This week we've got So Much Things To Say as we review and rank Exodus, the gripping reggae album by Jamaica's own Bob Marley! After pushing rocksteady boundaries with his childhood friends Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh, Bob's career made a strong pivot to pop and rock crossover music, riding the reggae wave to superstardom! A failed assassination attempt sent Marley overseas, where he crafted his ninth studio album, charged with Rastafarian theology and themes of love and freedom. We'll learn the effect it had on his legend, and how the Marley mythos has evolved over time.

James & Connor recount our previous Bob Marley experiences (both torturous and fishy). The Mixtaper has an aviary of little birds this week with facts about the House Of Dread FC, palm reading, and an unusual prison break during Fact Or Spin. Then we'll get to Jamming about the album, from the restrained intensity of The Heathen to the chill optimism of Three Little Birds! So kick back, relax, and don't worry about a thing... There's a Natural Mystic blowing through this episode!

Are you a bigger fan of the intense half or the chill half of Exodus' sound? What's your favorite bird? Was your first Bob Marley experience as drastic as James'? Let us know on socials, and tune in next week to smile with the rising sun yet again!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

6:16 About Bob Marley

16:27 About Exodus

23:42 Awards & Accolades

25:56 Fact Or Spin

26:52 The Secretary Bird: Bob's Soccer Obsession

30:33 The Raven: He Was A Palm Reader

33:09 The Jailbird: Bob Marley Was Part Of A Prison Break

37:08 The Baby Chick: He Kidnapped The Easter Bunny

45:18 Album Art

46:56 Natural Mystic

48:38 So Much Things To Say

50:12 Guiltiness

52:13 The Heathen

53:15 Exodus

55:53 Jamming

58:27 Waiting In Vain

59:57 Turn Your Lights Down Low

1:01:12 Three Little Birds

1:03:43 One Love/People Get Ready

1:05:27 Final Spin

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Stuck inside those four walls? We're making our escape with Band On The Run, the 1973 record by Wings! After a tough Beatles breakup, a burnt out Paul McCartney was struggling to stay relevant in the music world. He started Wings alongside his wife Linda and guitarist Denny Laine, and after a few tough outings, Band On The Run proved to be their major breakthrough! Despite a tumultuous recording process in Lagos, Nigeria, hits like JET (!), Let Me Roll It, and Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five have become catalog staples.

We're catching up on our personal Beatles history and learning about the foundation of Wings! We trace the band's Lagos trip through cholera outbreaks, broken equipment, and knifepoint robberies, but learn why Paul needed this record so badly. The Mixtaper relies on James' fear of "jelly babying" himself with another round of McCartney facts! We'll break down jailbreak ambience, investigate a holiday hostage, and drink a drink with Lily The Pink in Fact Or Spin. We might have No Words... but what's the use in worrying?

How's your Scooby Doo impression? What would your last words be? Do you forget when Picasso was alive? Which of the sections of Band On The Run stands above the rest? Let us know your Wings takes in the comments and on socials!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

3:27 About Wings

12:48 About Band On The Run

25:58 Awards & Accolades

26:50 Fact Or Spin

28:09 Paul Insisted On A Jailbreak Ambience Check

31:07 Paul Kidnapped The Easter Bunny

35:22 Paul Guest Starred In A Comedy Production

40:13 Paul Is Related To The Inventor Of The Woman's Tonic

49:23 Album Art

52:42 Band On The Run

57:03 Jet

1:00:31 Bluebird

1:02:15 Mrs. Vandebilt

1:06:38 Let Me Roll It

1:08:29 Mamunia

1:09:52 No Words

1:11:04 Picasso's Last Words

1:14:24 Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five

1:17:29 Final Spin

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We're Making The Most Of The Night as we review and rank Emotion, the 80s-infused pop record from Canadian songwriter and actress Carly Rae Jepsen! After we just met her (and that was crazy) back in 2011, Carly was struggling to shed the bubblegum pop reputation she gained with Call Me Maybe. After retreating from the spotlight, acting on Broadway, and writing a scrapped folk record, Emotion was her attempt to make something different. It proved to be a critical success and paved the way for the next era of her career with big singles like Run Away With Me and I Really (Really Really Really Really Really) Like You... but is this album Our Type?

