Oasis are back on a massive reunion tour, so we went back to the album that made them stadium legends: (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?

In this episode of Playback, Nate and Brandon dig into how this record actually holds up in 2020s headphones. We talk about the songwriting, the wall-of-guitars production, Noel vs Liam dynamics, Britpop history, and whether Morning Glory is truly a masterpiece or just a very good time capsule. We also put it in context with the Oasis reunion and how these songs hit now.

In this episode:

– Track-by-track highlights (“Hello,” “Roll With It,” “Wonderwall,” “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” “Champagne Supernova” and more)

– How the guitar tones, chords and arrangements do more work than people give them credit for

– Britpop, class, swagger, and why Oasis blew up the way they did

– Our honest answer: does Morning Glory still deserve its legendary status?

🔊 Support & follow Playback:

• Patreon – bonus episodes & ad-free audio

• Bandcamp – our original music as Black Market Dub

• Escape Hatch Records – label family & collaborations

• Instagram – clips and episode updates

Chapters:

00:00 (Intro and First Impressions)

00:26:52 (Britpop and Oasis in the 90s)

00:46:41 (Music Analysis)

01:36:56 (Standout Songs)

02:01:37 (Favorite/Best and Hot Takes)

02:16:53 (Final Thoughts and Spoilers for Succession lol) F

or Further Study: Oasis: Supersonic https://tubitv.com/movies/100038702/oasis-supersonic

Ween fans, this one’s for you. In this episode of Playback, Nate and Brandon are joined by comedian and podcaster Kyle Clark (This Is Rad) to dive into The Mollusk, Ween’s watery, proggy, sea-shanty psych masterpiece.

We talk about why this record has such a cult following, how tightly written and arranged it actually is under all the goofiness, and what makes Ween so good at jumping genres without losing their identity. From maritime prog to fake folk, from heavy riffs to bizarre character voices, The Mollusk has it all.

In this episode:

– Track and moment highlights across The Mollusk

– How the band builds a whole underwater world with harmony, sound design and lyrics

– Why this might be Ween’s most complete “album-album”

– Kyle’s perspective as a lifelong Ween fan and host of This Is Rad

🔊 Support & follow:

• Playback on Patreon – bonus episodes & ad-free audio

• Black Market Dub on Bandcamp – our original music

• Escape Hatch Records – label family & collabs

• Kyle’s podcast: This Is Rad (wherever you get podcasts)

Chapters:

00:00 (Intro and History of WEEN)

00:48:06 (The Mollusk)

01:30:23 (Standout Songs)

01:58:46 (Favorite/Best and Hot Takes)

02:12:57 (Final Thoughts)

02:21:49 (Kyle Clark plugs)

Parliament at peak powers. In this episode we dive into Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome, the 1977 P-Funk classic where George Clinton turns a whole philosophy of funk vs. “placebo” disco and consumerism into a wild concept album.

We talk about the P-Funk mythology (Sir Nose d’Voidoffunk, the Placebo Syndrome, the idea of funk as real life-force), how this ties together tracks like “Bop Gun (Endangered Species),” “Sir Nose d’Voidoffunk,” “Wizard of Finance,” “Funkentelechy,” “Placebo Syndrome” and of course “Flash Light,” with Bernie Worrell’s legendary synth-bass line.

In this episode:

– What the “placebo syndrome” actually is in the context of P-Funk

– How Parliament use groove, chants and comedy to talk about consumer culture

– Why Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome is one of the most important funk records of the ’70s

– How this album fits into the larger P-Funk universe and Parliament’s run of classics.

🔊 Support & follow:

• Patreon – bonus episodes & ad-free audio

• Black Market Dub on Bandcamp – our original music

• Escape Hatch Records – label family & collaborations

• Instagram – clips and episode updates

Chapters:

00:00 (Intro)

00:16:13 (Brief History of Parliament - Funkadelic)

00:41:56 (The Concept and Music of the album)

01:21:27 (Standout Songs and Deep Dive)

02:12:041 (Final Thoughts)

We close out our Reggae Summer series with a deep dive into Third World’s classic album 96 Degrees in the Shade.

As reggae musicians ourselves, we talk about why this record hits so hard: the roots foundation, the crossover melodies, the political fire in the title track, and the band’s unique place between Kingston and the broader “world music” market.

We’re joined by special guest John Roy of Escape Hatch Records and Smoke and Mirrors Sound System, who brings a label owner/producer perspective to the songwriting, arrangements and performances on the album.

In this episode:

– Track highlights and musical deep dive on 96 Degrees in the Shade

– Third World’s role in roots reggae vs crossover reggae

– Politics, history and the vibe of 1970s Jamaica

– How this album influenced our own approach as Black Market Dub

🔊 Support & follow:

• Patreon – bonus episodes & ad-free audio

• Black Market Dub on Bandcamp – our original music

• Escape Hatch Records – releases & collabs

• Instagram – clips and episode updates

Chapters:

00:00 (Intro)

00:12:36 (The Music of 96 Degrees in the Shade)

00:46:47 (History of Third World)

01:01:23 (Standout Songs)

01:37:46 (1865 and The Morant Bay Rebellion)

02:05:23 (Final Thoughts and John Roy Plugs)

In this Reggae Summer episode we dive into The Congos’ Heart of the Congos, widely considered one of the greatest roots reggae albums ever recorded – and we treat it primarily as a Lee “Scratch” Perry story.

