Devo, AC/DC, and a Mystery Solved

It's time for another Strong Songs listener Q&A, as Kirk goes into the mailbag to answer your most burning musical questions.

How does Devo make 11/8 time sound so smooth? What makes one song sound like a train, while another one sounds like a pack of horses? Why does the turnaround of Janelle Monáe's "Make Me Feel" sound so odd? What kinds of effects did Michael Brecker use on his saxophone? How does AC/DC's Angus Young rock the intro to "Thunderstruck" so hard? Those questions and many more... on this ep.

REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"Me, Myself, I" by Joan Armatrading from Joan Armatrading, 1980
“Blockhead” by Devo from Dusty Now for the Future, 1979
“Funky Sea, Funky Dew” by Michael and Randy Brecker from Heavy Metal Be-Bop, 1978
“We Built This City” by Starship from Knee Deep in the Hoopla, 1985
“In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” by Iron Butterfly from In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, 1978
“Thunderstruck” by AC/DC from The Razors Edge, 1990
“Where The Streets Have No Name” by U2 from The Joshua Tree, 1987
“Make Me Feel” by Janelle Monáe from Dirty Computer, 2018
“Wheel In The Sky” by Journey from Infinity, 1978
“Last Train Home” by Pat Metheney from Still Life (Talking), 1987
“Graceland” by Paul Simon from Graceland, 1086
“Cissy Strut” by The Meters from The Meters, 1960
“In Case You Don’t Live Forever” by Ben Platt from Sing To Me Instead, 2019
“Joy Spring” by Clifford Brown from Clifford Brown & Max Roach, 1954
“Ghost Catching” and “Professor Elvin Gadd” by Chad York and Darren Radtke from Luigi’s Mansion 3, 2019
Reference to Ezra Klein's recent podcast episode about "Social Solidarity"
Reference to the incredible Reply/All episode "The Case of the Missing Hit"

Note: An earlier version of this episode incorrectly stated that Ben Platt wrote Dear Evan Hansen, which was in fact written by Justin Paul and Benj Pasek, with book by Steven Levenson. Platt starred as Evan Hansen in the original cast.

Correction 10/2021: At long last, Kirk has corrected his description of Angus Young's guitar solo on "Thunderstruck." It is played entirely on the B string, which makes it so much cooler.

OUTRO SOLOIST: Kyle Molitor

Kyle is a Portland-based trombonist who plays in all sorts of bands, and the dude can really get it done. Find him on Instagram @tbonemolitor and find his upcoming shows on his website: https://klmolitor.wixsite.com/tbone

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April 2020 Whole-Note Patrons

AccessViolation - Andrew Walters - Caleb Rotach - Chad Barnard - Clint Johnson - Craig J. Covell - Dan Apczynski - Dave Florey - Glenn - Jared Norris - Mark Schechter - Merlin Mann - R Watson - Ryan Torvik - Viki Dun

April 2020 Half-Note Patrons

AJ Schuster - Albukitty - Alex Singer - Alexander Polson - Amanda Furlotti - Andre Bremer - Andrew Baker - Andrew Lee - Arjun Sharma - Bill Thornton - Brant Phillip - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Brooke Wilford - Chas Lednicky - Chris Brown - Christer Lindqvist - Cyrus N. White - Darryl Stewart - Dave King - David Stroud - DuncannLL - Earl Lozada - Eero Wahlstedt - Elliot Jay O’Neill - Emily Williams - Fishbones - Forrest Chang - Gavin Doig - Gerry Nelson - Jacob Dye - Jaehoon Jeong - James Johnson - Jeffrey Olson - Jenifer Carr - Jennifer Bush - Jeremy Dawson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Jon O’Keefe - Joujou - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Judith Stansfield - Jules Bailey - Justin Liew - Justin McElroy - Kate Albury - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Leigh Sales - Mark Steen - Markus Koester - Matt Betzel - Matt Gaskell - Max Schechter - Melanie Stivers - Michael Blackwell - Michael Bochner - Miriam Juskowicz - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Nicholas Schechter - Richard Toller - Robbie Ferrero - Robert Paul - Sam Fenn - Samuel Gardner - Shane DeLeon - SP - Tanner Morton - Tom Clewer - Tom Lauer - Toni Isaacson - Wayne Marsh

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