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PODCAST

EarWax

The EarWax Crew

EarWax is a deep-dive music podcast hosted by two longtime record store clerks, Hilary and Cody, who are steeped in music history.Each week, we unpack the story of a single album - how it was made, where it fits in the cultural moment that shaped it, and why it still matters. From iconic classics to cult gems, we explore the music that moves us and the stories that stick.You’ll also hear about the latest releases and what’s buzzing in our world of vinyl bins and liner notes. Think of it like your

music music history

All Episodes

56:24

Bonus Episode! Black Country, New Road's Charlie...

EarWax ·

2025/05/22

Did you miss us so much that you couldn't stand to see us leave for even one week? Bro, same! So how about an awesome interview with one of the coolest bands out there today? Charlie Wayne and Lewis Evans of Black Country, New Road dropped by to talk about their new album "Forever Howlong," and share some of the music that has inspired them along the way. These guys absolutely rule, and it was a total pleasure chopping it up with them. A huge thank you to Lewis and Charlie, and another big th...

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53:59

Ep. 93: Buzzcocks - Singles Going Steady

EarWax ·

2025/05/14

We don't always cover compilation albums, but when we do, we make sure they are the most glorious. Such is the case with this week's episode of EarWax! Hilary and Cody dive into the cool power/punk-pop of Buzzcocks. A greatest hits album made for a band about to tour the United States...where they had very little following. Singles Going Steady is a literal timeline of the band up until that point, and showcases the band's penchant for hooks over politics. The perfect marriage of pop an...

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67:45

Ep. 92: James Brown and the Famous Flames - Live at...

EarWax ·

2025/05/08

Good gahd! This week the EarWax crew hits the One and covers the Hardest Working Man in Show Business. Mr. Please Please himself, James Brown! Whatchu know about betting on yourself? James Brown told his label a live record was the sauce, and when they said no, he financed it himself. The legendary Apollo, a raucous crowd, and James Brown's electrifying performance collide to create this blistering time capsule of 1962. "Live at the Apollo" captures James Brown and the Famous Flames in their ...

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55:16

Ep. 91: Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - Whipped...

EarWax ·

2025/05/01

You want some feel good tunes? Oh, we got 'em this week. How about a little Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass! Swingin' 60s meets the coolest square sounds out there. With a lineup that included members of LA's legendary Wrecking Crew, this album bops and bounces along breezily. Herb Alpert is a dude we should all be glad is as successful as he is. His investment into music education, and his humility at yet another resurgence in popularity rank him high on our favorite artist's we've cover...

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55:10

Ep. 90: Stereolab - Dots and Loops

EarWax ·

2025/04/24

Pop meets pretension (and we mean that as a positive) this week on EarWax! Hilary and Cody dissect Stereolab's deceptively catchy "Dots and Loops." Beneath the pop coating lies lyrics warning about the modern age, loneliness, and wars of many iterations. Stereolab's ambition is their calling card, and it is on full display on this record. Never ones to shy away from marrying catchiness with headiness, they bask in both elements to create something both as functional and memorable as "Dots and...

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70:27

Ep. 89: The Roots - Things Fall Apart

EarWax ·

2025/04/17

Lock in to a groove and turn the vibes up to "Immaculate," this week the EarWax crew dives into The Roots' "Things Fall Apart." Cody and Hilary touch on the Soulquarians, and the sessions that resulted in some of the most stunning work of this era. "Things Fall Apart" was the result of two batches of sessions - one a host of Philadelphia community members and friend so the group. The next at Electric Lady Studios, with folks like Lady B, Mos Def, and J Dilla in the room. "Things Fall Apart" i...

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74:15

Ep. 88: Willie Nelson - Shotgun Willie

EarWax ·

2025/04/10

Whiskey River take our minds right into one of the most consequential country records ever made! Cody and Hilary dig into "Shotgun Willie," the album that Willie considered as him "clearing his throat." With the man and the legend already firmly established with a handful of country standards under his belt, here the myth began. Nashville didn't understand him, so Willie headed to Austin to hang out with the weirdos and the hippies. There he found his place, got cozy, and proceeded to s...

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66:26

Ep. 87: Black Sabbath - Master of Reality

EarWax ·

2025/04/03

*cough cough cough cough* Bow down to the Lords of Darkness and the Gods of Heavy Metal - Black Sabbath! Cody and Hilary try and fail to approach Sabbath's "Master of Reality" with some semblance of restrain, but what are we really talking about? This record crushes from front to back. From the opening riff to the finality of Into the Void, Black Sabbath's third record set the template for stoner metal, doom metal, sludge metal, (insert adjective) metal. They are gods. They are Black Sa...

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70:48

Ep. 86: Garbage - Garbage

EarWax ·

2025/03/27

We're only happy when...we're covering a kick ass band and record like Garbage's self-titled! Hilary and Cody discuss the fascinating chemistry that was initially pitched (derisively) as "three producers and a girl." Hey, maybe that is true, but man does that combo rock. Granted, it helps when that girl is Shirley f'n Manson. Garbage crafted, or uncrafted, pop music. Deconstructed hooks pieced together to create a brilliant noise. Oh, and their first live show has a connection to Gwar... Than...

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70:35

Ep. 85: Mariah Carey - The Emancipation of Mimi

EarWax ·

2025/03/20

Bow at the feet of the Queen of the Divas - Mariah Carey! Cody and Hilary discuss "The Emancipation of Mimi," an album that was made after Mariah had taken a few personal and professional body blows. Being the champ she is, she took it all in, and spat it back in her critics' faces with a record that is equal parts vocal gymnastics lesson and absolute party. "The Emancipation of Mimi" is Mariah Carey shrugging off all the baggage, and deciding it's time to have fun while letting the haters kn...

