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Music criticism programming for people who love music!
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Whether you're an expert, or just a casual fan, *Sound Opinions* is your source for smart and engaging music criticism and conversation. Each week on the show, nationally respected rock critics and interview artists, talk about pop culture and music industry news, review new record releases and give trends a historical context. And, because on *Sound Opinions*, "everyone's a

critic," listeners are invited to join in the debate.

*Sound Opinions* is distributed nationally by [{tag: PRX}](http://www.prx.org/soundopinions/). *Sound Opinions* can be heard on stations across the country and online at SoundOpinions.org.

01/07/2026

Jim adds a track to the Desert Island Jukebox from Steve Albini’s overlooked production work. The recording comes from Stella Peel’s 2008 album, which Jim had never encountered before. The track highlights Albini’s signature style, a sound that continues to define everything he records: https://bit.ly/3LpSmja

01/04/2026

Greg pays tribute to Joe Ely, a West Texas legend and cofounder of the Flatlanders with Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore. In this bonus episode, Greg reflects on Ely’s lasting impact on American music and recalls seeing him tear it up at Fitzgerald’s, one of the great roadhouses in the Chicago suburbs. Listen here: https://bit.ly/4sgz5Bv

12/31/2025

Twenty-five years on, what is your strongest memory of "Kid A”?

Jim and Greg revisit Radiohead’s 2000 album on its 25th anniversary, the release that followed "OK Computer" and broke sharply from guitar-driven rock in favor of avant-garde electronic music. Author Steven Hyden joins the discussion to examine how "Kid A" was made and why its impact continues to resonate. Together they also discuss the life and career of Malcolm McLaren, the influential manager behind the S*x Pistols and the New York Dolls: https://bit.ly/3LmrArY

For more context, read Greg’s newsletter, where he reflects on hearing "Kid A" come alive at a pivotal 2001 Radiohead performance in Chicago and traces how the album’s rejection of convention continues to shape the band’s music, and the broader culture, decades later: https://bit.ly/4jlk9xD

12/21/2025

What compels an artist to keep creating in uncertain times?

Jeff Tweedy returns to the show for a wide-ranging conversation with Jim and Greg about his latest release, the triple album "Twilight Override." The Wilco frontman reflects on the creative process behind the 30-song project and on how collaboration, self-questioning, and persistence continue to shape his work decades into his career: https://bit.ly/44D0qDK

For more context, read the latest newsletter, "Creativity Eats Darkness," where Jim traces Tweedy’s long history with the show and explores how his album confronts the question of why making art still matters now: https://bit.ly/4pVnGFK

12/20/2025

Sound Opinions’ Holiday Spectacular 2025 continues one of the show’s longest-running traditions: Andy Cirzan’s annual visit with Jim and Greg.

Known to listeners as the show’s unofficial Kris Kringle, Cirzan returns with another round of “holiday obscura,” drawn from decades of digging through record stores, basements, garage sales, and forgotten collections. He shares several of his latest finds on the episode and, as always, offers surprises that challenge what holiday music can be: https://bit.ly/45dY9Pp

Want the deeper story behind this tradition? Read our latest newsletter, "Adventures in Holiday Obscura," where Greg reflects on 25-plus years of Andy’s mixes and why this annual episode still matters: https://bit.ly/4p5tdYT

12/11/2025

Jim and Andrew share their thoughts on the show, "The Lowdown," from the creator of Reservation Dogs and staring Ethan Hawke: https://bit.ly/4iGdaz4

12/09/2025

💡What’s the best album you heard in 2025?

Our annual Best Albums of 2025 episode is here, and it’s always a listener favorite. In a year that was anything but boring, great music helped us all make it through. Jim and Greg share the albums that rose to the top, many of them created by women who are far from happy with the way things are going: https://bit.ly/4pZ96wu

And if you want the full story behind the list, including Jim’s reflections on why we make these lists and how we don’t get hung up on timing, read our newsletter for the complete rundown: https://bit.ly/3MpOtLi

12/08/2025

John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats talks with Sound Opinions producer Andrew Gill about his new book, "This Year: 365 Songs Annotated: A Book of Days,” which pairs 365 of Darnielle’s songs with his own commentary and illustrations by longtime collaborator John Keogh. It includes reflections on the people and experiences that shaped his music.

Listen now for a conversation about the songs, the stories behind them, and Darnielle’s creative process: https://bit.ly/4rJtoM2

12/04/2025

Where do you stand on prog rock — love it, hate it, or somewhere in between?

Greg revisits Yes’s 1977 landmark album "Going for the One," the record that saw the return of Rick Wakeman and proved that prog rock could evolve. With soaring vocals, sweeping arrangements and a new balance of ambition and accessibility, the album blends epic scope with refined songwriting.

➡️ Read now and discover what makes this record a lasting chapter in progressive music: https://bit.ly/4pb5jfB

12/02/2025

Jim shares a Kot-esque pick, spinning Carmel’s cover of “Tracks of My Tears” from their 1982 debut album. Formed in Manchester and fronted by Carmel McCourt, the band delivers a stripped-down, intimate, and sensual interpretation of the Smokey Robinson classic, blending jazz, soul, and blues with a minimalist elegance: https://bit.ly/4osIKSq

11/30/2025

What songs about giving thanks make your holiday rotation?

Jim and Greg revisit a Sound Opinions favorite "Songs About Giving Thanks," digging into tracks that capture the spirit of gratitude, with fresh picks from the production team.

➡️ Listen and see which tracks deserve a place on your holiday mix: https://bit.ly/4a6g3qX

11/29/2025

Asked to capture the mood in Chicago right now, Jim found himself returning to the city’s tradition of rising above through protest music. That led him straight to Naked Raygun, one of Chicago’s most political punk bands, and their fierce track “Home of the Brave.”

As ICE enters the city and tensions rise, the song’s imagery of “jack-booted thugs on every corner along all 27 miles” feels unsettlingly current. Jim hears in it a reminder that Chicago has confronted this kind of pressure before and has always answered with clarity, resistance, and voice.

Hear why this decades-old anthem still hits with force: https://bit.ly/4p19fiQ

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