Greydon Square: "Addressed"

Greydon Square, atheist rapper, is coming at you June 5 with his new album, The Compton Effect.



You can order his album at TheComptonEffect.com. If you do, and there's something asking where you heard him, say you heard him hear. (Unless, you know, you heard him on a skeptical podcast or through a Rational Response Squad video on YouTube or something else first.)

Episode 8: Women of Song, Part 1

REPOST FROM MARCH 27: I somehow sent this out without the link attached, stupid me. No wonder this had half the downloads of the following episode... Link is now enclosed. Another one will be getting moved up to the top, too.

We're drawing toward the end of Women's History Month. To mark the occasion, here's the first of two episodes -- with the second coming tomorrow! -- featuring the work of a number of terrific female musicians. Some you may have heard before; others may be wonderful new discoveries for you.

Here's today's lineup (direct download here):

Marcia Ball, "Big Shot"
Odetta, "The Fox"
Rachel Griffin, "Pick Me Up"
Azam Ali, "In This Divide"
Holly Bakehorn, "Sweet Dreams"
Helen Sventitsky, "I'm Bare (Late Night Beginnings Mix)"
Gum, "Asleep at the Wheel"



The Marcia Ball, Odetta and Azam Ali tracks are courtesy of IODA Promonet. Holly Bakehorn's track is, of course, a cover of the Patsy Cline classic.

Download "Big Shot" (mp3)
from "Live! Down The Road"
by Marcia Ball
Alligator Records

• Buy at Navio Download

More On This Album

Download "The Fox" (mp3)
from "odetta"
by Odetta
Silverwolf

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Buy at eMusic
• Stream from Rhapsody

More On This Album

Download "In This Divide" (mp3)
from "Elysium For The Brave"
by Azam Ali
Six Degrees Records

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Buy at eMusic

More On This Album

Episode 19: Without a Microphone, Take II

REPOST: This orignally had a different file attached to it, the previous episode's, in fact. You haven't heard this one before if you're just getting it through the blog. I'm moving this to the top of the list, along with one other older episode where I didn't include any link at all! You're all fired, since none of you told me.

Second of three episodes without any spoken bits from yours truly, compiled at my parents' house while recuperating from a medical adventure. Here's what you'll hear on the show (direct download here):

Dynamics: "Don't Know Why"
Elliott Smith: "Between the Bars"
Noam Weinstein: "Other People's Hearts"
Bebel Gilberto: "Um Segundo"
DJ Logic: "Bubblehouse"
R-Three: "Something to Believe In"



The Dynamics, Noam Weinstein and R-Three tracks come from albums in my collection and are played with the artists' blessing. The other three tracks come to you via the IODA Promonet.

Last but certainly not least, here's wishing the happiest of birthdays to Courtney, a brother in spirit if not in blood. I hope the year ahead of you brings you good things, even if parts of it are certain to be interesting. You'll pull through those bits, though, and emerge smarter and better for it.

Download "Between The Bars" (mp3)
from "Either/Or"
by Elliott Smith
Kill Rock Stars

• Buy at Kill Rock Stars Store
• Buy at iTunes Music Store

More On This Album

Download "Um Segundo" (mp3)
from "Momento"
by Bebel Gilberto
Ziriguiboom/Six Degrees Travel Series

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Buy at eMusic

More On This Album

Download "Bubblehouse" (mp3)
from "Project Logic Live at Wetlands, NYC"
by DJ LOGIC
Ropeadope Digital

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Buy at eMusic
• Stream from Rhapsody

More On This Album

Episode 26: Things Aren't Quite as They Appear

Only three songs today, but it's a pretty good episode, in my opinion. As always, your mileage may vary.

Today's musical selections (direct download here):

Richard Hefner, "Man of Constant Sorrow"
Holland Boys, "We Become Dust"
Jen Foster, "The Underdogs"

And in between the second and third songs, there's a long spoken bit from me, a snippet of a fantasy novel I'll never get around to writing. The title is "Feast of No Saints."



Jen Foster's song comes via the Podsafe Music Network. Richard Hefner's track was purchased at EZFolk.com, where you can find lots more music by him and by other acoustic artists.

And the Holland Boys track comes via MySpace -- not sure if they're 100 percent the same personnel as the band KingGod or if there's some change in personnel there, but the music's just as good as under the name where I first found them.

Episode 25: And They Said It Couldn't Be Done...

It's the 25th show (if you don't count episode pi), which means ... well ... that either I'm more able to stick to something than some might have thought or that I have even less of a life than others thought. Your call.

Here's what you'll hear on the show today (direct download here):

The Furthurs, "High On"
Two if by Sea, "All the Reasons to Leave"
Post Death Soundtrack, "Curse of Silence"
Helen Sventitsky, "Too Damn Real"

All the music in this episode came from CD or the artists' MySpace pages. The Furthurs is a German band that included Kurt Kreikenbom, whose music has appeared here several times before.

Thanks for listening!

Episode 24: A Quick One While I'm Away

REPOST: Another relatively short show. I was in the suburbs of St. Louis with my beloved when you first heard this.

Here's what you'll hear today (direct download here):

Splitsville, "Tears Are Cool"
David Lynch, "Buddha's Belly"
Laura Clapp, "Let It Rain"

The Splitsville track was sent by the band, and comes from a Teenage Fanclub tribute album. The David Lynch track comes via the IODA Promonet. And I think I neglected to say it during the show, but the Laura Clapp song comes through the Podsafe Music Network.

I mention Andrew Vachss and PROTECT (the National Association to Protect Children) in this episode. Click the links to find out more about Vachss' important work on behalf of children in danger, and PROTECT's mission to protect children and to keep predators behind bars.



There was another song here, from Bazza, but I removed it at his request. You'll hear other things from him in the future, though.

Download "Buddha's Belly" (mp3)
from "Good Wood"
by David Lynch
Surprise Truck

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Buy at eMusic

More On This Album

Nick Cave: "Into My Arms"

This is a love song that's hit me like few others over the years: A nonbeliever professing his love for a believer. Been there, done that, should have bought stock in the T-shirt company.



The next new episode should be coming Sunday.

Episode 23: Back at the Mic

Our long national nightmare is over. Or, if you hate the sound of my voice, the good ole days are finally gone. I have air conditioning again. I am back at the microphone. Bring me the finest bagels and muffins in the land.

Here's what you'll hear on the show today (direct download here):

Strange Rebel Frequency, "All Souls Rising"
Rachel Griffin, "I'm Up to No Good"
Noam Weinstein, "The Cave I"
Batter Brown, "Alone"

Everything either came from CD or the artist's Web site (Batter Brown). It's a shorter episode than normal, and the next couple may be shorter so I can bank a few before going on a weekend trip. (My weekends are on weekdays, but whatever.)

If you like what you hear, buy an album.

Episode 22: Silent Movie Score from Hell, Part the Sixth

Yeah. Still no microphone, no spoken bits -- though maybe by the time you hear this, I'll have air conditioning again and be back at work on future episodes. (I work ahead. This and the last episode were done the same day.)

Here's what you'll hear today (direct download here):

The Hold Steady: "Chips Ahoy!"
The Tarka Groove Experiment: "Two Day Change"
Dancer Vs. Politician: "Justin Fairborn"
Jack Frost: "Every Hour God Sends"
Tribal Machine: "Sand of History"
Erin Bode: "Something More"



Four of these tracks were submitted by the artists. The Jack Frost and Erin Bode pieces come to you via the IODA Promonet.

Hopefully, I'll be back at the mic soon. Thanks for your patience. (Assuming, that is, you don't like the speech-less episodes better anyway.)

Download "Every Hour God Sends" (mp3)
from "Jack Frost"
by Jack Frost
Karmic Hit

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Buy at eMusic
• Stream from Rhapsody

Download "Something More" (mp3)
from "Over And Over"
by Erin Bode
MAXJAZZ

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Buy at eMusic
• Stream from Rhapsody

More On This Album

The Hold Steady: "Stuck Between Stations"

Here's a clip from The Hold Steady, an up-and-comer you'll hear on Wednesday's podcast.

Episode 21: Exiled Without a Microphone, Chapter IV

Now that I've somewhat recovered from my minor medical adventure, you'd think we'd be back to normal with me talking, right? Not. So. Much. This is recorded at my parents' house (again) because my apartment is currently uninhabitable because the SOB landlord hasn't responded to multiple requests to fix my air conditioner.

Here's what you'll hear (direct download here):

Alyssa Hendrix, "Good Summer Rain"
Team Salt, "Light Fades Away"
Taco and Da Mofos, "Get Hype"
Reed KD, "You Can Call Me"
Dancer Vs. Politician, "Ratcliffe Highway"
Jack Redell, "Heavy Handed Blues"



Alyssa Hendrix comes to you courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network. Everything else was either submitted by the artists (most of them) or gleaned from the artists' Web sites.

