On this episode, we’re heading up and down the West Coast. We’ve explored the music of the East Coast before, and we’ve also done a show centered specifically on the Bay Area. This time the map is much bigger. We’ll start in Southern California, work our way north into the Pacific Northwest, spend quite a […] […]

On this episode there no particular theme to unravel and no musical rule we’re trying to follow. We’re simply moving around the shelves a little — some rock, some soul, some new wave, some pop, and a few songs that are difficult to put neatly into any one category. That is, after all, pretty much […] […]

This episode comes in the wake of the death of Dolly Parton, one of those rare performers whose reach extended far beyond the musical category where she began. So rather than doing a conventional tribute hour, I thought we’d use Dolly as the starting point for a look at country music crossing over into the […] […]

On this episode we’re spending some time with The Great American Songbook — and beyond. “The Great American Songbook” isn’t really one book, and there isn’t a universally agreed-upon list of songs that belongs in it. It’s a name we use for a remarkable body of American popular music, especially songs written for Broadway, Hollywood, […] […]

There’s no particular theme on this episode — just an hour to wander around the musical map a little bit. We’ll move through several decades and quite a few styles along the way. […]

On this episode, we’re going Around the World — not with a strict survey of world music, but by following musical connections across borders: Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Japan, Europe, and back again. […]

On this episode, we’re taking an eclectic trip through the 1970s—a decade that gave us everything from singer-songwriters and soul to funk, punk, disco, arena rock, and the beginnings of new wave. This is not meant to be a definitive collection of the decade’s biggest hits. Instead, it is a sample of the many different […] […]

On this episode, we’re turning our attention toward the lower end of the musical spectrum: the bass lines that give songs their movement, their personality, and sometimes their most memorable hooks. The bass is often described as the link between rhythm and melody. It locks in with the drums, but it can also wander, answer […] […]

On this episode, we’re heading back to the 1980s—but not limiting ourselves to just one version of the decade. The ’80s gave us arena rock, new wave, college rock, synth-pop, art rock, and some of the biggest and most distinctive pop records ever made. We’ll hear all of those sounds, along with artists including Night […] […]

On this episode, there’s no single theme, no carefully engineered concept, and no hidden puzzle connecting all the songs. This one is simply a potpourri — a hand-picked mix of songs that sounded good together, even if they don’t necessarily belong in the same musical neighborhood. That is part of the fun of doing a […] […]

On this episode, we’re going right to the edge — songs with edge in the title, songs about crossing lines and standing at turning points, and one track tied to The Edge himself through U2. […]

On this episode, we’re setting the table for a Decades Smorgasbord: not a countdown, not a greatest-hits list, but a tasting menu, moving from the 1950s up to the 2020s. […]

On this episode, we’re taking a summer roadtrip: windows down, maps optional, and the destination not always the point. […]

On this episode, we’re listening in color. Not songs about painting, exactly, and not songs that all sound alike — just a set of records where the title gives us a color and the music takes it somewhere else. We’ll have green, white, black, yellow, crimson, brown, raspberry, and a good stretch of blue before […] […]

On this episode, we’re returning to a theme we tried once before: songs in conversation. The idea is simple — one song asks a question, and the next song answers it. Sometimes the answer is direct, sometimes it’s a little sideways, and sometimes the connection is more emotional than literal. […]

On this episode, we’re heading north — not for a travelogue, exactly, but for a set of songs by Canadian artists who have left their mark on pop, rock, folk, jazz, country, and just about every corner of popular music. Canada has given us teen idols, folk poets, arena rockers, new wave voices, singer-songwriters, and […] […]

On this episode, we’re exploring artists who are often labeled “one-hit wonders” — performers remembered for a single big song even though their catalogs ran much deeper. Some had international success, some had cult followings, and some simply deserved more attention than American radio gave them. […]

On this episode, we’re exploring late bloomers — songs that didn’t find their audience right away, artists who took time to break through, and recordings that grew into something bigger long after their original release. Sometimes music simply waits for the right moment — or the right generation — to connect. […]

On this episode, we’re exploring songs you think you know—until you don’t. These are unexpected cover versions: familiar songs, reimagined by artists you might not associate with them, or performed in ways that completely change their character. […]

On this episode, we’re taking a musical journey through the Greater Bay Area—from San Francisco and Oakland to Marin County, the Peninsula, and even out to Stockton and Sacramento. Few regions have had as wide an impact on American music, from cool jazz to psychedelic rock, funk, pop, and beyond. […]

