Spin It! The Record Ranking Podcast

Hello? It's London Calling, the revolutionary third record by British punk pioneers The Clash! Widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time, the band writes on everything from nuclear meltdown to consumerism to the harsh realities of addiction, backed by a raw edge and a reggae-infused beat. We'll learn how Joe Strummer & co. rose to meet the musical moment, taking cues from friends and rivals like the Sex Pistols and The Ramones. From staples like Lost In The Supermarket to Train In Vain (a cut that almost missed the album altogether), find out what makes The Clash and their legacy such a force to be reckoned with.We'll talk about our favorite Clash hits as we Rock The Casbah! Then The Hateful Mixtaper is bringing The Clampdown once more during Fact Or Spin, where we discover a marathon disappearance, child labor, and pogo grandmas... Rudie Can't Fail, but can our resident Dastard? Then we get Lost In The Supermarket with each track on this expansive double album as we explore everything from Spanish tourism to Over The Hedge! Curl up with your favorite Montgomery Clift movie and take a listen to this episode. Find out whether London Calling achieves Death Or Glory!Is this double album worth the listen? What's the worst place to practice the drums? Should you stay or should you go?! (The answer is GO... but go to our socials and www.spinitpod.com for more!)Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro2:49 About The Clash14:03 About London Calling22:40 Awards & Accolades23:13 Fact Or Spin24:23 Joe Strummer's Marathon Disappearing Act27:39 They Gave Two Kids Career Opportunities29:25 Topper Had A Unique Practice Space33:23 Mick Jones Missed A Soundcheck To Teach Grandmas How To Pogo39:54 Album Art43:26 London Calling48:55 Brand New Cadillac50:23 Jimmy Jazz51:56 Hateful53:45 Rudie Can't Fail55:37 Spanish Bombs57:22 The Right Profile1:00:18 Lost In The Supermarket1:05:19 The Clampdown1:08:31 The Guns Of Brixton1:10:13 Wrong 'Em Boyo1:11:30 Death Or Glory1:13:33 Koka Kola1:16:10 The Card Cheat1:17:41 Lover's Rock1:19:07 Four Horsemen1:21:05 I'm Not Down1:22:23 Revolution Rock1:23:51 Train In Vain (Stand By Me)1:26:09 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tell 'em Kendrick did it... We're back to talk about Compton's own Kendrick Lamar and his 2025 record GNX! After we explored Damn back on episode 72, James felt like this Pulitzer Prize winner deserved a better score from Connor. We're back (reincarnated) in the Year Of Redemption to break down his shortest record yet (but one of his most expansive). After decimating Drake in a years-long feud with the astounding Not Like Us, GNX is Kendrick's attempt to move his career forward with songs of the confrontational, the introspective, and the catchy. He wrote more than 80 songs for the project, but only a dozen made the cut. Will it be the perfect combo to redeem his score?James & Connor will debrief on our last Kendrick episode and get to the bottom of why we're back again. We relive the backwards concept album and catch up on our Kendrick listening habits. The Mixtaper is ready to Squabble Up with a new round of Fact Or Spin, featuring comfy socks, vault tracks, and a baffling reskin of a classic crunchy conundrum. From the vintage car on the cover to the final twist of Gloria, we'll touch every corner of this Album Of The Year nominee. Ain't no legends if his legends end, so find out why we think K Dot does (or doesn't) deserve the Greatest Of All Time!Is this album a step up or a step back after Damn and Mr. Morale? Is SZA a dominant force for Favorite Feature or can one of the 9 other voices on this record compete? If you woke up lookin' for that broccoli, turn the TV Off and head to our socials or spinitpod.com for more!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro0:25 Last Time: Damn.4:55 About Kendrick Lamar7:31 Not Like Us / Drake Feud11:48 About GNX16:12 Awards & Accolades17:25 Fact Or Spin20:03 He Has An Interesting Rider24:00 He Has An Unreleased Track With Prince26:20 Kendrick Has A Supernatural Connection To Tupac29:47 He Needs A Shepherd's Pie For Every Show39:40 Album Art40:53 Wacced Out Murals43:36 Squabble Up45:52 Luther (with SZA)48:55 Man At The Garden50:10 Hey Now (feat. Dody6)51:47 Reincarnated54:20 TV Off (feat. Lefty Gunplay)56:26 Dodger Blue (feat. Wallie The Sensei, Siete7x, Roddy Ricch)57:47 Peekaboo (feat. AZChike)59:52 Heart Pt. 61:01:32 GNX (feat. Hitta J3, YoungThreat, Peysoh)1:03:58 Gloria (with SZA)1:05:50 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It Must Be Love this Valentine's Day as we review and rank Bewitched, the second studio album by jazz-pop sensation Laufey! With timeless melodies, lush instrumentation, and heart-filled lyrics, this "love album" blends the traditional and the trendy effortlessly. We'll see Laufey's career through From The Start, including her run on The Voice Iceland and her solo cello appearance with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra at age 15! From jazz standards like Misty to the powerful Lovesick, Bewitched is a record that lives up to its title track!James & Connor talk Valentine plans, jazz affinity, and more, all while trying to remember what little we know about Icelandic pronunciation. The Mixtaper is back to introduce us to a new alter ego and sidekick in Mei Mei the Bunny in a cozy knit sweater! Then he teaches us about sugar-sweet clapbacks, a fairytale moment, and Laufey's secret (fifth?) language! Then we break down this record top to bottom, exploring the stories behind Letter To My 13 Year Old Self, Promise, California And Me, and more! It's a Grammy-winning album with its own kind of pizzazz, but how will it fare amongst Jazzy Connor's other rankings?Are you rocking with jazz pop? Do you prefer the vocals or Mei Mei's newly-unearthed instrumental versions? If you inadvertently insulted Laufey in a coffee shop... what do you think she'd say? Let us know in the comments and on social media! Tune in next week for an episode on another (very different) album! Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro3:22 About Laufey10:03 About Bewitched15:20 Awards & Accolades16:13 Fact Or Spin18:18 She Has An Alter Ego & Sidekick25:31 She Gave A Sugar-Sweet Clapback29:28 She Had A Cinderella Moment32:28 She And Her Twin Have A Secret Musical Language35:48 Album Art37:23 Dreamer38:38 Second Best39:46 Haunted41:00 Must Be Love41:39 While You Were Sleeping43:07 Lovesick44:07 California And Me45:37 Nocturne (Interlude)46:41 Promise47:59 From The Start49:55 Misty52:31 Serendipity52:58 Letter To My 13 Year Old Self56:02 Bewitched57:13 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

¡Hola! In our annual Grammy Special, we're reviewing and ranking the Album Of The Year: DeBÍ TIRAR MáS FOTOS by Puerto Rican sensation Bad Bunny! This reggaeton fusion record is a love letter to Benito's roots and homeland, from plena and dembow beats to vibrant traditions. With diverse instrumentation, nostalgic lyrics, and his signature swagger, Bad Bunny delivers on his promises and takes us straight to the Enchanted Isle (and El Clúb)! After a near-miss at the 2023 Grammys, find out how this award-winning album rose above all the competition!It all kicks off with our Grammy recap. We'll reveal the results of our predictions, debrief about the night's biggest winners, and talk ceremony highlights. Then we discover our (somewhat minimal) experience with Spanish and discuss various influential rabbits as we explore Bad Bunny's unique rise to the top of the global charts! The Mixtaper is back in Fact Or Spin to bestow new Awards For The Shellbound, spanning conservation, soap operas, and gastroparesis. Find out which of these 17 tracks Bad Bunny loves, and get ready for his Super Bowl LX halftime show with this special episode!!¿Entiendes español? Was Bad Bunny your AOTY champion, or did you make other predictions? What did you think of the Grammys? Let us know in the comments or on socials, and stay tuned for another album next week!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro2:29 68th Grammy Awards Predictions Results13:54 Ceremony Highlights Recap20:29 About Bad Bunny31:19 About DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS37:02 Awards & Accolades38:27 Fact Or Spin40:30 The Turtle Conservation Award44:03 The Bubble Bath Betrayal Award48:56 The Gastroparesis Award55:23 Fast Fire Awards: Chaotic Concerts1:01:48 Album Art1:03:47 NUEVAYoL1:07:00 VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR1:09:56 BAILE INoLVIDABLE1:12:55 PERFuMITO NUEVO1:15:18 WELTiTA1:16:57 VeLDÁ1:18:29 EL CLúB1:20:46 KETU TeCRÉ1:22:13 BOKeTE1:23:49 KLOuFRENS1:25:16 TURiSTA1:26:50 CAFé CON RON1:28:32 PIToRRO DE COCO1:30:40 LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii1:33:54 EoO1:35:54 DtMF1:40:14 LA MuDANZA1:41:12 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BONUS CONTENT! It's Grammy Week once again and we're gearing up for our special episode by predicting the winners of ALL 95 categories! After Connor's big win last year, who will walk away the winner? James & Connor will talk about the new categories for 2026 and discover some oddities-- a father & son competition, 8-bit jazz, stacked categories for Best Rap Album and Best Pop Vocal Album, and some humous hopefuls. There are artists we've covered (like Doechii, Cody Fry, Lady Gaga, and Kendrick Lamar, to name a few) and even more new names to consider. See how many picks we make in sync again, and then find out who we predict will be our next Album Of The Year! Every nominee from Bad Bunny to Leon Thomas would be a first-time AOTY champion, so this year's ceremony will certainly be one for the record books!Find all our Grammy picks on our Official Ranking Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NV92dyhk2KfdSpSzx9avIAHrWzrFo5wMsg7Lf_-TxvY/edit?gid=409464286#gid=409464286And tune in on the Friday after the Grammys for our annual Grammy Special to learn how we did with these picks and see who reigns supreme with the Album Of The Year!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro3:17 Changes To The Categories4:59 Field 11: Classical8:11 Field 10: Production, Engineering, Composition, & Arrangement9:56 Field 9: Package, Notes, & Historical12:45 Field 8: Children's, Comedy, Audiobooks, Visual Media, & Music Video/Film20:40 Field 7: Latin, Global, Reggae & New Age, Ambient, or Chant22:38 Field 6: Gospel & Contemporary Christian Music23:39 Field 5: Country & American Roots Music29:28 Field 4: Jazz, Traditional Pop, Contemporary Instrumental & Musical Theater32:32 Field 3: R&B, Rap, & Spoken Word Poetry35:35 Field 2: Rock, Metal & Alternative Music37:12 Field 1: Pop& Dance/Electronic Music40:24 General Field45:51 Predicting Album Of The Year48:10 Wrap-Up Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy Gopher Day! Join James and Connor (aka the Country Road Kid) as we rank and review Highwayman, the debut studio album by country supergroup The Highwaymen! In an attempt to stay relevant in an ever-changing country music landscape, four legends