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Protonic Reversal Podcast

Top 10 albums 2017

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(stream and download – Episode 109)

Conan
1. Oxbow – Thin Black Duke
2. Lardo – Sinking
3. christian fitness – slap Bass Hunks
4. Mountain Goats – Goths.
5. SEMINARS – Pricks Die Young
6. Magpies – Annex
7. Crystal Fairy – s/t
8. Dead Rider – Crew Licks
9. Out – Swim Buddiess
10. Fever Ray – Plunge

Josh
1. Palm – Shadow Expert ep
2. Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
3. Maximum Busy Muscle – s/t
4. Bon Air – the Blue Line
5. Fox Face – Spoil + Destroy
6. Radioactivity – infected/Sleep
7. Julie Byrne – Not Even Happiness
8. Vince Staples – Big Fish Theory
9. God Eaters – Xuma
10. Arto Lindsay – Cuidado Madame

all numbering relatively arbitrary

Josh #10: arto lindsay – ilha dos prazeres
Arto Lindsey
Josh: Danger Lady, this is fantastic, very much in the vein of what his recent solo career has been like. It’s this very odd combination of the Brazilian music he’s been playing for a number of years, but he’s still doing weird atonal guitar and he’s singing more melodically but it still sounds like Arto Lindsey. So there’s definitely an experimental edge to it… he played in Chicago… a few months ago with the Beauty Pill and it was just incredible.

Conan: Oh, I thought you meant he played in the BAND Chicago. I was like: where’s that record?

Josh I’d pay good money for that.

Conan “huh, they took an unexpected left turn on that one!”

It was an amazing show and this is a relaxing and romantic kind of record, which you wouldn’t necessarily expect.

Conan #10: Fever Ray – This Country
Conan: Number 10 for me is a band called Fever Ray, which is 1/2 of the Knife. This is the second Fever Record, I really love the first one it’s a weird, moody, messed up record. I dig it a lot, I dig this one as well, it’s kind of more of the same. I know some people that listen are super not down with Electro stuff or anything remotely that isn’t guitar bass and brash drums and stuff.

Josh: Geez, they are going to hate a lot of my countdown.

Conan: But I think everything that she does is wildly innovative and interesting. We talked a little bit during the break about that last the Knife record. It’s a harsh listen, but it’s awesome and I love that for a band that became so popular off of what was a very simple electro-poppy song with universal appeal, they just say: “ok, that’s done, we’re doing this now!”. I feel to a lesser degree perhaps, the same stuff happens with the Fever Ray material. I like that her viewpoints are LITERALLY written on her face for this record.

Fever Ray – This Country

Josh #9 god eaters – Signs of the Times
Josh: number 9 is a band we’ve discussed previously, as we’ve definitely played with them, seen them recently and they played Conan’s 40 birthday Party, the God Eaters.
Conan: To be perfectly clear, they would be on this list even if it was not for all of that friendship and cross pollination.
Josh: Oh yes, the friend rock, the only reason there are so many friends on this list is that that is what I listen to. That doesn’t have any affect on how amazing they are, and how much you should check them out.
Conan: Yes, this record kicks ass, this would definitely be on my list as well… I guess it would be a conflict of interest, because they play with *ME* as well. But I love it too.
Josh: Oh, don’t doubt that next year when we do this the Body Futures record will probably be on mine.
Conan: Right, so the God Eaters, it’s your pick… but one of the things I like about them is that they are a difficult band to describe. In mood and feel they remind me of the Minutemen, without sounding that much like the Minutemen.
Josh: Yes, and we were talking about this just recently so if you do listen to the show on a regular basis you will have heard something that sounds just like this. It’s how their sound is psychadelic in that it becomes enveloping, and there is some of that with the Minutemen as well. That there is so much going on with so few elements, but there is a lot happening within it. I feel like they echo some of that. Although they sound nothing like the Minutemen at all. It’s the precepts.
Conan: It’s a hell of a record, I’m sure they’ve already outdone it at this point. This is Zuuuma… that’s how you pronounce it right?
Josh: I would think so.
Conan: Hopefully it’s not exzema. Maybe it’s excema?
Josh: maybe, but the song we’re going to listen to is called Signs of the times.

Conan #9
Out – Wound Up.
Conan: This is a record, I feel was very popular amongst our circles, but needs to be heard by more people. It’s most of the band Minutes, but they should be given due difference on their own. It’s the band OUT, or OOT of you are Canadian.
This is off a record called Swim Buddies, because I guess hanging out and going to the pool or the river or something is at thing people like to do right?
Josh: Sure! They seem to like doing it.
Conan: Yeah! They like it.
Josh: But yeah, they discussed a little bit of our lists beforehand and…
Conan: NO DUPES!!! NO DUPES!!!
Josh: Exactly, we’re trying to get as many different songs out to you as possible, but they certainly would have been on my list. They are a fantastic band, they have a TRIUMPH.
Conan: Yes, they have a triumphant aspect to what they do… it comes from the fugazi/hoover-esque DC world, but there is definitely an element of what they do that… especially when they are all singing together… excuse me… SANGING.
Josh: Sanging! Sanging those unison vocals.
Conan: It’s a good record man, all the songs are pretty rock solid and there are some fist pumpers. This is put out by former guest of the show Jon Solomon.
Josh: friend of the show!
Conan: others have said it more eloquently myself, but to reiterate, this would have been on both of our lists if not for the NO DUPES rule.

