Bandsplain

It's time for a loaded mailbag, and Yasi is handling this one solo. She’s tackling questions on skin-care routines, the importance of physical media, and the best venues for seeing a show. Plus: Learn whether 24 is too old. (Spoiler: It’s not.)

Next, Iceage’s Elias Bender Ronnenfelt and Johan Suurballe Wieth join Yasi to discuss their new album, 'For Love of Grace & the Hereafter.' They talk about the Copenhagen music scene, the epiphany of direction, scoring films, and befriending crows. 

Check out Iceage’s ‘For Love of Grace & the Hereafter’ here 

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CREDITS:

Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek

Guest: Elias Bender Rønnenfelt and Johan Suurballe Wieth @iceage

Producer: Rob Sundermann 

Editor: Adrien Bridges 

Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles

Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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Sean Fennessey joins Yasi to build the Music Biopic Hall of Fame, from the 1940s to today. Along the way, they consider what makes a great music biopic, why rock and roll lends itself so well to the genre, and why a great central performance doesn’t always mean a great movie. Plus: Yasi’s cocurated Criterion Channel collection, the movies that belong in the trash, and the TV movie that ‘Odyssey’ star Matt Damon really deserved an Oscar for.

Check out the curated Criterion Channel collection here.

Plus: Yasi and Sean on 24 Hour Party People

And the Top 20 on Letterboxd

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CREDITS:
Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guest: Sean Fennessey @seanfennessey
Producer: Rob Sundermann
Editor: Jon Jones
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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Yasi is joined by returning guest Patrik Sandberg to revisit the soundtrack to 1980 cult film ‘Times Square.’ They cover the scrapped love story between its two leads, the producer’s efforts to turn the project into the next ‘Saturday Night Fever,’ and the decision to market its sprawling punk and new wave soundtrack ahead of the movie itself. Plus: Patrik’s mini deep dive on legendary producer Robert Stigwood and why the greatest influence 'Times Square’ had might be on the generation that followed it.

CREDITS:

Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek

Guest: Patrik Sandberg @patriksandberg

Producer: Rob Sundermann 

Editor: Adrian Bridges 

Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles

Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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Rob Harvilla joins Yasi to revisit the music of the John Hughes coming-of-age classic ‘Pretty in Pink.’ They discuss the film’s defining mix of new wave and college rock, the eponymous Psychedelic Furs song and its misinterpretation, the ’80s classics that were written specifically for the movie, and why ‘Pretty in Pink’ remains one of the decade’s essential soundtracks.

CREDITS:
Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guest: Rob Harvilla @harvilla
Producer: Rob Sundermann
Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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Amanda Dobbins joins Yasi to take on the Oscar-, Grammy-, and Golden Globe-winning soundtrack to 'Working Girl.' They trace Carly Simon’s path to penning “Let the River Run,” how the Eagles nearly provided the movie’s defining song instead, and the iconic sneakers-to-heels commuter transition. Plus: Who almost played the lead, how much did that apartment really cost, and gifts from Kansas.

CREDITS:
Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guest: Amanda Dobbins @akdobbins
Producer: Rob Sundermann
Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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Joanna Robinson joins Yasi to break down one of the defining soundtracks of the ’80s: 'Dirty Dancing.' They get into the real-life tension between Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze that became undeniable on-screen chemistry, the soundtrack’s seamless blend of ’60s nostalgia and ’80s pop hits, Swayze’s surprise turn as a recording artist with the hit song ‘She’s Like the Wind,’ and how the music helped transform a modestly budgeted film into a full-blown cultural phenomenon.

CREDITS:
Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guest: Joanna Robinson @jowrotethis
Producer: Rob Sundermann
Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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Madonna Month icon Patrik Sandberg is back to help Yasi break down 'Confessions II,' Madonna’s return to the dance floor. They break down the album’s callbacks to New York nightlife, the name-checks from Debi Mazar and Mark Kamins to Basquiat and Keith Haring, and why Madonna is revisiting one of her most beloved eras. Plus, our review (we love it)!

CREDITS:

Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek

Guests: Patrik Sandberg @patriksandberg

Producer: Rob Sundermann 

Editor: Jamie Yukich 

Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles

Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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Yasi and returning guest Bre Morell discuss their favorite new albums that came out this spring. Plus, the new singles from their most anticipated albums of the summer!

Next, Yasi talks with Domenic “Nicky” Palermo of Nothing about their latest album, ‘a short history of decay’, his Slide Away Music Festival and so, so much more.

Episode Playlist
Listen to the Best New Music of Spring 2026 here
And in case you missed it, listen to the Best New Music of Winter 2026 episode with Chris Ryan  here

CREDITS:
Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guests: Bre Morell @bremorell, Domenic “Nicky” Palermo @bandofnothing
Producer: Rob Sundermann
Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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Yasi is joined by musician and producer Anthony Anzaldo (Ceremony, Anthony Family) to unpack 'Purple Rain,' the soundtrack that took Prince from rising pop star to household name. They discuss the making of the film, the role of The Revolution, the live recording that became the title track, Morris Day and The Time (and of course, Jerome), and how Prince blended rock, funk, and pop to create a wholly new sound, turning a soundtrack into a blockbuster event and the biggest album of his career.

CREDITS:
Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guest: Anthony Anzaldo @anthonyxfamily
Producer: Rob Sundermann
Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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Madonna Month (OK, six weeks) is coming to a close, and it’s going out with a bang! First, Yasi is joined by the original Madonna influence, her mom, Fattaneh Salek! It all started here, from picking Madonna favorites while still in a stroller to transcribing lyrics for future sing-alongs.

Then, Patrik Sandberg is back to help Yasi answer all your burning Madonna questions. What was Madonna’s best hair era? Who would the dream Madonna alt-rock collab be? And most importantly, why isn’t Gen Z properly celebrating Madonna?! Plus, they rank their top five Madonna songs (but we still don’t agree with rankings)!

Host: Yasi Salek @yasisalek
Guests: Fattaneh Salek and Patrik Sandberg @patriksandberg
Producer: Rob Sundermann
Editor: Adrian Bridges
Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles
Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

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