came together to create something different: Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson. After collaborating and admiring each other's work for decades, the Mount Rushmore of rugged outlaw country took to the studio, armed with ten hits like Against The Wind, Deportee, and Cash's own Big River. Would this Hail Mary effort jumpstart their iconic careers?We'll talk about the four episodes that led us here -- one about each individual Highwayman-- and learn about the holiday specials and films that brought them all together in the first place. We'll explore their group dynamics and talk about the ways music had changed around them between their debuts and 1985. All the while we'll reminisce about panning for gold in the sandbox, hearing these songs as kids, and more. The Mixtaper has facts (or spins) about hotel horses, midwife pranks, and a suspiciously Bill-Murray-adjacent Midnight Breakfast fact. Turn those suits inside out and get ready to ride with some of the genre's greatest.What do you think about the Highwaymen supergroup? Is this album over- or under-ambitious, and is it the best of their three records to cover in an episode? How do you think the Groundhog Day time loop mechanics work? Let us know in the comments or on socials, and be sure to follow for our Grammy Special coverage next week!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro2:05 Relevant Past Episodes5:20 About The Highwaymen9:10 About Highwayman17:48 Awards & Accolades18:41 Fact Or Spin21:39 Waylon And Willie Rode Horses In A Hotel24:36 Waylon And Cash Used Dynamite As Entertainment26:58 Willie Tricked Kris Into Thinking He Was Delivering A Baby30:52 Waylon and Cash Loved To Make Midnight Breakfast37:17 Album Art38:02 Highwayman41:19 The Last Cowboy Song42:23 Jim, I Wore A Tie Today44:36 Big River46:55 Committed To Parkview48:08 Desperados Waiting For A Train49:20 Deportee (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos)51:30 Welfare Line52:20 Against The Wind54:55 The Twentieth Century Is Almost Over56:58 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're just living that life, Von Dutch, cult classic, as we rank Charli XCX's hyperpop club record Brat! Its danceable melodies, carefree bite, and minimalist neon green aesthetic sparked a cultural movement in Brat Summer, and hits like 360, Apple, and Sympathy Is A Knife turned into certified Club Classics. Inspired by her early days in London's underground illegal rave scene, Brat sees Charli showing off striking vulnerability through crisp, energetic songs with memorable melodies. From relationships to generational trauma to impending motherhood (or even to just a good party song), this record really does it all.James & Connor are ready to Talk Talk about Charli's unique path to superstardom, from I Don't Care and Boom Clap to Wuthering Heights. The Mixtaper is so Julia as we ponder her homecoming coup, a sentimental vault track, Bratcoin, and even more VERY passionate fans during Fact Or Spin! Then we Rewind to 2024 and reminisce about Brat Summer as we work through these bite-sized pop beats. Where will Connor score Charli XCX compared to her fellow Album Of The Year nominees? James might even go so far as an on-the-spot redemption for this one!Did you catch the main metaphor in Apple? What foods would you make into footlongs? Are we your favorite reference? Tell us all about it in the comments or on socials! Follow for more next week as we go for a supergroup during our Gopher Day Special!!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro3:01 About Charli XCX13:13 About Brat19:10 Awards & Accolades20:03 Fact Or Spin21:17 She Crashed A High School Homecoming Dance25:45 Hardcore Fans Are Obsessed With Her Unreleased Song28:52 She Has Passionate Fans35:16 She Launched Her Own Cryptocurrency39:58 Album Art44:21 36047:27 Club Classics49:11 Sympathy Is A Knife51:39 I Might Say Something Stupid52:31 Talk Talk54:50 Von Dutch58:00 Everything Is Romantic59:04 Rewind1:00:18 So I1:02:05 Girl, So Confusing1:04:23 Apple1:07:40 B2B1:09:25 Mean Girls1:10:14 I Think About It All The Time1:12:06 3651:13:18 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Same as it ever was... We're letting the days go by as we review and rank Remain In Light by the Talking Heads! For their iconic 1980 record, Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz migrated to the Bahamas to escape city life. While they were there they developed an affinity for the Caribbean ethos and African-inspired percussion, which they brought into the studio alongside producer Brian Eno. The result is a polyrhythmic, pulsing new-wave sound, made with "human sampling" techniques and a flair for the funky. The record is home to instant classics like Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) and Once In A Lifetime, but how will the rest of these intense-yet-danceable tracks hold up?James & Connor (your own resident talking heads) walk through the band's history and a breakup so sudden only David Byrne knew it had even happened! We'll talk about their inspirations and legacy, and we'll learn why this blotchy album cover is the first of its kind! The Mixtaper's ready for another round on the Great Curve of Fact Or Spin with tales of limo dispatches, sticky shaving, and a humiliating burglary at letter-opener point. Then we'll Overload you with facts about the 8 tracks that make up Remain In Light... but the Talking Heads' score remains to be Seen And Not Seen.You may ask yourself, "well, how did I get here?" Good question. Let us know on our socials and wherever you get your podcasts! Are you a Talking Head-head? Do you have a tiny way mouth? What's the worst shaving liquid? We want all your thoughts in the comments!!