“You can taste the dishonestyIt’s all over your breath…”These are the initiatory lyrics with which Beyonce begins her 2016 album, “Lemonade.” An album that takes the listener on a mixed genre journey of betrayal and self-reflection, exploring the intimacy of relationship through the lenses of racial context and generational trauma.This album took Rob and Joël on a conversation unlike any other album in the growing canon of the Sonic Ventures Podcast. They discussed the significance and intric...
“I remember now…”It is this thought that opens and catapults us into the mind and memories of Nikki, a young man contending with drug addiction and his dissatisfaction with the unscrupulous social and political climate of his time. In his anger and frustration, Nikki is lured into becoming an assassin for an underground revolution, and eventually finds himself questioning more than just the intentions and actions of the government, but those of the organization he has aligned himself with, as...
Season 2 has been an eclectic mixture of concept albums! In keeping with the form of season 1, episode 8 is again a time for contemplation. And so in this episode, Rob and Joël reflect on the inspiration and insights that have come from their most diverse season yet: Kate Bush, Sinatra, Iron Maiden, Deltron 3030, Miles Davis, King's X and Tyler the Creator. Also, Rob and Joël reveal something of season 3's possibilities, such as film soundtracks and the inclusion of albums that...
What does one do with unrequited love? Get angry, get even, or get depressed? How about learn from Tyler, the Creator and create!In this episode, Rob and Joël discuss Tyler, the Creator's 2019 concept album "IGOR."The conversation explores Tyler's rich palette and manipulation of vocals, samples, synths and beats - a combination which expresses Tyler's compelling intuitive pastiche as a sound poet. They also give special attention to the multi-layered themes of love, heartache, self-identity ...
The late 80's were a uniquely rich period for hard rock in the United States. There were strong existing scenes on both coasts and many regional hotspots where the bands were incubating and developing in small groups and pockets. But no one could have predicted the emergence of King’s X as they burst out alone in the middle of the country with a singularly unique and distinct sound that is as fresh and exciting today as it was when they first garnered attention.In this episode, Rob and Joël d...
Released in 1970, Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew" would become a unique album in the jazz canon, not only for its improvisational explorations, but also for the timbral and textural doors it opened in instrumentation and in the use of studio as instrument.In their conversation, Rob and Joël discuss how the album came into their awareness and the influence it has had on them. They also explore the album's improvisational complexity and scope, and its organic and cinematic tone. And no Sonic Ventur...
"It's the year 3030..."A dystopian future where galactic corporate entities sustain a strangle hold on the universe, and "Deltron-Zero" emerges to save humanity and music from this 31st century New World Order by winning The Galactic Rhyme Federation Championship.This album delivers not only in its fantastic iterations of Afrofuturism, but also in its rich tableau of multidimensional rhyme schemes and symbolism, woven into well crafted samples and turntable melodicism. Rob and Joël expl...
"Seven deadly sins, Seven ways to win, Seven holy paths to hell, And your trip begins..." are the first lyrical moments of Iron Maiden's "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son," and how potent these words were in setting the tone for Rob and Joël's conversational trip with this impressive and exuberant album.As always, many avenues were explored, such as the concepts woven together to forge the album's narrative and mood; the music in its structure, performance and use of synthesizers; the evolution o...
"Is Iron Maiden's Powerslave a concept album?" It is this question that Rob and Joël discuss in their first Vignette.Recorded during the same sessions that captured our S2Ep.3 and Aftercast discussions about Iron Maiden's "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son", we chose to explore this question about "Powerslave" as our first published audio Vignette. Vignettes are brief, focused conversations about a particular issue, question, or idea, related to concept albums, that stand alone as their own ...
In this episode, Rob and Joël discuss "The Voice," Frank Sinatra, and his 1955 album, "In the Wee Small Hours."Arguably the first concept album, this was the first of its kind with its innovative format and its introspective tone on love and heartache. Through their respective experiences, Rob and Joël look at not only Sinatra's performance and vision, but also the arrangements, the history of the album's creation and some conceptual and anecdotal thoughts that the album raised for them.
Sonic Ventures' season two premiere episode is a rich dive into Kate Bush's 1985 album "Hounds of Love."Conceived as two suites, Rob and Joël explore the album's expository and cinematic structure, along with Kate Bush's extensive vocal palette and her lush, mesmerizing song craft."Hounds of Love" is ripe with symbolism, and takes the listener through highly nuanced depths of psyche and rich emotional landscapes. Rob and Joël openly venture into these sonic realms and bring their own experien...
Rob and Joël go further into their listening experiences of Kate Bush's "Hounds of Love," and come out with what they call an "Aftercast." An Aftercast is a recorded continuation after the conclusion of a regular podcast conversation. In these conversations, Rob and Joël are freed from the structural necessities of building the conversation and introducing ideas that they normally consider in their episode discussion. They can explore tangents or dig deeper into ideas or points of intere...
Rob and Joël reflect on the completion of the first season of Sonic Ventures, discussing their respective processes, some of the most memorable moments and their future plans for the podcast.
Rush's "2112" has been heralded by many as one of their most compelling and significant albums. Rob and Joël take a close look at the title track, discussing the implications of its concepts and the band's powerful performance.
Rob and Joël discuss The Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," a profoundly influential album for the pop/rock genre.
In this fifth episode, Rob and Joël discuss John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme," exploring the music and symbolism of this highly influential album for jazz and beyond.
Listen to Rob and Joël delve into what many consider to be rock's first concept album, The Mothers of Invention's "Freak Out!"
In this episode, Robert and Joël discuss the term Rock Opera with its stylistic and historical implications for the concept album format.
In this episode, Robert and Joël discuss Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon."
In this episode, Robert and Joël begin their conversational journey as they discuss what is a concept album and their motivations for creating this podcast.