Strong Songs

Kirk Hamilton

Music: it's good. On each episode of Strong Songs, host Kirk Hamilton takes listeners inside a piece of music, breaking it down and figuring out what makes it work.

Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

177 episodes
Updated July 17

Episodes177

Newest first

Jun 16, 2021 · 55 min
Ska Horns & Madonna Melodies
Mailbag time! We've got listener questions about Madonna earworms, National piano parts, Breath of the Wild music, online vocal teachers, the French horn, The Lemon Twigs, and much more.
Jun 2, 2021 · 59 min
"You've Got a Friend" by Carole King
Winter, spring, summer, or fall... all you have to do is call, and Strong Songs will be there with an in-depth analysis of one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th century.
May 19, 2021 · 56 min
"New Born" and "Micro Cuts" by Muse
Link it to the world, link it to yourself, link it to your podcast app, because it's time to talk about Muse.
May 14, 2021 · 33 min
"Nessun dorma" by Giacomo Puccini (Aria Code)
The fine folks at WNYC's fabulous opera podcast Aria Code recently reached out about doing a cross-promotion with Strong Songs, and now here we are, running an episode of their show in the Strong Songs feed.
May 5, 2021 · 1 hr 1 min
Strung Beats, Jazz Battles & The Notes You Don't Play
The Strong Songs mailbag has gotten pretty overstuffed lately, so Kirk decided to take another crack at it. That means it's time for more of your musical questions!
Apr 30, 2021 · 58 min
Explaining Musicals, with Lindsay Ellis
If an emotion is too big for talking, you sing. If it's too big for singing, you dance. And if it's too big for dancing, well, you just gotta podcast!
Apr 21, 2021 · 59 min
Sidechain Compression & Saxophone Traffic Cones
Kirk peruses the Strong Songs inbox to answer your questions about jazz drum solos, practicing with play-a-longs, Tame Impala tunes, saxophones with traffic cones, vocal technique, sidechain compression, and several tricky rhythms.
Apr 7, 2021 · 59 min
"Stolen Moments" by Oliver Nelson
Jazz is all about the contrast between the individual and the collective, and few recordings embody that as beautifully as "Stolen Moments."
Mar 24, 2021 · 55 min
"Cameo Lover" by Kimbra
Open up your heart! Open up your heart! Open up your heart, let Kimbra pull you out!
Mar 17, 2021 · 1 hr 7 min
The Mysteries of Music, with Carmen Staaf
What's this? An off-week episode of Strong Songs?? Indeed it is! For this episode of Strong Conversations (working title), Kirk hopped on a call with New York pianist Carmen Staaf to talk about the fundamental elements of music, learning to sing as an instrumentalist, teaching jazz and ear training, her collaborations with vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater and drummer Allison Miller, and the similarities between jazz and chess.
Mar 10, 2021 · 57 min
"Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush
Heathcliff! It's us, it's Strong Songs, we've come home!
Feb 24, 2021 · 58 min
Cross-Rhythms, Concept Albums & Dream Songs
Time for the first Q&A episode of Strong Songs year three!
Feb 10, 2021 · 59 min
"Babylon Sisters" by Steely Dan
Here comes that Santa Ana wind again, blowing us right into the slightly skewed world of Steely Dan.
Jan 27, 2021 · 58 min
"Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap
Where are we? What the hell is going on? Oh right, we're here with our podcast device, listening to an episode of Strong Songs.
Jan 13, 2021 · 53 min
"Space Oddity" and "Starman" by David Bowie
Let the children lose it, let the children use it, and let all the children join in for Strong Songs year three!
Nov 25, 2020 · 57 min
Year Two, In Review
As Year Two of Strong Songs draws to a close, it's time to take a look back.
Nov 11, 2020 · 58 min
"A Day in the Life" by The Beatles
Wake up, fall out of bed, and drag a comb across your head, cause Strong Songs is finally doing an episode about The Beatles.
Oct 28, 2020 · 1 hr 2 min
Microtones, Minimalism & the Bebop Scale
Mailbag episode! Kirk answers your burning musical questions about songs from Parks & Rec, Black Sails, Lovecraft Country, and What We Do in the Shadows, as well as microtones, minimalist songwriting, the bebop scale, practicing habits, and more.
Oct 14, 2020 · 1 hr 5 min
Strong TV Songs: HBO Edition
The Wildlings are south of the wall, the robots are rising up, Seventh Kavalry's on the move, and two percent of the world's population has vanished. Time for another edition of Strong TV Songs!
Sep 30, 2020 · 48 min
"Hyperballad" by Björk
It's early in the morning; no one is awake. From the top of the mountain, the soft light of dawn comes into view. You take a deep breath, and prepare for a journey with the great genius of musical travel.

Strong Songs

Ska Horns & Madonna Melodies

"You've Got a Friend" by Carole King

"New Born" and "Micro Cuts" by Muse

"Nessun dorma" by Giacomo Puccini (Aria Code)

Strung Beats, Jazz Battles & The Notes You Don't Play

Explaining Musicals, with Lindsay Ellis

Sidechain Compression & Saxophone Traffic Cones

"Stolen Moments" by Oliver Nelson

"Cameo Lover" by Kimbra

The Mysteries of Music, with Carmen Staaf

"Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush

Cross-Rhythms, Concept Albums & Dream Songs

"Babylon Sisters" by Steely Dan

"Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap

"Space Oddity" and "Starman" by David Bowie

Year Two, In Review

"A Day in the Life" by The Beatles

Microtones, Minimalism & the Bebop Scale

Strong TV Songs: HBO Edition

"Hyperballad" by Björk