Josh #8 Vince Staples – Homage
Josh: Number 8! I am still woefully underinformed when it comes to modern hip hop. I try my best to keep up with it, i’ve got some friends that try to keep me up with it. This is one that really stuck with me. Vince Staples, big fish theory. Just has a real fresh, awesome, noisy, weird fun sound. He has great flow. his lyrics are fantastic, there’s a real unique thing going on here. I listen to this one a lot.

Conan #8 Dead Rider – The Listing
Conan: my number 8 is from a little band from Chicago called Dead Rider. This is yet another in a series of records that… A good friend of mine once said: “I don’t know how music like this is made by humans.” i’m inclined to agree.
Josh: I feel that way about a lot of Dead Rider stuff, yeah.
Conan: It’s disconcerting, immediately familiar, but yet suddenly bizarre, everything about this band is just bad ass. This record managed to sneak through without me knowing about it. And suddenly i’m like: I’m in! I’m buying it immediately. Then I just listened to it on bandcamp and didn’t and decided that I really did need to buy it. It’s great, there are a lot of different moods to Dead Rider. It was hard to pick a song, but I picked this one specifically because the last movement has an auction announcer in it.
Josh: they call it an Auctioneer.”
Conan: yeah, yeah… Auctioneer. Thanks, Josh.
Radically unique and interesting band, super awesome… this is the listing!

josh #7 Julie Byrne – i Live Now As A Singer
Josh: My number 7, the album is called “Not Even Happiness” and the artist is Julie Byrne. This is a really wonderful, very mellow, beautiful… not really singer-songwriter thing, it’s there but there are interesting textures going on. The songs are so good, and her voice is so wonderful. I think Acme records had it as their record of the day when it came out, an instagram or a facebook post or something…
Conan: shout out to Acme records!
Josh: What Up Acme Records? Clicked on it on a whim, looked it up on bandcamp… and it’s just great late night listening.

Conan #7: Crystal Fairy – Crystal Fairy
This is a record, I think a lot of people forgot about. The Crystal Fairy record came out really early in the year. This is the collaboration between Buzz and Dale of the Melvins and former guest of the show Teri of Le Butcherettes… oh, and Omar from at the drive in, Mars Volta, and all that.
Josh: oh, sure why not!
Conan: It’s bad ass! To a certain degree it kind of sounds like a Melvins album with Teri singing. I’m totally ok with that. She’s one of my favorite front people period, former quest of the show. This is pretty much a product for me.
Josh: test marketed directly for Conan Neutron
Conan: I was trying to think of there was a way to make this more for me?
Swap out Omar for David William Sims or something?
Josh: Guest appearance by Malcolm Young?
Conan: Yeah! he managed to sneak in a guest appearance before he died. Anyway, this is Crystal Fairy… off of the album Crystal Fairy, with the song Crystal Fairy.

Josh # 6 Radioactivity – Infected
Josh: this is a 7″, not a full length. This is more indicative of the fact that I got into Radioactivity this year. They’ve been around a couple of years. Kind of an offshoot of the Marked Men
Conan: Oh yeah, ok!
Jiosh: so there were two big offshoots I got into… Mind Spiders last year, and this year I was DJing Tony Weber’s art opening at the Black Bird. Tony Weber who is in Heavy Hand
Conan: Who put out a great record this year too!
Josh: he was doing an art opening at the BlackBird and I was DJing and he came by with some records, after putting all his art up, he joined me for some records and one of the ones he played was off the last album and I was like: “What the fuck is this? It’s tightly wound… not really garage rock, got some of that vibe but too well produced. Tight and dry, and fast. It feels like everybody is playing their instruments at the fastest possible tempo all at once. It’s very well united and the songs are catchy as fuck.

Conan #6 Magpies – Next Three Exits
Conan: Next song for me is former guest of the show, very RECENT guest of the show. Hank Donovan’s band Magpies…
Josh: very recent indeeed.
Conan: Not as recent as the last guest, but very recent indeed. Great record! So this is Magpies from Missoula Montana, I think a lot of people slept on this. In fact, I *KNOW* a lot of people slept on this.This scratches the itch of people pining for the more rock based Sonic Youth stuff. That just likes cool, weird guitar rock. Co-ed vocals. Everybody killing it. I like the rest of their stuff, I like everything they’ve done. I think this is the best thing they’ve done.
I think it’s a really great record. That’s my story and i’m sticking to it.
Josh: and that’s the WAY it is…

Josh #5 Fox Face – Toxic
Josh: speaking of recent guests of the show, my number 5 is spoil and destroy from fox face.
Conan: awesome record, picked up the vinyl copy of that recently.
Josh: Super great record.turned out fantastic…
Conan: I wish we could have played more of it on the show when we had them on!
Josh: But now is your opportunity to play a little more.
I mean, you heard a couple songs from it that night if you go back to that episode it’s still there.
but I wanted to play their cover of Britney Spears: Toxic
Conan: oh yeah! it’s pretty bad ass.
Josh: I love it, I love how it’s still obviously that song, but they transform it and make it theirs. It’s a transformative cover.
Conan: first time I heard it, I was like: “what is this? I feel like I know this? OH! It’s Toxic.”
Josh: I think I told this story in the episode, but i’ll tell it again… first time I heard them play it was at a PRF in Chicago and Lindsay says: “I hope you guys likes Britney Spears”, and everybody chuckles they look at each other like: “Why are they laughing? This is serious.” And then they played this amazing song.

