Crossing the Streams with Brent and Aaron

For their last episode of the year, Aaron and Brent wrap up 2023 by giving listeners a glimpse inside the inner-workings of the podcast. The guys recall some of their favorite "off-air" moments and break down the episodes that were impactful to them this year. They go behind the scenes further by highlighting 2023's most downloaded episode, discuss which episodes listeners should make a point to hear and reveal some of the artists they want to cover in 2024. And finally, Aaron and Brent unveil their list of the Top 10 songs they've discovered through each other's picks this year. Visit www.crossingthestreamspodcast.com for extended show notes.

Coming out one week before Christmas Day, Aaron and Brent celebrate the festive nature of the holiday season by welcoming back two special guests for Episode 193’s “The Playlist Before Christmas Holiday Spectacular”. For their fourth annual Christmas-themed episode, the guys are joined by Nashville filmmaker Aaron Scott and, in his 20th all-time appearance on the podcast, actor and comedian Ryan King. Featuring songs from artists including Lightnin' Hopkins, Dropkick Murphys, Alex Lahey, and Zach Williams, the guys carry on their tradition of highlighting some of their favorite non-traditional Christmas songs.

This week, Aaron and Brent each pick out three songs from their birth year. Born in the spring of 1977, Brent highlights songs from artists including ABBA, Hall & Oates, and Pete Townshend & Ronnie Lane. With a birthday just six months shy of the decade ending, Aaron spotlights music from 1979 including songs by Michael Jackson, Chicago, and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Visit www.crossingthestreamspodcast.com for extended show notes.

This week, Aaron picks out music from a Massachusetts-born singer who has utilized the wide-spread influence of Tik Tok to cultivate a massive following while Brent showcases three songs from a singer who has amassed ten top-ten singles and two number one albums over the course of her career. Gaining a viral hit thanks in part to Candace Owens’ reaction to Harry StylesVogue cover, Aaron introduces Brent to three songs from Nashville's Charlotte Sands. Starting as a songwriter and backup singer before breaking out with her own debut album in 2010, Brent submits three songs from Kesha for Aaron.

This week, and for the first time in over a year, the guys revisit one of their favorite topics: Cover Songs. In this 6th installment in the series, Aaron picks out three songs that creatively transform the original while Brent picks three covers that became so well-known, they overshadow the versions that came first. Emphasizing the similarities and differences between the songs, Aaron and Brent showcase both versions of each song pick which include music from The Dip, Black Stone Cherry, Soft Cell, Michael Damian and more. To hear the previous five cover song installments, listen to Episodes 3, 28, 57, 99, and 133.

This week, Aaron introduces Brent to a Los Angeles five piece band that describes themselves as "grouchrock" while Brent spotlights an Atlanta-based band for Aaron that just released its first album in 23 years last month. With no-holds-barred songs that are introspective and honest, despite their name, Aaron picks out three songs from the LA indie-punk band, Spanish Love Songs. Featuring a frontman who has been called "one of America's best singer-songwriters" by Rolling Stone Magazine, Brent highlights three songs from Butch Walker and the Marvelous 3. Visit www.crossingthestreamspodcast.com for extended show notes.

Coming up in Episode 188, Aaron introduces Brent to a Dallas-based duo with music that is a throwback to 80s dance anthems filled with synth wave and power vocals while Brent highlights a Brooklyn-born singer who signed to a development deal with Atlantic Records at just 16 years old. Growing up in the same Fort Worth neighborhood as kids but not realizing it until years later, Aaron spotlights three songs from the "retropop" group PRIZM. Initially starting out as a 1980s teen idol before reinventing herself on the theatrical stage by starring in 17 musicals in 17 years, Brent picks out three songs from the career of Debbie Gibson. Visit www.crossingthestreamspodcast.com for extended show notes.

This Monday in Episode 187, Aaron highlights a group from Mobile, Alabama that take their name from the state's rust-colored soil while Brent spotlights a Jacksonville, Florida band named after a famous 17th-century axe murderess. Featuring a blend of classic country, rockabilly, gospel-fed soul, and Delta blues, Aaron picks out three tracks from The Red Clay Strays. With a debut album that was slated to be produced by the late Ronnie Van Zant before his untimely death, Brent picks out three songs from Molly Hatchet. Visit www.crossingthestreamspodcast.com for extended show notes.

Coming out a day before Halloween, Aaron and Brent once again dedicate an entire episode to songs that have a connection to the ghoulish holiday. For "The Stay-Puft Halloween Episode", Aaron and Brent pick out songs from bands including Phoebe Bridgers, Geto Boys, Motionless In White, Pearl Jam and more. You can also go back and listen to their three previous Halloween specials (Episode 135, Episode 83, and Episode 32) now on the Crossing The Streams Podcast website or any podcast provider platform. Visit www.crossingthestreamspodcast.com for extended show notes.

This week, Aaron and Brent highlight music from two different California bands that play their own distinct brand of funk music. Featuring a rotating roster of the best session musicians, singers and producers in Los Angeles known for releasing weekly cover songs, Aaron picks out three from Scary Pockets. Originating from San Francisco with a frontman who is commonly regarded as one of the key figures in the development of funk music, Brent spotlights three songs from Sly and the Family Stone. Visit www.crossingthestreamspodcast.com for extended show notes.

