Verse Chorus Verse

David Leisten

dl is a life-long music obsessor and student. With the help of friends Evil Jimmi and Rachel Pollio, Verse Chorus Verse tackles band dissections, album reviews and interviews of fantastic guests from all parts of the industry. Also. Drinks. Lots of drinks.

  1. 5月11日

    System of a Down's Toxicity: The Most Political Metal Album Ever Made? (2001 Deep Dive)

    DL, Evil, and Rachel dig into System of a Down's Toxicity (2001) — one of the biggest metal albums ever made, debuting at #1 the week before 9/11 and getting Chop Suey immediately pulled from radio. The central argument: Toxicity is not a nu-metal record. It's one of the most coherent political albums ever made — a sustained meditation on apathy, incarceration, the Armenian-American experience, and what happens when society stops giving a shit about each other. Prison Song, Needles, ATWA, and "somewhere between the sacred silence and sleep" hit completely different when you actually listen to what Serj Tankian is saying. Along the way: why "Chop Suey" was originally titled "Suicide" (and how the rename was pure SOAD genius), the story of Rick Rubin seeing them at the Viper Room in 1997 and immediately knowing, Daron Malakian's insistence the album fit on one side of a tape at exactly 40 minutes, the time signatures and hemiola that make Toxicity sound heavier than it should, and the direct sonic DNA connecting Faith No More's Epic piano outro to Chop Suey's ending. The influence arc: System of a Down directly cited Faith No More as a key influence — this episode is part of a two-week influence-to-influence series starting with The Real Thing. Scores: Rachel 10/10, Evil 10/10, DL 9.8/10. Part of Verse Chorus Verse's album-by-album deep dive series. System of a Down,Toxicity,Chop Suey,Serj Tankian,Daron Malakian,Rick Rubin,metal album review,Armenian rock,2001 albums,political metal,Faith No More influence,music podcast

    1 小時 2 分鐘
  2. 5月4日

    Faith No More's The Real Thing: How a 19-Year-Old Mike Patton Changed Rock Forever (1989 Deep Dive)

    DL, Evil, and Rachel dig into Faith No More's The Real Thing (1989) — the album that accidentally invented nu-metal, made "Epic" a cultural phenomenon, and was written entirely by a 19-year-old Mike Patton who had never met the band before. The central debate: did Epic's massive MTV success actually hurt Faith No More's legacy by making casual listeners think they were a one-hit wonder? And is The Real Thing even their best album — or does Angel Dust win that argument by a mile? Along the way: the story of how Courtney Love almost got the singer job, the Chuck Mosley firing, why Billy Gould's bass on this album is the direct ancestor of Fieldy in Korn, how "Surprise You're Dead" at the 38-second mark contains one of the best gear shifts in rock, and a deep dive into why Epic's piano outro resolves a tritone (the "devil's interval") that the main riff deliberately left open. The influence argument: System of a Down have cited Faith No More as a direct influence — and the parallels between Serj Tankian and Mike Patton, and between Daron Malakian and Jim Martin, are hard to ignore. This episode sets up next week's Toxicity deep dive. Scores: Rachel 7/10, Evil 8.5–9/10, DL 8.3/10. Part of Verse Chorus Verse's influence-to-influence album arc. Faith No More,The Real Thing,Mike Patton,Epic,alt-metal,nu-metal,1989 albums,Angel Dust,System of a Down,album review,music podcast,funk metal

    1 小時 12 分鐘
  3. 4月27日

    Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums: Miranda Lambert, Howlin' Wolf, The Kinks, and Selena (#477–481)

