Unless you're one of those who ride or die exclusively with Norwegian black metal, there's a good chance that at least half of the tunes you know and love feature some kind of percussion instrument in the mix. These underrated and invaluable instruments provide color, life, drive, dynamics, motion and/or flair to make your favorite song as great as it is. Imagine "September" by Earth Wind & Fire without that driving bongo track. Imagine "Hair Of The Dog" without that immortal cowbell. As legendary producer Bruce Dickinson can attest, it can make or break a legendary recording. New Pal O' The Pod and percussion wizard Alex LaBorwit knows a thing or two about the artistry of laying down an incredible tambourine, conga, maraca, timpani and triangle, and is happy to demonstrate some of these instruments for us in his home studio. Top Ten Percussion Instruments breaks down what makes these essential musical tools so awesome, and we spin some amazing tunes to get you shakin' your booty and learning to appreciate the majesty of percussion.

Stream this playlist on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6b4oUgcIJmazDo2IMs1e7g?si=Ek-rGmrbT0mdUY9XcDyAcw

Long before the Brill Building, Tin Pan Alley ruled the pop charts and the streets of Broadway. This era's amazing collection of songs has been given a very dignified and fitting moniker - the Great American Songbook. The writers of the timeless tunes that grace this beloved book are some of the most legendary artists in American history, and the very souls that gave America its first ever contribution to world culture in the first half of the 20th Century. Fellow Music-Historian-In-Training Joe Lavelle returns for a third volume of these undeniably timeless songs, and we pay tribute to the writers that made it all possible by playing versions of these songs performed by some of the greats from the past and relative present. Get your historian hat on and join us.

Stream this playlist on Spotify. In fact, stream the entire Great American Songbook playlist, featuring the songs played in Volumes 1-3 here:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3geDov0F7wWOEABU0QJhPn?si=AQPGzMFWRVOnMzUxgSYM1Q

Check out Joe at Write Club tonight October 14th if you're in LA:
https://www.facebook.com/WRITECLUBLosAngeles/

Also like we mentioned, Pop Culture Worst To First is leaving iTunes this week. Download these episodes while you still can:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pop-culture-worst-to-first/id1439252063

If you really need an explanation for what this episode is all about than here it is: covers.

The fabulous Dustin Prince has helped us bring you 7 other volumes in this series. Listen to them all:

https://www.mixcloud.com/beneisen/all-time-top-ten-episode-43-top-ten-cover-songs-volume-1-wdustin-prince/
https://www.mixcloud.com/beneisen/all-time-top-ten-episode-78-top-ten-cover-songs-volume-2-wdustin-prince/
https://www.mixcloud.com/beneisen/episode-138-top-ten-cover-songs-volume-3-wdustin-prince/
https://www.mixcloud.com/beneisen/episode-192-top-ten-cover-songs-volume-4-wdustin-prince/
https://www.mixcloud.com/beneisen/episode-240-top-ten-cover-songs-volume-5-wdustin-prince/
https://www.mixcloud.com/beneisen/episode-295-top-ten-cover-songs-volume-6-wdustin-prince/
https://www.mixcloud.com/beneisen/attt-episode-341-top-ten-cover-songs-vol-7-wdustin-prince/

Plus stream all 8 lists in one handy Spotify playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4MYLdxgfChXizjkH8Jg7ax?si=yxgkNTgmRGmvmDGL7rRTTw

How do! All Time Top Ten's Brit Month is wrapping up in style with an overview of the best UK rock bands of the past 20 years. Those rockin' Brits have come a long way since Beatlemania blew things wide open 55 years ago. The bands of the past 2 decades feel like a culmination of everything we've heard all month long - great pop songwriting, moody introspection, tongue in cheek... uh cheekiness, and the sound of shimmering guitars over a mighty backbeat. Make no mistake, rock n roll isn't dead, we just need to be reminded of how awesome it can be and science has proven that it's human nature to want to rock out like a maniac from time to time. Hopefully, with the help of singer-songwriter, and mensch-in-chief Brandon Schott, we can help you get that primal release out by playing tunes from the best rock the Brits have had to offer so far this century.

As always, Brandon is hard at work on more music, but in the meantime you can listen to his latest releases here:
http://brandonschott.com

Stream this playlist on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3eNpFUepyNMw8xhURJZ68A?si=CeOpjriWRHC0dJ93up8ypg

ATTT's highly fashionable series Brit Month keeps on keeping on with a fascinating look at the bands that made the UK rock scene in the 90s. As we all know, the 90s brought the age of irony to an entire generation, and the Brits were more than receptive to it. There might have been "better" decades in British rock, but there was definitely no "cooler" decade than the 90s. All over England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, bands took the best of what came before - pop, rock, electronic, shoe gaze, "alternative" which really means "new wave", and more to inform a vibrant scene that was everywhere, from Top Of The Pops to the British tabloids. It was a moment in time, punctuated by great bands and great music and we're proud to welcome back the one and only Chrissy Olsen to help count down our favorites.

