No Singles

"Flood" and "A Drink After Midnight"

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 01:00:00 -0400

You wouldn't know that this weeks albums are less than ten years apart on first listen but they are. This week we tackle Flood by Hippo Campus, the most recent release that we're covering this week. While we both agree it's not the strongest album in their discography there's still plenty of beautiful melodies, searching lyrics, and true friendship that shines through on their first album released with Psychic Hotline. After that we jump into A Drink After Midnight by The Country Side Of Harmonica Sam. With their sweet blend of blues, swing, doowop, and old style country (specifically from 1959-1961) they blend pedal steel, guitars, and longing country vocals to create one of the most vintage country sounds and all the way from Sweden? That's right! To learn more just tune in and kick back with us on another episode of No Singles.

Want Flood on vinyl? Get all sorts of deluxe editions here!

Want A Drink After Midnight on vinyl? Check it out here!

"Chicago Bound" and "Transistor Radio"

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 03:00:00 -0400

We're back at it again people. In today's episode we're talking two albums that are very distinctly from two cities in the US that have become known for adopting their respective sounds. First up is Chicago Bound by the late, great Jimmy Rogers, the very man behind the world famous sound of Muddy Waters. Late nights at Chess Records making odd recordings here and there in the 50's lead to the creation of this album and we're sure glad to discuss it, harmonica solos and all. Next up after that we have Transistor Radio by M. Ward. An album that is distinctly made up of indie guitar licks, and calm vocals that could only come from Portland, one of the most indie rock towns in the US. A love letter to radio and it's ever shrinking ability to provide somebody a full education in music, this album explores influence after influence on M. Wards sound while never losing sight of it's ultimate goal to encourage all of us to keep a bit of radio in our lives. It's all boozy heartbreak and soft radio melodies this week on No Singles.

Wanna learn more about the history of Jimmy Rogers and other Mississippi Blues Legends? Check it out here!

Wanna add M. Ward to the vinyl collection? Check this out then!

"Idle Labor" and "The Colour and The Shape"

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 14:00:00 -0400

Today we dive into an album from a solo artist that dropped off the map nearly ten years ago. One of the first artists to ride the wave of bedroom pop when it was first blossoming, (much like the album cover) we discuss Idle Labor by Craft Spells. Piecing together what information we could we dive into the sweet indie guitar melodies dispersed all over this debut album. Afterwards we dive into an album that's been covered a million times and has information readily available for us to dive into. It's The Colour and The Shape by Foo Fighters. We discuss the drama, the alt rock drop D guitar licks, and heartbreak that went into the making of their sophomore album. We had a lot of fun digging into these albums on this episode of No Singles.

Craft Spells actually still has a website up with merch! Check it out here!

Want The Colour and The Shape on vinyl? Check it out here!

"Midnight Love" and "Actor-Caster"

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

After having a very pointedly comparative episode last week we're going to take a sharp turn and discuss two albums that take us on a very different ride than most of the albums we've featured so far this year. First we discussed a very sexed up Marvin Gaye, entering the 80's with the fresh sounds that would later have a major impact on hip-hop on his album Midnight Lady. After listening to Gaye's horned up backing sections and horned up lyrics we dive into Actor-Caster by Generationals. This album shows the duo out of New Orleans taking new chances, sometimes going minimalist, sometimes going straight to the synth on their sophomore albums. Get ready for some keys, lots of slap-back vocals, and surprisingly odd structured albums on this episode of No Singles.

Want Marvin Gaye on vinyl? Check it out on Motwn's website that ironically doesn't have the record we discussed today because it's the only one he didn't release with them. You say that's intriguing? Give us a listen then!

Want Actor-Caster on vinyl? Check it out here!

" L.A.M.F. The Lost '77 Mixes" and "Doc Watson"

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 13:00:00 -0400

We've been very excited for this episode since we built the bracket last year. Today we're featuring two very opposite artists very deep rooted in both of their genres. The first album we discuss today is "L.A.M.F" by Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers! A fantastic album that encapsulates the sound of the 70's punk scene in New York City, Johnny and the band pull from 1950's rock n' roll and infuse it with their heroin soaked guitar riffs that only a down and dirty venue like CBGB could handle.

Once we finish that discussion we move on to "Doc Watson" by Doc Watson. A one of a kind album from a humble man who grew up in the south without sight but surrounded by a nurturing community that instilled a love of music from his early childhood. Doc pulls from a number of old folk standards as well as early country artists like Jimmie Rodgers to create a sound he would later carry in a guitar case an unload on events like The Newport Folk Festival and The Berkely Music Festival. Come hangout with us as we discuss these two incredibly well made albums and hear all the lore behind them on this weeks episode of No Singles.

