The Curmudgeon Rock Report

Kendrick Lamar - The Last Hip-Hop Genius Standing

In which The Curmudgeons express deep appreciation for how Kendrick Lamar both honors and respects hip-hop as an artform and continues to move it forward--even as the rest of modern hip-hop stagnates, suffers and embarrasses. We cover the span of his entire career and analyze each of his official album releases musically and artistically. This includes discussion two absolutely staggering achievements in Good Kid, m.a.a.d City and To Pimp a Butterfly and a total of five albums built around a central literary theme. And, of course, we recall thoroughly Kendrick kicked Drake's rear end in their storied musical battle from 2024.   Check out the extraordinary musical output of Kendrick Lamar (including To Pimp a Butterfly in its entirety) by accessing our special Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Wu3GrqmxcJaiflYLjTga7?si=720b42881a0e49bc     Here's a handy navigation companion to this episode.   (00:52 - -03:52) - Arturo Andrade sets the parameters for our discussion of Kendrick Lamar   (04:21 - 15:39) - The Parallel Universe, featuring reviews of new albums from Kneecap and Weird Nightmare   (16:38 - 50:43) - First, Christopher O'Connor offers a not-so-great state of the union of today's hip-hop. Then we recall the origin story of how Kendrick Lamar established his career. Then we start discussing his albums, including Good Kid, m.a.a.d. City.   (51:49 - 01:46) - We discuss the rest of Kendrick Lamar's catalog, including To Pimp a Butterfly. We also revisit what Chris had to say about the Kendrick-Drake beef right as it was about to end two years ago--and then tell the rest of the story.   Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/groups/curmudgeonrock [http://facebook.com/curmudgeonrock]   Edited with an assist from Descript! web.descript.com [http://web.descript.com/]     Hosted on Podbean! curmudgeonrock.podbean.com [http://curmudgeonrock.podbean.com/]   Subscribe to our show on these platforms: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911]   https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb [https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb]   Co-written and co-produced by Arturo Andrade and Christopher O'Connor - The Curmudgeons

Fela Kuti...A Legacy

In which the Curmudgeons express awe and amazement over the musical innovation and rebellious spirit of one Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti. Already an established jazz-fusion bandleader in his native Nigeria, a nearly year long stay in Los Angeles in 1969 exposed Kuti to the thrilling sounds of that era's soul and funk music and to the rage and purpose behind the politics of Black empowerment. Kuti returned home reinvigorated and over the course of the 1970s, he proceeded to fashion what we now call Afrobeat, writing and performing marathon-length compositions that spliced funk, R&B, jazz and Afro-Cuban music with the polyrhythmic Yoruba beats of his homeland. Kuti thrusted rousing horn punches, electric-piano sensuality and especially lush and glorious saxophone solos into the world's consciousness. And he became more furious and more targeted in his criticisms of African colonialism, imperialism and governmental corruption--to the point the Nigerian government burned down his commune and, later, imprisoned him on trumped-up charges. Kuti's resultant suffering and defiance through it all became a rallying cry for justice among the Western world, helping him transcend his status as a musical visionary into something entirely more heroic. We explore the best of Fela Kuti's music and meditate on his lasting influence during this episode.    Enjoy the music of Fela Kuti by accessing our special Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7jmPzVgNCI1252H9b19UhJ?si=3fcbe59f198346bb [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7jmPzVgNCI1252H9b19UhJ?si=3fcbe59f198346bb]   Here is a handy navigational companion to this episode.   (00:52 - 03:37) - Arturo Andrade sets the parameters for our discussion of Fela Kuti   (04:11 - 14:21) - The Parallel Universe, featuring reviews of new albums from Brother Wallace and Touch Girl Apple Blossom (and an amusing recitation mishap by Christopher O'Connor)   (15:20 - 49:18) - We discuss the musical and cultural legacy of Fela Kuti right up front. We also tell his origin story. And we begin an analysis of his best songs, starting with the nastily funky "Roforofo Fight."    (50:27 - 01:07:37) - We analyze more of Fela Kuti's best songs, including the James Brown-inspired vamp-up "Zombie" and the amazingly intense 24-minute classic "I.T.T. (International Thief Thief)"       Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/groups/curmudgeonrock [http://facebook.com/curmudgeonrock]   Edited with an assist from Descript! web.descript.com [http://web.descript.com/]     Hosted on Podbean! curmudgeonrock.podbean.com [http://curmudgeonrock.podbean.com/]   Subscribe to our show on these platforms: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911]   https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb [https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb]   Co-written and co-produced by Arturo Andrade and Christopher O'Connor - The Curmudgeons

The Saga of Grunge Part 3 (1989)

