In this episode, Jonathon talks about the cLOUDDEAD album Ten with writer/editor/New Ears regular Sarah Mulroe.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about The Head and the Heart's album Living Mirage with writer/dancer Robyn McMahan.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about the Milemarker album Future Isms with educator Jacky King.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about the Hall & Oates album War Babies with musician Hamilton Wheeler.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about the self titled Coriky debut with writer & musician Raul Clement.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about the The Wonder Years album Sister Cities with writer & podcaster Jacklyn Andersen.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

Jonathon joins Brian & Matt again on the Beast in the Maze podcast to discuss the Iron Maiden Album The X-Factor.By Brian and Matt

Jonathon joins Brian & Matt on the Beast in the Maze podcast to discuss the Phish Album The Story Of The Ghost.By Brian and Matt

This bonus episode is a sneak peak/extended cut on the upcoming episode on the Coriky S/T album.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about the Fugazi album The Argument with writer & musician Raul Clement.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about the Buck 65 album Secret House Against The World with writer/editor/podcaster Sarah Mulroe.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about the Jethro Tull album Aqualung with podcaster/guitarist/poker enthusiast Matt Ivey.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about the Built To Spill album Perfect From Now On with musician Justin Clark.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about the 2nd Joan of Arc album How Memory Works with writer & musician Raul Clement.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about the Tegan and Sara album The Con with musician Jason Wiggs.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about the A Tribe Called Quest album People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm with podcaster Brian Kelly.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about the Elliott Smith album Either/Or with television & film editor Nathan Whiteside.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about the 1st Joan of Arc album A Portable Model Of... with writer & musician Raul Clement.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about the Taylor Swift album Reputation with writer/editor/podcaster Sarah Mulroe.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about the Drive Like Jehu album Yank Crime with podcaster/guitarist/poker enthusiast Matt Ivey.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

In this episode, Jonathon talks about the Harvey Danger album Little By Little with writer/actor/puppeteer Jeremy W. Kerr.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

A brief explanation of New Ears - an auditory exploration of the art of the album.By Abandoned Mascot Productions

This podcast ran independently from 2016 to 2020. We reflect on our goals in creating it and how successful those were while trying to be transparent about the ins and outs of podcast production, marketing, and monetization.

This graphic novel by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell came out between 1989 and 1998, 100 years after the Jack the Ripper murders it's based on. We look at the meticulous research they put into this to try to understand how this story manages to be about true crime while indulging in deep themes like English identity, psychogeography, and the nature …

This 1995 film by Michael Mann is considered a quintessential cops-and-robbers epic. We look at Mann's attention to detail and his attempt at authenticity in light of the movie's influence on audiences, filmmakers, and real-life criminals. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affili…

This 1985 concept album by Kate Bush is split into pop songs and a suite of music about someone drowning. We look at Bush's career arc leading up to this record and how the support she received from those around her allowed to experiment and create this wholly unique music. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show …

Dan Simmon's 1989 science-fiction novel is acclaimed for its unique structure, references, and style. We take a closer look at how it interrogates our expectations of genre to explore a complex host of themes. Thank you to Chris Marlton for coproducing this episode. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purch…

This 1987 film is celebrated as a cult classic for its depiction of self-destructive young Englishmen at the end of the 1960s. We discuss how creator Bruce Robinson got it made, and whether it congratulates its characters for their alcoholism or criticizes their generation and the end of that era of British culture. Interested in the media we discu…

This 1962 novel is being reappraised by critics and fans as a creeping meditation on 1950s housewives, agoraphobia, and good old-fashioned New England persecution. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: We Have Always Lived in the Castle Additional Resources: We Have …

This 1945 children’s book by Tove Jansson began a publishing empire in Finland that is worth millions of dollars. We look at Jansson’s beloved allegory about a world where a family survives turmoil and everyone is accepted for who they are. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affil…

This 2001 record is praised as being metal for the thinking man. We peel back the lyrics and the time signatures to understand why this band inspires an almost-religious devotion in its fans. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Lateralus Additional Resources: 10 TH…

This comic book series by Brian K. Vaughan and artist Cliff Chiang started in 2015 as a story about four preteen girls coming of age in the 80s. We look into how the creators produced the comic while examining their skepticism of nostalgia in a post-Stranger-Things world. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by…