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro3:19 About Talking Heads10:50 About Remain In Light22:46 Awards & Accolades23:24 Fact Or Spin24:21 Tina Weymouth Was A Limo Dispatcher27:40 David Byrne Shaved With An Interesting Lubricant30:37 David Byrne Was Burgled With A Letter Opener36:51 Fast Fire Facts: Celebrity Talking Head Heads44:16 Album Art48:21 Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)51:35 Crosseyed And Painless54:05 The Great Curve55:38 Once In A Lifetime1:01:43 Houses In Motion1:03:18 Seen And Not Seen1:05:08 Listening Wind1:07:26 The Overload1:09:09 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ooh-wah-ah-ah-ah!!! This week we head into the Eye Of The Storm as we review and rank Immortalized, the riotous sixth studio album from Disturbed! After an indefinite hiatus in the early 2010s the band roared back onto the scene with this surprise record in 2015, featuring iconic moments like The Vengeful One, the ballad-adjacent The Light, and an unforgettable cover of The Sound Of Silence. Sucker punch hooks and powerful vocals keep the album moving, but did the band play it too safe by sticking to their tried-and-true formula?Connor first recommended Disturbed's Evolution to James half a decade ago. It was a solid record, but scored low on his ranking list. In the Year Of Redemption, Connor's hoping a more lively record can Fire It Up and recalibrate James' opinions. We'll talk about the band's rise to greatness, David Draiman's decision to walk from a six-figure salary, and learn about the secret reunion that led to Immortalized! The Mixtaper is brewing up facts about a wrestling wife, defenestration, and a four-year follicular fakeout. Can Disturbed Open Our Eyes or have we Saved Our Last Goodbye for the latest of Connor's picks?Have you ever been to Oconomowoc, WI? Did we even get close to saying that one right? Did you recognize that gurgly sound? Let us know in the comments or on social media! And be sure to like and subscribe for more-- in the words of Disturbed, "What Are You Waiting For?!"Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro1:45 Past Disturbed Experience6:55 About Disturbed17:13 About Immortalized25:50 Fact Or Spin27:19 Love Was Brewing For Mike Wengren30:43 Brewing Was Love For Mike Wengren36:42 David Draiman Disturbs Almost Everyone44:11 Dan Donegan Was Not As He Appeared...51:50 Album Art54:43 The Eye Of The Storm55:59 Immortalized59:37 The Vengeful One1:02:12 Open Your Eyes1:05:44 The Light1:08:36 What Are You Waiting For1:10:43 You're Mine1:12:14 Who1:14:51 Save Our Last Goodbye1:18:48 Fire It Up1:20:32 The Sound Of Silence1:25:09 Never Wrong1:27:48 Who Taught You How To Hate1:29:59 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Honey, Just Allow Him One More Chance! The Year Of Redemption blows us back into the North Country this week to revisit The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan! After Highway 61 Revisited didn't exactly leave Connor "going electric," we decided to wind back the clock to 1962 and explore one of Dylan's first masterpieces. After barely breaking even with his debut, people called him a folly... but with his sophomore effort, this so-called spokesman of a generation set out to prove them wrong! Armed with a guitar and a harmonica and inspired by social upheaval that defined the decade, the future folk legend suddenly came into his own with hits like Blowin' In The Wind, A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall, and Don't Think Twice, It's All Right.James & Connor break down what went wrong for Dylan in our first episode. Then we'll explore his backstory and dive deeper into the making of Freewheelin', from its jazz producer to its strikingly cool (literally) cover photo. The Mixtaper is back to redeem himself with facts about loitering crime, scared children, and a $100,000,000 secondhand couch. As we move through Freewheelin' track by track, we'll discover the traditional roots of so many of these songs and learn the social, political, and personal context behind lyrics that evolved the course of popular music. Whether you're here for pacifist protest pieces like Masters Of War, heartaching ballads like Girl From The North Country, or you just want to hear him say "needle" in a funny voice... Freewheelin' could be just the Bob Dylan redemption you need.Have you tried the infamous cherry cordial milk? Would you be kind to a scruffy vagrant? Is YOUR favorite Dylan track in the acoustic or electric style? Let us know if Dinky Dylan deserved a follow-up in the comments or on socials. See you soon for another album; Happy New Year!!