Let's Get Lost in her Canadian Idol roots! James & Connor talk about previous opinions of her work (can't judge her for that), celebrate CRJ's 40th and 44/100ths birthday, and give these songs a powerful listen. The Mixtaper is giving us Boy Problems in Fact Or Spin, where we'll learn about her growing collection of weaponry, a secret Maybe List, and a deceptive signature from "the boss man." Between the pop anthems and powerful ballads, find out if this record can stir up our E•MO•TIONS and redeem our premature opinions of her music.

Did you wish CRJ a Happy Birthday? Do you have Boy Problems too? Would you ever try to trick the Boss Man? Let us know how you felt about Call Me Maybe in the comments or on socials, and tune in next time for another high-flying episode!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

3:29 About Carly Rae Jepsen

9:15 Call Me Maybe

12:42 About Emotion

26:04 Awards & Accolades

26:50 Fact Or Spin

28:19 The Fandom Armed Her

34:44 Carly Rae Jepsen Armed The Fandom

40:35 She Has A "Maybe List"

45:11 She Takes Her Contracts To The Boss Man

51:12 Album Art

52:14 Run Away With Me

56:10 Emotion

58:10 I Really Like You

1:00:58 Gimmie Love

1:01:44 All That

1:03:02 Boy Problems

1:05:01 Making The Most Of The Night

1:06:02 Your Type

1:07:27 Let's Get Lost

1:08:35 LA Hallucinations

1:09:40 Warm Blood

1:10:53 When I Needed You

1:12:00 Final Spin

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For our 250th episode, we're stepping into the Limelight to revisit Rush! In Ep. 121, we discovered how 2112 earned the trio creative control with their sci-fi rock opera gamble... Now we're back to learn about Moving Pictures, the band's most commercially successful album and home to enduring hits like Tom Sawyer and YYZ! The band aims to strike the perfect balance between unique identity and mass appeal. With the addition of more synth undertones and a shift in Neil Peart's lyricism, Moving Pictures was able to punch up and future-proof their ever-changing style, and sunset their lengthy prog epics with The Camera Eye. How will this record move US? Can it live up to its counterpart episode (pun intended)?

James & Connor revel in the unexpected Year Of Redemption for Geddy and Alex in the form of their 50-Something reunion tour. We walk through the eras since our last episode and trace their evolution, and talk about why this might be a more Connor-friendly pick. The Mixtaper is back on a Witch Hunt, with dastardly (and suspicious) facts about youth crime, rusty coconuts, and frozen follies. Are biographies and past knowledge enough to save James from defeat? Connor learns about the triple pun on the album cover, we learn limited Morse Code, and we definitely don't repeat any jokes in this major milestone episode!

What do you consider to be Rush's magnum opus? What's our signature work? Do you agree that everybody needs to deviate from the norm? Do you get your hockey arenas mixed up? (Me too.) Let us know in the comments and on socials! We'll be back with a surprise recommendation next week. Follow for more!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

0:27 Last Time: 2112

4:25 About Rush

12:10 About Moving Pictures

24:11 The 50-Something Tour

26:13 Awards & Accolades

26:55 Fact Or Spin

29:03 They Are Officers

34:25 Geddy Lee Is A Rusty Coconut

39:41 Neil Peart Went Back To School

42:47 Alex Lifeson Made A Chilly Mistake

47:32 Album Art

50:30 Tom Sawyer

54:45 Red Barchetta

57:30 YYZ

1:00:21 Limelight

1:03:48 The Camera Eye

1:07:20 Witch Hunt

1:11:12 Vital Signs

1:13:00 Final Spin

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You've got to stop... and wish Connor a happy birthday! We're celebrating with a special episode reviewing Mac Davis' hit-packed 1974 record Stop And Smell The Roses! After making a name for himself as a songwriter with Elvis cuts like In The Ghetto, Mac established himself as a recording artist and TV personality. His fifth record crosses over from country to folk to soft pop seamlessly, and tentpole tracks like Burnin' Thing and Texas In My Rear View buoy clever-ish album cuts like Lucus Was A Redneck and Two Plus Two for a solid album by our favorite jean-wearing song painter!

