Love That Album Podcast Episode 139 - Interview with Charles Jenkins of Icecream Hands

 

You don't need me telling you that 2020 has...uhhh....not exactly been a highlight for a whole heap of reasons besides the obvious ones ramming their way into your consciousness every day for months.

BUT.......I'm here to tell you there's a beautiful rose that grown out of the dirt.

Welcome to episode 139 of Love That Album podcast.

If you've hung around the Facebook page for this podcast long enough, you'll know I'm obsessed with Melbourne band Icecream Hands. No one expected an album of new material from these master music craftsmen....and yet, just when we needed it most, they delivered one to us, No Weapon But Love. This is the first album in 13 years from the band (who have remained busy with other musical activities in the meantime).

One of the two main singers and songwriters for the band, Charles Jenkins, returns to LTA for the first time in 7 years to discuss the album a lifesaving operation, The Zhivagos, academia, and how Charles' love of cricket not only made him into a songwriter, but how the West Indies Cricket Team determines the sequence of an album!!!! It's twue, it's twue.....

Download this episode of LTA from Spotify, Stitcher or iTunes (search for “Love That Album podcast”) or you can download from the website at http://lovethatalbumpodcast.blogspot.com/2020/10/love-that-album-podcast-episode-139.html

Love That Album is proudly part of the Pantheon Podcast network. Go to http://pantheonpodcasts.com to check out all their great shows.

A special shout out to Melbourne film maker Chris Franklin for leading me to his excellent short film about Charles called No Tears In The Writer. It's a great 17 minutes of insight into how Charles works. It's streaming at https://www.franklinimage.com.au/charles-jenkins.html

You can purchase a copy of No Weapon But Love on CD or record at https://icecreamhands.bandcamp.com/releases 

(No word if the gents are taking orders for 8 track cartridge or player piano roll.....)

You can send me feedback at rrrkitchen@yahoo.com.au (written or mp3 voicemail) or join the Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/lovethatalbum

If you’d consider writing an iTunes review we’d be immensely grateful. However, it’d be even better if you told a friend about the podcast and Pantheon – at a (socially distanced) barbecue, over coffee (on Skype), on social media….whatever way you choose, consider me grateful.

Download episode 139 from here.

Love That Album Episode 79 - Interview with Marshall Crenshaw

Episode 79 of Love That Album is ready for your aural pleasure.

I am presenting a couple of episodes this month with interviews I did way back in 2001 while doing a summer fill-in on a local public access radio station in Melbourne. It was really exciting to get the opportunity to speak to a couple of musical titans in my listening development, and I think it was high time to present these to listeners of the podcast.

This time around, I am presenting my interview with American songwriter, musician, radio show presenter, and writer of a music-related film encyclopedia, Marshall Crenshaw. Over 35 years, he has given the pop loving world a bunch of great records. Most recently he has been doing a show on WFUV called The Bottomless Pit and has released a series of crowd funded 10-inch 45 rpm records. This interview was recorded just prior to his release of his brilliant and reflective album What’s In The Bag. Have a listen and hear Marshall discuss his thoughts on his recorded legacy, playing John Lennon and Buddy Holly, and the Lenny Kaye “Nuggets” albums.

Eric Reanimator presents his Album I Love segment discussing Swedish garage band The Strollers (I never knew Eric dug Swedish garage bands!!!) and their album Falling Right Down. The world needs more farfisa organs I say. The Strollers happily agree.

You can download the show by searching for Love That Album in the iTunes store or downloading streaming directly from http://lovethatalbum.blogspot.com.au/

Send the show feedback at rrrkitchen@yahoo.com.au (written or mp3 voicemail) or join the Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/lovethatalbum.

Right click to download and save Episode 79 here

Love That Album Episode 76 - Fountains of Wayne - Utopia Parkway

Heeeeeeyyyyyy Everybody….welcome to another……poperific episode of Love That Album. I am joined by the bass playing, list counting podcaster himself Mr Ben Eisen, host of the All Tim Top Ten podcast.

For episode 76 of LTA, we are discussing the 1999 album by Fountains of Wayne, “Utopia Parkway”. These guys knew how to jangle a guitar, stick a melody deep into the recesses of your subconscious, and tell a tale about life in the suburbs. In the course of our discussion about this album we also talk about the difference between homage and pastiche, why some rock critics feel the need to trash people who live in suburbia (and why they’re stupid for doing it), teenage rites of passage, great summer music, and The Byrds. A really fun chat, and we hope you dig it.

Eric Reanimator also brings some power pop to the virtual table for his Album I Love segment. He talks about a band from Massachusetts called The Charms…and the name is apt.

You can download the show by searching for Love That Album in the iTunes store or downloading streaming directly from http://lovethatalbum.blogspot.com.au

Send the show feedback at rrrkitchen@yahoo.com.au (written or mp3 voicemail) or join the Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/lovethatalbum.

Check out the All Time Top Ten podcast from http://alltimetopten.podomatic.com or get older episodes from https://www.mixcloud.com/beneisen/

If you’d consider writing an iTunes review or recommending the show to a friend, I’d be immensely grateful.

