Completely Conspicuous 539: Half and Half

It's part 2 of my conversation with guest Jay Breitling as we discuss our favorite music of the year so far.

Show notes:

- Recorded via Zoom

- Breitling's #10 and Kumar's #8

- Jangly indie pop sounds from Australia

- The lack of touring is really hurting bands and fans

- Breitling's #9

- A Matmos side project, "a niche of a niche"

- Kumar's #10

- All-star post-punk act out of LA

- Kumar's #9

- The loud/loud dynamic

- Breitling's #8

- Solo album from singer of Hop Along

- Breitling's #7

- Ambient electronic from an Italian musician in his 60s

- Bandcamp Friday has been a big hit this year

- Kumar's #7

- New band from Ian MacKaye, Amy Farina and Joe Lally

- Harking back to Fugazi's sound

- Kumar's #6

- Texas-based act with members from the Riverboat Gamblers and Rise Against

- Breitling's #6

- Another great Slumberland release

- Breitling's #5

- Dream pop from the Ukraine

- Kumar's #5

- Indie rock stalwart continues evolving his sound

- Kumar's and Breitling's #4

- Another cinematic effort from Canuck genius

- Breitling's #3

- Powerful release overshadowed by the pandemic

- Breitling's #2 and Kumar's #1

- Political hip hop as an art form

- Never more timely

- Kumar's #3

- Atmospheric new release from an alt-rock OG

- Kumar's #2

- Striking record from Boston-based indie rock act

- Breitling's #1

- UK indie act "like Elliot Smith making a Teenage Fanclub record"

- Looking forward to new releases from Sam Prekop, Katie Day, Bob Mould, IDLES, Fontaines DC, Psychedelic Furs

- When will concerts happen again?

- Probably dependent on a vaccine

- Liability is a big factor in whether shows come back

Completely Conspicuous is available through the Apple Podcasts directory. Subscribe and write a review!

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian.