We’ve held off on R.E.M. for a while, because the Athens, Ga., quartet is just such a heavyweight in the rock canon. They’re so huge, in fact, that they merit two episodes: one for the mumbly, Byrdsy alt-rock troubadours of the ‘80s, and one for the slightly less mumbly arena rock titans of the ‘90s and onward. We’re starting off with their 1983 debut Murmur, which fueled the rise of college radio with songs that were strangely out of time (so to speak) with the trends of the ‘80s. The compositions on Murmur are so hazy and oblique that they almost resist analysis, and that’s before you even consider Michael Stipe’s lyrics. But John, Mike, Phil, and Ben are willing to give it their best shot, so join them as they embark on a long-delayed pilgrimage west of the fields to discuss one of this podcast’s favorite bands.

Cohosts: John McFerrin, Mike DeFabio, Phil Maddox, Ben Marlin

Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/139-rem-murmur-1983

Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod

Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Rich, Mike, and Amanda answer a bonanza of questions from listeners. Topics include retro prog, great live albums and not-so-great live shows, fantasy supergroups, synesthesia, our favorite recent releases, and no fewer than three questions about the Moody Blues. Listen through to the end for a special request to listeners!

Clips:

• Peter Gabriel - Start
• Def Leppard - Animal
• The Moody Blues - Here Comes the Weekend
• Ween - Friends
• The Velvet Underground - I'll Be Your Mirror
• LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends
• Jenny Conlee - Hawk (Dorian)
• Mary Timony - No Thirds
• Marnie Stern - Plain Speak
• Peter Gabriel - i/o (Dark-Side Mix)
• Days Between Stations - The Man Who Died Two Times
• Mondo Drag - Out of Sight
• Opeth - Heart in Hand
• iamthemorning - 5/4
• Liza Minnelli - I Want You Now
• Robert Wyatt - Sea Song
• Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue (live)
• Oingo Boingo - No Spill Blood (live)
• Underworld - Cups/Push Upstairs (live)
• Girls5eva - Famous 5eva
• Lalo Schifrin - Theme from Mannix
• Andy Partridge - I Wonder Why the Wonderfalls
• The Simpsons - Canyonero
• Bob's Burgers - Thanksgiving Song
• The Simpsons - Lisa, It's Your Birthday

Theme: The Moody Blues - "Question"

Amanda on synesthesia: https://discordpod.com/blog/synesthesia-corner

Rich on synesthesia: https://discordpod.com/blog/synesthesia-corner-vol-2-born-to-synesthete

Peter Gabriel is a favorite artist of many of us here at Discord & Rhyme, but we’ve saved him for our own 138th Episode Spectacular. Peter Gabriel III (aka Melt, so called because half of Gabriel’s face on the album cover looks like a melting candle) isn’t just John’s favorite Peter Gabriel album; it’s an album that made him reconsider (in a favorable light) the entirety of popular music in the 1980s and the concept of using the production studio to create entirely new sounds, and John leads a very enthusiastic discussion on an album that we love very much. Join John, Amanda, Rich, and Mike as we gush over an album that transformed solo Peter Gabriel into something greater than “the guy who used to sing for Genesis”; a dark noisy hellscape frontier of an album full of burglars, assassins, and not one cymbal anywhere.

Cohosts: John McFerrin, Amanda Rodgers, Rich Bunnell, Mike DeFabio

Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/138-peter-gabriel-peter-gabriel-iii-1980

Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod

Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod