Permanent Record Podcast

Episode 35: Depeche Mode - A Broken Frame (1982) Part 1 Last week, Brian and Sarah talked about the two newest releases from the legendary Boys from Basildon, the mighty Depeche Mode!  This week they go back almost to the very beginning with 1982's "A Broken Frame."   While it may not be the band's first album, it's the first to be completely penned by Mr. Martin L. Gore.   Part 1: Background 1982 was a hectic, crazy year for Depeche Mode.  After finally earning a top ten record with "Just Can't Get Enough", chief songwriter Vince Clarke announced he was leaving the band.  With an extensive tour already booked and momentum growing with each new single, Depeche couldn't afford to let it slow them down!  How did the band members react to the situation and what did the public think about this new direction?  Brian and Sarah paint a verbal picture of late September 1982 when "A Broken Frame" appeared in shops all around the world and take us inside the DM camp with quotes from and stories of Dave, Martin, and Fl

Episode 34: Depeche Mode - "Heroes" (David Bowie cover) and "Cover Me" (2017) In the last episode, our hosts mentioned they would next be doing another "emergency episode" to talk about "Cover Me," the recently-announced third single off Depeche Mode's 2017 album, "Spirit." However, the morning they started their preparations for the show, Brian and Sarah were greeted with the news that Depeche Mode had released a video performance of David Bowie's "Heroes" in celebration of the song's 40th anniversary. So this episode has become dual-purposed, discussing two new releases from the mighty Mode. Part 1: Brian wants to be sure the listeners are familiar with the source material before he and Sarah get into discussing the cover version, so he provides a wealth of information on David Bowie's "Berlin" period, the recording of the album "Heroes," and background about the song "Heroes" itself.  Sarah points out he has turned this into a more of a "crossover" episode than the New Order one where they mention John De

Episode 33: New Order - Technique (1989) Part 2 After an interruption to discuss Depeche Mode's Global Spirit Tour, Brian and Sarah are back to the task at hand, which is to finish their examination of the 1989 album "Technique", by Manchester's New Order. They begin with the last song on side one and then move on to side two. Part 3: Track by Track, Continued [Warning: This episode’s discussion contains a crossover with our parents’ music as the hosts spend some time discussing John Denver.  Wait – did that really say “John Denver??”  In a New Order episode??  That’s odd!!] The second half of the album only contains one more single, and thus, only one more video-- which, for Brian and Sarah is a relief, as they've not been fond of the videos thus far. They do briefly wonder what videos for some of the other songs on side two would have been like, then quickly decide it's probably best they weren't made. However, that doesn't stop our hosts from wishing other songs on side two had been released as singles. T

Episode 32: Concert Report - Depeche Mode "Global Spirit Tour" 2017 Brian and Sarah were preparing to present the second half of the New Order album "Technique" as the next episode, but a little band from Basildon made them change their minds. Instead, our hosts decided to talk about the Depeche Mode concert they just attended in Washington, DC. Brian and Sarah have already done two "emergency episodes" to discuss singles off the latest Mode album, "Spirit," so it seemed only right to also devote an episode to a concert promoting that album. Spoiler Alert! If you don't want to know about the setlist or other aspects of the Global Spirit Tour, this is not the episode for you. The hosts go over each song, from the opening to the encore. Another spoiler alert, which shouldn't be much of a surprise-- Brian and Sarah loved the show! They also loved getting the chance to talk about it and help cement their newly-formed memories. Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/

Episode 31: New Order - Technique (1989) Part 1 After three weeks of discussing an album by what most would consider to be a "classic rock" band, Brian and Sarah shift back to the synthpop spectrum to look at the fifth album by the band New Order. But wait-- New Order isn't strictly a synthpop band, is it? Not at all, as our hosts are quick to point out in their discussion of this classic album. The 1989 release "Technique" has two distinct styles of music on it: one very electronically oriented, and one much more guitar oriented.  How well do these two styles work together on a single album? Brian and Sarah discuss that, and much more, in this episode. Part 1: Background New Order was a well-established band by this point in time, with several big hits to their name. However, they hadn't had a number one album yet. Brian and Sarah discuss the chart success of this album. They also go into the making of the album itself, which was a rather unfocused and costly affair. Although this is often known as New Orde

