Listen or Die

Nick Keppler and Stacey Federoff

Stacey Federoff and Nick Keppler are two journalists on a mission to second-guess the respected music critics who created the book 1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Each episode, they pick two albums at random and do deep dives. They revisit old favorites, expand their tastes and hope to one day understand the appeal of Hüsker Dü. Expect laughs, trivia, historic contexts and their judgement on whether or not each album is essential to living a fulfilling life.

Episodes

  1. 3D AGO

    Episode 6: Who's Next by the Who and Treasure and Heaven or Las Vegas by the Cocteau Twins

    The Who relieve themselves of prog-rock ambitions and the Cocteau Twins will not dress up for you. We're again considering three albums from 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, that staple of the classic rock starter kit, Who's Next, and the Cocteau Twins' cultier Treasure and Heaven or Las Vegas. Does a song lose its meaning if you've heard it on FM radio thousands of times? Does it gain a meaning if you literally don't understand it? We consider these questions, plus the time misuse of a toilet brought needed political reforms within the Who, "Won't Get Fooled Again" as a conservative rock song, the coolness of the UK's indie charts and the auditory Rorschach test that is interpreting Elizabeth Fraser's lyrics. Join us as we think about Las Vegas because it's more brighter and the soonest to see. Our logo is by Kelsey Byers. Our theme song is "Stuff that Sounds like This" by Women's Basketball, used courtesy of Brian LaRue.https://linktr.ee/listenordiepodcast

    46 min

  2. JAN 27

    Episode 5: Nanci Griffith and Elliott Smith

    Nanci Griffith tries to make folk-a-billy happen and Elliott Smith backs up Madonna, literally. This time, we ponder three albums from 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, Griffith's The Last of the True Believers and two by Smith, Either/Or and Figure 8.We also dive into Texans' profound love of all things Texan, learn about the Great Credibility Scare and why it meant payday for some oddball country artists, ponder the limits of empathy and cognitive load and try to pick a sad boy Mount Rushmore. Our logo is by Kelsey Byers. Our theme song is "Stuff that Sounds like This" by Women's Basketball, used courtesy of Brian LaRue, and you can now listen to Women's Basketball on all the major streaming platforms.https://linktr.ee/listenordiepodcast

    48 min

  3. 12/27/2025

    Episode 4: The Wall by Pink Floyd and I Should Coco by Supergrass

    Pink Floyd's awful fans punish them with more rock stardom and Supergrass discover that meeting the strange ones isn't actually so great.We also learn about Pittsburgh's Aerosmith riot of 1976, revisit the homogeny of mid-'90s alt-rock radio, stumble upon a celebrity cameo in the Supergrass story and discover that under and overachieving as an adolescent can both tragically lead to a career in journalism. Our logo is by Kelsey Byers and our theme song is "Stuff that Sounds like This" by Women's Basketball, used courtesy of Brian LaRue.https://linktr.ee/listenordiepodcast

    1h 6m

  4. 11/28/2025

    Episode 3: Birth of the Cool by Miles Davis and Arrival by ABBA

    Miles Davis teams up with that radish guy to partake in the evolution of jazz and ABBA win over Pete Townsend and Joe Strummer, so what's your problem? Includes a brief and somewhat informed history of early jazz subgenres. Our logo is by Kelsey Byers and our theme song is "Stuff that Sounds like This" by Women's Basketball, used courtesy of Brian LaRue.https://linktr.ee/listenordiepodcast

    49 min

  5. 10/31/2025

    Episode 2: (What's the Story) Morning Glory by Oasis and the Marshall Mathers LP by Eminem

    Oasis do not overcome infighting to create a modern-day campfire classic and Eminem says crazy stuff about women and gay people but it's apparently okay because he's not being serious all of the time. If Paul Simon was right and every generation puts a hero on the pop charts, why did millennials go with these bushfires of personal toxicity? Nick and Stacey explore, plus lessons on healthily embodying the villain from haunted house acting. Our logo is by Kelsey Byers and our theme song is "Stuff that Sounds like This" by Women's Basketball, used courtesy of Brian LaRue.https://linktr.ee/listenordiepodcast

    57 min

  6. 10/24/2025

    Episode 1: White Light/White Heat by the Velvet Underground and Slayed? by Slade

    The Velvets ditch their supposed cool boss and live their best lives, infuriating sound engineers, and Slade rise up from the Black Country to install their Wolverine-looking frontman as the UK's new Father Christmas. Plus, Nick and Stacey talk about exploring a parent's record collection. Our logo is by Kelsey Byers and our theme song is "Stuff that Sounds like This" by Women's Basketball, used courtesy of Brian LaRue.https://linktr.ee/listenordiepodcast

    45 min
  • 6 Episodes

About

Stacey Federoff and Nick Keppler are two journalists on a mission to second-guess the respected music critics who created the book 1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Each episode, they pick two albums at random and do deep dives. They revisit old favorites, expand their tastes and hope to one day understand the appeal of Hüsker Dü. Expect laughs, trivia, historic contexts and their judgement on whether or not each album is essential to living a fulfilling life.

Information

  • Creator
    Nick Keppler and Stacey Federoff
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Nick Keppler and Stacey Federoff
  • Show Website
    Listen or Die