Best Music Review Roulette Podcasts (2024)

1
Giant Steps - John Coltrane (Review) with Gia Mora 47:09

1d ago47:09

47:09

We asked Gia Mora - actress, writer, musician and most prolific Record Roulette guest! - to pick an album and she went with... improvisational jazz? We're talking about John Coltrane's 1960 banger, "Giant Steps," which is on the Rolling Stone list at #232. During this episode we cover: What makes a jazz album good/bad How neophytes should prepare f…

1
What's the best musical performance in a film? 9:52

3h ago9:52

9:52

We have an actress, Gia Mora, on the show this week, so it's the perfect time to mix film and music - what's the best musical performance in a film? Eamon, Nathan and Gia give their answers. Who would you like to see on VH1 Storytellers? Let us know on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook at @rrmusicpod. Music by lemonmusicstudio from Pixabay.…

1
Giant Steps 101 9:53

8d ago9:53

9:53

Don't know anything about improvisational jazz? Don't worry, we're here to help fill a gap or two before our episode on John Coltrane's "Giant Steps," which turns up on the Rolling Stone list at #232. In this episode you will learn: the basic info about the album its critical and commercial reception why Rolling Stone thinks it's one of the greates…

1
BONUS EPISODE: Five Questions with Michael Simon 4:45

15d ago4:45

4:45

We asked Michael Simon to answer the following questions: What is your dream concert? Who from the music world - dead or alive - would you most want to have a beer or coffee with? What is your favourite album? Which album doesn't get the credit or recognition it deserves? What is one song you wish you could take credit for writing? Have questions? …

1
Who would you include on a VH1 Storytellers reboot? 5:49

22d ago5:49

5:49

We have Michael Simon - creator of VH1 Storytellers - on the show, so we figured we'd ask him about... VH1 Storytellers. Specifically, we gave him a hypothetical - if the show came back today, who would you feature on it? Who would you like to see on VH1 Storytellers? Let us know on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook at @rrmusicpod. Music by lemonmusic…

1
Singles Going Steady - Buzzcocks (Review) with Michael Simon 41:00

1M ago41:00

41:00

We asked all-star guest Michael Simon - the creator of VH1 Storytellers - to FINALLY pick an album that makes him happy, after previously chatting with us about The Cure, NWA and The Velvet Underground. This is what he picked - a "compilation" by semi-obscure punk rockers Buzzcocks, which comes in at #250 on the Rolling Stone list. On this episode …

1
Singles Going Steady 101 10:23

1M ago10:23

10:23

Who were the Buzzcocks? What was a Buzzcock? Is Singles Going Steady a compilation album? Want answers to these questions? Check out our 101 about the Buzzcocks and their 1979 album, Singles Going Steady, which appears on the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums list at #250. In this episode you will learn: the basic info about the album its critical …

1
BONUS EPISODE: Five Questions with Alex Kinsella 5:12

1M ago5:12

5:12

We asked Alex Kinsella to answer the following questions: What is your dream concert? Who from the music world - dead or alive - would you most want to have a beer or coffee with? What is your favourite album? Which album doesn't get the credit or recognition it deserves? What is one song you wish you could take credit for writing? Have questions? …

1
Which album resonated most in your teenage years? 8:00

2M ago8:00

8:00

If it's too loud you're too old! Music is at its most impactful when we're teenagers. It shapes our attitudes, opinions and even our groups of friends. We self-select who we want to be based on who we want to listen to. That made us wonder - what's the one album that resonated most with you as a teenager? It's a highly personal question that we ask…

1
Licensed to Ill - Beastie Boys (Review) with Alex Kinsella 46:51

2M ago46:51

46:51

We asked Alex Kinsella to pick an album from the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest list and he went with a juvenile little disc called "Licensed to Ill" by the Beastie Boys, which just so happens to also be one of the most important albums in hip hop history. On this episode we cover: The group's unique place in the early days of hip hop Cultural appropri…

1
Licensed to Ill 101 10:40

2M ago10:40

10:40

Were the Beastie Boys really important enough to have three albums on the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums list? A good place to start is a conversation about their 1986 debut album, Licensed to Ill. Don't know anything about it? Well, we have you covered. In this episode you will learn: the basic info about the album its critical and commercial r…

1
BONUS EPISODE: Five Questions with Tyrell Lisson 6:01

2M ago6:01

6:01

We asked Tyrell Lisson - host of The Band: A History - to answer the following questions: What is your dream concert? Who from the music world - dead or alive - would you most want to have a beer or coffee with? What is your favourite album? Which album doesn't get the credit or recognition it deserves? What is one song you wish you could take cred…

1
Should live albums be on greatest albums lists? 5:45

3M ago5:45

5:45

If there's one album from The Band that everyone knows, it'd The Last Waltz. An epic, iconic moment in rock and roll history, The Last Waltz stands at a pivotal time in history. But is that enough to earn it a spot on a greatest albums list? Should live albums ever be on greatest albums lists? Our newest episode tries to answer that question throug…