Episode 30: Queen - A Kind of Magic (1986) Part 3 Brian and Sarah are back and ready to wrap up their discussion on Queen's 1986 album "A Kind Of Magic."  We've already mentioned that this record is the unofficial soundtrack to the film "Highlander", so we won't bring that up here.  Instead, let's move on and see what our hosts have to offer this episode. Part 3: Track by Track, continued Alright, there is a lot to keep track of this week: Brian declares one of these songs to be the most beautiful ballad ever written.  Sarah shares a URL for a blog which reviews every Queen album track and manages to be awesome and incredibly pretentious at the same time.  B&S discuss how the words "Star Wars" have ceased to mean what they really mean and they also reveal which song on this record was hated by both Freddie Mercury and John Deacon.  Who Wants To Live Forever Gimme The Prize (The Kurgan's Theme) Don't Lose Your Head Princes Of The Universe Part 4: Extra Credit Part of the reason Brian and Sarah chose to ta

Episode 29: Queen - A Kind of Magic (1986) Part 2 With Queen being one of Brian and Sarah's two favorite bands, and considering that the pair had just seen Queen + Adam Lambert live just a few days before recording this episode, it's no surprise that their discussion on this 1986 album went a bit long.  Last episode, Brian and Sarah talked about what was going on with Queen in 1985 and 1986, the recording of this album, their personal history with "A Kind Of Magic", and finally the record's first track, "One Vision."  In this episode, the hosts take a listen to the other four songs that comprise side one of this "unofficial" soundtrack album. Part 3 (continued): Track by Track Some of these songs draw inspiration directly from the film "Highlander", and B&S let you know which ones specifically do so.  The hosts tell the story of how Freddie Mercury strong-armed drummer Roger Taylor into taking a brief holiday so Freddie could take over one of Roger's songs.  Brian sternly suggests to bassist John Dea

Episode 28: Queen - A Kind of Magic (1986) Part 1 With Sarah back from her travels, the two hosts shift their musical direction slightly and focus their attention on a band very beloved by them both: Queen. While by no means a New Wave or synth-pop act, Queen's output in the 1980s did tend more towards the pop segment of the music spectrum, and the album up for discussion is a strong example of that-- it's the 1986 release, "A Kind of Magic." Because Brian and Sarah are so eager to finally talk about not only one of their very favorite bands, but also the first album they became familiar with by that band, they find themselves with a lot to say. So once again, their long-windedness has necessitated that side one of this album be broken up into two episodes. Part 1: Background "A Kind of Magic" is Queen's twelfth studio album, and it very easily could not have happened, if it weren't for two things: a particular day in July 1985 and the viewing of about twenty minutes of a film under production. The hosts dis

Episode 27: Human League - Dare (1981) Part 2 Brian and Colby are back to continue their discussion of this seminal album by Phil Oakey and the Human League.  Our hosts have already cued up side two so let's jump right into it! Part 3: Track by Track, continued This week, not only does the show bring you some fantastic music, it also brings you a very diverse collection of discussion topics.  Brian and Colby find time to wax philosophical on Judge Dredd, the Kennedy assassination, storytelling in early 80s music videos, and recording songs in the bathroom.  They also talk about what a nasty piece of work Phil's character is in the group's biggest hit.  If you haven't really thought about the lyrics to "Don't You Want Me" before, now is the time to give them a quick read! Get Carter I Am The Law Seconds Love Action (I Believe In Love) Don't You Want Me Part 4: Extra Credit Colby tries to stump his co-host by asking how the words "Love and Dancing" relate to the Human League's "Dare." Will Brian simply stare a

Episode 26: Human League - Dare (1981) Part 1 With Sarah off traveling the world, Brian welcomes back frequent co-host and friend of the show Colby Zell to sit in and discuss the classic offering from the new and different 1981 version of the Human League. Part 1: Background Pre-1981 the Human League was a fairly odd 4-piece releasing music that sometimes came close to sounding like pop, but more often than not would just be classified as some sort of 'sonic experience.'  How did that band become the sextet that would conquer the world with "Don't You Want Me?"  Brian and Colby tell the crazy tale of the band's transformation and reveal if this 'new look' League was able to win over the hearts and minds of the public. Part 2: Personal History Brian and Colby briefly discuss their own personal history with this record.  Colby clues us in that even considering how huge this record was, it was another album by the League that he was listening to back in the early 80's.  And Brian tries to move past the fact tha

