Velocities In Music
Jake and Tom are two devout music heads who spent the last several years reviewing music on YouTube as Velocities in Music. Armed with two microphones and a podcast, the guys from VIM discuss topics important to music fanatics including artist deep-dives, new music summaries and other on-topic banter.
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When Should a Band Change Their Name After a Lineup Change?
10/15/2019
When Should a Band Change Their Name After a Lineup Change?
Bands will often change and evolve their sound over time, and sometimes bands will change their lineup as well, bringing new members into the fold as others leave. As fans, we get attached to our favorite bands and their members, and sometimes when these sonic shifts and personnel changes line up, it can feel like a betrayal. After all, they're not even the same band anymore--how dare they go by the same name! In this episode, we explore some examples of when bands did or didn't change their name after a significant lineup change, and discuss when we think it's appropriate to just call it a new band. What do you think? When should a band change their name, and when is it okay to keep the same name? Bands discussed in this episode include: Joy Division Metallica Stone Temple Pilots Black Sabbath Fleetwood Mac AC/DC Iron Maiden Pink Floyd Sublime (with Rome) Velvet Underground Boston Journey At the Drive-In King Crimson The Fall
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How Have Our 200 Favorite Albums Changed Over the Last 10 Years? (Pt 2 of 2)
09/12/2019
How Have Our 200 Favorite Albums Changed Over the Last 10 Years? (Pt 2 of 2)
People track their tastes in many different ways, and some prefer not to at all. At Velocities In Music, we like to make lists of our favorite albums every few years and compare them to old lists so we can know more about how our tastes have changed. In this episode, we compare our lists of our 200 favorite albums in 2019, after almost 10 years of Velocities In Music, with our lists from 2010, when Velocities In Music was just getting started. Jake's List: Tom's List:
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How Have Our Tastes Changed Over the Last 10 Years? (Pt 1 of 2)
09/05/2019
How Have Our Tastes Changed Over the Last 10 Years? (Pt 1 of 2)
As Velocities In Music approaches its 10-year anniversary, Jake and Tom reflect on how their tastes have changed over the last decade, and how VIM has specifically contributed to that change.
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The Lost Art of the Mixtape
05/27/2019
The Lost Art of the Mixtape
For decades people have been making each other mixtapes, mixes, and playlists for a variety of reasons in a variety of formats. As technology has evolved and made these easier to create, convenience is at an all-time high, but crafting personalized mixtapes has become something of a lost art. In this podcast, we highlight some key mixtape experiences in our lives and why the practice is still important to us today. Listen to the Mr. Anchovy playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/user/1215237538/playlist/039UPGIdiYAFy92w9bZFOv?si=7zFSZYQnTaisPiPEuSrKtA
/episode/index/show/velocitiesinmusic/id/9941750
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March 2019 - Record Fair Haul
03/25/2019
March 2019 - Record Fair Haul
Jake and Tom discuss the pros and cons of attending record fairs, and share the hauls from their respective fairs in Phoenix and Des Moines.
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Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde | A Track-by-Track Breakdown
02/25/2019
Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde | A Track-by-Track Breakdown
In early 1966, after being dissatisfied with the results of his recording sessions in New York, Bob Dylan went to Nashville to cut his new album with some of the city's studio musicians. These rapid-fire sessions would become Blonde on Blonde, considered to be the first rock double-album and a masterpiece of the genre. In this podcast we walk through a brief history of the record and break it down track by track, addressing questions like: What's the best song on Blonde on Blonde? Should he have cut it down to a single disc, and if so, which songs should have been removed? Should Blonde on Blonde be considered one of the greatest albums of all time? What's the best word to describe Dylan's hair in 1966?
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Top 25 Songs of 2018
01/22/2019
Top 25 Songs of 2018
Listen to the playlist: A lot of great songs came out in 2018--some of them are from our favorite albums of the year, and some of them aren't. In this podcast, we highlight our 25 favorite songs of 2018 and a few one-offs that didn't make the list.
/episode/index/show/velocitiesinmusic/id/8355422
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Top 20 Albums of 2018
01/09/2019
Top 20 Albums of 2018
Another year of music is in the books! In this podcast we highlight our 20 favorite albums from 2018 and discuss what we thought of the year's music as a whole.
/episode/index/show/velocitiesinmusic/id/8197766
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Talking Heads - Talking Heads: 77 | A Track-by-Track Breakdown
12/12/2018
Talking Heads - Talking Heads: 77 | A Track-by-Track Breakdown
Talking Heads: 77 is a classic debut album from one of rock music's most adventurous and influential bands. In this podcast, we walk through the album track by track and discuss its writing, production, performances, and legacy as one of the best rock albums of all time. Dedicated to Jeremy Nifras for winning Season 2 of the VIM Music League!
