Snap, Crackle, POP! with Alec Cumming

Alec Cumming, WPKN
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A show dedicated to unapologetically intelligent & melodic pop music that oft includes adventure, ambition, angst, bass shenanigans, bravura, catchiness, cynicism, curiosity, dancability, deft dynamics, economy, forward momentum, glee, grace, hubris, irreverance, irony, love, maximalism, melancholy, minimalism, modesty, naïveté, overreaching, passion, prettiness, proselytizing, protest, questioning, repetition, ribaldry, sarcasm, sexiness, sincerity, specificity, swoon-worthiness, temerity, understanding, vagueness, wisdom, wit and maybe more than a little nostalgia.

  1. Why 1979 was the best year for music, featuring Edgar Wright and Julia Cumming

    3d ago

    Why 1979 was the best year for music, featuring Edgar Wright and Julia Cumming

    OK, this Snap Crackle POP! is a DOOZY. For this show, my live in-studio guests (for the first 1 hour and 15 minutes of the 2-hour show, at least) are singer/songwriter/bassist Julia Cumming from Sunflower Bean whose 2026 debut solo album Julia is blowing people away, and legendary film director Edgar Wright who, believe it or not, I do not talk about movies with here at all. Why? Because we are all there to talk about our shared thesis - that 1979 is the best year for music EVER - and we are letting out GEEK. FLAGS. FLY. This is a must listen, people.  Up The Junction – Squeeze Lucky Number – Lene Lovich Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick – Ian Dury & The Blockheads One Step Beyond – Madness Ring My Bell – Anita Ward Regiment – David Byrne & Brian Eno Beat the Clock – Sparks Is She Really Going Out With Him? – Joe Jackson Making Plans for Nigel – XTC Pop Muzik – M Dance Away – Roxy Music  Street Life – Randy Crawford & The Crusaders I Don’t Like Mondays – The Boomtown Rats  52 Girls - The B-52s Kid – The Pretenders Clampdown – The Clash  Good Times – Chic (w/ brief excerpt of “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang) Swan Lake (Death Disco)/Radio 4 – P.I.L. (partial) Video Killed the Radio Star – The Buggles 'Nuff Said.

    1h 56m
  2. Breaking Up (and Fundraising) is Hard To Do

    Jun 15

    Breaking Up (and Fundraising) is Hard To Do

    Sigh. This was supposed to be a "Catch a Wave" week fundraiser for WPKN, with the great Dawn Eden Goldstein joining me for the first half and the legendary Rob Silber joining me for the second half. Dawn came up with the idea of playing break-up songs as a theme within the "we need money" theme. Well, I mean, it was a fundraiser, but we didn't get a single donation during my shift, though. It would do me (and our brilliant radio station!) a tremendous amount of good if you donated to WPKN here in honor of Snap Crackle POP... so: Please?   ---------------------------------------------Catch A Wave – The Beach Boys You're Gonna Miss Me – The 13th Floor ElevatorsOff and Running – Lesley Gore Partially Awesome – Edward O'ConnellAlone Again Or – The Damned Shake Hands and Walk Away Cryin' – Lou ChristieValentine's Day – Wild Hares Future Me Hates Me – The BethsSo You Say You Lost Your Baby – Gene Clark I'm Not Living Here – SagittariusThe Breakup – Art Garfunkel All I Know – Art GarfunkelBye Bye Love – The Cars If I Didn't Love You – SqueezeI Summon You – Spoon Lovers Who Wander – DionBoth Sides Now – Judy Collins

    1h 55m
  3. Happy (belated) 70th Birthday, Richard Butler!

    Jun 8

    Happy (belated) 70th Birthday, Richard Butler!

    Song for Hal – U2   A ? of When – Panda Bear & Sonic Boom Feelin' So Good (S.K.O.O.B.Y. D.O.O.) – The Archies Lost & Alone – Aaron Lee Tasjan    Blowin' Up – Kiwi Jr.  All This Disaster – Sarah McLachlan If You Change – Widowspeak     Pretty In Pink – Psychedelic Furs  Radio Free Europe (Jackknife Lee 2025 mix) – R.E.M. Wu-Tang – They Might Be Giants  Eat at Home – Paul & Linda McCartney    Momma Gets By – Paul McCartney It's Over Now – The Beach Boys  What Is Left to Say – Thundercat (feat. The Lemon Twigs) 2 or 3 – The Lemon Twigs    Forgotten (Alternate Version) – Neil Diamond Michigan – Margret Glaspy   Rainbows – Allison Russell  Real Deal – Endearments Pink Lemon – Elder Island   Aht Uh Mi Hed – Shuggie Otis Strawberry Letter 23 – Shuggie Otis