In which the Curmudgeons meditate on the year in which grunge as a movement officially entered the universal rock consciousness. The Seattle rock scene in the mid-to-late 1980s was defined by a bunch of smart, ambitious wiseasses who were in a virtual competition with one another to find the truest sweet spot between punk and metal. However, it was not until the band Mudhoney found an enthusiastic and adoring fanbase in the United Kingdom in 1988 and 1989 that the rest of the world started to take notice. An inquisitive and diligent writer named Everett True, with help of storied Seattle record company Sub Pop, traveled to Seattle and cranked out an authoritative, lovingly crafted primer on grunge for the magazine Melody Maker that triggered a wave of buzz and set in motion the commercial forces that made grunge a cultural phenomenon two-plus years later. And True's timing was impeccable: Mudhoney, Soundgarden, Mother Love Bone, Screaming Trees, Tad and this one "little brother" band named Nirvana all released exciting music in 1989. We cover that grungy waterfront during this episode.    Enjoy the awesome grunge music of 1989 by accessing our special Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7AKkKOtc1I4lCIcF6kp7Oz?si=c5dd28c7c3b940ed [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7AKkKOtc1I4lCIcF6kp7Oz?si=c5dd28c7c3b940ed]   Here's a handy navigation companion to this episode:   (00:52 - 03:43) - Arturo Andrade sets the parameters for our discussion of grunge in 1989   (04:19 - 22:43) - The Parallel Universe, in which we review recent albums from Lime Garden and Los Thuthanaka   (23:42 - 52:19) - We tell the story of how Everett True helped put grunge on the global map. We also analyze 1989 albums from Mudhoney, Soundgarden, Mother Love Bone and Screaming Trees.   (53:46 - 01:11:39) - WE discuss 1989 albums from Tad and Nirvana as well as "grunge-adjacent" albums from The Jesus Lizard and The Pixies   Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/groups/curmudgeonrock [http://facebook.com/curmudgeonrock]   Edited with an assist from Descript! web.descript.com [http://web.descript.com/]     Hosted on Podbean! curmudgeonrock.podbean.com [http://curmudgeonrock.podbean.com/]   Subscribe to our show on these platforms: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911]   https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb [https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb]   Co-written and co-produced by Arturo Andrade and Christopher O'Connor - The Curmudgeons

Van Morrison 1968-74...A Legacy

In which the Curmudgeons revisit and marvel over one of the most amazing streaks a performer has ever had in the long history of this thing we love called rock 'n' roll. Belfast native Van Morrison enjoyed chart success early on in the mid-1960s with the hits "Gloria" and "Brown Eyed Girl" but then fell back into obscurity for a couple years before re-emerging with a mixture of bravado, introspection and poet's soul to embark on an extraordinary six-plus-year streak of artistic and eventually commercial mastery. He dropped one of the greatest albums of all time, the heavenly folk-jazz meditation Astral Weeks, in 1968. When the album bombed commercially, Morrison pivoted and spent the next several years blessing the world with a startling yet often rapturous brand of "blue-eyed" soul music that captured the world's imagination and propelled him to superstardom. We cover this whole period of Morrison's in detail--and with tremendous excitement.   Enjoy the music of Van Morrison by accessing our special Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5RE1t7yvh12UfRvmOam12W?si=30961af58cfc4a29 [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5RE1t7yvh12UfRvmOam12W?si=30961af58cfc4a29]   Here's handy navigation companion to this episode.   (00:52 - 03:46) - Arturo Andrade sets the parameters for our discussion of Van Morrison   (04:42 - 26:03) - The Parallell Universe, in which we review new albums from Courtney Barnett and Angine de Poitrine   (27:02 - 57:23) - We tell Morrison's origin story and them explore his albums Astral Weeks, Moondance, His Band and the Street Choir and Tupelo Honey   (58:31 - 01:24:28) - We discuss the Morrison albums Saint Dominic's Preview, Hard Nose the Highway, ...It's Too Late to Stop Now...Vol. 1 and Veedon Fleece. We also contemplate Morrison's artistic legacy.   Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/groups/curmudgeonrock [http://facebook.com/curmudgeonrock]   Edited with an assist from Descript! web.descript.com [http://web.descript.com/]     Hosted on Podbean! curmudgeonrock.podbean.com [http://curmudgeonrock.podbean.com/]   Subscribe to our show on these platforms: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911]   https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb [https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb]   Co-written and co-produced by Arturo Andrade and Christopher O'Connor - The Curmudgeons

Why Greta Van Fleet Is...Shit!!

In which The Curmudgeons explore the work of the worst rock band of the 21st Century...so you don't have to do all the work yourself! Seriously, this is a public service we're doing here. Greta Van Fleet is a quartet from a small town in Michigan that did an admittedly great job of studying the style, technique and sound of the mighty Led Zeppelin. But then they mistook that for creative juice and served up a bunch of boring, comically vapid imitations of their heroes. When critics called them out on their uninspired mimicry, they tried their best to style themselves as a more prog-rock-leaning metal band...and became even more boring and vapid in the process. This prompts us here to ponder: Who the hell are the people that like this band and helped propel them to stardom and success?    We dare you to listen to, we guess, the best of Greta Van FLeet's music by accessing our special Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6ACdCuo9YcuAFKb8BDZcgF?si=a9f76057b3bc4b99 [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6ACdCuo9YcuAFKb8BDZcgF?si=a9f76057b3bc4b99]   Here's handy navigation companion to this episode.   (00:52 - 03:43): Arturo Andrade sets the parameters for our discussion of Greta Van Fleet   (05:27-15:51) - The Parallel Universe, featuring reviews of recent music from Automatic and Grace Ives   (16:49 - 31:17) - We tell the origin story of Greta Van Fleet and marvel at the awfulness of their debut EP From the Fires, which won a Grammy for Best New Rock Album. Related: We trash the history of this particular Grammy.   (32:31 - 49:16) - We analyze Greta Van Fleet's three full-length studio albums, which grow worse and then worser as we reach them   Join our Curmudgeonly Community today! facebook.com/groups/curmudgeonrock [http://facebook.com/curmudgeonrock]   Edited with an assist from Descript! web.descript.com [http://web.descript.com/]     Hosted on Podbean! curmudgeonrock.podbean.com [http://curmudgeonrock.podbean.com/]   Subscribe to our show on these platforms: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curmudgeon-rock-report/id1551808911]   https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb [https://open.spotify.com/show/4q7bHKIROH98o0vJbXLamB?si=5ffbdc04d6d44ecb]   Co-written and co-produced by Arturo Andrade and Christopher O'Connor - The Curmudgeons