Conan #5 SEMINARS – Gaslight / Blacklist
Conan: Alright, we’re only halfway through… calm down
#5 is alive, baby!
He’s got laser lips
Laser lips?
That’s his insult to the other robot. Your Mother, Laser lips!
Oh man, i haven’t seen short circuit in awhile.
You know the Indian dude in short circuit isn’t Indian?

Josh: oh yeah, he apparently took that role and did a lot of research to get the accent right. Apparently he put everything into it…
Conan: You could also just hire an Indian dude. I mean that’s probably what I would do, but if you want to do it the hardest way possible and insult an entire culture.
ANYWAY, speaking of insulting!
hahaha

This is SEMINARS – Pricks die young. Let’s get something straight here people. this is a kick ass rock and roll record, this is mean and hard. If you are into riffs, things that are powerful and immediate and in your face. Songs that get in and get the fuck out. This is your record. This is another one I feel like people should be more hyped on.
Come on people.
This is James from Police Teeth, it doesn’t have any of the Police Teeth pop hooks or anything, but it’s got all those Police Teeth riffs though. SEMINARS has grown into it’s own band, and this is their best record.
It kicks ass, and i’m very pleased to have it on my #5 pick for 2017 play this loud, go break some parking meters and put a brick through a bank window

Josh #4: Bon Air – the Blue Line
Josh: …and here’s another record you should get right now
Conan: number four, you shall adore.
Josh: you should go get all these records right now, spend $10 each on bandcamp i’m sure you can find them all there. Well most of them anyway.
Conan: Click through our buy link to…. no, we don’t have that.
I don’t give a shit about that.
#4 is Bon Air: the blue line.
Bon Air!
It’s a hell of a record, it’s good wistful power-pop that rocks harder than that.
Conan: A little Sugar in there… both the sweetener and the band.
Sam does a very interesting thing where he splits his guitar into a bass, he has a splitter and it’s a whole thing where it’s a two piece and it has a bigger sound than that.
You don’t have to know any of that stuff to listen to this by the way.
Josh: It’s true, i’m trying to think of things to talk about. Besides: “This band is real good, I like ’em!”
Conan: It’s real good, I listen to it, you should listen to it, it’s real good.
Josh: I really do love them, the songs are so fantastic and i’m going with the title track. I bring up the power-pop again because a lot of it was home recorded and it sounds fantastic, but this and another song were recorded at Ardent studios, home of Big Star.
Conan: oh yeah! Of course.
Josh: and on this track, Sam actually played Chris Bell’s guitar.
Conan: Well, fuckin’ A.
Josh: and this song is so wonderful… it’s called the Blue Line

Conan #4: Mountain Goats – Shelved

Conan: number 4 for me is a record by a band I dearly love, who quite frankly haven’t put out a record I dearly love in awhile.
Josh: REALLY!?
Conan: Yeah.
Josh: REALLY, that’s interesting.
Conan: This is the Mountain Goats The last record I really loved by them were All Eternal’s Deck, which I thought was fantastic. I thought the last couple were fine, it’s ok.
Josh: I dearly loved Beat the Champ. I thought that was a top 5 record for them.
Conan: It’s got some tunes, there’s a little light jazz aspect to it I wasn’t loving so much. liked the show, loved some of the songs. but the latest record… GOTHS.
Josh: GOTHS!
Conan: top to bottom bad ass, and also kind of different somehow then anything they’ve done before but also very indicative of what they do.
Josh: Well, there’s no guitars right.
Conan: Yeah, and it’s very much a celebration not just of goth culture, but chosen family subcultures in general.
Josh: Which is not something he hasn’t written about before.
Conan: Yes, but it’s a slightly different way. It’s really cool. This song has a part that straight up sounds like New Order and I never would have expected it from a Mountain Goats record. And i’m totally into it, I think this is something where if you are a casual Mountain Goats record it might be time to check in with this record. I think it’s bad ass and one of John Darnielle’s best and I say that as not a fan of the last couple records.
Josh: Disagree hard!
Conan: Hey, I love the artist. I don’t know what to tell you.
that’s one of the nice things about the Mountain Goats.
I still love the Mountain Goats
There are records of his that other people are particularly huge on that i’m like: “that’s ok. it’s fine” but he’s always a good songwriter and he’s doing different things. If you are inclined to him at all, there’s a Mountain Goats record for you out there and this might be it.
Conan: I think this might be… so this is Shelved, my favorite song off of the Mountain Goats record called: GOTHS.

Conan: that is the Mountain Goats with shelved off of GAWTHS, which is my number 4 slot… some pronunciation right
Josh: that’s what they call them out here.
Conan: Got some gawths going down to the bat cave
Josh: Oh ya! The basement is just fulla gawths, oh boy.
Conan: Oh you got Goths, you gotta spray for that.
Josh: aw jeez.

Conan: You gotta fumigate!
John Darneielle, Come on the show.
Josh: Please, yes, alright… I was going to say that I promise we won’t be this punch drunk but.
Conan: I promise nothing.
Josh: Right.

Josh #3: Maximum Busy Muscle – Failure
Josh: We’re up to my number 3, it’s Maximum Busy Muscle.
Conan: MAximum… BIZZEEE… Mus-CLE.
Josh: from Athens, GA… we got to see them at a number of PRF events, one of their drummers is Erika of Motherfucker
Conan: conflict of interest of alert. Also: former guest of the show!
Josh: But she’s a later addition to the band, they started as a TWO piece. Just guitar and the drums with Mary, and just evolved into this wonderful four headed thing.
It’s kind of funny, the Motherfucker press line is “fist in the air rock”, this is a total headbanger. Some of these songs… especially this song we’re going to play Failure. Is the protoypical song on the record for me… immediately your head is banging… I’ve got short hair and i’m still doing it!

