies, and some good ol’ fashioned movie geekery.

🎬 Featuring: Tarantino, Scorsese, PTA, Danny Boyle, Guy Ritchie, and more
🎧 Featuring: Amy Mann, Stealers Wheel, Santa Esmeralda, Bob Dylan, and others

Got a favorite needle drop we missed? Let us know!

The Beatles vs. The Rolling Stones. It’s the classic debate — but is it missing someone? In this brief essay, I make the case for The Kinks as an essential third pillar of '60s British rock. From Ray Davies’ songwriting to the band’s massive influence, this episode rethinks the debate from the ground up.

From Cheers to Succession, we're ranking our top 5 TV theme songs of all time. Seth takes the modern side. Josh brings the classics. Together, we explore which theme songs have stood the test of time — and which ones still slap today.

Featuring: BoJack Horseman, Golden Girls, The Jeffersons, Portlandia, Jackass, Only Murders in the Building, and more.

Six years after its release, we’re taking a deep dive into My Finest Work Yet, Andrew Bird’s lush, layered, and politically-charged 2019 album. From “Sisyphus” to “Bloodless,” this is Andrew Bird at the height of his powers—equal parts witty, contemplative, and timeless (drink!).

In this episode, we talk through:

• Our personal history with Andrew Bird (including sneaking into bars to see Bowl of Fire)

• What makes My Finest Work Yet feel so relevant, years later

• Favorite lyrics and songs

• Who we'd cast to cover this album (hello, Broken Bells and 1970s Scott Walker)

• Which athlete best embodies Andrew Bird (spoiler: it's Tim Duncan)

Whether you're a longtime fan or curious newcomer, this one's for the Birdheads.

In this episode, we count down our top 5 original songs written for movies—songs that weren’t just added to a soundtrack, but were created to live inside the film itself.

We’re talking Indiana Jones, Mary Poppins, Willy Wonka, The Godfather, There Will Be Blood, Risky Business, and way more. Expect some surprises, lots of honorable mentions, and the usual blend of nostalgia, analysis, and chaos.

Which original movie song is the GOAT in your book? Let us know.

Pulp is back after 24 years with More, and it’s everything I hoped for. In this video, I talk about what makes the album special, how it fits into their legacy, and why it’s a return worth celebrating. Whether you’re a longtime fan or just Pulp-curious, this one’s for you.

Skinty Fia isn’t just a great album—it’s a defining moment in modern guitar music. In this episode, Josh and Seth dive into why Fontaines D.C.'s third record is one of the most important albums of the post-punk revival.

We unpack the sound, the themes of identity and isolation, and how Skinty Fia captured something bigger than just one band’s evolution. Along the way, we imagine what movie Skinty Fia would be, which artist should cover it, and who Fontaines D.C. would be if they were an athlete.

Thinking about diving into Radiohead but don’t know where to start? In this episode, Josh and Seth share tips for approaching one of the most innovative bands of our time. We break down how to get into their music, what to expect from different eras, and how to find the right entry point for you.

Whether you're brand new or revisiting the catalog with fresh ears, this guide is for you.

Rockstars in Hollywood? Rappers on the red carpet? Josh and Seth count down their all-time favorite musicians who actually pulled off acting careers. Some will surprise you. Some… maybe not.

In this episode, Josh and Seth blow any shred of street cred they still have by admitting to their poorest musical decisions. We've all made mistakes, but these might be unforgivable.

Seth and Josh discuss the insanity that comes from a 12-week weight-loss challenge. Someone may or may not have eaten dog food.

Is Plastic Beach the most overlooked album of the 2010s?

In this episode of Self Titled, we dive deep into Gorillaz’s third album — exploring its grand ambition, its guest collaborations, and why it might just be Damon Albarn’s crowning achievement. We break down the music, the story, and why Plastic Beach still feels urgent today.

New episodes drop regularly — follow us to keep the music conversation going.

Josh and Seth discuss the one Blur song that few people seem to remember.

In this episode of Self Titled, Seth and Josh dive deep into Hot Chip’s breakthrough album The Warning — the moment the band shed their laid-back reputation and leaned into something sharper, stranger, and far more aggressive than anyone expected.

We unpack:

• Why The Warning is a direct response to critics calling them “too chill”
• How tracks like “Over and Over” and “Boy From School” helped redefine 2000s indie-electronic
• The album’s unique tension between tenderness and chaos
• Hot Chip’s evolution from soft-spoken synth nerds to festival-slaying pop experimenters

Whether you’re a longtime fan or just now discovering this era of Hot Chip, The Warning still hits like, well… a warning.

Join Seth and Josh as we dive headfirst into the Billboard Modern Rock Chart from February 26, 1994 — a moment in alt-rock history packed with legends, surprises, and a few forgotten gems. From grunge giants to one-hit wonders, we rank all 30 songs and revisit what made this era so unforgettable.