Alive, or Just Blethering

Do you remember the first time you heard the infectious hardcore riffs, coupled with sing-along lyrics and gang chants for days? Lav does, and this was where it all began. 2005's 'Wake The Dead', the second studio album from Canadian hardcore punkers, Comeback Kid. Join us as we talk about a very influential album on his journey as a spritely 19 year old and see where it leads!

This weeks episode is one far from the beaten track of this (mostly) rock and metal podcast. Lav brings us 1996's 'Richard D James album', by Aphex Twin. Don't let the hypnotic yet heavy dance beats fool you, there's a dark side in much of this album and it must have left an impression on Lav's tastes to be talking about the album almost two decades later. Join us as Keith gets flashbacks of the Windowlicker video and scratches his head how anyone could enjoy this well structured and beautiful noise. 

As another aside from our usual rock and metal discussions, this week Keith brings 'Hello Nasty', the 5th studio album from the 'Boys Entering Anarchistic States Towards Inner Excellence' also known as the 'Beastie Boys'. This 1998 album represented a high point in their career and clearly left an impression on our Keith, after he stole it from his brothers CD collection. 

And Now for Something Completely Similar! Another episode of Alive or Just Blethering where this time Lav takes us to the skate punk pioneers that is San Francisco's 'NOFX' and their 8th studio album 'Pump Up The Valuum'. After dabbling in the cheery pop punk tones of Blink-182, Green Day, New Found Glory and Less Than Jake, imagine your brain when you discover NOFX. Join us as Keith wants to chop off his own ears while Lav also gets side tracked into a 10 minute conversation about Japanese anime.... never a dull moment on AOJB! 

This week we have Paul Walsh as a special guest, who brings us 'The Remote Part' by Idlewild. Their 3rd studio album which took a distinct turn to becoming the anthemic and radio friendly rock album that thrust them (almost) to the top of the UK album chart.

Join us as we look back to 2002 where we each discovered this album in our own ways, whether that be channel hopping through the music channels to going on holiday without any CDs.

Disclaimer: Due to some technical difficulties, the audio quality of this recording may be lower than usual. Thanks to Keith for for picking up the pieces. 

Keith is winding the clock back to 1998 with 'Americana', the fifth studio album from California punk-rockers 'The Offspring'. The songs from this album were worldwide smash hits and well and truly thrust the band into the mainstream. 

Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter @aojbpodcast and let us know what you think!

What happens when a nu-metal band misses the fad by a bawhair, and needs to reinvent itself to remain relevant? You get the groove metal infused riffs of Chimairas second studio effort, 'The Impossibility of Reason'. Has time been kind to this album, or will it remain forever in its 2004 purgatory? Listen in and find out!

On 18th January 2022, Buffalo hardcore band Every Time I Die, unceremoniously called it a day. After over two decades of nigh-on flawless albums and songs, the band broke up within a barrage of finger pointing and in-fighting. A truly iconic band who had organically built a loyal and devoted following, their break-up left many feeling empty and confused.

In this special episode, along with our friend Craig Russell, we are going to talk about the band, their discography and what they meant to us over the last 20 years. It's an emotional one, come join us as we decay with the boys.

We are fully into to the swing of 2004, and our music taste just keeps getting heavier! Keith brings us Caliban's fourth studio effort, and first on Roadrunner Records, 'The Opposite From Within'. Germany's answer to Killswitch Engage definitely opened our eyes to another level of metal at the time, but how much does that reflect in the music we listen to today? Listen in to find out!

Happy new year! Welcome back to Alive, or Just Blethering. And where else to start but 2004's influential and iconic 'Waking The Fallen' by Avenged Sevenfold. Their second studio album but the first to officially feature the talent of Synyster Gates. Come take a trip down memory lane and relive the album that for some, started it all.

As 2021 draws to a close, we have picked their top 5 albums from the ones discussed this year. So, which ones do you think left an impression, rekindled our love or completely changed our opinions on? Join us for our end of year special and find out!

We have a very special guest for a very special album, as we discuss the third studio album 'Follow The Leader' from the godfathers of nu-metal, KoRn. 

Does this album need any more of an introduction? We don't think so.

Taking you back to 2004, Keith brings  the fifth* studio album by Orange County metal-ers Eighteen Visions to the table for discussion. This is an album Keith has wanted to talk about since we first discussed starting a podcast, and it has a legacy for both of us, as unbeknown to us at the time, it was the first time we both likely crossed paths in the same venue.

So how does the album hold up in 2021? Will we be listening to Eighteen Visions again in the future?

Here, Lav serves up a dosage of 'experimental metal' with the 2003 debut from British Prog band 'SikTh'. It's undeniable this band and the sounds they created went on to influence some of the biggest metal acts in the mid-2010's, so were they before their time? Were people just not ready for the frankly bonkers sounds created for this album? Join us as we explore this wild one and realise just how deep this rabbit hole goes. 

Episode 26 and Keith brings the third studio album from Chicago punk rockers, Rise Against, and their 2004 release "Siren Song Of The Counter Culture". An album we both remember fondly as a soundtrack to your late-teenage years playing Playstation 2 and it's presence in games like Need For Speed Underground 2 and Burnout 3. Come join in for the nostalgia and reminisce of a time when Life was a lot Less Frightening.

For our 25th episode Lav brings "Watch Out!", the second studio album by Canadian post-hardcore outfit 'Alexisonfire' released in 2004. Join us to find out how we both discovered Alexisonfire, and how our very different journey's have left us with differing opinions on the band and their material. 

