Episodes

Once considered polar opposites, country music and rap have had a bit of a moment together as of late with artists like Jelly Roll & Post Malone and releases like Beyonce's Cowboy Carter hitting the charts. The thing is, Brooklyn, NY born bluegrass/hip-hop group Gangstagrass have been doing it since 2007. Returning guest, sociologist Alana Anton , brings us their latest release: ' The Blackest Thing On The Menu ', and makes the case that these genres have more in common than record label markete...

Singer/songwriter Django Haskins (The Old Ceremony) is the one to FINALLY bring a Randy Newman record to TRGMH, 1999's ' Bad Love '. With equal doses of snide wit and honest emotion, Newman's slyly cynical 10th studio album is sure to get under your skin and fester for a while... Songs discussed in this episode: I Miss You (Unplugged), Short People, It's Money That I Love - Randy Newman; God's Comic - Elvis Costello; Shadows, Lonely Mayor, Too Big To Fail - The Old Ceremony; My Country, Shame, I...

For this BONUS Patron-curated episode , we invited patrons of the podcast to send in their favorite political and/or protest songs. They came up with a surprisingly eclectic playlist of songs that will make you angry, fired-up and ready to (metaphorically) rumble! Fight The Power, indeed!! Songs discussed in this episode: War - Bob Marley (Live 1977 at The Rainbow, London); Happy New Year (Prince Can't Die Again) - Mac McCaughan; Haillie Sellasse, Up Your Ass - Propagandhi; Ignoreland - R.E.M.; ...

Throughout the late 80s and early 90s, Ministry were one of the most terrifyingly aggressive industrial acts around. But in 1983 Al Jourgensen introduced himself to the masses - and this week's guest, producer/musician Dave Trumfio (Chicago's Pulsars ) - with the decidedly New Wave ' With Sympathy '. This is NOT your grandma's Ministry , unless your grandma is a moody goth kid singing snappy little synth-pop tunes in a faux-British accent. Enjoy! Songs discussed in this episode: Revenge (VJ Rob ...

California pop/punk royalty Descendents took a break in 1987, becoming All so singer Milo Aukerman could pursue a career in biochemistry. 1996 marked the return of Milo, and the release of their 5th studio album ' Everything Sucks '. This week Rob is joined by artist/drummer Woody Compton (Is This Tomorrow) , as they both unleash their 12-year-old selves to unpack this hook-filled gem of a record. Songs discussed in this episode: When I Get Old (Descendents cover) - Filipps Firma; She's My Ex - ...

Formed in 1979, Hawthorne California's Redd Kross are having quite the year. With a feature documentary - Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story directed by Andrew Reich - a fantastic new self-titled double album, and a new memoir by brothers Jeff & Steven McDonald and award winning journalist Dan Epstein : Now You’re One of Us: The Incredible Story of Redd Kross coming October 29th. Dan joins us to discuss the book and the Redd Kross record that first got him high: 1987s ' Neurotica '. "Come on, l...

When this week's guest, Minneapolis-based writer and drummer David Jarnstrom , was tasked with choosing a record to discuss, he surprisingly went with something both relatively obscure AND near-and-dear to Rob's heart: the 1990 debut - and sole full-length record - by criminally unsung Miami pop-punk heroes Quit , ' Earlier Thoughts '. Go figure! Songs discussed in this episode: Intro - Quit:Live at Churchill's Pub Goodtastic Films Video Excerpt; Run It Out - Rad Owl; VANNEN, the friend - John S...

Back in March, 2021 when TRGMH was still a two-man operation, musician & human Bob Fay ( Sebadoh, Deluxx, Folk Implosion ) joined Rob and Barry to discuss The Frogs and their controversial 1989 cult classic ' It's Only Right and Natural '. That episode was never released. Until now... Songs discussed in this episode: Homos - The Frogs (Live at The Knitting Factory, Los Angeles CA 05-16-2003); Not Too Amused - Sebadoh; I'm Just A Bill - Deluxx Folk Implosion; I've Got Drugs (Out Of The Mist), I D...

