Devo, AC/DC, and a Mystery Solved

It's time for another Strong Songs listener Q&A, as Kirk goes into the mailbag to answer your most burning musical questions.

How does Devo make 11/8 time sound so smooth? What makes one song sound like a train, while another one sounds like a pack of horses? Why does the turnaround of Janelle Monáe's "Make Me Feel" sound so odd? What kinds of effects did Michael Brecker use on his saxophone? How does AC/DC's Angus Young rock the intro to "Thunderstruck" so hard? Those questions and many more... on this ep.

REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

• "Me, Myself, I" by Joan Armatrading from Joan Armatrading, 1980
• “Blockhead” by Devo from Dusty Now for the Future, 1979
• “Funky Sea, Funky Dew” by Michael and Randy Brecker from Heavy Metal Be-Bop, 1978
• “We Built This City” by Starship from Knee Deep in the Hoopla, 1985
• “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” by Iron Butterfly from In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, 1978
• “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC from The Razors Edge, 1990
• “Where The Streets Have No Name” by U2 from The Joshua Tree, 1987
• “Make Me Feel” by Janelle Monáe from Dirty Computer, 2018
• “Wheel In The Sky” by Journey from Infinity, 1978
• “Last Train Home” by Pat Metheney from Still Life (Talking), 1987
• “Graceland” by Paul Simon from Graceland, 1086
• “Cissy Strut” by The Meters from The Meters, 1960
• “In Case You Don’t Live Forever” by Ben Platt from Sing To Me Instead, 2019
• “Joy Spring” by Clifford Brown from Clifford Brown & Max Roach, 1954
• “Ghost Catching” and “Professor Elvin Gadd” by Chad York and Darren Radtke from Luigi’s Mansion 3, 2019
• Reference to Ezra Klein's recent podcast episode about "Social Solidarity"
• Reference to the incredible Reply/All episode "The Case of the Missing Hit"

Note: An earlier version of this episode incorrectly stated that Ben Platt wrote Dear Evan Hansen, which was in fact written by Justin Paul and Benj Pasek, with book by Steven Levenson. Platt starred as Evan Hansen in the original cast.

Correction 10/2021: At long last, Kirk has corrected his description of Angus Young's guitar solo on "Thunderstruck." It is played entirely on the B string, which makes it so much cooler.

OUTRO SOLOIST: Kyle Molitor

Kyle is a Portland-based trombonist who plays in all sorts of bands, and the dude can really get it done. Find him on Instagram @tbonemolitor and find his upcoming shows on his website: https://klmolitor.wixsite.com/tbone

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