A loud-mouth retired rock critic and a cranky expat rock obsessive discuss, analyze and just plain old argue about rock ‘n‘ roll: the old stuff, the new stuff and why it all still matters.
Episodes
May 10, 2023
May 10, 2023
1hr 55 min
In which the Curmudgeons are joined by South Korea-based radio DJ Daniel Springer to debunk myths and celebrate the music of Australia's coolest, sexiest--and best--band of the 1980s. INXS was far more than a band with one ubiquitous hit and a gorgeous, tortured lead singer. They took elements of funk, soul and jazz and melded them with New Wave sensibilities to create something truly special: rock n roll steeped in electronics that bubbled with an organic heart.
Daniel knows his stuff. He's an honorary Curmudgeon. Listen to his show The Drop on Gawngju, South Korea, station GFN: https://feeds.transistor.fm/the-drop-with-danno
Here's a handy navigation companion for this episode:
(0:54 - 3:05) -- Artruro sets the parameters for the episode
(5:06 - 16:09) -- The Parallel Universe. We review new albums by Laurel Canyon and Mudhoney.
(16:47 - 37:53) -- Daniel Springer and The Curmudgeons dispel five myths about INXS
(39:32 -- 59:11) -- Arturo delivers the origin story of INX and we rediscover the albums INXS, Underneath the Colours, Shabooh Shoobah and The Swing
(01:00:36 - 01:54:45) - We discuss the albums Listen Like Thieves, Kick, X, Welcome to Wherever You Are, Full Moon, Dirty Hearts and Elegantly Wasted. We also lament the tragic personal downfall of Michael Hutchence and how social media has had a not-so-great influence on the preservation of taste.
Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/groups/curmudgeonrock
Recorded using (the newly, greatly enhanced) Zencastr! zencastr.com
Hosted on Podbean! curmudgeonrock.podbean.com
Subscribe to our show on these platforms:
Apr 25, 2023
Apr 25, 2023
1hr 4 min
In which the Curmudgeons pulverize one of this century's most revered rock bands. And also perhaps its stupidest.
Bandleader Gerard Way claims in interviews he formed My Chemical Romance after witnessing the Twin Towers fall from his native Northern New Jersey on 9/11. That's bad enough. Way and his mates then unleashed a torrent of disgustingly celebratory stories of vampires who enjoy suicide and cancer patients nearing their afterlives. All while screeching, squelching and stealing from Queen, KISS and...Coldplay?!
Yet Rolling Stone lists their 2006 album The Black Parade as the 361st best of all time. So hey, what do we know?
Here's a handy navigation reference for this episode:
(0:54 - 4:07): Arturo sets the episode's parameters.
(5:31 - 15:23): The Parallel Universe--reviews of The Men's New York City and JPEG Mafia & Danny Brown's "Scaring the Hoes, Vol. 1."
(16:22 - 33:57): My Chemical Romance's origin story and deep, dark, smelly dumps on the albums I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love (2002) and Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004).
(35:36 - 01:03:00): Deep, dark, smelly dumps on the albums The Black Parade (2006) and Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. Plus, a discussion of how social media has seemingly young people from appreciating the historical lineage of bands like this one.
Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/groups/curmudgeonrock
Recorded using (the newly, greatly enhanced) Zencastr! zencastr.com
Hosted on Podbean! curmudgeonrock.podbean.com
Subscribe to our show on these platforms:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911
https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80M
Apr 12, 2023
Apr 12, 2023
1hr 9 min
In which The Curmudgeons mix bewilderment with disdain in discussing the stench-filled star run of The Killers, the Vegas band by way of Utah who have aped a band or two -- or 50 -- you may know and love for nearly 20 years.
We hold our noses and analyze a seven-album catalog that finds so-earnest-it-hurts bandleader Brandon Flowers travel a road from revering Duran Duran to capturing the spirit (he thinks anyway) of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska. We're here to shield you from the pain, man.
Credit is due to Steven Hyden of Uproxx, whose August 12, 2021, interview with Brandon Flowers is referred to heavily for our amusement here. Great piece but also unintentionally hilarious.
Here's a handy navigation reference for this episode:
(0:54 - 2:10) -- Our parameter setter
(4:07 - 17:52): The Parallel Universe -- reviews of new albums by Sleaford Mods and Death Valley Girls
(19:31 - 40:07): A brief Killers origin story plus stinky runs through the KIllers' Hot Fuss, Sam's Town and Day & Age)
(41:13 - 1:07:10): More stinky Killers album run-throughs: Battle Born, Wonderful Wonderful, Imploding the Mirage and Pressure Machine
Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/groups/curmudgeonrock
Recorded using (the newly, greatly enhanced) Zencastr! zencastr.com
Hosted on Podbean! curmudgeonrock.podbean.com
Subscribe to our show on these platforms:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911
https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80M
Mar 28, 2023
Mar 28, 2023
1hr 39 min
In which The Curmudgeons embark on a tour of 1970s Germany to discuss and analyze the influence of the artists and bands who invented and innovated the rock genre derisively coined Krautrock by snotty British people. The German musicians and label heads themselves called it "cosmic music." Theirs was a movement designed to distinguish a not-so-admirable Old Germany from a bolder, more hopeful, outer space-adoring New Germany. And it certainly did make rock a whole lot more cosmic in the generations that followed.
