My Favorite Album With Jeremy Dylan

Today, one of Australia’s most dexterous singer-songwriters, Gretta Ray, returns to the show so that we can finally do an episode on Taylor Swift, as we dive into the queen of pop’s 2008 sophomore album ‘Fearless’. We talk about Taylor’s recent rerecording of the album, the different contexts the album assumes as Taylor and Gretta age past the experiences of teenage life in the songs, how songwriting changes once people have expectations of you, Taylor as a big sister for her fans, the difference between sad songs and dark songs, how Taylor gave Gretta permission to be vulnerable and how her songs give her audience permission to process and heal. Plus, we talk about Gretta’s imminent debut album ‘Begin to Look Around’, the songwriting process, touring with Gang of Youths and more.

Today Girlpuppy’s Becca Harvey joins me to talk about Best Coast’s hugely influential debut album ‘Crazy for You’. We talk about discovering the album amidst a sea of yacht rock and top 40 country music, being the same age Bethany Cosentino was when this record came out, how music exists as a time capsule, how this album defined California for a new generation, how the ‘quiet ones’ in music duos like Bobb Bruno can be underrated and more. Plus, we take a left turn into a Taylor Swift cul-de-sac and tease a rematch on the album ‘Red’, and get inside Becca’s hopes and anxieties as she prepares to release her EP and go on her first ever concert tour.

Today I’m joined by Elroy Finn, singer-songwriter and Crowded House drummer, on the eve of his self-titled LP ’Elroy’’s release, to talk about the iconic cult r&b album ‘Inspiration Information’ by Shuggie Otis. We talk about how the album is suitable for all moods and occasions, how the song Strawberry Letter 23 and its appearance in movies helped people discover Shuggie, how young Shuggie was when he made this record, the power and pitfalls of making a record by yourself, the classic drum machines Shuggie uses on the album, the advantages of keeping lyrics vague, and how music can infiltrate your hangs.

As Australia heads back into lockdown, friends of the show Seja Vogel and Davey Lane join me and our respective bottles of whiskey for a truly epic deep dive into Paul McCartney’s ‘rockdown’ LP McCartney III. Starting with an overview of Sir Paul’s 21st century output so far, we dig into the record track by track and discuss, dissect, argue, sing and do some truly diabolical impressions along the way as we work our way through the latest work by the greatest pop artist of all time. This is a vast and by the end, totally unhinged, conversation between three confirmed Beatles tragics about not just this album, but what Paul McCartney’s legacy means and what it’s like to operate as an artist with literally no peers long after your heyday. Topics discussed include: - Pandemic pop songs - The differences in approach from McCartney to McCartney II and McCartney III - McCartney’s drumming style and how ‘non-drummers’ play drums - McCartney’s lyric writing process and if that has changed since the 60s - Jeff Lynne’s

Pond guitarist and singer-songwriter Shiny Joe Ryan joins me from Fremantle, on the eve of his new solo album ‘Shiny’s Democracy’, to talk about a favorite album at once logical and surprising - Pink Floyd’s 1971 LP ‘Meddle’. We talk about how the album serves as a transitionary album between the Syd Barrett and Roger Waters dominated eras of the band, Floyd’s flirtation with folk-rock, making 70s rock music before the sound of the decade had been defined, the underrated genius of keyboardist Richard Wright, Roger Waters and David Gilmour’s battles over the legacy of the band, Joe’s encounters with the infamous flying pig and how the record has influenced Joe’s own music.

Today, the woman who wrote the book on Duran Duran’s Rio (out now as part of the 33 1/3 series), Annie Zaleski, joins me to unpack the making of the classic album, how the band’s reputation as great musicians has grown the further time moves on from their initial success, how preparation and cooperation helped them make intricate records despite limited studio time, how the sound of the album sits on the precipice before things went ‘full 80s’, the unexpected influences on the band’s sound, their musical and career ambition, John Taylor’s genius as a bass player and why they probably won’t be jumping on the biopic train anytime soon.

Today we’re back in lockdown on both ends of the chat as emerging Aussie queen of pop Charley joins me over Zoom to unpack the genius of one of the last decade’s most significant pop songwriters, Julia Michaels, and her debut ‘mini-album’, 2017's Nervous System. We talk about how this record helped Charley figure out who she wanted to be as an artist, identifying with the anxiety issues and relationship dramas Michaels writes about and the transparency of the lyrics, how Michaels’ song ‘Issues’ propelled her from songwriter to pop star, the signature lyrical and rhythmic hooks of a Julia Michaels song, use of contained metaphors and when double entendres become single entendres in song lyrics. Plus we talk about Charley’s infectious debut single ‘Hard for Me’, why she wrote it in Nashville, how COVID changed her release plan and teases her forthcoming song ‘Arizona’.

Today, legendary producer and Crowded House keyboardist Mitchell Froom joins me to unpack the making of the iconic band’s new album ‘Dreamers Are Waiting’. We talk about how Mitchell helped define the sound of the band twice - first as the producer of their debut album 35 years ago, and again as a fully-fledged member on this new album, the moment the new lineup of the band played together for the first time, why it reminded him of working with Elvis Costello, recording without click tracks or a producer, how they managed to finish the songs remotely during lockdown and how some of them radically transformed, what it was like to revisit classic Crowded House material ahead of their NZ tour earlier this year and whether there are plans for another new record from this incarnation of the band.

