Gretta Seabird are symbiotes of pop: their beautiful songs bond with and absorb the properties of every sub-genre without ever losing their Seabird-ness. Folk pop? Sure. Dance pop? You bet. Spoon-centric pop? If the mood strikes. The band joins the show this week for an INCREDIBLE in-studio live performance that will break your tender hearts and fill you with joy. We also discuss the value of songwriting challenges, the self-respecting clarinet and the shameful saxophone, giant-sunglass scams (pros and cons), the ineffability of musical cool, and the disappointments of Christian punk.

Music this week:

• "Cycling" by Gretta Seabird (13:28)
• "The Hand That Holds the Gun" by sewerbitch! (36:35)
• "Goodbye for Now" by Gretta Seabird (56:28)
• "Here" by Gretta Seabird (67:16)
• "Thing" by Mingus Maps (95:26)

Portland duo Utility wring every drop of bombast, power, melody, and even delicacy that it's possible to squeeze from a bass and drums. On the occasion of the vinyl release of their recent album "How to Protect What's Left" and upcoming Midwest tour, Utility drummer and musician lifer Adam Draper joins the show this week. The fellas chat about growing and changing as a person in-and-out of phase with growth as a musician, the cyclical import of heavy music, the challenge of rocking the socks off one's own mother, and the hidden apartment inside the home of YOUR Portland Trailblazers. Plus, some raaaaaaaad tunes!

Music this week:

• "Your Pain is an Ocean" by Utility (18:20)
• "Side FX" by Dykeritz (37:46)
• "Shiny Things" by Utility (58:20)
• "846" by Quando Quando Quando (80:20)
• "Final Piss" by Bobby Shock (96:45)

Dry Socket are the super-heavy, load-bearing wall of Portland hardcore punk music. Their music blends the intensely personal (warts and all) with communal, universal catharsis, and they are just embarking on their biggest year yet.

To celebrate their upcoming European tour and the March 27 release of their latest record "Self Defense Lessons", Dani and Geoff from Dry Socket stop by to wage the war of the hot dog versus the garbage disposal, discuss authenticity with empathy, growing up hardcore and its complicated legacy, grassroots anti-boofing, and the clear holder of the most hardcore bird (MHB) championship belt.

Music this week:

• "Abomination" by Dry Socket (17:52)
• "The Hull" by Weft (28:12)
• "Leglock" by Dry Socket (57:46)
• "Bootlicker" by SPY (74:49)
• "Again" by Railing (88:55)