Schizophrenic Music

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Craig and Kevin rewind to 1997 for this week’s picks. Craig spotlights Whiplash by James, an expansive, melodic album from the Manchester band that mixes big hooks with a restless, experimental streak. Kevin counters with Sister Sweetly by Big Head Todd & The Monsters, the Colorado trio’s bluesy, soulful alt-rock record that deserves another spin.

From there, the guys run through some of the bigger albums released in 1997, in particular Radiohead’s OK Computer and Elliott Smith’s Either/Or. Smith’s record sets up a quick round of Either/Or.

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Craig and Kevin land in 2020, a year like no other. Craig spotlights Summerlong, the sophomore album from Rose City Band, a sunny, easygoing psych-folk record from a band Kevin introduced him to. Kevin showcases Sad Hunk by Bahamas, a warm, smooth collection from Afie Jurvanen, full of soulful guitar and wry charm.

From there, the guys dig into the year that was: the sudden halt of live music, the albums born from (or shaped by) the pandemic, and the icons we lost along the way. They also make a point...

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Craig and Kevin set the dial to 1996 for this week's picks. Craig spotlights Fantastic Planet by Failure, a sprawling, hypnotic space-rock record that slipped past the mainstream at the time and has since become a touchstone for fans of heavy, atmospheric alt-rock. Kevin counters with R.L. Burnside's A Ass Pocket of Whiskey, a gritty, hypnotic slab of Mississippi hill country blues, rough around the edges and all the better for it.

From there, the guys dig through their own collections for more overlooked 1996 gems that deserved a bigger audience.<...

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Craig and Kevin dig deep into 1970 for this week's picks. Craig spotlights the self-titled solo debut from Emitt Rhodes — a home-recorded, one-man-band pop masterpiece so Beatles/McCartney-adjacent in sound and timing that it remains one of the era's great lost gems. Kevin counters with Cactus, the self-titled debut from the blues-rock supergroup built out of Vanilla Fudge's rhythm section, Amboy Dukes' Rusty Day, and Detroit Wheels guitarist Jim McCarty — a heavy, hard-charging record often cited as a missing link between Cream and early Zeppelin.

From there, the guys widen the lens...

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Craig and Kevin head back to 2007 for this week's picks. Craig spotlights Civilians, Joe Henry's tenth studio album — a stripped-back, politically tinged folk-and-jazz record cut in his home studio with an all-star cast including Loudon Wainwright III, Bill Frisell, and Van Dyke Parks. Kevin counters with From the Corner to the Block, Galactic's genre-bending detour into hip-hop, teaming the New Orleans funk outfit with a stacked lineup of guest MCs including Lyrics Born, Gift of Gab, Chali 2na, and Boots Riley.

From there, Craig throws Kevin a curveball with an im...

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Craig and Kevin bring things into the present with a look at 2025. Kevin spotlights Sweet Misery, Will Hoge's 15th studio album — a loud, hooky return to his rock 'n' roll roots after the quieter, solo-recorded Tenderhearted Boys, built for cranking the windows down and playing it loud. Craig counters with Unpopular Music, the sixth album from Nashville's Tristen — a playful, sharply observed indie-pop record featuring guest turns from Vanessa Carlton, Wilco's Pat Sansone, Becca Mancari, Erin Rae, and Natalie Prass.

From there, the conversation opens up into the long, complicated rela...

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Craig and Kevin dig into 1989 for this week's picks. Craig leads off with Surprise Attack, the debut from Memphis hard rockers Tora Tora — a hooky, blues-tinged slice of late-'80s rock built around the hit "Walkin' Shoes." Kevin answers with No One Can Do It Better, The D.O.C.'s classic solo debut produced top to bottom by Dr. Dre — a West Coast hip-hop landmark recorded alongside Straight Outta Compton and packed with staples like "It's Funky Enough" and "The Formula."

Craig then Kevin through the wringer with a roun...

