We want you to stay, and this week we're all Bittersuite and Blue with Billie Eilish's monumental 2024 album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT! After Ocean Eyes took the whisper-pop world by storm, and after setting various "youngest artist ever to..." records, Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas crafted a rollercoaster of an album that features Grammy-winning hits like Wildflower and the nostalgic Birds Of A Feather! Will this album change preconceptions and win over our hesitant ballad guy??

James and Connor discuss our typical music ecosystems and emo-pop sensibilities, learn about the origin of her middle name(s), and figure out how many Phinneases we know. We'll cross paths with major hits like What Was I Made For?, get Spirited Away into Ghibli movies, and more! Our resident Bad Guy, The Mixtaper, is back with facts about llama dimensions, celebrity misconceptions, and Michael Scott for Fact Or Spin. Then, we'll explore the record end to end-- and maybe we could eat it for Lunch.

What would you change your middle name to if the options were unlimited? Where does this roller coaster record corkscrew for you? And can you think of any other Phineai we forgot to mention?! Let us know in the comments and on socials! Like and follow for more music soon!

Darlin', we'll take care of you Along The Way with the audience-recommended album Darlin' Oh Darlin', by contemporary folk family The Hunts! These seven Virginia siblings got their start playing the fiddle in a family band (Von Trapp style), and evolved into an atmospheric, instrumentally-diverse powerhouse of love songs written by committee. Tracks like the half-title track and Peace Be Still turned into significant hits for the group! Find out how this band (new to both of us) fares in our respective rankings!

James & Connor learn about the family's rich history, from touring to engineering degrees. We'll talk about the merits and evolution of "stomp clap hey" music in the early 20-teens, discover the Victorian home studio the band used for the record, and their breakthrough placement on Starbucks' nationwide playlist. Heaven Knows what The Mixtaper has in store, with royal facts about the Queen, the Hunts Parliament, and a good old fashioned county fair salmon toss. You've got to hear it to believe it!

Be honest, how far do you think you could throw the salmon?? Are we just overconfident? Are there enough Darlin's on this album? Too many? Let us know in the comments and on social media! Be sure to follow for more riveting shutter insights next time!

Where's the party? Look no further than Connor's latest pick: True Blue by one of pop music's biggest legends, Madonna! After the Material Girl shook the music world with Like A Virgin, her 1986 "love album" delivered significant hits like Papa Don't Preach and La Isla Bonita! From her humble beginning to her musical theater days, we'll learn how Madonna Opened Her Heart to stir up controversy, evolve culture, and make straight-up dance bops. It's a piece the podcast has been missing. How will James compare her score with his previous Madonna rankings?

The Mixtaper is squaring off against Connor again with riveting facts about disastrous deliveries, dragons (amphitheres? wyrms? Whatever.), desecration, and a special round of Cher Bingo! Then we'll compare songs to video games, analyze vapidity, and learn about the film White Heat as we break down this record in all its '80s pop glory! Love Makes The World Go Round, and we love Madonna, so... maybe Spin It Makes The World Go Round after all. 

Is this a strong Madonna album? Does it stir up enough controversy, or is it a reasonable follow-up to the iconic LaV? Let us know your hot takes in the comments, or pop on over (Papa on over!) to our social media for more!

The power's out in the hearts of man.. We're attending a Funeral with Arcade Fire's ice-cold concept album about life, death, change, and memory. From the opening Neighborhood suite (about devastating blizzards, space dogs, and time marching on), to mournful ballads like Crown Of Love and Haiti, we'll learn about the real-life events that inspired this album and explore the intricate symbolism that weaves throughout each track. It kicked off an incredibly successful career in the world of experimental, artsy indie rock, but how will it land on the Spin It score sheet?

James & Connor are talking birthday episodes! We walk through our familiarity (or lack thereof) with the band, find out why the original lineup quit mid-show, the band's activism, and more. The Mixtaper is a danger to arcades everywhere as we go house hunting through each neighborhood, with bobblehead thievery, a vertically inconvenient show, and hot dog girls. You won't want to miss this episode, so get In The Backseat and come along with us!

Which neighborhood are you living in? What elements of this concept album work the best for you? Do you think you could handle a personal travelling mariachi band? Let us know in the comments and on socials! Connor's picking our next record, so get ready for another special episode next time!

