Completely Conspicuous 670: Stacking the Deck

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling about our favorite music of 2025. Listen to the episode below or download directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:

• Counting down the rest of our favorite albums of the year
• Kumar's #8: Indie rock godfather Bob Mould is still pissed off and rocking
• Mould has also reunited his '90s band Sugar
• Kumar's #7: Triumphant return for Mclusky
• Falco and crew having fun ripping on various targets
• Breitling's #6: Superchunk keeps going with new drummer
• If you thought they were angry in 2018...
• Chock full of "banglociraptors"
• Kumar's #6: Straight outta Asheville with Wednesday's killer combo of alt-country, shoegaze and heavy guitar rippers 
• Band features MJ Lenderman but it's Karly Hartzman's show
• Breitling's #5: Debut from Slumberland act The Cords
• Scottish indie jangle-pop banglociraptors
• Kumar's #5: Thrilling post punk from South London act Shame
• Returning to harder rocking sound of first few albums
• More albums are shorter nowadays
• Breitling's #4: Prolific Chicago psych-pop act Sharp Pins keeps bringing it
• Flashes of GBV and early Kinks
• Breitling's #3: Crutchfield sisters (Waxahatchee, Swearin') drop surprise release as Snocaps
• Again with the Lenderman, on drums this time
• Kumar's #3: PUP applies newfound maturity to pop-punk bangers
• Singing about adult stuff 
• Breitling's #2: Mini-album from Peel Dream Magazine
• Autumnal-sounding leftovers from previous album recording session
• Kumar's #2: Sloan keeps bringing the heat with 14th release of diverse and rewarding power pop
• Four singer-songwriters keep the offerings varied and on point
• Breitling's #1 and Kumar's #4: Monumental four-album conceptual triumph from Hallelujah the Hills
• Lot of guest stars including Ezra Furman, Clint Conley, Sadie Dupuis, Patrick Stickles
• Staggering amount of excellence 
• Kumar's #1 and Breitling's #7: NYC's Geese blows up with wide-ranging collection that grabs your attention
• Their club tour sold out immediately
• Frontman Cameron Winter leads a sound that ranges from Pavement to soul
• Looking forward to 2026 releases from: Notwist, Kiwi Jr., Courtney Barnett, Sleaford Mods, Crooked Fingers, Strange Pains
• Reunion shows next year from Silkworm, Superdrag
  

  Completely Conspicuous is available through Apple Podcasts. Subscribe and write a review! The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Stuck In Thee Garage #612: December 26, 2025

Like many things in our society, 2025 was giving "How can I miss you if you won't go away?" vibes. Nevertheless, it was a good year for rock music. This week on Stuck In Thee Garage, I played part 1 of my look back at the year in rock. This show takes off like the Miracle Over the Mojave.

This playlist was well-rehearsed:

Hour 1

Artist - Song/Album

Tunde Adebimpe - Magnetic/Thee Black Boltz

Model/Actriz - Cinderella/Pirouette

Destroyer - Hydroplaning Off the Edge of the World/Dan's Boogie

Charm School - Debt Forever/Debt Forever

Ex-Void - Pinhead/In Love Again

Throwing Muses - Drugstore Drastic/Moonlight Concessions

Horsegirl - 2468/Phonetics On and On

J Mascis - Breathe/Single

Patterson Hood - The Van Pelt Parties (feat. Wednesday)/Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams

FACS - Desire Path/Wish Defense

Kestrels - Total Bummer/Better Wonder

The Murder Capital - Moonshot/Blindness

Squid - Cro-Magnon Man/Cowards

Fontaines D.C. - It's Amazing to Be Young/Single

Art d'Ecco - Survival of the Fittest/Serene Demon

Preoccupations - Focus/Ill at Ease

Dax Riggs - Graveyard Soul/7 Songs for Spiders

Hour 2

The Men - Pony/Buyer Beware

Rough Francis - Fall/Fall

Bob Mould - Neanderthal/Here We Go Crazy

Swervedriver - Pack Yr Vision/The World's Fair 

Cameron Keiber - Sons and Daughters/Nurser

The Taxpayers - Evil Everywhere/Circle Breaker

Escape-Ism - If You Feel Like Rockin'/Charge of the Love Brigade

Superchunk - Bruised Lung/Songs in the Key of Yikes

Real Sickies - Should Have Seen It Coming/Under a Plastic Bag

Ty Segall - Fantastic Tomb/Possession

Pulp - Spike Island/More

Stereolab - Aerial Troubles/Instant Holograms on Metal Film

Dean Wareham - The Cloud is Coming/That's the Price of Loving Me

Jon Spencer with Kendall Wind, Spider Bowman and Deke Dickerson - Come On!/Single

Chime Oblivion - Heated Horses/Chime Oblivion

Viagra Boys - Man Made of Meat/Viagr Aboys

Wet Leg - Catch These Fists/Moisturizer

Practice makes perfect. Crank up the show for optimal rock enjoyment! 