One of my colleagues made a great suggestion about doing a space-themed episode, so we’re heading out beyond the atmosphere into songs about space, distance, and pull of places just out of reach. Sometimes that means astronauts and satellites. Other times, it’s a feeling—of longing, of wonder, or just drifting a little farther than usual. […] […]

On this episode we’re drifting into a world of dream songs — songs about hope, romance, fantasy, memory, and maybe a few restless nights. From early rock and roll to synth-pop, arena rock to alternative, these are songs that keep their heads in the clouds. […]

On this episode, we’re taking a musical trip through songs that name places you can practically hear the moment you say them—cities, highways, states, and far-off destinations that have become part of the soundtrack of popular music. […]

On this episode of The Eclectic Edge, we’re calling people out—by name. Some of these songs are about real people, some are fictional, and in some cases, the truth is still up for debate. But each one puts a name front and center—and once you hear it, it sticks with you. […]

On this episode of The Eclectic Edge, we’re diving into one of the most timeless themes in music—love. It’s been written about, sung about, and yes… sometimes dismissed as just a little too simple. But as Paul McCartney once pointed out, what’s wrong with that? These songs stick with us because they speak to something […] […]

On this episode of The Eclectic Edge, we’re turning the spotlight on songs about music itself — the bands who play it, the radios that bring it to life, and the sounds that keep us listening. From rock anthems to songs about hearing music over the airwaves, this episode celebrates the music behind the music. […]

From surf and sunshine to highways and city streets, California has inspired musicians for decades. This time on the Eclectic Edge, we’re heading west for a collection of songs that celebrate the Golden State — its places, its culture, and the dreams people bring with them when they arrive. […]

Sometimes the most interesting story isn’t on the front, it’s on the back. For decades, music lived on a seven-inch piece of vinyl. One song on Side A. One on Side B. One chosen as the hit… the other simply along for the ride. But history has a funny way of flipping things over. On […] […]

Some songs are built around a groove, some around a hook, and some begin with a question. And sometimes, somewhere else in the music library, another song seems to answer it. For this episode, we’re listening for those moments — songs that feel like they’re in conversation with each other. […]

Some songs are built around a groove, some around a hook, and some are built around a story. Characters, moments, choices, consequences. For this episode, we’re leaning into songs where the lyrics do the heavy lifting. […]

This episode leans into music that has a sense of humor—songs that smile a little, maybe raise an eyebrow, but still hold up as great records. A few true novelty songs along the way, mixed in with plenty of familiar tracks that don’t take themselves too seriously. […]

For this episode, we’re listening to music shaped by rhythms and ideas that traveled — songs influenced by places far from where they were recorded, and artists who let those sounds reshape what they do. […]

For this episode, we’re focusing on artists who didn’t stay put — musicians who started in one group and then went on to help shape another. Sometimes that move was planned, sometimes it happened out of necessity, and sometimes it came from simple creative restlessness. […]

For this episode we’re listening to artists from different generations sharing the same song–voices meeting in the middle, and collaborations that work because the music comes first. […]

As we ease into a new year, this episode isn’t about resolutions or countdowns. It’s more about listening — to voices working together, to songs that last, and to music that still feels alive long after it was first recorded. Along the way, we’ll hear from a few artists connected to people we lost in […] […]

No theme, just an eclectic mix of music to wrap up the year. […]

This episode doesn’t really have a single theme so much as a feel—an eclectic mix of songs that work especially well in mid-December. There are just a few gentle nods to the season, but mostly this is about good music, good pacing, and letting the songs speak for themselves. […]

About a week ago was the 60th anniversary of the first show played under the name The Grateful Dead, because before they were the Dead, they were The Warlocks. And they weren’t alone–another band at the time was also using the name The Warlocks, and they eventually became The Velvet Underground. So in this episode […] […]

I just got back from spending a week in London, so this episode has songs inspired by the trip. […]

We’re warming up to Thanksgiving with a celebration of something we’re all grateful for: music itself. This episode is called “Thanks for the Music” — songs about joy, rhythm, energy, inspiration, and the way music lifts us up, carries us forward, and keeps us honest. […]

From the 1960s British Invasion through later waves — the evolving sound of rock, pop, and Britpop. […]

A journey through Beatles songs reimagined by artists across genres and generations. […]

Election Day inspiration—songs about freedom, unity, empowerment, and change. […]

This episode has a playful mix of Halloween favorites and a few haunting surprises. We’ll dance with ghosts, howl with werewolves, and maybe get a little spooky. […]

In this episode we took a trip across time—covers from 1970 and later of songs written before 1950. […]

The kick-off episode of The Eclectic Edge. […]