Episode 25: Depeche Mode – Going Backwards (2017) The last time our hosts had an "emergency episode" was way back in Episode 7, when the first single from Depeche Mode's new album "Spirit" was released. After several months, the second single, "Going Backwards," has finally been released, so another "emergency episode" is in order. Part 1: Brian starts off the discussion of "Going Backwards," sharing his thoughts on the music, the vocals, and the lyrics. Sarah joins in and has some similar thoughts to Brian on the various aspects of the song. Part 2: They both discuss the video for the song, with Brian admitting he wasn't aware of some of the features of the video until Sarah made mention of them. They also talk about the version of the song performed in the video, which is different from the album version. Part 3: Brian asks Sarah to give the podcast's traditional record-adapter rating for this song. She seems to be a little wishy-washy with her rating; however, Brian states his case for his rating quite cl

Episode 24: Concert Report - Tears For Fears 2017 Sarah and Brian had a little extra time on their hands this week, so they put together this mini-episode detailing their recent trip to the nation's capital to see a band they talked about just a month ago, Tears For Fears! Spoiler alert!  If you are going to see TFF on their summer tour with Hall & Oates and don't want the setlist spoiled for you, then don't listen to this episode as they go right down the list from the opening song to the encore. Both hosts had a great time at the show and enjoyed the chance to relive it, however briefly, here on this special installment of the Permanent Record Podcast! Read more at http://permanentrecordpodcast.com/ Visit us at https://www.facebook.com/permrecordpodcast Follow us at https://twitter.com/permrecordpod  

Episode 23: Howard Jones – Dream Into Action (1985) Part 3   After a bit of a break to attend a cider festival, Brian and Sarah are back and ready to finally tackle the second side of this iconic sophomore album by Howard Jones. They jump right into an analysis of the six songs on side 2 of the US cassette release. Part 3: Track by Track, continued Side two, like side one, features six tracks for the listeners' enjoyment. Only one of them had a video released for it, and what a video it was! Brian and Sarah have a good time discussing the video for "Look Mama," and then Brian actually makes Sarah laugh until she cries with his misunderstanding of lyrics in "Bounce Right Back." However, not all of the conversation is as lighthearted; later songs feature discussions about the Tao Te Ching and the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism. Look Mama Bounce Right Back Elegy Is There a Difference? Automaton Hunger for the Flesh Part 4: Final Review and Rating As he often does throughout the course of an album discussion, Bria

Episode 22: Howard Jones - Dream Into Action (1985) Part 2 Last week, our two hosts, Brian and Sarah, were so long-winded in their discussion of this classic album's history and their 30-year love affair with it that they only managed to get through the first two tracks before realizing that the show was running too long.  This week, they get things back on track by finishing up the remaining four songs on side one and then briefly discussing the topic of Howard Jones' restaurant, something which came up on Facebook this past week. Part 3: Track by Track B&S talk about the rest of side one and a pair of videos.  Also, Brian declares one of these songs to be more disturbing than anything by "dark" bands like Depeche Mode and The Cure.   Sarah calls out a declaration of strength for being weak. No One Is To Blame Dream Into Action Like To Get To Know You Well Assault And Battery   See the videos we discuss here: Like To Get To Know You Well (Original Version) Like To Get To Know You Well (1985 Version)    

Episode 21: Howard Jones - Dream Into Action (1985) Part 1 After an abbreviated episode last week, this episode finds our hosts returning to the traditional format of discussing an entire album. And discuss it they do--in fact, so much so that even the first side has to be broken up into two episodes! What selection prompted so much conversation between Brian and Sarah? It's "Dream Into Action," the second studio album by British musician Howard Jones, released in 1985. Part 1: Background Both hosts share information about Howard Jones, his musical upbringing, and his early struggles to get a record deal. They mention his debut album, "Human's Lib," and the success it found on the British charts. Then the discussion turns to the making of "Dream Into Action" and the performance of the album and the singles in both the UK and the US. Some time is spent discussing the different track listings and track selections for the UK and US releases. Brian and Sarah are more familiar with the US cassette version, so the

