Somebody Likes It

You know what’s cool? When you go out to a bar and some drunk asshole is going on and on about a record, or tv show, or movie they REALLY love and you just have to sit there and take it. Well, imagine 3 drunk assholes doing that, and you’ll be hot on the case of what we are doing the next 3 weeks with a thing we call “I Like It” (really selling it huh)? This week, I’m up and I picked The Smiths-The Smiths, the debut album by my favorite band The Smiths (duh). A fine time was had by all. Not sure if it makes for good radio, but any time you are talking about the straight up weirdo tortured genius that is Morrissey, interesting tidbits are bound to pop up. NEXT WEEK ON SOMEBODY LIKES IT: Ryan is up to bat and we take aim at Travis-The Man Who…and Matt Munoz stops by, and so should you. —-Shane

This is what happens when your studio is in the house you inhabit with your bandmates, you’re bitter (or maybe just tired) about record labels and smarmy A&R guys, and you notice the onset of what has to be middle age, or at least the realization that for all your effort, maybe this thing that you’ve loved all of these years just doesn’t love you back. And then The Meadowlands drops, the founder of Pitchfork loses his collective shizz and writes a glowing review that can’t help but pique the curiosity of the masses. Tune in for the twists and turns that happen next. Got a question, comment or suggestion for the show? Hit us up at messagesomebody@gmail.com

Ladies, this week’s edition of Somebody Likes It is brought to you by Mother’s Best cornmeal and flour, with just a dose of mid-twentieth century sexism. I speak, of course, of Hank Williams’ I Saw The Light, a delightful compilation of down-from-the holler hucksterism and genius-level early country music. If you like your biscuits light and fluffy and your country music both heart and ground-breaking, then get on out of the kitchen and join us for a little Hank Williams. In the spirit of the proceedings, I showed up a little tipsy, but then, so did Hank. Also, Shane gave us the gift of Canada’s answer to The Village People, The Skatt Brothers’ Life at the Outpost, which one should experience at least once before one dies, while Kevin enlightened us as to up-and-comer Trapper Schoepp, burgeoning young Milwaukee talent. Next week: Joisey indie rock band The Wrens, with The Meadowlands, where I hear Jimmy Hoffa is buried. Questions or comments? Hit us up at messagesomebody@gmail.com

Well, we gone and done it. Got in bed with ole Kenny G. and did us a jazzy record. Sounds like a bunch of fucking Mr. Rogers Going To The Land Of MakeBelieve-ass bullshit if you ask me. Ryan was able to give it his highest approval rating “I didn’t hate it”…you’ll have in to see how the rest of us felt about it. NEXT UP: Ryan found a random Hank Williams record. Tell you more about it next week…Shane

Human frailty isn’t exactly a novel conceit, nor are we surprised by youthful angst, but then again, those sentiments aren’t always delivered in authentic ways, by burgeoning and sincere anti-ingenues. Such is the dilemma we faced when peering into the tattered world of Julien Baker, a twenty-year-old artist whose solo foray forced the often raucous music world to stop and take note. Is it possible to wax both fragile and rebellious? We’re not sure either.

This week’s episode of Somebody Likes It sees us discussing The New Pornographers’ debut record Mass Romantic. I (Ryan) am apparently incapable of restraint when expressing my undying affection for the title track, and am pretty charmed (if less so) by the rest of the record. Shane, on the other hand, is less enthusiastic, and very nearly went swimming with Neko Case once. Turns out, “power pop” isn’t really Shane’s bag, but it may just be the case of too much of a good thing. Or too many talented cooks in the kitchen. Tune in and decide for yourself. Also, the title track is amazing, and I might have brought that up at least once. Cheers…

Remember last week when i encouraged you guys to go seek out the cover of Night Moves by Bob Seger? Did you do it yet? That was a pretty easy homework assignment…so if you failed that motherfucker, you are officially out of the class… Doesn’t really matter what we think about this album, some of us loved it, some of us…didn’t hate it, but eh, ya know…but that god damned album cover staring back at you? That’s the shit dreams are made of…bad dreams, bad-ass dreams!

