Unsung Podcast

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New Adventures in Hi-Fi by R.E.M. (Side D) - 297

Well, we did it. We got to the end of R.E.M.'s discography and now we turn our attention to the album that started this journey in the first place - New Adventures in Hi-Fi-. Chris explains to us why he thinks it's unsung classic, and grapples with the possibility that his choice may not have been the right one. And as ever, we drop the nexus too. See ye next week!

BONUS CONTENT PREVIEW: Unsong - Episode 4: No Tears by Tuxedomoon

It’s been QUITE the week here in Unsung towers, with holidays and various other things happening, we weren’t able to get a regular episode recorded. So we’re dropping this bonus content preview. Please enjoy, and if you like it, consider signing up to our Patreon.

The Unsung History of R.E.M. (Side C) - 296

R.E.M. never really chased superstardom, and yet they found themselves thrust into it in the mid-90s. Last week we ended by talking about Green and Out of Time. In part three we chat about Automatic for the People and Monster, before diving into the records they made after drummer and founding member Bill Berry left: Up, Reveal, Around the Sun, Accelerate and Collapse Into Now. This episode's the longest of all four parts precisely because we cover so much ground. We try to give each album a fair hearing before we circle back to Chris' choice of New Adventures in Hi-Fi in part four/Side D. There's a ton of samples of this, and it soon becomes clear that without Berry and dimming commercial appeal, that they were starting to become a little bit listless. Hope you enjoy getting stuck into it!

The Unsung History of R.E.M. (Side B) - 295

Welcome to part two of our R.E.M. series! Now that the context is out the way, we dive headlong into their discography. In Side B we talk about all the records the released on I.R.S., and also dispense some trivia about the band during the time on the label. We talk about Murmur, Reckoning, Fables of the Reconstruction, Lifes Rich Pageant and Document, discussing our highlights, lowlights, and our overall impressions of the band's early output.

The Unsung History of R.E.M. (Side A) - 294

Welcome to part one of our short series on R.E.M. So, as fans of the show know, the general thrust of Unsung is that each week we choose a record by a band. That record is either a classic by an unsung artist, or an unsung classic by a well known (and we take a fairly liberal view on what "well known" actually means) artist. The catalyst for this series is that Chris has chosen the album New Adventures in Hi-Fi by R.E.M. as an unsung classic. But before we even get to the album (coming next week in part four) we need to do our due diligence and take a quick glance over their entire discography. And folks, for R.E.M., it's a big ol discography. With fifteen albums, there's a lot to wade through, which is why this is a series in four parts, as opposed to one episode. But before we dive into the discography, we need to give context. So in episode one Chris talks about his affection for R.E.M., why he picked New Adventures in Hi-Fi, and we do a little bit of background on the band's pre-history. We also talk about our overall impressions of the band, what it was like to get to grips with the back catalogue. We also talk about Elizabeth Wurtzel's 1993 article "R.E.M. for The People", a key text for this series. In the next episode (dropping today RIGHT after this one) we dive into their discography. Stay tuned!

Episode 293 - Town Hall: Xmas Leftovers

We're back! In new surroundings (digitally). To kick off our tenure in our new home of Bleav we thought we'd get out some Christmas leftovers and reheat them for you. Long time fans of the show will know that every Xmas we answer questions from our lovely listeners. Well, we had a couple we didn't answer from the 2023 Xmas specials and it just so happens that they pertain to the podcast itself and its future. So we talk a little about what drives us, why we're still doing it, what things might look like going forward and also chuck in some silly shit too. Can't be too serious all the time. Particularly when we talk about how fucked the music industry is. So sit back and relax with the first episode of the new era, and look forward to a bit more this week...

Episode 292 - The (Belated) Xmas Xtravaganza 2023 (Side C)

So here we are, the truly magnificent, slightly chaotic, overly long conclusion to our Xmas madness. It’s seen us well into January this year, which is maddening and funny. We had so many questions this year. A ridiculous amount, frankly. But we couldn’t let the die hards down, and that meant doing each and every single one. Somehow, despite divvying them up equally across the three episodes, the final part of this trilogy comes in a whopping 3 hour episode. Yes folks, bear witness to our first and hopefully last ever 3 hour episode. It was a chore, the edit was painful but it was also an immense amount of fun. This is probably actually our funniest episode ever. The hot takes are hotter than ever and the bantermobile has gone off the track and into some truly outlandish territory. After all this we’re taking next week off. Mostly because we actually have a lot to do and a lot of research on a band with a huge back catalogue. A band you perhaps never thought we’d cover (it’s not Prince). To keep you going we’ve created a playlist of our favorite albums of 2023. See ye in two weeks!

Episode 291 - The (Belated) Xmas Xtravaganza 2023 (Side B)

Christmas and New Year are very much in the rear view by this point, but due to our schedule having shifted due to ransomware attacks and COVID, we only managed to record parts two and three of our Xmas special last week. Usually part two is where we really get cooking. The booze is starting to kick in, the takes are at a reasonable level of spice, and we’re still largely coherent. That is, of course, not the case this year. We start part two sober, but it’s still as fun as it usually is. Because this is the part of the podcast schedule where we give back to you lot, we really take our time in answering your questions this year. That’s why this is a mega episode. It’s a lot of fun though. So grab something non-alcoholic (seriously, give your liver a break) and cosy up with this our new year’s treat. OH YEAH: we also made a playlist of all our favourite Scottish bands right now. It’s not just the ones we mentioned in the episode, there’s a whole bunch more besides. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ZCFOr1YDagIqbsKpTB3lz?si=1b6f6edb4dcb4db9

Episode 290 - The (Belated) Xmas Xtravaganza 2023 (Side A)

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Due to COVID we recorded part one of our Xmas Xtravaganza remotely, so this is a relatively subdued affair both in terms of banter, hilarity and searing hot takes. But we do get through a fucking TON of your questions, and that’s awesome. Thanks to every single person who sent us some in December. We’ve got two more episodes to record, which we’ll be doing TOMORROW (Jan 2nd) in person with copious amounts of alcohol. Thanks for an excellent 2023. Let’s smash 2024 together, eh?

BONUS CONTENT PREVIEW: Unsong - Episode 3: Separate Ways by Journey

We’ve taken a small break this week to record bonus content, so we thought we’d drop some of our older bonus content as a way to tease you into subscribing. Unsong is basically THE UNSUNG SINGLES CLUB. In it, we breakdown a single song to talk about why it works so well. On this episode, Mark has chosen Separate Ways by your dad’s favourite 80s band, Journey. If you’d like to get more of this kind of content, consider subscribing to our Patreon. From just £4 you can be a member of the club, and if you really fancy a commitment you can donate a little more and subscribe to our RECORD CLUB. Each month we send out you a record from the host of your choice (or you can do a pot luck if you fancy), either digital or vinyl. It’s a fun wee thing, and we have some great records in it so do check it out! We also encourage subscribing and unsubscribing if you don’t want to carry it on month to month, or simply want to dip in and out as you see fit. Back next week with something a little bit different again.

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