Episode 20: The 45 Face Off!! It was a very busy weekend for Brian and Sarah and although they weren't able to record a new episode, they did discover a new record shop near their house!  Their first visit resulted in them buying a small stack of 80's 7" singles, or as we more often refer to them, 45's! The hosts, together with their visiting niece Grace, select a few of the 45s to face off in a battle royal, with Brian and Sarah making a case for each record and Grace passing judgment on which fighter moves on to the next level. Here are the battles we decide for you: Round 1: Tears For Fears "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" VS Boys Don't Cry "Who The Am Dam Do You Think You Am" Round 2: The Church "Under The Milky Way" VS Robbie Nevil "Dominoes" Round 3: George Michael "Faith" VS Erasure "Chains Of Love" Round 4: Depeche Mode "Everything Counts (Live)" VS New Order "Blue Monday 1988" Now the conflict moves onto our Facebook page where we ask you to pick the winners of the next 2 rounds!  Visit us at htt

Episode 19: Erasure - Wonderland (1986) Part 2 This episode continues the discussion of Erasure's 1986 debut album, titled Wonderland. In the time since the previous episode, Brian received his copy of Erasure's latest release, World Be Gone, and he reports he's been enjoying it quite a bit so far. But then the hosts return to Wonderland. Part 3: Track by Track, continued At the end of the album's first side, we found Brian completely delighted and Sarah somewhat underwhelmed by what they'd heard. Do they feel the same about side two? As the hosts give their thoughts on the five tracks, they also give possible wardrobe suggestions for Andy Bell, and they once again struggle to describe various keyboard sounds. Sarah tells a story from her high school days related to one of the songs, and she later reveals the astonishing original topic for the song "Love is a Loser!" Say What Love Is a Loser March on Down the Line My Heart...So Blue Oh L'Amour Part 4: Extra Credit Brian and Sarah own the US version of Wonder

Episode 18: Erasure - Wonderland (1986) Part 1 This week's episode is timed to coincide with the brand new release from Erasure, titled World Be Gone. But rather than discussing the new album, Brian and Sarah go back 31 years, to the debut album from the synthpop duo of Vince Clarke and Andy Bell. Part 1: Background By 1986, Vince Clarke-- or at least his music-- is familiar to many in the UK, having had chart successes as a founding member of Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and The Assembly. Brian provides a little more information on Vince's musical history, even before the Depeche Mode days. Sarah tells us about newcomer Andy Bell and how he and Vince came to form Erasure. Then the two discuss the making of Wonderland, the singles associated with it, and the rather surprising chart positions of both the album and the singles.   Part 2: Personal History Did either Brian or Sarah own the actual album or cassette of Wonderland back in the day? The answer may surprise you. Also, Brian provides another reason why it was

Episode 17: Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair (1985) - Part 2   This week's episode continues Brian and Sarah's discussion of the second Tears for Fears album, Songs from the Big Chair. The first side of this 1985 release contained several chart-topping hits, but the second side has a decidedly different feel to it, and our hosts engage in a spirited discussion of the four tracks. Part 3: Track by Track (Continued) As they review each song on side two, Brian and Sarah bring up such diverse topics as saxophones, harmony, laziness, Game of Thrones, a Seinfeld character, and Chicken McNuggets. An excellent video and an awful video are also discussed. I Believe Broken Head Over Heels Listen Part 4: Extra Credit Before the album is given a final review and rating, Brian mentions the Tears for Fears song The Way You Are and asks Sarah about it. She shares the background of the song, and the two discuss its pros and cons. Brian also talks about how the band members feel about this somewhat forgotten track.

Episode 16: Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair (1985) Part 1 After a break to celebrate Brian's birthday, our hosts are back and ready to discuss an iconic 80s album by the British band Tears for Fears. Songs from the Big Chair was released in 1985 and produced several international hits, as well as some memorable videos.   Part 1: Background Sarah fills us in on the band's main members, Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, and the work they did together leading up to the formation of Tears for Fears. The band's first album, The Hurting, is discussed briefly, and then the focus shifts to the recording and release of the second album, Songs from the Big Chair.   Part 2: Personal History In a rare role reversal, Sarah actually owned a real copy of this cassette, but Brian did not. Did he own the album in any form, and if so, did he play it? You may be as surprised as Sarah was to learn the answer.   Part 3: Track by Track Brian and Sarah go over each of the four tracks on the first side. Each of them have so