Spin It! The Record Ranking Podcast

Good times never seemed so good this week! We're taking it back to a Hot August Night in 1971, when Neil Diamond delivered an iconic performance at LA's Greek Theatre! The show produced a live double album packed with his early career's greatest hits, from the pining Red Red Wine to the powerful I Am... I Said (and of course, a prerequisite dose of Sweet Caroline). We'll learn how his pre-med career evolved from the Brill Building to the stage and find out what made him such a compelling arranger and performer. Can Connor's gamble rise above James' previous ranking of Stones?We'll dwell on previous Diamond experience, explore the jukebox musical centered around his life, and lament an expensive divorce or two. The Mixtaper (a Solitary Man) keeps Connor en garde with facts on swordplay, birdsmithing, and bad actors during Fact Or Spin! Then we focus in on a handful of the 29 tracks on this massive record, from Crunchy Granola Suite to Holly Holy Holly (... Holy) and beyond. Find out if this Easy Listening artist can live up to his genre, and see if this clean collection of live hits can bolster his standing in our official rankings!What do YOU think is going on with that cover photo? Is this album "live" enough for you? And can you even IMAGINE this guy winning fencing championships? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and on socials! Like and follow for more next week!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro4:37 About Neil Diamond8:56 About Hot August Night20:54 Fact Or Spin24:18 Neil Diamond Is An Award-Winning Actor30:03 He Became A Birdsmith36:23 An Interlude38:15 He's An Award-Winning Fencer42:33 He Made An Interesting Cameo48:14 Album Art49:54 Prologue51:01 Crunchy Granola Suite53:25 Done Too Soon54:42 Dialogue56:03 Solitary Man57:51 Cherry Cherry1:01:57 Sweet Caroline1:06:21 Porcupine Pie, You're So Sweet1:08:14 Red Red Wine1:09:19 Soggy Pretzels, Gitchy Goomy1:11:59 And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind1:12:21 I Think It's Going To Rain Today1:12:42 Shilo1:13:54 Modern Day Version Of Love1:14:20 Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon1:15:08 Walk On Water, Kentucky Woman, Stones, Musician Intros1:16:13 Play Me1:17:50 Canta Libre, Morningside1:18:07 Song Sung Blue1:19:54 Cracklin' Rosie1:20:40 Holly Holy1:22:12 I Am... I Said1:25:03 Soolaimon / Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show1:27:21 Final Spin

Can Creed take us Higher? Find out as we talk about Human Clay, the 1999 album full of Scott Stapp's unique vocals, and post-grunge, (lovingly) butt rock style laced with introspective religious overtones. From grief to death to fatherhood, Creed doesn't shy away from big questions. We'll explore the band's number-fudging beginnings, meteoric rise, and sudden unravelling through record-setting feats, ubiquitous hits, and nostalgia-fueled comeback tours. They're proving that they'll truly Never Die!James & Connor are approaching our analysis With Arms Wide Open. We'll talk about our past Creed collections, reminisce on crappy art class pottery, and learn all about homophones, homonyms, and homographs as we're molded into Human Clay! There's a little Mixtaper Inside Us All with facts about stolen guitars, crossover weddings, and death-defying spy antics during Fact Or Spin! It's an episode full of glorious, unplanned bedlam... Are You Ready?What days of school did you miss? Are you a fan of Scott Stapp's enunciation? Where do you fall in the great With Arms Wide Open vs. Higher debate?? Let us know on socials and be sure to follow for more wherever you listen! Or, so Say I, at least!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro2:52 About Creed9:58 About Human Clay22:12 Awards & Accolades22:42 Fact Or Spin23:33 Tremonti's Stolen Guitar29:29 The ACreed/DCreed Baseball Wedding Crashers34:38 Scott Stapp Was Saved By A Rapper38:52 They Signed Their First Contract... In BLOOD!45:44 Album Art47:09 Are You Ready?49:04 What If51:56 Beautiful53:22 Say I55:12 Wrong Way57:32 Faceless Man58:53 Never Die1:00:27 With Arms Wide Open1:03:42 Higher1:07:08 Wash Away Those Years1:11:25 Inside Us All1:13:17 Final Spin