Wanna see Johnny Thunders crazy old "cyber lounge" website? Check it out here!

Wanna see Doc Watson's really well made and up to date website? Check it out here!

"Dreamin" and "High Violet"

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 03:00:00 -0400

Is the band Hockey Dad from Australia? Sure. Have we ever been there? No because that's like, really far away. We live in New York after all but that didn't stop us from covering them and their sweet sound this week. This Australian surfer duo grew up in the same neighborhood and now makes music together touring around the world. Not many bands you can compare that to, right? Well guess again because we're also covering The National this week, a band consisting of not one, but TWO sets of brothers (one of which is twins) and conveniently enough they recorded their album in a home made studio very close to where we record this podcast. We have upbeat garage rock recorded in a studio and downbeat studio rock recorded in a garage this week on No Singles and it's a helluva episode. Swing by, take a listen to the albums, and join our discussion.

Check out our instagram for news and podcast updates.

Want Hockey Dad merch? Check it out here!

Want High Violet on vinyl? Check it out here!

"Everybody Loves Somebody" and "Room On Fire" with Trey Durst

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 15:00:00 -0400

Our longest episode yet. There's lots to be said about the shrinking of local music scenes all over, including here in New York City and what better person to discuss it with than Trey Durst of the fantastic local Brooklyn band Poor Frisco. Before launching into these albums by Dean Martin and The Strokes, two artists who first sought fame in the nightclubs and bars of New York, we get into the nitty gritty of what it's like to be coming up in a day and age where more and more venues ask for pay to play shows or hire DJ's lest they have to shut down due to the increase in music streaming and more of a need for constant promotion on every website you can think of.

Afterwards we dive into "Everybody Loves Somebody" by Dean Martin and "Room On Fire" by The Strokes. Two fantastic albums with such great music we kick back, relax and talk about good music with good friends on this episode of No Singles.

Want Dean Martin's special popcorn brand? Check it out here!

Want The Strokes on CD or vinyl? Check it out here!

"Children Of The Slump" and "Whipped Cream And Other Delights"

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 03:00:00 -0400

RIP Ozzy. We'll try and help keep the tradition alive in your absence.

What do the sweet sounds of Tijuana and France have in common with one another? Honestly not too many when it comes to both of the albums we have for you this week. Still, we do have two different groups that essentially stem from their band leaders. This week we're featuring 2019's Children of The Slump by Marble arch. A soft guitar, synth thumping, strong indie vocals album straight from the melancholy of Lannion, France. Soon after we jump all the way back to 1965 to listen to Whipped Cream and Other Delights by Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass. This is an exciting album, featuring many players, songwriters, and all sorts of different instruments, all backed by a sound Alpert himself dreamed up while watching a bullfight in Mexico. Join us this week for another episode of No Singles!

Want Whipped Cream and Other Delights on vinyl? Check it out here!

"Sees The Light" and "Shallow Grave"

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 02:00:00 -0400

Today's episode doesn't have a huge gulf of time between the two albums we're discussing and yet there's still plenty of differences between the albums in discussion. Le Sera's "Sees The Light" and The Tallest Man On Earth's "Shallow Grave" are two indie rock breakup albums that any listener can choose between whether they would like a surface level look at a broken heart (La Sera) or a more complex, introspective look at what made a relationship fall apart forever (The Tallest Man On Earth). We dive into some true indie artists ranging from LA to Sweden and maybe we find a little something in the middle in this episode of No Singles.

"White Reaper Does It Again" and "Dire Straits"

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 15:00:00 -0400

We love both of the albums we have for you today. White Reaper and Dire Straits are two bands with a lot more in common than you might think. We kick off today's episode with the blasting melodies of White Reaper that go through extreme adolescent heartbreak, horror, and doubt before settling into the soft melodies Dire Straits that take us through memories of adolescent love, six blade knives, and a gentle walk in the West End of foggy London town. This one is a real hang, so come chill with us in this episode of No Singles.

"Life of Leisure" and "The Downward Spiral" with Brandon Hawley

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 02:00:00 -0400

So this week we've got another album featuring songs that JR loved listening to on his drive over Lake Pontchartrain. It's Life Of Leisure by none other than that Georgia peach we call Washed Out. Coming up from Nate's past we have one of his all time favorite albums by his favorite band, The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails. To really dive into his past we've invited his brother to be a guest on this episode of the podcast. The conversation winds through all sorts of discussions as we explore this sweet music. Peach orchards, Vans Warped Tour, and 80's horror movies aren't off the table in the newest installment of No Singles.

