EarWax: An Amoeba Podcast
EarWax is Amoeba Music's first podcast!
Hosts Hilary and Cody chat about new releases and in-store events, so you are always up to date on the goings on of the world's largest independent record store.
Each week, we tell the story of one particular album. How was it made? Where does it exist in our history? What effect did it have then, and how does it affect us today?
EarWax is two longtime record store clerks doing what we do best - learning about and sharing the stories behind the albums we love.
Hosts Hilary and Cody chat about new releases and in-store events, so you are always up to date on the goings on of the world's largest independent record store.
Each week, we tell the story of one particular album. How was it made? Where does it exist in our history? What effect did it have then, and how does it affect us today?
EarWax is two longtime record store clerks doing what we do best - learning about and sharing the stories behind the albums we love.
Episodes
74 episodes
Ep. 73: A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector
We are holly, jolly, and bright after covering the amazing artists and songs on this classic Christmas album - "A Christmas Gift for You..."This album features some of the premiere vocal groups (The Ronettes, The Crystals, Darlene Love,...
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Episode 73
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1:13:26
Ep. 72: Björk - Homogenic
The EarWax crew takes on one of the most brilliantly enigmatic artists out there this week as we cover Björk's "Homogenic."Made during a time of personal strife, this record is an homage to her home in Iceland, a place where she needed t...
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Episode 72
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1:03:17
Ep. 71: Kraftwerk - Computer World
No B.S., let's get to business. Kraftwerk. EarWax. Computer World.Hilary and Cody discuss the group, the music, the theory and ideas around one of Germany's finest exports - Kraftwerk. Computer World is relevant today because it touches...
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Episode 71
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1:15:34
Ep. 70: Motörhead - Ace of Spades
Make the necessary preparations, we're talking Motörhead this week...Hilary and Cody try and hang on as they talk about the pure fuel that is Ace of Spades. Lemmy, Fast Eddie, and Philthy Phil were three dudes who knew exactly what they...
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Episode 70
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1:17:27
Ep. 69: Sade - Diamond Life
The eighties were a time of maximalism, so of course one of the biggest records was...a smooth jazzy pop affair? Sade's "Diamond Life" right in your earballs this week on EarWax.Sade is NOT a brand, but we are comfortable saying they ar...
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Episode 69
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1:06:08
Ep. 68: Britney Spears - Oops!...I Did It Again
Make way for the Princess of Pop. Genuflect at the throne of 2000s bubblegum. Bow to Britney Spears.Oops!...I Did It Again cemented Britney as an icon. Her story is complicated, public, and influential. The tracks on this album show us ...
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Episode 68
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1:24:22
Ep. 67: MF DOOM - Mm...Food?
Masks, mystery, and Mm...Food? EarWax dives into your favorite rapper's favorite rapper MF DOOM!!The story of DOOM is partially rooted in the story of Doom (the comic, not the video game). Reborn from a former group, MF DOOM established...
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Episode 67
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1:11:49
Ep. 66(6): The Cramps - Songs the Lord Taught Us
Shine up your pompadours and put on your best spooky mask, this is a Halloween episode!The Cramps are the perfect band for the season, and Songs the Lord Taught Us has scares aplenty. Whether talking about the perils of braces on fangs,...
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Episode 66
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1:10:48
Ep. 65: B.B. King - Live in Cook County Jail
The King of the Blues (or one of them, anyways) is the focus of this week's episode of EarWax!Hilary and Cody discuss the circumstances that led to B.B. King performing at Cook County Jail in 1971. Along the way, they touch on B.B.'s jo...
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Episode 65
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1:21:13
Ep. 64: Dolly Parton - Jolene
We're covering a legend among legends this week. You're in rarified air when you are known by one name. It's Dolly!Cody and Hilary marvel at the story of Dolly Parton, who consistently defied the odds and the wishes of those who sought ...
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Episode 64
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1:21:04
Ep. 63: Cheap Trick - In Color
New friends and old are featured on this week's dive into Cheap Trick's "In Color."Cheap Trick are the fellas from your hometown that just so happened to become one of the biggest rock bands of all time. "In Color" was their second swin...