Completely Conspicuous 669: Fight the Good Fight

Part 1 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling about our favorite music of 2025. Listen to the episode below or download directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:

• The 17th annual year in music review
• AI-generated music is lame
• Especially fake music that purports to be by real artists
• Spotify is a juggernaut that still sucks
• Checking out other services (Qobuz, Amazon)
• You don't get to own downloads via streaming services
• The kids love the K-pop
• Only a handful of artists make any money these days
• Oh yay, LIve Nation is going to get richer
• Ticketmaster is now a ticket reseller as well
• We're still seeing the live rock
• Breitling: Thumbs up for the Aimee Mann/Ted Leo Christmas show
• Saw Oasis in Mexico City
• We both saw Hallelujah the Hills 
• Kumar: Saw Frank Black, Narducy/Shannon do R.E.M., Gang of Four with Ted Leo, Bob Mould, Greg Norton, Ducks Ltd., Pixies, the Who, Buffalo Tom
• Breitling's bubbling under music picks: Ava Luna, Lifeguard, Winter, Frankie Cosmos, Golden Apples, Lemonheads, Sister Ray Davies, Jeff Tweedy, Glimmer, Tiberius, Telephone Numbers
• Kumar's honorable mentions: Tweedy, The Convenience, Snocaps, Turnstile, The Hives, Viagra Boys, Pulp, Car Seat Headrest, Charm School, Horsegirl, Superchunk, Pile, The Beths, Tony Molina, Sharp Pins, They Are Gutting a Body of Water, Militarie Gun, Kestrels, Destroyer, Dean Wareham, Kinski, Ty Segall, Stereolab, Lunchbox, Cam Keiber, Husker Du and Replacements box sets
• Breitling's #10: Autocamper's debut asks a valid question 
• Kumar's #10: Debut solo release from TV On the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe 
• Breitling's #9: Energetic indie rock from Chicago's OK Cool 
• Kumar's #9: Ripper out of nowhere from The Men
• Breitling's #8: Urgent EP about ancient Greece by Strange Passage
• Reunion tours with strange combinations
• Triumph is coming around next year
• To be continued   
• Completely Conspicuous is available through Apple Podcasts. Subscribe and write a review!
• The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Stuck In Thee Garage #611: December 19, 2025

This is one of those years where you look up and it's almost Christmas. I feel like I haven't been inundated with holiday music and traditions yet, but nevertheless I dutifully played two hours of Christmas rock jams on Stuck In Thee Garage. You'll feel like you scored, even if you never will, Beavis.

This playlist rules and stuff:

Hour 1

Artist - Song/Album

Charly Bliss and PUP - It's Christmas and I Fucking Miss You/Single

Dressy Bessy - Hopped Up (On Xmas)/Single

Los Campesinos! - When Christmas Comes/A Los Campesinos! Christmas

The Zambonis - Gritty Xmas (And a Hockey New Year)/Single

Chris Farren - Merry Christmas Again (feat. Jeff Rosenstock & Koji)/Like a Gift from God or Whatever

Chris Farren - The Undertaker/Like a Gift from God or Whatever

The Long Winters - Christmas With You is the Best/Have Yourself a Merry Indie Christmas Vol. I

OH! GUNQUIT! - High on Christmas/Have Yourself a Merry Indie Christmas Vol. I

Jeremy Neale - Christmas (Turn This Around)/Have Yourself a Merry Indie Christmas Vol. I

Record Heat - Come to Christmas/Have Yourself a Merry Indie Christmas Vol. I

The Prettybads - Bubblegum Christmas/Have Yourself a Merry Indie Christmas Vol. II

The Happy Somethings - It's Christmas Time (We're as Miserable as Sin)/Have Yourself a Merry Indie Christmas Vol. II

Sandra's Wedding - Spite Christmas/Have Yourself a Merry Indie Christmas Vol. II

Swansea Sound - The Life We Led/Have Yourself a Merry Indie Christmas Vol. IV

TV Smith - Xmas Blood Xmas/Have Yourself a Merry Indie Christmas Vol. IV

The Sultans of Ping - Christmas Bubblegum Machine/Have Yourself a Merry Indie Christmas Vol. IV

Ex-Rental - Christmas in the Synthesizer Age/Have Yourself a Merry Indie Christmas Vol. IV

