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Music criticism programming for people who love music!
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Whether you're an expert, or just a casual fan, *Sound Opinions* is your source for smart and engaging music criticism and conversation. Each week on the show, nationally respected rock critics and interview artists, talk about pop culture and music industry news, review new record releases and give trends a historical context. And, because on *Sound Opinions*, "everyone's a

critic," listeners are invited to join in the debate.

*Sound Opinions* is distributed nationally by [{tag: PRX}](http://www.prx.org/soundopinions/). *Sound Opinions* can be heard on stations across the country and online at SoundOpinions.org.

12/19/2024

📣 Greg releases his widely anticipated “Best Albums of 2024" list. Thoughts on his selection?

Listen to the breakdown here: https://bit.ly/3ZHWHkP

12/17/2024

Jim can't decide if he loves or hates a song by an odd LA folky pop-band. Listen to the one-hit wonder and tell us if it's more love or hate: https://apple.co/4ggqKr7

12/13/2024

Jim plays "Track 4" by Mania D, an all-female group formed in the late '70s in west Berlin. He highlights key member Gudrun Gut, who went on to form Monika Enterprises, which put out more than 80 records over 40 years of weird music from underground Germany: https://apple.co/3OQ6Qaj

12/10/2024

Greg decides to call our Sound Opinions best-of lists what they really are: a ranking of personal favorites. "We're not looking for consensus, we're aiming for a sense of what music each of us loves the most. It can’t possibly be definitive."

Read all about Greg's ranking process: https://bit.ly/41rrbdi

12/09/2024

It’s been 40 years since Prince released his psychedelic soul masterpiece, "Purple Rain." Jim and Greg revisit their classic album dissection for this iconic LP’s anniversary: https://bit.ly/3VnXCpi

12/06/2024

Greg digs up a Belgian pop song from 1969 that connects Tchaikovsky, The Beta Band, Guru, Portishead and Isaac Hayes: https://apple.co/4fXUCZa

12/04/2024

Jim shares a Swedish dance-pop song with a little bit of Chilean spicing for all the one-hit wonder fans. "This song 'Above The Candy Store' sounds like perfect bubble gum, as so much music out of Sweden tends to, but it is about being a drug addict.”

Listen to the full bonus episode: https://apple.co/412PUEE

12/02/2024

Jim and Greg talk with Jason Narducy and Tracey Bradford of Verböten, a band from Chicago’s early ‘80s punk rock scene who recently reformed and released their debut album. They also review new albums from The Cure, Amyl and The Sniffers and Tyler, The Creator: https://bit.ly/3V0UaAT

11/25/2024

Greg writes about Verböten - the band that wouldn't die.

"It was fun, but never meant to last, and after 15 months the band members went their separate ways. That all changed in 2013 when Dave Grohl gave Verböten a shout-out as an early inspiration in his HBO documentary mini-series “Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways.”

👉 Read more here: https://bit.ly/4fFyxhB

11/22/2024

What track brings back your best memory of the great Quincy Jones?

Jim and Greg pay tribute to the late legend who died November 3 at age 91. They revisit their interview with Jones and Greg plays a deep cut track that Quincy arranged featuring a baseball icon.

👉 Listen now: https://apple.co/3YSsBKY

11/21/2024

Jim writes about one of the richest musical cultures we’ve ever celebrated on Sound Opinions, as our guide Lior Phillips leads us through the unique rhythms and melodies of South Africa. 🇿🇦

Read more about how music has been used as a force for connection and positive change: https://bit.ly/3AP2psO

11/15/2024

What are you top 9 favorite R.E.M. albums?

Greg went back and listened to the entire collection for a fresh perspective on their work and writes about which LPs held up the best. Read more about his personal favorites: https://bit.ly/3YHfjAU

11/14/2024

Jim and Greg share their personal experiences as fans and rock critics of R.E.M. and how the band shifted in their eyes over the years. Biographer Peter Ames Carlin joins them to share his take on the band and their legacy in conversation as well: https://bit.ly/3UQGKav

11/12/2024

Greg shares a 17-minute song, or in his words "experience," that has resonated with him since his seventh grade arts teacher first introduced it. Listen to Greg advocate for the crucial need for arts teachers in schools to "blow young minds": https://apple.co/40IPfrV 🎨🥁🎭

11/11/2024

We were thinking this might be a low-key acoustic gig but Umphrey's McGee amped things up for the faithful and "Sound Opinions" at the Goose Island Pub at the Salt Shed. See the band rip it up on "Cut the Cable."

11/08/2024

For all our listeners who missed it -- watch Umphrey's McGee perform "Cut The Cable" live on Sound Opinions at the Goose Island Salt Shed Pub: https://bit.ly/48I1GpH

11/05/2024

Jim writes about how the punk-rock underground often gets credit for operating outside the traditional restraints of the music business as usual, treating fans less like a customer base to be exploited than as a community to be nurtured and celebrated. He argues jam bands often set the model in this regard, starting with the grandaddy of them all, the Grateful Dead.

🔗 Read more: https://bit.ly/4ee9TDw

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