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro6:50 About Bob Dylan11:09 About The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan22:18 Awards & Accolades23:37 Fact Or Spin26:21 Bob Dylan Is A Scruffy Vagrant30:35 Bob Dylan Went Incognito34:48 Grandpa Bob Scares Children38:17 Bob Dylan Is Not Much Of A Negotiator46:48 Album Art49:59 Blowin' In The Wind54:23 Girl From The North Country58:16 Masters Of War1:00:52 Down The Highway1:03:59 Bob Dylan's Blues1:04:57 A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall1:08:20 Don't Think Twice, It's All Right1:10:49 Bob Dylan's Dream1:13:10 Oxford Town1:15:12 Talkin' World War III Blues1:17:08 Corrina, Corrina1:19:18 Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance1:21:04 I Shall Be Free1:23:53 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're gonna keep on dancing into 2026 with Chappell Roan's electric debut album The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess! Join us as we review and rank this Grammy-nominated record full of powerful pop hits like Red Wine Supernova and HOT TO GO! From a small town in Missouri to the world's biggest stages, Chappell Roan's rise has been surreal. We'll talk about her early folk songwriting days, her move to Los Angeles (and a devastating false start to her career), and the slow and steady rising tide that propelled tracks like Pink Pony Club from obscurity into the spotlight. We'll talk about what makes her music stand out in the modern pop arena, from her unique vocals to her genuine, heartfelt lyrics. James & Connor are keeping it Casual this week. After sharing our Chappell Roan discovery stories and learning her history, The Super Graphic Ultra Modern Dastard (aka The Mixtaper) is back at it again with facts about a private pizza party, an accidental duel with a stranger, and a wrestling spectacular! Then we break down this record one track at a time. Listen to Connor struggle to pronounce "Femininomenon," learn the loopholes to being Naked In Manhattan, and reminisce about kaleidoscopes with us! Find out why we'd change the end of the album and see if this Midwest Princess will rise or fall in our rankings!What's your Guilty Pleasure? Are you an expert at the HOT TO GO dance? Would you stop the world just to stop the feeling?? Give us all your Chappell Roan takes in the comments or on social media. Maybe TikTok? Thanks for ringing in the new year with us! Follow for many more album reviews in 2026.Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro4:37 About Chappell Roan10:42 About The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess17:32 Good Luck, Babe! & The Next Era20:55 Awards & Accolades21:44 Fact Or Spin23:19 She Had A Pizza Party With The Rocket Man26:10 She Was Caught In An Accidental TikTok Duel29:53 She Turned A Music Festival Into A Wrestling Spectacle35:16 Chappell Roan Lost Her Head40:58 Album Art41:57 Femininomenon46:30 Red Wine Supernova50:35 After Midnight53:09 Coffee55:19 Casual58:05 Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl59:59 HOT TO GO!1:03:32 My Kink Is Karma1:05:05 Picture You1:06:34 Kaleidoscope1:09:10 Pink Pony Club1:12:36 Naked In Manhattan1:13:55 California1:16:06 Guilty Pleasure1:17:35 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Spin-ter Wonderland season is upon us! Get ready for a head-to-head bracket elimination of your favorite holiday hits with our annual NAUGHTY OR NICE Competition! We've selected fourteen songs by artists we've covered on the podcast in the last year and pitted them against one another to determine who comes out on top, based on YOUR VOTES! From Frank Sinatra's crooning Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas to Lady Gaga's Christmas Tree, we've got a blend of new tunes and familiar favorites in the running this year. The Beach Boys' Little Saint Nick is also looking for redemption after underperforming a few years back. Will Fall Out Boy's Yule Shoot Your Eye Out remain our champion??James & Connor are back to talk about their holiday traditions, previous Naughty Or Nice contests (including the tragic and complicated elimination of Wham! and Last Christmas a year ago). We'll play memory games about Connor's scores and units, learn about each of these seasonal staples, and compete against each other with our own brackets to break a years-long tie. Then we'll end the episode with a new memory game that might end up with James on the naughty list after all!Thank you for another great year! Which of these holiday songs were your favorites? Would your bracket have matched the final score? Are there any artists we've covered with more deserving Christmas classics? Let us know on social media, and follow us into 2026 next week wherever you get your podcasts!Check out this episode's playlists!Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7HbbcFipapfg9h2BLUxGeR?si=2da8e2471a844871YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tJtsKngXJU&list=PLYumnChiw_I_gaLMEZ0UiHzFwkN22kQu-Thanks for listening!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!0:00 Intro2:47 Tales Of The Glories Of Naughty Or Nice Long, Long Ago6:29 Have We Been Naughty Or Nice?11:33 The NoN 2025 Bracket18:02 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Sinatra) vs. You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch (Tyler, The Creator)25:40 Another Lonely Christmas (Prince) vs. Not Another Christmas Song (Blink-182)33:20 Cherry Tree Carol (Wiggles feat. Hozier) vs. Christmas Tree (Lady Gaga)41:45 We All Need Christmas (Def Leppard) vs. Little Saint Nick (The Beach Boys)49:46 Together Again And A Very Merry Christmas (Randy Newman) vs. The Christmas Song (Olivia Dean)57:10 Alone On Christmas With You (Cody Fry) vs. 8 Days Of Christmas (Destiny's Child)1:04:11 A Nonsense Christmas (Sabrina Carpenter) vs. Winter (The Rolling Stones)1:10:38 Round 2.11:12:19 Round 2.21:14:15 Round 2.31:16:16 Round 2.4 Featuring Yule Shoot Your Eye Out (Fall Out Boy)1:19:28 Round 3.11:20:50 Round 3.21:22:56 Round 4: The Finale1:24:30 One Last Experiment1:29:33 Final Bracket Recap1:30:28 One More Game For Connor1:46:58 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're heading to the Land Of Sweets this week and reviewing The Nutcracker ballet, an annual seasonal staple around the globe! The 1892 ballet proved