After touching briefly on it in our Finland episode last week, this week we dive headlong into the discography of disorienting and electrifying world of the Finnish band, Oranssi Pazuzu. Known for their unique blend of black metal, psychedelia, krautrock, and electronica, Oranssi Pazuzu have pushed musical boundaries with their immersive and genre-defying style. We break down their discography, contemplate the terrifying beauty of their sound, and revel in the menacing brilliance of their 2020 album, 'Mestarin kynsi'. Expect insights into their influences, a bit of playful banter, and why their music is like a bad trip brilliantly gone wrong. Buckle up, it’s a wild ride!

07:58 Episode 1 recap
09:16 Oranssi Pazuzu intro
12:53 Influences & Comparisons
20:14 10 Influences As Chosen By The Band
29:27 Discography: Muukalainen Puhuu & Kosmonument
38:26 Discography: Valonielu & Värähtelijä
59:58 Discography: Muuntautuja
66:57 Mestarin Kynsi

This week we dive headfirst into the land of heavy metal, Finland. In what originally started off as an episode on the Oranssi Pazuzu album Mestearin Kynsi, we quickly realised that we had a two parter on our hands. So this week, we're using Oranssi Pazuzu as a lens through which to view the Finnish music scene. In the episode, we take a detour through the history and culture of Finland, exploring why this country has the highest ratio of metal bands per capita. We also touch on notable Finnish acts, quirky cultural elements, and the unique musical environment of Tampere. Expect insight, humour, and a bit of chaos as we unpack what's behind Finland's intense love affair with metal.

00:00 Welcome
01:10 Introducing the Topic: Finnish Metal
02:00 The Finnish Music Scene and Culture
05:43 Patreon and Community Announcements
08:49 Deep Dive into Oranssi Pazuzu
20:36 A Brief History of Finland
26:22 Finnish Traditions and Unique Sports
26:58 Famous Finnish Music and Artists
32:21 The Influence of Metal in Finnish Culture
35:03 Doom Metal and Its Finnish Roots
43:26 The Finnish Music Industry and Government Support
54:22 Tampere's Psychedelic Black Metal Scene
01:00:01 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode we explore the eclectic stylings of the band Karate. We break down their shift from post-hardcore roots to embracing jazz influences, focusing on the standout album 'In Place of Real Insight.' And we get there, in the usual fashion, by chatting extensively about their back catalogue. We also theorise that perhaps Karate fans may have split into two camps when they moved the focus almost exclusively to jazz. Our weekly Nexus challenge takes us from Karate to the late John Prescott through a convoluted but fascinating path involving jazz, punk rock, and the peace symbol. Expect deep musical analysis, unexpected links, and a few laughs.

Karate background: 08:05
Chris' Theory on Karate fans: 15:13
Early discography and eponymous debut: 19:18
Bed is in the Ocean, Unsolved & the journey to jazzcore: 29:53
Some Boots & Pockets: 41:20
595 & Make It Fit: 48:20
In Place Of Real Insight: 53:28
Summing up the album: 75:51
The John Prescott Nexus: 80:36

This week our pal Jan Alkema, drummer of the bands The Drum/China Drum and Compulsion returns. This time here's here to discuss the story of Compulsion. We cover the band's history, its ups and downs, and some behind-the-scenes stories. We hear about Jan's journey from joining The Amazing Colossal Men to Compulsion's battle with record labels, relentless touring, and eventual disbandment. Along the way, Jan drops some memorable anecdotes, including a run-in with Dave Grohl, a misadventure with Cradle of Filth, and plenty of backstage dramas. It's a helluva a ride, a candid real and entertaining look at a band that never quite got its due.

9:27 - Compulsion History and Formation
21:20 - The Amazing Colossal Men & in court with Virgin
29:24 - A fresh start and London
34:25 - The early EPs
39:49 - Touring, Elektra and Comforter
48:14 - Demostikon
50:34 - Timings, genres and peers
01:02:11 - The arrival of Britrock
01:06:21 - The Future is Medium
01:12:11 - The beginning of the end
01:17:08 - After the band
01:22:56 - Reissues
01:24:59 - Late trivia and gossip

In this episode, we take a journey back to the 80s to explore Device's only album, '22B3', the choice of this week's guest co-host, our antipodean based pal, Crag!

We delve into the album's rich synth-pop-rock sound and discuss why it remains an underrated gem. The key member of this act is the overlooked, yet all time great pop rock songwriter Holly Knight. She was the mastermind behind many iconic hits from the likes of Tina Turner, Bonnie Tyler, Heart and penned songs for Kiss, Bon Jovi, Cheap Trick, Meatloaf and so many more. On 22b3, she takes centre stage and we use this episode to investigate her influential yet often overlooked contributions.

