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PODCAST

Strong Songs

Music: it"s good. On each episode of Strong Songs, host Kirk Hamilton takes listeners inside a piece of music, breaking it down and figuring out what makes it work.

music music commentary

All Episodes

00:53:20

Story of a Session Guitarist, with Andrew Synowiec

Strong Songs ·

2022/02/25

You might not know Andrew Synowiec's name, but chances are you've heard his guitar playing. Heck, chances are you heard his guitar playing this week.Synowiec makes his living as an LA session guitarist, with a list of credits as long as the California coastline. Among those credits: you can hear him on the score for pretty much every recent Disney film (Frozen, CoCo, Zootopia), as well superhero flicks like Logan and Spider-Man: Far From Home, TV shows like The Simpsons and The Good Place, as well

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00:55:18

Strong Covers, Vol. 2

Strong Songs ·

2022/02/11

Three different artists! Three different covers! Of songs by one beloved band!On the second edition of "Strong Covers," we're digging into covers of three Beatles classics: Earth, Wind & Fire's maximalist remake of "Gotta Get You Into My Life," Ray Charles' saucy reimagining of "Eleanor Rigby," and Bobby McFerrin's delicate recitation of "Blackbird." Come for the English-accented rhyme schemes, stay for the impeccable voice leading.Covered (lol) on this episode:"Gotta Get You Into My Life" by Paul

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00:50:48

Funky Drummers, Cheap Guitars & Sting

Strong Songs ·

2022/01/28

What do George Michael, Nicki Minaj, Ed Sheeran, and the Powerpuff Girls have in common?The answer, as you'll learn on this episode, is a funk drumming legend named Clyde Stubblefield. We'll also talk about flipped drum beats, Sting's taste for syncopation, the differences between cheap and expensive musical instruments, how to tell a bridge from a prechorus, the power of a four-note motif, the unexpected places you can find songwriting inspiration, and Muse's subtle hat-tip to a George Michael

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00:42:33

"Blood and Thunder" by Mastodon

Strong Songs ·

2022/01/14

White! Whale! Holy! Grail!Strong Songs kicks off year four by getting H-E-A-V-Y, with an analysis of Mastodon's "Blood and Thunder." Pass straight past the Mellow Meadows, through the Forests and the Foothills of Rock, and see if you can reach the summit of Hard Mountain. The view from up there is amazing.Written by: MastodonAlbum: Leviathan, 2004Listen/Buy on all platforms via SongwhipOUTRO SOLOIST: Kirk HamiltonKirk is the host of Strong Songs, and he's been having a lot of fun with the guitar

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00:46:40

Year Three, In Review

Strong Songs ·

2021/11/17

Kirk takes a look back at the many musical memories of Strong Songs Year Three.Year Three is over, and it's time to revisit the songs analyzed, the questions answered, and the interviewees interviewed. SCHEDULING NOTE: The show will be off for December, and will return for Year Four in January 2022. 2022! Feels weird to type that out.SONGS DISCUSSED:"Space Oddity" by David Bowie from David Bowie, 1969"Starman" by David Bowie from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars,

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00:55:58

Singing Like A Star, with Eric Vetro

Strong Songs ·

2021/11/10

What do Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes, John Legend, and Katy Perry have in common? They all study with Eric Vetro, one of the most in-demand vocal coaches in the world.On this bonus episode, Kirk sits down with Vetro to talk about his fascinating job, how to build good habits for a strong voice, and the art and discipline (and diet!) of professional singing.CHECK OUT ERIC'S PODCAST!Eric has a fantastic new podcast called Backstage Pass with Eric Vetro, where he sits down with his superstar students to

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00:59:59

Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense

Strong Songs ·

2021/11/03

What is this, a film podcast?? It's time for something a little different, as Kirk puts down his record player and climbs onstage for Jonathan Demme and Talking Heads' classic 1984 concert film Stop Making Sense. It's a tour through the first hour of the film, from "Heaven" to "Burning Down the House" to "Once in a Lifetime," with some quick stops along the way.Songs by: Talking Heads (David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison)Featuring: Steve Scales (Percussion), Lynn Mabry and

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01:04:23

Metroid Music, Bond Themes & Jazz Philosophy

Strong Songs ·

2021/10/20

Polish your reading glasses and pour a cup of tea - it's time for a Strong Songs mailbag!On the last Q&A episode of year three, Kirk answers questions on Metroid meter, mystery Bond instruments, (more) Tuvan throat singing, how to count odd meters like The Terminator theme, actors who pretend to play instruments, and how to define a musical "work," even if the work in question is improvised.REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:“Wishing” by John Frusciante from The Will to Death, 2004“Super Metroid Theme” by

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00:55:42

"Love Will Never Do (Without You)" by Janet Jackson

Strong Songs ·

2021/10/06

They said it couldn't last, so we had to prove them wrong... by making an episode of Strong Songs all about Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis.It's time to go back to the late 80s, when New Jack Swing was all the rage and a budding superstar named Janet sat down with a pair of Minneapolis producers named Jimmy and Terry to produce some of the most groundbreaking pop music of the decade. This episode takes a look at "Love Will Never Do (Without You)," one of the most complex of their

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00:55:09

"September" by Earth, Wind & Fire

Strong Songs ·

2021/09/21

Ba de ya! Say that you remember! Ba de ya! Dancing in September! Ba de yah! Musical analysiiiis!It's finally time for Strong Songs to take on one of the strongest bands of all, the great Earth, Wind & Fire. In honor of September 21, Kirk does a deep dive on EWF's timeless tribute to the end of summertime - those layered grooves, those funky bass parts, and those glossy, effortless vocals.Written by: Maurice White, Al McKay & Alee WillisProduced by: Maurice WhiteAlbum: The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire

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01:01:24

Clave, Chorus & "Careless Whisper"

Strong Songs ·

2021/09/08

Well, look at that - it's a mailbag episode! Kirk answers your questions on Bo Diddley, Minecraft, The Supremes, chorus guitar, XTC, Parquet Courts, and the mystery of the "Careless Whisper" sax solo.REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:“Wake Up” by XTC from The Big Express, 1984“Waterfall” and “Don’t Stop” by The Stone Roses from The Stone Roses, 1989“The Mind Electric” by Miracle Musical from Hawaii: Part II, 201“Minecraft” by C418, 2009The Minecraft episode of Twenty Thousand Hertz:

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00:59:19

"Fingertips" by They Might Be Giants

Strong Songs ·

2021/08/25

Kirk picks apart not one, not two, but twenty one micro-songs by the great They Might Be Giants.What's that blue thing doing here? Who's knocking on the wall? And for that matter, who's that standing out the window? It's time to answer those questions and many more, as Kirk delves into The Might Be Giants' singular collection of mini-songs, "Fingertips." It's a stylistic smorgasbord of sound, with everything from jazz to rock to lounge to... honestly, genre doesn't exist and "Fingertips" proves it

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00:56:19

"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" by Billy Joel

Strong Songs ·

2021/08/11

A bottle of red... a bottle of white... whatever kind of mood you're in, we're talking Billy Joel tonight!Pull up a table and join Kirk for a long look into one of Joel's most enduring songs, the seven-and-a-half minute, five course musical meal that is "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant." The centerpiece on Joel's breakthrough 1977 album The Stranger, Italian Restaurant has got it all: schmaltzy sax, hard rock rhythms, love, heartbreak, and a pair of harmonized clarinets. Written by: Billy

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01:15:20

The Producer's Philosophy, with Brian Bender

Strong Songs ·

2021/07/28

Kirk sits down with producer, composer, and master mixer Brian Bender to talk about the state of the recording art.Brian Bender has been making records since the early 2000s, from slinging cable at legendary NY spots like Electric Lady and the Hit Factory to running his own studio, The Motherbrain, in Los Angeles. He’s worked with countless artists and worked on dozens of films and TV shows. He’s also the guy who taught Kirk how to play Street Fighter back in grade school.On this episode, Kirk

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01:18:13

The Music All Around Us, with Imogen Heap

Strong Songs ·

2021/07/14

On this episode, Kirk sits down for a conversation with composer, singer, and music technologist Imogen Heap.The two talk about the creative process, live performance in the pandemic age, the shifting relationship between artist and audience, the process of developing new music technology, several of Heap's ambitious musical projects, and of course, her song "Hide and Seek," which was the subject of an episode of Strong Songs earlier this year.REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:Imogen Heap's App, home of

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01:00:47

Strong Covers, Vol. 1

Strong Songs ·

2021/06/30

It's time for Strong Songs to talk about some Strong Covers! On this episode, Kirk tackles four famous covers, comparing each with the original while trying to suss out what makes a great cover in the first place. Covered (heyo) on this episode:"Respect" by Otis Redding, as covered by Aretha Franklin in 1967"Satisfaction" by Jagger/Richards, as covered by Devo on Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, 1978"Mad World" by Roland Orzabal/Tears for Fears, as covered by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules for

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00:55:44

Ska Horns & Madonna Melodies

Strong Songs ·

2021/06/16

Mailbag time! We've got listener questions about Madonna earworms, National piano parts, Breath of the Wild music, online vocal teachers, the French horn, The Lemon Twigs, and much more. REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:“Mira, Royal Detective Theme” by Matthew Tishler and Jeannie Luriem 2020“Open Your Heart” by Madonna from True Blue, 1986“Fake Empire” by The National from Boxer, 2007“Wind Waker Theme” by Koji Kondo from The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, 2002“The Legend of Zelda Theme” by Koji Kondo from

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00:59:42

"You've Got a Friend" by Carole King

Strong Songs ·

2021/06/02

Winter, spring, summer, or fall... all you have to do is call, and Strong Songs will be there with an in-depth analysis of one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th century.This episode takes a deep dive into Carole King's ever enduring, much-covered tribute to friendship, "You've Got a Friend." What starts in Laurel Canyon in the early 70s spread outward to the world, thanks to King's revolutionary 1971 album Tapestry. 50 years later, those songs are still with us, and "You've Got a

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00:56:45

"New Born" and "Micro Cuts" by Muse

Strong Songs ·

2021/05/19

Link it to the world, link it to yourself, link it to your podcast app, because it's time to talk about Muse.Kirk takes a deep dive into not one but two songs off of Muse's seminal 2001 album Origin of Symmetry: "New Born," which kicks the album off with a strong pop-rock approach, and "Micro Cuts," a mid-album high point that shows off their more eclectic influences. It's time for some contrapuntal harmony mixed with some good old fashioned blues riffs, and a lot of guitar fuzz on top.Written by:

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00:33:57

"Nessun dorma" by Giacomo Puccini (Aria Code)

Strong Songs ·

2021/05/14

The fine folks at WNYC's fabulous opera podcast Aria Code recently reached out about doing a cross-promotion with Strong Songs, and now here we are, running an episode of their show in the Strong Songs feed.If you enjoy it, you should definitely go check out the show - Aria Code is very easy to find on all major podcast platforms.ORIGINAL SHOW NOTES (via Aria Code)Aired: March 10, 2021Sometimes, the only thing that gets us through the darkest moments is knowing that the sun will rise again on a new

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