Conan: “I can’t even headbang properly and i’m still doing it so hard right now!”
Josh: But then there is so much more beyond that there’s so much to listen to with the way the drummers interact, how they interact with Adam on bass. All kinds of crazy shit, so it’s heavy and fun. If you took all the ponderous stuff out of early Don Cab. It just rips! it’s a ripper.
I love this record, i’m so glad that it finally got done and I got a hold of it, and you can get a hold of it too on the bandcamps.

Conan: A lot of what they do kind of reminds me of some of the stuff that Big Business does. In a good way, where it’s a heavy groove but something anchors it and it goes around a thing or idea. I can’t believ eI didn’t pick up this record, I was literally in the room when they got them and I just gapped on it. Cool story.

Josh: Cool story, buddy. Well, I suggest you join the rest of the people and pick up this record. This song is called failure.

Conan: alriiiight, that’s failure off of Maximum Busy Muscle
Josh: It’s a rocker
Conan: Right, if you are into that kind of thing, i’m not… i’m more of a light jazz dude.
Josh: yeah, I bet you are. Is that your next pick.
Conan: Here’s some light jazz everybody!

Conan #3: christian fitness – Bruce Hated Puppies

Conan: I think there’s been a christian fitness record on every best of since I started doing them, I think… i’ll probably get a correction soon. Motherfucker puts out a lot of records, and they are all great! It’s Andrew Falkous, aka: Falco of Future of the Left and mclusky. He’s appeared on the show so many times, I’ve LITERALLY lost count. One of my favorite human beings and artists. This is off the record: Slap Bass Hunks.
Josh: How great is that? How great is that?
It’s pretty wonderful. I feel like if you know mclusky and Future of the left, you know what you’re getting into with christian fitness, but I mean that in a good way. It’s like a pleasant surprise, like being given a cupcake.
Josh: yeah!
Conan: Except the cupcake is incredibly sardonic and shouting.
Josh: that’s cool, i’m still going to eat it.
Conan: “I’m still going to eat you!”
This is a strange analogy.
Josh: In a weird way, but it’s still good
I feel like Flco would probably appreciate it.
Anyway, this is the song on Slap Bass Hunks that is the biggest earworm for me. This is one I invite you to listen to, get on bandcamp…
Josh: Bandcamp is great.
Conan: We love bandcamp.
This is Bruce hated Puppies, off Slap Bass Hunks by Christian Fitness.

Those songs get in… get out… and do exactly what they are supposed to do. As Tony Ash said to me: “What a weird chorus! I love it, but what a weird chorus!”
And he’s NOT WRONG.
Josh: He’s not wrong!

Josh #2: power trip – if not us then who

Conan: what you got next for us? We’re down to the NUMBER TWO RECORD OF 2017!
Josh: as much as that matters… it’s definitely on my top 10 list and whatever.
Conan: People love arbitrary designations, we’ve established this.
Josh: I can’t get used to it! So my number two slot is Power Trip, which is an awesome thrash band. That I heard about from a bunch of people I generally trust.
Conan: I thought you were going to say: “Generally ignore!” “I heard about it from a bunch of people I generally ignore.” “This time it was ahhhh… valid.”
Josh: But yeah, it came up in a discussion of thrash, modern thrash, whatever. And this was pointed out to me by a few people, it’s a fucking great record, this is from a record it’s called Nightmare Logic. It has that classic thrash sound, it rests in between Dave Mustaine and Kerry King, Vocals are more shouted than sung, there’s a modern element there. Best thing about it, it’s 38 minutes long
Conan: that’s the correct length, nobody is looking for a 72 minute thrash record.
Josh: Naw, it’s cool man. It’s just a really good, invigorating record. I like to put it on while i’m in traffic jams. When I have to pay attention and focus and crank it up fucking loud!
Conan: Fuckin’ wail!
Josh: This record is called if not us then who. Also pay attention to the lyrics when you can make them out, because they are very good and smart.
Conan: Alright, power trip!

Conan: That’s a very mysterious ending there.
Josh: echo out.
Conan: that was power trip, if not us then who, off of the record Nightmare Logic.
Josh: yes it is.
Conan: Yes, True. Correct statement
Josh: definitely check that out if you like metal of any kind. If you like good things.
Speaking of good things!
Conan: speaking of Good things!
Josh: Good, good things!

#2: Lardo – Nothing

Conan: I know this next one would have been on your list as well.
Josh: It was.
Conan: NO DUPES!
Josh: no dupes.
Conan: this is another former guest of the show. I realized that Brian Pennington was the first show that you co-hosted with me.
Josh: It was. And I want to point that out actually, for a lot of this list we keep saying “Former guest of the show” that’s because we get good fucking guests on this show.
Conan: And we like stuff that doesn’t suck.
Josh: That’s right!
Conan: It isn’t just because we like our buddies bands. There’s a reason why we talk to these people, we like what they do.
Lardo, it blows me away that a big label hasn’t snapped them up and said: “Whatever you want to do, we’ll put it out!” because everything they do is fucking gold.
Josh: And they just barely seem to care in the best way. “oh, we made a record.” “oh, you just crapped this record out? no you didn’t!” it’s so good.
Conan: I still can’t believe that they haven’t given Pennington a free Bit Commander!
Josh: I know!
Conan: the sound clips for the Earthquaker Devices sound page for this pedal should be this record and the first Lardo record.
Josh: Yeah! This is what you can do with that.
Conan: Right, and this is one of the reasons I love them, because they take when I feel has become a staid and conservative genre, noise rock. And they turn it on its ear, there’s hooks to it. And there’s weird fucked up guitar that sounds nothing like a guitar that’s going.
Josh: but manages to be catchy at the same time.
Conan: It manages to be catchy at the same time, they are a hell of a band, this is a hell of a record, they are in my #2 slot, this is the band Lardo off of the record Sinking and the song is called Nothing.