    DL works through the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, reviewing four albums and four songs from entries #477–481 — and handing out scores along the way. Albums covered: Miranda Lambert's The Weight of These Wings (2016) gets an 8.7/10 — a genuine surprise, with DL arguing it's more Orville Peck than generic Nashville country. Selena's Amor Prohibido (1994) gets a 7/10, with praise for Los Dinos and the vocal performances but honest limits on Tejano expertise. Something Else by The Kinks (1967) gets a thoughtful take on a band that was the real rock stars of the '60s — even when they were chasing the Beatles. Howlin' Wolf's Moanin' in the Moonlight earns a 10/10 and a full Delta Blues sermon, with a side argument that it deserves to be ranked way higher than #487. Songs covered: "Just a Friend" by Biz Markie, "Oye Como Va" by Santana, "Back That Azz Up" by Juvenile, and "Our Lips Are Sealed" by the Go-Gos. Plus: the Radiohead solo episode series explained, listener questions on which Radiohead album to give Evil and Rachel as a gateway, and DL's current ranking with Howlin' Wolf sitting at #2 behind Arcade Fire's Funeral. Part of Verse Chorus Verse's ongoing Rolling Stone 500 album-by-album coverage. Rolling Stone 500,Miranda Lambert,Howlin Wolf,The Kinks,Selena,Biz Markie,Santana,album review,Delta Blues,country music,music podcast,Radiohead

    52 分鐘
  4. 4月6日

    Quickfire part II

    The conversation covers a range of topics including gear troubleshooting, health concerns, alcohol choices, album reviews, and a detailed discussion on Zach Bryan's lengthy album. The importance of curating and editing music is highlighted, along with the impact of excessive tracklists on the listening experience. The conversation covers diverse album reviews and evaluations, including Zach Brian's album, 'Erg' by Mandy Indiana, 'Dry Cleaning' album, and 'The Mountain' by Gorillaz. Each review is accompanied by a detailed assessment and critique, providing a comprehensive analysis of the music and its impact. The conversation delved into diverse opinions on the albums reviewed, exploring different music genres and personal tastes. The hosts expressed disappointment with the albums and compared Metallica and Megadeth's catalogs. They also discussed their favorite albums of the batch and ranked the reviewed albums. Additionally, they shared their thoughts on the Soilwork album and upcoming episodes. Takeaways Albums with excessive tracklists can be overwhelming and lack focusThe importance of curating and editing music to maintain quality Diverse opinions on Zach Brian's albumEvaluation of the album 'Erg' by Mandy IndianaReview and assessment of the album 'Dry Cleaning'Discussion and critique of the album 'The Mountain' by Gorillaz Diverse opinions on the albumsExploration of different music genres Chapters 00:00 Favorite Songs and Final Thoughts42:17 Evaluation of 'The Mountain' by Gorillaz01:13:02 Discussion on Music Preferences and Upcoming Episodes

    1 小時 1 分鐘
  5. 3月30日

    Quickfire part I

    The conversation covers a range of topics including technical issues, family anecdotes, health updates, and a discussion about albums and music. The hosts also talk about a book on horror scores and plan for future episodes. The conversation covers a review of two albums, Silver Sun Pickups' 'Tenter Hooks' and Mumford and Sons' 'Prizefighter'. The hosts and guests share their thoughts and critiques on the albums, discussing specific tracks, production, and overall impressions. The conversation covers multiple album reviews, each with its own unique musical style and themes. The hosts and guest provide in-depth reviews and insights into each album, discussing their favorite tracks, overall impressions, and the impact of the music on the listener. The conversation also delves into the evolution of the music industry and the changing landscape of music consumption. Takeaways Technical issues with audio and video setup can impact podcast recording and require troubleshooting.Family anecdotes and personal stories add a relatable and humorous touch to the podcast.Health updates and discussions about music and albums provide variety and engagement for the audience. Album reviews and critiquesExploring individual tracks and productionComparing the albums to the band's previous work Diverse Musical StylesImpact of Music on the Listener Chapters 17:53 Book on Horror Scores and Future Episode Plans41:11 Mumford and Sons' 'Prizefighter' Review47:16 Album Review: Run Together58:59 Album Review: Conflict DLC01:07:39 Album Review: Love Is Not Enough

    1 小時 4 分鐘

簡介

dl is a life-long music obsessor and student. With the help of friends Evil Jimmi and Rachel Pollio, Verse Chorus Verse tackles band dissections, album reviews and interviews of fantastic guests from all parts of the industry. Also. Drinks. Lots of drinks.