Playing By Ear
Every episode of this podcast breaks an album down, track by track, to cover why it's not only worth playing, but replaying.
Displaying 2 items of Playing By Ear with the tag "r&b".
-
I've Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1) (Teddy Swims)
March 3rd, 2026 | 1 hr 29 mins
music, r&b, sam cooke, singer, songwriter, songwriting, soul
Did we lose control over Teddy Swims' debut album, or did we show it the door? The true answer is that it is problematic, an album with some high highs, but the second, slower half loses some steam along the way, something partially corrected by the addition of four new electric tracks in the Part 1.5 re-release of the album. What is undeniable, however, are Swims' pitch-perfect powerful vocals which, when paired with the rght song, call to mind classi R&B greats like Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, and more.
-
Bad (Michael Jackson)
January 6th, 2026 | 1 hr 42 mins
1980s, 80s, michael jackson, mtv, music, pop, pop music, r and b, r&b, songwriting
By the time of 1987's "Bad" Michael Jackson was an unstoppable cultural phenomenon, perhaps the most singularly famous person in the entire world, and all off of the strength of its predecessor, "Thriller" which remains the best-selling album of all time. Could the King of Pop continue his reign, or would this album live up to its title? Nearly 40 years on, "Bad" remains an incredible collection of infectious grooves that cements the Gloved One's place in music history.