    1h 53m
  4. A belated Memorial day radio show, and a tribute to Cynthia Louise Harden (1957-2026)

    Jun 1

    A belated Memorial day radio show, and a tribute to Cynthia Louise Harden (1957-2026)

    This show was kind of a "memorial 2-fer". First, it was a belated tribute to Memorial Day; Dawn Eden Goldstein and I were going to co-host the Snap Crackle POP! WPKN show on the Memorial Day morning of 5/25/26, but due to a family issue we had to re-run the 1/27/26 Beatles REVOLVER special. Secondly, this show served as a memorial of sorts to the memory of Cynthia Louise Harden, who passed on 5/26/26 - and yes, that was the family issue. Cynthia was the mother of my amazing daughter Julia Cumming, my partner and co-leader of the '90s pop-rock-rap duo Bite the Wax Godhead, and... my ex-wife. I am still extremely sad and in shock, even as I write this. I'm not sure I did her memory justice (much less to the brave and women who lost their lives to war) but here it is anyway. I meant well.  =========================================== The Way We Were / Try to Remember – Gladys Knight    Reflections of My Life – The Marmalade Do You Remember Walter? – The Kinks Remember – John Lennon   Here Today – Paul McCartney    As You Lie There – Paul McCartney   Soho Square – Kirsty MacColl Never to Be Forgotten – The Bobby Fuller Four I’ve Got a Broken Heart – The Lemon Twigs Till We Meet Again – The Cheepskates   Galveston – Glen Campbell Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town – Kenny Rogers and the First Edition Powderfinger (acoustic) – Neil Young    I Can’t Write Left-Handed (live) – Bill Withers The Green Fields of France – Dropkick Murphys  Between the Wars – Billy Bragg   Old World – The Modern Lovers Rivers of Babylon – The Melodians  Keep On Movin' – Soul II Soul  The Captain of Her Heart – Double    Starlight – Nick Kivlen  Only Love Can Break Your Heart – Neil Young

    1h 45m
  5. SEDAKA IS BACK! (again!)

    May 11

    SEDAKA IS BACK! (again!)

    This is a repackaging of two live Snap Crackle POPs from March 2nd and 3rd of this year. The lovely and brilliant Eden Dawn Goldstein joins me for the first half. [All songs performed by Neil Sedaka unless otherwise noted.] That's When the Music Takes Me Stupid Cupid – Connie Francis The DiaryI Go Ape  One Way Ticket (To the Blues)Oh! CarolOh! Neil – Carole King  Calendar GirlBreaking Up Is Hard to DoI Can't Stay Mad at You – Skeeter Davis Magic Colors – Lesley Gore When Love Comes Knockin' (At Your Door) – The Monkees Workin’ on a Groovy ThingBeautiful You Laughter In the RainBad Blood Anywhere You're Gonna Be (Leba's Song) (Is This the Way To) Amarillo – Tony Christie I'm a Song, Sing Me   Superbird – Neil Sedaka  Solitaire – Neil Sedaka It Hurts to Be in Love – Gene Pitney  Donna – 10cc   Love Will Keep Us Together – The Captain & Tenille Puppet Man – The 5th Dimension     The Hungry Years  Beginning to Breathe Again

    1h 55m
  6. WAAAAAH! it's the TWEEEEEEE! episode!

    May 4

    WAAAAAH! it's the TWEEEEEEE! episode!