Welp, I kept hearing about this up-start band called the Rolling Stones and I figured since we over here at Somebody Likes It Central Command are nothing if not full of lots of emotions of pity for the “little guy”, I thought I would throw them a bone and pick one of their albums. Exile on Mainstreet ain’t no George Thorogood, that’s for sure, but I feel confident if these guys keep it up, they might just “break on through to the other side” (The Doors) one of these days… NEXT TIME: Punk Rock Comedian JT Habersaat joins us as we listen to Bob Seeger’s Nightmoves…can’t tell you how to feel about that album, but I can say if you don’t think the album cover is the best ever created, well, you are wrong.

As cliched as it sounds, Sadie Dupuis might actually be some sort of tour de force: the chief creative element behind the ascending Speedy Ortiz (which, best I can tell, is neither speedy nor boasts an Ortiz), Dupuis recently knocked out an MFA in poetry, which she wields to hone razor-sharp lyrics on Speedy tracks. This band swims in the same hip kids pond that New England influences Pixies, The Breeders and Dinosaur Jr. first explored, and it may not be a shock that we have a tendency to think that’s noteworthy.

I just exhausted myself with all the tittering I did coming up with “Jam Puns” writing the previous version of this. Then, when I finished composing it in all of it’s majesty, I sat back to gaze upon my masterpiece…And then it struck me I FUCKING HATE PUNS! There is a burning hatred inside of me for puns. Tell the truth though, I now can see the allure in writing them. Anyway,we reviewed the album “All Mod Cons” by the Jam. Now I’m getting all nervous that I’m inadvertently dropping puns everywhere. Better get out while I’m ahead.

To paraphrase Ryan, Peepshow by Siouxsie and the Banshees is the only record we’ve talked about that on first listen is disappointing because of how high a bar the opening track sets. Yeah, Peek-a-Boo (the song) is pretty much a home run. That’s all I’m gonna say about this one, because I get in trouble when I open up too much. Siouxsie Sue sure is an interesting name. I wonder if it’s spelled that way on her birth certificate.

The band so nice, we reviewed them twice (note to self:you need to coyright that)…we first came across Canadian group Land of Talk last year during Podcast Overlord Chris Cox’s visit to the show when I picked their song “Quarry Hymns” for A Few Minutes With.Well for this go-round Kevin had us listen to the full-length that spawned that song, “Cloak and Cipher”. Let’s just say we didn’t hate it. Is that enough suspense for you?

Usually when we do these mix-tape shows, there is considerably more fun and frivolity to be had (though there is plenty of that to be found in this episode). By now, you guys know “the drill”…we pick a bunch of Bowie songs, and discuss them. Just felt like this would be a way we could honor his life through the prism of Somebody Likes It.

When Ryan suggested we listen to Clarence Carter’s 1986 ode to sexy time Strokin’ I couldn’t wait! Not only had we never devoted an entire show to just one song, but this song in particular is chockablock with subtlety and context! So I showed up to Mark’s garage with an armful of notes… Imagine my surprise when I discovered that i had misheard Ryan and we were actually going to talk about The Strokes 2003 sophomore album Room on Fire! Whoops! Hey, despite all evidence to the contrary, I’m just a human man people. Full of all those foibles that make life such a gas.

Listen closely (or not that closely if that’s how you prefer to listen) to the beginning of this episode and I clearly state that I expect everyone to stick to a discussion of Workingman’s Dead and to try and stay away from those all too iconic Grateful Dead live show images…What follows is an hour of hackey-sack jokes, sad attempts to noodle dance in the garage, and goofs on the chaos of a Dead live show in general (these are all things we assumed happened, cause we never actually attended a Grateful Dead show and hung out in the parking lot making burritos)… In between, we did get in a little discussion of this album, and how different the studio albums were from the live shows. So yeah, nailed it YET AGAIN!

