This is Vinyl Tap

This Is Vinyl Tap
  • 4.7 (54)
  • MUSIC COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

Mining the layers of long players. We focus on great albums in their entirety and believe every album tells a story. We take a deep dive into the history of the artist and the album while discussing the merits of the music within the grooves. We are highly opinionated and outspoken and hope to provoke you into sharing your own opinions on albums. If you are serious about great music, this is your podcast.  www.tappingvinyl.com

  1. 4H AGO

    SE 6, EP 2: Robbie Fulks - Upland Stories

    Send us a text On this episode we discuss one America's great modern singer-songwriters -Robbie Fulks, and his wonderful 2016 album Upland Stories.  Produced by the late, great Steve Albini, Upland Stories combines folk and traditional country elements into a rich collection of narrative-driven songs. The album and the fantastic opening track “Alabama at Night” both earned a Grammy nominations, recognition for what is considered by many to be Fulks' finest batch of songs. The album is full of poignant character studies, told with emotional and literary lyrics that are deeply rooted in American storytelling (Let Us Now Praise Famous Men - James Agees' Great Depression account of impoverished tenant farmers is a major touchstone). Like much of Fulks' discography, the album is an eclectic yet highly satisfying mix of tunes, both serious and humorous. Upland Stories explores diverse themes sung by a remarkably rich voice, backed by some topnotch musicianship, and told by a songwriter at the absolute top of his game.   Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.

    1h 57m

  2. NOV 27

    SE 6, EP 1: Joni Mitchell - Blue

    Send us a text On this episode of the podcast, we discuss Joni Mitchell’s 1971’s LP Blue, regarded by most critics as a masterpiece and consistently is listed on best of lists of the greatest albums ever made.  A bit of a sea change for Mitchell, incorporating jazz stylings in both her phrasing and the music, it’s sparse on instrumentation, yet the songs feel full largely due to Mitchell's own vocals.   Created just after her breakup with Graham Nash and during her relationship with James Taylor, Blue explores the various facets of relationships from love, to insecurity, to disappointment, and contains some of the most poignant and personal lyrics ever composed.  Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.

    2h 20m

  3. OCT 21

    SE 5, EP 16: Sly and the Family Stone - There's a Riot Goin' On

    Send us a text It's a listener pick! On this episode we look at one of the most influential musical groups of the twentieth century - Sly and the Family Stone, and their 1970 LP There's a Riot Goin' On. By 1970, Sly Stone and his band had already had a huge impact on modern music. It was a mixed-race and mixed-gender band that spoke of love and harmony among all people. Hits like "Everyday People," "Dance to the Music," and "Stand" had gained the band crossover success and spawned numerous copy cats. However, by the time work had begun on There's a Riot Goin' On, the band was beginning to splinter. Sly was under increasing pressure by militant groups like the Black Panthers to make his music more "black" and he began to find solace in drugs and isolation.  Forgoing the usual input from his band, Sly wrote, arranged, and recorded most of There's a Riot Goin' On himself. He brought in outside musicians, such as Billy Preston and Ike Turner to give the songs added dimension. The resulting LP was the big bang for the fledgling  genre of funk and an album that is consistently regarded as one of the best and most influential albums ever made.  Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.

    2h 12m

  4. SEP 19

    SE 5, EP 15: Ian Hunter - You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic

    Send us a text This week we discuss Ian Hunter and his 1979 LP You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic.  Hunter worked a long time to find success. His band Mott the Hoople were instrumental in advancing glam rock by giving it a rougher edge. David Bowie was such a fan of the band that he even gave them the song "All the Young Dudes" which became the title track for their most popular album, which he also produced. Hunter eventually left Mott the Hoople to concentrate on a solo career and made several albums with Bowie collaborator, and guitarist extraordinaire, Mick Ronson. The results were a series of fine albums, featuring Hunter's (admittedly limited, but expressive voice) against Ronson's classic Marshall stack sound. You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic not only features Ronson, but several members of Bruce Springsteen's E Street band, grounding the album with a solid foundtion. The song "Cleveland Rocks" became an anthem for the birthplace of Rock-n-Roll and "Ships" was even covered by Barry Manilow, becoming one of his biggest hits. But don't let the Manilow cover fool you, You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic is chock full of rock and roll energy and is considered by many as Hunter's crowning achievement.  Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.