Jimmy Buffett is making Landfall on the podcast this week! We're wasting away again with Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes, a career-defining album that features the ultimate beach drinking song, Margaritaville! We'll talk about Buffett's coastal upbringing and how he got his start in Nashville (as an author!) before a trip to Key West changed his life. Changes is the culmination of half a lifetime at sea, with a guitar (and a margarita) in hand.James & Connor will talk about the Mt. Rushmore of tropical anthems, learn about Buffett's billion-dollar business empire, and talk about our own Parrothead status. The Mixtaper puts us to the test with reptile attacks, matinees (ya know, sea cows), and a grounded airplane. We'll talk Coral Reefer Band, country classification, and discover whose dang fault that lost shaker of salt really was! Don't wonder-- from Biloxi to Jamaica, find out why we ever go home this week!What's your favorite Buffett song? Favorite Buffett restaurant? Favorite Buffett retirement community?? It's Friday Somewhere, so make sure to follow wherever you're listening so you don't miss our next episode!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro2:44 About Jimmy Buffett11:18 About Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes20:38 Awards & Accolades21:54 Fact Or Spin22:25 He Was Attacked At Margaritaville27:23 He Was A Fan Of A Good Matinee31:39 A Bird Named His Birds37:33 He Lost His Seat To A Hat46:28 Album Art47:25 Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes49:17 Wonder Why We Ever Go Home50:37 Banana Republics52:37 Tampico Trauma53:54 Lovely Cruise56:03 Margaritaville58:55 In The Shelter1:00:02 Miss You So Badly1:01:17 Biloxi1:03:22 Landfall1:05:16 Final Spin

Yeah, it Feels Like Summer! We're back for another Happy Hour with Weezer! After their debut Blue Album left Connor with a puzzle he just didn't want to put together, we're trying again with their sun-soaked, beachy experiment, Pacific Daydream! It's a clear departure from their signature style, complete with complicated spreadsheet-crafted compositions, but crankin' them Beach Boys might be enough to redeem a low score!James & Connor revisit all the special moments from Episode 26 (pigeon racing included) before diving back into the Weezer-verse with a deeper look at the band's history and the decisions that led up to one of their most controversial records. We'll check in on their tours, SZNZ, and speculate about what they're up to next. The Mixtaper is bringing four Karlificated facts about coloring books, vegeterrorism, and more straight from Weezerpedia.. Will this be his QB Blitz? Find out if James' nostalgia pick can Get Right and swing Connor's expectations this week.Is any friend of Diane's a friend of yours? Do you like the coastal vibes, or was the classic Weezer sound more your speed? Be honest, would you ever go pigeon racing? We have it on good authority that there are clubs across the nation. Like and follow for more!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro0:25 Last Time: The Blue Album6:21 About Weezer11:35 About Pacific Daydream19:38 Awards & Accolades20:33 Fact Or Spin21:57 They Have A Coloring Book28:22 Today Is A Special Anniversary32:04 Rivers Cuomo Is A VegeTerrorist35:04 They Have Their Own Encyclopedia40:30 A Surprise Fifth Fact: The Mixtaper Has Gone Pigeon Racing44:13 Album Art45:29 Mexican Fender51:03 Beach Boys53:24 Feels Like Summer55:36 Happy Hour57:49 Weekend Woman59:31 QB Blitz1:03:26 Sweet Mary1:04:52 Get Right1:05:54 La Mancha Screwjob1:07:57 Any Friend Of Diane's1:09:29 Final Spin