1
Music from Big Pink - The Band (Review) with Tyrell Lisson 55:58

3M ago55:58

55:58

We asked the guy with a podcast called "The Band: A History" to pick and album and... he picked an album by The Band. We're talking Music from Big Pink with Tyrell Lisson. On this episode we cover: The group's unique vocal capabilities The "rural and rustic" nature of The Band's sound The reasons why they were so influential Publishing rights, publ…

1
Music From Big Pink 101 12:33

3M ago12:33

12:33

A band so important they're called THE Band released Music From Big Pink in 1968 and it shook up the whole rock and roll establishment. Do you know which Beatle cited this album as a reason he decided to leave the Fab Four? Do you know why it's called Music From Big Pink? Was it a hit? Was it a flop? If you don't know the answers to these questions…

1
BONUS EPISODE: Five Questions with Clare Blackwood 6:47

4M ago6:47

6:47

We ask actress, comedian and Twitter miscreant Clare Blackwood to answer the following questions: What is your dream concert? Who from the music world - dead or alive - would you most want to have a beer or coffee with? What is your favourite album? Which album doesn't get the credit or recognition it deserves? What is one song you wish you could t…

1
What's the most iconic Christmas song? 5:15

4M ago5:15

5:15

It's that time of year, when the world falls in love... every song you hear, seems to say... Merry Christmas... Our newest episode meets the challenge of the season by asking our co-hosts and guest Clare Blackwood to name the MOST ICONIC CHRISTMAS SONG. Listen to find out what they pick. What's the most iconic Christmas song in your opinion? Let us…

1
Cosmo's Factory - Creedence Clearwater Revival (Review) with Clare Blackwood 45:15

5M ago45:15

45:15

We asked funny internet lady Clare Blackwood to pick an album, she said she didn't know anything about music, so we ended up with a Creedence Clearwater Revival album, but what an album! Cosmo's Factory was released in 1972 and makes the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums list at #413. Listen as we cover: The similarities between comedy and music pe…

1
Cosmo's Factory 101 10:56

5M ago10:56

10:56

Did you know that Creedence Clearwater Revival *isn't* from the American south? Did you know they only produced music for a handful of years as CCR? Do you know what CCR means? Do you know why they called their album Cosmo's Factory? If you answered "no" to any of these questions, this 101 is for you! In this episode you will learn: the basic info …

1
BONUS EPISODE: Five Questions with Emm Gryner 6:00

5M ago6:00

6:00

We ask singer, songwriter, musician and author Emm Gryner to answer the following questions: What is your dream concert? Who from the music world - dead or alive - would you most want to have a beer or coffee with? What is your favourite album? Which album doesn't get the credit or recognition it deserves? What is one song you wish you could take c…

1
Which Canadian act should more people discover? 7:22

5M ago7:22

7:22

Our two hosts are Canadian and our guest - Emm Gryner - is a multi-time Juno nominee, so we thought this was the perfect opportunity to introduce you Americans, Germans, Brits, Australians and Kiwis to some must-hear Canadian fare. Which artist from your country would you introduce to foreigners? Let us know on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook at @rr…

1
Love Deluxe - Sade (Review) with Emm Gryner 46:11

5M ago46:11

46:11

We asked Juno-nominated musician, best-selling author and former David Bowie bandmate Emm Gryner to pick an album from the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums list and she picked... Sade? The album, Love Deluxe, came out in 1992 and makes the list at #247. Have either Eamon or Nathan heard of Sade before? Can they resist the temptation to ask Emm abo…

1
Love Deluxe 101 10:59

6M ago10:59

10:59

Need a primer on Sade's 1992 album Love Deluxe? Don't know who Sade is? We're here to help. This short explainer gives you everything you need to know to prepare for our upcoming full-length discussion with special guest Emm Gryner. Oh, but listen to the actual album, too. It's a surprise. In this episode you will learn: the basic info about the al…

1
BONUS EPISODE: Five Questions with Chris Jones 9:13

6M ago9:13

9:13

We ask journalist, author and screenwriter Chris Jones to answer the following questions: What is your dream concert? Who from the music world - dead or alive - would you most want to have a beer or coffee with? What is your favourite album? Which album doesn't get the credit or recognition it deserves? What is one song you wish you could take cred…

1
What's your go-to karaoke voice? 5:51

6M ago5:51

5:51

You show up at a karaoke bar where everyone has their eyes closed and you *need* to convince them you're a famous singer. Who do you pretend to be? Mick Jagger? That guy from Green Day? Or do you get ambitious, like a fool, and try for a Freddie Mercury? We asked the Record Roulette hosts and their guest, journalist, author and screenwriter Chris J…

