Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in Episode 175, no escape from Queen's sweeping hit record A Night At The Opera! From vaudevillian jaunts to space odysseys to the incomparable Bohemian Rhapsody, this ambitious album has a little bit of everything. We'll get into the band's dentist-approved origins and their genre-altering rise to fame before The Mixtaper baffles us with a tail of many cats, knitting needle creations, and secret swordfights. Whether you're in love with your car, searching for a Seaside Rendezvous, or with the love of your life you'll be in Good Company! Queen has chart records and recording revolutions galore... You don't want to miss this special episode.

It's time to get Good At Falling with the 2019 debut album from The Japanese House! After a long journey of anonymity and EPs under the mentorship of The 1975's Matty Healy, this indie pop record explores loneliness and dreams through vast soundscapes. As usual, We Talk All The Time as we learn about lilos, accidental catfishing, and party tricks. The Mixtaper will teach us what she really means when she says "I saw you in a dream," and we'll wash it down with a whopping glass of royal wine. Maybe Everybody Hates You. Maybe You're The Reason! Either way, we'll Seem So Happy as we explore this record. 

Hello, Darkness, my old friend.. This week we'll hear everything BUT the Sound Of Silence as we journey across a Bridge Over Troubled Water with Simon & Garfunkel! They wrote and recorded their final album while the breakup was imminent. We'll talk about this career retrospective and try to count all the times these childhood best friends quit speaking (spoiler alert, it's a LOT). Then the Mixtaper has a golden ticket as he takes us from Jasper and Jinx to a worldwide boycott! Learn about the Peruvian anthem Paul Simon accidentally stole, the tape recorder party that birthed Cecilia, and the hundred hours the duo poured into The Boxer with us!

IT'S HERE! The Mixtaper is back for the grand finale of Mixtober and he's got a playlist full of ANOTHER 13 Halloween songs to get you into the spirit of the season! They're not the best thirteen, they're just thirteen of the best! Play along as James tries to guess each song through cryptic clues from Spinny-taper. Can he solve the riddles? Has he even heard most of these songs? Put on your scariest costume, set out a bowl of your favorite candy, and get ready to celebrate with this seasonal special full of tricks and treats! Recorded live at twitch.tv/spinitpod!

Walk Away From The Sun and seethe into another Mixtober episode.. We're talking about Seether's monumental 2007 record Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces! It tackles Shaun "Cheerful" Morgan's breakup with singer Amy Lee as he grapples with the loss of his brother. We'll learn about Sarin Gas, meet Candace The Ghost, bless the rains (again), and find out what it truly means to seethe as we Breakdown this record. The Mixtaper's revved up and ready to send some sparks flying with a 6 Spun Quota. Find out if we can Rise Above This or if the whole episode was a Waste.

Calling All Phantogram fans! We're keeping Mixtober rolling with their 2016 album Three (or Ӡ if you're cool)! Their unique, shoegazey style of sample-laden dark electropop makes for a captivating backdrop for this record that's anything but the Same Old Blues. We'll explore Big Bois and sound toys, learn how to be the best a man can be, and figure out if hurt people hurt people. The Mixtaper will tell us all about his Bill Murray bender, and he needs an Answer. It used to take one, now it takes four... will Phantogram get us high anymore? And nevermind the Barking Dog... there's lions in here!!

Peel slowly and see what we have in store this week-- it's The Velvet Underground And Nico! What happens when experimentalists Lou Reed and John Cale join forces with eccentric pop artist Andy Warhol? Turns out they make one of the most influential and regarded cult classic records of the late '60s. Its raunchy, suggestive, and subversive lyrics kept them off the radio, but won over fans worldwide. We'll talk about their unusual origins and eventual disbanding. The Mixtaper reactivates our arachnophobia, bargains with art, and introduces us to a couple who can't seem to stick together. Run Run Run and check out this episode... we promise you'll still have time for All Tomorrow's parties! Happy Mixtober!! 

We'll take the Night Shift this week with Lucy Dacus' 2018 record Historian! This album explores the weighty emotions that come with the human condition, from finding purpose through the act of creating to facing death with courage. The Mixtaper is teaching us how to play with fire, singing to foliage, and shocking us with Fact Or Spin! Take care of you and yours, but me and mine are gonna fight time (even if it wins in a landslide). This is our THIRD episode to feature a solo album from a Boygenius member, so if you've got Addictions too, check out our episodes on Phoebe (105) and Julien (153) and choose your starter Pokemon!!