Welcome To The Jungle! We've got fun and games, and an Appetite For Destruction with Guns N' Roses powerful debut album! From the green grass of Paradise City to the screaming energy of the Night Train, the record features some of the band's biggest hits. We'll learn about their Guns AND Rose beginnings (it's more literal than you think), get into their endless bad ideas, and explore everything from Slash's iconic top hat to the decade-long making of Chinese Democracy. This album features gripping guitar solos, lyrics that are the essence of sex, drugs, & rock n' roll, and authentic moans... How will one of Connor's favorite metal bands score?

James & Connor talk about our GNR history, from marching bands to Guitar Hero. We criticize apostrophes, "ta," and more. The Mixtaper has an Appetite For Deception, as he's Out Ta Get Us with facts about a home zoo, a famous bedtime story, and the Mind-Boggling Tale Of Buckethead. Get your pooper scoopers ready. Our way, Axl Rose's way, Anything Goes on this wild episode as we kick off the Year Of Missing Pieces! 

Do you like the Guns side or the Roses side of the album better? Does Sweet Child O' Mine get stuck in your head? Will you ever be able to listen to Rocket Queen the same way again?? Let us know what's in your Paradise City on social media or at www.SpinItPod.com, and follow for more episodes (now biweekly)!

So you think you can tell Heaven from Hell? The Year Of Redemption comes to an epic conclusion this week as we review and rank Wish You Were Here, the sprawling concept album of absence by the ever-innovative Pink Floyd! After founding member and creative engine Syd Barrett had to step away from the band due to acute mental health concerns, the band processed their grief in the best way they knew how: through song. WWYH has gone down as one of the band's best, so we decided to find out why.

In our early days we explored Dark Side Of The Moon. Connor gave it a surprisingly low score... with five years of music and score calibration under our belts, will this record take the band to new heights? We'll talk about our expanding Pink Floyd fandom, learn about the tension that divided Gilmour and Waters, and more. We'll Have A Cigar with the Mixtaper as we learn about the 4-story hog that got away, a floating studio, and mesmerizing magma. Then we'll be Welcomed To The Machine with this iconic record! (Oh, and by the way.. which one's Pink?)

Shine On, You Crazy Diamond! Which part of the 20-minute suite is your favorite? Would you have a cigar with Pink Floyd? Have you ever seen a pig at 35,000 feet? Let us know in the comments and on socials! Be sure to follow or subscribe wherever you listen for the next era of Spin It!

Sunrise doesn't last all morning, but maybe it'll stay around a bit longer for our episode on All Things Must Pass, the trailblazing triple album by former Beatle George Harrison! The Beatles passed up on a hefty number of George's songs over the years, and with their breakup he was free to create like never before! His proper debut solo record blends genres, explores spirituality, and piques interest like few records can. With Phil Spector's wall of sound production style backing up folk- and Hindu-inspired rock, All Things Must Pass is George at his finest.

This week we're learning British slang, asking What Is Life, and Letting It Down! Will this solo record rise above Connor's Beatles score? If you really wanna know George, we'll cover his musical past (all the way back to the womb), his beloved Friar Park home, and his final message to the world. The Mixtaper is back with George Harrispins about thieving monkeys, botanical inquest, and trap shooting! Then we'll get a little Wah-Wah and a LOT of slide guitar as we focus up on this record, right down to the special Apple Jam ending!

Which gnome are you? What's your favorite ex-Beatle solo album? Have you ever used the term "flumbertyjack" before? Let us know! And be sure to follow for the shocking end to the Year Of Redemption next week! Thanks for five great years and counting!

Good times never seemed so good this week! We're taking it back to a Hot August Night in 1971, when Neil Diamond delivered an iconic performance at LA's Greek Theatre! The show produced a live double album packed with his early career's greatest hits, from the pining Red Red Wine to the powerful I Am... I Said (and of course, a prerequisite dose of Sweet Caroline). We'll learn how his pre-med career evolved from the Brill Building to the stage and find out what made him such a compelling arranger and performer. Can Connor's gamble rise above James' previous ranking of Stones?

