I recently stumbled upon a band I knew nothing about — and immediately loved their sound. Isn’t it great when that happens? Their name: Maj Deeka. Their style: Steely Dan meets Umphrey’s McGee meets Galactic meets Dopapod meets Reign of Kindo meets Herbie Hancock … and a dash of a lot of other stuff. They sound great. But it seemed like they didn’t…

The previously untold story of just how rocky this album-making process was at a critical time in DMB's history. Producer Steve Harris reveals the highs and lows of DMB's fifth major studio LP, with never-before-told stories from the studio. He also goes track-by-track with each song, detailing some of his favorite cuts and best memories. The highl…

Records & Riffs

In 2000, Dave Matthews Band was the biggest rock act in America. The group set out to record a fourth record, on the heels of its massive hit, 1998's Before These Crowded Streets. That turned out to be a doomed process. The album's sessions eventually leaked anyway—to widespread positive reviews. The band obviously and understandably rejected this …

In May of 2022, Apple announced it was no longer manufacturing the iPod. RIP. Of course, this is the perfect opportunity to pause and reflect on the so-called "iPod era," a particular near-decade of music obsessiveness that paved the way for the streaming-service dominance we live in now. Matt Norlander is joined by Joe Ovies to reflect on what was…

I’m thrilled to have noted author, Chopped champion and robe enthusiast Drew Magary join the pod. His most recent novel, Point B, is available in electronic and print form now. If you’d like to purchase a copy — and I do recommend that! — there are multiple ways to do so, but print versions can be found at Barnes & Noble here and at Amazon here. Mo…

This episode was handled with care and with special attention for Chris’ family, most specifically his wife and daughter. It is a gift to be able to bring him back to life in this way. Rest in peace, Chris Chase, you are so missed.Records & Riffs -- Episode 20 (with Chris Chase)

Relix co-editor-in-chief Dean Budnick joins R&R to look at the legacy of the Grateful Dead, discuss what's changed with the jam-band scene and offers up thoughts on how the genre has evolved -- and not.Records & Riffs

Records & Riffs returns from hiatus with a surprise: a batch of old episodes, recorded in 2016 and 2017, will be published in the coming weeks before new episodes go into the feed. This episode doesn’t just discuss the Rolling Stones and their discography, but also features a conversation and behind-the-scenes details about the band from writer/aut…

Before These Crowded Streets was a game-changer for DMB. The band never made another record like it. In this episode, Lillywhite talks with host Matt Norlander not just about the intricate details of each song, but gets into the working and musicianship dynamic of every member of the band. He opens up about how he got the best out of Boyd Tinsley i…

The most celebrated album of Dave Matthews Band's career is 1998's reputation-bending Before These Crowded Streets, a 70-minute magnum opus that features the band at its biggest and best. Steve Lillywhite produced the album, in addition to other DMB records from the 1990s, and joins the podcast for two episodes to discuss so much of what makes this…

OK, so it's more than two weeks late, but that's the real world for you. This season in college basketball has been relentlessly fun and busy (plus, being a father to a toddler), so that caused a waylay to posting this. But now we're here, and 2016 is still fresh in mind. With that in mind, some thoughts on what I thought was a good-not-great year …

Play the podcast in the player above, or download the MP3. If you haven't already, be certain to subscribe (and rate!) the pod in iTunes. i've got a lot of words here, and plenty more to spare in the podcast above, so let's get right to listing out and detailing most of the notable LPs released over the past 12 months. Critically praised records th…

The one and only. Jimi. (Getty Images) The epic conclusion to the first season of the Records & Riffs podcast is a self-indulgent and entirely enthusiastic 90-minute examination into some of the best mainstream guitarists in music history. What makes/made them great, who are the underrated would-be gods, who are the best guys going under 40, etc. J…

Robert Sledge (left), Darren Jessee (middle) and Ben Folds. The band in 1995, two years before they would hit it big with "Brick." (Getty Images) How could a band that came to be in the heart of the 1990s alt-rock spell find a footing and a following without a guitar player? That's what Ben Folds Five did, and the band's reputation continues to rem…

Real Estate has become one of the most consistently enjoyable indie rockpop acts of the past half-decade. (Getty Images) Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes. What is it about certain bands' sounds that make them stand out? Is it luck? Timing? Some of that, but songwriting and sonic conviction is also key. Few indie rock acts over the past 15 years …

You probably don't know who these men are. Yet chances are you've heard dozens of the mainstream American music hits they've written over the past decade. Mikkel Eriksen, left, and Tor Hermansen. (Getty Images) What makes a good pop song, and has the value of a good pop song changed? In many ways, yes. Has the "soul" of a song been altered in a new…

David Bowie: Somehow becoming the most underrated solo artist in history? Maybe. (Getty Images) All told, David Bowie is probably one of the three most important and influential solo artists to come out of the 1970s. That's the premise of the ninth episode from season one of the Records & Riffs podcast. The guest? Bomani Jones, most known for his c…

Phish has an intimidating catalog of live material, but we also help with pointing you to the best studio output. (Getty Images) It's the perfect podcast episode about Phish. Enough information and minutiae to appease the diehards, but plenty of primers for casual and newbie Phish fans. The band has finally graduated to a level of no longer being a…

Umphrey's McGee bassist Ryan Stasik joins the pod. Seen above at Bonnaroo in 2014. (Getty Images) Go ahead and do the research: You'll discover few, if any, rock acts out there today are as multifaceted, talented, nimble and forward-leaning as Umphrey's McGee. The band has an EXTREMELY dedicated hardcore fan base. Band bassist Ryan Stasik joins the…

Let's go beyond the surface discussion of the "vinyl boom" and look at the good and the bad that's come with the hobby's massive rebirth over the past eight years. Chris Lantinen runs modern-vinyl.com. He joins me to discuss how the music business is putting one foot in the grave yet again -- and how independent record stores hold a responsibility …

Taylor Swift performs in 2015 on her '1989' tour. (Getty Images) Yes, it's OK to admit: You love Taylor Swift. Or maybe you really don't get it at all. But that's why this episode was recorded. Is Taylor Swift the most powerful person in music? And how did she get so big by the age of 25? Deadspin culture writer Rob Harvilla joins the pod to explai…

Nirvana practices at Hilversum Studios, in the Netherlands, in November of 1991. (Getty Images) [Get every R&R episode in the iTunes store, for free, right here.] What is the legacy of Nirvana now, and has it changed in the past decade? I'd argue yes. My guest on this episode is Will Leitch who, in addition to being a multifaceted and incredibly ta…

Guster formed in 1991 at Tufts University. Its drummer, Brian Rosenworcel, joins the R&R poodcast. (Getty Images) Guster is among my five favorite bands ever. One particular song ("Lazy Love") off the band's most recent LP (Evermotion) is what you hear as the intro and outro music for the podcast. Brian Rosenworcel is a founding member of the band,…

Steely Dan's Can't Buy a Thrill features one of the more memorable debut tracks from any band. The first full-length podcast features a fun topic: best side one, track ones ever. Grantland writer Steven Hyden joined me to chat, as he tackled this subject in a column over the summer. Enjoy! Feedback much appreciated, so reach out on Twitter. Also: H…

It all starts here. What is the Records & Riffs podcast about, and what can you expect in the coming episodes? An introduction below, and then we get to the fun stuff. PermalinkRecords and Riffs -- Inroduction ep