Right click to download and save Episode 76 here

Love That Album episode 68 - Jellyfish "Spilt Milk"

Love That Album episode 68 is here. Any of you who know me know of my love for power pop…and in that regard, we have a gem of an album to discuss.

I’m joined by Melbourne musician, teacher, and fellow power pop nut Rhys Lett to discuss the 1993 album “Spilt Milk” from San Francisco band, Jellyfish. This was a huge step forward from their brilliant debut, “Bellybutton”, but was also unfortunately their final album. Was it due to public or record company apathy, or band friction? In this regard, they share the fate of their stylistic cousins, The Zombies and Big Star (both covered previously on the podcast) who ceased active recording way too early.

They’ve had a lot of comparisons with Queen (for the rawwwwk and drummer Andy Sturmer’s singing) and the Beach Boys’ harmonies. As valid as these comparisons are, there is a lot more going on here. This could be described as a concept album with the songs being parts of a nightmare – not the bogeyman type, but more a domestic nightmare of infidelity, unrequited crushes, depression, death, and evangelism. There’s also a song on Spilt Milk that led Rhys to suggest Ben Eisen needs to pursue its subject matter in an All Time Top Ten podcast. Tune in and find out what it was….

This time around, Eric Reanimator also discusses the Psyclone Ranger’s album from 1993 “Feel Nice”. He describes this as power pop bordering on punk. See what you think.

You can download the podcast at iTunes by searching for “Love That Album”. You can also stream or download it at http://lovethatalbum.blogspot.com.

Any feedback would be gratefully appreciated – either written or mp3 voicemail. You can send it torrrkitchen@yahoo.com.au

Don’t forget to send me your end of 2014 lists of best of’s or favourite first time listens.

Join the Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/lovethatalbum

If you want to check out Rhys’ work as a musician, go to http://www.dressedtochill.com.au/ to see his Crosby Stills and Nash style Kiss tribute band, Dressed to Chill. If you need music lessons,  check out the website of the music school he runs Eastern Sububrs School of Music at http://www.essm.net.au/

Right click to download and save Episode 68 here

Love That Album episode 60 - The Livingstone Daisies “Don’t Know What Happiness Is” and The Grapes “Western Sun”

Welcome to episode 60 of Love That Album. At the end of 2013, two of my favourite albums came from Melbourne bands, and I discuss both of them with their songwriters. 

First of all, The Livingstone Daisies brought a slice of harmony laden pop goodness into the world with “Don’t Know What Happiness Is” (their fans did after hearing it). I speak with the Daisies’ songwriter Van Walker, who has recorded a number of albums in his own right about how this supergroup came into being and this wonderful record. Think Teenage Fanclub, and you’ll get the idea.

Then, I speak to Sherry Rich who has made a myriad of great albums with her own bands (including members of Wilco), but along with Even’s Ash Naylor has reformed The Grapes. They put out a perfect pop album in 1999, and then released another wonderful country / pop hybrid album 14 years later called Western Sun. We speak about both records as well as Sherry’s time in Nashville.

Eric Reanimator returns with his Album I Love segment discussing all girl power pop band The Barbarellas with their aptly titled Queens of the Galaxy. Fans of Thee Ultra Bimboos will dig.

You can download the podcast at iTunes by searching for “love that album”. You can also stream or download it at “http://lovethatalbum.blogspot.com”.

 Send me any feedback at rrrkitchen@yahoo.com.au (written or mp3 voicemail) or join the Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/lovethatalbum.

 You can order a CD of The Grapes’ Western Sun album from http://www.thegrapes.com.au/

You can get the Livingstone Daisies’ Don’t Know What Happiness Is album from  http://livingstonedaisies.bandcamp.com/album/dont-know-what-happiness-is-digital-download-limited-edition-12-vinyl-or-cd

Both albums are available on iTunes.

Right click to download and save Episode 60 here

Love That Album podcast Episode 23 - Big Star - #1 Record

On Episode 23 of Love That Album podcast, Mondo Film podcast presenter Justin Bozung and I discuss the sheer wonderfulness that is Big Star’s “#1 Record”.

Out of all the bands that went nowhere in their day, Big Star was the most undeserving of such a fate. In the early 70s, when existing band Icewater comprising Jody Stephens, Andy Hummel and Chris Bell invited Alex Chilton (of Box Tops fame) to join their ranks, they released a debut album of such breathtaking melodic beauty, it still leaves music fans mystified how circumstances worked so heavily against them. They were from Memphis, but their hearts belonged to England and the 60s harmony drenched pop of The Beatles and The Kinks (plus some Beach Boys thrown in for good measure).  #1 Record was the only album with this line-up. Chris Bell left the band depressed with the apathetic way the album was distributed, leaving music fans interested (and critics raving) but unavailable in record stores.

As usual, we also have another wonderful “An Album I Love” segment from Eric Reanimator.

Download from http://lovethatalbum.blogspot.com or search for “lovethatalbum” in itunes store.

Send me any feedback at rrrkitchen@yahoo.com.au (written or mp3 voicemail) or join the Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/lovethatalbum.

Right click to download and save Episode 23 here.