Tahiti 80 are nothing if not pleasantly contradictory, or, at least, that’s what we’re more or less led to believe after basking in the warm glow of their debut album, Puzzle. They shared an affinity for indie bands when singer Xavier Boyer and bassist Pedro Resende met at university, and that affection for American stylings led, of course, to a band that sounds, well…completely French. We unearth a few nuggets along the way, from the fact that Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger was (ahem) instrumental in contributing, to the fact that Tore Johansson produced the record in Sweden, and there is a clear kinship that feels Cardiganesque. They’re also rather funny (see Mr. Davies), and a somewhat fey, but these guys know a hook when they find one, apparent on Heartbeat. We regale you with tales like the time Ryan and I chatted them up after a show at Austin’s late lamented version of Emo’s (the inside room, which never saw a health inspection it could pass…or care to). Saddle up, and bring a beret.

Silver Bells: Steve Martin, Paul Simon & Billy Joel From the moment Martin says that his child asks “Uncle Steve? What’s does Christmas mean to you?,” you’re right to infer that something is about to go very very wrong in this Saturday Night Live rendition of Silver Bells, which featured three artists at the top of their game in the 70s. Pay attention to the eggnog and booze gags, and mind your dime store Santa Clauses, they may be “laying a little groundwork for the future.” Twelve Days of Christmas: Bob & Doug Mackenzie Way back in the very first episode of this podcast, Bob & Doug came up (pursuant to Geddy Lee and his Canadian-ness): here we note their take on the Twelve Days, which include lots of beer, five golden touks (a Canadian word, look it up), and plenty of back bacon. It’s a hilarious (if sloppy) rendering. Centro-matic: Fuselage (It’s Starting to Look Like Christmas Once Again) Producer Mark drops in as we tackle Will Johnson and company’s take on the holidays, in which he coins the

Remember that shitty song Everything Zen by Bush? Awful awful song. Well this album isn’t that. It’s like the opposite of Bush. Zen Arcade (the seminal 1984 record by Hüsker Dü) landed in our laps this week, and let’s just say it definitely wasn’t what we expected it to be. I (and the rest of those people that talk into mics on this show) had previously only been familiar with Bob Mould’s post Hüsker Dü output, and that was a world away from THIS weird-ass hardcore punk concept record. Spirited discussion of it ensued. Hey, remember that time last week where I said I made everybody listened to Heart’s All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You? Oh yeah, that was actually this episode…OOOPS. Next time on “Somebody Likes It”… I can’t make the show, and the discussion was finally about an album I liked: Tahiti 80’s light as air, sugary French Pop confection from 2000 Puzzle. So tune in, I certainly will, if for no other reason than to see if they talked shit about me. Bon Nuit, Shane You catch that? I slipped a little F

late night conversation via text: Ryan: What is this week’s album again? Shane: Sylvan Esso Ryan: I have no idea what that means Shane: It’s a band/album…you sound like somebody’s old uncle Ryan: What does that even mean? This week we listen to the album Sylvan Esso by the band “Sylvan Esso”…well, not exactly a band, but it is two people making music, so not exactly a solo act. I guess I could have said “duo”, but somehow that just doesn’t feel right. We all agree that singer Amelia Meath has a honeyed voice that makes one weak in the knees…but that’s pretty much all we agreed on. Next time around? We yell about Zen Arcade by Hüsker Dü and I might throw in All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You by Heart during the intermission…tune in to see if I actually do that (Spoiler Alert! I do that). Till then,

Somewhere around the time dinosaurs walked the earth and Prince Charles started wearing Lady Diana’s clothes, I spent a summer working in radio. Those were odd days — or nights rather — plugging in commercials in the middle of the night to avoid the radio tax shows we were running (aka ‘ratings juggernaut’), and I used to take chances, mostly to keep myself awake beyond the darkness. Occasionally, that meant thumbing through a reservoir of old LPs from the station’s previous incarnation as an Album Oriented Rock enclave. Among those ruins lay the quirky sheen of Steely Dan, and from there on, my wee hours took to Fagen and Becker’s brand of jazz-rock urban dystopia. This week’s show featured a fog machine, a giant Godspell canvas, dissection of the differences between jazz and what’s “jazzy,” and a steady drumbeat of vitriol from one of us (Shane cough cough Shane). In between, we talk about the band construct that was Bow Wow Wow (and how young that singer was…her mother was not pleased), and Shane leaves us