Want Life of Leisure on vinyl? Check it out here!

Want The Downward Spiral on vinyl? Check it out here!

"Broken Social Scene" and "Plectrist"

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 03:00:00 -0400

A dysfunctional music collective and an incredibly well put together jazz legend. Sometimes we really don't have all that many commonalities on the show and this is one of those kind of episodes. Ah Hell. Join us anyway! This week Nate and JR sit down to discuss Canada's favorite black sheep, Broken Social Scene and their sometimes sideways take on the insular world around them. After that we're going to throw on some Billy Bauer. A man who had his band mates right there with him, whether they'd been working together forever or this was their first acquaintance, Bauer demanded their attention through sheer mastering of that sweet jazz guitar sound.

Want Broken Social Scene on vinyl? Check it out here!

Want Billy Bauer on vinyl? Even a sample of him being featured? Check it out here!

"Is The Is Are" and "The Stranger" with Ethan Moon

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 13:00:00 -0400

Today we cover a couple of albums that were written and recorded by New York artists. First we have Is The Is Are by DIIV, a 17 track album constructed by Zachary Cole Smith and his orchestra and recorded right in Brooklyn... or Queens... it's over there on the border of the two. After that we have the piano rock classic, The Stranger by none other than Billy Joel and his orchestra recorded in none other than Manhattan. That's right folks, the big cheese. To help us tackle all this New Yorkness we have Ethan Moon joining us in the studio. Born and raised in New York you can see Ethan every Friday night at Pianos in the Lower East Side mixing and running lights for whatever artist is there shredding face and makin noise.

Want Is The Is Are on vinyl? Check it out here!

Want The Stranger on vinyl? Check it out here!

"Superfuzz Bigmuff" and "Fate" with Peter DeMaio

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 03:00:00 -0400

Two albums signed to small indie labels 30 years apart from one another that dared to tread new ground and break new sound. Mudhoney is often referred to as the band that kicked off the Pacific North West's grunge boom and we're going to dive into Superfuzz Bigmuff, the album that started it all. Right after that we're going to jump to the other side of the country and listen to Dr. Dog with their fifth studio album, Fate! Their highest charting album to date Fate introduced a new era for Dr. Dog, showcasing a more polished side of them and a deeply conceptual album to boot. It's a lot to put into context but luckily this week we have Peter DeMaio (of Idaho Green, Pon Farr, and Waterfall Strainer) with us to sift through all the details on this episode of No Singles.

Want Superfuzz Bigmuff on vinyl? Check it out here!

Want Fate on vinyl? Check it out here!

"Parallel Lines" and "Allah-Las" with Vivian Hale

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 04:00:00 -0400

Today we explore a legendary rock albums by one of CBGB's most successful bands to start out in the NY punk scene of the 70's. It's Parallel Lines by Blondie and of course accompanying that is Allah-Las by Allah-Las straight out of the LA surfer scene of the 2010's. Today we have Vivian Hale joining us to discuss these albums. Not only did she grow up in LA but she now contributes to the NY music scene herself, playing cello and singing vocals for none other than indie band Living Things. Hope you enjoy another week of music banter here on No Singles.

Want Blondie merch? Check it out here!

Want Allah-Las merch? Check it out here!

"Funeral" and "Electric Warrior"

Wed, 28 May 2025 03:00:00 -0400

We're a day late on this episode but it's here and it rocks! Two seminal figures in their own eras who changed the landscape of music in more obscure ways than other figures in rocks subgenres. For the indie rock heads who love to watch coming of age films from the early 2000's we've got a band you would love to blast into your vintage walkman headphones, that's right it's none other than Arcade Fire. For all of you glam rock loving, sparkly suit wearing, 1986's Labyrinth watching jeepsters out there we've got the ham of glam T. Rex. Both of their albums Funeral and Electric Warrior played a pivotal roll in changing the subgenres of glam and indie into what we know today. We're excited, you're excited, let's just get down to this dang episode already.

Want Arcade Fire merch? Check it out here!

Want T. Rex merch? Check it out here!

"Little Joy" and "Greatest Hits"

Wed, 21 May 2025 14:00:00 -0400

What do three indie artists create when they meet in LA on break from their regular projects one summer? What songs get put on a compilation album when an artist leaves his record label after one of the best eight year runs in rock n' roll history? Well we've got the answers this episode where we listen to short lived super group Little Joy and long time legend James Taylor on a new installment of No Singles.