    My guest co-host Dawn Eden Goldstein proposed we do a show based on early '90s UK "twee" music, with an emphasis on the 1991 "The Waaaah! CD", and I quickly agreed... Because Dawn always brings the obscure yet utterly fantastic pop songs to the world of Snap Crackle POP! So get into your pajamas and bring out your kittens and let's (politely) TWEE out!  Who Loves the Sun – The Velvet UndergroundWalking My Cat Named Dog – Norma TanegaI'd Like to Walk Around in Your Mind - Vashti Bunyan Fill Your Heart – David BowieThink Of Rain – Margo GuryanDream Lover – The Paris Sisters Going Downtown – PianosaurusI Don’t Want to Back – Riff DoctorsFlowers Through the Air – Tiny Lights The Sunday Way of Life – Smalltown ParadeSeptember's Not So Far Away – The Field MiceAshlands Road – Strawberry StorySunny Tuesday Afternoon – The Dufflecoats James – Fat TulipsPerfect Day – Ric MenckAir – The OwlsSeems So – The Apples in Stereo Voice In My Head – The SneetchesI'll Be Gone – Papas FritasDisconnect the Dots – Of Montreal Stop Buying Things – Swan DiveWalk The Way You Talk – Dionne Warwick

    1h 54m
  7. The Emotional Labor of Doing It All Again

    Apr 27

    The Emotional Labor of Doing It All Again

    Julia Cumming finally released her long-awaited solo album last Friday, April 24th 2026, and I played a couple of songs from it, as well as other songs that were a part of the inspiration for it, plus other good songs.   Save It for Later – Eddie Vedder Best Friend – The English Beat   All This Disaster – Sarah McLachlan One Stop – Aldous Harding The Sofa – Wolf Alice   No More Tearstained Makeup – Martha & the Vandellas All I Do Is Think About You – Tammi Terrel You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart) – Dionne Warwick  I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself – Dusty Springfield    Here You Come Again – Dolly Parton  Free Man in Paris – Joni Mitchell  Kites Are Fun – The Free Design Do It All Again – Julia Cumming Days We Left Behind – Paul McCartmey    Baby Don't Go – Ringo Starr Wantcha Baby – Cryptic Soup Idiots Delighted – Damfino  Let Her Dance – The Bobby Fuller Four    Searching For Heaven –  Swamp Dogg  Man Of His Word –  Kashus Culpepper Emotional Labor –  Julia Cumming Amoureuse –  Véronique Sanson Abducted By Love –  The Tall Pines Freeing Wheels – Souled American   (Snap Crackle EXTRA!)  I'd Like To Talk to You – Mark Eric How She Boogalooed It – The Beach Boys Teenage News – Syl Sylvain Feelin' So Good (S.K.O.O.B.Y.–D.O.O.) – The Archies I Don't Like Hockey No More – The Zamboni After the Fox – The Hollies feat. Peter Sellers

    2h 17m
  8. The show in which Dawn Eden Goldstein and I talk about and listen to the legendary UK songwriter John Carter

    Apr 20

    The show in which Dawn Eden Goldstein and I talk about and listen to the legendary UK songwriter John Carter

    Dawn Eden Goldstein is a badass. There, I've said it. Both a deeply respected Catholic theologian and pop music historian! I really like when she comes on my morning Snap Crackle POP! shows and I hope we do it again and again. She suggested a tribute/exploration of sorts into the career of British songwriter John Carter, and I was game, and this is what it sounded like.  Chelsea Morning – Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66   I Wish You Hadn't – Benjamin Morren She Is Today – Bergen White   Sweet And Tender Romance – The McKinleys  Lonely Room – The Ivy League  I Can't Explain – The Who  Tossing and Turning – The Ivy League    Can't You Hear My Heartbeat – Herman's Hermits My World Fell Down – Sagittarius Beyond the Railroad – The Pen Friend Club  Annie Almond – The Junipers   Let's Go To San Francisco – The Flower Pot Men Jangleheart – Novelty Island  This Whole World – The Beach Boys   Beach Baby – The First Class  Winchester Cathedral – The New Vaudeville Band Westchester Hadassah –  Allan Sherman Paper Trail – Caper Clowns    In The Beginning – The Autumn Defense  Little Bird – Famous Groupies Sadie – Aggie Miller

    2 hr
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About

A show dedicated to unapologetically intelligent & melodic pop music that oft includes adventure, ambition, angst, bass shenanigans, bravura, catchiness, cynicism, curiosity, dancability, deft dynamics, economy, forward momentum, glee, grace, hubris, irreverance, irony, love, maximalism, melancholy, minimalism, modesty, naïveté, overreaching, passion, prettiness, proselytizing, protest, questioning, repetition, ribaldry, sarcasm, sexiness, sincerity, specificity, swoon-worthiness, temerity, understanding, vagueness, wisdom, wit and maybe more than a little nostalgia.

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