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 items 1-10 of 28 in total of Playing By Ear with the tag "rock".
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Dead Man's Party (Oingo Boingo)
October 20th, 2026 | 1 hr 31 mins
1980s, 80s, Halloween, danny elfman, horror, music, new wave, nightmare before christmas, rock, songwriting, the nightmare before christmas
For Halloween we're bringing out the Pumpkin King himself, Danny Elfman, for a look back at Oingo Boingo's signature album "Dead Man's Party". The band worked some new wave weird science that fills this record with spooky melodic fun that will rattle your bones from beginning to end.
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Mini-Sode: Since You've Been Gone (Rainbow)
October 13th, 2026 | 13 mins 28 secs
classic rock, music, rainbow, rock, rock and roll, rock music, songwriting
Classic rock is a spectrum, and Rainbow's late 1970s banger "Since You've Been Gone" is bright, colorful, and fits in among good-time party records of the era. We're glad Kyle shined a light on this forgotten classic that absolutely belongs in everyone's backyard BBQ playlist.
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Appetite For Destruction (Guns N' Roses)
October 6th, 2026 | 1 hr 49 mins
1980s, 80s, axl rose, guitar, metal, music, paradise city, rock, rock and roll, slash, songwriting, sweet child o mine, welcome to the jungle
Welcome to the jungle! On their monster debut Guns N' Roses exploded out of the paradise city of Los Angeles serpentining their way up record charts, delivering one of the greatest albums of the 1980s, perhaps of all time. Axl Rose, Slash, and company set a rock and metal standard that perhaps no band has equaled since. I mean, where do we go, where do we go now?
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Mini-Sode: If I Can Dream (Elvis Presley)
September 29th, 2026 | 13 mins 37 secs
1960s, 60s, classic rock, elvis, elvis presley, gospel, rock, rock and roll
While he may have left the building, Elvis remains the King. The soulful "If I Can Dream" musters all of Elvis' raw power and focuses it on hope for a better tomorrow. This song remains moving decades on, and reminds us of the promise beyond the horizon, if only we could walk hand in hand to find it.
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Yourself Or Someone Like You (Matchbox Twenty)
September 22nd, 2026 | 2 hrs 14 mins
1990s, 3am, 90s, long day, music, push, real world, rob thomas, rock, rock and roll, songwriting
Powered by radio-friendly megahits like 3 AM and Push, Matchbox Twenty's debut album demolished charts and set the stage for a career that would continue to generate megahits one after the other. This first album remains one of their strongest, and one we had an easy time revisiting.
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Mini-Sode: My Generation (The Who)
September 15th, 2026 | 16 mins 8 secs
1960s, 60s, classic rock, john entwhistle, keith moon, music, pete townshend, rock, rock and roll, roger daltrey, songwriting, the who
On this mini-episode we're t-t-talking about My Generation. A clarion call not just for the 60s but for all time, My Generation showcases all the raw power and youthful rebellion The Who could muster. From Roger Daltrey's screaming vocals, Pete Townshend's feedback-laden guitar, John Entwhistle's driving base, and Keith Moon's unbridled and unmatched drumming, no one can try to put this down.
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My Aim Is True (Elvis Costello)
September 8th, 2026 | 1 hr 51 mins
1970s, 70s, classic rock, garage rock, musician, rock, rock and roll, rock music, singer, songwriter, songwriting, vocalist
Elvis Costello's debut album "My Aim Is True" is aptly titled. Full of short, laser focused tunes, played by Costello with the raw energy of youth and pure rock and roll dreams, the album is melodic, cheeky, and a fantastic example of artist pouring out their true vision with no supervision.
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Boston
August 25th, 2026 | 1 hr 28 mins
1970s, 70s, classic rock, more than a feeling, musician, rock, rock and roll, rock music, singer, songwriter, songwriting, vocalist
One of the greatest classic rock records of all time, Boston's self-titled debut exploded with ambitious prog rock, reliable blues, and some of the most soaring vocals of the 1970s from lead singer Brad Delp. With over 20,000,000 copies sold worldwide, anyone with more than a feeling about this smoking album's place in history can have some peace of mind about this rock and roll band.
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Big Red Letter Day (Buffalo Tom)
August 11th, 2026 | 2 hrs 7 mins
college rock, grunge, indie, indie music, indie rock, music, my so-called life, rock, rock and roll, songwriters, songwriting
Buffalo Tom's "Big Red Letter Day" may not have commercially been the big red letter day the band was looking for, but it exemplifies the feelings and soundscapes of grunge-era college rock. We're joined by musician and comedian Dylan Ris (www.lostmoonradio.com and www.themoonunits.com) to throw on some flannel and think about our so-called lives in the early 90s.
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Sounds Like This (Eric Hutchinson)
July 28th, 2026 | 1 hr 37 mins
music, rock, rock and roll, songwriters, songwriting
Heartfelt and full of swinging, bright melodies "Sounds Like This" sounds like Eric Hutchinson finding his musical footing. The album exhibits a confidence of an artist taking command of his style and audience, as darker subjects are slipped into catchy upbeat melodies. If Eric Hutchinson wants to rock, he rocks, and if he wants to roll, he rolls. We're right there rolling along with him.