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Our Musical Upbringings
10/24/2018
Our Musical Upbringings
This podcast was requested by Sean Murphy, winner of the first VIM Music League! It's safe to say that everyone grows up with music around, to some degree. However, our friends, family, and culture can shape the way we listen to music based on what we're exposed to and how we internalize it, and this makes everybody's musical upbringing unique. In this podcast, we talk about our own musical upbringings--the music that shaped our childhoods and made us the listeners we are today, the people who got us there, the artists we outgrew, and the artists we never stopped loving.
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New Music vs. Old Music - What Should We Spend Our Time Listening To?
07/19/2018
New Music vs. Old Music - What Should We Spend Our Time Listening To?
In an age where we have instant access to all the new albums being released each week, keeping up with new music can feel like a full-time job. In this episode, we discuss the various ways you can prioritize your precious music-listening time. How do you balance your focus between new music, old music you've heard about and have been meaning to listen to, and your old favorites?
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David Bowie - An Artist Deep-Dive (Pt 3 of 3 - 1990-2016)
06/22/2018
David Bowie - An Artist Deep-Dive (Pt 3 of 3 - 1990-2016)
In the third and final installment of our David Bowie deep-dive, we start with his more polarizing albums from the 90s and move through his 2000s work up to his final album, Blackstar, in 2016.
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David Bowie - An Artist Deep-Dive (Pt 2 of 3 - 1976-1989)
04/20/2018
David Bowie - An Artist Deep-Dive (Pt 2 of 3 - 1976-1989)
In the second part of this deep-dive, we start the last half of David Bowie's prolific run of albums in the 1970s with 1976's Station to Station, followed by the infamous Berlin trilogy and his shift into the 1980s.
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David Bowie - An Artist Deep-Dive (Pt 1 of 3 - 1967-1975)
03/09/2018
David Bowie - An Artist Deep-Dive (Pt 1 of 3 - 1967-1975)
David Bowie was an inspirational creative force and a top-notch performer and songwriter. During his nearly 50-year musical career, he recorded several masterpiece-level albums and constantly reinvented his image and his music, defining genres and redefining what it was to be a rock star. In the first part of this 3-part deep-dive, we cover his first nine studio albums, starting with his self-titled debut in 1967 and ending with Young Americans in 1975.
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Top 30 Songs of 2017
01/23/2018
Top 30 Songs of 2017
From the thousands of songs we listened to in 2017, it's difficult to narrow it down a list to our 30 favorites. Some are more Jake picks, some our more Tom picks, and some were equally adored by both of us. In this episode, we talk through our combined 30 top songs of 2017 and why each one deserves to be on our list. Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/1215237538/playlist/18snaqNNkvvsi3FTtzmRgy?si=WUKK9XBBSqGrcFanZetlEw
/episode/index/show/velocitiesinmusic/id/6182393
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Top 20 Albums of 2017
01/08/2018
Top 20 Albums of 2017
2017 was a great year for music--we saw a lot of well-established artists return with their strongest releases in years, and several unique and innovative newcomers who have the potential to push music into new territory. In this episode, we talk through our 20 favorite albums of 2017.
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What Artists Were Ahead of Their Time?
12/28/2017
What Artists Were Ahead of Their Time?
When talking about music with fellow friends and enthusiasts, it's common to hear artists mentioned as being "ahead of their time." But what does that mean? And what artists does that label apply to? In this podcast, we explore this concept and give examples of artists we believe were truly ahead of their time.
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Our Past 4 Months in Music
12/08/2017
Our Past 4 Months in Music
In this episode, Jake and Tom catch up on the life changes they've faced over the past several months and how music has played a role in the transition. Topics include The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Brand New, record shopping, and musical catharsis.
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Bloopers & Outtakes (From the First Two Years)
10/31/2017
Bloopers & Outtakes (From the First Two Years)
Velocities In Music isn't just about music discussion--it's also about Jake and Tom trying their hardest to trip each other up and make each other laugh while they talk about their favorite music. This episode captures all the slip-ups from the podcast's first two years, the cutting-room floor material that nobody was meant (or probably wants) to hear. Please be aware that by listening to this, you are subjecting yourself to: - Adult language and content - Endless wheezing - Terrible puns - Really, really stupid jokes
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80/35 Music Festival and VIM Update
08/08/2017
80/35 Music Festival and VIM Update
Jake and Tom discuss the future of the Velocities in Music podcast, and Tom talks about his experience at 80/35 Music Festival in Des Moines, Iowa.