Stream this playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7uwOuYZjmtTSksPG8465jp?si=EOduJdsSQxaE5zaKxoyddw

As Britain's Parliament goes through another week of pantsing themselves while giving themselves atomic wedgies, we here at ATTT are DETERMINED to cheer them up by reminding the world of just how rich their rock n roll history truly is. That's why we invented Brit Month, a semi-comprehensive look at the best UK rock n roll bands by decade. The 80s is where things got wonky, and styles of rock ran as far away from each other as possible, making for an incomprehensible stew of new wave, punk, post punk, metal, hair metal, new romantic, synth pop and MTV-ready arena rock & pop. In town from his teaching gig in China to say Ni Hao is beloved Pal O' The Pod Jeff Axelrod. We take a long (sorry possibly too long) and loving look at the greatest UK rock bands of the decade that went from big shoulder pads to big hair, but kept rock alive for another glorious ten years.

Xie Xie (thanks) to Jeff for dropping by while on a break from his main gig teaching English in China. Find out more at his blog:
http://adventures.chinateachingnewbie.com

Stream this playlist on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0gGNlmpFjQELSxEWccTtkl?si=c_cCBGElToy1_pmhY3bBUw

God knows what's happening over in Parliament these days, but around here we admire and respect the Brits for their uncanny ability to make some of the best rock n roll on the planet! Take for instance, UK Rock Bands Of The 1970s. Believe us, for this week's episode there were more great bands that DIDN'T make the list than great ones that made the cut. Spoiler: they're all great. The uncanny musician and producer Steve Deutsch joins the pod for a look at some of the best UK rock bands of the era, including some that he got a chance to see up close in their heyday. Listen in to hear some of the finest rock, prog, glam, punk, and more in this week's installment of #BritMonth.

Stream this playlist on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2ScFAySpPDDFNJZTwxf2lf?si=WJZDTFQqS8exvnipkZS0Hw

We here at ATTT HQ are hardcore anglophiles, especially for their music. The UK has had an incredible track record for bringing the world great rock n roll, and given all of their recent, uh... troubles, we thought we'd pay tribute to the Brits by dedicating an entire month's worth of podcasts to the greatest rock bands to ever emerge from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We kick things off with the decade that defined the term British Invasion. The 60s were a great time for music in general, but the bands from the UK led the way to a musical revolution and ushered rock n roll into its greatest era. The fabulous Mrs. Eisen herself Elizabeth Eisen makes a surprise appearance with a podcast that was taped on the road from the great state of Illinois. Ben and Liz count down the best of the British Invasion from the only decade that can truly call itself that.

Stream this playlist on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2MkGuLzVCA9u4h2WMIFuoQ?si=mwutcDXAQBaMUm8Oi8-1pw

Once in a blue moon a song will come along that defies all expectations. A band or artist that is known and beloved for THIS is suddenly back and putting out THIS, THIS being that certain song that nobody saw coming. These are songs that changed music history, especially for the artists involved. The honorable David Daskal is back for another go-around with this fruitful topic. Top Ten Unexpected Hits From Unexpected Artists will get you thinking about the sheer randomness of fortune and how being in the right place at the right time, with the right song can alter the musical landscape in cool - and dare we say - unexpected ways.

Stream this playlist on Spotify, if you please:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3ldqfy5fitSX6j1icRIZhj?si=JqGcLsl-QjKMt1T8aZWyEA

Once a year we here at ATTT HQ have a little bit of fun at our listeners' expense. We always look forward to that annual tradition where we bring out the stinkiest songs known to the world and are so very terrible that they fill us with white hot rage. We're over the moon excited that the Rage-Inducing Numbers Girl herself Shannon Hurley was into doing Volume 5 of our Rage Series, and we thought it would make it an extra painful experience if we focused this volume squarely on cover songs. You know, sort of ruin your favorite song with a ragey version just for the sheer torture of it. This is what we call fun. Enjoy.

Shannon and Ben's chill pop duo Lovers & Poets is celebrating the upcoming release of their new EP "Sugar High". Listen to some of their stuff at the brand new website:
https://loversandpoets.com

Stream this putrid playlist on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0VREC1mZhJ0NkhCnQCkg8z?si=xqH9-17lRMuZA9UhmjaQBg

For further rage-inducing fun, check out volumes 1-4 at the ol' archive page:

https://www.mixcloud.com/beneisen/episode-155-top-ten-rage-inducing-songs-wdj-hostettler-dixie-jacobs-of-body-futures/

https://www.mixcloud.com/beneisen/episode-210-top-ten-rage-inducing-songs-volume-2-wmatt-dinan/

https://www.mixcloud.com/beneisen/episode-278-top-ten-rage-inducing-songs-vol-3-wdiane-stroud-adam-sears/

https://www.mixcloud.com/beneisen/episode-339-top-ten-rage-inducing-songs-volume-4-wvanessa-narad-axelsen-candi-bartlett/