Break Rock Down

What is shoegaze? Well it’s gazing at your shoes… This dreamy subgenre of rock was named for artists who liked to stare at the effect pedals at their feet, rather than at the adoring fans. The result is big, ethereal, wall of sound songs that make your ears melt (in a good way). Let’s define shoegaze, talk about its history, and identify what it sounds like.

Inspired by the punk movement, the Cocteau Twins, and The Jesus and M...

What on earth is Wizard Rock??? We’ve got an interesting one for you on the podcast this week. This magical genre is a niche form of rock that came from the Harry Potter fandom making music based on and inspired by the books & movies. Literally. Bands are named things like Harry and the Potters, Draco and the Malfoys, and the Parselmouths. 

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What is noise rock exactly? Join us as we break down one of the most abrasive, ear-bleeding, and limitless genres in existence. It's a breeding ground for creativity and variety. In fact, many bands and albums in this genre follow their own instincts and influences to produce music that defies strict categorization. 

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Folk music, also known as traditional music, has been around for ages. But what happens when you combine a tale as old as time with new, British-invasion-esque rock and roll? Folk Rock. But what is Folk Rock exactly? Let’s define it, talk about its history, and identify what it sounds like. Let’s also talk about some of the fantastic bands that defined Folk Rock.

Folk rock is just that - a hybrid music style that combines elem...

Deliberately nasty, dirty, anti-glam and, consequently, pre-punk, Pub Rock groups in valued the simple, back to basics sounds of the early 60s. Ignored by the big wig record companies, these guys opted for inexpensive records put out on their own terms. Picture ordering a $4 draught instead of a $17 martini. The result was a raw, live-performance-driven scene hosted primarily in London and Essex that lasted a mere six or so years.

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A child, or should I say… division of progressive rock, Math Rock sounds incredible. But what is Math Rock, exactly? Let’s define it, talk about its history, identify some stylistic characterizations, and tell some stories about notable people in the genre.

Math Rock is a genre of rock characterized by complex rhythms and irregular and angular instrumental patterns that change constantly first made popular by hardcore groups like S...

A genre that changed the face (literally) of the music industry forever, Glam Rock was pioneered by big name superstars like David Bowie, Queen, and Alice Cooper. But what is Glam Rock exactly? Let’s define it, talk about its history, identify some stylistic characterizations, and tell some stories about notable artists of the genre.

Glam Rock is a genre that came about in the early 70s as a response to the drab, square, and m...

To the moon! It’s a genre that swept the nation alongside the space race. But what is Space Rock, exactly? Let’s define it, talk about its history, identify some stylistic characterizations, and tell some stories about notable people in the genre.

Coined in the 70s to describe the emerging psychedelic-type rock groups like Pink Floyd and Hawkwind, Space Rock sounds slow, hypnotic, otherworldly, and is characterized by reverb o...

A genre that was named 20 years after its debut, Yacht Rock has seen a revival in recent years. But what is Yacht Rock, exactly? Let’s define it, talk about its history, identify some stylistic characterizations, and tell some stories about notable people in the genre.

In 2005, four LA-based goofballs started releasing a short video series for Channel 101 called “Yacht Rock.” Thus, the songs that give an airy, breezy, sipping-...