The Long Play Podcast
Storytelling is essential to the human experience. Everyone has one. It’s in our very DNA; we are storied beings. It‘s no secret we are living in a single-driven music culture. In a medium once dominated by full length albums, we have seen a complete shift away from storytelling into on-demand music. Music labels control everything. In this money-driven industry, whoever can write the catchiest hook is the one who gets paid. We have lost touch with the holistic vision of the album as an art form. As of late, I believe we are seeing a humble resurgence of storytelling into music. This podcast exists to highlight these albums and investigate the stories they tell!
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Episodes
Friday Nov 19, 2021
Friday Nov 19, 2021
In our final episode, we explore deep space as we venture into the concept of the album as a fictional storytelling device, guided by Leonard, the Lonely Astronaut! We explore concepts of liminality in art, processing grief through time, and more as we wrap up our podcast with this 2012 album from Andrew Osenga!
Album: https://open.spotify.com/album/3i585YfnnHthiCukzpTaG2?si=hsdawO4cT_Kk6yzvYBfCZg
Source: https://rabbitroom.com/2012/04/leonard-the-lonely-astronaut-blasts-off/
Friday Nov 12, 2021
Friday Nov 12, 2021
In this week's episode we venture into the world of hip-hop and rap as we investigate Propaganda's 2012 album "Excellent." We discuss moral decay, artistic excellence, and "art for art's sake."
Album: https://open.spotify.com/album/10pO5OwuUCPSl755Itk2YX?si=x2a4tbiuTUaS8IPT4UxzXQ
Source: https://genius.com/2527494?
Friday Nov 05, 2021
Friday Nov 05, 2021
In this week's episode, we dive into the beautiful album She Waits by husband and wife duo, Dave and Licia Radford (The Gray Havens). We Investigate what it means for the album to be used as a conduit of hope!
Album: https://open.spotify.com/album/1k2TfoQgjRJcpQNSDj3y4I?si=fj40MTY6RlWktI0yIHyGzQ
Friday Oct 29, 2021
Friday Oct 29, 2021
Friday Oct 29, 2021
This week we dive into one of the most well timed releases of an album as we cap off our investigation of the album as a form of activism with 2020's Suite No. 2 from The Brilliance. We discuss themes of cultural hubris and internet toxicity! Listen to see how this New-York-based duo takes on Big Tech and advocates for an epistemology of humility and love!
Album: https://open.spotify.com/album/1WIu8C4I4thtDIbEVM6kLK?si=yc5eJSRiTVO8FbDNDFoBRw
Friday Oct 22, 2021
Friday Oct 22, 2021
In this episode we go back in time to see "what's going on" in 1971 (Pun intended)! We touch on the beginning of albums as activism and reflect on the legacy of Marvin Gaye's timeless album What's Going On!
Album: https://open.spotify.com/album/2v6ANhWhZBUKkg6pJJBs3B?si=mcm1tXS2R56XYApVE0s0BA
Source: https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2021/03/01/marvin-gaye-whats-going-on
Friday Oct 15, 2021
Friday Oct 15, 2021
Today we dive further into albums as forms of activism through Jordy Searcy's 2018 debut album! We highlight the differing ways empathy is employed by songwriters to serve different purposes!
Album Link: https://open.spotify.com/album/0L9K2iqQGwfEhY96aHDiUB?si=66QLndpxTMCd6wsWBqpEOw
Friday Oct 08, 2021
Friday Oct 08, 2021
What does it mean for the album to be a form of activism? That's what we explore in this episode highlighting this beautiful 2018 album from The Brilliance!
Album: https://open.spotify.com/album/2pH4edQP8K4fqbt3Fce09W?si=WgkaCFJKSwWcqJpPchkn4A&dl_branch=1
Source: https://thebrilliancemusic.bandcamp.com/album/suite-no-1-oh-dreamer
Friday Oct 01, 2021
Friday Oct 01, 2021
In this episode, we dive into this couple-duo's latest album! In addition to unpacking what it looks like to press on towards hope in the midst of doubt, we take a step back to discuss some of the themes we have seen recurring throughout the first few episodes!
Album link: https://open.spotify.com/album/6wwZeWMr2CpE1oUAitLs4G?si=lDKBg680RQCQQqEM3Bs1ZA&dl_branch=1
Friday Sep 24, 2021
Friday Sep 24, 2021
We dive into Judah and the Lion's "Pep Talks"
Album: https://open.spotify.com/album/5CuJb813nzBM4FMfTNByH9?si=h_JvUFxuSqG-PVfO9YksyQ&dl_branch=1
Source: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1qmIzp1pwWs6VLIysQyuyd?si=cYwPujZFShiEp_G9oJsIFQ&dl_branch=1