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May 2017 - New Album Wrap-Up
06/12/2017
May 2017 - New Album Wrap-Up
Listen to the Playlist: Featured Albums: Forest Swords - Compassion (2:05) Mac DeMarco - This Old Dog (3:51) Perfume Genius - No Shape (7:03) Slowdive - Slowdive (8:34) The Afghan Whigs - In Spades (10:20) Oxbow - Thin Black Duke (12:21) At the Drive-In - Interalia (13:55) Do Make Say Think - Stubborn Persistent Illusions (17:27) Honorable Mentions: Logic - Everybody (19:11) Juana Molina - Halo (20:39) Moon Duo - Occult Architecture, Vol.2 (21:37) Blondie - Pollinator (22:04) John Moreland - Big Bad Luv (22:51) Harry Styles - Harry Styles (23:17) Pwr Bttm - Pageant (24:26) Jim Jones & the Righteous Mind - Super Natural (25:16) Paul Weller - A Kind Revolution (25:58) Girlpool - Powerplant (26:38) The Mountain Goats - Goths (27:14) Jane Weaver - Modern Kosmology (28:04) Don Bryant - Don't Give Up on Love (28:42) Paramore - After Laughter (29:15) Sun Kil Moon & Jesu - 30 Seconds to the Decline of Planet Earth (29:49) Pumarosa - The Witch (30:41) Aldous Harding - Party (31:14) Nick Hakim - Green Twins (32:06) Land of Talk - Life After Youth (32:59) (Sandy) Alex G - Rocket (33:37) Wavves - You're Welcome (34:40) Justin Townes Earle - Kids in the Street (35:15) Pokey LaFarge - Manic Revelations (36:14) The Charlatans - Different Days (36:45) The Heliocentrics - A World of Masks (37:11) Not Recommended: Kasabian - For Crying Out Loud (37:56) Black Lips - Satan's Graffiti or God's Art? (38:38) Pond - The Weather (39:07) Jlin - Black Origami (39:40)
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Spoon - An Artist Deep-Dive (Pt 2 of 2 - 2005-2017)
06/01/2017
Spoon - An Artist Deep-Dive (Pt 2 of 2 - 2005-2017)
Spoon has been a seminal indie/alternative rock band through the 2000s, with history going back to the early and mid 90s. In this podcast, we cover Spoon's most recent five albums, rank all nine albums, and discuss where we'd like to see the band go next. Best of Spoon Playlist:
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April 2017 - New Album Wrap-Up
05/10/2017
April 2017 - New Album Wrap-Up
Listen to the playlist here: Featured Albums: Father John Misty - Pure Comedy (2:06) Kendrick Lamar - DAMN. (27:57) Gorillaz - Humanz (32:47) The New Pornographers - Whiteout Conditions (41:14) Feist - Pleasure (43:25) Honorable Mention: Arca - Arca (46:12) Wire - Silver/Lead (47:19) Guided By Voices - August By Cake (48:22) Joey Bada$$ - All Amerikkkan Bada$$ (49:07) Ulver - The Assassination of Julius Caesar (50:10) Andrew Combs - Canyons of My Mind (50:45) Yorkston/Thorne/Khan - Neuk Wight Delhi All-Stars (51:19) Future Islands - The Far Field (52:07) Robyn Hitchcock - Robyn Hitchcock (52:57) Fionn Regan - The Meetings of the Waters (54:11) Woods - Love Is Love (55:16) Actress - AZD (55:50) Maximo Park - Risk to Exist (56:25) Timber Timbre - Sincerely, Future Pollution (57:19) The Black Angels - Death Song (58:47) Charly Bliss - Guppy (59:18) Tara Jane O'Neil - Tara Jane O'Neil (1:00:26) Little Cub - Still Life (1:00:58) Willie Nelson - God's Problem Child (1:01:53) Colin Stetson - All This I Do For Glory (1:02:32) Mew - Visuals (1:03:06) Ryuichi Sakamoto - async (1:04:11) Thurston Moore - Rock n Roll Consciousness (1:04:40) BNQT - Volume 1 (1:05:38) Mark Lanegan Band - Gargoyle (1:06:38) Sylvan Esso - What Now (1:07:35) New Found Glory - Makes Me Sick (1:08:30) Not Recommended: Happyness - Write In (1:09:19) Little Dragon - Season High (1:10:07) Diet Cig - Swear I'm Good at This (1:11:03) Incubus - 8 (1:12:04) While She Sleeps - You Are We (1:12:53)
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Spoon - An Artist Deep-Dive (Pt 1 of 2 - 1993-2002)
04/27/2017
Spoon - An Artist Deep-Dive (Pt 1 of 2 - 1993-2002)
Spoon has been a seminal indie/alternative rock band through the 2000s, with history going back to the early and mid 90s. In this podcast, we follow Spoon through their formation and up to their 4th LP, Kill the Moonlight. Best of Spoon Playlist:
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April 2017 - Vinyl Update
04/18/2017
April 2017 - Vinyl Update
On this podcast, Jake and Tom discuss the albums they purchased on their last few vinyl-buying excursions.