to be Pyotr Tchaikovsky's swansong, serving as a capstone on a composing career that brought Russian music to western audiences. Today, the ballet brings in more than $50 million in annual ticket sales to support dance companies and education... but what made it so popular in the first place? Sure, it features iconic songs like the March, the Russian Dance, and the Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy, but the remarkable history of The Nutcracker goes deeper than we realized!James & Connor are talking holiday traditions! We look at the ballet's striking stats, meet Connor's (actual) 5'11" nutcracker Nick and the world's LARGEST functional nutcracker, and talk about some idiosyncrasies between different adaptations of the ballet. We'll explore Tchaikovsky's legendary career, from the 1812 Overture to Swan Lake. The Mixtaper has lost his head with some 19th-century Fact Or Spin tidbits about superstitions, giant bees, and grand theft Celesta during the Waltz Of The Dastard. Then we learn what sugar plums actually are and share our thoughts on the plot, characters, and music that make up this Christmas classic!Have you seen The Nutcracker live? What's your favorite version of the ending? Have you ever had a sugar plum?! And... how do you decorate your tree? Let us know in the comments or on any of our social media! See you next week for our own tradition-- the annual Naughty Or Nice competition!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro8:27 Modern Nutcracker Statistics12:09 About Pyotr Tchaikovsky18:19 About The Nutcracker21:45 Why Did The Ballet Get So Famous?26:58 Fact Or Spin33:21 Tchaikovsky Was Afraid Of Losing His Head37:31 He Was A Musical Secret Agent42:47 The Original Ballet Avoided 13 Of Everything47:01 The Original Nutcracker Was Quite The Buzz53:53 Breaking Down The Ballet54:15 What Are Sugarplums?56:23 The Plot: Act I59:06 The Plot: Act II1:01:17 The Music1:03:51 The Suite1:10:52 The Dance Of The Sugarplum Fairy1:12:23 Decorating The Christmas Tree1:15:49 Full Ballet Vs. Suite?1:16:50 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's All Blues this week as we review and rank Kind Of Blue, the revolutionary instrumental modal jazz album by the legendary Miles Davis! Davis and his sextet (full of icons like John Coltrane and Julian "Cannonball" Adderley) abandoned the idea of chord progressions and studied scales, with minimal rehearsal. The result is a five-track improvised album that "changed the language of music." Its songs have become staples in the jazz canon, to the point that a certain chord is named the So What chord because it's so recognizable from this album. We'll talk about Miles' storied life and fluctuating career that led to his 1959 masterpiece... and then figure out why he later dismissed it as "warmed-over turkey."James and Jazzy Connor talk about bearing Davis' torch into the future! As our resident trumpeter, Connor is quite familiar with Miles Davis. We learn how puffed up he can get. The Mixtaper is freestyling Fact Or Spin with tales about a vow of silence, a mysterious good Samaritan, and a Presidential Mix-Up that ended up Kinda Red. Then, get ready for a five-course meal as we examine the album track by track. Whether you're a decadent soup or an arugula dressed in regret, there's something on this album for every appetite.How's this jazz album sit with you? Are there other foods you'd put in your five-course meal? Let us know if hard bop and modal jazz is music to your ears in the comments or on social media, and be sure to give us a follow! It's all no charge-- there are no Freddie Freeloaders here!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro4:01 About Miles Davis16:34 About Kind Of Blue28:18 Awards & Accolades29:19 Fact Or Spin30:52 He Took A Year-Long Vow Of Silence35:05 He Had A Presidential Mix-Up38:49 He Was Saved By A Famous Good Samaritan45:34 Albino Loco Punched Him In The Face50:25 Album Art51:23 So What57:01 Freddie Freeloader1:00:41 Blue In Green1:05:03 All Blues1:09:18 Flamenco Sketches1:12:37 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's like paradise spread out with a butter knife! This week we wanna scream "EUREKA!" with the colorful third record from Canadian sibling band Mother Mother! Ryan and Molly Guldemond noticed a striking lack of powerful melodic rock and set out to make the music they wanted to hear. After becoming British Columbia's next big thing (and releasing the future viral hit Hayloft), the band pushed high-concept emotional rock to infectious levels with tracks like Oleander, Problems, and their first charting hit, The Stand! This self-made creative endeavor stands out from the rest of the band's discography with its sleek, polished romp through internal turmoil.James & Connor Connor learn about Quadra Island, talk about the Greek & gold rush origins of the album title, and explore why the band became TikTok famous in the early 2020s. The Mixtaper will blow our hair and ears away as he belts out four supposedly-true facts about anthropomorphic metronomes, cover art cosplay, and a new type of magnet that fans took a bit too far. Will the album Carve A Name into our hearts, or will we have to Getaway to something new? Eureka might just awaken a new bad habit for Connor...Let us know if you'd bring your own Mother to Mother Mother! Have you ever been poisoned by oleander? Are you.. some sort of butter knife hater? Chime in down in the comments and on social media!