We'll dwell on previous Diamond experience, explore the jukebox musical centered around his life, and lament an expensive divorce or two. The Mixtaper (a Solitary Man) keeps Connor en garde with facts on swordplay, birdsmithing, and bad actors during Fact Or Spin! Then we focus in on a handful of the 29 tracks on this massive record, from Crunchy Granola Suite to Holly Holy Holly (... Holy) and beyond. Find out if this Easy Listening artist can live up to his genre, and see if this clean collection of live hits can bolster his standing in our official rankings!

What do YOU think is going on with that cover photo? Is this album "live" enough for you? And can you even IMAGINE this guy winning fencing championships? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and on socials! Like and follow for more next week!

Can Creed take us Higher? Find out as we talk about Human Clay, the 1999 album full of Scott Stapp's unique vocals, and post-grunge, (lovingly) butt rock style laced with introspective religious overtones. From grief to death to fatherhood, Creed doesn't shy away from big questions. We'll explore the band's number-fudging beginnings, meteoric rise, and sudden unravelling through record-setting feats, ubiquitous hits, and nostalgia-fueled comeback tours. They're proving that they'll truly Never Die!

James & Connor are approaching our analysis With Arms Wide Open. We'll talk about our past Creed collections, reminisce on crappy art class pottery, and learn all about homophones, homonyms, and homographs as we're molded into Human Clay! There's a little Mixtaper Inside Us All with facts about stolen guitars, crossover weddings, and death-defying spy antics during Fact Or Spin! It's an episode full of glorious, unplanned bedlam... Are You Ready?

What days of school did you miss? Are you a fan of Scott Stapp's enunciation? Where do you fall in the great With Arms Wide Open vs. Higher debate?? Let us know on socials and be sure to follow for more wherever you listen! Or, so Say I, at least!

Jimmy Buffett is making Landfall on the podcast this week! We're wasting away again with Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes, a career-defining album that features the ultimate beach drinking song, Margaritaville! We'll talk about Buffett's coastal upbringing and how he got his start in Nashville (as an author!) before a trip to Key West changed his life. Changes is the culmination of half a lifetime at sea, with a guitar in hand.

James & Connor will talk about the Mt. Rushmore of tropical anthems, learn about Buffett's billion-dollar business empire, and talk about our own Parrothead status. The Mixtaper puts us to the test with reptile attacks, matinees (ya know, sea cows), and a grounded airplane. We'll talk Coral Reefer Band,  country classification, and discover whose dang fault that lost shaker of salt really was. Don't wonder-- from Biloxi to Jamaica, find out why we ever go home this week!

What's your favorite Buffett song? Favorite Buffett restaurant? Favorite Buffett retirement community?? It's Friday Somewhere, so make sure to follow wherever you're listening so you don't miss our next episode!

Yeah, it Feels Like Summer! We're back for another Happy Hour with Weezer! After their debut Blue Album left Connor with a puzzle he just didn't want to put together, we're trying again with their sun-soaked, beachy experiment, Pacific Daydream! It's a clear departure from their signature style, complete with complicated spreadsheet-crafted compositions, but crankin' them Beach Boys might be enough to redeem a low score!

James & Connor revisit all the special moments from Episode 26 (pigeon racing included) before diving back into the Weezer-verse with a deeper look at the band's history and the decisions that led up to one of their most controversial records. We'll check in on their tours, SZNZ, and speculate about what they're up to next. The Mixtaper is bringing four Karlificated facts about coloring books, vegeterrorism, and more straight from Weezerpedia.. Will this be his QB Blitz? Find out if James' nostalgia pick can Get Right and swing Connor's expectations this week.

Is any friend of Diane's a friend of yours? Do you like the coastal vibes, or was the classic Weezer sound more your speed? Be honest, would you ever go pigeon racing? We have it on good authority that there are clubs across the nation. Like and follow for more!

We've been having more dreams lately.. Welcome to Sunrise City, the feel-good sophomore record from "soft" indie guys Sub-Radio! This band of middle-school friends went viral as they got down bad for Stacy's Dad, and by broadcasting on Reddit during the pandemic they were able to generate a significant fanbase. Sunrise City is a saccharine nostalgia trip from teenage nights on the beach to Summer's End. Can their hooky record full of nuggets of gold carry them to a strong ranking?