This week's guest, producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Evan Taylor (Bernie Worrell Orchestra, Loantaka Records), brings us The Beach Boys ' 21st studio album - and the last one under the group's name to be written and produced solely by troubled leader Brian Wilson - ' The Beach Boys Love You '. Released in 1977, this strange, at-times childlike collection of songs sounded like nothing else the band had done up until then. With raspier-than-usual vocals from the Wilson brothers and B...

British post-punk superstars Wire always seem to be ahead of their time, no matter what time they exist in. Returning guest Garry Messick (American Doom Podcast) brings us their twelfth studio album, 2011's mysteriously diverse, surprisingly melodic ' Red Barked Tree '. 34 years into their career at the time of its release, Colin Newman , Graham Lewis and Robert Grey STILL manage to make quite a racket, and it's a beautiful racket indeed... After Midnight - Wire (Live at The Roxy, London 1977); ...

When Rickie Lee Jones burst onto the music scene in 1979, she was an immediate sensation. There was no one remotely like her. When week's guest - Minneapolis singer/songwriter Pamela McNeill - picked up Jones' debut on cassette at a truck stop, she was looking for some cool female-fronted music to pop into her Walkman for the long drives to gigs sitting shotgun. She got that, and more. Welcome to Coolsville... Songs discussed in this episode: Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Rickie Lee Jones; Th...

Strap-in dear listeners, as we are joined by Yasuko Onuki and Ichiro Agata (Yako & Agata) of Japanese noise rock band Melt-Banana - and some creepy computer-generated translation software - for this BONUS episode discussing the soundtrack to Wim Wenders' 1987 film Wings of Desire (Der Himmel über Berlin) "Can you hear it? Can you see it? Can you look me in the eyes? It doesn't really matter anymore…” Songs discussed in this episode: Stopgap, Scar - Melt-Banana; Der Himmel Über Berlin (Sky Over B...

This week we dive into Glasgow Scotland's influential indie-pop purveyors The Pastels and their excellent EP/Singles compilation ' Truckload Of Trouble ' with special guest, teacher and poet Josh Medsker . Songs discussed in this episode: Lonely Planet Boy (New York Dolls Cover) - The Pastels; The Horrors In The Museum - Rudimentary Peni; Nothing To Be Done - The Pastels; Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam - The Vaselines; What You Do To Me - Teenage Fanclub; What's Important - Beat Happening; Thank Y...

Dagger Zine's Tim Hinely returns with a record that STILL gets him high after 37+ years. A turning point for D.C. Hardcore band Government Issue , their 1987 release ' You ' saw the band moving in a more mature, melodic direction that proved to be a game-changer, and paved the way for many a post-hardcore band that followed in their footsteps. Songs discussed in this episode: Where You Live - Naked Raygun; Say Something - Government Issue; Wait For The Blackout - The Damned; Pacific 231 - Burnin...

Returning guest, filmmaker Alan Zweig (Vinyl, When Jews Were Funny), brings us Will Oldham - a.k.a. Palace Brothers , Bonnie 'Prince' Billy ...etc) and his stunning debut: 'There Is No-One What Will Take Care of You' First released in 1993 under a cloud of mystery, Oldham's dark tales of sin, lust, alcohol, and redemption made for rousing conversation - as we name-checked The Louvin Brothers, The Velvet Underground and many others along the way. Songs discussed in this episode: Oh Lord Are You I...

Our guest this week, Brooklyn-based musician David Nagler (Tape Hiss), brings us Brazilian music legend Milton Nascimento and his 1973 release: Milagre Dos Peixes (Miracle of the Fishes) When many of the song lyrics were rejected by the Brazilian military regime, Nascimento elected to remove them and replace them with a wordless singing style that has been called "the voice of God" David's latest musical project - NYC-meets-Brazil musical collective ' As For The Future ' - is available now at h...