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro1:27 About Mother Mother7:17 About Eureka!13:28 Awards & Accolades13:53 Fact Or Spin15:27 Ryan's Hair And Ears Were Blown Away20:45 They Pitched A Mother Mother Cartoon26:19 They Dressed As Their Album Art For Halloween30:02 They Became A Mother Magnet35:43 Album Art39:19 Chasing It Down41:31 The Stand44:38 Baby Don't Dance46:17 Original Spin47:40 Born In A Flash48:50 Simply Simple50:23 Problems51:55 Aspiring Fires53:32 Getaway54:49 Far In Time56:02 Oleander58:00 Calm Me Down59:12 In The Wings1:01:34 Carve A Name1:02:46 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you've lived your whole life before the First Light, you'd better check out Hozier's latest LP, Unreal Unearth! James & Connor are reviewing the "Unaired" edition of the album, with seven bonus tracks including Too Sweet, his biggest hit since Take Me To Church! This concept album inspired by Dante's Inferno takes us down circle by circle, vice by vice, so seamlessly that you'll forget you're in the middle of the descent. Through moving songs like Francesca, All Things End, Butchered Tongue, and Eat Your Young, Hozier explores our relationship to darkness, power, and human connection through his well-sifted lyrics and unique creative lens.We'll dig into Hozier's Irish roots, from a small hometown to the country's national choir, and discover his rise from starving artist to folk pop sensation. We refamiliarize ourselves with the mythology behind the Divine Comedy, reminisce on the popularity of Take Me To Church, and gear up for Thanksgiving before The Mixtaper brings us his Hoziest facts to date! Twitter stalkers, lead pants, and a well full of digestive biscuits (for the land) await us in Fact Or Spin! Then we'll discuss the whopping 16-track record and its accompanying EPs in their entirety! Will this hellish descent be able to rise above the competition?Let us know which EP songs you think should have made the album! Did we get close on pronouncing "uiscefhuaraithe?" If this podcast felt like Hozier's yell, let us know in the comments and on social media.. and be sure to follow along through the holiday season! Happy Thanksgiving!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro4:30 About Hozier13:04 About Unreal Unearth18:13 Podcast Segment That Feels Like Hozier's Yell19:10 Awards & Accolades21:22 Fact Or Spin22:50 His Fans Track Him27:22 He Nearly Drowned31:22 He's Immortal34:43 He Offered Biscuits To Faeries43:04 Album Art44:30 Nobody's Soldier46:22 July48:53 That You Are51:18 Too Sweet55:44 Wildflower And Barley (feat. Allison Russell)59:09 Empire Now1:01:00 Fare Well1:02:34 De Selby (Part 1)1:04:55 De Selby (Part 2)1:08:09 First Time1:10:49 Francesca1:13:43 I, Carrion (Icarian)1:16:59 Eat Your Young1:20:19 Damage Gets Done (feat. Brandi Carlile)1:22:56 Who We Are1:26:34 Son Of Nyx1:28:26 All Things End1:30:22 To Someone From A Warm Climate (Uiscefhuaraithe)1:33:44 Butchered Tongue1:36:05 Anything But1:38:41 Abstract (Psychopomp)1:40:50 Unknown / Nth1:42:52 First Light1:45:05 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You know him, you love him, You've Got A Friend In Him... It's Randy Newman! This week we're exploring his sardonic, sarcastic wit as we review and rank his commercial breakthrough, Sail Away! After years as a hit songwriter behind the scenes and a false start to his own recording career, Newman turned his greatest hits into a studio album full of social commentary that still resonates today. From the frolicking Simon Smith And The Amazing Dancing Bear to the rollicking You Can Leave Your Hat On, this songsmith and his piano crank out hits faster than you can say "satire."We'll trace Randy's roots to a family tree that's full of talent (the most Oscar-nominated family tree in history, actually). We'll talk about the rocky road into recording, the artists whose covers paved the way, and more! Then we reminisce about our favorite Newman-scored films, talk about his career in score, and find out how he broke his Oscar drought! The Mixtaper is bringing a roster of four supposedly true Friends of Randy Newman, from athletes to archeologists to... literal dancing bears. From Major League to Monsters Inc., Randy Newman's music has shaped generations of entertainment... but how will this solo record fare in our rankings? Tune in and find out!We wouldn't have nothin' if we didn't have you-- tell us your favorite Randy Newman-scored movie! How does his hard-hitting satire resonate with short people? Rednecks? Politicians?? Tell us your take in the comments and on social media!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro3:14 About Randy Newman12:50 About Sail Away20:40 Awards & Accolades23:58 Fact Or Spin24:44 Randy Newman Has A Friend In The Cincinnati Bengals27:37 He's Got A Friend In A Dancing Bear30:28 He Has A Friend In A FAKE Dancing Bear33:02 Randy Newman's Got A Friend In Harrison Ford38:12 Album Art39:58 Sail Away45:04 Lonely At The Top46:27 He Gives Us All His Love47:49 Last Night I Had A Dream49:27 Simon Smith And The Amazing Dancing Bear51:45 Old Man53:58 Political Science56:35 Burn On59:13 Memo To My Son1:00:43 Dayton, Ohio - 19031:02:30 You Can Leave Your Hat On1:04:05 God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)1:05:13 Let It Shine1:06:48 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Almost 200 weeks ago we explored Thirty Seconds To Mars' 2017 record America and... let's just say it didn't go well. For the Year Of Redemption, we decided the band needed a second chance so we're back to talk about A Beautiful Lie, the band's sophomore record that really solidified their