Here is a handy navigation reference for this episode and the bands we cover:
(0:52 - 4:30): Setting the parameters for our excursion
(6:50 - 15:23): The Parallel Universe (new albums by The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Nilufer Yanya)
(16:21 to 01:04:01): A brief origin story plus discussions of Amon Duul II, Tangerine Dream, Can, Popol Vuh, Cluster and Kraftwerk
(01:05:29 to The End): Disccusions of Asha Ra Tempel, Agitation Free, Neu!, Faust and Harmonia
Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/groups/curmudgeonrock
Recorded using (the newly, greatly enhanced) Zencastr! zencastr.com
Hosted on Podbean! curmudgeonrock.podbean.com
Subscribe to our show on these platforms:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911
https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80MW
Mar 14, 2023
Mar 14, 2023
1hr 53 min
In which the Curmudgeons share our definitive countdown of sublime and powerful covers of rock songs by an array of artists. Some cover artists we know you've heard of before (Led Zeppelin, The Who). Others? Maybe not (Charles Bradley, Urge Overkill). Doesn't matter. After you hear our take on these songs, you'll never need to consume another list like this one ever again.
Find specific sections or our episode here:
Our Parameter Setter (0:52 - 6:00)
The Parallel Universe - Automatic, The Tubs (6:40 - 14:55)
Songs # 30 - 21 (16:34 - 45:39)
Songs #20 -11 (47:28 - 1:12:02)
Songs #10 - 1 (01:13:00 - 1:53:10)
Some of the original artists who gifted these songs to the world include:
Son House
Ed's Redeeming Qualities
The Arrows
The Clique
The Vaselines
The Crickets
Randy Weeks
Bonnie Dobson
And three artists you may have heard a time or two: Black Sabbath, The Beatles and Bob Dylan
Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/groups/curmudgeonrock
Recorded using (the newly, greatly enhanced) Zencastr! zencastr.com
Hosted on Podbean! curmudgeonrock.podbean.com
Subscribe to our show on these platforms:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911
https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80MW
Feb 27, 2023
Feb 27, 2023
1hr 38 min
In which the Curmudgeons muse about the greatness of the rawest, realest Beatle here in the age of cancel culture. Lennon's very public journey from depressive edginess to middle-aged wisdom was inspiring and remains fascinating to study.
First, we analyze how the tension between Lennon and Paul McCartney defined The Beatles' legacy. Then we trace the maturation Lennon evidenced on tape throughout his 30s--how what began as "the dream is over" ended as "I really love to watch them roll."
Songs discussed during this episode include:
Goat, "Goathead"
Horse Lords, "May Brigade"
From The Beatles:
"In My Life"
"She Said She Said"
"The Ballad of John and Yoko"
"I Want You (She's So Heavy)"
"Hey Jude"
"Revolution"
From John Lennon:
"God"
"Mother"
"Imagine"
"Oh Yoko"
"Gimme Sime Truth"
"Woman is the N***** of the World"
"The Luck of the Irish"
"Mind Games"
"Out the Blue"
"Whatever Gets You Thru the Night"
"#9 Dream"
"Stand By Me"
"Just Like Starting Over"
"Watching the Wheels"
Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/curmudgeonrock
Feb 8, 2023
Feb 8, 2023
37 min
In which Arturo Andrade rips Dave Grohl's renaissance project turned to unfortunately real band to shreds and does so vigorously...and with plenty of Internet-bred validation from others who hate this band. Chris O'Connor, who counts Grohl as a personal hero, only lightly pushes back. Alas, a turd is a turd. Let us rumble through this (mostly) steaming heap stench by stench.
Usually, we endorse the songs we talk about here. That's not the case on this episode, but since this intro is supposed to carry some SEO value, here's some of the piss we cover:
"Hero"
"Learn To Fly"
"Stacked Actors"
"All My Life"
"Times Like These"
"Best Of You"
"The Pretender"
"Rope"
"Walk"
... and an increasingly rotten bunch of stuff from 2014 on...
Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/curmudgeonrock
Jan 11, 2023
Jan 11, 2023
1hr 37 sec
In which one of Yours Truly Curmudgeons, Arturo Andrade, flies solo and empties out his vault to share the greatest "extended play" rock albums ever released. It's a list that has Chris O'Connor's endorsement and includes a few treasured classics as well as some obscurities and very bashed-out primitive recordings from beloved artists.
Artists discussed include:
R.E.M.
Melvins
Butthole Surfers
The Strokes
Sebadoh
Minor Threat
Alice in Chains
... and the EP we select as #1. Discover the mastery starting at 50:40
Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/curmudgeonrock
Subscribe to our show on these platforms:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911
https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80MW
Dec 28, 2022
Dec 28, 2022
1hr 51 min
In which the Curmudgeons each count down their picks for the 20 best albums of 2002. There is plenty of overlap, but there is also plenty of disagreement. Is Beyonce awesome or lazy? Is Soul Glo a piece of gold or a piece of garbage? Either way, these are all the titles to snack on as you catch up on all this music we loved--or at least admired.
Chris's list begins at 11:31.
Arturo's list begins at 1:14:40.
Subscribe to our show on these platforms:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911
https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80MW
Dec 21, 2022
Dec 21, 2022
1hr 34 min
Subscribe to our show on these platforms:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911
https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80MW