Episode 18 - Rock Band

It's an epic discussion of all things Rock Band with Diana Parry-Cruwys and Brian Grady!  We wear our video game reviewer hats to examine how playing crappy songs on plastic instruments makes everything better and how playing awesome songs with your friends is utterly transcendent.  Is there one song to make our song? No! Hundreds of songs are yours for the taking, you just have to be ready to be the bass player.

Please very much enjoy!



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Episode 18 Preview - Rock Band

Bit of a break this week as we talk about the video game sensation "Rock Band".  Though not the first "I can pretend to play music using a guitar/drum/microphone controller" game, it is arguably one of the best.  And, with the release of "Rock Band 4" by Boston's own Harmonix Music Systems, I take some time to talk with fans of the game about their favorite tunes and the allure of playing fake, plastic instruments in a group holds.

As "Rock Band" contains hundreds of songs, we won't be focusing on any one tune so, instead read some background material on the game itself as well as some reviews of the latest iteration then come back on Wednesday for the show.

Episode 17 - Conversation 16

Brian Grady joins us with a deep dive into The National's "Conversation 16".  We seek the answers to those eternal questions like is a bad relationship compare to brain-eating, how many internal monologues does it take to find happiness, and, are we all really that evil? Fun bonus game: figure out where I edited out my terrible hacking coughs and you could win a pizza from Agostino's.  I mean, you won't, so...

Please very much enjoy!


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Episode 17 Preview - Conversation 16

Our awesome guests return with their own favorite songs.  This week, Brian Grady brings The National to our airwaves with their song "Conversation 16".

Episode 16 - Sick Day

Inspired by a true story about a boy, a girl, and a contractual obligation of their employer to allow them to stay home when ill and still get paid.  It's Fountains of Wayne's "Sick Day"!

Please very much enjoy!


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Episode 16 Preview - Sick Day

Besides needing my voice for podcasting, I just super-love talking all the time.  So losing my voice for a week+ has been just the worst.  Coughing up phlegm like a consumption victim on Downton Abbey didn't help much either.  It got so bad that I did, in fact, need to take a sick day to just sleep and recuperate.  Which made me think of the Fountains of Wayne song, "Sick Day".  While not even close to my favorite FOW song--that list is too long to discuss here--it certainly is topical.  So, we have our episode, a little late and a little raspy.  Fun fact: Diana and I once saw Fountains of Wayne at a show in Northampton get cut short due to lead singer Chris Collingwood having a case of laryngitis.

You can purchase the song on iTunes, Amazon Music, or Google Play. No official music video, but we do have a live version of the song from a Chicago show in 2009.  Not quite the same as the album version though which is the one we'll be talking about.

Did I hear a request for lyrics?

"Sick Day"

Check out the girl in the Harbor Tunnel
Crawling to work six feet under
And the day has barely begun
They're all chewing gum

And laughing at the voice on the crackling radio station
Lead us not into Penn Station
Cause the best part's just begun
We're all becoming one again

And she's making the scene
With the coffee and cream
And the copy machine's not working
She's a hell of a girl
She's alone in the world
And she likes to say hey good lookin'
She's on her way
She's taking a sick day..soon

And here is the man pushing paper past her
Thinks up ways to make the day go faster
But the day goes on and on
He dreams of his lawn

And all about 
the pretty careerist 
the next cube over
The fat secretary, 
the lunchtime lovers
'Til the path train finally comes
The platform's full of bums again

And she's making the scene
With the coffee and cream
And the copy machine's not working
She's a hell of a girl
She's alone in the world
And she likes to say hey good lookin'
She's on her way
She's taking a sick day..soon

And she's taking her time
As she's tossing a dime
At the man in the cardboard coffin
It doesn't have to be fine
She's ahead of the line
And doesn't have to be here too often
She's making a play
She's taking a sick day..soon

So, listen, read, watch, think, and come back here on Friday (maybe Thursday? haven't you subscribed to the RSS feed or on iTunes yet?) for the discussion.

Running late this week

So, my voice is still shot.  And I had to reschedule everybody to record later this week.  So, I'm a bit behind.  It did get me thinking of a song I'd like to talk about.  Hopefully my voice will return enough to get something together a little later in the week.  As long as I don't sound like the spirit of emphysema, I'll shoot for a Thursday release, just a little late.  Perhaps some extra sleep and less talking will speed my recovery along.