Nevermind the Music

If I would, could you? This week, our hosts do another over-the-top deep dive to close Season 2, this time focusing on the dreary 1992 grunge epic “Would?” by Alice in Chains. Nichole takes us through the stages of the transtheoretical model of change, looking through the lens of recovery from addic...

Who doesn’t love a sick distorted bass line? Maybe Nichole… This week we get all worked up with Muse’s 2001 hard rock classic “Hysteria.” Nichole takes us through whether hysteria is a real thing or just some made up science of the patriarchy, then introduces some real modern disorders that relate t...

106 - Sidetrack - Season 2 Mailbag 4 Are Alanis Morissette and Lauryn Hill two sides of the same coin? This week, we have one more chance to open the mailbag for Season 2! This batch of inquires hits on such controversial topics as Nichole’s accent, whether we should talk about musicals, mono-cultur...

Were you one of those people who loved group projects back in school? If so, you must be the social loafer! This week we synergize with The Eagles’ 1976 country-rock gem “New Kid in Town.” Nichole talks about creative collaboration in a conversation that ranges widely, from interpersonal conflict to...

Wait, does it need to be either rock or opera to be a rock opera? As Season 2’s final guest, we welcome podcast luminary John Lorehound for a fun conversation about concept albums. Mark’s ready to go with a custom categorization scheme, Nichole comes armed with the required Hozier and Taylor Swift m...

Is it true that what is meant to be will be? This week, the hosts nod their heads to Lauryn Hill’s 1998 anthem of empowerment “Everything is Everything.” Nichole explains how this song is a great representation of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy’s Hexaflex model and… that’s a lot of fancy words, y...

What better way to travel cheaply than listen to a great song? This week our hosts build one more list for Season 2, this time about their favorite songs about places. Nichole’s list is a little longer than Mark’s this time, but does quantity mean quality? Listen to be transported and find out! Musi...

What would it take for you to join a cult? What if the leader looked like Lenny Kravitz? This week, we break down the 1993 retro rocker, “Are You Gonna Go My Way” by Lenny Kravitz. Nichole takes the messiah-energy of the song’s lyrics and describes the methods cults use to control their followers. M...

How are we still doing this thing? To celebrate our 100th(ish) episode, we’ve brought in a heavy hitter: returning guest David from the Lorehounds. David picks our brains about our first two seasons, talking topics like our friendship, what we’ve learned from podcasting, conversations with our liste...

What did Uncle Joey do to make someone this mad? This week, our hosts tackle Alanis Morissette’s 1995 breakup anthem “You Oughta Know.” Mark tries to draw a straight line between the intensity of Alanis’s emotions and how unhinged the song’s rhythms are… before taking an opportunity to majorly over-...