1
Ten - Pearl Jam (Review) with Chris Jones 59:15

6M ago59:15

59:15

We asked journalist, screenwriter, author and... uh... Twitter guy Chris Jones to pick an album from the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest List. He went with Pearl Jam's 1991 debut, Ten, which makes the list at #160. Do Eamon and Nathan approve of this pick? Can Nathan get over his Nirvana fandom enough to enjoy an album Kurt Cobain hated? Will Chris Jone…

1
Ten 101 10:56

7M ago10:56

10:56

Need a primer on Pearl Jam's 1991 debut album? We're here to help. This short explainer gives you everything you need to know about "Ten" to prepare for our upcoming full-length discussion. Oh, but listen to the actual album, too. It's a banger. In this episode you will learn: the basic info about the album its critical and commercial reception why…

1
BONUS EPISODE: Five Questions with Allison Rapp 5:51

7M ago5:51

5:51

We ask music journalist Allison Rapp to answer the following questions: What is your dream concert? What is, objectively, the greatest album of all time? What is your favourite album? Which album doesn't get the credit or recognition it deserves? What is one song you wish you could take credit for writing? Which artist would you move to a different…

1
BONUS EPISODE: Which artist would you move to a different genre? 7:31

7M ago7:31

7:31

Tina Turner in heavy metal? Freddie Mercury in straight-up pop music? How about Jimi Hendrix the blues legend? If you had to pluck one artist from music history out of their genre and place them in another, who would you pick and where would you put them? We asked the Record Roulette hosts and their guest, music journalist Allison Rapp. Which artis…

1
Continuum - John Mayer (Review) with Allison Rapp 51:04

7M ago51:04

51:04

We asked music journalist Allison Rapp to pick an album to chat about from the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest list and she picked... something from John Mayer?!? It's true. We're reviewing Continuum, an album that barely makes the list at #486, from an artist that receives a lot of (unearned?) scoffing. Will Allison's pick make Mayer fans of Eamon and …

1
Continuum 101 7:25

8M ago7:25

7:25

Don't know anything about John Mayer's 2006 album Continuum? No problem. This short explainer gives you everything you need to know - short of listening to the actual album - to prepare for our upcoming full-length discussion. In this episode you will learn: the basic info about the album its critical and commercial reception why Rolling Stone thin…

1
BONUS EPISODE: What was the best album from Season Two? 11:16

10M ago11:16

11:16

This is the absolute last episode before we go on summer hiatus, so we're looking back on the season two to each make our pick for the *best* album of the season. Quick reminder: this season we talked about Beyonce’s self-titled album, Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life, The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper, as well as albums from Neil Young, Nirvana, Da…

1
Young, Gifted and Black - Aretha Franklin (Review) 44:42

10M ago44:42

44:42

In the final episode of season two, the Record Roulette crew tackled one of the FOUR albums from Aretha Franklin on the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums list. Young, Gifted and Black comes in at #388 on the list. Can they add anything to the discussion about her voice? Will Nathan say something that will infuriate the internet? Anything is possibl…

1
BONUS EPISODE: What's your favourite soundtrack? 9:26

10M ago9:26

9:26

It's not a genre that Rolling Stone recognizes on their list of the greatest albums of all time, but soundtracks (and scores, for that matter) are very important contributors to culture. Do you have a favourite soundtrack? We asked the Record Roulette team to reveal those soundtracks that they love most. What's your favourite soundtrack? Let us kno…

1
Random Access Memories - Daft Punk (Review) 43:08

11M ago43:08

43:08

Ten years after it was released, do we think Daft Punk's Random Access Memories - #295 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums list - is underrated, overrated or just, uh, rated? The Record Roulette crew weighs in on that question, the suggestion that this is "live" instrumentation, the challenge of comparing dance music to everything else and wheth…

1
BONUS EPISODE: What's your favourite BritPop song? 8:56

11M ago8:56

8:56

With groups like Blur, Oasis, Pulp and Suede leading the way, BritPop was a dominant force in mid-1990s music that produced a ton of classic tracks. The question: what's your favourite one? We asked the Record Roulette crew and our special guest from our episode about Pulp's Different Class - Stewart Reynolds aka Brittlestar - to weigh in on their …

1
Different Class - Pulp (Review) 56:52

11M ago56:52

56:52

What's a Pulp? Well, if you're American or named Eamon you might not know, but they're a BritPop band that has an album from 1995 -- Different Class -- at #162 on the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums list. The Record Roulette crew are joined by Canadian icon Brittlestar to discuss Jarvis Cocker being weird, the meaning of BritPop and the fallout f…

