You Should Check It Out You Should Check It Out

After evaluating all possible options for the 250th episode of You Should Check It Out, Greg, Jay, and Nick landed on a good old fashioned hang out (plus Greg has a new “Tales From the Concert”). Thanks for listening!
Songs:
NF - “Hope”
Frank Zappa - “Punky’s Whips (Baby Snakes)”
IDLES - “Mother”

This week, Greg and Jay dive into the legacy of Steve Albini, the legendary recording engineer (which he preferred over the title “producer”) and musician who unexpectedly left us at 61. He was the audio engineer for Pixies 1988 Surfer Rosa, which was incredibly influential on alternative rock and grunge. His refusal of the title “producer” included refusal to accept royalties on the hundreds of artists he went on to record in his lifetime. He just wanted to be hired to record the best version of a band’s sound as was possible. We discuss his body of work and legacy and say goodbye, too soon.
Plus, what is a song? Nick tries to lighten the mood with a recap of a legal analysis that asks that very question. The article, written by Ben Sisario at the NY Times, walks back through some more famous copyright cases from years past. How could that not lighten the mood?
Songs:
Song: Pixies - “Where Is My Mind”
The Jesus Lizard - “Mouth Breather”
Black Midi “953 (Live at Electrical Audio)”

We start with another News with Nick. UMG returns to TikTok, FKA Twig eloquently requests exclusive control of her own AI deepfake in Congressional testimony, and the New York Times explains the current legal definition of a song.
Song: Vampire Weekend - “Classical”
Greg digs deep into the current beef with Kendrick Lamar & Drake, which escalated considerably in the last week and a half. How did we get here? That’s what we dig into this week on another Hot Topical.
Songs:
Kendrick Lamar - “King Kunta”
Big Sean - “Control”
Finally, Jay remembers the career and influence of Duane Eddy, who passed last week at the age of 86. Voted most influential music personality in the world in 1960 by NME, Eddy was a major influence on the artists that comprised the British Invasion. His signature twangy sound can be heard in films by David Lynch, Quentin Tarantino, Oliver Stone, and Robert Zemeckis. He inspired and influenced generations of artists and he will be missed.
Songs
Duane Eddy - “Rebel Rouser”
Duane Eddy - “Stalkin”

Back during the pandemic, our friends and fellow podcast Rockin’ the Suburbs hosted a weekly Zoom jam session for its listeners called the “Friday Night Hootenanny.” It was at those jams that Jay met our guest this week, Mike Wagner. Mike’s just released an album, as Total Strangers, featuring many of the musicians that joined those Friday jams.
Songs:
Total Strangers - “All Falling Down”
Total Strangers - “Card Trick”
Nick joins the show minutes after moving into his new place and brings us a Three for Thursday this week.
Songs:
Quade - “The Balance”
Lusine - “Come and Go”
Scary Goldings - “Professor Vicarious”
Via Music Radar, Greg discovered an interview from late March on the The Colin & Samir Show with Jacob Collier. In it, Collier takes issue with Rick Rubin’s “Creativity Manifesto” and the guys discuss his points. It’s a conversation worth sticking around for…
Song:
Bach - “Prelude No. 2 in C Minor”

This year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees are in and we see how we did with our picks from Episode #236.
Jay regales us in a recap of the Martin Guitar factory tour he experienced last week in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. The custom order tour, made possible friend of the show, Keith Grasso, and two Island Music customers, includes the standard tour plus a look in Martin’s selections of rare woods that it keeps under lock and key. Long story short, Jay was sold on the quality and is currently working out the budget for a D-28.
Song: Richard Thompson - “Freeze”
Next up it’s a special TayTay edition of “News with Nick.” Following the spectacular failure of TayTay’s Eras Tour ticket sale, Ticketmaster parent company Live Nation is about to be sued by the justice department for antitrust concerns. Then it’s on to the New York Times, in an article titled “Taylor Swift Has Given Fans a Lot. Is It Finally Too Much?” Jay actually gave the album a listen and has some thoughts, Nick tried but bailed for the new Ghost Note album. Greg doesn’t want anything to do with it.
Song: Ghost Note - “JB’s Out! (Do it Babay)”
Greg brings us a remembrance of Allman Brothers co-founder, Dickey Betts, who died last week at the age of 80. Along with writing some of the bands larger hits, Betts forever changed how we think two rock guitars should sound together. He was a massively influential guitarist and his legacy lives on in the generations of music that his playing inspired.
Songs:
The Allman Brothers - "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed"
The Allman Brothers - “Ramblin’ Man”

Greg catches us up on Coachella 2024, including Grimes’ unfortunate mishap on stage. Then, thanks to a an email from anonymous listener, Kresimir Tokic, we’re honored to welcome Victor Mitrani back to the show. Victor, recording as Little Oil, released his 2nd album, Twelve Songs, last month, He shares stories behind some songs and explains why he indulges humor when writing lyrics to to his songs.
Songs:
Little Oil - “Hey Judas”
Little Oil - “Love Scenes”
Little Oil - “Empty, Vacant, Pure, Divine”
Little Oil - “Peace in the Wasteland”
It was great having Victor back and you should check out Twelve Songs. Thanks for listening!