We talk about the Black Ark era, Perry’s production style, and how he used tape, echo and atmosphere to create a spiritual, otherworldly sound around Cedric Myton and Roy “Ashanti” Johnson’s voices. We also get into the history and mythology around Black Ark, stories from the book People Funny Boy, and how this record fits into Perry’s wider body of work.

In this episode:

– Track and moment highlights from Heart of the Congos

– Lee “Scratch” Perry’s studio experiments at Black Ark

– The Congos’ harmonies, Rasta themes and biblical imagery

– How this album shaped our own approach to reggae and dub as Black Market Dub

🔊 Support & follow:

• Patreon – bonus episodes & ad-free audio

• Black Market Dub on Bandcamp – our original music

• Escape Hatch Records – label family & collaborations

• Instagram – clips and episode updates

Chapters:

00:00 (Intro)

00:17:46 (Who is Lee "Scratch" Perry?)

00:50:38 (The Black Ark, and effects demonstration)

01:42:03 (How did The Black Ark burn down?)

02:03:20 (The Music of Heart of the Congos)

02:32:48 (Standout Songs)

03:02:24 (Final Thoughts)

In this Reggae Summer episode we dive into Wailing Souls’ Fire House Rock and lay out our theory of the “Four Horsemen of Reggae” – the four forces we think are responsible for some of the greatest reggae music ever recorded.

Using Fire House Rock as a case study, we talk about the combination of Channel One Studio & the Hoo Kim brothers, producer Henry “Junjo” Lawes, engineer Scientist, and the Roots Radics band – and how all four converge on this record. We break down the rhythms, the vocal performances, the dub aesthetics, and why this album still feels so heavy and alive today.

We also connect Fire House Rock directly to the classic Scientist dub records and to our later interview with Scientist himself, showing how this era of Channel One / Junjo / Roots Radics / Scientist all fits together.

In this episode:

– Track and moment highlights from Fire House Rock

– What we mean by the “Four Horsemen of Reggae”

– Channel One, Junjo, Scientist & Roots Radics in their absolute prime

– How this sound shaped our own work as Black Market Dub

🔊 Support & follow:

• Patreon – bonus episodes & ad-free audio

• Black Market Dub on Bandcamp – our original music

• Escape Hatch Records – label family & collaborations

• Instagram – clips and episode updates

CHAPTERS:

00:01:02 [Intro discussion]

00:16:11 [The Hoo Kim Brothers and Channel One Studios]

00:45:14 [Henry "Junjo" Lawes and the role of the Producer]

00:59:08 [Scientist and mix breakdown of Fire House Rock]

01:36:05 [Roots Radics and Bass Demo]

01:48:09 [Wailing Souls and Vocal Analysis]

01:57:24 [Standout Songs and "Word, Sound, and Power"]

02:30:17 [Final Thoughts and Upcoming Episodes]

In this Reggae Summer episode we dive into Culture’s classic album Two Sevens Clash, one of the most important roots reggae records of the 1970s.

We use the album as a jumping-off point to talk about the Marcus Garvey prophecy behind the title track, the apocalyptic fear around July 7, 1977 (when “the two sevens clash”), and how that shaped life in Jamaica at the time. We get into how Joseph Hill turns prophecy, politics and Rasta teachings into songs that are still catchy and deeply spiritual.

We also zoom out and look at Garvey’s wider influence on reggae – repatriation, Black Star Line, judgment day themes – and how Two Sevens Clash sits alongside other Garvey-inspired records in the roots canon.

In this episode:

– Track and moment highlights from Two Sevens Clash

– The story behind the “two sevens” prophecy and 7/7/77

– Marcus Garvey’s impact on reggae lyrics and Rastafari

– How this album shaped our own approach as reggae musicians in Black Market Dub

🔊 Support & follow:

• Patreon – bonus episodes & ad-free audio

• Black Market Dub on Bandcamp – our original music

• Escape Hatch Records – label family & collaborations

• Instagram – clips and episode updates

CHAPTERS:

00:00:50 Intro and Punk Rock

00:31:17 Garveyism and The Religiosity of Reggae

01:08:44 The Music and Production of Two Sevens Clash

01:38:29 Standout Songs

02:03:53 Final Thoughts

In this Reggae Summer episode we dive into Gregory Isaacs’ 1982 classic Night Nurse and ask whether it might be the best reggae album of the 1980s.

We talk about The Cool Ruler as one of the most prolific and distinctive voices in reggae, his lovers rock style, his tragic personal decline, and how Night Nurse captures him at a creative peak. We also dig into the musicianship of Roots Radics, the sound of Tuff Gong and Compass Point, and why this record feels so smooth and effortless while dealing with some heavy emotions.

In this episode:

– Track highlights across Night Nurse (including “Night Nurse,” “Cool Down the Pace,” “Sad to Know (You’re Leaving)” and more)

– How Roots Radics’ playing and the production choices make the album so hypnotic

– The arc of Gregory Isaacs’ career: genius, output, and the cost of addiction and legal trouble

– Where Night Nurse sits in the lovers rock / roots reggae canon and our own reggae playlists.

🔊 Support & follow:

• Patreon – bonus episodes & ad-free audio

• Black Market Dub on Bandcamp – our original music

• Escape Hatch Records – label family & collaborations

• Instagram – clips and episode updates

CHAPTERS:

00:25:00 Who Was Gregory Isaacs?

00:40:27 Producing 'Night Nurse'

01:17:42 Roots Radics and Flabba Holt

01:36:06 Standout Songs

01:56:53 Final Thoughts