Yeah, boy!! Get some bass for your face this week with It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, the sophomore album from hip-hop pioneers Public Enemy! James & Connor will learn about Chuck D and Flavor Flav's moving van freestyles, Hank Shocklee's Bomb Squad and their iconic wall of noise, and more as we tackle exactly one hour of music. We'll find out what's on Channel Zero (shewatchshewatch), refuse to believe the hype, and learn about everything from dactylic hexameter to Caspar Milquetoast. The Mixtaper informs us on the personal life of Terminator X and Flavor Flav's contributions to sports, politics, and hotel lobbies... You're gonna have to listen to this one, because this time around the podcast will not be televised.

Ahoy! It's another Connor Pick, and he's taking us sailing on the seven seas with the self-titled debut of The Wellermen! Born from long-distance collaboration in the midst of a TikTok sea shanty craze, the group's signature deep bass folk style brings new life to 13 classics (although some are more classic than others)! After a shocking surprise reveal we'll learn their backstory and dive into songs that range from traditional Viking music and pirate shanties to Ed Sheeran chart-toppers and everything in between. The Mixtaper squares off against Connor again with facts about action figures, limos, alps, Donut Boy, and MUCH more in a historic Fact Or Spin first! Get ready to Hoist The Colors, sail her home to Mingulay, and raise a Parting Glass to The Wellermen! Soon may they come!

*We had a few minor audio capture issues for this one, but we've tried to edit around them as much as we can. Thanks for understanding! 

Well! Take a walk along the Green River with us as we cause a Commotion about Creedence Clearwater Revival's era-defining third album, and their second record in just under a year! We'll learn how the band Golliwogged and Gossamer Wumped their way into a record contract and how they slowly imploded under John Fogerty's scrutiny. The Mixtaper challenges our understanding of what's possible with questionable "facts" about allergies, the USSR, and a tense induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Behold what the Bad Moon Rising represents, learn how the Lodi locals feel about being stuck there, and find out the ill-fated fortune that put Fogerty in a Tombstone Shadow this week. CCR Wrote A Song For Everyone, so fire up this record, cite your sources, and Keep On Chooglin' (and Spinning) with the most accurate source of information on the internet!

SPIN IT BACKTRACKS: WILLY AND THE POOR BOYS

And we're free... Free Fallin' into another album this week with Tom Petty's most successful record Full Moon Fever! It was released as a solo project in 1989 at the height of his popularity and workload, and contains a handful of his greatest hits. We'll learn about the movie star encounter that sent him Runnin' Down A Dream, and cover everything from his petty (pun intended) squabbles with record labels to his time with The Travelling Wilburys. The Mixtaper shares how he got burnt out on tires, foiled foo, and met Bobby Hill during Fact Or Spin. From attempted arson to Grand Theft Auto VI trailers this episode is a Long Road, and we Won't Back Down. Just be prepared to ask for forgiveness.

Spin It is getting Splanky! We're talking about Big Band royalty, the one and only Count Basie! His 1958 instrumental record The Atomic Mr. Basie is the culmination of the talent of dozens of musicians and decades of bandleading experience. Find out how The Kid From Red Bank went from being the town's (second) best drummer to one of the genre's best pianists! On E=MC2, the Count joins arranger (and Batman theme song composer) Neal Hefti to create a pop-friendly swing record that holds tight to jazz tradition. Will they accomplish their goals? The Mixtaper teaches us about Spain, space, and a namesake kingdom that's 472,000,000 wide. Fight the Foo Birds, watch the Fantails, and hop along with Teddy The Toad as we give Basie a good ol' Double-O this week! And remember... it's all about the notes you DON'T play.

Come on, come on! We're Space Truckin' our way through prog metal this week with Machine Head from Deep Purple's Mark II. After a devastating casino fire ruined their plans (and inspired their biggest hit, Smoke On The Water) they created this album with a mobile studio truck in an empty hotel. We'll discover the interesting concept behind the band and their many members, become Highway Stars, and rock out to seven intense jam sessions from the world's certified loudest band! The Mixtaper's purple is deeper than usual with facts about Jesus, Judas, and a pair of semi-iconic performances that were real to the people. It's a perfect record for the Year Of Discovery.. If you like guitar solos, Hammond organs, and heavy metal, maybe this album's for you... or Maybe You're A Leo.