What was your favourite Alexisonfire album? How long should we wait till the next one!?

Join us in this episode as we talk about Wilmington, North Carolina's 'He Is Legend', and their debut album 'I am Hollywood'. With one of us never listening to this until now, and the other finding it to tick many, many boxes, this episode see s us comparing it favourably to so many other bands and albums of the time, but perhaps not having the same longevity. Listen in to find out more!

It's hard to convey how influential Texan band At The Drive-In's 2000 album 'Relationship of Command' really is, at least, that's what Lav thinks. Join us as we discuss the band and the album that was making all the sounds and statements that influenced an entire generation of post-hardcore. Whether it be 'Biffy Clyro' in Scotland to 'Touche Amore' in LA, so many artists in today's music can thank 'At the Drive-In' for making the mould.

Another episode where we couldn't just pick one album, so instead we discuss the whole lot! From Self-titled debut to their final swan song Renegades. 

Joined by our special guest Gary Clinton (professional composer), we talk about how Rage Against The Machines 4 studio albums left a lasting impression on all of us; from the music we learned to play on guitar and bass, our music tastes at the time, through to the music we listen to today. 

Blink-182's Untitled album is Keirs choice for this weeks episode, originally released in 2003, an album with some iconic Blink-182 tracks and a defining moment in their careers. 

Join us as Keir takes us into the gritty details of this album, as we discover what sets this apart from all other releases.

Our 20th episode, and Keith takes us into '36 Crazyfists' second major label studio album 'A Snow Capped Romance', released in 2004. A nostalgic pleasure, or an outdated throwback? Come join us as we explore this album, the bands it lead us to, and the place this band holds in our memories. 

Join us as we discuss an album, absolutely oozing with nostalgia for one of us; Reuben's 2004 debut album 'Racecar Is Racecar Backwards'. An album that came out during a transitional time for both of us, as we flowed between nu-metal, emo, hip-hop, metalcore and beyond. What was the journey to this album, and where did it take us afterwards? Listen in to find out more. 

We are joined by our good friend and producer Jamie Turnbull to talk about two very influential British emo acts from the early 2000's; Hell Is For Heroes and Hundred Reasons. Two bands of similar origins taking two very different paths, and now both reunited and touring together!

Thanks everyone for listening so far. Please continue to like and share our posts to spread the word!

Keith delivers a curve ball and we veer into DJ Format's first studio album 'Music for the Mature B-Boy'. In the episode, we discuss our experiences dabbling in the genre all those years ago and how this has changed our perceptions of the music we listen to, and perhaps encouraged us to venture out of the comfort blanket of the rock/metal we listened to mostly, at the time. So grab yourself a plate of bacon, eggs and chips, smack your lips, and see if there's something you don't know. 

With our special guest Toni Martone, founder of Scottish indie label 'Wasted State Records', we take a look back on the 2nd studio album by US desert rockers Queens of the Stone Age, 'Rated R'. Widely regarded as their breakthrough album, listen in to find out why this album was picked by Toni and how QOTSA stood out amongst the noise of brit-pop in the UK, and post-grunge in the states. Also, find out how to pronounce Josh Homme's name correctly. 

Episode 12 see's us go back to 2001 and discuss the fourth studio album by Arizona's Jimmy Eat World 'Bleed American'. Listen in to discover more about the albums creation and the journey of the band up to that point. Now 20 years later, how has this album gone on to influence the 2010's emo revival and other pop punk efforts? Listen in to find out how the band and producer Mark Trombino worked as equals to make this landmark album, and also find out why the album had the eponymous title 'Jimmy Eat World' for 7 years. 

Here we are continuing our ever growing emo streak and take a look back on the fondly remembered 'What It Is To Burn', the debut album by Finch. How does it stack up against the other albums from it's day, and what about in 2021? Listen in to find out what we thought!

In this episode of Alive or Just Blethering, Keith discusses Morning View, the fourth studio album released by alt-rockers Incubus in 2001. Join us as we look back on this well respected work that could be the peak for some listeners, and just the beginning for others. Listen in to find out where we stand on this album in 2021!

In this episode of Alive or Just Blethering, Chris brings Golden State to the table, the fourth studio album released by British rockers 'Bush' in 2001. 

Join us as we learn how on earth, and importantly why, this album could mean anything to anyone in 2001, and does it hold up at all in 2021? 

Listen in to find out more!

In this episode of Alive or Just Blethering, we discuss our experiences and memories of Satellite, the fourth album released by P.O.D. in 2001. Does the bands faith influence the albums message? How relevant are the lyrics in 2021, and would it be any different it were written today? Listen in to find out more.

In this episode of Alive or Just Blethering, we discuss our experiences and memories of Significant Other, the second album released by Limp Bizkit in 1999. How did Significant Other  stack up to other Limp Bizkit releases and what influence did this leave on the Nu Metal genre? Listen in to find out more.

In this episode of Alive or Just Blethering, we discuss our experiences and memories of White Pony, the third album released by Deftones in 2000. How did White Pony compare with the albums that came before, and after? Does Keith still dislike Deftones? Listen in to find out more.

In this episode of Alive or Just Blethering, we discuss our experiences and memories of Infest, the sophomore album released by Papa Roach in 2000. How did Papa Roach form and get their first major label to sign them? Will you listen to and enjoy Infest in 2021? Listen in to find out more.