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Episode 63
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1:17:24
Ep. 62: Nick Drake - Pink Moon
Here come all the feels, this week we're covering Nick Drake's "Pink Moon."Cody and Hilary discuss the life, enigma, and myth of Nick Drake. Sifting through the legend to grab hold of the person is a difficult task, and one that nobody ...
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Episode 62
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1:24:03
Ep. 61: Neil Diamond - Hot August Night
A legend among legends, a performer among performers, or you might just know him as...His Neilness!Hilary and Cody travel the Neilverse, going through the concert and album that made him the pop god that he is known as. "Hot August Nigh...
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Episode 61
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1:19:09
Ep. 60: X - Los Angeles
Punk royalty is the topic of conversation this week on EarWax!X were (and are) punk legends, but their album "Los Angeles" is so much more than just punk. With rockabilly guitar and some psych harmonies, this record flip-turned the rule...
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Episode 60
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1:13:47
Ep. 59: J Dilla - Donuts ft. Christian Dueñas
Put the headphones on and plan to keep your head nodding for the whole time, this week we have J Dilla's "Donuts!"Christian Dueñas - host of the podcast Primer - drops by to chop it up about a record whose full story took a long time to...
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Episode 59
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1:24:26
Ep. 58: Toots and the Maytals - Funky Kingston
What's reggae without a little (a lot) of soul? We wouldn't know, because this week's episode has soul to spare!Toots and the Maytals were the people's champs of Jamaica; a sound whose roots represent the common man. Toots won a nationa...
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Episode 58
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1:05:42
Ep. 57: Massive Attack - Mezzanine
Pressure can make diamonds, but too much pressure and you get an explosion. And this week, we have both!Massive Attack's "Mezzanine" is a standard-setter in electronic music. While the band was consistently at odds during its making, th...
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Episode 57
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1:12:30
Ep. 56: Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters
Make sure you do your neck stretches, because you will be nodding along with us this week.The EarWax squad took a trip to the Hollywood Bowl to see this week's episode performed live by the OGs who played on it.By 1973, Herbie H...
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Episode 56
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1:11:44
Ep. 55: Charli XCX - Charli
As we cruise through the tail end of #bratsummer, EarWax takes a look at one of the records that helped Charli XCX dominate the conversation this year."Charli" comes on the heels of her rise to fame, at a time when she was about to brea...
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Episode 55
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1:16:37
Ep. 54: Françoise Hardy - La question
We're getting cultured af this week. EarWax goes French!Françoise Hardy's "La question" is a gorgeous statement made by an artist intentionally transitioning into a new phase in her career. In partnership with guitarist and songwriter L...
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Episode 54
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1:12:43
Ep. 53: The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde
Pack your bags and get ready to take a trip to a world of wonderful weirdness!Hilary and Cody immerse themselves into the universe of the Pharcyde. Filled with in-jokes, yo mama jokes, and jokes just because, this record occupies a very...
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Episode 53
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1:21:38
Ep. 52: Melvins - Houdini
Bolt down anything that might shift due to the crushing weight of the heaviness, EarWax is going sludge!Hilary and Cody discuss Melvins' legacy through the lens of arguably their most famous record. The story behind Houdini is a little ...
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Episode 52
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1:09:45
Ep. 51: Curtis Mayfield - Curtis
Let's get funky, smooth, and our heads in the game. Curtis Mayfield is coming in hot!Cody and Hilary discuss the scope of Curtis Mayfield's work, and how much his thumbprint is all over the Civil Rights movement. Mayfield's...
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Episode 51
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1:10:09
Ep. 50: David Bowie - Station to Station
EarWax ushers in the 50th episode by pulling down a true heavy hitter off the shelf - David Bowie's "Station to Station."This record's story is full of unbelievable stories and adversity, both of which were largely self-imposed. Bowie's...
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Episode 50
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1:15:01
Ep. 49: The Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo
Change out your granny glasses and paisley shirts for cowboy hats and bolo ties!Hilary and Cody talk bout The Byrds' 1968 "Sweetheart of the Rodeo." A different direction for a very different-looking Byrds, this record took the group to...
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Episode 49
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1:10:26