Hour 2

Papas Fritas - Holiday/Pop Has Freed Us

Sloan - December 25/Kids Come Back Again at Christmas

The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping/Single

Ron Sexsmith - Something to Hold On to (At Christmas)/Single

Diet Cig - Happy Holiday/Simply Having a Wonderful Compilation

Kristin Hersh - Christmas Underground/Wyatt at the Coyote Palace

Descendents - Christmas Vacation/I Don't Want to Grow Up

Chubby and the Gang - Violent Night (A Christmas Tale)/Single

The Celibate Rifles - Merry Xmas Blues/Single

T. Rex - Christmas Bop/T. Rexmas!

Spinal Tap - Christmas with the Devil/This is Spinal Tap

Run the Jewels - A Christmas Fucking Miracle/Run the Jewels

Frightened Rabbit - It's Christmas So We'll Stop/Single

Gordon Downie - Christmastime in Toronto/Battle of the Nudes

Low - Just Like Christmas/Christmas

Uhhh...can you like play music or something?

Completely Conspicuous 668: Hate to Say I Told You So

Part 2 of my conversation with guest Phil Stacey as we pick our favorite songs released in the 21st century. Listen to the episode below or download directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:

• Phil's #6: Frenetic assault from Parquet Courts
• Definite late '70s post-punk influences
• Jay's #6: A bold move into electronic sounds by Radiohead
• Phil still doesn't get Radiohead
• Phil's #5: Slacker guitar hero vibes from Kurt Vile
• Stream-of-consciousness lyrical approach
• Jay's #5: Garage rock anthem that introduced the Hives to the world
• Punchy and super catchy, it took two years to hit in the U.S.
• The battle for car music supremacy
• Phil's #4: New Orleans vibe from Tedeschi Trucks Band
• Phil's intro to the band
• Jay's #4: A first single that will never be topped by Franz Ferdinand
• Catchy, danceable stomper comparing love to a sniper's duel
• Phil's #3: Goose brings jam band versatility to the masses
• Blew up since the pandemic and are now selling out Madison Square Garden
• Jay's #3: Queens of the Stone Age craft a perfect hard rock song
• The magic of the killer riff plus Dave Grohl's drumming
• Phil's #2: Ripper from Aussie Courtney Barnett
• Lyrics focus on everyday life
• Jay's #2: Indie rock classic from the Walkmen
• Emerged from the early '00s NYC scene
• Tension keeps building throughout
• The greatness of Joe Jackson
• Phil's #1: Epic and creepy classic from Death Cab for Cutie
• Song builds for 4 1/2 minutes before the vocals kick in
• Menacing bassline underlines the lyrics about obsession
• Jay's #1: TV On the Radio with a killer song from a killer album
• Intensity driven by Tunde Adebimpe's vocal delivery
• Also came up in NYC in the early '00s

Completely Conspicuous is available through wherever you get podcasts. Subscribe and write a review!

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.

Stuck In Thee Garage #610: December 12, 2025

They say the ideal length for a song is 3 minutes, but sometimes it's fun to let things build up and do what they have to do. This week on Stuck In Thee Garage, I played two hours of long songs (7 minutes or longer, except for the last song, which is rather short). It's worth taking the time and digging in, regardless of whether you're the oldest boy. 

Cheer up, pal:

Hour 1

Artist - Song/Album

The Stone Roses - Fools Gold/The Stone Roses 

Courtney Barnett - Small Poppies/Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit

Sonic Youth - Cross the Breeze/Daydream Nation

Drive Like Jehu - Sinews/Yank Crime

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - 1% of One/Pig Lib

Sloan - Before I Do/Twice Removed

The Feelies - Find a Way/Time for a Witness

Hour 2

TV On the Radio - Wear You Out/Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes

Prince - Let's Pretend We're Married/1999

Funkadelic - Maggot Brain/Maggot Brain

LCD Soundsystem - Us V. Them/Sound of Silver

Yo La Tengo - Sinatra Drive Breakdown/This Stupid World

Built to Spill - Velvet Waltz/Perfect from Now On

Neil Young - Cortez the Killer/Zuma

Absolute Losers - For So Long/In the Crowd

Put it in cruise control and listen to the long jams HERE.

Stuck In Thee Garage #609: December 5, 2025

It has already been established that time has no meaning anymore. So when I think back to 2005, it's like it just happened. But it was, you know, 20 freakin' years ago. Nevertheless, this week on Stuck In Thee Garage, I played songs from good ol' '05 in hour 2. It was a great flashback to last week when I was in my 30s. One thing that hasn't changed is Mr. Pibb and Red Vines equals crazy delicious.