Today, we turn our attention to the most successful solo male artist of the last decade as genre-bending rising star Ashwarya joins me to discuss Drake’s 2011 sophomore album ‘Take Care’ and the ins and outs of what makes Drake connect with her and so many people. We discuss how his blending of hip-hop and R&B was controversial at the time but has gone on to set a template many others have followed, how the record showcased Drake’s emotional vulnerability, how the songs have broad appeal despite being about what it’s like to be a rich and famous musician, how embracing cringe made Drake a superstar, memes and whether he is the Coldplay of hip-hop.

Today, I meet a potential soul mate, singer-songwriter Max Quinn. We open the power pop bag and pull out Fountains of Wayne’s almost 20 year old classic ‘Welcome Interstate Managers’ and somehow crowbar the Beatles into the conversation, while also talking about Max’s theory that this album contains the history of pop music, the contrasting writing styles of Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood, our love of well-crafted songs, the band’s mixed feelings about ‘Stacey’s Mom’, the character storytelling on the album and why it’s a white collar version of Bruce Springsteen, alcohol, the CD era, signature chord changes, joy and hope and depression and much more.

Today, Rock critic, author and podcaster Steven Hyden returns to the show to talk about his fantastic book on Radiohead’s 'Kid A' album, This Isn’t Happening (now available in paperback). We talk about how Radiohead fans will always look for meaning in their lyrics despite Thom Yorke’s best efforts, the context of the early 21st century that the album existed in and how it seemingly presaged the cultural trends of the last 20 years, how the book forms part of a loose potential trilogy with Steven’s previous book Twilight of the Gods and whatever he might write next, whether Radiohead’s career is more like the Beatles or the Stones, the underrated importance of Ed O’Brien in the band, that it’s a miracle any bands stay together and if bands ever really break up in the modern age.

Today actor/musician Jeremiah Craft (Bill & Ted Face the Music, Girls 5Eva) joins me to delve into the newest album we’ve ever covered on the show, Jaden Smith’s 2019 LP ‘Erys’. We talk about the ambition of the record, how it acts as a conceptual sequel to Jaden’s debut ‘Syre’, how Will Smith inspired Jeremiah to start acting, the pressures of living up to famous parents, why this is one of the few albums Jeremiah listens to in full and more. Plus we discuss creating characters and Jeremiah’s process for playing Louis Armstrong, what his dream role would be, the contrasts between stage, film and TV acting and how playing other people can reveal truths about yourself.

Today, Australian broadcasting legend Stan Grant joins me to talk about friend of the show Jonathan Wilson’s quasi-debut ‘Gentle Spirit’. Stan opens up about how he discovered the record while dealing with PTSD and the emotional fall out of years embedded in war zones as a foreign correspondent. We talk about how this album revealed Wilson as a songwriter and artist in his own right, as he was mainly known as a great producer and instrumentalist. We break down the influences on the record, from Neil Young to Pink Floyd to The Beatles and more, and how Wilson stays on the right side of inspiration rather than pastiche. We talk about why Stan never became a musician himself, his memories of seeing Wilson play live in LA and how music has influenced Stan’s writing.

Singer-songwriter and man probably coming out of your car radio right now JP Saxe joins me for a surprising favorite album pick - jazz piano legend Keith Jarrett’s 1975 live album “The Köln Concert”. We talk about the strange backstory behind the album - a dyspeptic artist, a teenage concert promoter, the wrong piano and a show that almost didn’t happen - and more including the time JP met and had a confrontation with Jarrett, how Jarrett improvises and how JP is able to improvise in his own shows, whether anger is productive as creative fuel, building and releasing tension and more. Plus, on the verge of releasing his debut album, JP talks about the albums he measured himself against and the pressure on your first LP.

Today, film journalist, author and Empire podcast geek queen Helen O’Hara joins me to dig into her epic new book, Women vs Hollywood: The Fall and Rise of Women in Film. We talk about how the research and writing process was effected by the pandemic, choosing which topics to cover, the forgotten early female filmmaking pioneers, how the Hayes censorship code led to better roles for women, diversity in superhero and franchise films, the ‘Smurfette’ principle and more.

Today, the great Dominic Monaghan (Lord of the Rings, Lost, Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan) joins me for a truly epic deep dive into The Beatles White Album. We get into Dom’s Beatles origin story, his conflicted feelings about John Lennon, how the album is an audition for the Beatles respective solo careers, his Beatles tattoos and whether he has pried an early look at Peter Jackson’s new Beatles documentary out of his old mate. But the real meat of this episode is a track by track exploration of the entire double album, from Back in the USSR to Good Night. It is the considered opinion of this podcast that nothing beats a full spectrum Beatles nerd out, and this is one for the ages.

Fresh off releasing the greatest album of 2021, Middle Kids frontwoman Hannah Joy makes a welcome return to the show to talk about The National’s seminal 2013 album ‘Trouble Will Find Me’. We talk about The National’s reputation as a band who make ‘grower’ albums, how this album represents the culmination of the band’s career to that time, the use of rhythm, space and texture and how that influenced the new Middle Kids album, integrating family dynamics into a band, how to age gracefully as a rock band and the cocktail bar in Portland where the drinks are inspired by National songs. Plus Hannah reveals the most contentions albums each Middle Kids member has tried to play in the band van while on tour.

Today I’m joined by Australian music legend Murray Cook (The Wiggles, The Soul Movers) to discuss David Bowie’s nailed-on glam rock classic ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’. Murray tells the tale of how he traded away a Slade LP for this album, we debate its ‘concept album’ bonafides, we gush over the greatness of Spiders guitarist Mick Ronson, why the record was more successful than Hunky Dory, the unique sequencing of the album, how Bowie stayed cool til the end, his “cut up” method of writing lyrics, why he was such an effective collaborator and more.