For this special BONUS episode, we asked our Patrons to send in a cover of a song they feel is better than the original. As usual, they did NOT disappoint! Warning: Hot takes ahead!! Songs discussed in this episode: Hallelujah - John Cale, Jeff Buckley, Rufus Wainwright, K.D. Lang, Neil Diamond and Brandi Carlile Seven Days Too Long - Dexys Midnight Runners Black Diamond - The Replacements Swinging Party - Lorde This Guy's In Love With You - Faith No More I Am, I Said - Killdozer Don't Let Me Do...

The last thing Rob expected to be doing in 2024 was talking about Anaheim, California ska-punk/pop band No Doubt , but when he invited Late Slip 's ringleader Chelsea Nenni on the show her record choice was crystal clear. When she first heard their breakout album ' Tragic Kingdom ' as a 10 year old girl living in Southern California, the seed of one day forming and fronting a band of her own was firmly planted, and Gwen Stefani 's honest takes on navigating life and love as a young girl coming o...

In this positively bonkers episode, we ventured into the studio of L.A. musician/producer Fernando Perdomo to help him unpack the bizarre album by Philadelphia pop/soul hitmakers Daryl Hall and John Oates that got them dropped by Atlantic Records: 1974's ' War Babies '. Strap in, kids... Songs discussed in this episode: Is It A Star - Todd Rundgren; Searching For Myself, Self - Fernando Perdomo; Whenever You're on My Mind - Marshall Crenshaw; No Matter What You Do - Jakob Dylan & Regina Spektor;...

Avant-garde singer-songwriter and musician Azalia Snail joins Rob in the TRGMH studio to discuss an artist near and dear to her heart - Melanie Safka aka Melanie - and some of her greatest hits: "But maybe it'll all be alright, ma Maybe it'll all be okay Well, if the people are buying tears I'll be rich someday, ma Look what they done to my song..." Songs discussed in this episode: California Dreamin' - Melanie; Take Away His Power, Expert Outlier, Zap You Of That Hate - Azalia Snail; Oh Happy D...

For our very first stab at a Dylan record, Chicago singer/songwriter Steve Dawson (Dolly Varden) veered away from the obvious and chose 1970s ' New Morning '. Coming on the heels of his widely ill-received 'Self Portrait', 'New Morning' was a tight, solid collection of songs many considered a welcome return to form from Mr Zimmerman. Super-fun conversation! Songs discussed in this episode: The Man In Me (Live at Budokan, 1978) - Bob Dylan; At The Bottom Of A Canyon In The Branches Of A Tree - St...

This week's guest, author Rob Drew , traces how a lowly, hissy format that began life in office dictation machines and cheap portable players came to be regarded as a token of intimate expression through music and a source of cultural capital in his new book Unspooled: How the Cassette Made Music Shareable . For this episode, he curated a mixtape of some of the music featured in his book and discusses it with Rob. TWO Rob's for the price of one! Songs discussed in this episode: Louis Quatorze - ...

For this special BONUS episode, we asked our Patrons to send in a song with horns that got them high. As always they did NOT disappoint - it's a super-eclectic episode with some really fantastic 'songs with horns' picks, so enjoy!! Songs discussed in this episode: A Message To You Rudy - The Specials; Young Americans - David Bowie; The Impression That I Get - The Mighty Mighty Bosstones; Rudie Can't Fail - The Clash; Bitch - The Rolling Stones; The Underdog - Spoon; Put The Road In Order - Brass...

This week, New York musician Stephen Bluhm brings us John Cale and his hauntingly beautiful 1973 masterpiece: ' Paris 1919 ' Songs discussed in this episode: Paris 1919 (live at the Paradiso Amsterdam Netherlands) - John Cale; Any Little Thing - Stephen Bluhm; Big White Cloud - John Cale; No One Is There - Nico; All The Love You Want, Wissahickon - Stephen Bluhm; Satellite Of Love - Lou Reed; China Sea - John Cale; Easy To Slip - Little Feat; A Child's Christmas In Whales , Hallelujah, Hanky Pan...