James & Connor reminisce on hard times and strong men before giving this audience-recommended album a listen. The Mixtaper has a Better View and a few facts about tricky fae (who can play a mean recorder), the short-lived Reddit Public Access Network, and Monkey. Monkey? Monkey. We'll talk about the nuances of Pink Lemonade and Tiger's Blood and find out if WE'RE IN LOVE (!!) with this album... and whether Sub-Radio is Onto Us. 

What's your favorite snow cone flavor? Are you in a good time or a hard time? Think you could take down Sub-Radio in a game of Mario Kart?? Let us know in the comments and on socials, and tune in next week for a Year Of Redemption feature that will knock your sweater off.

This week we've got So Much Things To Say as we review and rank Exodus, the gripping reggae album by Jamaica's own Bob Marley! After pushing rocksteady boundaries with his childhood friends Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh, Bob's career made a strong pivot to pop and rock crossover music, riding the reggae wave to superstardom! A failed assassination attempt sent Marley overseas, where he crafted his ninth studio album, charged with Rastafarian theology and themes of love and freedom. We'll learn the effect it had on his legend, and how the Marley mythos has evolved over time.

James & Connor recount our previous Bob Marley experiences (both torturous and fishy). The Mixtaper has an aviary of little birds this week with facts about the House Of Dread FC, palm reading, and an unusual prison break during Fact Or Spin. Then we'll get to Jamming about the album, from the restrained intensity of The Heathen to the chill optimism of Three Little Birds! So kick back, relax, and don't worry about a thing... There's a Natural Mystic blowing through this episode!

Are you a bigger fan of the intense half or the chill half of Exodus' sound? What's your favorite bird? Was your first Bob Marley experience as drastic as James'? Let us know on socials, and tune in next week to smile with the rising sun yet again!

Stuck inside those four walls? We're making our escape with Band On The Run, the 1973 record by Wings! After a tough Beatles breakup, a burnt out Paul McCartney was struggling to stay relevant in the music world. He started Wings alongside his wife Linda and guitarist Denny Laine, and after a few tough outings, Band On The Run proved to be their major breakthrough! Despite a tumultuous recording process in Lagos, Nigeria, hits like JET (!), Let Me Roll It, and Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five have become catalog staples. 

We're catching up on our personal Beatles history and learning about the foundation of Wings! We trace the band's Lagos trip through cholera outbreaks, broken equipment, and knifepoint robberies, but learn why Paul needed this record so badly. The Mixtaper relies on James' fear of "jelly babying" himself with another round of McCartney facts! We'll break down jailbreak ambience, investigate a holiday hostage, and drink a drink with Lily The Pink in Fact Or Spin. We might have No Words... but what's the use in worrying?

How's your Scooby Doo impression? What would your last words be? Do you forget when Picasso was alive? Which of the sections of Band On The Run stands above the rest? Let us know your Wings takes in the comments and on socials!

We're Making The Most Of The Night as we review and rank Emotion, the 80s-infused pop record from Canadian songwriter and actress Carly Rae Jepsen! After we just met her (and that was crazy) back in 2011, Carly was struggling to shed the bubblegum pop reputation she gained with Call Me Maybe. After retreating from the spotlight, acting on Broadway, and writing a scrapped folk record, Emotion was her attempt to make something different. It proved to be a critical success and paved the way for the next era of her career with big singles like Run Away With Me and I Really (Really Really Really Really Really) Like You... but is this album Our Type?

Let's Get Lost in her Canadian Idol roots! James & Connor talk about previous opinions of her work (can't judge her for that), celebrate CRJ's 40th and 44/100ths birthday, and give these songs a powerful listen. The Mixtaper is giving us Boy Problems in Fact Or Spin, where we'll learn about her growing collection of weaponry, a secret Maybe List, and a deceptive signature from "the boss man." Between the pop anthems and powerful ballads, find out if this record can stir up our E•MO•TIONS and redeem our premature opinions of her music.

Did you wish CRJ a Happy Birthday? Do you have Boy Problems too? Would you ever try to trick the Boss Man? Let us know how you felt about Call Me Maybe in the comments or on socials, and tune in next time for another high-flying episode!