This week we Decide To Be Happy with SUPERBLOOM, the cathartic 19-track breakup pop album from MisterWives! Frontwoman Mandy Lee laments the end of an 8-year relationship and takes us Over The Rainbow with Wizard Of Oz references to explore the poppy fields in the desert and find growth in hardship. We head all the way to Rock Bottom before Coming Up For Air, but we never lose sight of the brass, funk, and creative arrangements that give MisterWives their groove. Mr. Mixtaper also has a series of facts about the noisiest man in the world, a mythical tome called the Encleanopedia, and confusing soups (with a fun minigame at the end)! Find out whywhywhy we give our scores! Whether you're Running In Place, Finding Your Way Home, or saying those 3 Small Words, SUPERBLOOM has a little something in store for you.

H to the Izzo, V to the Izzay! The Ruler's Back and this week it's a Jay-Z Takeover! James and Connor are heading to the Heart Of The City with Hov's legendary 2001 record The Blueprint. We'll cover young Shawn Carter's rise to the top, discuss his ambitious business ventures, and more as we learn about the feuds, friends, and experiences that inspired this album. The Mixtaper helps us see the world in proprietary Jay-Z Blue, hatch a dragon, and encounter Michael Jackson in the most unexpected places. No one can make a Song Cry quite like Small Hov, and no one can rank a Renegade like Spin It! Will pure exposure therapy and soul-infused hip-hop finally break through to Connor? Some things Never Change... but we better do something about that space shuttle.

It's another Birthday Episode! James and Connor (they used to call us Junebug and Jester) are talking about one of James' must-know albums: We All Want The Same Things, the third solo album from The Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn! His effortless worldbuilding introduces us to a whirlwind of characters who are down on their luck and looking for something to hope for. From the disorienting progress of Preludes to the sting of divorce in Be Honest, no stone is left unturned. The Mixtaper will wax poetic about Walt Whitman, spill the tea about teapots, and introduce us to a new (and impossible) birthday matching game! If you've never been to Chicago and you've got nothing going on tomorrow... maybe you can listen to this episode tonight. Sit back, relax, and widen out the angle for all of Craig Finn's Tracking Shots.

We're as smooth as Tennessee Whiskey this week and we've got Nobody To Blame but Chris Stapleton! His breakout 2015 record Traveller took the evolving country music scene by storm and skyrocketed this Kentucky songwriter to the top of the charts. He created this reflective, personal album with the help of his wife, friends, and long-time musical collaborators. With raw vocal power and neotraditional instrumentals, hits like Parachute and Fiiiiiire Away pack an unrivaled emotional punch. The Mixtaper will lead us on a fantastical journey through tales of miner music, TV show cameos, and stolen pizzas. From mandolins to harmonicas to a really cool cowboy hat, Stapleton and his music have it all... but can Traveller's greatest hits make up for its slowest moments? Give it a spin and see!

What a beautiful face we have found in this place.. it's the face of a tambourine! We're entering the Year Of Discovery on a strong note and talking about In The Aeroplane Over The Sea, the second and final album by the mysterious and eclectic Neutral Milk Hotel. This cult classic record is a sonic journey through Jeff Mangum's haunted carnival of lucid dreams and WWII imagery, with a little bit (lotta bit?) of Anne Frank sprinkled throughout. We'll explore goopy, disjointed lyrics, innovative distortion techniques, singing saws, and more as we head back to Holland, 1945. The Mixtaper is teaching us about donkey cheese and expensive chess in another installment of Foxtrot Oscar Sierra! From those red lips to the Two-Headed Boy, we hit it all this week! How strange it is to be anything at all, and this album might just be even stranger.

