The Curmudgeon Rock Report

A loud-mouth retired rock critic and a cranky expat rock obsessive discuss, analyze and just plain old argue about rock ‘n‘ roll: the old stuff, the new stuff and why it all still matters.

The Curmudgeon Rock Report is a music podcast hosted by The Curmudgeons, with 143 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

The Curmudgeons hosts The Curmudgeon Rock Report, a music show with 143 episodes published.

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  Episode #144

  The Glory of Glam Rock Part 2 (1973-1974)

  Sep 15, 20261h 50m

  In which The Curmudgeons continue their revisitation of the marvelously strange but often gorgeous rock subgenre we call glam rock. Last episode, we covered the genesis of glam rock via the artistic genius of Marc Bolan, David Bowie, guitarist Mick Ronson and producer Tony Visconti. We also shared a bunch of great hit songs and great glam-rock albums released between 1970 and 1972. Now we do the same thing for 1973 and 1974, during which the radio airwaves filled with bubblegum majesty inspired by Bolan and yet also during which albums done in the glam style grew decidedly darker and moodier. David Bowie segued from exotic mystery to nihilistic pessimism. Lou Reed put out the prettiest album about the decline of a self-destructive junkie couple possible. And Bryan Ferry pointed his cabaret pop toward the macabre - sex with blow-up dolls in stately mansions, anyone? We analyze the rest of the best of glam during this episode. Enjoy the amazing glam rock of 1973 and 1974 by accessing our special Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4aYD0wnqBpG0NMQSJJV2K5?si=969742185a184caa Here's a handy navigation companion to this episode. (00:52 - 02:30) - Arturo Andrade sets the parameters for the second of our volleys on glam rock (03:08 - 20:26) - The Parallel Universe, featuring reviews of new albums from Ty Segall and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard (21:25 - 01:05:37) - We blast through a host of hit glam-rock singles from 193 and then discuss albums from Roxy Music, David Bowie, Lou Reed and New York Dolls (01:06:27 - 01:48:53) - We gallop through a number of hit glam singles from 1974 and then discuss albums from Brian Eno, David Bowie, Roxy Music, Kiss, New York Dolls and Lou Reed Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/groups/curmudgeonrock Edited with an assist from Descript! web.descript.com Hosted on Podbean! curmudgeonrock.podbean.com Subscribe to our show on these platforms: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911 https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb Co-written and co-produced by Arturo Andrade and Christopher O'Connor - The Curmudgeons

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  Episode #143

  The Glory of Glam Rock Part 1 (1970-1972)

  Sep 2, 20261h 42m

  In which the Curmudgeons tease out our hair, wear tons of makeup and celebrate the most sensual, most decadent brand of rock 'n' roll ever conceived. The glam rock of the early 1970s was an outgrowth of the 1960s psychedelia in which the vibes shifted from a mind trip to a soul trip, one in which androgyny, visceral pleasure and a focus on the cosmos and man's place in the universe thrust front and center. In the early part of the '70s, David Bowie, T. Rex, Slade, Roxy Music, Lou Reed and other artists glammed forth and helped define a truly singular era. In Part 1 of this mini-series, we analyze the elements of this phenomenon and and contemplate this great music. Enjoy all this great glam rock by accessing our special Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3DVOLhLF2SfiFpaofW9IYc?si=8df98e7630d44a64 Here's a handy navigation companion to this episode: (00:52 - 02:36) - Arturo Andrade sets the parameters for our discussion of glam rock (03:17 - 18:30) - The Parallel Universe, featuring reviews of new albums from Modest Mouse and SML (19:29 - 01:07:48) - Each of us offer five components we feel defined glam rock. Then we focus on the great glam singles and albums on 1970 and 1971 (01:08:27 - 01:39:49) - We rumble through the glam rock of 1972, and Christopher O'Connor spins a tale of an incredible glam-rock club night we experienced way back in 1999. Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/groups/curmudgeonrock Edited with an assist from Descript! web.descript.com Hosted on Podbean! curmudgeonrock.podbean.com Subscribe to our show on these platforms: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911 https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb Co-written and co-produced by Arturo Andrade and Christopher O'Connor - The Curmudgeons