Conan: ok, there we go Lardo with nothing, that’s off of the record Sinking. Get that at your local bandcamps… man, I might not have bought the vinyl for that. i’ve got to look and see, I listen to that all the time. that was my #2 of 2017.
Josh: that was your number two, which means it’s time for my NUMMMMBERRR ONE RECORD!
Conan: I can probably do a drumroll here… I can make that happen.
Josh: sure. Ok, ok… wait for it.
Conan: Waaaaaait for iiiiiit… waaaaait for it.
(drumroll)
Josh: is there gonna be a crash?
Conan: *pssssh*
Josh: there we go.
Conan: oh! there’s apparently a doorbell after that.
(doorbell noise)
Josh: “hello, it’s the number one record! At the door.”
Conan: “Number one record calling, can I speak to the lady of the house please?”
Josh: Alright, so my number one record iiiiiiis…
(drumroll)

Josh #1: Palm
It’s Palm!

Conan: PALM!
Josh: The Shadow expert ep, I was so excited to hear this record. Thrilled! Knowing that this is their second record. They haven’t been around for too long.
Conan: You played one of the songs from this record didn’t you?
Josh: yes, I did.
Conan: I don’t remember which episode.
Josh: It was awhile ago. I played them on the show before, because I was so excited about this. Just knowing that the next generation of noise is getting into the weeiiiird shit.
Conan: Yeah, that’s always nice to see.
Josh: The rhythms are off kilter, the singing is melodic but odd, the interlocking things that reminded me very much of Rob Crow’s band Heavy Vegetable
Conan: oh sure!
Josh: And anybody that is doing that kind of thing these days, is in a weird spot that makes me very happy.
Conan: yeah, I think everything I picked was pretty much old dude music, except for MAYBE Fever Ray. I’m not sure if the kids like Fever Ray, so at least somebody is staying relevant.
Josh: Alright, so the song is called Trying, it’s off of the record Shadow Expert, a preview of their upcoming LP, even though that has new songs. But they’re already… well… we’ll talk about this after the song.
Conan: Alright, this is Palm, Shadow Expert…Trying… there will be a test!

Conan: Ok, cool! That was your number one, that was Palm. Those kids, they are progging out in the best possible way.
Josh: Yeah. Yeah, that indie prog thing. Again, it taps one of those buttons I love so much, which is just: “You went to the practice space and you sat down and you wrote… That?!”
Conan: Yeah, I mean, it’s awesome that… I think there are a lot of bands that like Deerhoof, but not a lot of bands really take the same lessons from them. They have that mix, the Rob Crow world, a little King Crimson in there. If King Crimson played punk rock.
Josh: So Red.
Conan: Yeah, basically Red era King crimson. Yeah.
Josh: They are already working on their next record that will be out pretty soon. There are a couple of tracks up on their bandcamp, and it’s even weirder they are using guitars and drums to trigger samples. Just doing weird shit. I love that this is already weird enough and it’s just going to ramp up from there.
Conan: FU, it’s getting weirder!
Josh: That’s fucking great.
Conan: it is fucking great. So go get that on bandcamp… that’s on there.
Josh: blue vinyl too.

Conan: Oxbow – Thin Black Duke
Conan: My #1 record of 2017 is…
*drumroll*
Oxbow
Again: former guest of the show, Eugene Robinson. Really amazing record, it took them a long time to make this and it shows… it’s dense, there’s a lot to it. I’ve always liked Oxbow, I’ve liked everything they’ve done. I think their first two records are great… and they also give me headaches.
Josh: yeah, sure.
Conan: …and I mean that as a compliment. When I heard they were doing an acoustic record, I was like: “whaaaaaa? REally?” That was amazing, everything they’ve done has been wonderful. But this is… this is their best record. It blows me away every time, it unveils itself in very weird ways, and it’s a fantastic record that I listen to constantly. I considered doing one of the deeper cuts because there is a lot to do this one, but boy… if that first song isn’t one of my favorite god damn things. A Cold and Well-lit place, it’s my jam
Josh: sometimes something grabs you and takes you right where you need to be.
Conan: Yeah! It’s great. There’s nothing wrong with that at all, this record is great. It’s awesome. Oxbow, Thin Black Duke, Cold Well-Lit Place, #1 record of 2017, Protonic Reversal.