This playlist says eat my digital shorts:

Hour 1

Artist - Song/Album

The Lemon Twigs - I've Got a Broken Heart/Single

Glitterer - Somebody/erer

S.C.A.B. - I Hate Expectations/Somebody in New York Loves You!

Sharp Pins - I Don't Have the Heart/Balloon Balloon Balloon

Pigeon Pit - Landlord Special/Leash Aggression

The Belair Lip Bombs - If You've Got the Time/Again

The Dears - Tears of a Nation/Life is Beautiful! Life is Beautiful! Life is Beautiful!

Big Bill - Young Men of the World/Sick Myth

Curious Volume - Fidelio/Nothing is Good

Husker Du - Eight Miles High (1/30 at First Ave.)/1985: The Miracle Year

Bass Drum of Death - Never Gonna Drink About You/Six

Pynch - Post Punk New Wave/Beautiful Noise

Militarie Gun - God Owes Me Money/God Save the Gun

Jeff Tweedy - This is How It Ends/Twilight Override

Wednesday - Reality TV Argument Bleeds/Bleeds

The Lemonheads - Cell Phone Blues/Love Chant

Tony Molina - Don't Belong/On This Day

Gouwzee - Cold Roller/Gouwzee

Hour 2: 2005

Sleater-Kinney - The Fox/The Woods

Queens of the Stone Age - Everybody Knows That You Are Insane/Lullabies to Paralyze

The Mars Volta - The Widow/Frances the Mute

The Hold Steady - Your Little Hoodrat Friend/Separation Sunday

Greg Dulli - Early Today (And Later That Night)/Amber Headlights

Spoon - My Mathematical Mind/Gimme Fiction

The White Stripes - Blue Orchid/Get Behind Me Satan

Black Mountain - No Separation/Black Mountain

Broken Social Scene - Our Faces Split the Coast in Half/Broken Social Scene

Bloc Party - Helicopter/Silent Alarm

Kaiser Chiefs - Everyday I Love You Less and Less/Employment

Art Brut - Emily Kane/Bang Bang Rock 'N' Roll

Against Me! - Don't Lose Touch/Searching for a Former Clarity

Wolf Parade - Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts/Apologies to the Queen Mary

Okkervil River - Black/Black Sheep Boy

This playlist is going viral!
 

Completely Conspicuous 667: Everything In Its Right Place

 Part 1 of my conversation with guest Phil Stacey as we pick our favorite songs released in the 21st century. Listen to the episode below or download directly (right click and "save as").

Show notes:

• We're a quarter through this century
• Phil: Thought this would be easy but came up with a long list
• What about a song grabs you?
• Jay: Original top 10 list was all songs from the 00s
• Songs that didn't make our top 10
• Phil: Tribe Called Quest, Vampire Weekend, Meatbodies, Wilco, Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, TV On the Radio, Wet Leg, Franz Ferdinand, Michael Kiwanuka, MJ Lenderman, U2, Frances Forever, Patrick Sweeney, Mudcrutch, Sufjan Stevens, Shearwater, Jason Isbell, Songs: Ohia
• Jay: Radiohead, Bowie, At the Drive-In, Drive-By Truckers, Sloan, Sleater-Kinney, Death from Above 1979, Jay-Z, Hold Steady, Gord Downie, Tragically Hip, Living Colour, Outkast, Wild Flag, White Stripes, PJ Harvey, Parquet Courts, Spoon, M.I.A., Kaiser Chiefs
• Jay: Found out about a lot of new music from MP3 blogs in the early 00s
• Phil's #10: Spoon breaks through
• Song was a cover of a song by The Natural History
• Jay's #10: Last song from Bowie's iconic farewell album
• Love the album but it's hard to listen to because of the sadness
• Phil's #9: Mournful ballad from Mark Lanegan
• Jay: My favorite Lanegan song
• Mixing bubblegum and chewing tobacco is a bad idea
• A duet with Chris Goss of Masters of Reality
• Jay's #9: A fiery hip hop blast from Run the Jewels and Zach de la Rocha
• Waiting for their next album; last one was in 2020
• Phil's #7: Bluegrass turn from Billy Strings
• Strings is winning over a lot of fans of other genres
• Phil's #8: Protest song from Drive-By Truckers
• Band chronicles a lot of real-life injustices
• Jay's #8: Angry ripper from Superchunk
• Commentary on the political climate of 2018
• Sometimes fans don't like the message
• Jay's #7: White Stripes hit the mainstream
• Took a year for their third album to become a hit
• To be continued

Completely Conspicuous is available through wherever you get podcasts. Subscribe and write a review!

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.