The Year Of Healing comes to a dramatic conclusion this week with Connor's riskiest pick yet: Endless Summer Vacation by Miley Cyrus! We talked about Plastic Hearts in Episode 20 (check it out!), and Connor's never forgiven James for his thoughts. In this episode we'll talk about what Miley's been up to over the last few years and then take on her first Grammy-winning record, from the "song of the summer" in Flowers to the synthscape of Handstand to the piano ballads like Wonder Woman. The Mixtaper has a lot to make up for too, and we help jog his failing memory as we try to end this year of Fact Or Spin in a 50/50 tie! Plus he has all new facts about tonsils, weddings, and balloon animals... with a twist that nobody saw coming. Maybe we Used To Be Young. Maybe James was Jaded, or Connor was looking through Rose Colored Lenses. Endless Summer Vacation is definitely a lot more mature and nuanced than the maximalist Plastic Hearts, but will it be enough for Connor to achieve his ultimate goal of landing an album in James' Top 100? Will we find the Violet Chemistry and finish the Year Of Healing fully healed? Find out!

Happy 4th Of July! We're celebrating ironically with Born In The U.S.A., the legendary seventh studio album by the pride of New Jersey, the Boss himself! Bruce Springsteen's iconic title track is one of the most misconstrued songs in popular music.. We'll get to the bottom of why it's so misunderstood and relive our Glory Days as we talk about the record's unique cassette demo origins! The Mixtaper is bringing No Surrender with REALLY old songs, a smelly duplex, and offspring-steen equestrians. It's an album full of compelling characters facing everyday life, told through powerful vocals and in memorable melodies. From the outskirts of Darlington County to a chain gang Working On The Highway, Born In The U.S.A. is sure to keep you Dancing In The Dark. (And if you're out there, Bobby Jean... The Boss has you on his mind!)

We're going down, down in an earlier round, and Sugar, We're Going Down spinning! This week we're talking about Fall Out Boy's quintessential 2005 pop-punk record From Under The Cork Tree! With hits like Dance, Dance and song titles longer than we can fit in the episode description, it's a great intro to the band that would go on to Save Rock And Roll. James & Connor talk about Fall Out Boy's history and make very persuasive arguments for their scores. Plus, The Mixtaper (real friend or sham friend?) is setting interview records, getting paid in pizza, and teaching us about anarchoprimitivism during Fact Or Spin! Of all the podcast feeds in all the world, you found this episode in yours. So douse yourself in cheap perfume and do it for the scars and stories.. we don't blame you for being you. Is it our Sophomore Slump, or could this be our Comeback Of The Year?

We're on a mission to learn about all the members of Boygenius, and this week we have a Ringside seat to Julien Baker's incisively personal third album Little Oblivions! You won't find many choruses, but you WILL find raw, honest lyrics that aren't just Crying Wolf. Tracks like Faith Healer, Heatwave, and Favor take us through her youth, anxieties, and experiences on a one-way musical journey with great instrumental breaks between verses. The Mixtaper has discovered Reddit, and he's casting a vote for Best Smile, Best Dancing Meme (young & sweet), and Greenest Hair! We also crown Spin It royalty with the coronation of our Pickle Queen!! It's a solid back-to-back-to-back-to-back album that you'll definitely add to your Highlight Reel and play on Repeat, Repeat, Repeat! 

You'll feel the earth move under your feet this week because You've Got A Friend in Carole King! We'll listen to her weave a Tapestry of self-love and heartache on her unprecedented 1971 sophomore album. She was already established as a hit songwriter; we'll talk about her early career and her breakout as a recording artist. The Mixtaper has another journey for us and Where He Leads, we will follow... even if that means facts about Gilmore Girls, her VERY loose ties to Otis Redding, or even reading the phone book‽‽ The whole album feels like a time capsule, like sitting around a piano listening to Carole King play these songs in her living room with Telemachus. Will it be a surefire winner? Can James call his shot in the Year Of Healing? (And if you DIDN'T want us to release this episode, well, It's Too Late, baby, it's too late... We really did try to make it.)

Don't you wanna get out of Cape Cod tonight? Take a look through a musical kaleidoscope with Vampire Weekend's self-titled 2008 debut, ranked among the best debut albums of all time! This vibey record kickstarted and pioneered a new subgenre. From a Columbia semi-secret society to the halls of a middle school and everywhere in between, learn about the creation of this scrapped screenplay-turned-album! We'll share our EXTENSIVE knowledge of vampires, Mansard Roofs, cod fishing, and the Oxford Comma. The Mixtaper is teaching us all about Parks & Rec's Rashida Jones and her boyfriend, both avid Vampire Weekend fans. And Connor will surprise us all with his judgement and a dark secret that may or may not be true... Listen along if you're not A-Punk!