As we go through each track, we highlight the distinctive 80s production techniques, unique sounds, and memorable melodies. Crag shares insights into the equipment used and provides some industry context, which makes for a fascinating deep dive into 80s music culture. From discussing the album's standout tracks like 'Hanging on a Heart Attack' to exploring the various musical influences and collaborations, this episode is packed with intriguing details and anecdotes.

We also connect the album to wider music histories and trends, giving listeners a thorough understanding of its place in music lore. As always, we wrap up with our Nexus, this time linking Device to Debbie McGee in a surprisingly twisted route through music and pop culture history. If you're a fan of 80s music, keen on unsung musical heroes, or simply love a good musical anecdote, this episode is a nostalgic treat you won't want to miss.

In this episode we dive into a lesser-known compilation from Dundee, 1996, titled 'After the Storm', which was created to raise funds for 18U. We explore the tracks, uncovering a mix of genres from 80s power ballads to 90s dance and country influences. There's a lot of colourful and, shall we say, sometimes questionable, musical efforts showcased in this CD, and as ever we humorously navigate the ups and downs of their listening experience. Highlights include oddities like George McFarlane's rap experiment and a cheerful dance track by Bliss. They wrap up with an existential crisis triggered by Real Gone Kid by Deacon Blue. But it's all for your entertainment, so it's all good.

Oh, and yeah cause this week is particularly heavy the first 18 minutes or so are about Trump winning the US election. So feel free to skip ahead if that doesn't tickle your fancy.

00:00 Introduction and Birthday Banter
00:57 Post-Birthday Blues and Football Highlights
02:20 Political Discussion: Election Results and Reactions
06:31 The Impact of Information Economy on Politics
09:32 Misogyny and Conservative Trends in Gen Z
11:40 The GOP's Transformation and Democratic Challenges
16:11 Crypto Bros and Political Discourse
17:19 Middle Eastern Vote and Political Puritanism
18:32 Music Podcast Transition and Upcoming Topics
44:41 Country Vibes and Musical Influences
45:47 Highland Cowpunk and Unique Instrumentation
48:08 Exploring George McFarlane's Musical Journey
51:40 Dundee's Musical Scene and Hidden Gems
57:07 Ian Cusick: A Deep Dive
01:01:24 90s Dance Nostalgia with Bliss and Lucy Jules
01:04:42 Gary Clark and King L
01:07:37 Michael Marra: Dundee's Bard
01:19:10 Final Thoughts and Reflections

In this episode of the Unsung Podcast, we delve into Vessel's 2014 album 'Punish Honey,' a unique blend of electronic music and modern electronica. We provide an overview of Vessel's career, touching on past albums and collaborative efforts. We discuss standout tracks like 'Red Sex' and 'Anima,' highlighting the album's haunting, ethereal qualities. We also reflect on Vessel's transition to scoring for films like 'The Northman' and talk about the importance of his innovative approach. We end the episode with a Nexus segment linking Vessel to cyclist Chris Hoy.

00:00 Introduction and Banter
02:09 Podcasting Challenges and Humour
03:12 Introducing the Topic: Vessel's Punish Honey
04:28 Patreon Shoutout and Admin
05:30 Concert Stories and Anecdotes
12:36 Social Media and Platform Changes
14:01 Deep Dive into Vessel's Career
21:00 History of Triangle Records
27:00 Early Releases and Order of Noise
34:00 Track Analysis: Order of Noise
45:50 Exploring the Synth Sound
46:52 Discussing the Northman Soundtrack
50:26 Diving into Punish Honey
52:37 Track-by-Track Analysis
01:03:02 Sidebar: Ozzy Osbourne and Rock Legends
01:17:17 Concluding Thoughts on the Album
01:21:17 The Nexus: Connecting the Dots
01:30:19 Call to Action and Future Plans

David Scott from Moni Jitchell joins us again this week as we round off our deep dive into the discography of Los Campesinos!

We being picking up where we left off last week; in the midst of running through the band's discography. Mark then comes clean and says he actually took notes on the wrong album, before we all go down the rabbit hole of figuring out of Romance is Boring and/or Los Campesinos! are unsung.

A small reminder that if you want to support the podcast you can do so via our Patreon. Not only will you get episodes early, you also get access to our Facebook group (aye we know it’s boomer shit, but we’ve yet to find a better way of mass communication) and you can have some influence on what we cover on the show. There’s also the option of our higher tier, the record club, where your money will go towards supporting independent artists that we think are truly unsung.

If you want to learn more about Moni Jitchell, their most recent release is called Unreal, and you can get it here.