1
BONUS EPISODE: What's your favourite Beatles cover? 8:07

11M ago8:07

8:07

What do Joe Cocker, Frank Sinatra, the B52s, Beastie Boys, Aretha Franklin, The Black Crows, Blue Oyster Cult, Bon Jovi and David Bowie have in common? They all covered Beatles songs. The Beatles are probably the most-covered group of all time. We asked the Record Roulette crew and special guest Gia Mora to name their absolute favourite Beatles cov…

1
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles (Review) 50:42

12M ago50:42

50:42

What can you say about Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band that hasn't been said? Good question! Joined by the wonderful Gia Mora, we tackle the idea of Sgt. Pepper as a concept album, unique approaches to storytelling and turning points in Western Civilization in this new episode about The Beatles' eighth studio album, which comes in at #24 on t…

1
BONUS EPISODE: Behind the Scenes at VH1 Storytellers 13:26

12M ago13:26

13:26

A Record Roulette Exclusive! We've had Michael Simon, the creator of VH1 Storytellers, on our show three times. Until now, we've controlled our urge to ask questions about working with the likes of Ray Davies, Stevie Nicks, Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, but that's exactly what we did in this BONUS EPISODE. Take a listen for a behind the scenes loo…

1
Straight Outta Compton - NWA (Review) 49:02

12M ago49:02

49:02

The wonderful Michael Simon - creator of VH1 Storytellers - returns to discuss one of the foundational pieces of the hip hop genre: Straight Outta Compton. We talk about misogyny, trying to understand an album built on completely different life experiences and the potency of creating an album on a shoestring budget. Leave comments on Twitter, Insta…

1
SPECIAL: Brief Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot 3:52

12M ago3:52

3:52

Gordon Lightfoot - Canada's greatest songwriter - passed away at age 84. Record Roulette host Eamon O'Flynn, a devoted fan of Lightfoot's work, says a few words about his impact, importance and legacy.By @rrmusicpod

1
BONUS EPISODE: Who is your favourite guitarist? 8:26

1y ago8:26

8:26

It's a simple question, but your answer says a lot about you. Is your favourite guitarist a speed demon like Eddie Van Halen? A finger-picker like Mark Knopfler? A classic rock icon like Eric Clapton? We've made our picks - and so has our guest, Mark Urban. Who is your favourite guitarist? Let us know how you did on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook a…

1
Appetite for Destruction - Guns N' Roses (Review) 53:06

1y ago53:06

53:06

The debut album from Guns N' Roses is many things. It's the best-selling debut album in American history. It's one of the best-selling albums of all time. It's #62 on the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums list. But, is it the definitive hard rock album? We tackle this question and more in this episode of Record Roulette with the help of videographe…

1
BONUS EPISODE: What was the second best British Invasion group? 8:18

1y ago8:18

8:18

We all know The Beatles are #1 when it comes to the British Invasion, but who places (a distant) second? There are lots of deserving options - The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, etc. - but picking just one is HARD. Like this sort of thing? You should check out some of our other BONUS episodes: What is your favourite heartland rock album? G…

1
The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society - The Kinks (Review) 49:16

1y ago49:16

49:16

Is this album a brilliant and courageous effort to create a new sound or the flat, amateurish work of a first-time producer? Does that even matter when it comes to judging an album? The Record Roulette crew is joined by returnee Gabe Pollack to discuss these and other questions about The Kinks' incredible sixth studio album - The Kinks Are The Vill…

1
BONUS EPISODE: What is your favourite heartland rock album? 6:21

1y ago6:21

6:21

The term heartland rock is a bit nebulous but that didn't stop the Record Roulette crew from picking their favourite heartland rock albums. What is your favourite heartland rock album? Let us know how you did on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook at @rrmusicpod. Runtime: 6.5 minutes Music by lemonmusicstudio from Pixabay.…

1
Nebraska - Bruce Springsteen (Review) 1:00:43

1y ago1:00:43

1:00:43

As we review Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska - the 150th greatest album of all time according to Rolling Stone - we ask whether it's truly a great album or just a great Springsteen album. Can it be one without being the other? Along the way, the Record Roulette crew stumbles upon Neil Diamond, scratched up cassette tapes and one truly incredible bad r…

1
BONUS: Pairing musicians with cocktails and beer 16:34

1y ago16:34

16:34

What cocktail best represents 1980s-era Madonna? Is there a beer that absolutely captures the essence of 1970s Neil Young? We asked Adam Rogers, author of the NYT Bestseller Proof: The Science of Booze, and co-host Nathan Smith to suggest cocktail and beer pairings for six artists we've covered on Record Roulette. Want to drink the essence of Beyon…

1
Brothers in Arms - Dire Straits (Review) 1:08:50

1y ago1:08:50

1:08:50

Can one word ruin the legacy of a great album? It might have. Our newest episode is about Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms - one of the best-selling albums of all time - which comes in at #418 on the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums list. We're joined by journalist and NYT best-selling author Adam Rogers to discuss booze, Eddie Murphy and, oh yeah, …

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