Want Little Joy on vinyl? Check it out here!

Want Greatest Hits on vinyl? Check it out here!

"Volume 3" and "Amnesiac"

Wed, 14 May 2025 15:00:00 -0400

We're taking a couple trips back into recent history this episode. First we're making a stop in the year 2013 for She & Him's album Volume 3 and we discuss the changing landscape of the rock and pop landscape around that time. After that we're going a bit further back to 2001 to discuss Amnesiac by Radiohead and how the world was facing a changing world where technology began to take off faster than anybody could keep up with. Come with us on another adventure of an episode where we discuss music, politics, and the end of history.

Want Volume 3 on CD? Check it out here!

Want Amnesiac on vinyl? Check it out here!

"Blue Valentine" and "Galloping Guitars"

Wed, 07 May 2025 23:00:00 -0400

We're going back in time this week to discuss two albums by Tom Waits and Les Paul. That's right, we're talking smoke filled dingey dive bar piano ballads, and tight, twangy guitar that you may hear comin from the back of a mattress truck. Do these albums pair together? Maybe in one direction. Are there covers on both albums? You bet there are! We've got musician's musicians this week on No Singles as we dive into some real analogue sounds by a couple of the greats.

Want Blue Valentine on vinyl? Check it out here!

Want Les Paul merch? Check it out here!

"the record" and "We Share A Similar Joy"

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 04:00:00 -0400

Another week, another new episode of No Singles. That's right folks, today Nate and JR will tackle the multi Grammy winning album, the record by boygenius as well as We Share A Similar Joy by local New York hero JW Francis. Both albums discuss relationships and heartbreak and while their writing styles are very different these are two indie artists who truly do share a similar feeling between them. Please join us in our discussion of two wonderfully distinguished albums

Want the record on vinyl? Check it out here!

Want JW Francis merch? Check it out here!

"Broken Bells" and "I'm In Your Mind Fuzz" with Mia Soza

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 03:00:00 -0400

This week we're discussing two albums that were only released four years apart! Navigating the rich history of the bands Broken Bells and King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard proved to be so tough that Nate and JR have enlisted the help of Mia Soza, the bassist of Mandy's Dreaming (of which the others all also members) to help break down the bands legacies, writing styles, and much more. Come join us as we talk about, amongst other things, the great state of Montana, Barbara Streisand's mall in her home, and the 2012 hit film, Spring Breakers.

Want Broken Bells on vinyl? Check it out here!

Want I'm In Your Mind Fuzz on vinyl? Check it out here!

"Blonde on Blonde" and "Mystery Flavor"

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

We're going for a first in all of history on this episode of No Singles. Never before has anybody mentioned music artists Bob Dylan and Stevie Dinner in the same sentence until now. Nate and JR take you on a journey from 1966 to 2013 with no stops in between as they discuss the making of, track list, and legacy of two albums with very different sounds shaped by two artists who followed their instincts and came out on the other side with albums wholly their own.

Want Blonde on Blonde on vinyl? Check it out here!

Want Mystery Flavor on CD? We managed to find a single copy! Check it out here!

“Dark Arc” and “i like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it”

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Nate and JR discuss the rising cost of t-shirts, and Hot Topic memberships before diving into this weeks albums.

JR's pick for the week is Dark Arc by Saintseneca. An Appalachian indie rock album layered with so many instruments you'll twist your tongue trying to pronounce them all.

Nate's pick for the week is i like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it by The 1975. Moody and poppy this album finds The 1975 entering new territory where they walk a line between rock and electronic.

Are the albums in conversation with one another? Do Nate and JR enjoy one another's picks? Did either of them pay over $10 for the t-shirts they're wearing? Join us for a lively discussion and find out!

The Division Bell and III

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 21:00:00 -0400

In the very first episode of No Singles both Nate and JR lay out an introduction to the podcast and discuss their "bona fides" in music. They talk about the goal of the podcast; to promote comprehensive album listening and the dying art of building an albums flow as well as the growing trend of putting singles performance before the performance of a whole albums worth of songs. All while sipping on beer and having a free wheeling conversation about rock & roll.

Nate and JR then discuss the albums at hand for this weeks episode. III by Inner Wave and The Division Bell by Pink Floyd. They discuss the making of each album, break down each album track by track, and discuss the performance of both albums after their release.

Happy to have you join us on our very first episode!