#113 - Review the Review: Man Alive | Dr. Lonnie Smith | A Question About The Beatles

Everything Everything released their first album Man Alive back in 2010 & Nick, who discovered them last Thursday, was an immediate fan. After a few listens, he decided to see what his old pals at Pitchfork had to say about this (still) fresh debut from a talented bunch of musicians; he did not like what he found. This week, Nick’s admiration for the crew at Pitchfork is put to the test. [Man Alive Pitchfork Review]

Songs:
Everything Everything - “Schoolin”
Everything Everything - “Weights”

Dr. Lonnie Smith passed away last week at the age of 79 & Greg brings us a remembrance. An American jazz Hammond B3 organist, Smith merged jazz, funk, and soul as both a member of the George Benson Quartet (among other groups) and as a bandleader in his own right. He continued recording well into 2021 and his illness and subsequent passing came quickly. He’ll be greatly missed and Greg’s queued up a handful of his many gems to share his appreciation of his music.

Songs:
Dr. Lonnie Smith - “Scream (Live at Club Mozambique, Detroit, 1970)”
Lou Donaldson - "Alligator Bogaloo”
Dr. Lonnie Smith - “Sunshine Superman (feat Iggy Pop)”

Finally, a question about The Beatles. Well, first let’s listen to "Hey Bulldog" and then get some assumptions out of the way:

-The Beatles are as close to universally loved as any band in history.
-The Beatles are one of the largest influences on popular music in the latter-20th and 21st centuries.
-They’re respected on a musical, cultural and technical level by the vast majority of musicians and non-musicians alike.
-With the exception of Drake fans, no one thinks The Beatles were just a bunch of hacks that got lucky.

Okay, so the question: Were The Beatles successful because of their early teeny-bopper appeal or did stars truly align to make them a once-in-a-century phenomenon? Followup question, will we ever see something like them again? The guys discuss.

Also, Greg’s going to be on tour with The Red Not Chili Peppers over next couple weeks, check them out if they’re playing nearby!