Alan Zweig

There's no getting around it, 'Magic and Loss', Lou Reed's sixteenth studio album released in 1992, is NOT a particularly easy listen. While often musically beautiful in an elegantly understated way, the themes of death and the relentless toll it can take on both the dying and ones who love them are both universal and at times uncomfortably personal. Returning guest, Canadian documentary filmmaker Alan Zweig, is here for all of it. “There's a bit of magic in everything And then some loss to even...

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 In...

Still reeling from the drug-related deaths of Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten and roadie/friend Bruce Berry, Neil Young's 'Tonight's The Night' is as raw an expression of grief and mourning you're likely to find. Canadian filmmaker Alan Zweig (Vinyl, When Jews Were Funny) joins us as we take a deep dive into this dark but ultimately beautiful document of death and loss. Songs discussed in this episode: Tonight's The Night (Pt II) - Neil Young; O Canada - Geddy Lee & Alex Lifeson, featuring ...

Canadian documentary filmmaker Alan Zweig (Vinyl, I, Curmudgeon, When Jews Were Funny) brings us an album of understated, fluid funk with a subtle-but-potent message: 'There's No Place Like America Today' by Curtis Mayfield. Released in 1975 on Mayfield's own Curtom Records, it's a stunning, sophisticated - and sadly overlooked - chronicle of austere times by a true master of his craft. Essential listening. *Opening dialogue from the 2000 documentary film 'Vinyl' Songs featured in this episode:...