This 2019 series of Gizmodo articles and videos by Kashmir Hill look into how difficult it actually is to stop using The Stacks: Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft. We place Hill’s research within our larger understanding of Big Tech and media literacy while listening to arguments for tech regulation or simply scaling back. I Cut The Bi…

This epic 1970s manga series is celebrated for its influence on other stories. We look at the conditions that produced it and how the comic represents Japanese history, revenge, gender, and the irredeemable hero on the road to Hell. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate sto…

This 1975 rock album began to define Rush’s identity after the late Neil Peart joined the band on drums and lyrics. We look at how they treated their band as a business to try to understand the particular blend of instrument solos and libertarian ideology that later defined them. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the…

This 2013 novel generated a cantankerous debate in the world of literary criticism over the quality of fiction and how we define it. We look at Tartt's writing process and themes to try to understand whether this book deserved the praise and awards it received. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing…

This 1969 double-album has been described as both “unlistenable” and “one of the greatest albums of all time.” We discuss its volatile production while trying to understand its composition and how it influenced another fifty years of weird music. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our…

This 1999 cannibal-horror-comedy film went through three directors in a troubled production. We discussed how it successfully critiques American consumption and Manifest Destiny despite its financial failure. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Ravenous Additional …

This comic book series by Neal Adams is a strange combination of talent and narcissism, along with the realization that its lead character and its creator aren't as in control as they want to be. We discuss gun violence, Expanding Earth theory, and generational conflict to try to make sense of this one-of-a-kind experience. Interested in the media …

This 1996 film is a purported biopic about a famous painter by another famous painter, Julian Schnabel. We ask whether the narrative this movie presents is an inaccurate portrayal of its subject because it exploits him or because the director is commenting on his own place within the world of fine art. Interested in the media we discussed this epis…

This is a repost of a 2016 episode. In our 2016 holiday episode, we looked at the forgotten Christmas Eve tradition of telling ghost stories. M.R. James' work from over a hundred years ago best represents this Victorian trend, so in his honor we brought horror to academia and safe spaces. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please su…

This 2013 novel is a sequel to The Shining. With guest Emily Lewis, we consider how King continues his own redemption arc through these stories about alcoholism and parenting. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Doctor Sleep Additional Resources: Stephen King in Pe…

This 2018 comic series by Mark Russell and Mike Feehan reimagines the cartoon character as a gay playwright at odds with 1950s American politics. We examine Russell's writing goals while considering a critical debate about the book: is it formulaic award-bait or character-driven commentary on our present circumstances? Interested in the media we di…

Thank you to our Co-producer patron Kevin Wetter for selecting this week's topic! This 1994 indie rock album means a lot to its fans as proof positive that you can survive a romantic breakup. We look at the small business that drove its creation and try to put ourselves in the shoes of the listeners who cherish it. Interested in the media we discus…

This animated series was an MTV oddity, televised between 1991 and 1994 in a blur of non-linear, ambiguous chunks. We talk about how creator Peter Chung got this made while inserting symbolic references to the limits of 1990's storytelling. We also wonder why we're so nostalgic for a simpler time when our entertainment was more nebulous and weird. …

This 1975 children's book by Roald Dahl is about class conflict and an idealized relationship between a child and their parent. We talk about Dahl's notoriously disagreeable personality while trying to reconcile it with this genuinely joyful story. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through o…

This 2017 graphic novel is a memoir about growing up, figure skating, and coming out of the closet. We talk about how Walden approached the project with guidance from her editor while we look at the comics industry as a whole and the tensions between the book market and the direct market. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please su…

This 2018 concept album is about reckoning, celebrating, and reclaiming what it means to be American. We discuss how Monáe uses her platform to advocate for queer and black women while working with big record labels to also produce commercial success. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it throug…

This is a special repost of the first episode of our Patreon-only series, SuperKINGcontext. Stephen King's first novel was adapted into this 1976 cautionary movie about adolescence, bullying, and female representation by a team of middle-aged men. How does the male gaze impact this story that is so often referred to as "feminist"? Interested in the…

This political comedy podcast makes over a million dollars a year from its Patreon subscribers alone. We try to unpack how it gets made while learning more about the personal values associated with the "dirtbag left." Chapo Trap House podcast on Soundcloud Additional Resources: Meet Chapo Trap House: The Funniest and Most F**ked Up New Podcast Abou…