This is how it go:

Conan: #1 record of 2017, for me. Mr. Conan Neutron
Josh: There we go, that’s our lists.
Conan: That’s our lists, Go buy them records.
Josh: I gotta say, we are two people that listen to a lot of music and if we say these are the twenty records that worth your time first. Not the only twenty!
Conan: Not the only twenty, but definitely twenty that you absolutely need to pay attention to for sure.
Josh: We don’t go into this lightly, although we may go into the numbering lightly. We put some consideration into this and hopefully you all will get as much joy out of these records as we did.
Conan: Absolutely, and thank you for listening to the show, Thanks for caring that… we care?
Josh: Caring about our caringness?
Conan: Thanks for caring enough to listen to us talk about the music that meant so much to us in 2017. Anything else?
josh: Keep staying tuned in for… 2018?
Conan: 2018!
Josh: See what records happen then.
Conan: of course, and stay tuned to Protonic Reversal. Radioneutron.com for the archives, every week 8PM Eastern, 7PM Central, 6PM Mountain, 5 PM Pacific only on Radio NOPE!
Josh: Except for the times that we don’t do it then.
Conan: Except for the times that we don’t do it then.
Josh: Just like thiiiis.
Conan: exactly, catch you later.

Categories :
Ep399: Bob Bert (Sonic Youth, Pussy Galore, Chrome Cranks, Jon Spencer and the Hitmakers, Lydia Lunch Retrovirus)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          BBGun, the zine. The endless allure of Bad Moon Rising by Sonic
Ep400: Conan Neutron (Conan Neutron and the Secret Friends, Protonic Reversal, Replicator, Mount Vicious, Victory and Associates, Household Gods)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dlSUBSCRIBE or listen on Apple Podcasts (free).SUBSCRIBE on something else (FREE) xml
Ep398: Duane Denison (The Jesus Lizard, Tomahawk, DK3)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          RACK is the new album by the Jesus Lizard. A real treat for
Ep397: Dale Crover (Melvins, Redd Kross, DCB, NeutronFriends)
Protonic Reversal Podcast         Dale Crover! One of rock’s greatest drummers (Conan would know!), also is a
Ep396: Alain Johannes (Eleven, Queens of the Stone Age, Desert Sessions, PJ Harvey, Solo)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Alain Johannes is back, for a full episode. Which is crazy, as
Ep395: Upright Forms (Nick Sakes, Noah Paster, Shaun Westphal)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Upright Forms are a great band from Minneapolis, with a great new
Ep394: Chris Haskett (Rollins Band, Foetus, The Joy Thieves, Cassandra Complex, Even/Odd, solo)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          A great conversation going from the early days of DC Punk Rock,
Ep393: Spencer Hazard (Full of Hell, Eye Flys, Reaper’s Gong)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Full of Hell has been releasing high quality and uncompromising heavy music
Ep392: Steve Bartek (Oingo Boingo, Baring All, Composer, Conductor)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Steve has a new record with Ira Ingber Baring All – There
Ep391: John Mohr, Michael Greenlees, Tim Midyett (Deep Tunnel Project)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Deep Tunnel Project is a chicago band! Featuring, two members of Tar,
Ep390: Kip Uhlhorn and Matt Hall (The Red Scare)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          The Red Scare is back! No, not the podcast, the legendary late 90s/early
Ep389: Jake Smith (Eye Flys, Backslider)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Protonic is back! First show since the 10 year anniversary episode. Let’s
Ep388: 10th Anniversary Spectacular (Duane Denison, Coady Willis, Marnie Stern, Steve Albini, Falco, Bob Bert, David Pajo, Alain Johannes, John Schmersal, Mike Morasky, Dale Crover, Jennifer Precious Finch, Ian MacKaye)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          13 (!) new interviews, about 10 minutes each to celebrate the 10
Ep387: Doni Blair (The Toadies, Hagfish, Only Crime, Author)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Doni Blair is best known as bassplayer for 90s legends The Toadies,
Ep386: Danbert Nobacon (Chumbawama, Solo, Axis of Dissent)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Danbert is a anarcho-punk icon that cofounded Anarchist collective punk group Chumbawamba
Ep385: Roger C. Miller (Mission of Burma, Anvil Orchestra, Composer)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          The legendary guitarist for Mission of Burma arrives to talk about dream interpretations
Ep384: Rick Sims (Didjits, Gaza Strippers)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          293 episodes since Rick Sims last protoniced, did they even have podcasts
Ep383: Ryan Patterson (Fotocrime, Coliseum)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Long time coming! Ryan Patterson has a great new Fotocrime record called
Photo by Mike White, Deadly Designs. deadlydesigns.com Ep382: Buzz Osborne (Melvins)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Tarantula Heart. The latest Melvins record which was created in an unorthodox
Ep381: Greg Norton (Hüsker Dü, Ultrabomb)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Greg Norton is back! It’s been almost three years since last time.
Ep380: Kid Congo Powers (Pink Monkey Birds, the Gun Club, The Cramps, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Kid Congo Powers has a brand new record called That Delicious Vice
Ep379: Ralph Spight (Victims Family, The Freak Accident, Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Victims Family has an awesome new split lp with Nasalrod! “In the
Ep378: Blake Bickel (Bronson Arm)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          The Bronson Arm self-titled record is still fairly recently released. We get
Ep377: Norman Westberg (Swans, Heroine Sheiks, Solo)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          That’s right it is weirdo guitar LEGEND Norm Westberg! Here not just
Ep376: Steve Turner (Mudhoney, Green River, Monkeywrench, Author)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Mud Ride is the name of Steve’s book. A messy trip through
Ep375: Steven Hodson (USA Nails, BLKLSTRS, Kong)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Feel Worse is the new record by USA Nails, Steven also plays