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March 2017 - New Album Wrap-Up
04/04/2017
March 2017 - New Album Wrap-Up
Spotify Playlist: Featured Albums: Grandaddy - Last Place (1:59) The Shins - Heartworms (3:11) Jay Som - Everybody Works (5:12) Mount Eerie - A Crow Looked at Me (6:44) Laura Marling - Semper Femina (9:38) Spoon - Hot Thoughts (11:19) Mastodon - Emperor of Sand (12:12) Desperate Journalist - Grow Up (16:47) Tennis - Yours Conditionally (18:10) Honorable Mentions: Temples - Volcano (19:53) Ibibio Sound Machine - Uyai (20:36) Why? - Moh Lhean (21:15) Nadia Reid - Preservation (2:13) Blanck Mass - World Eater (22:55) Sondre Lerche - Pleasure (23:43) Chicano Batman - Freedom is Free (24:12) Spectres - Condition (24:54) Hurray for the Riff Raff - The Navigator (25:31) Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir (26:02) Valerie June - The Order of Time (27:01) Depeche Mode - Spirit (27:45) Idles - Brutalism (28:49) Obituary - Obituary (29:16) Pulled Apart by Horses - The Haze (30:03) Sorority Noise - You're Not As ___ As You Think (30:36) The Bug & Earth - Concrete Desert (31:15) Pallbearer - Heartless (31:51) Craig Finn - We All Want the Same Things (32:49) Kelly Lee Owens - Kelly Lee Owens (33:23) Creeper - Eternity, In Your Arms (33:56) Saltland - A Common Truth (34:42) British Sea Power - Let the Dancers Inherit the Party (35:32) Pharmakon - Contact (36:15) Aimee Mann - Mental Illness (37:14) Real Estate - In Mind (37:55) The Jesus and Mary Chain - Damage and Joy (39:02) Les Amazones d'Afrique - Republique Amazone (39:43) Not Recommended: Sleaford Mods - English Tapas (40:03) Minus the Bear - Voids (41:35) Jarvis Cocker and Chilly Gonzales- Room 29 (42:19) Conor Oberst - Salutations (43:18) The Moonlandingz - Interplanetary Class Classics (44:20) Jamiroquai - Automaton (45:21)
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Top 20 Albums of the Decade (So Far)
03/29/2017
Top 20 Albums of the Decade (So Far)
Velocities In Music started at the beginning of 2010, and since then we've had the privilege of witnessing the release of some monumental albums. In this podcast, we highlight our top 20 albums of the decade so far. Spotify Playlist: Full List:
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How To Start a Music League
03/20/2017
How To Start a Music League
On this show, we talk a lot about ways of discovering new music. One way that we discover new music is through Music Leagues: friendly, competitive events where everyone playing submits a song and votes for the other songs that they liked. If this sounds like something you and your friends (or coworkers) would enjoy, take a look at our example documents and start a Music League of your own:
/episode/index/show/velocitiesinmusic/id/5186406
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February 2017 - New Album Wrap-Up
03/07/2017
February 2017 - New Album Wrap-Up
Listen to the playlist: Featured Albums: Elbow - Little Fictions Sampha - Process Jesca Hoop - Memories Are Now Lowly - Heba Dirty Projectors - Dirty Projectors Ryan Adams - Prisoner Sun Kil Moon - Common as Light and Love are Red Valleys of Blood Honorable Mentions: The Menzingers - After the Party Eliza Carthy - Big Machine Moon Duo - Occult Architecture, Vol.1 Duke Garwood - Garden of Ashes Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears - Backlash The Sadies - Northern Passages Chuck Prophet - Bobby Fuller Died For Your Sins Tinariwen - Elwan Noveller - A Pink Sunset for No One Los Campesinos! - Sick Scenes King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - Flying Microtonal Banana Crystal Fairy - Crystal Fairy The Feelies - In Between Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - The Tourist Lawrence English - Cruel Optimism Molly Burch - Please Be Mine Moire - No Future The Necks - Unfold Xiu Xiu - Forget PVT - New Spirit Dutch Uncles - Big Balloon Peter Silberman - Impermanence Sherwood & Pinch - Man vs. Sofa Immolation - Atonement Thundercat - Drunk Not Recommended: Surfer Blood - Snowdonia Lupe Fiasco - Drogas Light Jens Lekman - Life Will See You Now King Woman - Created in the Image of Suffering Acceptance - Colliding By Design
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Blur - An Artist Deep-Dive (Pt 2 of 2 - 1997-2015)
02/20/2017
Blur - An Artist Deep-Dive (Pt 2 of 2 - 1997-2015)
As music in the latter half of the 90s drifted away from the Britpop style Blur had helped popularize, the band shifted into a noisier and more aggressive style of music. In this episode, we cover Blur's 1997 self-titled album through 2015's The Magic Whip, a period filled with inner conflict, departures, reunions, and transformations from a band who never seemed comfortable doing the same thing twice.
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