Taco and Da Mofos are a Jackson, Tenn.-based band with a following throughout the Midsouth. This track is from their forthcoming album Blood, Sweat and Beers and is played with my thanks. The Dancer Vs. Politician track is a cover of a song originally by Nikki Sudden.

Bizarro Files will be coming later today -- off my schedule a bit. I apologize profusely to both of you who read the things. :)

Episode 20: Without a Microphone, Take III

Third of three episodes where you don't have to hear me babble. I put these together at my parents' house -- no microphone to record spoken bits -- while recovering from a minor medical adventure.

Here's what you'll hear on the show today (direct download here):

Cheaters Club: "The Confession"
The Worsties: "Fallacy"
Ciaran Flynn: "Stay the Night"
Anthony Fiumano: "Darlene"
Dashboard Confessional: "Saints and Sailors"
Owl Eyes: "Talk to Me in Tongues"



Note: This originally said The Hold Steady was in the episode. I've moved their track to a slightly later episode just to hold down the show length while working with different software.

You've heard Owl Eyes here before, under the name "Littlegirl." The Worsties and Dashboard Confessional come to you via the Podsafe Music Network. The other tracks were gathered from the artists' MySpace profiles.

Manic Street Preachers: "Suicide Is Painless"

"Suicide Is Painless" was the theme song from the film M*A*S*H. It also was used as the theme for the TV series -- but in instrumental form. So many people who've only seen the TV series and never seen the original movie may not even realize it had words; I didn't know it until I was in college and finally saw the film.

The Manic Street Preachers are a terrific (and sadly non-podsafe) band from Wales who've done a couple of memorable covers (this one, and "I Can't Take My Eyes Off You") in addition to several phenomenal albums.



Original guitarist/co-lyricist Richey James Edwards (aka Richey James) famously vanished some years ago, never to be seen again. In one of the two spoken-word vignettes from Episode Pi, he's the guy whom James Douglas talks about never seeing among the walking shades of rock stars, because Richey hasn't decided if he's dead or alive. This is a band you should add to your repertoire immediately if they're absent from it -- you'll thank me halfway through their single "If You Tolerate This, Your Children Will Be Next," if not sooner.

Episode 18: Without a Microphone

No spoken bits whatsoever in this episode, which I compiled at my parents' house while recuperating from a minor medical adventure. However, I was able to retrieve several things from the Podsafe Music Network (and a CD Bazza sent me) that I'd planned to use very soon, anyway.

Here's what you'll hear (direct download here):

2012: "Dream of Freedom"
Jonathan Coulton: "Soft Rocked by Me"
Adrina Thorpe: "Fly Fly Fly"
Rob Costlow: "I Do"
Bazza: "Like a Giant James Dean"
Supersuckers: "Paid"



Bazza's song comes from his album Freezer, which features two discs full of songs inspired by Joe R. Lansdale's novel Freezer Burn. And yes, I've used a snippet of the 2012 track before, as backing music -- here they get a full play, uninterrupted by my blather, which is how I should have presented them the first time. (It's a learning process.)

Dashboard Confessional: "The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most"

Dashboard Confessional, doing "The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most" live:



New episode coming up Thursday, when you'll hear the Supersuckers and a few return appearances. That will be followed in quick succession by another episode Saturday, featuring a return by Noam Weinstein and the debut of an international recording artist whose name you might recognize. (That's me, building up suspense. And no, it's not Zamfir, master of the pan flute.)

Episode Pi: This Podcast (Fnord) Isn't Here

Here's a special April 31 edition of the podcast, just something that resulted from a strange mood and was recorded after the three upcoming "no talking" episodes.

Here's the music you'll hear today (direct download here):

Solstice Coil: "Brilliance"
The Crowd: "I Don't Wanna Hear These Things"
Kurt Kreikenbom: "Bound for Singapore"

And TWO spoken bits, revolving around the same character and theme: "The Man Who Wasn't There" and "The Commiseration of the Lizard," about a man who is not, repeat NOT Jim Morrison.



April 31st only rolls around once a year. But that's more often than February 30th -- though that's a tale for another time.

(The Crowd comes via the Podsafe Music Network, which has no link to more information about them. Kinda fits the mysterious and cryptic "things happening under reality" theme of this episode.)