Advertise on podcast: Discord and Rhyme: An Album Podcast

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

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

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!  Trevor Jones - Main Title (from The Last of the Mohicans) Lee Morgan - The Sidewinder James Brown - Papa's Got a Brand New Bag (Parts 1 & 2) The Flirtations - Nothing But a Heartache Sufjan Stevens - Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing The Byrds - Gunga Din Yes - Close to the Edge Pete Rock & CL Smooth - They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) Antonio Banderas & Madonna - Oh, What a Circus (from Evita) Van Der Graaf Generator - Childlike Faith in Childhood's End King Tubby - Invasion Sloan - Penpals 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. 

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: Mike wishes to note that the phonograph era was well underway in 1911; he just meant there weren't exactly DJs yet.You really must read Paul Slade's book Unprepared To Die if you want the full stories, plus more! At the very least, check out his website.We'd really like to hear Skyclad or somebody similar do a cover of "Pretty Polly."Turns out "Matty Groves" isn't based on any real events, it's just a great story.Nick Cave did not include "Stagger Lee" in the shows Amanda and Mike saw, but Kylie Minogue did sing "Where the Wild Roses Grow" when Rich saw her at Madison Square Garden!The songs: The Louvin Brothers - Knoxville GirlSandy Denny - Pretty PollyLloyd Price/Nick Cave - Stagger LeeSam Cooke - Frankie & JohnnyNick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Where the Wild Roses GrowIntro: 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

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

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

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

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