Ep374: Peter Prescott (Mission of Burma, Minibeast, Volcano Suns, Kustomized)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Peter Prescott is the impresario and driving force behind Minibeast. To
Ep373: J. Robbins (Jawbox, J. Robbins Band, Burning Airlines, Magpie Cage)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          J. Robbins returns! He has a brand new record called Basilisk.  It
Ep372: John Wright (NoMeansNo, Dead Bob) and Jason Lamb (NMN book)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          John Wright of NoMeansNo and Dead Bob returns! And this time he
Ep371: Andrew “Falco” Falkous (mclusky, Future of the Left, christian fitness)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          It has been 1031 days since Falco’s last appearance on Protonic Reversal
Ep370: Zach Blair (Rise Against, GWAR, Hagfish, Only Crime, Anti-Heroes Podcast)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Zach Blair has had an incredible career in music. He and
Ep369: Steve Bartek (Oingo Boingo, Composer)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Steve started off writing songs and playing flute (!) with the
Ep368: Gerald V. Casale (DEVO)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Friend of the show, Gerald V. Casale returns! To talk not
Ep367: Scott Macdonald (Arcwelder)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Rejoice! For the first time since 1999 there is a new
Ep366: Matt Cronk (CNTS, Qui, Fake Legs, Cowards)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Matt Cronk returns, and so has CNTS. This time you can
Ep365: Jamie Stewart (Xiu Xiu)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Ignore Grief, is the latest album from Xiu Xiu, it came
Ep364: Eddie Gobbo (Something is Waiting)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Absolutely is the new record from Chicago heavy swagger rockers Something Is
Ep363: Top Records of 2023
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Here is my annual show and list of records I really
Ep362: Stephen Hodges (mssv, Tom Waits, David Lynch, Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Hodge! Not only does this complete the mssv trifecta for protonic,
Ep361: Marnie Stern
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl THE COMEBACK KID! It isn’t just the player, it is the
Ep360: Simon Bonney and Joshua Murphy (Crime & the City Solution)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl The Killer is the new record by the latest lineup of
Ep359: Nina Nastasia (Solo, Jolie Laide)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl The inimitable Nina Nastasia! Jolie Laide is the newest record,  a
Ep358: Gary Floyd (Dicks, Sister Double Happiness, Black Kali Ma, Gary Floyd Band)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Punk rock legend Gary Floyd of the legendary DICKS enters the
Ep357: Brian Cook (Botch, Russian Circles, These Arms Are Snakes, SUMAC)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl It is Brian Cook of BOTCH, Russian Circles, These Arms Are
Ep356: Todd Trainer (Shellac, Brick Layer Cake, Rifle Sport)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Well hey there, it’s one of Conan Neutron’s very favorite drummers,
Ep355: Mike McGinnis (Rid of Me, Fight Amp, Low Dose, Knife Hits)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Access to the Lonely is the new record by Rid Of
Ep354: John Baizley (Baroness)
Protonic Reversal Podcast         STONE is the one new one by Baroness, no it is NOT named
Ep353: Robert Kassees (1001 Album Complaints, The Chop, The Beverly Crushers, Repeat After Me)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Rob was on Protonic Reversal before the show hit double digits.
Ep352: Sleepytime Gorilla Museum (Nils Frykdahl & Michael Mellender)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Bring Back the Apocalypse! What’s that? Why it’s Nils and Michael
Ep351: Jason Smith (Traindodge)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          The Alley Parade is the 8th (!) record by the band Traindodge,
Ep350: Eugene S. Robinson (Oxbow, Buñuel, Author)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Love’s Holiday is the new album by Oxbow and A Walk Across
Ep349: Mike Morasky, Dale Flattum, Dorothy Kent (Steel Pole Bath Tub) w/Noah Landis
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Surprise! All three members of Steel Pole Bath Tub for their
Ep348: Mike Hard (Thrall, God Bullies, They Never Sleep)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl It has been a couple years since Mike Hard was on
Ep347: Clinton Jacob and Danny Sein (Mr. Phylzzz)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Clinton and Danny from Mr. Phylzzz have a new one called
Ep346: Randy Randall (No Age, Hyphenate with Randy Randall Podcast)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Randy has been rocking with his bandmate Dean in the band
Ep345: Maple Stave (Chris Williams, Andy Hull, Evan Rowe, Chris Rasmussen)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Durham rock band Maple Stave have a new record called ARGUMENTS
Ep344: Ryan Christopher Parks (B. Hamilton)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          The one and only Ryan Parks returns! There is some new B.
Ep343: M. Martin (Coordinated Suicides, Caryatids, Pink City)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          The fabulous M. Martin FINALLY comes on Protonic Reversal. Mike started playing
Ep342: Rick Pelletier and J. Ryan (Six Finger Satellite)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl The Pigeon Is the Most Popular Bird has a lush and
Ep341: David Schellenberg (tunic)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Envisioning tunic and switching from bass to guitar. The upcoming tour
RIP Rick Froberg [Ep237 Rick Froberg (Hot Snakes, Drive Like Jehu, Obits, Pitchfork) Revisited)]
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Rick Froberg was a titan, a legend. A fierce tornado of
Ep340: John Newton (JOHN)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl The band is called JOHN, it has two people in it
Ep339: Pete and Franz Stahl (Scream, Wool)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl A great conversation with the REAL Band of Brothers, The Stahls!