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  Episode #142

  The 10 Greatest (Original) Wrestling Entrance Themes

  Aug 18, 20261h 10m

  In which The Curmudgeons get funky like a chunky monkey, if you will, and show off their knowledge of the music of professional wrestling and how it adds to the over-the-top pageantry of one of our shared beloved pastimes. The goal of a wrestler's theme music is two-fold. First, the audience should know who exactly is coming out to the ring within three seconds--and they should be damned excited about it. The music should also add to a wrestler's character arc, to his or her persona and should heat their relationship with the paying masses, whether it makes them of love the act more or despite it with furious booing. More than anything, the music should always add to the fun and the entertainment value of what we're experience. The ten songs we count down on this episode did exactly that to respective performers. Listen as we drop knowledge, and maybe a Stone Cold Stunner, on Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, The Undertaker and others. Enjoy all of this fun wrestling entrance music (including an enjoyable cover of The Fabulous Freebirds' "Badstreet U.S.A.") by accessing our special Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2rNeVGR6tW8qk6PUdZAZmL?si=920ca17bc0eb494c Here's a handy navigation companion to this episode. (00:52 - 02:14) - Arturo Andrade sets the parameters for our discussion of the music of professional wrestling (03:49 - 19:06) - The Parallel Universe, featuring reviews of new albums from The Heavenly Bodes and Dry Cleaning (20:05 - 45:29) - We starting counting down the 10 best wrestling entrance songs. Here, we discuss music for John Cena, Shawn Michaels and others (46:33 - 01:08:54) - We wind our way toward #1. Who wins? Hulk Hogan or Stone Cold Steve Austin? Find out. Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/groups/curmudgeonrock Edited with an assist from Descript! web.descript.com Hosted on Podbean! curmudgeonrock.podbean.com Subscribe to our show on these platforms: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911 https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb Co-written and co-produced by Arturo Andrade and Christopher O'Connor - The Curmudgeons

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  Episode #141

  The Saga of Grunge Part 5 (1991)

  Aug 4, 20261h 34m

  In which the Curmudgeons commune with their once-and-forever inner 16-year-olds to celebrate the most important cultural shift of our lives. And indeed, that shift happened when both of us were 16 years old. The fall of 1991 unleashed pure magic into our lives when Nirvana's Nevermind, Pearl Jam's Ten and Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger hit record shelves (remember those?). Grunge became a THING in the months that followed. We revisit all three of these albums plus a lot of other great, underappreciated grunge and grunge-adjacent music released by Mudhoney, the Melvins, Dinosaur Jr. and others. Perhaps our most moving episode ever (at least for Curmudgeon Chris it was). Listen to all the amazing grunge and grunge-ish music of 1991 by accessing our special Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3nQdx0v3Nk3GgMseWA3Uw9?si=50b22976c45a4977 Here's a handy navigation companion to this episode: (00:52 - 02:41) - Arturo Andrade sets the parameters for oursdiscussion of the grunge explosion of 1991 (02:49 - 15:57) - The Parallel Universe, featuring reviews of new albums from indi cult heroes Kelly Stoltz and Low Cut Connie (19:15 - 01:02:09) - We remember the context of how grunge changed the way we experienced music back in the fall of 1991. And we discuss a string of Seattle grunge albums, including those from Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. (01:01:47 - 01:32:53) - WE discuss albums from Screaming Tress and from a non-Seattle contingency that includes Dinosaur Jr., The Jesus Lizard, Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh, Smashing Pumkins and The Pixies Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/groups/curmudgeonrock Edited with an assist from Descript! web.descript.com Hosted on Podbean! curmudgeonrock.podbean.com Subscribe to our show on these platforms: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911 https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb Co-written and co-produced by Arturo Andrade and Christopher O'Connor - The Curmudgeons

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  Episode #140

  1991...The Year in Music (Up To Nirvana's Breakthrough

  Jul 22, 20262h 35m

  In which The Curmudgeons revisit the most popular and epic music from most of the year they both turned 16 years of age. Why most? Because on September 24,1991, a whole hell of a lot changed. That was the day Nirvana's Nevermind hit record-store shelves (remember those?). Before then, the world was inundated with diva pop from Mariah Carey and Paula Abdul, the embers of pop metal from the Scorpions, Skid Row and Guns N' Roses, a ton of mostly awful R&B slow jams, novelty hits from folks like Gerardo and MC Hammer and some actually great stuff from R.E.M., Gang Starr, My Bloody Valentine, Metallica, INXS, Londonbeat and others. We put our track shoes on in this episode to brave the rapids of these decidedly mixed and non-zeitgeist-ish first nine months of 1991...covering nearly 100 songs! Enjoy the ride... Listen to all of this great (and not so great music) from 1991 by access our special Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3EdH6x0Uy5phuXOadoe2z1?si=7fa8ae32186c4562 Here's a handy navigation companion to this episode: (00:52 - 03:05) - Arturo Andrade sets the parameters for our discussion of the pre-Nirvana months of 1991 (04:04 - 22:29) - The Parallel Universe, featuring reviews of new albums from Mildred and Vince Staples (23:27 - 01:31:19) - We rumble through songs that were either big or notable between January and May of 1991. Some names some of you may remember: Keith Sweat, Cath Dennis, Wilson Phillips, C+C Music Factory, Extreme, Color Me Badd, Roxette and Massive Attack. (01:32:25 - 02:33:57) - We sprint through a whole bunch of other songs, this time focusing on June to September 1991. Other names you might remember: Seal, Big Audio Dynamite, EMF, Right Said Fred, Naughty By Nature and The Cult Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/groups/curmudgeonrock Edited with an assist from Descript! web.descript.com Hosted on Podbean! curmudgeonrock.podbean.com Subscribe to our show on these platforms: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911 https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb Co-written and co-produced by Arturo Andrade and Christopher O'Connor - The Curmudgeons

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