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This episode opens on a somber note as Craig and Kevin pay tribute to Dolly Parton, who passed away in Nashville after a brief battle with cancer. A songwriter, performer, and philanthropist whose reach went far beyond country music, Dolly was — and always will be — a national treasure, and the guys take a moment to reflect on what she meant to them and to American music as a whole.

From there, they shift into travel talk. Craig recaps an impromptu beach trip, but the real story belongs to Kevin, who spen...

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Craig and Kevin travel back to 2003 for this week's picks. Craig spotlights 1972 by Josh Rouse — a warm, sunny homage to the AM-radio songwriters of the year Rouse was born, steeped in Laurel Canyon vibes and widely regarded as one of his best. Kevin brings the fire with Unclassified, the studio debut from Robert Randolph and the Family Band — a gospel-tinged, sacred-steel powered blast of blues, funk, and rock that put Randolph's pedal steel wizardry on the map.

From there, Kevin previews an upcoming trip through the Southeast's historic juke joints, trac...

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Craig and Kevin jump forward to 2023 for this week's spotlights. Craig picks Altitude, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives' first new album in five years — a cosmic-country trip through dreamers, drifters, and desert-flavored twang that stakes Stuart's claim as one of country's great living traditionalists. Kevin counters with Stephen Marley's Old Soul, a stripped-down, acoustic-leaning reggae record born out of pandemic-era jam sessions and stacked with guest turns from Eric Clapton, Bob Weir, and his own Marley brothers.

From there, the conversation opens up into a bigger question: what happens when an...

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This week Craig and Kevin head to 1986 for two very different debut albums. Craig opens with the self-titled solo debut from Peter Case — the former Nerves/Plimsouls frontman's pivot from power pop to acoustic-leaning Americana, a record T-Bone Burnett helped shape into what The New York Times called the best album of the year. Kevin swings hard in the opposite direction with Zeno's self-titled debut, the melodic hard rock project fronted by Zeno Roth (younger brother of Uli Jon Roth) — all soaring harmonies, keyboard-driven hooks, and unmistakably German AOR muscle.

From...

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Craig and Kevin roll the clock back to 1974 for this week's overlooked-and-underrated dig. Kevin goes deep into library music territory with Stefano Torossi's Feelings — a cult Italian jazz-funk record cut under pseudonyms for contractual reasons, later prized by crate-diggers for its cinematic grooves and breakbeats. Craig counters with Ronnie Lane's solo debut Anymore for Anymore, the Small Faces/Faces alum's first outing with his band Slim Chance — a loose, rootsy, farmhouse-recorded record that traded arena rock for folk and country warmth.

Then, at the request of Craig's sister-in-law Paulina, the guys...

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Craig and Kevin kick things off the only way they know how—with a beer in hand...well, almost. Kevin enjoys his usual brew while Craig embarks on "Dry July" with a non-alcoholic alternative. Wish him luck.

The conversation then turns to recent travels, with Kevin sharing stories from the Bahamas and Craig recounting his time in Kansas City and St. Louis, discussing the local culture, memorable music experiences, and the unique vibe each destination brings.

From there, the guys re...

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This week, Craig and Kevin turn their attention to 2001, uncovering a pair of albums that may have slipped under the radar but remain worthy of rediscovery.

Craig spotlights From Here on In by South, a debut album packed with atmospheric production, melodic songwriting, and a sound that feels both distinctly of its era and surprisingly timeless. Kevin counters with Welcome by Doyle Bramhall II, a soulful and adventurous release that showcases the depth of Bramhall's songwriting and musicianship.

The album discussion naturally...

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This week, Craig and Kevin travel back to 1963, revisiting a year dominated by hit singles and exploring what was happening beyond the top of the charts.

The guys begin by reviewing some of the year's biggest songs before turning their attention to albums they feel deserve more recognition. Kevin spotlights Back Porch Bluegrass by The Dillards, a groundbreaking release that helped expand the possibilities of bluegrass music. Craig counters with Mess of Blues, a bluesy jazz collaboration from Johnny Hodges and Wild Bill...