This week, Aaron and Brent both highlight artists that had significant mainstream success in the mid-90s, one from Gainesville, Florida and the other from Athens, Georgia by way of Lincoln, Nebraska. Named after a local missionary who ran a homeless shelter, Aaron picks out three deeper cuts from Sister Hazel. Opting to attend college in the same town that served as the home base for R.E.M. and The B-52's, Brent spotlights three songs from Matthew Sweet.

Aaron spotlights music from a New York City-based singer/songwriter who just released her third album in August while Brent highlights a musician who, throughout her career, has performed as a solo artist, a member of The Lemonheads, and as the front woman of her own band. Starting out as a student at Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music before dropping out to fine-tune her songwriting skills, Aaron picks out three songs from Margaret Glaspy. Forming her first band, Blake Babies, while also a student at the Berklee College of Music, Brent picks out three songs from the career of Juliana Hatfield.

In his 19th appearance on the podcast, guest Ryan King returns and furnishes the topic for the week: Great Songs, Bad Albums. This week, Aaron, Brent and Ryan each pick out two songs that are the shining light on otherwise unfavorable albums. From critical disasters and commercial letdowns to fan disappointments, the guys each pick out two standout tracks from otherwise forgettable records including songs from Metallica, KISS, Guns N' Roses, and more. Visit www.crossingthestreamspodcast.com for extended show notes.

This week, in Episode 181, Aaron and Brent circle back to the folk genre to cover music from a Canadian singer/songwriter who just passed away in May and an Irish trio that named themselves after a particular bird that frequents the river Boro in Wexford. With a style of music that is reminiscent of fellow Irish singer/songwriter Dermot Kennedy, Aaron highlights three songs from the band Kingfishr. With both Bob Dylan and Robbie Robertson citing him as one of their favorite songwriters, Brent picks out three songs from the late Gordon Lightfoot. Visit www.crossingthestreamspodcast.com for extended show notes.

This week, Aaron and Brent explore the stranger side of music in an episode they have dubbed, "What is Even Happening: A Collection of Curiosities". From spoken-word tracks and experimental sounds to bluegrass covers of hip-hop songs, the guys single out three left-of-center picks including music from bands like King Missile, Passion Pit, and Was (Not Was).

This week, Aaron picks out music from an English singer, songwriter and guitarist who was named Best British Male Solo Artist at the Brit Awards in 2007 and Brent highlights a singer/songwriter who was nicknamed "Bruno" by his father because of his resemblance to wrestler Bruno Sammartino. Named best-selling male solo artist of 2006 in the UK thanks in part to his debut album topping UK Albums Chart, Aaron singles out three songs from James Morrison. With a career that includes 15 Grammy Awards and 130 million records sold worldwide, Brent spotlights three songs from Bruno Mars. Visit www.crossingthestreamspodcast.com for extended show notes.

This week, Aaron picks out music from a Kitchener, Ontario, twin sister group while Brent highlights a Chicago-based band co-founded by Louise Post and Nina Gordon. Born from the ashes of their previous group, Courage My Love, during the summer of 2020, Aaron picks three tracks from the Arn-Horn sisters in Softcult. Taking their name from the spoiled rotten rich girl from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Brent picks three songs from Veruca Salt. Visit www.crossingthestreamspodcast.com for extended show notes.

For Episode 176, Aaron and Brent base their song picks around the very concept that helped birth this podcast: Mix-Tapes. Before the days of instantly discovering new music through Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube, you had to rely on word-of-mouth from friends or a meticulously-crafted collections of songs on cassette in order to unearth a band you never knew existed. This week, the guys exchange three song with each other that they introduced someone to or they themselves came upon through musical referral in an episode called, "Heard It From A Friend: A Harmonious Exchange Of Music". Visit www.crossingthestreamspodcast.com for extended show notes.

This week, Aaron picks out songs from a St. Charles, Missouri band that formed in their local record shop while Brent features music from a Dallas/Ft. Worth group that got a career boost courtesy of VH1. Starting out in high school under the moniker Hindsight before changing it again to a name they would eventually title their debut album, Aaron introduces Brent to 3 songs off of Greenwheel’s album "Soma Holiday". Included as one of the four groups on the 2001 show “Bands on the Run”, Brent presents Aaron with 3 songs from Flickerstick's debut "Welcoming Home the Astronauts". Visit www.crossingthestreamspodcast.com for extended show notes.

Aaron helps to familiarize Brent with deeper cuts from an artist who found success with two back-to-back radio hits in the late 90s while Brent introduces Aaron to a West Tennessee band that takes their name from a line in the Terry Gilliam film "Brazil". With songs like "I'll Be" and "I Could Not Ask For More" making him a Top 40 staple, Aaron instead picks out three songs from Edwin McCain's 1995 major-label debut "Honor Among Thieves". Starting in 1995 as a jazz fusion group, while simultaneously serving as the rhythm section for their college jazz band, Brent spotlights three songs from 27 B Stroke 6. Visit www.crossingthestreamspodcast.com for extended show notes.