We've been having more dreams lately.. Welcome to Sunrise City, the feel-good sophomore record from "soft" indie guys Sub-Radio! This band of middle-school friends went viral as they got down bad for Stacy's Dad, and by broadcasting on Reddit during the pandemic they were able to generate a significant fanbase. Sunrise City is a saccharine nostalgia trip from teenage nights on the beach to Summer's End. Can their hooky record full of nuggets of gold carry them to a strong ranking?James & Connor reminisce on hard times and strong men before giving this audience-recommended album a listen. The Mixtaper has a Better View and a few facts about tricky fae (who can play a mean recorder), the short-lived Reddit Public Access Network, and Monkey. Monkey? Monkey. We'll talk about the nuances of Pink Lemonade and Tiger's Blood and find out if WE'RE IN LOVE (!!) with this album... and whether Sub-Radio is Onto Us. What's your favorite snow cone flavor? Are you in a good time or a hard time? Think you could take down Sub-Radio in a game of Mario Kart?? Let us know in the comments and on socials, and tune in next week for a Year Of Redemption feature that will knock your sweater off.Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro3:17 About Sub-Radio9:53 About Sunrise City12:25 Awards & Accolades12:34 Fact Or Spin13:56 They May Have Encountered A Trickster Fae18:00 They Were The First Musicians On The RPAN23:00 They Channel The Spirit Of The Monkey26:08 John Fengya Has Never Lost A Game Of Mario Kart30:03 Album Art31:00 Sunrise City32:17 Pink Lemonade34:32 I'M IN LOVE!!37:08 Onto Me39:08 Sleep On The Beach44:26 Dimension46:17 Don't Cry47:59 Burden49:28 Spin50:59 Better View52:04 Nothing's Broken54:12 Pretty Boy55:22 2257:00 Friends (Summer's End)58:28 heavenheavenheaven1:00:06 Final Spin

This week we've got So Much Things To Say as we review and rank Exodus, the gripping reggae album by Jamaica's own Bob Marley! After pushing rocksteady boundaries with his childhood friends Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh, Bob's career made a strong pivot to pop and rock crossover music, riding the reggae wave to superstardom! A failed assassination attempt sent Marley overseas, where he crafted his ninth studio album, charged with Rastafarian theology and themes of love and freedom. We'll learn the effect it had on his legend, and how the Marley mythos has evolved over time.James & Connor recount our previous Bob Marley experiences (both torturous and fishy). The Mixtaper has an aviary of little birds this week with facts about the House Of Dread FC, palm reading, and an unusual prison break during Fact Or Spin. Then we'll get to Jamming about the album, from the restrained intensity of The Heathen to the chill optimism of Three Little Birds! So kick back, relax, and don't worry about a thing... There's a Natural Mystic blowing through this episode!Are you a bigger fan of the intense half or the chill half of Exodus' sound? What's your favorite bird? Was your first Bob Marley experience as drastic as James'? Let us know on socials, and tune in next week to smile with the rising sun yet again!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro6:16 About Bob Marley16:27 About Exodus23:42 Awards & Accolades25:56 Fact Or Spin26:52 The Secretary Bird: Bob's Soccer Obsession30:33 The Raven: He Was A Palm Reader33:09 The Jailbird: Bob Marley Was Part Of A Prison Break37:08 The Baby Chick: He Kidnapped The Easter Bunny45:18 Album Art46:56 Natural Mystic48:38 So Much Things To Say50:12 Guiltiness52:13 The Heathen53:15 Exodus55:53 Jamming58:27 Waiting In Vain59:57 Turn Your Lights Down Low1:01:12 Three Little Birds1:03:43 One Love/People Get Ready1:05:27 Final Spin

Stuck inside those four walls? We're making our escape with Band On The Run, the 1973 record by Wings! After a tough Beatles breakup, a burnt out Paul McCartney was struggling to stay relevant in the music world. He started Wings alongside his wife Linda and guitarist Denny Laine, and after a few tough outings, Band On The Run proved to be their major breakthrough! Despite a tumultuous recording process in Lagos, Nigeria, hits like JET (!), Let Me Roll It, and Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five have become catalog staples. We're catching up on our personal Beatles history and learning about the foundation of Wings! We trace the band's Lagos trip through cholera outbreaks, broken equipment, and knifepoint robberies, but learn why Paul needed this record so badly. The Mixtaper relies on James' fear of "jelly babying" himself with another round of McCartney facts! We'll break down jailbreak ambience, investigate a holiday hostage, and drink a drink with Lily The Pink in Fact Or Spin. We might have No Words... but what's the use in worrying?How's your Scooby Doo impression? What would your last words be? Do you forget when Picasso was alive? Which of the sections of Band On The Run stands above the rest? Let us know your Wings takes in the comments and on socials!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro3:27 About Wings12:48 About Band On The Run25:58 Awards & Accolades26:50 Fact Or Spin28:09 Paul Insisted On A Jailbreak Ambience Check31:07 Paul Kidnapped The Easter Bunny35:22 Paul Guest Starred In A Comedy Production40:13 Paul Is Related To The Inventor Of The Woman's Tonic49:23 Album Art52:42 Band On The Run57:03 Jet1:00:31 Bluebird1:02:15 Mrs. Vandebilt1:06:38 Let Me Roll It1:08:29 Mamunia1:09:52 No Words1:11:04 Picasso's Last Words1:14:24 Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five1:17:29 Final Spin