Ep338: Tim Green (the Fucking Champs, Nation of Ulysses)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl There is a reissue of the incredible record III by The
Ep337: Thymme Jones (Cheer-Accident)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl CONTEXT! it is everything. Look, there is prolific, and long lived
Ep336: John Wright (NoMeansNo, Dead Bob, Compressorhead, The Hanson Brothers)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl The mighty punk prog powerhouse drummer comes on Protonic Reversal to
Ep335: Meg Castellanos (Totimoshi, All Souls, Alma Sangre)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl The mighty Meg Castellanos of Totimoshi and All Souls comes to
Ep334: Gareth Thomas (USA Nails)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl All the way from the UK. How WAS Your Weekend? Rocking
Ep333: Brett Bradford (Scratch Acid, Suckling)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl There’s a new Suckling video for Sisyphus, and it features all
Ep332: Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Fantômas, Dead Cross, Mr Bungle, Solo)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Dave has a cool new album called Rites of Percussion, a
Ep331: Clinton Wallace and Brad Bynum (Elephant Rifle)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl The pride of Reno, NV! And their cultural ambassadors. The boys
RIP Mark Stewart (Ep285: Mark Stewart of the Pop Group revisited)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          Devastated to hear the news of Mark Stewart of the Pop Group’s
Ep330: Damien Sayell (The St. Pierre Snake Invasion, mclusky)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl The new TSPSI record is called GALORE. It is a bit
Ep329: Mike Morasky (Steel Pole Bath Tub, Cassette Prophet)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Cassette Prophet is Mike from SPBT’s newest thing, a long percolating
Ep328: Resurrectionists (Joe Cannon, Jeff Brueggeman, Gian Chivas Pogliano)
Protonic Reversal Podcast         stream/dl Resurrectionists are an awesome new (er) band from Milwaukee and they have
Ep327: A Fond Farewell to RadioNOPE
To view this content, you must be a member of Conan's Patreon at $1 or
Ep326: John Darnielle (the Mountain Goats)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl John was good enough to talk to Conan before their next
Ep325: Donna Diane (Djunah)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl It has been 184 episodes since Donna Diane has been on
Ep324: Lori Joseph (Acid King)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Beyond Vision! An all new Acid King record for 2023. This
Ep323: Russell Simins (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, S-E-R-V-I-C-E, Crunt)
Protonic Reversal Podcast         stream/dl DANG! it’s the drum man for the BLUUUUUUES EXPLOOOOOSSSION. Who also happens
Ep322: Rose Marshack (Poster Children, Salaryman, Author)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl The incredible Rose Marshack of Poster Children has written a book
Ep321: Ivan Julian (Richard Hell and the Voidoids, Shriekback, Matthew Sweet)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Ivan has a new record called Swing Your Lanterns. Starting in
Ep320: Kevin Rutmanis (Hepa.Titus, Cows, Melvins, Tomahawk)
Protonic Reversal Podcast         Kevin is back and he has TWO new records! Uneat, the latest from
Ep319: Martin Bisi (Producer, Engineer, Martin Bisi Band)
Protonic Reversal Podcast         The pride of Gowanus comes on Protonic Reversal. Martin documented all the no
Ep318: Mario Lalli (Fatso Jetson, Mario Lalli and the Rubber Snake Charmers, Yawning Man, Across The River, Queens of the Stone Age)
Protonic Reversal Podcast         Boomer, The godfather of desert rock! Early days with Black Flag, Redd Kross
Ep317: Top Records of 2022
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl It is time for the yearly countdown of some of my
Ep316: Alec Mackaye (Hammered Hulls, The Warmers, Ignition)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Hammered Hulls! A new-ish band with a GREAT record called Careening.
Ep315: Mike Baggetta (mssv, Mike Baggetta / Mike Watt / Jim Keltner, solo)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Everywhen We Go, that’s the new record by Mike Baggetta /
Ep314: Mike Watt (mssv, Minutemen, fIREHOSE, the Stooges, Flipper, solo, Mike Baggetta / Jim Keltner / Mike Watt)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Surprise! It is the one and only Mr. Mike Watt. He’s
Ep313: Gerald V. Casale (DEVO)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl The unmistakable Gerald V. Casale of DEVO RETURNS! He has new
Ep312: Paul Roessler (The Screamers, 45 Grave, Nervous Gender, Nina Hagen, Twisted Roots, Solo, Producer)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl The great Paul Roessler! He’s recently released The Turning of the
Ep311: John Schmersal (Brainiac, Enon, Vertical Scratchers, Crooks on Tape)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Brainiac touring in 2023? Amazing! Let’s get the full details from
Ep310: Nick Sakes (Upright Forms, Colossamite, Dazzling Killmen, Sicbay)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Upright Forms are a new band! One of their first recordings
Ep309: Mark Davies (Thinking Fellers Union Local 282)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Reissues of Strangers From the Universe and Admonishing the Bishops! Yes,
Ep308: microwaves (Dave Kuzy, John Roman, Adam Macgregor)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl The mighty men of MICROWAVES! This incredibly long lived band of
Ep307: Guy Picciotto (fugazi)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Well then! How about a comprehensive talk with the fantastic and
Ep306: Toshi Kasai (Producer, Engineer, Musician)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Toshi is the renowned producer of bands like Melvins, Tool and
Ep305: Chat Pile
Protonic Reversal Podcast         What a treat! All four members of Oklahoma City Noise-rock/sludge superstars come on
Ep304: Scott Picco (Almanac Man, Bear Claw, Rented Rooms)
Protonic Reversal Podcast          stream/dl Almanac Man is a great newer band from Denver, with a
Ep303: Dan Kubinski (Die Kreuzen, DeadFinger)
Protonic Reversal Podcast         The mighty Die Kreuzen vocalist and frontman has a brand new dark acoustic