James & Connor look back on the Birthday Curse, talk about getting Hooked on Mac Davis back in Episode 15, and learn more about the road that took Davis from Lubbock, Texas straight into songwriting legend. The Mixtaper finds it Hard To Be Humble as he introduces us to quirky backup singers, crowdsourced cowriters, and a fudged proposal. Will Connor's lifelong fandom pay off? We'll talk about questionable narrators, his surprising use of slurs, and the versatility that turned him into a crossover hit as we break down the record.

Did you ever watch The Mac Davis Show? Did you vote for our favorite son back in 1992? Did YOU remember Duke Ellington's birthday? Let us know in the comments and on socials! Follow and stay tuned for EPISODE 250 next week!!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

0:33 Previously: The Birthday Curse

8:01 About Mac Davis

21:18 Fact Or Spin

23:19 Mac Davis Fudged A Proposal

30:44 He Worked With Some Difficult Backup Singers

36:23 He Had Some Interesting Cowriters

41:08 Fast Fired Facts: Mac Davis Show Guests

45:00 Mac Davis Ran For President

52:22 Album Art

55:05 Thoughts On I Believe In Music

56:47 Stop And Smell The Roses

1:02:38 Soft, Sweet Fire

1:05:47 The Sweetest Song

1:07:37 Two Plus Two

1:10:39 The Birthday Song

1:12:56 One Hell Of A Woman

1:15:17 A Poor Man's Gold

1:17:58 Lucus Was A Redneck

1:21:03 Kiss It And Make It Better

1:22:36 Burnin' Thing

1:24:12 It's Hard To Be Humble

1:26:32 Texas In My Rear View Mirror

1:28:11 Rock 'N Roll (I Gave You The Best Years Of My Life)

1:29:52 Final Spin

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You can dance, you can jive! We're having the time of our lives this week as we review and rank Arrival, the 1976 breakout record for Europop sensation ABBA! After winning Eurovision (4th time's the charm), the band had to prove to the world they were more than a One-Hit Waterloo Wonder. Their hooky melodies and intricate vocal harmonies led to the band's most important record yet, from royalty-approved Dancing Queen to Money, Money, Money. Learn how Arrival cemented the legacy of one of Sweden's biggest bands and turned ABBA into a household name, even decades after their heyday.

Here we go again.. James & Connor talk Mamma Mia opinions and ABBA faves before exploring the band's history. We'll learn all about Agnetha, Björn, Benny, and Anni-Frid, discover why the B is backwards, and talk about how exciting helicopter rides can be. From quirky exhibits in the ABBA museum to Voyage, the band's swansong virtual residency made of digital ABBAtars, this episode truly has it all. The Mixtaper is back to Take A Chance on Fact Or Spin as he teaches us about a mysterious benefactor, shy mics, and the tux tax. Tune in, because there's something in the air tonight!

Are you on Team Happy Hawaii or Team Why Did It Have To Be Me? What do you think the Tiger is? Are we WRONG about Mamma Mia?! Let us know your hottest ABBA takes in the comments or on socials. Follow for another record next week!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

5:57 About ABBA

19:56 About Arrival

33:07 Awards & Abbalades

35:28 Fact Or Spin

36:58 Their Songs Are Fit For Royalty

39:02 They Turned Down The Chance To Become Billionaires

41:46 They Used An Interesting Tax Loophole

43:50 They Had A Strict No-Eye-Contact-With-Mics Rule

46:22 Bjorn Took A Chance On Working Out

49:14 Album Art

52:04 When I Kissed The Teacher

54:17 Dancing Queen

58:01 My Love, My Life

59:25 Dum Dum Diddle

1:01:56 Knowing Me, Knowing You

1:03:27 Money, Money, Money

1:05:15 That's Me

1:06:17 Why Did It Have To Be Me?