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78:31

Ep. 84: BLACKPINK - The Album

EarWax ·

2025/03/13

Look at you, now look at us. How you like that? EarWax is going K-pop this week, and I don't know if we'll ever go back. Hilary and Cody cover BLACKPINK's appropriately-named "The Album." The system that has produced some of the biggest music in the world - the South Korean idol system - is a fascinating study in manufacturing celebrity. At its apex sit four women who have conquered the world, and this record was their international announcement that the top of the pops runs through Sou...

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68:15

Ep. 83: Blondie - Parallel Lines

EarWax ·

2025/03/06

"Blondie is a Group" was a pin campaign put together by Blondie's manager as a way to cover his own screwup by picking the iconic photo for this week's album - "Parallel Lines." (PS: It didn't work and he was fired shortly after. Oops.) We all know Blondie is a group, and we also know the core of Chris Stein and Debbie Harry have given us some absolute bangers. After two records, the label wondered how they could put this group of meddling kids (loosely defined) on the top of the charts. Thei...

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77:24

Ep. 82: Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman

EarWax ·

2025/02/27

The greats seize the moment, and Tracy Chapman did exactly that right after the release of her self-titled album, and the subject of this week's episode! Cody and Hilary discuss Tracy Chapman's journey to reluctant stardom. Never seeking anything more than to have her songs heard, this debut reflects the quiet confidence that draws so many to her work. "Fast Car" is legendary, "Talkin' Bout a Revolution" was a theme song for a literal revolution, and "Behind the Wall" is a devastating, gorgeo...

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64:41

Ep. 81: William Onyeabor - Who Is William Onyeabor?

EarWax ·

2025/02/20

Mysteries abound this week on EarWax! Never has "the man, the myth, the legend" rang truer than when we dive into "Who Is William Onyeabor?" A bizarre mix of funk, soul, and porto-techno, this record is a collection of songs pulled from Onyeabor's brief but prolific discography. His life and career remain largely enigmatic, due in no small part to his own efforts. We ask "why" and "how," because we want so badly to understand the context for which such forward-thinking music sprang. Ultimatel...

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79:22

Ep. 80: Digital Underground - Sex Packets

EarWax ·

2025/02/13

Peace, and humptiness forever! A mantra we should all do well to abide by. How about a little lumpy oatmeal and sort-of concept album this week? Digital Underground is just one of those groups that are okay being a little weird, a lot goofy, and very (oh so very) phonky. Shock G and dudes like Schmoovy Schmoov, Chopmaster J, and Money B all brought Parliament into hip-hop. Sex Packets is hyper horny, major vibes, and only kind of actually about sex packets, which may or may not be real. Ask N...

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74:29

Ep. 79: Billie Holiday - Lady in Satin

EarWax ·

2025/02/06

We all stand on the shoulders of giants, the ghosts of those that came before. But some shoulders carry more weight than others. Billie Holiday is a foundation upon which decades and generations of music has been built. Hilary and Cody discuss Lady Day's penultimate album "Lady in Satin." In many ways, it feels like this record is a metaphorical retelling of her own life. Struggle, hardship, perseverance, and victory, all blended up and poured out through that voice. She sounds different than...

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80:19

Ep. 78: Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting...

EarWax ·

2025/01/30

It's quite simple, really. Challenge authority, refuse to back down, and never be complacent. Dead Kennedys brings all of that to this week's episode of EarWax!Cody and Hilary discuss San Francisco's charged political history, and how folks who don't like power structures and institutions there are more than willing to turn out and turn up. In the middle of all the turbulence is the punk scene, and Dead Kennedys are the standard-bearers. Brash, uncompromising, and sharp as tacks, Fr...

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76:08

Ep. 77: Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison

EarWax ·

2025/01/23

Johnny Cash - the Man in Black - was almost more myth than man. But what it is undeniably true is the power of this week's record: At Folsom Prison.With his career hanging in the balance, Cash delivered a performance that deftly walked the line (pun fully intended) of addressing the harsh realities of his audience with moments of levity.Cash and the Tennessee Three are on fire, and the set lists contained timeless classics from his catalog to that point. And yet, the most storied track may be...

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72:46

Ep. 76: Parliament - Mothership Connection

EarWax ·

2025/01/16

Well alright, welcome to Groove U. This week's lesson is brought to you by the EarWax crew!Parliament's "Mothership Connection" is far out, in your face, uncut, from outer space, in the groove, and it'll make you move. With a cast of characters and lore galore, this record has cool to spare. George Clinton and Bootsy Collins are the most well-known of the P-Funk collective, and while their hands are absolutely all over this record, it is quite obviously a group effort.So let the funk was...

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72:39

Ep. 75: T. Rex - Electric Warrior

EarWax ·

2025/01/02

Glitter, vibes, and jams. EarWax grooves and bops into the new year with one of the pioneers of glam rock - T. Rex's "Electric Warrior".Cody and Hilary go back and forth over exactly how great Marc Bolan is as a vocalist (spoilers, he's AMAZING), and weave through the wandering story that brought us this album.At a time when people were looking around for what would come after the 60s, Marc Bolan stepped up, shook the lethargy out of the rock scene, and reminded folks just how fun and easy ro...

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