We're Making The Most Of The Night as we review and rank Emotion, the 80s-infused pop record from Canadian songwriter and actress Carly Rae Jepsen! After we just met her (and that was crazy) back in 2011, Carly was struggling to shed the bubblegum pop reputation she gained with Call Me Maybe. After retreating from the spotlight, acting on Broadway, and writing a scrapped folk record, Emotion was her attempt to make something different. It proved to be a critical success and paved the way for the next era of her career with big singles like Run Away With Me and I Really (Really Really Really Really Really) Like You... but is this album Our Type?Let's Get Lost in her Canadian Idol roots! James & Connor talk about previous opinions of her work (can't judge her for that), celebrate CRJ's 40th and 44/100ths birthday, and give these songs a powerful listen. The Mixtaper is giving us Boy Problems in Fact Or Spin, where we'll learn about her growing collection of weaponry, a secret Maybe List, and a deceptive signature from "the boss man." Between the pop anthems and powerful ballads, find out if this record can stir up our E•MO•TIONS and redeem our premature opinions of her music.Did you wish CRJ a Happy Birthday? Do you have Boy Problems too? Would you ever try to trick the Boss Man? Let us know how you felt about Call Me Maybe in the comments or on socials, and tune in next time for another high-flying episode!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro3:29 About Carly Rae Jepsen9:15 Call Me Maybe12:42 About Emotion26:04 Awards & Accolades26:50 Fact Or Spin28:19 The Fandom Armed Her34:44 Carly Rae Jepsen Armed The Fandom40:35 She Has A "Maybe List"45:11 She Takes Her Contracts To The Boss Man51:12 Album Art52:14 Run Away With Me56:10 Emotion58:10 I Really Like You1:00:58 Gimmie Love1:01:44 All That1:03:02 Boy Problems1:05:01 Making The Most Of The Night1:06:02 Your Type1:07:27 Let's Get Lost1:08:35 LA Hallucinations1:09:40 Warm Blood1:10:53 When I Needed You1:12:00 Final Spin

For our 250th episode, we're stepping into the Limelight to revisit Rush! In Ep. 121, we discovered how 2112 earned the trio creative control with their sci-fi rock opera gamble... Now we're back to learn about Moving Pictures, the band's most commercially successful album and home to enduring hits like Tom Sawyer and YYZ! The band aims to strike the perfect balance between unique identity and mass appeal. With the addition of more synth undertones and a shift in Neil Peart's lyricism, Moving Pictures was able to punch up and future-proof their ever-changing style, and sunset their lengthy prog epics with The Camera Eye. How will this record move US? Can it live up to its counterpart episode (pun intended)?James & Connor revel in the unexpected Year Of Redemption for Geddy and Alex in the form of their 50-Something reunion tour. We walk through the eras since our last episode and trace their evolution, and talk about why this might be a more Connor-friendly pick. The Mixtaper is back on a Witch Hunt, with dastardly (and suspicious) facts about youth crime, rusty coconuts, and frozen follies. Are biographies and past knowledge enough to save James from defeat? Connor learns about the triple pun on the album cover, we learn limited Morse Code, and we definitely don't repeat any jokes in this major milestone episode!What do you consider to be Rush's magnum opus? What's our signature work? Do you agree that everybody needs to deviate from the norm? Do you get your hockey arenas mixed up? (Me too.) Let us know in the comments and on socials! We'll be back with a surprise recommendation next week. Follow for more! Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro0:27 Last Time: 21124:25 About Rush12:10 About Moving Pictures24:11 The 50-Something Tour26:13 Awards & Accolades26:55 Fact Or Spin29:03 They Are Officers34:25 Geddy Lee Is A Rusty Coconut39:41 Neil Peart Went Back To School42:47 Alex Lifeson Made A Chilly Mistake47:32 Album Art50:30 Tom Sawyer54:45 Red Barchetta57:30 YYZ1:00:21 Limelight1:03:48 The Camera Eye1:07:20 Witch Hunt1:11:12 Vital Signs1:13:00 Final Spin