    1h 56m

  5. AUG 21

    SE 5, EP 14: The New York Dolls - The New York Dolls

    Send us a text On this week's episode, we discuss the self-titled debut by the New York Dolls, one of most influential albums of the 1970s.  The New York Dolls blended the Rolling Stones' swagger with garage rock aggression and glam rock theatrics, that both embraced the sounds of early rock and roll and foreshadowed punk rock.  Produced in what seems like an unusual hands-off approach by Todd Rundgren,The New York Dolls presents the band with minimal polish. Its full of high energy songs about teenage angst, heartbreak, sex, drugs, and city life played with sloppy abandon. The New York Dolls is a blast from the get go and is must listen for anyone into punk, glam, or just plain good ol' rock & roll.  Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.

    1h 46m

  6. AUG 12

    SE 5, EP 13: The Lemon Twigs - A Dream is All We Know

    Send us a text On this week's episode, we discuss  an album that came out in 2024, the fifth album by the Lemon Twigs, A Dream is All We Know.  Consisting of multi-instrumentalist brothers Brian and Michael D'Addario, the music of the Lemon Twigs often feels like it’s been plucked straight from the 1960s or 1970s. Echos of the Beatles, the Kinks and the Beach Boys are obvious, in fact they brothers call the sound of this LP "Mersey Beach." However, the Brothers  D'Addario make it all sound fresh and relevant.   Coming just a year off of their critically heralded LP Harmony Everything, the wonderfully constructed songs on A Dream Is All We Know feels like as the culmination of everything the Lemon Twigs recorded before it. A shimmering pop gem full of multi-layered ear worms, quirky song structures, and beautifully lush harmonies. There is a breadth and depth here not found on many modern rock albums that rewards the listener with each repeated listen.  Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.

    1h 46m

  7. JUL 6

    SE 5, EP 12: The La's - The La's

    Send us a text On this episode, we discuss one of the most heralded debut albums of the early 1990's: The La's by the La's.  Heavily influenced by the 1960s British Invasion bands, The La’s is full of bright, jangly, melodic guitar pop, ear-worms all. The single “There She Goes” has become a classic, and is possibly one of the most perfectly constructed pop songs ever recorded. The album’s history, however, is one of the most tortured in the annals of rock and roll.  The band’s leader, Lee Mavers became known for his uncompromising perfectionism in search of the perfect sound. He obsessed over everything: from the perfect placement of the microphones, to the required vintage feel of instruments and tape machines (even claiming that cleaning the 1960’s era dust off them significantly affected their sound).  As a result of Mavers’ never-ending dissatisfaction with the inability to replicate the sound in his head, it took over three years to complete the album, 12 separate studio sessions, 7 producers, and several lineup changes along the way. The band actually walked out during the final recording session, leaving the album to be completed by the producer, Steve Lillywhite. Predictably, the band publicly disowned the album after its release and even discouraged people from buying it. Despite all of that, the album became a critically acclaimed and extremely influential pop classic, and in the decades since its release, is considered one of the finest albums released in the 1990’s.   Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.

    1h 55m

  8. JUN 17

    SE5, EP 11: The Youngbloods - The Youngbloods

    Send us a text On this episode, we discuss one of the first albums of 1967, the eponymous debut by the Youngbloods.   1967 is one of the most heralded years in rock music, and The Youngbloods was a good primer to the music that would come culminating in the Summer of Love. Originally from the East Coast, the Youngbloods took inspiration from the folk music and acoustic blues they heard and played in the coffee houses of the in The Village in New York and fused it with the sounds of coming from the West Coast. Best known for the top 5 single "Get Together," The Youngbloods is an eclectic LP,  full of by amazing and unique harmonies and sound that is equal parts rock, folk, and West Coast jangle. Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.

    1h 42m
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4.7
out of 5
54 Ratings

About

Mining the layers of long players. We focus on great albums in their entirety and believe every album tells a story. We take a deep dive into the history of the artist and the album while discussing the merits of the music within the grooves. We are highly opinionated and outspoken and hope to provoke you into sharing your own opinions on albums. If you are serious about great music, this is your podcast.  www.tappingvinyl.com

Information

  • Creator
    This Is Vinyl Tap
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    159
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 This is Vinyl Tap
  • Show Website
    This is Vinyl Tap

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