1:08:14 Tiger

1:09:33 Arrival

1:10:39 Fernando

1:13:26 Happy Hawaii

1:14:44 Final Spin

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Hallelujah, We Love Him So! We're doing the Mess Around back to the earliest days of soul music with The Genius, Ray Charles, and his self-titled 1957 debut LP! After a childhood marked by tragedy, Ray Charles learned to read braille sheet music and arrange songs. After moving from coast to coast and back again to find work, Ray's intuition for melody and his passionate vocals finally started to land him on the charts and earn record deals. His eponymous album (later reissued as "Hallelujah, I Love Her So) features fourteen of his biggest early hits, from the wailing Drown In My Own Tears to the zip and pep of I've Got A Woman! He would change the course of music as we know it... but how does this early record compare?

After learning all about Charles' past, we invite The Mixtaper back for some Fact Or Spin! He'll teach us about Ray's affinity for chess, an improvised scramble that turned into a crossover pop hit, and we'll explore the fascinating world of limited edition postage stamps. Then we break down the album track by track and discover what exactly about his music makes him a legend. We'll talk nostalgia, famous covers, and anagrams as we learn to Care Rashly about Ray Charles this week!

Are any of these tracks sleeper hits for you? Did you look up all the interesting new stamps after the episode (like we did)? Had you ever heard the word "philatelic" before? Be honest. Like, subscribe, rate, comment, follow... do all the things and we'll see you next week for another album!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

3:17 About Ray Charles

11:34 About Hallelujah I Love Her So

18:40 Awards & Accolades

20:20 Fact Or Spin

21:13 He's A Chess Grandmaster

30:54 He Ran Out Of Songs

35:05 He Has Memory Expansion

37:58 He Has A Unique Stamp

47:44 Album Art

50:49 Ain't That Love

52:29 Drown In My Own Tears

55:12 Come Back Baby

56:57 Sinner's Prayer

58:12 Funny (But I Still Love You)

59:44 Losing Hand

1:01:05 A Fool For You

1:02:02 Hallelujah, I Love Her So

1:04:08 Mess Around

1:06:06 This Little Girl Of Mine

1:07:09 Mary Ann

1:08:16 Greenbacks

1:10:09 Don't You Know

1:11:15 I've Got A Woman

1:13:38 Final Spin

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We're dancing on the sand this week as we rank and review Rio, the sophomore album by Duran Duran and a staple of the early '80s New Romantics movement. Featuring some of the band's biggest hits in Hungry Like The Wolf, Save A Prayer, and the title track, this record also includes some cult classics like the ambient soundscape of The Chauffeur! Learn how the Fab Five leveraged provocative music videos to dominate MTV and lead the charge for the Second British Invasion. Rio is a meticulously constructed record, with a vibrant energy and a cigar-inspired aesthetic to match. How will they fare in our ratings?

James & Connor will talk about their love for early '80s music. Then we get into the band's sci-fi name origins, Girls On Film, and the three unrelated Taylors. The Mixtaper Mixtaper is back for Fact Or Spin, where we set sail on Drum The Cursed Yacht, flee some non-imminent bulls, and talk about the 1987 hit movie Mannequin. We learn all about the dangers of shooting videos in Antigua and Sri Lanka, discover the role Hungry Like The Wolf played in a grisly murder trial, and explore the loving intervention behind Hold Back The Rain. It's a one-of-a-kind episode for a one-of-a-kind band!

Would you ever wear such sharp earrings? How hungry do you think a wolf can get? Do you prefer the band's energetic new wave sound or the sweeping soundscape of The Chauffeur? Let us know in the comments and on social media!

Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!

Thanks for listening!

0:00 Intro

2:31 About Duran Duran

8:55 About Rio

19:03 Awards & Accolades

19:40 Fact Or Spin

21:09 Duran Dudrum

29:34 Duran Duryachtin'

33:51 Duran Durunning With The Bulls

36:29 Duran Durannequins

42:20 Album Art

44:31 Rio

47:36 My Own Way

50:00 Lonely In Your Nightmare

51:30 Hungry Like The Wolf

56:03 Hold Back The Rain

57:39 New Religion

59:07 Last Chance On The Stairway

1:00:07 Save A Prayer

1:02:42 The Chauffeur

1:04:17 Final Spin

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