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NEM#139: Don Rauf’s Life In A Blender

Don started the NY-based Life in a Blender in the late 80s and has put out ten albums of tunes with off-kilter lyrics and increasingly elaborate arrangements. We discuss “The Ocean is a Black and Rolling Tongue” (and listen at the end to “Soul Deliverer”) from Satsuma (2020), “Falmouth” from We Already Have Birds That Sing (2014), and “Chicken Dance” from Two Legs Bad (1997). Intro: “Mounds of Flesh” from Welcome to the Jelly Days (1988). For more see lifeinablender.net.

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NEM-Pretty Much Pop Crossover: Story Songs w/ Rod Picott

Recycling a great music discussion featuring a past NEM guest from Mark’s other entertainment podcast for the New Year!

Plenty of songs try to tell stories, but do the pop song format and narrative really mix? Rod Picott joins Pretty Much Pop to talk about classics by Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash, formative nightmares like “Leader of the Pack” and “The Pina Colada Song, borderline cases like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and more. How does this form relate to theater, videos, and commercials?

Subscribe directly to Pretty Much Pop at prettymuchpop.com. Get bonus discussion at patreon.com/prettymuchpop.

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NEM#138: Markus Reuter: Composer or Tap Guitar Hero?

Markus began composing as a teen, “found his tribe” in getting connected to King Crimson’s Robert Fripp in the early 90s, and has put out 40+ solo and collaborative albums of experimental music since 2000, including work in Stick Men with Crimson’s Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto.

We discuss “Swoonage” from Truce (2020), “Boon” by Marcus Reuter and the Matangi Quartet from String Quartet No. 1 ‘Heartland’ (2019), and “11-11” by Tuner (Pat Mastelotto and Markus Reuter) from POLE (2007), and end by listening to “The Cult of Bibbiboo” by centrozoon from The Divine Beast (2001). Intro: “Condition IV” from Falling for Ascension (2017). More at .

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Sponsors: Get three months free Internet privacy protection at ExpressVPN.com/NEM. Buy one MasterClass annual membership and get one free to gift at masterclass.com/EXAMINED. Get a month’s free trial of guided meditations at headspace.com/NEM.

NEM#137: Brian Cullman, Writer About Town

Brian’s been writing music and music journalism since the late ’60s, has produced artists like Taj Mahal, Lucinda Williams, and Ollabelle, and has released three solo albums and an EP since 2008.

We discuss “Killing The Dead” (and discuss “Wrong Birthday”) from Winter Clothes (2020, written with now-deceased Ollabelle guitarist Jimi Zhivago), discuss “And She Said” from The Opposite of Time (2016), and “The Promise” from All Fires The Fire (2008). Intro: “The Book of Sleep” by OK Savant, recorded live at CBGBs in 1990. For more, see briancullman.com.

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