Untitled Beatles Podcast

Brainwashed (2002)

It seems almost unfathomable, but this past week would’ve been George Harrison’s 78th birthday, almost 20 years after his body exited the material world. In honor of that melancholy milestone, Tony & T.J. do a deep dish into his last album of new material, 2002’s Brainwashed; much of which was recorded as George knew he was dying. It’s a poignant, beautiful record, which gets its proper due here, but of course doesn’t stop the Untitled Duo from their usual insane diversions; including, but not limited to:
The not-so Quiet Beatle taking on those perpetual #prannies, Oasis
Thinkin' about girls at church 
The Grammys' favorite band (and #prannies favorite band, too): Toto
And, a hot take on blues legend Robert Cray: COVID denier? (Disclaimer: he’s not. Unless he is. Oh shit is he?) 
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The Decca Auditions (1962)

This week, Tony and TJ hop in their time machine to revisit some of the earliest proto-Beatles (pre-Ringo!) recordings: The Decca Auditions. Never officially released—you can find them all on YouTube, or if you're lucky, a Japanese import CD—these tapes capture the band at their most raw. Things to look forward to:
The guys get... a little punchy
The Fab Three get a little nervous for the big audition
Poor Pete Best gets the Charlie Brown treatment (why's everybody always pickin' on him?)
Tony gets a lesson in British proper noun pronunciation
And TJ (spoiler alert?) finds a way to tie it all back to musical theater and 80s sitcoms.
We'd like to say "thank you" on behalf of the show and ourselves, and we hope we passed the audition.
 
LINKS
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Beatles Valentimes [sic]

Love is in the air, and for Tony, TJ, and the Fab Four, it's more than just holding hands. This Valentine's Day, the guys present some of their favorite Beatles love songs. Not the 1977 Love Songs compilation; not the 2006 Cirque du Soleil soundtrack. They cut straight to the good stuff. We're talking:
Romantic and carnal love (content warning: the F word gets some action here)
Freudian mother-lover mashups
Chili dogs outside the Tastee Freez
And just maybe an unexpected wild card or two
LINKS:
This week's Pandora playlist
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Deep Dish: The Beatles' Second Album (1964)

The gang continues its exploration of the early U.S. Capitol Records releases, this week covering the covers-heavy Beatles' Second Album.
Tony owns up to his early underestimation of this classic
TJ goes to bat for his official Fifth Beatle
Bryan Adams brings his piano to your mom's porch
And we think we've maybe stumbled upon the next great (grown-ups only) classic rock radio format, just in case this whole podcast thing doesn't pan out
Apologies in advance to the City of Sacramento, and those who are sensitive to explicit language.LINKS:
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Solo Beatles Mt. Rushmore

 
 
For this week's show, Tony and TJ blast their current favorite Fab Four solo tracks into the side of a mountain for everyone to see and hear. It's a long and meandering drive to the Black Hills of South Dakota, but along the way:
We learn about Tony's irrational love for a wailin' saxophone and his irrational fear of a pie in the face
TJ reveals just how too-much he knows about ill-conceived sitcom spin-offs
And we make a pit stop for a taste of George Harrison's favorite Indian carryout.
Hear this week's picks on our Pandora playlist.
 
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Caveman (Film Review)

This week TJ and Tony dust off their "Sneak Previews" sweaters to review the cult classic Caveman, starring Ringo Starr.
Is this difficult-to-stream comedy superior to A Hard Day's Night?Is this hard-to-watch romp more enjoyable than Two Virgins?Is it better than a stag film shown in a small room at Beatlefest 81?
In this spoiler-laden assessment, the Tangential Two wax nostalgic about the golden era of NBC's Thursday night line-up, Ribbie and Roobarb, and a pre-Fox television landscape.
Meanwhile, R.E.M. finds their way within blowtorch range of a Barenaked Ladies/They Might Be Giants hot take. Plus TJ and Tony dream of turning this celluloid oddity into a cruise ship musical that's sure to win a coveted "Code Oscar."
See you at the movies!

BONUS: Phil Spector Dead at 81

As a bonus podcast, we have an excerpt from Twitch & Shout on the Chicago4Real Twitch Channel, in which TJ and Tony acknowledge the passing of legendary murderer and record producer Phil Spector. They discuss his connection to the Fab Four and the complications of assessing the artistic work of a convicted killer. 
Plus an excerpt from I Dream of Jeannie!
This was originally broadcast on January 18, 2021.

Meet The Beatles

To brighten up this winter of discontent, the Untitled Beatles Podcast resurrects a buried American classic, the Fab Four's Capitol debut Meet The Beatles.
TJ and Tony will get geeky and soapboxy about mixes and pressings (as everyone knows "T" stands for "Mono") while expressing their love for this unstreamable masterpiece.
Meanwhile, TJ confuses Porgy and Bess with Toto, and Tony confuses a Music Man tune with a groan-inducing improv warm up game. Plus a few Star Wars references fall off the truck.
Our producer Casey Baker made a playlist of the original album made from the most recent mixes available, as Dave Dexter would NOT have intended. Enjoy that on Pandora and YouTube.

Deep Dish: McCartney III

Is the latest in the McCartney trilogy his best? Only the Untitled Beatles Podcast knows...
While TJ's fractured arm continues to mend, he and Tony have the rare treat of reviewing a brand new album from a living Beatle, 2020's McCartney III.
They touch on life during "Rockdown," friendly differences in musical taste (Black Keys vs. Blues Explosion), and speculate about members of Wings as Fat Albert characters.
For Chicagophiles, TJ’s “Angry Chicago Jagoff” character makes a return, and they pay a brief tribute to investigative journalist Pam Zekman.
Get deep down on this deep deep dish!
 
 

Deep Dish: McCartney II

While TJ mends a newly fractured arm, the Untitled Beatles Podcast explores Sir Paul’s strangest record, 1980’s McCartney II.
What this episode lacks in live piano accompaniment, it makes up for in analog synthesizers and bonehead needle drops, as TJ and Tony do battle over "Temporary Secretary," "On The Way," and "Front Parlour." Other bouts include TLC vs En Vogue and ET vs M&Ms.
By the end of this unnecessary special edition, you'll know which kind of retail sandwich this album most resembles. Check your machine!