arena rock sound. Jared Leto sings and screams his way through some of the band's all-time classics like Attack, The Kill, and From Yesterday. Their lyrics pull back from cosmic generality and hone in on the angsty, intimate side of the human experience. Bartholomew Cubbins is also back in the picture and we'll talk about some of his directorial feats, including a climate change documentary and a music video from the Forbidden City!James & Connor reminisce on Episode 33, talk about cotton candy grapes (and yes, the ear), and then learn more about 30STM's early days before The Mixtaper enters the scene with Beautiful (Potential) Lies about pyramid schemes, cult islands, and ambitious zero-G promotion in Fact Or Spin! Then we'll take a look at this top-heavy rock record and decide whether it reigns supreme. Will Thirty Seconds To Mars blast off to redemption, or are they doomed to be one of our lowest-scoring bands of all time? Did our 30STM takes get a little too hot? Too cold?? Is there an even better record we could have chosen for redemption? And... do you like cotton candy grapes as much as Connor does? Okay.. the answer to the last question is "no," but check in with us in the comments or on socials about the rest! Follow us for more album reviews and rankings every week!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro0:48 Last Time: America3:18 Past 30STM Experience6:58 About Thirty Seconds To Mars11:10 About A Beautiful Lie20:18 Awards & Accolades21:26 Fact Or Spin24:05 The Band's Desert Pyramid Extravaganza28:13 The Tale Of Mars Island35:45 They're Pioneers Of Space Rock Marketing39:16 The Band Wanted To Record On The International Space Station47:39 Album Art49:19 Attack52:54 A Beautiful Lie57:16 The Kill1:03:16 Was It A Dream?1:04:52 The Fantasy1:05:59 Savior1:07:00 From Yesterday1:09:28 The Story1:10:56 R-Evolve1:12:34 A Modern Myth1:13:06 Battle Of One1:14:13 Hunter1:15:26 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Early November came out of nowhere in 2001, and after a strong debut in The Room's Too Cold, frontman Ace Enders got ambitious. Their sophomore record, The Mother, The Mechanic, And The Path, is a three-disc concept album that pushed every boundary. It's the longest album we've ever reviewed and scored, clocking in at 2 hours and 12 minutes, with more than 45 tracks that tell the story of a broken family and a boy who's afraid to follow in his father's footsteps... and make his father's mistakes. It's all told in their quintessential 2006 emo-punk sound, over the course of hits like Decoration, Hair, and 1,000 Times A Day. Whether it's a big hit or a big miss, you can't deny it's a big swing for this new band.We'll talk about the band's debut in the rock scene and their acoustic re-workings of their early songs that help develop their softer side. The Mixtaper introduces us to a record-breaking Conga and a new adrenaline sport, as well as the art of van-flipping. We do have a Mixtober tie to break in Fact Or Spin, after all! Then we'll work our way through the album disc by disc by disc, sharing our favorite moments, our impressions of the story, and more. Which disc will reign supreme? Will Connor be able to overlook integrated dialogue on The Path, a section that feels more like an audio drama than an album? If there's A Bigger Meaning to this record we'll Figure It Out this week!What did YOU think about this self-indulgent album? Does the unique storytelling structure justify the immense length? Which of the three discs was your favorite? Reach out and let us know in the comments or on social media, and be sure to follow for more!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro8:31 About The Early November11:18 About The Mother, The Mechanic, And The Path18:29 Fact Or Spin20:21 They Have An Impressive Conga29:38 They Had A Tarot Interpreter32:07 They Wrote A Hit While Desert Surfing35:37 They Might Hold The Record For Most Replaced Equipment In A Month42:18 Album Art43:33 Doing Things A Little Differently44:41 Disc 1: The Mechanic46:28 Decoration47:33 No Good At Saying Sorry49:24 Outside49:55 The Car In 2050:10 Figure It Out51:09 Disc 2: The Mother52:00 My Lack Of Skill52:23 A Little More Time53:11 Hair55:13 The Truth Is / 1000 Times A Day57:18 Disc 3: The Path1:04:43 Story Content1:07:33 Standout Disc 3 Moments1:07:42 Long Talks1:08:20 Guess What1:09:56 Runaway & Runaway II1:11:31 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bonus Content! We sent our wolves to war with Asking Alexandria's Reckless And Relentless on Episode 224... but Connor wondered whether an album with less screaming and more melody could pique his interest. He listened to the band's 2017 self-titled album on his own, and we decided it needed a second look with this Backtrack. The band's shifted away from screaming and blended electronica into their metalcore sound, but how will it compare to the darker, more introspective songwriting of R&R? The self-titled record comes after Danny Worsnop's departure and return, so in some ways it IS still a return to form, but tracks like Alone In A Room, Into The Fire, and Vultures take their sound to new arena rock heights. Did we pick the right album? Will this tame the two wolves? And whose ship is it, anyway?! Find out if we truly need to backtrack after this unique record.Listen to Spin It Episode 224 wherever you get your podcasts!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro1:57 About Asking Alexandria (2017)5:50 Our Opinions15:54 Wrap-Up Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.